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.

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.

Escapade to another level (Festival review)

By Dominic Wren (Photos by Simon Audette)

This wasn’t any ordinary music festival in the nation’s capital. Escapade music festival used their 10-year experience to pull of an event that will be remembered for years to come. I had a great time at the festival and it was probably one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had at a festival. DJ Snake and Tiësto both tore the roof off, but the lesser-known mixers also showed their worth at the beginning of each day. Another major detail that the EDM Canada team noticed was the festival’s capacity. Escapade was 100% sold out and we never felt over crowded with people while still feeling the massive crowd energy even in the main stage crowds at closing sets. This was truly special as it made the experience so much more enjoyable for everyone attending. Now that shows a festivals values; fan’s enjoyment over profits. Big ups for that Escapade MF.

 This festival review won’t look at the regular “top 5 shows” or “the best DJ.” There so many other elements that made the event and the sets special. The simple answer is that each set had a spark of it’s own. The long answer is basically listing each set in there own category. But let highlight a couple shall we?

The most exotic show: Keys n Krates

These Canadian artists have rightfully earned their names as true artists. Now they were probably my favorite act of the weekend in the most artistic way. They gave the biggest summer vibes, which was a breath of fresh air. They kept their original trap sound but often crossed over to some house/summer vibes that made their set really special. If you want to see a show that you can dance and enjoy with some exotic feels at the same time, these are the guys you want to see.

The craziest show: DJ Snake

DJ Snake has a way to take his sets to another level of intensity. His whole persona seems to be made to destroy his fans. Just his opening started off the last show of Day 1 took no prisoners. From mixing and dropping tracks like South Side, Propaganda, Pigalle, Gassed Up, and so many more. Although he slowed down his set for the last 20 minutes, he appealed to the hard core ravers and the chiller types of ravers. DJ Snake, there is a reason you’re on top of the world.

Best B2B: Zeds Dead B2B Jauz

This B2B was so diverse in their music that I couldn’t take them away from my top B2B list. They dropped some old school Zeds Dead with Jauz’s signature bass house sound, a sprinkle of hard bass music and a touch of house music while keeping the energy of the main stage at a perfect high.  This was an iconic B2B as these guys have had other shows together at Hard Music Festival and Holy Ship so this made an experienced team that adapted really well together.

The most authentic main stage set: Timmy Trumpet

Timmy Trumpet wasn’t in my top 5 shows I was looking for nor did I really pay attention to his sets and his music. I was low key listening to his set while walking through the event area until his charisma, trumpet skills, and mixing decisions really caught my ear so I ran to the main stage a catch a glimpse of his show and it was nothing less then impressive. His charisma on stage shows his true passion for what he does and his trumpet skills were incredibly unique to see up close and you don’t really realize that until you see it for yourself.

Best small crowd handling: Wax Motif

Wax Motif lived up to my expectations coming into the festival and while watching him live. He was playing a mid-day, side stage set so the crowd wasn’t at maximum capacity but his handle of the small crowd drew them in even closer to his show and really made a special up close and personal G-House set. Dropping his tracks such as Tokyo and Fly Kicks (Wax Motif Remix) made the crowd move like if they were twice the size.

 Escapade Music Festival was truly unique this year. From the event area never being over crowed, to chilling spots with incredible views, to great music and great artists, this is a festival that should be on most people’s “to do” list for next summer. It is definitely one of my favourite event’s of the yer, I really hope to see you there next year!

Top 5 artists to watch out for at Escapade Music Festival

By Dominic Wren

Escapade Music Festival seemed to have come out of nowhere to become one of Canada’s largest electronic music festival with one of it’s strongest lineups for their 10th year of bringing EDM to Ottawa. They’re headliners are only one part of the festival but what really makes EMF unique is their attention to the smaller things that really make this festival unique, such as placing a side stage in a historical building and a second side stage on the turf of the new football stadium. But ravers buy EMF passes to see their favourite artists so EDM Canada has made a top 5 list of DJs we think you should keep an eye on.

1. Mercer

Source: Mercer’s FB Page

Mercer is a French DJ/producer that has hit the big time only in the last couple of years. Representing the Pardon My French crew, he constructs his music with influence from his disco and house music he grew up with. In 2018, he released “Satisfy” featuring the legendary Ron Carroll and “Let’s get ill” with DJ Snake. His 2014 release “Lunatic”, also with DJ Snake, really put him on the map. His shows are something to experience though. His sets composing of house, bounce, hip hop, and some techno, Mercer is an incredibly talented DJ that will make you think about his set for weeks. 

