Somna: Satellites, Trance Journeys, and Global Touring on the On Location Sessions at ADE 2023 10/19/23

Somna: Satellites, Trance Journeys, and Global Touring

In this captivating Virtual Session from Amsterdam Dance Event 2023, The DJ Sessions host Darran Bruce sits down with Vancouver-based trance DJ and producer Somna to discuss his latest projects, touring adventures, and his enduring passion for melodic music. Somna reflects on his seventh year at ADE, sharing how he has learned to pace himself while still making the most of opportunities to perform, network, and connect with fans.

This year’s schedule saw him play three unique sets in one night, from a Black Hole Recordings in-store session to the Luminosity event at Panama Club, before finishing with a 4 a.m. performance at the exclusive Faralda Crane Hotel. He also highlights his album Satellites, a project written during the pandemic as a love letter to fans who stayed connected through livestreams and digital communities when live shows were impossible.

Somna describes his sound as melodic and trance-focused, but not limited to one style, with influences that stretch into melodic bass, house, and progressive. Alongside his role as co-owner of AVA Recordings with Andy Moor, he explains how their label family spans multiple sub-labels including AVA White and AVA Deep, offering a platform for uplifting trance and melodic techno.

From upcoming shows in New York, Minneapolis, Dreamstate SoCal, and Osaka, to stories about his unusual tour rider preference for bubble tea, Somna’s authenticity and humor shine through. His philosophy remains simple yet powerful: stay authentic, keep creating, and let the music connect people across the world.

Show Notes –

Host: Darran Bruce
Guest: Somna
Location: ADE – Amsterdam, Netherlands

Overview:
Darran Bruce sits down with Somna to discuss his Satellites album, ADE experiences, touring schedule, and his work as co-owner of AVA Recordings.

Topics Covered:

• Performing three ADE sets in one night: Black Hole pop-up, Luminosity, and Faralda Crane Hotel 
• Creation of Satellites during the pandemic as a dedication to fans 
• Weekly livestreams and staying connected through online communities 
• Musical style blending trance, melodic bass, house, and progressive influences 
• Co-ownership of AVA Recordings with Andy Moor 
• Label divisions: AVA White (uplifting trance) and AVA Deep (melodic techno/progressive) 
• Touring schedule: Emporium (UK), New York, Minneapolis, Dreamstate SoCal, and Osaka 
• Balancing performance energy and authenticity as an artist 
• Perspective on DJ Mag Top 100 – nice recognition but not a priority 
• Rider requests: bubble tea as a quirky personal favorite 
• Career advice: ignore negativity, stay focused, and work harder 
• Influential industry relationships, including his manager V’s role in career growth 

Call to Action:
Follow Somna on Instagram @somnamusic and stream his album Satellites on all major platforms.
Discover more exclusive interviews and live sessions at thedjsessions.com

[Darran]
Welcome back to another episode of the DJ sessions on location sessions coming to you from ADE in Amsterdam right now I’m sitting here on the exclusive houseboat location on the canal with none other than Somna.

[Somna]
How are you doing this afternoon? Yeah, I’m doing really good.

[Darran]
I’m so glad it’s not raining Last night we were totally drenched upon on the way back We had one umbrella from club escape that I allowed my friend to use but I got totally drenched But you know what? I’m from Seattle. You’re from Vancouver.

We’re used to this That’s true. You know, they say if you own an umbrella and you use an umbrella in Seattle, you’re not from Seattle So I kind of felt I was a little bit from Seattle But hey, we’re here at ADE and tell me how is your ADE been so far?

[Somna]
It’s been good I got here yesterday and it was I feel like I’m taking it a little bit easier this ADE Like I think this is like my seventh ADE now and this year I just have a little bit less meetings A lot more mixers, but just trying to take it a bit easier I think after learning from last year and not doing back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back interviews I was like, you know what?

[Darran]
I’m gonna I’m gonna schedule an interview and then I’ll give myself 30 minutes and then I’ll schedule an interview I’ll give myself 30 minutes and it’s only gonna be of course Wednesdays Thursdays and Fridays for those interviews and then we get to go see the lovely rest of the town for the rest of the Time we’re here. So you are actually playing three shows this weekend.

[Somna]
Tell us all about that three shows on Friday three shows on Friday That’s why I’m taking it easy before Friday So I start at I’m doing a five o’clock in the afternoon set at the black hole recordings pop-up store So from 5 to 6 followed by like a signing session And then at the luminosity event at Panama Club, okay. I’ll be playing there from 10 to 12 And then at 4 a.m I’m heading to the Ferraldi crane hotel. Are you familiar with that?

It’s like a giant crane It’s like a yeah, I don’t know I want to go there though. That’s where we’re gonna end up on Friday before I am It’s like super exclusive and I’m the only trans act on a lineup full of like house acts like Dave Siemens on there Okay and stuff and I’m yeah, I’m excited We can get on the list for that, right?

[Darran]
I can I can try I can definitely try Yeah, but I think I can talk but speaking of black hole recordings Album just released black hole recordings autographed. Yes Awesome.

