Smooth Selector, Vibe Designer: Daryl Knows

I always tell people that resident DJs or selectors on warm-up duties are the most crucial players of any party night, and Daryl Knows (otherwise known as Daryl C) has been a consistent champ in fulfilling that role. An outstanding soundtrack is more than just sequencing beats together in a non-stop audial thread, but picking the right selections to craft a vibe that’s distinctive yet driving. Catching Daryl for many years now, I can safely say that he sculpts vibes of impeccable design, and the industry knows it too.

These days, you can often find the slick veteran spinning upbeat cuts of disco, house and other soul-tinged jams at Headquarters by The Council, having opened for the likes of Jasper James, Kornél Kovács and Lauer. Personal highlights of his include Demuja who he regards as “a nice guy to hang out with”, and one Peggy Gou before she morphed into the global icon that she is today.

You’ll often spot Daryl behind the cage at Headquarters by The Council (Credit: The Council Facebook page)

“So first, you don’t want to keep the energy too high such that your main act cannot shine,” Daryl explains his seasoned process when it comes to warming up. “Second, you don’t want to be too chill lest people get bored; you’re supposed to get them ready. And lastly, this is an opportunity for you to open for a certain DJ, so you want to showcase your sound as well.”

As he waxes lyrical about the art of warming up, it is clear that Daryl doesn't just possess nuggets of wisdom, but is passionate in what he does. With almost a decade of deck experience notched on his belt, Daryl certainly knows a thing or two about setting a vibe and being an opening act.

Prior to his HQ commitments, Daryl was a seasoned rover in the bar circuit, creating soundtracks everywhere from Kinki to Gem Bar, and especially in hangouts under The Lo & Behold Group such as Tanjong Beach Club and Loof. But before Daryl got that big break with the reputable lifestyle empire, he was merely jamming around in his office after wrapping up with work.

“Back then in 2009, I had my sifr store (a menswear label) at Pact at Orchard Central, and Kilo used to run the restaurant,” Daryl recounts his origins. “There were days when I asked ‘Why don’t I play a set while your guests are eating?’ And I think that’s how it all started. I was doing that till my break came when DJ KFC (Keith Colaco, The Lo & Behold Group’s Music Director) was at the restaurant eating and he liked it.”

“After that, he put me at White Rabbit. It was quiet in the courtyard, but the experience helped me get used to the different equipment that you’d face once you go out there. I came from a background where I was using controllers at home because I couldn't afford decks and turntables. I think I started with a VCI 300, one of those Vestax ones.”

While the then-nascent DJ grew up with a fondness for the punk scene and the electro uprising from the Readyset Glo days at Zouk, Daryl eventually found his calling in the realm of disco. He reminisces, “Back then, sifr and Darker Than Wax were doing collaborations with parties at Kinki, and Dean (Chew; also known as Funk Bast*rd) got me to listen to Motor City Drum Ensemble’s Raw Cuts. That blew my mind.”

“It was disco; chopped up, sampled and made more relevant to this day. I remember it using a lot of live instruments and it felt like band music but in an electronic form. Coming from the punk scene, this was like an in-between and that changed my direction of music. Till today, a good, happy kind of vibe is what I always look for in my track selections. I wouldn’t necessarily put a certain genre to it. Yes, disco helps the most, but there are also other sounds like house and maybe even raw techno, that could still be very groovy and vibey.”

Again, it is Daryl’s loyal penchant for good vibes that makes him a sought-after maestro on the decks. Even beyond regular four-on-the-floor tracks, one might find Daryl dropping Latin, Afrobeat, and even some reggae. “For bar gigs, I usually try to bring a huge library so that I can go wherever I wanna go,” he states.

It is also this adventurous streak and expansive musical palette that’s made Daryl stand out to other selectors in the scene, catching the attention, in particular, of the Darker Than Wax label. Following a milestone gig at ZoukOut 2015, Daryl was invited to join the family.

“I remember going to Let Them Eat Cake in Melbourne on New Year’s Day 2016, when suddenly Kaye (co-owner of the label) texted me, ‘Hey, do you wanna join Darker Than Wax?’ I remember being quite surprised,” Daryl recalls. “When I joined, I think Darker Than Wax was quite heavily into the bass sound, but I was more of a housey guy. But in the end I was like, ‘Okay, why not’. Being part of a crew, you can talk about music and be inspired by each other. That pushed me to take my craft to another level.”

Joining the imprint, also as its merchandise head, not only broadened Daryl’s music taste, but also his portfolio in the international gig circuit. Carrying the Darker Than Wax flag high, Daryl has represented the label at Good Vibes in Kuala Lumpur, Bestival in Bali, and even Soho Radio in London.