Justin Tran, better known as Quackz, is an electronic music producer and DJ originally from Corona, California, with roots in both the Los Angeles and Philadelphia music scenes. Blending heavy bass, dubstep, brostep, riddim, and experimental electronic sounds, Quackz has developed a distinctive style built around aggressive sound design, melodic elements, and his signature duck-inspired identity. What began as a lifelong love of electronic music has grown into a project centered not only around releases and live performances but also around community. Quackz has become deeply involved in the underground EDM scene, working alongside artists, promoters, and collectives while continuing to build his own sound and the evolving “Quackstep” concept.

Outside of the Quackz project, Justin works professionally in AV and audio engineering and serves as a Senior Editor for MXDWN, where he reviews albums and covers music from another side of the industry. He is also involved in the Filthy Frequency Podcast, a project focused on giving artists a platform and greater exposure within the electronic music community. With new music, collaborations, another EP, live performances, and other projects in the works, Quackz continues to expand while keeping the same philosophy at the center of everything: support the underground, stay connected to the community, and move up together.

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Corona, California. I’ve spent time in both California and Philadelphia, and both places have influenced me in different ways, but Southern California is where I’m from.

I have been waiting a long time to ask you: What is the story behind the name “Quackz”?

The name Quackz actually came out of COVID. I’ve always liked ducks, but during the pandemic, I was working part-time at an after-school program where I supervised a class of kids. I would basically force them to listen to EDM with me every day, whether we were dancing, doing homework, playing games, or just hanging out.

Since we all had to wear masks at the time, I thought wearing a regular one was boring, so I started wearing a duck mask for the kids. They ended up calling me “Mr. Ducky.” They also knew I was making music, so when I started thinking more seriously about an artist name, they were actually part of helping me choose it.

“Quackz” kept that whole duck theme and the connection to that time in my life, but it felt a little less bubbly than “Ducky” and fit the kind of music I wanted to make a lot better. A group of kids I supervised during COVID helped name the project.

Where did the Quackz project come from? 

The Quackz project really grew out of my love of EDM, the PLUR culture, and many of my childhood experiences with electronic music. I wasn’t old enough to actually go to EDC or raves when I first became interested in the scene, but I was old enough to watch the livestreams on YouTube once festivals started putting them online. I remember sitting there with my best friend, completely fascinated by the music, the production, and the energy of the crowd.

That eventually made me want to figure out how people were actually making this music. Back when Ableton was around Live 6, I got one of the original Novation Launchpads because I wanted to start creating EDM myself. I remember watching M4SONIC perform on a Launchpad, and as a kid, I thought it was literally the coolest thing ever. I wanted to be able to do that.

So Quackz didn’t really start from one specific moment. It grew out of being a kid who was obsessed with electronic music long before I was even old enough to participate in the scene myself. Eventually, that fascination turned into producing, DJing, and wanting to build my own little world within EDM.

What inspired you to choose the name, the duck identity, the logo, and the overall concept behind the project? 

The duck identity grew naturally from the name, but I still wanted the branding to feel intentional. The duck logo is actually designed to resemble the “Z” at the end of Quackz, which ties everything together without making it feel overly complicated.

I’ve always liked keeping branding minimal and as professional as I can make it, while still letting my personality and stupid sense of humor live underneath everything. I don’t want the project to feel like a joke, but I also don’t want to take myself so seriously that it loses what makes it fun.

A big part of Quackz, for me, is that I don’t really see the project as something I’m building only for myself. It feels connected to everyone who has been coming up alongside me in the industry. 

Are you a solo artist, or do you have a team or DJs who play your music?

I'm a solo artist. If I'm performing with someone, I'm doing a B2b or just helping a newer DJ get experience and get out there more. 
You've built a pretty distinctive identity around the duck “DuckStep” concept. Was that something you intentionally designed from the beginning, or did it develop naturally as the project evolved?

That definitely developed naturally over time. I would join music feedback channels on Twitch and submit my tracks, and people kept pointing out that some of my basses and sound design almost sounded like ducks or had this weird quacking quality to them. I still don’t know whether the name Quackz was subconsciously priming everyone to hear it that way, or if my sound design actually just naturally ended up sounding like that.

People started jokingly calling it “DuckStep” or “Quackstep,” and eventually it just stuck. I liked that it gave a name to something that was already happening organically in my music rather than me sitting down one day and deciding I needed to invent a new genre. Over time, I just leaned into it and made it part of the identity.
How would you describe the sound of Quackz to someone who has never heard your music?

I’d describe the Quackz sound as heavy, weird, melodic, aggressive, and a little wonky. It pulls a lot from dubstep and riddim, but I also like experimenting with sound design and not keeping every track inside one specific box.

