Beatportal Exclusive: Monkey Safari on new single "Oasis," positivity, and 2025 plans

When WhoMadeWho launched their label The Moment last year, they established a platform that embodies their distinctive artistic vision.

Now, with the label's third release, German brothers Sven and Lar, better known as Monkey Safari, become the first artists outside the founding trio to join the imprint's roster with their hypnotic new single "Oasis."

With over two decades of experience crafting infectious melodies and groovy beats, Monkey Safari brings their signature "sunshine vibes" to a track that perfectly aligns with The Moment's ethos. Featuring Middle Eastern-inspired wind instruments, organic percussion, and a magnetic melody that evolves throughout, "Oasis" represents a perfect meeting point between the duo's warm analog approach and WhoMadeWho's boundary-pushing musical philosophy. As the brothers transition from their own Hommage label to new ventures, this collaboration marks an exciting new chapter for both parties.

How did your track "Oasis" come to be released on WhoMadeWho's label The Moment?

It was about two weeks before Burning Man last year when Tomas from WhoMadeWho sent us a message asking for new, unreleased tracks. At that point, we had already produced quite a lot, so we put together a package for him. "Oasis" was still more of a sketch with a few vocals, but we thought it somehow fit the Burning Man vibe. Tomas then asked if he could get a dub version, so we made a few small changes, but overall, the track is pretty much the same as it is being released now.

The press release describes "Oasis" as having "Middle Eastern-inspired wind instruments" and a "wonderfully whimsical feel." Could you share your production approach for this track?

In general, we try to work with as many real drum elements as possible in all our tracks instead of synthetic ones. This usually results in a warmer, more analog sound design. The best and most successful tracks have not been the ones we spent days or weeks polishing, but those where we simply jammed freely, recorded, and arranged—finished. The theme and the idea behind it can sometimes be imperfect, and that's exactly what makes it special for us.

You're known for bringing "sunshine vibes, even when the rain is pouring down." How does this philosophy translate into your music?

We are both very positive-minded people, and we try to bring that into both our productions and our sets. Music always carries an emotion, whether melancholic, aggressive, or happy. We prefer to give people a positive feeling when they listen to us. Some might find it a bit cheesy sometimes, but that's totally fine with us.

2025 seems to be a transitional year for you, moving on from your Hommage label after 10 years and launching "Good Vibes from Paradise." How does releasing on The Moment fit into this new chapter?

The guys have already been supporting our latest productions quite heavily, for which we're very grateful. With Tomas from WhoMadeWho, it was a completely different situation from what we're used to. Right from the start, we could tell he was super focused and hyped about the track, and he put a lot of effort into signing it. The personal contact felt great, too, and the whole team does an excellent job.

The Moment isn't just a label but also a festival concept expanding internationally. Would you be interested in performing at one of their festival editions?

For us, WhoMadeWho is one of the few acts that truly stand out musically and conceptually from what we currently see as a very uniform electronic music landscape. You can clearly see a strong vision in their productions and projects, like the festival, which are well thought-out and not just generic. If they want to include us, we would, of course, be very happy to be part of it.

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