Greetings music freaks, Shambhala enthusiasts and people who are neither of those but have found themselves reading this column.
This month's Yan Zombie Presents is a collaboration with my good friend B-Ron and AreaOne Events. This Friday we're excited to welcome personal favourites and Living Room stage alumni Daega Sound from the Lighta! Crew in Vancouver.
Daega Sound have their own unique take on creating dubstep and dance music. Driven by their lifelong love of music, they are steadily laying a foundation of releases and performances gaining national and international acclaim in the ever-evolving bass music scene.
Their sound is polished and sophisticated, with a dubbed out quality and heavy emphasis on sub bass. Intricate syncopated drum rhythms laced with unforgettable melodies sit on top of layers of ethereal soundscapes, creating an unmistakable atmosphere. Their high energy sets have a distinct techno quality meshed with a “classic” dubstep sound, ranging from banging drum machine driven rhythms to massive halftime hitters to rich evocative and soulful tunes.
Being brothers and somehow seeming to know what each other are thinking, they each man a deck and relentlessly bang out the tunes in long curving mixes or crazy stop cuts, drawing from over a decade of djing techno and DnB.
They were nice enough to endure my interrogation for your enjoyment:
Yan Zombie: What can you tell me about your process while writing tracks? What sparks a song idea?
Daega Sound: It totally ranges depending on mood and timing but some thing are always fundamental. Getting in the zone, dimming the lights, make sure you're supplied with hot drinks and free of distractions. Always be ready, — if and when an idea turns up — ready to record. Many things may spark a song, sometimes it comes to you when you're walking through the woods, our on the water, in the city, reading a book, other times it can come from experimenting with some new technique, or simply a good feeling rhythmn.
YZ: What's your favourite piece of gear?
DS: Access Virus C.
YZ: Where's the dodgiest place you've ever stayed on tour?
DS: Sleepling on the tube into London after flying in from Montreal. Also in the hotel above the Jungle Room...and there was two benches at a bus stop in there too.
YZ: What can we expect from upcoming Daega Sound releases?
DS: More LP's in the fall, a few more digital singles/EP's under way, our first full length and some top secret stuff!
Tickets are only $10 at the door come early to catch myself and B-ron. Respect!
Yan Zombie is a Nelson-based electronic music producer and promotor. His events run monthly at Spirtbar. Follow him on twitter @yanzombiemusic.