Trackstack Podcast E39: ARAPU — Why He Never Prepares a DJ Set

Dan Duncan, one half of the duo Pig&Dan and the trio INTENSE, joins the Trackstack Podcast for one of the most honest conversations we've had about the music industry.Growing up between London and New England, Dan was raised deep inside the music business — his father founded the most respected white soul band of the 70s and played on some of the most iconic albums from Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye, Dire Straits, and Tom Petty. But that same industry took everything from his family when their manager cleared the band's accounts and disappeared. Dan watched his parents lose almost everything, and years later, after building his own path at RAK, a London studio, through the birth of drum & bass and jungle, the same thing happened to him. His own band sold over 120,000 CDs and came away with £1,000.That history is exactly why Dan co-founded Suru Music: a platform built to fix the distrust, isolation, and lack of validation he experienced firsthand as an artist. In this episode, he breaks down the story behind Pig&Dan, why sticking to your own signature sound beats imitating anyone else's, and what Suru Music is actually for.Follow Dan: @piganddanFollow Suru Music: @suru.musicFollow Trackstack: @trackstack.pro

Bucharest-born DJ and producer Arapu joins the Trackstack Podcast for an honest conversation about trusting instinct over strategy. He opens up about the early days moving to Bucharest with no money and no plan, working just one month in his entire life, and surviving purely on his parents' belief in him while he taught himself to produce. From there, he breaks down why he never prepares a DJ set, how he built his label Liniar as a vinyl-only outlet, and why following feeling over formula has shaped everything since. He also gets into the oversupply of music today and his thoughts on AI in production.Follow Arapu: @arapu__

In this episode, Trackstack co-founders Cameron and George Perry pull back the curtain on what Trackstack is really becoming. Not just a demo submission tool, but a complete operating system for building a sustainable career in electronic music.They get into the honest truth about what it actually takes to go from making tracks in your bedroom to becoming a working artist: why your first 100 pro fans matter more than chasing the biggest DJs, how to build your network city by city, and why doing it with the people around you beats doing it alone.They also walk through the full Trackstack product suite — Inbox, Studio, Elevate, and the brand new Store — and explain how each one maps to a different stage of the artist journey. Studio is getting a major rebuild away from music education and towards genuine community building. Elevate opens up a marketplace for production coaching, mixing, and mastering. And the Store means no track ever has to disappear into a private SoundCloud link again.Plus — what's coming up at IMS Ibiza and what the rest of 2026 looks like for Trackstack.Chapters:0:00 – What is Trackstack OS?2:40 – Being an artist vs. having a career7:00 – The real purpose of Inbox10:30 – Why your city matters more than the biggest DJs15:30 – Studio rebuilt19:30 – Elevate: the artist services marketplace34:00 – The Store: a home for every track you make40:00 – IMS and what's nextConnect with Trackstack on Instagram: @trackstack.proConnect with Cameron & George on Instagram: @cameronembling @george_trackstack

Katie Knight sits down with us to break down how electronic music artists can actually grow on social media without burning out or losing themselves in the algorithm.She shares what's working right now on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, how to create content that doesn't feel forced, and why most artists are wasting time on the wrong platforms.If you're struggling to grow your audience or don't know where to start with content, this conversation will give you a clear path forward.What we cover:Which platforms matter for electronic music artists (and which don't)How to create content that feels authentic, not performativeThe biggest mistakes artists make on social mediaBuilding an audience vs. chasing followersHow to balance content creation with actually making musicPlatform-specific strategies for Instagram, TikTok, and YouTubeWhy consistency beats perfection every timeTurning social media presence into real career opportunitiesCONNECT WITH KATIE KNIGHT:Instagram: @katiehayknightYouTube: @KatiehayknightTRACKSTACK:🔗 Website: https://trackstack.app📱 Instagram: @trackstack.pro📲 Submit your demos at trackstack.app

