Suray Sertin, a record producer from Montreal, Canada, blends house, garage, R&B, and pop to create a fresh yet timeless sound. His music intricately weaves together various musical elements and textures, offering an immersive listening experience.
Photo credit: Suray Sertin – Official
His sound has caught the attention of heavyweights in the electronic music scene, such as Zeds Dead, who have featured him prominently on their Altered States record label, along with playlist curators at Higher Ground and Foreign Family Collective. With backing from these industry leaders and earning sync placements with EA Sports, Nike, and CBC Television, he is solidifying his presence in the industry.
Suray Sertin blends dance music with evocative pop in his latest release, ‘Always.’ Teaming up with rising bedroom pop artist Ethan Surman, this track, released on Zeds Dead’s Altered States label, explores the lingering emotional connections we hold even after heartbreak.
EG had the chance to talk with Suray Sertin to learn more about his latest release and future projects. He shared insights into his evolving sound, his journey with electronic music, and exciting future plans, including performances at Rifflandia festival in Victoria, BC, and other dates in Toronto and Montreal.
EG: Hi, Suray! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you right now? (here we discuss the Montreal performance and Zed’s Dead Jamboree)
Suray Sertin: Hey, thanks for having me! I’m doing great, currently in Montreal. The recent performance at the Deadbeats Jamboree was so fun. The crowd’s energy was incredible from beginning to end. and it was an honor to share the stage with such talented artists. There were also Quebecers that pulled up to the set which was a very pleasing surprise.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the recent release of your new single, ‘Always’! You must be excited to have this one out. What has the initial reception been like so far?
Suray Sertin: Thanks! Yeah, the release of ‘Always’ has been a cool ride so far. The initial reception has been very positive, and I’m grateful for the support.
EG: So, what can your fans expect to find on ‘Always’? What’s the emotional trigger here?
Suray Sertin: I’m going to quote Ethan here, I don’t think I could describe the emotional trigger better than him: “Even when we fall out of love or get our hearts broken, there is always a piece of that love that stays with us. It can be so hard to move on from someone you care about, but accepting even after they hurt you that you can love them without being with them is a beautiful part of the grieving and processing.”
EG: By the way, ‘Always’ sees you linking up with rising bedroom pop artist Ethan Surman. What was the creative process for this one like? How did the connection with Ethan come about?
Suray Sertin: Collaborating with Ethan was so refreshing, he’s so easy to work with and he’s mad talented, one of a kind really. We were basically connected by our manager, and the process was very smooth. Ethan’s lyrics and melodies added such a beautiful dimension to the track.
“My sound is maturing, and it’s ever-changing as it reflects my emotions and state of mind in the current moment”
EG: And ‘Always’ is out now via Zeds Dead’s Altered States. Why did you decide to go with Altered States for this release? Being a frequent collaborator of the label, how did your relationship with Zeds Dead develop?
Suray Sertin: Releasing ‘Always’ via Zeds Dead’s Altered States felt like a natural choice. I’ve had a great relationship with the label, and their support has been amazing. It’s a platform that understands and promotes innovative music, which aligns seamlessly with my vision.
EG: So, are you making today the music you thought you’d be making when you first connected with electronic music and began producing it? How has your sound evolved and why do you think it evolved in such a way?
Suray Sertin: My journey with electronic music has definitely evolved over time. Initially, I was drawn to its limitless possibilities for creativity. As I’m growing as an artist, my sound is maturing, and it’s ever-changing as it reflects my emotions and state of mind in the current moment.
EG: We also know of your sync placements with EA Sports, Nike, and CBC Television. Can you give us a bit more insight regarding this, and how it came to happen?
Suray Sertin: Working with EA Sports, Nike, and CBC Television has been a fantastic opportunity. I feel like these sync placements came out of nowhere, I just received emails from them wanting to use my music for their projects. Quite a fun email to receive. EA put one of my songs in WRC ‘23. It was a perfect racing track, and made the inner kid in me a bit happy.
‘Karnaval’ was shared by CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) on the biggest national talk show in Quebec “tout le monde en parle.” It felt nice to be heard on screen in my home province!
EG: Regarding AI, which seems to be such a hot topic these days…What’s your stance on this? Do you see it driving the scene forward? Has any form of AI been used in ‘Always’ or any recent productions?
Suray Sertin: I see AI as a tool that can enhance creativity and production efficiency in music. While it hasn’t been used in ‘Always’ or recent productions, I’m open to exploring how AI can be integrated into future projects. We will see.
“I’m open to exploring how AI can be integrated into future projects”
EG: Finally, what can we expect from Suray Sertin in the next months? Where can your fans catch you playing live?
Suray Sertin: More music, some collaborations, I will also be playing at Rifflandia festival in Victoria, BC, as well as some other dates in Toronto and Montreal that are not announced yet.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Suray! We wish you all the best for the future. Take care!
Suray Sertin: Thank you for having me, it’s been a pleasure! I appreciate the support and look forward to what’s ahead. Cheers!
Suray Sertin’s ‘Always’ is now available on Altered States. Stream and download here.
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