For ODYSSAY, music has always been about more than the dancefloor. His approach combines live electronic performance, melodic techno, orchestral elements and a distinctive visual identity built around light and minimalism. His latest release, Consent, brings these ideas together, featuring a live choir originally developed during rehearsals for ODA Symphony.
We spoke with ODYSSAY about the story behind Consent, the creative process that shaped the track and why live performance remains at the centre of his work. He also looks back at his landmark show at Kyiv’s Palace of Sports, discusses the resilience of Ukraine’s electronic music scene and reflects on how creating and performing during wartime has changed his relationship with music.
Interview With ODYSSAY:
1. Let’s start with Consent. It’s a striking title. Why did you choose it, and what does it mean to you personally?
For me, “Consent” is about a deep, internal agreement with oneself and the world. It is about acceptance, clarity, and finding peace amid chaos. In music, as in life, when everything aligns perfectly, the energy, the emotion, the intention, you feel this absolute harmony. That is what “Consent” means to me personally: a conscious choice to open up and connect with something bigger.
2. The track features a live choir inspired by rehearsals for ODA Symphony. Do you remember the moment when you realised those voices belonged in the record?
I remember it clearly. We were rehearsing for the ODA Symphony show, working on orchestral arrangements, and decided to experiment by adding choral parts. The moment the choir sang those new harmonies over the driving melodic techno progression, the energy in the room completely shifted. It gave the track an entirely new emotional dimension and a cinematic scale. Right then, I looked at my team and knew: this isn’t just for the live show, this has to be the final version of the record.
3. When you listen back to Consent today, what part of the track feels most personal to you?
It is definitely the breakdown where the kick drum drops out and you are left alone with the choir and the drifting synth modulation. That contrast between intense dancefloor energy and pure, vulnerable emotion is the core of my sound. Every time I hear that part, it takes me right back to the raw feelings of the creative process.
4. Most artists in electronic music focus on DJ sets, while you’ve built your identity around live performance. What made you commit to that path?
I have always felt more like a musician and producer than a traditional DJ. For me, performing live with hardware synthesisers is about direct, real-time control over the sound. I want the audience to feel that something unique is happening right now on stage, that it is alive, unpredictable, and raw. It is a completely different level of responsibility and connection.
5. What do you hope people take home with them after experiencing an ODYSSAY live set?
I want them to leave with a feeling of lightness and emotional release. My visual identity is completely white, which stands in direct contrast to the traditionally dark aesthetics of techno. I intentionally focus on the light side of people. If someone can come to my show, disconnect from their daily struggles, and leave feeling purified and full of positive energy, then my mission is accomplished.
6. Your show at Kyiv’s Palace of Sports was a defining moment for many people. What is one memory from that night that has stayed with you ever since?
The moment I stepped on stage and saw a sea of 7,000 people. Preparing that show under wartime conditions with endless technical challenges, generators, and limited resources was incredibly difficult for our ODA team. But seeing the look of absolute unity and relief in the eyes of the crowd after a very tough winter, that image is burned into my mind forever. It proved that music isn’t just entertainment; it is a necessity.
7. Music often takes on a different meaning during difficult times. Has your relationship with performing changed over the last few years?
Yes, it has become much deeper and more serious. Before, performing was about self-expression and sharing energy. Now, living and creating in Kyiv, it feels like a duty. You realize how precious these moments of connection are. Every show, whether in Ukraine or abroad, feels like an opportunity to carry our values, our culture, and our resilience forward.
8. Ukraine’s electronic music scene continues to earn international attention. From your perspective, what makes it unique?
It is driven by an incredible, unyielding spirit. Our artists are making world-class music and filling venues under conditions that seem impossible to outsiders. This gives the Ukrainian scene a specific depth, urgency, and raw emotional power. It is music born from real, profound life experiences, and people worldwide instinctively feel that authenticity.
9. What inspires you outside of music these days?
I find a lot of inspiration in visual arts, cinematic videography, and photography. Capturing moments, textures, and light through a camera lens helps me see the world differently. I also rely heavily on a disciplined routine, morning runs, being close to nature, and maintaining mental clarity. Keeping my own internal state clean and open is essential because it directly affects the music I create.
10. Looking back at your younger self, just starting out with music, what do you think would surprise him most about where you are today?
He would probably be shocked by the scale of it. Starting out, you just dream of making sounds that look like the tracks you love. If you told that younger kid that he would sell out a massive sports arena with a live orchestra, a choir, and custom live hardware setup, he simply wouldn’t believe it. But he would be happy to know we never compromised on the live format.
11. You’ve worked with labels such as Armada Music, Purified Records and Black Hole Recordings. Has success changed the way you judge your own music?
Not really. Releases on major labels are great milestones and help reach a global audience, but they don’t change the internal barometer. For me, writing music always starts from within, from an inner state. I still judge my tracks by how deeply they move me during the creation process. If the genuine emotion isn’t there, no label attachment can fix it.
12. Is there a piece of advice you’ve received during your career that still stays with you today?
To stay true to your identity while leaving room for exploration. It is easy to find a formula that works and just repeat it. But the best advice I ever kept is to allow yourself to be experimental sometimes, to step outside the comfort zone without losing your core sound. Balance identity with freedom.
13. If someone had never seen an ODYSSAY show before, what would you say is the one thing that makes it unmistakably yours?
The contrast of sound and image: a live electronic concert, paired with a bright, minimalist, all-white aesthetic. It is a pure, high-energy live performance that pulls you in visually and sonically, feeling more like a live band experience than a club night.
14. If people remember just one thing after listening to Consent, what would you like it to be?
The feeling that even in the most intense, driving moments of life, there is always space for pure emotion, light, and inner harmony.
