Belgian producer Ari has spent the better part of two decades immersed in electronic music, first as a DJ and event organizer, and later as a producer developing a sound that moves comfortably between deep house, minimal house, and deep-tech territory. In recent years, his music has appeared on a growing number of international labels, including Whoyostro White, while quietly building support among DJs and underground music enthusiasts across Europe and beyond.

His latest ‘Decide To Be’ EP, arrives via U.S.-based house label Vibe Me To The Moon, a platform that has become home to both emerging talent and respected names such as Roland Clark, Franck Roger, Demarkus Lewis, Fred Everything, and many others. We caught up with Ari to discuss the inspiration behind the EP, the role emotion plays in his music, his transition from event organizer to full-time producer, and how his relationship with the label first came about.

 

 

WWD: Congratulations on your new EP on Vibe Me To The Moon. What inspired the title ‘Decide To Be’ and does it carry a particular meaning for you personally?

 

Thank you ! ‘Decide To Be’ is probably the most personal title I’ve ever chosen.

For years I spent a lot of my time helping others grow – organizing events, promoting artists, supporting projects – often putting my own ambitions in the background.

I don’t regret any of it because every experience taught me something, but eventually I realized it was time to choose myself.

This EP represents that decision.

It’s about deciding to become the person you’ve always wanted to be without waiting for the “perfect moment.”

One quote that has always stayed with me comes from Father Vito Cornelius in The Fifth Element: “Time is not important, only life is important.”

That philosophy perfectly reflects this release.

WWD: The EP moves between deep house and minimal/ deep-tech territory, particularly on the title track. Was that contrast intentional when putting the release together?

 

Absolutely.

I never wanted the EP to be locked into a single genre.

I wanted each track to represent a different atmosphere while keeping the same emotional DNA.

For me, electronic music is about creating journeys.

Sometimes that journey needs warmth and groove, sometimes it needs space and tension.

The contrast between the tracks was completely intentional because that’s how I experience music when I DJ.

 

WWD: You’ve described your music as being influenced by your emotions and imagination rather than strict genre boundaries. What emotional space were you in while writing these three tracks?

 

I was in a very reflective period.

I was questioning where I wanted to go – not only as a producer but as a person.

At the same time, my imagination has always been my escape.

Many of my tracks begin with a story or a scene in my head rather than a musical idea.

I wanted this EP to feel like three chapters of the same journey : leaving something behind, embracing who you are, and rediscovering the roots of what made you fall in love with electronic music.

 

Across the EP, listeners will hear plenty of groove and subtle detail. When you’re in the studio, do you start with rhythm, atmosphere, or an idea you’re trying to express?

 

It always starts with an emotion, a mood, or an image.

I can’t walk into the studio and decide, “Today I’m going to make a House track,” or “Today I’m making Minimal House.”

It simply doesn’t work that way for me. I need inspiration. I need something to translate into music – a feeling, a memory, a state of mind, or even a scene I imagine.

Because I’m naturally melancholic and highly sensitive, my creativity comes in waves.

I can go for months without producing a single track, then suddenly write one every week because something inside me needs to come out.

Making music is a lot like writing a book.

It allows me to externalize emotions that are sometimes difficult to put into words.

It helps me understand myself and, in many ways, it helps me heal.

The stories and emotions behind each track never truly disappear – they become part of the music forever.

Once they’re transformed into sound, they live on with every listener who presses play.

 

WWD:You spent many years balancing event promotion, DJing, and production before deciding to focus fully on making music. What ultimately pushed you to dedicate yourself entirely to the studio?

 

When I first started organizing events, it was primarily for a charitable cause.

As time went on, it became much more than that. I created underground electronic events with my own identity and vision, and people connected with that.

I always believed that what makes an event truly special isn’t just the lineup – it’s the atmosphere, the concept, and the little details that make people feel they’re part of something unique.

At the same time, I was producing music. My original goal was to share my own tracks with the audience attending my events. But I eventually realized that it’s almost impossible to give 100% to two demanding careers like professional event promotion and music production. Naturally, my own music had to take a step back.

Ironically, I never stopped creating. I still have finished tracks that are five, even ten years old, waiting only for their final mix and mastering. The ideas were always there – I simply didn’t have the time to bring them across the finish line.

In 2021, I made one of the biggest decisions of my career. I stepped away from organizing events to dedicate myself fully to the studio. I started finishing all those projects that had been waiting for years and finally began sending them to labels.

After spending so many years creating opportunities for other artists, I realized it was finally time to give myself that same opportunity.’ Decide To Be’ is, in many ways, the result of that decision.

 

WWD:Having worked as both an event organizer and a DJ, how has seeing electronic music from multiple perspectives shaped the way you produce records today?

 

It has probably become one of my biggest strengths.

