Vancouver based DJ/Production couple, Josh & Dani, describe themselves as “Spiritual Gangstas,” which not only pronounces the yin and yang of their individual journeys, but also their mixed spectrum of musical influence. Whether it’s house, hip hop, speed garage, trap or UK inspired basslines, their production and live DJ sets are always characterized by a high-energy, multi-genre blend of deep, wobbly, rolling basslines and four to the floor, bouncy beats. We caught up with the hot duo for an exclusive interview you can dive into below.
1. What is the inspiration behind your latest single?
This track is about our Vancouver crew- the True Sick Beauties. We acquired this name at Shambhala Music Festival and it was something that meant alot to all of us, so much so that over 20 of us got True Sick Beauty tattoos. This group of friends is the very foundation of Average Gypsy, they were our first fans and are still some of our best friends to this day.
2.What made you discover your passion for creating an eclectic blend of your own sound?
Our passion for music started when we were kids, we both grew up deeply embedded in music cultures. We certainly take inspiration from many different genres, most notably hip hop and UK underground house/grime/garage. As we progressed from music fans to DJ's to producers, it was only natural to incorporate the music we enjoyed listening to the most into our productions.
3. What places in your mind do you channel to craft your songs?
That is a very interesting question! Usually when crafting songs, we are trying to elicit a certain emotional experience, which often represents a memory or a concept or something we are currently experiencing. We love telling stories through music, that's why our debut album is a story album, each track representing a pivotal moment together as we became Average Gypsy (True Sick Beauty is the 4th single off the album).
4. What are your favorite venues to perform at? and if you had to choose, do you feel more comfortable in the studio or onstage, andwhy?
We just played at a really cool warehouse in Germany called Sky Club. It had a bunch of different rooms with different vibes, great sound system, lots of art deco and LED's. We absolutely love them underground vibes but honestly it's way more about the crowd than the venue. We definitely feel more comfortable on stage- there is nothing quite like the flow of energy we feel when connecting with each other and an audience through music, especially when it's an original production.
5. How do you create your songs? What is the process like? Does it take you days, weeks, even longer? How does the perfect piece come together?
We are slow as molasses when making tracks. We always start with a concept/idea for the track. After that a typical process might be: write the drums, create a loop and lay down a bassline. Next is synth chords and vocals, then arrangement, then fills/transitions then we add, what we call, the sparkles; fun elements to jazz up the track! Each track is very different though and we are always learning and refining our process further. We are not sure how a perfect track comes together, ask us again in 10 years!
6. How did you create a sound throughout time that is so uniquely yourown? What defines your sound to you?
Lots of trial and error! Our sound could be described as deep, wobbly, UK inspired, rolling basslines, four to the floor, bouncy beats and gangster rap! Our music is a melding pot of a bunch of different genres although our music is most commonly categorized as bass house.
7. This year is shaping up to be a great musical year for you. What do you hope to accomplish as we head further in 2019?
Thank-you! We'll have our entire debut album our by the end of the year (how exciting). We're going to press it to vinyl which is something both of us have always dreamed of. We both just started taking piano lessons to further (and quicken) our flow in the studio, so you can expect lots more productions in the future. We really want to expand into the US next year, so our goal is to get our visa's and tour. We also throw an annual music festival, Rise & Shine FamJam Fundraiser; a festival that donates 100% of proceeds to sending kids to the Rise & Shine Captain Camps. These are sport camps that encourage youth to follow their dreams with curriculum specifically focused on elite sport training and all-encompassing life skills beyond sport. In the past 3 years, we’ve sold out each festival and raised over 50K for these kids. This year we hosted our first ever DJ Camp! We spent a week teaching 12-18 year olds how to DJ with industry professionals, Stickybuds, Smoothie, Waspy and Nostalgix. It was really well received and we were blown away by these kids ability to soak it all in! Next year, we'd like to host adult DJ camps too! Aside from that, there's lots of festivals, venues and record labels we've got our eyes on!
