Explore the Sound of Happy Hardcore with DAG

Bay Area-based artist DAG delivers an abundance of feel-good happy hardcore vibes with his debut mix in the Paradigm Shift series!

DAG is a Bay Area native who has been spreading the gospel of Happy Hardcore for over a decade. He first discovered happy hardcore back in 2010 through Bay Area parties thrown by So Stoked and Outlet Parties. He stumbled into shows where dedicated ravers in the front row weren’t screaming lyrics but the iconic happy hardcore melodies of the time instead. Ever since he was exposed to this special feeling, he knew he had to be a part of the scene that was taking over the airwaves.

DAG became involved in the scene by DJing local parties, and he’s been perfecting his craft for ten years now. His love for producing music came later in his career when one of his mentors told him that he needed to hone in on his musical style and make it himself in order to expose happy hardcore to a larger audience. Since then, he’s found his sound and style that shines brightly in every record from his first release until his newest EP, The Luna Project.

His latest EP is in collaboration with vocalist Luna Skye and provides the classic happy hardcore feel with bright melodies, upbeat kickdrums, and uplifting sing-a-long lyrics. In this body of work, DAG perfectly encapsulates the positive feelings he once experienced as a raver singing melodies at the top of his lungs in the front row. DAG recently hosted a release party in San Jose to complement this release, where he spun up one of his signature sets that drew out the happy hardcore ravers for a night of good vibes and pure fun.

Luckily, this wasn’t all, as DAG stopped by to keep the party going with his debut on our hard dance mix series, Paradigm Shift! For 45 minutes, he gives listeners a taste of the infectious energy he brings to every performance. This mix is packed to the brim with originals, flips, and remixes like “Hush,” “Dumbest Girl Alive (DAG Remix),” and “Hurry Now,” in addition to every song on The Luna Project. Without spoiling much more, crank up the volume on DAG’s exclusive guest mix on SoundCloud, and make sure you catch him anytime he’s playing in your area!

I honestly feel like right now is the best moment for American Hard Dance. We are exploding with loads of talented producers and DJs all over the country, and I see hard dance starting to take more real estate at the mainstream events. I love the fact that hard dance covers everything from hardstyle to Frenchcore and everything in between. Being able to come together while knowing that mainstream music does not cover exactly what we love, helps us become even closer.
DAG