S.A
A Conversation on the Essence of Humanity
If you can’t uproot and move where the action is, create community around you — online or off. Seek out like-minded souls. Encourage other creatives. Reach out, and find your tribe. Sheryl Garratt
Welcome 🖤
Thank you for being part of this exciting journey of artistic exploration.
These short interviews are designed to forge a deeper connection between artists and their tribe. Whether you consider yourself an artist, a promoter, a devoted fan, or someone on the cusp of becoming one, get ready to delve into the fascinating complexities of the creative mind 👽.
Are you ready to uncover the weird and wonderful world of artistry?
I need it. It’s my happy place. More than that, it’s my form of self-expression. I absolutely love it. S.A
Meet S.A, an artist whose influence on the drum & bass scene is unmistakable. Known to friends as Satyen, he began his journey as a regular resident DJ at his student union in Loughborough, England. After moving from London to the Netherlands, Satyen became an integral part of our local drum & bass community. What sets him apart is his extraordinary skill and mastery in mixing tunes, honed over 20 years of spinning vinyl — a passion he cherishes deeply and will never relinquish. In addition, he has also explored his talents in production. MMNTM is delighted to have S.A. kick off our major event this June, showcasing his signature tapestry of liquid vibes — a passion that truly energises and brings meaning to his life.
The universe seemed to align when S.A and I connected through the community WhatsApp group Hello Drum & Bass, powered by Hello Everybody!. He suggested organising meet-ups to get to know each other better, an idea I wished I had thought of myself. Following my moment of self-reproach, we enjoyed a delightful gathering at a local beer cafe, where the majority of the artists on the MMNTM lineup showed up.
During this meet-up, we collectively discussed the event’s schedule, promotion, and marketing strategy. We noticed a gap in the lineup, and when S.A modestly mentioned his DJing experience, we eagerly asked if he would open the event. With characteristic kindness in his voice, he replied, “Sure, I’m happy to play to an empty dance-floor.” Of course, it won’t be empty — our core MMNTM team will definitely be there to cheer him on! 🎉
Here we are, deep into a live chat that stretched beyond an hour. With S.A, we discovered shared passions within this music scene. We delved into his perspectives, exploring the reasons behind his unwavering participation and the natural connection with like-minded people. We also discussed Scenius, the guiding vision behind MMNTM. This chat was mind-blowing 🤯, and I hope you’ll find the depth of our conversation just as enlightening.
Let’s dive right in! 🌊
Crossing Paths: Tracing Our Drum & Bass Origins 🎧
I enjoy reflecting on our origins and the paths we took before our lives intersected — discussing the moments where our drum & bass journeys began. If you’ve been following my journey from the start, you know where it all began. If you’re new here, I’ve detailed the entire story in this post. But what about S.A?
“My drum & bass journey started when my mum enrolled me in tabla lessons🪘. Tabla is Indian drums. It really taught me musical drum theory, keeping time, music in 16 bars, 4 bars, 8 bars. It also taught me about rhythm. That basis in real musical instruments kind of carried me into musical spaces, igniting my love for music. And that was the start of it,” S.A narrated poetically. Then he continued: “My first introduction to electronic music was UK garage.”
I didn’t know about UK Garage, so he started explaining: “Dubstep and Grime were both born out of UK Garage. It was the beginning of all the genres that came afterwards. It really had its inception alongside Drum & Bass. When Drum & Bass became big with pioneering artists like Goldie and DJ Marky, Garage was happening at the same time,” he added.
“I just remember being up in my room, recording off the radio onto cassette tapes when I was around 11 or 12 years old. I always wondered in my mind, ‘How the hell do these guys make this music?’ That curiosity led me to what you see around us today — the keyboard and my Maschine over here. It eventually got me into the production side of things,” S.A continued, his face lighting up as he showed me the equipment and his iTunes library, which he noted as capturing time ⏳.
“Bass-heavy music, lots of vibes, lots of groove, lots of rhythm — this is my heart,” he concluded, his voice tinged with emotion.
Talking about emotions, I’ve already spoken in the interview with Rueben about how our life experiences — particularly the challenging ones — shape our mindset and suit us for Drum & Bass. After speaking with S.A, I realised I needed to update my mental framework. For him, the connection to this type of music doesn’t stem from trauma; instead, he approaches it from a place of positivity.
In response to my question, “What is the feeling that you get out of the music?”, he replied, “Ecstasy, good vibes, it just fills me with so much joy. It’s one of those things, it’s innate, it’s built into me, it was always in me.” Then he continued, “It’s not like my parents were massively into music, or I come from a lineage of musicians or anything like that, but it always captivated me. Even my brother, who is a really good DJ, ended up learning from me when I got my first set of turntables. Before these, I was spinning on belt-drive.” He then explained what those were, and now I understand the difference between S.A’s first set of turntables and the high-tech magnetic ones he uses today 🤓.
We kicked off chatting about emotions and somehow ended up geeking out over the gear around us, as if the equipment were wiring for our feelings. This is how our dialogue went on over the course of an hour.
