Dirtybird is opening a new chapter with its Flight Week Brazil series, and the first release sets the tone immediately. BadComppany’s “No Rules” EP, created during the Belo Horizonte writing camp, introduces the concept through two tracks that reflect how these sessions actually function in practice. The duo, made up of DJ Zeu and Raphael Cordoso, work alongside Breno Miranda here, and the result leans into fast decision-making, shared ideas, and a looser structure that comes from being in the room with other producers rather than working in isolation.
Flight Week is built around process as much as output. After the initial San Francisco edition, this Brazil installment expands the idea by connecting local artists with a global platform, then carrying that energy into club shows across multiple cities. “WTF” and “Loco” feel tied to that environment, with direct vocal hooks, percussive movement, and arrangements that feel shaped in real time.
There is a clear sense of collaboration driving the record forward, and that lines up with Dirtybird’s long-standing focus on community-driven releases.
The interview below reinforces that same mindset from a DJ perspective. The answers focus on instinct, trust, and real-time adjustment, which are the same qualities that define a writing camp environment. That connection between booth decisions and studio sessions gives this release a clear throughline, where both sides rely on reacting in the moment and building something that holds up once it hits a system.
Interview With BadComppany
What does your internal dialogue look like when you’re in the booth?
It’s pretty direct.
We’re constantly reading the room. It’s not about overthinking; it’s more about feeling the moment. Quick thoughts like “this worked”, “this might be done”, “let’s hold this a bit longer”. It’s mostly instinct.
Over time, have you developed ways to stay centered while performing?
Yes. We trust our repertoire a lot more now, and we trust each other. In the beginning, there was more doubt; now we let the music guide us. Staying calm, not rushing, and understanding that the energy of the room moves in waves helps a lot.
When a moment feels uncertain during a set, how do you recalibrate in real time?
We go back to basics. We bring in a track we know works and rebuild from there. Sometimes you need to take a step back to come back stronger. Forcing it never works.
Can you recall a set where the energy evolved dramatically as the night progressed? What helped that shift?
Many times. That usually happens when we stop trying to control the direction too much and start listening to the room more. The shift comes when the right track hits at the right moment, and everything connects again.
How do you use self-awareness constructively while you’re playing?
Without overdoing it. If you start analyzing yourself too much, you freeze. We use it more as a fine adjustment tool, to notice if we’re pushing too hard, repeating ideas, or drifting away from the room’s vibe.
What helps you stay locked into the music and the room rather than your own thoughts?
Being present.
Looking at the crowd, feeling people, reading real reactions. When we’re truly there, our thoughts don’t get in the way. And trusting what we’ve built together.
What perspective would you offer to DJs learning how to navigate mistakes on stage?
Mistakes are part of it. No one on the dancefloor knows what you planned. If something goes wrong, keep going. Don’t stop, don’t show it. Sometimes a mistake even creates a new moment. The most important thing is to keep your confidence.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
