A Singular Journey that only Zeds Dead could create (Zeds Dead Vancouver event review)

By Ryan Hayes

Journey of a Lifetime was an hour and forty-five-minute testament to the duo’s unique artistry and vision—and to the fanbase they have fostered over the past 17 years.

And Vancouver showed the fuck up for it.

Blueprint’s inaugural event at the new Freedom Mobile Arch was packed well before Zeds Dead took the stage, with a massive crowd already inside for Deathpact. By the time the headliners arrived, nearly 10,000 fans were ready to christen Vancouver’s newest amphitheatre in torrents of slow, plodding bass.

The longer my history with electronic music stretches, the more it becomes clear that the so-called “Golden Age” never truly disappeared. The scene matured, diversified and expanded across North America, simultaneously becoming more mainstream while somehow splintering into countless unique countercultures.

A near-sold-out amphitheatre filled with diehard Zeds Dead fans would have seemed almost unimaginable during EDM’s supposed heyday. But here we were, weaving our way through remixes and reworks of Notorious B.I.G., Steely Dan, The Beatles, Destiny’s Child, Paul Anka, Damian Marley and countless others scattered almost indiscriminately across the musical spectrum.

The only thread, the only throughline, was Zeds Dead’s vibrant propensity for turning seemingly unrelated sounds into an abstract musical tapestry that somehow all fit within their artistic umbrella. For longtime Zeds Dead fans, that confluence of genres was intentional—and expected. It shouldn’t always work, but somehow it does.

While much of modern bass music has become an ADD-riddled, TikTok-meme-laden exercise in instant gratification, Journey of a Lifetime was something entirely different. It was a slow-burning, atmospheric affair that evolved and unfolded over the course of the set rather than constantly demanding bombastic energy and rage-heavy attention.

Tempos changed. Heavier pockets appeared and disappeared. The music would relapse back into groove before wandering somewhere completely unexpected, all while seventeen years of originals were impressively scattered throughout.

It was cinematic and sprawling on a level that felt almost impossibly removed from the hot, sweaty mess of an affair that was Zeds Dead at the Commodore in 2014. If anything, it proved that the duo have grown up alongside their fanbase.

Despite having more than enough bangers in their arsenal to lay down 90 minutes of absolute madness Journey of a Lifetime was about restraint. It was a powerhouse showcase of the world their unique vision has curated from start to finish—a production retrospective that elevated the duo into a league of their own within the bass world.

That doesn’t mean Vancouver didn’t lose its mind when the heavier moments arrived.

Some of the biggest audience reactions of the night were reserved for tracks like Gassed Up, Ecstasy of Soul and Word scramble, alongside many of their newest productions. Rinsing at least seven tracks from their latest duology only reinforced its masterpiece status & just how important that body of work is within their sprawling catalogue.

A perfect example of what made the night different came at the very end. Rather than finishing with a massive hit dripping in bass, Zeds Dead closed with Gene Wilder’s Pure Imagination intertwined with John Lennon’s Imagine. It was the perfect encapsulation of the standard Zeds Dead hold their audience to. Everyone was there for the ride, not the drop.

In modern bass music’s era of instant gratification, that kind of patience has become unheard of. Journey of a Lifetime took some time to sink into. You had to recalibrate sensibilities trained on the festival circuit and lean into a universe governed by a very distinct vibe.

When the final note rang out, I was left with an even heavier appreciation for Zeds Dead’s legacy, their productions, and their ability to cut through all the noise, remain unmistakably themselves, and foster such a vibrant fanbase over nearly two decades.

Journey of a Lifetime lived up to its name.

And as Zeds Dead step away for a well-earned break, I can only hope whatever comes next is every bit as unique, unpredictable and wonderfully off-kilter as we have come to expect.

Tiësto Is Playing a Full Trance Set in Canada for the First Time in Nearly 20 Years

By Ryan Hayes

After nearly two decades away, one of dance music's most influential artists has returned to the sound that made him a legend — and on November 28, Vancouver will become the first Canadian city to experience it.

The Return No One Expected

There are some things in dance music you simply never expect to see again. Artists change, sounds evolve, and the music that defined an era of your life can become little more than a memory for those who were there.

