Geostatic: “What I Love About Drum & Bass is How Much Room There is Within It”

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**Austrian drum and bass artist Geostatic joins the Drum & Bass Devotions series with a stunning mix and an in-depth conversation about his passion for pushing the genre forward.**

Over the past decade, Geostatic has grown from a drum and bass fan into an artist guiding the genre into a positive direction. Playing major events like Outlook Festival, releasing music on RAM Records and Delta 9 Recordings, and helping with operations at Transparent Audio have solidified his place in the global DnB scene. Luckily, he had time to spare to join the Drum & Bass Devotions series, where he dives into his passion for the genre and where he sees it heading in the future.

“I owe so much to the drum and bass community,” said Geostatic as the conversation began. “It’s been a huge part of my life for well over a decade now, so at this point it goes far beyond just being a genre of music for me.” He went on to explain how many of the friendships and experiences he’s had over the years have been connected to the genre. Not just through in-person events domestically or abroad, but even online, and these have turned into genuine friendships that have lasted for years.

What I’ve always loved about drum and bass is how much room there is within it. It can be incredibly deep and atmospheric while still being completely functional and energetic in a club. You can keep discovering new sounds and approaches, but there’s still a common foundation connecting everything.

Geostatic

One of the biggest aspects of drum and bass is how truly present it is globally. While Geostatic might hail from Austria, he’s traveled and connected with others throughout Europe and beyond through their shared love for the genre. “I’m very grateful for that, and I definitely wouldn’t have had many of the experiences I’ve had without drum and bass,” he said. “So, huge love to each and every person I’ve met along the way — especially my Transparent Audio family!”

While countries like the United Kingdom and Australia might be the focus for some looking for a dose of drum and bass, Geostatic dove a bit deeper into what makes his home country special. “The Austrian drum and bass scene is actually pretty sick and much broader than people outside the country might expect,” he said.

Photo Credit: @Kuro.Simon

Graz, the city Geostatic calls home, has multiple local promoters and collectives that drive the scene. He’s been involved with EBB for over a decade, and the brand is intent on pushing music forward, bringing international acts to the city while boosting up local acts. He also named crews like Massive Playgrounds, I.One, and Dark Matter as others taking similar approaches. “I think that variety is really healthy because, ultimately, everyone is trying to push drum and bass and make the scene bigger in Graz,” he said.

Other events like Rave in the Cave, Springfestival, and Elevate Festival were among those Geostatic named as influential. “Over the years, artists like Goldie, Wilkinson, Chase & Status, and Black Sun Empire, among many others, have come through the city,” he said. “Having artists like these playing here also gives local acts the opportunity to perform alongside some of the biggest names in the genre. For example, at this year’s Halloween edition of Rave in the Cave, I will support the likes of AMC and Mefjus, which definitely marks a highlight for me every year.”

On a larger scale, Vienna-based promoters like Contrast, Element, Switch!, Beat It, and The Hive regularly host events at venues such as Arena, Grelle Forelle, and Flex. “There’s something happening for pretty much every corner of drum and bass,” Geostatic continued. “Whether you’re into neuro, deep, liquid or dancefloor, you can find it. And from Graz, it’s only a short trip to the capital.”

Austrian artists who stand tall include Camo & Krooked and Mefjus, but Geostatic also pointed to RageMode, Screamarts, Wingz, Iamdoomed, Phentix, Manta, and Mofes as those who have gained and deserve international momentum.

Austria is producing some seriously talented producers and sound designers. So I wouldn’t say you have to leave Austria to experience a proper drum and bass scene. Traveling is still important to me because it connects you with the wider European scene, and especially the UK, but there’s a lot happening right on our doorstep.

Geostatic

While Geostatic has carved out space for himself as a DJ and producer, he’s also jumped into the other side of the spectrum by working with Transparent Audio. Starting as an artist releasing music on the label, he said the transition happened naturally after he fostered a friendship with the label’s owner, Tom [Davies], which led him to get more involved in the scene.

“What began with helping out gradually developed into a much broader role,” Geostatic said. “Today, I’m involved in the whole process of releasing music, coordinating events, scouting artists and music, the A&R process, and generally helping with different aspects of running the label.” For him, it wasn’t a conscious jump, just a decision to assist someone and give back to Tom for the hard work and effort he put into the imprint.

Being involved on both sides [of the industry] has been extremely valuable. As an artist, you naturally tend to focus on your own music, but working with a label forces you to look at the bigger picture — how releases fit together, how artists develop over time, how music reaches people, and how you build something sustainable rather than just focusing on individual releases.

Geostatic

Photo Credit: @Kuro.Simon

The bigger picture that Geostatic mentioned is the operational side of the spectrum, which has broadened his perspective beyond simply increasing his passion for music. “You start to understand how much work goes into every release, event, and artist project that people might never see,” he said. “There are so many moving parts involved in running a label properly, especially when you’re working internationally.”

