Donatello delivers a dynamic mix filled with progressive and bouncey deep house…

In 2011, Lithuanian producers Donatello and Kastis Torrau entered a competition to remix Sasha’s “Cut Me Down.” Their entry won and was released on Last Night On Earth. Currently, the YouTube upload of that remix sits at 17 million plays (see video embed further down in interview below). That’s impressive numbers for any dance music genre.

Since then, with a string of releases on notable labels like Get Physical and Renaissance, Donatello has become one of his country’s most prolific producers. After an enforced break from the industry due to the pandemic, he’s finally back focussing on music: “I hope to return to the studio this winter after a long break and create the works that have been in my head since the start of the pandemic.”

And it’s not a moment too soon. In an hour filled with depth and dynamics, the Lithuanian producer straddles an adventurous line between deep progressive and bouncey deep house. With tracks from Enamour, M.O.S., Dhany G, and Donatello himself, this mix is a timely reminder of what we’ve been missing during his enforced absence.

Tracklist

1. Arnas D & Deividas Bagdanov – Calling (Extended Mix) {Amulanga}
2. Dhany G – Loto (Original Mix) {3rd Avenue}
3. Los Cabra – Classical Plane (KAZKO Remix) {Stellar Fountain}
4. Gux Jimenez – Addicted to the Underground (Juan Buitrago Remix) {LuPS Records}
5. M.O.S. – Igako (Extended Mix) {Melody Of the Soul}
6. Megablast, Makossa & Megablast, Cleydys Villalon – Cuerpo (Indie Disco Wobble Dub) {Get Physical Music}
7. Mike Suntower – Attraction {Hexagonal Music}
8. Donatello – Temptation (Original Mix) {Buttress}
9. Jackie Jeff – Escape (Anthony G Remix) {Kitchen Recordings}
10. Enamour – Zizzy {Frau Blau}

Balance Selections Q+A

Name: Donatas Jašmontas
Location: Kaunas city, Lithuania
Alias/Producer name: Donatello
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Labels affiliated with: Lights Out / Last Night On Earth / Get Physical / Buttress

My last 3 releases

What music did you listen to as a child?

I remember when I was around 4-years old, my dad had a turntable with big speakers and listened to vinyl from artists like Modern Talking, ABBA, and Queen. Later, we moved to another house where he had a cassette player. By the time I was 7, I understood that I could record tracks from the radio onto cassette tapes. I started listening to underground radio shows and recording tracks that I liked. Later, I discovered “Viva,” a German TV channel, and became a huge fan of shows like “Club Rotation,” “Love Parade,” and “Mayday” live streams.

When was the first time that you realised that you liked electronic music?

I think that happened when I found the “Viva” TV channel. I saw those festivals with Sven Väth, Westbam, Dr. Motte, Paul Van Dyk, Carl Cox, DJ Hell, Marusha, Armand Van Helden, Mauro Picotto, and many more. I found that DJs at the clubs played vinyl. And that was it. That magic moment when I told myself I wanted to be that cool guy from TV.

When was the first time when you saw a DJ in a club?

My first parties were at a very young age, around 13-14, I think. We had a club in my hometown Kaunas Oldtown called “Nirvana.” They organized events for a young crowd with a DJ who played everything, from the Wu-Tang Clan to local band hits and international rock, house, and pop anthems. He played with Pioneer CDJ players.

But before this main DJ at the club, there was another guy with old turntables who played the opening sets. He was playing that real clubbing music that I had discovered on VIVA TV. This was my first real experience seeing a DJ playing electronic music with turntables.

Later, I bought my own turntables and started collecting vinyl. I met some guys from my neighborhood who were a bit older than me and were already a DJ duo called Partyzanai. They knew I had turntables, so they invited me to play music at the local radio station with a live stream to the cable TV in the area where we lived. That was my first experience playing in public.

Later, with the same guys, I discovered underground events and started to play at these events, and that’s how my career began.

Which producers/artists/acts inspire you?

I like so many different styles and artists. There’s no one and only artist. You can feel this in my sets, as I mix different types of music and styles. From the very beginning, I remember listening to French House like Daft Punk. The Prodigy made a huge impact on my career during my young days. German Trance and Techno artists like Paul van Dyk, Westbam, Timo Maas, Dr. Motte, Tomcraft, and many more also influenced me. Later, I found progressive house with Deep Dish, Anthony Pappa, Sasha, and Digweed, and deep house with Solomun, Noir, and many more. In the end, you can hear all these different types of music mixed in most of my sets.

What was the last album that you downloaded/purchased?

To be honest, I think the last album I downloaded was Paul Kalkbrenner‘s “Berlin Calling.” It’s a very good and strong album, like a German car that never lets you down—quality, stability, and timeless. I think I found it online without referrals, but I would recommend it to anyone who likes electronic dance music. And yes, the movie “Berlin Calling” (2008) is also a must-watch.

One of my all-time favorite albums is Daft Punk‘s “Homework” (Virgin, 1997). One of the newest albums that I always enjoy is DJ Koze’s “Knock Knock” (2018).

What is your current production and DJ set up like?

At this point, I left the studio. Since COVID-19 began, I have been working full-time in the bar and restaurant business, running several places with my partners. COVID-19 completely changed my life. After the pandemic, I decided to create my own “Lights Out” events and started organizing shows with artists like Sasha, Sven Väth, Dubfire, Musumeci, Mira, Sascha Funke, and more. This takes up another part of my free time.

Over the last few years, I’ve focused on discovering the dance floor to better understand the musical path I wanted to take in the studio. I hope to return to the studio this winter after a long break and create the works that have been in my head all these years since the start of COVID-19. Most of my productions were created in the studio using software, and I play music with CDJs and vinyl. CDJs are best for big events, while vinyl is more intimate for me and suited for smaller events. But I really enjoy both.

What releases do you have on the horizon?

At the moment I have in my mind a few classic electronic music anthems that I want to edit. And yes, I have some labels where I want to see my production, so now I’m preparing myself and discovering lots of tracks and ideas to build my own few EPs that will fit these favorite, well-known labels. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of my return to studio work.

Where can we hear you perform? 

My next gig will be this month in my hometown at the airport hangar. It’s an incredible location with extremely high ceilings. This “Lights Out” event will feature Adana Twins and DJ T, who have been on my booking list for a long time. I’m thrilled that they agreed to join us on the 24th of August. Imagine airplanes standing around the stage, with DJs playing and people dancing between them. It’s going to be massive.

Tell us more about the podcast you made for Balance?

I have been listening to the Balance Series podcast since the very beginning. I think I’m one of its oldest fans. One of my favorite Balance Series episodes was with Guy J and Henry Saiz. I always dreamed of having the opportunity to play tracks that I truly feel and like. I think I was visualizing that dream, and now it has come true. Thank you, guys, for having me!

This mix I made with my laptop features all the tracks I currently enjoy playing during my sets. I also included my own track “Temptation,” which was released on my friend Musumeci’s label, Buttress.

If I could recommend only one of my tracks for you to listen to it would be:

I think it could be a remix that we recorded with Arnas D and Kastis Torrau in the studio 13 years ago. This is a remix of Sasha’s track “Cut Me Down.” At that time, this remix won the “Burn Residency” remix competition. We traveled to Ibiza to work in the studio with DJ Sasha, where we created a few tracks together.