Daniel Sokolovskiy’s Blog

What are you willing to sacrifice?

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 08:43:21 +0100

A road to success comes at a price. Take a DJ career, for example. Success as a DJ typically means five, ten, twenty gigs a month. Travelling the world and playing at the largest stages might be a lot of fun, but at the same time, it means sleepless nights in the clubs, countless hours in the airports, living out of a suitcase, and missing out on friends’ birthdays as they usually occur on weekends. My own gig schedule was never that intense, but over the last decade of my music career, I’ve spoken to hundreds of artists who have found themselves in that position.

No path to success is without sacrifices. One path is not ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than another; it’s a matter of priorities, and ultimately, the choice comes down to what you are willing to sacrifice. If you dream big, this principle applies across industries.

We often hear success stories and discussions about work-life balance, but more often than not, they come from people who have already achieved security and stability, having worked long hours in their 20s or 30s and sacrificed health and relationships along the way.

While sacrifices are inevitable, it’s worth considering whether they are intentional and align with your values. We sacrifice comfort for adventure, stability for growth, or leisure for mastery, sometimes without even realising it. Are you content with the trade-offs? Do they bring you closer to the life you envision?

These choices shape who you become and determine how far you go. In the end, success isn’t measured only by what you achieve, but also by what you’re willing to let go of to make space for what matters.

Would I do this if money was no object?

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:20:04 +0100

When I doubt about starting something new or continuing with my current pursuits, I find the following question useful: ‘Would I still do this if money was no object?’.

As we live in the monetary world where success is often measured by wealth, sometimes I find it challenging to see the true motivation behind my actions.

For example, my blog. It has around 6,000 monthly visitors, and over the years, it has helped me to land gigs and other opportunities. And at some point it made me believe that my blog is a content marketing tool (gosh, I cringe when I say that). At least that was a pretty reasonable conclusion given its outcome.

However, after asking myself the question ‘Would I do this if money was no object?’, I realised that it isn’t the case at all. I write not because of freakin’ content marketing, but because of the sheer joy of writing.

I love writing, and I love sharing my thoughts. Some people find it valuable, and that’s wonderful. Others don’t, and that’s fine too! Because I would still do this, even if money was no object.

Applying this question to other projects and areas of my life led to surprising results. For instance, I reconsidered my involvement in certain activities and found where my genuine passion lies. This is an ongoing process and I keep discovering my inner self, but the path is clearer now.

Try asking that question too. The insights you gain might surprise you.

Social media are unhealthy by design

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 12:51:32 +0100

As an early adopter who has been active on social media since 2011 (and created my first accounts around 2007), I’ve developed a long-standing love-hate relationship with social media, though the latter sentiment has increasingly grown in me in recent years. I am talking about Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, and more. While Twitter and LinkedIn are slightly different beasts, my concerns apply to them as well.

Let’s start with the business model of these companies, as once you understand it, the rest makes sense. It revolves around three steps: attract as many users as possible, keep them locked in at all costs, and show them as many ads as possible, which creates a vicious cycle of user entrapment.

My biggest issue with social media companies is that they intentionally create harmful products. If you find yourself stuck scrolling through social feeds for hours every day, it’s an intentional trap set by the smart people who design these sophisticated mechanics.

Take Stories, for example, a format that has been adopted by all platforms. This feature exploits people’s Fear-Of-Missing-Out (FOMO) at its worst. The same goes for the Feeds, which don’t even show updates from the people you are subscribed to, instead displaying random content meant to engage you. The fact that Instagram and others don’t have clickable links goes against the core fundamentals of the World Wide Web as a place where you can freely surf around with hyperlinks.

These platforms use manipulation techniques similar to those used in slot machines that offer intermittent rewards to keep users hooked. This unpredictability makes it difficult for users to disengage, always hoping for the next dopamine hit. Privacy exploitation is another major concern that grows larger in me. And again, it’s not a ‘bug’, but a feature of these platforms.

It’s bad, unhealthy, and I even dare to say harmful by design.

Now, you may wonder, how come I am criticising social media while posting on those very platforms?

