Dub Bass

Raised in Adelaide, Kosha D’s musical upbringing was eclectic as it was rich; ska, reggae, rock, world music, even country. Then he ventured into the world of hip hop which then led, somewhat surprisingly, into the drum n bass scene. After a recent stint in the UK, the now Brisbane-based DJ is back doing what he does best, spinning quality beats.

What initially drew you in to the world of drum n bass?
As the ingredients on the packet state, initially, it was the beats and the basslines. As I delved into the DnB scene in Adelaide, I grew to know the crew that were also drawn to this sound and found that, not only in a musical sense, I had a lot in common with these people - it sealed the deal!

Do you think it's a key element for any DJ to have a diversity of influences to draw on when performing?
Without a doubt. Despite being devoted to electronic music, my favourite festival is the Blues and Roots festival down in Byron. There’s an eclectic range of music there, which is amazing. That aside, there is diversity of generations performing there. It’s one thing to see one the biggest acts in the world playing at a festival, but when you see a blues performer in their 60s, 70s or even 80s up on stage, and the love they have for music transcends generations and genres.

Did the time you spent over in London last year recharge your DJing batteries?
Yeah, in some ways. Initially it was my aim to try and get DJ work over there. I soon realised that it was going to take a lot of time and effort to get my foot in the door so I chose to be a punter for 12 months. The DnB scene is huge over there and a very different vibe to that of the underground one in Brisbane. This pretty much scared me away and pushed me to dubstep. Spending a year and a half procuring and spinning dubstep, my love for DnB has been rekindled.

The monthly Junkyard Sessions at the Step Inn; what sort of musical broth are you cookin' up with the night?
The night normally starts off with some old school hip hop, then moves into more glitchy and wobbly hip hop. Next you’ll generally hear some dubstep and then into drum n bass for the last three-four hours ... as the host I don’t place any restraints or requests on the DJs.

Kosha D plays the Step Inn December 19. He’ll be joined on the night by Mr Frost, de la Haye and Erther.