Slow Nomaden Discusses “Baaba”, Nu Bohème Recordings and the Value of Music Beyond Borders

With “Baaba”, Slow Nomaden continues to shape a sound rooted in electronic rhythm while remaining open to influences from far beyond the usual club framework. Released through Nu Bohème Recordings, the track combines energetic percussion with the melodic character of kora and balafon, creating a warm, open-air atmosphere designed for movement.

Behind Slow Nomaden is Tobias Kroschel, an artist whose background as a DJ, traveller and label founder has gradually transformed what began as a side project into the centre of his creative life. In this interview, he reflects on the evolution of the project, the tension between genre freedom and digital algorithms, the responsibilities of running his own imprint, and why he still prefers building music to constantly feeding social media.

Slow Nomaden began as an outlet for a deeper and more globally influenced side of your work. When did you realise it had grown into a fully independent artistic identity?

I originally created Slow Nomaden as a side project because I wanted to explore a different musical direction, one with stronger global influences and a deeper electronic approach.

Once I started releasing music under that name, I became connected to a different scene and slowly built an entirely new network around the project. Over time, it developed its own identity almost naturally.

I began receiving requests from other labels for original tracks and remixes, released an album and continued investing more energy into the project. At this point, Slow Nomaden feels much closer to being my main artistic focus because it now takes up most of my time and attention.

Your music has often been described as “music without borders”. How do you preserve that openness in an industry increasingly controlled by genre tags, playlists and recommendation systems?

It is not always easy because my music does not fit perfectly into one specific genre or category. That can make things more complicated when it comes to playlists, algorithms and digital promotion.

At the same time, I have been fortunate to find listeners who are open to electronic music that incorporates influences from different parts of the world. That audience has allowed me to remain flexible without feeling that I need to simplify the music.

I have also created and curated many playlists myself. That gives me the possibility to build a more suitable context not only for my own releases, but also for other artists who share a similar approach.

“Baaba” has a warm, uplifting quality that feels closely connected to outdoor dance floors. Was there a particular place or atmosphere in your mind while you were producing it?

Yes, the intention was to make something energetic and positive for the summer festival season.

While working on the track, I imagined a late summer evening in Ibiza, when the temperature begins to soften but the energy on the dance floor is still growing. That image helped define the mood and the overall direction of the production.

You are both the artist behind Slow Nomaden and the founder of Nu Bohème Recordings. Does owning the label make it easier to protect your sound, or does it sometimes make it harder to judge your own work objectively?

I think both sides are true.

Running Nu Bohème Recordings gives me a great deal of creative freedom because I do not need to adapt my music to the expectations of another label. I can release music that genuinely represents where I am artistically, and that has helped me develop my own style more clearly.

However, outside feedback is still very important. It can be difficult to maintain enough distance when you are both the artist and the person making the final decisions.

That is one of the reasons I continue releasing many of my remixes through other labels. I enjoy working with different artists and imprints, exchanging ideas and learning from their perspectives.

Your catalogue draws from instruments, rhythms and traditions connected to many cultures. What separates genuine musical curiosity from the more superficial “global” aesthetic sometimes found in organic house and Afro House?

My interest in different cultures began long before this approach became popular within electronic music.

I grew up listening mainly to rock, punk, metal and alternative dance music, but at a certain point I wanted to discover something beyond those references. When I started DJing 24 years ago, I became increasingly interested in music from different parts of the world.

I travelled, met people from other countries and discovered new sounds through friends, concerts and parties. During that period, I built a large collection of music from many different cultures.

At that time, I was not yet producing electronic music. My background was initially as a DJ with a world music and cross-genre approach. Later, when I began producing, it felt completely natural to include those influences in my own work.

I did not adopt a global aesthetic because it became fashionable. These sounds had already been part of my musical identity for more than two decades.

For me, music is a universal language. People may not speak the same language, but they can still understand each other through rhythm, melody and emotion. That is one of the most powerful things music can do.

You have spoken critically about a scene where visibility can sometimes matter more than originality. How do you promote a release like “Baaba” without allowing social media to dominate the creative process?

My main approach is to send releases to DJs, playlist curators and music blogs, and to work with premieres and editorial coverage.

Of course, this usually requires either a strong network or a significant promotional budget. Since I have been working in the music industry for a long time, I have built relationships with many people across the scene, so these channels feel more natural to me.

I understand that I could probably increase my visibility by producing more short-form content and posting more frequently on social media. But I do not want to spend most of my time creating reels or constantly feeding platforms.

I would rather use that time to make music. That is ultimately the reason I am not especially active on social media.