Collaboration, Chaos, and Club Heat: Only Fire on the Birth of SEX DEMON

There is nothing subtle about a title like SEX DEMON, and Only Fire would not want it any other way. The Croatian-born, Berlin-based producer has built a reputation for channeling the raw pulse of queer club culture into tracks that are as raunchy as they are addictive. With his new EP, he embraces collaboration like never before, bringing together artists he admires to push his sound into fresh and unpredictable directions. Lead single HUNNY with Deto Black delivers glossy heat that recalls his club anthems, while the follow-up DUMB featuring Cortisa Star dives into darker territory, merging Brazilian funk influences with gritty queer-club energy. Across the project, Only Fire’s obsession with horror, sexuality and sonic possession reaches its boldest form, culminating in the demonic title track. SEX DEMON is an invitation to feel hot, dance harder and lose yourself in the fire. Dive into our interview below.

What does it mean to you to release SEX DEMON, starting specifically with “HUNNY”?

It feels very fulfilling to finally release this EP, as it’s my most collaborative and versatile project yet. I’m happy I was able to collaborate with all these artists on it whose music I love. “HUNNY” with Deto Black definitely felt like the best and most accessible lead single choice, as I feel like it’s very reminiscent of my other club bops like “ASMR” and “Yoga.”

Why did you choose “DUMB” as the second single from the EP, and what does it express — musically and in terms of message?

For the second single, I wanted to release something that feels like a complete 180 from “HUNNY,” and “DUMB” was the perfect option for it with its gritty and darker club sound.

What are the main themes running through “DUMB”? There’s irony, provocation, play with identity… what do you most want to bring out?

The main theme is just boys being dumb and not knowing how to please you. I feel like everyone’s had this experience with someone who’s really hot, but then just doesn’t really give in bed.

The track has Brazilian funk influences and queer-club sounds: how did you work to merge these worlds?

I discovered Brazilian funk a few years ago and thought it sounded so wild and different from anything I’ve ever heard. So I’ve been wanting to play around with it and make a song influenced by that sound for a while now.

⁠The title of the EP, SEX DEMON, is bold and full of associations: what does it represent for you?

I’ve always been a big horror fan and I think it’s cool to incorporate these dark aesthetics in my music. The title SEX DEMON came from the last track on the EP, which I wrote with the help of my bestie Kyle. I decided to name the EP off of it because that title made the most sense with all the sexual themes and the insatiability of the main character, especially in the first and the last song of the EP. The track alone is definitely the raunchiest one on the EP – it plays with a lot of religious themes, and it’s my first time experimenting and playing with Siri vocals to make them sound demonic.

How much does queer club culture influence your writing and your aesthetic? Do you feel part of a specific scene, or do you use it more as an expressive language?

It influences it a lot. I would say my way of hearing and making music has definitely changed a lot since I started travelling and experiencing club culture all around the world. I never used to go out when I used to live in Croatia, so when I started producing music I wasn’t that focused on how it would sound in a club. But now, every time I work on a track, the first thing I’m thinking in my head is how it will sound when played in a club. And I don’t really feel part of any specific scene, I feel like anyone who likes fun and being hot could appreciate my music and DJ sets.

How did your collaboration with Cortisa Star come about, and what did she bring to the track “DUMB”?

I discovered Cortisa through her From The Block performance that started going viral on Twitter and immediately loved her sound – it’s so innovative and refreshing, and no one else sounds like her. So I reached out about collaborating and sent her a few songs. She picked “DUMB” and sent back her verse, which elevated the song so much.

Was there a moment in the making of the EP that you feel was particularly emblematic of your artistic growth?

I don’t think there was a particular one moment that felt like that, but the whole experience in general felt way different from what I’m used to when making music. The collaborative aspect of the EP definitely felt like artistic growth to me, as I’m not that used to collaborating with other artists and usually do everything myself, from the production to the lyrics.

What reactions do you hope the audience will have when listening to “DUMB” and then the entire SEX DEMON EP?

I hope it will make them feel hot, and of course make them wanna dance, which is the main reason I make music.

Do you define yourself more as a DJ or a producer? How do these two sides of you coexist in your path?

Definitely a producer first! I do love DJing as well, but me and music production go way back to my teen years, whereas I only started DJing a few years ago. These two sides coexist perfectly in my path, and my favourite part of it is getting to play my unreleased music in my sets and seeing the crowd's reaction to it.

What do you bring from the world of clubs, where you play as a DJ, into the tracks you create in the studio?

The kick and the bass. Those are the 2 main drivers of my songs, and I feel like with every club experience my taste for them gets better.

Was there a set or a live experience that directly inspired the creation of SEX DEMON?

There wasn’t any specific experience that directly inspired it, funnily enough the song “SEX DEMON” was actually the last song I made for the EP, and the idea for it came really randomly. I was just working on this weird beat when my friend Kyle came over and said how it sounds very hypnotic and that the song should have a chant in it like 'set me free’, plus a bunch of other sexual lyrics with religious themes. Then I made some of the vocals sound demonic and thought it would be fab to call the song “SEX DEMON” since the song sounds like a possession taking place in some parts. After making the song, I realized it also works perfectly as the title of the EP, when before that I had been struggling with what to call it – so I feel like that shows it all works out good in the end; even if you don’t have a specific plan yet, you just need to go with the flow and create whatever you feel like creating, and it will eventually work out.

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