Built for the dancefloor and designed to travel, DDC’s catalogue has steadily gained momentum over the past few years. With every release landing in the Traxsource’ Top 100, including highlights like ‘El Funk Caribeño’ by ISHXN, ‘Party Started’ by Daisuke Miyamoto, and ‘What Is Disco?’ by C. Da Afro, DDC has cemented itself as a go-to label for selectors across genres. ‘Dynamite Cuts Vol. 1’ reflects that same spirit. One that is rooted in groove, powered by community, and committed to house music that carries soul, swagger, and intent.
“This release feels like a turning point,” says DDC founder Stalvart John. “We started with edits and Nu Disco, but both the sound and the community have evolved. Right now, we’re focused on House records that are fun, functional, and still say something. We want music that belongs in DJ crates and is representative of the modern day sound around these genres; that’s where the label is headed.”
We grabbed each artist from the album and asked them for a deeper look into their creation for the milestone release!
Farhan Rehman on ‘Strictly Rhythm’
More often than not, the music I make is a reflection of where I’m at mentally. ‘Strictly Rhythm’ came together at a time when things felt a bit chaotic and frustrating. I didn’t overthink it, the best stuff usually happens when you just let go, and I managed to make this track in 3 days.
This one’s got raw, gritty drums, a moogish bassline, some soulful piano chords, and vocal chops that hit hard. There’s a synth line that kicks in later which, to me, feels like a little moment of hope — like it’s asking you to push through. My favourite part is the build-up: I used string stabs on quarter notes with an increasing delay to create this tension that explodes into the drop.
The name is an homage to the legendary US house label ‘Strictly Rhythm,’ since the track carries a lot of that 90s house energy. I started with just a kick and built the groove around it. The bassline was made with Ableton’s stock analog synth, it’s quite simple but very effective. The vocals are sampled from a 70s soul a capella, which gave it that US house flavour. I threw in a monotonous sax loop that binds the track together, it has a very Kerri Chandleresque feel which I love . The piano came from Kontakt, played through Ableton’s chord plugin, again a simple but effective way to get things done.
The majority of it was made using Ableton’s stock plugins — a good reminder that it’s always more about how you use something than what you use.
Stalvart John on ‘Cradle of Life’
I usually start my creative process with the melody and vocals, then build the groove around them and this track was no different. The moment I heard the vocal and Ngoni guitar samples, I felt a surge of connection and happiness, like I was witnessing the birth of something new. Since the samples had African roots, the name ‘Cradle of Life’ came to me instantly. It felt fitting. A nod to origin, rhythm, and soul. This track truly captures what I love about my label and the gigs we curate. I genuinely believe it’s one of my best works yet.
Nida on ‘Where Were you?’
I began writing ‘Where Were You?’ over a year ago, during a period of deep exploration, both musically and emotionally. I’d been slowly carving out my identity as a producer, and this track emerged as a turning point in that journey. It all started with a vocal sample I stumbled upon, there was something raw and emotive about it that immediately struck me. It felt like a memory resurfacing, a moment of longing suspended in time. I knew I had to build a world around it.
The idea was to create a track that felt powerful yet soulful, something that could move a dancefloor while still tugging at the heart. The groove had to be undeniable, but the emotion had to be just as present. I’ve always been drawn to disco’s sense of uplift and warmth, and I wanted to translate that into a more contemporary, tech-house-leaning structure.
My sets and my project ParaDisco have always been about fluidity—blending genres, tempos, and feelings, and Where Were You? was my way of distilling that ethos into one track. It’s a story told through movement: from introspective and soulful to bold and euphoric.
Releasing it as my debut felt like the right moment. After years of experimenting, studying music theory, and teaching myself how to produce, I finally felt ready. And getting to put it out on Dynamite Disco Club, a label that’s shaped so much of my journey, especially with the support of Stalvart and the team, made it even more meaningful. This release isn’t just a track, it’s a reflection of where I’ve been, what I’ve felt, and the sound I’m growing into.
It’s only the beginning but ‘Where Were You?’ will always hold a special place as the first chapter.
Sourfunk on ‘Dancin’’
Dancin’ is my tribute to that fearless, free energy you feel when the dancefloor becomes a space of total self-expression. The inspiration comes from those unforgettable moments when someone walks onto the floor, dressed exactly how they want, moving like no one’s watching, even though all eyes are on them. That unapologetic confidence, that magnetic feminine energy, is what I wanted this track to hold and celebrate.
I made the track while visiting my hometown, what was meant to be a short trip turned into a much longer stay. I wasn’t playing many gigs at the time and was caught up with some personal work. One night, I just reminded myself – just because I’m away doesn’t mean I need to lose touch with my music. So I opened up my laptop, switched on Ableton, and got into it. The basic track came through in an hour but for me it was nothing other than a fun track for myself to enjoy within my bedroom walls to celebrate the dancefloor. It started with a funky guitar loop I laid down, and everything else – the classic disco basslines, cosmic lasers, and sweeping vocals came pouring out like a mood board of movement. The turning point was when I stumbled upon a vocal sample a few days later that just clicked. I chopped, edited, and reworked it until it sat perfectly in the mix. That moment tied everything together.
At first, it was just something I made for myself, a track to enjoy in solitude, just like every other experiment I’d done on Ableton since 2017. It was simply a reminder of what the dancefloor feels like, even when you’re far from it. I hadn’t imagined it would become my debut release, but it turned into one, thanks to my mentor Stalvart John, and our A&R Farhan Rehman, who happened to hear the track by chance and pushed me to release it on Dynamite Disco Club.
I honestly don’t have a fixed creative process when it comes to producing. I just sit down when I feel like making music, no pressure, I usually start with the first thing that sparks something in me and just take it from there. I tend to produce in bursts, jumping from one idea to another, chasing whatever feels exciting in the moment.
I never begin a project thinking, “This is how it should sound,” or “These are the elements I want to use.” It’s more instinctive. ‘Dancin’’ came together in exactly that spirit, an unplanned jam that flowed naturally, driven purely by emotion rather than structure or intention.
To have my first single come out as part of Dynamite Disco Club’s 50th release, is a full circle moment. My shift from an experimenting bedroom producer to becoming a groove-driven DJ happened right here.
At its core, ‘Dancin’’is a reminder that the dancefloor belongs to anyone bold enough to show up as themselves.
The ‘Dynamite Cuts Vol.1 album is available here