Are you ready to join the Vini Vici tribe? After 15 years as Sesto Sento, Israeli duo Aviram Saharai & Matan Kadosh made the decision to re-invent themselves as progressive psy powerhouse Vini Vici.

Shalom Avi! To start things off, did you always want to be a DJ and Producer? How did you get involved in the scene and start working alongside Matan?

Avi : Hello, thank you for having me! To be honest, yes, since I was about 13 or 14 I had this dream of becoming a professional DJ and producer. I met Matan in school. At the time he was already DJing at some parties around Israel. We say the energy of our dreams connected us through some mystical moments. From that moment until now, we are here, continuing to live our dream.

What do each of you bring to Vini Vici and Sesto Sento? Have you considered solo project?

Avi : It’s hard to explain [our specific roles] because it’s super well mixed up between us. We are both producing and thinking of cool ideas for tracks and promotion. So it’s really hard to answer this one. But, if you want an answer for the sake of the question, I can say that I’m a little bit more of the computer nerdy one and Matan is a bit more of the business-orientated one. Hmm, a solo project, I’m not sure about that. I like to share my dream with a friend like Matan. We get along great, so I don’t see a reason. I also like to be focused on Vini Vici and Sesto Sento, and not waste energy on other things.

How often do you [and Matan] play on your own in different countries at the same time?

Avi : It would be better to ask how often we manage to do gigs together! Almost every weekend we have double bookings around the world. We can count the amount of gigs we’ve done together in the last year on our fingers.

Sesto Sento – Science Art Wonder LP was released for free. Why did you decide to take this approach?

Avi : It was our sixth album and we felt like giving away for free as a gift to our fans. We were getting so much love from all over it seemed like a great idea. So we did it!

After almost 15 years as Sesto Sento the Vini Vici project was born. How did it feel starting a new project from scratch? How does your approach differ in studio?

Avi : Yeah, after 15 years of my career it looked like maybe it will be hard to start from scratch. However it’s actually a lot of fun. It’s like a new relationship, so that excitement is happening all over again. In the studio we don’t feel there’s such a big difference to our approach. We do what we love for both projects. Maybe it’s more fun to do Vini Vici tracks today because it’s refreshing our heads a bit.

Have you considered stopping Sesto Sento entirely to focus on Vini Vici?

Avi : Stopping entirely? I don’t know if we have enough power to push both projects 100%. However, we can admit that our heads are a bit more focused on Vini Vici at the moment. But our music factory is very fast – we produce fast and create fast since there are two of us. So we feel good about the situation. Some days can be really full and stressful, but we are up for it!

What are the most memorable highlights of your career so far?

Avi : A gold album [as Sesto Sento], playing in Rio de Janeiro to over 200 000 people. When Armin Van Buuren played The Tribe at Tomorrowland on the main stage, that was an amazing moment. I think it was the first psytrance track that was played on the mainstage of Tomorrowland. That’s a breakthrough that will maybe lead to other things. Who knows?

Why do you think The Tribe is such a hit?

Avi : It’s just incredible to know that everyone felt the same vibe as us with the track. From the start, we had the name for the track and the idea behind it. Basically, we do that for every track. So the name gave us the energy to create it. We started to collect the material we wanted, and there it was – boom! I think it became a big hit because of the meaning. In the end, this is our tribe – the raves, happiness, dancing, etc. This is why, I guess, it got so much exposure and attention.

What are your thoughts on the Israeli scene at the moment?

Avi : The Israeli scene is always rocking. Sometimes at parties it can be more full on or more progressive. Today it’s a bit mix of everything, so I like it. There’s no definition and that’s the best.

Can we expect you in Cape Town again?

Avi : Cape Town is no doubt a psytrance hotspot. Full of good energy and great people with a positive vibe. So let’s ‘take an astonishing voyage’ together soon!

I’m sure constant touring has its perks. But what are the worst parts?

Avi : The worst parts, after finishing 6 passports, is the traveling. The airports, flights, long drives and very little sleep. Also, missing important dates such as holidays with our family and special events.

Thanks for the interview. Anything to add before we finish off?

Avi : Thank you for having me. I have one question for you guys – are you part of the tribe?