Dexphase discusses main inspirations, Blackworks record label and more: Interview

Hello and thank you for joining us! Could you give us an insight on the main inspirations/influences that led to your chosen career pathway in music?

Hello to all of you! First of all thank you very much for your invitation, it’s a pleasure. I think that my dedication to music was a combination of many decisions that I made. I was passionate about techno, I moved around in the scene and I decided to start playing purely as a hobby. At a certain point, some friends and I decided to rent a studio to have a place to practice and have fun without bothering anyone, at the time I was studying and working and music was my escape. Little by little I started to play at some parties with friends, small events and raves until the size of these grew organically, so I could dedicate myself exclusively to music. Of course, I always dreamed about being DJ but it wasn’t really something forced, it just came naturally.

With techno the preferred genre when curating your style of play, we would like to know how significant it is to maintain a versatile nature within the dance scene, as well as your own approach to the various sub-genres that help influence your sound?

I think there are many types of DJs, but from my point of view, a DJ should be versatile in the DJ booth and should know how to work on different stages and in different styles, I think that’s the most effective way to make the audience dance and have fun. However, I have a lot of respect for artists who follow a more purist and linear style and I understand that they criticise the mixing of styles, but I am very much in favour of mixing different sounds in my sets as well as adapting in the number of BPM depending with who or where I play. Nowadays you can hear in my sets subgenres of everything from industrial techno, schranz, hard trance, hardcore or hardstyle sounds and some edited vocals from well known tracks, and I’m very happy with the result on the dancefloor.

This was what shocked me the most at the beginning. Being able to share the DJ booth with all the artists that I admire and respect and have been following for years is spectacular. To see my name announced on the same line up as them is a dream. I have to admit that this gave me a lot of pressure that turned into motivation to give the best of myself. Today, many of these artists have become friends, so I’ve been able to get some advice and inspiration from them, I feel very privileged.

Performing live on a worldwide scale is an achievement that artists strive to conquer one day, could you give us an insight on the thrill and feelings you may get when playing your music to crowds globally, as well as any standout events that you have played and would plan to perform at again in the near future?

I know how difficult it is to become an international artist, for me it’s like living a simulation, I still can’t quite believe it. It’s incredible to be invited by promoters everywhere and to be able to travel all over the world to do what you love and to be able to make a living from it. It also makes you more valued in your native territory. It’s very difficult to choose just one outstanding date, but I have to say that Colombia and its ravers have something special, and going back there is always exciting. I’m looking forward to visiting and getting to know the scene in the US, which is growing a lot, I’m sure I still have a lot of amazing places to discover.

Blackworks is a movement that was born looking to bring to the Spanish scene new sounds, new artistic proposals and new concepts of events that in my opinion were missing in Spain. Myself as a raver and my friends, we were tired of always listening to the same thing, going out to the same places, so I started to bring for the first time to our country numerous artists of the new generation, such as Nico Moreno, Dyen, Oguz, Trym, Sara Landry, Charlie Sparks to name a few…. Just look at where these artists are reaching today. For me personally it has changed my life, now everything has a meaning and a daily motivation and I can dedicate to my dream. For emerging artists, nowadays playing at Blackworks or releasing a track on their label, means to be on the radar of the scene and to be in the target of many other promoters, as I think we are a reference for many promoters, and this makes me very happy.

Evolving your style of play on the daily, hard techno and industrial techno have now become somewhat part of the Spanish rave culture thanks to your initiatives. We would like to know the overall feel of achieving such a milestone, as well as your own outlook on how the scene has expended in your homeland over the years?

Thank you very much for your words! I feel very proud of everything we have achieved and how the electronic scene has developed, I think we have been very involved in what it is becoming, being references and pioneers. We are in a very good moment, although I think there is still a lot of capacity for growth. Looking back on all that has been achieved, it motivates me to continue working to keep improving. I have to admit that I am a bit afraid of burning the scene with too much supply and repeating artists, so all parties (agencies, artists and promoters) must be responsible in this regard.

Blessing fans alike with each of your latest releases, could you provide us with an insight on the main thought process behind each of your productions, as well as the overall message that you have set out to portray through your music?

My productions so far, were looking for melancholy, intensity and depth, in a direction towards darker and industrial techno mixed with melodies. All these tracks I have produced with a lot of feeling and looking for a way to express myself. I have also used a lot of acid elements which have influenced my sound very much. I know I have to dedicate a lot more time to the studio, and I am motivated to explore new sounds more related to what I currently play in my sets.

With 2023 now coming to end, we would like to know of what the future holds for Dexphase, always in terms of new music, upcoming shows and of course endeavours within the dance scene that are planned in your already busy schedule?

I think 2024 is going to be the most important year of my career without a doubt, it’s going to be the year where I’m going to grow the most and establish myself artistically. Regarding releases, I’m going to participate in my first two vinyls, a various artists from Blackworks, and another one from Galactica Festival. I also plan to make different collaborations with other artists and prepare an EP for the end of the year. I have already confirmed several very important shows, for example my debut tour in the United States, plans in Turkey, Australia, England, Canada and many European and South American countries that I have not visited yet. I am also very excited about my participation in some very important festivals. Every week new opportunities and spectacular proposals appear, so I expect many new surprises to come. Thanks a lot for the invite 🙂

Remarkable in every sense of the word, Dexphase is well and truly on his way towards global dominance, and as you may have guessed, we are all for it. Leaving us all in awe with each of his projects, we most definitely will be keeping a close eye on this artist to watch, but in the meantime, be sure to stay up to date with all things Dexphase by following him on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify!