From Magnetic Soul To Sistym: Must-Watch Artists At LOCUS Bali 2025
LOCUS is back for its second tryst at Bali, marking 25 years of the brand and the 5th edition of the LOCUS festival.
LOCUS is back for its second tryst at Bali, marking 25 years of the brand and the 5th edition of the LOCUS festival. Amidst the gargantuan line-up of drum & bass heavyweights and fiery MCs, we have picked out a few acts whose sets we believe are a must-attend and also grabbed some insights from them too!
Tickets to LOCUS Bali 2025 are available via Ticket Fairy.
Kimyan Law
The multi-talented and multi-faceted Congolese-Austrian Nico Mpunga, best known as Kimyan Law, started dabbling with music production at just 12 years of age. The producer-composer launched his debut album in 2014, ‘Coeur Calme’ with British label Blu Mar Ten and instantly made a mighty impression on the electronic circuit, even being shortlisted under ‘Best New Producer’ at the Drum & Bass Arena Awards.
As a performer, Kimyan Law ships in to the table an exuberant brand of electronica, rooted in drum & bass, minimal, liquid funk, and African folk music, and when playing live, stations a drum pad alongside his console setup to spring out a meaty mix of drumming, sampling, and looping tracks on the go.
LOCUS Bali will be Kimyan Law’s debut live performance in Indonesia.
Speaking exclusively with us ahead of LOCUS, Kimyan Law, remarked, “The fact that I was asked to play in Indonesia, as it’s my debut Live performance in this country, is an honor. I’m happy to return to LOCUS playing Live, as I got to play in Mexico last year! I’m looking forward to the music and seeing familiar faces.”
Talking about his performance and what fans should anticipate, the performer said, “Maybe the mixture of different genres and sounds, plus I’ll be playing live drums, keys, vocal chops, and more. If you like to see Dnb happening Live, I hope you’ll like the concert!”
Find Kimyan Law on Spotify | Instagram
Char
Arriving from Perth, Western Australia, to perfectly complement the feel-good atmosphere in Bali is drum & bass DJ and Twitch Partner Char. Commencing her journey in 2008, Char draws inspiration from all strains of DnB and has since crafted a steady career as an artist and curator, appearing at numerous festivals and events, even billed as a headliner at Jungle Bells, Atlanta, in 2024. Her Twitch live sessions have regularly collected a massive following, and her efforts were recognized by Breakbeat Awards, as Char secured accolades for “Best Drum and Bass DJ” and “Best Partner Streamer” in 2022.
Char also plays a pivotal role in amplifying the drum & bass scene in Perth, operating as the co-founder of FreQuency Promotions, which hosts drum & bass-focused events in the city.
Char expressed excitement at being billed for the festival by posting to social media, “It’s an absolute honor and a pleasure to announce that I’ll be playing at LOCUS Bali! This one means the world, a truly special event in a breathtaking location, and I can’t wait to bring the energy and represent. Big love to the LOCUS family for having me on this incredible lineup. See you in paradise!”
We further reached out to Char to gather her thoughts on the festival. She said to us, “LOCUS has quickly become one of the most exciting D&B gatherings in the world, and bringing that energy to such a stunning location like Bali is something really special. The lineup is insane, the community is always full of good vibes, and there’s something magical about raving in paradise with like-minded people from all over the globe.”
As far as the line-up goes and who Char is looking forward to seeing perform, the artist shared, “I’m especially hyped to see Fabio & Grooverider with the Outlook Orchestra, absolute legends bringing something truly unique to the festival! I can’t wait to soak it all in.”
Outlining her performance, Char noted, “You can expect high energy, plenty of rollers, and a few surprises to keep things interesting! I always aim to take the crowd on a journey – blending deep, soulful selections with upfront bangers. Whether you’re a longtime D&B head or just discovering the genre, I want you to leave my set with a smile and sore feet from dancing.”
Find Char on Soundcloud | Instagram
Dust and Beau
Twin sorcery hits Nuanu Creative City in the form of UK-garage and bass aficionados Dust and Beau. Based out of Los Angeles, the pair fantastically claim to be “born in sync, raised on bass,” and dish out dynamic pulsations veering through an action-packed blend of electro, jump-up, bass, drum & bass, jungle, and liquid funk. Parallel to making music and driving crowds into euphoria, the two also run a successful collaborative venture called Jungle Tribe, which produces a range of jewelry, bags, and apparel items from recycled army flying suits, mechanic overalls, and backpacks.
