Sarkis Mikael is a music producer, multi-instrumentalist and DJ who creates eclectic electronic music.
The Los Angeles based artist has taken crowds from across continents on journeys of physical abandon and inner discovery via his therapeutic, globally-influenced rhythms and melodies.
Sarkis’ releases on The Soundgarden, Sol Selectas, Hoomidaas and other labels of note touch dance music’s subterranean reaches, drawing out the listener’s emotional core through organic instrumentation and synthetic exploration.
As founder of Deep House LA and co-founder of NCTRNL Records, Sarkis has worked to establish a foundational community for deep house through his conviction that the right sound vibrations combined with the right state of mind can heal and transform us.
Balance Selections 212: Sarkis Mikael
Tracklisting:
1. Pambouk – The Illusionist
2. Dear Humans – Blinded (Sarkis Mikael & Gespona remix)
3. Sarkis Mikael & KOAST – The Right Time (UNRELEASED)
4. Sarkis Mikael & KOAST – Touch Faith (UNRELEASED)
5. Sarkis Mikael – Wildest Dreams (UNRELEASED)
6. Husa & Zeyada – On my Own (Hernán Cattáneo & Marcel Vasami remix)
7. Ucha, Darksidevinyl – Give me a Reason (Tayllor remix)
8. Sarkis Mikael ft. Sebu – Take me There (UNRELEASED)
9. Sarkis Mikael ft. Arash Avin – Deedo o Del
10. Dear Humans – Harvest Moon (Darun remix)
11. DJ Koze – Drone me Up, Flashy ft. Sophia Kennedy (&ME remix)
12. Sarkis Mikael & KOAST – Save a Life (UNRELEASED)
13. Sarkis Mikael – Celestial
14. KOAST – Truths (UNRELEASED)
15. Felix Raphael & Armen Miran – Soul Guardian
16. Sarkis Mikael – Particles
17. Mustafa Ismaeel & DANTE – The Calling (Sarkis Mikael remix) (UNRELEASED)
18. Anden x Sarkis Mikael – ID (UNRELEASED)
19. Sarkis Mikael & Epstein – Antares
20. Sarkis Mikael & Epstein – Solstice No. 9
21. Mind Against – Prophet
22. Acid Pauli – Sublime Frequencies of Cairo (Jonathan Kaspar remix)
Balance Selections Q+A
Name: Sarkis Mikaelian
Location: Los Angeles
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Alias/Producer name: Sarkis Mikael
Labels affiliated with: The Soundgarden, Hoomidaas, NCTRNL
My last 3 releases:
Sarkis Mikael & Epstein – Antares
Sarkis Mikael – Mountain Rising
Sarkis Mikael & David Rue – Mon 11
What music did you listen to as a child?
Music has always been a big part of my life, but I didn’t start creating my own music until I was fifteen. I was inspired by a guitar performance from a local band I saw, and I asked my parents to buy me an electric guitar. I spent every moment I could playing that guitar and learning about music.
At my early ages I listened to a lot of Michael Jackson, Radiohead, Depeche Mode, Muse, U2, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd… All of which my parents played in the house 🙂
When was the first time that you realised that you liked electronic music?
My parents’ Depeche Mode albums, and then John Digweed mixes were my starting point.
When was the first time you saw a DJ in a club?
When I was 18, one of my co-workers friends Ziad Ghosn invited me to see him play at the iconic club BO18 in Beirut. He played a super deep set in a dark room, on a state of the art sound system. I was simply blown away by the experience.
Which producers/artists/acts inspire you?
All the artists I named that I listened to as a kid still inspire me! Especially artists like Radiohead that keep reinventing themselves and stay true to the music.
What was the last album that you downloaded/bought?
Stimming‘s ‘Ludwig‘ album. I’ve been following him for a while and this album has been a real joy to listen to especially on long drives outside of the city.
What is your current production and DJ set up like?
For production, I use Logic Pro X, Moog Sub 37 (hardware), Prophet Rev 2 (hardware), Electric guitar, bass guitar, Diva, Arturia Mini V, Omnisphere, Kontakt to name a few. I also like to use analog outboard gear for mixing and mastering. My set-up includes a Manley Massive Passive (Mastering version), Manley Vari-Mu compressor, Goly Porter Grinder EQ, Wes Audio NGBus Compressor, and an SSL Fusion.
What releases do you have on the horizon?
I have a remix for Dear Humans in collaboration with Gespona that’s out now on my label NCTRNL records. Another collaboration with vocalist Arash Avin coming out on Sounds of Khemit July 7th, 2022.
Where can we hear you perform?
I’ve performed in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. I’m based in Los Angeles and have a monthly residency at Members with upcoming shows in New York, Chicago, Idaho, and more…
Tell us more about the podcast you made for Balance?
For my Balance mix I played a lot of my unreleased tracks including collaborations with my live duo project KOAST, Sebu from Capital Cities, Arash Avin, Anden, a remix for Dear Humans with producer Gespona, and another remix for Mustafa Ismaeel and Dante. I prepared the tracks in Rekordbox and recorded on my CDJ’s.
My Recommendations
The top track in my DJ wallet currently is:
Sarkis Mikael & KOAST – Touch Faith (Depeche Mode cover) (Unreleased)
If I could recommend only one of my tracks for you to listen to it would be:
Sarkis Mikael – Particles
If I could recommend only one track for you to listen to it would be:
Radiohead – Nude
The last movie I watched that I really liked:
Surrogates starring Bruce Willis. It’s an old one but I just discovered it recently. It’s astonishing how it predicts where we’re headed with the world of metaverse.
My favourite TV show:
Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. I first thought it was obnoxious until I focused on a full episode and discovered its genius humour.
