In 2020 Croatian producer and house music superstar Matroda announced the launch of his very own record label, Terminal Underground. Already widely known for a sound on the cusp of funky tech house and bottom heavy bass house, the label served as a platform for him to guide the direction of house music culture from his ears to yours.




He shared in a Facebook post, “I started TERMINAL UNDERGROUND as a label/collective/platform where I will help promote fresh new music. I promise I will listen to every demo personally but will only release a few singles per year at first,” and even included a link for demo submissions.




The label has become a sounding board for fresh talent and innovative music. He helped launch the career of fellow Croatian artist San Pacho and has pushed chart-topping releases of his own as well as rising house stars like Bleu Claire, Guzz, SUBSHIFT, Peace maker!, and Cave Studio.




1. Matroda - Jack the House (2020)

“Jack The House” was the debut single for the highly anticipated launch of Terminal Underground. Bass-heavy beats anchor a track layered with the perfect amount of laser beams. The energy-packed track was the ideal way to kick things off.




2. Honey & Badger - Wallifornia (2020)

Belgian DJ and producer Honey & Badger has fostered attention from some of electronic music’s biggest names. This release on Terminal Underground was just another accolade to add to his growing resume. With support from artists like Tchami, Malaa, and Martin Garrix, Honey & Badger’s bass-heavy house music has already been making the rounds since 2018. “Wallifornia” proves to be a certified club banger with its rap vocals and bouncy rhythm.




3. San Pacho, House Divided - Workaholic (2020)

Matroda isn’t the only Croatian producer making waves in the house music scene. Fellow Croatian producer San Pacho has been on the rise for some time now, receiving approval from the likes of Skrillex, Tchami, and Jauz. “Workaholic” comes in collaboration with Los Angeles-based DJ duo House Divided. The track is an homage to those who work hard to play hard.




4. Donkong, MITTONE - LOVE (2021)

“LOVE” is a collaboration between German duo Donkong and rising house star MITTONE. The vocals on the track give it an extra edge with the question we all ask ourselves, “what is love?”




5. Sliipow - Flashion (2021)

Sliipow is an Indonesian producer who mainly focuses on bass music but occasionally dabbles in house and drum & bass. The track “Flashion” puts him squarely in the running as a house music up-and-comer if he chooses to continue in that direction.




6. OOTORO - Def Jam (2021)

Joining Sliipow on the label, fellow Indonesian producer OOTORO has fostered a global audience with his fusion of heavy bass house and disco-tinged tech house. “Def Jam” is the type of track that can get any crowd movin’ and groovin’.




7. Eauki - Narcotica (2021)

Eauki, pronounced oh-ki, is a Dutch producer who should be on your radar if he isn’t already. “Narcotica” has some seriously futuristic vibes that will make listeners feel like they’re partying on a spaceship.




8. Elternhouse - Memories (2021)

Elternhouse is a duo made up of brothers Marius and Mika. They started their musical journey in 2015 in their parent’s basement, which they turned into a small studio. The track “Memories” features some ethereal vocals juxtaposed with a heavy bassline giving it an upbeat yet dreamlike vibe.




9. Devarra, Jargen - Coming Back (2022)

Indonesian artist Devarra is a certified dance music veteran with two decades of experience behind the decks. He teamed with Jargen, a stand-out producer from the next generation, on “Coming Back.”

The soulful house track with a groovy bassline leading up to an intense second drop will surely get the whole room bouncing.




10. Roxe - Sounds Good (2022)

“Sounds Good” is a unique take on tech house with Roxe’s masterful inclusion of a super groovy guitar riff and female vocals that sound like they were pulled from the cutting room floor of a recording session.










11. SUBSHIFT - Club 95 (2022)

SUBSHIFT is a tech house DJ/producer hailing from the UK. He has a unique sound signed off on by Chris Lorenzo, ACRAZE, Wax Motif, and more. The producer has seen releases on Insomniac Records, Hood Politics, and Wax Motif’s Divided Souls. “Club 95” is the perfect name for this track which incorporates soulful vocal samples and takes the listener on a journey back to the storied dancefloors of the 90s club scene.



