“BuT tHeRe ArEn’T aNy FeMaLe DjS fOr Me tO bOoK”… So the old excuse went any time a brand or platform was tackled on its lack of diversity.
Then came an almighty shut-down: Dynamics. A website that literally proved just how many womxn and female identifying artists are in operation and a search function to help you find them and book them.
The site was launched in October 2020 by dubstep DJ Enada. In the interview below she explains how she’s felt the positive impact of the site first hand with regular feedback from major brands and promoters saying how they’ve found new talent through the site.
So far this impact has been felt in 140/dubstep and drum & bass, but as of today, thanks to a full site rebuild and update, Dynamics now features artists from garage, UK bass and grime. It also includes a much smarter search function that allows people looking for artists to be even more specific about sound, style, genre and location.
After several months of off-line development, and a big push for womxn and female identifying artists to create profile pages on the site, the Dynamics 2.0 site is ready for exploration. Primed to remain at the forefront of the one the most exciting, important and long-overdue movements in dance music culture, it looks the business.
Fresh from linking up with Overview Music to commence this year’s mentorship, 2023 is set to be a prominent year for Dynamics. To mark the moment Enada’s put down this smouldering 140 session for the 1 More Mix series. Get to know below…
Dynamics is levelling up and branching out musically!
Yeah! The only genres we’re not opening up to are house and techno because it’s such a huge world we need a specialists on. So maybe in the future, but yeah we’re embracing artists within the wider bass world. Obviously drum & bass, jungle, dubstep but now also garage, UK bass, grime.
All the good stuff! Was this always part of the original vision?
I think it’s come at an organic time. It’s the next natural step. We always wanted to include more genres but never wanted to do them half-heartedly. The way the website was laid out before it was just broken down to drum & bass, dubstep and 140. We’re working with new designers now. They reached out to us at the beginning of last year, and the site will now be one big database. So we can add more genres and people can navigate the information and be more precise in their searches.
Awesome. So this is a full rebuild.
A full rebuild. The entire user experience will be very very different. I loved the original site and it was perfect for what we wanted at the time but things like the search parameters needed improving. People need to use it for what it’s intended for and that’s to find talent so the search functions will be very different and they’ll be based on tags which the artists can pick themselves. So say you want a DJ based near Manchester with a dark and techy sound, you can refine your search and narrow your search to find that DJ.
Brilliant. Yeah I guess the search function is the primary function isn’t it? The whole intention for Dynamics was always to stop people saying they couldn’t find the DJs
Exactly. It needed to be done. We do other things but yeah that is predominantly what we are and what we do. I’ve regularly had promoters saying to me that they’ve found certain artists through the site. It’s a great feeling that our intention when we set out is work and having an effect.
Brilliant. What’s the best feedback you’ve had like that?
I had one from Pete at Shogun who’d found Ama and Kira on Dynamics. This was before both of those DJs blew up, too. So to have someone from a label as respected as Shogun find talent and book them felt amazing.
Yeah that’s great. The site is doing exactly what you wanted it to do! You’re also collaborating with Overview on their mentorship aren’t you?
That’s right. Pete and I have been developing plans for and we want the mentorship to have a holistic approach. As well as a focus on production it will include various business aspects and my friend Imola who is a life coach will be getting involved. So each mentee will have a life coach to talk to and we’ll be having mental health sessions on various different topics that affect people in the music industry.
Great idea! A life in music is exactly that – a life. So it’s all aspects of things isn’t it?
I think so too and there a lot of topics around mental health, especially for creatives and female identifying people. We’ve had a very different experience in the industry and it can be overwhelming. A lot of people suffer imposter syndrome. We want to give that support to the artists. I think it’s all well and good being able to produce, but if you can’t deal with high pressure and competition then you won’t last very long. So we want to equip people with those skills and tools.
That’s awesome. Have you had life coaching in the past?
I’ve had various forms of therapy over the years. I wouldn’t be the person who’s sitting here today without the support of an unbiased professional. And Imola is such an inspirational person. She’s life coached a lot of artists and has worked in the industry so really gets it.
Brilliant. Sounds like such an amazing opportunity. How were things been for you as an artist last year?
Not bad. I think we’re all feeling the cost of living crisis, it’s put a squeeze on events and there aren’t as many bookings as there were this time last year. But the bookings I have had have been really special. The summer was brilliant; I played with Deep Medi and Dynamics got to host stages at Outlook in Croatia and UK. I played at Hospitality On The Beach. Twice actually… Dubstep on the beach and for Marky & Friends, too.
Love the festival takeovers
Yeah that was a really big thing for us. Especially doing a boat party in Croatia. That was unbelievable. I’ve been going to Outlook for eight years so to stand there at my own boat party and say ‘we did this’ was such a good vibe.
A taste of things to come!
We hope so. We represent so many different genres and people in the scene so the types of line-ups we can do are genuinely unique. It would be amazing to get the Dynamics brand out at more festivals and is definitely the plan.
Can’t wait to see that happening! Tell us about the mix you’ve done for us.
It’s very true to my style. I seem to veer towards the darker side of dubstep. I’m always really inspired by dubstep that’s made by drum & bass artists. They have a very different sound and perspective. So yeah, it’s very dark and very heavy. Don’t listen to it if you’re in a bad mood because it might make your mood worse!
Haha. 140 has been in a great state of health these days hasn’t it?
Yeah there’s a really exciting mixture at the moment of pioneers and new generation artists which is creating an exciting energy which we’re going to see more and more of in the coming years.
Definitely! Feeling that with the Deep Tempo guys too
Oh I think they’ve been hugely important in this new chapter we’re in. The bro-steppy US sound of dubstep damaged the genre’s reputation and turned a lot of people off dubstep but what Deep Tempo are doing, and how they deliver it online with clips on social media, it’s creating a new platform and context for the new generation of fans to listen to it without prejudice.
Yeah absolutely! Love that. How about your own productions?
I’ve been dabbling where I can but I have a lot on and it’s something I want to give my full focus when the time is right. It’s not a priority even though I really enjoy it it’s very frustrating when you can’t quite get that sound coming out of the speakers to match the sound that’s in your head. One day, but I’m not rushing it.
That’s the way! Wicked so what else does the world need to know about Enada and Dynamics right now?
I just want to big up the site designers Metric Space/James Norton Design. They’ve been amazing and helped me fine-tune this and bring my vision to life. And shouts to the team as well. I couldn’t do this without them!
Visit Dynamics
Follow Enada: Facebook > Soundcloud > Instagram