Listen to a new FADER mix by GRRL
The North Carolina-based, PC Music-signed producer plays sets that are both bright and brutal.
Photo by @hardselects, graphic design by Savino Picciotto
The longstanding FADER Mix series presents new, exclusive DJ mixes from our favorite artists, DJs, and producers. This week, North Carolina-based, PC Music-signed dream maker GRRL delivers something bright and brutal.
It makes sense that prolific North Carolina-based producer and DJ GRRL (James Mapley-Brittle) would describe his relationship to music as "obsessive." He’s had a monthly NTS show since 2015, produced multiple glistening EPs, and played major sets alongside Porter Robinson, A.G. Cook, and Anamanguchi.
His style — glowing, but toothsome — effectively merges the worlds of pop, techno, and heady dance music, never sacrificing style for substance (even while letting off a fair share of sonic light shows throughout his sets and tracks). All that, and more, is on display on his latest project, Beetle — a 24-track swarm out on the venerable PC Music — and on his latest FADER mix. Flexing both his production chops (he starts things off with three tracks from Beetle) and immaculate taste, the hour careens into a crash path that is fast and ferocious. Baile Funk, crystalline club music, and swirling tech house all make appearances before he ends things off with a melting and tragic “2026” by Ö/Nömak featuring A. G. Cook.
See the tracklist and read an interview with GRRL below. Stream the mix on SoundCloud, Mixcloud, and Youtube.
Tracklist:
GRRL - Chlorophyll Light Reactor
GRRL - Honeybee
GRRL - Butterfly
Nic As Well - Tickler
OMAAR - Hardware
Clementaum - VAI DJ + FORTY
Adame DJ - Pagode Da Adame (feat. MC da França & MC Henry)
Yandrel & A-PAR - ESSÊNCIA
KARAN! - REKA
Hekt - Touch Me
Nørbak - Capa
Flug - In Control
Takt - Interpretation of Reality
Mikrotakt - The Bamboozler
Ribé & Roll Dann - Interludio
M.I.T.A. - The Queen
Krzysiek Teper - Tube
Coyu - Aguanta
Jånks - Toma
ring noord - It Never Lasts Long Enough
Ö - 2026 (feat. A. G. Cook)
What led you to start DJing?
I’ve been obsessed with music literally forever. To an annoying degree probably.
What’s the first set you ever played?
It was a local North Carolina party called Party Illegal at The Pinkhook back in 2014.
What DJs or artists inspire you?
I always find myself coming back to artists like Björk, Autechre, Nine Inch Nails, Kate Bush, Pan Sonic, and Jeff Mills. They’re endlessly inspiring to me.
How has your local scene shaped your mixing and curation?
There’s a really broad, eclectic mix of styles here. It’s rare to go out and hear people playing the exact same kind of set, and I like that a lot. Lots of great curation for the parties, too.
What’s the most memorable set you’ve ever played?
There are too many to name just one, but I’m always a fan of sets in smaller venues where it’s really dark and foggy, and everyone is right up against the booth.
What excites you about the future of nightlife?
I really love hearing exciting and insane new sounds as loud as possible.
What DJ trend needs to die?
Gassing up the most mid music in the world.
How would you describe your FADER mix?
Really high energy. This is exactly the kind of stuff that I would play in a DJ set.
Beyond DJing and music, what's an interest you have that may surprise people?
I’m the wrong person to ask about having, like, other hobbies lol.
How did you connect with PC music?
I’ve been a massive fan of the label since the beginning, and we’d been floating around similar online/IRL circles for a while, but I think the first time I properly got connected was in 2020 when Porter Robinson did that Secret Sky live stream. A. G. Cook and I were both on the lineup for that, and before the show, he messaged me saying he was looking forward to my set. All the streams and shows [with PC Music], and Beetle basically came after that.
What are you most excited to share with this new project?
Beyond the music itself, I’m really excited for everyone to see the physical vinyls and CDs, and see the visuals. I’m a huge fan of everyone I worked with on this project: Jonathan Zawada, Joana Kohen and Luke Gryffyths (NA Service / No Alteration), Jacob Hulmston, and Robin Schmidt. They all did an incredible job.