Although still a relatively fresh name on the scene, Korak has been appearing more and more frequently in clubs across Croatia. Behind the name is David Vujnović, a young artist originally from Požega who found his home in Rijeka a few years ago. He is a member of the Torque collective alongside Bašek and Kim Ono. In addition to DJing, he has also started exploring music production.
His love for electronic music began after hearing the track Head of House by American producer Glenn Underground. That moment, he says, sparked a deeper dive into house music. His sound has also been shaped by the work of the RNDM collective, as well as the team behind Cutering in Rijeka.
@seastarfestival
Korak was initially a die-hard househead, but over time his interests gradually expanded. Although he’s now more focused on a faster, rougher sound, he’s quick to point out that he’ll always have love for proper house.
“That warm, driving groove is what made me fall in love with electronic music in the first place. I honestly enjoy pretty much every genre, but I believe each of them has its own time and place. If you catch me playing on a beach somewhere, you’ll definitely hear some house and deeper cuts. On the other hand, if it’s a basement at five in the morning, expect 135+ BPM”, he says.
He first stepped behind the DJ booth in 2019, and it didn’t take long for word about him to spread beyond Rijeka. So far, Korak has played in numerous Croatian clubs, including Portun, SoundFactory, Surogat, Pogon Kulture, and Oksid in Šibenik. This year, he also joined the lineup of the Sea Star Festival.
To give you a better sense of who he is and what he’s about, Korak recorded a mix for us. Across these 70 minutes, the Torque collective member delivers his take on a blend of electro, breakbeat, ghettotech, and techno.
“A die-hard househead playing everything except house… 😀 You’ll probably hear a few little mistakes in the set. I don’t have a setup at home, and I don’t like pestering my friends for hours just so I can record one. Everything was recorded in a single take, without any preparation — basically exactly how I’d sound when playing out,” he says.
While listening to Korak’s set, find out what the talented DJ from Požega has to say about the Croatian scene, how he deals with creative blocks, and what he gets up to when he’s taking a break from mixing.
@sumacrew
What drew you in first – production or DJing? Which do you see yourself focusing on more in the future?
DJing was what attracted me first. Honestly, I didn’t think I was capable of producing a track from start to finish until I saw some of my friends doing it and thought maybe I could give it a shot as well. It was only after spending a few months trying to produce something that I realized how much better I understood DJing by studying production. I think DJing and production are closely connected, and it definitely helps if you do both at the same time. In the future, I believe I’ll focus more on production, particularly on exploring and developing live sets.
How do you deal with creative blocks during production?
I deal with creative blocks in a few different ways. If I get stuck halfway through a track I’m working on in Ableton Live, I’ll sometimes hook up a piece of hardware and switch to a different workflow, since every piece of gear naturally has its own way of working. Sometimes a creative block disappears after a short walk around the neighborhood with headphones on, and other times I simply force myself to sit in front of the computer. Then I start trying out different combinations of elements I prepared for that track until I land on something I like.
What do you think is the recipe for a good B2B set?
I don’t think there’s a specific recipe for a good B2B. Both artists need to be on the same wavelength in that moment – both with each other and with the crowd. For me, a B2B works best when the DJs complement one another with tracks that are similar enough to fit together, but still different enough to keep things from becoming monotonous.
How would you describe the Rijeka scene compared to, for example, Zagreb and Split?
The Rijeka scene has been really active lately, which makes me incredibly happy. We’ve got five clubs right in the city center, all just a few minutes’ walk from one another, so there’s definitely something for everyone. Almost every month you can catch at least one solid international act. We have some well-established collectives and labels, but new ones are emerging too. What especially makes me happy is that people have started to become more open-minded toward different genres. Not that long ago, tech house and techno completely dominated Rijeka’s clubs.
In Zagreb, people started embracing these in-between genres, somewhere between house and techno, much earlier. I always enjoy going out there. I’m not as familiar with the scene in Split. Unfortunately, I’ve never been to a party in Split, but from what I see on social media, collectives like TAMAN and PULP are doing some serious work. That definitely deserves recognition. In any case, I think the Split scene is very much alive.
@_kim_ono_
If you could play a set with any DJ in the world, who would you choose?
This is a really tricky question because I have so many favorite artists across different genres. It’s hard to pick just one, so I’ll use a little hack and name a joint alias of two artists I deeply admire – Negroni Nails (Steffi and Privacy).
What’s your favorite set ever, and why?
Most likely the one at SoundFactory, when DJ Assault was the guest. I got really great feedback from the crowd, and that’s the biggest motivation I could ever ask for.
Which artists are you listening to the most these days?
Privacy, Steffi, Mr.Ho, Client_03, Gosub, Morphology, Dopplerefekt, CEM3340, and many others.
What did you listen to as a kid?
I’ve always loved hip-hop, and I still do to this day! I think you can hear that influence in my sound.
@do_ri_an1
Do you have any hobbies besides music?
I’ve been riding BMX for 12 years (shout-out to Šuma Crew), and I enjoy snowboarding in the winter. I’m also a big fan of cars and motorcycles, especially older models. I love spending time in the garage when I’m back home in Požega.
What are your plans for this year?
Primarily, just enjoying what I do, maybe releasing an EP, and doing a few solid guest sets. You’ll hear about everything in time!
Photo: private album, Instagram