In Conversation with Polymath Producer and DJ Ariel Zetina

Chicago-based producer, DJ and dramatic writer Ariel Zetina is a force to be reckoned with. In her music, she manipulates percussion, vocal repetition, and theatrics, taking inspiration from everything from techno to musical theatre to the worldwide queer club scene.

Speaking of the worldwide club scene, Zetina holds a residency at the legendary Smartbar in Chicago, and Carly Zeng’s party Dissident in Berlin, and has opened for huge names like Beyoncé, James Blake and Caroline Polachek.

Her work is deeply informed by her experience as a transgender woman of colour, growing up outside of Jacksonville, Florida, the history of Chicago house music, and the secret oral history of trans women in America.

Now based in Chicago, Zetina was named one of 2023’s Chicagoans of the year by the Chicago Tribune.

We sat down with her to talk about the influence of the 303 and 808 on her music, and why acid basslines still sound like the future.

Which classic sounds that were staples of the early dance scene are essential parts of your workflow today?

This is such a hard question, but I would have to say the Roland TB-303 because of its role in the creation of acid house. Great acid basslines still feel futuristic in 2026. Honourable mention to the percussion on the Roland TR-808!

How do you use the historic sounds of the 303 and 808 to bridge the gap between the original warehouse spirit and your own modern productions?

The 303 has such an organic texture that functions like a language – it’s more than just a collection of differently pitched noises. This acts as a portal to a time when the only way to synthesise electronic music was with hardware. I like to experiment with the sound of the 303 and the 808 to transport the listener to two (or more) places and time periods at once.

When using classic sounds, do you prefer to closely emulate how it was used in classic tracks of the 80s and 90s, or use those tracks as inspiration, while pushing the instrument to someplace new?

I like to push it someplace new! But with a caveat. I love thinking about how each element of a track could be played or programmed by a musician in real life. I think this grounds the sound in reality while letting it soar to new places.

With instruments moving from rare hardware to accessible software, how do you think this helps more diverse voices get involved in production?

I’m a huge fan of the accessibility of software, and I’m not a purist about hardware. Many of my favourite artists started producing on a computer.

Electronic music is valid whether it's made with physical or software synthesisers. Production exists on the border of live instruments and computer programming, which allows all kinds of people to become electronic musicians. I’m glad accessibility is becoming a bigger part of the conversation.

How are you using classic instrument sounds to push boundaries in your current tracks while still nodding to the queer electronic pioneers of the past?

I’ve always been a fan of how so many genres use 808 percussion, whether it’s Chicago and Detroit house, electroclash, or even hyperpop. I love playing with these already-created sounds and seeing if I can come up with something new.

I always find I create something new, while still commenting on the history of synthesis!