Mala

Few can lay claim to helping invent a new genre in the 21st century, yet Mala most definitely can. In the early 2000s, as a member of the groundbreaking DMZ collective, his mystical, sub-heavy sound captured the imagination of a generation of ravers, giving rise to the grimy, layered textures of dubstep. As dubstep spread across the globe, Mala’s focus turned toward the deeper roots of soundsystem culture, exploring connections between bass traditions and new dance music forms. Guided by principles of sustainability and collaboration, his work — as a producer, DJ and label head — continues to influence contemporary sounds and styles, pushing them into new territory. At Dekmantel ’26 Mala appears twice (dub fans rejoice!): for a solo set on RADAR and a B2B with fellow Deep Medi affiliate Sir Spyro.