Coffee Break with Omri Guetta

Leading the underground scene in Israel over the past few years with his unique and indescribable perspective of electronic music, Omri Guetta continues to deliver the best dance music from Indie dance to Downtempo and even with some spells in melodic Techno. Back in 2019 Omri Guetta with his friend Kadosh decided to create their own imprint Frau Blau in order to release music that they both appreciate and to fit on their sets. Today, we are thrilled to catch up with Omri Guetta about his latest release on his own imprint and what are his plans for this year.

Hello Omri Guetta, thanks for joining us today. What have you been up to over the past few weeks in this scenario of a pandemic near its end?

Amen for that! Like most of us, I’m really looking forward to seeing the whole world reopening again, and to be able to hang and party all together without restrictions! During the past few weeks I have been mostly busy at my studio, working on new material and a couple of new exciting collaborations that I can’t disclose at the moment. The one I can disclose is with my great friend Omer Tayar. In addition to our mutual productions, we are working nowadays on an exciting Live show concept which we are very keen to reveal soon to the world.

Recently you’ve released ‘Fix Layers’ on your own label together with Omer Bar. Could you tell us a little bit about this EP?

This EP has been a long term project that started about 2 years ago. Although it was near to its completion, I was hesitant to release it because I felt it was missing something. After an especially long mutual gig with Omer Bar, we decided behind decks that we are not going to sleep till we solve this issue. So right after the party, we went to the studio and locked ourselves for 12 hours till we got the final result. The day after, I sent it to two of my favorite artists, Chaim and Armonica, who were happy to take part in creating their very own remixes. I had the idea to name this EP “Fix Layers” as a dedication to Omer Bar’s fiancée - Daniel Fixler. I have known Omer for a very long time, and I have witnessed how much they love one another and especially how she managed to make him improve as a human being in lots of aspects, and it really touched me. I wanted to surprise both Omer and above all Daniel by dedicating the EP’s title and to show her my gratitude and appreciation.

Since it’s not your first time working with Omer Bar in the studio, we can assume that you are close friends. How did you meet him?

Omer and I met in the roaring nightlife scene of Tel-Aviv.

I first met him while he was spinning decks in a party, and after hearing him play, I booked him immediately for my birthday party at my very own club. Over the years we both became members of the biggest sound camp at MidBurn (The Israeli Burning Man), named ‘Rabbits in the Sand’. From that point we’ve seen each other more and more and that helped to establish naturally a great friendship which followed by working together in the studio as co-producers.

How did you become a well-known DJ outside of Israel? Was it easy the transition from a national to a worldwide DJ?

For me a DJ booth is a DJ booth, and a crowd is a crowd. My goal has been always to invoke feeling among the listeners, no matter where they are, who they are or where they come from. The process from being a local DJ to playing worldwide has taken time, but through my festival experiences, I have been able to connect with amazing people from all over the world that share with me the same vision. Some of these people ended up being owners of party productions and festivals around the world, such as The Garden of Babylon, where I met Shishi, who is now one of my best friends and an agent at the Altitude Agency, which opened the doors for me and created opportunities to spread my music.

In 2019, you launched your own label together with Kadosh, ‘Frau Blau’. What would you say is the main identity of the imprint in your own perspective?

From the very first moment we played together, Kadosh and I were on the same page. After sharing decks on some mutual B2B gigs, we felt the need to combine our sounds and to create a brand new label that ‘speaks our language’ and would become a home for artists that we really appreciate. We wanted to give them a significant exposure and an opportunity to work with other brilliant artists.

‘Frau Blau’ wouldn’t be the same without my label partner, Kadosh. I really appreciate his hard work, never-ending enthusiasm and vision. Without a doubt he was the right person for this, due to the fact that we complete each other perfectly.

Your very first release on Frau Blau with Godes was a major debut. Could you tell us what lead to this amazing collaboration?

After being a DJ for a long time, I decided that I want to go one step further and to leave my mark by creating my very own sound, inspired by the music that I love and that has touched me over the years. This very first EP of mine was ready 3 years before it was actually released, and I never thought to sign it on a label. However, with the encouragement of Kadosh, we took the leap and decided to release it as Frau Blau’s first release, and my very first EP as a producer. It was definitely very exciting.

Speaking about your own productions, can you describe to us the process of creating your unique style?

I have been playing and experimenting with electronic music since I was 11 years old and have been influenced by a wide diversity of genres over the years. My approach towards producing is very intuitive and I do my best to have a fresh start each time I get into the studio. There is not a specific way or a strict method that I follow. Most of the time my intention is to reproduce a special feeling that I perceived while listening to a track in a club and to create a whole new experience in my own style, aiming to transmit that same vibe. So basically, I start experimenting and playing with the synthesizers and creating beats till it starts working out for me. Then, slowly but surely I add more elements till it all starts coming together and meets my primary vision.

As an artist, what are your biggest inspirations?

Hmm, that’s a tough one. My inspiration comes from a wide range of musical genres, from different forms of art, and from a wide range of feelings I encounter every single day of my life. For me music it’s not just about partying, but more of a transformational journey. I look at music more in a spiritual rather than a physical way. One of the best examples is my dog Casey, who symbolizes unconditional love for me, which is something I want to spread through my music. For me inspiration is everywhere, you just need to be true to yourself and your feelings to catch these moments and let them flow into the creation.

What are your goals for the near future?

Wow. Where do I begin? :)

I have many ambitious goals in the near future for my musical career and of course for my label Frau Blau. My primary goals at the moment are to finish tightening my live show concept alongside Omer Tayar and to keep fulfilling my creative hunger and expose my sound all over the world. In addition to releasing amazing music on Frau Blau by brilliant artists and friends, which is always the top priority,  my goal is to keep building our label’s party production and to showcase all of our roster on a significant global stage.

Aside from the electronic, what other music genres do you listen to?

There is so much amazing music out there, but Rock & Roll and Blues are my main favorites. I also enjoy listening to Funk, Soul, Disco and R&B. I have a huge appreciation for all types of music but I especially like lyrics that make you think and music productions that are authentic and effortless.

Analog or digital?

Analog with Digital control ;)

Are you a coffee person?

Yeeees! Double espresso every 3 hours for me.

Interview by João Alves.

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