2021 Lineup
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Welcome Imagine Festival Family Members & Music Lovers to the IMF Work in Exchange for a Ticket Program!
Powered by Music Festival Trips – Travel Experience Production company based out of Tampa, FL.
Work at Imagine Festival in exchange for your ticket to the festival! Work with your friends, request to be scheduled around your favorite performances and in addition to an event pass and a t-shirt, receive a spot to camp and an incredible behind-the-scenes adventure!
Work Requirement – 12-16 hours
– Event Access as an Attendee when not working
– FREE Camping including Early Arrival & Free Showers
– Work Exchange T-shirt
Check in Date –
PRE-Festival – Tuesday, September 18th 2018 – 9AM
If your working during the festival or Post-Festival: Wednesday, September 19th – 6PM
All IMF Work Exchange Team Members must check in and be prepared to enter the festival campgrounds at this time. Be sure to make appropriate arrangements for travel to make sure you are there at the appropriate time and check-in date.
Allowed / Not Allowed Items
WHAT YOU CAN BRING DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT
YOU DON’T NEED IT TO SURVIVE, BUT YOU’LL BE HAPPY YOU HAVE IT
CAMPGROUND PROHIBITED ITEMS
These items are not allowed under any circumstances (Remember, we search every vehicle):
FESTIVAL GROUND PROHIBITED ITEMS
These items are not allowed under any circumstances:
Conditions of Entry
THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE FOR GUESTS ENTERING IMAGINE:
SMILE. STAY HYDRATED. PACE YOURSELF. TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER.
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING!
FAQ
Q: What can I bring with me?
A: See the complete list of acceptable and prohibited items Here.
Q: Does everyone that’s riding in my car need a car camping pass?
A: No, NEW for 2020 – Car Camping Passes are now sold on a per car basis, not per person. This will allow our guests traveling in groups to save money and reduce their carbon footprint by encouraging carpooling. If you want to camp next to your car, you will only need to purchase 1 Car Camping Pass per vehicle and the pass comes with two (2) GA Camping Wristbands and one (1) 20×20 campsite with parking for your vehicle.
Q: Can I add Camping to my ticket if I already purchased a Festival Pass?
A: Yes, you can add a camping pass to your ticket. NEW FOR 2020 All Camping Passes are sold separately from Festival tickets, with the exception of 4-packs.
Q: If I am staying off-site can I leave the festival grounds and come back?
A: In an effort to ensure our patrons safety and efficiency of our entry operations, there is no daily in-and-out or re-entry permitted in the festival grounds without a camping wristband. Please pack accordingly and take advantage of our festival locker program, charging stations, and check out the festival general store to grab any essential you may have forgotten. Camping Pass holders will be free to travel between the campgrounds and festival as needed.
Q: If I am camping, can I leave and come back?
A: For the safety of our Imagine family, once your vehicle is parked within the campgrounds, it may not be moved until Monday at sunrise. Vehicles that leave the campgrounds will not be granted re-entry. Should a vehicle need to leave in the event of an emergency, please contact campground management to provide you with a safe escort. We encourage you to plan/pack accordingly and visit the Camping General Store for any necessities you may be lacking.
Q: When will I receive my wristband?
A: Wristbands will be shipped approximately 2 weeks before the event.
Once you purchase, you will receive an order confirmation email from See Tickets on behalf of IMF.
IMPORTANT: If you do not see your order confirmation in your inbox, make sure to check your junk/spam folder. If you still do not see your order confirmation, click here to access the Eventbrite help center.
No barcoded tickets will be issued for this event, all ticket-purchasers will receive a festival wristband by mail.
If you are having any other technical ticketing-related issues with your order, click here to contact See Tickets. For general festival info, click here.
All wristbands will ship in September 2020. Please allow until 1 week prior to festival for your wristbands to arrive. Wristbands will be sent to the shipping address specified on your order. All international orders will be held at will call.
All sales final. No refunds or exchanges.
Q: Where can I find you ticketing Terms & Conditions
A: Our ticketing Terms and Conditions can be found here
Q: Can I pick up my ticket/wristband early?
A: Unfortunately we are not offering an option to pick up your tickets early this year. Stay tuned for more information about VIP table customer tickets (Ocean View).
Q: Can I upgrade my ticket?
A: Yes, if tickets are available, you can upgrade your tickets to VIP. In order to upgrade your ticket to VIP you need to go ahead and purchase a VIP ticket. Then send us your order confirmation # for both the VIP ticket and your previously purchased ticket at info@imaginefestival.com Once we confirm your purchase, we will cancel your original ticket.
Q: How long can my car be parked in day parking?
A: Cars parked in day parking will need to clear the lots after music ends at the end of each night. If you find yourself needing to leave your car and catch a sober ride home, we encourage you to do so, and will just require that you pay an additional day’s parking fee upon return. To ensure the safety and security of our patrons, no overnight sleeping or loitering in the day parking lot will be permitted.
Q: When can I begin to set up my campsite?
A: The campgrounds will open at 10am Friday for you to begin setting up camp for the festival.
Q: What should I expect the weather to be like during the festival?
A: Imagine Festival is a rain or shine event. No refunds will be issued should inclement weather occur. Weather can be unpredictable. Please keep an eye on the weather and plan accordingly. As always, please be sure to listen to any updates from Imagine staff regarding your safety.
Q: Will there be a lost and found?
A: Yes, Lost & Found will operate during festival hours and will be marked on your festival map. Following the event, lost items will be held 30 days for your convenience. A form will be posted on our website to report and describe your lost items, if found we will contact you. There might be a charge to ship your items back to you.
Q: I’m under 18. Can I attend with a legal guardian?
A: Imagine is an 18+ event. No one under the age of 18 will be permitted, with or without a guardian.
Q: What are acceptable forms of Identification?
A: The following are acceptable forms of identification for access to and the purchasing of alcohol at Imagine:
Q: Will lockers be available?
A: Yes! Lockers are available for purchase at the festival to to safely store your stuff and keep your cell phone powered up all weekend long. Lockers can also be purchased prior to the festival. Click Here for more information.
Q: Can I pass out flyers at Imagine? ?
A: No, there is no unauthorized vending or solicitations anywhere on Atlanta Motor Speedway property, including parking lots. .
Q: Will Medical / First Aid be available?
A: We will have medical staff on-site for the entire duration of Imagine. Upon arrival, please take note of the location of our clearly-marked medical tents should you need to stop by during the event. If you need medical assistance, contact the nearest security guard, staff member, volunteer, or medic, or go to one of the on-site medical tents. If you’re not sure whether it’s an emergency or not, assume it is and get help immediately. All of our safety and medical staff are here to help you enjoy the festival and make it home safely – no judgements.
Q: Can I Bring My Medication?
A: Yes, medications are allowed into the festival and campgrounds as long as they comply with the following:
Q: Will there be FREE water?
A: Yes, Imagine has implemented even more FREE water stations for 2017, available both inside the festival grounds and in camping. Check your festival map for locations. There will also be water available for purchase at the bar.
Q: Are pets allowed?
A: Imagine has a strict no-pet policy, with exceptions only for service animals as specified by federal and state law. Due to large-scale service animal fraud and for the safety of our patrons, staff, and other service animals, all animals which do not meet the legal standards will not be allowed into the festival grounds. All service animals must be registered at the entrance gates. Please note, dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support are not considered service animals by the ADA and and will not be allowed into Imagine. For more info, visit www.ada.gov.
Q: Will there be an official afterparty?
A: Yes, the official afterparty will be located in the campground at the silent disco. You must have a camping pass to gain admission to the silent disco.
Q: The information on my ticket is wrong, how do I fix this?
A: To update the information on your ticket and/or change shipping address, contact See Tickets for instructions.
Q: Where should I buy my imagine Festival Ticket?
A: See Tickets is the only authorized ticket vendor for Imagine Festival. Premium Camping Options are officially sold through Unity Travel.
There are No refunds or Exchanges, all Sales are final.
Do not buy passes from scalpers, we do not service, authenticate, or support passes from scalpers. We do not assist in any 3rd party transactions.
Q: I can no longer attend, Can I get a refund?
A: Unfortunately, no; we have a very strict no refund policy.
Q: Is my camera allowed into the festival?
A: Small point and shoot cameras, GoPros, and other cameras without detachable lenses are allowed into the festival.
Q: I have a media related question, who do I contact?
A: For those interested in press passes and any other media inquiries,please email us at media@imaginefestival.com.
Q: How do I become a vendor at Imagine Festival?
A: Potential vendors must sign up and be approved prior to the festival. Upon approval you will be able to sell merchandise. Click here to apply to be a vendor.
Q: Will there be water bottle refill stations?
A: Yes! FREE water stations aree available both inside the festival grounds and in camping. Any reusable water bottle or camelback can be filled for FREE. Check your festival map for locations.
Q: Does Imagine offer Merchandise?
A: Yes! We will be offering official Imagine apparel and merchandise along with a wide variety of other vendors as well!
Q: I would like to camp on site, what options are available?
A: Currently there is Car camping, tent only camping, VIP camping, and RV camping! We also feature Glamping options and QUBE tents . Make sure and buy your ticket as soon as possible before any of these options sell out.
Q: Am I allowed to bring my own alcohol?
A: Alcohol is allowed into the camp grounds but not into the festival grounds. There is a limit to how much each person can bring in, please see allowed/not allowed items for specifics.
Q: What is the difference between car camping and tent camping?
A: With general car camping you will be able to camp right next to your car. With tent only camping you will be in a separate lot where there are no cars. If you arrive on site without a vehicle and have purchased camping, you will be directed to the tent only lot. There is not a seperate ticket for Tent-Only Camping.
Q: What size is my car camping spot?
A: Car campers will have a 20’x20’ campsite. Camping plots are first come, first serve and provide enough space to fit one vehicle and two tents. VIP Camping lots are approximately 50% larger than the GA Campsites and can accommodate 1 vehicle and up to 3 tents depending on the size of your tents.
Q: Am I able to camp at Imagine without a festival pass?
A: Everyone camping will need a festival pass to accompany their camping pass before entering the camping area.
Health and Safety
Jade Cicada (Skyler Golden) is an electronic music producer from Denver, CO.
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Kekai Wachi better and professionally known as his stage name “Kai Wachi” is a 19 years old Electronic Dance music producer from nowhere but Boise, Idaho. His destructive Dub-trap track have been destroying and bursting out the festivals and houses.
He is also known for his Bass House and Electro genre, but most people prefer Hard Trap and Dubstep.
