The mix is (almost) exclusively his own music, featuring collabs, edits, and originals with a ton of unreleased IDs. As for the interview, we dive into his journey as an artist, including his rebrand, the most important thing he has learned as an artist, what’s on the horizon for 2026, and much more.

Give us a preview of the mix. What should we expect when we press play?

I’ve got a ton of unreleased stuff from me and friends of mine, super excited for everyone to get a taste of what I’ve been working on these past few months.

Tell us about your journey as a producer. When did you start? How have you evolved over time?

I started making music when I was 11, currently 24 now. I made tons of mid-tempo and brostep stuff under the alias “DropDead” in my early days and have slowly just incorporated all of the music knowledge learned then to push this project further.

It’s always been about making the kid inside me happy, my 11-year-old self would have loved the stuff I’m doing now.

Scrolling through SoundCloud, it looks like you dropped a few tunes way back in 2018/2019 and then took about 5 years off. What prompted the time away? How did it impact your music?

I began working jobs and life got in the way of music production, I eventually decided to rebrand from “DropDead” to “FEEL SUITE” and take music a bit more seriously in terms of building a proper brand.

What drives you to create?

It’s always been about making the kid inside me happy, my 11-year-old self would have loved the stuff I’m doing now.

Don’t take criticism as a point of failure. People may not like everything you do as an artist, but overcoming that sets you apart from the rest.

What’s the most important learning or “aha” moment you’ve encountered in your production journey?

Don’t take criticism as a point of failure. People may not like everything you do as an artist, but overcoming that sets you apart from the rest.

What are the key ingredients to Feel Suite tune?

There’s always an underlying purpose or goal to every track I put out, I think that translates.

What brings you joy outside of music?

I’ve got a bunch of animals, 2 dogs and 2 cats they bring me more joy than anything!

What’s the last piece of art that truly impacted you? What made it resonate with you so strongly?

The most recent albums Skrillex has been dropping has been really influential on me, not just because of how great the production is, but because of how intentional it all feels.

Dropping a ton of music I’ve kept vaulted away for awhile, it’s going to be nice to share it all with the world!

What do you have planned for the rest of 2026?

Dropping a ton of music I’ve kept vaulted away for awhile, it’s going to be nice to share it all with the world!

Any final words for fans?

Thank each and every one of you for believing in this project and following the journey. I don’t plan to let my fans down any time soon, this is just the beginning.

FEEL SUITE FUXWITHIT Guest Mix Tracklist

FEEL SUITE x NARIEL – ID
FEEL SUITE – HAMMER TIME
FEEL SUITE x WAVHART – ID
FEEL SUITE x SMALLTALK – RUN THA BLOCK
FEEL SUITE x LUHV – SWERV
WRECKX-N-EFFECT – RUMP SHAKER (FEEL SUITE FLIP) VIP
WRECKX-N-EFFECT – RUMP SHAKER (FEEL SUITE FLIP)
FEEL SUITE x MYRIAS – ID
FOSSILS x NORTHSTVR – ID
JUSTIN BIEBER – GHOST (FEEL SUITE x RICO 56 FLIP)
FEEL SUITE – STOP MOTION
FEEL SUITE x SPITFYA – RUDESTAR
FEEL SUITE x RICO 56 – ID
ELVIS CRESPO – SUAVEMENTE (FEEL SUITE FLIP)
FEEL SUITE – RIDE WIT ME
FEEL SUITE x STABBY – ANGEL 099
FEEL SUITE – ID
FEEL SUITE – BIG BAD
FEEL SUITE x CHAMPAGNE DRIP – ID
FEEL SUITE x AEON GREYH – ID

The post FEEL SUITE – Guest Mix + Interview appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

To give fans a sneak peek of what’s in store and to get to know SLICK better, we connected with him for our latest guest mix + interview. The mix is jam-packed with exclusive edits, flips, mash-ups, and his upcoming collabs. As for the interview we dive into his musical journey, what makes a killer rework, moving from Montreal to Toronto, why Def Jam: Fight for NY is the greatest fighting video game of all time, and much more!

Tell us about the mix. What was your goal when putting it together? What should listeners expect when they press play?

I think this mix is a perfect representation of the music that inspires me every day. Most people that know me know I am a huge advocate for trap music, and you can expect a lot of that in this mix. I have been working really hard on music this past year, and I believe this mix also doubles as a showcase. I am very excited for the world to hear all my new stuff.

Take us through your music journey. What inspired you to start making music? How has your relationship with music changed over time?

I discovered EDM with one of my best friends back in 2014. It was mostly big room, but also the UKF Dubstep stuff. Ever since then, I wanted to start producing but never really knew where to start. I started off just DJ’ing for fun because I had no idea how to even start with production. Making cool transitions on the DJ controller inspired me to start making mashups, and I ended up starting them on Ableton around 2017, but started producing more around 2020. Ever since then, I have been trying my best to improve everyday. I think in terms of my relationship with music, the thing that has most drastically changed is that now I have a very hard time listening to music without my “producer ears”. I do miss just being a casual listener and not having to judge the snare every time I hear a song lol.

I can sit there for hours trying to create the perfect edit, but I try not to do that and instead just wait until I get an idea.

You’ve become well known for your remixes and edits. What’s the secret to crafting a killer rework?

I have been asked this question many times and have failed to come up with a concrete answer, but I will try my best. I wanna say that it’s just my ear and it is kind of hard to explain, but also I think I have been training it by listening to SO much music, all the time. I try to keep up with all the releases, mostly in the bass music realm (trap, dubstep, riddim, etc). I try to also stay in tune with all the most popular songs and naturally blend those two worlds. I can sit there for hours trying to create the perfect edit, but I try not to do that and instead just wait until I get an idea.

As an artist it is important to evolve and get out of your comfort zone, and push yourself to become better at your craft.

Are you planning to drop more originals in the near future, or do you prefer reworks?

I most certainly am! I have a few collabs coming out with some of my best friends, and I’m super stoked on them. I love collaborating and learning from those experiences, but I have some original solo tracks in the works. I am taking my time with them to get them to a point where I am truly satisfied. I obviously love reworks and will always keep doing them, but I think as an artist it is important to evolve and get out of your comfort zone, and push yourself to become better at your craft.

You’ve got some big collaborations lined up. Any details that you can share with us? How did some of the collaborations come to be?

I have a song with my brother Rickyxsan and the talented Pixuhl that I cannot wait to release. I am honored to be a part of that song. Ricky and I have been friends for a few years, and just like many others I used to always listen to his music 10+ years ago. He is one of the best humans I have ever met, and he has so much in store, and I don’t think the world is ready. I also have a Booyah remix with Scullion, out of Australia. He is one of the most talented producers out there for sure. The homie STUCA and I have also started a trap banger recently. You can hear all of those tracks in the mix!

You recently moved from Montreal to Toronto. How has the transition been? What’s one thing you love about Toronto and one you miss about Montreal?

The transition has been great! I spent my whole life in Montreal and definitely needed a fresh start. I moved in with one of my homies, and it has been awesome. I don’t really miss too much about Montreal aside from my family. What I like most about Toronto is that I am close to everything, practically living downtown. Excited for what the future holds!

Are there any plug-ins that are crucial to your sound and style? What makes them special?

I wouldn’t really say that there are many plugins (although I use endless smile for just about everything lol) that are crucial to my sound, but I do take a lot of pride in my drum selection. I always aim for really punchy drums that really shine through the mix!

Staying authentic and true to yourself will always give you better results in the long run. It may take more time for you to get where you want to be, but since there is nobody better than you at being you, why not put all your energy there?

What’s the most important realization you have had as an artist?

I want to say that even if it’s easy to follow trends and to be “cool”, staying authentic and true to yourself will always give you better results in the long run. It may take more time for you to get where you want to be, but since there is nobody better than you at being you, why not put all your energy there?

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not making music?

Music is a really big part of my life, but I do enjoy video games, spending time with my girlfriend, and cooking. I enjoy a really good sunset and just getting some fresh air. Spending so much time inside on my laptop has made me appreciate the outdoors a lot more.

Is Def Jam: Fight for NY the greatest fighting video game of all time?

Yes it is. And it’s not even close. I grew up playing that game, and I still do sometimes. I don’t think I’ve had that much fun playing a game ever, and the nostalgia and the fact that you can fight as your favorite rappers was so cool and unique!

I would love to start playing shows soon, now that I have more music to showcase.

Do you have any major goals for 2026?

I think my biggest goal this year is to release more original music. Also, I have had a lot of people ask me why I haven’t played any shows as SLICK yet, and truthfully I just haven’t really felt the need to, and also, being Canadian, I would need a visa to play in the US, and the process has not begun yet. I would love to start playing shows soon, now that I have more music to showcase. Maybe sometime this year or next year? We shall see!

Any final words for fans?

Honestly, the last few years have been overwhelming and awesome. I want to thank everybody who’s been bumping my music, my edits, and my mixes either at shows, in the car, or at the gym. When I started posting stuff on SoundCloud 7 years ago, I could have never imagined things would transpire the way they have. To everyone who’s been a supporter, whether it’s been years, months, or days, I thank you, and I need you all to know we are just getting started. I hope you all enjoy this mix, and I will start releasing a lot of stuff from it over the next few months!

