Datsik is the pseudonym of Canadian dubstep producer Troy Beetles. Born and raised in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, Beetles first dabbled with bedroom hip-hop production, writing tracks that would never see the light of day. A chance encounter with fellow Canadian DJ and producer
Excision at the Shambhala Electronic Music Festival in 2008 helped change his musical direction. Captivated by the burgeoning U.S. dubstep scene, Beetles went about producing what he described as "robostep," a mix of hard-hitting drum patterns, growling basslines, and futuristic synth lines.
The first official
Datsik release, a 12" on Smog Records that also featured a collaboration with
12th Planet, arrived in 2009. Teaming up with
Excision on the release "Swagga," Beetles signed a handful of tracks to
Excision's Rottun Recordings, and by the end of 2010 he had released five 12" singles, including two on Miami-based label Basshead Productions. A slew of remixes for
the Wu-Tang Clan,
the Crystal Method, and
Noisia followed, and in 2011 Beetles signed to
Steve Aoki's Dim Mak Records to release his debut album, Vitamin D. Collaborating with
Korn's
Jonathan Davis, Israeli psy-trance outfit
Infected Mushroom, and U.S. turntablist
Z-Trip, the album was released in April 2012, the same month that saw Beetles take the prestigious headline slot in the Sahara Tent at California's Coachella Festival.
Also in 2012, Beetles started his own label, Firepower Records, which released tracks by emerging electronic artists such as
Terravita and Rise at Night. The label released
Datsik's Cold Blooded EP in early 2013. His second full-length,
Let It Burn, appeared later in the year. Following the success of these releases, Beetles concentrated more on his label and his busy touring schedule than releasing new material of his own. His only 2015 release was "The Blastaz," a single produced with
Barely Alive.
Datsik's Darkstar EP, featuring guest appearances from
Trinidad James and
Travis Barker, arrived in 2016. The ninja-obsessed artist issued the Sensei EP at the end of the year. ~ Richard Wilson