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I had been impressed by some tracks of DJ/producer Sinisa Tamamovic for a while when I spontaneously met this super sympathetic man during Amsterdam Dance Event. Especially his B2B sets with Mladen Tomic left an impression. In 2016, I interviewed Sinisa about his first gig. "I learned a lot about following and controlling the crowd's vibe."
“My first performance for a large audience was at Club Boomerang in my hometown of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. I was nineteen at the time.”
Refined Skills
“Was I nervous? You could say that. Still, I had played before and gained experience in a much smaller club. There, I built confidence and refined my skills. Club Boomerang could accommodate five hundred people, and that felt quite overwhelming. It was a club where only electronic music was on the lineup, so I played house and techno that night.”
Impossible
“Preparing a set at home? I’ve never done that. Not even before that night. I played all night, from start to finish. It would have been impossible to prepare a complete set for every moment of the night.”
Flow
“One of the first things I learned when I started DJing is that you need to feel the crowd’s flow and steer your music in the direction you think will work at that moment and with that vibe. Of course, I had a lot of diverse music with me, so I was prepared for any situation.”
DJ Neso
“Did I have a mentor? Well, one of my friends at the time was the Serbian DJ Neso. He pushed me toward my first residency, where I could practice my DJ skills in front of an audience. I often asked him for tips and advice, like how to mix in rhythm. He also guided me in developing my mixing technique. I’ve never been the type of DJ who learned to mix at home without an audience. I feel like I benefited a lot from being thrown into the deep from the beginning. I learned from the very start how to create an atmosphere and vibe with real people, rather than just focusing on the mix. Some friends were present at my debut at Club Boomerang, and of course, many people from my hometown. I wanted to impress everyone.”
Off Balance
“That first big gig was a fantastic experience. The club was packed. I started by warming up and getting myself and everyone ready for the peak moment of the night. The fact that I had been playing since the opening and saw the club slowly filling up gave me more confidence. It allowed me to gradually adjust to the sound, the new environment, the DJ booth, and so on. I remember making a few mistakes that threw me off balance momentarily, but I tried my best to hide them.”
Training
“At the end of the set, I was happy. I made a few small mistakes, but fortunately, no terrible blunders. I managed to create a great atmosphere at the right time of the night, and the club was packed until the end. So, some transitions weren’t perfect, and sometimes a track was almost ending, and I had barely any time to mix in the next one. It was good training.” (laughs)
“That first time, I learned a lot about following and controlling the crowd’s vibe and ensuring that my music is always ready for the direction or mood I want to take the audience. That night, I tried to follow the atmosphere and, ultimately, to take control of the night. I also did my best to test various musical moods on the audience while still having fun and feeling one with the crowd.”
This interview with Sinisa Tamamovic was originally published in December 2016 on DJMag.nl.
Who is Sinisa Tamamovic?
Sinisa Tamamovic, a Bosnian DJ and music producer, emerged in the late 1990s as a prominent figure in the European techno and tech-house scene. Hailing from Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sinisa embarked on his musical journey, mesmerizing audiences with his innovative beats. Teaming up with DJ Mladen Tomic, Sinisa Tamamovic co-founded Urban Beat in 1999, an organization that became a leading event promoter in Bosnia, bringing renowned international artists to cater to the growing local demand for electronic music.
Sinisa’s career took a significant leap in December 2005 when he released his first original vinyl. Over the years, he produced a multitude of tracks and remixes for illustrious labels such as Sci+Tec, Tronic, Mindshake Records, and more. His unique sound, characterized by energetic beats and organic drums, earned him high positions on the tech-house Beatport chart.
In 2012, Sinisa Tamamovic collaborated with Paco Osuna on a track released on Richie Hawtin’s Plus 8 Records, further cementing his presence in the global electronic music scene. He continued to work with renowned artists like Umek, Joseph Capriati, and Jay Lumen, spreading his music across the sets of influential DJs and radio stations like BBC Radio. Sinisa Tamamovic relocated to London, England, continuing to evolve and expand his musical horizons. Additionally, he nurtured emerging talents and established artists through his own label, Night Light Records, making a lasting impact on the electronic music landscape.