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The Lane 8 moniker originated back when Goldstein made garage rock with his sister when they were kids. He later started experimenting with hip-hop beats after being influenced by Pete Rock and DJ Premier.At some point in 2012, “Lane 8 really found his groove with his sound fitting between pulsing electronica and a woozier kind of glitch-pop” putting him on the radar of Anjunadeep A&R executive Jody Wisternoff. In 2013, he signed to Anjunadeep, where he released his debut album in the summer of 2015. He has previously described his sound as “dreamy back rub house.
San Francisco-based house producer Lane 8 (real name: Daniel Goldstein) made quite a splash when The Magician played his debut single, “Don’t Want You Back”, in the 23rd installment of the wildly popular Magic Tape series. The follow-up single, titled ‘Dusty’, surpassed all expectations, racking up diverse DJ support from the UK’s Jody Wisternoff and Kidnap Kid to California’s Viceroy and Geisha Twins. From there, a 3-track EP, reworks of Fleetwood Mac and Brandy, and an official remix for Austin-based band Snowden have all solidified Lane 8’s position as a household name in the growing California house scene. When you consider that Lane 8 has accomplished all of the above in less than six months, it’s no wonder countless DJ’s, blogs and music fans are following his every move.
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Kompany is a producer who blends meticulous sound design with aggressive forms of bass music. His sample pack brings a slew of sounds that range massive basses, cinematic fx, hard-hitting drums, and more – take your tracks to the next level with his sounds.Kompany has emerged from the shadows of anonymity to present one of the more promising bass music projects in 2017. Having perfected his craft in the esteemed halls of Icon Collective, Kompany is now bringing his music to a global audience. Blending versatile sound design with aggressive forms of bass music, Kompany is a force to be reckoned with.
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Rising from the depths of the bass music world underground, SQUNTO has quickly established himself
as a force to be reckoned with. Gaining support and recognition far and wide, SQUNTO has come on
strong combining unparalleled skills behind the decks with genre-defining tracks supported by some of
the biggest names in Dubstep. Cinematic intros, dark undertones and bruising basslines, mixed and
chopped with the highest degree of technical skill on a deadly soundsystem are the hallmarks of a
SQUNTO performance.
SQUNTO’s breakout collaboration with German deathstep artist Code:Pandorum “Wall of Death” took the
bass music scene completely by storm, creating a cultural movement and further amalgamating the
quickly blurring lines between heavy bass music and metal culture. Crowds all over the world have split to
‘wall of death’ themselves to this track and artists like Downlink and Figure have made it a staple in their
sets. Since then SQUNTO has gone on to redefine heavy bass music with releases such as “Sayim,”
“Deth Bounce” and “Justa,” as well pushing the needle with new classics like “Thunderdome” w/
Subtronics and “Lit” w/ Boogie T.
What especially sets SQUNTO apart from the pack is but his ability to perform live, ushering in a new
paradigm of what is possible with audio + video synchronicity in the form of his infamous MegaChop sets
which see the master chopping up to eight tracks simultaneously. Not to be outdone with the Ableton-
based MegaChop, SQUNTO is also a surgeon behind the CDJ decks with his patented doubles, tripples,
mash-ups, and even quad drops.
With a slew of international dates, huge festivals and relentless performances across North America,
including the co-headline ‘Strike Back Tour’ with Boogie T and support on Snails’ ‘The Shell Tour’ in 2018,
as well the direct support slot for Excision’s 2019 ‘Apex Tour,’ SQUNTO continues to grow and to carve
out his unique place in bass music. Those who have witnessed his acts of low-end destruction and follow
his online presence know that SQUNTO is destined for very big things. As the dragonmaster SQUNTO
himself says: “Stay Locked!”
Greg Jones is the artist behind the enigmatic G JONES moniker- a California native who cut his teeth in the underground bass music scene in Santa Cruz and the Bay Area in the early 10’s. A lauded master of electronic music production and highly sought after performer, G Jones is a frequent collaborator of legendary artists including Bassnectar, Eprom and DJ Shadow, who called Jones “the most gifted Ableton beatmaker I’ve ever seen.” His recent track “In Your Head” was added to the Bass Arcade Spotify playlist which accumulated more than 320K followers within a day of being created and published. Rolling Stone touted him a “studio wizard.” Billboard Magazine had this to say about his album’s first single, “understanding the possibility”: “That’s what listening to G Jones will do. It’s a mental minefield of sudden drops and stutters, bass lines that open holes under your feet and send you shooting sideways to some warped mystery land.”
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Born of the swamps of Louisiana, playing and writing music since the tender age of eight, Brock Thornton aka Boogie
T, has come along way to bring the low end. Hailing from the South, the cradle of soul, it is easy to hear the southern
influence in his music. Electro Funk, Dubstep, Riddim – whatever you want to call it – for Boogie T, it has always been
about entertaining. Whether singing, rapping, playing guitar/keys/bass, DJ’ing or producing, Boogie T’s goal is
simple: make great music and connect with people by taking risks and pushing boundaries.
Boogie T dropped his debut EP on Ganja White Night’s label Subcarbon Records in 2017, snagging a top 10 spot on
the iTunes Electronic Album chart, and has gone on to releases with Atlantic/Big Beat, Circus Records, SMOG
Records, All Good Records, and more – amassing millions of streams. On 4/20 of 2018, Boogie T launched his very
own record label, Drama Club, with the mission to bring his fans his own music as well as signing tracks from some
of his favorite artists in bass music.
In June of 2018, Boogie T premiered his live band BOOGIE .TRIO alongside hometown bandmates Andrew ‘Yano’
Yanovski on keys and Frank ‘Animal Drums’ Castro on percussion. The response was immediate and BOOGIE
T.RIO have gone on to release two EPs and perform at Electric Forest, Voodoo Fest, Red Rocks, and are are
embarking on a headlining a 50+ stop national bus tour starting in January of 2019.
Boogie T has toured with Ganja White Night, Snails, and co-headlined his own tour with SQUNTO in 2018. Playing
across the country and beyond with GRiZ, Zeds Dead, Rezz, Funtcase, Midnight Tyrannosaurus, Minnesota, G
Jones, SunSquabi, LOUDPVCK, Skism, NGHTMRE, Subtronics and many others, he and his guitar have graced the
stages of festivals such as Lollapalooza, Electric Forest, Buku, Lost Lands, Okeechobee, Big Dub, Global Dub,
Electric Zoo, EDC Vegas, EDC Orlando, Imagine, 515 Alive, Dreamscape, Nightmare Fest, and so much more.
Look for 2019 to be the breakout year for Boogie T and BOOGIE T.RIO!
Space Jesus is the feeling you get when you travel through a wormhole in a fresh pair of Jordans. Currently residing in Boulder, CO, Jasha Tull was born in New Jersey and raised on hip hop. With his alarm set to NYC’s Hot 97 throughout elementary school, Jasha started making beats at a young age, and created Space Jesus as a vessel to express his personal experiences through music. With a focus on alien basslines, gangster beats, and future feels, the Spaceman imprints his signature sound onto each genre he graces. After building a reputation for his dynamic live performances, and with appearances at Tomorrowworld, Shambhala, Mysteryland, and beyond under his belt, Space Jesus continues to explore the auditory universe in search of lower frequencies.
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Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist/producer and solidified axe wielder Sullivan King is shattering the mold of and disrupting the electronic world as he pioneers his metal-meets-EDM sonic adventure. Lifting the brash and rugged energy of bass music off the dance floors and the power of metal and hard rock from the stadiums, Sullivan King creates a musical mosh pit built entirely on rapid-paced, neck-snapping dubstep, his unrelenting riffs and a bold live show that pushes the boundaries of modern electronic music performance.
His original tracks, remixes and reimagined renditions take the vitality of dance music and run it through the immortal rock machine. The result is an undeniably, forward-pushing sound that’s captivating all ages.
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The longest running D&B DJ in the USA and founder of Big Riddim Recordings, Dave AK1200, has been a driving force within Drum and Bass culture in America since its inception. From his legendary mix CD’s to his extensive list of high profile remixes and original tunes, he has maintained a presence within the industry for more than 20 years. For lack of a better term, AK is a “classically” trained DJ. He is known for his abrupt style of live mixing and spontaneously programming groups of tunes into unforgettably raw sets.
AK’s dedication and devotion to drum and bass culture in and for the USA are unparalleled. He is a constant voice for the scene, and has spent the majority of his career helping to develop and establish new or unsigned DnB artists, particularly American. In 2000, he united with his long time friends and biggest competition, Dieselboy and DJ Dara to create Planet of the Drums with the collective goal of bringing drum and bass music to the main stage in America. Alongside Messinian on the microphone, the Planet of the Drums crew has become the most recognizable brand in the history of American drum and bass music.
AK has also closely worked with American DnB’s most decorated and prolific producer, Gridlok. In 2008, they released the highly acclaimed Autopsy double album. Immediately following that, they came with “Dub 4 Dub”, a tune described by Goldie as one that “should have come out on Metalheadz”. Most recently, they have created the DNBSTRONG tour campaign. Originally a phrase coined by AK to describe the growing enthusiasm amongst like-minded artists and fans of homegrown DnB and the culture itself, DNBSTRONG became a statement for all to once again rise up collectively and bring attention to the music and scene they proudly represent.
As we enter the post-EDM era, and newer music forms begin to take root and grow steadily into their own legacy, DnB culture continues to lead the way as a benchmark of true underground music with great confidence. With continuously standard setting tunes to the die-hard fans, this music is quickly becoming the next target for the masses that seek the one true sound they can commit to. AK1200, with his explosive sets and constant cheerleading for the DnB community, continues to encourage and inspire new and old fans, DJ’s, and artists alike. His ability to bring momentum to every market he performs, and relentless promotion of the scene itself and by delivering the message that no one person is bigger than the scene united, AK1200 truly is leading by example.
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ABOUT MARSHMELLO:
Marshmello, the anonymous Producer/DJ is taking the music industry by storm. Becoming one of the
fastest rising dance producers in history, his fanbase ranges from children to adults who have helped
him gather over 2 billion streams and over 300 consecutive sold out shows worldwide, currently making
him one of Spotify’s Top 10 most listened to Artists in the world. Catapulting his career with his official
remix of Jack U and Justin Bieber’s global hit “Where Are U Now’ which collected over 40 million plays
on Spotify & SoundCloud in less than six months. The masked producer’s debut album, Joytime, charted
at #1 on the iTunes Electronic Albums on release day and landed in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Top
Dance/Electronic Albums. Marshmello’s track “Alone” propelled his monumental success with over 117
million Spotify plays and over 900 million video views, making it certified Platinum in only 1 year.
