Today we’d like to introduce you to Spencer Davidson.
Hi Spencer, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey into music started long before I really understood where it would take me. I’ve always been drawn to sound, creativity, and the way music can completely change how someone feels. I studied Audio Technology at American University, which gave me a technical foundation, but my real education came from years of experimenting, performing, producing, and immersing myself in the electronic music community.
The road wasn’t always straightforward. I’ve had to overcome learning challenges that made traditional education and even basic things like reading incredibly difficult for me growing up. Music became a language that made sense in a completely different way. I could hear patterns, textures, rhythm, and emotion, and over time I learned how to turn those instincts into something tangible.
I eventually began building my career as Azlan, developing my own sound within the Drum & Bass world. Over the past 18 years, I’ve worked as a producer, DJ, booking agent, and label/collective organizer, while releasing music through labels and building communities around the music I love. I’ve been fortunate enough to accumulate more than 60 million streams, perform across the U.S. and internationally, and become part of a global Drum & Bass community that has taken me places I never imagined when I started.
A major part of my evolution has been developing what I call “World Drum & Bass”—bringing together the energy and technicality of Drum & Bass with sounds, instruments, and influences from around the world. For me, it’s less about fitting into a specific genre and more about creating a sonic identity that feels uniquely mine.
Along the way, I’ve also become increasingly interested in the connection between music, psychology, consciousness, and human experience. That exploration has influenced both my creative work and the way I think about what music can actually do for people. My goal now is not simply to make records or play shows, but to create experiences that make people feel something, remember something, or perhaps even see themselves a little differently.
Today, I’m continuing to build Azlan as both an artist and a larger creative world—through music, live experiences, collaborations, and my work with independent labels and communities. Looking back, what started as simply wanting to make music has turned into a much bigger journey of discovering who I am, finding my voice, and creating something that hopefully helps other people feel connected too.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not. The road has been anything but smooth, and I think a lot of what I’ve built has come from learning how to keep moving forward when things don’t go according to plan.
Growing up with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia made school incredibly challenging. I actually didn’t learn to read until I was around 14, so I had to develop my own ways of learning and processing information from a very young age. Music became one of the places where I didn’t feel limited by those challenges—it was something I could understand intuitively and communicate through.
The music industry itself has also been a huge lesson in perseverance. There have been plenty of periods where I questioned whether I was on the right path, whether the work was going anywhere, or whether I should simply take a more conventional route. Building a career independently means dealing with rejection, financial uncertainty, changing trends, and constantly having to reinvent yourself. There are no guarantees.
I’ve also had to learn that success in music rarely happens overnight. There were years of putting in work without necessarily seeing immediate results. The biggest challenge has been staying committed to the vision while allowing that vision to evolve.
Looking back, I’m actually grateful for many of those struggles. They forced me to become resourceful, persistent, and comfortable with doing things differently. I think they’re a big part of why I’ve continued to push forward for nearly two decades. The obstacles didn’t disappear—I just got better at navigating them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m incredibly excited to continue working alongside so many talented artists and to be part of the growing underground Drum & Bass movement happening in Los Angeles through Momentive Recordings. The collective is home to an amazing group of artists, including Chief Jesta, CRVTCH, As Designed, Zere, dela Moon, Rosebud, Gabriel Habit, Nodsy, Candl, Phayla, and so many more. It’s an inspiring community of artists who are constantly pushing the sound forward and building something really special together.
And a big shout-out to all of the crews in LA who are putting in the work and helping grow the culture. Respect to DNB, Play Me Records, Manifest, and everyone else contributing to the scene and taking Drum & Bass to the next level. There’s a lot happening in Los Angeles right now, and I’m really proud to be a part of it.
I’m also excited to share my new single, ‘Back 2 Center,’ a collaboration with CRVTCH and Alx Falcone, which is out now on Sci-Fighter Records. It’s a really meaningful record for me!
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
HA! One of my favorite childhood memories is pretending I was the conductor from ‘Fantasia’ on the couch when I was about four years old. I would completely lose myself in the music, waving my arms around like I was conducting a full orchestra.
Looking back, it’s pretty funny, but I also think it says a lot about how I connected with music from a very young age. Even before I understood music technically, I understood that sound could create emotion, movement, and energy. Weirdly, I think that was the beginning of my fascination with the power music has to move people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://azlanaudio.komi.io/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azlanaudio/
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dj-azlan/back2center?si=7873e05c100d456c9a9f8c72187796f4&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
