Eskuche definitely isn’t the only artist in the realm of house and techno to say that Ibiza changed their life. As one of the world’s most renowned and notorious hubs for dance music and club culture, it’s impossible to track how many notable careers have resulted from the legendary parties of the White Isle. But the fact that Eskuche is one of many artists influenced by Ibiza doesn’t devalue the island’s effect on him and his music.




For years before he settled in Ibiza for two summers, Eskuche was traveling around the world. He was building his career while trying to find somewhere to call home.




He originally came up in Russia, where the opportunities to grow as an artist were limited. He then relocated to Brooklyn, New York, an undoubted hotspot for a hungry dance music artist. But after spending almost all his life in the cold, he was ready for a change of pace.




Eskuche first visited Ibiza in 2013 for the same reason most people do: to party like there is no tomorrow. After coming back in 2016, though, he was older, wiser and saw what the island could offer him as an artist.





He would go on to spend 2017 and 2018 in Ibiza, working as much as he enjoyed the sunny weather. It was during this time he defined his current, drum-heavy sound.




He wrote notable pieces of work like his EP Activator for Hot Creations and “Concentrate,” which would go on to release with Green Velvet’s Relief Records (Eskuche connected with Green Velvet when he was staying on Ibiza as well).



The warm weather of Ibiza truly imbued the music of Eskuche with a certain heat. It's a type of fire that’s made him a favorite on the White Isle in his own right and is only burning brighter as the years pass.



Eskuche: "Ibiza Changed My Musical Tastes" 

Human beings are products of their environment. Whether they realize it or not, factors such as where a person is born, where they live, and the people with whom they spend their time contribute to shaping humans into who they really are. The same applies to music productions. There is not an artist in history whose environment didn’t influence them in some way, and Eskuche has been a part of numerous environments throughout his life and career.




He was born in Russia, relocated to New York City, spent two years in Ibiza, and now lives in Miami. All four of these regions have a distinct house and techno identity. Throughout his musical evolution, Eskuche has come to embody the best of them.






When he was cutting his teeth in Russia, Eskuche’s earliest tracks, like “Into It” and “Mothership,” displayed a sense of minimalism and restraint. These two qualities are reflexive of the contained nature of Russia, while demonstrating a wealth of talent that had yet to spring forward from the young producer.




When he moved to NYC, placements on vital record labels like Hot Creations and Nervous Records came his way as he elucidated that he was making music for the dancefloor. His debut single on Hot Creations, “Acid Jump,” communicates a certain desire to explore, and NYC is the perfect place to do so.




Eskuche then went to Ibiza, where his current sound took off. He connected with Green Velvet and signed the bass-heavy banger “Concentrate” to Relief Records. He also staked a claim in Desert Hearts Records with his Robot Love EP.




Now he’s chilling on the beach in Miami—well, figuratively, because his musical output is busier and more diverse than ever. Offerings on Gorgon City’s Realm and collaborations with Mihalis Safras feature prominently in Eskuche's recent output.



With his arsenal growing rapidly, a sunrise slot on the Club Space terrace is undoubtedly in the near future for Eskuche.



How Eskuche's Sound was Shaped by His Nomadic Lifestyle

In the modern rise of house music, Russian-born, Miami-based DJ and producer Eskuche has proven himself to be a standout. Having actively played out and released music for over a decade, he's crafted a unique sound that harnesses the joy of the dancefloor and the maturity of a seasoned veteran.




It’s no surprise that celebrated labels like Jamie Jones’ Hot Creations, Gorgon City’s Realm, and Green Velvet’s Relief Records have all added the music of Eskuche to their catalog. With such an ear for raw grooves, it was almost painful to pick just five tracks that demonstrate his skills.



1. Passion

“Passion” is the lead single from Eskuche’s debut release on Hannah Wants’ record label, Etiquette. Those who know Hannah know she only accepts the hottest, most seductive four-on-the-floor beats for her sets, and her label is no different.



“Passion” leans more toward the minimal side, but its restrained approach doesn’t detract from its power. No wonder Eskuche’s continued a fruitful relationship with Etiquette, including collaborations with Hannah like “The Ish” and “Way Gone.”



