Recent posts: All News

Hi folks!

You can now cast your vote for your favourite artistes in the DJ Mag Top 100.

If you’d like to vote for yours truly, the link is listed below. I’ve made the top 100 just twice in my career, the last time being in the 1990s when I had hair 🤣

I have zero expectations but you never know! Thanks in advance for your support and see you on Twitch ❤

Link: https://vote.djmag.com

Hey fam! How are you all?

I’m celebrating my Kick affiliate stream this evening, if you can spare the time I’d really appreciate your company for a few hours 🙂

Hi good peoples!

I’ve just uploaded well over 40 live stream recordings/mixes to my #SoundCloud archive bringing it almost completely up to date for you. This is the place for audio only archives of my work and is the single most biggest library of my mixes, podcasts and more anywhere on the internet.

Please head over and give me a follow if you’re not already, thanks! https://soundcloud.com/djbrisk

This week we head to Sheffield, UK as we speak to the award winning Queen of UK Drum & Bass, the legendary Becky Saif! Read on and find out more…

Where are you from and where are you living now?

Sheffield, UK and I still live here

What’s your equipment list? (one for the tech heads!)

Pioneer CDJ2000 Nexus 2 (pair)
Pioneer CDJ3000
Pioneer DJM900 Nexus 2 mixer
Shure SM7B Mic
Sennheiser HD25 Headphones

Where did your musical journey begin?

I was always interested in music. At age 7 I would play with cassettes, recording music from one cassette to another and listening back to it. Music and science were my biggest passions at school. Funnily enough, they still are. I can play the clarinet and drums and used to play them both in the school bands. I remember seeing Cubase production software in music class but I didn’t really understand what it was at the time.

What made you decide to take up DJing?

I started working for my local radio station as a technical operator. I wanted to be a Radio Presenter. I hosted my first radio show at age 17 and landed shows on national and international radio stations. It was a natural progression to explore DJing as a skill to do alongside my work in radio. 

What are some of your interests/hobbies/passions outside of streaming/DJing?

Here’s one many people won’t know about… I love orienteering. I have a thumb compass, running shoes with spikes, the jerseys, knee length socks, shoelace tape… the whole lot! I love everything about it – nature, competition, running alone, endurance, navigation, getting lost in the wilderness and racing against the clock. Other hobbies include watching sci-fi films, hiking and traveling. I also volunteer my time to support the homeless and to help people struggling with drug addiction. I’m passionate about using my time and experience to help other people out of the darkness, so that they can live the life they truly deserve. 

When did you start streaming on Twitch? 

I’m a pandemic streamer. March 2020.

Is there anything you really hope to accomplish in your life, whether it be related to music or not?

Music, in particular Drum and Bass, gave me a reason for living. I was a very depressed and suicidal person 10 years ago. I didn’t want to be here. Drum and Bass gave me a hope for something more. It gave me a family. There’s so much that comes with music – love, connection, friendships, emotion, hopes, dreams, purpose, a sense of belonging, community. 

Now it’s my turn to give back. I’m currently scaling my online education business to help as many people as possible to learn the skills they need in order to better themselves and have power over the direction of their lives.

Who are some of your favourite streamers? Why?

Char_dj – she is an inspiration to me. She’s also one of my best friends. Like a partner in crime. She completely gets me and I get her. I adore her professionalism and authenticity on stream. I don’t think I would be half of the woman I am today without Char. She reignited my purpose in life. She also handles those 4 decks very well 😉

dawnperignon – she’s hilarious. I love this girl. She plays great music (no matter the genre) and is another inspirational woman. Her streams are always a good time. She’s full of fun and has a great attitude to life. There’s a fearlessness to Dawn that I admire.

chadryce – I love this guy. He’s hilarious and genuine. He’s not shy of self-deprecating and I love that. I’ve personally found that self-deprecating humor helps neutralise negative information about myself. I’m definitely drawn to this type of character. Chad is a beautiful, authentic soul who seeks genuine connection.

What is your favourite genre to play? Why?

Drum & Bass – obviously. I love the array of sub-genres in DnB. There’s a sub-genre for every mood. It’s also the most difficult genre to mix well. I seem to like challenges in life.

What are some of the most memorable events you’ve participated in or streamed?

