Tebra.
Finding a sound of his own.
Tebra on Healing, the details of production and the landscapes beyond the club.
Milojko Jaric · Tebra
A percussion groove can set a track in motion; a small change to a vocal can lead it somewhere unexpected. Across five answers, Tebra describes how he builds his own productions, approaches a remix and takes his music into Serbia’s landscapes.
Tebra is Belgrade DJ and producer Milojko Jaric. His music moves through organic, Afro and progressive house, including releases on his own DAMAR imprint.
The first groove
What was the starting idea behind «Healing»?
“Healing” is one of the tracks that means a lot to me, which is why I decided to save it for my own label, DAMAR. If I remember correctly, the initial idea came from experimenting with different percussion grooves and rhythms, gradually building the bassline and melodic elements around them. The vocal came later, during the arrangement process, and turned out to be the perfect finishing touch that brought everything together.
The smallest details
Your introduction talks about creating unexpected sounds. What makes a sound feel personal enough for you to build a track around it?
This actually connects to my previous answer. I tend to spend a lot of time refining grooves, patterns, and arrangements, paying close attention to the smallest details. Sometimes, something as simple as processing a hi-hat or experimenting with effects on a vocal can lead to a completely unexpected and unique sound. I enjoy taking relatively simple elements and transforming them into something that feels personal and distinctive. For me, that's a big part of the creative process.
I prefer to let the creative process develop naturally rather than force it in a particular direction.
Reinterpreting an original
When you move from producing an original track to remixing someone else’s music, what changes in the way you begin?
When it comes to my own productions, I don't really follow any fixed rules or formulas. Sometimes a track begins with a kick and bassline, while other times it's a chord progression or a vocal melody that sparks the whole idea. I prefer to let the creative process develop naturally rather than force it in a particular direction.
With remixes, my approach is slightly different. I usually spend quite a bit of time listening to the original stems, exploring the different elements and looking for ways to reinterpret them. My goal is always to bring something fresh to the track while maintaining a connection to the original.
Music in the landscape
What does playing outdoors, as in your Valya Prerast set, bring out in your selection that an indoor room might not?
If I had to choose, playing outdoors would definitely be my favorite setting. I love exploring remote parts of Serbia and recording video performances in locations surrounded by untouched nature. There's something special about combining electronic music with those kinds of landscapes.
For these performances, I tend to focus mainly on my own productions. It's a great opportunity to share my musical identity and introduce listeners to both released and unreleased material.
Indoor performances offer a different kind of energy, which I also enjoy. In clubs and other indoor venues, I like to experiment more with my selections, blending my own tracks with music from artists I admire and who inspire me.
Beyond the nightlife
What would you like people discovering Serbia’s electronic scene to hear beyond its better-known club sounds?
Serbia, and especially my hometown Belgrade, is well known for its vibrant nightlife and electronic music scene. However, there's so much more to discover beyond that. The country has a rich cultural and historical heritage, excellent traditional cuisine, and some truly beautiful natural landscapes. From lively cities to peaceful mountains and untouched countryside, Serbia offers a lot of diversity, and I think visitors are often pleasantly surprised by everything it has to offer.
Tebra
Interview by email · Editorial and image art direction: SCENE:ID. Kristina Lukic