2. Paranoid



Some of Eskuche’s most formative years as an artist happened on the island of Ibiza, and nothing screams Ibiza like elrow.



“Paranoid” comes from Eskuche’s EP Space, his first-ever release on elrow music. Listening to the breakdown midway through the track in all its wonky, acid-tinged glory, it’s clear he was thinking about blasts of confetti and animal inflatables flying through the air (both familiar sights at elrow) when the drop hits.



3. Concentrate



Another happy result of Eskuche’s time on the White Isle came from his relationship with none other than Chicago dance music icon Green Velvet. The two connected at a party the way people do in Ibiza. From there, Green Velvet beckoned Eskuche to send him music.



“Concentrate” was the first track Eskuche shared with Green Velvet. 30 minutes after he sent the email, they were putting plans in motion to release it on Relief Records. A few weeks later, it was out. Eskuche went on to release multiple tracks on Relief and now plays Green Velvet’s La La Land parties all over the world.



4. Activator



Eskuche doesn’t just credit the island of Ibiza as a place where he made great connections. It was where he truly defined his current, drum-heavy sound.



“Activator” is one of the tracks he produced while living in Ibiza, and though it wasn’t his first release on Hot Creations, it is the most infectious. Within the track, the word “activate” repeats frequently, and that’s what happens to people on the dancefloor when they hear it.




5. New York



Before Eskuche discovered his current sound while living in Ibiza, he made a name for himself in the deepest, darkest underground reaches of Brooklyn, New York.



Many artists have ventured into this forsaken corner of dance music territory. Few emerge with a release from the legendary Nervous Records. Eskuche belongs to this tight inner circle, and the effortless bounce of “New York” leaves no misconceptions as to why.












5 Eskuche Tracks You Should Know

When it comes to genuinely impacting present-day dance music, Mihalis Safras and Eskuche have the scene on lock. A quick listen to their respective libraries will show you the level of mastery each artist possesses. Combine that dual mastery into the collaborative single, “Feeling Good,” and you have one top-shelf heater ready to burn up every dancefloor in a fifty-mile radius. The skittering drum kit wastes no time setting a break-neck pace, and once that ascending buzz drops into a zesty rolling bass line, it’s only a matter of time until every foot in the room is stepping right along.





Mihalis Safras has time and time again been the mastermind behind some of your favorite underground tracks while also concocting some of your favorite DJ’s favorite underground tracks. His command of the tech house sound dates back years before the sub-genres current boom leading him to pioneering status on major labels like Relief, Hot Creations, Moon Harbour, and his own Material Records.



Running parallel to the Greek talent is house music’s premiere Russian groove selector, Eskuche. Since his debut a decade ago, Eskuche’s dynamic, no-nonsense percussion patterns and soul-snatching bass lines have made him one of the most consistently impressive talents to work on heavy-hitter labels like Hot Creations, Elrow, Relief, and more.



Consistency is one of the essential ingredients to success, and quality music output is something both Safras and Eskuche consistently have in spades. A trait that comes to life in the form of their 2022 collab, “Feeling Good.”





Follow Mihalis Safras on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Follow Eskuche on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter



Mihalis Safras & Eskuche's Rolling Tech House Heater Has Us 'Feeling Good'

United States

Eskuche

OCHO Episode 4

Relief Records Tour Featuring Mihalis Safras & Eskuche

Superior Ingredients (Roof)

Superbowl Blitz: Green Velvet & Eskuche [Tampa]

Tampa Location

Daylight Sessions 02 w/ Beatport: Eskuche, MIME, Charles Meyer, Robbie Rivera

Tripleheader Sessions 001 w/ XENAA, Eskuche, Tini Gessler & Toni Varga

elrow'art - kaos garden

Avant Gardner

While Russia's dance music scene may not be as well known as others, the country has produced many brilliant DJs over the years. A stand out among them is Eskuche. Known for impactful drums and intense bass lines, the 

 regular is one of Russia's finest exports.  

