Zero competition

A trio of local beat producers is pooling resources to create a community space for fellow music creators.

“Music is deeply personal and perfectionism can strangle the life out of what you are capable of and prevent others from ever hearing your music,” says Sensori Collective cofounder Phil Sergi (aka Five05).

“Having a community where you are free to express your creativity and share ideas with others builds confidence and opens your eyes to what is possible. Also, having a community where everyone is open and sharing knowledge benefits the community as a whole, and everyone involved progresses at a much more rapid pace.”

It is in this spirit that Sergi and Sensori cofounders Erich Olsen (Envision) and Mike Costanza (DJ Costanza) are raising funds for a volunteer-run, membership-supported center in Barrio Logan, Golden Hill, North Park, or University Heights where musicians will have access to gear, records, sampling stations, and like-minded artists.

The concept was inspired by a monthly meet-up at Kava Lounge called “Family Matters” (now defunct with the recent change of ownership and departure of manager Mateo Silva), where an eclectic, close-knit crew of producers and beatmakers come together to showcase what they’ve been working on, test their mixes on Kava’s sound system, and receive feedback from peers.

“It is an amazingly inspiring night and the community is like nothing I had ever experienced before,” Sergi says.

“The amount of support and genuine interest from others is incredible and there is zero competition. Being able to express myself in this kind of environment changed the game for me, [and] it had me realize what was possible with my music. Sensori Collective is an extension of this concept.”

The collective will also function as an academy, somewhat like DubSpot in New York City.

“We do plan to host lessons, tutorials, and talks, but it will be more community-focused, where the members are the teachers as well as the students. Everybody sharing knowledge,” Sergi says.

“I want Sensori Collective to act as a foundation for the community and to show others how much further we can take this if we all work together.”