There are artists whose careers move in waves, and others who move in lines: steady, deliberate. XDB belongs firmly to the second category.

Active since the early 2000s, with a catalogue that stretches from deep house to techno without ever losing coherence, XDB has built a reputation on consistency. Through his Metrolux imprint and releases on labels that value longevity over trends, he’s remained quietly influential, yet a reference point for those who pay attention.

This is XDB’s return at Guesthouse in years. It feels like a meeting that took its time to happen.

Staying relevant as an artist gives you the freedom of just letting things float in a natural way. Your confidence in believing in yourself and your craft, without having to force things for success, leads to balance and inner peace. To work in the field of music, meeting like minded people and sharing this passion all over the world feels like a gift and fills me with joy.

How would you describe your style without using any genre labels? Just the feeling people walk away with.

My style is to just be me, decide things on the fly and simply stay 100% true to myself. This authenticity and delivery of 3 decades of dj experience is the feeling people walk away with when listening or dancing to an XDB set, no matter what electronics music genre I might have mostly played. 

Your sets often feel warm and functional at the same time. How conscious are you of the emotional state of a crowd while playing?

Warm and functional is a good combo. It attracts both sorts of people, the listener who loves having a drink at the bar while chatting to friends and also all the busy dancers. I love it to create a certain atmosphere on and off the dancefloor and to just keep the music doing the talking. Being eye level with the crowd helps me in getting a clue about their emotional state. Face expressions, or the way of dancing, a certain level of interaction is always there, helping me to read and interact with the crowd. 

You’ve played some of the most technically refined systems in the world. What do you listen for first when you step into a new space?

A soundcheck is mandatory for me and even if an empty dancefloor sounds different than a packed one it helps getting a clue about the sound system in general. Frequency tendencies, headroom range, monitoring quality, condition of the turntables, tone arm balance point, are the needles okay and how is the light on the dancefloor and at the dj booth area? Also checking about space where to place my records. 

This is your second time playing Guesthouse. What makes a room feel worth settling into for you, beyond reputation or history?

That was back in 2016, so almost 10 years ago. The few memories definitely need a refresh when stepping into the club. Has it changed? I am always excited to play, no matter if it's a place I've been to numerous times before or something completely new. 

There’s a Youtube playlist called “Tracks that XDB really likes”, lovely fan work. Are there some tracks you’ve rinsed more than you care to admit, and what makes it timeless for you?

3 tracks I do really LOVE and play out very often are:

Akufen - Architectures 1
 

Chicago Underground Council - Groove Thang

Fred P - It is what it is
 

When you think about the scene right now, what gives you hope, and what still keeps you restless?

Well we are not getting younger. Some people simply stopped going out; others stepped in. Newbies need their time to find the right path to enter the world of electronic music in all its colours. In every corner of this world, there will always be a certain number of people who love what we are doing. Keep it going. See you soon… I am very much looking forward to it! 

XDB returns to Guesthouse this Saturday, January 17, 2026, for Playedby's Showcase. Here's how to get tickets.