Spotlight

Spotlight - Caught In Joy

Discover Caught In Joy, the project of Karol Pokojowczyk, blending Berlin School, Dark Ambient, and electronica in improvisational live performances inspired by classic video games and a lifetime of musical exploration.

Read More

What is your name?

Karol Pokojowczyk

Where are you located?

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

What is your artist's name?

Caught In Joy

How long have you been writing music?

30+ years. I started writing music when I was 14 with early trackers on Commodore 64, then IBM Xt, and then with bands. I moved from my hometown Bydgoszcz, Poland to Warsaw; then I was partially living in Germany, then London, South East Asia, Malta and finally Los Angeles and now Miami/Fort Lauderdale. All this time I was writing or recording new songs.

What inspired you to start playing and making music?

I inherited a deep appreciation for "good music," synthesizers, modular instruments, and classic rock from my father, who was a Polish chess grandmaster. I enjoy merging the realms of mathematics and improvisation to create music and engage in sound design. Whether making music or simply having fun, these elements are central to my creative process.

How would you describe your style of music?

Good question! I'm asking around, and it is called progressive electronic music, somewhere between Berlin School, Dark Ambient, and electronica, but I do add guitars sometimes.

How is your personality reflected in your work?

I live in the moment. Almost all the music I released recently is 100% improvisation and instant recordings to a multi-track. I'm a happy guy with a happy family, but like we all had some not-so-happy moments, and am sure it's all reflected in my music.

Describe your creative process when you write new music.

I do Berlin School dawless live performances with Moog, Prophet-10, and modular synths going through an array of guitar pedals. It transports me to a new world of electronic music I can't find anymore. I usually spend an hour mixing the whole album and drop at least one album a month. This year, I have released 17 albums so far.

What is the name of your latest releases?

Another World

What was the inspiration for that release?

The game under the same title. I love revisiting my childhood, when I often played this and other games. Now I share this love with my son, and he's crushing it in Fortnite, Roblox and we play Call Of Duty or some vintage games like Donkey Kong or Impossible Mission together.

Can you tell us any "behind the scenes" stories about writing or producing this release?

I discovered that using reamp boxes for synths going through an array of guitar pedals makes everything sound better. I also use a lot of pro-graded equipment from my decommissioned studio in Los Angeles, CA, which makes everything sound better.

What do you do to promote your music?

Getmusic.fm, Instagram, Youtube long-form live performances like this one. I also post performances on Reddit, Facebook, and some forums sometimes.

What are you currently working on?

Just another release :)

How can folks get in contact with you?

https://caughtinjoy.bandcamp.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@CaughtInJoy https://www.instagram.com/caught_in_joy/ https://www.caughtinjoy.com/ https://www.facebook.com/caughtinjoyrocks

Caught In Joy
Echoes Through Time - The Best Of

intimate / analog synthesizers / instrumental / electronica / ambient

"A journey through some of my most cherished tracks from past albums + exclusive, unreleased track from my upcoming album Neptune"

Caught In Joy
Jupiter

analog synthesizers / dawless / groove / space / berlin school / electronica

"Groovy space electronica hand-crafted live with analog synthesizers"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Out Of Nowhere

space dnb / space electronica / analog synthesizers / berlin school

"Space drum 'n' bass meets analog synthesizers meet dawless Berlin School"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Ambient Me Tomorrow

analog synthesizer / intimate / moog / ambient

"Ambient me tomorrow is the most intimate, peaceful and atmospheric album I’ve ever created and hand-played using Moog One."

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Saturn

space music / berlin school / electronic / ambient

"driven by groovy beats and the smooth, dreamy sounds of modular and Moog synthesizers"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Joystick jams

modular / pink floyd / analog / synth / progressive / moog / dungeon synth / berlin school / instrumental / electronica

"music hand-played with analog synthesizers and baritone guitars."

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Mars

70s / prog / berlin school

"a true headphone orgasm"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Voyager

electronic music / berlin school / chillwave / ambient

"inspired by the astral discoveries thanks to all Apollo and Voyager missions"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Prophet lullabies

synthesizers / electronic music / dark ambient

"adrift in a sea of uncertainty"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Thank You, Ocean (2CD)

analog synths / berlin school / electronica

"my love letter to the ocean"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Analog Cosmos Live

moog / instrumental / dark ambient / experimental

"For Pink Floyd fans, analog synth lovers or you just like what I do"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Astral Arcadia

berlin school / electronica / dark ambient / experimental

"a little bit like ambient magic"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Planets

berlin school / electronica

"pure improvisations with hardware synthesizers played dawlessly"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Shine On, Summer Seekers

analog synths / guitar solos / pink floyd / electronica

"a groovy trip through sun-kissed melodies"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
E7​-​E5

krautrock / electronic music

"an a hour-long improvisation"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Marbles

berlin school / ambient

"a mesmerizing musical adventure"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
me

gratitude / retrospective / synthesizers / calm / ambient

"timeless and eternally special"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Sunlight

moog / electronic music / berlin school / instrumental

"ambient hypnotic electronica"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Love notes from beyond

moog / berlin school / chillwave

"mesmerizing hypnotic electronica"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
La Chica De La Playa

hypnotic ambient / electronic music / berlin school

"inspired by all the people who cherish the coastal life"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Chariots

minimal techno / moog / new wave / berlin school / dark ambient / electronic

"Paying homage to the electronic and progressive rock composers"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Another World

minimal techno / moog / new wave / berlin school / dark ambient / electronic

"Berlin School live performances"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Under The Sanguine Sky

minimal techno / moog / new wave / berlin school / dark ambient / electronic

"Modular synthesis and dark ambient electronica"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Peaceful Days Echoes

minimal techno / moog / new wave / berlin school / dark ambient / electronic

"Vibrant synth melodies and analog magic"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Zooiami

minimal techno / moog / new wave / berlin school / dark ambient / electronic

"Raw and captivating Moog synth experience."

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
shhUDDER

minimal techno / moog / new wave / berlin school / dark ambient / electronic

"Perfect for NIN, Quake or Moog synths fans."

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Analog cosmos II

minimal techno / moog / new wave / berlin school / dark ambient / electronic

"Live played with Moogs and guitar pedals."

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Analog cosmos

minimal techno / moog / new wave / berlin school / dark ambient / electronic

"Minimal techno with Eurorack and Moog"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
Enchanted Nostalgia

minimal techno / moog / new wave / berlin school / dark ambient / electronic

"Hardware synths that scream the 80s and early 90s"

0 codes remaining

Caught In Joy
The Energy LP

minimal techno / moog / new wave / berlin school / dark ambient / electronic

"minimal melodic post-industrial techno"

0 codes remaining