That’s where the ‘love-hate’ part comes into play. I don’t want to demonise social media completely. Whether we like it or not, these platforms are powerful tools for spreading the word. They allow us to discover interesting content and connect with people across the globe that might not have been possible otherwise. However, it’s crucial to recognise that these benefits come despite the design of these platforms, not because of it. While they offer avenues for meaningful interaction, their primary design is focused on engagement and profit, at the expense of our well-being.

I think of social media as alcohol consumption. For those who choose to drink, it might be fun to have a pint with friends, but I think we can all agree that drinking for four, six, or even eight hours a day is considered damaging. Social media consumption should probably be treated the same way, at least for kids and adolescents until they reach the appropriate age. As a dad, I definitely don’t want my kid to be exploited by those products.

For me, I find being intentional about my social media usage is the key. I don’t have any social media apps on my phone. I use them only on the desktop, which alone I find eliminates a lot of obsessive-compulsive behaviour with checking the phone all the time. When I want to share something, I go to these platforms with that specific intention in mind. On average, my social media usage is about one hour a week, which is likely the least I can get given some of my obligations.

I must be a terrible ‘friend’ because I rarely ‘like’ or comment on other friends’ content, though I’m trying. That makes me feel disconnected at a time, and even selfish, I admit. But that’s the sacrifice I am willing to take for the sake of my mental peace.

Social media are likely here to stay, so I need to learn how to live with them.

Inbox infinity

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 22:05:11 +0100

One of the most noxious inventions popularised in the productivity space in recent years is the notion of Inbox Zero. With this technique, you are supposed to clean your email inbox down to the magic zero counter and, ideally, keep it that way. Every new email landing in your inbox is a distraction that should be micromanaged.

I love email, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful tools on the Internet. However, Inbox Zero is the most anxious-provoking, dopamine-driven, health-damaging way of dealing with email.

Not every email has to be or should be archived, deleted, or moved away. Why have this burden? Loosen it up, let it flow. Automate the rest, and respond to what’s best.

Don’t want to read yet another newsletter that you don’t even remember subscribing to? Unsubscribe once – and you’re done. Find those newsletters interesting, or do you want to keep track of your receipts? Set up rules to automatically mark those emails as read and move them to designated folders. Do it once, and your inbox will become a much more pleasant place even without you making the manual effort on every single email.

What do you do with the rest of your emails? Workgroup conversations, notifications, and all sorts of emails that don’t require you to take action? In most cases, you read it – and you’re done. It’s as simple as that, without the extra micromanagement.

What about the other types of emails when you do need to respond? Well, you respond now or flag it to reply later, set it aside for batch processing, whatever works for you. But unlike the Inbox Zero technique which requires you to have obligations on every single email, here you only take action when it matters.

Due date is not a ‘do’ date

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 12:41:39 +0100

Many task manager apps have a ‘due’ date as the only date you can set for a task. This means you sort tasks by their due dates to see what’s on your plate for a given day.

I find it astonishing that Apple Reminders, Todoist, TickTick, Microsoft To-Do, AnyDo, a bunch of other task manager apps and even behemoths like Asana and Monday fail to understand that the due date is not a ‘do’ date.

If a large task or a project that requires many work hours is due today and you only see this on that day, chances are you are in trouble. Many people end up with dozens of overdue tasks in their task managers, leading to an even bigger mess and more anxiety.

The due date is essentially a deadline. It’s a date when the task has to be completed. A finish date, not a start date.

The only task manager I know that gets it right, and the app I’ve been using for years, is Things by Cultured Code. In Things, you can separately set a deadline (a due date) and a ‘when’ date, which is the date when you intend to start working on that thing. I wish more task managers had this feature.

Regardless of your tool of choice, be mindful when setting up a due date as it may not always accurately reflect when you should start working on the task.

Googleless

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 13:32:34 +0100

I’ve finally got rid of Google Analytics from all my websites. It’s no longer here at dsokolovskiy.com, daniellesden.com or psytranceguide.com. Yay!

There were many things I didn’t like about Google Analytics for a long time: it’s a service run by one of the world’s largest companies whose business model relies on intrusive ads; it conflicts with all modern privacy regulations like GDPR (and even declared illegal in certain countries); it’s bloated, with an outdated UI that is overkill for small websites like mine.

