Ceri Wax’s (@ceri_wax) new EP If You arrives with a clear sense of timing, and it also lands with a larger conversation around how artists and DJs find music in a culture shaped by recommendation systems, playlists, and endless digital prompts. Out April 15 on OPENERS, the two-track release brings together house, UK garage, soul, and gospel influences in a format built for connection on the dancefloor.
That framing comes through clearly in the music’s stated intent, which is to bring people together and create a shared physical response, and it also lines up with the broader arc of Ceri Wax’s career, from major work in Italian pop and electronic music through to his solo catalog and the reach of his 2025 album Ondatonda.
What makes this release more interesting is the way Ceri Wax talks about discovery itself. He draws a firm line between passive consumption and active listening, and that perspective gives If You more context than a standard release note usually offers. He acknowledges that algorithms can surface useful music and help new artists gain exposure, yet he also points out that recommendation systems tend to flatten surprise and reduce the chance of finding something outside your current taste.
In his view, the real shifts in taste often come from human sources such as friends, radio, magazines, record stores, travel, and nights out, and that idea gives this EP a richer frame by placing the release within a wider discussion of curation, curiosity, and originality.
There is also something valuable in the way he describes intentional discovery as a form of resistance. He talks about a period during COVID when playlists and algorithmic listening nearly pushed him away from music, and the path back came through old tapes from 1990s Italian progressive trance nights that felt detached from the speed and sameness of current music culture. That idea of reclaiming curiosity connects well with If You, especially for a producer whose work has already moved across scenes, formats, and audiences.
Released through Amtrac’s OPENERS label, the EP feels designed for listeners who still want dance music to carry personality, community, and a sense of direction rather than functioning as another efficient entry in a crowded release cycle.
Interview With Ceri Wax
When using personalized platforms, how do you stay intentional about the recommendations you receive and the musical diet you consume?
It’s really hard to walk the line with the constant flood of suggestions these days. I try to treat algorithmic recommendations as downtime – more for casual listening than serious digging.
If I come across something I like, I’m still cautious. Tracks surfaced that way are often being discovered by a lot of other DJs at the same time, so playing them in a set can be risky. And for me, one of the most important things as a DJ is to remain unique and original.
Has an algorithm ever meaningfully expanded your ear or taste as a DJ?
I really loved the old YouTube algorithm – it felt random and unpredictable in the right way, with a good balance of weird and niche content. I used to discover a lot of interesting music through related videos. I still remember coming across Al Zanders – Long Gone in 2016 – that was a moment. Now, algorithms feel boring – too predictable. They keep feeding you more of what you liked ten minutes earlier, and it gets frustrating.
That said, most of the music that has truly shifted my perspective has come from other sources – friends, live events, radio shows, magazines. In shorts: sources shaped by a human perspective.
What feels distinct about discovering music through communities compared to digital suggestions on Spotify’s algorithmic playlists and other similar algorithms?
You might find great new music from an algorithmic playlist – and actually, you will most of the time. Algorithmic playlists also help new artists get noticed, and that’s a good thing. But algorithms are made to please you. Don’t get me wrong: I like to be pleased – but I also need to feel uncomfortable in order not to become lazier than I already am.
Algorithms rarely show you something wrong, something unexpected. I truly believe that human culture’s growth lies in errors and diversity. Users’ playlists might be filled with a large amount of music that doesn’t match your current taste, but in that space – in a direction you weren’t aiming for – you might find that rare gem.
How do you periodically refresh your listening habits?
It’s a cyclical process that happens to me without much intention.
Like cultivating the land, I tend to alternate between different ways of discovering new music, even though I have my go-to channels that I use most of the time. The best way to discover new music is still meeting up with friends or colleagues and listening to what each of us has found recently.
Or walking into a record store, especially when traveling, and diving into some slightly reckless purchases. Car trips are also a great moment for listening to music – putting on a mix by a DJ I respect or tuning into a web radio. Also shazaming, without being noticed of course, during a party is a great way to find new gems.
Have you noticed your taste evolving alongside the tools you use or does your taste stay the same even if the methods of discovery change around you?
I think taste evolves step by step alongside one’s personality. The experiences you have in life – friendships, love, disappointments, joys, education, hobbies – are what shape who you are. Tools are that: tools. If used properly, they can support this process of growth or decline. But like any machine, we need to be able to drive it, not the other way around.
What does intentional discovery look like for you today when so much music is being released?
At some point in my life – during COVID – algorithms and playlists were killing my love for music. I almost stopped listening to it. I found my way back through some hidden old tapes from 90s Italian progressive trance club nights, ripped and uploaded on YouTube by some crazy guy. They felt completely out of time, so far removed from the suffocating gold rush of today. That was a kind of research I did by and for myself. In that sense, intentional discovery can feel like a form of resistance.
I think that, for all of us, one of the biggest goals in life is to understand who we are. And to do that, if it’s even fully possible, we need to keep our curiosity alive. We need mistakes, and we need time to find our way. I like to cook my own meals. I might not be a three-Michelin-star chef, but I genuinely love what I make.
Our ability to stay curious, interested, and passionate is one of our greatest assets. We can’t afford to lose it.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