"Now, back in the day when I was living there, it was very different. It was mostly commercial house remixes of just popular Russian tracks. I never liked it that much," he says. Even then, his style skewed underground, a sound that Russia wasn't quite ready for yet. 

Eskuche at Club Space Miami 12.12.2020

Live set recorded from Club Space Miami 12.20.2020

"Now I feel everyone is going crazy about dance music, specifically the Solomon type of style. There is also a big minimal scene that's been growing. But with Covid, there is not really a lot going on, you know? And Russia is also very strict with all the laws and stuff. So it's a different vibe there."

He honed his craft as a resident DJ at a friends club in Russia. Yet somehow, Eskuche found himself stateside with an incredible opportunity to jumpstart his career. Although he has now settled into a home in Miami, Eskuche first lived in Brooklyn, NY, then Manhattan, and Ibiza. 

Despite his northern roots, the cold weather was a deterrent for Eskuche. And while living in New York City for almost ten years allowed him to play regular gigs and take his music production to the next level. The cold winters and dense crowding of the city eventually pushed him out. He truly hit his stride during a two-year stint in Ibiza. 

"2016 I went to Ibiza for a week. I'd been there before in 2013, but it was like I was too young on the trip, and it was just going crazy above the clouds and stuff," he remembers.

"I came back and it was really open for me [in a new way]. I really loved the island and I decided, I want to try to live there. I was there all summer, and it really changed my musical tastes like what I want to do. A lot of things that I came up with, like the tracks 'Activator' or 'Concentrate' became hits. So basically, 2016-2017, was my real starting point with the musical style I have now."

Ibiza helped shape Eskuche into an artist both in sound and how he connects with nightlife.

"The vibe and the culture [in Ibiza] are so special. The island is so beautiful, and it's so connected with the nightlife, so you know, they go together, and you never see any other places like this." 

"Activator" and "Concentrate" were released on Hot Creations and Relief Records, respectively. Eskuche was already well established, and these two tracks thrust him into the spotlight. 

Most importantly, "Concentrate" introduced him to Green Velvet, an icon of the electronic scene who helped Eskuche grow his career and take significant steps towards improving the quality and quantity of his catalog. 

"So I actually met him for the first time in Ibiza. I went to one of his shows and introduced myself in the summer of 2018. And then the 'Concentrate' track happened. It had been sitting on my computer for three months, and I was like, what am I going to do with this track? I said you know what? I've never sent anything to Curtis [Green Velvet]. I sent it to him, and 30 minutes later, he replied, saying that he loved it and wanted to release it the following week. 

"It wasn't my plan for the track to release that soon but he said to trust him and I of course agreed. Soon after I began playing shows with him and playing at his La La Land showcases. We just became really good friends, he's a great guy and I respect him a lot."

Eskuche's future is bright. As he prepares to take on a US tour with Relief Records label mate and friend 

, he reflects on how his DJing has changed over the years.

Mihalis Safras

Mihalis Safras has been making a name for himself since the early 2000s. Growing up in Greece, Mihalis cut his teeth as a resident DJ in Mykonos. After a decade of honing his skills and releasing high-quality music, he broke through in 2015 when he signed tracks to Toolroom, Saved Records, and Knee Deep in Sound. Soon after, he found himself under the wing of Green Velvet. That relationship has propelled Mihalis to the front row of the tech house world. 











Become a Gray Area member for access to exclusive perks!



As his sound has constantly evolved, he's worked hard not to rely on his older hits. Recently he's drifted into melodic, minimal, and deeper styles. He likes to experiment and keep his mixing creative while oscillating between old and new. 

He also used to play his own tracks exclusively. In recent years, however, he has made an effort to highlight other artists' music. He recognizes that 
part of the art of DJing is music discovery. 

