In a world where techno can often tend to follow the same well-trodden conventions, DJ XXL is carving a path less travelled. The Vancouver-based DJ, producer, and label owner, AKA Kash Khan, is set to unleash his new single, 'Freak World', on October 10th this year. More than just a track, it’s set to be a statement; a deliberate deviation from a genre he felt had become "utterly indistinguishable."
A veteran of over 15 years, DJ XXL has long been a 'professional party starter', sharing stages with the likes of Nina Kraviz and Tale of Us. He’s earned the moniker 'Baba Yaga of Techno', but his true legacy lies in his ability to weaponise basslines and ignite a raw, unpolished energy on the dancefloor. His hybrid style, rooted in hip-hop and techno, has been coined ‘ghettotech’, a testament to his fast-paced, high-energy sets. This is an artist who draws inspiration from iconic producers like Kraftwerk and Fatboy Slim as much as he does from The Neptunes and Swizz Beatz.
'Freak World' is the product of years spent "incubating a leftfield style," born from a frustration with a scene where, as DJ XXL puts it, he was "playing tracks I didn't remember names of." The result is a sonic rebellion, a deeply personal re-sculpting of the techno form. He set out to create his "own style: a soulful, fun vibes ghetto version of techno." This is where the track's magic lies—it’s both "different but yet nostalgic," bridging the gap between familiar techno rhythms and unexpected sonic textures.
The single promises a sound that blends a "gritty hip hop aesthetic" with a "modern bass touch," a fusion that suggests a return to the raw, visceral energy that defined early electronic music. With distorted multi-layered synths and crunchy 808s, 'Freak World' is poised to be a visceral assault on the dancefloor, much like his previous work on his debut EP, 'Intro to XXL', which featured the lead single 'Pressure'. That track, a collaboration with Yung Malik, was lauded for its ability to detonate the anarchic energy of Detroit’s original ghetto techno scene, proving DJ XXL’s mastery in revitalising a classic sound.
With 'Freak World', DJ XXL positions himself not just as a producer but as a curator of a new techno dialect. It’s a sound where soulfulness is not an afterthought, and the spirit of the 'ghetto' provides a necessary, unpolished edge. For listeners weary of predictable beats, this release offers a compelling invitation to enter a world where techno finally remembers how to have a distinct, funky, and unapologetically soulful identity.
As we eagerly anticipated the upcoming release of ‘Freak World’, be sure to join DJ XXL on Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify.
