RA.1014 Wax'o Paradiso

The Honduran artist talks about the rise of reggaeton, the dark side of beauty standards and her new album, Vanity. In the past decade, reggaeton has taken the world by storm, expanding from beyond its origins in Panama and Puerto Rico to become an undeniable global force. Yet, within this massive cultural explosion, few artists are navigating the sound with the distinct, subversive energy of Isabella Lovestory. Originally from Honduras but shaped by a formative migration to the US and the liminal spaces of the internet, the Montreal-based artist has developed an aesthetic she calls a "plastic fantasy"—a hyper-stylised world of bootleg luxury and cinematic flair. In this Exchange, she talks to Resident Advisor's Chloe Lula about her new album, Vanity, which she calls a response to her obsession with the "dark side of beauty standards." She also discusses her place within the wider reggaeton landscape; her efforts to reclaim and feminise a historically male-dominated genre; the financial erasure of women in the scene; and how her experimental approach challenges the self-seriousness of electronic music. Listen to the episode in full. -Chloe Lula

The drum & bass veteran talks about bass music eras, dance culture in America and his new album, Contact. British artist Nicolaas Douwma, AKA Sub Focus, has been steadily putting out big-room drum & bass since the early 2000s. In more recent years, he's become staggeringly popular, releasing a string of Top 40 UK pop hits that have made him synonymous with a more mainstream sound. His influence looms large across a whole generation of young producers, particularly in the US. In this Exchange, Douwma sits down with Resident Advisor editor Gabe Szatan at the beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. They speak about how he hit number one in the US dance music charts last year, as well as how drum & bass moved from being popular with a "secret clique of people" to becoming what, for lack of a better term, could be called "brostep." There's a new Sub Focus album dropping on November 21st called Contact, which includes collaborations with Grimes and Katy B. Grab your copy when it comes out. Watch this interview in full on our YouTube channel, or listen to the audio via SoundCloud, Spotify or Apple Music. -Chloe Lula

A lesson in "diva house and horniness" from a modern New York darling. Ask Kilopatrah Jones who their favourite DJ is, and they'll give you an unequivocal answer: Junior Vasquez. And the influence is telling. Both born and raised in Queens, the two share a sense of house as a life force. Not in a new-age, spiritual sense. For Jones, it means being "sweaty, panting and free." The NYC DJ can play anything from techno to drum & bass, but when playing house, there's a particular sense of clarity: they understand the genre in the same lineage as Vasquez, Larry Levan and his peers, as the sound of reinvention, transgression, glamour and joy. Across the following two hours, RA.1013 immerses you in that world. It feels like walking into the Sound Factory at peak-time, bodies in glorious motion, fog thick in the air. The Lot Radio resident runs through familiar classics, bringing it home with a gag-inducing sweep of Donna Summer, Celine Dion, CeCe Peniston—and fittingly ends with Madonna, a wink to Jones's hero and his defining moment, "If Madonna Calls." Jones' RA Mix also reasserts the idea that clubs should be a place of joy. Not only for our individual needs and fulfillment, but as a political act—especially for marginalised folk. Arriving at a time when systemic regression and cultural decay feels increasingly pervasive, they is a model for what DJs and dance floors can, and arguably should be. As they put it, "I'm just so happy and grateful to be alive and in this body." Find the tracklist and Q&A at ra.co/podcast/1032

The Innervisions cofounder reflects on the label's 20-year anniversary, the art of DJing and bringing politics back to the underground. One of the most popular record labels in the RA ecosystem is Innervisions, and one of its most popular DJs is cofounder Steffen Berkhahn, AKA Dixon. He started the outlet in 2005 with Kristian Rädle and Frank Wiedemann of Âme. Back when RA ran DJ polls, Dixon was #1 several years in a row. We've since retired them, but Dixon's appeal remains as widespread as ever. He made a name for himself in Berlin in the '90s when he was just a teenager, spreading a melodic strain of house and techno that became the Innervisions brand and continues to pull heartstrings around the world. This year, the label has been celebrating its 20-year anniversary, and Dixon reflects on its astronomical success on the heels of two major anniversary parties at Berghain and fabric. He also discusses how he's kept the label—and his own career—fresh and relevant; his feelings around commercial success; the importance of taking annual breaks from music and production; and his interest in reclaiming underground electronic music as a political space. Listen to the episode in full. -Chloe Lula

57 minutes of sharp, fast, freaky techno from the underground pop star. Long before SoundCloud made him famous, RJ Glasgow was already producing edits from his bedroom in Philadelphia. The artist now known as LSDXOXO spliced R&B classics with DMX Krew and Madonna, then graduated from bedroom producer to internet provocateur with his 2010 mix series Spit or Swallow, where La Roux met Ratatat and Rihanna collided with Crystal Castles. A decade later, that same DIY energy has taken him far beyond the online underground. Now based in Berlin, Glasgow has opened for Beyoncé on her Renaissance tour, remixed Kelela, Lady Gaga and Björk, and taken his Floorgasm party worldwide. His RA Mix captures that evolution in full flight. Across 57 minutes and 26 tracks, RA.1012 tears through shades of contemporary techno—from big-room precision (Adam Beyer) to looping hardgroove (Italia 90, River Moon) and razor-sharp edits (EsDeeKid & Fakemink). “Maybe my music invokes that freaky feeling,” he told Resident Advisor in 2022. “A lot of people have that inner freak.” That spirit still drives him today—sensual, chaotic, unapologetic—and reminds us that wherever he plays, LSDXOXO will always be a club kid. Find the tracklist and Q&A at https://ra.co/podcast/1031 @lsdxoxo