Making his music a meeting point between old school and contemporary sounds, the Tunisian-born producer, DJ and label head Skatman now releases his new album Rewarped on Innervisions, delivering six new cuts of pleasure-seeking club music. After having created a personal sound built on authenticity and being in a great moment in his professional career feeling especially motivated to produce more music, this release shows a different facet compared to what we have listened to from him to date. The six-track album is a masterclass in remoulding and reanimating the past and will be followed by other releases in the coming months. We talk about it and much more in the conversation with him you can read below.
You’ve been defined as one of the most exciting DJs and producers in the underground electronic music scene. What would you say are the three most distinctive characteristics of your sound?
Hi, thanks for having me! It is really hard to define my sound in three characteristics as my sound expands on different vibes and feels, the tracks could have different characteristics depending on the mood I am going for, but if I have to pick three essential characteristics I would go with authentic, raw and intense. I would also often describe my music as beautiful and dreamy but again that depends on the mood of the track. Sound design wise I would say that my music is a good mix of old school and contemporary sounds.
You were born in Tunisia but currently live in Berlin where you work as a producer and DJ being a Watergate resident. How have your roots influenced your creative universe?
My very first experiences with music were in my home country, Tunisia. Those years have subconsciously influenced me and my music. I think that that influence still exists in my music nowadays but in a rather subtle way, as an example, I often detune my synth oscillators or use specific microtonal scales, something that gives my melodies an oriental character.
Now you're releasing your new album Rewarped on Innervisions, delivering six new cuts of pleasure-seeking club music. How do you feel and what does this release mean to you?
It is a milestone for me, I was and still am a fan of the label for a very long time, so releasing there feels amazing. It makes me proud of my journey as a producer and motivates me more than ever before to produce more music.
How is it similar to and how is it different from your 2022's Superstitious Thoughts EP, released via your own label Cognitive Prophecy?
This release is very different from my last EP on my label, it showcases a completely different sound and a side of me as a producer that is not familiar among my listeners. I worked a lot with sampling in this album something that I barely used before. Consequently, the music sounds fairly different.
You’ve said on previous occasions that you want to redefine melodic electronic music and bring innovation back into the sound that you love. Do you think that everything is already invented, or are there still many formulas and sounds to be explored?
Often when I produce a new track, I try to do something that I haven’t done before. I think that mindset helped me to stay innovative and creative and prevented me from repeating myself. I think there is always more to explore in music and that will never stop, there will always be new combinations and formulas that no one discovered before.
What do you enjoy most about the creative process? Why?
What I enjoy the most about the creative process is the moment when I actually lose the sense of space and time. That doesn’t happen every time I go to the studio, but when it happens it is a magical feeling, It is a sort of meditation where the music completely takes over me.
And what can you tell us about your projects for the coming months?
I have a few releases coming up this summer that I am excited about, one for Correspondent, the label of Jennifer Cardini, and another EP for Watergate Records. I also have a special release on my label with my friend and fellow producer Tal Fussman that I believe many are waiting for.
