Sansibar is Helsinki’s sci-fi-inspired selector

A career in electronic music couldn’t be further from the ambitions Sansibar had as a kid. Born Sunny Seppä to a Finnish-Uruguayan family in Helsinki, he always loved making music, but he grew up playing the guitar and drums in local punk and metal bands instead. It wasn’t until he eventually downloaded production software Ableton that he started to switch things up sonically.

​“I wanted to make music on my own, which led me to electronic music via samplers and computers,” he explains. Now based in an ​“undisclosed location in central Europe”, Sunny’s rise as a DJ and producer is in part thanks to his ability to straddle a variety of genres. Renowned for playing a selection of tunes ranging from old school electro to cutting-edge techno, his debut EP Quadra, released in 2018, garnered critical acclaim.

In the six years since, Sunny has played festivals in every corner of the world and bagged himself a dizzying amount of gigs. What makes him tick, though, has always been the physicality and hedonism of dance music – its ability to get sweaty bodies moving in unison, in search of euphoria.

These days, Sunny is working hard on beefing up the releases on his own record label, Sin Sistema. But that doesn’t mean his own output has come to a halt: he recently dropped a new EP, We Rise, which expertly blends techno and smooth breaks with a touch of UKG.

​“I’m really trying to take the lead in both the musical and visual aspects of my work,” he says. ​“There’s no one way to feel my music, but when I’m playing it, I try to channel feelings of mystery, curiosity and enjoyment, I think.” Winning formula, we reckon.

What kinds of emotions and experiences influence your work?

Listening and sharing music with friends, pop culture and the never-ending joy of discovering new and old music. I’m also inspired by religion, technology, space and sci-fi.

Love, like, hate?

I love affogato, I like espresso martinis and I hate pickled silverskin onions.

If you were cooking to impress someone, what would you make?

Ceviche or miso glazed eggplant.

What’s your phone screensaver?

My beautiful little nephew, Manuel!

Favourite song of all time?

There are too many favourites depending on the situation, but lately I’ve been trying to find a higher plane. For those times, I like listening to Children Of God by Swans and Blind in the Sun by CODE.

Have you ever stolen anything?

Only borrowed…

What inspires you?

Family, friends, lovers and the opps.

Do you have a motto?

The only constant is change!

What’s the best thing about your job?

Seeing and hearing finished work.

What can artists do to help save the world?

Be kind, protect and watch Star Trek: The Next Generation.