SJ Van Damme
SJ Van Damme (Vlad Shpakovskiy) is a music project born at the intersection of unwavering will and a subtle feel for melody. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy and glaucoma, Vlad has come a long way from recording tracks in his kitchen with a cat as his "producer" to achieving international recognition: his track "My Dear City" hit #10 in the Beatport Trance Top 100, and a vinyl record with his music was distributed to stores across Europe and the USA.
His sound is a deliberate return to the roots. Inspired by artists like Mirko Hirsch and The Thrillseekers, SJ Van Dammemasterfully blends the warm, analog aesthetics of synthwave and Italo disco with the drive and clarity of modern trance. His debut album, "My Dear City," is a sincere homage to his hometown, pieced together from personal stories and created in close collaboration with talented vocalists.
My Story
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1. What's the coolest experience you've had creating music together?
Learning to truly hear your partner and find the exact vocal part that unlocks their power without killing their authenticity. That's a priceless skill.
2. What's the biggest myth in the music industry you've had to face?
The myth of the "5-minute track" and that you can achieve everything completely on your own. Social media paints a picture of instant success that demotivates so many. Sure, you can release a track by yourself, but without a team, without a label's support at the promotion stage, all your efforts often go unnoticed. The key is to find an understanding partner who will support you.
3. How would you describe our collective music in three words?
Drive. Eighties. Revival.
4. Which track or artist ignited your love for electronic music?
It's hard to pick just one track—I've been a fan of electronic music since childhood. But if I go way back, it would probably be the group Koto and the Italo disco genre.
5. What's more important in music for you — sincere emotion or flawless sound? Why?
Emotion, without a doubt. There's a lot of technically flawless, "over-polished" music out there now, but it's forgotten the next day because it has no feeling. A genuine emotion is what hooks a listener for the long haul.
6. What's your strangest or funniest habit in your creative or recording process?
Sometimes I recall scenes from classic anime or think about street cats. It helps me focus and relieve extra tension.
7. What's the main piece of advice you'd give yourself on the day you first started making music?
I'll quote my friend, DJ Chris Rane from Germany: "Learn to navigate around the crap in your life." It's easy to give that advice to others, but hard to follow yourself. And also—don't listen to critics who try to destroy your unique signature.
8. What's the secret to music that sticks with the listener for a long time?
Trends come and go. If you blindly copy Martin Garrix, like everyone did in 2015, you lose all individuality. The secret is to stay true to yourself and write what you genuinely feel. In the end, trends break, but your time might come. You can end up being ahead of it.
9. How did your approach — taking the best of the old school and blending it with a modern sound — come to be?
I saw the waves of retro-wave and modern sound moving in parallel, and I decided to merge them. The point of no return for me was Mirko Hirsch's album "Obsession." I knew I wanted to make music with that same energy and passion. And from a producer's standpoint, this genre is more forgiving of some mixing imperfections, it's easier on the ears, and less tiring to listen to.
10. What do you find most valuable about collaborating with vocalists?
The chance to reveal new facets of their talent, to show them what they're capable of. They are incredibly talented. And in the process, you learn yourself: you pick up new mixing techniques, you hear how a female voice brings your music to life. My main mission was to help them reach a new level. My own development is a nice bonus.
11. Why is it important for people to hear our music right now?
Our album is a bridge between two great eras. It shows the younger generation that there is music deeper than the TikTok format—more beautiful, lyrical, and more intimate. It's a real and beautiful record that will find its fans even 10 years from now. I didn't try to sound like anyone else, and that's why our album came out at the right time and in the right place. The 80s and 90s aren't just being revived—they've firmly cemented their niche. So yes, this album is meant to be!