Coloray's latest release, 'Blinded,' glows through the summertime heat. This Berlin's multi-talented DJ, producer, and 3D Graphic Designer's future seem brighter than ever, thanks to a fascinating 80s mentality that inspires his work.

Coloray injects persistent energy into a strong yet unrefined sound, occupying a zone between mechanical electronics and early EBM. He began his DJ career in both the broad international industry and the very competitive Dutch sector.

'Blinded,' was created exclusively for the 2022 season launch of DGTL Records and the song is a full-fledged summer feel-good groove. Sun-drenched synthesisers, soaring melodies, and Coloray's own voice bring out the 80s aesthetics. When listening to 'Blinded,' one can't help but think of festival anthems like Empire of the Sun and MGMT. Blinded, whether in its glittering A-side or somewhat filtered B-side form, is a tune made for summer stages.

The single arrives at a critical juncture in the artist's career. Along with 'Blinded,' he's also publicised his own virtual reality app in the Virtual Space - a project that looks ahead to how we could consume music in the future. 'Blinded' will be complemented by a series of remixes from the likes of Colyn, Giulia Tess, Ineffekt, and Mona Yim by the end of the month, providing unlimited options for the dance floor.

On the track, Coloray describes ‘Blinded’ as a highly personal journey through isolation: "A track I've made to celebrate the return of nightlife, and the end of a long period of isolation for a lot of people. The track is supposed to feel like a warm hug, something that can be soothing. Through the track, I've incorporated bits and pieces I've recorded the last two years of things happening around me: a Berlin ambulance, a politician saying he's done with isolation, and an old man on YouTube saying everything good and bad eventually comes to an end. The lyrics are, at first sight, talking about a literal welcome back to the audience, but it's also a welcome back to myself, feeling lost as an artist without that same audience.”

In a more extensive interview with multidimensional producer and DJ Coloray below, Coeval Magazine find out more about 'Blinded' and get a peek at his newly released virtual reality music app.

How did you get into music? Have you always wanted to pursue this career since being a youngster?

I started singing when I was young, I think around 7/8, being led by my mom who used to sing a lot around the house. I picked up Fruityloops when I was 13 to just record my guitar and make some drum loops. It never really stopped, but there was a time when I was for a few years just playing guitar and singing. When I started going to clubs and parties around 20 years old, I downloaded Ableton and was sold right away. It was easy to make sketches and loops, but now I was making dance music with that since I was mostly going to parties like that. It really took over my life and at one point I got a break by being asked as a songwriter for other artists. Things slowly took off from there. I think I never really saw music as being a potential career, but I'm happy that it did.

For people who are unaware of your music, in your own words what is the sound you create?

I try to combine my background in songwriting with dance music stylings. Because I grew up playing acoustic instruments, there's a strong mix between indie and dance stylings running throughout what I do. Sometimes it's more dreamy, sometimes it's very ravey, but it's always this sort of mix between the human and the computer space.

Name some of your favourite music moments so far?

Performing my live show for the first time at Draaimolen Festival was really special because it felt like this is something I should be doing (playing live) and that really formed my identity in music. Also, moments of creating where I was working so intuitively that it felt like I myself was not doing the creation, that was trippy.

And, what inspired the name Coloray?

It comes from my want for crossing genres, and 'colors' in music. I have a background in design, so I approach music very visually. I tend to try to blend tones, and for me it sometimes feels more like painting than making music.

The new 80s-style single “Blinded” is a track inspired by your highly personal journey through isolation, can you explain this a little more?

I think that we all felt very disconnected of life in general during the last 2,5 years of covid. I was not only missing nightlife, but mostly an ongoing conversation between me and an audience, or me and an internal creative drive. I was still making things, but it all felt so... meaningless. Blinded was the first track I made since moving to Berlin where I really felt like I was again able to put some feeling into the music. I started working towards a more warm, intimate sound but also incorporating samples of things I've heard around me. A Berlin ambulance which reminded me of the city life and the time during the pandemic, a US governor saying he's done with covid, and a man on youtube telling everything good and bad in life will eventually come to an end.

How do you want people to feel when listening to "Blinded”?

Loved and welcomed with open arms. I want my music to be a release of emotion for not only myself but for others too.

This track includes your own vocals, is this something we should keep expecting with your music?

Yes for sure, but I will try to blend it more with the instrumental side, making my vocals more part of the grander scheme instead of the main thing. I think my voice is my strongest suit, but i'd love to explore more sides of it. Sampling it, using it as an instrument, and so on.

You recently launched a virtual reality music app, can you let the Coeval reader know about that side of your life, why you created it?

I was working on my debut album before covid, but when covid started I suddenly had this thing finished with no means to perform it. I studied graphic design and always had an interest in 3D design, so I downloaded Blender and started designing a concept stage design which I could use after Covid was done. I came in touch with a film studio that had a technique of filming people with volumetric video, meaning that they were using around 80 camera's to capture a 'pointcloud' of someone, frame by frame, basically allowing 3D film in virtual space. Suddenly it clicked and I realised that if we used a game engine to present a virtual stage in, and then put me in it, in theory we could let people go to a place to watch my show. I started working on a concept and presented this to Stimuleringsfonds, which is a fund supporting designers and musicians cross over into new ideas, and we started developing the application after we got the funding. Looking back it was almost not possible to do what we did, but I think Covid was such a unique time, and there certainly was a lot of doubt if music would still be the same in the future. So we went all in, and as a result I discovered so much about what music could mean in virtual space, forever changing how I look at the art form.

And what can people expect to find in the app?

A world to discover musical performances in, and an extension of my album 'Future Static'.

How would you like your music to develop even more over the next couple of years?

Someone once told me that the only goal should be to simply 'get better'. But what does getting better mean with music? I'm discovering that I want my music to be 100% unfiltered energy. My music is very much rooted in songwriting, but how will the songwriting change if I work even more intuitively, instead of sitting down and 'writing a song'. I hope I can make music that has a certain 'something', a vibe that draws people in, with minimalist arrangements and where every sound has its purpose. It will be a lifelong search.