SLICK FUXWITHIT Guest Mix Tracklist

1. showtek – booyah (slick & scullion rmx)*
w esdeekid – 4 raws (vox)
2. marshmello, space laces – bomb (drum edit)
3. lukav, droptopgundam – id*
w waka flocka flame – grove st party (vox)
4. cerdin – id*
w fred again – victory lap (vox)
5. ricky remedy – id*
6. virtual riot – reconnect (lodien & kat flip)
w la roux – bulletproof (vox)
7. dj snake – propaganda
w isoxo – nightrealm
w dev – bass down low (vox)
8. tisoki – id*
9. slick & kat – id*
10. fly – id*
11. rl grime, wink – allnighter
12. travis scott – no bystanders (juelz rmx)*
13. skrillex, isoxo – fuze (slick & iseeu rmx)
w avril lavigne – complicated (vox)
14. alexandra stan – mr saxobeat (butler & slick rmx)
15. rl grime – tell me (remk & slick rmx)*
w tame impala – the less i know the better (vox)
16. rickyxsan, slick, pixuhl – id*
17. viperactive, g-rex – id*
18. eptic, hol – malfunction (slick trap edit)*
19. kato – turn the lights off (ricky remedy rmx)
20. nadia ali, starkillers, alex Kenji – pressure (alesso rmx) (remk flip)*
21. dj snake, future, travis scott – tsunami (no signal rmx)
22. slick & noobody – make me feel (burial vip)*
23. stuca x slick – id*
24. september – cry for you (slick rmx)
25. moore kismet, arya – need2know
w calvin harris – you used to hold me (vox)
26. martin garrix, dua lipa – scared to be lonely (slick & gram rmx)
27. pitbull, ne-yo, afrojack – give me everything (remk rmx)
28. flux pavilion – bass cannon (lyny rmx) (slick flip)*
w sammy virji – damager (vox)
29. alice deejay – better off alone (barely alive rmx)
w timbaland, keri hilson – the way i are (vox)
30. knock2 – crank the bass, play the muzik (slick & luckky rmx)
31. lil uzi vert – 20 min (slick & saint miller rmx)
32. dabin, stephanie poetri – not enough (slick & 808gong rmx)
w halsey – without me (vox)
33. cascada – everytime we touch (slick & luckky rmx)*
34. jay hardway – electric elephants (lizdek & mistrrr rmx)*
w afrojack – no beef (vox)
35. robert miles – children (hex cougar & cab) (drum edit)
w coldplay – viva la vida (vox)
36. passion pit – sleepyhead (ricky remedy rmx)*

*unreleased

The post SLICK – Guest Mix + Interview appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

The mix features unreleased gems from vincebyvince plus tunes from TF Marz, Dilip, Samsin, Olswel, Blake Skowron, zotti, and more. In the interview, we discuss the influence Chicago has had on his sound, his production process, advice for artists, building a community of like-minded artists, words to live by, and more. Dive in below.

Take us through the mix that you put together. Where are we headed when we press play?

I wanted this mix to capture the essence of the vincebyvince project while exploring some of the newer sounds I’ve been into. It moves through different moods and textures, but everything is still intentional. The mix pulls from fresh ideas, things I’ve been bumping, tracks from homies, and a few classics I always come back to.

How long have you been making music? What has the journey been like?

I’ve been making music for a little over 10 years now, which honestly still feels wild to say. But it really started even earlier than that. Some of my earliest memories are of my parents playing music when I was really young. I started taking guitar lessons at 8 and immediately fell in love with learning and playing. A few years later, around 2010, I went down a YouTube rabbit hole that completely changed everything. It was a dubstep remix of ‘Please Mr. Postman,’ and from there I just kept digging deeper into electronic music. I started DJing in middle and high school, playing at parties and any other random times I could. In 2015, I downloaded Ableton and started doing very basic stuff, but I was honestly overwhelmed by it. I even put out a track under a previous alias around that time that’s still floating around somewhere. It wasn’t until after high school that I really decided to take things seriously. I started spending hours in Ableton, and slowly things began to click. Around 2018, I started the vincebyvince project, and from then until now, it’s been a lot of ups and downs, but it’s the only thing that’s ever really felt right to me.

Music is truly in Chicago’s DNA. The city showed me that it’s okay for things to be a little all over the place, as long as it feels honest.

Has Chicago influenced your sound as an artist? If so, in what ways?

I 100% think Chicago has influenced my sound. I grew up just outside the city, but I was always tapped into what was happening. Being surrounded by a melting pot of sounds and cultures made it feel natural to pull from everything: alt-rock, punk, hip hop, electronic music, and jazz. I remember being shown Chief Keef for the first time in my 7th grade Spanish class. That was unironically my introduction to rap, and I had never heard beats hit that hard in my life. I’ve always been a student of different scenes, and that’s a big reason my sound is so varied and why I’ve never felt the need to stay in one lane. Music is truly in Chicago’s DNA. The city showed me that it’s okay for things to be a little all over the place, as long as it feels honest.

What does your production process look like? How do you go about bringing a song to life?

My production process is pretty spontaneous and has a lot to do with how I’m feeling in the moment. I rarely start ideas the same way twice. Sometimes I’ll start messing with drum elements or a specific sound that grabs me. I have a lot of fun working with different textures too. Some days my only focus is sound design, just building up my personal stash to pull from later. Once I have some material to work with, I’ll start to fool around and throw as many ideas at the wall as I can. At this point, I usually have too much going on in my projects. Then I’ll try to get a rough arrangement down and start stripping different elements back. It’s in these moments that I feel like the track really starts to breathe and come to life.

Listen to as much different music as possible, go to local shows, and surround yourself with other creatives. Never be afraid to ask questions, you’ll surprise yourself!

Do you have any advice for new producers who are looking to level up their music?

Something I always tell people is to be in your DAW every day. It doesn’t matter if it’s 15 minutes or 3 hours, consistency really goes a long way. Get familiar with the basic tools in whatever you’re working in. You don’t need fancy plugins, for the most part, everything you need is already there. Listen to as much different music as possible, go to local shows, and surround yourself with other creatives. Never be afraid to ask questions, you’ll surprise yourself!

It seems like you have a dope community of like-minded producers in palpa, ell1psis, ethanplus, samsin, and more. How did you all connect?

I’m really grateful to have found such an inspiring community of artists from all around the world through the years. I first connected with most of these people on SoundCloud or Discord. For a lot of them, it started with me being a fan of their work. Most of my close homies nowadays are people I met through these platforms, and I’ve even realized that a lot of them were in the Chicago area. I’ve also met some people I’d known online for years at shows and events, which is always a really cool experience.

What are your go-to Plug-ins/VSTs?

Honestly, loads of stock Ableton stuff. If you know me, you know how much I lean on Operator and Serum. They’re really my bread and butter synths. The Glue Compressor is a beast, and I’ve been having a lot of fun with the newer stock plug-in Roar for distortion. I’ve also been revisiting Massive, which was the first synth I ever used when I started producing. When I’m working on vocals, I still reach for Waves plug-ins pretty consistently.

I’ve had the statement, “You either quit or keep going, they both hurt,” posted on my wall for years now. It’s something that’s been near and dear to me. Another one is something Mr. Carmack said ages ago, “Make music like no one’s listening.” That one hits home too.

If you had to provide some advice to live by, what would it be?

I’ve had the statement, “You either quit or keep going, they both hurt,” posted on my wall for years now. It’s something that’s been near and dear to me. Another one is something Mr. Carmack said ages ago, “Make music like no one’s listening.” That one hits home too.

I love the contrast across different sounds, energies, and eras. That same impulsiveness in my listening feeds into my music.

What have you been bumping on repeat lately?

Oh boy. Lately I’ve been really diving into grime and darker electronic stuff like Sir Spyro, Mumdance, Sorrow, and Dark0. I’ve been especially drawn to the way those artists use space in their work. At the same time, my listening is pretty all over the place. One moment I’m digging through the depths of SoundCloud trying to find the craziest stuff I can, and the next I’m listening to Prince or The Beatles. I love the contrast across different sounds, energies, and eras. That same impulsiveness in my listening feeds into my music.

What are you most looking forward to in 2026?

This year, I’m excited to keep releasing music more consistently. I’m hoping to play a few shows too. I’m also looking forward to working with more artists from all over the world and here in Chicago. Shoutout Studio SHAPES in Chicago, which is a space I’ve been working out of and making music in for the last two years.

Any final words for fans?
Thank you. I don’t take any of this for granted, more waves ahead

vincebyvince FUXWITHIT Guest Mix Tracklist
*Vincebyvince – Last Day Of June
TF Marz – Thasit
Darko – Evisu
Vincebyvince – In Da Clurb
Zotti – Back Outside Flip
Blake Skowron – Yeek
*Vincebyvince & Tophe – Out Out (140 Mix)
Benga & Cokie – Night (Styn Bootleg)
Joy Orbinson – Hyph Mngo (MMEE Bootleg)
Gemi – Just Curious
*Brasstooth – Nothing’s Gonna Change (Vincebyvince Remix)
Silva Bumpa – Next 2 Me
Higgo – Energy (Vincebyvince Flip)
Lowparse & Karan! – Di Peeka
Vincebyvince – Done Goofed
Dilip – Shyne
Lil Keke & UGK – Chunk Up The Deuce
Blorba – Estey
Olswel – Knock Knock
Vincebyvince – Deep Dive
Samsin – Missing

* Unreleased

The post vincebyvince – Guest Mix + Interview appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

The mix is 30 plus minutes of heaters, including a ton of unreleased IDs plus bangers from Peekaboo, Zeds Dead, LYNY, Kaiyo, OkayJake, vxrt, and more! As for the interview, we dive into his evolution as an artist, how NYC has impacted his sound, advice for artists, new year’s resolutions, and more. Dive in below.

