For over a decade, Honeydrip has been one of Montreal’s most vital underground forces — a producer, DJ, live artist and speaker builder whose work sits at the crossroads of bass pressure, dub heritage and forward-thinking club music. Rooted in sound-system culture and informed by electroacoustic practice, she designs music that feels as physical as it does emotional: sub-weighted, textural, intentional. Beyond her own releases, Honeydrip has become a pillar of empowerment within the scene, co-founding MORPH Soundsystem, a queer and femme-led collective reclaiming technical spaces through hands-on education, DIY collaboration and community care.

In 2025, Honeydrip entered a new chapter. Her single “Dutty Business”, created with PYNE and Ultima Esuna during the PHI North residency, marked her first vocal performance — a shimmering, breakbeat-laced offering that blends summer heat with witchy atmospheres, pairing bass discipline with melodic freedom. The track revealed a new layer of her artistry, one that moves effortlessly between sound-system rigor and pop-sensory intimacy.

For MIXED BY, Honeydrip delivers a mix that embodies this duality: deep, hybrid, humid, unbound — shaped by dub lineage, contemporary club mutations, and the collective energy that drives her work on and off the stage. This mix isn’t just a set, it’s a statement: a Montreal transmission tuned to low frequencies, radical community, and the future of sound.

INTERVIEW

You’ve been part of Montreal’s underground for about a decade — can you describe the arc of your practice from those early raves to where you are now as a producer, performer and speaker-builder?
I think I’ve always been chasing growth, personally and artistically, and those two things are completely intertwined for me. Loving music led me to DJing, DJing led me to producing, and producing eventually made me want to understand sound on a deeper, physical level. That’s when I started building speakers. And now speaker-building is opening up whole new trajectories that are still brewing. It feels like a continuous chain reaction, where each curiosity leads me into the next chapter.

Your work sits squarely at the intersection of dub/reggae/dancehall tradition and experimental electronic music. How do you balance reverence for sound-system roots with the urge to experiment and hybridize textures? Can you give a concrete example from your production process? (prompt for gear, samples, or a moment when genre boundaries collapsed in the studio…)
I grew up with sound-system sonorities around me, so the rhythms and the spirit of that culture just live in my body. At the same time, I’m shaped by lots of other sonic worlds, and I try to stay honest about all those influences and let them show up however they want to. I really see art as a channel, something we tap into, so in the studio I try not to over-control the outcome. I lock into whatever my intuition is saying in the moment.
My process almost always starts with a bassline, and everything else grows around that foundation. I love dubbing out sounds with reverb and echo, letting them stretch and fall apart. Lately I’ve been trying to bring more of my live-set instincts into my production: on stage I often have these magical moments where I dub stems into something unrecognizable, and I’m realizing that approach could be a powerful tool in the studio too.

You studied electroacoustics and you also physically build speakers — how does that technical knowledge shape your composition and your approach to playing live or on a sound system? Do you design tracks with certain speaker responses or frequencies in mind?
I still feel very much in a learning phase. I am developing my ears both as someone who mixes music and as someone learning to tune sound systems. The biggest thing I’ve learned so far is the importance of space, letting each sound breathe in its own frequency band, not overcrowding the spectrum. Understanding speakers has made me think more intentionally about how a track will actually live on a system.

MORPH Soundsystem is gaining attention as a queer, femme-led collective that reclaims technical space. What was the founding impulse for MORPH, and what have been the most surprising or meaningful outcomes so far (from workshops to repaired subs)? (measurable wins and long-term visions—fundraising, training pathway, etc.)
The founding of MORPH was kind of accidental. I built my subwoofers in 2023 thinking a crew would naturally form around them, because in Jamaican sound-system culture, these collectives often come together almost organically. But when the subs broke into pieces (literally), I looked around and realized I was a one-woman crew. I made an Instagram post saying I wanted to build community and share what I’d learned, and it sort of blew up. People assumed I was hosting workshops, so I realized there was a real need. We held our first event, and from there the collective just came together.

Last month we put together a huge fundraiser and it was our first time all collaborating on something that size. It was a success and I’m so proud of what we pulled off. And we just received Canada Arts Council funding for a big project, so stay tuned for 2026.