For anyone who came of age during Tiësto's trance era, the idea of seeing him play a full, dedicated trance set again seemed firmly in that category.

Then, in May of last year, something happened that nobody expected.

Tiësto closed out EDC Las Vegas with a special In Search of Sunrise set. For longtime fans, the significance was immediate. This wasn't simply a collection of classics; In Search of Sunrise was one of the defining series of his trance and progressive era. Hearing him return to that world on one of electronic music's biggest stages felt surreal.

But one question remained: was this a one-off?

Six months later, Dreamstate SoCal provided the answer.

A New Chapter in his Trance Legacy

In November 2025, Tiësto stepped onto the Dreamstate stage and delivered a dedicated trance set. This time, it wasn't simply about revisiting the past. Alongside the familiar sounds were a slew of new IDs, including the first appearance of Beautiful Places and the still-unreleased Lost in the Ocean.

The announcement of a new trance album followed, although that album has yet to materialize. What was clear, however, was that Tiësto had opened the door to trance again.

And it wasn't simply nostalgia driving the return. Tiësto has spoken about being re-inspired by the next generation of producers who have helped make trance feel fresh again. Rather than recreate the past, he was finding his place in its next chapter.

Trance Is Back. Full Sets Are Still Rare.

Even with trance back in Tiësto's musical DNA, his regular sets remain PRISMATIC — a genre-fluid blend of his entire career, moving from deep and atmospheric sounds to progressive, festival-ready records and everything in between.

That's what makes a true, fully dedicated trance set so rare. Outside of his In Search of Sunrise set at EDC and Dreamstate SoCal, Tiësto has delivered them at the Atomium in Brussels and most recently at Creamfields UK.

Four true trance sets. That's it.

Las Vegas. California. Brussels. The UK.

On November 28, that list gets a new country.

Vancouver is next

Dreamstate Vancouver will mark Tiësto's first full trance set in Canada since his return to the genre, and only his third dedicated trance performance in North America in nearly two decades. That's remarkable considering how consistently he's remained a presence across North America's biggest festivals and stages.

This extraordinarily rare set is happening at TRADEX in Abbotsford.

And the rest of the lineup is worthy of the occasion. Dash Berlin brings the legacy, with a catalog of trance anthems that sits comfortably alongside Tiësto's era-defining sound, while Aaron Hibell represents the genre's modern evolution with his cinematic, emotionally driven approach. With Darude, Benwal, Matty Ralph and Modeā rounding things out, Dreamstate Vancouver brings together multiple generations of trance in one night.

If his recent Creamfields slot is any indication, Vancouver is in for something special. That set was a masterclass. Tiësto wasn't simply pulling the classics out of the vault; he was showing how that sound can still work in 2026. You can hear the early 2000s coursing through the set, but the energy, pacing and production have been completely reimagined.

Voicemail (Tiësto Remix) is a perfect example. It carries the unmistakable DNA of classic Tiësto while being reworked with modern sensibilities — a reminder that revisiting an era doesn't mean simply recreating it. The result feels unmistakably Tiësto but built for the present.

For longtime fans, that is what made the Creamfields set such ajoy: the history was there, but it never felt trapped in the past.

As someone who saw Tiësto play a four-plus-hour trance set at the now-demolished Mirage in Las Vegas in 2008, I can honestly say this is something I never thought I'd see again.

That era of Tiësto seemed long gone. Yet here we are: EDC, Dreamstate, Brussels, Creamfields — and now Vancouver.

A once-in-a-decade event

There is something fitting about where Tiësto finds himself now. He's not trying to recreate the early 2000s; he's taking the sound that helped define his career and filtering it through everything he's learned since, inspired by a new generation of trance producers who have made the genre feel fresh again.

For longtime fans, November 28 is a chance to hear an artist who helped define trance return to the sound on his own terms. For those who weren't there the first time, it's an opportunity to experience firsthand why Tiësto's name became synonymous with the genre in the first place.

There are plenty of reasons to make the trip to TRADEX in Abbotsford. But for Tiësto fans, the biggest one is obvious.

