There is no doubt that Drum & Bass has been making itself present more and more in the EDM scene than ever before. With this surge of high-knee-fueled music, there have been a number of artists trying to make their own unique mark on this incredible sub-genre of electronic music. One such artist, K1DO, has definitely risen to the top with his latest track “Eye of the Storm”, which features a heavy drum and bass sound with an unexpected half-time switch-up that will keep listeners wanting more. From start to finish this track’s heavy booming bass line and uplifting, immersive sound design captivate anyone who gets a chance to hear it, and surely will get any dance floor up and moving. We definitely are going to have this one on repeat for the foreseeable future. Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling “Eye of the Storm”, a certified bop. 

“It’s a pretty crazy time in the world we’re all going through right now. This track was made to highlight that. I wanted to bring something uplifting and immersive at the same time, to bring high energy and emotion, together.”

DIving Deep w/ K1DO

1. How did you decide to get into making music? Was there a certain event in your childhood/life that made you stop and realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

As far as making music on a computer goes, I was a guitarist in my youth, and growing up it was difficult for me to find other guitarists or bandmates to come together and practice. I ultimately decided I needed to learn how to make music on my computer and become the band mates utilizing the computer as best I could. This quickly became an avenue for me to learn EDM. There have been many events throughout my life where I knew for a fact I felt music differently to the casual listener. Music always grasped me in a way that swelled my heart with emotions. I can remember hearing trance music in the car with my mom at age 4 and being in tears from the lump in my throat because I thought the melodies were so beautiful. I knew I’d be a musician the day I heard “Lenny Kravitz – American Woman”. The guitar riff hooked me and I knew I was going to play that instrument for the rest of my life.

2. What has been a personal career struggle that you have battled with the most and how has it helped mold your character for the better good presently?

My personal struggle that I’ve battled with is certainly partying too hard at events I intended to only network at. Ultimately this became a problem for me as I’d attend shows with the intention of networking and meeting people but would end up drunk and slurring my words or acting a fool. I’d wake up the next morning feeling like crap, not only physically but both mentally and emotionally too, because I’d feel as though I’d made a fool of myself rather than doing what I’d told myself and those close to me what I’d be attending the show to network. 

This definitely created a massive shift in the way I presented myself as an artist and a person. I didn’t want to be known as the fun guy at the party, that wasn’t my intention of becoming a music producer. I made it my personal mission to overcome the obstacles I’d put in my own path. I looked at the picture in my head of the producer I knew I wanted to be. The professional who shows up and kills his sets, who can be relied upon to work with, and someone who’s capable of engaging and communicating with fans. From there I made a promise that every day I’d take a step closer to becoming THAT person. don’t ever give up!

3. What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned since you started making music? Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring producers hoping to follow in your footsteps?

If you’re an aspiring producer – one of the greatest lessons I can pass on to you is that you need to be able to accept that you will forever be a student of music production. This is an industry that changes fast, and new ways of developing sound are permanently happening behind the scenes by the veterans of the music industry. This makes it fun and enjoyable because you’ll find if you keep going, and you never give up and you keep working hard towards “THAT” sound you’re going for, one day it will click! Making music is complex but when you understand a few things, then the process becomes easier and it all adds up in the end, if you NEVER GIVE UP!  I personally follow “Eliminate” from Disciple on YouTube every time he drops a video, because he brings such a fun energy to the process of making music – but by analyzing his flow and approach to making the music I have learned more than you can imagine.  eg (Sound Design, What Plugins are hot right now, How to sidechain in FL). But pick a producer YOU find is cool and has good content and learn from them! Then pick 10 more and keep going!

4. What’s next for your project? What plans do you have in the near future that you hope to accomplish as “K1DO”?

Eye of the Storm is a pre-release for an Album I’m releasing in June called, “Decadance”. This will also be released pretty close to a 3 track EP I’m releasing with Rolled Up Records called, “Air Spirit” in June as well. After that – there is already another album in the works. I am seriously pushing to play a festival gig. I’ve been producing music for 12 years and refused to go to a music festival until I was playing one. This is still a goal I have today. I have a stellar set I’m bringing in with these 2 big releases in June and will be doing everything I can to make the dream come true! 

