VNTM: "The unique connection is the journey itself"

Dec 4, 2024

VNTM is a live act and musician based in Amsterdam, known for his unique take on techno. He performs exclusively with his own music, using a captivating live setup. His sound is characterized by rich textures and progressive design. VNTM hosts the Mindscape event series at Amsterdam's Lofi venue, where he has featured artists like Len Faki, Recondite, and KiNK. In this mix, he showcases unreleased tracks from his Open Source Project, a year-long series of monthly releases that invites others to remix and repurpose his music, celebrating collaboration and sampling culture.

"The Spiral" marks a new chapter in your musical journey. What was the main concept behind this EP, and how does it fit into your artistic evolution so far?

I'm constantly trying to balance my passion for melodies with rougher beat-driven work. This EP finds a nice middle ground, with "The Spiral" being the obvious melodic piece and "Tactical" being the minimalist counterpart.

In light of my artistic evolution, this might be my most complex release so far. I aim to go deeper in the future, exploring the boundaries of what I can do without losing melodies and my signature out of sight.

Your live setup is a cornerstone of your performances. Can you share how you developed it and how it helps you create a unique connection with your audience?

My first live set dates from 2017; since then, I've made 12 different setups (I keep track of them using the saved Ableton file). What I find challenging about the live set is that after each gig, I can reflect on how things worked and fine tune, adjust mappings, adjust gear for more extensive improvements and so on.

That constant challenge to do better and perform more creatively pushes me artistically and sonically. It's a lovely journey, and I'm already fantasizing about the next custom midi controller I want to build, yet… there is one ethernet protocol I can't clearly use, so I have to find technical workarounds.

The unique connection I'm looking to create with my audience is the journey I'm on myself. People can sense when I try new things, and they should always be on the lookout for new tracks because I'll never play the same set twice.

The Open Source project represents an innovative approach to musical collaboration. What inspired you to make your stems available to the public, and what impact do you hope this will have on the music community?

Last year, I was a little fed up with many people around me complaining about music royalties and fair payouts. This started a thought process with one main question: "But what do we really contribute to the scene? Or are we just making content (in musical form)"

I engaged in an internal dialogue to find ways to present, do, and share more.

What is more fun than having other people interpret my work? So far, I've received over 100 remixes. Some sound like the producer made his first beats, and some are super interesting high-level productions. That range shows me this project is being picked up by many people, and that's precisely what it's meant to be!

With your Mindscape event series at Lofi, you’re curating a platform for some of the most exciting names in the techno scene. How do you select the artists, and what’s your vision for the future of this concept?

My artistic journey also translates into the lineups we choose, from contemporary techno to daring abstract sounds. Our core here is to create challenging lineups where we merge different worlds that others don't dare to cross on one stage to find a balance between melody and powerful rolling techno. And everyone on my lineup is a producer, too. Mindscape is a place for the creators and the people who make the music.

Your music stands out for its rich textures and progressive sound design. What is your creative approach in the studio when crafting tracks that capture both the emotions and the energy of the dancefloor?

I always start with a texture that puts me into some kind of mood, melancholy, darkness or uplifting energies... anything goes, but the process begins with a vibe. Once I got that I can decorate it with beats and find the right tempo to communicate the story. Sometimes, radically changing the tempo pretty late in the process, too!

Sometimes, I just can't find the right emotional angle in the track, and it becomes a hollow beat. I often strip those into separate parts to be used later and try again!