Tiësto is playing trance again.

After nearly two decades, after watching one of the genre's defining artists take his career in an entirely different direction, we're getting another full trance set.

And you don't have to travel to experience it.

It's coming to us.

Dreamstate Vancouver 2026 is a once-in-a-decade event.

Make the trek to Abbotsford.

You may not get another opportunity quite like this.

Zeds Dead: A Journey Built on Their Own Terms — And a Big Night for Vancouver

By Ryan Hayes

With Journey of a Lifetime serving as their largest headlining tour to date, there is no better time to look back at the story of Zeds Dead — and no better place to do it than Vancouver.

In less than three weeks, on September 26, Zeds Dead will take over Freedom Mobile Arch in a celebration of their sweeping career. The tour is a grand prelude to a hiatus, and the event promises to be a spectacle that encompasses all the twists and turns of their nearly two-decade voyage.

A Big Moment for the Vancouver Scene

Journey of a Lifetime is a monumental capstone to the first phase of Zeds Dead's sonic opera, but it is also a particularly significant event for the Vancouver scene and the future of large-scale, single-day EDM events in the city.

Yes, both Kx5 and Zedd have played the brand-new Freedom Mobile Arch, but this will be Blueprint's first party at the 10,000-capacity venue — and both of those shows drew heavily on large-scale, pre-established tourist attractions. Having watched the sun set over the North Shore mountains while Kx5 played the Arch, I can tell you firsthand that the venue should be used for as many events as possible.

The Arch occupies a unique position in Vancouver's concert landscape, sitting squarely between the city's mid-size rooms and its arenas in both scale and opportunity.

That middle ground matters. A venue of this size gives Vancouver another option for ambitious productions that may not quite justify an arena setting, opening the door to a more diverse range of major electronic events that have historically skipped the city.

For Blueprint and dance music, it creates another canvas, another opportunity. And Zeds Dead feel like the perfect act to help establish it.

But to understand why this particular show matters, it helps to know who is taking the stage.

Building It Their Own Way

While Zeds Dead's sound has evolved dramatically over the course of their career, a devotion to curiosity guided by authenticity has led them every step of the way. From their earliest days as underground Toronto producers experimenting with dubstep, drum & bass and hip-hop to the expansive, cinematic world of their latest releases, Zeds Dead have never been sonically pigeonholed.

Their music has continually evolved — getting heavier, more melodic, more atmospheric and increasingly adventurous — a convergence of opposing ideas. Where others chased trends and fleeting viral attention, Zeds Dead never seemed interested in following the curve; they have always produced whatever excited them. It is that creative spark Journey of a Lifetime celebrates.

Before Zeds Dead, DC and Hooks were making hip-hop together as Mass Productions. But when electronic music captured their attention, they switched things up entirely. "We started Zeds Dead because we started liking electronic music," Hooks explained to Palm Beach New Times in 2013. For them, it was that simple.

Rather than waiting for the scene to make room for their sound, they actively built a community around their creative output. In 2009, they started Bassmentality in Toronto with The Killabits, giving the duo a place to experiment and develop a grassroots connection with the audiences who would later form the core of their fanbase.

The DIY spirit born in Bassmentality never disappeared, even after Zeds Dead stepped into the spotlight; it simply expanded. In 2016, they drew on the same philosophy to launch their label, Deadbeats. Deadbeats was not only about maintaining independence and creative control, but also about leaning into the organic nature of the fandom they had been cultivating since the early days. As DC told Billboard in 2016, "we have a really strong movement and fanbase, people ride with us. It makes sense to center everything around Zeds Dead."

From there, the label allowed the duo to build event series and community gatherings around the ethos they had fostered as Zeds Dead. By that point, the niche they had carved out for themselves had grown well beyond its origins, permeating mainstream EDM channels. They had beaten a system ruled by conformity, allowing their music to keep evolving without sacrificing the identity that made it unmistakably theirs.