Collaborations with a wide variety of artists, most recently with music’s pop princess Selena Gomez
“Wolves” hit #1 on Billboards Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Chart. All the while his other hit single
“Silence” featuring Khalid has over 300 million streams on Spotify and risen to number eight on Spotify’s
Global charts. As the layers of mystery continue to surround the man behind the mask, there is no doubt
Marshmello’s rapid takeover of the electronic-sphere will continue to leave everyone wanting more.
Tipper started his career in the UK rave scene during the late
90’s as a teenage prodigy of the new electronic sound. This
modest technician is one of the creators of what is now
commonly known as “bass music”, and his production style is
widely respected for its mastery of various forms and tempos
that have inspired appreciative ears and ecstatic dance floors
over the years.
Following Tipper’s musical footprint demonstrates his range
across different genres of electronica. Each step features his
unique exploration of deep bass frequencies, intricate
composition, and immaculate audio architecture. His
contributions to Nuskool Breakbeat and Glitch Hop are
regarded as important to the development of both genres. An
acclaimed and awarded Surround Sound composer, his sound
design is also very influential as a result of significant
contributions to industry-leading music-making software. You
may have already heard his music in the background of radio
and tv ads, films, and television shows.
Humbled by his creative longevity and standing, Tipper’s
approach to each performance demands he present previously
unheard original and unreleased material, underlining his ethos
that the audience should be equally moved and entertained. His
prowess with live scratching and turntablism makes him one of
the rare producers who can not only replicate his sound in a live
setting, but also add exciting improvisational energy. The
respect he shows for his ever growing fan-base makes Tipper a
must hear (and see) for music lovers of any kind. This is your
opportunity to experience a true innovator and pioneer of
electronic music.
Born of radical sonic possibilities and limitless permutations, Electronic music has always been a fluid genre where innovation is prized. Having been at the forefront of the sprawling genre since 2009, Dylan Mamid (DC) and Zachary Rapp-Rovan (Hooks), aka Zeds Dead, are acutely aware of how vital new ideas are. That’s why when the Toronto-based producer/DJs finally took time off from headlining festivals, they crafted a debut album full of dynamic, forward-thinking songs that defy categorization and disrupt musical foundations.
The products of two musically-inclined households, DC and Hooks played piano before moving onto the guitar. As teens, they became enamored with the beats of ’90s hip-hop producers (e.g. DJ Premier, Pete Rock) and formed production duo Mass Productions (MP). Like DJ Shadow or RJD2, they explored the boundless potential of hip-hop based instrumental music.
This insatiable appetite for sonic exploration has been the guiding principal of their career. In college, DC and Hooks became entranced by the rhythms of drum & bass, dubstep, and electro. Changing their name to Zeds Dead, the pair founded one of Canada’s most storied club nights: Bassmentality. Initially held in the tiny basement of 751, around-the-block crowds prompted a relocation to Toronto’s Wrongbar, where the duo booked artists like Skrillex, Borgore, and Nero.
Zeds Dead haven’t stopped their ascent since Bassmentality, touring the world, performing to thousands at music festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, Osheaga, HARD, Ultra, Tomorrowland Belgium, plus the biggest stages in India, Asia, & South America. Zeds Dead have also launched their own events, notably their annual Deadrocks event at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater, which they most recently sold out in June of 2016, and their first annual Deadbeats Toronto event at Echo beach in August 2016.
The group’s compelling, high-intensity live shows double as a showcase for their ever-expanding catalog. To date, Zeds Dead has released projects with electronic music titans like Ultra (The Living Dead) and Mad Decent. The duo considers their 2014 EP, Somewhere Else (Mad Decent), a significant artistic milestone. With features from Twin Shadow and Perry Farrell, among others, Hooks and DC seamlessly fused the sonic hallmarks of contemporary hip-hop with brain-melting bass, poignant piano keys, and more.
“The way Somewhere Else came together, the concept behind it, and the way we worked with other people — it was closer to my main vision for Zeds Dead,” says DC.
Zeds Dead fully realizes this vision on their forthcoming album, Northern Lights. Released via the group’s DeadBeats imprint, it is the culmination of two musical journeys, of years of collaboration, touring, and recording. As such, the album encompasses much of life’s emotional complexities. Some songs evoke the wistfulness of nostalgia, others the uncertainty of the present. While others still brim with bright-eyed hope for the future.
“It’s music that works best at night. The northern lights are something beautiful and vibrant coming out of the night sky,” explains DC. “That contrast provided the framework for the album.”
In Alice In Wonderland, Alice falls down a rabbit hole and enters a fantastic world of Lewis Carroll’s design.
A century-and-a-half later, Alison Wonderland architects a world of her own design as its chief author, creator, and voice. The Sydney-born and Los Angeles-based singer, producer, songwriter, and DJ realizes this vision at the intersection of future-facing pop, explosive beat-craft, and eternal dance rhythms.
Since emerging in 2009, her sound quietly inched towards mainstream ubiquity as the sonic sorceress received the “Highest Female DJ Billing Ever at Coachella,” captured #1 on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart twice consecutively, headlined sold out arenas around the globe, and clocked upwards of 100 million streams by 2018. Not to mention, ELLE proclaimed her one of its “Women On The Verge,” and she garnered features from FADER, Glamour, Seventeen, Interview, Wonderland, Chicago Tribune, Du Jour, and more. Simultaneously, Alison’s Radio Wonderland show clocked 5 million-plus iTunes downloads as well as broadcasting to over 20 countries and featuring prominently on the Sirius XM channel Diplo’s Revolution. That steady rise represents the culmination of a lifetime dedicated to crafting ethereal and engaging escapist music befitting of her evocative moniker.
She architected the foundation for this world as a child. The classically trained cellist split her formative years between the Sydney Youth Orchestra and playing guitar in local bands before diving into production and DJ-ing during 2008. Grinding it out with regular night club sets around Australia and a series of remixes for everyone from Little Dragon to Justin Bieber, she ignited an international splash in 2015 with the full-length debut, Run. Not only did it reach gold status down under, but it earned a pair of nominations at the ARIA Awards. Arriving with a bang, she made her live introduction stateside at Coachella. Fast forward to 2017, she achieved the “Best New Artist” honor at the first-ever Electronic Dance Music Awards, while her remix of Dua Lipa’s “New Rules” soared to #1 on the Billboard Dance Charts.
Alison’s 2018 sophomore effort, Awake, leveled up every element. She joined forces with an all-star cast of collaborators such as Joel Little [Lorde], Illangelo [The Weeknd], Party Favor [Mad Decent], and longtime cohort Lido. Meanwhile, she teamed up with innovators including Chief Keef on “Dreamy” and Trippie Redd on “High.” The record became the multi-talented phenomenon’s second straight #1 bow on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart as “Church” leapt past the 14 million-mark on Spotify in a few months’ time. For the ensuing headline tour, she sold out hallowed venues across the states, namely Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and WaMu Theatre, to name a few.
However, Alison’s world continues to grow and expand with each subsequent single, album, and tour. It’ll only get brighter, bolder, and bigger from here on out.
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Producer Seven Lions has never had a problem breaking rules and transcending musical boundaries to satisfy his creative vision. Catching his break after winning a Beatport remix contest in 2012 with his dubstep-focused version of Above & Beyond’s “You Got to Go”, Seven Lions, born Jeff Montalvo, garnered early support from the likes of Skrillex and his OWSLA label. 2013 tour dates with Porter Robinson and Krewella pushed Montalvo and his genre-bending production style to the forefront of the modern electronic music scene.
Putting sheer technical production prowess to work in soulful, deep, hybridized creations all distinctly his own, the multi-talented musician is single-handedly changing the sonic landscape for future generations to come by bridging the gap between the soaring, ethereal vibe of trance and intensely adrenalizing bass music. His productions have seen stages at world-renowned festivals such as Ultra Music Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival (New York and Las Vegas), Electric Forrest, Electric Zoo, South by Southwest, and HARD.
After several successful releases under the OWSLA label (his debut EP, Days to Come, reached #2 on the iTunes Dance charts), Montalvo released his highly anticipated 2014 follow-up EP, Worlds Apart, on Republic Records’ dance imprint Casablanca. Containing several notable features which include Ellie Goulding and Tove Lo, Worlds Apart debuted at #1 on the iTunes Dance charts, and the title track was also featured in Billboard’s “Top 10 Electronic/Dance Songs of 2014” list. The EP also featured the smash hit and canonical dance track ‘Strangers’, featuring superstar vocalist Tove Lo. ‘Strangers’ was a definitive track in what was perhaps the peak of American electronic dance music, and solidified Seven Lions as one of the scene’s premier artists.
In 2015, Seven Lions began releasing music in EP formats, devoting each EP to a cohesive idea and world found within the Seven Lions universe. 2015’s “The Throes of Winter” hints at a larger seasonal theme, to be continued through to his future releases. When asked about the spark for this vision, he explains, “Since artists aren’t releasing proper albums anymore, it makes sense to create something that’s digitally artistic with real cohesion as opposed to tossing out singles and just haphazardly seeing what sticks… I wanted to start making the music more thematic, interesting, and part of something larger.”
Bucking more trends and breaking from convention, his 2016 Creation EP [Casablanca Records] followed a different path for his latest body of work. “This time, songwriting really took place on guitar,” he explains. “There are more acoustic elements in the songs, and that ties it together. I wanted to get a little more experimental. I didn’t worry if something was going to be a big banger on the dancefloor or not. I just made what felt right at the time.” Ultimately, Seven Lions continues challenging himself and musical genres. “I want to do something different,” he concludes. “Everything doesn’t have to fit into just one genre. I want people to walk away loving different kinds of music and sounds.”
This year saw Seven Lions once more travel across the country on his There and Back Again club-focused tour, in addition to hallmark festival appearances at Tomorrowland, EDC Las Vegas, Life in Color, EDC Japan, Middlelands, Electric Zoo, and Paradiso, amongst others. This summer the sound-sculptor unveiled his highly-anticipated Where I Wont Be Found EP as well, continuing his always growing world, identified via these annual EP projects. The eight-track offering is a wondrous journey from start to. From the heavily streamed and critically praised “Freesol,” to the energetic future bass collaboration “Rescue Me” with scene upstart Unlike Pluto, Where I Wont Be Found reminds fans of what made Seven Lions who he is today – a singular talent in electronic music, and a producer who has always forged his own lane.
In support of the EP and the year as a whole, Seven Lions will wrap up 2017 with a 20 date North American headlining tour with Tritonal (and Kill The Noise as support). Playing some of America’s largest theatres, the Horizon Tour hits LA (2 nights at the iconic Palladium), NYC (Brooklyn’s Hangar), Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco (Bill Graham), Toronto, and many other key locales.
