Canadian electronic dance music duo Smalltown DJs started DJing in the ’90s, then joined forces when they both moved back to Calgary and began throwing parties.
"Things got serious when we opened Hifi Club in 2005 - it gave us a home base to host incredible global talent and hone our sound," they say. "Around then, we also started touring more and releasing mash ups (on vinyl!), and that opened up a whole new world. Producing came a bit later, but once we got into it, we were hooked."
The guys describe their sound as "party music for good people."
"It lives somewhere between tech-house and bass-house - playful, bouncy, a bit weird at times, but always Smalltown," they say. "We like mixing genres and eras, finding that sweet spot between underground and accessible. If it makes you move and smile, we’re into it.
Their latest release is "Only You."
"‘Only You’ is a track we made to close out summer sets - big chords, reese bass, and that nostalgic vocal hook that hits you right in the feels," they say. "It’s warm and melodic but still hits hard. Dirtybird felt like the perfect home for it, and we’re stoked on how it’s been received so far. It’s been getting love from DJs we’ve looked up to for years."
As for gear: "We play on CDJs and DJM mixers - pretty standard these days - and we use Rekordbox to prep everything. In the studio, we work in Logic. For headphones, we’re both big fans of the Sennheiser HD25s - they’re indestructible and sound great in the booth."
Looking ahead, Smalltown DJs have plenty planned for the second half of 2025.
"We’ve got a couple more singles lined up for 2025, including one with Justin Martin's label What To Do that we are excited about," they say. "Festival-wise, we’re hitting Dirtybird Campout x Northern Nights, Bass Coast, Badlands, Shambhala,and more. As always: plenty of travel, music sessions, and late-night snacks."
Smalltown DJs' "Only You" is out now.
