Disclaimer: Daryn Rowse is the brother of Ava Rowse, Mitzpeh’s Editor in Chief.
House parties and underground raves might seem like mundane electronic music and hard drugs to an outsider. But step inside the atmosphere of a Bugg music set, and you’ll experience a kinetic, charged energy that can only be created through hyperpop music.
Daryn Rowse, known as Bugg in the College Park music scene, is transforming traditional DJ sets into complete art exhibits through vocal chops and electric synths that create a full-bodied experience.
“My music is much more of a presentation of my work than just releasing a song,” he said in an interview at the University of Maryland.
In his small apartment, the walls are covered in music posters ranging from rap duo Madvillainy to Jefferson Airplane’s “Surrealistic Pillow” to Miles Davis. The top rim of the wall is lined with various clocks of different shapes and styles, and the living room table layered with doodles and signatures.
“However I can bridge sound and aesthetic, I do that with my projects.” The importance of aesthetics is not lost on Daryn. His hair is a faded pink and he wears a furry animal hat. His look blends alternative-punk with feminine couture, giving him a one-of-a-kind appearance that is unbelievably eye-catching.
“[Daryn’s] set apart by the way he pulls from such a wide variety of musical influences and blends them into his own unique sound,” said Xav, Daryn’s roommate and close friend. “When friends ask me what genre his DJ sets or music are, the only answer I can give is: you have to see for yourself.”
Considering the process Daryn goes through during production, it’s believable that his sets have variety. His first step is finding a vocal chop. “That’s usually what I base the meaning or title of my songs after…I’m kind of obsessed with all kinds of electronic music, so I could end up going down any path.”
His 2024 EP “Collecting Stars” perfectly encapsulates the breadth of his capabilities. ‘80s synth meets “Ex Machina” in the EP’s first track, “Escape Velocity,” which takes listeners on an intergalactic adventure. “Rose Pink in Tandem” follows with video game-esque beats and nostalgic sounds of old electronics. Finally, “Ashley’s Outro” is slow, instrumental and fantastical. The EP takes listeners into the galaxy and away from reality. And the music, most of all, showcases Daryn’s soulfulness in the instruments and atmospheres that he creates. The layering and diversity of his music is beyond satisfying, scratching an itch on the brain you didn’t know you had.
“The things that really stick out to me is his creation of and use of textures and ear candy,” said Daryn’s friend Dennis, a DJ who goes by Caezurra. The pair met at an event through the university’s radio station, WMUC.
Being a self-starting musician paving a unique path can be stressful. “I’m my biggest hater, and because of that, I’m very inclined to keep leveling up,” says Daryn. But being motivated to forge his own path pushes him to keep improving. “When I feel like I’m used to how good I am, or bored of the level I think that I’m at, I do everything to reach a new level.”
Despite speaking of stress and being new to interviewing, Daryn is relaxed and composed. Leaning back in his living room chair, he speaks softly and openly.
“I’m very competitive with myself…whether it’s extremely minuscule details that I’m adding, or automations, or just a general concept that people can sink their teeth deeper into.”
For live musicians like Daryn, his music is only a part of the set-building process; just as important is the atmosphere he creates.
His hyperpop sets range from almost entirely unique sounds to remixes of popular songs. And with artists like Charli XCX gaining popularity, there is only room to grow in this genre.
“I think we’re witnessing pop culture absorb hyperpop and rave-inspired music, which only makes sense because we’re in a digital age,” Daryn said. “I think hyper pop and EDM as a whole are just going to keep growing…and I think I fall perfectly into that movement.”
Created almost entirely digitally, his sets highlight the modernity of music composition, becoming an entirely different art form from traditional arrangement.
Being a DJ in a college setting, mostly performing at house parties, every gig is different. “I picked up this new ritual where, before the gig, I hit the liquor store and I grab a four pack of small pink Moscato bottles, and I drink one before I’m on. And I finish at least two in the middle of my set. And that way, by the end of it, it doesn’t matter what’s going on, if the speakers are bad, if there’s no one around, I’m having a good time playing.”
His good vibes are contagious as his shows often end in head-banging and mosh pitting. Daryn’s music exemplifies a new age of music, creating a digital atmosphere that is impossible to forget.