11 House Heaters from Matroda's Terminal Underground

Croatia

San Pacho

Matroda

 is of no mystery to house music aficionados worldwide. His exemplary sound has resonated with a vast audience from every speck of the globe, and he’s become a prominent part of the ongoing tech house and Latin house revolution with his exotic and culturally-inspired soundscapes.

Growing up in Croatia, his life shaped his musical taste and style of artistic expression. Croatia’s breathtaking natural landscapes and refreshing Mediterranean Sea views always instilled inspiration in him no matter what he aspired to achieve at any point in time. Once his love for house music emerged, it was back-to-back summer beach parties on the water that influenced his desire to explore the electronic dance music scene even further.

San Pacho for Matroda & Friends - Insomniac Records Livestream (December 2, 2020)

Make some NOISE! 🔊💥  Insomniac Records is streaming WORLDWIDE again with Matroda + friends! 🤩 The party starts on #InsomniacTV, and we've got exclusive sets on deck from Black V Neck, Bleu Clair, Golf Clap, San Pacho, Matroda. ⚡️ Stay Home and dance with #SanPacho

Follow Insomniac founder, @Pasquale Rotella: http://instagram.com/pasqualerotella

https://InsomniacShop.com - Use code INSOMNIACTV for 10% off!

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Facebook: http://facebook.com/InsomniacTV93
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Listen-In:
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4WVOpoFeIDUri7FiF1gRid
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/insomniacevents
Mixcloud: https://mixcloud.com/insomniacevents

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Watch on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/insomniac

His ongoing fascination with house music led him to pursue the monumental adventure of one day becoming an internationally recognized producer. Still, he didn’t really dive deep into the scene until 2014, when future house and bass house were exponentially on the rise. One of his early idols was future house pioneer Tchami, who ended up playing a tremendous role in shaping his career.

Before unveiling the San Pacho project to the world, he released music under his Pascal alias. Tchami supported one of those tracks during one of his older EDC sets, so San Pacho immediately reached out to thank him. After a few back-and-forth conversations, Tchami officially recruited him to be part of his renowned CONFESSION label roster. This was when the rebrand to the San Pacho name came to light.

“It’s really great seeing the idols that I listened to and looked up to when I was younger play my music now. Tchami is one idol that always pops up at the top of my head. When he released his 

 EP back in 2014, I was obsessed with his unique sound. I saw that he played my track with Malaa at a nightclub show recently, and I was in shock that someone I’ve always looked up to so much continues to play my tracks. It’s so humbling to witness.”

Deciding to drop everything, including his enrollment at university, was the best decision the self-taught musician could’ve made for himself. After spending numerous hours in the studio mastering the art of production and DJing, he was able to curate a standout artistic persona and sound to match his authentic self.

The San Pacho sound has proven to be one of a kind. He utilizes every whiff of inspiration to create, and he’s flawlessly transitioned his sound to reflect his artistic vision at any given point in time without fear of judgment or industry portrayal. As cliché as it sounds,​​ his principal motto is to always stay true to oneself. By sticking to this mindset, he’s managed to stand out in a sea of like-minded producers by doing things his own way and on his own terms. For him, that’s the key to success. ​​

“I noticed there were a lot of great house sounds out there but I wanted to implement my own take on the genre. I wanted to take inspiration from everyday soundscapes and sounds from all over the world including real instruments and real percussions and merge them into house music. This concept wasn’t as pro​​minent when I first started this journey. This is actually how my idea for ‘La Pasion’ with 

 came to be. Now I’m known for creating house tracks with Latin melodies, which wasn’t my original purpose but it sort of just happened, and I’m so glad it did.”