💑 Music: The Universal Connector
Before moving to the Netherlands and before the most exciting parts of S.A’s life started to unfold, he used to DJ regularly at his student union in the English city of Loughborough. He kept the beats going there for about two years. Despite his busy life, he can’t let go of Drum & Bass.
“A lot of people who get into music find that it fades away after having children. And it did go away for a while — you can’t just play loud music around a newborn. But this stuff,” he said, pointing to the equipment, “usually ends up in the back of a cupboard or in the attic, garage. For me, though, I can’t let that happen. I need it. It’s my happy place. More than that, it’s my form of self-expression. I absolutely love it,” he explained, his eyes lighting up with passion.
Then I shared how crucial it is to vibe on the same musical wavelength with a partner or friends. It’s a connection that sticks — you just can’t shake it off. Naturally, S.A’s wife is also into music, including drum & bass. “She loves it. Absolutely loves it. I met her when I started uni, literally a month into starting uni. Fell for her, and we’ve been together for 20 years now. We connected over music, over all of that stuff; she loves it to bits,” he explained. I made a mental note to organise a barbecue party with them 🥓🥩🧅.
Nurturing the Self: A Journey of Rediscovery 🌱✨
Then S.A continued, “Life takes over, the focus shifts to children, and you do lose parts of yourself, but the reality is,” at which point I strongly reacted, “Do you lose these parts, really?”
He responded, “No, you don’t! The thing is, you see it all the time. Kids come along, they become the focus, and you start living through them. All the interests you had before get tucked away. Then, 20 years pass, and what have you nurtured in that time? The kids grow up, leave the nest, and live their own lives. Then one day, you wake up and wonder, ‘Do I even like this person I’m with? or ‘oh I haven’t nurtured anything’”.
We all need our own activities and passions. As S.A puts it, “As many times as it can possible happen, I go out with my wife and date her, otherwise you’ll lose that spark and energy. We need our couple things, things that we’re both interested in like badminton, tennis, sports — whatever it is, and also I need my individual things, like my music production.” This is where our minds immediately aligned, despite our fundamentally different lifestyles.
It’s crucial to give all these parts of ourselves the attention they deserve. We’ve all heard stories of people who suddenly change and seem completely different to their loved ones. Often, this happens because they’ve been suppressing important parts of who they are. Eventually, those parts either break free and take over their lives or leave them feeling miserable until the end.
I don’t have kids myself, and even without them, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by what life throws at me or by the challenges I unknowingly take on. Kudos to all the parents out there who continue to nurture their passions despite the demands of raising children.
The same is true for nurturing relationships with family, friends, or new acquaintances. I shared with S.A some of my trust issues, which I believe stem from my upbringing. I was born in the 1990s in Czechoslovakia, now Slovakia, just as the country was officially breaking away from the Soviet Union. My parents still tell me that they are marked by this period of their lives. Without delving deeply into how this era shaped them as individuals, it’s clear that the time, filled with lies, manipulation, and the Iron Curtain, left a lasting impact on their ability to trust. I believe I have inherited this trauma, as it manifests in my life and relationships. I can feel it, but I’m healing.
Healing is possible. S.A’s ancestors also have a deeply sensitive history that could have shaped him similarly to how I have been influenced by the previous generation. “Slavery — my great-grandparents were shipped off around the world,” he added. Hearing this, my heart broke. Whether it’s the influence of Eastern philosophy or, as he puts it, “Indians are quite adaptable; we integrate wherever we are, we’re not a disruptive people,” healing remains achievable. It all starts with trust.
Scenius: when creatives are stronger together 🎨
As we moved past the embarrassing story of how S.A once carried extremely heavy DJ equipment from his house in London all the way to his student residence in Loughborough, taking four trains and experiencing his first real muscle soreness 💪, we eventually found ourselves discussing Scenius in depth. But first, a few thoughts on technology and the synch button.
When I asked how he thinks digital technology is influencing the way we create, he responded, “I think to DJ in an analogue way with vinyl, you’re very in touch with the medium and the format. It’s got soul, you can hear the pops and cracks in the vinyl. You feel very connected to the mix. It’s a different kind of experience compared to the technology of today.”
He continued, “If you play with vinyl, it’s very raw, it’s very real, the needle skips and your whole flow and DJ set up is fucked. The kind of evolution or progress to what you get today, it still has soul, if you’re a good DJ. If you’re truly skilled and haven’t stopped your journey at just mixing 🎛️, you can maintain that connection and soul.”
I asked S.A. for his opinion on the synch button, as there seems to be an ongoing debate about it in certain corners of the internet: “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the synch button. The noise that there’s happening about the synch button is for those newer DJs, for people that are just getting into DJing, and all they use is a synch button. I totally, whole-heartedly agree, they should not stop using the synch button, they should continue their learning and journey into the art of DJing beyond that. There should be another step.”
It only becomes a problem during a performance when something goes wrong with the button, similar to finding yourself in a situation where only a manual car is available, but you’re used to driving an automatic.
Why are we here? What does MMNTM stand for? What is the purpose of all this?
