Darby, a DJ/producer hailing from Australia, is one of the most exciting rising talents in today’s club scene. At just 25, he weaves together bass music, UK garage, breakbeats, and even touches of techno into a seamless blend that pulls listeners straight to the heart of the dancefloor. His talent has caught the attention of none other than Skrillex and Disclosure, making him a key figure to watch as he pushes the boundaries of next-generation club sounds. In July, Darby embarked on his very first tour of Japan, sparking a wave of excitement across the country. From the Tokyo showcase hosted by Beginning, to Nagoya’s Reproduct Rewind and Fukuoka’s Lit x IBIZA, he set off explosive reactions from packed crowds at every stop.
Darby @ CIRCUS TOKYO
To dive deeper into the present and future of the “Darby sound,” TJO sat down with him for an exclusive interview on behalf of the EDMMAXX editorial team.
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The Energy of Japanese Audiences at My First Japan Tour
TJO : So this is your first time in Japan — how was your DJ set here and how did the crowd react?
Darby : I was really surprised by all the crowds. At all three stops — Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Tokyo — everyone was more than I expected. I’ve played shows before to only five people, so just to have anyone in random parts of Japan know who I am was pretty special and amazing.
The Most Memorable Party: “CIRCUS TOKYO”
TJO : So which party do you think is the most iconic?
Darby : Probably Tokyo, just because I’ve heard about Circus so many times. Most recently I saw MPH’s set there, and I’ve seen a lot of big artists play many shows there. So I was really excited that I was going to play at that specific club. Even just walking in, I thought, “I’m in the place.” It’s very famous even to people outside of Japan, so it felt very special.
TJO : For someone who’s never heard your music before, what’s the one track you’d recommend they start with? And why that one?
Darby : “Party.” One hundred percent, Party. In my opinion, Party is the best Darby song right now. It’s the perfect combination of my melodic side and my bass side. I think even if someone doesn’t usually listen to dance music, or pop music, or they don’t know much about underground sounds, they can still really enjoy Party. That’s why it’s my favorite.
TJO : So how did the crowd react when you played “Party”?
Darby : It was amazing. That’s my favorite song to play. I had my camera out and was filming the crowd every time, because it’s the first song where I wrote lyrics that people actually sang back to me. Hearing people sing my lyrics back to me in random parts of Japan is the most amazing feeling in the world. It’s so exciting.
TJO : Your new track “Lose My Mind” has such a powerful yet delicate breakbeat-driven sound. Was there anything in particular you focused on during the production? Any sound design challenges or new approaches you tried?
Darby : I think “Lose My Mind” sounds a lot more American. Strobez, who’s from LA, co-produced it. The track has very aggressive mixdowns, with harsher drums, and everything is pushed to its limit. With my UK- or Australian-sounding tracks, things can be a bit lighter or more chilled. But this one was designed to be 200% the loudest it could be on speakers.
For the sound design, we tried to get the most distorted, aggressive bass possible without breaking the speakers, and while making sure the drums could still be heard clearly amongst all the aggressive bass sounds.
Turning 25 in Japan & Defining “The Darby Sound”
TJO : I heard you just celebrated your 25th birthday here in Japan — happy belated birthday! What kind of year do you hope this will be for you? Any upcoming plans, releases, or things you want to try next?
Darby : A lot of people say that when you turn 25, your prefrontal cortex finally develops, so you start becoming very intentional with what you do and put out. This year, I really want to understand who I am, and represent that honestly through my music. For the past 10 years, I’ve created a lot of different styles influenced by others. But now, everything feels like it’s becoming the “Darby style” and “Darby sound.” I want to explore that as much as I can.
TJO : Your sound blends bass, UKG, breaks, and lately even touches of techno. If you had to name three artists who’ve influenced your style the most, who would they be?
Darby : The big three would probably be Skrillex, Flume, and Fred again.. The third one changes sometimes — like Disclosure or Sammy Virji — but overall, Fred again.. as a whole character is very inspiring.
TJO : What is it about Fred again.. that influenced you?
Darby : He has this ability to connect people. Skrillex is more known for his production skills, but Fred is known more for the kind of person he is. They both have their own unique ways of influencing what I do.