You’ve toured across Europe, the UK, South America and Canada — how do audiences and spaces change the way you perform? Do you alter sets when you’re playing club systems vs. a dedicated DIY sound-system setup? Any memorable cross-cultural moments?
I’ve never been someone who likes to plan sets too much… though I’m starting to question that because it seems like most DJs do. However in the past, I’d usually just show up and respond instinctively: how songs are sounding on that system, what the crowd is feeling, what mood I’m in. My Libra side usually keeps that balance pretty well. :)

Collaboration is clearly central to your recent output — the PHI North residency brings up Dutty Business, a track you co-wrote with PYNE and Ultima Esuna. Walk us through how that track came together during the residency. What was the role of each collaborator, and how did the residency context shape the song? (rituals or constraints in the residency that helped creativity, etc..)
I was doing a tutorial on my Ableton Push and came up with the synth melody. Ultima Esuna walked in and I was like, “let’s make a beat together.” We made the early version of Dutty Business, and I freestyled on it. Like I said, I don’t try to control the moment too much, I just honor whatever comes out. At first it had this Bonnie-and-Clyde R&B energy that didn’t quite feel like me. Alanna helped me rework the lyrics and shape my phrasing, and then Ultima Esuna and I rebuilt the track into something that feels much more like the Honeyverse.
I probably wouldn’t have put my voice on a track for years, if ever, without this residency. But since the whole point was skill-exchange between Alanna and me, it felt right to share what came out of that process.

Dutty Business marks your first vocal performance — why now? How did you approach vocal arrangement, melodic/harmonic choices, and the decision to place vocals in the foreground of a project rooted in bass culture?
I have been singing and performing since I was very young. I was even in a few girl groups haha but I ended up giving up on singing. I have also always loved working with vocalists, especially in the Reggae, Dub, and Dancehall genres. There’s a line in The Artist’s Way that

stuck with me. It It says we often surround ourselves with the kind of artists we secretly want to be. I think that happened to me. I kept working with vocalists, maybe ignoring that I wanted to be one too.

Sonically, Dutty Business has been described as balancing shimmering, witch-y textures with crisp breakbeats and a breezy, summer-anthem feel. Which artists, records or production techniques informed the tonal palette for this single? Did you deliberately reference contemporary names (Nia Archives / Pink Pantheress were cited in press) or were those comparisons emergent from listeners?
The song wasn’t trying to be anything specific but after it was made I noticed its similarities with Nia Archives and Pink Pantheress. Mostly because it’s female vocals on a breaky dubwise tune. I’m curious what people hear in it. To me, it also echoes elements of my track System with Shanique Marie.

Your album Psychotropical and recent edits show a willingness to pull in live instrumentation and vocalists (e.g., King Shadrock, Shanique Marie). How do you decide when to bring live musicians into the recording process versus keeping things purely produced/electronic? Any anecdotes about arranging for live players?
I have a bit of an unusual workflow with vocalists, I record them and let them go wild with minimal guidance because I trust their artistry and that is why I chose them. Then I take everything home, chop it up, rearrange it into a new flow, and send it back for approval. I think that method partly came from insecurity about not being fast enough in the studio while someone’s watching. But I’m gaining confidence and I’m excited to start building songs more collaboratively in real time.

You place importance on knowledge sharing (workshops for women & LGBTQ+), and on reclaiming the studio/tech space. What concrete advice do you give newcomers who want to get involved in sound-system culture but feel intimidated by the technical side? What are the first three things they should learn or do?
1. Learn the basics of sound — especially frequencies.
2. Understand signal flow.
3. Pick a specific speaker model, read the forums, and study exactly how it’s built.

Looking at the Montreal scene: what’s exciting you right now (artists, venues, collectives)? Conversely, what structural or cultural changes would you like to see locally or globally in how electronic music scenes are run? (good place to ask about sustainability, mental health, accessibility and inclusion.)
I’m really excited about Parquette. It’s a space built for the people and by the people, after years of listening to what Montreal’s nightlife community actually needed.

And I’m noticing more big artists talking about turning inward with touring becoming unsustainable and local scenes needing more attention. I’m curious what it will mean to headline in a city like Montreal if fewer touring acts come through and if you don’t have to “make it” internationally to be seen as a headliner at home.

For the MIXED BY mix you’re delivering for Bolting Bits, what’s the framing or story you want the listener to experience? Will you champion unreleased material, dub skanks, edits, or new live-to-tape elements? Any tracks or moments you’re determined to include?
I have been thinking a lot about the ebbs and flows of being an artist, especially as winter is starting. I think that is represented in my mix via the volatility of pace, rhythm, and the surprises. It mirrors the waves of an artists path.

I was determined to put my Dutty Business Club Edit in there, which I did. With the remix release there is also a great remix by Anna Morgan that I wanted to add but I decided to not put my track twice in one mix aha.

Next up in the BB Mixed By series is multi-faceted producer and DJ Unknown Mobile aka DJ Leaves. A staple within the Canadian scene, and eclectic as ever – just have a listen to some of his releases and you will notice how they vary considerably.

From his club stomping EP for Planet Euphorique to the etheral spacey soundscapes found on his Pacific Rhythm LP – the Vancouver native never fails to surprise us with each release, whilst still maintaining his distinctive hazy sound. We are gassed to have had the chance to speak to him, and here is what we chatted about….

