Outside of the Hacienda Audio studio, their master engineer Matt Davis recently unveiled his latest rig deployment for the home-grown Reference Sessions series in Denver, Colorado. Featuring an enormous and meticulously designed sound system, expansive LED walls, and precision front of house engineering, he and his cohorts are aiming to set a new bar standard for high fidelity concerts and events. For one of our most technically expansive interviews to date, we had the opportunity to sit down and reference the master himself after their recent Reference Sessions 002 deployment in Denver for an intimate conversation about the philosophy and engineering behind one of the latest developments in the live audio playing field.

Alec Seifart, the creative force behind Murkery, is poised to bless Denver audiences November 23rd at Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station alongside a cast of hand-picked characters. With years of production steeped in psychedelia and modern bass music fundamentals, he’s dialed in a sound, style, and presence that defines the Murkury brand with clear intention and direction. Speaking with Seifart, The Rust had the chance to dive a little deeper into the experience and the inspirations that drive his project and output, as well as attempts to address and assist community needs through his platform. 

Resurfacing for air two years after the release of his psychedelic α​ρ​ι​θ​μ​ό​ς τ​έ​σ​σ​ε​ρ​α LP, the Bristol-based producer John Hislop has come up for air with another minted project. Stretching back to his formative days with the Dubsaw and Inspected labels, Culprate has become a staple producer in the arc of bass music and contemporary audio production. his latest release through Inspected, Normal, puts pure force on display, harkening back to the energy in his formative years. In collaboration with The Rust, Hislop agreed to an insightful interview that has given us a proper lens into his thought process, approach, and interpretation of his own productions and some of the wider context to his career so far. 

Every seasoned festival-goer in North America should try to attend Bass Coast at least once. But be warned - once you go, you’ll want to return every summer. That can be challenging for those who live far from Merritt, British Columbia, but the trip is worth every mile. Tucked into a hot, dusty valley in the BC interior, Merritt is Canada’s country music capital, or used to be, depending on who you ask. The likes of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Tanya Tucker have handprints on the town’s Walk of Stars, and Merritt Mountain Festival used to bring more than 100,000 people to the area. In this context, Bass Coast is a natural fit for the area.