TJO : It’s almost the same as Daniel Allan — he also picked Skrillex, Flume, and Above & Beyond.
Darby : Oh wow, really? I think a lot of the styles that me, Daniel, and other artists make all come from this small community of influence. Me and him have hung out and done sessions together, and it’s always been really easy to connect over those kinds of artists.
TJO : Australia has always seemed to have a vibrant dance music scene. How would you describe it now? Which genres are hot right now?
Darby : The Australian scene is very distinct. It originally brought up artists like Flume, so trap and future bass were big. But now techno is massive, especially in Melbourne. We have lots of Boiler Room events and iconic warehouse raves. Artists from all around the world who make techno, UKG, or hard groove come to Melbourne specifically.
A lot of my influences come from going to those raves and authentic underground shows. One genre that inspired me is called “hard groove,” which is a style of techno with more percussion. It’s a lot of what I do in my own style, and it’s also Melbourne’s favorite right now.
[Hard Groove Playlist]
TJO : UKG and speed garage are having a global moment right now. Are there any genres you’re personally into these days? Or any scenes or artists you think are about to blow up?
Darby : Genres are all blending together these days, so I’m drawing inspiration from many styles. But I’ll always shout out the Brazilian community and Baile Funk. I think they’re next in a big way — they’re making forward-thinking, experimental music.
The Jersey Club community is also always making super fun tracks, though they don’t always get noticed. For Baile Funk, I’d recommend an artist called KARAN!. He just got played by Skrillex, and he’s combining US and Brazilian styles, which is gaining a lot of attention.
For garage, there are so many now. Recently I’ve been listening to Tiaro very underground, but they’re blowing up quickly. And one more: John Cass, a UK artist. I play his tracks in every set, and even though he’s still small, he’s growing really fast. I expect all of them to become huge very soon.
KARAN!
Tiaro
Jon Cass
“It All Comes Down to Consistency”
TJO : On social media you once said, “It all comes down to consistency,” which was really striking. What do you value most in making music or performing? And where did that idea of “consistency” come from? Was there a moment when you felt glad you didn’t give up?
Darby : I’ve been making music for about 10 years, and for the first seven, no one was watching. You make music and no one cares, and that’s fine — it’s supposed to be fun. But in 2022, I went through a confusing period where I didn’t know what I wanted to make, and there was no one to support me.
Instead of giving up, I decided to become my own biggest fan. I was being too negative, so I forced myself to be positive about my music and put myself out there on social media, really believing I had something special to offer. And it started doing well. Confidence comes from you first, then people follow.
Since then, I’ve understood that in a career, you go through ups and downs, but as long as you’re always your No. 1 fan, you’ll never hit rock bottom. Now I have amazing friends and fans who support me, but back when I didn’t, I just decided to do it myself. I don’t want to lose that mindset, even now. That’s what persistence means to me.
TJO : So what do you think was the real breakthrough point for you?
Darby : On TikTok, I went viral with a piece of content around my song “Everything.” Before that, I had been making TikToks for over a year with 100 views, 5 views, maybe 1,000 views. Then suddenly one got 100,000, then 200,000, and it drove people back to Spotify. After that, it was like a domino effect: people hit me up, Disclosure supported me, I got label offers, show invitations.
Another big moment was in Melbourne with my pop-up event series called *Blur*. We organized everything ourselves — rented the venue, invited people. About 200 people showed up, and it was an amazing show. That was the first real show I did, and seeing that support made me realize: I really want to be a DJ, and I want to perform my music live to people.
A Message to My Japanese Fans
TJO : Lastly, could you give a message to your fans here in Japan?
Darby : I wish I could speak Japanese better… but thank you to everyone who came to my shows or supported me. I’m just a random kid from Australia, and it’s shocking and amazing to see so many people connect with my music. I’ve already told my team I want to be back here as soon as possible, and I’ll do everything I can to make that happen. Thank you very much — ARGATO.
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“Always be your own biggest fan.” The words Darby shared embody the unwavering conviction that keeps him creating music through the highs and lows of the scene. Now, at the milestone age of 25, he is stepping into a new chapter—evolving further and preparing to launch from Australia onto the world stage. What new landscape his sound will paint across the club scene next is something we can only wait for with anticipation.
