Pettra – New album & Interview

Pettra – New album & Interview

We hooked up with Jonathan Shreiber from Israel, the man behind Pettra project. Jonathan has been producing his own unique brand of music for more than a decade on a wide spectrum ranging from full power Psytrance, Ethnic Organic Trance, through Melodic Techno & Organic House and all the way to acoustic ethnic flavoured compositions he plays himself on his Bouzouki and other instruments. He has just released his new album on Astrix’s label Shamanic Tales Records.

New album – “Prana” – tell us a little about what we can find there?

I don’t want to sound too dramatic but basically it’s my soul. I think that like most of the artists I write the music that I would love to listen to.

It seems musicians these days, especially in electronic dance music, release more singles than albums, what motivated you to release “Prana”?

Although to write and create an album is harder (and less financially worthwhile) it gives you the opportunity to tell a full story and to give the experience more depth.

Get Pettra – Prana: https://www.beatport.com/release/prana/4278874

Your music combines electronic music and Middle Eastern instrumental music with you playing the instruments yourself – how was this combination born?

Since I was young I used to play on ethnic instruments so when I started to produce electronic music it came naturally for me to combine these two worlds together. I find that instruments really inspire me to create. Something in the combination between the traditional world of music and technology based music fires me up. That’s why I take care to perform with the Buzuki, something in that connection on stage (and in the studio) makes me feel things and it excites me. And after all, we are after excitement in our lives.

The theme of the desert is very much present in your music, why is that?

To be honest it’s a question that I tend to ask myself a lot lately. I think that I have a deep connection to the desert and it inspires me in so many different aspects and it feels that this reflects in the music that I make.
Something in the open vastness of it makes me feel small, and to me feeling small is one of the keys to connect to yourself and to life. It gives you proportion.
I think it has to do with evolution. We tend to forget, but 200 years ago humans lived mainly in tribes and villages, not in cities. People were part of nature and didn’t live in concrete jungles. And my favorite part of nature is the desert. I’m quite sure my ancestors were desert people. I can feel it.

What is your favourite track in the album at the moment?

Currently “Half Time” but It changes every week depending on the mood that I’m in.