Shades of Day: From Nebraska to the Progressive Scene in Vancouver
Updated: 2 days ago
From late-night listening sessions in Nebraska to opening for Kaskade and Deadmau5, and now shaping Vancouver's progressive scene through her Thalassa collective, Shades of Day has built a sound and career that feels quietly deliberate. It’s the kind of artistry we love championing at Big Bells Records. A long-time supporter of the label in her sets and cinematic YouTube mixes, she brings a selector's ear for detail and a producer's patience for story. We caught up with her to talk about her Eastern European influences, what she's learned from sharing the stage with genre-defining headliners, the vision behind Thalassa, the craft behind her filmed sets, and what's coming next.
From Nebraska Trance to the Eastern European Progressive Sound
Big Bells: "You've spoken about drawing inspiration from Eastern European artists like *Michael A, Redspace, and early Miss Monique. Growing up in Nebraska and now based between the U.S. and Canada, how did that Eastern European progressive sound find its way into your world, and what is it about that scene that resonates with you most?
SoD: Growing up in Nebraska, I was surrounded by trance and bass music. I always loved a powerful sub and epic melodies that tell a story. I spent many hours listening to music while running and studying during my six years of university. This time helped me develop my own taste.
Initially, I listened to a lot of Phaeleh, Emancipator Ensemble, Blackmill, and Edamame. Their music is more chillhop, trip-hop, and electronica—quite atmospheric and trancey. The textural landscapes and halftime or syncopated beat patterns gave me a feeling of flying, like entering a fantasy dreamland crafted by these artists.
The shift to progressive felt gradual. I was living in NYC when I started DJing, and house music, including progressive, was rich there. I remember attending Tim Green’s boat party in NYC and being inspired by his “Her Future Ghost” album, which was produced as a film score for a film that hadn't yet been written. The progressive community had depth.
I think the reason progressive hooked me as a genre is that artists achieve a balance of sub-heavy power with intricate, layered melodies. Matan Caspi and Stan Kolev’s tracks exemplify this duality. It’s impressive!
I was drawn to music that sounded new to me, which led me to artists like Michael A and Redspace, along with many other niche or small artists. These artists felt refreshing because they often brought a contemporary take to progressive house, always pushing a new audio aesthetic. To me, that sound represents the “underground.” It’s powerful but not flashy, consistent to the artist—not trendy. It’s creatively unique, avoiding the same ghost producers everyone uses. It strikes an edge of a full low end with lots of ear candy, unexpected industrial effects, processed samples, creative breakdowns, layered chord progressions, and a serious groove.
Many artists worldwide can achieve this, but there’s a cohesiveness about the sound coming from Eastern Europe.
I could be totally off with this observation, but I think many Eastern European artists have refined and distinct sonic signatures linked to their culture. I’ve learned about this through my Polish husband. Slavic people are hard workers; they never oversell themselves and often quietly grind at their craft. This raises a high standard of quality in nearly everything they do. Because of this, Eastern European artists seem to be some of the most quickly evolving artists, seriously pushing the envelope for what’s new in progressive house.
Or maybe it’s all just a special sauce from Eastern Europe!
Sharing the Stage with Legends
Big Bells: "You've recently opened for Nora En Pure, Cristoph, Kaskade, and Deadmau5—four very different artists across the progressive and melodic spectrum. What did each of those nights teach you as a performer, and how do you approach an opening set knowing that you're setting the emotional tone for a headliner of that caliber?"
SoD: Yes, it’s quite a wide spectrum, and I’m truly honored to have shared the stage with all of these legends.
Before opening for any big-name artists, I thoroughly research them, even if I think I know them. I want to know what kind of sets they’ve been playing in recent months. Sets I remember from a year ago could be different from what they are playing now.
Then I consider the venue and timing. Is it a daytime event? Not typically a time to play darker stuff. Is it a huge venue? Probably not a time to get super experimental, or I may lose people’s attention. Ultimately, I don't try to bend too much out of my own sound because the promoter books me for a reason. But with that said, these big events are about the headliner, and it’s my job to set the tone appropriately.