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You may identify him by his trademark mask and hoodie, yet behind the mysterious
character is the Norwegian artist, DJ and producer Alan Walker. With more than 15 billion
audio and video streams worldwide, and almost 40 million followers across social media, it is
safe to say that the 21-year old has already put a lasting imprint on the music scene since he
first made his mark a few years ago. As his very first album “Different World” is due to be
released at the end of 2018, Walker is ready to reach a whole new level in his career.
Born in Northampton, England to a Norwegian mother and British father, Walker moved
with his family to Bergen, Norway, at the age of two. Being a true post-millennial child, he
grew up surrounded by technology and became fascinated by programming, gaming and
graphic design. Inspired by EDM pioneers as well as his natural love for film scores, Walker
quickly converged his inspiration and musical influences when he first started to experiment
with music production. He shared his creations with the world, making use of the tools of
the digital age, with early tracks gaining traction and millions of plays on YouTube and
SoundCloud. Through innovative and forward-thinking formats such as online label
NoCopyrightSounds, his music was exposed to fans across the globe.
One of these tracks was later re-released as the commercial debut “Faded” at the end of
2015. The single quickly spread like wildfire and has since earned multi-platinum
certifications around the world, and billions of plays across streaming services. A string of
popular singles has followed, including “Alone”, “All Falls Down” and “Diamond Heart”.
Through his successful run of releases, Walker has also collaborated with and remixed music
from Noah Cyrus, Sia, Bruno Mars, Avicii, Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, Kygo, Charli XCX, Julia
Michaels and more.
Today, Alan Walker is one of the most in-demand and sought-after artists in the scene, and
continuously one of the 100 most popular artists on Spotify. He has had an impressive run of
more than 500 headliner and festival shows, including Coachella, Tomorrowland, Ultra Music
Festival, Lollapalooza and more. In addition, he has supported global superstars such as
Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Kygo. And despite his short career span to date, some of his
awards and nominations include 2x Norwegian Grammy, 3x MTV EMA, BRIT Awards,
Billboard 21 under 21, and the #17 spot on DJ MAG Top 100.
But beyond the impressive accolades and staggering numbers, what makes Walker special is
his ability to engage fans around the world with his creations. The community of “Walker’s”
find a sense of refuge, belonging and unity amongst each other, all sharing a common
fascination for Walker’s melancholic and emotional music, as well as distinct, refreshing and
mysterious creative universe. And with the entire world as his playground and the majority
of his career still ahead of him, it’s impossible to predict what the future holds for the young
artist who has slowly become the voice of his generation.
In this day and age of music cross-pollination, Claude VonStroke sits at the forefront of all that is good, proper, and most importantly, fun. He’s just as at home remixing Kenny Larkin or Rihanna as he is dropping multiple underground hits. DJ-wise, his relentless touring of every major city, festival and, basement after-party around the world has only enriched this unique perspective on music.
Raised in Detroit and now based in Venice Beach, Barclay Crenshaw created the quirky alias “Claude VonStroke” in 2005 and went on to become one of the most well-respected label owners and DJs in dance music. His first release, ‘Deep Throat’ was a hit, putting his imprint on the decks of DJs around the globe. But the real breakthrough came with double-header ‘The Whistler/Who’s Afraid of Detroit?.’ The 12” cemented Claude’s reputation as a producer to be reckoned with, crossing borders, genres, and musical ears, and is now known as one of the classic dance releases of the decade.
Since then, VonStroke has released three original artist albums, a remix album, and several high profile mix compilations. Highlights include a collaboration with the legendary P-Funk bassist Bootsy Collins as well as a few #1 & #2 hits on Beatport. Most importantly, VonStroke has kept it original, fun and funky.
As the owner of the record labels, Dirtybird & Mothership, VonStroke also built an impeccable A&R roster signing acts like Justin Martin, Julio Bashmore, Catz ‘n Dogz, Riva Starr, Tim Green, Breach, Eats Everything, Maetrik, Italoboyz, Justin Jay, and Shiba San well before they broke out of their hometown scenes (he even named a few of these artists.) Today, his labels continue to surprise and innovate in the underground dance scene, releasing an enigmatic combination of house, funk, dirty-bass, and electronica. Staying true to Crenshaw’s Detroit heritage, Dirtybird and Mothership donate 10% of profits to a children’s music school in Detroit.
A lot of Claude’s success can be attributed to a good attitude. He does not scowl and look mean while he DJs. He does not pretend to know everything and truly loves his fans. He is grateful to be doing music for a living and knows that the reason people go to parties is to shake their asses and have fun.
Catch him play at numerous festivals and clubs worldwide, or, even better, at his legendary Dirtybird BBQ series of outdoor events.
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Jordan Kelley and Jason Huber — shake, stir, and serve up a tasty brew of dance, funk, rock, and electronic music. Think of a tattooed 21st century Parliament-Funkadelic primed for festival stages far and wide, and you’ve got a decent starting point. Straight out of Nashville, TN, the boys initially met at Middle Tennessee State University in 2010. Immediately bonding and forging a lifelong friendship, they like to call it, “The Unfuckwithable.”
“Our friendship has always been based on a mutual respect,” says Jason. “Jordan had an entire record written, but he wasn’t really playing shows. I was playing shows, but I didn’t really have many songs. It made sense to join forces on so many levels. Now, we live together, work together, and play together.”
After a handful of independent albums, CHERUB’s “Doses & Mimosas” began to organically generate serious buzz. It caught the attention of Columbia Records who signed the boys in 2013. A year later, they cooked up their full-length debut, Year of the Caprese, and embarked on a whirlwind ride. Driven by the re-released breakout “Doses & Mimosas,” which racked up over 41 million Spotify streams, the band made their television debut on CONAN, topped HypeMachine, and received props from Rolling Stone, Interview Magazine, The Guardian, Paste, Complex, and many more. They built a diehard and dedicated fan base throwing down on cleverly titled tours like “The Blow’d Tour,” “So… YOU DTF Tour?,” and its obligatory sequel the .”..STILL DTF Tour?” Moreover, they became a worldwide main stage festival attraction, tearing up Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, Outside Lands, Osheaga, Summer Camp, and even Summer Sonic in Japan.
Along the way, they began assembling what would become their second major label full-length, Bleed Gold, Piss Excellence. 2015 saw them welcome producer and drummer Nick Curtis and guitarist Jordan “JB” Bartlett into the live band, and it definitely made a mark on the creative process.
“Having extra and different energy has been really cool for us,” says Jordan. “The foundation for many of the new songs started with JB playing guitar over a synth line, while I was jamming on a Moog synthesizer. We’ve been nerding out with gear, often creating ideas live first and then dumping then into the computer. Before, we’d begin with some software program and add live instrumentation afterwards. It’s not like we made a Christmas album or an all-acoustic record. It’s still Cherub; it’s just the next level.”
“It’s been fun to break out of our normal habits in the studio and experiment with new songs,” adds Jason. “Everything has a more organic feel. We’ve been going back to things that inspired us growing up. We both love the early nineties rap, R&B, alternative rock, and pop that we grew up with on the radio.”
The first single, “Bleed Gold, Piss Excellence,” struts along on a funky, fiery, and fierce bass line, finger-snaps, and a guitar jangle. In between a talk box transmission that Dr. Dre would approve of, CHERUB churn out a neo-funk disco epic.
“One time, we played this New Year’s Party,” recalls Jordan. “There was a VIP section, which I think is hilarious, but I get it. However, this VIP section had another VIP section inside of it. I think the mindset of people ‘Bobby Bottle Servicing It Up’ is funny.”
“‘Bleed Gold, Piss Excellence’ is the attitude someone in that place might exude,” continues Jason. “It’s a tongue-in-cheek ode to them, but we recognize it’s okay to have a tiny drop of that pompous attitude in you. You should have that kind of confidence; just don’t let it consume you!”
Across the album, the music shuffles from dusty boom bap-style drums a la OutKast into shimmering guitar tones as if DJ Premier were producing Cocteau Twins. It’s a lively and lush sonic palette, breathing new life into nostalgia.
Ultimately, Bleed Gold, Piss Excellence represents the next natural step for CHERUB.
“We put our hearts and souls into it,” Jordan leaves off. “We’re always trying to progress. We don’t want to stick to a certain pattern. I want people to take away that we’re growing and will continue to do so.”
“This album was all about dynamics,” concludes Jason. “Music is supposed to feel alive. You feel it living and breathing when you listen to it. It surprises you. That’s what we wanted with this album.”
Matoma has cemented himself as a powerhouse in the electronic music community, creating collaborations and remixes of the who’s who of modern pop including One Direction, Coldplay, Jason Derulo, Dua Lipa, Jennifer Lopez, Sean Paul, The Notorious B.I.G. and more. Most recently, his journey hits a new landmark moment with the release of his debut album ONE IN A MILLION. The critically-acclaimed album is brimming with all new collaborations with the likes of James Newman, Yashua and Nina Nesbitt as well as four of his biggest tracks to date, ‘False Alarm’ (with Becky Hill), ‘Lonely’ (with MAX), ‘Slow’ (with Noah Cyrus) and ‘All Night’ (with The Vamps), which have amassed over half a billion streams to date.
Matoma first made a huge impression with his groundbreaking playlist-meets-album concept, ‘Hakuna Matoma’. The dynamic collection acted as an evolving body of work, allowing fans to choose the singles based on streams. Featuring collaborations with a variety of global music stars – One Direction, Coldplay, Snoop Dogg, Jason Derulo, Jennifer Lopez, Dua Lipa, Sean Paul and more – its tracks have accumulated a staggering one billion streams at Spotify alone. The collection also featured his first two mainstream hits which both received extensive airplay at Radio 1 in the UK. ‘All Night’, his collab with The Vamps, has been streamed over 350 million times on Spotify and is featured on their #1 album ‘Night & Day’. The track followed Matoma’s first chart hit, ‘False Alarm’ feat. Becky Hill, which has since gone on to garner nearly 200 million streams on Spotify alone.
Hello, world: Rusko kindly requests that you wake the fuck up.
The Leeds-born DJ/producer who ascended with the original U.K. dubstep movement — and gave it one of its first and most enduring anthems, a bolt of foul-mouthed rave lightening called “Cockney Thug” — is here to tell you that music is not about labels and dance is no fad. And to prove it, he proudly presents “SONGS”: His gutsy, freewheeling, brilliant second album.
“The sound of my early releases was very dub-influenced, and just good, fun, bouncy vibes,” he says. “The majority of dubstep at the moment I think is aggressive, and I don’t like angry music; I don’t want to be angry in a club. So I wanted to make something really happy, but still heavy.”
