Command D summons the gods of the deep to have us completely submerged in a world of interdimensional dub techno, traversing us through an hour and a half of infinitely looped reflections and subaquatic soundscapes. 

@commandd

Q. This certainly feels like one of your most immersive mixes to date, deeply contemplative and full of dreamy dub techno atmospherics. What inspiration did you draw upon, and what type of setting or situation could you imagine it being enjoyed in? 

A. I started to get into this sound when I was putting together my mix for the Moonshoe mix series. I didn’t know what to call it at the time but I found all of those tunes and tied them together with a certain feeling that was really inspiring me then, it was very organic and that is still one of my favourite mixes. You can hear dub elements scattered throughout that whole mix.

As I started incorporating more dub elements into my productions I discovered artists like Stephen Hitchell and Rhythm & Sound that had created a kind of music that was really extremely satisfying for me to listen to, especially considering my developing love for hi-fi and larger sound systems. I incorporated those artists into my FHUO mix which was a much more considered exploration of the style. Looking back on the process of making the mixes and how much I enjoyed them really assures me that the deep and contemplative sound is a big part of who I am.

For this mix I’ve taken inspiration from the MDC series itself which I’ve been listening to for years. I wanted to add little hints of deep house sounds as a nod to the mixes of the past. I personally think mixes like this are the best to listen to when you’re travelling and looking out a window, otherwise maybe sitting at a desk on a rainy day doing some work. I’d like people to listen to this in a time where they won't be distracted by something else or feel the need to skip forward, I’d want people to just throw it on and let it play, drifting in and out of the tracks and their own thoughts.

Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much?

A. My favourite tracks in the mix are Saftig Komposition by Rasmus Hedlund and Sedlec Ossuary by Persuasion. At a base level I love these tracks because they take a more modern approach to a dub techno track with tight production. Going deeper, the thing that really resonates with me is hard to put into words and best left unsaid. I think this kind of music (along with many other kinds) allows the listener to feel emotions that aren't able to be put into words, part of why I love it so much. I find that dub techno specifically can feel sad and happy at the same time like lots of jazz ballads. That to me is a really beautiful sound that kind of encapsulates life in general.

Q. Tell us about the development of your live set, and where things are currently at with it? Do you feel like you’re able to explore different shades of your sound when playing in a live setting?

A. Putting together my first live set was an awesome experience. I got to play it all around Australia from clubs to rainforests. I’ve put the current live set to bed for now and am starting to work on a new one with a slightly different setup. Although it was a challenging experience, I loved making a live set because often when I would dig for tunes to play out I’d think ‘I wish I had a song like this’ and writing a live set meant that I could bring those ideas to life and curate a set exactly how I wanted. I think I’m really starting to settle into ‘my sound’ in production and DJing, but there are creative limitations in both like finding new music or learning new skills. Overcoming technical barriers in production allows me to get closer to my most true form of expression when it comes to what’s coming out the speakers so I’ve been really working on that recently. Hoping the next live set will be bigger and better : )

MDC.302 Command D

@djpgz @yikesone
Two of the most vital voices in so-called Australia’s dance music landscape, heavyweight producers DJ PGZ and Yikes, joined me for episode 315 of Passing Notes. Fresh off the release of their fierce new split EP ‘Come Round’ via Butter Sessions, these two stewards of contemporary dance music and club culture show us what happens when deep musical knowledges, community-first ethos, and production prowess collide. Come Round is a bold, percussive journey through techno and its playful yet unrelenting derivatives. The tracklist features solo cuts, cross-remixes and one standout team-up, Ouss Ouss, that ties it up into a cheeky not to be missed package.

Gunai/Kurnai & Yorta Yorta artist DJ PGZ is a defining presence in the club and festival circuit, from Pitch to Dekmantel his razor-sharp productions and full-throttle sets pay homage to the Black and Brown roots of club music while charting new territory for future First Nations sound. His contributions to the EP tracks like the wub-heavy Solidarity System and acid-tinged Rewind Yourself Mix stretch the limits with style and power.