Upon my recent research, I was surprised to find how many alternatives are available today, even though it once seemed that Google Analytics had a monopoly on the market. That may have been true several years ago, making it the default option for me, but fortunately, that’s no longer the case.

In case you’re curious, I’ve switched to a service called Plausible. There are other good services around now too, but I liked this one after giving it a 30-day trial. It’s a simple, open-source, lightweight script that doesn’t use cookies and doesn’t collect personal data. I also like the way the dashboard looks, which is an important factor to me too.

This service isn’t free. It costs me £19 a month for my current configuration which is more than I pay for hosting and domain name services combined. However, if you think about it, Google Analytics wasn’t ‘free’ either, I just paid with a different currency – the privacy of my website’s visitors. I’d rather pay with money; at least that feels fair.

Look at the right metrics

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 13:33:49 +0100

A couple of years ago when I started jogging to eventually be able to run a half marathon, I used to look at my pace as a key metric to measure my progress. Any pro runner would laugh at reading this, but I thought the faster I could run, the faster my body would adapt to sustaining that pace for a longer distance. I know it’s naive, but at least there was some logic in that thinking. Besides, running fast felt ‘cooler’.

No surprise I barely progressed. I made it to the 10-kilometre runs, but couldn’t progress any further. I looked at my pace which improved over time, but I couldn’t understand why I didn’t come close to my goal after months of running.

Then I made an effort to learn a few things, bought a running watch, and switched my attention to a whole different metric: heart rate. Turned out that if I stayed below a certain threshold of my heart rate, I could run way longer! There is another thing called cadence, which is another important metric I never even heard of before at that time (a number of strides per minute), and understanding them both has helped me tremendously. After that eureka moment, I was able to run 20 kilometres and beyond in no time.

That made me think about how often we are looking at the wrong metrics, in any domain of our lives. For example, music producers measure their career progress by the sales charts. Content creators gauge their success by the number of page views. Professionals assess their progress by the number of completed to-dos. And the list goes on and on.

Whether you are a DJ trying to build an international career, a marketer building a sales funnel on the landing page, or a jogger aspiring to run a half marathon, be sure to look at the right metrics.

Perfectionism hurts

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 21:30:05 +0100

I am a perfectionist. Someone might say it’s a good trait, but I would disagree.

As a perfectionist, I tend to overthink, overwork, and struggle to start new things. The desire to have everything done flawlessly stopped me from doing so many things in the past that I didn’t even bother counting.

What is on the other end of the perfectionism scale? Sloppiness, indolence, carelessness? I don’t know, I haven’t been there, and I can presume these aren’t great traits either. However, there is plenty of space on the spectrum between these two extremes.

This post is a reminder to myself that done is better than perfect. Sometimes ‘good enough’ is enough. ‘Perfect time’ may never come. And time is the most valuable resource, so use it wisely while you can.

Fresh re-start

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 20:39:33 +0100

Over the past years, I’ve been posting all sorts of things on my blog: from new podcast episodes to life events and random personal updates. That partly was intentional, as I like to keep everything around rather than having it scattered across different platforms and social media. I thought posting here everything was a good idea. But when I recently scrolled through the blog, I felt it had become almost like a newsfeed, and I didn’t like it.

I want to have a blog with more meaningful posts. A blog that would invite people to read, and encourage me to write. Fewer ‘check it out’ posts, less noise. More thoughts, more meaning. This is the type of blog I would like to have.

With that in mind, I’ve hidden a substantial amount of posts. I’ve been pretty ruthless in clearing it up, so don’t be surprised if you miss a post or two (or a few hundred).

At the same time, I’ve done my best to find more appropriate places for some types of content that I’m posting regularly. For example, the Ask Me Anything series now has a dedicated page for each episode on the website, so I no longer need to post it here. The same goes for almost everything music-related, like Rave Podcast, which now can be found on the website of my music alias. Some work is still in progress in that regard, so you might see occasional ‘not found’ pages for the time being, which I’ll fix eventually.

I want to encourage you to grab the RSS feed to subscribe to new blog posts, which I hope you’ll enjoy reading. If you want to keep up with all my news and updates, my Telegram channel is the best place. For anything else, don’t hesitate to hit me up via email.