“Happy and heavy” is a proper way to describe the vibe that has carried Rusko from the first moments of dubstep’s life to the biggest stages in the world; from a single, seminal bass wobble to a swath of sounds that can’t be capped in a few simple syllables. He might be one of the guys who started it all — but he’s sure as hell not going to leave it at that.
A staple of the global electronic underground, Rusko has packed nightclubs, concert venues and festivals across the world, and not only dance-dedicated ones: From Electric Daisy Carnival and Ultra Music Festival, to Coachella and Lollapalooza; from Germany’s Melt! to Australia’s Good Vibrations. He created the majority of “O.M.G.!,” his hard-hitting debut artist album, on the road, cutting tracks by day, and testing them on living, breathing dance floors by night. But for the follow-up, he wanted to try a different strategy.
“From January to late September 2011, I didn’t make a single track,” he says. “I spent all that time touring around the world, building up a massive swell of ideas inside me.”
With the long tour done, the artist took two months completely off and ensconced himself in a tiny one-room studio in California’s Hollywood Hills, with no phone reception and spotty-at-best Internet access. The hermit style paid off.
“I made all 14 songs in 8 weeks,” he says. “I didn’t try any out like before; I just stayed in the same headspace and vibe, and made the whole album in one go. You can really tell: Compared to ‘O.M.G.!,’ it sounds like one crazy Technicolor song!”
There is indeed a rowdy kind of sprightliness throughout “SONGS,” which sets a wizard’s box of dance music charms to some of its most misunderstood: cracking, smacking breakbeats, and reverberant, sonic-boom bass. The rave piano vamp of first single “Somebody to Love,” the accelerated classic house of “Pressure,” the head-nodding reggae of “Skanker,” the epically trancey sweep of “Opium” and “Thunder,” even “Dirty Sexy,” a tongue-y but not so cheeky nugget of American-style R&B: They all express a different part of what makes Rusko pogo like a punk while he spins, and carry the energy and soul of his inimitable, genre-be-damned style.
Back in 2007 — when “dubstep” was an idea known to a critical few — Rusko and DJ/producer Caspa lit the spark with a dubstep-dedicated mix for London nightclub Fabric’s influential compilation series Fabriclive. Rusko’s “Cockney Thug” was the centerpiece, evangelizing the bass “wobble” that’s since set the world on fire — a seminal moment that the Guardian UK called one of the 50 key events in dance music history. The young artist released a slew of singles and EPs, including the “Babylon” series, which shows his transition from happier rave to heavier dub. Remix commissions came in droves: Rusko has put his buoyant spin on over 20 tracks, including Kid Cudi’s “Day ‘N’ Night,” Lady Gaga’s “Alejandro,” and Kid Sister’s “Pro Nails.” He also produced the majority of “Maya,” M.I.A’s third and highest-charting studio album.
In 2010, Rusko’s “Cali Anthem” becoming the first dubstep tune to be listed on US radio, and “O.M.G.!” was released on Mad Decent/Downtown. Containing tracks like the raucous “Woo Boost” and elegantly aggressive anthem “Hold On” (featuring Amber Coffman from The Dirty Projectors), it cemented the young artist as one of the leaders of the new dance movement.
Rusko is touring internationally behind “SONGS,” and preparing to release an EP with a similarly ingenious group of rule-breakers: American hip-hop outfit Cypress Hill.
So world, if you’re awake, now hear this: Rusko is here to roll the beats, and dance music will never be the same.
Back in 2013 David Lee Crow, now known as “Ghastly”, had just left
his goat farm in Arizona and was still living in his van working several day jobs ranging from being a server, to an after-school
teacher while opening up as a local at Exchange LA. Since then, it
has been an incredible rise for Ghastly, seeing him become a
festival mainstay and playing some of the biggest shows around
the world such as Coachella, EDC, Ultra Music Festival, and more.
As an Artist who is always looking to push boundaries creatively,
Ghastly has continued to evolve his sound experimenting and
melting genres together while collaborating with some of the
biggest names in the game.
Playing piano and various instruments since the age of eight, Colorado native Trevor Christensen is coming forward with a fresh perspective on music. Bringing a melodic background and technical training into his work, he is able to capture everything beautiful in what people know as EDM. His music is what he hopes it to be, an experience: a captivating blend of moving basslines and soaring melodies. This is nothing you want to miss.
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Few artists have seen the kind of growth that K?D has seen. The Florida-born producer & DJ went from attending his first festival as a fan in 2016 to performing at EDC LV’s Circuit Grounds stage less than 2 years later. The young prodigy burst onto the scene with remixes of Daft Punk and Steve James over two years ago and has since continued to develop his story.\n\nHis innate ability to produce a diverse range of music is something that Patrick Cybulski prides himself in. He can create wonderful dreamscapes like with “Discover” and “Somewhere Far Away From Here” and concoct nightmares like “Mortem” or “Vindicta.” His singles “Lose Myself” and “Distance” hit the Billboard charts and artists from all over the dance music spectrum like Wolfgang Gartner & Rezz have collaborated with him. This past fall, he released his genre-diverse debut EP \”Find Paradise\” featuring ‘Electronic Memories ft. Mickey Kojak,’ ‘Tokyo,’ ‘Polluted Blood’ and more. Expect even more music in music in 2019.\n\nK?D’s creativity is not limited to music though, as he incorporates his own imaginative illustrations & design in his music, live shows, merchandise, and more. His prolific genius has earned him the respect of fans and peers alike. His fervent fan base helped him sell out 75% of his first headline tour and have followed him around the globe to festivals like Tomorrowland, Ultra, Lollapalooza and more. This past fall, k?d completed his full North American \”Find Paradise\” headline tour featuring custom production and a custom video & lighting experience. What’s next for this inventive visionary? Only time will tell, but rest assured it’s going to be something you have never seen before
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Nora En Pure is the Deep House & Indie Dance music sensation that is rippling through
the sonic sphere with her beautiful blend of electronic beats. A core member of the
Helvetic Nerds group, Nora leads listeners out of the darker realms of Deep House
with intricate instrumentals and enlightening melodies. Every track she gets her hands
on turns to gold and every performance she gives leaves the audience in awe.
Moving far away from her home at an early age to Zürich, Switzerland, Daniela with real name found herself longing to touch base with her South African roots. Growing up listening to
classical music and playing the flute and piano, she began creating her own electronic
beats. 2009 saw the beginnings of her musical career, releasing her debut tracks via
the Enormous Tunes and Tonkenish imprints. Her breakthrough track ‘Come With Me’
catapulted her into the spotlight in 2013. Sparking wide interest in her sound, the track
received extensive support from industry tastemakers and captivated a large and
ever-growing legion of fans. Collaborating with the likes of Wretch 32, Aston Shuffle,
Adrian Lux and Klingande, Nora En Pure infiltrated herself into the depths of the dance
music world.
Gracing the decks of some of the most revered dance music spots on the planet, Nora
has played sets at Ultra Music Festival Miami, Mysteryland USA, Webster Hall NYC and
Privilege Ibiza, to name a few. Her remarkable release schedule introduced an array
of fan favorites, including her ‘Saltwater (2015 Rework)’ and her Hype Machine #1 edit of
Australian production trio RÜFÜS’ ‘You Were Right’. Her two-track ‘Morning Dew’ EP featured
the hauntingly beautiful title track, which was selected as Pete Tong’s first Essential
New Tune of the year in his BBC Radio 1 show.
Meeting many career milestones over the past two years, 2016 saw Daniela deliver
her breathtaking BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix, tour relentlessly to bring her scintillating
sound to as many countries as humanly possible and complete her first Ibiza residency
at the world’s largest club, Privilege Ibiza. In 2017 she delivered a long list of
sensational releases, including her diverse 4-track ‘Conquer Yosemite’ EP, funk-driven
cuts ‘Waves’ and ‘Fever’, and touching creations ‘Tears In Your Eyes’ and ‘Trailblazer’.
Making her debut at Coachella and being the only female artist to play
Tomorrowland’s Mainstage Daybreak Session, she closed the year on an all-time high.
Striding her way into 2018, Nora landed her own weekly radio show on SiriusXM Chill
and is gearing up for her debut Purified Miami Music Week Party. Her first track of the
year, ‘Sphinx’, has rapidly become a fan favorite, and has taken her all over the world
on her Sphinx Tour. With a long list of festival appearances on the horizon, including
Ultra Music Festival’s 20th Anniversary event, Panorama Festival NYC and
Tomorrowland, Nora En Pure continues to impress with every move she makes
As the late Oscar Wilde once said: “life is too important to be taken seriously”, an ethos that Justin Martin is sticking with despite achieving soaring success over the last six years as a producer and international DJ. Justin initially pricked the ears of the electronic music community in 2003 with his first record „The Sad Piano‟ on Ben Watt‟s Buzzin‟ Fly label. Everyone in the electronic music food chain got involved, from the A list DJs like Derrick Carter and Pete Tong that were playing the track, to the international music press that were raving about it. It even translated to the German underground, with Poker Flat licensing it for Steve Bug‟s „Bugnology‟ compilation. Like someone that goes bowling for the first time and gets five strikes and a turkey, Justin couldn‟t really have hoped for a better entrance.
Feeding off the energy of the San Francisco underground and mentored by fellow super producer Claude Vonstroke, Justin was intrinsically involved with the development of dirtybird records, appearing on its first four releases. Justin was soon ready to take flight, releasing a string of solo EPs which flaunted a very unique sound and garnered still more respect among fellow DJS and heavyweight‟s of the scene.
As well as his formidable arsenal of original productions, Justin is now equally known for his collaborations with his brother Christian as The Martin Brothers, producing such hip-hop influenced hits as „Stoopit‟ and „Dum‟. Justin has also made his mark remixing such bona fide classics as Radiohead‟s „Nude‟, Marshall Jefferson‟s „Mushrooms‟, and TG‟s „Revox‟, firmly establishing himself as the man to make big tracks even bigger.
Demand for Justin‟s skills behind the decks has skyrocketed with his bookings schedule basically crammed to capacity for the next 4 months. With bookings confirmed everywhere from Exit Festival (Belgrade), to Sonar (Barcelona) to Panorama Bar (Berlin), Justin‟s diary is reading like the dreams of a professional raver. Stateside he continues to be a regular fixture at the dirtybird events in San Francisco and beyond.
Further nods to his skills as a DJ and tastemaker are apparent in his growing discography of mix compilations, most notably his own „Chaos Restored‟ mix series on the prestigious Buzzin‟ Fly label.
Music journalists typically describe Justin‟s sound as „melodic and tough‟ with his music encapsulating both melody and emotional depth yet always with enough undeniable ass shaking properties to translate to the floor.
