It’s been said that real living begins where our comfort zone ends. We’re not placed in this world to merely exist but to venture into the unknown. We’re not just meant to find our true calling but to answer it. For what is life but a daring adventure?
For Niko Pappas, who goes by the name Venture 5, that calling manifests in the form of music and unrelenting expression. Hailing from Denver, the multifaceted producer has not only crafted a sound that transcends genres but embodies the essence of the city he calls home.
‘My musical journey began when I was in grade school; I always had an ear for music and played several instruments growing up,” Venture 5 explained in an exclusive interview with The Daily Frequency.
Among those instruments was the guitar, and even before his teenage years, he’d spend his time writing acoustic music. But, like most EDM fans his life would forever change after attending his first electronic show.
“Electronic music was a huge part of my life throughout my teenage years. I saw Zedd and Porter Robinson at my first electronic show for my sixteenth birthday in 2012, and shortly after that, I got my first cheap Numark DJ controller and started trying to figure this stuff out. I spent time interning in recording studios out of high school and went on to graduate from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, with a BA in Music in 2018. It wasn’t until I was in College that I began to hone my production skills and start creating solid, original ideas.”
Of course, it wasn’t just the new sounds that drew him to electronic music but the atmosphere and energy of the experience itself.
“The thing that’s always resonated with me the most about electronic music is the feeling of the crowd in a live setting. Since that first show I went to in 2012, I’ve been hooked on the energy of everybody being together in the moment.”
Inspired by his biggest influences, “Zeds Dead, The Glitch Mob, Nero, and Mersiv,” he broke into the scene under the moniker Opalyte. Boasting a heavy-hitting sound filled with striking beats and potent drops of bass, he captivated audiences with massive releases like A Perfect World in Our Heads and Supercritical. Then, before he knew it he wasn’t just making waves in the electronic scene but sharing the stage alongside artists like Smoakland, Megan Hamilton, SoDown, SuperAve, and more.
However, despite his success, something was missing. Feeling limited by the sound he created under Opalyte, he yearned for something new—a new creative identity that was both boundless and grounded in his truth as an artist. That identity would soon become Venture 5.
“I knew I had a bigger story to share with the world through my work, and I knew that was important. In a way, Opalyte was holding me back from doing this because of its obscurity. I needed a platform where I could communicate my truth with people and share all the different kinds of music I’ve been making,” he explained.
Now, under Venture 5 he would no longer create music to fit in one particular style. Like the energy he experienced with Porter Robinson and Zedd at his first-ever show, he wanted to induce a feeling grounded in adventure, exploration, and pure emotion.
“I think I can mostly attribute this exploratory nature to my upbringing. I grew up in Denver, Colorado, and by the time I was in my late teens and early twenties, the Electronic music scene was exploding here. In those days, a lot of the fan base in Denver was less segregated into different genres, and you would see the same friends at the Sub.mission Dubstep shows on Tuesday as you would at the Global Dance House show on Friday. This is part of the reason I started the Venture 5 project; I want to curate a journey through electronic music that is more directed by feeling than genre or style.”
From his 2022 debut, Penelope’s Code, to EPs like On My Own and First Connection, he did just that. Making everything from electro house to dubstep and drum and bass, Venture 5 crafted a sonic utopia that not only takes listeners on a transcendent journey through space and time but pushes the boundaries of sound by simply forcing himself out of his comfort zone.
“I think that (getting out of my comfort zone) is essential to keep my production skills sharp and allows me to constantly push myself to learn about new music and culture. I have learned so much just in the past year about the roots of a lot of electronic music through studying different styles and production techniques and I feel such a huge creative boost because of that,” he explained.
Now, with his latest EP, Next Phase Venture 5 has propelled his sound to an even greater level. Released on March 1, the three-track record is a mind-bending odyssey designed to blast you into a higher realm of reality.
“When I started writing Next Phase, I knew I wanted to create something to showcase many of the new sounds and production elements I have been working on in the past few months. I was feeling myself outgrowing some of my old styles and techniques. So, I decided to name the EP’ Next Phase, hoping that when people hear this release, it will feel like a level-up from some of my older music. I think we all go through stages in life where we feel ourselves growing into new spaces, and the ‘Next Phase’ is a testament to this.”
Filled with otherworldly soundscapes, hypnotic melodies, and all-encompassing bass, Next Phase showcases an arsenal of new sounds and ultimately serves as a testament to his versatility and growth as a producer.
“I think that diversity in sound has always been a strong suit of mine. However, it does take a lot of work and patience. For this EP in particular, I wanted to blow it out of the water with sound design, and that was going to be a big hill to climb. I think I spent almost sixty hours just working on sounds for these three songs. A couple of the things that make me successful in making diverse sounds are using multiple digital instruments to make them and allocating time away from writing the track to solely work on sound design.”
However, a new range of sound isn’t the only thing that stands out on the Next Phase EP. Offering listeners a deep sense of connection, he paints a vivid picture through his music and not only creates something impactful but utterly profound and cinematic.
“I think telling a story with your music is so important. It answers the question, “Why should people listen?” The story of a song is what makes an impact in people’s lives and gives them something to relate to. It allows them to connect with the music on a deeper level, and that is probably the most important part of all this for me. If I can create a connection with someone through music and positively affect their life. That’s the biggest win of them all.”
With the release of Next Phase, Venture 5 is on pace to take the electronic scene by storm and is clearly showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
“I definitely feel myself “leveling up,” if you will. I think my skills have caught up with my vision for this project, and that feels amazing. The first Venture 5 release and a lot of the old Opalyte tracks feel dated compared to the unreleased music I have right now. I’m making my best work yet,” He explained. “In 2024, you can expect a lot of new music from me. I’m hyper-focused on making this year the best year for releases yet. We will be exploring lots of genres and styles, and the “Next Phase” EP is just the beginning. So buckle up and get ready for an adventure.”
Stream Next Phase and keep up with Venture 5 HERE!
Check out more exclusive interviews with The Daily Frequency HERE!