AVIA music.
An identity of its own.
Olaf Sacher on building AVIA music, musical choices and the work between studio, artists and club.
Olaf Sacher · AVIA music
A label’s identity does not come from a logo alone. It grows through its releases, the choices behind them and the question of which music connects beyond the studio. We speak with Olaf Sacher of AVIA music about starting the label in 2025, two different releases from Elias Teichmann and Calvin Sorel, and what sustains a collaboration beyond the first track.
AVIA music is an independent electronic label based in Vienna. In this conversation, Olaf Sacher describes its range between techno, tech house and melodic techno, and why an exception can also belong within a label’s identity.
The right moment for a label of your own
What was the specific reason for founding AVIA in 2025? Was there a track, an encounter or an experience that made you think: I want to build my own label for this?
There was not really one specific trigger. It was more a gradual development and a desire to create something of my own musically. I wanted to build a platform where good music, interesting artists and creative ideas could come together, independently of short-lived trends or rigid categories. In 2025, it simply felt like the right time to take that step.
AVIA should be more than a label that puts out tracks. It should develop an identity of its own, support artists and bring music to the outside world with passion.
Put simply: less talking, more doing, and building something you really stand behind.
Two releases, two sides
Elias Teichmann’s Beat On and Calvin Sorel’s announced Lost Inside are two releases arriving close together. What convinced you about each of them, and what connects them to AVIA in your view?
What convinced me about both releases was, above all, their individual character. Elias Teichmann’s Beat On has a particular vibe, brings energy to the dancefloor and still remains musically interesting.
Calvin Sorel’s release is actually a small exception within our label concept so far. Calvin is normally a very solid producer in tech house. With Lost Inside, though, he showed a completely different side and produced a very commercial, radio-friendly Afro-house track. That surprised me and convinced me at the same time. I find it exciting when an artist steps outside their usual musical comfort zone.
Normally, AVIA mainly moves between techno, tech house and melodic techno. Even so, I do not want to be confined to one musical category. That is exactly what connects the two releases: distinctive productions, quality and music we stand behind one hundred per cent.
Good music alone is not enough.
What begins after the first release
Several names appear repeatedly in your catalogue. How does the collaboration develop after the first release? Could you give an example of how you discuss new music with an artist before the next track has been decided?
For me, a collaboration does not end with one release. If the chemistry is right and you can see that an artist fits AVIA both musically and personally, it often develops into something long-term.
The exchange is usually very straightforward. You stay in touch, send demos, discuss new ideas and think together about where the music might go next. Sometimes an artist approaches us with a finished production; sometimes an idea only emerges from a conversation.
The collaboration with Calvin Sorel is a good example. By now, you know the artist’s musical signature and have a sense of what to expect. At the same time, it is exciting to see someone exploring new directions and developing, as with Lost Inside.
It matters to me that this does not become a purely business relationship. Trust, mutual respect and a shared enthusiasm for music are the foundations for me. Ideally, you grow together and still enjoy working with one another after several releases.
What the club lets you hear differently
You also work in A&R and artist booking. What do conversations with DJs or nights in clubs tell you about a track that you might not immediately notice in the office or studio? Has that ever led to an unexpected decision for the label?
You often hear a track very differently in the studio from how you hear it in a club. In the studio, you pay attention to details, the sound, the structure and the production. In a club, you find out whether the music really works. How do people react? When does the energy build? Does the groove also work on a big system? And above all: does the track stay with you?
Talking to DJs also gives you a very different kind of feedback. DJs hear music from a practical perspective. They often notice very quickly whether a track fits into a set, whether it builds tension or whether it might still be missing that extra something.
For me, that is an important part of A&R. You cannot rely only on your own taste; you also have to be open to other opinions. Sometimes that takes a production in a very different direction from what was originally intended.
I think it is precisely this combination of instinct, experience and feedback from the scene that makes the work interesting. Ultimately, a release should not just look good on a screen and sound good in the studio. It has to work out there, with people.
The work behind the music
What has taken more time or attention in building AVIA than you expected? And what would make you personally feel that you had taken a good step forward over the next year?
Definitely all the organisational and strategic work behind a release. At first, you might mainly think about the music, but building a label naturally involves much more: promotion, DJ pools, contacts with artists and partners, social media, distribution and, of course, the financial side. All of that takes time, consistency and sometimes quite a lot of patience.
What I have learned is that good music alone is not enough. You also have to position it properly and make sure it reaches the people it is made for.
Looking towards next year, it would be a big success for me if AVIA developed a clearer profile, both musically and as a brand. I want to build a stable network of artists, DJs and partners, give our releases a stronger international presence and, of course, reach more people.
But honestly, if in a year’s time we can look at our catalogue, feel proud of the tracks we have released and see that artists want to work with us again, we will already have got a great deal right.
Growth matters, but quality and the joy of music should never get lost along the way.
AVIA music
Interview by email · Editorial and image art direction: SCENE:ID. AVIA music · AVIA music / Olaf Sacher (self-timer)