Dor Danino: inside the rise of a new-school selector bridging disco, psychedelia and house energy
Photography: OGP (Omer Gueta)
A new chapter is unfolding with the launch of Secret Weapon, a label built entirely around edits. Conceived as a space for both personal reinterpretations and contributions from a tight circle of artists, the project signals a clear intent: reclaiming familiar records and reshaping them for modern dancefloors. Its first release, a collaboration with Uza on ‘Don’t Turn It Off’ featuring Qzen, set the tone with a balance of groove, nostalgia and forward-facing energy.
Momentum is already building. A forthcoming edit with Nevos of ‘Want You In My Soul’ by Lovebirds featuring Stee Downes is generating early global attention, positioning itself as one of the most anticipated drops on the label so far. Alongside this, an upcoming EP on Terms & Conditions Records, run by Tom & Collins, will showcase two tracks, one solo and another alongside Itayga. Another contribution is also lined up for a future VA on Collecting Dots, further expanding his presence across key underground platforms.
On the touring front, the past year has been marked by defining moments. A standout appearance at Universo Paralello carried particular weight. Invited as a house artist to perform at a long-established trance festival, the booking reflected both versatility and a widening artistic reach. From there, Ibiza followed, with a set at elrow within UNVRS, placing him within one of the island’s most recognizable party circuits.
Further afield, South Africa’s Meidum Festival offered a different kind of connection, one defined by crowd energy and atmosphere. Performances in Cape Town and Tulum with Collecting Dots deepened that relationship, reinforcing a sense of community that now runs parallel to his growing international trajectory. With a full calendar ahead, more global appearances remain under wraps, hinting at a year still in expansion.
Collaboration has become a central thread in his recent output. Studio sessions with vocalists such as IRO, alongside Omri, reflect a shift toward more melodic and vocal-driven material. At the same time, work with artists like Michel continues to push his sonic palette, grounded in a blend of disco, funk and psychedelia, layered with house and indie influences. The result is a sound that leans consistently toward uplift, driven by groove but anchored in emotional lift.
That sensibility traces back to an unusually early start. Beginning to DJ around the age of ten, his path into music was immediate and singular. While others explored different interests, his focus remained fixed, shaped by hours spent watching festival broadcasts and absorbing the scale of artists like Armin van Buuren. Early exposure to trance and club music left a lasting imprint, one that still echoes in the structure and emotional arcs of his productions today.
Production followed shortly after. By twelve, he was already experimenting with software, learning through repetition, tutorials and instinct. Over time, that self-taught foundation was reinforced with formal study and instrumental training, including piano and guitar. What emerged was not just technical ability, but a disciplined, long-term approach to craft.
Now, with a label underway, a growing catalog of collaborations, and an expanding global footprint, the trajectory feels less like a breakthrough moment and more like the continuation of something set in motion years ago. A steady build, shaped by clarity of purpose and a sound that refuses to stay in one place.
Secret Weapon sits at the center of that evolution. “Secret Weapon is definitely more than just a label. I’ve always been very connected to remixes and edits, it’s a space where I feel the most comfortable, taking an existing track and giving it a new interpretation. One of my most recognized tracks actually started this way almost seven years ago.” The intention behind the platform is direct. “Secret Weapon is built for the DJ community. The whole idea is to take the music and make it accessible for free, purely to spread high quality edits into the world and to the dance floor without any commercial intentions.”
That relationship with existing material extends into how he approaches reinterpretation. “I approach any project with a great respect for the music I’m working on, I always try to keep a strong connection to the original, so people can recognize the track they’re hearing.” The balance is instinctive rather than calculated. “At the end of the day, whether you’ve changed a lot or just a little, you’re still creating your own version, but it’s always rooted in the original. With Secret Weapon, I truly believe that without the artists who created the original music, there wouldn’t be a future for these edits.”
Across the past year, that philosophy has been tested in radically different environments. Moving between large-scale festivals and tightly controlled club spaces has demanded constant recalibration. “This past year has been full of shows all around the world. Moving between a festival like Universo Paralello, one of the biggest in Brazil with around 20,000 people, onto a high end club like UNVRS in Ibiza creates a wide range where I get to meet and engage with different types of audience and play on very different dancefloors.” Adaptation becomes part of the process. “On each dance floor, I needed to adapt my set to the energy of the place, and that’s what really pushes you to grow. It builds a wider range that I then bring into both my DJ sets and my productions.”
Certain moments, however, remain fixed. “One dancefloor I really remember was recently in South Africa. I felt like I was truly bringing something different, and that my music was reaching people on a completely different level.” The connection was immediate and collective. “In that moment, I could really feel the connection, the crowd was flowing with me and it felt like we were all on the same journey together.” Ibiza, in contrast, left a different kind of imprint. “I think that playing in Ibiza and experiencing the Island and his vibe gave me an urge to work on a new type of sound and production that everyone could soon hear from me.”
In the studio, collaboration now acts as both catalyst and disruption. “I’m always looking to work either with people I genuinely connect with, where the inspiration just flows naturally, or with people who open my mind and bring something fresh and new.” Vocalists in particular have shifted the dynamic. “I really enjoy working with new vocalists and hearing what each person brings. It’s always an interesting combination.” The process is not without tension. “Working with others can be challenging, because both sides want to express themselves, but to me that’s the beauty of it. That’s what creates truly interesting collaborations.”
Despite the range of influences running through his work, there is a clear internal filter guiding decisions. “I mainly try to stay true to what I genuinely love to create. That’s exactly what I enjoy the most, taking a bit from each influence and turning it into something completely new.” The final test remains personal. “At the end of every track I make, I always ask myself if I would dance to it, and whether it makes me feel the emotions I was trying to express.” What emerges is consistent in intent. “In the end, I want to create music that feels uplifting, makes people move, and allows them to feel something through it. That’s what ties everything together.”
That clarity traces back to the beginning. “I think knowing exactly what I wanted to do from such a young age really helped me avoid a lot of the confusion that comes with being young.” Focus becomes structure. “It allowed me to stay focused on something I truly love, not just as a hobby but as a real path.” As the scale grows, the approach remains unchanged. “In this profession consistency is the key. I think it’s very important to stay focused, keep working on your own path, and truly believe in what you’re doing.” The outlook is direct, almost matter-of-fact. “At the end of the day, I believe I’ll reach every place I imagine. I’m very happy to see my career growing, and there are still many goals and places I’m excited to play at. I believe it’s all going to happen very soon.”
What sits ahead is not framed as arrival, but continuation. The same instinct that shaped those early hours behind a screen now extends outward, across labels, dancefloors and collaborations, carrying a sound that remains in motion.