Andrew Leese is a digital marketing strategist, social media expert, and founder of Socially Sound and UNFILTERED — helping independent electronic music artists build sustainable careers through strategic branding, content, and marketing.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:- The reality of building your audience and going full-time.- Why most artists underestimate how long it takes (and quit too early)- The five revenue streams every electronic musician should build- How to know when you're ready to make the leap (and when you're not)- The biggest mistakes aspiring full-time artists make- Geographic arbitrage: how location affects your ability to go full-time- Building leverage as an artist: systems, content, and long-term strategy- Why consistency and patience matter more than talent- How to stay motivated when results aren't immediate- What labels actually look for in artists (and why DIY often wins)🔗 Connect with Andrew Leese:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewleese89🔗 Connect with Trackstack:Website: https://trackstack.appInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstack.pro/

Oskar (Co-Founder, Songstats) joins us in Bangkok for a wide-ranging conversation about the real mechanics behind building a music career from reading streaming data to embodying your artist identity.We cover the Songstats origin story, what the data actually tells us about how the music industry is changing, and why some of the most important decisions artists can make have nothing to do with algorithms.TOPICS COVERED– How Songstats was built bootstrapped from Bali, and why that shaped everything– What streaming and playlist data reveal about artist growth and label strategy– Why artist-owned labels are replacing the old industry gatekeepe– The economics of labels: Beatport vs streaming, and what actually pays– Oskar's demo curation process — reviewing 500 tracks a week and what he's listening for– DONT BLINK and LOW CEILING Records: running two labels with very different approaches– The 1001Tracklists / Tomorrowland joint venture (1001 Recordings) and how it works– John Summit, Experts Only, and the rise of artist-run labels– Songstats data integration coming to Trackstack — what that means for artists and labels– AI's impact on small dev teams: how Songstats and Trackstack operate at scale with tiny teams– The "artist mindset" shift — embodying your identity before the bookings come– Going full-time in music: ramen profitability, geographic arbitrage, and the real leap– Tour life realities: staying healthy, giving 100% every night, and building markets from scratch– Argentina, Brazil, Korea, US debut: how DONT BLINK approaches new markets– Why storytelling is the most underrated skill in electronic musicCONNECT WITH OSKAR & SONGSTATS🔗 Songstats: https://songstats.com📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/styline/👀 DONT BLINK: https://instagram.com/dontblinkmusic 🎵 LOW CEILING: https://instagram.com/lowceilingmusicCONNECT WITH TRACKSTACK🔗 Website: https://trackstack.app📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trackstack.pro/

Trackstack Podcast E38 | MAHONYRomanian DJ and producer MAHONY sits down with us in Bangkok for one of the most honest conversations we've had on the podcast. From burning out after 14 shows in a summer, to trusting your instincts over your management's opinion, to why he thinks the sync button is killing DJing. If you're an aspiring DJ or producer trying to figure out how to build something real in this industry, this episode is for you. Topics covered:- Burnout, mental health and knowing when to stop- Why your goals should never be about money or lifestyle- The sync button debate and what's lost in modern DJing- Building Take Notes label from zero- Fake followers, booking culture and industry shortcuts- Trusting yourself when everyone around you disagrees- Sunwaves, Romania's scene and why community beats egoConnect with MAHONY on Instagram @mahonyro🎧 Stream on Spotify: Trackstack Podcast📲 Submit your demos at trackstack.app#Mahony #TrackstackPodcast #DJPodcast #ElectronicMusic #TakeNotes

We’re transforming Trackstack from a demo inbox into a revenue engine for electronic music professionals. In this episode, we unpack what 2.0 really means — new tools, new features, and a new way for DJs, producers, and curators to build sustainable careers on their own terms.

In this episode of the TrackStack podcast, host Presha interviews Blue Method, an artist from Zurich with roots in Cameroon. They discuss Blue's early experiences with music, the challenges of defining his artistic identity, and the creative process behind his track 'Indigo.' Blue shares insights on finding new music, the importance of understanding music's roots, and the vulnerability of being an artist. He emphasizes the importance of intentional listening and connecting with his audience, while also reflecting on the lessons learned throughout his journey. The conversation concludes with Blue's advice for the TrackStack community and his dream collaborations.

Sean Willers shares his insights on going sober and how to live a balanced lifestyle as a DJ/Producer.