Geostatic said that discovering new music and seeing artists develop is one of his favorite aspects of working with Transparent Audio. “Sometimes you hear something from an artist very early on and immediately recognize that there’s an interesting identity there,” he shared. “Being able to support that development and then see where it goes is really rewarding.”

[Working with Transparent Audio] has made me appreciate the whole drum and bass ecosystem much more. The scene doesn’t exist only because of producers and DJs. Labels, promoters, designers, mastering engineers, radio hosts, upload channels, videographers, photographers, writers, and, obviously, the people going to the events all contribute to keeping the culture moving.

Geostatic

The role that Geostatic has put himself in has allowed him to see the bigger picture, and he feels drum and bass is in an interesting position in the current era. While it’s more globally visible, the underground and smaller promoters face challenges.

“I think we’ll continue to see the genre expand into places and markets where it historically hasn’t had such a large presence,” he said. “The internet has obviously accelerated that massively. Artists don’t necessarily need to live in London, Bristol, or another traditional drum and bass hub anymore to become part of the international conversation.”

The music itself, Geostatic feels, will keep moving in cycles, with certain sounds or styles becoming dominant, facing reactions, and then seeing older influences return to the forefront. “I think that process is healthy because it keeps the genre evolving without completely disconnecting from its roots,” he continued. “What I hope remains strong is the space for more soulful, deep, and underground drum and bass alongside the bigger mainstream side of the genre. For me, that diversity is one of DnB’s biggest strengths.”

Photo Credit: @Kuro.Simon

These thoughts are rooted in Geostatic’s experience in the drum and bass scene, built through years of hard work. Early on, he had a simpler idea of how the music industry worked, but, over time, that has developed into one that he’s realized is a bit more complex.

“After being involved for quite some time, both as an artist and behind the scenes, I’ve realized that the reality is a lot more complicated. Drum and bass can be quite cliquey and, at certain points, gatekept,” said Geostatic. “If you don’t know the right people, sometimes even if your music is good enough, there’s a chance it simply won’t get heard. That can definitely be frustrating.”

Networking is a much bigger part of maintaining a healthy career than I initially realized. Going out, meeting people, and actually becoming part of the wider community matters. Of course, there are positive sides to that because real relationships and friendships are a huge part of what makes the scene special, but I think it’s important to acknowledge that those networks can also make the industry difficult to navigate from the outside.

Geostatic

That isn’t the only major change that Geostatic has seen in the industry, as social media has grown to become a key part of any successful artist’s career. When he began his journey, artists didn’t have to be content creators, but that’s shifted dramatically.

“Being consistent on social media, posting about your music, making videos, and generally creating content around what you do has almost become a requirement if you want to promote your music successfully,” he said. This all impacted his perspective, continuing to say, “Being a good producer or DJ is only one part of it now. There’s this whole additional layer of networking, visibility, and content that has become part of being an artist, whether you particularly enjoy that side of things or not.”

Looking toward the future of the drum and bass scene, Geostatic shared some artists who have caught his ear lately. “Anvo from Vienna is 100% one to watch,” he said. “Some other names that come to mind right now are Cosmo, Fonts, Idle Means and Moekel, but to be honest, there is so much talent out there at the moment.”

There’s a lot of exciting music around at the moment, especially in the deeper and more minimal corners of drum and bass. Working with Transparent Audio also means I’m constantly receiving and listening to new music, so what excites me most is often tracks from producers who are still relatively unknown. I really enjoy that moment when you hear someone developing their own sound before there’s much hype around them.

That doesn’t mean Geostatic doesn’t keep himself rooted in the genre’s rich legacy, as he goes back to artists and labels like Critical Music, 1985 Music, Shogun Audio, V Recordings, and Metalheadz, which helped shape his artistry. “I think having that combination of looking forward while staying connected to the history of the genre is important,” he shared.

As the conversation came to a close, Geostatic shared some insight into the mix he spun for the Drum & Bass Devotions series. “I wanted to represent my own spectrum of drum and bass rather than locking it into one very specific subgenre or vibe,” he said. “It moves through deeper, minimal, and rolling territory while also leaving space for more melodic moments. That contrast is something I’m always interested in, both in my productions and DJ sets. I like music that can create a certain mood and atmosphere but still works properly on a system.”

Inside the mix are tunes that represent what he’s currently playing, along with unreleased tracks, some forthcoming releases, and others that reflect where his taste is heading at the moment. “Speaking of Momentum, my newest tune from the forthcoming project with Transparent Audio and Yamatai Recordings is in there,” he said in closing. “More info about this very, very soon!”

Listen to this exclusive mix from Geostatic on SoundCloud and stay tuned for more from him by following his social media channels.