RELEASE INTERVIEW – IK86 – Zone Magazine – Issue 049 –

Words By Kali

IK86 — Life As It Is: a candid return from WD2N roots to a warmer, club-ready self 

After years moving between monikers — from Ifan Kovny to the duo WD2N with Yuri Lima, plus side aliases Yellow Page and Zumbador — IK86 resurfaces with Life As It Is, a track that trades bravado for radical honesty. It’s the sound of an artist rebuilding instinct first: warmer harmonics, patient grooves, and a low-lit intensity that still lands squarely on the dance floor. No grand rollout, no trend-chasing — just a producer returning when there’s something worth saying. In this interview for Zone Magazine, IK86 unpacks the break, the rebirth, and how acceptance—of time, change and mess—became a bassline you can actually feel. 

“Life As It Is” feels like a deeply personal release — honest, unfiltered, and emotionally grounded. What was the main inspiration behind this track? 

The essence of this track is that it’s a truly personal release. The inspiration came from a turbulent year, moments and events you simply can’t control, no matter how much you’d like to. It’s like the sea: sometimes calm as glass, other times a raging force that can move walls. I tried to translate that emotional tide into sound “because in the end, life is just Life As It Is”.  

You’ve been part of the electronic scene for quite some time, from your early days with WD2N to solo projects like Ifan Kovny, Yellow Page, and Zumbador. How have these different identities shaped the sound of IK86 today? 

The real beginning was my solo project Ifan Kovny that’s where everything truly started. Later came WD2N, a duo with the incredibly talented composer Yuri Lima, which really opened my eyes to the deeper side of electronic music. That collaboration pushed me to explore new textures and emotions, and it eventually led to the creation of my current identity IK86. 

After taking a break from music, you decided to return under your own name. Was there a specific moment that made you realize it was time to come back? 

That feeling never really went away, I kept missing that space where I could pour my emotions into sound. Once I accepted that I don’t have to follow the trends or stick to a release plan, I knew it was time to come back. Now I only create music that carries a real story — something that will become a memory for me years from now. 

Your new sound feels warmer and more introspective, yet still connected to the dancefloor. How do you find the balance between emotional depth and club energy? 

Hmmm, I think it really depends on the listener whether they feel it or not. I don’t really chase that balance; I just create by feeling. If the track lands in that perfect middle ground, great and if not, well, I probably missed the shot.  

The title “Life As It Is” suggests acceptance — of time, change, and imperfection. Do you see this project as part of a broader personal transformation? 

You could say that. It’s about accepting things as they come the changes, the chaos, and even the silence in between. I’ve stopped trying to shape everything into perfection and just let it flow. In a way, Life As It Is reflects that shift not only in my music, but also in how I see and live life itself. 

Looking ahead, what kind of collaborations or sounds would you like to explore next with IK86? And is there any chance we’ll hear a nod to your WD2N roots again? 

I’m always open to collaborations that feel meaningful especially those with a real story behind them. Lately, I’ve been drawn to deep electronic sounds, but I try not to put myself into any specific box. You can already hear some echoes of the WD2N era in my recent work, though it might be a bit early to talk about any collaborations just yet.