I’ve recently moved to Toronto, and the city has influenced me in many ways. I haven’t lived in enough different cities to have deep insights on the matter, but I think my environment can really influence what kind of art I feel like doing.

In Montreal, I was among a community of songwriters, and that’s what I felt like doing. Write songs.

In L.A., it made way more sense to concentrate on music production and seek collaborators.

Now that I’ve moved to Toronto, I’ve been feeling the need to make more electronic music.

I have been involved in music production and DJ-ing in some capacity or other for over a decade, but after witnessing so many great dance parties this summer in Toronto, I’ve been inspired to start making house music and seek more gigs in alternative dance spaces.

In honor of the city, I’ve chosen the moniker DJ Duff Mall, which references the Dufferin Mall, an ugly mall that has become the target of a lot of jokes. This inside joke seemed just catchy and impish enough.

I don’t have crazy aspirations as a DJ, I’d simply like to gig around town. And starting this new project doesn’t mean I’ll stop working on my other endeavors. I’ll just make some room for a new one.

I’ll be in Toronto for an undetermined amount of time. If and when I move somewhere else, I’ll be curious to see how it affects my inspiration and my creative process. Until then, I’ll keep you guys posted on my music releases.

Meanwhile, here’s a house mix I did recently:

Photo credit : Insiders