It's #dubstepweek on Red Bull. Check back daily for great new dubstep stories, in anticipation of DMZ's 10th birthday celebrations.

For a man who played a major part in shaping Britain’s biggest musical export of the 21st century, Mala ’s a pretty humble guy.

Softly spoken, endlessly enthusiastic, and always willing to give credit where it’s due, he’s the polar opposite of your stereotypically brash EDM DJ – many of whom have spent the last few years getting fat by dumbing down the dubstep that Mala holds so dear. Not that he’d ever say that…

Mala and Coki performing at DBS © Yusaku Aoki / Red Bull Content Pool

Instead Mala is all about looking forward, and feeling the love. Whether it’s digging out new tunes to sign to his Deep Medi imprint, or working on his own productions with musicians from Croydon to Cuba, he’s got an undiminished energy for music rich with bass and soul. The 10th anniversary of his legendary club DMZ is due this Saturday with a massive show at Outlook Festival to follow in September, and Mala is feeling “more hungry now” than he’s ever been – so what better time to reflect on a decade of studio pressure?

I booked you to play in The Venue in New Cross about 12 years ago, and I remember you were playing off Greensleeves 12” B Sides because when you started there weren’t even the records made for you to play.

We were making the records and cutting the dubplates – we had to become self-sufficient. That’s why we started the label and started the event, and it went from there.

And now, a decade on you’re getting ready for DMZ 10 – what have you got planned for it?

We were really happy to get back in Brixton. We’re at Brixton Electric on 10 July – for us obviously Brixton has been our stomping ground and our birthplace, so to speak. We’re very lucky – there was an incredible response to the announcement, so we’re excited. We’ve got a whole heap of our friends coming down to play and we’re going to celebrate music and celebrate life. We always try and mix it up – play some stuff that’s unknown, some stuff that’s known. I’ve been playing for so many years now I can draw from old stuff, and draw from new. I’m still really hungry in terms of being willing to find new music from new producers. For me it’s about playing all of it.

Are there times you can look at over the last decade that you can pinpoint as moments when things seemed to ratchet up a level?

Yeah, for sure. DMZ’s first birthday was one of those moments. We started in a 400 capacity venue, Third Base. But we’d filled it up within an hour on our first birthday, and there were still another 800 people waiting outside, so we had to move up to the main room in Mass. That felt like things were moving. Another point was when we did Dubstep Warz on the BBC for Mary Anne Hobbs – that was the first showcase on the BBC for this kind of sound, and that felt like a kinda stepping stone. Also I remember going to Soul Jazz to try and sell records many years ago, and I remember them looking at me, like: ‘Ahh, I dunno what we can do with this…’ And then I remember it wasn’t long afterwards we sold DMZ 004, Coki’s Officer. I went to drop them off a box of records to sell, and by the time I’d got back to East Croydon train station from Oxford Street they’d called me to say ‘We’ve already sold out and we need another couple of boxes…’ I was like, OK! There’s been so many moments to be grateful for.

Dubstep and UK Funky were the last two homegrown UK scenes that sold vinyl in meaningful quantities. Was there a time when declining sales made you realise you’d have to change the way the label was set up?

I still haven’t changed the set-up. We still sell vinyl – for me, I don’t wanna get into the debate on vinyl, digital, MP3, analogue, or whatever. At the end of the day, music is about music, and it’s about a message or a story or an expression, about connecting with people, so I don’t mind too much about the format. But still now, I may be the only person still playing dubplates. I still cut dubplates regular, I still only play vinyl and dubplates when I play, and I think my audience understand that’s how I like to present my music.

And there’s a certain sound to a dubplate…

For sure, and there’s an audience that understands the culture and still appreciates and supports that culture.

Did you see there was a time when Anti War Dub was on Discogs going for £200?

I know - it’s crazy, surreal. It never got reissued, we only did one press - we probably made about 2000 records and that was it. It was bootlegged though – I’ve got a copy of the bootleg as well.

Did you find out who bootlegged it?

Haha, no comment, that’s all I’m saying.

Is there someone in lying a gutter?

Nah, I’m not like that – it is what it is, and there’s no hard feelings at all.

Mala and Coki live © Yusaku Aoki / Red Bull Content Pool

Dubstep moved to become a global sound that was so far from what you’d expect to hear at a DMZ night. Have you found yourself booked on strange bills as a result?

Not really – I’ve played in many different places. I’ve played alongside people who play real tear-out stuff, but then I’ve also been booked to play alongside people like Theo Parrish, so for me, or any artist really, it’s about doing what you want to do, and over time you establish yourself. And depending on your consistency in your output, it’s really for the people to decide. So I think I’m lucky that people maybe have an understanding of what it is I am and what it is I’m about – I’ve never come across anyone who’s like ‘Ahh, play some of this or play some of that…’

And do you get to play as a crew much these days?

When we can we love it, but y’know everything changes, everything evolves, everything moves, so we just enjoy the time and the energy when we can

What else have you got coming up this year?

I’ve got another record later on in the year which I’m really looking forward to, and lots of stuff is going on with Deep Medi. I feel more hungry now than I’ve ever been, and I feel really lucky to feel that after so many years of doing this.

If you had to pick out some of your favourite releases from you or anyone in the crew over the years what would you look to?

Of course, Horrorshow – DMZ 002. That was just a turning point, and it inspired many people to make a particular type of sound. That and Coki, Haunted. Those two tunes for me ended up influencing and really inspiring generations to come.

And what about the later period?

You know, they’re all good. To name one would be unfair to all the others. As I said, I still give thanks I can keep doing this. I love connecting with people and sharing all the music I get from producers with people. I’m very lucky! I’ve been doing this for over a decade now – there’s a lot of experiences and a lot of blessings. Anything’s possible, that’s what I understand of life. I just count my blessings.

Ian McQuaid meditates on bass weight. Follow him at @IanMcQuaid , and follow Red Bull Music at @RedBull_Music