California’s festival circuit has long been a place of discovery – where new music, handmade art, and global connections come together.

For Dirtwire, this ecosystem has been central to their sound and collaborative spirit. Known for a self-described blend of swamptronica, electro-twang, and blues n’ bass, the East Bay band weave West Coast electronic production through folk grit, global instrumentation, and festival-born ritual. Over the years, they have built relationships across festival spaces such as Burning Man and Lightning in a Bottle, while collaborating with artists such as CloZee, The Human Experience, and Monolink. Since their founding, David Satori, Evan Fraser, and Mark Reveley have drawn inspiration from around the world, letting their festival roots rise to the surface in their latest collaboration – a remix of Monolink’s “Mesmerized.”

Mesmerized (Dirtwire remix) - Monolink — Mesmerized (Dirtwire remix) – Monolink

Before taking festival stages across the nation, Dirtwire began with a chance meeting at the California Institute of the Arts. The three were enrolled in a World Music Composition class together, and that shared beginning brought them closer to a common calling: crafting a universal language through sound. After relocating to the East Bay to form Dirtwire, they developed a diverse approach to bringing that vision to life.

That desire to explore global sounds began as curiosity and gradually became a way of learning: about instruments, cultures, and the communities around them. “It began as a recording project as we got to know Ableton Live, collect instruments, and experiment with plant medicine journeys,” Evan Fraser tells Atwood Magazine. “California Institute of the Arts is a special school we were lucky to attend. It’s a revolving door of talent, inspiration, and creativity that has gone on to make amazing art. All three of us met there and collaborated on different projects. CalArts expanded our horizons and turned us on to so much cool stuff while giving us time to hone our musicianship and explore ideas.”

Dirtwire’s sonic textures range from ancient to modern.

A violin, a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar, and a distinct electronic production approach support their expansive sound. “All three of us have traveled extensively around the globe, both separately and together. Africa, Brazil, India, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Bali, Australia, and some of the electronic music scenes in those places have all left a big impression on us, as have meeting some big musical inspirations along the way. Oumou Sangare, Femi Kuti, Kongar Ol Ondar, Willie Nelson, to name a few,” Fraser explains, showing how places and people shape their creativity.

When asked what element best represents Dirtwire’s music, Fraser offers an answer that reflects the band’s organic mindset: “[It’s] hard to choose just one. We like drawing from all those energies at different times. I know Fungi isn’t an element, but it has brought us a lot of inspiration over the years.”

That openness is not only conceptual; Dirtwire’s experience has been shaped by hands-on learning. “I’ve been lucky to have had many great teachers, collaborators, and the amazing support of my family as I’ve followed my heart deeply into music,” Fraser says. “Growing up with my parents’ vinyl collection shaped my ears and exposed me to a lot of soulful stuff as a kid.” For Fraser, crate-digging, family support, and early exposure to soul music all helped build the foundation for Dirtwire’s open-eared approach.

Dirtwire’s performances and routine share a warm chemistry, keeping them rooted in the festival community. At Lightning in a Bottle in 2016, a crowd danced on wood chips in Bradley, California, with wind-tossed fabric moving overhead as the band drew from its early catalog: Dirtwire, The Carrier, and RipTide. The memory captures what their music often does in real time: turns environment, movement, and communal attention into part of the performance itself.

For Satori, that sense of shared movement is one of the most powerful parts of playing live. “I love seeing the movement of the crowd as a whole, how they pulse with the music like a living organism. When the wind blows the clouds across the sky, and the LED hoops are all in sync with the beat, it becomes a beautiful, transcendent experience,” Satori says. Their preparation is similarly ritualistic, built from habits that keep the band grounded before stepping into that communal exchange: “Rehearsal, psychedelic journeys, exercise, meditation, [and] good food.”

Universal Language - Dirtwire — Universal Language – Dirtwire

In March, Dirtwire released Universal Language on Swamptronic Records. The LP includes artists such as The Human Experience, The Floozies, and CloZee and opens with “Ashes,” featuring Moontricks. In the lyrics, “There’s a wind that blows carrying your ashes,” the track’s windblown atmosphere gives impermanence a physical shape – its ethereal sound reflecting an awareness of life’s shifting phases. Satori describes “Ashes” as a turning point and a gateway to the album’s central theme of communication through sound: “I feel our collab track ‘Ashes’ with Moontricks – [the] lyrics encapsulate the essence of life’s and music’s ephemeral nature.”

Satori emphasizes that immersion in music sparks creative curiosity. For him, Universal Language was as much a lesson in collaboration as a collection of songs. “Each track was a unique journey. We learned a lot about collaboration. In collaboration, there are many challenges. I feel we learned how to bend and adapt to each new artist we were working with, allowing for growth in ways we have yet to understand,” he reflects.

Dirtwire’s remix of Monolink’s “Mesmerized,” released June 12 on Ultra Records, grew out of that same West Coast festival ecosystem: “We both were deep in the West Coast alternative festival scene, like Lightning in a Bottle and Burning Man, and know a lot of the same people. I am friends with his manager and just reached out. They were open to the idea.”

On the soothing “Mesmerized,” gentle strings, sustained violin, and a rushing melody flow through the body like water. The collaboration is an exciting pairing, as Dirtwire’s and Monolink’s sonic grooves intertwine seamlessly. As Satori explains, they approach their vision by surrendering to a flow state: “We use our intuition and just start creating without many preconceived concepts, just ride the inspiration.”

Satori also points to Dirtwire’s recent collaboration with CloZee as another extension of that broader festival ecosystem and shared spirit of global discovery. “We released a single last year, 2025, called ‘Ankaa’ – a beautiful journey and musical conversation with CloZee, fusing Middle Eastern and mid-tempo bass. [We] love working with her and hope to again,” he says. Following “Ashes” on Universal Language, “Ankaa” pulses with electrifying, soul-saturating bass lines and a punchy, zesty twang, while flute parts rise above the groove, creating an immersive listening experience and giving the song a lighter, searching lift. As for the takeaway from Universal Language, Satori keeps it simple: “Inspiration and curiosity.”

Dirtwire’s international travel is fueled by adventure and curiosity.

Satori offers a playful vision for the future: “[I] would love to get into yodeling,” revealing the band’s openness to new influences.

Fraser reflects on exploring creativity and a growth mindset: “One of my teachers, Mark Growden, showed me that once music is inside you – if you can feel it enough to sing it, express it, and share it – then you can explore getting sounds on anything that resonates and follow your ears to what inspires you,” he adds. “Once I was able to embody this, I was on my way to collecting instruments, making them, and experimenting with layering them in looping and recording.”

That sense of following the ear – from CalArts classrooms to festival grounds to global collaborations – remains Dirtwire’s clearest language.

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