My entire DJ collection: I’m sharing all of my 84 playlists

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 13:53:31 +0100

Back in 2019, I published an article ‘How I prepare my DJ playlists’ (which now has over 21K views), providing behind-the-scenes into the structure of my DJ collection. Since then, my collection has evolved, as it’s an ever-changing process that reflects my DJ needs.

And today, I’m sharing my entire DJ collection with my Patreon subscribers. This is something that sane DJs probably would never do!

So, here’s the thing. I have my DJ collection with over 7000 tracks on iTunes (‘Music’ app on macOS), which I use as the main hub for all my music. To keep all of the music sorted and to find tracks during my DJ sets easily, I keep all those tracks in over 80 playlists, neatly organised by energy levels and mood. This collection and the playlists are mirrored in Rekordbox, which is the main DJ software that I use to export music to USB sticks which I then plug into the DJ decks on my gigs.

I also have that music collection and playlists mirrored on Spotify, and this is what I am sharing with my Patreon subscribers. While I can’t share the physical audio files from my music library for copyright reasons, even Spotify playlists are a pretty big deal.

First of all, that’s a lot of great music. A lot. Secondly and most importantly, this is my real DJ collection that I am actively using and keeping up to date – so it’s a great material for learning and inspiration to see how I organise my playlists, a real behind-the-scenes peek into the mind of a DJ. I’ve also recorded a video walkthrough to provide more explanation of my playlists.

If it sounds interesting to you and want to get access to it, consider joining me on Patreon (and have many more goodies besides this DJ collection): patreon.com/daniellesden

The paradox of luck

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 12:05:39 +0100

In my younger years, I firmly believed that my achievements were solely the result of my sheer effort and willpower.

My perspective has since evolved. Life, as I now understand it, is vastly more intricate. Human relationships, in particular, are remarkably complex. When considering the multitude of interconnected pathways leading to specific events or decisions, we encounter an infinite interplay of randomness.

For instance, if you were to ask me how I obtained a Global Talent visa to move to the UK or how I found my dream job, my honest answer would be that I simply got lucky. And this sense of luck extends across almost every aspect of my life.

But what is luck, exactly? The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “the force that causes things, especially favourable events, to happen by chance, rather than through one’s own efforts or abilities.”

So where does luck originate? If luck is the force behind chance occurrences, then it follows that nearly anything beyond our direct control can be seen as luck. Even factors like birthplace and parental circumstances, which are apparently beyond one’s control, fall within this realm of luck too.

However, if everything is attributed to luck, one might logically conclude, “Well, since most of these events are beyond my control, I might as well do nothing!” Yet, here lies the paradox: that’s not entirely accurate!

In reality, I believe making efforts towards any endeavour increases the likelihood of getting lucky.

Consider the job application process, for instance. If someone wants to find a job but takes no action whatsoever, the chance of finding a job is rather low. Though not impossible, it would require tremendous luck. Conversely, submitting a hundred job applications significantly increases the probability of success. However, even in such a scenario, achieving success isn’t solely attributed to relentless efforts. The hiring decision ultimately rests with another individual or a collective group, which, in essence, is luck.

Strangely enough, after realising that many factors of my life can be attributed to luck, it motivated me to work even harder. I think recognising luck doesn’t diminish our efforts; it shows how chance and our actions are intertwined. Luck shapes our experiences, but our efforts increase the odds of good things happening, and understanding this mix can help us carve our unique paths.

Good luck!

Music genres aren’t binary

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 15:11:18 +0100

Oftentimes when some people think about music genres, they think binary. It’s either this or that. It’s either House or Trance. It’s either Techno or Psy-Trance.

But I think today’s variety of music genres is too vast and too complex for that. Music genres have evolved and diversified so much that categorising them into strict binaries requires a bit of different thinking.

When we think of music genres, we’re considering a multitude of elements that contribute to a track’s identity. Elements like rhythm, sound design, tempo, melody, and even cultural influences all play a role. It’s not just about the primary beat or the dominant instruments; it’s the intricate blend of these components that creates a unique sonic landscape.

