Behind the Mask of Hard Dance Anomaly GPF

2 days ago 4

We sat down with GPF to dive deep into a project that has taken the hard dance scene by storm.

Can you remember a time when you were walking through a festival in the blazing summer sun, a refreshing drink in your hand, with all of your closest friends, having the time of your lives? Then, you walked a little too far and got hit with the loudest, most obnoxious, ear-piercing piep kick that just killed the vibe? Well, you can thank the polarizing hard dance act GPF for that memory.

For many years, GPF have somehow managed to sneak their way into the top of the hard dance scene worldwide. Nobody knows how, but GPF have taken arguably the worst sounds known to man and created an entire movement around them. What initially started out as an ironic project that pushed the limits of distortion has blossomed into an entity that can’t be erased from hard dance history — no matter how hard people try.

Fans know them for their vibrant stage presence, skinned face masks, all-pink everything, inflatable body parts, and the occasional cucumber. Beyond the live gimmicks lies a carefully calculated and curated project that is simply ahead of its time, and we knew that we had to investigate it.

We tracked down these secretive individuals and made them answer all of our questions about their origins, the unfortunate cancelation of their Defqon.1 RED debut, future plans, and so much more.

Make sure to stream their latest releases on Spotify, and read on for our full conversation with GPF!

Hello, GPF! Thank you for taking some time to talk to us at EDM Identity. To start, I’d like to take it back to the origins of GPF. What situations or conversations about the hardstyle scene led to the creation of this project?

When we started GPF, we weren’t thinking about anything specific, especially not the hardstyle scene! We just wanted to make extreme and crazy music with no boundaries. The first tracks sound very tame compared to today, though. And most importantly, this project has always been about fun! Growing up, we always loved and listened to hardcore music, so automatically, our idea of fun was combined with it.

Considering GPF seemed like a silly project back then, did you ever think it would become such an integral part of the hardstyle scene worldwide?

Absolutely not, and I think that’s what makes it work! We’re expressing our ideas without overthinking or having expectations. Being experimental, silly, different, fun, and greazy really helps. We’re incredibly grateful for the success and everyone who helped and joined us along the way.

Of course, many artists in the scene have tried to imitate what GPF has created. So straight from the source, what makes GPF different or unique from everyone else that’s trying to replicate the project?

That’s all good! Everybody takes inspiration from somewhere and if it comes from us, we’re flattered.

We’re just our own entity! Yeah, we’re classified as uptempo DJs, but one day we can be making 200bpm kicks, covering a silly pop song. The next day we could be doing a techno track as collaboration with an EDM DJ. The following day, we’ll be doing some drum and bass or dubstep, weird crossover shizzle. We love it all.

Our love of pink has felt very unique to us, too. In a scene that was once known for being pretty serious and associated with black clothing, it has been amazing to incorporate some pink color. In a way, this has also made hardcore music inclusive for more people, as they can find it more inviting.

Also, we have to mention our beautiful Greazy Squad. The pink warriors have supported us along this journey — nothing can replicate that. Our community is the best. It’s our family.

Photo Credit: @festilens

It felt like GPF was truly set to level up, as you guys were finally going to get the chance to play the mighty RED at Defqon.1 this year. Now that we’re a few months past the unfortunate cancellation, can you share what you had in store for this major performance?

This was a wild ride to say the least! Having a dream like this almost come true was beyond incredible. It’s amazing to see the heights the Greazy Squad can reach. Defqon.1 mainstage with GPF — WTF?!

Anyway, we had a massive fuckfest planned for this show. There was going to be a ton of guest appearances, new music, dance routines, pieps, and a load of other fun activities. We planned for it to be our best set ever.

Of course, the festival was canceled, and we never got to see this performance come to life. As we approach the next edition, how is GPF preparing to get back to Defqon.1 mainstage?

We are keeping our fingers and toes crossed so that we can keep our spot.

One event series that thankfully hasn’t been canceled thankfully is THE SWEATBOX. How differently does GPF prepare for this event versus a normal DJ set booking?

THE SWEATBOX is quite funny to think about because it’s almost the polar opposite of our usual shows and branding in general. Normally, our sets are shorter (around 45 minutes) and always have a lighthearted vibe. With THE SWEATBOX, we play for an extended time of five to six hours and take you on a Greazy journey with techno, hardstyle, GPF classics, and everything in between.

It has a more serious vibe with the branding and darker venues. But at the same time, doing something this different is really fun for us. It’s incredible to take our time with the music and share an evening of endurance with the most dedicated members of the squad.

Photo Credit: @kevinverkruijssen

There haven’t been many THE SWEATBOX shows yet, but the scene keeps asking for more. Are there any plans to take the concept on a major tour any time soon?

We would love to take THE SWEATBOX to every corner of the globe! We are always discussing ideas, but as of today, we don’t have any dates set in stone. We will update you as soon as we do!

As we enter the final months of 2026, can you share or tease any new releases or collaborations your fans can expect soon, like the album GPF has teased for years?

An album is always on the horizon, but we want to make sure we do it at a time that makes sense for us. The process needs to be fun and exciting, so when it happens, it happens! It’ll be worth the wait.

In regards to collaborations, we always have a lot in the works! We’re currently working on a new track with Samplifire and Graphyt, which is damn awesome! Also, we have a new collaboration with Sickmode, Dr Donk, and Levenkhan. We’ve just finalized a song with DEAD X, and we’ve started a couple of collabs with EQUAL2.

We will make an appearance on the [REDACTED] by [REDACTED] album, which will be an absolute pleasure! And the next release after that is with IMHAPPY, EQUAL2, and Ender. Oh, we’ve finalized an insane collaboration with Albino and have a brand new collaboration with UOK in the works. Hope that’s enough of a tease for you!

It’s admirable how GPF started as a fun project and became an entire movement in hard dance. What advice can you offer to artists who want to change the scene, for better or worse, as GPF has?

Believe in yourself, work hard, be different, have fun, and don’t take yourself too seriously. We’re here to party at the end of the day, so don’t forget that.