[Somna]
Tell us all about this album satellites so I This came out in May actually, so I think maybe last year when we’re talking at ADE I was mentioning I’m like just like getting ready to release an album and stuff. So now it’s out it’s How do I explain it? I wrote this during the pandemic And the title of satellites is kind of like my like love letter to fans that I met through like streaming and stuff and how like we were kind of like communicating through You know satellites because we couldn’t get go anywhere So that’s basically like the the premise behind the whole album

[Darran]
Is there video included with this because I know that your outfits and you’re notorious for doing all crazy stuff on camera That totally totally is amazing I don’t know if you’ve ever seen this gentleman stream live before but if you do It’s one of the most prolific shows online. Lots of fun. Check it out when he’s streaming live Weird it gets weird.

[Somna]
Um, I’d stream every Wednesdays and Sundays. So Wednesdays I stream at 7 o’clock Pacific Standard Time so like LA time and on Sundays at 3 o’clock Pacific Standard Time So LA time as well and I try to stick to that. Um, this week is a little bit more difficult, I guess cuz You know, I’m out here and it is Wednesday today.

Isn’t it?

[Darran]
Wait Thursday? It’s Thursday Downstairs like 20 minutes ago, like it’s today Wednesday. No, it’s Thursday.

Oh It’s a de time. Yeah, it’s more of a time But anyways in addition to your live streaming shows What are some of your upcoming shows that you have other than just 80 you’re gonna go back home after this Yeah, you got some upcoming a tour or is this a upcoming show? Tell us about what you got upcoming.

[Somna]
I have a tour going on right now. I’m actually I have a whole bunch of shows I’m super excited about so actually after 80, I’m gonna be flying to England. I’ll be performing at the that’s only 50 minutes away Yeah, yeah Emporium Emporium super club.

Okay in Colville that’s on October 28th That’s actually under my one of my previous aliases, which is roadie style when I used to do the harder edge style of music So and then I fly back to Canada and then on November 3rd I’m playing in Minneapolis, November 4th. I’m in New York City and then November 18th I’m playing a dream state SoCal in in Los Angeles. That’s a big one.

Yeah And then in December on December 9th, I’ll be in Osaka, Japan I’m jealous I Want your tour schedule?

[Darran]
I I don’t want to go back to Seattle right now.

[Somna]
I’m very fortunate right now I’m getting some bookings. It’s not always like this.

[Darran]
It’s very up and down, you know It is a just trance music or do you work with any other styles? Are you in any other mediums any other genres that you play?

[Somna]
I even had an alias. So yeah, so The harder stuff I used to do as roadie style. I don’t really do much of that anymore I’ll get some bookings here and there I guess insomnia I’m known for trance But I’d say my sound is more like just like anything melodic because I on this album.

There’s like a melodic bass track House track on there as well, too. I Do love writing all kinds of music. I’m primarily a trance producer and DJ, but I’d say my sound kind of Isn’t just kind of like your typical trance.

It’s very influenced by different styles of music Okay, and Ava recordings is Ava or a it’s Ava Ava. It is Ava Ava recordings. Tell us about your involvement with that So I’m a co-owner with Andy Moore who lives on the UK We have a wonderful team He’s a more he’s quite a he’s a much bigger name than I am for sure He’s a very prolific name in the in the trance Before I wouldn’t be surprised So, yeah, I co-own it with him and I also manage it together with my team We have like a wonderful team and we release music across over three different labels sub labels We’ve got Ava recordings Ava white which is more that classic and like uplifting like faster style of trance Then we have Ava deep which is like melodic techno and progressive So yeah, it’s it’s going well. How often do you release tracks?

[Darran]
Like your production schedule your production timeline. What what does that look like?

[Somna]
Is that how often I Have a release or remix or a remix of one of my tracks say every like Four to six weeks, that’s that’s kind of the goal like my management and I aim for it’s like every month and a little bit There’s something new happening. Just, you know, keep the momentum and stuff. So I have a new release coming out this Friday I don’t know if this is this probably won’t air until after 80 but on on the 20th I have a Remix that’s coming out on Ava and then following that November Richard Durand It did a remix of one of my tracks on the album to become a magic music and I believe that’s November 3rd When it’s coming out Yeah, and then we’re just kind of the process of scheduling the other remixes from my album, but there’s some fantastic ones How’s the car test working out the car test? You know, I actually bought a new car recently I sold my sold an Acura TSX like a 97 one and got a RDX like a just a 2011 so it’s kind of old but it’s my parents car.

They they need it.

[Darran]
They couldn’t drive anymore So I sold my car bought my parents car And yeah, one of my first cars was my mom’s Cadillac that I had a 1980 sedan DeVille I put two 15s in the back and we had a lot of car tests with that back in the day But you know the sound system in the car you gotta test The track in the car, what does it sound like in the car? Definitely healthy if it doesn’t sound good in the car, that’s gonna sound good afar Anyways back to future music release on the 20th. All right, are you gonna test that on the crowd?