This is why I think of genres as a spectrum, like the adjustable sliders in photo editing apps.

For example, a track might have the driving beat of Techno, the atmospheric elements of Trance, and the rhythmic structure of House, all blended together in varying proportions. Which genre should this track belong to, in this case? That’s the tricky part – it’s up to identifying the proportion of those elements on the imaginary spectrum, or sliders.

The practicality of genres as guiding stars in navigating the expansive realm of music remains undeniable. As a DJ, I still rely on genres to discover fresh tracks. Nevertheless, it’s equally crucial to acknowledge the mixture of styles within tracks that extend beyond the confines of the notion of genres that we know today.

I think recognising genres as a fluid spectrum rather than strict binaries helps to embrace the diversity and intricacies that make music a constantly evolving and endlessly fascinating art form. And this mindset certainly helps in my decision-making process behind curation.

Why time-blocking doesn’t work for me

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 10:55:13 +0100

There is a popular technique in the productivity space called time-blocking where you allocate specific blocks of time to accomplish particular tasks throughout your day. It involves scheduling blocks of time on your calendar dedicated to specific activities, which, supposedly, helps in better managing your time, staying focused, and ensuring that important tasks get done.

A random picture from the Internet illustrating time-blocking. Source: todoist.com

For me, it’s never quite clicked.

I use my calendar to add events, not tasks. Events are things that happen at a certain date and time, like meetings or appointments; there is nothing to do about them, they are just there to serve as reminders and assist in planning while considering availability.

While I do acknowledge the benefits of grouping tasks, like handling emails in bulk rather than reacting to each new arrival, I find the concept of rigidly scheduled time for tasks unappealing.

Consider this: a designated one-hour slot to address emails, as depicted above. Let’s say I efficiently manage everything in under 30 minutes. What then? Should I rush into the next block or switch gears entirely? Or take a breather? Conversely, some tasks might overrun their allotted time. In such instances, do I shuffle the blocks to compensate? Or compress subsequent blocks? None of that makes any sense to me, and this is why time-blocking as a system so easily falls apart for me.

Some tasks require deep, interrupted, focused work, and when I’m in that mode, I prefer riding that flow rather than being disrupted by arbitrary block transitions. For some tasks that require less concentrated focus, I find it comfortable to tackle them sporadically rather than allocating an entire block, there are moments in busy days when carving out a dedicated block feels unfeasible. And sometimes I feel that I’m leaning toward specific tasks over another, let’s say being in a writing mood rather than doing admin stuff, which ends up being much more productive for me.

So while time-blocking serves many, its rigid structure doesn’t align with everyone’s work style. For some, like myself, a more flexible, task-driven approach better accommodates the flow of work demands. And I think understanding one’s unique needs is one of the key elements for productivity.

Ten years of remote work: what I’ve learned about productivity and life-work balance

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 15:00:19 +0100

2023 marks my tenth anniversary of working remotely, a journey that began long before it became a widespread practice. Prior to joining Beatport, for over a decade, I balanced a corporate marketing job while pursuing a DJ career on the side, all while embracing the remote work lifestyle. In this post, I’d like to share a few things that I have learned from this experience.

My work setup 2023

Finding a balance is tricky but crucial

One of the prevailing myths that continue to persist in the realm of remote work is the misconception that working from home equates to working less. Quite contrarily, the distinction between the home space and the workspace can blur significantly, leading to an increased tendency to overwork. When one’s office is just a few steps away from their living room, the boundaries between professional and personal time can become nebulous.

Many, including myself at first, end up working more. Way more. It’s tempting to check work emails anytime – morning, dinner, even bedtime! When I started, my usual 8-hour workday turned into 10 or even 12-hour stretches, solely because of constant online availability that appeared to necessitate further work engagement.