Flash forward another decade, and perhaps nowhere is that evolution more apparent than in their pre-hiatus duology. Combined, their last two albums feel like a conceptual closing statement on their first two decades. Return to the Spectrum of Intergalactic Happiness weaves its way through the roots of Zeds Dead's DNA — hip-hop, bass, sampling, nostalgia and genre-defying experimentation. Return to the Return (of the Spectrum of Intergalactic Happiness) turns that lens inward, blurring those lines even further and pushing into darker, stranger, more psychedelic territory. As a cohesive experience, the journey is unrivaled in electronic music.

The two albums are a triumphant statement that Zeds Dead have nothing left to prove. They enter their hiatus free of creative shackles — able to revisit a beloved past, pull it apart and rebuild it however they want. As they told the New York Post earlier this year, "whatever excites us" has become the guiding principle.

In retrospect, the duo have come full circle. For all their twists and turns, their evolution boils down to a single idea: true self-expression. As DC said to DJ Times in 2021, "we've never had a big hit, but we've grown little by little." Over nearly two decades of producing as Zeds Dead, they have become increasingly comfortable being exactly who they are. In return, their fanbase has evolved with them, offering endless loyalty to Zeds Dead's artistic vision.

That history is what Vancouver gets to celebrate on September 26.

More Than Just Another Show

The September 26 Journey of a Lifetime stop is our chance to show Blueprint and the broader EDM community that we are ready for shows of this stature. I believe we all want this to be more than one memorable night. Heading into spring and summer 2027, a strong turnout for Zeds Dead could help demonstrate that Vancouver is ready for a healthy new slate of large-scale electronic offerings.

Show up. Bring the energy. Make noise.

Let's show them that Vancouver is ready.

Before the lights go out on this chapter of Zeds Dead's story, Journey of a Lifetime gives Vancouver a chance to celebrate the duo's legacy while looking ahead — a communal journey, a temporary farewell and a first step into what comes next.

This one deserves all of the hype. I'll see you there.

ÎLESONIQ delivers (Festival review)

By David Mann

ÎLESONIQ, a Montreal festival which has been a go-to destination for EDM, has just delivered another solid weekend of memories and grooves. Set at the beautiful Parc Jean-Drapeau, an island oasis right smack dab in the heart of Montreal, ÎLESONIQ inherited all of the amazing stages, infrastructure, and festival map from Osheaga, its sister festival which occurred a week before, and improved on it with more lights and bigger stages. Although I only got to experience day 2, I was able to experience some of the best talent that day had to offer. Let me break it down:

gryffin

Gryffin started off his set super heavy with bass and big drops as the big intro, but eventually toned it down to bring the vibe of his show more in line with his more chill, melody-driven vibe. It's hard to pull off a mainstage show, especially with the pressure to deliver an action-packed set to electrify a crowd. Big drops are fun, but Gryffin started to shine when he dropped tracks like "Alive" with the excellent vocals of Calle Lehmann, and a remix of the classic "Say My Name" by Morgan Seatree. That being said, I wish Gryffin would drop the hard drops and give the crowd a purely Gryffin experience, with his sound at the forefront from start to finish.

ki/ki

KI/KI, a Netherlands-based artist, showed off her eclectic style, which is a mix of multiple genres, upbeat and steeped in a '90s nostalgia that clicks really well in 2026. Inviting around 50–100 people on stage with her, KI/KI showcased her tracks first and foremost, including "Going Existential In The Rave." A real viber was the nostalgic-feeling track released in 2025 by Linds called "Kick It," which is virtually impossible not to bob your head to while you dance. After circulating around the festival grounds, I managed to catch the tail end of her set and observed the higher tempo and a strong finish, as she ended with "Here With Me" (faster mix), a great end to her set.