Wongi artist Yikes is a multi-dimensional creative force. He is the co-founder of Aboriginal-led creative studio Nani Creative, a DJ, producer, and host of the legendary ‘Full Frequency’ show on RTRFM. A mentor to emerging First Nations DJs, Yikes brings intention to every move he makes, including his consistent appearaces at events of the highest caliber including Inner Varnika and Pitch. His rhythm-driven and progressive tracks Sidestep and Check Out That, carry swing, grit and dancefloor depth.

Together, DJ PGZ and Yikes deliver Come Round as both a sonic flex and a communal offering that harnesses and connects the raw dancefloor energy of the east and west coasts. 

We celebrated their remarkable release and the tour that’s taking it to the people live on PBSfm106.7fm on the 28th March 2025.

DJ PGZ & Yikes - PN 315

A clinic in minimal from the elusive Acting Press boss. 

Why do certain sounds cultivate a cult following? Simply put, it's often because they resist easy consumption. PLO Man and his imprint Acting Press lean into this. 

Searching for the Berlin-based DJ and producer, you won’t find much online presence, interviews or conventional PR. What you will find, if you look hard enough, is a catalogue of records and mixes with a kind of tape hiss charm (a spiritual successor to Basic Channel and Chain Reaction, but scuzzier and lighter on its feet).

Founded in 2015, Acting Press once seemed to belong to the short-lived "outsider house" trend, but is now synonymous with a certain strain of modern minimal, one that is analogue, spacious and pointedly opaque. PLO Man's output is equally sparse by design: this week, he joins the RA Podcast with a characteristically elusive style, accompanying the near two-hour mix is a one-answer Q&A that gives almost nothing away.

Stripped-back, ever-so-slightly sleazy and coated in dust, PLO Man's RA Podcast continues that lineage in style. Opening with the featherlight microhouse of Margaret Dygas, RA.988 unfolds into a carefully curated spectrum of minimal, dub and deep techno. Among familiar names—look out for the blinding Rhythm & Sound and Moodymann blend—are deep cuts and left turns alongside the odd outlier, like lovers' rock pioneer Gregory Isaacs.

Like the best of his forebears, PLO Man wants RA.988 to take time for you to settle in. But once you do, you won’t want to leave. 

@p_el_oh

Find the tracklist and interview at ra.co/podcast/988

RA.988 PLO Man

DJ ZOZI aka @d-tiffany on closing duties in the last Lighthouse of this year’s spring season. Oozzing sass and style, this set develops from deep, hypnotic dancefloor hooks into peak time mind-bending zozi moments. Full of percussive spice throughout with a signature blend of bounce and break for an ultra Lighthouse send off. 

LIVE AT FANDANGO - DJ Zozi

@ciel_dj's energetic 90-minute set for PUCKER UP!'s Standard Time debut (April 26, 2025) ~ featuring both vinyl & digital selections

Pucker Up! | Ciel @ Standard Time | 04.26.2025

I will play records that I found along my tour across the US.

https://www.instagram.com/_reptant
https://soundcloud.com/reptant_the_lizard



Reptant @ The Lot Radio 05-24-2025

Nosedrip at Garage, Horst Arts & Music 2025

C.K at Ring, Horst Arts & Music 2025

Originally released during the label’s earlier years, “Take Shelter” by Tomy Wahl returns as part of TEN: The Archive Series Pt. 1 — a curated collection highlighting peak time and driving Techno from the first phase of the label’s history.

Defined by its stripped intensity and functional power, the track reflects the raw, uncompromising sound that helped shape Ballroom’s identity on the international Techno circuit.

TEN: The Archive Series, Pt. 1

Take Shelter

Ricart Maria back on the label with two minimal tech tracks on fire !

Ricart Maria - Day One

Pulse

✽1/2 of @companionmelb

✽eu+uk+asia: agathe@klsbookings.com
✽au+nz: sam@watartists.com
✽contact: hello@passingnotes.radio

DJ PGZ & Yikes - PN 315

Pjenné

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