🦎 Why did you choose the name Atman Ananda? What personal story and idea stand behind this moniker?
🦸‍♂️ Atman is the eternal «I,» or simply «Soul,» in Sanskrit; Ananda is pure bliss. It’s a reminder for me—and everyone on the dancefloor—that music awakens inner light. The story? A connection to Vedic wisdom, a love for Sanskrit, and a feeling of myself as an eternal essence—outside any «storyline,» ha-ha.

🦎 What marked the beginning of your path into music and DJing?
🦸‍♂️ A Pink Floyd cassette, «Money for Nothing,» found in my grandma’s attic when I was 12. I hit play—and time stopped; the bass vibrated in my chest like a heartbeat. First set? In my first year at university I sneaked in to see the rector, told him I perceive music differently—and became a DJ. Fire!

🦎 There were a guitar and a piano at home in your childhood—how did that shape your ear and taste?
🦸‍♂️ The instruments trained my ear for layers: the piano taught harmonic, emotional flow; the guitar—raw groove. I still «see» arrangements and DJ tracks through keys, guitar, groove transitions, and bass placement with effects—every sound has its exact place and job. That’s why the sets breathe and move, rather than just sound.

🦎 In your youth you built DJ rigs from radio parts because gear was hard to access. What did that DIY stage teach you—and how does it influence your sound now?
🦸‍♂️ It taught resourcefulness: no budget? No problem. I soldered crossfaders from scrap, learned electronics with my father by trial and error (and a couple of small fires). Now the sound feels authentic: I ride EQ like in those old «hacks,» without cookie-cutter presets. My downtempo carries that hand-made vibe.

🦎 With 20+ years behind the decks and experiments with genres—why did your axis settle on House/Deep House, and your palette on Downtempo, Indie Dance, and Progressive?
🦸‍♂️ 20+ years of experiments: trance felt too fast, techno too cold. House hit perfectly: a 122–128 BPM pulse—like breathing, a heartbeat, ocean waves. My sunset palette expanded on the Black Sea, in Goa, and on Phangan’s beaches—downtempo and organic for sunsets and soul. Indie dance—for airy lightness and positive edge; progressive—for trance-like builds without losing soul.

🦎 The «Rose Quartz Sunsets» series sounds like a manifesto of Phangan’s sunset aesthetic. What is «rose quartz» musically for you, and how do you build those set-journeys?
🦸‍♂️ «Rose quartz» is the warm, healing hour of sunset: gentle builds, crystalline pads like the vibration of a stone (buried beneath our beloved island) dissolving stress. I build sets as journeys: organic textures; a peak with euphoric house drops. Phangan’s sunset? A magical elixir.

🦎 And the «Organic Goa Sunsets» series—how did Goa influence your tempo, groove, and choice of instruments/samples?
🦸‍♂️ Goa brought hypnotic grooves—tribal percussion, ethnic flutes, slower tempos (90–110 BPM) that induce trance. Samples? Didgeridoo, shamanic chants paired with modern synths. Pure «organic»: pop-polished yet pulsing with the body’s earth and the spirit’s cosmic vibration.

🦎 Your social motto is «Awakening soul with musical vibrations.» How do you gauge that something has “awakened”—by the dancefloor, the silence after, the feedback?
🦸‍♂️ Closed eyes in ecstasy, strangers hugging after a set, or that deep silence when the last sound fades—goosebumps. When someone says, “I feel alive again«—that’s the sign. When bodies synchronize with the vibe—the souls awaken.

🦎 You’re not only a DJ but also a sound engineer—mixing/mastering. How do those engineering skills change your live show and track selection?
🦸‍♂️ An engineer’s ear lets me sculpt and animate tracks—each sound in precise space. Surgical EQ removes excess, tone-shaping lifts what matters, compression «glues» without mud. For selection I look at dynamic range, formants, harmonics—not just loudness. Result: sets evolve like living beings, crystal-clear even on beach acoustics.

