Rave Room Podcast

How did a young rave fan from Portsmouth become Dave Spoon—and later reinvent himself as Shadow Child? In this conversation, Brad and Shadow Child explore the music, people, and creative choices behind his journey through UK dance music.

Shadow Child looks back on growing up surrounded by records, early rave, acid house, jungle, and electronic music. He shares how making breakbeat tracks at school, discovering synthesizers, and meeting Liam Howlett of The Prodigy helped shape his path as a DJ and music producer.The conversation follows his first steps into the industry, from sending demos to XL Recordings to releasing music as Dave Spoon with Toolroom. Shadow Child explains why that successful chapter eventually stopped feeling creatively right—and how starting again under a new name gave him the freedom to make music on his own terms.

Brad and Shadow Child also revisit the underground dance music scene of the early 2010s, the club nights and communities that made it special, and the records that brought the Shadow Child project to a wider audience. They talk about creative confidence, imposter syndrome, staying true to your sound, and the challenge of making music without simply chasing trends.There’s plenty for music-production and synthesizer fans, too: Shadow Child discusses the gear, samplers, and studio processes behind his music, as well as the eclectic sounds shaping his DNA EP and next chapter.In this episode:Shadow Child’s early life in Portsmouth and introduction to rave musicUK rave history, acid house, jungle, breakbeat, and electronic musicMeeting Liam Howlett and sending early music demos to XL RecordingsThe story behind Dave Spoon and his releases with ToolroomWhy Shadow Child started a new project and reinvented his soundThe underground dance music scene of the early 2010sMusic production, synths, samplers, and studio gearCreative confidence and advice for producers finding their own soundA candid conversation for fans of Shadow Child, Dave Spoon, UK dance music, rave culture, electronic music production, DJing, synthesizers, and the stories behind a long creative career.

Van Damme reveals the real path from his early DJ years to booking Peggy Gou, Ben Hemsley, Ewan McVicar, Fatboy Slim, and more - plus the production, networking, and content strategies that actually move a music career forward.I

f you want the unfiltered truth about how dance music careers are built now, this one is packed with hard-won lessons.

Van Damme and Brad trace the whole arc from burned CDs and CDJ-1000s to running nights, starting a label, teaching production, and figuring out how to stay creative without burning out.

You’ll hear how a nickname from his America days turned into a permanent identity, why early club nights like The Reading Rooms became launchpads for a generation, and how relationships with promoters and artists opened doors long before the streams and label releases followed.

Van also breaks down the exact gear, workflow, and software choices behind his productions, including Ableton templates, stock plugins, Reason, Serum, and the tools he actually reaches for when he’s stuck.You’ll discover:

• How Van built his first DJ sets from CDs, vinyl, and early controllers
• Why networking and repeat opportunities mattered more than chasing a “perfect” break
• The role lockdown played in helping him make music every day and launch new projects
• How he teaches DJing and production to students, and why that keeps him sharp
• His approach to writer’s block, creative routines, and making content without overcomplicating it
• What it takes to run a label in a crowded scene and spot the next sound before everyone else does

Brad adds a musician’s perspective on the grind, the pressure to keep up, and the reality of balancing creativity with work, family, and the constant push to stay relevant. Together they get into the bigger picture too - why club culture has changed, why scenes need support at the bottom as much as the top, and why the most sustainable careers are built on consistency, curiosity, and community.

This is essential listening if you’re a DJ, producer, promoter, or creative trying to turn momentum into something lasting. Honest, practical, funny, and full of real-world lessons, it’s the kind of conversation that makes you want to get back in the studio and get to work.

I sat down with UK house music producer and DJ Huxley (Michael Dodman). From his early days discovering rave CDs in a small town outside London, spinning garage vinyl as a teenager, running local parties, to transitioning into the house scene and building a respected career — Huxley shares his full journey.

He opens up about:

• ​His musical influences and family background
• ​The golden era of UK garage and vinyl
• ​Battling imposter syndrome during the tech house boom
• ​Key lessons for aspiring producers and DJs
• ​Staying creative and authentic in the electronic music industry

Whether you’re a producer, DJ, or lover of UK garage, deep house, and tech house, this episode is full of real stories, motivation, and insider wisdom from one of the scene’s most consistent artists.

Join Jamie Unknown, former teacher turned Armada A&R, as he shares his journey from Brighton to the music industry's heart. Discover how indie, dubstep, and house shaped his path, and learn what labels really seek in a track. Jamie reveals the power of staying true to your style, navigating AI music, and leveraging social media. Perfect for aspiring producers and DJs, this episode is packed with insights, humor, and motivation to chase your dreams—no matter your age. Ready to be inspired? Hit play and dive into Jamie's world of music.

https://www.instagram.com/jamieunknown_/

ARNII has been deep in Prague’s underground for over a decade — throwing parties, booking DJs, and building scenes from scratch. Originally from Georgia, he’s watched both Tbilisi and Prague’s club cultures shift, break, and rebuild in real time.

