Chase Dugger a.k.a. Space Chase was a key figure in the short-lived but highly influential Denton Dance Collective. He curated the Subsonic Indulgence residence bringing a wide variety of the region's best DJ talent to Denton, a town not exactly known for welcoming dance music. Denton Dance Collective even had a hand in bringing through U.K. bass specialist V.I.V.E.K for an unlikely, but successful gig in the college town.
After spending time overseas for a spell Chase moved back to Dallas and got right back to the decks popping up on guest slots around town. Chase has accomplished a lot in his brief stint as a DJ and promoter. For this week's mixtape Q&A he shines a light on what inspires him to pursue his craft.
See also: DJ Space Chase Spreads His Turntable Gospel from Denton to Cambodia Like Many DJs, Dallas' Brett Johnson Found His Real Home in Europe
How did you get started DJing? How long have you been at it?
My story is the usual one: I started by making mixtapes for myself to bump in my car in summer of '09. That fall, a friend of mine asked if me and my friend Eric would DJ at his house party. It was super fun and from there on out we actively DJed house parties pretty much for the rest of college.
Is there a particular theme for the track selection?
In this mix I tried to include a variety of sounds that I feel represent what you might hear in a Dallas after-hours setting. Dark but fun; very Dallas.
Where do you dig for tracks for your sets?
I tend to get my tracks from a mix of trusted record labels and recorded mixes from my favorite DJs. Dallas' Audiophile Deep deserves a mention here; their catalog has been nothing but fire. Love my Dirtybird (who doesn't), Hot Creations, Ellum and Pets to name a few.
What DJs and producers have had a significant impact on you as an artist?
The artists who have made the biggest impact on me as a DJ are the ones living here in DFW. I feel like whenever I go out, I am exposed to so many new sounds and so many approaches to working a dance floor. I get schooled every time. There is so much happening in the city right now and class is in session. To list a few I look up to and learn from on a regular basis: The Trillwave dudes, Left/Right, Sean Sparks, DJ Cymatic, 4D -- I could go on. This city is utterly rife with talent.
What is your most memorable music experience of the past year?
Easily New Year's Eve. If you were there then you know. Hard to say much else; it was the perfect warehouse party.
Can you explain your relationship with Denton Dance Music?
Myself and some friends had been DJing parties in Denton between '09 and '11, and summer of '11 we decided to brand our crew as the Denton Dance Collective. We provided DJ and promo support for the last leg of Pubstep, and shortly after that night ended we started up our own weekly called Subsonic Indulgence. That night ran for almost two years before I moved out of the country, and since then the DDC has been mostly dormant with the exception of the occasional house party.
Do you have a preference for DJing and producing?
I am a humble DJ. My tastes continuously evolve as I am exposed to new sounds, and I don't feel like I have heard enough music to know what I would even want to make. For now I will leave the production to the experts, and I think my dance floors would appreciate the caliber of tunes that only someone who knows what they are doing will create.
Do you have any favorite cuts that you always keep in your crates?
The Justin Martin rub of "Mushrooms" is definitely a weapon of mine. Also Green Velvet's "Preacherman" has never done me wrong. I've got a few more go-tos, but if readers want more than those two they will just have to follow my sets. Always down to ID a track if someone asks.
What gigs do you have coming up?
The next big one I'm involved with is The Guild's production "Gravity Well: An Interstellar Subaquatic Odyssey of the Senses," featuring Dallas royalty Demarkus Lewis, Cygnus and Red Eye. This is happening on March 21. For more info, keep an ear to the ground and an eye on social media. You can also catch me at Tequilacon at Red Light on February 28.
Tracklist: 1. Metacentric - Kontakt (Original Mix) 2. Phil Kieran & Green Velvet - Rocket Yourself (Original Mix) 3. M3SA - Circa 1937 (Original Mix) 4. Mark Fanciulli - The Tide (Joris Voorn Edit) 5 .Jey Kurmis - Caz She Can (Original Mix) 6. Andrea Di Rocco & Claude Vonstroke - LFO I Love You (Original Mix) 7. Trentmoller - Moan (Trentmoller Remix) 8. Gabe - Time To Relax (Left/Right Remix) 9. Wolf + Lamb vs. Nick Monaco - Festival Erotica feat. Russoul (Soul Clap Remix) 10. Kill Frenzy - So Fine (Original Mix) 11. Booty Fade - Face Down 12. Left/Right - Puzzle (Night Calisthenics Remix) 13. Dousk - Look Good Tonight (Original Mix)
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