Yakka.
House, with a feeling.
Yakka on Soulshine, the warmth of disco, funk and soul, and finding room for melody beyond the club.
Yakka
For Yakka, disco inspires the music, funk the groove and soul the vocals. His album Soulshine takes that foundation beyond the DJ tool: recognisable melodies, harmonies and songs with their own stories. We talk about a personal sound, reading an intimate dancefloor and the hospitality of Croatian crowds.
Yakka is Croatian DJ and producer Domagoj Jakić. His house music draws on disco, funk and soul.
Disco, funk and soul
Your sound brings the warmth of disco, funk and soul into house. What do you most like to carry from those influences into your own productions?
That's right, those are the styles that most often inspire me. You could say that disco inspires the music, funk the groove, and soul the vocals. Of course, it's not a strict rule; I like freedom and bursts of inspiration. I never force things — I go by feel.
A sound of his own
When you're working on a new track, what makes you feel that it sounds unmistakably like Yakka?
A warm sound and vibe, among other things. I also have my own, let's call it, palette of sounds and a way of arranging things: what comes in when, what repeats or changes, and so on. I try to make my music unique in some way, with a detail that sets it apart. That might sound strange because every song is different, but a lot of music today sounds generic and cold, and follows a strict formula.
I wanted to make songs first and foremost, rather than just club tracks or DJ tools.
Songs beyond the club
How do you decide how much room to leave for groove in an arrangement, and how much for melody?
I don't think about it, but now that I do, I give a little more attention to melodies. I like to have more of them in my songs, and in the end that also contributes to the groove without my consciously intending it. With Soulshine, I wanted to make songs first and foremost, rather than just club tracks or DJ tools. I wanted the album to be melodic, with each track having its own story, recognisable musical motifs, harmonies and a particular emotion. A large part of electronic music today focuses on groove, rhythm and functionality on the dancefloor, which is absolutely fine, but with this album I wanted to step away from that approach a little. To make music you can listen to outside the club that still has that proper house feeling.
Reading the room
What do you recognise in a crowd as a sign that you can take an unexpected musical direction?
Interesting question. One sign might be that they aren't reacting as I expect to what I'm playing, so I decide to surprise them and encourage more interaction by taking a different direction. On the other hand, if I see that the crowd is in a great mood and really responding to my selection, that's also a sign that I could experiment. That usually happens in smaller, more intimate clubs.
A warm welcome
What would you like someone coming to a house night in Croatia for the first time to feel there?
Quite a few big DJs have said in conversations that Croatian crowds are great and that they have a really good time. So above all, I'd like that person to experience our wonderful crowds. Croatians are known for their hospitality. We like to welcome people warmly and in a relaxed, down-to-earth way, without too much formality or stiffness. Many DJs who come return again and build friendships with our DJs and promoters.
Yakka
Interview by email · Editorial and image art direction: SCENE:ID. Stjepan Mirkovic · Marko Edge