Deen Vinokur (aka VINO) is a DJ and music producer since 2015. During Deen’s career, he’s worked alongside huge producers and played on the biggest stages in Israel alongside a variety of artists, including Adam Ten, Ella Gutman, MADE IN TLV, Magit Cacoon, and more. Deen’s last partnership was with the producer Itay Kalderon under the name JETFIRE. The achievements of the two were impressive and during their partnership, they reached 10 million plays on Spotify for their two most prominent songs – ‘In The Shadows’ and ‘Montero’. After a little over a year of cooperation, the two decided to part ways. Today, Deen produces electronic music under a new stage name – VINO. And the best is yet to come.
EG caught up with VINO to learn more about the drop of his new ‘Black Sky’ EP, joining Spinnin’ Records, his sound, his views on the state of the scene, and more.
EG: Hi Deen! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. Where are you based right now?
VINO: Hey guys, thank you for having me. These days I am based in my house in Nahariya, Israel.
EG: So, what has your summer been like? Any particular highlights?
VINO: The summer was amazing, with lots of gigs and work in the studio. Something significant that happened for me this summer was the release of ‘Winds Of East’ on one of the biggest labels in the world, Spinnin’ Records.
EG: Sounds great. Also, congratulations on the release of your latest EP, ‘Black Sky’! What has the initial reception been like?
VINO: Thanks, the EP has a track that a lot of people have been waiting for to be released, which is called ‘I Like It’. I received a lot of messages from fans and the audience that was at my gigs and everyone asked me when the track is released, so it’s amazing to see the love that my music has.
EG: So, what can your fans expect to find on ‘Black Sky’? Is there a thread or concept running through the EP?
VINO: The concept of the tracks on my new album represents who I am, and brings something that has not yet been heard in the genre, a combination of different musical worlds that ended up creating special tracks.
“I received a lot of messages from fans and the audience that was at my gigs and everyone asked me when the track is released, so it’s amazing to see the love that my music has”
EG: How would you describe your sound as VINO? In which ways would you say it’s different from what you’ve done as JETFIRE? What are you seeking to transmit now as VINO?
VINO: At JETFIRE I worked together with Itay Kalderon, who is the founder of JETFIRE. We made great music that reached very nice numbers and had good exposure all over the world, but, somewhere, I felt that I wasn’t doing what I really love.
I wanted to stand out more as an artist and express myself more with my music, so I decided to leave JETFIRE and came up with a new project called VINO.
EG: We know every track is different, but could you walk us through your creative process? Do you have some kind of “blueprint” to help you close out ideas into tracks? Have you picked up any new soft or hardware lately that you’d personally recommend?
VINO: Every time I start a new piece I try to bring music from another world into my world, just be creative and think outside the box and the magic will happen.
I recently purchased Kontakt 6. I highly recommend this software, there are samples of live instruments at the highest level.
EG: By the way, you talked about ‘Winds Of East’. What’s the story behind this one?
VINO: The story behind ‘Winds Of East’ is special. From the first moment I heard the guitar play, I knew exactly what my vision was for this song. When I made this track, I wanted everyone who heard it to go on a journey to the desert and imagine themselves riding a camel in the middle of the night and feeling the “Winds Of the East”.
EG: What are your thoughts on the current state of the scene? What would you like to see more and less of?
VINO: The scene in Israel is on the rise, there are a lot of talented producers and DJs who play on the biggest stages in the world and occupy the first places in Beatport. I would like to see more Israeli DJs playing around the world.
“I try to enjoy the present as long as it makes me happy, I set myself big goals for the future, but I enjoy the moment without worrying too much about what will be”
EG: What’s next for VINO? What particular milestones are you looking forwards to now?
VINO: I can say that there is a lot of new music and a lot of collaborations with talented friends. I try to enjoy the present as long as it makes me happy, I set myself big goals for the future, but I enjoy the moment without worrying too much about what will be.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Deen! We wish you all the best for the future.
VINO: Thank you guys, enjoy my latest EP!
VINO’s new ‘Black Sky’ EP is out now via Hey,Location!. Purchase your copy here.
Follow VINO: Facebook | Soundcloud | Instagram | Spotify