The first time Char raided me. I told the stream about the fact that I had been hormonally crying the night before because of a trauma story where my Dad got rid of my favourite Duplo toy when I was a kid. Within 10 minutes they had raised enough money to buy it back. It was now a collectors item, at a much higher cost and had to come from Germany. I was shaking while opening it live on stream. I can no longer access my trauma story. No matter how hard I try, the thought of my dad taking my toy from me no longer affects me.

The day I got Partner was pretty crazy. I sent my application through and the next day it was approved. Sharing the news on stream felt surreal. It was a whirl-wind 48 hour journey from applying to announcing it. Everyone was there and I will never forget the love I felt on this day. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I drank an entire bottle of alcohol free champagne at 10am and didn’t get drunk.

Recently, for Rux. It was such a difficult stream to do but I felt that I had a responsibility to turn up and do something for him, his friends and the people who knew him through streaming. It was really hard but I’m glad that we did that for him and for ourselves. When life happens, we need each other. RIP Rux. It was a pleasure to know you mate.

What does Team Brisk mean to you?

It’s a family of like minded individuals who have a shared common goal. Not only that, we support each other and have shared values. It’s people supporting people. Life isn’t supposed to be a solo mission. Team Brisk feels like home.

What’s your favourite thing about DJing on Twitch?

The human connection. Music for me has always been about connection. My pre-pandemic was more about gigs and connecting to the dance floor. The dance floor would remain strangers however. Streaming on Twitch opened up the opportunity for deeper connection. You get to know the people on Twitch and build long lasting relationships on a global scale.

What is a challenge you’ve faced as a DJ/streamer?

Playing DnB in itself is a challenge. It’s an incredibly fast and technically difficult genre to mix. If you take a look at house music DJs when they play at a gig, they often have time to converse with friends and pour drinks. It’s not like that in DnB. The DnB DJ is often head down and heavily focussed. Combining that with streaming is insanely difficult. You now not only have to maintain the same level of skill and performance but also engage with a fast-paced chat.

Do you have any special projects, streams or events you would like to tell us about?

Yes, I have a huge project that I’m about to announce. I’ve been working on it for the last 5 months. It’s been painful at times, with the amount of technical difficulties and the amount of editing, but it’s finally here! I will soon be releasing the pre-sale of my very own DJ Course. I’m so excited to share it with the Twitch family and to get back onto my YouTube channel. I’ve not posted on YouTube in the time of me building the course. It’s going to get a complete overhaul and will include DJ and self-development content, as well as the existing music production videos. I’m very excited to get back into it all.

Is there anyone you’d like to shout out and/or thank?

Thank you to everyone who has come to spend time in my stream. Thank you to the moderators for their selfless contribution. Thank you to Team Brisk and to my adopted family full of love and support in all corners of the world. We are in this together and I’m stronger because of you.

Give us your links!

Website : https://beckysaif.com
Courses : https://nomi-music-studio.teachable.com
Discord : https://discord.com/invite/38kfrqM
Twitch : https://www.twitch.tv/beckysaif
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/beckysaifmusic
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/beckysaifmusic

Hey guys!

Just a quick post to let you know that I’m participating in the Twitch ANZ Winter SubFest which runs until Sunday 28th May 2023.

Any subs or bits you spend in my channel during this time go towards a total points “score” that unlocks prizes (as per the image below) that I will receive as a streamer. At the time of writing I’m on level 2, so I have some Twitch fluffy socks(!) and a Twitch desk mat. Next stop, a fluffy Koala

I haven’t really been able to get stuck into this event so far due to work however, I’m back online later today, so let’s see what we can unlock!

Thanks and much love

P.S My Twitch channel can be found HERE

The week we head to the City of Angels as we drop in on Californian EDM legend, Swage! Read on to find out more…

Where are you from and where are you living now?)

Born and raised Los Angeles local! Still out here now (surprisingly lol)

How did you come up with your DJ name?

Swage originally was a duo between me and another producer / DJ who goes by Ghastly. His project began to take off and and about a month into us starting Swage he decided to focus on his solo project but we still collaborated and toured together. He’s still a dear friend of mine I wouldn’t be here without!

What’s your equipment list?

