Andrew Heffernan & Ryan Paddle, the duo prominently known as Diemetic, recently dove head head first into the mainstream within the electronic dance music industry since first emerging from the depths of the underground in 2016. Since their EP, "Dip Em / Gameboy" charted #1 on Beatport's Top 100 Electro House Releases last month, it's safe to say it's only up from here for Diemetic.
Catch up on everything you need to know about this dynamic duo in our featured interview with Andrew Heffernan of Diemetic. As they continue to bring their diverse style of bass house cross country, Diemetic breaks down their style of music, their story and advice for aspiring artists in the music industry.
What's the backstory behind your artist alias Diemetic?
The name "Diemetic" was originally created from the combination of my own pervious DJ name (Emetiic) and Ryan's older one (Dienamic). We looked at a lot of potential options but eventually decided on merging the names together. Interestingly, many people look at the spelling and pronounce it "Die-a-medic" when it's "Die-metic".
Individually, how many years of overall experience do you have in mixing, producing and/or mastering music? How many years have you been actively producing and mixing music under the artist alias Diemetic?
I personally have been producing tracks back in 2006 but didn't have the same mindset about making a career out of music until around 2011 during my second year of university. Ryan is pretty similar in regards to the fact that he started producing music in school around 2009, but has been more seriously pursuing the career since he started. So between the two of us we've got around 15 years of music production experience before Diemetic even got started back in 2016.
When did you first get involved with the production of EDM and why?
I first started making music around the age of 13 on a cracked copy of FL Studio 6 or 7 I had somehow managed to get my hands on, which back then wasn't nearly as common as it is now. Thinking back on it, I probably spent about 2 days just waiting for the torrent to download onto the family computer (sorry dad)! I can only imagine how many viruses were in that file! I continued producing music throughout high school but not very seriously. I then started DJing parties from my college dorm in 2011 and really started turning music into a career choice from there.
As to why I first got interested in EDM, a classmate of mine in the 8th grade linked me to a few songs he had made on Newgrounds over AIM (yeah, I'm getting old), and I just thought, "if this guy can do it, why not me". At first, I just wanted to show him up, but then started falling in love with the creative process and that love has kept drawing me back to EDM production ever since.
What sub-genres of EDM would you classify or compare your style and sound to?
I would definitely call our style of music bass house. However, both Ryan and myself really love funk which can be seen in a lot of our songs. The closest artist I can think of that sounds sort of similar to us in regards to the funk/swing elements is Ephwurd.
What attracts you to the style of genre(s) of music you are known for producing?
Well Ryan and myself have really diverse tastes in music, I really fell in love with genres like electro, fidget house, and glitch-hop whereas Ryan was more influenced by dubstep and trap. All of which when combined is part of what gives us our sound.
Are there any genres of music you'd eventually like to mix or produce that you have yet to dabble in the production or mixing of? If so, what genres of music, and why?
As of right now, we're totally in love with the flexibility bass house provides as a genre. You can have a really funky intro and drop it heavy or you can take it more towards the darker side of the spectrum (think Dustycloud), or you can go with a very dubstep/riddim-like vibe, comparable to artists such as Habstrakt.
What do you think separates your style of music from other artists producing the same and/or similar sub-genres of music as you?
A number of factors separate Diemetic from other artists making bass house. First off, the really groovy intros and the subsequent heavy drops are something I haven't seen too much of. Also, our sound, in general, seems to sound pretty unique. We try and focus more on ''what sounds good'' to us versus what's trending within the genre.
What DAWs and MIDIs do you personally enjoy working with? Do you have a preference if you had to choose between one or the other? Why or why not?
As someone who's used FL from 2006-2015 and then Ableton from 2015 to present, I definitely feel like Ableton has the superior workflow.
Do you perform, produce and/or mix music under any other artist aliases or have in the past? If not, have you ever considered doing so or would want to do so in the future?
I used to produce and DJ under the alias "Emetiic", however, I don't think I could ever stop performing as Diemetic. Ryan used to go as "Dienamic", and then changed it to "Dienamix" around 2016. He actually still uses the Dienamix alias when he's DJing for major hip hop artists like Merkules, Evil Ebenezer, Lil Windex or Jyay.
What labels, artist management agencies, and promotion companies have you worked with in the past and are currently working with any now?
We've worked with Vacation Records, Feeling Sounds / Feel Hype and as of right now, we are working with No Tomorrow Recordings. We've never actually worked with a management agency, we do all of our own bookings, networking, etc. With that being said, we would obviously be open to working with people in regards to management as things continue to progress.
Overall, working in the music industry has been a really crazy experience. There's a completely different vibe to shows/festivals now that I've been a DJ for so long. Working with some promoters or artists can be a real struggle because there is such a wide range of professionalism (or lack thereof). You really get to see a unique side to the industry when you start brushing past the neon curtain of LED lights and lasers most people are familiar with.
Where is your hometown and where do you live now?
My hometown is Reston, Virginia, USA but I live in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada now. Ryan is born and raised in St. John's Newfoundland.
