Human Safari on Charting New Currents in Electronic Music with R&S Records

Human Safari has become one of the most compelling voices to emerge from Malta’s electronic music landscape in recent years, a producer and DJ whose work merges jazz sensibilities with the forward drive of techno and whose performances carry an intensity often described as “fast-paced, hypnotic, and deeply physical.” A resident at Glitch Festival and a growing presence on the international circuit, he has built a reputation for sets that balance technical discipline with improvisational risk, often introducing live instrumental elements that blur the line between performance and experimentation.

His ascent has been marked by standout appearances at institutions such as Stone Techno Festival, RSO, and Unfold, alongside releases on respected labels including R&S Records and Mutual Rytm. Yet despite the increasing scale of his platform, Human Safari’s artistic philosophy remains deeply introspective. His music is not driven by genre allegiance or market expectation, but by instinct, emotion, and an evolving search for authenticity.

That sense of evolution is central to his return to R&S Records with the Children of the Sea EP, a release that follows his 2023 debut Sax Paradiso. Reflecting on the transition between the two projects, he describes Sax Paradiso as “my introduction not only to the label, but also to my true artistic identity.” At the time, he explains, he “stepped into a whole new world of jazz influences and more unconventional approaches to electronic music” almost without realising it. The new EP, then, is less a departure and more a continuation, the result of “fine-tuning my sound, focusing on growth and evolution and shaping something that feels authentic and resonant.”

The thematic core of Children of the Sea is inseparable from his Maltese upbringing. For Human Safari, the concept is neither abstract nor symbolic, but literal. “Being born and based in Malta, we’re surrounded by the sea and blessed with long, warm summers,” he says. “A lot of our childhood is spent by the sea or at the beach, so in many ways we quite literally grow up as children of the sea.” This connection to place informs not only the title but the atmosphere of the music itself. “All my music has to be appropriate for beautiful sunsets,” he adds, a statement that captures the warmth and openness running through his otherwise driving sonic palette.

Jazz continues to function as both a structural tool and a philosophical anchor in his productions. Tracks such as "Jazz Affair" illustrate how improvisation shapes his creative workflow, though the process varies from project to project. “Sometimes I work fully in the box, sometimes with external equipment and sometimes through sampling,” he explains. Regardless of the method, the aim remains consistent: “I’m always searching for a specific sound or musical element that can carry the track. Once I find it, I build everything else around it so it really shines.” He points to the cello bassline in Children of the Sea as an example, “without it, the track simply wouldn’t work.”

Live performance, however, transforms improvisation into something more immediate and kinetic. “My focus is on creating energy and strong hooks, keeping a steady flow throughout the set,” he notes. While melody and groove remain intertwined, the dance floor dictates priorities. “It’s less about exploring every mood, as in the studio and more about maintaining momentum and connection with the crowd.” This emphasis on movement and shared experience underpins his understanding of physicality in club culture. “It has to make you move,” he states plainly. His ethos, he explains, is “to make the entire club feel sexy,” guiding audiences through shifting energies while remaining committed to an old-school approach, “working with two CDJs and letting the selection be the star of the show.”

That respect for tradition surfaces again in tracks like "Turbulence At The Orchestra," which draw inspiration from the warehouse rave culture of the 1990s. For Human Safari, the era resonates not through nostalgia but through parallels with the present. “Right now, the music industry is facing many challenges,” he observes. “Clubs are closing, promoters are struggling and the system feels increasingly fragile.” Looking back, he sees resilience as the defining trait of electronic communities. “People always found ways to keep the scene alive, creating spaces where they felt free and protected.” The culture, he insists, has always revolved around the same essentials: “a sound system, real music lovers and a sense of community. The location doesn’t matter. The scene always finds its way.”

His relationship with R&S Records has played a formative role in reinforcing this mindset. The label’s history of boundary-pushing releases encouraged him to embrace risk and individuality. “It taught me how to swim against the current and take risks that others might hesitate to take,” he reflects. Central to this journey has been mentorship and honest feedback, which he regards as invaluable. “Apart from the amazing music that inspired me, I invited Renaat Vandepapliere to play in Malta and his set was life changing in many ways, the music selection he was playing out was just incredible. I think my DJ sets changed after that too. Since then, he’s been like a second set of ears and a mentor to me. His honesty and decades of experience set the standard I hold myself to. Receiving approval from someone like Renaat, having heard and released some of the most important music in the world was insanely hard but the most rewarding feeling”.

International touring has further broadened his creative outlook, subtly influencing his openness to experimentation. “Even without realising it, every trip carries some kind of influence or spark of inspiration,” he says. Yet he remains resistant to stylistic confinement. “I never go into the studio telling myself, ‘Today I’m making this specific style.’ That approach doesn’t work for me.” Instead, he follows instinct: “I follow whatever flow shows up that day and let the music lead.” In his view, genre is secondary to emotional impact, “a good track is defined by the feeling it gives you, not the genre. A good track is a good track.”

The integration of live instrumentation into techno performance introduces both freedom and fragility. Human Safari acknowledges the delicate balance required to maintain pacing and coherence. “If you get a bit too excited and move through loops and ideas too quickly, you have to remind yourself to slow down,” he explains. Yet this unpredictability is also what allows each performance to remain distinct. “I can make every set different by starting from different sections of the live arrangement,” whether opening gently or diving straight into groove-driven intensity.

While live shows continue to expand his artistic vocabulary, DJing remains the core of his identity. “DJing is a big part of me which I have been doing for the past 14 years,” he says, emphasising the joy he finds in discovering and sharing new music. The future may hold a stronger focus on live formats, but for now he values the freedom DJing provides, the ability to present tracks he once searched for “at 4am at home” and introduce audiences to the work of other producers.

Despite global momentum, Human Safari remains deeply connected to Malta’s electronic community, which he describes as being at “a really exciting point right now.” The island’s small size fosters collaboration and creative risk-taking, while events like Glitch Festival provide crucial international exposure. The result, he believes, is “the perfect recipe for a thriving and sustainable electronic scene.”

Ultimately, his aspirations for Children of the Sea are disarmingly modest yet profound. He hopes it will be “remembered as a timeless part of my back catalogue and stand on its own regardless of trends.” In a genre often driven by cycles and rapid change, Human Safari’s guiding principle remains clear: sincerity, movement, and music that resonates long after the final beat fades.

Human Safari's 'Children Of The Sea' is out March 13 via R&S Records. Get it on Beatport.

Read the full interview with Human Safari on The Night Bazaar HERE.