This is when I realised that I must find a work-life balance, otherwise it’s just not sustainable. Here are a few things that helped me:

Heightened awareness: Recognising the imbalance was the first step. Just acknowledging my work habits and the impact they had on my personal life triggered a shift in behaviour.
Distinct devices: Having separate gadgets for work and personal use was a game-changer. It drew a definitive line between my professional duties and personal time.
Browser profiles: Even without separate devices, setting up distinct browser profiles made a significant difference. I’m using Arc browser, and I love that it allows customizing the appearance of each profile.
Varied physical spaces: Changing my location within my home environment had a surprising impact. For instance, when focused on job-related tasks, I remained stationed at my desk. But when tapping into a more ‘creative zone’ for personal projects, relocating to the sofa with my laptop made a distinct psychological shift.
Notification management: Being bombarded with work notifications round the clock wasn’t healthy. Unless there was an urgent matter, tweaking my device settings to limit notifications after hours became crucial. Fortunately, modern apps and systems provide the tools to manage notifications effectively.

Expanding further on these strategies, creating separate spaces and zones within one’s home for different tasks can substantially influence the mindset. Consider designating a specific area solely for work-related activities to reinforce the work environment mentally. Conversely, having a different space for personal pursuits can foster a more relaxed atmosphere conducive to creativity and leisure. For example, for this reason, I intentionally avoid working with my laptop in bed, as I aim to preserve this space solely for rest, both physically and mentally.

Ultimately, these adjustments aren’t just about physically segregating spaces or devices; they are about cultivating a mental distinction between work responsibilities and personal life, nurturing a healthier and more sustainable work-life balance.

Remote work is not an office work-from-home

The transition to remote work during the pandemic in 2020 was a significant shift for many companies, revealing that it wasn’t just about relocating work from office desks to home laptops. The traditional corporate structure heavily reliant on in-person meetings and constant supervision faced challenges in this new remote landscape.

For example, the tendency of some corporate environments to schedule meetings back-to-back persisted in the virtual world through platforms like Zoom. However, this simulation of the office environment didn’t quite translate effectively. The crux lies in understanding that remote work and bringing the office home aren’t synonymous; they operate on fundamentally different principles.

Remote work thrives on asynchronous communication, which means less reliance on instant, real-time in-person conversations and more emphasis on methods like emails, project management tools, and shared documents. This is why I love emails and I prefer to sync everything to the cloud. Unlike the office setting, there might be fewer instances of constant managerial oversight, fostering a culture of personal accountability and autonomy among employees.

I think remote work also requires a shift from a ‘time spent working’ mindset to a ‘results-oriented’ approach. In an office environment, the focus might be on the number of hours spent at the desk. However, in remote setups, the emphasis shifts to the quality of work delivered, enabling people to take ownership of their work, manage their time more effectively and focus on productivity over mere presence, something that I certainly noticed in me over the years.

Home distractions are real

Working remotely sometimes feels like a blessing as it allows me to spend more time with family, but it’s not without the distractions of a comfortable home environment. As a working-from-home parent, managing kids’ interruptions is certainly a familiar challenge! Proximity to the kitchen and things like YouTube in the next browser tab can hamper focus too.

I tried a few productivity techniques, from the Pomodoro technique to time-blocking (which didn’t work for me), and eventually, a simple to-do list turned one to be the most effective for me. I use Things 3 as my main task manager app, which helps streamline tasks, prioritise activities, and maintain focus by providing a clear roadmap for the day. Even when distractions occur, which sometimes inevitably happen, the task manager and the system I’ve built around it allow me to stay on top of things.

All in all, I think remote work is truly a lifestyle and a mindset. It’s important to acknowledge that it may not suit everyone, and that’s perfectly fine. Much like I can hardly imagine returning to a daily office routine after a decade of autonomy, I understand that for some individuals, the notion of spending days at home might seem daunting. Our preferences and comfort zones vary, so I encourage everyone to discover what truly works best for them.

If you have any questions about staying productive (and keeping your sanity, haha) or anything related to remote work, let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer.

Why I love email

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 18:32:40 +0100

In today’s world of quick messages and social media, emails often get overlooked and might seem old-fashioned. But for me, email is special.

Email is not just another app or specific platform. It’s a universal method of communication across the Internet and it can work in any mailing app, like RSS works in any reader app or like websites work in any browser. For that reason alone, email is still around several decades later since its invention, and likely will be around for as long as the Internet exists.

