12th Planet is the electronic music pioneer whose off-axis beats and subsonic frequencies orbit on the forefront of global bass culture. Recently named “Los Angeles dubstep god” by Rolling Stone, 12th Planet AKA John Dadzie and his influential label SMOG Records are widely credited for bringing the British movement stateside, and continue to be a crucial force in the evolution of electronic music. 12th Planet’s DJ sets now include a myriad of styles that reflect the current, diverse landscape of EDM music and continue to display his role as an essential tastemaker in the dance music world.
12th Planet burst onto the scene in 2006, releasing tracks that helped ignite the North American EDM explosion and collaborating with the likes of Skrillex, Kill The Noise, Datsik and Plastician. In 2012, 12th Planet’s seminal track “Reasons” (Doctor P Remix) was named by SPIN Magazine as one of the ’30 Greatest Dubstep Songs of All Time’ — after all, “nothing set the tone for domestic bass culture quite like this Planet’s orbit,” said SPIN. 12th Planet has gone on to be recognized as “King of Dubstep” by SPIN and “US dubstep godfather” by UK’s dance music bible Mixmag after headlining tours across the globe and performing at major festivals including Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra Music Festival and more.
Since 2006, 12th Planet has also led what’s become one of the most thriving underground movements in electronic music, with MTV calling the crew a “pioneering incubator of bass music in America.” The SMOG crew, with 12th Planet at the helm, continues to produce top quality events in Los Angeles and beyond, always pushing forward as an internationally recognized leader in U.S. bass music. However, John Dadzie’s role has extended beyond just bass music to encompass the whole of EDM, including what he recently described to OC Weekly as “transition music,” — a sound that incorporates diverse styles and BPMs. His DJ set is no longer classifiable by genre but best dubbed “a trip to the 12th Planet and back.”
