Almud: "I don’t just think in terms of finished tracks anymore, I think in terms of elements I can"

With over two decades of musical experience, Almud is a Romanian DJ, producer, and remixer known for his signature blend of deep house, tech house, and melodic electronic music. A respected name in the club and radio scene, he stands out for his refined selections and immersive sets that turn every dancefloor into an emotional journey filled with energy and depth. As a producer, he crafts an organic sound that bridges modern club culture with the timeless roots of house music, releasing on his own label Magheru 9, where rhythm, emotion, and storytelling come together. He is also the host of Clubmix ONAIR, a weekly radio show broadcast on DanceFM and various partner stations dedicated to electronic music.

Your new single "Neon Lights" has a very evocative atmosphere — where does this track come from and what were you aiming to express with it?

“Neon Lights” came straight from the dancefloor.

It’s that moment in a club when you lock eyes with someone and there’s instant tension. Nothing is said, but everything is understood. You know it might not go anywhere, you might even tell yourself to walk away… but somehow you keep ending up in the same space.

I’ve seen and felt that energy so many times while DJing,  that push and pull between control and letting go, and I wanted to translate that into a track.

The groove keeps you locked in, almost hypnotic, and the vocal carries that inner dialogue… “we should stop, but we don’t.” Under those neon lights, it’s like stepping into a different reality for a few minutes — no overthinking, no rules, just instinct.

After more than two decades in the industry, how has your approach to music production and DJing evolved?

In the beginning, it was more about proving something: technique, speed, how much you can do. Over time, that shifted a lot.

Now it’s much more about intention and storytelling, both in my DJ sets and in production. I don’t feel the need to fill every space anymore. Sometimes what you leave out does more than what you add.

Playing live also changed my perspective quite a bit. I don’t just think in terms of finished tracks anymore, I think in terms of elements I can reshape on stage, extend, break down, or rebuild in the moment. So naturally, I leave more space in the arrangement, more room to play with.

At this point, I trust feeling a lot more than technique. Like Axwell once said, "goosebumps never lie". If something gives me that reaction, I know I’m on the right path.

Technically I’m faster and more efficient, sure, but creatively I’m also more selective. I know quicker what works, what doesn’t, and most importantly, what actually feels like me.

Your sound blends deep house, tech house, and melodic elements — how do you maintain that balance while preserving your artistic identity?

For me, it’s not really about balancing genres, it’s more about following the energy of the track.

Most of the time I start from the groove, because that sets the foundation. But not always. “Neon Lights,” for example, started from a harmonic idea. I was just playing around on a synth and those chords immediately created a certain feeling that came first, and everything else followed.

From there, I just build around that initial idea and let the track guide me. I’m not thinking in labels, I’m thinking in feeling and movement.

The identity comes from consistency in taste: the sounds I pick, the kind of basslines I’m drawn to, the way I build tension and release. So even if the starting point changes, it still ends up sounding like me.

With your label Magheru 9, what kind of vision are you building and what do you look for in the artists you support?

Magheru 9 is about identity and authenticity first.

I’m not really looking for a specific genre, I’m looking for artists who have a clear voice. People who know what they want to say through their music, even if they’re still growing technically.

Over time, it naturally became more than just a label. It also turned into a promo & music marketing platform, because I realized releasing good music is only half the story — getting it heard in the right context matters just as much.

So now it’s not just about putting out records, it’s about helping artists with visibility, positioning, and getting their music in front of the right DJs and audience.

At the core, the idea stays the same: music that has personality. Something you recognize after a few seconds, not just something that works in a mix.

Through your radio show Clubmix ONAIR on DanceFM, how do you curate your selections and what role does radio play in today’s electronic music scene?

The radio show gives me a bit more freedom compared to a club set.

In a club, you’re reacting to the crowd all the time. On radio, you can actually guide the listener through a journey without that immediate feedback. So I focus more on flow, storytelling, and sometimes I play tracks that aren’t necessarily peak-time, but have real musical value.

I think radio still plays an important role, especially now. There’s so much music coming out every day that people need some kind of filter.

For me, Clubmix ONAIR is exactly that: a curated space where people know they’ll discover something worth their time.

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