Me in my studio: Boddhi Satva

Welcome

Boddhi Satva describes his music as 'ancestral soul' - a fusion of soul, electronics and various African styles.

Resident in Belgium but born and raised in the Central African Republic, he returned to his native country in 2012 to begin production on his new album Transition.

“My father used to play a lot of jazz, soul, disco and, of course, African rhumba,” says Boddhi of his musical upbringing. “I was exposed to so many musical cultures from both my parents. Outside of the house I listened to soukouss, ndombolo, hip-hop and R&B.”

Sadly, Boddhi's father passed away within months of his visit, but Transition was created and released in tribute to him. It'll be available from 18 September and you can find out more on the Boddhi Satva website.

We asked Boddhi to photograph and describe his studio, which turns out to be surprisingly frugal…

Studio

“My studio has always very minimalistic. In the beginning it was because of lack of money, but even to this day I realise that I'm maintaining this minimal but efficient way of working.

“I developed my sound and production skills with what I had and still enjoy working with the bare minimum. It forces me to be super creative.”

Alesis iO2

“This iO2 is my audio interface of choice with which I've recorded all my projects. I'm thinking of upgrading soon as I'm about to add some gear to enhance the sound quality of my recordings.”

Sennheiser headphones

“My all time favourite headphones to record and produce. A true classic that suits my needs.”

Sennheiser MK4 microphone

“I'm a Sennheiser fan and this MK4 is no exception. It's great when it comes to my vocal sessions. Of course there's always better, but it works for me and I know how tweak what comes out of it.”

Harman Kardon earplugs

“These small earplugs from Harman Kardon are my most reliable monitoring source when I want to know what my mix will sound like when finished. Don't underestimate them because of their size.”

Backpack

“TUMI is my go-to bag brand for my travels. I have been using this bad boy as my portable studio bag around the globe for 4 years now, and I've never had an issue.”

Akai MPK mini

“My best friend when travelling. It allows me to lay down all my ideas on the go - it's very efficient and complete.”