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2. Zeds Dead B2B Jauz

source: jauz’s fb page

This B2B is one to look out for. This iconic mash up of the Canadian duo Zeds Dead and the Californian DJ Jauz have both gained major success in the music industry with their own talent. Both as heavy dubstep and bass house artists, you probably know Zeds Dead best from their massive releases such as “On Fire” (Zeds Dead remix) and “Frontlines” which hit a combined of about 50 million streams on Spotify only. Jauz released his very first album studio album in 2018 but has been recognized as a talent since his 2014 and 2015 releases of “Feel the Volume” and “Rock the Party.” These two acts have played B2B sets before at Holy Ship and Hard Summer Music Festival so they have experience together which makes a much smoother live collab that will make you headbang until your nose bleeds. 

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3. DJ Snake

source: dj snake’s Fb page

From humble beginnings in Parisian clubs to closing some of the biggest festivals in the world, DJ Snake has rightfully earned his spot on top of the EDM world. Being one of the only world class “mainstream” DJs using turn tables and performing hundreds of shows a year, the DJ/Producer has a “me, myself and I” attitude where he produces the music he wants with no outside influences. He even expressed in a 2018 interview on the Now We Feast series that he “doesn’t like his own name” because he chose it 15 minutes before playing his first club set. This attitude translates to his music where he pulls off the biggest radio/club tracks, such as “Taki Taki” and “Lean on” or some crazy hip hop bangers like “Enzo.” His talent is so diverse that he even recently released a brand new pop/ragathon type song that he calls “the track of the summer” named “Loco Contigo” featuring J. Balvin and Tyga. His sets are nothing less than an experience. Pulling off emotional songs at the right time to some crazy bass drops to bouncy house segments, DJ Snake will appeal to everyone that catches his music. 

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4. 1788-L

source: 1788-l fb page

I don’t want to write to much on him. You just have to experience him. I can’t find words to describe his music but it’s dark and different. He’s only recently hit the big stage with his debut releases in early 2018 like “Replica” and releasing his remix of Virtual Self’s “Practical Arts” less then a month later. Today, 1788-L has collaborated with artists like Rezz, Totto, Illenium, Said the Sky, and Ekali. His sets are as dark and different as his music but you’ll have to go check it out for yourself. 

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5.Wax Motif

source: wax motif fb page

This Sydney born DJ has been around making music and DJing since 2008 where he quickly gained a solid reputation and getting praise from Diplo, A-Track, Major Lazor, GTA, Jauz, Tommy Trash, and Oliver Heldens. He’s best known for his massive contribution to the G-House movement and collaborating with Destructo on his 2014 album featuring west coast hip hop heroes, such as TY Dolla Sign, YG, Young Thug, Problem, and Warren G. His sets incorporate this style into his mixing with a incredible mix of intensity, vibes, and house music and hip-hop. Wax Motif isn’t the biggest act in the world but he rightfully earns the title of “legend.” He should be a “must see” for everyone attending Escapade Music Festival.

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There are many more artist I would want to recommend but here are some honourable mentions: Jeffrey Sutorius, Ghastly, Quix, Keys n Krates, and Niles Baxter B2B Open Solaris. Of course this is only our top 5 picks but you make your own festival. From the whole EDM Canada team, we hope you are as excited as we are for the 10th edition of Escapade Music Festival and remember to PARTY SAFELY.

Zeds Dead and Jauz team up to create an exciting Drum 'N' Bass track called "Lights Go Down"

Just before we hit the new year Toronto's own Zeds Dead has teamed up with bass/house artist Jauz to deliver one of the more exciting tracks released in the second half of the year called "Lights Go Down". It's a huge collab that deliver's an unexpected but welcomed drum and bass drop and created an uplifting and dance worthy track. Running at almost 5 minutes long, 'Lights Go Down" has plenty of room to create a mood with a long build up with a strong DnB and bassy drop that leaves a lot of time to do your best shuffle on the dancefloor. Take a listen below: 

Hopefully "Lights Go Down" isn't a one-off DnB track by Zeds Dead and Jauz as the wider bass scene could use more of that DnB vibe to lighten things up in-between all of the headbanging.