APRIL 5, 2025
When starting the journey of Sound Gallery, both Sado (Co-owner of SG) and I knew we really wanted to branch out. Previously, we had been hosting musical events in the virtual realm of video games, hosting theatrical nights with a niche community of musicians and talent. And although that production process with our team had been relatively successful, we eventually realized the time would come where we would need to mature, grow, and find a different method to evolve what we had already poured hours of work into.
Needless to say, Sound Gallery was born and with it the commitment to start focusing on DJs outside of our small community.
Part of starting that journey was taking on our very first, very active DJ who played outside of video games and really presented an admirable representation of what we looked to achieve: showcasing DJs with a love for music that wasn’t limited to just a virtual audience and wasn’t afraid to experiment with sound.
That very first DJ was none other than Fizzx.
Experimental, unabashedly themselves, and had a thirst for self-growth.
So for the month of April, Sound Gallery would like to formally introduce one of our newest, rising stars: Fizzx.
Fizzx! Thank you for agreeing to this interview! When setting up a projection of DJs that we wanted to interview, your name came up quite a few times. And as it stands, I’m excited to be able to learn more about you. I know that there’s a whole world of untapped information that I know both myself and our audience with Sound Gallery would love to know.
But rather than gushing, let’s start off with the bare bones: Can you introduce yourself? A name, your country, and maybe any hobbies?
What’s good Soundgallery fam, thanks for having me here. I’m FizzX, and I’m comin’ at you from Toronto, Canada. I’m a multi-instrumentalist, producer and DJ. I’m also an avid VR gamer.
Toronto? I feel like we’ve really hit a hotbed of DJs from this region of the world in our community, which makes me feel inclined to suggest that perhaps there is a large music scene where you are? With that in mind, what inspired you to start DJing? And how long have you been DJing for?
In a sense…Djing chose me, I didn’t choose it. I’ve been a performer and producer for a long time, and I always had turntables around, I generally only used them for sampling, and occasionally pretending to be a turntablist for my own enjoyment. When I was a full time guitarist, playing with decks was a fun way for music to be a hobby again, rather than a job.
There was a period in my life when music wasn’t paying the bills and I started working construction. This is where my metamorphosis into a DJ began. Instead of treating my change in fortune like a setback, I chose to take it as an opportunity. There’s so much music out there and there were new sub-genres exploding every week. Why listen to commercial radio, when I could use the time to consume as much music as humanly possible.
If I didn’t show up early and put on my own playlists, I would get stuck listening to the radio stations the other contractors would blast on their jobsite radios. I love AC/DC, but there’s only so many times I want to hear Thunderstruck in a day, let alone every day. It didn’t take long before I ran through all the playlists on Spotify I could find to expose the other work crews to new music, so I had to start making my own.
I found that 90/180 bpm music was ideal for maintaining focus, and the ideal tempo for physical labor – just fast enough to keep you going, not too fast that you burn out halfway through the day. Essentially – I became a Drum and Bass jobsite DJ. So… you could say, Drum and Bass is part of a robust health and safety protocol for any construction site.
A few years later, I got heavily into VR where I met a dude named Chidgey in game. Chidgey is a long time DJ from London who is also involved in managing an online radio stations. It was him who pushed me to take up DJing seriously, and it was through his guidance that I was able to leverage my production and performance experience to bypass a lot of the learning curve in Djing. I haven’t been a DJ that long, but because of friends like him, I’ve been on a fast path to where I want to be.
My first gig as a DJ, before I started streaming or had played out live, was on Rhythm Rida Radio (www.rhythmrida.live) … for new years eve. Talk about stressful. But it was an awesome experience. It must have gone well enough, because they let me do a Tuesday night show ever since.
Music definitely presents itself differently to everyone, but in the grand scheme, musicians feel very relatable in their reasons for why they begin their journey with sound. In this case, being able to have some type of escapism and self-expression. I will say, it sounds like you have quite the wealth of experience with musical exploration. It’s very self-evident in your live sets, as well!
Obviously when creating sets, generally musicians lean toward one genre or another as a personal preference. Be that because they resonate with the musician or a feeling captured in the music. Is there a specific musician you look up to? And why?
There’s loads of musicians I look up to. History has presented many powerhouses to look at for inspiration, whether they are household names or influential players in a specific scene at a specific time.
I think one of the most notable, is Keith Emerson. He was the keyboardist for the 70’s prog rock group Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Keith Emerson was an early adopter of the Moog Synthesizer and worked closely with Bob Moog in the development of the Moog modular synth as it evolved. In a way, Keith Emerson is one of the most important founding fathers of modern electronic music.