Opening or closing for each artist requires a specifically curated set. For Nora, I focused on progressive tracks with vocals and in major keys, creating an uplifting yet groovy feeling. For Cristoph, he goes a bit darker and slightly housey, but it depends on the venue and crowd. (Shoutout to Cristoph—so down to earth and a true pleasure to meet!) For Kaskade x Deadmau5, I leaned more toward trancey/electronica, but still under the progressive umbrella. I played to the progressive sound that Deadmau5 often hits on the latter half of his sets.
What I’ve learned through these gigs is to trust my research and intuition, and to always have extra tracks prepared. I’ve played a number of opening slots where the direct support after me completely changed the tone, and the headliner steered back to the style I left off with. As a female, we often second-guess ourselves and assume we are at fault when something like that happens. But I’ve learned to research hard and have confidence in that research.
Having extra tracks prepared is also crucial. I’ve had times where things don't go as planned, someone doesn't show up, or I get asked to play a surprise closing set. I need to be able to wing it, so having a few extra playlists up my sleeve is super useful.
Big Bells: "As a co-founder of Thalassa, you're not just performing but also shaping a creative vision behind the scenes. Can you tell us the story behind Thalassa—what it stands for, how it started, and where you see it going in the next couple of years?"
SoD: Last year, together with my buddies Simon Neviani and Mattemüs, we started a progressive collective called “Thalassa.” In ancient Greek mythology, Thalassa is the divine personification of the sea. She symbolizes depth, flow, and endless horizons. We felt this name captured the expansiveness, mystery, and mystic storytelling associated with the genre of progressive house.
The progressive scene is quite small in Vancouver. Tech house, deep house, and bass music run deep here. So, this collective was started as a foundation for us to grow progressive events focused on artistic authenticity, quality, and relationships. We began this collective under the larger arts institution in Vancouver called SOMA, which also supports the underground community and builds relationships. We have been blessed to have this support.
We have invited some amazing regional producers for our events in the past months, like Mieke James and Jordan Gill. In July, we were grateful to host Montreal-based legends Hicky & Kalo. In September, we have Bryce Kenneth joining us from Edmonton, who has been dropping release after release in the past months.
Ultimately, we want Thalassa to be a home for progressive lovers and to showcase progressive artists within our beautiful city. We aim to build our community here to a more robust level and partner with friends in nearby cities like Victoria and Seattle. Who knows, maybe we will even see a label develop from this many years down the line!
Behind the Cinematic YouTube Sets
Big Bells: "Your YouTube videos have such a distinct cinematic feel—from the locations to the camera work to the way the music breathes with the visuals. Can you walk us through your creative process? How do you choose the locations, plan the shoots, and who helps you?"
SoD: I used to stream on Twitch a lot, but in the past year, I’ve pivoted to YouTube. Compared to Twitch, YouTube sets allow me to create higher quality, more cinematic mixes that can stand alone as snapshots of what’s on my rotation at that time. I must say, I do miss the casual conversation with the Twitch community through streaming; I love and miss the Twitch fam dearly.
It’s just my husband and me filming and editing these videos. My husband is a great photographer and really into the gear and technical parts of wielding a camera and drone. I handle the creative directing, logistics, and strategy, while also doing all the editing in Premiere. This collaboration helps me articulate what shots I want to achieve when we shoot. Combined with my husband’s knowledge about lighting and framing, we create a nice product.
The process of editing has informed the filming process. When we set out for a new film, we first pick a site—usually one we've biked past or found on Google Maps. Then we visit it in person at the time of day we want to film, usually a week prior. We check the weather for outdoor shoots, discuss camera angles, sun position, lighting, drone routes, and the logistics of driving and setting up gear. My husband sets up the camera, and I handle the DJ gear setup. Then we film, tear down, and go home to download the footage. It takes me about 4-6 hours to edit, depending on the video.
I want to give a shoutout to my Bluetti battery! This 40-pound lithium beast allows me to choose nearly any location around British Columbia and power my setup. We must be careful to stay out of people’s way, fly drones where permitted, and ensure location permissions and sound projection are respected. But the beauty of these videos makes it all worth the planning and effort.
