Based in San Diego, California, HIGHSOCIETY is the electronic music project of producer and multi-instrumentalist James Guttman, an artist who has built his identity around pushing electronic music beyond conventional genre boundaries. Blending heavy bass music with influences from rock, metal, industrial and trap, he has developed a distinctive sound he calls DATAMOSH: a creative approach centred on bringing contrasting musical worlds together in unexpected ways.
For HIGHSOCIETY, the music is only one part of a much bigger picture. With a background in graphic design and animation, Guttman places equal importance on the visual identity surrounding the project, drawing inspiration from cyberpunk, brutalist architecture, typography and glitch art. From the artwork and visuals to the production itself, each element contributes to a cohesive creative universe.
That philosophy continues with his latest two-track EP, HIGH IMPACT MATERIAL (H.I.M.), released through Dim Mak Records. This project explores new territory for HIGHSOCIETY, incorporating hard techno influences on ‘CRITICAL MASS’, featuring Paytra, and a rap contribution from Trippz Michaud on ‘H.I.M’. With both singles available to stream through his PLAYY. Music artist profile, the releases mark another step in the evolution of his sound.
Beyond the studio, HIGHSOCIETY places significant emphasis on live performance, believing that the energy shared between an artist and an audience is one of the most important parts of electronic music. Whether performing for 50 people or 5,000, his approach remains the same: deliver an experience worth remembering.
We caught up with HIGHSOCIETY to discuss the DATAMOSH philosophy, his creative environment, unexpected collaborations, the importance of live performance and the ideas behind HIGH IMPACT MATERIAL. 
How would you describe your musical style and the genres or subcultures that most influence your sound?
I’ve coined my own style that I call DATAMOSH. The DNA of the sound is basically about smashing genres together in unexpected ways, whether that’s bass music and rock, trap and industrial, or whatever other combination I can come up with. My whole thing is very multi-genre and spans a lot of different sounds under the heavy music umbrella.
I’m equally inspired by heavy bass music, melodic techno and house, metalcore, and a lot of visual and artistic mediums like cyberpunk, brutalism, typography and glitch art. I’m also a self-taught graphic designer and animator, so the visual side of HIGHSOCIETY is just as important to me as the music itself. I really try to build a cohesive universe where the sound, artwork, visuals and overall aesthetic all feel like they’re part of the same world.
Describe the primary setting or environment where your music is conceived. Is it a chaotic, overstimulating studio, a minimalist digital space, a rehearsal room, or a more isolated location?
I have a home studio in my apartment, which is sort of hilariously the complete opposite vibe of my music. It’s a beautiful, bright, plant-filled space with an ocean view, very minimal and clean. I’ve put a lot of time and effort into making it a comfortable, distraction-free environment where I can really focus and get into a creative headspace. It looks like it belongs to a deep house producer or, like, a yoga teacher.
When you create, what leads the way – a feeling, a story, or the sound itself?
As I touched on earlier, I usually start by trying to come up with two or more genres or vibes that I can combine in a unique way. That’s really the only “rule” I have when producing. I love the challenge of taking things that don’t necessarily belong together and figuring out how to make them work. Beyond that, I’m always thinking about ways to expand the existing HIGHSOCIETY universe and introduce new sounds without losing the core identity of the project.
For example, on my new EP, HIGH IMPACT MATERIAL, I experimented with hard techno influences on ‘CRITICAL MASS’ and brought in a featured rap verse on ‘H.I.M.’. Both were completely new territory for me, but they still feel like HIGHSOCIETY songs.
What’s in your toolkit? Share the gear, gadgets, or software you can’t create without.
It’s pretty minimal, to be honest. I mostly work in Pro Tools, which is obviously pretty unusual in the EDM world. I do a lot of production work in the rock and metal space as well, where Pro Tools is pretty much the industry standard, so I’ve just stuck with what I know.
Plugin-wise, I use a TON of distortion and saturation to get that gritty, industrial, cyberpunk sound on my basses and synths. I also absolutely love the Odin virtual guitar. You might not be able to tell, but pretty much all the guitars in my songs are programmed with it. It sounds insanely realistic, is super easy to use, and gives me the flexibility to to write heavy guitar parts without having to actually record a guitarist every time. I also suck at guitar.
Are there any unexpected or dream collaborations hidden in your work?
Unexpected collabs are my thing! I’ve worked with tons of artists from completely different musical backgrounds, especially rock and metalcore bands, alternative vocalists and people who aren’t necessarily part of the EDM world.
I actually don’t typically love collaborating with artists who sound super similar to me. I’d much rather work with someone who brings a completely different perspective or skill set to the table. To me, the most exciting collaborations are the ones where we end up creating something that neither of us would have been able to make individually.