What can we expect from the mix? Where are we going when we press play?

Through this mix, I really wanted to represent the type of music that I feel like my project embodies, both the “nasty” and melodic sides of bass music and everything in between. When you press play, I want the listener to have a sense of exactly what makes me who I am as an artist, as well as what I bring to the table in terms of my own productions, as well as my overall taste in music. I’ve included a bunch of unreleased tracks from myself, as well as some from the homies, and also some tracks that have overall had a major influence on the type of music I make today.

I experimented across many genres, including bass house, tech house, dubstep, and color bass, eventually settling into bass music about two years ago.

How long have you been making music? Tell us a bit about your journey as an artist. Are you self-taught?

 I’ve been making music for nearly 10 years and am entirely self-taught, with a fairly unorthodox start with no formal musical training. My first experience with EDM came when I used to do competitive hip hop dancing and during our warmups, the teachers would play the music of prime 2013-2014 Spinnin Records big room house, and I was instantly hooked. While diving deeper into dance music on my own, I discovered Launchpad covers—YouTube performances where artists chopped songs into samples, assigned them to buttons, and paired them with programmable light shows. After years of begging, my parents bought me a Launchpad, which came with a trial version of Ableton Live 8. Although I was disappointed to learn that full Launchpad functionality required the paid version of Ableton, I became curious about the software and quickly fell in love with programming drums and creating simple beats.

I stayed on the Ableton trial for nearly five years, limited to eight tracks, which strongly influenced the “less is more” approach I still use today. Throughout high school I made beats and even rapped over them, and once I entered college I was reintroduced to EDM—particularly house music. That rediscovery reignited my passion for electronic music, opening up an entirely new creative world. I experimented across many genres, including bass house, tech house, dubstep, and color bass, eventually settling into bass music about two years ago.

What impact has living in NYC had on your music?

Living in NYC has had a massive impact on my music as I was exposed to absolutely every kind of music possible growing up. Queens, NY is known as the melting-pot of the world where you can experience hundreds of different cultures within a square mile radius, so growing up here all my life, I was exposed cultures from all over the world and have a deep appreciation of not only the music, but for the cultures that shaped the city into what it is today. I also have the absolute privilege of fueling my production sessions with incredible food from the best delis/ bodegas in the world (shoutout to Adam’s and Stephen’s if you know you definitely know).

We first caught wind of you off ‘QWOP,’ it seems to be a breakout single for you. How did you connect with SUBU? Why did you want to drop it with them?

 I was actually put onto SUBU a couple years back when I was sending demos to a bunch of smaller labels/ collectives and I got referred over to them a couple of times, saying they would probably like my music. I checked their stuff out and loved everything they put out so I kept them on my radar until I made something I was really happy with, which ended up being QWOP. If I remember correctly, they were the one and only place I ended up sending it to and I really felt like it found the best home when they said they wanted it. They have been awesome the whole way through and have given nothing but support so massive shoutouts to vxrt, phogen, and aviate, definitely go check out their stuff as well they all got some bangers and have been absolute homies.

You recently said, “It finally feels like things are coming together.” Is there anything particular that helped get you to the point where everything seems to be clicking?

Lately, it feels like everything is coming together: I’m making the best music I ever have, connecting with a lot of people, collaborating with bigger artists, and overall the project feels like it’s on an upward trajectory. A major moment was having my first song played live by ATLiens at Lost Lands this year—something I never expected and a clear sign that things are moving in the direction I’ve worked toward for so long. This marks the first real traction my solo music has gained since I started taking it seriously about two years ago, and I’m incredibly grateful, humbled, and excited to see where things go from here.

Do not be afraid to experiment and remember that making music should be fun first and foremost. Music is all about expression, and especially in dance music, the main goal is to make your listener, well, dance, and dancing is inherently fun.

Do you have any advice for artists trying to level up their production skills?

For artists that are trying to level up I think my best advice is just to stay curious and try everything at least a couple times. Try making some genres you haven’t really made before, maybe you’ll stumble across a drum pattern or synth line that you can end up using for another project. On the more technical end, find some presets in Serum or something that you really like and reverse engineer them, find out what each individual thing does.  Overall, just do not be afraid to experiment and remember that making music should be fun first and foremost. Music is all about expression, and especially in dance music, the main goal is to make your listener, well, dance, and dancing is inherently fun.

Do you have any studio essentials that you need to have when you are creating?

 In terms of studio essentials, I don’t think I have anything that is absolutely necessary to create but I do have some things that definitely supplement the studio. I’ve been teaching myself how to play drums over the past couple months so my E-Drum kit is always something I like to just mess around with every now and then.  Beside that I always enjoy a nice deli sandwich of pretty much any kind to have while im producing.

What exactly is a Calculated Stifler?

Calculated Stifler has a very funny origin story. Me and my college roommate and frequent collaborator at the time David (who goes by Belik and makes super sick drum and bass music, you should definitely go check him out) were sitting in the living room of our apartment watching “American Pie” after a drink or two. After finishing the movie David turns to me and says Steve Stifler in the movie reminds him of me. If you are not familiar with the movie Steve is always finding himself in hilarious situations and overall, just doing dumb and reckless things. To this remark I was kind of shocked he compared me to him and I fully thought it was going to be someone else. He said that I’m like Stifler at a more calculated level, knowing when and where to let the more “extroverted” side of me out.

What makes you happy aside from music?

 There are a lot of things that make me happy other than music. My longtime girlfriend, Sarah has been a huge part of my life and we always enjoy things like going out to eat and watching movies/ TV shows together. I’m also extremely lucky to still be super close to my high school friend group and we have all done pretty much anything and everything together over the years. Aside from those I have always had a passion for video games as well as computers and tech.

Favourite rap album of all time? What makes it special?

My favorite rap album may be a little controversial, but it’s Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight by Travis Scott. That album was the absolute soundtrack to my life in high school and I have the most memories tied to that album specifically than any other rap album. While I don’t think it’s his best project (its Astroworld) songs like “the ends”, “coordinate” and “pick up the phone” just hold so many good memories and sentimental value to me that it’s hard to ignore. Other than rap though, my favorite project of all time has to be the “Hi This is Flume” mixtape. That project far in a way is the single most impactful body of music I have listened to and its one of those projects that when one song comes on shuffle, I feel like I’m doing a disservice to myself by not listening to the whole thing through and id definitely regret not talking about it because it has been a constant in my life since the day it came out.

Any New Year’s resolutions?

Some New Year’s resolutions include playing my first show, getting a bunch more tracks out, and making a bunch more connections/ homies in the scene.

I’m also working on some collabs with some incredible artists but I don’t want to give too much away because when they drop, it’s sure to be some of my biggest pieces of work to date. Definitely be sure to stay tuned in.

What can we expect from you in 2026?

In 2026 you can expect a ton of new music to come out, including an upcoming EP I have coming out; with some tracks I’m really excited about. I’m also working on some collabs with some incredible artists but I don’t want to give too much away because when they drop, it’s sure to be some of my biggest pieces of work to date. Definitely be sure to stay tuned in.

ryan tapalaga Guest Mix Tracklist

Vxrt & church. – respectfully
ryan tapalaga – got dat
Player Dave & Black Carl! – Petal
Vxrt – Turn up the volume (ID)
LYNY – Hitz
Kendrick Lamar – Alright [ryan tapalaga flip] (ID)
Baby Keem – Moshpit (STVSH Remix)
A$AP Ferg – Shabba ft. A$AP Rocky (Phrva & yojas. Flip)
Kaiyo – Bark (ID)
ryan tapalaga x Kaiyo – Pressure (ID)
Ryan tapalaga – Blast (ID)
Skybreak – Attention
Peekaboo & Zeds Dead – Scared
ryan tapalaga – Killa (ID)
ryan tapalaga – QWOP
Badger, Julia Wolf – In My Room (Jkyl & Hyde Redo)
OkayJake – Breathe
ryan tapalaga – stomp’d out (ID)
ryan tapalaga – Maybe
ryan tapalaga – Turnstile (ID)
STVSH – When I Fall
ryan tapalaga – ID
ryan tapalaga – balled 2 hard
ryan tapalaga – driver seat (ID)

The post ryan tapalaga – Guest Mix + Interview appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

The mix is an hour-long epic of blistering bass featuring unreleased gems from the producer, plus bangers from EPROM, Chee & Two Swords, Jon Casey, borne & Taiki Nulight, Golden Child & TRICKSTAR, Lunice, LYNY, and more. The interview touches upon the key ingredients in his music, what inspires him, collaborations on the horizon, his latest EP, and more. Dive in below.

