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 which 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. 2009 saw the first official Datsik release, a 12” on Smog Records which also featured a collaboration with 12th Planet. 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. ~ Richard Wilson