Dabin

Dabin, a Toronto-based JUNO-nominated artist who has been creating chill tracks forever, was in full form at ÎLESONIQ. It's clear that the crowd came specifically for him and knew his tracks well, as they chanted every word to their favourites. The atmosphere was electric, and his upbeat bass, chill aspects, soaring vocals, and largely cinematic style were on full display.

above and beyond

Above & Beyond, the legendary trio from the UK known worldwide for their euphoric, emotional, and uplifting tracks, started off strong with an upbeat tempo to set the stage. Their mixing was on point and super solid between their tracks, showing their veteran presence. A&B showed off their latest tracks, which still held together a style that has made them a mainstay at festivals worldwide for well over a decade. "Here Before" is emblematic of this theme. As you might know if you've ever been to an Above & Beyond live event, they like to communicate via the big screen, typing positive messages to the crowd during their set, bringing an added connection with the crowd. "Carry Me Home," a newer 2025 track with the long-time associated vocalist Zoë Johnston, is yet another track which links the past with the present. How do they keep finding these lovely vocal drops that continue to capture the moment each time? As a long-time fan, hearing Ilan Bluestone's remix of "We're All We Need" was a close-your-eyes, dance-and-smile moment. Above & Beyond delivered yet another evergreen performance.

Yousuke Yukimatsu

I'll be honest: as a long-time festival goer, I'm here to see the novel, the new, the fresh. And Yousuke Yukimatsu checks all of those boxes and more. This mysterious Japanese DJ came out of nowhere, emerging to the world thanks to a famous Boiler Room set that set the internet on fire, and has since taken the stage at some of the biggest festivals. His ability to bring together rock elements with dance beats is uncanny. He brings a punk rock vibe to EDM that almost no one else is doing out there. There is no other DJ on the planet who can drop a Marilyn Manson track and then a Daft Punk classic right after. Absolute legend. Yousuke can thread the needle between so many genres and make it work. Not everyone can do what he does, which makes him one of the most exciting acts in EDM. After an hour of taking us on a roller coaster of genres and mixing bangers, he dropped "Oh My Gosh" by Jamie xx. How does he make it all work? I am flabbergasted at the audacity and ambition of his set.

The night ended with Holy Priest following Yousuke's performance and holding down the stage with a heart-racing set filled with the hardest drops out there at the moment. Meanwhile, on the mainstage, Dom Dolla delivered a mainstream house set which delighted the massive crowd. Dom Dolla has really risen through the ranks, and now commands a massive stage with his effortless tracks and easy-to-listen-to vocals. In the end, was Dom Dolla speaking to me? No, he wasn't — but that's not his fault. His tracks are wonderfully welcoming; I just like surprise, I enjoy the offbeat, and the road less taken. I can attest that I witnessed thousands of fans loving every minute of Dom Dolla, and that's good enough for me.

ÎLESONIQ delivered yet another fantastic festival experience, filled with a variety of acts that would appeal to virtually every EDM fan. Although I missed day 1, with the likes of deadmau5, Chris Lake, Boys Noize b2b Tiga, and more, day 2 brought the heat as well and exceeded my expectations.

Osheaga – Top Festival for Eclectic Music Lovers

By David Mann

Last weekend was special for a variety of reasons. For one, it was the first event I've attended since COVID; for another, Osheaga featured a few key names I'd been eyeing for some time and couldn't wait to see. Amelie Lens, a breakout star from the techno scene, was headlining day 1 and was one of the top names on my list. Kettama headlined day 2 and has quickly vaulted to the top of my playlists with his mishmash of styles, which includes techno, breakbeat, and UK bass. Finally, Subtronics has risen through the bass ranks for years, and that climb has recently culminated in top headline slots all across the world. He has become a force to be reckoned with, crossing over from niche headliner to mainstage mainstay. His fast-twitch style — mixing popular track clips with massive bass interludes — played remarkably well with the crowd. Let's dive into the highlights.

Day 1

The xx

The xx triumphed, showcasing their biggest tracks while offering dance-beat breakdowns that got the crowd moving. A lot of the credit for the dance blend in their sound can be traced back to Jamie xx, who stands on his own as a well-known producer when he's not touring with the band. The first half of the set was filled with well-known tracks from their discography, but they pumped up the volume in the second half with fast breakbeats, delivering full-on dance beats on command. Hybrid acts like The xx are a beautiful thing, as they expose fans who aren't normally accustomed to EDM.