Tell us about the mix. Where are we headed when we press play? What was your goal in putting it together?

My idea for the mix was to share a ton of new music as well as some tracks that inspire me. I tried to give the listener an idea of what my live sets feel like.

What are the key ingredients to a Radiant song? Does the recipe evolve with time?

Trap influenced drums, heavy low end, some sort of synth / sound design, and a bunch of fx samples sprinkled over top. I would say the recipe evolves slightly over time.

How do you go about finding the balance between experimental and approachable?

That’s the goal in my opinion, danceable but still forward-thinking. It’s tough because sometimes you end up leaning more towards one side of things.

Trust your gut and do what feels the most natural, don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Be obsessed with your craft, and eventually others will notice.

What advice would you offer to new producers trying to improve their craft?

Trust your gut and do what feels the most natural, don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Be obsessed with your craft, and eventually others will notice.

What are a few plug-ins you could not live without?

Nowadays, I’m using mostly Ableton stock. Outside of that, I still love Trash 2 for distortion and anything from Valhalla for reverb.

What inspires you?

Every track is different, could be a new sound I’ve figured out, a song I’ve discovered, etc. But to answer the question, I’d have to say learning and evolving as an artist.

Congrats on joining Rhythm City Collective! How did that come to be? What’s the experience been like so far?

I have played some shows and known RCC for a few years now, we’ve always had similar taste in music. It’s been a great experience so far, very excited to share what we have planned for next year.

We woke up Sunday expecting to chill for the day, ended up being one of my favorite sets I’ve ever played.

What was the biggest highlight of SEVEN STARS?

The biggest highlight was definitely the massive impromptu b2b. We woke up Sunday expecting to chill for the day, ended up being one of my favorite sets I’ve ever played. We had artists on stage from all over VA and the DMV.

You dropped your first sample pack earlier this year. What prompted you to create your own sample pack? Did you enjoy the process?

I’m at the point now where I have a lot of sounds and recordings lying around in old projects that will never see the light of day. Even if you don’t end up selling it, I recommend that everyone, at some point, should go through and make their own sample pack. It really speeds up your workflow and helps you finish tracks faster.

Congrats on the release of your new EP ‘RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT’! What was the writing process like for the project? What made you want to release these tracks together?

When I started writing these tracks, I was listening to a lot of classic trap music. Artists like Rustie, Hudson Mohawke, and G Jones. I wrote 6 songs, and these 4 ended up working the best together. For a small body of work, I think it should sound cohesive and feel like they are all living in the same world and not just thrown onto a release.

Killa P is an absolute legend, he really brought it to the next level. This is the first time I’ve worked with a vocalist, looking forward to more of that in the future.

You’ve also got a tune in the works with Killa P. How did that collaboration come together? What does that track mean to you?

I almost finished the track without a vocal. Had sent a batch of music off for mastering and ended up asking him to hold off on this one. Killa P is an absolute legend, he really brought it to the next level. This is the first time I’ve worked with a vocalist, looking forward to more of that in the future.

What do you enjoy doing outside of music?

Music definitely takes up a good amount of my time. When I can I love to travel, try new food, and snowboard.

Any final words?

Just wanted to say thanks for the opportunity and big love to the team for all the support!

Radiant FUXWITHIT Guest Mix Tracklist
Chee & Two Swords – Fade Away
Eliminate – Turn It Up
EPROM – Phoneme Gothik
Radiant – ID
TIARO – PRESSURE
Radiant – ID
DICEY – CENTER w/ Babushka Boi Vox
potions – GHILLIE SUIT
Sorza & Amnes – Roth feat. EMSKI
Phydra – Yankee
TSURUDA – Antidote
Jon Casey – RED DOT
Borne & Taiki Nulight – Out of Control
Lunice – Can’t Wait To
Radiant – ID
Radiant – ID feat. Killa P
HOST – Mosh
Rohaan – Pelican
Shadient – SECRET PATH
Odd Language – Relax
MONUMAN – Fret
SHADES – Flame Unbroken
Radiant – MISSINGNO
LYNY – Money
Radiant – ID
EPROM – Pineapple (G Jones Remix)
Radiant – ID
MONUMAN – Spectre
VIER – CONTROL
Fake Two Piece & Floret Loret – Ain’t no time for hesitation
Lord Genmu & Silcrow – AXIOM
Radiant – RAGEQUIT!
Skrillex – REDLINE DASH
Radiant – GENESIS
Golden Child & TRICKSTAR – MONEY COUNT
Radiant – CHARIOT
Ives – Swords
Radiant – Maelstrom

The post Radiant – Guest Mix + Interview appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

The mix is an hour-long expedition that’s packed with original cuts from the trio including unreleased dubs, and some heaters from FUXWITHIT favourites. And if that wasn’t enough, they recorded a visual version to go along with it to really see the magic. As for the interview, we discuss the benefits of being a trio, their workflow, how they got together, their favorite VSTs, advice for new artists, and more!

Tell us a little about the mix. Where are we headed when we press play?

We decided to take you all on a journey with this one, focusing on the genres and tracks we not only love to DJ but also that we love to produce. The mix begins with a mixture of Breakbeat and Garage, before delving into the vast world of Dubstep, leading on from that we went into some Halftime (which is probably our favourite combined genre), before finishing up on some Jungle to coincide with our latest single drop.

What made you want to record a visual version of the mix? What does it add compared to just audio?

We always like to record a visual version of our mixes and sets where we can, in a day and age where visual content is such a huge part of the music scene it makes sense in our eyes, plus nobody wants to see a clip of a SoundCloud screen recording to show sections of the mix! Also by having both it gives the people who are interested chance to see an inside to what they might not normally see in an event/rave situation where the DJ is usually away from the crowd.

How did you guys link up? What made you want to work together?

The story of how we all met is a long one but we’ll try to keep it short and sweet, Harrison and Andy met when they were 4/5 years old but fell out of touch during school before meeting again and becoming close friends from the age of 16, fast forward 3 years and Andy taught Harrison how to DJ as they began living together in Manchester while Andy was doing a Music Production course at University, and the duo ‘High Demand’ was born, a year after that Harrison decided to do that same course and on his first day met Kieran, who went on to call himself ‘Enigma’, after 3 years of University, Harrison and Kieran started a record label known as ‘Off-License Records’, and with countless collaborations under their two alias, it only made sense to start a trio, and that’s how Lokal was born.

you have 3 sets of ideas, and 3 sets of separate experiences, which means a ridiculous amount of hours and practice put into the craft which is never a bad thing.

What are the benefits of being a production trio? What’s your workflow like? Does everyone do everything or do you have specific areas of expertise?

There are so many benefits we’ve found while working as a trio, starting off you have 3 sets of ideas, and 3 sets of separate experiences, which means a ridiculous amount of hours and practice put into the craft which is never a bad thing. It also helps that when someone is having a long day, week, etc in their own life or with work that the production doesn’t grind to a halt, there’s always another 2 people there to carry on and keep the wheels in motion. Our workflow and areas of expertise definitely coincide, Kieran is hands down the strongest producer of the 3 of us, where as Harrison is the man behind the social media, Andy is the most experienced DJ of the 3 of us as well, but we all get stuck in on all areas, we all produce, we all DJ, and slowly but surely Harrison is managing to convince Kieran and Andy to get involved in the social media side of things.

Are there any challenges with operating as a group?

We haven’t particularly come across any challenges working between the 3 of us, we’re all pretty easy going, and we all understand how the other ones work, which so far has worked out in our favour, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon!

What drew you to Patreon? For those unfamiliar, what do you offer through the platform? What impact has it had on your career?

We first decided to join Patreon when we noticed that our music was starting to get a bit of traction and we thought people might want to see behind the curtain at how we go about doing things, as every artist has a different workflow and different methods which a lot of people, ourselves included, find interesting to watch. We offer a number of benefits for our Patreons, ranging from monthly sample packs and production tutorials, to early access to our music, bi-monthly patreon exclusive music, vlog outtakes, and more. At the present moment, Patreon hasn’t had a huge financial impact on our careers, however, the money that we earn from there has gone to upgrade our equipment/studio, and is currently being put towards saving for US visas (which are surprisingly expensive when there’s 3 of you!)

What have you been listening to on the regular?

Ooooo that’s a hard question to answer, we all listen to such a variety of music day in, day out, whether that be checking our own music to see what we want to change, find music to go in our sets, or just any other genre you could possibly think of really, we find inspiration from everywhere. We also started a playlist on Spotify a hot minute ago called ‘COPPED’, which is a good example of the music we like and play in our sets.

Never be afraid to try something new, and don’t get stuck in the cycle of only ever working on a singular project, not every idea has to come into fruition, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go back to it later down the line.

What advice would you give new producers just starting their journey?

Never be afraid to try something new, and don’t get stuck in the cycle of only ever working on a singular project, not every idea has to come into fruition, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go back to it later down the line. Just keep producing, keep putting in the hours, and make sure to brand yourself correctly, don’t be afraid of social media, it’s a vital tool in today’s day and age and if you don’t use it to its full advantage then, unfortunately, the most likely thing is that you’ll get left in the dirt, it’s a sad truth but one that we don’t think enough producers realise at the moment.

What’s one plugin/VST you couldn’t live without? What makes it so useful?

