Berlin-based Dutch DJ and producer Nadia Struiwigh introduces “Kokoro,” the first single from her upcoming album ‘IKIGAI,’ arriving in 2026 via her imprint Distorted Waves. Known for propulsive techno, Struiwigh shifts into intimate ambient and electronica terrain. “Kokoro,” meaning heart or spirit, signals a deeply personal chapter shaped by grief and reflection.
Created entirely on hardware in her Berlin apartment near Hermannplatz following her father’s passing, the album draws from circuits, signals and blinking lights that once connected them. “IKIGAI was born in the quiet space between grief and remembrance,” she explains. “Every sound, every sequence, every texture carries his fingerprint.”
“The name IKIGAI found me when I was at a crossroads,” she says. “Why am I still here? What am I still creating for?” Built using Japanese gear including Yamaha, KORG and Roland machines, the record weaves synthesized textures with field recordings from daily life, including her sister’s laughter, forming an intimate sonic tapestry.
“I built in silence and let the machines cry for me,” Struiwigh shares. With “Kokoro,” she channels memory into sound, opening a new era defined by atmosphere, vulnerability and electronic storytelling rooted in love and loss.