Fly South

IO: When did you begin DJing and producing, and what initially drew you to electronic music?

Zach: I began DJing in college and continued to dial in as a musical selector throughout my 20s living in San Francisco. It was the peak of the Dirtybird era and me and my friends would play in underground venues around town and at local music festivals we threw. Production came much later; I started teaching myself during the pandemic including with some IO classes.

When I moved back to LA, I decided to start in person at IO and took classes voraciously as I came into myself as a producer. Electronic music has always been it for me because I connect with music through rhythm and groove more than anything -- but on another level it has always been the great uniter in my life bringing me closer to my truest friendships and deepest relationships.

IO: You just released your new track “Sky”. What inspired you both to collaborate with Without the San?

Zach: Without the San is a friend who I met out in LA as a photographer and we quickly became closer bonding over music. I invited him to play a festival called Sundial that my collective Need a Minute threw a few years ago and his set was fantastic. From there I heard more of his releases and was really into the music he's been making, and have invited him back to play the festival ever since. Recently we decided to see what it would be like if we tried to produce a track together, fusing our styles. The result was something greater than the sum of its parts, a track where friends tell us they can hear both of us in it distinctly.

IO: Can you talk about this sample and what this track means to you?

Zach: We were looking for the right sample to give voice to the music and this particular poem felt uplifting and firmly at home in the soundscape.

The topic of liberation speaks to both of us and to the moment we collectively find ourselves in. We wanted to make something that gets you lost in dreamy layers but still has a knocking bassline to keep your feet moving. The floating piano chords and vocal echoes compliment the way the vocal makes your spirit soar -- we're both believers in the power of getting lost on the dancefloor and hope that the track provides that release.

IO: Do you have a favorite class, instructor or memory at IO that has made a big impact on your artist journey?

Zach: The Claim Your Sound course at IO had the biggest impact on my journey -- intentionally tuning out all the noise and distraction in life to build healthy habits as a producer ultimately allowed me to hear my own voice and put out my debut EP at the beginning of 2025. Ryan's philosophical approach to musicianship and the human condition left an imprint on my soul; I recommend this course for any producer who feels ready to define who they are in relation to their music.

IO: Can you describe your musical style, how has it changed over time?

Zach: My style is firmly grounded in house music, but within that sandbox I allow myself a lot of freedom. For my first EP Loopholes for Lizards it was very much left field tech house, getting into experimental territory. With this latest release, it's a love letter to break. I'm not interested in boxing myself in and I allow my sound to grow as I do as a musician.

IO: Who are some artists or producers that inspire you?

Zach: Artists that inspire me start with the closest to home - fellow producers from my classes at IO like Vora, Sea of Diane, No Drout, and Borscht to name a few. Lately I've been into smaller collectives putting out consistently succulent, mind-bending tracks: Crews like No Bias up in Oakland and Ba Dum Tish out in the UK. I also have a huge soft spot for nu-disco and Cody Currie and the entire Toy Tonics crew are a major inspiration for me.

IO: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?

Zach: As far as earth-shaking challenges -- my career as a producer is still emerging; Seth Troxler has this quote he says during an interview where he goes, "I think DJs don't really get good until their mid 40s or 50s." I'd like to think the toughest moments but also the best ones lie ahead.

IO: Do you have any must-have tools, plugins, or equipment that shape your sound?

Zach: I need to have my Komplete Kontrol s88 keyboard in front of me when I'm producing to be able to hear the highest and lowest frequencies for any sound I want to use. I come from a background of playing piano so having weighted keys and a full 88 is so fundamental to how I am accustomed to interacting with sound. I rely on a prophet '08 for hardware synthesis and lately have been loving Diva, the latest addition to my soft synth collection. I just picked up an egg shaker because I was tired of digging through samples to find the right swing -- for me it's been about mastering the tools I have and introducing new ones for specific needs rather than just for the thrill of having something new.

IO: What do you hope listeners feel when they hear your music?

Zach: When people listen to my music I hope they feel curiosity, intrigue, and a healthy dose of mystery of wondering where the track is going to take them. Some of my music is going to be intended for dancefloor madness, and some more for throwing on headphones and walking to discover a new place. But in any case I hope people feel excited when they see a Fly South track come up next.