Black Swan: The Dark Architect of Bass Returns to Santos Bar

NOLA EDM: For those meeting you for the first time — who is Black Swan?
Black Swan: I started DJing in 2002 after falling in love with drum & bass. Back then, I’d drive to Atlanta just to dig through records at Satellite Records, even before I had decks. I’ve always been drawn to dark sounds — the kind that hit emotionally but still move a crowd. When I’m behind the decks, I’m in the zone; I have to remind myself to look up.

NOLA EDM: How did your journey into bass music begin?
Black Swan: The Houston “Gritsy” era in the late 2000s really hooked me. I heard Product’s mixes and the Skream remix of Mark Ashken – Roots Dyed Dark and just fell in love. That blend of heaviness and soul was everything. Before that, I was a junglist hitting Club Culture in Baton Rouge — those were the formative years.

NOLA EDM: What defines the Black Swan sound today?
Black Swan: Deep, weird, emotional, but still danceable. I like balancing experimental bass with something people can feel. I might sneak in Outkast or SZA next to grime or UKG — music that’s unpredictable but rooted in groove. I’m obsessed with clarity: warm lows, crispy snares, no muddiness.

NOLA EDM: You’ve got Bass Education with Joe Nice coming up — what makes this night special?
Black Swan: Many people might not know this, but I was the first to book Joe Nice in Louisiana for my Louisiana Dubstep party Pressure in 2011. Playing with him at Santos feels like full circle — honoring the roots while showing what the scene’s evolved into here in NOLA. It’s about lineage, respect, and community. 

NOLA EDM: Speaking of community — what’s your connection to New Orleans?
Black Swan:  I came back right after the State Palace era, played the last Freakfest, and fell into the Dragon’s Den family. The mentors I met — Coty D-Lux, Brandi Raves, Rekanize — all helped shape me. New Orleans DJs have always matched headliners in talent and energy. That’s something I carry with me every set.

NOLA EDM:What should people expect from your set this Friday?
Black Swan: Intelligence + aggression. I’m not out to flex tricks; I’m chasing flow — how tracks talk to each other. Expect deep subs, sharp percussion, and a few surprises that nod to where this scene came from.