With the amount of music circulating in the EDM scene, discovering new up and coming bass artists can be quite the task. As this never ending wave of fresh talent continues to hit the electronic community, one artist has continued to rise to the top of the pack, consistently putting out absolute heaters with each and every release. Bass wizard and heavy hitting extraordinaire, CHOMPPA has repeatedly shown out some stellar bass tracks, taking listeners by storm with every note. Today, we have the absolute pleasure of premiering “Synchronicity” off of his latest The System EP, which provides a heavy bass influence that is not to be missed. With tremendous high energy, booming bass lines and a catchy melody that will get anyone dancing, “Synchronicity” captures the iconic CHOMPPA sound in a new and exciting way. We will definitely have this track on repeat for the foreseeable future. Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling “Synchronicity” and the rest of The System EP, a certified bop.

“This song was created at a time in my life when many moving parts were shifting directions, both positively and negatively. I wanted to capture the essence of everything coming together at the right time, hence the title “Sychronicity”, while maintaining the heavy bass-infused energy that can be heard in much of my other music.”

Diving Deep w/ CHOMPPA

1. How did you decide to get into making music? Was there a certain event in your childhood/life that made you stop and realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

2. Being an artist in the spotlight, you have a continously growing impact on your fanbase and the scene. Due to the nature of this, have you had any fan interactions that have particularly hit home for you as an artist and why?

3. You live, breathe and eat bass music. Do you listen to anything else when you are away from everything? What would your top 5 non bass artists be? Top 5 bass artists?

he biggest lesson I’ve learned, while a bit cliché, is so important: music is a marathon not a sprint. For years, I would compare myself to my peers and see how much music they were putting out and how quickly they were progressing, but at the end of the day that doesn’t matter. What matters is how satisfied you are with your art and if it makes you happy, the rest is an added bonus. A little healthy competition isn’t a bad thing, but when it impacts your own growth that’s a problem. My advice for aspiring producers is shoot your shot and RELEASE YOUR MUSIC!! Like many creative people, I’m somewhat of a perfectionist, but that constantly gets in the way of people actually hearing what I create. Building up a solid catalogue of unreleased music is important, but if you never share it with the world it’s virtually meaningless. Sharing it with your favorite artists can surprise you beyond your wildest dreams too, all it takes is one email. 

Creating juxtaposition within tracks can add an unexpected element to any tune within the EDM world. Whether it be a contrast in light and dark, soft and heavy, or anything in between, these opposites captivate listeners with their changes, creating a perfect exciting balance within a track. Up-and-coming bass queen, Emily Amstrong who is better known as Vyhara, has created the perfect variance in soft light melodies with heavy bass drops to produce an absolutely killer bass track that you do not want to miss. With its deep bassline, floating melodic sound, and overall bouncy vibe, this track is definitely going to be catching the ears of listeners all over. Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling this heater “Eclipse”, a certified bop. 

“I’ve always been super interested in creating contrast in my songs – in this one I wanted to combine heavy basses with light, mellow instruments. This was the goal with Eclipse, and even though it went through a bunch of different versions I’m excited to share the final track with everyone.”

Diving Deep w/ Vyhara

1. How did you decide to get into music? Was there a certain event in your childhood/life that made you stop and realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

It’s hard to remember what got me into music because I was so young, but I definitely grew up in a creative family. I used to play guitar and drums for a while from when I was a kid up until middle school, and then down the line, I started making dance music. I would go to a bunch of festivals and shows in high school and college (and still do) but it’s kind of wild because I never thought I would end up playing shows or anything. I’m so glad I ended up working at it because it led to meeting a lot of amazing people! I always just stuck with making music because I don’t think I could stop creating even if I wanted to, it’s kind of ingrained in me at this point.

2. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced being an up-and-coming female DJ in the scene? Is there anything you would change within the scene in regard to this?

For me the biggest challenge is feeling like I need to work twice as hard because I’m a female DJ and producer – there are good people out there in the scene for sure, but I think it’s harder to be taken seriously as a female artist. Like a few months ago a guy asked me if I produced my own music – and I have a feeling he wouldn’t have asked me that if I were a man if I’m being totally honest. I’m not too sure how to change this, but I’m hoping that when people see more women starting to come up in the scene, maybe their mindsets and biases towards women might start to change.

3. Is there a message you would like to portray through your music, and if so, what would it be?

Sometimes it can change depending on where I’m at, but overall I just hope I can put something out there that feels genuine and that someone resonates with. I try to make music that expresses whatever I’m going through in an unfiltered way.

4. What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned since you started making music? Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring producers hoping to follow in your footsteps?

I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is just to keep working on music, even when I feel writer’s block. Doing creative work can feel like a little bit of a roller coaster sometimes, so just committing to staying creative has been really helpful when there are low moments.