INTERVIEW

Photos: Teresa Dorey

Hey Levi, hope you’re well mate! How have you been recently? What’s been going on with you in life?
Hi! Music life has been pretty slow the past year and a bit due to my current studies. I’m in my final year of completing my master’s in Architecture so that’s taking up a lot of my time. Just got a new studio this past fall with my bud Mason next door who runs summercool.com which has been a nice way to get out of the house. Musically I am working on finishing up a new record in a similar vein to my Daucile Moon LP, it will be released in late spring on a new imprint that I am starting called Quern. It will also be featuring some remixes from Khotin, No Joy, Eejungmi, and Motoko & Myers which I am quite excited about.

For those of us who don’t know about you – could you explain in your own words what the Unknown Mobile project is all about? What’s the musical direction you’re aiming for?
Unknown Mobile is something I kind of just stumbled into as a project, I had always fiddled with music and electronic music growing up, but never in any serious manner (I have almost no classical training other than basic piano). Unknown Mobile was a way for me to get my creativity out in some fashion, I always wanted to create my own sounds, and after completing my undergrad in visual arts I had the freedom to explore artistically and just started fiddling more and more with music on my computer which eventually led to Unknown Mobile in 2015.

You’ve had a pretty impressive string of releases on labels like D. TIFFANY’s Planet Euphorique, Pacific Rhythm, SOBO, and Hollick’s No Bad Days to name a few – how did the links with these outlets come about?
The biggest connections I have made have mostly arisen from the time I spent living in Vancouver from 2015-to 2017. At the time I moved there I was just getting started in developing my own sounds, and everyone there at the time Sophie (aka D. Tiff) Derek from PR and Dylan (Khotin) among many others were super supportive of me and very welcoming to the small scene in the city. From there things just expanded, Canada is pretty small (population-wise at least) so you start to make connections outside of where you live.

Musically the releases differ quite a lot – the planet euphorique release is harder, darker, and dancier whereas the Pacific Rhythm album is more of a beautiful ambient soundscape album. Is there any particular identifiable reason for the disparate styles? Was it intentional? Or do you go through phases of being into a certain mood and the music is a product of that?
I am pretty mercurial when it comes to my interests in music-making and listening, I don’t often stay focused on one thing at a time. The Planet Euphorique record happened pretty much in a single weekend session at my home studio at the time and was just a perfect moment that made sense for that type of darker vibe. I am unsure I could replicate the same process again. Daucile Moon was quite different, I probably approached the project 3 times before being able to finish it on a happy note (Big shout to my good pal Mike aka CFCF for that help). It’s always a trick of getting a project finished before my mind wanders to something else.

Photos: Teresa Dorey

Speaking of musical moods – people constantly go through distinct musical phases in their life where they listen to a particular new sound and feel inspired. What musical phase are you going through right now? What are you listening to and how is it shaping your own music?
I’m not in a particular mood at the moment I think, but I feel a big house mood coming for this summer. My school work is dominating my brain waves and does not seem to mesh with music-making/listening too well, so I am in a bit of a Hiatus state for the next couple of months until I graduate.

Besides music, a quick look on your insta reveals you’re a massive wine fan and an architect too! That’s sick! How (if at all) have your other interests influenced the music you make?
Haha! yep definitely big into wine (like a lot of DJs these days lol) not sure it dips into my music at all, it’s mostly because I don’t drink beer (other than the occasional corona). Architecture is also fairly separate from my music but there are definitely some subconscious traces touching in on each other I don’t think I am fully aware of. I like to keep things separate (or at least try to)

How do you prepare for your sets? Do you have any unique takes on organizing a USB or record crate?
It’s all situational, but for a club set, I usually create a playlist of my top 10 tracks I want to play in the set and then build a few other playlists of moods/genres that connect or bridge the main tracks. That way there is some structure and path I want to make but still have the freedom to diverge from a strict playlist. If it’s for something like a radio or ambient sort of set I do a lot more planning, but usually does start with one or two tunes and I build a path that intersects with those highlighted tracks and then mix by key or bpm, etc.

Tell us about the mix you’ve done for us! What’s the story? How did you go about curating the selections?
I definitely wanted to go for some uplifting bumping house for this mix, and specifically wanted to work in this David Morales remix of a Mariah Carey tune. I wanted to make a mix to get hyped up about being back on the dancefloor, behind the booth, or in front of it. Just fun tunes.

What can we expect from Unknown Mobile in 2022!?
So far the only thing on tap is my new album coming out late spring, but maybe making a trip over to Europe to play some shows, we shall see!

Finally any advice to young producers? Any lessons in music you’ve learnt over the years that you care to share with us? Also please shout out any underrated talents who we should keep our eyes on!
Have fun, do what you love, focus on your craft and enjoy it. Haven’t had my ear to the ground as of late but loving stuff coming out locally here in Canada from Maara, Honey Drip, Daniel 58, Laced and E-missive.

Interview by Michael D.