What influences have shaped the style you're producing today?

There’s definitely a lot of brostep influence in what I make, too. I love that balance between huge, aggressive bass sounds and more melodic or emotional moments. I think that contrast is a big part of what makes the project feel like me. I want a track that can hit hard, get weird, and still have something memorable or musical underneath it.

A lot of the influence comes from the DJs and producers I listen to now, like Subtronics, Excision, Zomboy, Beastboi, and Zeds Dead. There are honestly way too many to name. I’m also really influenced by the artists I grew up listening to during the early EDC and festival years, like Avicii, Zedd, David Guetta, and Skrillex. Even though many of those artists have very different sounds, I think hearing that full range of electronic music early on shaped how I approach melody, energy, drops, and sound design today.

How long have you been in the music scene? 

I’d say I’ve been actively involved in the music scene for about six or seven years, but I was DJing and producing for years before I really started diving deep into the underground scene.

As I mentioned earlier, I started messing around with Ableton all the way back around Live 6, so electronic music has been part of my life for a long time. The difference is that over the last six or seven years, I’ve become much more involved in the community itself, meeting other artists, playing shows, collaborating, getting feedback, and really becoming part of the underground EDM scene rather than just making music on my own.

What first got you into producing electronic music? 

A lot of it started with watching the old EDC livestreams. I was way too young to actually go to those festivals, but seeing the DJs perform and watching the crowds made me want to understand how the music was made and how DJs put everything together.

I started messing around with Ableton Live 6, and before I had any real DJ equipment, I was literally using a cheap DJ app on the original iPod back when I was in middle school. It was obviously nothing serious at the time, but I think that says a lot about how early the interest started. I just wanted to mix songs, make sounds, and figure out how electronic music worked.

Eventually, that curiosity turned into actually learning production and DJing properly, but it really started with me as a kid watching festival streams and playing around with whatever software and equipment I could get my hands on.

Who or what were your biggest musical influences growing up?  
Growing up, I was influenced by a lot of the artists who defined that earlier festival era for me. Avicii, Zedd, David Guetta, Skrillex, Afrojack, Tiësto, Timmy Trumpet, and The Bloody Beetroots were all huge influences.

What I liked was that they all brought something different. Some were really melodic, some were heavier or more aggressive, and others were all about creating these massive festival moments. Being exposed to that much variety early on probably explains why I’ve never wanted Quackz to fit perfectly into one genre. I like heavy bass music, but I still really care about melody, energy, and creating moments people remember.

Were you a DJ first or an artist/producer?

I’d definitely say I was a producer first, even though producing and DJing started pretty close to the same time for me. At first, both were really just hobbies. I was experimenting, learning, and having fun with it without thinking too much about where it could go.

My kid self was technically making music under a completely different name back then, but we don’t need to dig that one up. As the hobby grew into something much bigger, I started taking both sides more seriously.

DJing has become a huge part of how I share music and connect with people, but producing has always felt like the foundation of Quackz. That’s where I started, and it’s still the part of the project I identify with the most.

Are there any genres or artists outside of EDM that influence your style? 

Definitely. My taste outside of EDM is kind of all over the place, which I think is a good thing creatively. I’m a huge Bob Marley fan. I love Frank Sinatra, James Brown, swing music, and even a lot of violin and orchestral pieces. (UEDM good taste! 😁 )

I also grew up listening to a lot of classic rock and heavier music like Mötley Crüe, Metallica, Rob Zombie, and Linkin Park. I think all of those styles influence me in different ways, whether it’s rhythm, melody, emotion, attitude, or just how a song builds energy. I don’t really like limiting inspiration to one genre. If something has a strong feeling or an interesting sound, I can usually find something in it that I want to bring into my own music.

Can you explain the genres you produce and what attracted you to them?

I’ve experimented with a lot of different genres over the years: drum and bass, dubstep, techno, brostep, tearout, midtempo, riddim, trap, bass house, speed house, and probably a few others I’m forgetting.

I haven’t released music in every genre I’ve experimented with, though. Quackz has mostly been centered around bass music, especially dubstep, brostep, and heavier dubstep. That’s where I feel the project has naturally landed so far.

I think what attracts me to heavier bass music is the freedom in the sound design. You can make something aggressive, weird, melodic, funny, or completely unexpected and still have it work. I’ve done occasional genre switches, and I definitely plan to explore a much wider range of styles in future releases. I don’t want Quackz to ever feel limited to one exact sound.

Are you involved in the music scene full-time, dedicating all your time to creating and promoting your music?  