Serum, Serum, Serum, honestly one of our most used plugins without a doubt, it’s extremely versatile, easily accessible through a monthly payment plan from Splice and the sounds you can get out of it work extremely well in the genres and styles we like to produce – also we reckon Kieran could probably use it with his eyes closed, he’s a wizard with it!

We’ve got a couple of the biggest releases of our music careers to date locked in on some ridiculous labels so far, as well as some collaborations with artists we thought we’d only ever dream of working with, add to that the plenty of other music we’re yet to finish off and it looks like 2025 might just be the one :’)

What should we expect from you musically this year?

It’s the producers kryptonite to say ‘expect big things’ or ‘big things coming soon’ but honestly when we say it we genuinely mean it, we’ve got a couple of the biggest releases of our music careers to date locked in on some ridiculous labels so far, as well as some collaborations with artists we thought we’d only ever dream of working with, add to that the plenty of other music we’re yet to finish off and it looks like 2025 might just be the one :’)

Anything else you’d like fans to know?

There isn’t too much left for us to say, except we really hope you enjoy the mix, it was an absolute pleasure putting it together and we hope you lot vibe with it in the same way we do, also big big love to FUXWITHIT for getting us involved <3

Lokal FUXWITHIT Tracklist

1. Lokal – Here 2 Tell U (Original Mix) [DUB]
2. Diemantle – Way I Feel (Original Mix)
3. Charli Brix – Touch Me (Original Mix)
4. Cesco – Big Fi Dem feat. Sparkz (Original Mix)
5. Lokal – Steppa Artois (Original Mix)
6. Peekaboo – I’ve Been Thinking (borne Remix)
7. MOREOFUS – Scandals (Original Mix)
8. Lokal – Conclave (Original Mix)
9. Lokal – Hittem (Original Mix) [DUB]
10. Lokal – Bun It (Original Mix)
11. Lokal – Nah Man (Original Mix)
12. Lokal – Bottom Shelf (Original Mix)
13. Peekaboo & Zeds Dead – Scared (Jon Casey Remix)
14. Lokal – Homegrown (Original Mix)
15. The Prodigy – No Good (Start To Dance) (Visages Remix)
16. Qwirk – K.O (Lokal Remix)
17. Lokal – Take Off (Original Mix)
18. Lokal – Flatline (Original Mix)
19. Asian – MUTTER (Original Mix)
20. Doctor P – Sweet Shop (Hamdi Remix)
21. Pauline Herr – Let You Go (Lizdek Remix)
22. Digital Ethos – FLIP THE TRACK (Original Mix)
23. Lokal – Stop Running (Original Mix)
24. HEYZ – Coming Up (Like That) (Original Mix)
25. Eater – Destruction (Original Mix)
26. Charli XCX – Von Dutch (Skream and Benga Remix)
27. Lokal – Spine (Original Mix)
28. Lokal – Blackout (Original Mix)
29. Skrillex, Hamdi, TAICHU & OFFAIAH – Push (Original Mix)
30. Little Simz – Fever (Bad Friends Flip)
31. MAAD WEST & BAARIC – Throw It (Original Mix)
32. 2Spade – Killers in the Jungle (Original Mix)
33. Big Sean – Dance (A$$) feat. Nicki Minaj (Levity x Justin Jay Remix)
34. Shades – Sub Noctem (Original Mix)
35. Lokal x Fake Two Piece – Lullaby (Original Mix)
36. Ranz – Honey Time (Original Mix)
37. Mr. Carmack – Kick It Up (Original Mix)
38. Napes – North Road (Original Mix)
39. 20Syl – Voices feat. Rita J (Original Mix)
40. Lokal – Talk! (to u) (Original Mix)
41. Lokal – Au Revoir (Original Mix)
42. Biome & Metrodome – ID (Original Mix) [DUB]
43. Richie Brains – Voyage (Original Mix)
44. Cartridge – Bite Back (Original Mix)
45. Metrodome & Biome – ID (Original Mix) [DUB]
46. Samurai Breaks x Napes – Violent Violin’s (Original Mix)
47. Richie Brains – Buss It (Original Mix)
48. Lokal – Threatened (Original Mix)

The post Lokal – Guest Mix + Interview appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

The mix is an hour-plus affair that sees him expertly moving between UKG, trap, 140, DnB, and even some Jersey club with a heavy sprinkling of rap and RnB influences. Featuring IDs from Luhv, Lizdek, Zotti, Hershe, and Klinical, plus bangers from Taiki Nulight, MPH, Hamdi, Saka, Moore Kismet, DMVU, and more, this is a can’t miss. As for our conversation, we dive into what defines his style, his time at Icon Collective, how his relationship with Great Dane evolved from student/teacher to collaborator/friend, what he’s been listening to on repeat, and more.

What should we expect when we press play on the mix? What was your vision when putting it together?

This mix blends my latest inspirations, with UKG and 140 bass grooves at the forefront. It starts fun and danceable, then evolves into heavier vibes, reflecting the energy of my own bass tracks.

I keep it simple, following my intuition—if a track works in the car and on stage, I know I’ve struck the right balance.

Your music often blends emotive elements with a heavy-hitting backbone. How do you go about finding the right balance between the two sounds?

It’s all about allowing both excitement and emotion to thrive without overpowering each other. I keep it simple, following my intuition—if a track works in the car and on stage, I know I’ve struck the right balance.

Success in music is different for everyone, so it’s important to define your own path and stay true to your values.

What’s the greatest lesson you learned at Icon Collective?

Icon taught me to explore various styles and genres of music. When I first arrived, I was only focused on making SoundCloud beats, but by the time I graduated, I had developed an appreciation for pop, hip-hop, R&B, and underground electronic music. It also taught me to truly believe in my vision and embrace what makes my music unique. It’s easy to compare yourself to others, especially in a place filled with so much talent, but the key is to stand out by being yourself. Success in music is different for everyone, so it’s important to define your own path and stay true to your values.

You have had the pleasure of playing some incredible sets including at Burning Man. For those who haven’t been. What makes the festival special? Any wild memories from your time there?

After attending, I wouldn’t even categorize Burning Man as just a festival—it’s more like the world’s biggest party in a city that only exists for two weeks. It’s not just about the party; part of the magic is the endless array of experiences you can have, depending on what you’re seeking. Some of my favorite memories include biking through a sandstorm at night and feeling like a fish in the deep sea as huge glowing art cars would emerge from the dust. I also remember stumbling upon the Sonic Soultribe stage for the first time and wishing I could play there. By the end of the weekend, I was on that very stage—proof of the power of intention. One of the final highlights for me was playing at Camp Q as the sun came up. Burning Man is about the music for me, but I know everyone’s experience is different.

How did you connect with Great Dane? How has your relationship evolved over time?

Dane was my Ableton teacher at Icon Collective, and he hosted these 10-minute beat battles during office hours. I made it a point to attend almost every week during my time there. After graduating, I’d run into him at Lo-End Theory and Hypnothesis shows in LA. We reconnected at Burning Man, and shortly after, we both moved to New York around the same time. We started hosting the Halftime shows in Brooklyn, and after I left NY, I helped set up a mini tour for us in Japan with my friend Kowta (another Burn connection). Over time, our relationship has evolved from teacher-student to close friends, and we’ve had some incredible adventures. We’re also working on a collaboration for a project that will be released on his label, ADBC, later this year.

You’ve been throwing shows in Los Angeles, New York, and Japan. What brought you to each of these locales? Is the vibe distinctly different in each city? 

For LA and NY I found myself living in these places for different reasons. LA because it was the hub for music but NY inspired me and left me in awe when I came to visit. All of these places had huge cultural impacts on me from hip-hop to film, anime, fashion, art & more. I felt I wanted to do something to bring the next generation of inspiration to life. 

A room of 50 people who align with the vibe of the event is far more valuable than 300-1000 people who might not feel the same energy.

How do you go about building momentum behind an event series in new places?

Having a strong team is crucial. Consistency and well-curated lineups are essential. I focus on ensuring that everyone involved is showcasing their unique skills and production. But honestly, the most important aspect is the people. A room of 50 people who align with the vibe of the event is far more valuable than 300-1000 people who might not feel the same energy. Of course, great sound is also a key component of any successful show.

What’s the best quote or piece of advice you’ve received lately?

Just finished reading Shantaram and this quote really stuck out to me;

“Fate gives all of us three teachers, three friends, three enemies, and three great loves in our lives. But these twelve are always disguised, and we can never know which one is which until we’ve loved them, left them, or fought them.”

― Gregory David Roberts, Shantaram

What have you been listening to on repeat lately? Why has it captivated your attention?

Right now I’m really digging Douvelle19 especially that song with Cesco. Some other artists I play on repeat include Nujabes, Dj Yung Vamp, Megra, Taiki Nulight, Clams Casino, Burt Cope, Kush Jones, Nic Baker, and Sempra.

I made good momentum with cutting out unhealthy habits and cultivating healthy ones. The result sonically was truly rewarding.

Do you have any major goals for 2025?

I have two projects I’m in the process of getting out atm and my main goal this year is to create the best rollout I can for both. Been trying to grow in my personal life along with my music project. Last year I made good momentum with cutting out unhealthy habits and cultivating healthy ones. The result sonically was truly rewarding. I want to continue that momentum into 2025 while stepping back into playing live events and festivals.

Luhv FUXWITHIT Guest Mix Tracklist

Clavish & Fredo ‘Uh Uh’ (Taiki Nulight rework)
Hershe x Luhv x Kurei x Zaterday – TRAP AINT DEAD (UNRELEASED)
MoreNight – GrapeFruit
Kurupt FM – Your Mum Loves Garage (SOULSTATE Remix)
Luhv – ID
MPH – Brainwashing
Klinical – ID
SVDKO – OUR MOMENT
Lake Hills – Picking Flowers
Luhv – ID
1111 – SOS ft. Aya Anne
Chris Stussy – All Night Long
shygirl – 4eva (sasha rome x clearcast remix)
Luhv x Spencer Flores – ID
Luhv x Hershe – ID
Daft Punk – One More Time (Phrva Flip)
Inspect3r – No Chat
MachineDrum – Habits
Lizdek x Zotti – ID
Taiki Nulight x Hamdi – Patterns
Hershe – ID
Nyptane – Heartstop
DMVU – Run It
FEEL SUITE – STOP MOTION
Moore Kismet – Sun Comes Up
Saka – backitup
don’t cha (vexx flip)
Luhv – ID
No Scrubs (Kurei x Luhv Flip) (UNRELEASED)
Dombresky – In My Room (Risk-E Remix)
Way Too Fly (R3LL x West End Tricks Remix)
2024 (MAGUU Remix)
Mysie, £MONZO – Phases
Detre – Let Go
Charles the First – Work While You Talk (w/ Supertask)
Want It x This is why im hot. (oliedit)
Black Carl! – Higher Life
Koherent, GLXY – Darling Sky
MKJAY & Aaliyah Esprit | On & On
Zaterday x Spencer Flores x Luhv – ID

The post Luhv – Guest Mix + Interview appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

First off, thank you very much for taking the time to join us! How’ve you been? 

Thank you for inviting me! I’ve started off 2025 by traveling around to see friends but I’m excited to get back to the upcoming releases. Getting to do a guest mix here has been such a highly sought goal for me after seeing all of the artists who inspire me have their own spotlight over the years. I hope I can have that same effect on others as they listen through this.

What can listeners expect when diving into this mix?

In all honesty, I know this is the first time most people are hearing of me so I wanted my first impression to capture the attention of those who embrace the unconventional. I tried to find the most obscure and unique tracks I’ve saved to showcase artists that deserve to be seen by everybody. Most of these tracks are from myself but sprinkled throughout are tracks from friends and the deepest corners of SoundCloud where I get a lot of my inspiration. As a huge fan of unconventional music, I’ll take you through some of the bounciest sound design flexes along with a few familiar ones to not throw the listener off too much.

I have no definitive long-term goals besides continuing to find love and enjoyment in the process of creation—start new ideas more often and worry less about releasing every track.

Since it’s the beginning of a brand new year, do you have any specific plans or goals you’ve set for the future for your project?

I have no definitive long-term goals besides continuing to find love and enjoyment in the process of creation—start new ideas more often and worry less about releasing every track. For short-term goals, I want to feel more connected with the community and work with others. I’ve gone so long on my own island and I’m hoping to collaborate with the friends around me who inspire me everyday. There’s so many artists I want to work with and I think it’s high time I got started!

Your style is truly a wondrous and unbreakable force. Proving it time and time again with each release. Tell us, where do you find your inspiration?

I’ve always had a fascination with flow changes and fills. Rickyxsan was such a pioneer in this regard when I was starting and I can still see their impact in so much of my sound. Other genre influences throughout the years like Hyperbounce and Dariacore have given me so much awareness of the freedom music can bring. Make the weirdest snare you can—make the most unconventional bounce to your percussion. I’m inspired so much by artists these days it’s hard to mention all of them. Innovators like San, Carbine, Moore Kismet, Klypht., REKON, and beastboi keep my standards high and help me push my own perception of what’s possible. I’ve also fallen in love with these artist’s ability to combine intricate sound design with a more grounded vocal layer to really bring it all together into a cohesive and beautiful story. I have a long way to go but I’m ready for it.

We’d love to know the origins of the ELIMINA project! When did it officially begin for you personally and what were some of the hardest challenges you had to face in the beginning?

The name started wayyy back when I wasn’t even producing music yet around 2013/2014. But jumping forward to late 2018 I was contacted by somebody who enjoyed my mashup/edit packs and wanted to collaborate on a track. This was my first time opening FL Studio, and well, it turns out it was his first time too! So we pretty much self-taught the basics together and met every week to show what we figured out so we could slowly put together our first release. This was the catalyst that started me down this 6 year journey. To this day I still value the concept of self-teaching just like I did in the beginning of this project. I think my biggest challenge I still face is fixating on existing ideas rather than making new ones. This really got me into some bad writer’s block in the beginning but I’ve gotten to a point where my process and writing abilities allow me to sketch something usable out fairly quickly compared to years ago.

the solid benefit about starting a music project is that you can combine all creative skills at once! 

Have you always wanted to take the artist route or did you have another passion you wanted to pursue before?

Throughout my life I was into any endeavor that could utilize creativity. I got into graphic design and film in high school and eventually settled on pursuing design for my profession. Who wouldn’t want to make funny shapes all day for a living, right? And the solid benefit about starting a music project is that you can combine all creative skills at once! Since starting, I’ve learned a lot more about 3D rendering and in the past 3 years I’ve begun my web development journey. I know I can pick up anything if my brain can get hyper-fixated on it. I really do miss film and hope to make a return to form when I get to a size where music videos are viable!

Your artworks never fail to impress and amaze so many. They’re filled with such crisp and delicate detail! When did your passion for graphic design begin? Did it intertwine with your beginnings as a musician or were you practicing that skill before it all? 

I’ve always been passionate for design since high school but I discovered a new found love for typography and 3D art much later when I finished school. I started producing music in my sophomore year of college so it definitely took me some time to finally combine the two skills. As you can see I was a bit late to the scene.

Are there any plans on releasing an EP or album in the future?

Well, actually– I’m in the midst of releasing one right now! My ‘Lost in a Void’ EP is halfway out and I plan on releasing the full thing very soon (after my travels.) This project is something that came together by accident but I’m extremely proud of how it turned out. It touches a different genre in each track to truly show my range while still transitioning between each track to take the listener through a journey. In the future I hope I can manage an album, though I’m a bit sluggish and rework entire tracks completely 4 times before settling on an idea. The amount of extra scrapped sections in my projects is kind of a problem haha maybe just EPs for now…

I maintain a sort of internet archive of music for my own listening enjoyment. Hundreds of tracks that are lost to time from deletion or ones that never came out. There’s something really special about listening to music that maybe a handful of people have heard. Upsetting how much art is left to collect dust…

Outside of music, what are some activities or passions you really enjoy doing to escape reality for yourself?

I was into modding games for a while and created a couple very popular mods for Dying Light and Fallout 4. Haven’t done anything in that scene for a minute but I always want to come back to it. I also find myself looking deep into the car scene and hope to afford myself a project car someday that I could mold into something of my own. I adore the aggression of time attack cars and want to try my hand at building one! Also on the side I maintain a sort of internet archive of music for my own listening enjoyment. Hundreds of tracks that are lost to time from deletion or ones that never came out. There’s something really special about listening to music that maybe a handful of people have heard. Upsetting how much art is left to collect dust…

If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Honestly, I would love to be a part of something small. I went to FORM Fest 2024 and I’ve never experienced something so incredibly energetic. I’ve been to EDC a couple times, nearby tour dates, and Second Sky but nothing compared to the feeling of community at FORM. Nobody was there to get messed up or to look trendy on socials—they all just wanted to hear amazing music and go all-in for every single artist. I desperately want to experience something like that again and maybe be the one up there playing.

I want to see a newfound revitalization of people’s appreciation towards giving a new name or sound a chance.

In terms of the electronic music industry and where it’s at today, what would you like to see change or improve this year?

I think that 2024 was the best year we’ve had in music in the past decade. The amount of innovation and talented artists popping up every month was an absolute joy to see. I think the artists I follow doubled just last year as I kept stumbling across jaw-dropping releases. If we can keep this momentum going and push ideas even further, I’ll be extremely impressed and a bit worried about how I can push my own tracks further. Only thing I want to see change is the top end of the music industry. Let these artists who actually put their passion on a platter play at shows and get on labels. Stop going with the safe options! We have large brands that can take risks with their platform but they choose not to go for anybody that challenges the identity of what electronic music can be. I want to see a newfound revitalization of people’s appreciation towards giving a new name or sound a chance.

Take a moment to look back at where you began and see how far you’ve really gotten. You’ll surprise yourself with how much you’ve really grown as a person and artist.

If you could travel back in time to talk to your younger self, what advice would you bestow upon yourself? 

I often think about this question in regards to how late in my life I started music. I always pose the question of starting way back in high school but realize I’m only at this point right now because of everything that led up to me laying down my first kick. I don’t think I would tell myself to start music early but would rather tell my younger self to not worry so much about how others are doing. Focus on yourself and see your own achieved goals rather than looking at what others around you accomplish. We’re all on our own journey and it’s not worth getting in your head about feeling like you’re not enough. Take a moment to look back at where you began and see how far you’ve really gotten. You’ll surprise yourself with how much you’ve really grown as a person and artist.

