Throughout the electronic scene, we have seen absolute powerhouse female producers and artists take the stage and blow everyone out of the water time and time again. This is exactly the path to fame that bass artist dela Moon has ventured on as she continues to pave her own path to the spotlight. Release after release, she stuns listeners with her tremendous sound design, and this is exactly what we have seen with her forthcoming EP release, entitled Rough Protocol. Today, we are here to give you an exclusive taste of the incredible sound journey curated by this EP a day early! We have the immense pleasure of premiering the title track off Rough Protocol, which will have listeners in awe from the first drop. Creating an immersive drum & bass ride from the first track to the last, dela Moon has brought her full frequency bending force to both this track and the entire EP. This is definitely not something you want to be sleeping on! Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling “Rough Protocol” and the rest of this electrifying EP, a certified bop.
“Returning to Play Me Records, west coast drum & bass artist dela Moon unleashes a full-frequency take on tech-driven DnB with her first 2023 release, Rough Protocol. An immersive ride into the electronic underworld, this four-track EP blends technical synths and basslines, theatrical breakdowns, and hair-raising drops into an electrifying and futuristic narrative that builds on dela’ Moon’s decades-long career as one of the underground bass scene’s most revered drum & bass DJs.”
Diving Deep w/ dela Moon
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?
I was never trying to become a DJ or producer — my music career pretty much found me. It started with my love of music and just wanting to make downtempo mixtapes for friends. But somewhere along the way, the Universe decided to bless me with the career I have now.
Producing also started casually with my friend Eastern Sun in 2011. We remixed his collab track with Oscure “Third Eye High” and then “Spinning Out of Nothingness” by Desert Dwellers. I really enjoyed the creative process of producing — it was so different from my process with DJing — and I just kept doing it until I was finally making tracks on my own by 2019. My journey as a producer has been slow because I was never in a rush to meet specific goals and I was already pretty busy with DJing and other work. It took me a while to commit and invest in my own studio setup but I’m here now and loving the endless learning adventure.
2. You definitely have a very unique name for your project. Does the name have a specific meaning or derived from something in your life? Is there a story fans might not know about how you came to this name for your project?
I’m not sure whether you are talking about the name “dela Moon” or the title of the EP, so I’ll give a little backstory for each:
dela Moon evolved from my nickname in real life and my association with my crew, Moontribe Collective. My real name is Christina de la Fuente and so “dela” actually means “of the”. I relate to how full of potential those simple little words are. Also, I’ve really been a tomboy my whole life, so I always liked the gender-neutral sound of the name. For a long time my DJ name was dela Moontribe, but several years ago I decided that I wanted to stand independent from my crew and just be “of the Moon”.
In regards to the EP name, Rough Protocol: Last year I started teaching myself to code JavaScript and found so many great track names in the process. One of those terms was “protocol” which is a set of rules for formatting and processing data. In non-coding terms, “protocol” can mean a correct code of conduct or a plan for a course of action in a scientific experiment, among other things. I added the adjective “rough” to imply the dirty, rowdy sound that I love in dnb. That rough, rowdy, dirty, fun attitude is at the center of what I love in dnb and other bass music. Sometimes the best breakthroughs come when you bend the rules or abandon the plan . . . humans can only behave “correctly” for so long . . . and smooth sound waves sound great distorted.
3. As an artist, you can experience a number of road blocks along the way to achieving your goals. What motivates you to continue to be creative and make music even when times get tough?
I’ve created a balance in my life that works for me. I don’t play or make just one style of music because I genuinely love a bunch of different rhythms and moods. When I have the freedom to express myself it is inspiring! Also, when finding new music to DJ, it is the case that one genre is often stagnating while another is filled with innovation. I love finding and playing music that pushes boundaries. When I have a block producing, I just go make music with friends, which is often more fun than sitting alone, doing it on my own – lol.
Besides being a DJ and producer, I’m also a massage therapist, yoga teacher, and Ayurvedic practitioner and being of service in that way feels really good to my soul and helps keep me stay healthy, grounded, and excited about music. I don’t rely 100% on my music career for my income, which is essential (for me) for keeping music a joyful, stress-free activity. When I travel for gigs, I try to hang with friends and see and do things outside the gig itself so that being on the road is a fun adventure instead of a slog from one gig to another. And finally, I prioritize my local underground community in LA because playing with and for friends fills me with joy.
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?
My favorite saying is: “expect nothing” . . . meaning that you should enjoy the adventure of being an artist. There’s no “right” way to do art — just try to be the most genuine version of yourself! I also think having patience and not being in a rush helps a lot. I spent the first decade of my career playing downtempo, opening and closing parties and I still had time to get to a place where I travel the world playing music at really fun parties!
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