Gray Area Spotlight: Eskuche

▪️Follow Eskuche▪️
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/eskuchemusic/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/eskuchemusic
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/eskuchemusic/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/26OGW7G9W6HKQ3yjQ2CEkX?si=UmkTg-pLQjm8wavX5Jq_qg
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/eskuchemusic
Beatport - https://www.beatport.com/artist/eskuche/284115

Connect with Gray Area:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/entergrayarea/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/enterGrayArea
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/entergrayarea
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@entergrayarea
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3nGJIfQ
Website - https://grayarea.co

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:40 - Miami scene
02:40 - Being from Russia
04:45 - Russian scene vs American scene
07:15 - Relationships with other artists
08:00 - What b2bs are like
09:53 - Progression of his sound
11:34 - Playing with an in-depth catalog
13:20 - Ibiza
16:04 - Working with Green Velvet
19:00 - Favorite hardware
20:05 - Favorite upcoming artists

#grayarea #eskuche #housemusic

Gray Area Interview: Eskuche

While Russia's dance music scene may not be as well known as others, the country has produced many brilliant DJs over the years. A stand out among them is Eskuche. Known for impactful drums and intense bass lines, the Relief Records regular is one of Russia's finest exports.  

"Now, back in the day when I was living there, it was very different. It was mostly commercial house remixes of just popular Russian tracks. I never liked it that much," he says. Even then, his style skewed underground, a sound that Russia wasn't quite ready for yet. 

"Now I feel everyone is going crazy about dance music, specifically the Solomon type of style. There is also a big minimal scene that's been growing. But with Covid, there is not really a lot going on, you know? And Russia is also very strict with all the laws and stuff. So it's a different vibe there."

He honed his craft as a resident DJ at a friends club in Russia. Yet somehow, Eskuche found himself stateside with an incredible opportunity to jumpstart his career. Although he has now settled into a home in Miami, Eskuche first lived in Brooklyn, NY, then Manhattan, and Ibiza. 

Despite his northern roots, the cold weather was a deterrent for Eskuche. And while living in New York City for almost ten years allowed him to play regular gigs and take his music production to the next level. The cold winters and dense crowding of the city eventually pushed him out. He truly hit his stride during a two-year stint in Ibiza. 

"2016 I went to Ibiza for a week. I'd been there before in 2013, but it was like I was too young on the trip, and it was just going crazy above the clouds and stuff," he remembers.

"I came back and it was really open for me [in a new way]. I really loved the island and I decided, I want to try to live there. I was there all summer, and it really changed my musical tastes like what I want to do. A lot of things that I came up with, like the tracks 'Activator' or 'Concentrate' became hits. So basically, 2016-2017, was my real starting point with the musical style I have now."

Ibiza helped shape Eskuche into an artist both in sound and how he connects with nightlife.

"The vibe and the culture [in Ibiza] are so special. The island is so beautiful, and it's so connected with the nightlife, so you know, they go together, and you never see any other places like this." 

"Activator" and "Concentrate" were released on Hot Creations and Relief Records, respectively. Eskuche was already well established, and these two tracks thrust him into the spotlight. 

Most importantly, "Concentrate" introduced him to Green Velvet, an icon of the electronic scene who helped Eskuche grow his career and take significant steps towards improving the quality and quantity of his catalog. 

"So I actually met him for the first time in Ibiza. I went to one of his shows and introduced myself in the summer of 2018. And then the 'Concentrate' track happened. It had been sitting on my computer for three months, and I was like, what am I going to do with this track? I said you know what? I've never sent anything to Curtis [Green Velvet]. I sent it to him, and 30 minutes later, he replied, saying that he loved it and wanted to release it the following week. 

"It wasn't my plan for the track to release that soon but he said to trust him and I of course agreed. Soon after I began playing shows with him and playing at his La La Land showcases. We just became really good friends, he's a great guy and I respect him a lot."

Eskuche's future is bright. As he prepares to take on a US tour with Relief Records label mate and friend Mihalis Safris, he reflects on how his DJing has changed over the years.

As his sound has constantly evolved, he's worked hard not to rely on his older hits. Recently he's drifted into melodic, minimal, and deeper styles. He likes to experiment and keep his mixing creative while oscillating between old and new. 

He also used to play his own tracks exclusively. In recent years, however, he has made an effort to highlight other artists' music. He recognizes that 
part of the art of DJing is music discovery. 

Eskuche

Articles

Harry Levin

Harry Levin

Harry Levin

Austin Miller