Dubstep DJ and producer Criso is making moves in the scene out of Raleigh, and we’ve got the inside scoop on his artistic journey thus far.
Among the artists making waves in the underground bass music scene, Raleigh-based DJ and producer Criso has been popping up on not only other DJ’s tracklists but show flyers left and right. Having just begun his artist journey in 2021, it didn’t take long for some key tastemakers within the realm to discover and rinse his sounds.
Many dubstep fans first discovered Criso last year from his popular flips of YGG’s “Strikers” and Jammz’ “Hit Then Run.” If you attended a dubstep show in 2023, there’s a high chance you have heard at least one, if not both, of these 140 heaters and did not forget them. With the genre’s increasing popularity, it’s safe to say creating memorable tracks like these is a key component of success.
From touring with Truth to appearing at noteworthy events like The Untz and Sound Haven, Criso is having his biggest year yet in 2024. Given his recent snowballing popularity, now was a perfect time to chat with him. Be sure to head to SoundCloud to listen to the mix he whipped up for us, and keep reading for the conversation!
Stream EDMID Guest Mix 434 || Criso on SoundCloud:
Hey Tyler! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat and make a mix! You’ve achieved so much recently, but let’s start from the beginning for your newer fans. Can you share how your journey in music began? How did you first discover the bass music scene?
Thank you for having me! Stoked that you guys reached out about this. I started listening to bass music around 2013/14 when I was still a kid. I was mainly listening to peeps like Skrillex (of course), Getter, Habstrakt, Protohype, and many others in the scene at the time. I didn’t really get into trying to actually make music until about 2016 when I bought a Launchpad. That’s how I thought all electronic music was made – on just a Launchpad!
After a few years of messing around, I decided to start taking it all seriously in 2019, and that’s when I started a legitimate music project under the alias “TYLR.” I was making all sorts of stuff at the time, from hybrid trap and riddim to house and halftime, and the list goes on.
It wasn’t until 2021 that I started getting into dubstep, actual dubstep. Fun fact: I used to hate dubstep! A homie of mine showed me one of his mixes (shoutout Tymellord), and it was full of true dubstep tunes, and something just clicked in my head that day that was like, “Okay, I get it now. I really like this shit”. From there, I started falling more and more in love with it, discovering more artists in the genre and getting a more solidified understanding of the history and where it all came from.
That’s when I decided to really hone in on dubstep for my project. At the time, I was making a few tunes that sounded sonically cohesive in terms of style (these tunes were what you might know as “Foolery,” “Dropoff,” and “Rebound,”) and from there, I decided it’s best for me to rebrand the entire project and start new, and that’s when Criso started in August of 2022!
What was the biggest push for you to start DJing and producing music? Who were some of the artists that inspired you early on?
For me, the biggest push was hearing music live at shows on banging systems. Even to this day, every time I go to a solid show, I get a burst of motivation to make some music or dig for tunes.
Early on, my biggest inspirations were people like Kursa, Ternion Sound, VCTRE, and Chee. Chee was one of the first people I listened to who was creating a deeper sound that I really liked (Spit That was a favorite of mine). Then, I started flowing into VCTRE and Kursa’s music, whose sound design is just on point every time.
Nowadays, as I’ve repeated time and time, I’m extremely inspired by the Ternion Sound boys, who I think are the perfect representation of dubstep in the modern day world. They are continuously pushing new sounds that expand their repertoire while remaining true to their style, and I think that’s something that needs to be appreciated.
While the Criso project is fairly new, it didn’t take long for it to pick up some major support that largely snowballed from other artists rinsing your flips and IDs in their sets. What was it like to hear artists like Ternion Sound and Distinct Motive playing your tracks?
It’s always a rush seeing people I look up to playing my stuff every damn time. I definitely didn’t expect my music to gain support as quickly as it did, for which I am super grateful. Seeing people I look up to like Ternion, Distinct, Enigma Dubz, Chef Boyarbeatz, Wraz, and more rinsing my tunes is something I will always appreciate. Shoutout y’all!
From supporting Truth on tour and festival appearances like The Untz and Sound Haven to announcing your first Infrasound and upcoming support for Of The Trees, you’re having a huge year. What experiences have stood out the most, and what have you learned so far in the biggest year of your artist journey?
So 2024 is the first year of me doing this full-time, which is still crazy to me. The fact that I can do what I love and have it financially support me is just incredible. Sound Haven this year was a big moment for me, not only for my set, but for meeting a ton of people for the first time that I’ve been talking to online for ages!
I feel like I’m learning something new every day. With every show and city I go to, I’m always picking up on something I didn’t know about beforehand, and It feels great to take it all in at a comfortable pace. I think I’m having a great year so far, but I also believe next year will be even bigger, hopefully the year after that, and so on!
Can you share the biggest tip you’ve received from a fellow artist so far in your career that’s impacted you the most?
Not to toot Ternion’s horn again (love ya, boys!), but Aric gave me some sound advice last year about longevity, which I still think about and apply to my project. I’m here for the long run, so while it sometimes may seem like a slow month for shows or a slow season for releases, I trust that I’m on the right track in the long term because I’m here to stay and do this for a while. Things don’t need to be rushed, and as long as I have the patience to wait for the right time, I know things will work out.
Just for fun, which three tracks have you been rinsing lately that aren’t your own?
I wish I could share these, but I’ve been playing new IDs from Distinct Motive, Packet Loss, and Kyber a ton. All three of them are putting out heat!
Talking about released stuff, here’s what I’ve also been playing: AKI’s “Rude Mood,” Dusty’s “Hydro,” and Juni’s “Inna Dat.”
Looking to the future, what goals do you have for the Criso project, both long and short-term?
For the short term, I’m looking to hit some new cities I’ve never been to, check out the scenes in each place, and see what people are into! It’s something I think is fun. Email [email protected] if you want me!
For the long term, I’m looking to become more consistent with releases so people can hear more of what I’ve got and how I’m feeling with the project right now sonically. It will be spread out, but it will be consistent! I’m also looking to expand my palate and start showing you guys the other side of what I make (garage, drum and bass, etc.).
Finally, are there any upcoming releases or news you’d like to share with your fans?
Stay tuned for my new EP next month on one of my favorite labels! Also, look out for something very special next week that I’ve been working on for the past few months. (Hint: It’s a limited quantity!)
Thank you for having me, guys!
Follow Criso:
Facebook | X | Instagram | SoundCloud
