There’s an energy behind Torcha’s sound that makes it instantly recognizable. Grounded in the early foundations of dubstep established by artists like Skream, Mala, and Caspa, the Toronto producer brings a new edge to bass music through a genre-bending fusion of heavy bass, dark textures, and an experimental instinct that feels fully his own.
With his new Deadbeats single Graft, Torcha reaches a major milestone with his debut on the iconic bass music label. Joining forces with skxllflower and Limmz, the heavy-hitting collab pairs gritty vocals with the darker, more ominous side of his sound, creating a sonic experience that’s both raw and aggressive.
Released October 23, Graft arrives as the first single off Torcha’s highly anticipated forthcoming debut album. As Deadbeats celebrates its 10th anniversary, the release offers an early look at the next stage of the project and the music Torcha has been building toward since launching in 2022.
For Torcha, joining the legendary label built by fellow Toronto bass icons Zeds Dead carries a different type of weight. With a name drawn from the phrase “passing the torch,” Torcha is carrying the city’s dubstep legacy into a new generation of Deadbeats artists while continuing to forge a path of his own.
Following the release, The Daily Frequency caught up with Torcha to discuss his Deadbeats debut, the story behind Graft, his roots in old-school dubstep, and what’s next for the project.
Check out the full interview with Torcha below.
DF: Thank you for talking with us! You just made your Deadbeats label debut with the massive single Graft. How does it feel to finally have this one out, and what made it the right track to introduce this new chapter?
Torcha: Thanks for having me! It feels amazing to put a tune like this out on a bucket-list label. The lyrics really speak for themselves on this one. We wrote the beat after the vocals for this one.
DF: Over the past decade, Zeds Dead and Deadbeats have played a major role in not only putting Toronto’s bass scene on a global stage, but bass music as a whole. As a Toronto artist, how does it feel to join the Deadbeats team as the label celebrates its 10th anniversary?
Torcha: It means the most to be putting out songs on a label that means so much to my project’s identity. Being born and raised in Toronto, just like the label, especially after celebrating their 10th year at Red Rocks with them, this one feels special.
DF: You mentioned that Graft was written while you were on tour this year and has already been going off in your sets. How did the energy of being on the road shape the track, and when did you first realize it was connecting in a live setting?
Torcha: I had played it at Sound Haven for the first time this year, amongst other tracks I hadn’t gotten to crowd-test yet. The reactions told me it was time to put this one out!
DF: On top of going off in your live sets, Graft marks the first single from your forthcoming debut album. What did you want this song to introduce about the larger project and the world you are building around it?
Torcha: Graft is the intro single to my debut album coming out soon on Deadbeats. It’s a few of my favorite songs I wrote this year.
DF: Graft brings skxllflower and Limmz into the fold, but it still feels connected to the darker direction you have been developing on your own. How did that collaboration first come together, and what made those two artists the right people for this record?
Torcha: This one, like all the other songs on the album, came together very naturally. Limmz had actually sent the wrong project file, and I got right to work with skxllflower on something. By the time we sent it back, he had agreed this was the version he wanted to release! The original project with Limmz is also on the album!
DF: A debut album gives an artist more room to say something than a standalone single does. As you were putting this project together, did you have a bigger idea, story, or feeling that you wanted the full body of work to carry?
Torcha: I definitely wanted to set a bigger scene with this project and let people know where my love for dubstep has brought me to in 2026.
DF: Let’s take it back. You launched the Torcha project in the summer of 2022 after teaching yourself how to produce. While your journey into music began at a young age, playing everything from piano to guitar, what inspired you to dive headfirst into music production?
Torcha: I’ve been producing for nearly a decade on Ableton now. I was inspired by early events I attended in the city as a teenager. I was really into metal, hardcore, rap, spoken word poetry, house music, and techno. I’m grateful to have grown up in a city that had every act under the sun pass through for a show growing up. I’ve always wanted to make music, so it was the only choice for me!
DF: As a self-taught producer, you had to figure out your own process through a lot of trial and error. What were some of the biggest lessons you learned during those early years of teaching yourself how to produce?
Torcha: The biggest lessons I learned are that patience is a real-life superpower and to work with intention.
DF: Your sound is rooted in the early sounds of dubstep, with artists like Skream, Mala, and Caspa helping shape your foundation. What was it about that old-school sound that first connected with you, and how do you pull from that influence while still making music that feels uniquely your own?
Torcha: I came across dubstep, and I’ve never looked back. I feel like it’s the only genre that takes elements of everything. I’ve learned to make it uniquely my own by finding sounds that are instantly familiar to the listener. I use a lot of real-life foley and horror movie elements.
DF: Lastly, as we move toward the new year and your upcoming debut album, what can listeners expect as you step into this new era of the Torcha project?
Torcha: A lot more music. I plan on opening the vault in 2027 and releasing a lot more of my stuff!
