Petar Dundov’s career spans several decades, during which he has crafted a sound where emotion and atmosphere carry as much weight as rhythm. Captivated by Croatia’s early 1990s techno and house scene, he went on to build a body of work crossing ambient, progressive house, and melodic techno. His distinctive voice in electronic music has been defined by seminal albums like Ideas From The Pond and Escapements, alongside releases on key labels such as Axis, Cocoon, and Music Man.
With his immersive productions and extended DJ sets continuing to explore the space between hypnotic repetition and expansive melody, Dundov remains an artist less interested in chasing trends than in following his own musical instincts. Ahead of his latest projects, we speak with him about his creative process, the evolution of his sound, and the ideas that continue to shape his approach to electronic music.
Listen to Petar Dundov’s mix on PLAYY. Mag whilst reading the interview below:
How would you describe your musical style and the genres or subcultures that most influence your sound?
My roots are in techno, but I never felt too comfortable putting strict boundaries around music. What originally attracted me to techno was its abstract nature and the freedom to experiment with sound. Over the years, I introduced more melody, harmony and longer progressions into that framework, so naturally the music started touching progressive, ambient and other forms of electronic music. I grew up listening to everything from Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre and Vangelis to Depeche Mode and Pink Floyd, and all these influences somehow remain stored in your musical memory. In the end, I am mostly interested in creating moving music, something that works physically but still leaves enough space for the mind to wander.
Music Creation: Describe the primary setting or environment where your music is conceived. Is it a chaotic, overstimulating studio, a minimalist digital space, a rehearsal room, or a more isolated location?
Most of my music is made in my studio in Zagreb. It is quite the opposite of a minimalist setup because I have collected synthesizers, sequencers, drum machines and other equipment over many years. Still, I don’t experience it as chaotic. Everything has its place, and I know the instruments well enough that I don’t have to think too much about the technical side when inspiration comes.
For me, the studio should be a comfortable environment where technology disappears after a while. When that happens, you stop thinking about which machine you are using and simply start listening.
When you create, what leads the way – a feeling, a story, or the sound itself?
Usually sound comes first. I can sit at a synthesizer without any particular idea and start playing until something resonates with the state of mind I am in at that moment. A sound suggests a melody, the melody creates a harmonic relation, and suddenly there is an emotional direction.
Sometimes it happens the other way around, and a melody appears in my head while travelling or doing something completely unrelated to music. I record it and return to it later. I don’t think there is one formula. Inspiration is something coming from the unconscious, and the creative process is basically a way of discovering what is already there.
What’s in your toolkit? Share the gear, gadgets, or software you can’t create without.
I have accumulated quite a lot of hardware over the years, but the Roland System 100 still has a special place in the studio. I know that instrument almost to the atom and after all these years it can still surprise me.
There are also various Roland, Sequential and Yamaha synthesizers, analog sequencers, drum machines and tape delays. At the same time, I am completely comfortable working digitally. Computers and software have become incredibly powerful tools. For me, it is never really analog against digital. Every instrument has a character, and the important thing is knowing why you are using it.
Are there any unexpected or dream collaborations hidden in your work?
Nothing I can reveal at the moment. I generally don’t think about collaborations as something that should be planned strategically. Usually I connect with someone’s music first and the personal connection comes afterwards. If there is a common musical language, collaboration develops quite naturally.
Any side projects you’re working on?
I have recently been revisiting my Brother’s Yard project and some recordings from my early production years. There is a lot of music sitting in the archive that was never released, and it has been interesting to hear it again from today’s perspective.
I am also continuing to develop Neumatik Records as a place where I can release different sides of my music without having to fit everything into one particular format.
Who’s an emerging artist you think deserves more recognition right now?
There are many interesting young producers at the moment, and with music being so accessible, it is probably harder than ever to single out only one. What interests me are artists who are developing their own language rather than immediately trying to fit into an existing sound. It takes time to develop an identity, and I think we should give younger artists enough space to do that.
What role does ‘rebellion’ or ‘counterculture’ play in your music? Are you aiming to challenge commercial norms, sonic structures, or societal expectations?
I don’t think about rebellion as something deliberate. If you deliberately try to be rebellious, you are already defining yourself through the thing you are trying to oppose.
For me, underground music was always primarily about freedom of expression. You make something because you believe there is value in the idea, not because you know how it will perform commercially. Techno originally came from that kind of environment. It questioned existing musical structures simply by searching for new ones.
I still approach music in that way. The challenge is not to oppose something for the sake of opposition, but to remain curious enough to find another possibility.
Who is one non-musical artist (e.g., fashion designer, visual artist, film director) whose work feels sonically synonymous with your sound?
Stanley Kubrick comes to mind. There is something about the way he uses space, time and composition that I can relate to musically. His films can be very precise and structured but at the same time leave enormous space for interpretation. You are given enough information to enter the world, but not everything is explained to you. I like that balance.
What aspects of your artistry feel most important to you, for example your sound, visuals, storytelling, or live performance style?
Sound is naturally at the centre because everything starts there, but storytelling is probably equally important. I like music that takes you somewhere.
That is also why some of my tracks become quite long. To establish an atmosphere and then move through different emotional states takes time. When it works properly, you stop noticing that time. Live performance adds another dimension because there is direct feedback between the music and the people in front of you. The same composition can suddenly take a different direction simply because the room feels different.
The Future: What is the most exciting and the most terrifying technological development impacting the music industry right now (e.g., AI composition, NFTs, digital distribution models)?
AI is probably both at the same time.
Technology has always changed music, and I don’t think we should be afraid of new tools. Synthesizers, samplers and computers were all considered disruptive technologies at some point. AI will certainly open new possibilities and make complicated processes much more accessible.
The more difficult question is what happens when technology begins making the creative decisions for us. A tool should extend human expression, not replace the reason for expressing something in the first place. If everybody has access to systems trained on the same information, the interesting question will no longer be what the technology can produce, but what the person using it actually has to say.
How would you describe the live music environments you feel most connected to? For example, are you drawn more to the energy of massive festival stages, the intimacy of underground warehouse parties or DIY venues, or a mix of both?
I enjoy both because they create completely different experiences. A large festival can produce an incredible collective energy. When thousands of people move together, there is something almost physical about that connection.
In a smaller club the communication is more intimate. You can feel every change on the dance floor and respond immediately. That gives you freedom to go deeper and take more risks.
For me the size of the room is ultimately less important than whether there is a connection. When the sound, the space, the performer and the audience come together, you stop thinking about where you are. That is usually when the best moments happen.
Famous last words?
Stay curious. There is always another sound to discover.
