Still landing from a few weeks away in the Karoo Desert being part of this magical tribe of Pangea. This year had the privilege to perform at Panthalassa, an amazing new stage design built by the Red Telephone Kollektiv. Panthalassa was the name of the ocean in the times that Pangea was the supercontinent - and with this years theme being ‘Whispers of the Deep’ I wanted to channel a set that journeys deep into the depths of the waters of our subconscious. Incorporating live biofeedback from water into my synths was an exciting new challenge - navigated some technical difficulties but ended up getting some nice sounds from it.

This soundscape was inspired by the past few months traveling through Europe - being exposed to music at festivals like Waking Life and Boom Festival’s Gardens Stage.

I wanted to bring that essence home - the feeling of unity, expansion, and surrender that those spaces evoked for me and translate it through my own story. The result was a faster, more hypnotic live journey that pushed me to explore new territory while still holding onto the emotional threads that I aim to incorporate into my sound.

The set featured some new tracks with artists who’ve deeply inspired me - Arutani, Jedidiah, Status Zero and Aaron Zeederberg - so grateful to collaborate with them.

The aim was to curate something both intimate and infinite - a reminder of how these shared creations can open portals beyond language.

Track List:
01 SHMIKESSS - Immersion
02 SHMIKESSS - Transience
03 SHMIKESSS - Blast of Love 
04 SHMIKESSS & Status Zero - Timelines
05 SHMIKESSS - Panthalassa
06 SHMIKESSS - Ripples 
07 SHMIKESSS - Embodiment
08 SHMIKESSS - Emergence
09 SHMIKESSS - Whispers of the Deep
10 SHMIKESSS & Jedidiah - ID
11 SHMIKESSS, Arutani & Aaron Zeederberg - Tectonic
12 SHMIKESSS - Only One (Coherence)
13 SHMIKESSS - Spiritual Technologies
14 Malaika - Destiny (SHMIKESSS Remix)

Photo: lensoflouis

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SHMIKESSS (Live) - Pangea (Whispers of the Deep) 2025 - Panthalassa

Michael "SHMIKESSS" Veltman is a Cape Town–based cinematographer, DJ, live performer, and producer whose sophisticated sound creates immersive narratives. Drawing from themes of collective consciousness, his sound blends dub, melodic, atmospheric, and psychedelic textures with progressive house, minimal, and deep techno.

As co-founder of Tomorrow's Monday Records (@tmrwsmdy), one half of @thelostboysza duo and creative director and curator of @pandorafestival , SHMIKESSS is building a community that bridges Cape Town’s underground with a global network - hosting transformative events and fusing music with cinema, photography, and visual art.

His rapid rise has already seen releases on Berlin’s iconic Katermukke and its sister label MUKKE, alongside South African imprints Back To Funk and Imprint, as well as his own Tomorrow’s Monday. With a growing catalogue of unreleased tracks tested exclusively in his live sets, SHMIKESSS is gearing up for multiple EPs and an album on the horizon.

Known for boundary-pushing performances, SHMIKESSS weaves storytelling, deep emotional resonance, and unconventional methods into his sets - including his innovative use of mushrooms to trigger sound through wired biofeedback frequency. 

Bookings and collaborations: 
International: kb@sanctuarysessions.co (Katie)
South Africa: michaelsveltman@gmail.com

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Roch.

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Luc De Villiers