Amelie Lens

Amelie Lens closed the stage at Osheaga to an all-too-willing crowd that had long awaited the moment. Amelie doesn't usually venture out to these parts, so when I saw her listed as one of this year's headliners, she became one of the reasons I absolutely had to go. Her energy is contagious and her beats even more so, inviting you to dance and leave your inhibitions behind. She really let us have it with the heavy techno: this was not the more accessible, vocal-friendly Amelie Lens — this was Ibiza-at-3-a.m. vibes. She even ventured into psy-trance territory with "Rainbow Body" by West Galaxy and Akasha. She brought the heat with "Domino" by Oxia (Space 92 remix) and "Proton" by Space 92, a brand-new release. Amelie dropped more fresh tracks, including one by Franco Smith called "Misil," a solid techno belter. One of the closers was also a fresh release on Armada Music, titled "1998," by the legendary Paul Oakenfold with Marie Vaunt and Binary Finary. The last track was the classic "Falling for You" by Amelie Lens, ending an amazing set with a rare vocal reprise that sent the day 1 crowd off smiling.

Day 2

Zulan

Pairing big hip hop tracks with dance beats never felt so good as when Zulan delivered her mashup set, which the sold-out Osheaga crowd adored. She brought about 100 people on stage to bring the energy, and it worked — everyone was hyped. Zulan kept the energy up and jumped up and down the entire time with a smile on her face. A highlight was a special mashup with Drake's "Janice STFU." I had no expectations heading into her set and came away impressed.

Kettama

Kettama is a relatively new name in this part of the world, but the 29-year-old from Galway, Ireland, who has since relocated to London, has actually been DJing since the age of 17. He made quick work of winning over the crowd, who were hyped from beginning to end. The beats were relentless, with some beautiful vocals including his remix of Calvin Harris's "Blessings." Kettama's set shone with his own productions — an obvious statement, I know, but the crowd was knowledgeable and seemed acquainted with all of his big tracks. The enthusiasm was infectious; you could hear cheers between drops during "The Miracle Makers" by Kettama and Ewan McVicar. This set up his run of big hits, which were absolute belters, starting with "Pretty Green Eyes." Kettama's confidence in cutting the first vocal drop and letting the crowd chant it confirmed that this was clearly a Kettama crowd. That was followed by one of his biggest hits and a personal favourite of mine, "It Gets Better." The track reminds me of Underworld's vibe, and Kettama strikes me as the inevitable next big act from that region, carrying the torch of the UK sound. Winding down his set, he went old-school UK with Robert Miles's "Children." Kettama then threw in a wild hip hop track, "4 Raws" by EsDeeKid, taking everyone by surprise. The drop was absolutely dirty, with the bass at 11 and reverberating throughout the stage. The last 10 to 15 minutes were an ID fest, and we all loved it. Kettama was a highlight of the festival.

Day 3

Subtronics

Day 3 was a wet affair all day, but that didn't stop the crowd from coming out and bringing the energy. The Osheaga crowd had been listening to more vocals and chiller vibes throughout the day, including the sultry sounds of SG Lewis on the electronic stage. When it was dark and time for Subtronics to take the stage, he descended like an alien from outer space and delivered a sound not yet heard by the masses at Osheaga. He brought the bass to 11 and the energy to the red line from minute one. One of the first bangers was a "Titanium" remix/mashup that combined absolutely nasty bass drops with Sia's beautiful vocals from the David Guetta original. The mashups continued, combining bass drops with classics like the Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps" and Bruno Mars's "Locked Out of Heaven," along with clips from well-known hits by Daft Punk, Vanessa Carlton, Rihanna, and even House of Pain. When he played Skrillex's "Cinema" and combined it with what I believe to be a MUST DIE! remix of "Maze of Punishment" by SVDDEN DEATH, I did think for a moment that maybe, just maybe, Subtronics is the natural successor to Skrillex. Jesse praised the crowd multiple times, and the crowd paid the love back in kind. Subtronics was the best set of Osheaga.

Overall

Osheaga proved once again why it is the best festival in Canada, delivering a lineup that combines vastly popular names like Zara Larsson and Lorde with the likes of Subtronics and Kettama. If you have a varied and eclectic taste in music, you'll love Osheaga. Nestled right in the middle of the city, Parc Jean-Drapeau is a natural oasis, offering plenty of trees and greenery between the massive stages. If you've never been to Osheaga, I highly advise you make plans for next year.