From the beginning of your solo career to where it is now, quite a few things have evolved in your sound. One thing seem to remain though is a strong Chicago sound (Larry Heard especially). Is this deliberate or does it just comes to you naturally?
First of all, that’s a very flattering reference. I guess it’s a little bit of both; I’m obviously inspired by everything I listened to, but also I don’t have the intention or desire to make a specific genre of music. By that, I just mean that I don’t like categorizing the music I make or even the music I listen to. I don’t like it when people ask me “what kind of music do you make?”, I always say “it’s music that you would probably dance to…” or “listen to it and see how you feel about it”. Genres in music are not that important to me; I like something or I don’t like it, it’s that simple. I get the whole idea of defining styles in music and I relate to that but I don’t like getting too deep into it.

I really can’t think of anything I’ve ever heard that sounds like the way you mix vocals with instruments. It’s very front and center while retaining an absolute dance focus energy. I imagine it isn’t an easy balance to achieve. Did you have any reference point on that?
That’s such a nice compliment. I actually hear that quite often and it makes me feel very good and confident about what I make. It’s hard doing everything yourself… I’m not gonna lie; I don’t have a lot of experience with mixing in general, even less with recording and mixing vocals. So for me it’s been a huge deal to do all the work. I would usually work with someone else for the recording and mixing part, which is fun cause it’s always good to have a second opinion. But for this record I just needed to accomplish something and prove to myself that I could do it. I think my main reference for mixing is “Everything but the girl”. Tracey Thorn has become a big inspiration for me in the last few years. I just love how her vocals are mixed in and she has such a unique voice.

There seems to be a bit more of a Euro dance feel to your latest releases. Also a lot more Acid sounds. What music has been floating around during the writing and producing of “Where’s The Party?”
It was really fun to write those tracks but also so strange; it was the beginning of the pandemic (early 2020). Right before that all started, I was DJing a lot and partying pretty hard. I listened to a lot of techno and late 90s/early 2000s tech-house. It’s funny cause the music I make is far from being techno. I think “Where’s the Party?” is the interpretation of everything I feel when I go out and play/party. It’s all the excitement and joy I feel that I turn into music. I always loved being at parties and taking a moment to take notes in my phone and writing down everything that goes through my mind. Most of the time it’s really funny stuff, but it also can get really sad sometimes.

You sing on all of your tracks except the remixes, do you see yourself as a songwriter primarily? Could you describe your creative process?
I actually never really thought about that… I don’t consider myself a good writer that’s for sure, but I do like the aspect of vocals and electronic music together. It can often create a sound that’s a lot more unique. I will always write the music first, make some loops and try to come up with some vocal melody, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t… I also don’t use any external gear, I make everything with Ableton Live and I just crack a lot of VSTs. But when I started making electronic music (around age 15 I think), I was dedicated to making instrumental music only. I was never a singer, I played drums for 10 years and in high school I really got into Kraftwerk and The Postal Service (haha). All that to say that at some point, I gave a shot at singing, and it first sounded terrible, but I guess I did figure it out in the end!

What themes are you touching on lyrically with that new EP?
With lyrics you never have to look too far to find inspiration. I think it’s important to laugh and to not take yourself too seriously; that doesn’t mean you don’t care about stuff, it’s just adopting a more modest attitude towards music. I remember my ex bought a bunch of random graphic t-shirts on Mont-Royal and one had writing all over it that said “tonight my dance is all about you”. I immediately wanted to make a track out of it, haha! And when I think about “Go Home”, I remember I was kind of struggling emotionally and I was talking to my friend who was also going through stuff, and I told him “we don’t have the time to be sad anymore; all we have to do is make music all night long”. That night I went to the studio and recorded all of the vocals for that song; I was so hyped. So I guess you could say I am inspired by stuff that happens to me… it’s not that complicated in the end.

When I think of you, I always see you as part of seemingly loose crew consisting of Lis Dalton, Regular Fantasy, the n10.as family, Priori, etc. You guys seem very tight knit, are you just friends or do you see this more as an entity/collective?
Oh we are definitely friends! We just all happen to be part of this same community/scene… I think it’s so awesome that I get to be surrounded by all these talented people; that’s definitely something that keeps me going.

Berlin? Quebec City? Montreal? Could you tell us what each of these cities brought you both artistically and personally?
I am gonna start with Quebec City since this is where I was born and that’s where I started making music. It was pretty interesting to start playing shows so young; Quebec City was thriving back then, people would go out to shows all the time. I felt the need to leave at some point just cause I needed to experience something different. I can’t imagine what would have happened to me if I had stayed there… I moved to Montreal in 2011 and met all the friends I have now and I’m so grateful for it. It brought me so much love and open-mindedness… great parties too, haha! It’s funny cause at some point I really wanted to move to Berlin and I was kind of tired of being in Montreal. I ended up just going there every year for 3 months (longest time you could be there without a visa). So it was honestly the perfect balance. I had my “real” life and long-term friends in Montreal but also was able to party in Berlin and play shows. It sort of started feeling like home at some point; I just felt genuinely comfortable there. I really miss it and cannot wait to go back to dance for 24 hours straight.