“La Pasion” still sits on the top charts a year following its release. This striking Latin house heater skyrocketed San Pacho’s career and tight-knit relationship with fellow Croatian producers. He and Matroda share a similar vision when it comes to dominating the scene, making it impossible for them to not cross paths and coexist in such a niche house music space.

Matroda x San Pacho - La Pasion

La Pasion w/ San Pacho is OUT NOW : https://fanlink.to/LaPasion

MATRODA - JACK THE HOUSE TOUR
Tickets: www.matrodamusic.com/tour

JUL 3 DAYTRIP FESTIVAL, LOS ANGELES, CA
AUG 7 iBOAT NYC, NEW YORK, NY 
AUG 13 EPIC, PRAGUE, CZ - NEW DATE
AUG 21 MINISTRY OF FUN, BANSKA BYSTRICA, SK 
AUG 29 MYSTERYLAND, AMSTERDAM, NL 
SEP 3 TREEHOUSE, MIAMI BEACH, FL
SEP 10 DISTRICT, ATLANTA, GA
SEP 11 THE RITZ YBOR, TAMPA FL
SEP 12 DAYTRIP AT ACADEMY, LOS ANGELES, CA 
SEP 16 SOUNDCHECK, WASHINGTON, DC
SEP 17 ILL FEST MUSIC & ART FESTIVAL, AUSTIN, TX
SEP 18 THE SALT YARD, ALBUQUERQUE, NM
SEP 19 NOCTURNAL WONDERLAND, SAN BERNARDINO, CA 
SEP 24 SPYBAR, CHICAGO,IL
SEP 25 AURA, KANSAS CITY, MO
OCT 1 NOTO, PHILADELPHIA,PA
OCT 2 SKYWAY THEATRE, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
OCT 8 KABANA ROOFTOP, RICHMOND, VA
OCT 9 SHADY PARK, TEMPE, AZ
OCT 14 SKY SLC, SALT LAKE CITY,UT
OCT 15 TEMPLE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
OCT 21 Q NIGHTCLUB, SEATTLE, WA 
OCT 22 THE CHURCH NIGHTCLUB, DENVER, CO
OCT 23 EDC LAS VEGAS, LAS VEGAS, NV
OCT 30 FREAKY DEAKY, HOUSTON, TX
NOV 5 DAHLIA NIGHTCLUB, COLUMBUS, OH
NOV 6 GREEN DOOR, EL PASO, TX
NOV 12 TIME NIGHTCLUB, ORANGE COUNTY, CA 
NOV 14 EDC ORLANDO, ORLANDO, FL 
NOV 19 VULCAN GAS COMPANY, AUSTIN, TX
NOV 20 DEEP ELLUM ART CO., DALLAS, TX

Follow Matroda : 
https://www.facebook.com/matrodamusic
https://soundcloud.com/matrodamusic
https://www.instagram.com/matrodamusic/
https://twitter.com/matrodamusic
https://open.spotify.com/artist/45lcbTsX07JWzmTIjcdyBz?si=PpKcxjsTSPmjhT8BygxwkQ

Follow San Pacho : 
https://www.facebook.com/sanpachomusic
https://soundcloud.com/sanpachomusic
https://twitter.com/SanPachoMusic
https://www.instagram.com/sanpachomusic/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5jBerZvTAajwYvdxt3UhgU

Follow Terminal Underground :
https://twitter.com/TerminalUNDRGRD
https://soundcloud.com/terminalunderground
https://www.instagram.com/terminalunderground/

“In 2019, Matroda and I made ‘The One’ but later realized we wanted to make a more tech house influenced song since we both left the bass house genre behind around the same time. After I produced my part, I sent him the demo and he did his thing and premiered it. The initial reactions were insane so we decided to officially release it on his Terminal Underground label and its still one of my top three tracks to this day. Tracks usually age after a while so its crazy that its still on the top charts. It’s a track that anyone in the world can dance to and I think that’s why its been such a popular hit.”