That’s really the whole philosophy behind DATAMOSH anyway: taking different worlds and smashing them together to see what happens.
Are there any side projects you’re working on?
Absolutely not, hahaha. My manager would murder me if I even thought about starting another project right now. Things have been growing really fast, and I’m completely consumed by HIGHSOCIETY at the moment. Between touring, nonstop marketing and content creation, keeping up with original music releases, producing for other artists and bands, and generally just trying to figure out how to juggle all of this stuff, I’m good with one project for now.
Who’s an emerging artist you think deserves more recognition right now?
I have to say Trippz Michaud, who recently lent a rap verse to my new track ‘H.I.M.’. I was completely blown away by this guy. I actually found him on SoundBetter, which is a platform where you can connect with vocalists, songwriters and other collaborators. I’d never really brought a rapper into my world before, so I was honestly a little nervous about how it was going to turn out.
I sent him this ridiculously convoluted, overly detailed creative brief with a bunch of references, trying to explain exactly what I was hearing in my head, and he absolutely KILLED IT. He basically nailed the entire thing on the first shot and completely blew my mind.
Afterward, I went and checked out more of his original music and realised how insanely versatile he is. Definitely someone people should be paying attention to, in my opinion.
What role does ‘rebellion’ or ‘counterculture’ play in your music? Are you aiming to challenge commercial norms, sonic structures, or societal expectations?
I think my entire DATAMOSH sound is a form of rebellion in a way. A huge part of what motivates me creatively is pushing back against how formulaic electronic music can sometimes feel. The industry has become very trend-driven, where artists can feel pressured to make whatever sound happens to be popular at the moment. You end up hearing a lot of the same ideas recycled over and over again, and I find that VERY uninspiring.
I hope my music can encourage other artists to trust their own creative instincts, take some risks and carve out their own paths rather than feeling like they need to follow whatever trend is working at the moment.
Who is one non-musical artist whose work feels sonically synonymous with your sound?
Neo4ic, for sure. They’re a futuristic streetwear and techwear brand whose entire aesthetic feels incredibly aligned with the DATAMOSH universe. Their designs pull from cyberpunk, sci-fi, anime, gaming and underground electronic music culture, with a lot of bold typography, futuristic graphics, tech fabrics, etc. It’s a really cool intersection of technology, fashion and art that feels very similar to what I’m trying to accomplish with HIGHSOCIETY.
Coincidentally, they’re also based in San Diego, just like me. A collaboration between us just might be on the horizon…
What aspects of your artistry feel most important to you, such as your sound, visuals, storytelling, or live performance style?
I think my live performance is the most important part of HIGHSOCIETY to me. I really believe the live experience is the ultimate expression of electronic music. There’s something visceral about being in a room full of people, feeling the bass physically HITTING you in the chest, seeing the visuals and sharing the energy with everyone.
I also feel pretty strongly that a lot of DJs don’t put enough effort into their live shows. People are spending their hard-earned money, taking time out of their lives and coming out to escape the world for a few hours. I think as performers we have a responsibility to make that experience worth it for them. This might be their only night out for months…
I genuinely try to give 110% every single time, whether I’m playing for 50 people or 5,000.
Obviously, the music and visuals are hugely important to me too, but ultimately all of those things come together in the live show. That’s where the entire HIGHSOCIETY universe really comes to life.
What is the most exciting and the most concerning technological development impacting the music industry right now?
I mean, I think the answer to both is pretty obviously AI. On one hand, it’s an incredibly powerful technology that has already made a huge difference in my day-to-day life. I use it for things like organising ideas, research, administrative tasks, troubleshooting technical problems and generally streamlining a lot of the tedious stuff that takes time away from actually being creative. I think that’s where AI can be genuinely amazing, helping artists spend less time on busywork and more time making art.
On the other hand, I’m really not a fan of how it’s being used to generate music, artwork and other creative content. It’s even worse when people try to pass AI-generated work off as something they created themselves.
That said, I think resisting new technology altogether is a losing battle. The important thing is learning how to use these tools responsibly, while making sure we’re not losing the human element that makes art valuable in the first place.
How would you describe the live music environments you feel most connected to? Are you drawn more to massive festival stages, underground warehouse parties and DIY venues, or a mix of both?
While I absolutely love playing massive shows, I think I ultimately prefer slightly smaller, more intimate venues. There’s something about the chaotic, sweaty, high-energy environment where the crowd is right in front of you and you can really feel everyone feeding off each other’s energy. It just works well with my sound and the way I perform.
At the end of the day, I’ll throw down pretty much anywhere, from arenas to underground raves, festivals or even ice cream trucks… that’s a real story, but I’ll save that one for another interview 🙂
Famous last words?
“TO THE NEXT STEP.”
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