I would say I’m very involved in the music scene full-time, even if not every hour is spent specifically working on Quackz. Music and audio have actually grown far beyond just being a hobby for me.

I work professionally in AV and audio engineering, so I’m basically around sound 24/7. My background in music has also opened doors for me professionally outside of performing and producing. It helped lead me into audio engineering work, and I’m also a Senior Editor at MXDWN, where I review albums and get to experience music from a completely different side of the industry.

Outside of work, I’m in more music group chats than I can count. I’m affiliated with different promoters and collectives, and I’m constantly around people who are producing, DJing, throwing events, or building something within the scene.

I also really enjoy supporting other artists. I love being involved with the local underground just as much as the mainstream club scene. Between producing, DJing, audio engineering, writing about music, networking, and supporting other artists, music has pretty much become part of every area of my life.

Right now, I use a Pioneer XDJ setup with Rekordbox. It’s what I’m most comfortable with, and it’s also the closest to the kind of setup I’m usually using when I perform live. I like practicing on something that translates naturally to a club or show environment, so when I step up to perform, the workflow already feels familiar.

How do you read the crowd, and what signals do you look for when deciding to switch up the music or change the BPM?  

I think reading the crowd is one of the most important jobs of being a DJ. You’re there to control the energy of the room, but you also have to pay attention to what the crowd is giving back to you. You can usually tell when a song is really hitting, when people want you to stay in a certain vibe, or when the energy is starting to shift and it’s time to take things somewhere else.

There are also so many factors that go into it. The venue matters, the promoter who booked you matters, the time slot matters, and even the DJs playing before and after you can influence what makes sense for your set. I don’t think you can walk into every show with the exact same plan and expect it to work.

I like having an idea of where I want my set to go, but I also want enough freedom to switch genres, change the BPM, or completely change direction if that’s what the room is asking for. To me, a good DJ isn’t just playing songs they like; they’re creating an experience with the crowd in real time.

What is your musical background? 

My musical background is a mix of formal education and a lot of self-teaching. I actually started college as a music major before eventually changing my major, so during that time I studied music theory and took both violin and piano lessons.

A lot of my production knowledge came from teaching myself outside of school, too. I’ve spent years watching tutorials, producer breakdowns, masterclasses, and just experimenting inside the DAW to figure out why certain things work.

I think having both sides has helped me a lot. Music theory gave me a foundation for understanding what I’m doing, while learning production on my own taught me not to be afraid of breaking those rules. Especially with electronic music, sometimes the weird thing that technically shouldn’t work ends up being the coolest part of the track.

Which music equipment and/or DAW do you prefer for music production, and what makes them your top choices? 

I’ve used a lot of different DAWs over the years, but Ableton is still the one I always come back to. I’ve been using it for so long that the workflow feels really natural to me, and honestly, if I have my laptop and Ableton, that’s enough for me to start making music.

As far as hardware goes, I really like my Tascam Model 12 audio interface and mixer. Headphones are probably the one thing I’m much more particular about. I have several pairs of Audio-Technicas, including open-back headphones, M50s, and IEMs, but the M50s are still my favorite.

They sound good, but a big part of why I trust them is just how long I’ve used them. My ears are almost trained to how music sounds through those headphones at this point, so I know what a good mix should sound like on them, and I can usually tell pretty quickly when something feels off. For me, the best setup isn’t necessarily the biggest or most expensive one. It’s the one you know well enough that you can trust what you’re hearing and focus on creating.

Do you mix and master your own songs? 

Yeah, I mix and master my own songs. I like having control over the full process from the initial idea all the way through the final master, especially because the mix is such a big part of how heavy bass music actually feels.

My audio background definitely helps with that, but I’m also always learning. Every track teaches me something new about balance, dynamics, sound design, and how to make everything translate the way I want it to.

What typically sparks your creativity when making a new song? Do you find inspiration in movies, books, or listening to music?

A lot of the time, I use reference tracks. Usually, it’s whatever current song I’m obsessed with at the moment. I’ll listen to what I love about it, maybe the energy, arrangement, sound design, drums, or the way the drop hits, and use that as a starting point for inspiration.

I’m not trying to recreate the song, but reference tracks help give me a direction and something to compare against while I’m working. Lately, I’ve been using a lot of Kompany tracks as references because I really like the weight, aggression, and overall production of his music. From there, I usually start experimenting until the idea takes on its own personality and turns into something that sounds like Quackz.

What BPM range do you prefer when producing your tracks?

I usually gravitate toward the 140–150 BPM range. That’s where a lot of the heavier dubstep and riddim I make feel the most natural to me, and it gives me enough room to play with both slower, heavier grooves and more energetic patterns

I’ll definitely move outside of that range depending on the genre, but 140–150 is probably where I feel most at home.