These YouTube mixes have been a great exercise to help me push my own sound. We’re often told as beginner DJs that we must read the crowd, and it’s true—it’s mandatory. But I’ve noticed in the past that I’ve let myself get swept away in crowd reading. This affects my track curation, pulling it in a different direction from my natural sound. My curation can turn into a reactionary feedback loop from sets that have made people holler, rather than working within my artistry and sonic definition. We have to keep crowd reading in mind for any gig, but these YouTube mixes have allowed me to hone in on what I want Shades of Day to sound like and focus on storytelling.
On Big Bells Records
Big Bells: "You've been a consistent supporter of Big Bells Records in your mixes, and we truly appreciate that. What is it about the label's sound and roster that connects with your own musical direction? Are there any BBR tracks or artists that have especially stood out to you recently?"
SoD: I have a confession: it took me too long to realize how many tracks I was downloading that were Big Bells tracks. When I dig for tracks, I flip through Beatport recommendations and go purely by ear. There’s something about your ability to define the Big Bells sound that resonates with me and keeps me coming back.
As a very picky selector, I return to Big Bells with high expectations that are always met. I rely on Big Bells for storytelling tracks, dynamic breakdowns, complex melodies, and tracks that are powerful but not over the top. I appreciate tracks that aren’t afraid to be daring but stay within the realm of high quality and authentic progressive.
What I particularly like about Big Bells is that I often find new tracks from really great small artists that I’ve never heard of, yet they fit perfectly in my library. I dislike playing tracks that everyone has heard. There’s an OCD collector part of me that finds satisfaction in digging and discovering gems from artists who aren’t yet well known in the progressive scene. It brings me even more pleasure to support those artists in my sets. Big Bells feels like the perfect sweet spot of a label that celebrates the authentic artistry of new artists pushing the boundaries of progressive while maintaining a classy and defined sound. I love the artists I'm discovering through the label and the community that you have built around Big Bells.
Recently, I’ve been resonating with Sashy, which should come as no surprise since she has received mentorship from Redspace. I love to see Sashy killing it! I’ve also been loving Chris M, Chelakhov, Sergey Alymov, Jeeva, UNIV3RSE (sL), and many more. I can’t wait to see how Big Bells grows in the next few years.
What's Ahead: A Sabbatical, a Wedding, and New Music
Big Bells: "Looking ahead into 2026 and beyond, what are the projects you're most excited about—whether that's new music, a Thalassa chapter, tour plans, or something entirely new you haven't announced yet? Is there a bigger vision or milestone you're quietly working towards?"
SoD: It may seem a little boring, but after a blitz of events this summer, I’m taking some time off to care for myself and plan my (second) wedding in Poland this coming April.
After eight years as an architectural designer, I’m going on a sabbatical. I’m really excited for this time to fill my life with creative projects, get inspired, and focus on my health. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself to be productive, but I’m excited to let creativity flow and create under less of a time constraint. I will probably have a decent body of work to share in the new year, especially new tracks.
I’m also using this time to focus on my well-being after some health challenges that have been quashing my creativity. I want this time to be less focused on the destination and more about enjoying the journey. I aim to make use of the connections, tools, and time available to me while leaving it all up to God. Ironically, for a chronically organized person, the most thrilling and meaningful parts of life have been events I didn’t plan. With this break, I’ll be bracing for an impact of calm and creativity in my life, and hopefully some clarity to focus on what brings me the most joy. I’m expecting exciting projects and opportunities to blossom after this time.
We love music! Let's work together ❤️
Write to us at www.bigbellsdigital.com
Subscribe to our promo music: https://www.bigbellsdigital.com/pricing-plans/list 🔶🔶
Stay connected to our social media and other platforms 👇
🔶🔶 Spotify: bit.ly/40S3Wrg
🔶🔶 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigbellsdigital/
🔶🔶 Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bigbellsdigital
🔶🔶 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigbellsdigital/
Incredible interview! Loved reading your story and thank you so much for such a lovely surprise shout-out. Thanks queen - keep killing it <3
-Sashy