A massive 65-track playlist compiled by McKeown & Bassiray featuring deep and dark selections…
Melbourne’s McKeown & Bassiray recently sat down with us for a deep dive into the brooding corners of the progressive sound—a space that’s less about strict genres and more about capturing a certain elusive essence. It wasn’t just a nostalgic nod to the early 2000s, when the sound hit its peak; it’s a reminder of a flavor that’s managed to marinate into a more complicated profile.
“It’s an energy you can find all across the audio spectrum,” Darius Bassiray told us. “When digging through records, you’ll come across tracks from all producers that reflect this sound in their catalog. But to me, progressive is more about the art of DJing and programming than it is about fitting into any specific genre.” It’s that unnameable essence that keeps listeners hooked—part atmosphere, part groove, and all intention.
So, what exactly makes this sound so damn captivating? For Stuart McKeown, it’s less about chasing after catchy hooks and more about getting lost in the deeper, cerebral layers. “These producers focus on groove, drums, and atmosphere instead of relying on synth lines and vocals, crafting a space where listeners can fully lose themselves in the sound,” he says. For the die-hard fans, it’s all about the art of restraint—the power of tension, the slow-burn grooves that keep pulling you deeper. Or, as McKeown puts it simply: “It rewards patience.”
To complement their killer two-hour mix into this sound, McKeown & Bassiray compiled a 65 track strong playlist of tracks that inhabit this DDP energy. It’s a selection of the old-school (Chab, Luke Fair), the new school (Mike Isai, Diego Moriera) and the school of deep techno (Function, Luigi Tozzi, Architectural). With so many selections, it’s like browsing through McKeown & Bassiray’s personal DJ USB sticks.
Laced with sci-fi soundscapes and textures, these productions carry a sense of drama—an existential questioning that feels both expansive and hauntingly desolate. It might sound intimidating, but there’s a kind of freedom in surrendering to that sonic darkness. As Carl Jung once put it: “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”
So complete your id, and get enlightened by listening to some deep dark progressive.