What sets emails apart is the sanctuary they provide – no ‘seen’ status looming over your shoulder, no pressure to reply immediately. Instead, you have the power to read and respond thoughtfully, at your own pace. The ability to flag, mark, and categorise emails grants extra control and organisation, which I appreciate too. And you can revisit email threads even years later, something that is barely possible with group chat conversations.

Sure, sometimes it’s handier to chat via a messenger app or share voice memos, a practice I do a lot with my family and close friends. The only messenger app I quite like is Telegram. It has no intrusive ads, it doesn’t sell user data, and it’s all-around convenient, making WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and even iCloud Messages look pretty shoddy in comparison. Yet, even with its perks, Telegram locks users within its own system, unlike email, which is a universal protocol compatible with Gmail, Yahoo, Hey, Superhuman, or any other email services and platforms.

I’ve noticed that when I write an email, I strive for clear, structured writing. Such asynchronous communication naturally helps me to convey my thoughts while paying attention to formatting, grammar, and other details, it’s as if the ‘send’ button almost creates friction, prompting a second thought before clicking it. And clear, structured writing leads to clear, structured thinking – a valuable skill worth developing.

New social accounts: let’s connect

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 12:22:23 +0100

After splitting my website to create more room for my personal space online, I’ve set up a couple of new social accounts using my real name. I’d appreciate a follow to expand our networking opportunities!

Telegram channel (hands down the best place to follow my updates and discuss things in the comments)
LinkedIn
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Website split: new changes

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 22:34:18 +0100

As I dive into different roles, both within and beyond the music scene, I’ve decided to split my website into two separate entities:

dsokolovskiy.com now covers everything about my persona — music, education, blog;
daniellesden.com is dedicated exclusively to my music alter ego, where you’ll find my tunes, gigs, podcast, and more.

Don’t worry; I’ll still be posting everything here on this blog, same as always. If you stumble upon any broken links due to these changes, just give me a heads-up. I hope you like the new look of my websites!

Interview for LabelRadar

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 21:57:47 +0100

I had the privilege of giving a short interview from the label manager’s perspective to LabelRadar, a platform for streamlining demo submissions.

I like this question:

Question: How important is an artist’s image and branding in today’s music industry?

Daniel: I wish it’d be otherwise, but branding is important. Social media are still king, even though it pains me to say that. Establishing a good online presence and building a strong fanbase is equally, if not even more important than making good music in the first place. Modern technologies lowered the entry barriers so everyone can be a music producer or a DJ now, but at the same time it created a lot of “noise” and one has to break through in order to stand out. And sometimes, music alone is not enough for that.

Read the full interview on the LabelRadar’s blog:
blog.labelradar.com/interview-daniel-sokolovskiy-joof-recordings

Beatport Trance and Psy-Trance audio examples

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 20:54:41 +0100

As you probably know, I now work as a music curator at Beatport and am responsible for three trance genres: Psy-Trance, Trance (Main Floor) and the recently added Trance (Raw / Deep / Hypnotic).

Since arguing about genres can be endless, I’ve created audio example playlists of how I define them. This comes in handy when working with colleagues, distributors, artists and labels, but can also be interesting for general listening and broadening your perspective.

I’ve collected links to such playlists for each sub-genre below. I wonder if there’s anything you think doesn’t fit the classifications? Is there anything you’ve discovered that is new to you? What is your favourite genre or subgenre?

Personally, I’m amazed once again at how diverse trance music is (and it’s just crazy that before I joined the company all these subgenres didn’t exist and everything was mixed in one pile).

Trance (Raw / Deep / Hypnotic): Raw Trance, Deep Trance, Hypnotic Trance

Trance (Main Floor):, Trance, Uplifting Trance, Tech Trance, Vocal Trance, Hard Trance, Progressive Trance

Psy-Trance: Psy-Trance, Progressive Psy, Psychedelic, Goa Trance, Dark & Forest, Full-On, Psycore & Hi-Tech

Beatportal Trance Feature

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 19:49:27 +0100

Following the launch of the new Trance genre on Beatport, I have written up a behind-the-scenes look into the definition of these Raw, Deep, and Hypnotic trance sub-genres. A massive thanks to the team and artists for their contribution and for making this article happen.

Read the full article at beatportal.com.