Known for his unruly, genre-defying sound, Damien Williams, who goes by the name Hydraulix, has been an unrelenting force in the bass scene from the very start of his career.
Blending everything from face-melting bass to grimy dubstep and downright dirty drum and bass, the Australian beat maestro has cultivated one of the most versatile discographies in all of electronic music. This heavy arsenal of unfiltered slappers has not only garnered the attention of artists like Liquid Stranger, RL Grime, NGHTMRE, NITTI, and more but has landed him on festival stages like Lost Lands, Ezoo, Bass Canyon, and Rampage Belgium, among others.
Now, after kicking off 2024 with a massive EP, Nerves, on Wakaan Hydraulix has been determined to keep the ball rolling and shows no signs of slowing down. On Friday, April 12, the Sydney producer unleashed a fury of face-melting bass with his self-released single duCk hUNT. Filled with punchy wubs and wonky duck-inspired drops, duCk hUNT is not only a certified banger but serves as the first of many self-releases Hydraulix has loaded up in the chamber.
Following the release, The Daily Frequency caught up with Hydraulix to talk duCk hUNT, his upcoming Mission Ballroom Show with Ganja White Night, and a whole lot more.
Check out the exclusive interview with Hydraulix below.
DF: Thanks for talking with us! You kicked off 2024 with a massive EP for Wakaan and just dropped yet another banger, duCk hUNT! How are you feeling about your sound right now?
HDX: Thanks for the kind words! Honestly, it’s some of the most excited I’ve been about my music in a while. I feel like I’ve got a solid bunch of stuff upcoming, and Duck Hunt is just the start of that! I’m going to be doing a whole bunch of self releases and really try and be consistent this year!
DF: I love the wonky bass-heavy sound of “duCk hUNT!” What would you say inspired the track?
HDX: Man, I’m the same. I’ve always been partial to super wubby music and I’m stoked with how this one hit it. The inspiration is definitely in the older vibes of dubstep, but trying to give it a bit of 2024 flair.
DF: “duCk hUNT” is the first of a few upcoming self-releases! What made you want to self-release these tunes instead of working with a label?
HDX: Honestly, the main thing was scheduling. I’ve always got a solid block of tunes in the bank and getting them out at a rate I want was just impossible to organize across a bunch of labels. I love working with labels, but I’m excited to really take control and do all aspects of this myself with a close team.
DF: You have such undeniable sound, yet you can’t be boxed into one specific genre! What drives you to explore so many different styles of bass music?
HDX: Ayyy, thank you so much. That means the world to hear. Man, I love all forms of bass music. To just write one thing would drive me nuts. I got into all this, loving Jack Beats and the whole fidget house movement, then progressed into dubstep and drum and bass. So, it just feels natural to write a bit of everything.
DF: On top of exploring a multitude of genres, you consistently put out good music. Where does your work ethic come from?
HDX: Honestly it’s the fact that I still love it. I’ve been doing this for quite a while now as my full-time work, and I still love it just as much, maybe even more, than when I first got into it. When it doesn’t feel like work, and I get to spend my days writing music that makes me feel something, how could you not be motivated to work?!
DF: You closed out 2023 with an incredible US run, playing festivals like Lost Lands and Wakaan! What was your favorite moment from your 2023 US tour?
HDX: That was a really fun run. Got to play a couple shows with my bro Oski, and of course, Lost Lands and Wakaan are always a treat. Fav moment would have been doing an all-original Hydroski set in Tempe. That was super lit.
DF: How would you compare the US bass scene to the scene in Australia?
HDX: They are soooo wildly different. Over in Australia there is none of the plur culture. Not really any kandi, crazy outfits, or any of that. I’d say Aus is more like the UK. In America, everything is so big and grand. So many HUGEEEE venues. In Australia and the UK, it’s more about the small venue maxim vibe. I enjoy both, but yeah that very different vibes.
DF: You’ll be joining Ganja White Night in Denver’s Mission Ballroom during Wobble Rocks Weekend! What can fans expect once you take the stage?
HDX: OH LAWDY! I am pumped for that one. Mission Ballroom is such a sick venue! Expect a whole heap of new music. I’ve really been working hard in the studio and can’t wait to show everyone some of the new music live.
DF: You’ve collaborated with everyone from NITTI to Doctor P, Yookie, Ookay, Leotrix, and more. If you could do a track with any artist, who would it be and why?
HDX: I mean, doesn’t everyone just say Skrillex? Hahaha. It’s such a cliche answer, but it really couldn’t be more true. But honestly, apart from Skrillex, I’ve been super blessed in the people I’ve been able to work with. Some bucket list people to work with would be Billie Eilish, Labrinth, Flume, Troyboi, Rusko, Hedex, Hamdi, Tokyos Revenge, and Ic3 Peak.
DF: Lastly, as we move towards the summer, what can fans expect for the rest of 2024?
HDX: Mate expect hopefully a lot of new music. I’ve been grinding away in the studio, and now that I’m doing the self-release thing as well as the label thing, we should be firing on all cylinders. haha
Stream ‘duCk hUNT’ and keep up with Hydraulix HERE!
Check out more exclusive interviews with The Daily Frequency HERE!