In this conversation with Brad, he gets into all of it: what it actually takes to run nights and book artists, why social media is quietly wrecking people in this industry, how door policies and club dynamics really work, and what the rise of sober raving says about where the culture is heading. He also talks gatekeeping, rider horror stories, the business side most DJs avoid, and why he started calling out what’s broken instead of staying quiet about it.

If you care about electronic music beyond the surface level, this one’s worth your time.

Based in Edmonton, Canada, but originally from Windsor, Bryce Kenneth is a melodic techno and progressive house artist focused on atmospheric, emotionally charged productions.

Bryce Kenneth has earned international radio and artist support across the progressive and melodic techno scene, with features on Rebūke’s Studio Mix, Paul Thomas’ UV Radio, and D-Formation’s Beatfreak Radio. His “Close My Eyes” EP on Addictive Sounds received support from Paul van Dyk, alongside Top 1, Top 10, and numerous Top 100 chart placements across South Africa, Spain, and Germany.

I wish you all the best in the new year and i want to thankyou for your continued support. Lets grow the podcast even bigger in the new year

Much love

Brad

In this clip Brad & Salvione discuss the importance of mindset and daily habits for personal and professional growth. Brad highlights the trend of DJs and producers adopting healthier lifestyles, emphasizing the role of meditation and mindset in enhancing creativity and productivity.

Salvione shares insights from his masterclass, focusing on mindset as the foundation for success, and describes personal routines like waking up early, meditating, and avoiding phone distractions to maintain clarity and focus. Both Brad & Salvione agree on the transformative power of these practices in achieving a balanced and productive life.

The music of Carnao Beats is unmistakably a product of his London environment. The tracks he creates are a cut above thenorm: simultaneously bass-heavy and complex, commanding and melodic, with anaptitude for working with vocals that only the most talented of his contemporaries share.

His 2012 debut‘H.O.U.S.E’ came on Mark Radford’s revered Audio Rehab, establishing somewhat of a blueprint for a Carnao Beats record: tough, club-ready beats and percussion paired with a intricately interwoven melodies.

This would be the start of a fruitful relationship between label and artist that included the more recent ‘Chords Of Life’ and ‘Paint Out TheSun’. The follow up to his debut, ‘Know My Name’–produced in collaboration with AmineEdge & DANCE–was equally impressive, with both tracks now having clocked up hundreds of thousands of plays on YouTube and Soundcloud respectively, establishing Carnao as major new player ont he underground house scene.

Carnao’s next release, the sublime ‘GoneIn The Morning’ featuring Donae’o caught the attention of A-listers MK and Roger Sanchez. Both have been staunch supporter sever since, with Sanchez so enamored with Carnao’s music that the two teamed upon ‘Make Me Wonder’, a co-production dropping on Stealth. Further labels that have recognized his talents include King Street, CUFF Records and legendary NYC imprint Nurvous, who will release Carnao Beats v Gerry Gonza‘98’ later this year.

ADJ who cut his teeth in the days of vinyl, Carnao’s talents behind the decks are equal to his studio skills, with lauded shows at world-renowned venues along side the likes of Josh Butler, Route94, and Second City further adding to the hype surrounding him.

Carnao’s latest release is a reworking of Jean Jacques Smoothie’s house classic ‘2People’ on Sam Divine’s cult D-Vine Sounds label: a shining endorsement from without doubt one of London’s finest house DJs. Ina crowded marketplace, Carnao Beats has managed to not only make a name for himself, but exceed expectations with every release. As Carnao himself puts it, “as long as you have the right mindset you can express what you like, come up with new ideas and create a new path for yourself”. Long may he continue down that path.

Welcome back and n this episode i have LIbby Bawden the creator of DNB HIIT The Floor is what happens when rave meets workout. Created by Libby after a major health scare, it’s all about finding your place, the misfits of fitness sweating and vibing to drum & bass instead of generic gym tunes and traditional workouts. What began as a small Exeter class has blown up into a worldwide movement, with live events now running across the world and recent tours hitting the USA and a full platform of online workouts available globally on demand. Backed by DJs and producers from across the scene, every class hits like a mini rave: live sets, lights, and that unstoppable 174 BPM energy. It’s fitness for the DnB generation - global, bass-fuelled, and built on community ❤️