The Night Bazaar Interview: Joris Voorn shares his personal journey in SEROTONIN Uncover the evolution of Joris Voorn in our chat about SEROTONIN, an album that beautifully intertwines personal stories with melodic techno

WITH a career spanning over two decades and a reputation for bridging the emotional and the electronic, Joris Voorn has stood tall at the forefront of melodic techno and house.

His new album SEROTONIN, released via his own Spectrum label in partnership with Armada Music, the acclaimed Dutch producer and DJ invites listeners into perhaps his most personal chapter yet.

Written across a span of years that saw him navigating the turbulence of the pandemic and the profound loss of both parents, SEROTONIN is a body of work that finds strength in vulnerability. From ambient introspection to euphoric dancefloor moments, it’s an album shaped in hotel rooms, airplane cabins, and most poignantly, at the piano his father once played in the family home.

We caught up with Joris as he continues his jam-packed global tour which has already taken in a sold-out show at the top of The Shard in London, to talk about the emotional landscape behind SEROTONIN, the creative process that shaped it and how he’s thinking about legacy, honesty and timelessness in a time of digital overload. Be sure to catch Joris again in London when he touches down at KOKO on Friday 26th September.

SEROTONIN is a deeply personal and euphoric record. Can you take us back to the emotional space you were in when you began creating it?

I’ve been working on this album for several years and it’s true there were some challenging periods with Covid and then I lost both my parents. I guess you could say music has always been my “rock” through most of my life and I certainly wanted this album to be something uplifting – which is why it’s called SEROTONIN.

The title SEROTONIN suggests a sense of healing and joy. What do you hope listeners feel or take away from the album after hearing it start to finish?

That’s exactly right. I would like people to come away from hearing the album with a sense of positivity. If it brings healing or joy to anyone who hears it – I’d be equally happy to hear that.

You recorded the album’s opening track ‘Session One’ on the piano your father used to play. How did returning to your childhood home and that instrument shape the emotional tone of the album?

Yes, this was a particularly emotional experience for me. Both my parents had passed and so the family home that I grew up in was being sold and I felt to close the door on that amazing space I’d called home for all of my youth – I wanted to take a studio set up there and position it in the exact location where my father, composer Joop Voorn, used to sit and work. The architecture of the house is a very interesting Anthroposophical design so the space I’m referring to is like a hexagonal room in the centre of the house with very high ceilings. Sitting there for days working on material was a profound experience and I’m happy that my album opens with Session One which was written at that time.

How did the loss of your parents impact the creative process for ‘Serotonin’ and were there moments when the music helped you process grief?

This is a question I’ve been asked a lot in interviews recently. I think music has always been a way for me to express myself in a way that words don’t quite hit the mark. Traditionally I’m quite a private person in the context of processing grief or loss. Yes the loss of my parents was very hard but the writing sessions I did at the family home were certainly a positive time and a private time for me to take a moment to process a lot of those thoughts.

You said you weren’t chasing trends but aiming for something honest and timeless. What does timeless electronic music mean to you in 2025? Is it harder now to make timeless music that it was 20 years ago?

Absolutely it’s harder now. There are 100K tracks a day being released on Spotify so how do you create something that stands out enough to be considered timeless or unique? I’m quite fortunate to have the fan base I have built over the last two decades and I don’t really get too side tracked by comparing my music with anyone else’s. I just try to make music that is sincere, true and honest to who I am – both as a person and an artist. What does “timeless” mean to me – it means being able to press play on this body of work in 20 years time and it still feels fresh and relevant.

How did your approach to the work differ when producing tracks in the studio, on tour and at home?

My approach to producing is the same anywhere I work. I made music for this album in my studio, on my laptop on a plane and in other spaces, like the family home. My approach remains the same everywhere – but the only difference is the volume of equipment and hardware in my studio is pretty extensive, meaning that while working in that space the possibilities of what sounds I can find and sculpt are far more expansive. I think with touring 15 to 20 shows a month you have to be able to write anywhere because times in the studio these days, especially during festival season, can be limited to a small handful of days a month.

As the album flows from ambient soundscapes into melodic house and immersive techno, are the more energetic tracks mainly derived from your experiences DJing?

Actually, this album started as two parts and I’m still toying with the idea of releasing some of the unreleased material next year. SEROTONIN was always supposed to be melodic music aimed at the dance floor, so while there are some more ambient pieces in there – the overwhelming majority of them are, and have been, key tracks in my live sets. The unreleased tracks are definitely more on the ambient, down tempo side that I believe could perfectly compliment SEROTONIN.

The album is rich with collaborations. What drew you to collaborate with the artists you chose on the album and how do you approach collaboration creatively?

The collaborations came from a variety of different places. Some organically between artist to artist, some suggested by my management and some from publishers who had great toplines (vocals) that they felt I’d be into. The process of collaborating these days is usually online – sending files back and forth between the two or three of you until you’re all happy. And then what follows is usually months and months of me road testing the tracks at shows until they are really working well on all dance floors. That final part is always the most time consuming.

How do you feel you’ve evolved as an artist since your debut album?

Good question. I think today as both a DJ and artist I always want to avoid being pigeonholed into any genre area. I like to play and produce all kinds of music and that’s why my label and brand is called Spectrum, because I want it to be about all colours and flavours of music. So how have I evolved – I’ve become more exploratory, more interested in looking at ideas and collaborations outside of my traditional comfort zone but I do think I’ve withheld the same values the younger me held dear. Sincerity and being true to yourself is of the utmost importance to me.

Do you think SEROTONIN marks a new chapter in your sound?

Not necessarily. In fact, it more than likely marks the end of one chapter before the next begins. I’m very proud of this album and I still play all the tracks regularly at my shows, but I also have so many ideas for what’s next and repetition is not something I’d ever want to do.

You recently performed a set on top of The Shard in London. How did that experience tie into the themes of the album?

The vibe of this music was always intended to be euphoric and uplifting and so I think launching the album 800feet up above London with the most perfect sunset and clear skies…. That certainly got the SEROTONIN levels jacked.

How is your global tour shaping up? What’s next?

It’s a very busy period with festivals and Ibiza in full swing so I think I’m doing 4 or 5 shows almost every week for the foreseeable future. I try to take one weekend a month off to balance family life but to be honest I love being on the road, I love playing shows and I love visiting all of these amazing cities around the world that I’ve built strong ties to over the years. I’ll be heading back to London on 26 September to play at the iconic KOKO which I’m really looking forward to!

One last question, which is a bit random, but I have been asking a lot of artists in my recent interviews because of my obsession with creating remixes of classic, sometimes forgotten pop music to celebrate their brilliance on contemporary dance floors and would love to know what you think. Is there a pop classic from the 70s, 80s, 90s etc that you would love to hear remixed for a modern dancefloor?

I’ve always wanted to remix Bronski Beat, Small Town Boy. Such an amazing record. I’ve played the original many times, but it would be nice to give it a 2025 twist.

Stream Joris Voorn’s SEROTONIN HERE. Find out more about Joris’ show at KOKO in London on September 26 HERE.