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Up-and-coming Balkan DJ duo RYU & DANTE joined us at the Audionamix pop-up studio at the Nexus Lounge Amsterdam. They talked about their experience visiting Amsterdam for the first time, took part in our Nexus Take-5 series, and teased upcoming projects with a “superstar DJ from Australia.”
While it may be their first time at ADE, RYU & DANTE have already enjoyed networking and meeting some of their favorite artists at the event. “You come here and see all these artists, and they’re all like, ‘Let’s talk, let’s this, let’s that.’ It’s amazing.”
Typically seen sporting their signature red and white balaclavas, the duo tells us that they’ve had an exciting year and are currently working on an upcoming release with a “superstar DJ from Australia.” While they didn’t reveal who just yet, you can get a sneak peek of their production style by checking out their two recent singles on Spotify, “Life in Death” and “Rosé Models.”
The duo does share a little about their creative process, precisely their philosophy when it comes to sampling: “We live in a time where practically everything has been used at one point, so coming up with original sounds is really hard.” However, they add that it’s originality in sampling that matters, referencing one of their favorite samples, DJ Snake’s use of a KSHMR whistle in his 2018 chart-topping track “Taki Taki” featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna, and Cardi B.
RYU & DANTE also answered some questions as part of our Nexus Take-5 series. They reveal that, while no strangers to a fight back in elementary school, they maintain a positive mental health outlook by “being mindful and present in the morning.” Also, when asked to choose who would win in a fight between Superman and Batman, both immediately go with the former, adding: “You can’t beat a demigod alien, no matter how rich you are.”
We close out the interview by asking RYU & DANTE whether they’d rather not take a shower for an entire week or swim in the canals of Amsterdam, to which they reply in unison: “The canals, easy. A couple of drinks, let’s go right now!”
To learn more about this energetic Balkan duo, including the first MP3 tracks they ever downloaded and what exciting projects they’ve got coming up, check out our full-length exclusive interview below.
