Talking Music with Datsik at Snowball Music Festival

There is something special about Datsik. Sure, he has sick beats and a great label but there is still something more to him that separates him from everybody else in the EDM game. This past weekend I got to find out a whole lot more about Datsik—real name Troy Beetles—and his attitude about music and the scene at Snowball Music Festival in Winter Park, Colorado. It is rare to find genuine people in the music industry but Datsik is one of them—he is one down to earth dude. We talked about the festival, Colorado, music, inspiration, and more. Check out what he has to say so you can get to know him a little bit more too!

Interview:

What was it like to play outside in the snow? It was really fucking cold. Actually, I got here 5 minutes before my set because of the snowstorms and shit all day today. My flight was delayed out of New Orleans getting into Denver so we had to cancel that flight and get a new flight and then we ended up sitting on the tarmac for an hour on the new flight so we were 2 hours late and literally road up last minute and uhm… I didn’t know what to expect but it was crazy. Colorado never disappoints.

Was it something you enjoyed? I saw that you were only wearing a t-shirt! Well, that is the thing. I was super cold as soon as I got out of the car and walked in the tent and it started getting a little bit warmer. Then, when I got on the stage there was so much heat rising up so it was, like, totally fine.

Yeah, it was a madhouse in there. There must have been about 6,000-7,000 people outside of your tent. What do you think about the Colorado scene? Colorado scene is unmatched. Like, honestly… I don’t know. I think like that it is really crazy. I started playing in Denver kind of at the pinnacle of dubstep in Denver so I have witnessed that every time I come back to Denver… I am just so happy to be back because I know how sick it is going to be and I know the crowd is going to be so into it. I think Denver prides themselves on being the number one capital in the states for dubstep. You know what I mean?

Where do you find your biggest inspiration when making music? Like, musically or outside ideologies. Well, for a long time I was always into snowboarding and I just listened to a lot of hip hop snowboarding and it kind of translated into my music. So, I started writing more and more of it and I guess as I move forward, you know, I realize that the hip hop I used to listened to I analyze it too much now and I see it for its production value instead of its awesomeness. So, that has kind of led me to… instead of just looking at hip hop for inspiration I tend to turn to different genres and electronic music is the biggest thing. I find that most of my inspiration these days comes from electronic music as opposed to hip hop, which I used to so you know.

You seem to have so many different elements in your music—do you call it any specific genre or just like “bass music?” Honestly, I would love to be in the same boat as pretty lights and just call it whatever it is… its like hip hop mixed with trip hop mixed with dubstep mixed with everything because it is elements of all types of music. But Datsik has been branded as dubstep, right, so people that go see a Datsik show are expecting dubstep but since trap has kind of emerged I think it is really nice that I am able to take advantage of that and start stripping it back and instead of going the more noisy route I can start dropping the minimal stuff. I mean, even if I drop minimal dubstep people think its trap so it’s great.

So, trap music… how long do you think it’s going to last? Honestly, I have no idea. I don’t really care. I’m not going to say that, you know, for example we’re starting a new alias just under trap. Its like trap is too… you know… dubstep is bigger freeform than trap is because with trap you are too limited by the drums and the vibe and the feel where as dubstep you can take in any single direction. So ultimately I think dubstep is bigger but I think trap is really hot right now and I love playing it. Every time I drop a really cool trap track, like tonight whenever I would play a minimal trap track, people just freak out and it is the coolest feeling knowing that minimal music is making people do that.

Are there any new producers up on the rise that you have been noticing? Yeah, for sure. Look out for the Frim, look out for AFK and GETTER. There all kids on my label. Look out for Protohype. Look out for Dark Elixer. There are so many new kids with Firepower that are moving straight forward. Mostly in the dubstep direction but the type of stuff they’re sending me is going to revive dubstep to where it was, I swear to God, it is, like, so good! It is not the type of stuff that is like overly produced with a million of wannabe Skrillex noises in it, it doesn’t have that… it is like proper like super dope heavy dubstep.

Do you have any words of advice for new producers trying to make it to the top? Yeah! Don’t copy anyone do your own thing. If you copy someone you are always going to be second best so take inspiration from people but don’t mimic because when you mimic your not going to get anywhere with that. You know, you gotta set yourself apart from everyone else.

Last question: since dance music has gone mainstream there seems to be a divide among the different kinds of fans—especially the ones “from the beginning.” What do you think of this and do you have any words for them? Well, I think the ones that are still in it from the beginning are true fans. The ones that listen to it for a couple weeks, dubstep for a couple of weeks, then toss it aside, or hipsters… hipsters can get the fuck out. You know what, if you like the music appreciate it for what it is. Don’t go on Facebook and don’t go on YouTube and do nothing but hate on it and act like you know what’s up. Straight up. It is just a waste of time. Appreciate music for what it is and enjoy it, you know?