Any final words you’d like to share with our readers and listeners?

I really hope everybody enjoys what I put together and finds it inspiring enough to open up a daw to just experiment freely. Whether you already make music or you’ve never done it in your life and keep putting it off, just open it once and make something. I didn’t expect to ever make this my hobby and it was so intimidating thinking about the process. The freedom of creation has no rules so it doesn’t have to be intimidating.

ELIMINA FUXWITHIT Mix Tracklist 

The post Guest Mix + Interview – ELIMINA appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Given his output since the year began, I’m not sure when the man sleeps, but whatever beauty sleep he manages is clearly paying off. We can’t wait to hear what the rest of year brings from this wicked talented producer, so until then, let’s get into the guest mix and hear what he has to say!

First off, it’s good to have you in the spotlight here at FUXWITHIT again! How has your year been going thus far?

Thanks for having me back. Always love catching up with you guys. So far so good. I’ve been doing a lot of self-releases which I’ve been loving very freeing the whole process.

What should our listeners expect to hear in this guest mix?

Lots of unreleased. I’ve got it stacked with unreleased from myself and a bunch of friends. And defs expect to hear a lot of deeper type tunes. I feel like the mix is a good indication of the direction I’m trying to head moving forward.

I’d say you’re one of many artists we touch on here who really can’t be pigeon-holed into a single genre given the variety of your discography. That said, who are your biggest musical influences?

I’m really so all over the place with where I get my inspiration from. Few people who always get me excited and eager to hear new music are Flume, Labrinth, Skrillex, TroyBoi, and Billie Eilish funnily enough.

Your most recent single with Oski, ‘HAWT,’ seems to have been a big hit now that it’s been played out by the likes of Four Tet, Excision, Zeds Dead, Liquid Stranger, etc. How does it feel to have such a stellar response to your track?

Thanks so much for the kind words. We are both stoked with the response to ‘HAWT.’ It’s obviously super rewarding to have people you look up to appreciate your music. I fully self-released ‘HAWT’ and to get arguably a bigger response than most tunes is super fulfilling.

Is it safe to say a full Hydroski EP is indeed happening?

It’s happening. We’ve got all the tracks there it’s just getting it all finished up. We’ve both been pretty busy recently, I just moved state and Oski has been working his ass off and hasn’t really had time to sit down. But it’s all there and well underway. The first track in the mix is actually one of the new tunes.

At the moment I’m just trying to write the best music I can and make it all cohesive together. I feel like I’m finally setting up and bringing people into the Hydraulix world and I’m super excited about what that will bring.

What’s next for you as a producer? Any big dreams you can share with us?

Man honestly at the moment I’m just trying to write the best music I can and make it all cohesive together. I feel like I’m finally setting up and bringing people into the Hydraulix world and I’m super excited about what that will bring.

If you had the opportunity to perform anywhere in the world for one night, where would it be?

I’ve got so many bucket list venues I’d love to play. Red Rocks is one for sure. But some other spots include Brooklyn Mirage, Palladium, and would die if I ever played EDC Vegas.

Anything particular remaining in 2024 that you’re super excited for?

I’ve actually just been wrapping a track with Tempa T that I’m super excited for and have a whole bunch of collabs with people I really I look up to. I don’t know if it’ll all come out in 2024 but some of the new music is gonna do some damage!

When you’re not making music, where does your free time go?

I’m such a homebody. I really don’t do much that exciting. I spend a lot of my free time watching NRL (Rugby league) and playing fantasy NRL with friends and usually taking my dog for walks and to the beach. I also love sewing and making clothes. I haven’t been doing that enough recently but now that I’m set up in my new spot I’m definitely gonna get back into it.

I think the biggest thing is consistency and perseverance. Sometimes it feels like your music falls on deaf ears but it’s important to just keep going. You never know what will hit and what won’t. But don’t get discouraged when stuff doesn’t.

Do you have any words of encouragement for aspiring producers out there?

I’m a big supporter of up-and-comers. It feels like some of the new people coming through are crazy talented. I think the biggest thing is consistency and perseverance. Sometimes it feels like your music falls on deaf ears but it’s important to just keep going. You never know what will hit and what won’t. But don’t get discouraged when stuff doesn’t. Also… Don’t compare yourself to others. It’s a slippery slope.

Bonus question: How does Australia put out so much good music? Seriously.

Hahaha, I wish I had the answer for this. We really do pump them out over here. I’m just grateful to be part of the community here in Aus. I find it’s a very supportive and nurturing group of producers from Aus.

Hydraulix FUXWITHIT Guest Mix Tracklist

1. Hydraulix x Oski – RUN (ID)
2. Dr Gabba – Let Your Body Fly (Disentr Remix)
3. LYNY – Hitz
4. Jakes & Joker – 3KLane
5. ISOxo – Moonspell
6. Hydraulix x Tempa T – What Ya Gonna Do (ID)
7. Hydraulix x Oski – HAWT
8. Killjoy – HELLCAT
9. MOODY GOOD x Hamdi – Badman Season
10. Hydraulix x Swillz – YOI DAMAGE (ID)
11. Hydraulix – I Spit Da Fire
12. Rickyxsan x Interupt – Sounds Dope (ID)
13. Skrillex x Joker – Tears
14. LYNY – Nobody Else (ID)
15. chefboyarbeats – Fuck Off
16. Coki – Goblin (Hamdi Edit) (ID)
17. Sumthin Sumthin x Ero808 – What You Need
18. KRISCHVN – ??? (ID)
19. Hydraulix x ???? – Lights Out (ID)
20. Chef boyarbeatz – Here We Go
21. MOODY GOOD – Get Splashed
22. Joy Orbison – Flight FM (fredit bootleg)
23. Killjoy – Straight to the neck
24. Zero x Tempa T – Watch A Skank
25. Phatworld – Scissorhands
26. Thorpey – Gunfingaz
27. Trickstar x Goldenchild – ??? (ID)
28. Hydraulix – duCk hUNT
29. Roksonix – Music & Me

The post Guest Mix + Interview – Hydraulix appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

In the following years, I had the pleasure of sharing some more time with Alex through sporadic and hilarious impromptu video calls where we talked about all things music, life, and beyond. I learned that he is a lovely and kind person with a charming way of talking about his passions and beliefs. Besides of course being a creative mastermind, a natural-born musical storyteller, and a first-class technician, his original compositions are some of the most sophisticated, detail-rich, and heavy releases in my collection. He also belongs to the handful of artists who successfully remixed classics from Deadmau5 and Eric Prydz.

The guest mix perfectly showcases Voliik’s sonic identity and does an incredible job of taking us deep into his raw and uplifting dungeon. In the interview, we start reminiscing about Voliik’s beginnings in Denmark and we go all the way through his recent debut in the video games world, touching upon what it might mean to be a producer in 2024 and, of course, the electro house “revival.”

First and foremost, tell us what the underlying theme of this guest mix is. What should listeners expect?

The theme is all about energy and what I want to bring to my live shows. It includes a lot of early 2010s tracks, as some of the best songs came from that era and would still crush it live today. Of course, it also features some of my released and unreleased songs.

Voliik as a project has been around for around six years now. Can you give a recap of your journey as Voliik since its inception?

Since I started releasing Voliik songs in 2018, a lot has changed. Initially, I had no expectations or goals, just experimenting with FL Studio since I was 15, influenced by Electro House and Dirty Dutch artists like DJ Antoine, Ton!c, Vengeance, and Joel Fletcher. However, hearing Porter Robinson’s remix of ‘We No Speak Americano’ in 2010 inspired me to create similar music. My jaw just dropped when I heard that remix. It took time to get decent, and by 2018, I was releasing music for fun and staying up late to watch major festival live streams. Things changed for me when k?d played a remix I made of his song ‘Zero One’ with Slooze during the Tomorrowland 2018 livestream. That’s when I started dreaming of playing my own songs live. Connecting with people worldwide through my music was surreal. I suddenly had friends across the globe, adding much more meaning and purpose to Voliik. A significant and surreal moment came in 2019 when Porter Robinson played my song ‘Trust’ at Ultra Korea, showing me how far I’d come. However, 2020 through 2023 brought challenges with COVID-19, health issues, getting hacked, and losing my job. To support myself, I started studying and will soon have a Bachelor’s degree in Sound Design, specializing in Sound Engineering for Video Games. Now, with fresh energy and inspiration from working in the games industry, I can focus on rebuilding Voliik and setting new goals.

I believe everything in the world comes in cycles, especially music. Trap and hybrid trap have had their revivals, so why shouldn’t electro?

Electro House is a term that pops up a lot going over your history and, more obviously, while listening to your music. We can say it’s been a constant in your story, way before the current buzz. When did this love start? Do you think in the current mainstream scene there’s space for an “electro” revival?