Following a successful summer touring season in 2022, taking him across Europe, the Croatian sensation is ready to embark on his first-ever journey across the Atlantic to perform in North America.

San Pacho is ecstatic to finally get the opportunity to showcase his mixing abilities at some of the nation’s most pristine live music venues, including Exchange in Los Angeles, Marquee in Las Vegas, The Roof at Superior Ingredients in Brooklyn, and more. He’s eager to finally conquer the USA in full force and witness what the crowd culture is all about on this side of the globe.

To tease his upcoming and highly-anticipated North American tour, he recently just unveiled the second edition of his booming 

 mix series. The 31-minute mix is an enthralling blend of unreleased San Pacho tunes intertwined with some older tracks to get a feel of his listeners’ reactions before officially revealing any new releases. It’s a brilliant marketing tactic. With more new music on the horizon, this mix has gotten fans pumped for what’s to come from the flourishing producer.

In revamping his sound, San Pacho’s fundamental goal was to bring diverse cultures together at clubs and festivals around the world with his outlandish house escapades. And after only being in the scene for a few years, he rests comfortably on the top of the Beatport house charts alongside industry legends like FISHER, Chris Lake, Gorgon City, and more, which is still a surreal concept to him. He describes his sound as refreshing. His hypnotic beats are truly a breath of fresh air in a continuously evolving industry.

“I never had any idea or expectation that I would be standing side by side with artists like Chris Lake on the top Beatport charts. That’s just insane to me, even to this day. I can’t even comprehend that and put words together for how I feel about this. It’s crazy. I’m so thankful for this journey and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

United States

Superior Ingredients: The Room

Gray Area Interview: San Pacho

Croatian DJ and producer San Pacho is of no mystery to house music aficionados worldwide. His exemplary sound has resonated with a vast audience from every speck of the globe, and he’s become a prominent part of the ongoing tech house and Latin house revolution with his exotic and culturally-inspired soundscapes.

Read the full Spotlight: https://grayarea.co/artists/san-pacho/spotlight

▪️Follow San Pacho▪️
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sanpachomusic/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/SanPachoMusic
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sanpachomusic
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5jBerZvTAajwYvdxt3UhgU?si=TnMsnOKnQJyXBzQ9_g4osQ
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/sanpachomusic
Beatport - https://www.beatport.com/artist/san-pacho/763205

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
01:46 -  Upbringing in Croatia
03:31 - Pursuing music full-time 
04:26 - First gig experience
07:24 - His tech house/Latin house sound
09:51 - Collaboration with Matroda
12:25 - The Vault 002 mix
15:32 - Outlook on where he stands in the industry
17:14 - Fondest show and festival memories
19:43 - Speed round 

#grayarea #sanpacho #housemusic

Croatian DJ and producer San Pacho is of no mystery to house music aficionados worldwide. His exemplary sound has resonated with a vast audience from every speck of the globe, and he’s become a prominent part of the ongoing tech house and Latin house revolution with his exotic and culturally-inspired soundscapes.




Growing up in Croatia, his life shaped his musical taste and style of artistic expression. Croatia’s breathtaking natural landscapes and refreshing Mediterranean Sea views always instilled inspiration in him no matter what he aspired to achieve at any point in time. Once his love for house music emerged, it was back-to-back summer beach parties on the water that influenced his desire to explore the electronic dance music scene even further.




His ongoing fascination with house music led him to pursue the monumental adventure of one day becoming an internationally recognized producer. Still, he didn’t really dive deep into the scene until 2014, when future house and bass house were exponentially on the rise. One of his early idols was future house pioneer Tchami, who ended up playing a tremendous role in shaping his career.




Before unveiling the San Pacho project to the world, he released music under his Pascal alias. Tchami supported one of those tracks during one of his older EDC sets, so San Pacho immediately reached out to thank him. After a few back-and-forth conversations, Tchami officially recruited him to be part of his renowned CONFESSION label roster. This was when the rebrand to the San Pacho name came to light.








