Vladimir Ivkovic is a DJ. He’s more than that of course, but as his essence, Ivkovic is someone with a particularly unique talent for selecting records and weaving them into a larger – and often unusually compelling – narrative.
Born and raised in Belgrade (which was then part of Yugoslavia), he first dabbled in DJing as a teenager in the mid ’80s, and eventually, Ivkovic found his musical and spiritual home at Salon des Amateurs, an unassuming spot in Düsseldorf that’s gradually proven to be wildly influential.
Despite his many years in the humble confines of Salon des Amateurs, he’s proven to be just as comfortable at celebrated nightspots like De School, Berghain, Lux Fragil, Robert Johnson and others too numerous to list. Even the festival circuit has come calling, inviting Ivkovic and his inventive rhythms to large-scale events like Primavera Sound, Unsound, Dekmantel, Waking Life, Terraforma… and that’s just a partial list.
Still, despite all of these international adventures, Ivkovic has kept his focus on music, especially the dark and often psychedelic sounds that lurk in its unexplored corners. Ivkovic is someone who applies a curatorial mindset and a deep love of music to all of his creative exploits. Yes, he’s a DJ, but he’s so much more than that; he’s a storyteller, a connoisseur and, most importantly, an artist.