Could you tell us more about joining forces with La Rama for this EP; is this a ‘one off’ (for now) or do you already have more releases planned in the series?
In the first place I was going to release the EP on my own label “Your Approval Isn’t Needed” in a digital format only. In the back of my head I still really wanted to release it on vinyl but obviously had absolutely no money, haha. I talked to Jeanne (Gene Tellem) and she told me I should talk to Kris. He was really into the tracks and just offered me to release the whole thing. I feel super lucky to be working with a local label/record store that I respect so much. Hopefully this isn’t the last one I’m putting out with them!

How did you approach the mix accompanying this interview?
I literally just picked a bunch of tracks and records that I hadn’t had the chance to play yet. I wanted to make a really upbeat mix. I always have a lot of fun doing that; it makes me feel hopeful and excited for the parties that are coming in the future…

Can you tell us what comes next for you in the future?
Hopefully a lot of gigs, haha! But who knows what will happen; everything is so uncertain. I try to live day by day; I wait and see what will happen the next day and I go from there. It’s pretty stressful being unemployed and trying to make music. I’ve been going through a hard time lately, I don’t feel very creative… But I know that it will come back at some point. A lot of friends around me are going through the same thing and it’s always good to know you’re not alone in your struggle. I really want to start working on new stuff in the fall, it’s usually a good time for me to write music.

Interview by OJPB aka Bowly

Yo Evan how’s things? What have you been up to in life recently?
Yo! things are good. Very happy to be getting some serious sunshine in the city and finding more time for writing music and digging for records. Currently my friend Ian and I have been brainstorming new project ideas that we can share with other artists in our scene. I’ve also been playing Xenogears on my PS2 in my free time.

Tell us about the mix you did for us. What’s the story behind it?
A lot of the music that I’m into and the stuff that gets me inspired to produce comes from a long history of weirdo black folks looking to transcend their current circumstances, explore new forms and continue the legacy of our forebears. I am always looking for ways to tap into that with my art but for this mix and also for the release on Pacific Rhythm I was really looking to explore that part of myself and my tastes.

It’s a little all over the place but I think you’ll get what I’m saying when you have a listen.

How did you get started in music?
Both my parents are music nuts and my dad is a very talented guitarist, I think having that around me from a young age definitely helped. I started fucking around with music software on my cousin’s laptop when I was 13 or 14 and that definitely opened my eyes to the possibilities of making music with technology. His music taste is also wild and he put me onto a lot of electronic stuff I otherwise wouldn’t have found until way later. I’ve played a bunch of instruments throughout my life: violin, steel pans, bass guitar, but producing in Ableton is where I can most effectively build on my ideas.

What’s your production set-up and workflow like?
I work with a hybrid setup from a home studio. It consists of a bunch of synths and drum machines running through a 16 channel mixer with direct outs into Ableton. I do most of my tracking in several takes but I also enjoy trying to nail a song in one go. It really depends on the vibe of the track. I tend to enjoy getting into the DAW and getting really granular with edits and stuff. I know some people hate that, but I don’t mind.

I’ve been exploring recording parts through a Tascam 4 track and I am looking forward to where that will take me.

You’re based in Toronto. What’s the scene there like? What are the good events to go to? How has the local scene influenced your productions?
Toronto is where I grew up and I always have felt at home here. It’s not an easy place to be an artist for cultural and economic reasons but the scene is passionate and dedicated. Lots of people are producing and DJing so there is no shortage of inspiration. I think the best parties are usually the DIY events that tend to move around from venue to venue. I find those events are the ones where people really show up for the music and the crowd tends to be pretty open minded. My DJing and production style are absolutely influenced by my environment. Toronto is super ethnically diverse and there are so many different cultures to explore. This is definitely why I’m never afraid to play whatever the fuck genre I want in my sets because I know people in our scenes are already being exposed to so many styles on a daily basis. Homogeneity is not really celebrated here the way it might be in other music communities.

Could you talk to us about your DJ and Live sets? What’s the setup? Any particular pieces of gear you tend to focus on?
With the live sets I have had the luxury of always starting from scratch with my ideas each time. I tend to build a foundation that I’m happy with and then leave a bit of room for improvisation to keep things interesting for myself. I’ve been lovingly using the Digitakt and the Korg ESX-1 (Thanks Ian!) in my live sets for a few years. I kind of treat it like DJing with two samplers and a mixer. Add a few fx pedals and some other synths thrown in to spice things up and I’m good to go.

With DJing, give me the classic setup of 2 CDJs, 2 Technics 1200s and a mixer with some FX or nice filters and I’ve got enough to keep me stimulated for a lifetime.

