LAUNCH: 5 Mag Meets Antonne

Continuing to shine a light on upcoming artists and DJs on the horizon, 5 Mag meets Manila promoter, DJ and first time producer Antonne for our LAUNCH 🚀 series.

I first met Antonne in the Philippines through the famous dancer-heavy party It’s A Groove Thang of which he co-founded. The event and the community surrounding it was inspiring, a wonderful synthesis of DJs and dancers that I would often only see in New York nightlife.

As a Manila-based DJ with sounds of classic, deep soulful and garage house, he had already been active in both the dance and the DJ circles for over a decade. He has received notable accolades, being selected as a 2024 Beatport DJ of the Month and as a PTDJA Future Talent.

Aside from releasing and performing, Antonne also gives back to the community, mentoring up-and-coming DJs with both technical and practical knowledge based on his experience in clubs and community spaces.

House Iz A Feelin, his debut two-track EP on Moiss Music Black, is in promo release from Traxsource and we talk to him about his gateway into production.

When did you begin producing, who taught you, and what gear do you use?

I began producing more intentionally around May 2024, when I officially studied music production at Sessions Academy under Parnassvs, a techno, tech-trance, and progressive producer who was also my first DJ teacher. Even before that, I was already learning informally — watching tutorials from producers like Jafunk and Never Dull through IO Music Academy, especially since my roots lean toward funk and disco.

Even though I primarily make house, I’ve always believed in learning from people with strong fundamentals, regardless of genre. Foundations matter in any art form. You learn the rules first so you can eventually bend — or break — them with intention.

I work mainly in Ableton Live and keep my setup fairly minimal: studio monitors, headphones, and an Arturia MiniLab. I don’t believe gear is the most important part of the process (but it matters). Limitations often lead to better ideas — but I do enjoy tools that genuinely spark creativity. While in Bali, I found myself slightly obsessed after spending time with a Roland TR-8S, and I also had a lot of fun with Ableton Move.

More recently, I picked up a Numark TTX USB, which I’m really excited about. It allows me to digitize samples directly from vinyl, and at the same time supports my ongoing dive into turntablism. That tactile, hands-on relationship with records feels important to me — not just for sampling, but as part of the broader culture and physicality of DJing that I come from.

I also owe a lot to the mentors I met at Sounds Different in Bali in November 2024. Learning directly from artists like Eluize, Trixie, Moss, and Babyweight helped sharpen both my technical understanding and creative confidence. I ended up continuing one-on-one mentorship sessions with Eluize, which played a big role in helping me trust my instincts and develop my sound.

What were your goals in creating music? Did you feel something was missing?

At the core of it, I just love music. Before I was a DJ or a producer, I was a dancer — and that still shapes how I approach sound. Music always comes first for me.

From a career perspective, producing felt like a natural next step. It makes you a more complete artist and gives you another language to express who you are and where you’re coming from. DJing is about selection and storytelling; producing is about building your own world.

I wouldn’t say there was something “missing” in the scene — there are so many incredible producers out there — but I do think identity is something I’m actively exploring. Coming from the Philippines, I’m interested in how subtle regional influences can live inside house music without being forced. Whether that’s rhythmic ideas inspired by traditional percussion like tongaling, kulintang, butting, or simply the sensibility of growing up in Manila, I’m still discovering how that shows up naturally in my work.

Walk us through your production process and the challenges you’ve faced.

I’m not an instrumentalist, so my process is very movement-driven. I take a lot of inspiration from my background as a dancer and from being a club-goer. If something makes me want to move, that’s usually where I start.

Most of my tracks are sample-based, but I’m also very aware of the areas I want to grow in — especially learning keys and harmony more deeply. That’s something I’m intentionally carving out time for now, along with collaborating more with musicians who bring different strengths into the room.

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One of the biggest challenges has been mixing. It’s an art form on its own, and it takes time to train your ears. Having mentors and producer friends to give honest feedback has helped a lot. In Manila, there aren’t many accessible studios, so most of my work is done at home with headphones and near-field monitors. I was lucky, though, to spend time mixing and refining tracks at AYA Studios in Bali, which was a great learning experience.

Do you road-test your music in clubs?

Definitely. Playing my own tracks out is one of the most important parts of the process. You immediately hear if something is clashing, if a frequency is distracting, or if a section needs to be tighter.

Crowd reaction matters too. A track can feel long when you’re listening alone, but in a club context, everything changes — energy, pacing, and attention span. I also do more practical tests: car speakers, cheap earphones, laptop speakers. If it works across different environments, that’s usually a good sign.

What are some dream labels, and how did you connect with Moiss Music Black?

Connecting with Moiss Music Black was very straightforward — I sent them an email and shared some of my tracks. I really like their catalogue and the tracks they sign under the label.

As for dream labels, there are quite a few I admire. In no particular order: Nervous Records, The Basement Discos, Quantize, Salted Music, Kaoz Theory — because, honestly, Kerri Chandler — and Pleased As Punch. There are so much more actually. But these are some of the labels that consistently put out music that feels timeless and deeply connected to dance-floor culture.

How often are you producing now compared to DJing, and what’s coming up next?

Right now, I’m spending more time producing than DJing, but I see production as a gateway to more DJ opportunities. Releasing music opens different doors, especially internationally. I still have big goals as a DJ, and I’m aiming to tour in 2026. It can be challenging in the Philippines with the kind of music I play. The community is growing — which is exciting — but it’s a longer conversation that takes time, patience, and infrastructure.

On the production side, I have a single coming out as part of a VA compilation on a label I admire early this year, which I’m genuinely excited about. Beyond releases, a big focus for me is continuing to grow It’s A Groove Thang!, a Manila-based community and platform I co-founded that brings together DJs, dancers, and club-goers around house, funk, and groove-driven music. For me, it’s about creating safer, more inclusive spaces where dance-floor culture, movement, and music are equally valued — not just the DJ booth.

Giving back is important to me, whether that’s teaching DJing when I can, or making things feel more accessible to people who might not see themselves represented in club culture yet. I’m also currently diving deeper into turntablism, which has been both humbling and refreshing, and a reminder that there’s always more to learn, no matter how long you’ve been doing this.

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