feeder insider w/ Nima Gorji about his new EP on Suleiman Records

Nima Gorji is an Iranian artist living in Ibiza and globally appreciated for his deep and stripped-back style. Not only has his music been released on record labels such as Fuse London, Get Physical, SCI+TEC, and Cécille, but he is also a revered DJ who’s played headline sets everywhere from Mexico to Australia. His new release, Let’s Talk, is out now via Suleiman Records imprint and combines acid synths with hypnotic percussion and soulful vocals. It features two of his original tracks alongside a remix by Franco Cinelli. We invited Nima Gorji for this extended feeder insider interview so we could learn more about the new release and his other projects.

feeder.ro: Hi Nima, are you still living in Ibiza, and what’s the island like in the off-season?

Nima Gorji: Yes, I still live in Ibiza, and it’s now been 20 years that I’ve lived here. The off-season probably seems boring to the average person who holidays in Ibiza once a year. Although, for us who live here, the off-season is peaceful and makes it feel like home.”

f: You have been releasing music for over two decades; how has your sound evolved, and how would you describe your current style?

Nima Gorji: Actually, it’s nearly three decades, as I have been making music since the early ’90s, but my first official release did come towards the end of the ’90s.

I evolved technically, and over the years, I’ve gotten more experience that’s helped me better engineer my productions, and I’m still improving. Although, musically, I still use the same style of hypnotic minimalist house, sometimes I overlap with its associated genres.

f: What first drew you to electronic music, and was there a specific moment when you decided to become a DJ?

Nima Gorji: My first introduction to electronic music was when I heard bands like Depeche Mode, New Order and Yazoo in the ’80s. I was a teenager in the ’80s, and those bands were huge then.

They were the first time I heard a synthesiser, and I was instantly hooked to those electronic sounds. Anything with a synthesiser or drum machine always caught my attention until I eventually discovered house and techno. I fell in love with those genres and quickly decided I wanted to be a DJ, which led to my making my music.

Other genres have also inspired me, as I also like punk rock and indie, and I used to listen to a lot of music by The Cure, Joy Division and even the Dead Kennedys.

f: You have travelled the world as a headline DJ. Which gig was your most memorable, and what made it so special?

Nima Gorji: Well, that’s hard for me to answer, as

I’ve played in 43 different countries, and most of these gigs were memorable and special in different ways.

I do not remember which one was the best, as I love playing music to a crowd, so I feel happy anytime people are dancing to the music I’m playing.

f: Can you talk us through your music studio setup and some of the record labels you have released tracks on?

Nima Gorji: At the moment, I don’t have a classic studio setup like I used to have. After the pandemic, I was forced to sell and minimise my whole life, which meant selling most of my studio stuff and a lot of my vinyl collection. I’m happy to have done it, as it’s made me work very refinedly. I mainly work inside a software program, but use a good quality sound interface like Universal Audio Apollo. I still use small hardware machines like the Roland MC-303, Korg ER-1 Electribe, and Korg Volca Bass.

f: We understand that your latest release, Let’s Talk, is out via Suleiman. Can we learn more about the concept of the tracks on this EP?

Nima Gorji: To be honest, I didn’t really have a concept in my mind when making these tracks. I turned on my equipment and started messing around with sounds until I found a groove I liked. When asked if I was interested in making something for Suleiman, I decided to focus on finishing these tracks.

I already liked the record label and wanted to make something special for them. So, I spent a lot of time focusing on the fine details, and I’m really happy with the finished version of both tracks.

I think the vocal samples make them stand out, and whenever I’ve played them in my sets, they have always had a great crowd response.

f: Franco Cinelli has remixed the track ‘Freedom’ from your new EP; what do you think of his reworked version?

Nima Gorji: I love his version. When I heard his remix, I thought it had some great elements that I wish I’d put in the original, which I think is a sign of a great remix. I have a lot of respect for Franco, and I’ve been a fan of his music for many years.

So, when the label told me he was doing the remix, I got very excited, and his fantastic version exceeded my high expectations.

f: Tell us about your summer schedule. We see you are playing Wild Fest in Italy. Are there any other events you are excited to play at?

Nima Gorji: Summer is always full of surprises, and I have some exciting gigs to play in Ibiza, such as Space Ibiza at Eden, my weekly label night at the Analogic Social Club, and, of course, Ibiza Underground.

Outside of Ibiza, I have Wild Fest in Italy, a mini festival, Pacha in Barcelona on the Spanish mainland, and Signal Festival in Russia.

f: Thanks for taking the time to run through this interview. Is there anything you want to add before we finish? 

Nima Gorji: I wish only for peace and love to all humanity, with fewer lies and deception from our governments.

“Let’s Talk” EP is out on Suleiman Records. Download your copy on Beatport

Nima Gorji: soundcloud, facebook, instagram, youtube, linktree

Suleiman Records: facebook, soundcloud, instagram, youtube, beatport, bandcamp

Words by Will – Mainline PR, Cristina & Andrei

About feeder insider

feeder insider is a series of interviews that explore the universe surrounding music and visual arts while connecting the local to the international creative scene.