Lizdek Offers a Deeper Look into His ‘DUALITY’ Journey

3 weeks ago 5

**Canadian trap artist Lizdek dives into his second studio album, DUALITY, which marks a new chapter of his music career.**

Rising DJ and producer Lizdek is quickly picking up momentum in the scene with his blend of electronic and alternative styles that encompass elements from hybrid trap, complextro, rage rap, dubstep, shoegaze, and more. Earlier this summer, he opened the next chapter of his career by releasing his second studio album, DUALITY, on MONTA Records.

According to the Canadian artist, this 12-track adventure, which acts as a follow-up to 2022’s Gemini, serves as a tribute to what he loved as a kid growing up in Vancouver, all the way until the present day. Its soundscapes draw from several electronic styles, with guests joining him along for the ride, including Matt OX, DJ Smokey, Ailow, SURF, and more.

The dual nature of Lizdek’s musical style, reflected throughout DUALITY, has played a pivotal role in establishing his presence and growing impact on the scene. After listening, it’s no wonder why he’s seen support from artists like Skrillex, RL Grime, and NGHTMRE, among others, who have embraced his unique sound.

Looking to gain some insight into the album and where he plans to take his career next, we caught up with Lizdek for a chat. Listen to DUALITY on your preferred platform and dive into the conversation that touches on his influences, the album’s creation, and more.

Stream Lizdek – DUALITY on Spotify:

Hey Lizdek, thanks for chatting with us today and congratulations on DUALITY! Looking back at your journey since Gemini, what do you want this album to say about who you are as an artist today?

Thank you so much! DUALITY is an ode to my roots, and a means to be my unfiltered self without restrictions. Gemini was a mixtape that acted more as an experiment at the time, a side quest of sorts; I’ve had a love for sci-fi horror for a while, like SCP, and that project was the culmination of that particular pocket.

Later came ARCANE as well, which was an extension of sorts to those influences. In contrast, DUALITY serves as a full tribute to everything I loved from when I was a kid, all the way until now, and realizing the visions I’ve had since I was nine years old in that old Vancouver bedroom.

The title DUALITY suggests that two opposing aspects can exist together within the same person, idea, or experience. What does that concept mean to you personally, and how has it influenced your music and artistic identity?

I spent my entire life living like this. Musically, I’ve always had a love for nasty shit and pretty stuff alike, as well as the upbeat and the gloomy. Growing up Serbo-Croatian alone holds some irony due to the history of both countries, and Serbian music itself has a habit of being consistently high-energy while lyrically touching on topics like heartbreak and mourning in the same breath. It’s just who I am. I am walking proof that contradictions can coexist, no matter how people want to try and spin it.

Your sound draws from dubstep, shoegaze, rage rap, and other electronic styles. Rather than fitting into one lane, you’ve embraced multiple worlds. What drives you to keep pushing beyond genre boundaries?

I hate repetition. Not necessarily in the musical sense, but rather stylistically; all the genres I absolutely love have their own attitude that (to me) doesn’t really change at its core. I resonate with a piece of every single genre’s form of expression, so when I’m sick of one, I’ll move to the other one, and that reflects in my music naturally because I’ve never been one to force things if I don’t feel it at that moment. I’m not even sure if that’s making much sense, but a lot of things I do with this music thing don’t make sense haha.

Photo Credit: @kattchyy

Was there a moment during the creation of DUALITY when you surprised yourself creatively, whether through a song, a production technique, or a direction you hadn’t expected to take?

I think I mostly just surprised myself with how much trusting myself did for the project at large. Longer projects like this take a lot of calculation in several ways, so being candid and true to myself while trying to make it feel like a fluid listening experience was a process that felt both really fun and strange at times. That’s kind of how the “CHAOS ENGINEERING” thing came to be, because I had no idea how else to describe how making the album felt.

Outside of music, are there any films, books, visual artists, or life experiences that consistently inspire your creative process?

There are several, but WWE and wrestling in general have always been very high up there. I grew up loving ECW, one of the more violent subsets of wrestling, and to this day I don’t know how I was able to absorb something so violent that young… but I just understood it. It didn’t take much for me to see the art form past the blood and gore. I also connected with it being the needle-mover of that era of the sport, considering I didn’t grow up having many people around at the age I discovered it.

That said, the whole Attitude Era is such an inspiration to me to this day. It was also my introduction to rock/metal – CM Punk’s original entrance theme, “This Fire Burns,” was the first time I had ever heard Killswitch Engage, and I never went back.

Photo Credit: @shotbysully

Bass music is evolving faster than ever. Where do you see the genre heading, and where do you hope Lizdek fits into that future?

I find all types of music to be very cyclical in many ways; similarly to how indie sleaze is, in most respects, just a revitalized version of the electro house/complextro sounds, I feel like bass music will have a similar evolution. Brostep is already being revived in a lot of ways, along with the other sounds from that era too. Beyond that, I can see the 2017-18 era of trap music that was being led by TWONK coming back in a big way, as well as a lot of the old Barong Family and La Clinica stuff that spearheaded the jungle terror sound.

As your catalog continues to grow, how do you approach translating the different emotions and styles in your music into a live experience that still feels unmistakably “Lizdek”?

It feels like I’m still trying to work out what that feels like. I’ve only been actively playing shows for the better part of the last two years, which is not a lot considering the 15-year-long journey I’ve had with music as a whole. If I’m thinking long-term, I obviously want to explore using instruments down the line; my voice is the most likely one, considering a lot of DUALITY features vocals from me, like on “Give Me Love” and “ready to break.” I’m also currently about to embark on my second US tour ever, so I’m excited to see how it eventually evolves!

Looking ahead, what excites you most in the scene right now? Are there sounds, collaborations, or artistic goals you’re hoping to explore in your next chapter?

I’d obviously be elated to work on stuff with my long-time inspirations; Skrillex, DJ Snake, and Martin Garrix immediately come to mind. I also really want to continue uplifting my friends. I have music with Atura and Darby that I want to put out when the time is right, and some really cool bigger picture plans with NAZAAR that I’m beyond excited to show to the world (pun intended).

Additionally, Nitepunk is a dear friend that I respect so much that I really hope to cook with soon. Everyone on DUALITY is also in the conversation of people/sounds I want to continue exploring. It’s honestly been the most fun I’ve had being a musician in a very long time. Thankful to be present for it all.