I currently use the XDJ-XZ and two Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS to mix. Production wise, I’ve been using Ableton Mive. My camera is a Sony Z10 running OBS on a PC and I use a Playstation 5 during my gaming streams.

Where did your musical journey begin?

I’ve been doing music in some form or another since I was a kid. Doing musical theater and choir into high school and playing in Punk bands. I discovered Drum and Bass and Electronic Music at about thirteen years old and eventually became a festival kid before diving into DJing and music production at seventeen. After that I began owning and managing the Electronic Music publication, YourEDM.com and various record labels whilst in college and pursuing music

What made you decide to take up DJing?

I really enjoyed a lot of Electronic Music I was hearing at festivals and wanted to learn to produce and make those sounds and DJing kinda came with the territory. The production aspect was what really attracted me to DJing though. Producers like Sub Focus and Wolfgang Gartner inspired me to develop my own sound and find music that blended well with what I make.

What are some of your interests/hobbies/passions outside of streaming/DJing?

New Dad over here, so I love spending time with my twin boys and watching them grow up. I’m a big gamer too usually rocking out in Final Fantasy XIV or Horror games. I surf when I get the chance and love the beach. Going to festivals and just enjoying music or just checking out some new anime. I’m a dog guy and a food guy so giving my pup Luna treats or eating ramen or tacos all day!

When did you start streaming on Twitch?

My streaming career started as a hobby DJing in September 2021 before going full time in March of 2022 and been loving it ever since!

Is there anything you really hope to accomplish in your life, whether it be related to music or not?

My mindset is aim high and you’ll probably get somewhere pretty close with hard work! My goals are mainly raising two young gents to be decent humans, making music that people enjoy and making someone’s day better with some positive energy!

Who are some of your favourite streamers? Why?

Musically, I love tuning into Brisk of course. Always learning something new from the bossman. Char is another who always throws down some killer Dnb vibes! For gaming stuff, I always like watching XenosysVex or Sebbywebz.

What is your favourite genre to play? Why?

I mix just about anything but I love me some Drum and Bass and I’m hugely passionate about it. I love producing it, playing it, listening to it at pretty much any minute of the day. Whether its Liquid, Neurofunk, Jungle, Breaks, big melodic pretty stuff, vibey weird stuff, you name it!

What are some of the most memorable events you’ve participated in or streamed?

I’ve performed at some of my favorite festivals like EDC Vegas, Coachella, Nocturnal, Beyond Wonderland, Snowglobe, and have had my music played out at a ton of these festivals by idols of mine so its always a blessing to be included in these. I’ve had some pretty fun streams also but my favorite would have to be the release party stream I did for my single “Osaka Psycho“

What does Team Brisk mean to you?

The Team Brisk family took this scoundrel in a little over a year ago and I’ve been grateful for the community that I’ve been able to make a home in. Musically it fits my vibe and the teammates are some of the best people I’ve gotten to connect with.

What’s your favourite thing about DJing on Twitch?

My favourite thing about DJing on Twitch is being able to interact with viewers and talk about music and gaming while connecting with such an incredible community. I love the convenience of being able to play music for a crowd from the comfort of my home so I can be close to my kids too.

What is a challenge you’ve faced as a DJ/streamer?

Challenging myself to figure out how I can improve my mixes or trying to do something different I always like but streaming as much as I do I try to keep my mixes fresh and finding time to balance dad life with finding new music while keeping up with my stream schedule can be exhausting occasionally but I love it!

Do you have any special projects, streams or events you would like to tell us about?

Mainly still excited about my latest single “Osaka Psycho” that dropped on Steve Aoki’s record label Dim Mak Records. Loved the reception I got from that record and there is a couple things I’m planning that I haven’t announced yet but definitely stay tuned for! I am very excited to put out some new singles and remixes!

Is there anyone you’d like to shout out and/or thank?

Definitely a few people to shout out here! My dude Razrwirez got me started DJing on twitch when I heard him drop one of my tracks in his stream. We linked up and started my path DJing in the virtual scene in FFXIV. Shoutout to the bossman Brisk of course for inviting me to be a part of the Team Brisk family. Big love to DJayyams whos been a great friend of mine I’ve made through streaming. Moonpie and Onuka who help me manage my schedule, I’d be a mess without them! The FFXIV community of course I want to shoutout and everyone who’s had fun watching, subscribing, and spreading positive energy in my streams and community and helping me support my family I have the biggestahluv for!

