This Cambridge DJ is paving the way for local underground electronic music scene

By: Genelle Levy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter,  Cambridge Times

Ashton Adams, a local Cambridge DJ, has always been inspired by the heavy-hitting beat of electronic dance music, also known as house music.

His latest album “Our House II,” produced in conjunction with the DJ 4Korners, is a love letter to the genre of electronic dance music, a genre that has been popularized by mainstream DJs such as Calvin Harris and deadmau5.

“House music or electronic dance music is a massive genre right now, but many people don’t know about the originators of that scene which are young Black producers from Chicago,” says Adams, who is a Canadian-born Black man.

Adams notes that it’s common for music that was initially created by Black people to often be co-opted by white people who are then given the credit for developing a genre that was started by Black people. Adams’ latest project samples music from some of those Black creators such as K-YZE, who wrote the 1989 electronic dance song “Stomp — (Move Jump Jack Your Body).”

Adams’ initial love for rhythm is rooted in the Cambridge church scene, where he grew up playing drums and guitar at his church’s youth group. After finishing college, Adams returned to Cambridge, realizing he no longer had the musical skills that he possessed in his youth.

“I couldn’t sing, I couldn’t rap, but I knew I could DJ,” says Adams. He began playing around with his father’s DJ equipment before eventually opening the Cambridge-based recording studio Kyngdom Studios in 2018.

Since then Adams has become a connoisseur of a burgeoning electronic music scene in Cambridge. He’s produced electronic music artists such as Matt Wilk, Karl Wolf and the up-and-coming artist 347aidan who has over five million monthly listeners on Spotify.

“There is a plethora of talented artists in this city, all of whom are producing different kinds of songs,” says Adams about the growing talent in Waterloo Region.

Adams is truly what we call a music man. When it comes to producing songs for his house music group 401 West, Adams gets his inspiration from everywhere, blending disparate genres like metal music and hip-hop to get a heart-thumping beat.

“I get my inspiration from travelling, listening to different artists, and messing with different genres like hip-hop and metal,” says Adams. “I think that opens up a lot of different, cool ideas.”

But perhaps Adams greatest accomplishment is how he’s built a tight-knit musical community in Cambridge.

“I just want to support others,” says Adams. “I want to see everybody win. You just really want to give back and help other artists, because it’s all about impacting others in a positive way and being a good person at the end of the day.”

Go to www.kyngdomstudios.com or @ashtonadamsmusic on Instagram to find out more about Adams’ music and recording studio.