DJ and music producer OFFIACH, continues to reach new heights with every release he drops and recently with the release of his track 'Satisfied' alongside David Penn, OFFAIAH continues to prove why he's a name to keep on the radar. With the release reaching #1 on Beatport's House chart, it's clear that “Satisfied” is poised to reach even higher. In this exclusive interview, we sat down with OFFAIAH to discuss the behind-the-scenes details of the track's production process, how this collaboration with David Penn came about, and more secrets behind this undeniable dancefloor anthem.
OFFAIAH, David Penn – Satisfied | Drift
Hello OFFAIAH! How is it going? Congratulations on your “Satisfied” release!
Hi – thanks a lot!
First off, can you tell us a little bit more about the story of how this collaboration between you and David Penn came about?
I actually met David Penn at a Defected party at the Eden in Ibiza in the summer of 2022 and we said we should work on a track together – and 18 months later we did haha. I was messing around with the vocals and thought it would be great to work with David Penn on this idea, so I sent it to him, he loved it and we got to work!
What is it about this track that makes it such an effective dancefloor hit?
I think the vocals are pretty catchy and the whole vibe of the record screams spring/summer pool party, which makes it a perfect time of year to release this record, right in the run up to Miami Music Week.
“Satisfied” evokes an infectious groove through the drums and funky bassline, what production based methods and techniques did you use on the bass and drums to achieve the catchy groove?
I like to put a whole bunch of loops and samples together and then cut up pieces and glue them together to create a whole new loop, which is pretty much what I did with “Satisfied”. The bass was just something that was played that seemed to work from the get go.
With such a classic House sound, we'd assume some level of sampling was used within the track? If so, how do you usually sample and what kind of sources of inspiration do you draw from to do it?
The original sample of the song is actually a more ethnic sample at 150bpm, but I immediately slowed it down and added some extra groves to give it a House feel.
Regulating, almost disco synth sounds drive the record very nicely. What are the synths to get that sound? And what parameters and effects do you add to them to get them that way?
I have a few go-to synths that I like to use, these are Serum and Sylenth to name a few. There are also some looped vocals that creep into the track that give it that driving effect.
Again, following the theme of that vintage House sound of this record, are there any musical elements that you included on this record that you feel are critical to achieving that timeless sound?
I think a good solid melodic bassline helps when making a record with a classic House sound, which is what we tried to achieve with “Satisfied”. And the drums have to be chosen very carefully, making sure the kick drum has that warm feel but also has a lot of weight behind it.
Were there any particular drum machines or software that played an important role in shaping the percussive elements of the song? Do you prefer to mix and match sample selections from sample packs or program drum elements directly from machines?
Personally, I like to use a mix of sampled drums and drum-machine percussion. As I mentioned before, I like to cut specific parts from sampled loops and use them all to create brand new loops, and once that's done, I'll sometimes layer them with some sort of 808 drum-machine elements.
Hardware can be expensive these days and not everyone can afford such units. Being a hardware and software user yourself, what would you recommend budding producers focus on, the hardware or the box? Or perhaps a combination of both?
I think hardware modules will always be preferable as they all have their own unique sound, but if cash is tight soft-synths are a great alternative as there is so much you can do with them these days depending on your level of creativity the sky is the limit.
Have you used the new Ableton Live 12 update yet? If so, what new features are you excited about that you think will help you create future OFFAIAH tracks.
Yes, I have been using the new Ableton 12 and although I haven't had a chance to fully explore all the new features, I have already used the new “Roar” plugin which is a great saturation plugin. There are also several new midi-generative features that I want to look into in the near future.
What's next for OFFAIAH in the world of music production? And can we expect to see more future collaborations?
My next track is called “Hands” and it's out on Subjekt/Armada on March 22nd. After that I have a remix of Mike Mago – “The Show” coming out on Defected on May 3rd. More collaborations to come so watch this space!
Thanks to OFFAIAH for taking the time to share a glimpse into the production process behind 'Satisfied', House's time, knowledge and hit-making experience is evident in this production, which brings the signature sound of both artists at the forefront of Electronic Dance music today. Be sure to follow OFFAIAH on social media to keep up to date with his latest releases and live dates as he shows no signs of slowing down.
OFFAIAH Online
INTERVIEW: OFFAIAH Talks New 'Satisfied' Collab with David Penn, Music Production, Future Plans + More