Give us your links!

Keep up with my latest streams:
TWITCH: https://twitch.tv/swagesound
DISCORD: discord.gg/swagesound

Check out my original music and remixes:
SPOTIFY: https://tinyurl.com/kjtmmr3j
SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/swagesound

Keep up with my IRL tomfoolery here:
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/swagesound
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/swagesound
FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/swagesound

More gaming content here:
youtube.com/@swagesound
tiktok.com/swagesound

We head to Sydney, Australia to speak to three friends about their adventures down under and their journey through the realms of Trance Music. Ladies and gents, we give you Elucidus!

Where are you from and where are you living now?

There are three of us, Adriano & Roy from Sydney and Ryan from Glasgow, Scotland living in Sydney for the past 14 years.

How did you come up with your DJ name?

Elucidus, well to elucidate means to shine a light on something, then US because theres 3 of us 🙂 Trying to find an original name is very hard these days, it was driving us nuts to be honest, you obviously need to make sure your name is available on all platforms, so once we found one we stuck with it, haha!

What’s your equipment list?

PC: Alienware Lunar Light M15 R4: (i7-10870H, Nvidia Geforce RTX 3070, 32gb DDR4, 2x Samsung 1tb EVO 970 PRO) Yes this monster laptop runs the stream!

Camera and lens: Sony A6100 / SELP1650 E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS E

DJ gear: Pioneer CDJ2000 & DJM800 (Currently saving up for a Pioneer XDJ-XZ)

In the studio we have Virus Ti, JP8080, Nord rack and Novation Supernova 2 hooked up to a Motu Ultralite Mk4, Event 2030 monitors and a Mac Tower.

Where did your musical journey begin?

We have all been into Trance since the early 1990s, all brought up on Technics and playing vinyl baby!

What made you decide to take up DJing?

For me personally (Ryan), my older brother got me into it, I used to sneak into his room when he was out and play with his Technics 1210 MK2 turntables from when I was about 5 years old!

What are some of your interests/hobbies/passions outside of streaming/DJing?

Snowboarding, Whisky, Craft beer, Gaming and of course producing music.

When did you start streaming on Twitch?

Just as Covid was shutting down the world I guess, was so bored so though why not engage with our fan base and spin some tunes for them. I (Ryan) have been streaming now for almost 3 years I think and really enjoy it

Is there anything you really hope to accomplish in your life, whether it be related to music or not?

This is easy, playing Luminosity beach festival mainstage in Holland would be incredible! its like the Mecca of Trance festivals on a beach in Bloemendaal just north of Amsterdam

Who are some of your favourite streamers? Why?

Xijaro & Pitch, D_utch and DarkSin. Saturdays on Brisk’s stream obviously as its a Trance day, haha! Just wholesome tunes with down to earth vibes, can’t beat that!

What is your favourite genre to play? Why?

Easily Classic Trance, nothing better than those nostalgic feels. It definitely takes me to a happy place 🙂

What are some of the most memorable events you’ve participated in or streamed?

We closed Unkonscious Beach festival in Phuket in front of 4000 people, Played on Subculture twice, one of them was to 6000 crowd at the Hordern Pavillion in Sydney and really can’t forget playing in Ibiza! It’s been a wicked journey for us so far

What does Team Brisk mean to you?

Family and community, its a great tool also to tune in to different styles of music

What’s your favourite thing about DJing on Twitch?

Being able to connect with fans and growing a community of likeminded people! Now with the possiblilty of streaming from a Nightclub also its awesome to bring the team along on the road with us!

What is a challenge you’ve faced as a DJ/streamer?

Getting started always the hardest and then finding consistancy to keep going. Consistancy is absolutely key to maintaining your viewers. Staying motivated when the world reopened and viewer numbers are dropping is a difficult one but we do it for the love of music. If your going to have a mix, why not turn your camera on and potentially make some ones day!

Do you have any special projects, streams or events you would like to tell us about?

Our last track Aura is out on FSOE Recordings and was into the top 20 on Beatport! We’ve got a heap of new music coming soon too including a remix for a Mr Ruben de Ronde of ASOT!

Is there anyone you’d like to shout out and/or thank?