Dust and Beau dart to Bali on the back of releasing a high-octane tune in ‘Robots Riding Helicopters Over Rainbows,’ which is drenched in gritty textures, scorching rhythms, bass wobbles, tabla beats, and a seasoning of Hindustani classical sonics. They were last seen tearing through the Thunder Stage at the 2025 edition of Lightning In a Bottle.
The duo conveyed via social media that they were “beyond excited to be playing LOCUS DnB festival in Bali.”
“We are both really looking forward to the diverse lineup that brings DJ/producers from around the world on all ends of the jungle and drum & bass spectrum. Dancing, overlooking the ocean, and lounging in the pool while listening to world-class drum & bass is definitely a highlight,” Dust and Beau told us.
“We plan on playing some new remixes we are just finishing working on, and debuting some tracks for the first time that we will be releasing in the future. We will throw down basslines made for moving your body on the dancefloor.”
Find Dust and Beau on Spotify | Instagram
Rizkycore
Bali-based drum & bass maverick Rizkycore finds himself pasted on the LOCUS card once again, and we are all for it! A glance at his performance last year spotlights his skill behind the deck and mastery as a performer in steering a horde of ravers into an intense frenzy.
Commencing his journey in 2005, Rizkycore has had his name and brand of electronic production associated with almost all the major clubs and venues in Indonesia, even supporting Andy C during his visit to Bali. Influenced by the likes of Goldie, the late Marcus Intalex, and Everything but the Girl, among other artists
Rizkycore is known to stitch together an energetic session, shrouded in funk, disco, jazz, boogie, house, techno, and drum & bass.
“I’m very excited for the 2nd Edition of Locus in Bali because there are so many very, very good names on the lineup, and of course, they are all my favorites,” the producer conveyed to us.
He elaborated, “I’m excited to catch up with familiar faces and meet new faces at Locus this year, and I’m eager to represent Bali on a bigger stage. At Locus this year, my set will likely feature a mix of classic DnB and jungle tracks that’ll keep the crowd energized.”
Find Rizkycore on Soundcloud | Instagram
Magnetic Soul
“Our sound is based around jazzy, soulful, liquid funk and rolling drum and bass.”
Arriving at the back of their floor-rattling 20th-anniversary celebration with the ‘First Lady of Drum & Bass,’ DJ Storm, at Social Room HK, are enforcers of the underground DnB scene in Hong Kong, Magnetic Soul. Beginning their journey in 2005, this duo and brand helped lay the pathway for numerous collectives, DJs, artists, and events that currently influence Hong Kong’s thriving music scene.
2019 saw the release of their debut album ‘The Pressure,’ and as far as their live performances go, the pair are known to churn out a scrumptious blend of jazzy, soulful, liquid funk and rolling drum & bass.
As a mainstay of the scene, Magnetic Soul has promoted local artists and plastered their names next to those of visiting icons such as SATL, Paul T and Ed Oberon, Nicky Blackmarket, Goldie, Roni Size, and LTJ Bukem. Consequently, throughout the past two decades, Magnetic Soul has constructed a robust platform for international DnB acts to perform throughout Asia.
Discussing their anticipated performance at LOCUS Bali, the duo commented, “We went last year, and the environment, the vibe, and the performers were amazing. We look forward to another year of the same vibes. We look forward to catching up with our promoter and DJ friends from around Asia, like Oracle DNB from Bali, Javabasss crew from Jakarta, Kings of Bass and Jst Bcz from Singapore, and whoever else from around Asia that we know that will be making the trek.”
“It will also be nice to see some of the International artists that we have had as guests in Hong Kong over the years and meet some new faces. Of course, seeing Fabio and Grooverider and the Outlook Orchestra is going to be quite a highlight,” they added.
Find Magnetic Soul on Spotify | Instagram
Sistym
Flying in from Melbourne, Australia, is Sistym, who grew up on oodles of drum & bass purchases from the shelves of her local music store, packaged by industry titans Hospital Records and Shogun Audio. Going on to become a prominent name on the Aussie electronic scene, Sistym has since supported the likes of Andy C, Sicaria, Ternion Sound, Koven, Flowidus, Skeptical, London Elektricity and Alix Perez, amongst many more, and also and captivated ravers at Northern Bass, Shambhala Music Festival, Earth Frequency, and Esoteric Festival.
