Petar Dundov runs his own ‘Neumatik’ studio in Zagreb where he works as a sound engineer as well as producing his own take on techno, ambient, and electronica, much to the liking of respected artists such as Carl Craig, Sven Väth, or François K.
The Croatian producer might be best known as a producer of wondrous, melodically complex techno – but as revealed on his first two albums Escapements and Ideas From The Pond, his ambitions and talents as a musician are considerably more expansive than simply servicing the dancefloor.
Dundov’s third LP, Sailing Off The Grid, expands on the lush, intricate synth explorations of his previous two releases, but sees him delve further still into those realms, invoking the spirit of classic ambient and synth-based music of decades gone by. While the album spans just eight tracks, each track clocks in over seven minutes, and some almost double that length. Each is slow-burning, expansive, gradually unfolding to reveal more of itself and to develop its motifs and sentiments without the often hurried constraints of the dancefloor (or even more so, the radio). This is an album to be consumed in its entirety; not for those with short attention spans or iPod playlists on their mind.
We caught up with Petar Dundov to talk about his plans for 2023, his favorite synths, upcoming gigs, and more.
Hey Petar, thanks for joining us today. How did 2023 start for you?
2023 already looks promising. I feel really inspired, already did a couple of amazing tracks and the vibe in the studio is great. I am glad the era of isolation is over and gigs are picking up again. I’ve been missing it all too much.
Congrats on your latest remix for Gaston Ponte’s «Dark Side» on Particles. What was your inspiration behind this remix?
I always try to stay true to the original work as much as possible while trying to expand the main motive of the track. When I was messing around with samples from Gaston, a simple melody emerged naturally, it just glued all of these elements together into a new flavor. I was able to create a kind of extended version that keeps you involved right until the end.
How do you approach remixing? What comes first for you?
First I listen to the track a couple of times, analyzing groove, harmony, melodic elements, etc. If after 2-3 listenings I don’t have an exact idea how to approach the remix, I don’t take it. There should be something inside that resonates with my sensibility, otherwise, I usually end up struggling with it.
Key points for me are melodic elements since I can decide to create accompanied layers of sounds or create a chord progression based on keys in which a melody is playing.
Can you name some of your favorite instruments and/or plugins that you believe define your sound?
My sound comes from a couple of synths like the Roland System 100, Jupiter 4, Prophet 600, and Matrix-6, they are usually the go-to synths for me. From the plugins, I like Massive X from Native Instruments, Roli Equator, Polymode and Sines from Cherry Audio, and Alchemy from Logic X.
What was your highlight gig in 2022?
I had an amazing time at Loveland Open Air Festival in Amsterdam last August. I performed on the live stage, and the atmosphere was surreal, definitely a day to remember. From club gigs, I would highlight Vent in Tokyo, such a positive vibe in that place.
Where can people expect to see you perform in the next couple of months?
I will have shows in Cologne, Germany, Lisbon, Portugal, and some summer festivals in the UK and Holland. Also In March, I will be performing in Tonhalle Zurich for a special live show we created together with their symphonic orchestra.
Judging from your own experience, what is the key to having longevity in the music industry?
The key is to stay fresh, always surprising your audience with new ways of expression. Also constantly working on your sound, developing, and learning new skills. People sometimes forget that music must keep on evolving to stay interesting for the audience.
How would you define success? Is there a metric for it?
For me, success is making it to the level that you can actively produce music and live a normal life. For example, just being in the studio and creating new music that gives you goosebumps is the reward. Success comes later as a natural consequence of commitment and hard work.
What can we expect from Peter Dundov in 2023?
I just finished a new ambient album. It is going to be released in early March. It’s something I wanted to do for quite a while and being stranded in my studio for the last couple of years during the pandemic finally paid off. Also, 4 new EPs are already finished. So 2023 will be full of new exciting music.
Thanks for joining us today! Is there anything else you would like to mention before we go?
Thanks for having me, I hope we see us somewhere on the dance floor soon.
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Gaston Ponte – Dark Side (Petar Dundov Remix) is OUT NOW on Particles
GRAB IT HERE