At this point, S.A gave me the floor to share my thoughts. After much reflection, I concluded: it’s really about doing things together. We all come together, and do something truly extraordinary. It all ties into the philosophy, or mental model, known as Scenius, where the genius is in the scene, not in an individual person. It’s at the heart of everything I do — MMNTM, these interviews, my professional work, and this newsletter that I write.
Society tends to praise the individual — the “big man” or woman — attributing major achievements or inventions to a single genius. But that’s never the whole story. It’s a myth. There are always many people and creators surrounding these famous names who significantly contribute to, or even make possible, their achievements. Vincent van Gogh, for instance, relied on constant financial and emotional support from his brother, a successful art dealer. He would never have become famous without his sister-in-law, who took on the task of promoting his work after his death.
It’s Scenius; it’s us, together, creating this experience — the Momentum Experience. And even if nobody shows up, it’s still ours. “We should have put that on the flyer!”, S.A added. It’s when ordinary people, come together, to do extraordinary things. Never in human history has it been about one person creating something alone. We are all interconnected, each playing a role and contributing to any given context, infusing it with energy and life.
What we see enabling Scenius on a worldwide scale is digital technology, which serves as a catalyst for this genius in the scene. Before the internet, if you wanted to write newsletters or become an independent journalist, you would have had to apply for a job at local newspapers or magazines. What are the chances they would have hired someone like Adriana? Zero 🚫. And even if I had gotten the job, I probably wouldn’t have had the freedom to write about what I want as easily as I do now.
Today, you have a global audience. Potentially, five billion people with an internet connection can read this interview. The influence of gatekeepers is weakening, and power is shifting towards individual creators equipped with digital tools. All it takes for me to start creating value is to have an idea, turn on my computer, and sign up for a platform suited to the context I want to work in.
Everything I learn about Scenius in my work, I apply to the context of Drum & Bass. Just think about all the creative players involved in making the MMNTM event happen: 🧑🎨 the artists who dedicate countless hours to music production, 👩💻 Karin, the graphic designer who created our promo materials; 🎪 the venue; even the city itself. 💇♀️ My hairdresser, Lina, puts up MMNTM posters and flyers in her salon in Hilversum and talks about MMNTM to her customers. The list goes on and on. We all contribute and make it possible.
End of the monologue.
🫠 Liquid Vibes: A Gateway to Tribalism
Since the MMNTM Event doesn’t happen frequently and represents a unique opportunity to meet the artists in person, we aim to diversify the direction of drum and bass. S.A will gracefully kick off the event with some incredible liquid vibes, “It’ll be liquid. Then I’ll blend in a little bit of the style of music that the artist after me will play. Just a chilled, warm, vibey, groovy, soulful set, just to kind of ease the crowd in. You know like at the beginning of a wedding, they got a nice, chill music. You come in, you go get your drink, it sets the mood.”
And he’s spot on with the wedding analogy 👰 to describe the start of this ritual. The entire Momentum event, or any dance event, is a tribal moment. It’s something deeply humane. We come together, connect, dance in sync to the waves of the music, and then we dissolve again. Some people are into weddings; we are into Drum & Bass gatherings. S.A responded thoughtfully, “It’s not a commercial thing for you, right? It’s more like a creative expression for me — this is your canvas, and this is your expression on that canvas. Your canvas is the event.”
Rhythm has always been a part of us, from tribal times to the present. It’s an expression of humanity that carries through the ages and across paradigms. “Definitely, it puts you in a trance,” he added. “I love it, because I didn’t realise you were coming from the perspective of an artist. This is not an enterprise or money maker,” S.A said, smiling from ear to ear.
As Scenius suggests, we all have a specific role to play in any venture we feel drawn to. Artists need other artists, organisers, creatives, and fans. The antidote to addiction isn’t sobriety; it’s connection. A human being thrives on connecting with other human beings. It’s only when we come together that we become stronger. The myth of the lone genius and the era of egos are fading away because today, everyone is a creator.
The Scenius 🌐.
Raving: the ultimate form of self-care 🕺💃
Every MMNTM Interview concludes with a glimpse into the artist’s unique quirks and desires. One of my favourite questions to ask is: what would get them out of bed in the middle of the night? So, what would motivate S.A to get up and move? His response: “To go raving in the middle of a field at a festival. Very few things can beat that feeling. To Drum & Bass, obviously.”
How about we kick off this summer with the MMNTM event before diving into festival season? 🎉
And that’s a wrap on our discussion! This was S.A in a deep conversation with me, Adriana. I truly enjoyed connecting with this unique artist and can’t wait for his kickoff performance in just a month! Grab your tix here 🎟️.
Let’s Bring Premium Drum & Bass to Hilversum on June 22nd, together! This edition is to present the rich world of local producers 📍, bringing together an eclectic mix of artists from Hilversum, Zwolle, Utrecht, and Nijmegen.
In our quest for the extraordinary, we’re thrilled to introduce an ultra-vibing artist from Bratislava to this year’s event. With his towering height, often mistaken for a Dutchman, he’s sure to add a unique touch!
We look forward to seeing you there!
Until next time,
ADRIANA
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