Sleep D stand as pillars of Melbourne’s underground, their distinctive sound forged in the suburban fringes of Frankston and now resonating across global dancefloors. The duo of Corey Kikos and Maryos Syawish craft electronic music that defies easy categorization—hypnotic basslines and propulsive rhythms providing the foundation for explorations that merge the mechanical with the mystical. Their coveted Butter Sessions label, now boasting over 40 releases, has become a vital platform for Australian electronic music, showcasing everything from contemporary trance to modular experiments. Their commitment to building within their home scene rather than relocating overseas has strengthened Australia’s dance music ecosystem while their international travels have continually expanded their sonic palette.
Their latest EP, Big Sky, Liquid Sun, marks a significant shift in their sound. After eight years in the same studio, the pair relocated to spaces with deeper connections to nature, a transformation that flows throughout the release. “Green Thumbs” opens with airy, saturated synths and expansive string refrains that glint like sunlight through foliage, while “Acheron Cauldron” pulses with neon-lit energy, its forceful rhythm tunneling forward with shimmering intensity. Throughout, they maintain perfect balance between delicate melodics and driving undercurrents, creating a sonic narrative that mirrors their artistic growth.
Truancy Volume 345, recorded live at Nowadays (NYC) in 2024, captures the essence of Sleep D’s philosophy of sound as visual fantasy. Over two hours, they construct a surreal soundscape where hydraulic percussion and spring-loaded synths layer with textural elements to add living, breathing dimensionality. Throughout the mix, spectral vocals drift in and out—often whispered, sometimes distorted, always adding to the otherworldly atmosphere. Traversing techno, trance, and experimental terrain with dreamlike fluidity, their improvisational approach conjures an electronic fantasia—at times visceral and cutting, at others playful and cheeky—where the earthly meets ethereal.
In the accompanying interview, Sleep D reflect on their intuitive approach to performance, describing how they develop conceptual “fantasy settings” while remaining open to the unique energy of each space. Following a year focused on creative development rather than releases, they’ve found themselves drawn toward more considered compositional territory—exploring slower tempos and reduced grooves without sacrificing the substantial bass weight that grounds their sound. This thoughtful progression echoes throughout both their recent EP and this entrancing mix, showcasing artists who continue refining their musical identity while preserving their exploratory spirit.
Hi Sleep D, thanks for sharing this recording from your set at Nowadays! How are you and what can you tell us about this mix? How did the night unfold and what elements help create those special dancefloor moments for you? “Thanks for having us! We’re doing great. Our first EP in over a year has just come out which is always an exciting time for us. We’ve recently gone through some big transitions with new separate studios and some other big life moments which have made us find new ways of working with each other.
“We knew of Nowadays through visiting NYC on an earlier trip and hearing stories from friends, so it was a highly anticipated set for us. Our approach has always been about playing to the space and improvising from the energy, so when we get to play a space like Nowadays, with its mighty sound system, tripped-out lighting and open minded crowd we feel comfortable exploring the depths of our bag. Millia had primed the room beautifully so we had a great time.”
In previous interviews you’ve talked about creating “fantasy settings” for your music, imagining outdoor raves or dark clubs while in the studio. Could you tell us more about how this approach translates to the live environment? “When it comes to playing live, we create these fantasy settings to help guide the direction and mood we want to translate. It kind of acts as a common language we can refer back to. When we really know the party it can work super well, like Inner Varnika for example, we felt like we really knew how to work with the environment, sound system and crowd after playing there multiple times. We leave more room for improvisation for parties we haven’t been to before, allowing us to adapt to uncharted territory.”
