Pasha

Could you introduce yourself and provide a brief overview of your journey in the electronic music scene ?
My name is Pasha (Vakabular), a DJ and producer based in Thailand, originally from Russia, where I moved 15 years ago. My first encounter with electronic music and festivals was during my first trip to Thailand, at the famous Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan. Soon after, I started attending more underground events, which completely changed my life.

What is the significance of Progressive House and Indie Dance to you, and what influenced your decision to focus on these genres ?
These days, genres blend and influence each other so much that it’s hard to label my music within any specific category. Even though progressive house and indie dance come close, they don’t fully capture my sound. I simply aim to create electronic music that moves people on the club dancefloor Progressive house, for me, is about deeply listening to the music, where the audience truly immerses themselves in the moods and catches even the smallest details. Indie dance, on the other hand, brings a fresh take on the old-school disco vibe, blending it with modern sound design. It’s a bit of a paradox, but that’s what makes it exciting

How have you managed to maintain a top-selling status on Beatport across multiple genres, and what strategies do you employ to navigate between them successfully ?
I live on a small, fairly isolated island. For the first few years, I released my music on various labels and eventually started my own. However, I wasn’t really focused on promoting my work—my music just existed without much effort on my part, as I saw myself more as a DJ than a producer. That changed when I started seeing interest from other DJs, and my tracks began charting under my label. I decided to give it a proper shot and help my music grow. I dove into countless YouTube videos, listened to advice from friends with experience, and tried everything I could. After a year of trial and error, I was able to look back and see what worked for me and what didn’t. I handled everything on my own—artwork, videos, label management, artist connections, social media. In 2023, I think that’s just the norm. A one-man army.

Can you describe the challenges and rewards of balancing your role as the founder of Hollystone Records with your personal brand as an artist ?
I only started receiving demos recently, so it wasn’t an issue for the first few years. Initially, my label was just a platform for releasing my own records, without the hassle of sending demos to other labels. As my own work helped the label grow and gain recognition among DJs, I started reaching out to artists I admired, while others began sending me their demos. That’s when I also took on the role of A&R. I take this process personally, and my label is not driven by commercial interests only. I release music that I genuinely like and stay connected with people who align with me not just musically, but also in mindset. I aim to build friendships, not just business partnerships or ‘bros.’ I’m still in the early stages of building my brand as an artist. There’s a lot I need to learn, but I’m committed to making it happen in a way that keeps me happy and true to myself.

Your venue on Koh Phangan has become a central part of your success. What has been your approach to growing this space into a vibrant platform for showcasing underground talent ?
Yes, the venue is a huge part of my life. I’d say it’s still bigger than me as an artist or my music label. It’s a place where I exist physically, and in our digital world, that’s really important. Every weekend, I have people coming to hear me play my own tracks along with the best new music I discover. Recently, we’ve grown enough to start making our first international bookings. The first artists I brought in were the ones whose music I’ve been playing the most. Luckily, they’re not the biggest names in the scene, so it was affordable!

Looking to the future, what are your plans for both your personal music career and Hollystone Records ?
I’m happy here in Thailand, living without the typical international DJ lifestyle. But as I receive more invites, I’m starting to realize I need to find a balance between enjoying my simple life and stepping outside my comfort zone. It’s important to meet new people, see how they approach the same things I love, and maybe even learn something along the way. 😉 The record label is also growing, and I’ve finally added a couple of people to my team. I’m focused on building a collective with a shared vision and creating a great space for music that resonates in the here and now.

What advice would you give to aspiring electronic music artists who are trying to establish themselves in more than one genre ?
I’d say the most interesting things happen in the middle, at the edges of genres. Not too dark, not too cheesy. Not too calm, not too aggressive. It sounds better than typical underground, but has more unique ideas than commercially successful trends.

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