What do you do when you’re not doing music? What are your other main interests besides music?
Toronto is a really pricey place to live so I’ve got a day job to keep the money coming in. As much as I would love to have more time to be writing music, with my work situation I find it helps me to be creative without having to worry so much about following trends or catering to specific audiences in order to allow me to survive off my music. I’m currently reading The Death of the Artist by William Deresiewicz and it has gotten me thinking about the myths that we tell ourselves about artists and the ways we glamourize the struggle and “starving for your art.” I currently just look to strike a healthy balance and I am comfortable acknowledging the many pitfalls of being a recording artist/performer in this day and age. I know the music industry goes through phases and I know my career will change over time so I try and take it day by day and keep an open mind about the future. Outside of music I’m into 90s JRPGs, cycling, cinema and street photography.

We love your release on Pacific Rhythm here at BB HQ. How did that release come about?
DJ D.Dee and I have been working together and sharing tracks for a few years now since we got started with the Active Surplus stuff. I had a few tunes I had worked on during the pandemic and I shared them with the Pacific Rhythm crew to see if it was connecting with them. They were really excited with the sounds and were eager to help put it out.

I don’t necessarily think there’s much of a story with the release as far as how the songs are connected, it’s more just a vibe, you know? I tend to have several week long bursts of creativity where I am creating things with a similar energy. Ian lent me his Nagra IV reel-to-reel and I was trying out some mixdowns with that which I find help add a cohesive quality to the songs.

To be honest, I was kind of nervous to share Love Perception with my vocals on it because I’ve never really done that before and It’s pretty vulnerable. I kind of forced myself to share it because I know that kind of thing adds an element of humanness that you can’t really get any other way. Plus my girlfriend loves that track so I wanted to make sure it didn’t just sit on my hard drive.

Could you tell us about your joint project Active Surplus? How does it differ from your solo work as Emissive?
When I’m writing music with Ian it’s different for a few reasons. We tend to record that material mostly at his home studio so the workflow difference has an impact for sure. The technical songwriting steps and the habits we have together are different to some of the techniques I might employ when I am on my own. When I’m producing on my own I tend to kind of hypnotize myself in a weird way where there are fewer opportunities for me to stop and be objective about the process. It’s more impulsive.

Making music with other people helps to really solidify the sensation of collectively creating something that is in many ways separate from yourself. We can look at each other and be way more effective about making edits or cutting parts out because we both are looking to create the best possible outcome. We don’t get too precious with things that aren’t working. That’s not to say that it’s not still a personal experience but together we are perhaps critical of the work in a different way.

Working with Ian also involves more of a navigation and combination or our individual tastes which I find really fun and fascinating because we pretty much always come up with something that either of us would not have been able to by ourselves. We’ve been jamming together for so long that we now have a pretty easy time quickly coming up with results we enjoy. Stay tuned for lots more music coming from Studio Fragrance for sure!

Are you a self-taught producer? How did you learn? What about DJing – was that self-taught as well? Any tips for beginners/intermediate level producers/DJs?
I don’t think anyone is truly “self-taught” when it comes to music. We are surrounded by teachers. The music is there to teach you, my friends have taught me so many valuable techniques, the universe is constantly teaching me things. Yes, certainly I took the initiative to pursue the knowledge and I have learned a lot through the process of trial and error and experimentation but I have learned just as much from forums, youtube tutorials, lurking in the DJ booth etc.

I also studied audio engineering in college which definitely helped me tremendously when it came to understanding the technologies involved in the art form (signal flow, routing, gain staging etc). I personally don’t think it is necessary to study audio engineering if you want to be a bedroom producer/DJ or anything like that, especially now where there are so many resources online to learn that kind of thing. I feel like my schooling helped me more with how to work in a real studio with session musicians etc, which I would love the opportunity to do more of in the future.

With that said, the opportunities I had to rub shoulders with other budding producers and share tips and influences after class was absolutely critical to my development as a producer.
With regards to advice, I would recommend new producers to get their hands on some books or maybe sign up for an online course on DJing or producing (don’t break the bank though!). I think it’s important to try and learn in digestible chunks and to know that it takes years for all the information to really solidify. Having a book or a course with structure is really helpful because if you’re trying to learn everything in kind of a random order you can accidentally skip some of the fundamentals and it can make the whole process more frustrating. I have gained tremendous benefit from the Mr. Bill and Underbelly tutorials on Youtube, the Ableton book: “Making Music – 74 Creative Strategies for Electronic Music Producers”, “How to DJ Right”, and “Music Theory for Computer Musicians”

Remember that if you want to be a DJ, sometimes (especially when you’re starting out) you’re gonna find yourself at a bar or some day party with a really fucked up DJ booth setup and a mixer you’ve never used before etc.. You gotta know the tools at a fundamental level because then you can troubleshoot things and you’re prepared for when shit inevitably goes sideways!