How do you start a song? Do you begin with the melody, the drums, or the bassline when building a track?

I usually work pretty left to right. Most of the time I’ll start with a melody or some kind of theme that gives the track an identity, and then I build everything else around that. Once I have that main idea, I’ll start layering in the drums, basses, transitions, and all the heavier sound design. I like having something musical or conceptual at the beginning because it gives me a direction instead of just throwing random sounds together and hoping they turn into a song.

How do you approach making kick drums and bass stand out in your songs?

A big part of it for me is routing. I’ll send everything I want to trigger the sidechain to its own bus, then use that bus as the input for the compressor or sidechain processing.

I really like audio routing in general, so I prefer doing it that way instead of relying on ghost kicks. It gives me more control over exactly what is triggering the ducking and how the kick and bass are interacting.

From there, I’m mostly focused on making sure the low end has space and that the kick can punch through without fighting the bass. In heavy music, that relationship between the kick and sub is such a huge part of whether the drop actually feels powerful.

What’s one production tip you wish you'd known when you first started producing music? 

I wish I had started using reference tracks much earlier. For a long time, I was just working from memory and intuition, and once I started actively comparing my mixes and arrangements to tracks I already loved, a lot of things clicked much faster.

Reference tracks helped me understand balance, loudness, arrangement, low end, and even how much space certain elements should actually take up. I think newer producers sometimes feel like using a reference is “cheating,” but really it’s one of the best learning tools you can have.

How do you decide when a song is “finished”? 

I usually consider a song finished once I’ve checked it across all the different ways people might actually hear it. I’ll listen on earbuds, headphones, monitors, in the car, and sometimes even test it live. I also like sending it to a few people I trust just to get their reactions. Sometimes another person catches something I’ve gotten too used to hearing, or their first reaction tells me whether the track is hitting the way I intended.

If it translates well across all of those different mediums and the feedback feels good, that’s usually when I know I can stop touching it. Otherwise, I could probably tweak a song forever.

I don’t think there are too many EDM DJs or artists in general. I think there can be too many of a certain type of DJ, though: people who get into it for the wrong reasons or are more interested in the image, attention, or status than the music and the community around it. There’s always room for more people who genuinely love the scene, want to create, support other artists, and bring their own personality to it. To me, the issue isn’t the number of DJs. It’s whether someone is actually contributing something or just trying to be part of the lifestyle.
What does the underground EDM/bass scene mean to you? 

The underground EDM and bass scene is everything to me. I love the music, but I love the community around it just as much. There’s something special about being in a scene where artists, DJs, promoters, and fans are all helping each other grow and creating something together.

A lot of my closest connections in music have come from the underground, and it’s where I’ve been able to experiment, meet people, play shows, and really develop Quackz. It feels less like just an industry and more like a community that I’m genuinely proud to be part of.

What music-producing advice can you give someone who is trying to break into the underground EDM scene? 

Honestly, just go to shows and say hi. Learning how to network is one of the most important things you can do in the underground scene, and it doesn’t have to be complicated or forced. Show up, support people, introduce yourself, and actually get to know the artists, promoters, and people around you. At the same time, be aware of the room and the situation. Know when it’s a good time to talk, how to carry yourself, and don’t make every interaction about what someone can do for you.

A lot of opportunities come from simply being present, being genuine, and becoming someone people enjoy seeing around the scene.

How important is the live experience to Quackz? 

The live experience is extremely important to me. Every Quackz set is different, and I actually don’t use a fixed set list. I like having the freedom to read the crowd and decide in the moment where I want to take the set. That’s one of my favorite parts of DJing. A crowd can completely change the direction of a performance, and I think responding to that energy makes the set feel more alive. I’d rather create something unique for the people in front of me than play the exact same set every time.

What do you want someone to feel when they're standing in the crowd while you're playing?

I want the crowd to feel like they went through a journey. I want there to be moments that are hyped, surprising, emotional, and completely chaotic. I don’t want a set to feel like one long wall of the same energy. I like building things up, pulling it back, changing directions, and then hitting people with something they weren’t expecting. If someone walks away feeling like they experienced a bunch of different emotions instead of just hearing a collection of songs, then I feel like I did my job.

After reading the article "The Digital Paradox: How Music Streaming Saved the Industry but Stifled the Artist," https://www.billboard.com/pro/how-music-streaming-saved-industry-hurt-artists/

What do you think about digital streaming?

I think streaming is extremely important, and I’m grateful for the reach it gives artists, but I also think the industry still has a lot of room to improve when it comes to making streaming more sustainable for the people actually creating the music. You almost always need a day job to be in music as well. 