[Somna]
I am Yeah, I’ll be doing it this weekend cool this Friday.

[Darran]
What’s the name of that track?

[Somna]
It’s called tempest and the original artist is Lumen. He’s a an artist from China. He’s like in the top 100 actually Top 100 like DJ mag But yeah, it’s it’s been I’ve been playing it testing it for a while I even played it on a state of trance back in May on the radio show.

So it’s finally coming out now What are your thoughts on the DJ mag top 100?

[Darran]
Is that is that a relative moniker? is that something you you want to aspire to make or is it something just like yeah, it’d be cool if I made it, but I mean Like I’d be like, yeah, it’d be cool if I make it.

[Somna]
I’d love to make it I think it’s very difficult to make it on there. There’s so many factors to getting on there So it’s not something I stress about at all. I think I’m just happy that people are listening to my music And that’s kind of like the the reward the best reward at the moment So but hey if I if I get on there someday then Then I can stop playing for peanuts Charging more Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given by a peer.

[Darran]
What would that be?

[Somna]
Oh been given by a peer. I Don’t know. It’s it’s a really good question I mean like I have advice that I give out to people but given by peers best advice.

I Guess like you just be like don’t worry about what other people think of you and just you know do your own thing and stuff and yeah, if you get knocked down and just keep working harder because the best way to to kind of like prove yourself to the people that are looking down on you is just a To be better to do better. Yes.

[Darran]
Yeah, who’s the most influential person you’ve ever met backstage Oh God

[Somna]
backstage I Can I say my manager cuz I like met her like backstage and now it’s just like just one of the smartest people like in Industry absolutely absolutely like fights for me and cares for my career and you know I could be more happy her name’s V by the way, and yeah, I’d say like I’m trying to come up with like something clever But honestly everyone that I’ve met has something exciting to give It’s hard to hard to be like, you know, this this guy’s like the best

[Darran]
What’s something that V really fought for to be on your rider?

[Somna]
Oh on my rider. I don’t look Wait, I don’t feel like we’ve had to write a fight for much on my rider because it’s really simple like there’s some random stuff on there that you know It’s kind of harder for people to get like like boba like a milk tea or something like that It’s not hard to get but brown M&Ms and a chalice only brown M&Ms and a chalice. No No, I don’t have the dark brown M&Ms. Give me some like milk tea with like pearls and I’m good But they don’t like really serve that in clubs So they have to go out of the way if they want to get it and it’s just that it’s an optional like bonus

[Darran]
That I have a feeling you find It’d be easier to find bubble tea here in Amsterdam that would other in other cities, but Vancouver you probably find it pretty easily

[Somna]
Oh, yeah, I’d assume yeah, Vancouver for sure I feel like there’d be a lot Amsterdam’s actually like y’all I’m not gonna lie I’ve had some bubble tea out here some boba and it’s not good.

No, I bought black hole recordings the entire office like a whole bunch cuz I’m like, oh you gotta taste the nectar of life and then they’re like Yeah, this is good. But then on their face.

[Darran]
It was just like, oh, this is not good Would you be seeking a sponsorship deal from Bubba?

[Somna]
Oh hundred percent like without a doubt Yeah, I would just like I would take a sponsorship from Bobo.

[Darran]
Are you listening? Yeah Like cha time, you know, I’m looking at you Is there anything else you’d like to let our DJ sessions fans know about before we let you get back to the 80 in this Wonderful world of Amsterdam.

[Somna]
Um, well, I guess like, you know time now’s the time to drop my social media You can find me at some the music on everything actually like it’s the same handle for everywhere and I love connecting with people So if you guys like, you know message me, I’ll message back and stuff. And yeah, it’s just it’s just great to connect with people Definitely check out this new album satellites.

[Darran]
Please stream my album. Please play em rice on my table We’re gonna be giving away these albums to some of our ardent fans on the DJ sessions Thank you something for coming on the show. Absolutely.

Always a pleasure having you here Definitely catch up with you with a virtual sessions here in the near future find out everything else you got going on Again, have a wonderful 80. Thank you. Thanks so much for having me on the show again.

I appreciate it. Absolutely On that note, don’t forget to go to our website the DJ sessions calm find us on X meta Twitter twitch Whatever did they all those things tik-tok we were talking about tik-tok earlier. We need to work on our tick-tock tick-tock and but Everything’s on our website the DJ sessions calm 600 news stories exclusive interviews exclusive mixes and more at the DJ sessions calm sama Did I say it right?

Yes, I did say it right. I sometimes you never know, you know, sometimes yeah happen up It’s kind of hard to not say something. All right, I think like Some name, oh, I think Soma so, okay third there is a Soma I think some FM Yeah, grew salad on my favorite radio stations internet radio stations been listening to it for Oh Before maybe before you were born.

I don’t know man. Oh, I look young but you look highs old highs old Anyways, Somna and Darran coming to you from 80 in Amsterdam for the DJ sessions and remember on the DJ sessions The music never stops you