What’s your music taste like? Is it mainly electronic stuff or do you listen to a wide variety? If it’s the latter, could you tell us some of the more interesting/underrated genres you like?
By virtue of DJing I am often consuming a lot of electronic music but outside of that I really love Hip Hop and Rap stuff from all eras. That’s the shit that saved me in high school and really helped me to develop into the person I am today. Also I was raised on a lot of stuff from the 80s like a lot of classic digital dancehall and Depeche Mode etc. My mom used to take me to buy CDs at Sonic Boom or whatever and I would grab anything I thought looked cool: The Cure, Bad Brains, DJ Shadow. I’ve always been that way, there is so much amazing music out there I could never just pick one style. Ian and I are often perusing weirdo tape blogs for samples and shit like that so we like to keep our horizons wide. I’ve been super impressed with the ambient renaissance we experienced last year where even the most hardcore techno acts were dipping their toes into more contemplative home listening excursions.

Who are your favourite artists? How have they influenced your own sound? Any underrated artists at the moment?
I wouldn’t be here without Actress, MF Doom, Delroy Edwards, Jamal Moss/Hieroglyphic Being, Jeff Mills, Pharrell Williams, Erykah Badu, Galcher, Funkineven, Omar S or Kyle Hall

Those are the kind of acts that are signposts for me, no matter how much my tastes change over time, there are those timeless artists that keep me inspired and dedicated to the craft.

Big shout outs to JWords, Young Teesh, Pursuit Grooves, Biblioteka Records, Patrick Perez, Zones, nyc.taka and the DOO posse out of Montreal

What’s next for Emissive?
This month I’ll be streaming some live mixes for the NIGHT SHIFT and ONAIRE shows and in the next few months I’m planning to invite some fun guests on to my Vitamix slot on n10.as.

I’m looking to spend the summer really exploring some new sonic directions and I hope that proves to be fruitful. Fingers crossed I’ll be able to get some parties going and play some music live in the not too distant future.

I also have a few remixes for some amazing Toronto artists in the can and a handful of other releases that I can’t speak on quite yet so stay tuned ;)

Thanks so much for the chat mate, It’s been a pleasure! We’re eagerly looking forward to your forthcoming releases : )

Interview by Michael D.

Today we have the pleasure of hosting a mix and interview from Canada’s own Dan Only. Appearing on our radar back in 2017 with his debut release on New Kanada, he’s since blessed us with two further works on Berlin’s revered Dirt Crew Recordings. An eclectic artist who makes groovy house tracks one second and fierce electro-infused breaks the other, Dan Only is an artist who’s always kept us on our toes. Fresh off the back of the of his similarly multi-faceted ‘Fragments’ EP on Dirt Crew Recordings, we’ve had a chat with Danny about his musical past, future and everything in between.

INTERVIEW

Hey Danny, thanks for taking the time to record this gorgeous mix for us! Anything you’d like to tell us about the mix? Any specific genre, mood or idea you had on your mind when recording?

I was looking to keep this mix as eclectic as possible. I didn’t want it to be driven strictly by four on the floor or be rooted in just one genre. You’ll hear it twist and turn, much in the same way that I like to approach my DJ sets and my production. I also wanted to showcase some tunes from some homies so there’s a couple sprinkled in throughout. 

So how did you end up where you are? Care to enlighten us about your musical roots a little?

Music has been in my life in some way or another for a very long time, but I think my obsession with it all began when I started playing guitar when I was about 10. I was taking piano lessons prior to that but always hated classical training so I really pushed that off to the side. I was also fortunate enough to go to an arts school from a young age and that allowed me to play into my musical inclinations. I decided to stop lessons all together by the time I got to high school and then just remained self-taught. My biggest regret, hands-down, is not having taken piano more seriously and seeing it all the way through as a kid. That being said, my rudimentary knowledge has really lent itself well to my musical output – and as you can probably tell by most of my productions, I tend to lean towards melodic content rather than purely textural or percussive elements. 

Electronics also entered my life quite early on too. I got my hands on a microKorg when I was 13 or 14 and that was my introduction to synthesizers. It could produce such a broader range of sounds than my guitar or bass, so I was instantly hooked. Around the end of grade 11 I became fascinated with the idea of production and started to mess around with Reason and Ableton. I blame Burial’s Untrue as the record that really made me want to produce. That record really captivated me and showed me the vastness that just one person can create. And now here I am – years later, many studio setups later, and still as naive and eager to experiment as I was, only with more technical knowledge.

I know that you’re very much into hardware, do you intend on putting that to use with a live show? 

The idea of a live show has crossed my mind a couple of times, but it would mean I stop creating new music and focus on reinterpreting my existing material into a live context (this could be a good thing though as the vaults are getting too deep). The prep involved also seems to be a little too removed from the way that I generally tend to write my music so I’ve been neglecting it. I’m also destined to figure out a way of doing it without a computer so that less is in the way in terms of potential technological failures. The last thing I want is a computer glitching out on stage. 

Another fear of mine is also touring with vintage hardware. I think I’d like to get my hands on gear that’s dedicated just for live use instead, but this is also just me justifying more gear purchases. 