What first initially inspired your realization that music was what you wanted to base your creative career around? How has this realization motivated you to establish a creative career in the music industry?
Well both I and Ryan have always been musically inclined. Both of us are classically trained musicians and I've done a number of really cool things as part of my high school band such as play at Carnegie Hall in New York. However, I first realized that electronic dance music was something I wanted to do full time was back in 2016 at Neon Steve's set in the Fractal Forest at Shambhala. I just came to the realization during his set and was just like, "holy shit, this is what I want to do." I had been to events like EDCLV 2012 and Camp Bisco in 2013 (amongst others) but for some reason, it just really hit me during his set. Less than 3 months later, Diemetic was formed and from there, the rest is history.
Do you have a favorite show you've performed or headlined at? Why was this an especially favorite show of yours?
It's a three-way tie for the favorite show between playing after Far Too Loud at Future Forest 2017. That was the first really big crowd we were ever in front of. The second performance was when we played at the Peace & Love Festival in Borlange, Sweden in 2018 on the same lineup as artists like DJ Snake. The third event was the 2018 Halloween rave, "Nocturnal" in Anchorage, Alaska. The Alaska show, in particular, is always going to be special to me because not only was this our first-ever, major headlining slot but it was also our first show in the USA which practically ended up selling out.
Do you have a favorite artist you've especially enjoyed performing and/or tagging with?
Well, I'd have to say that my favorite so far would be Far Too Loud. I was really taken back by how relaxed and normal of a guy he is... When you've been listening to an artist for years and years it's absolutely surreal to tour with them while performing B2B for multiple shows with them.
Tell us about your collaborative projects! Have you collaborated with other artists? If so, who?
Well, we've just finished a huge collaboration project with Canadian artists, Hypesetterz, and Eff That on our release with No Tomorrow Recordings.
Check it out! Stream or download it at http://smarturl.it/NXT040
Are there any local, up & coming and/or mainstream artists you want to collaborate with in the future? If so, who and why?
We're always open to a good collab. They're a lot of fun and can really bring your skills up to the next level. I'd personally love to see my name next to artists that really helped shape my musical career like Fox Stevenson, Modestep, or even Ephwurd!
As up and coming artists actively working in the industry, what are some strengths and weaknesses you have personally experienced while establishing your creative career in the music business that you have found valuable?
The toughest part is really the constant rejection and I've heard that from a lot of other artists as well. Society tells you music is an "unrealistic" goal and to have a "backup plan" which can be mentally reinforced by the fact that you might send out 50 emails and only hear back from one or two... Sometimes just responding to tell you that they're not interested. However, I've found that every time I'm just about to give up, a show or some opportunity comes along that really shows me why it is that I want to pursue this career, despite all the obstacles. Although, at the end of the day I wouldn't change a thing.
Who are your influencers and how have they in influenced you while successfully establishing your creative career in the music industry? Are there any artists in the music industry that have influenced your creative career? If so, who and why are they so influential to you?
Is it weird if I say that Ryan is probably my biggest musical influence? We've just had so many heated discussions about how something should sound, but the end compromise is better than what either of us would have put together in the first place.
What is one of your favorite tracks that never gets old no matter how many times you've heard it?
There's a bunch! Anyone Out There by Stan SB or anything by Stan SB actually, Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue and Sunlight by Modestep, for sure. It's difficult to pick one now that I'm here trying to answer this question. Haha!
Do you have a favorite track you've released so far? Which track and why?
Well, right now I'm really partial to both "Gameboy" which is our track with Hypesetterz as well as "Dip Em" with Eff That. However, other than our current releases I'd probably have to say that our song, "Do it Again" is probably my favorite... We really should do a VIP of it...
How has your style of music changed and progressed over the course of your creative career as an artist?
Well, I started out DJing dubstep and really mainstream house. Eventually, as Diemetic, we've progressed to glitch hop and Melbourne bounce. From there, we've transitioned towards trap to future house and finally, to bass house. We've really been all over the place with it.
What concert venues have you especially enjoyed performing at and why? Are there any concert venues you have yet to perform at that you want to perform in the future?
My favorite venue to play at is probably an abandoned WWII bunker for an after-hours Halloween rave that was thrown back in 2014. My dream venue to play at would be Fractal Forest at Shambhala, it would really bring the journey full circle and start a new chapter in our career.
What do you enjoy most about performing at music festivals? Do you have a favorite music festival you've performed at and why was it a favorite of yours?
The best part about performing at a music festival is the fact that that you have a lot more musical flexibility as to what you can put into your sets. So far, my favorite music festival has probably been Curiosity Music Festival in Princeton, British Columbia, or Future Forest in New Brunswick.
What single night out has been the most memorable for you? As a performer and as an attendee?
As a performer, the most memorable night has been either the show in Anchorage hosted by ADK events or Phantoms of the Underground 2 in Edmonton, Canada with the Alberta Bass Community opening for Subject 31, Aweminus, Softchirps, and Sullivan King.
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