“I‟m always trying to find music for my DJ sets that rattles sound systems, but still has enough melody and interesting texture to expand your mind even if you‟re sitting at home on a snowy or rainy day.”
In 2009, production wise Justin has a few EPs scheduled to drop on dirtybird, a remix for Freerange, and a DJ mix for Ministry of Sound‟s „Underground series‟ compilation. He remains as enthusiastic as ever to be involved in the scene. When recently questioned by Resident Advisor on what he‟d be doing if he wasn‟t a DJ or dance music producer he just replied: “Wishing I was a DJ or music producer.”
By all accounts it‟s hard to tell him to wipe that smile off his face.
Within a scene that is constantly changing, few have risen through the trenches and have stirred
the bass community in 2017 as much as Bay Area native Danny Howland, better known as
SVDDEN DEATH.
Taking inspirations from Noisia, 16BIT, Skrillex, and other legends in the dubstep community –
SVDDEN DEATH has formulated a hybrid of textured rhythms and sub-wrecking basslines to
create his own maniacal sound.
With the release of his first EP through the well-known Never Say Die: Black Label as well as
singles released via Buygore Record’s newest imprint Fresh Blood – SVDDEN DEATH has
made his mark in the bass scene and will be one to watch.
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF AUSTRALIA’S DANCE MUSIC BOOM, ANNA LUNOE
BECAME KNOWN AS ONE OF THE BEST EMERGING DJS IN SYDNEY. HER
EXCELLENT TRACK SELECTIONS AND CHARISMATIC PRESENCE BEHIND THE
DECKS LATER TRANSLATED TO AIRWAVES, FESTIVAL STAGES, AND POP
CHARTS, AS SHE STARTED HOSTING A SYDNEY-BASED RADIO SHOW FOR
THE FBI STATION, AND BECAME THE FIRST FEMALE TO HEAD MINISTRY OF
SOUND AU’S CLUBBERS GUIDE COMPILATION SERIES .
FOLLOWING A MOVE TO LA, LUNOE QUICKLY ESTABLISHED HERSELF AS A
NOTABLE PRODUCER WITHIN THE SCENE THROUGH HER DEBUT “REAL TALK”
COLLABORATION WITH TOUCH SENSITIVE, WHICH MAINTAINED A NO. 1
SPOT ON BEATPORT’S INDIE DANCE CHART FOR 4 MONTHS STRAIGHT.
AROUND THE SAME TIME, HER “I MET YOU” TAG-TEAM WITH FLUME ROSE
TO MULTI-MILLION PLAYS ON YOUTUBE.
AFTER NEARLY A DECADE’S WORTH OF EXTENSIVE TOURING, PRODUCTION
WORK, REMIX CURATION, AND CULTIVATING A FANBASE FROM ALL
CORNERS OF THE WORLD, LUNOE WAS APPROACHED BY ZANE LOWE TO
HELP LAUNCH THE APPLE MUSIC-FRONTED BEATS 1 RADIO PLATFORM
ALONGSIDE FELLOW HOSTS, DR. DRE, PHARRELL, ELTON JOHN, AND DRAKE.
HERE, SHE DEBUTED HER HYPERHOUSE BRAND.
HYPERHOUSE HAS GROWN FROM A RADIO SHOW WHICH HAS FEATURED
THE LIKES OF JAMIE XX, DIPLO, LOUIS THE CHILD, A-TRAK, LIDO, MIJA, JUSTIN
MARTIN, DILLON FRANCIS, AND MORE, TO AN ONGOING LIVE SERIES IN LA
STARRING A DIFFERENT MYSTERY LINEUP EACH MONTH, TO A FULL-ON
TOUR CYCLE WITH ALTERNATING ACTS IN EACH CITY, AND A FESTIVAL
STAGE TAKEOVER BRAND AT EVENTS LIKE HOLY SHIP, HARD FEST AND WMC.
“Debuting on the proli!c San Fran label Dirtybird back in
2008, J.Phlip aka Jessica Phillippe became a small-yet-
powerful rose among a bunch of big, burly thorns. “e
Chicago native’s !rst release for the imprint, ‘Rumble
Rumble’, devastated dance#oors at Miami’s Winter Music
Conference with its all-consuming bass, playful popcorn
snaps and soda can explosions.”
—
BIO
essica Phillippe is diehard, born with true grit and skills to pay the
bills. Despite her success with the dirtybird gang, she’s still out there
in record stores on the regular… digging, uncovering precious gems and
weaving them into her dynamic sets with panache. She’s a hard-working,
dedicated lady who refuses to compromise and aims to rock the dance
#oor without relying on the most obvious tracks. Production-wise she’s
just as fearsome, lacing her tracks with a tough yet bouncy #avour. Her
prowess in both disciplines combined with her infectious sense of fun and
mind-boggling depth of knowledge make her one of the most revered DJs
on the global circuit today.
Ever since the purchase of a cheap set of belt-drive decks and a mixer on
her 19th birthday she really hasn’t looked back and, a$er completing her
studies in Engineering, the straight-A student jumped head !rst into her
true passion, music. She won a DJ competition in 2005, toured the USA
and moved from her hometown, Champaign, Illinois, to the birthplace of
house music, Chicago. In the Windy City she endured the struggle that
many musicians go through on their pathway to glory but never lost sight
of her dream. A move to San Francisco resulted in more hard times, but it
wasn’t long before her determination and natural talent won through.
Launching his music career from his freshman dorm room, the Los Angeles-based 22-year-old producer/DJ, Justin Jay, has already seen success that extends well beyond his years, but he is surely not resting on any laurels as he further refines his expertise as a true artist. As the youngest member of the dirtybird family, Justin has seen support by the likes of Claude VonStroke, Jamie Jones, Disclosure, Tiga, and George Fitzgerald, among many others, while also being recognized as a “Future Star” by trusted tastemakers, such as Pete Tong, and fans alike. At the heart of his music, Justin Jay manifests his soul, funk, and jazz roots in a nostalgic, yet forward-thinking manner that yields his unmistakable brand of house music, which has won him releases on labels such as dirtybird, Culprit, Southern Fried Records, & Pets Recordings. His productions have also put him in the spotlight on club and festival stages across the globe, from LA’s HARD Summer to the dirtybird residency at Sankeys Ibiza, where he held crowds in his grasp, taking fans on a rollercoaster of energy and music ranging from deep house to breakbeat to techno. Justin Jay is set to continue building his career one step at a time, not taking any shortcuts and remaining humble, earning his place as a leader in dance music.
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American producer and musician Brian Transeau (mainly known by his initials) has led a lengthy, multifaceted career spanning not only dance and pop music, but also software development and composition work for film, television, video games, and more. Known as a pioneer of trance and progressive house during the 1990s, he released ambitious, highly acclaimed albums such as 1995’s Ima and 1997’s ESCM, and scored worldwide club hits with tracks like “Blue Skies,” his 1996 collaboration with Tori Amos. By the end of the decade, he began moving away from trance and towards nu skool breaks, releasing the hip-hop-influenced Movement in Still Life in 1999. He achieved major success scoring hit films such as Go (1999) and The Fast and the Furious (2001), in addition to producing *NSYNC’s major 2001 hit “Pop.” BT’s 21st century albums have ranged from more pop-influenced, guest-heavy efforts like 2003’s Emotional Technology and 2010’s These Hopeful Machines to more experimental, less commercial works like the orchestral This Binary Universe (2006) and _ (2016). Heavily involved in music production technology, Transeau founded software company Sonik Architects and designed plug-ins related to his signature stutter edit. He founded synth pop duo All Hail the Silence with singer Christian Burns in 2012, and their debut album, Daggers, was released in 2019.
Born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, Transeau started playing piano at an early age, and began studying at the Washington Conservatory of Music by the time he was eight. Even while he was studying string arrangement and orchestration, Transeau listened to Depeche Mode and Yes. He attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston for one year, but then dropped out and moved to Los Angeles in order to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter. Realizing that producing electronic music was his true passion, he was soon back in Washington, D.C., where he hooked up with longtime friend Ali Shirazinia’s new Deep Dish production team. He had already played synthesizer for albums by Salt-N-Pepa and Tyler Collins before debuting on Deep Dish Records with two 1993 singles under his full name, “A Moment of Truth” and “Relativity.” His first single as BT, “Embracing the Future,” was released that year by Musicnow Records.
The tracks became club hits in Britain, routinely played by super DJs like Sasha and Paul Oakenfold for their epic, symphonic qualities, which worked well as a sort of climax at clubs like Cream and Ministry of Sound. Signed to Oakenfold’s Perfecto Records, BT continued his success with 1995 singles like “Embracing the Sunshine” and “Loving You More,” and did remix work for Mike Oldfield, Seal, and Billie Ray Martin. His debut album, Ima, was a hit with British audiences, though Transeau’s name remained largely unheard in his native land.
One 1996 remix largely changed that. Transeau’s collaboration with Tori Amos, “Blue Skies,” became a massive club hit in America and Great Britain. By 1997, England received a wave of pop hits in the same line pioneered by Transeau; dubbed dream house, artists like Robert Miles and Sash! typified the approach with a wash of new age or prog-influenced synthesizers and a chugging beat indebted to trance. Transeau himself attempted to distance himself from the style with his 1997 album follow-up, ESCM, which incorporated elements of drum’n’bass as well as live instrumentation and string arrangements.
Movement in Still Life followed in 1999, moving away from trance towards breaks, while also exploring hip-hop and alternative rock. He marked time between albums with high-profile production work, including *NSYNC’s chart hit “Pop” and several songs recorded for Britney Spears’ 2001 album, Britney. Two remix collections (Still Life in Motion and R&R) appeared in 2001, and a career retrospective titled 10 Years in the Life was released in 2002. Emotional Technology, which featured collaborations with JC Chasez, Charmed actress Rose McGowan, and guitarist Richard Fortus, appeared in 2003. BT was also moving beyond his own musical sphere during this time by venturing into film. Following his previous work for Go and The Fast and the Furious, his score Music from and Inspired by the Film Monster was released in spring 2004. His 2006 effort, This Binary Universe, continued his exploration of other genres with ambient music and more experimental sounds filling the album. A tour with Thomas Dolby followed.
In late 2009, BT announced he was putting the finishing touches on a double album, These Hopeful Machines. The effort was released the following year and featured appearances by Stewart Copeland, Kirsty Hawkshaw, and JES. It received a 2011 Grammy nomination. A one-disc edit (These Humble Machines) and a two-disc remix (These Re-Imagined Machines) arrived months later. By the end of that year, SiriusXM aired the first episode of his Laptop Symphony program, featuring BT’s hand-selected play lists of up-to-date club music. A mix album of the same title was later issued. 2012 proved to be busy for BT. In addition to starting a synth pop project with Vince Clarke and Christian Burns — which they called All Hail the Silence — BT composed a pair of minimalist ambient collections, If the Stars Are Eternal So Are You and I and Morceau Subrosa. His ninth LP, A Song Across Wires, plunged BT back into the club world. JES returned for the effort, along with Aqualung and Christian Burns. Wires broke into the Top 10 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic and Heatseekers charts.