Despite my skepticism, if I were to do a live PA set in the near future it would consist of an Octatrack, an MPC2000XL, a mono synth of some sort (like an SH101 or 303 Clone) and something that could cover poly duties. 

I feel like I’ve heard you mention other band projects. Could you tell us a little about those?

No real band projects of my own, but I’ve been lucky enough to share the stage with River Tiber in the past, as well as play with A l l i e for a couple of her live shows. Some of my recent studio output has also been more organic leaning and has relied a lot less on drum machines and synths and more so towards live production, and this is probably the closest I’ve gotten to a band project.

My studio partner, Gray Rowan, and I have also been working on stuff well outside the realm of dance music since we’ve started sharing a studio space, and we’ve managed to find an interesting middle ground. The first of these collaborative productions to see the light of day is A l l i e’s most recent single “Hi-Lite”. I’m hoping some more of our productions will be released before the year is out.

The studio has also been a revolving door of local talent over the last year so it’s been incredibly inspiring getting in the same room as different producers, vocalists and musicians. It’s really taught me a lot in terms of the countless ways you can approach music making and you’re constantly learning from every experience.

… but still – no band lol.

Your last release came out less than a month ago. It shows loads of variation, with blissed-out house cuts spanning one side while electro-infused breaks are on the other. What’s next? Do you think you’ll find and settle for any particular sound in the future?

Firstly, a huge shoutout to Dirt Crew for believing in those tracks. I was super excited when I sent over the demos and they showed interest in the full variety of sounds. I’m extremely grateful that they gave me an opportunity to showcase all of that on one release.

My sound has always been informed by a mix of House, Techno, UKG, Breaks & Electro and I think it’ll continue to be a mix of all those. My more recent productions are definitely getting darker, deeper & heavier though. But once again, different day, different mood, different output. 

I don’t think I like the idea of settling into one sound. My taste for music is eclectic, and so is my hunger for production. I do think there is something that inherently glues all my work together, and whatever that is, I won’t be able to shake that, but I always like to approach my production with different intent or with a different production process in mind. Constantly switching up how you start an idea, or simply forcing yourself to use a certain piece of kit can help change up the sound and keep it diverse. I think I’m gonna keep hopping around for now until someone tells me to stop. I’m also just trying to keep the music making process fun and exciting.

Is deejaying something you enjoy? How does it fit in with your vision as a producer?

I do love DJing, but it’s something that I truly enjoy most when I’m getting instant feedback from a group of moving bodies. There’s something extremely special about sharing that energy and seeing people react that really does it for me. Even if it’s just one body on the dance floor, whoever is in on that journey with me, that’s the reward that I’m looking for. 

DJing is also an opportunity for me to test out my productions on a sound system, so I do truly love it for that. I started producing after learning how to DJ with the intent of getting to play out my own music so why not leverage that – to me it’s a great way to welcome a group of people into my world, my influences, and my productions. It’s also a craft I’m still constantly working to improve despite the years of practice. 

What do you make of the scene in Toronto?

The talent pool is fantastic and it’s a great city to create and collaborate in. The dance community is also quite small and tightly knit, but unfortunately, the city’s infrastructure really doesn’t have much tolerance or support for it. Sure there are a couple of clubs that put on dance music events on a more commercial scale, but all the real bookings and parties for the real heads have been taking place in DIY/illegal venues for the most part. As soon as we think we found a home for the community here, the city either catches wind of it, or manages to crack down on its viability.

So once again, great place to create and collaborate, but it’s not a place to be making a living out of dance/electronic music sadly – the economy simply doesn’t support it. 

Favourite local venue?

To be honest, it’s the DIY spaces that bring the community together that I’m all about. They come and go but it’s where this music and community thrives most. Many of them no longer exist, and I would also hate to be the one that destroys their existence.

Favourite local acts?

Too many to list but here we go…

Electronic/Dance Acts: Nautiluss, Joel Eel, Ciel, Hemingway, Korea Town Acid, Raf Reza, Emissive, Sergio SP, Roberto, Smoke and Shadows, Block Univers, Immigrant Muscle. 

Non-Dance Acts: River Tiber, Matthew Progress, A l l i e, AHKI, Young Clancy, Jaunt, Jonah Yano.

Favourite local food joint?

Zakkushi! I fucking love Kushiyaki. Nothing like Sake & Skewers for ya boi. 

Got to write those down for when I’m about! To wrap things up, what are your top non-house/techno/electro music recommendations?

At the moment Thom Yorke’s Anima has been on repeat, not sure if that’s too close but I’m gonna list it anyways. 

Otherwise, here are some forever classics in my opinion:

Bjork – Vespertine 

Fela Kuti – Afrodisiac

The Mars Volta – De-Loused in the Comatorium

Marvin Gaye – I Want You

Portishead – Dummy

Stereolab – Dots & Loops 

Photography by Alex Mazanik (@a_mzng)

Interview/ Dylan