With this in mind, many artists like myself find that selling tangible items benefits both them and their fans, especially since artists make very little from streaming. 

Artists need to learn how to sell merch, build a recognizable brand, and give fans something they can actually connect with beyond just pressing play on a song. CDs, vinyl, apparel, collectibles, and other physical items can all become part of that.

Do you see a future for physical formats compared to digital streaming? 

Streaming is still important for discovery and accessibility, but I think the artists who really build something lasting are the ones who understand that the music is only one part of the overall brand.

After this interview, you'll be able to sell all your albums as CDs on the Underground EDM website, directly from your profile: 

https://www.undergroundedm.com/artist/19.   What do you think about that?

That’s awesome. I love the idea of giving fans another way to support the music while also getting something physical they can actually keep.

Do you have any plans to release your music on vinyl or CD? 

I do. I’ve actually been looking into different options for physical releases, including how SoundCloud handles theirs. I would love to eventually have Quackz on vinyl, and honestly, I miss CDs too. (UEDM will eventually have vinyl for artists to sell)

If there’s enough demand, I’d also like to expand the merch side more. I already have some merch, but I’d love to do more clothing and especially pashminas. Finding the right place to design and produce a Quackz pashmina is probably one of the next things I want to work on.

Looking back at where Quackz started compared with where the project is today, what has surprised you the most about the journey?

What’s surprised me the most is how welcoming people have been and how many doors the project has opened for me. Quackz started as something I was doing because I loved music, and over time it turned into releases, shows, industry connections, audio work, writing for MXDWN, and a whole community around the project. Moving to Philly was one of the biggest moments for me because I was new to the area, but the scene really opened its arms and gave me a chance. It showed me that being nice, showing up, and actually talking to people can go a really long way.

A lot of the opportunities I’ve had came from simply putting myself out there, supporting other people, and staying involved in the scene.

What can people expect from Quackz over the next year? New music, collaborations, shows, releases, or anything else you're allowed to tease?

Last year was really focused on playing a lot of shows. This year, in addition to whatever shows come my way, I’m putting a much bigger focus on releasing as much music as I can. I have a lot sitting in the vault, plus whatever new music I make along the way, so I’ve been trying to be more strategic about actually getting it out instead of letting everything sit on my computer forever. I’ve already released quite a bit this year, including my five-song EP Quackstep, and I definitely plan to keep that momentum going.

I also have quite a few collaborations in the works, and I’m already putting together another EP that’s almost like a part two to Quackstep. I can’t say too much yet, but I’ve got some promo ideas for it that I’m really excited to record.

Outside of releases, Season 2 of my podcast is also in the works for Filthy Frequency. One of the things I really want to keep doing with that is giving other artists a chance to get some exposure and have a spotlight on what they’re creating.

So there’s definitely a lot more Quackz coming with new music, collaborations, another EP, the podcast, and hopefully plenty more shows too.

If someone discovers Quackz for the first time today, what song would you tell them to listen to, and why?”

I’d probably tell them to listen to either “The Power” or “Straight Yolk” from my five-song EP Quackstep. I think both tracks are a good introduction to what Quackz, as a brand, sounds like right now. They have the heavy bass and weird sound design I love, while still showing the musical side of the project. If you like either of those, you’ll probably have a pretty good idea of what you’re getting yourself into with my brand.

Where can I find your music? 

You can find my music pretty much everywhere on Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, YouTube, and the other major streaming platforms.

I’d definitely recommend checking out my SoundCloud too, because that’s where I put some extra stuff, including free downloads, remixes, and tracks that might not be available everywhere else. You can also follow me on social media to keep up with new releases, shows, and everything else I’m working on.

You have one hour to create the ultimate underground EDM lineup. Who are three artists you absolutely have to put on that lineup?

Underground? That’s tough because there are so many artists I could choose from. But if I’m building the ultimate underground lineup with more of a Lost Lands-type vibe, I’m going with TORR, 12Gage, and JVMSCLVN. All three bring something different to heavy bass music, and I think putting them together on one lineup would be insane.

Any closing statement?

Support the underground! Don’t be afraid to DM me, ask questions, or comment on my posts; I actually respond. I’m always open to collaborations, helping other artists, and connecting with people in the scene. I really believe we all move up together, and the stronger the community is, the better it is for everyone.

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Entropy Radio is a global underground broadcasting platform dedicated to electronic music, operating without corporate influence, subscriptions, or ads. Streaming live 24/7, it provides a home for DJs and listeners, spotlighting genres such as techno, drum & bass, dubstep, grime, and house.

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