“Cute, But Chaotic” by sidra
Sidra takes on our new Storytelling Challenge, picking the theme of “Cute, But Chaotic." Each DJ who participates in this challenge is asked to create a narrative or storytelling mix in their own unique style to match a theme from our list. The DJ is allowed freedom to experiment, explore and be as creative as possible.
Sidra is a London-based DJ serving dark, heavy and filthy DnB, drawn to neuro and unexpected blends. Her mixing style is instinctive, energetic and deliberately unpredictable. Moving between subgenres, feeling the moment and occasionally adding spontaneous live vocals into the mix. Expect heavy tunes, creative chaos and maximum filth.
Q: What was your creative vision or inspiration behind the mix?
Out of all the themes, “Cute but Chaotic” was the one I was drawn to the most. It’s 1am, I’ve just come home from an on-call doctor shift, and despite knowing for weeks that I’d been asked to create this mix, I’ve just recorded it in one take with some of my favourite tunes at the moment. I think that pretty much sums it up.
I’ve always felt there’s beauty in chaos and the unexpected. I’ve never been one for over-rehearsing or meticulously planning blends in advance. I prefer to trust my instincts, see where the music takes me and enjoy the moment. For me, that spontaneity captures the rawness and chaos of DJing and a huge part of the creativity lies in making instinctive choices in the moment and turning something unpredictable into something that feels intentional.
Q: Tell us about some of the tracks or samples that you selected.
For me, chaos means high energy. I love my dnb dark, heavy and techy and I really am a Neuro girlie. I also love an unexpected blend, especially mixing dancefloor with neuro. My favourite blend of this mix comes right at the end, with Tears by Upgrade (one of my favourite tunes of the year) and Burn the Witch by Exult and The Neuroheadz. Appropriately chaotic :)
I also wanted to give a nod to MC culture which is a huge part of Dnb for me. I had to include one of my favourites, IRAH who blesses every track he touches.
Q: What does this mix reveal about you as an artist?
I think this mix shows that I’m very much an instinctive artist. I love being spontaneous, going with the flow and playing whatever I’m genuinely excited about in that moment rather than overthinking it. This mix is basically a snapshot of all my favourite sounds. Dark, heavy and filthy is always a win. I like jumping between genres and seeing where things naturally progress. If I’m really feeling a tune or a blend there’s every chance I’ll start singing over it too. I think that’s the unpredictability is a big part of who I am creatively. I don’t necessarily want everything to be perfectly planned. It’s less about perfection and more about capturing and translating whatever I was feeling in the moment. The more I learn and grow as a DJ the more I realise how valuable it is to just let go and give yourself the freedom to express yourself however you choose. Hope you enjoy the mix!
You can listen to the full mix on our Soundcloud here.
