Q&A Mixmag LATAM: KANDER

KANDER’s ascent has been fast, but never accidental. Since emerging in 2021, the UK producer and DJ has carved out a sound that moves with the velocity of modern techno while remaining firmly anchored in British underground culture. His productions hit hard and fast, yet beneath the pressure lies a clear lineage. UK bass, sound-system heritage, and a deep respect for dancefloor function continue to shape his identity, even as his reach expands globally.

With his new single Rules of the Dance, KANDER revisits a Mungo’s Hi Fi classic and filters it through today’s tougher, more accelerated landscape, bridging generations without nostalgia. As he prepares to return to South America this December and readies a full EP on Teletech, including a long-anticipated collaboration with Azyr, we sat down with him to talk about roots, momentum, and how to stay creatively focused while everything around you moves at full throttle.

Your new single, “Rules of the Dance,” reimagines a Mungo’s HIFI classic. What drew you to that lineage of UK sound-system culture, and how did you reinterpret it for today’s harder, faster landscape?

From my days at music college, I was lucky to be surrounded by people with such different interests in music. Before this time, I was somewhat unaware of sound system culture in England, but I was exposed to it. We used to spend a lot of nights in Antwerp mansion, which was a big pusher of this sound. The track from Mungo’s Hi-Fi was an absolute favourite of mine from that era, and when the opportunity to put my twist on it came, I simply couldn’t refuse. With this one, the idea was simple, hard, and driven, combining the old with the new.

You’ve risen incredibly quickly since 2021. What has shaped your sound the most during this intense phase of growth and global touring?

Personally, I think that an artist's sound should be recognisable amongst different styles and genres. And that has always been something that I’ve prioritized. Although the styles I’ve been producing have changed over the last five years, I think that you can still hear my UK roots firmly grounded within all of my productions. It’s where I’m from, it’s what inspires me, and it will always be a massive part of my music.

This December, you’re returning to South America for shows in Buenos Aires, Quito, and Santiago. How does the LATAM crowd influence your DJ approach and energy?

Having played in South America several times over the years, the energy, the chaos, and the carnage have always pushed me to give a little more than what I thought I had in me. Whenever I see South America dates in my calendar, I get really excited and try to make the extra effort in the preparation to ensure each one is better than the last.

The single comes from the full EP dropping on Teletech in March, which includes a collaboration track with Azyr. What can fans expect from that partnership and from the full release?

Olly has been a great friend for many years now. And it’s been amazing to watch his success, and I can’t wait to get our first collaboration out there. I don’t want to say too much, but you can expect Olly’s full-throttle energy and my UK soundscape. As for the rest of the release, you’ll have to wait and see.

How do you protect your creative space and continue evolving your sound while navigating this rapid rise and constant movement?

I try to keep listening to a lot of the music that inspires my sound outside of techno. Also, being aware of the direction of the scene, I make an effort not to follow but to push out on my tangent.