In 2015, BT unveiled his Electronic Opus collection, an album of previously released tracks like “Dreaming” and “Skylarking” reimagined as symphonic remixes. BT scored the music for Shanghai Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, which premiered in 2016. His tenth full-length arrived later in the year. Originally untitled, BT would dub it _. Recorded in the United States, Iceland, China, Bora Bora, Japan, and Australia, _ was split into three sections — Artifacture, Indivism, and Ω — and returned BT to the world of atmospheric ambient soundscapes. His first score for a Bollywood film, Ittefaq, was released in 2018. Daggers, the debut full-length by All Hail the Silence, appeared in early 2019.
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Jesse Kardon, better known as Subtronics, is a 24-year-old Philadelphia born dubstep producer specializing in all things robotic. His work is heavily influenced by the likes of Rusko, Skism, Tomba and Downlink, and the collective efforts of the underground dubstep community.Taking on a core group of followers over SoundCloud in the first few years, he has grown exponentially in the past few months, gaining support from a plethora of bass music legends. Subtronic’s signature bouncy yet mechanical sound design is matched by his incredibly recognizable flow, setting him apart from the vast sea of up and coming producers around the world.
Subtronics has recently collaborated with the likes of Uber, MurDa, Ecraze, and Samplifire, adding to his already expansive solo discography, garnering him attention from major labels. This continued growth resulted in one of his most successful collaborations to date in the form of a remix of “Thief” by Ookay which he put together with trap up and comer Bailo. The track was played out at every major festival in the summer of 2016, being supported by the likes of Adventure Club, Knife Party, 12th Planet, and many others. In 2017 Subtronics is set to release several debut EP’s on some of the biggest labels in bass music. There doesn’t seem to be any obstacle imaginable that could slow down this young computer nerds continual rise into bass music glory.
In 2013 after winning Insomniac’s Discovery Project Contest, Tony Fresh launched the Dr. Fresch brand. His debut self-titled EP and innovative hip-hop/rap remixes exploded in the blogosphere and Dr. Fresch was subsequently featured at #9 on Billboard Magazine’s “Next Big Sound” Chart.
Dr. Fresch has continued to gain serious momentum over the course of the last year. With releases on OWSLA and Ministry of Sound, and over 30 million plays on SoundCloud, Dr. Fresch has quickly solidified himself as one of the most unique emerging dance music artists. His signature “Future Ghetto” brand weaves together elements of house, hip-hop/rap, and trap to create a unique, forward-thinking sound.
Over the summer of 2015, Dr. Fresch launched his mix series “The Prescription” which has already garnered millions of plays over the course of its first 16 episodes. Each installment features a 30 minute Dr. Fresch mix followed by a 30 minute guest mix. The summer also brought Dr. Fresch onto the festival circuit with plays at likes of EDC Las Vegas, Paradiso, Moonrise, Nocturnal, CRSSD, Splash House, Escape, Boo and more. Dr. Fresch’s 2016 collaboration with Baby Eazy-E (Eazy-E’s son) “Gangsta Gangsta” went viral online and climbed the UK Club Charts.
Dr. Fresch is currently at work on his house and hip-hop/rap blended four track follow-up original EP due to release in April 2018.
Danny Chien doesn’t believe in hype. Better known as Wax Motif, he’s regarded as a major orchestrator in the G-House sound. However, Chien isn’t content on producing the same sound. He’s ready for more challenging work.
With musical influences like R&B, disco and UK bass, the Australian-born producer brings an unique style to the studio, which makes him a highly sought-after producer. Chien released tracks on Tchami’s Confession, Diplo’s Mad Decent, and Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records as well as a host of remixes for the likes of Major Lazer, Deadmau5, YG, Kid Ink, Chromeo, and Warren G’. His work on Destructo’s album on Interscope includes the likes of Ty Dolla Sign, YG, Freddie Gibbs, Problem and Kurupt.
If you’re looking for new music from the producer who counts Diplo, DJ Snake, Tchami, Major Lazer, A-Trak, RL Grime, GTA, Oliver Heldens, Jauz, Knife Party, and more as fans, fret not. Chien is currently working on new music to be released later this year.
To fans throughout the world, the name Reid Speed is synonymous with the legacy of American Drum & Bass and the history of the North American Heavy Bass movement. Consistently ranked as one of America’s top DJ’s, she’s known for her straight up skills on the decks, effortlessly mixing between genres on the fly. Her Speed of Sound podcast and her Facebook live streams reach thousands of listeners each month, while her original productions consistently land in high profile playlists and top DJ’s sets alike, and keep her fans excited with their ever-evolving styles. Her award-winning Play Me Records label has introduced more top talent than any of it’s kind and solidified Reid’s place in the industry as a respected tastemaker and curator.
Reid has been on the forefront of bass music for more than a decade. She came up in the New York underground selling records at the legendary Breakbeat Science, where was one of the first American drum & bass DJs to incorporate the sounds of 2-step and speed garage into her mixes. Since then, she has torn up venues across the United States and Europe as well as in such exotic locales as Costa Rica. Her history with festivals is lengthy, having done Ultra (7 years), WEMF, Together As One, Monster Massive, Dancefestopia, Sunset Music and many, many more. She’s made television appearances on shows such as The Jamie Kennedy Experiment and MDN on Spike TV. In 2009, she co-founded the influential label Play Me Records, whose output helped usher in the North American Bass music movement. The label has been honored with the titles Best Dubstep Label / Best New Artist 2010 by Beatport as well as Best Branded Label 2011/ 2012 by Symphonic Distribution. With Reid Speed at the helm, the label played a major role as EDM grew in popularity in the United States during the early 2010s. Reid, her original productions as well as Play Me have been consistently featured on “best of heavy bass music” lists in publications such as Spin, Nylon, and DJ Mag.
With her no holds barred attitude and fierce, fearless work ethic, Reid Speed is a true queen amongst DJs. She’s gained the admiration of fans and fellow musicians from around the world for her consistent stream of success and innovation. As a producer, Reid’s tracks have consistently charted in the Beatport /Soundcloud top 10 charts and receive major worldwide support and radio play (Power 106 LA, BBC1xtra, and KCRW to name a few) and have been licensed to brands and networks like Bravo, MTV, Nike, Skingraft, Lenovo, Sol Republic, and Puma. Her storied career has been based in constant growth and she shows no signs of slowing down. Whether live, in the studio, or in her role as a label boss, Reid Speed consistently proves that she’s a force in the industry and one of the best of all time in the game
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Leah is cultivating her music in an original
way that is breaking the barriers of EDM and
mainstream pop by combining her talents as
a DJ, producer, singer and songwriter. Leah
is quickly building a name for herself, and
gaining passionate fans and momentum on
social media, billboard charts, the festival
scene, and on dance floors across the globe.
Leah has shined on music festival main
stages such as TomorrowWorld, Counterpoint,
Magnetic, Impulse and Imagine Festival.
Aside from working with Marshmello on a #7
Billboard Electronic/Dance charting track,
Leah has also garnered support from the
likes of Adventure Club, The Chainsmokers,
Steve Aoki, Benny Benassi, Porter Robinson,
Seven Lions, Borgore, Big K.R.I.T. and
Trinidad James.
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An innovative and pioneering producer, Niles Hollowell-Dhar is best known as KSHMR, a
globally acclaimed artist from Berkeley, California, known for a signature sound merging
electronic rhythms with ethnic West Asian instrumentation. Evolving from a career in pop
production, KSHMR made his first mark on dance music producing the 2010 global hit, ‘Like A
G6’. Later, his behind-the-scenes work on a number of big dance songs attracted the interest of
iconic label Spinnin’ Records.
With the confidence from a few successes in the dance world, Niles decide to leave pop music
behind, and KSHMR was born. Inspired by the culture of his grandparents’ childhood home,
Kashmir, Niles committed to forging his own path and creating a new sound true to his heart
and inspired by his culture.
Choosing initially to not show his face, KSHMR honed his craft in the studio, scoring 19 tracks in
the Beatport Top 10, nine of them reaching #1, culminating with a collaboration with with Tiesto,
‘Secrets’. “He really believed in me,” says Niles. KSHMR revealed his identity to the world on
stage at Ultra Miami 2015. Since then, anthems like ‘Wildcard’, ‘Karate’, ‘Burn’, ‘Toca’ and
‘Bazaar’ have exploded, solidifying his place alongside electronic musics elite.
“I’m not a regular DJ,” says KSHMR of his live performances. “My show includes a fully
animated story that weaves in and out of the music, a story-telling experience that gives new
weight and wonder to each song.” As KSHMR travels the world, each show is translated, with
new voice actors, to the local language. KSHMR was awarded DJ Mag’s ‘Best Live Act’, a nod
to the unique and immersive experience he’s created. Again breaking the DJ mold, KSHMR’s
2016 EP ‘The Lion Across the Fleld’ was accompanied by a self-authored children’s book, and
narrative driven live experience premiered at Coachella.
Further expanding his vision, KSHMR debuted “KSHMR: The Live Experience” at Ultra 2017.
Joined by live classical and ethnic instruments, as well as traditional Indian dancers, KSHMR
presented his music in a way that it had never been heard. The response was overwhelming
and festivals around the world were eager to take part.
Currently ranked #12 on DJ Mag’s Top 100, KSHMR continues to innovate. His new label,
Dharma Worldwide, was created to be a hub for for like-minded producers. Dharma hosts a
weekly production tutorial series called ‘Lessons of Dharma’, where artists on his label share
their creative process. KSHMR also offers his ‘Sounds of KSHMR’ sample packs via Splice,
supplying fellow producers with an endless array of unique sounds. ‘Sounds of KSHMR’ has
become the all time #1 selling sample pack on Splice.
In 2017, KSHMR sold out a 7-city India tour, including the launch of the annual charity event
‘Karma’, which saw 20,000 in attendance in New Delhi, a larger audience than any western
dance artist has even achieved in the region for a headline event. Playing festivals around the
world, such as Tomorrowland, EDC, and Coachella, KSHMR’s recent tour saw the Californian
bring an emersive experience including snow machines, fire bowls, and other 4D elements to
his crowds, further cementing his reputation as one of the most dynamic and diverse acts in
global electronic music.