🦎 On Instagram you also call yourself a «lighting maker» on Phangan. What is that role—light design for sets, installations, VJ linkage?
🦸‍♂️ Full-on light mage: I set followspots and sky trackers into the night sky—they draw a crowd; I sync laser projectors to BPM. The design uses organic flows: pastels for downtempo, strobe beams at the peaks. The beach turns into a «breathing» lightscape.

🦎 About guest mixes: Baikal Nomads Mixtape #240, Keyfound Lockast #78, and a guest set for DJ Lex Green from Koh Phangan—how does your approach change when you’re a guest of another brand?
🦸‍♂️ Guesting means respect: I first study the brand’s vibe and DNA. Baikal Nomads—top-tier downtempo; Keyfound—melodic groove; Lex Green—pure Phangan sunset warmth. I always add my signature: breathing «pauses,» a style stop to release tension. It’s collaboration, not takeover.

🦎 In the studio—from first idea to mastering—what stage is the most «magical,» and which is craft and discipline?
🦸‍♂️ Magic? The first spark—a hummed melody after meditation that blossoms into a track. Craft? The grind—EQ till 4 a.m., A/B tests on different systems. Discipline wins: a morning breath-work ritual keeps the flow and shields from burnout.

🦎 On collaborations: your track «Sweet Harmony» with Dunnan—what did it teach you, and who do you dream of working with next?
🦸‍♂️ It taught patience: his Afro builds sharpened my house instincts and created a hybrid strength. The magic is in collision. Next dream? Learn the flute—it touches the heart center; I want more acoustic threads woven into soul awakening.

🦎 When you’re at the decks, the dancefloor comes alive: what most strongly triggers that “coming alive«—transition dynamics, harmonies, your energy, or work with effects and live loops?
🦸‍♂️ First, my energy—I dance right in the booth and feed the vibe. Then the transitions: harmonic mixes with live loops/effects so there’s surprise. It’s 50/50: the crowd feels my passion, I feel their response. Let’s go!!

🦎 Given your popularity: how do you balance a healthy ego with serving the dancefloor? Have you already gone through «star syndrome,» or are you still inoculating against it?
🦸‍♂️ A healthy ego fuels the craft; service keeps it pure—the dancefloor comes first. «Star syndrome»? Early on I chased applause. Goa cured it; Phangan’s breath humbled it. Now it’s about collective awakening, not a spotlighted ego.

🦎 Phangan—its people, venues, and vibe—what makes this «magical island» special to you as an artist and a person?
🦸‍♂️ For the artist: endless inspiration in groove; full moons and sunrise sets rewrite the soul. For the person: a community of seekers, healing beaches. Freedom without compression—play what truly moves! Connect deep and for real. Secret: only love and truth work today.

🦎 You often appear in island lineups. How often are you on Phangan?
🦸‍♂️ Once a week on Phangan—Seaside. Sometimes Vietnam, the Himalayas! Phangan calls—I answer.

🦎 Sunset sets vs. night slots: how do dramaturgy and acoustic priorities differ (space, mix density)?
🦸‍♂️ Sunsets: airy dynamics, lots of space (less low-end «boom»), flowing mixes toward the horizon. Night: tight low-frequency pressure, solid groove, dramatic builds. Sunset is for reflection; night releases the wild ones—crashers end up in hospitals, haha.

🦎 Three tips for young DJs and producers: how to train taste, build a set that «flies,» and not lose your voice among trends?

• 🦸‍♂️ Taste: listen everywhere—festivals, beaches, silence; absorb, don’t copy.
• Sets: paint with a brush—from calm to peak; read the floor live; learn theory.
• Voice: experiment boldly; keep what gives you goosebumps—trends fade, the soul is eternal. OM NAMO SHIVAYA.

🦎 Finally: what would you like to wish Phangan and the people on the island—artists, promoters, and everyone who comes for music and freedom?
🦸‍♂️ To the island and its souls: listen only to the heart—promoters, dream bigger; artists, stay vulnerable; dancers, dissolve into music. More unity, less ego—may every sunset and every set awaken Ananda within. Bliss to all!