From intimate festivals to major international venues, you’ve been embraced by dance music communities worldwide while maintaining your Melbourne roots. How has this global connection influenced your perspective? “Traveling and meeting new crews across the globe has opened our eyes to the wide range of musical worlds and people we have in our global dance music community. Australia can be an isolating place at times so the opportunity to tour around Europe and Asia in our early 20’s started to reveal what was out there. We would return home from a tour with bags full of new records to obsess over, new friends we’d made that we could invite over to Australia to play at our parties and just a broader understanding and appreciation of other cultures and music scenes. It would also reinforce our choice to stay in Australia and keep working and building what was happening here. The grass isn’t always greener…”
You’ve both been influenced by your early experiences at under-18 clubs in Frankston, spending weekends at clubs and CD shops. How do you think that suburban perspective shaped your understanding of dance music? “Going to clubs as teenagers was such a rare opportunity and formative experience for us. It was all about the music and everything was new and wild. It led to an interest in radio and mix CDs which then led to forums and the well of knowledge and anecdotes that brings. Without many other creative outlets or opportunities around, we really got carried into the music world and became obsessed.”
Starting with The Jackal in 2013, Butter Sessions has grown into a platform with over 40 releases. How has your vision for the label evolved alongside the Australian scene? “Although some of the sound worlds have evolved, we’ve stuck with the same vision for the label throughout the years. Searching for music we deeply connect with and predominantly from artists that we know and have a connection with. As the scene has evolved and new and exciting producers constantly pop up, the roster of artists we work with has expanded.”
Recent Butter Sessions releases have ranged from RBI’s contemporary trance to Polito’s modular experiments and Jennifer Loveless’ work. What excites you most about the label’s current direction? “After a slower-paced 2024, we’ve got stacks of more releases this year, including something big we’re planning for our 15th birthday later this year. Most of the artists we’re releasing in 2025 are BSR first-timers and based in Australia, it’s very exciting to extend the family and welcome some new sounds that we think are pushing the envelope. There’s EP’s by Kate Miller, Command D & Zara, Iti and Alex Albrecht to name a few.”
Looking back to releases like The Jackal to more recent work like Electronic Arts, how do you feel your sound has evolved? “As time passes and our lived experiences grow, our tastes have developed and changed alongside those experiences. Collaborating with artists like Kuniyuki, Albrecht La’Brooy, Sebastian Mullaert and the Ad Lib Collective chamber ensemble as well as working on projects like the Pan’s Labyrinth live film score with friends RBI and Hektor opened whole new worlds for us. Working with a broad range of artists, instruments and projects sparks different ways of thinking about sound and making music.”
If you could take a fellow artist around Melbourne for a weekend, what spots would be essential to understanding the city’s dance music culture? “It would have to be Miscellania, Skydiver Records, Alley Tunes, MESS, High Note / Skylab Radio, 3RRRFM & PBSFM to name but a few.”
What can you tell us about your newly released EP on Butter Sessions? Are you currently working on other new material? What kind of ideas or directions are you exploring in the studio? “Big Sky, Liquid Sun has been in the works for some time now. We had a studio shake-up after 8+ years in the same building and this collection of music is from our new spaces. Both spaces have a sense of nature that the other spot didn’t, so maybe that’s oozing into the music. 2024 was a year of building for us, we had no new music out but we spent a lot of time developing and crafting ideas so expect a couple more EPs and other projects to follow this one! Lately, we’ve been exploring slower tempos and softer sounds with a dose of heavy bass and more reduced grooves.”
What are some of your goals for the coming year, both personally and musically? Outside of music, what brings you peace or keeps you grounded? “Corey: Keep furthering my music producing skills and honing the craft. Get out into nature as much as I can. I’ve been trail running and bike riding a lot which keeps me grounded and focused on the work. I’ve also been getting into the mountain of a sport that is surfing, it feels like learning to ride a bike all over again haha. Reading books instead of social media.
“Maryos: I just had a baby so mostly working on being a good dad! In line with that, focusing on more ambient sounds in the studio, making more art, gardening and spending time with family and friends.”
Sleep D: Bandcamp, Instagram, Linktree, RA, Soundcloud, Butter Sessions
You can download Truancy Volume 345: Sleep D in 320 kbps and view the full tracklist on Patreon here. Your support helps cover all our costs and allows Truants to continue running as a non-profit and ad-free platform. Members will receive exclusive access to mixes and tracklists. We urge you to support the future of independent music journalism—a little goes a long way. If you need any IDs though, please leave us a comment on the Soundcloud link and us or Sleep D will get back to you with the track :)