I LOVE Electro House. It’s been my top genre since I got into electronic music. Off the top of my head I think I started with DJ Antoine, then moved on to old Avicii, old Boys Noize, Deadmau5, Mord Fustang, Charlie Darker, Gregori Klosman, Far Too Loud, Hardwell, Maison & Dragen, Dada Life, Knife Party and many more. But the cream of the crop for me is Porter Robinson and the Danish legend Mikkas. There’s something so satisfying about the fast tempo and complex basslines with digestible rhythms that always give me goosebumps. It gets even crazier when there’s a melodic trance-like break and a melodic second drop—just woooow. There’s absolutely space for an electro revival. I believe everything in the world comes in cycles, especially music. Trap and hybrid trap have had their revivals, so why shouldn’t electro?

For the culture, name three electro classics everyone should know (and explain why).

VERY hard to just name three, but here’s a shout off the top of my head. Porter Robinson ‘Say My Name’: such a classic! Everything from the kickloop intro to the catchy melody, the pluck melody in the break, and all the crazy details in the drop and fills made the song so fresh and unique. The song’s popularity also contributed to the mainstream success of electro house as a genre. Emma Hewitt ‘Rewind’ (Mikkas Remix): one of the best remixes ever made! This remix is so important because it blends melodic and high-energy elements in the perfect way, showcasing Mikkas’s signature top-tier production quality. The intricate vocal details in the drops and the powerful emotional impact of the distorted melody in the second break encapsulate everything great about electro house. Spencer & Hill ‘So Dance’: this song was ahead of its time. This song, along with some of their other tracks, defined and popularized the key elements of the electro house genre. Its energetic pacing, punchy and detailed basslines, and catchy hooks set the standard for what others would try to replicate in electro house. It’s an absolute classic.

How was building a project like Voliik in Denmark? Was your local culture a huge influence and a resource or did you find your reference points on web communities?

Building a project like Voliik in Denmark has been challenging. The local scene for electronic music here is quite limited; while Denmark once had a vibrant electronic music scene with international artists performing at small venues, that has dwindled significantly. There’s some interest in techno and tech-house, but genres like bass, electro, dubstep, and trap are virtually nonexistent, which can be demotivating. I’ve often felt like an outcast locally, but the internet has reassured me that my music has a place. My primary influences and resources have come from online communities, especially SoundCloud and Instagram. These platforms have been crucial for connecting with artists and producers globally, and I’m grateful for the incredible people I’ve met digitally. The online community has been vital in shaping my sound and growth as an artist. Connecting with like-minded individuals from around the world has been an amazing experience, especially given the limited local scene in Denmark.

Keep focusing on what you can control and celebrate the progress you make, no matter how small.

In a recent tweet, you expressed the difficulty you’ve had finding the motivation to continue with Voliik over the past few years. You mention personal motivations but I also find points in common with what other artists have previously shared on social media. Do you think there is indirect pressure given by the standards of the music scene and industry?

Absolutely, there is significant indirect pressure from the standards of the music scene and industry. We’re in an era where there’s a constant demand for new content—whether it’s music, tweets, reels, TikToks, or photos. This relentless need to stay relevant, keep up with trends, and continuously produce content can be overwhelming, especially if music isn’t your main gig. On top of this, personal challenges can compound the struggle. Over the years, I’ve faced numerous difficulties and lost my core support system. Many of my closest friends and fellow artists have disappeared from social media or stopped their musical careers, which made returning to the scene feel like starting over alone. Social media often amplifies this feeling of isolation by showcasing only the curated highlights of others’ successes, making one’s own struggles seem more pronounced. Balancing industry expectations with personal well-being is a challenge many artists face. It’s okay to not like this pressure and to not want to feed into it. Success in today’s music industry often seems to require more than just being a talented artist—being active on social media is almost essential. However, many artists, including myself, struggle with this because we are sensitive and creative individuals who can easily feel overwhelmed. I’ve been working on finding a balance by stepping back and appreciating the smaller successes, such as simply being able to create and release music. Consistent music production and release have been challenging for me in recent years, so being able to do so now feels like a major achievement. Success is personal and unique to each individual; celebrating small accomplishments and prioritizing your happiness and well-being is crucial. Ultimately, if you face obstacles that are beyond your control—like a full-time job, health issues, or personal problems—it’s important to be kind to yourself. Keep focusing on what you can control and celebrate the progress you make, no matter how small.

You announced you recently started a music-related job in the world of video games. What are you doing and how did it happen?

I recently began working in Game Audio, specializing in sound design, technical audio engineering, music composition, and voice acting. This opportunity arose from my Bachelor’s degree in Sound Design. I’ve just finished an internship as a sound designer at a video game company, which was an incredible experience. Additionally, I’ve co-founded a company with a friend that offers comprehensive audio services for video games. I’ll be sharing more about these projects soon, but there may or may not be Voliik music in some new games

How the skills you developed as Voliik are helping you with this new experience and, vice versa, how is this experience helping you grow as Voliik?

The skills I’ve built as Voliik have been really useful for my work in game audio. Creating sounds and music for Voliik taught me how to craft unique sounds and add special details, which translates directly into designing audio for video games. I’ve learned how to make dynamic sound systems and get creative with sound, which has improved my technical skills. On the flip side, working in game audio has helped me a lot with Voliik. I’ve picked up new techniques for sound design, discovered weird new plugins and mixing tricks, all of which have made my music production more efficient and structured. The experience has sped up my workflow and helped me tackle challenges in my music projects with new approaches. So, it’s been a great exchange of skills between both areas, benefiting both my game audio work and my music as Voliik.

Must-do question at this point, what are your favorite video game soundtracks?

When it comes to video game soundtracks, NieR: Automata is always my top pick. Keiichi Okabe’s work on this game is phenomenal. The music is incredibly immersive and truly stands out as one of the best soundtracks ever created for a game. It’s so powerful that I remember feeling captivated by the menu music alone, it gave me goosebumps. Wolfenstein: The New Order by Mick Gordon is another favorite. His soundtrack is intense and impactful, with a raw, unsettling energy that really gets under your skin. Mick Gordon’s ability to create such a visceral experience with his music is something I deeply admire. Finally, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has a special place in my heart. Jeremy Soule’s soundtrack is both nostalgic and inspiring. I spent countless hours exploring the game’s world, often just walking around to soak in the music. It has a way of making the game’s fantasy world feel real and magical.

Now let’s talk about your music. Tell us about your latest releases, ‘NOX’ produced with ELAC and the collab with Lizdek, ‘KNOCK,’ recently featured in his brand new EP on Ekali’s Awakening Records.

For ‘NOX,’ I worked with ELAC, and it was an awesome experience. We’ve been chatting for about two years, bonding over FL Studio, electro house, and Melbourne bounce. I started the track and sent the stems to ELAC. He made some big changes, which got me inspired to rework the song when he sent it back. The whole process was really fun, and I’m super happy with how it turned out. Working with Lizdek on ‘KNOCK’ was also a great time. He’s been incredibly supportive of my comeback, and our collab went smoothly and quickly. I sent him the initial idea for the first drop and some vocal fills, aiming for a mix of Big Room house and electro house vibes. He asked for the stems and, within 24 hours, returned an amazing final version. It was incredible to see our ideas come together so seamlessly and fast. Both of these projects were fun, and I’m excited for the others collaborations I have in the works. Make sure to check out Lizdek’s new EP and ELAC’s latest release—they’re both awesome!

I’m taking a more relaxed approach: creating music I love, having fun, and releasing it whenever it’s ready.

In the aforementioned tweet, you also express your desire to return to your roots. What will this mean in terms of releases? What should we expect?

Returning to my roots means going back to the basics of what made Voliik special when I first launched in 2018—making and releasing music simply because I enjoy it, without setting overly high expectations. After everything I’ve been through, diving back in with intense goals would be unfair and unrealistic. Instead, I’m taking a more relaxed approach: creating music I love, having fun, and releasing it whenever it’s ready. Right now, I’m not connected to any labels, and that’s okay. What matters is that I’m making music and enjoying the process. You can expect a more carefree and spontaneous Voliik, with regular releases of tracks that I’m passionate about. I’m also taking on the task of creating my own cover art, which is a new challenge for me but adds a personal touch and flexibility to my releases. While I still have dreams and goals for Voliik—like playing shows and meeting the amazing people I’ve connected with online—my main focus right now is to get back to creating and sharing music. Collaborating with other artists and having fun with the music I make is my top priority.

Voliik FUXWITHIT Guest Mix Tracklist

Voliik x FERA – Omen
Voliik – ID
Me and Cosmic Saturn (Mashup)
Lucky Date – Freak
Dj Isaac – Face Down, Ass Up (TON!C Bootleg)
Flowdan, Lil Baby, & Skrillex – Pepper (Voliik Remix)
gyrofield – Superheat
Voliik x VARI – ID
Voliik x Blood ID – ID
Fera – ID
DJ Bam Bam, Hatiras – Thrill Her
Mercer – Bangla vs The Prodigy – Breathe (Mashup)
Desembra – Bust
Baauer & Boys Noize – Fire Like This (Topi Remix)
VARI – ID
Stoltenhoff – Boozy
FERA – ID
Voliik x CZER – ID
Deadmau5 – Raise Your Weapon (Voliik Remix)
Porter Robinson – Unison (Mikkas Remix)
Voliik – Reanimate
Stoneface & Terminal – Skyfall
Porter Robinson – Spitfire (Voliik Remix)

The post Guest Mix + Interview – Voliik appeared first on FUXWITHIT.