This past weekend in Chandler, Arizona, Goldrush Music Festival was bursting with shiny nuggets of perfectly placed samples! When done creatively, a sample can feel like a cherished memory, giving you a quick hug. As a long-time member of the EDM community with nearly 15 years of dance floors and DJ sets under my belt, I have become especially appreciative of the art of sampling. For those unfamiliar with the term, a sample is when an artist takes inspiration, whether that be an iconic melody or chorus, from an existing piece of work to complement their own art or performance.
What makes a quality and memorable sample moment in a live DJ performance?
In my opinion, it comes down to three main components…
- Setting: I love it when a DJ nods to the city or festival they are playing. Dom Dolla dropping “San Frandisco” while playing Portola Festival in San Francisco and the shipping barge in the port blowing their horn to match the bass drop? DIVINE!
- Quality Mixing: Does the DJ mix in and out of the song with purpose? I’m not particularly fond of a song simply starting out of nowhere or after a sudden pause. Give me a chance to ease in and appreciate where we are going!
- Personalization: Can I sense the DJ’s own unique style complementing the OG sample? While the source material is probably stellar on its own, I like to hear the special flavor a DJ can add.
Sample King: GRiZ
Long-time veteran DJ GRiZ may be the gold standard for using just the right sample at just the right time. His performance this past weekend at Goldrush was the perfect example! He opened with “Feeling Good” by Michael Bublé, which is essentially a 3rd-generation sample itself. Since its first performance in 1964 by Cy Grant on the opening night of The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham, England, the song has gained generational traction as an anthem of freedom in many forms. In the original theatre production, audiences received this song as a “booming song of emancipation” within the musical’s storyline.
Fast forward 62 years and I found myself encountering GRiZ’s reimagining of this track on a dusty dance floor below the lights and lasers, surrounded by people who truly live the idea of “Show Love, Spread Love.” For me, this was a song of freedom that reminded me of everything I left at the festival entrance. Here, I’m with my people, focused on dancing, making connections, and not carrying the full weight of living in reality for a slice of time. That freedom is worth its weight in gold today.
GRiZ let just enough of Bublé’s rendition play in its original form to build the energy, then flipped the iconic opening drop into something dripping with his own recognizable steez. He hit the perfect mix of nostalgia and recognition, honoring the original song while still leaving his unique mark on the performance. He is a master at using a sample just enough to make it feel earned, but still rework it enough to leave his own fingerprint.
Sample Apprentice: Know Good
If GRiZ is the gold standard, then Know Good is currently studying to become the platinum standard! This duo of cousins, Tanner and Sylas Morgan, have blended to form a truly enthralling sound and performance style since their inception in 2020. Each brings a set of honed musical skills. Tanner often sings and plays a variety of instruments live, and Sylas executes flawlessly on the decks with his decade-plus of DJ and production experience.
Catching their performance at Goldrush was my second time seeing them live, following their opening performance on INZO’s Mirrorverse Tour earlier this year. Was I absolutely blown away by their overall vibe and set in January? WITHOUT A DOUBT! Did they far exceed my expectations at Goldrush? HELL YEAH!
A quick list of songs sampled in their hour-long set would do a disservice to how they placed each song and made it their own. Let’s break down just a few of them! First up is their version of “Decode” by Paramore, which had me literally screaming my lungs out at 33, just like I did at 15. I was catapulted from my teenage bedroom in my memories back to the festival grounds when their dubby sounds crashed in and gave this classic emo track their own style. Like GRiZ, Know Good hits that precise balance: honoring a song’s original form while blending their signature sound seamlessly.
The duo dropped their own sample-heavy hitter, showcasing Beastie Boys b2b The Dare and their respective “Girls” hits. They took us on a short time-travel journey to 1986 with a little Beastie Boys and threw us right into The Dare’s 2024 viral hit with no warning. I was legitimately taken by surprise! I’ve seen quite a few people post about this exact moment on TikTok, so there is no doubt it was a memorable slice of their performance.
The real standout moment, for me, was Tanner busting out his electric guitar to grace us with their version of Pink Floyd‘s “Money.” That layer of live instruments is a quality not many DJs can bring to the table. They not only nod to Pink Floyd, but take it a step further by performing the arrangement live. I see this as another way to celebrate the original source material and bring new life to a classic track.
Beyond their insanely high-quality live performances, their recorded sample/remix of “Bodies” by Drowning Pool has gained nearly 9 million Spotify plays since its May 2024 release. It’s no surprise because the glitchy dubstep drop scratches something so specific in my brain. I can only hope they officially drop their own version of “Decode” so I can personally rack up a solid 300 streams in the first week it’s released.
A sample can be so impactful and tell you more about the DJ who selected it. The perfect sample, when done right, can be a beautiful homage to a piece of art that may have existed for generations. I like to think of samples as invisible strings forever connecting music in an ever-expanding universe. In just two sets at Goldrush Festival, those invisible strings reached back to the 60s and across the Atlantic, connecting in Chandler, Arizona. To get more details on the FULL Goldrush experience, check out this article. Next time you catch a live set, keep your ear finely tuned to appreciate the samples served. Think of it as panning for gold!