As an event organizer, I learned how to build an experience from the very first track to the last. As a DJ, I discovered what makes a record truly work on a dancefloor – how it creates tension, emotion, release, and connection with the crowd.

I’m not sure those experiences directly influenced the way I produce, but they definitely expanded my musical horizons. While designing concepts for specific events, I spent countless hours digging for music and discovering genres and subgenres I had never heard before. That constant exploration opened my mind and introduced me to entirely new sonic worlds.

Later on, those discoveries naturally found their way into my own productions. Instead of limiting myself to one genre, I learned to express whatever emotion or state of mind I was experiencing through the style that felt right at that particular moment.

Today, I don’t make music to fit into a category – I make music to tell a story. Whether that story calls for Afro House, Minimal House, Deep House, Melodic Techno, or Chicago House, the genre simply becomes the language that best expresses the emotion behind it.

 

WWD: You’ve publicly spoken about melancholy finding its way into your music. Why do you think deeper or more emotional sounds continue to resonate with you as an artist?

 

Because they’re honest.

Even when I produce uplifting or energetic tracks, there’s almost always an emotional layer underneath. Sometimes it’s a beautiful memory, sometimes it’s a painful one – but there’s always a story hidden beneath the groove.

Life isn’t made only of happiness or sadness. It constantly moves between the two, and I think that’s what makes us human.

To me, the most beautiful electronic music is music that makes people dance while making them feel something at the same time. A great groove can move your body, but emotion is what stays with you long after the music has stopped.

If you listen carefully to my catalogue, you can often guess the emotional state I was in when I wrote each track. Every production has its own story, its own reason for existing. Whether it’s inspired by a memory, a person, a place, or simply an emotion I needed to express, each track becomes a snapshot of that particular moment in my life.

In many ways, my music is like a diary. I don’t write chapters with words – I write them with melodies, rhythms, and emotions.

 

WWD: Belgium has a rich electronic music history. Has growing up there influenced your musical identity, and if so, in what ways?

 

Without question.

Belgium has always had an incredibly open-minded electronic music scene, where House, Techno, Trance, Drum & Bass, and many other genres naturally coexist. Growing up here gave me the freedom to explore music without feeling limited to a single style.

One of the biggest influences on my musical identity was attending Dour Festival. It introduced me to some of the most experimental and underground electronic music I had ever heard. It taught me that electronic music doesn’t have to follow formulas – it can be adventurous, emotional, and constantly evolving.

Today, that openness still defines the way I produce. I don’t see genres as boundaries; I see them as colors on the same palette. Whether I’m making House, Minimal House, Deep House, Deep Techno, or Chicago House, my goal is always the same : to create an atmosphere that tells a story and makes people feel something.

 

WWD: Every artist discovers a label differently. Was there a particular Vibe Me To The Moon release that first got your attention, and how did that eventually lead to a relationship with the label and the release of your ‘Decide To Be’ EP?

 

I’ve been a fan of French House legend Franck Roger for many years. Through his Instagram stories, I noticed that he had started releasing music on Vibe Me To The Moon. That immediately caught my attention, so I began exploring the label’s catalogue.

From the very first releases I heard, I had the feeling that my music belonged there. The label’s identity – blending House, Deep House, Minimal House, and deeper underground sounds – perfectly matches my own musical universe. It wasn’t just about finding a label ; it was about finding a home where my music could naturally fit.

I sent a few demos, and after speaking with Kev, everything happened very naturally. We shared the same vision and passion for music, and I’m truly proud that ‘Decide To Be’ became part of the Vibe Me To The Moon family.

 

WWD: You’ve spent the last few years focusing heavily on finishing music and sending demos to labels. What have you learned about patience and persistence during that process?

 

That rejection isn’t failure.

Every “no” taught me something.

Sometimes it meant improving my production.

Sometimes it simply meant I hadn’t found the right label yet.

I’ve learned that consistency beats talent if you keep showing up every day. Eventually someone hears what you’ve been trying to say all along.

 

WWD: What’s next after ‘Decide To Be?’ Any upcoming projects, collaborations, or musical directions you’re excited to explore?

 

‘Decide To Be’ is just the beginning of a new chapter.

I’m very excited to announce that a House/Deep House collaboration with the legendary Mr. V is on the way, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.

This year, my focus is on taking the next step by working with larger labels and developing new collaborations. I’ve been sending demos to artists and labels whose work has inspired me for years. It’s a challenging process, and I know these opportunities take time, but I’m enjoying every step of the journey.

Alongside that, I have several new singles scheduled for release over the coming months, exploring different sides of my musical identity – from House and Deep House to Minimal House and Tech House.

So… stay tuned. The best is yet to come.

 

WWD: We definitely will! Thanks for the chat 🙂 

 

The ‘Decide To Be’ EP is available here