ORIGINS When did you start DJing? I first got exposed to DJing in 2009. I wasn't a DJ then, but growing up in the Okanagan, I was a Heavy metal kid who was starting to broaden my taste in music. I started discovering electronica, electro house, and some Drum N Bass, although I didn't really understand it at the time and was not fully sure if I liked it yet. In 2009, I moved back to the West Coast to my hometown, Powell River, and really got exposed to the scene. Still not fu

Origins & Formation Tell us the Dastardly Kids origin story. How did this project come together? -DK started 2008 in Ypsilanti, MI. Pat & Sonny met in HS gym class bonding over art and hip hop. The ghetto tech wave comes from the childhood love we each had for the music, hearing elder cousins and uncles bumping DJ Godfather and Assault. The new project is our take on the genre. Santana joined us a few years ago and fits right in with the eclectic vibes. When did each of you s

Jim Johnston was never meant to be visible. For more than three decades, he worked behind the scenes of one of the loudest entertainment machines on the planet, composing music heard by millions while remaining largely anonymous outside wrestling’s inner orbit. From 1985 to 2017, Johnston served as WWE’s in-house composer, producing thousands of pieces of music that would come to define not just performers, but eras. He didn’t arrive through the wrestling world. Johnston’s ea

This is satire It was supposed to be a perfect weekend. The festival was “sold out” (capacity adjusted). The lineup was “curated” (agents answered emails). The crowd was “community” (everyone wore the same sunglasses). Then someone died. Not metaphorically. Not spiritually. Actually died. On festival grounds. Somewhere between the VIP compost toilets and a branded hydration station. At first, no one knew what to do—which is impressive, considering everyone there claims to be

Origins Tell us about the name Girl Blunt. We fucking love it — and we love blunts. What’s the story? I’ve been active in music on and off for the past decade under a different moniker. When I first started djing I was using that name and realized it didn’t fit anymore. I happened to bring it up one day when I was hanging out with my friend Patrick, they immediately just blurted out Girl Blunt, I think it was the first name they said and it just clicked. The name, of course b

1. Vancouver’s Underground Is Forced to Orbit Bad Institutions In Montreal, underground talent grows in basements, co-ops, lofts, illegal warehouses — places that aren’t supposed to exist but do anyway. Entire micro-scenes form inside buildings held together by bad drywall and community spirit. Montreal rewards chaos. In Toronto, talent grows through density and pressure. A massive, diverse population forces cross-pollination: hip-hop nights bleed into drum & bass; techno kid

If you’ve been around the Vancouver underground, you’ve probably seen the name Subdidi floating across lineups, mixes, and much more. He’s a DJ, producer, and tattoo artist with a distinct sense of taste — the kind that connects dots most people don’t even see. From throwing down raw phonk mixes to inking clean, timeless pieces, he’s built a creative world that’s entirely his own. We sat down with Subdidi to talk Basscoast, tattooing, phonk, and what it’s like riding through

Safe as Fuck Interview: Beatmool I. Origins Let’s start with the name — “Beatmool.” It’s distinct. Kinda mysterious. What’s the story behind it? Where did it come from? The word first came to me while I was travelling in Croatia. I visited this beautiful rural area and was inspired to produce a track with an English translated name of the location “Greenfall.” My love of liquid drum & bass at the time helped me envision a new project dedicated to that atmospheric, liquid good

Every year, the city produces talent that should be global. Instead, most of it leaves. Not for weather or lifestyle, but because Vancouver structurally fails its own artists. Ambition is punished, creativity is mined for cheap labour, and culture is exported before it ever gets a chance to breathe. This isn’t a lament. It’s a map. From corporate creep to festival marketing absurdity, from the curator class of privileged amateurs to a talent pipeline that literally bleeds int

What happens when your favorite underground festivals start acting like rival corporations? For over a decade, two major festivals have...

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*BONUS: WE INCLUDED THE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK PLAYLIST AT THE BOTTOM VERY SAMPLEABLE. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — In an increasingly saturated...

We sat down with Soratora to talk about her journey from Port Coquitlam to Montreal’s late-night domes, the birth of DIY Rave, and her...

Back in the 6ix 1. You’ve moved back to Toronto after time on the West Coast—how’s the transition been, and has the change in...

On the Road & On the Airwaves Your set at The Lot Radio recently made serious waves — can you walk us through what that moment meant for...

LOS GATOS, CA — Netflix’s newest original series, Coastal Tension , is earning rave reviews this week from critics and viewers alike —...

In a bold step forward for experiential suffering , organizers of DustDrop Festival 2025 announced a new “ Ascension+ Tier ” — a...

SAF Soundclash 2025 🕘 9:00 PM – 2:00 AM 📍 🎙 Secret Opener • Decibel Meter Battles • All-Crew B2B Madness 🕘 9:00 – 9:25 PM — SECRET...

The Beginning What pulled you into DJing? Was there a defining moment, or did it happen more slowly over time? Both of my parents are...

This is satire VANCOUVER, BC — Local drum and bass enthusiast Ryan “NeuroRyan” Fisher once again found himself in a state of existential crisis this weekend after failing, for the hundredth time, to correctly differentiate between UK drum and bass legend Marcus Intalex and Toronto jungle icon Marcus Visionary —though he remains “pretty sure” one of them is dead. “I think I accidentally mourned the wrong guy,” muttered Fisher, gripping his drink. “What if I meet him and say,