“It’s really great seeing the idols that I listened to and looked up to when I was younger play my music now. Tchami is one idol that always pops up at the top of my head. When he released his Promises EP back in 2014, I was obsessed with his unique sound. I saw that he played my track with Malaa at a nightclub show recently, and I was in shock that someone I’ve always looked up to so much continues to play my tracks. It’s so humbling to witness.”




Deciding to drop everything, including his enrollment at university, was the best decision the self-taught musician could’ve made for himself. After spending numerous hours in the studio mastering the art of production and DJing, he was able to curate a standout artistic persona and sound to match his authentic self.




The San Pacho sound has proven to be one of a kind. He utilizes every whiff of inspiration to create, and he’s flawlessly transitioned his sound to reflect his artistic vision at any given point in time without fear of judgment or industry portrayal. As cliché as it sounds,​​ his principal motto is to always stay true to oneself. By sticking to this mindset, he’s managed to stand out in a sea of like-minded producers by doing things his own way and on his own terms. For him, that’s the key to success. ​​




“I noticed there were a lot of great house sounds out there but I wanted to implement my own take on the genre. I wanted to take inspiration from everyday soundscapes and sounds from all over the world including real instruments and real percussions and merge them into house music. This concept wasn’t as pro​​minent when I first started this journey. This is actually how my idea for ‘La Pasion’ with Matroda came to be. Now I’m known for creating house tracks with Latin melodies, which wasn’t my original purpose but it sort of just happened, and I’m so glad it did.”









“La Pasion” still sits on the top charts a year following its release. This striking Latin house heater skyrocketed San Pacho’s career and tight-knit relationship with fellow Croatian producers. He and Matroda share a similar vision when it comes to dominating the scene, making it impossible for them to not cross paths and coexist in such a niche house music space.




“In 2019, Matroda and I made ‘The One’ but later realized we wanted to make a more tech house influenced song since we both left the bass house genre behind around the same time. After I produced my part, I sent him the demo and he did his thing and premiered it. The initial reactions were insane so we decided to officially release it on his Terminal Underground label and its still one of my top three tracks to this day. Tracks usually age after a while so its crazy that its still on the top charts. It’s a track that anyone in the world can dance to and I think that’s why its been such a popular hit.”




Following a successful summer touring season in 2022, taking him across Europe, the Croatian sensation is ready to embark on his first-ever journey across the Atlantic to perform in North America.




San Pacho is ecstatic to finally get the opportunity to showcase his mixing abilities at some of the nation’s most pristine live music venues, including Exchange in Los Angeles, Marquee in Las Vegas, The Roof at Superior Ingredients in Brooklyn, and more. He’s eager to finally conquer the USA in full force and witness what the crowd culture is all about on this side of the globe.




To tease his upcoming and highly-anticipated North American tour, he recently just unveiled the second edition of his booming The Vault mix series. The 31-minute mix is an enthralling blend of unreleased San Pacho tunes intertwined with some older tracks to get a feel of his listeners’ reactions before officially revealing any new releases. It’s a brilliant marketing tactic. With more new music on the horizon, this mix has gotten fans pumped for what’s to come from the flourishing producer.









In revamping his sound, San Pacho’s fundamental goal was to bring diverse cultures together at clubs and festivals around the world with his outlandish house escapades. And after only being in the scene for a few years, he rests comfortably on the top of the Beatport house charts alongside industry legends like FISHER, Chris Lake, Gorgon City, and more, which is still a surreal concept to him. He describes his sound as refreshing. His hypnotic beats are truly a breath of fresh air in a continuously evolving industry.




“I never had any idea or expectation that I would be standing side by side with artists like Chris Lake on the top Beatport charts. That’s just insane to me, even to this day. I can’t even comprehend that and put words together for how I feel about this. It’s crazy. I’m so thankful for this journey and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

































San Pacho

Articles

Victoria Silva