Dennis Free on the Distance, the Beat, and the Balance
Dennis on Level III Records, Cultural Roots, and Weaving Stillness into the Club
Oakland-born and now New York–based, Dennis Free is a DJ, producer with a sound that stretches from soulful house to high-BPM grooves, his sets embody rhythm, experimentation, and community energy. As the founder of Level III — a brand that began as a Brooklyn apartment party and has since grown into a collective, radio platform, and now a record label — Dennis has become a rising voice in underground music. His debut EP Lost Telemetry on Level III Records explores fractured communication through acid-tinged soundscapes, balancing intimacy with raw dancefloor energy. With a resume that already includes stages like Fabric London and support from artists such as Questlove, A-Trak, and Moodymann, Dennis steps into this new chapter with purpose and momentum.
Dennis Free talks to 6AM about bridging culture, community, and sound through his debut EP Lost Telemetry and the evolution of his Level III movement.
Hi Dennis! Thanks so much for talking to 6AM how are you?
I’m doing great, it’s been quite a busy start to the fall but very excited for these next few weeks!
So for those that don’t know you were born in Oakland, now based in New York, and you carry both African and Chinese roots. That’s a wide range of cultural and geographic influences. How do those different pieces of your background show up in who you are as an artist?
Growing up between cultures gave me a wide lens for how I approach sound. Oakland gave me that raw, bass-driven, community energy, while New York sharpened my sense of pace and experimentation. My African roots show up in rhythm and percussion, and my Chinese background and culture, which is grounded in peace and calm, comes through in the balance. I try to weave that into my tracks so they can live both in the club and at home, hitting a middle ground between energy and stillness.
Your EP Lost Telemetry is the debut album on your label Level III Records. With it being your first official release with the label, what's the personal story behind the album and what made this the right project to introduce yourself and your label to the world?
I think the label has been a long time coming. MESA and I, as the two main DJs behind Level III, have been working on music for years, and it felt natural to branch off from what we’d already built with the parties and community instead of going to a bigger label or releasing on our own. Level III Records gives us a way to push the sounds we’re most interested in while staying true to that foundation.
With Lost Telemetry, the project reflects on past relationships and how they’ve thrived or suffered depending on communication. The idea of “telemetry” — lost signals in space travel — resonated with me, especially since travel has always been a big part of my life, from family in the airline industry to being an only child always looking up at the sky. The title captured that blend of distance, connection, and reevaluation. Sonically, the acid house roots of the tracks felt aligned with the feeling of being in space, so everything tied together naturally.
Level III started as a party in a Brooklyn apartment and has since grown into a collective, radio platform, and now a label. Looking back, what moment made you realize this small gathering was turning into something much bigger? What made you decide to take this brand to a record label rather than just start a whole new name altogether?
That moment was when we outgrew the apartment — when people we didn’t even know started showing up, and it became clear this wasn’t just about our friends anymore. It was something people actually needed. In fall 2021, we threw a big party in Manhattan and sold over 900 tickets. That was a wake-up call — not just that our core community was excited, but that a whole new group of people who’d been watching from a distance wanted to be part of what we were building. It felt wholesome and validating to see that kind of support.
Keeping the Level III name was a natural choice. At its core, it’s about maintaining and growing that community, and one of the best ways to do that is by introducing them to the electronic space through music. Releasing records felt like the right progression alongside our events, giving the brand a sonic identity that matched the world we were already building. The energy from those first nights still lives in what we’re doing now, and I didn’t want to cut off that history by starting with a completely new name.
Speaking of events and parties your sets have been known to go from 120 to 140bpm. Why did you choose to have such a wide range of tempo in your sets when most artists stick to a more narrow range? Do you find yourself needing/wanting to play more extended sets to explore all these bpms?
I’ve never been comfortable being boxed into one groove. For me, tempo is just another tool to shift energy. I definitely love playing longer sets because they let me move slowly through that 120–140 BPM range. Everything in that space can be dance music, but with so much variety. When I first started DJing, I used what I called the “BPM cycle system” where I started around 110–112 BPM with amapiano, then moved into house, garage, techno, jungle, and even dipped back into reggae or island sounds before climbing back up. That approach still influences how I play today. I like building a set that warms people up with deeper, soulful tracks and ends at high energy. Pushing the tempo lets the crowd travel with me, rather than staying locked in one consistent flow.
You’ve already had the chance to play in places like Fabric London, Colour Factory, and festivals alongside names like A-Trak and Moodymann. Out of all those shows, which one left the deepest mark on you personally, and why? Any future shows that you are also especially excited for?
One of my favorite recent sets was definitely at Fabric when I played with London-based No Signal. That club has always held a special place for me because it was one of the first venues where I really understood what a night out could feel like with people locked in until morning, fully engaged, no urge to leave. To go from being in the crowd there to playing just two years later felt surreal and rewarding, especially with a 3–4 a.m. slot where the energy was at its peak.
Looking ahead, I’m really excited about playing Drumsheds in London for the Peggy Gou takeover. The lineup is stacked with people like Marie Montexier, Ejeca, Peggy, Kink, etc. who are all artists I’ve looked up to for a while. I’ll be in Room Z, which is the “small” room but still a 1,000-cap space with a caged booth. It feels like a full-circle moment, playing one of the biggest indoor venues of my career so far, surrounded by peers I respect.
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just that Lost Telemetry is only the beginning. MESA’s project drops right after mine, and more voices from the Level III family are coming. The goal is to keep building spaces whether it’s a dancefloor, radio, or the label. We want people to feel connected and challenged at the same time, and we will continue to push our minds to continue creating for the people that got us here.