Release Radar: Holchin - Escapism

A steady pulse of creativity flows from Moldova to the world as Holchin emerges as one of Cadenza’s most inspired rising talents. With a sound rooted in rhythm, emotion and deep musicality, years of dedication and exploration led to his breakout moment: an invitation from the label boss to join the Cadenza family. Holchin brings a unique blend of organic textures and hypnotic grooves to the label, in the form of a massive 22 track debut album Escapism. As he prepares his next release and continues crafting mixes with that quintessentially Cadenza sound, Holchin’s vision remains clear - creating music that tells a story and speaks straight from the soul.

You quickly became an integral part of the Cadenza family. How did your relationship with the label start, and when did it really begin to take shape?

My introduction to the Cadenza label began back in 2008, when I first immersed myself in the world of electronic music. My creative journey has already been a part of my life for almost half of it, despite my young age. From the very beginning, I was passionate about creating my own music and spent several years making new tracks. At 21, I released my first vinyl on the Mountain Series label. At that time, I didn't even dream of Cadenza! But real magic happened. Luciano listened to a few of my tracks, then all the others I had at that time, and offered to release them on Cadenza. I gladly agreed! For me, it was incredibly exciting because I became a part of this magical family and at the same time started performing as part of Cadenza. Traveling the world, I had the honor of sharing the decks with this magical person, Luciano.

Your debut release on Cadenza, Escapism, came out last year and includes twenty-two tracks. What was the creative process behind creating such an extensive musical work?

I worked on the Escapism album for a whole year. My good friend and composer Sergey Kharlamov also participated in its creation, writing instrumental parts for several tracks. Each track is a reflection of my inner state at a specific point in time. Some are more dynamic, others are more restrained. I love when music has a cyclical nature — when it repeats again and again but takes on new forms. This allows me to perceive it in a new way, get inspired, and explore. Music, in this way, makes me listen to my heart, love, dream, and even, at times, cry.

The album passes through several genres, yet it maintains that unique rhythm that is so characteristic of you. What is your process of blending different styles while keeping the distinctive Holchin sound?

Actually, there are no special secrets here. It's just my musical taste, how my heart hears it. I love drums and percussion — all my tracks are built around these elements. In some moments, live instruments are integrated into the music, playing on a subconscious level. They’re kind of there, but always in the background, creating an atmosphere that allows the sounds to penetrate deeper into the mind. It’s the balance between rhythm and organic elements that shapes my sound.

Are there any specific instruments or devices that have become an essential part of your workflow? How much room did you have for experimenting with new techniques while creating Escapism?

I don’t have any particular secrets or unique working methods. At the core of everything is the dance bass, which sometimes becomes almost alive, for example, in the form of a double bass. Then I add instrumentation, groove, and percussion. Percussion (bongos, congas, oud) sets the rhythm and danceability, while the instruments bring in melody and space. One of my little secrets is resampling. I love reworking old vinyls — Indian music, jazz, or folk. Then I change the pitch, the key, process it with various plugins… but that's another story!

Growing up in Moldova, how did you first encounter electronic music, and how has the scene evolved over the years?

I encountered electronic music in 2008 when I heard a mix by Luciano and Ricardo Villalobos at the Amnesia club. That was the moment I completely fell in love with this music! While in 9th grade, I began DJing professionally. Instead of going to class, I stayed at home and spent my time with turntables, learning to master them. In 2009, there were no DJ schools in Moldova, so I learned everything on my own. After some time, I was offered a residency at one of the local clubs, and I’m immensely grateful to the guys (Maxim and Vladi) for that opportunity. The parties became incredible, and the time for studying became shorter and shorter. From Thursday to Sunday, I was practically never at home. Every year, the scene in Moldova progressed: from minimal to techno, from house to disco. However, I don’t like the music played in our country, so I prefer not to perform here, except for parties organized by my friends at Atelier Hub. Today, they are one of the main driving forces behind local events! I hope in the future we can do a joint showcase with Cadenza!

What were your first influences in music production, and what continues to inspire you to this day?

My main influences in electronic music are undoubtedly Luciano and Ricardo Villalobos, [a:rpia:r] (Raresh, Pedro, Rhadoo), and also Half Hawai (Zip and Sammy Dee). These artists truly inspire me with their vision of musical culture. The music they create and promote is very close to me. I am immensely grateful to them for their influence and the inspiration I draw from their work.

Your contribution to the Cadenza EKOES podcast series included three hours of pure Holchin sound! That must have been quite a journey to put it all together?

There were actually a lot of tracks. I spent a lot of time selecting and listening to them to understand what exactly I wanted to show and tell the people. For me, a mix is like a puzzle: track by track, you build your own musical world filled with love and warmth. The tracks in the podcast are my new works, mixed with music from my last release. It turned out quite interesting! The mix is my inner voice, my story, and the feelings I want to convey. Because at parties, I play completely different music!

There are a lot of unreleased tracks there — what projects or releases are you working on that you can tell us about?

I’m preparing my next release for Cadenza. I can’t say exactly which tracks will be released yet, but I can confidently state that I’ll be sticking to my musical line. My percussion beats, hypnotic lines, and dance groove will remain at the forefront.

Check out Escapism which is available on Beatport and Bandcamp.