I’m a big fan of those musicians that find a need and come up with workarounds to fill that need. The people who see limitations as opportunities.
In a way, that’s where turntablism really thrives. Whether you go back to Kool Herc and the beginnings of break beats as we know them, or Kid Koala two decades later, performing jazz and blues lines on a turntable… not with loops, but making the lines out of single samples.
I love watching people push the boundaries of their artform.
Mozart didn’t become Mozart by biting Bach’s style. With the evolution of DJ technology, I can’t wait to see what kind of wild stuff people start to do in the next decade.
I think that is what really sets you apart as a DJ and ultimately why this interview is so interesting- music isn’t just a playlist for you, as it can be for many other entertainers out there. It’s a challenge. And a way to really catapult yourself through conceptualizing with sound, rather than just muscle-memory reflex with the cue button.
I know you mentioned earlier in the interview at having become the Drum and Bass jobsite DJ, but you’ve dropped some very provocative names when discussing music. Generally speaking, Mozart isn’t always brought up in the same lists as, let’s say, Polygon. Would you say that there’s a specific preference that you have as a genre?
In electronic music idioms, I prefer sub genres that incorporate breaks or syncopation. I’m particularly into Drum and Bass. It’s very diverse, and thus consistently very interesting. As a casual music listener though – 90’s golden era hip hop, 70s prog rock, and fusion jazz are my thing too. Prog rock in it’s origins, was the fusion of everything possible into a rock band format. I try and take this approach to drum and bass. When I DJ I primarily play Drum and Bass, but I try to do it in an open concept way. I’ll incorporate as much other music as possible into live remixes and mashups. It could be anything – world music, Hip hop, pop throwbacks, Rock… I like to get creative.
Speaking of creative, I know you’ve had a chance prior to share some of the music you’ve mentioned producing. So although this question may feel redundant, I just want to hear your back-story: Do you produce music?
I do produce music. My previous productions were a rock/electronic there are 3 bands I worked with extensively – the most recent is called Cyrrula. I worked in Hip Hop before that and have done a little bit of soundtrack work, both in TV and Video Games. I have recently relaunched myself in more of a solo artist/producer capacity.
My first track in this phase of my career came out in December. It was just a starting point to test the waters. This is entirely different from my previous work, but there are a few constants. I try to incorporate the guitar in interesting ways, and I generally try to fuse genres. For example, it’s unlikely I will every make a quintessential Drum and Bass track or even a stereotypical Dub track– there will always be an element that is unique. I am unapologetically a fusionist. Keep an eye on my socials, I will be releasing tracks steadily throughout the summer in a few different genres – many of them as collaborations with some fantastic artists I’ve encountered on my adventures.
Fusion music is a big love in our community; I can count quite a few fellow DJs that hold a lot of respect for being able to play with sound. And generally speaking, it often takes the audience by surprise because they don’t realize that something like classical music could pair up so nicely with a heavy electronic beat. Kind of like cooking, but with sound. You’re a quintessential chef of music, one might say.
With all this passion for music creation, have you considered DJing as a full time career? If not, how do you manage to balance music with work?
When I was a performer and had a job, I found it was easiest to work in a field with flexible hours. Even then, it wasn’t easy to balance… but for the most part, I made it work.
I’m headed back to music being a full time job, and DJing is a large part of that. Currently I’m playing out two to three times a week. My city is going through a musical resurgence after some tough times and big losses of seminal venues. I’m blessed to be a part of what’s happening in Toronto right now. I have to give a big shoutout to my local DJ partner, Sudeep K. He’s one of those DJ’s that’s been keeping music alive in Toronto behind the scenes for ever. I’m thankful to have had him introduce me to a lot of opportunity in this new phase of my career.
It sounds like we may be witnessing the newest chapter in your musical life. If that’s the case, you’re going to have to let us know where your latest shows are in the event a larger part of our Canadian audience is nearby to partake.
With performer experience under your belt, being able to play live on a stage may come very naturally to you. How would you best describe your stage personality?
Tough question. My stage personality changes depending on the type of gig. When I was a guitarist, I was a bit more of a wilin’ out, run around the stage type of player. A ‘play my guitar with my teeth and behind my head’ type of person. Until I had to cover 3 jobs at once – bass/guitar and MPC, then I was stuck at my station and focused.