Stamping a mark at festivals as well as major venues across the UK and Europe was simply not enough, as in 2023, the enterprising Sistym launched Midnight Request – a brand dedicated to supporting local and international underground acts.
To formulate a pulse of what Sistym’s productions are all about, check out the artist’s debut release ‘Eyes Open / Fever Dream,’ which arrived on Brisbane-based bass music label 8Ball Audio, as well as Sistym’s frequently updated mixes on Soundcloud.
“I’m most looking forward to being immersed in the Bali sunshine, sipping on a cocktail in the lagoon pool, dancing by the ocean at sunset to some epic DNB, and hanging out with old friends whom I haven’t seen for a while. I went to Locus last year, and Luna Beach Club blew my socks off,” shared Systim. “I’m most excited to see the Outlook Orchestra perform. I’ve never seen them before and can’t wait to hear some of my all-time favorite DNB anthems played live. It’s going to be something truly special.”
Leaving us with a tidbit of her set, the producer noted, “The general direction of my DNB sets are blends of rolling, deep, melodic tunes with a combination of new ones along with classics that everyone knows, but don’t get played out much these days. Plus, I have a few originals I’m looking forward to dropping. Playing Locus is honestly a dream, I can’t wait to get over there! “
Find Sistym on Spotify | Instagram
THROE
Vietnam-based genre-twisting producer Maximillian Singh, best known by his alias THROE, traces his upbringing in the shrine of drum & bass – Bristol, England. Along with etching a reputation for himself as a proficient performer in the jungle, 140, and DnB space, THROE also looks into proceedings at pushers of bass music, Unchained Recordings, and promoters Coded Transmission (Vietnam) and Clouded (UK).
THROE arrives at LOCUS Bali amidst a travel-heavy run of shows, which included stops in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Thailand, including an outing at the Road to LOCUS bash in Vietnam. A THROE sets squeezes out a variety of bass music throbbings seasoned with jungle, drum & bass, footwork, and dubstep to carve out a fascinating encounter.
Speaking with us in 2024 about playing multiple styles of bass music, the producer remarked, “I got into multiple styles of bass music at the same time, and coming from a hip-hop background, tempo wasn’t a defining factor. I’m attracted to the more abrasive, rough, and raw sound, but with a technical approach. I don’t care too much about mixdowns and trying to overpolish something; it’s more important to make something sound unique.”
Fast forward to speaking with us in 2025, and Maximillian is full of praise for the DnB phenomenon that is LOCUS. He voiced, “I don’t know where to start! Locus has an incredible ability to curate a diverse lineup that doesn’t just respect historical dnb roots, but also pushes up and promotes the best of the new generation of producers and artists. It combines household legends like Fabio, Hype, and for me, Calyx, with new-age artists pushing a deep, underground sound like QZB, Kimyan Law, and Visages. To do this anywhere is a feat, but out in the heart of SE Asia has never been done before, and they’ve invited a crew of locals across the continent to support the lineup; it’ll truly be a unique experience in the most beautiful backdrop.
Talking about THROE getting behind the deck at the festival, the artist shared, “For me, this is both my Locus debut and my final show of my Asia tour. I aim to encompass Locus’s diversity with an intuitive blend of underground bass music and alternative jungle. I have a lot of energy to give and I’m very excited and privileged to showcase this sound to the forefront of Asia’s bass music scene. I’ve never felt so simultaneously humble and ecstatic at the same time.”
Find THROE on Soundcloud | Instagram
Roba Grow
Bali-based Roba Grow is billed as “the selector with zero bpm limits,” as his sessions are shaped with futuristic sounds and a cut of ethnic instrumentation, all framed to be “visceral and boundless.” An architect of the Basstatic Dance and HEARTH community, Roba’s music selection is devised to connect a multitude of emotions, extending to all areas of the soul’s longing for freedom and weightlessness.
Roba Grow twines in a session that looks to be broken, patched with nearly intangible rhythms and sounds, maximizing the flow of body movement for dancers and floor shakers. His sets are rarely recorded, which makes his performances at LOCUS a must-attend.
Find Roba Grow Soundcloud | Instagram
Tickets to LOCUS Bali 2025 are up for grabs on Ticket Fairy
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