Shout out to Brisk really, for the raids and helping us grow our channel.

Give us your links!

https://www.beatport.com/release/aura/3847653
https://www.facebook.com/ElucidusOfficial
https://www.twitch.tv/elucidusmusic

We head to Southampton, UK for our Team Brisk Stream of the Week feature as we catch up with life and times of DJ Defective!

Where are you from and where are you living now ?

Originaly from the south west of the UK – Devon now living in sunny Southampton

How did you come up with your DJ name?

Many many years ago I used to work in a milk factory (yeah I really did LOL) and there was a machine that kept breaking down on me and the engineer used to say it’s a Defected piece of sh*t and this is where the name Defective came from.

What’s your equipment list?

DJ gear:
2 x Pioneer CDJ 900 Nexus 2
Pioneer DJM Nexus 900 Mk2
Pioneer RMX 1000
Rokit Krk 5’s
Cables Neo by Oyaide
PC:
Mother Board – MSI Z590 Gaming Carbon Wifi
11th Gen Intel i7-11700k 3/60GHZ processor
Corsair DDR 4 32MB Memory
Corsair 1000 W PSU
Geforce RTX 3060
3x NVME 1 TB drives
1x 1 TB Samsung SSD
Soundblaster Creative Sound Card
Hyperx Keyboard / Mouse
Razer Gaming Controller
Stream kit:
Camera – Sony Zv10 / Elgato Camlink
Lighting 3 x Elgato Keylight Air
Streamdeck Mini

Where did your musical journey begin?

When I was around ten my friend Chris and I went into his big brothers bed room (as you do when your kids) and we played a cd called sounds of the detonator (DJ SY) and ever since then it was nothing but love for Hardcore! I then delved into Dreamscape tape packs and discovered the Bonkers cd’s also!

What made you decide to take up DJing?

From at the young age of discovering Electronic Dance Music I always was very musically inspired and learnt how to play the guitar and went through an EMO stage (LOL), then purchasing my very first belt drive vinyl decks from Argos, the most unreliable decks you could ever learn to mix with! I started on those turntables when I was around 17/18 years old and then bought some Pioneer CDH 200’s and my journey through music evolved from there, after which I started to learn how to produce music.

What are some of your interests/hobbies/passions outside of streaming/DJing?

I enjoy a spot of gaming, but for me it’s ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC !

When did you start streaming on Twitch?

Just over a year ago now & long may it continue.

Is there anything you really hope to accomplish in your life, whether it be related to music or not?

I have a beautiful family and music is going incredibly well. I would like to at some point have the opportunity to play at a major event such as Westfest. That is definitely one event on my list.

Who are some of your favourite streamers? Why?

Dj Brady – He is one of the most respected Freeform dj’s with a very unique stream and is just a lovely human.
DJ Brisk – Say no more, he has been so supportive of my twitch journey on and off the camera and is someone I respect, value and have the utmost love for.
Amber D – I love everything about her streams, just so professional.

What is your favourite genre to play? Why?

To be honest with you I dont have a favourite genre to play, I love all kinds of music.

What are some of the most memorable events you’ve participated in or streamed?

Events my biggest to date has to be Adrenaline Stompers, Rave Anywhere, Dusk Till Dawn Festival
As for streams I would have to say The Sunday Sessions (my own weekly stream) and also ‘Rave Anywhere’.

What does Team Brisk mean to you?

Team Brisk is a collective team of like minded people with the same passion for music, Team Brisk is all about supporting one another with their journeys.

What’s your favourite thing about DJing on Twitch?

The community each and every single time.

What is a challenge you’ve faced as a DJ/streamer?

Internet drop outs however, this has rapidly improved.

Do you have any special projects, streams or events you would like to tell us about?

The Slumber Party Pt 2 – 2023 (Twitch Stream)
The Mega Stream 3 – 2023
Lots of future production and music in the pipeline

Is there anyone you’d like to shout out and/or thank?

Dj Brisk for the amazing oppertunities within Team Brisk
Each and every single promoter that has taken the time to book me this past year and going forward.
My good friend Andy Clark for always supporting me and being the absolute legend he is.
Everyone who supports me on and off Twitch (thank you) – And all of my good friends you know who you are.

Links?
https://linktr.ee/defective_dj