As a DJ, I have yet to figure out that version of performance. I’m often a little more introspective in my demeanor. Don’t get me wrong, I get excited – but I don’t spend hours behind the decks pumping my fist in the air. I generally don’t plan my sets and I’m enjoying the blends for the first time just like the audience is – so when you see me react, it’s genuine, not an act.
I’ve come to find that simply ‘going with the flow’ with an active audience can really feel like a high of sorts. You’re just having fun with them and it almost feels a bit intimate to be able to include the audience on that experience. And whether it goes well or not isn’t really relative, as everyone is having fun right there with you. Being able to simply be yourself is really a challenge, as often as entertainers you can feel pressured to provide a good time, in accordance to the venue you’re playing at.
With that in mind, what would you consider to be your strengths and weaknesses?
As a DJ, I’m not very technical. I would love to be able to chop and double drop like some of the best DnB DJ’s around, but in the meantime I make up for it with creativity. I like to weave a tapestry. I use a lot of effects and overlay unexpected tracks from other genres. I think it helps make my sets unique. Sometimes tracks need to breathe. Sometimes blends should be long and vibey. Of course… sometimes you want to drop 5 songs in 160 bars. Everything has it’s place.
Also, I hustle. I get a lot of gigs because I’m reliable and make myself available.
As a producer, it’s similar. I’m very well versed in a multitude of styles of music, and have written, arranged, and done pre-production in a ton of idioms. There are people that can nail a specific genre’s archetypes perfectly every time. But If you need to find a way to bend that genre so it can crossover, I’m your guy.
Despite feeling like you’re limited in skill, I would say it appears you more than make up for it by allowing yourself to be adaptable, if not entirely open toward trying something new, if not at least for a first time. Many musicians get themselves into a niche and it’s hard to break out of that. I’d say your approach is by far and large a mature one.
But with audiences who seek specific sounds, generally mainstream ones, I imagine it can be tough to find individuals who understand the value of what you’re doing on stage. And stages can be very different, especially between online communities and live venues. What would you say your approach is toward reading your crowd?
It’s very different when playing a festival vs playing at bars, lounges and clubs. I’m not a headliner, or a main room guy at this point. Where I play, the key is to keep people consuming, so the venue makes money. If the venue does well, I do well. It’s important to have a lot of peaks and valleys in a set in these instances, especially a long one. I try to observe the crowd and keep music ebbing and flowing with them.
Every DJ wants to get everyone on the dance floor, but it’s important to remember to back off a little every so often so people have a moment to go to the bar. I often play in places where people aren’t necessarily drum and bass fans – yet. So when I see people losing interest, I’ll through on a pop tune I know they’ll love and mash it up over a minimal drum and bass track. By the time the second verse comes around, they are already on the dancefloor having a great time and another fan has been won over. Not just for me… but for Drum and Bass music.
I really respect that the goal isn’t really for yourself, but rather to earn a better understanding for music as a whole. Perhaps an audience isn’t really suited for drum and bass, but you’re finding ways for people to really understand that there are no limitations when it comes to having fun with music. That although drum and bass has a definition by book, it isn’t limited to sounding only one specific way. And perhaps educating people that there are subgenres… that’s a really tough topic to tackle. I admire that you pursue that endeavor. It can often be difficult to hear that a venue owner wants to hear EDM, but has no way to express an understanding that there are multiple types of EDM on a whole. What you’re doing is a real win for music.
At this time, we’re nearing the end of our interview here and with as much wealth of knowledge that you have, I’d like to ask our last question with a lot of reverence and respect: Do you have any advice for new DJs?
First thing: Interact with as many DJ’s as possible, and watch a lot of DJ sets on youtube for inspiration. Not just shorts, make sure to watch whole sets and get context. Also, make sure to learn from people who play other styles than you do. Every strategy in every genre is applicable to you.
Second thing: Join the Sound Gallery discord server. Find other discord servers too. People in online DJ communities are very forthcoming with help and troubleshooting.
Third thing: Experiment and have fun. There are no wrong answers, and endless possibilities. Just get it on beat and in Key.
Fourth thing: When you get there… try to practice at home with an audience or on stream as much as you can. Practicing without an audience is sort of like playing Poker without chips – without risk, there is significantly less reward.
What a profound interview- really a great insight into Fizzx. Honestly, I’m a little blown away to know that we rub shoulders in the music community with someone who has such a deep respect for the craft. All of our DJs with Sound Gallery are remarkable in their own ways and it’s wonderful to be able to learn about one more star in our constellation.
For those of you who are interested in learning more about Fizzx and his music, please visit our bi-weekly raid series or directly at his Twitch for more on his sets.