11 Years Deep: How Good Karma Music Built a D&B Legacy in Perth

From the Swan Basement to stadium shows in New Zealand. We sit down with Terrence & Phillip to talk about the “clanging” epidemic, the algorithm trap, and why Perth needs to collaborate to survive.

In the fast-moving world of electronic music, lasting five years is an achievement. Lasting fifteen is a dynasty.

Terrence & Phillip (Tez & Phil) are the duo behind Good Karma Music (GKM), a brand that has become synonymous with Perth Drum & Bass. While the GKM brand just celebrated its 11th birthday, the boys themselves have been active for over 15 years—cutting their teeth in the golden era where you had to wait a month for the next rave.

We sat down with the veterans to get a “State of the Union” on the Perth scene, discussing everything from the “too accessible” saturation of modern events to the cardinal sin of the support DJ.

🦢 The Origin: 201 Below

Like all good stories, this one starts in a basement.

“Good Karma Music was the name of the first event we ever held back in 2010 at The Swan Basement (now 201 Below),” they recall. “We were a large group of friends back then, all very keen to break into the local scene and DJ out in clubs.”

That initial spark eventually grew into a promotion powerhouse. But they aren’t just behind the scenes… as artists, they’ve performed to crowds of 3,000 people in stadiums in Christchurch, giving them a unique dual perspective on the industry.

📉 The Saturation Point

One of the most interesting takeaways from our chat was GKM’s take on the current state of the scene. Is Perth too spoilt for choice?

“The Drum & Bass scene in Perth is probably the strongest it’s ever been,” they admit. But they acknowledge a double-edged sword: Accessibility vs. Anticipation.

“Once upon a time, you would have to wait a month or more before you could attend the next rave with touring artists. Now, there are multiple shows in the same weekend or even one night. It’s almost become too accessible.”

The result? “The hype for the next event isn’t building like it did in the past.”

They saw this play out in real-time at their recent 11th Birthday at Freo Social. While the night was a success (with L-Side delivering the set of the night), they admitted that “bigger festival-type events” on the same weekend made it difficult to curate.

📱 The Algorithm Trap

It’s not just the number of events that makes the hustle hard, it’s the digital gatekeepers. When asked how much control the Instagram algorithm has over their success, GKM was blunt.

“Unless you’re willing to pour $100’s or $1000s of dollars into meta ads… you won’t get very far in a hurry.”

They note that the platform seems to punish promoters specifically: “The algorithm picks up anything that’s remotely close to advertising and absolutely crushes any organic reach.” It’s a “pay-to-play” reality that makes the grassroots approach harder than ever.

🎧 The “Ick”: Controller vs. CDJs

We asked GKM what instantly kills a vibe, and their answer will resonate with every promoter who has an inbox full of mixtapes.

“Support DJs clanging mixes during their set, after they’ve pestered you for months prior to book them,” they said.

The culprit? Usually the jump from bedroom to booth. “People submit mixes recorded on controllers that are flawless… then they tell you they know how to use a club spec CDJ setup, which you quickly learn they don’t.”

(Thankfully, they’ve never had to physically drag anyone off the decks… yet.)

⚡ Quickfire Wisdom

• Digital or Analog? “Digital. It gives total recall, flexibility, and consistency, which matter more than character when it comes to speed and precision.”
• Dream Event Concept? “A multi-day/night camping festival experience.”
• Advice to their younger selves: “Don’t try and do everything yourself. Learn how to write a budget and stick to it.”

🔮 The Future: Don’t Run Before You Can Walk

After 15 years, you might expect GKM to be chasing a mega-festival. But their advice to the next generation is surprisingly grounded: Know your limits.

“We’ve always wanted to scale up… but as risky as event promotion can be, we still like to play things pretty safe.”

Their solution to surviving the saturation? Collaboration. “Perth’s promoter community is great… almost 90% of people contribute to [sharing dates]. It’s really important and will help keep the growing community alive.”

🔌 Pass the Aux

We ask every feature artist to answer a question left by the previous interviewee, and leave one for the next.

Incoming Question from FILTH: “What got you into running your first event?”

GKM: “It was our doorway into playing out in front of an audience. Our first exposure as artists as well as sharing that experience with others.”

Outgoing Question for the Next Organiser: “What’s one hard lesson the scene taught you that you wish you’d learned earlier?”

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