Though young at 23 years of age, REZZ is anything but an amateur. Producing state of the art, genre-bending works, while striking a sharp balance between bass heavy and minimal tech compositions, she oozes originality and stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best in the electronic music scene. With a handful of EPs and a full album now under her belt, “Space Mom” returns in 2018 with ‘Certain Kind Of Magic,’ her sophomore album released on mau5trap.
Starting out as a local DJ in her hometown of Niagara Falls, she was still a teen when she decided that music production was the path she would take. After studying sound design extensively at home and psychology as an aid to her creative process, her experimentation, dedication and hard work paid off in paving the way for a long career ahead as a highly regarded producer of downtempo soundscapes.
REZZ’s headstrong decisiveness and clear vision are arguably the keys to her success so far. She began to build a following on Soundcloud with a series of free releases that caught the ears of electronic music icons Skrillex and deadmau5. Skrillex subsequently brought her talent to the masses by organizing the release of REZZ’s debut three-track ‘Insurrection’ EP on OWSLA’s The Nest imprint in 2015, which was critically acclaimed and universally lauded, with REZZ being dubbed a “prodigy” (EDM.com) and the “Queen of the Dark Techno Scene” (MTV) in the media.
In 2016, REZZ answered the calls from her fans and released ‘ The Silence Is Deafening ‘ EP on deadmau5’s mau5trap imprint. This launched REZZ into the upper echelons of the electronic music scene, leading to the creation of the ‘Cult of REZZ’ fan base. Her follow-up EP on mau5trap in October 2016 ‘ Something Wrong Here ‘ caught the attention of the international media, as REZZ began selling out shows around the world.
In the summer of 2017, with worldwide intrigue for REZZ piquing, she dropped her full-length debut ‘ Mass Manipulation ‘ album on mau5trap. The album consistently portrays menacing soundscapes that REZZ is known for through innovative singles and collaborations. Her forward thinking and unique mentality did not go unnoticed, as she was awarded with a JUNO for Electronic Album of the Year for her work on ‘Mass Manipulation. ‘
‘Certain Kind of Magic,’ released in the summer of 2018 represents REZZ’s sonic growth and development as an artist. The eight track album is a testament to her ability to demand a listener’s attention through, as DJ Mag describes, “Rezazadeh’s uncanny ability to tread the line between desire and tension.” With worldwide and critical acclaim pouring in from the likes of Billboard (who dubbed her Billboard Dance Breakout Artist of the Year ), Mixmag, Dancing Astronaut, and many more is testament to the fact that REZZ has truly become a tastemaker and trendsetter in the industry.
Alongside the new album, REZZ embarked on her second sold-out headline tour through many major markets in North America in Fall 2018, including Red Rocks in Colorado, and two nights at legendary Los Angeles venue The Shrine.
Berkeley, California based producer Thriftworks offers his own uniquely original take on forward thinking electronic music, weaving eclectic samples and explosive modern bass that continually pushes the envelope while taking the art of beat-crafting to new heights. Garnering much praise from fans and critics alike with his steady stream of new material, Thriftworks is quickly becoming known as one of the finest up and coming experimental producers with his outside the box sound and unclassifiable style. Thriftworks’ use of deep low-end and wall to wall synths seem to channel something ancient and mysterious, offering up an intoxicating musical high with an invigorating breath of fresh air. These sounds activate the senses, enrapture the mind, move the body and leave audiences begging for more.
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In times where it becomes easiest to feel anything but, Louis the Child is here to make you happy. Over 50 million Spotify streams later, the two Chicago-bred wunderkinds have done just that, spreading glitzy, electronic bliss through stadium-ready anthems like “It’s Strange,” Icona Pop collaboration “Weekend,” and “Fire.” But their versatility and emotional range shines through brightest on most recent release, “Love Is Alive” (ft. Elohim), showcasing an understated tenderness, which Billboard praised as “soft and soothing.”
Citing influences ranging from James Blake to Robert Glasper, duo Robby Hauldren and Freddy Kennett blend musical complexity and sonic experimentation in an individual strand of future bass that defies pop formulas, while catching the ear of outlets such as Pitchfork, BBC, Pigeons and Planes, and Taylor Swift’s Instagram. Since supporting the likes of Madeon, Porter Robinson, The Chainsmokers, and Big Gigantic. Mixmag’s #1 artist taking American dance music to the next level has quickly risen to headliner status. Currently in the midst of an extensive spring tour, Louis the Child is fully prepared to bring smiles to the crowds of Bonnaroo, Hangout, Middlelands, and more major festivals across the globe this summer.
Phantoms, comprised of Los Angeles-based natives Kyle Kaplan and Vinnie Pergola, are a dance act that does exactly that. Often tough to box in… the boys’ style lends itself to many elements of electronic and pop music; while still managing to always incorporate distinct synths and drum samples that have become synonymous with their “genre” of alternative electronic. Stemming from deep-seated roots in music and entertainment backgrounds, K&V put their entire beings into the project. They keep everyone continually dancing with an impressive live set of drum pads, synthesizers and midi controllers, while also keeping audiences engaged through their own style of humor on social media platforms. A full-time job for the band. Their fun and downright captivating personalities shine through all aspects of Phantoms.
After releasing their first EP in 2015 to massive press like Billboard and Entertainment Weekly, the duo has been remixing some of their favorite songs of the year and playing shows and touring with the likes of Big Wild, Com Truise, Kiesza and more.
The band’s debut record, Phantoms, is currently out now via Casablanca/Republic Records.
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The best moment at ABGT250, Above & Beyond’s skyscraping open-air festival staged in front of 23,000 fans at Washington state’s Gorge Amphitheatre in September? Ask the three men at the heart of it, you get three different answers.
Paavo Siljamäki: “One day I was having lunch on my own in the winery – I know, a winery! – next to The Gorge and heard these two couples chatting. They didn’t know each other beforehand, but as I sat there eavesdropping I realised I was listening to them becoming friends. They’d been drawn together by ABGT250. That was the essence of the weekend for me.”
Jono Grant: “I was in a car heading off the site with [singer] Zoë Johnston, and there was a long stream of fans leaving The Gorge. Zoë and I asked the driver to stop the car on a bridge that was above the flowing river of fans, and we got out and waved goodbye to them as they walked through the tunnel. Everyone was screaming like crazy and it was a really fun moment. It never ceases to amaze me both how much love and dedication the fans have towards it all.”
Tony McGuinness: “Paavo was doing an 11am yoga set and I went with him. So, 2000 people in front of the yoga stage doing the downward dog, then a couple thousand more just enjoying the tunes he was playing, then a six-abreast stream of people in Anjunabeats and Above & Beyond t-shirts walking from the campsite – seeing all that for the first time, and seeing our family, if you like, in broad daylight and bright sunshine, brought home to me the enormity of our community. They were coming together in the spirit of openness and warmth and music. Let’s just say I was glad I was wearing sunglasses because, honestly, I was choking up.”
Three answers, one unifying theme: for their latest (ad)venture, hosted to mark their 250th Group Therapy radio show, Above & Beyond had crystallised something that lay at the heart of everything they’ve achieved over their 17 years together. From developing that groundbreaking radio show to touring the world’s best clubs and most illustrious venues; from establishing a thriving, multi-artist label to building a peerless catalogue of artist albums; from creating iconic dance anthems to curating soulful acoustic rerubs, one thing stands out.
That is: Above & Beyond have carved out a unique space in music and culture, one that reaches far beyond their electronic roots. In so doing, Jono, Paavo and Tony have created something special: a common ground where all sorts of people and ideas can come together. Celebration, kinship, community – it’s the A&B way.
Presenting, then, Common Ground. The trio’s fourth electronic album is the follow-up to 2015’s Grammy-nominated We Are All We Need and comes in the wake of sell-out shows at totemic venues ranging from Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre to London’s O2. It features a quartet of guest vocalists, a couple of them longstanding members of the family, a couple of them valued newcomers. And it’s an album born from everything they’ve done so far, most recently the glorious Gorge happening and the band’s 2016 orchestral tour in support of their second acoustic album.
“We were just absolutely spoiled with every venue on that tour,” says a still-buzzing Paavo. “The Sydney Opera House was emotional because that was the end of the whole tour. But I never thought we could do a show at a Broadway theatre, or the Hollywood Bowl or the Royal Albert Hall – the ultimate homecoming gig for any band based in London. It was really the stuff of dreams.”
“It was great opportunity to make real in a live band universe – which means a lot to me – everything we’ve done with Above & Beyond so far,” continues Tony. “Us playing keyboards and guitars, and all those live strings and horns, consolidated my fantasy about everything Above & Beyond can and should be.”
When it came to writing the songs for their next album, that tour, he adds, had an immediate, freeing impact.
“The success of the acoustic tour has relaxed us even more in terms of what we can do and what we can use.”
Less than 18 months since the end that most recent world tour, and only two months since The Gorge, an energised and invigorated Above & Beyond are already almost ready for their next chapter. The finishing touches are being made to Common Ground in the band’s London studio, but the songs are already firmly in place.
An early keeper was the heartfelt, bittersweet “Cold Feet”, written and recorded with returning vocalist Justine Suissa in Paavo’s new studio in his Finnish homeland. “By the end of summer 2016 we had had some really good writing sessions,” he explains. “Then Justine came over to Finland in January to write songs with me. We were swimming in a frozen lake, then popping indoors to write a song with a piano and a mic in this totally isolated place. It was a fantastic place to be creative together.”
Beyond that, two teaser tracks have already been rapturously received. First up is the bleak-but-beautiful “Tightrope”, a big club track that Tony wrote with Martin Longstaff. “I met Marty at Chris Difford’s songwriting workshop at Glastonbury a couple years ago. I was just blown away by him.” Welcomed into the A&B brood as a guest vocalist, his writing skills were too good an opportunity for the ever-curious band to pass by. “Writing Tightrope together was a fantastic experience, and it just shows a slightly different side to us. It’s quite dark but still glorious because of his angelic voice.”
Then there’s the euphoric “My Own Hymn”, which features A&B favourite Zoë Johnston. “She’s just an absolute thrill to work with,” says Paavo, “and to see how her mind works – she’s one of the most creative people I know. And that song is really a result of one of these days where we just sit down with some ideas and at the end of the day we have a song.”
Tony describes Common Ground’s second single as his favourite track on the album. “As well as being this wonderful earth mother to all of us, Zoë has a lovely independent streak. And this song puts into words that feeling that everyone can write their own script if they want to. It has depth and a fantastic inspirational side. We’re so lucky to have her in the band.”
Now, teeing up the album’s January 2018 release – as well as a pair of landmark, turn-of-the-year shows at New York’s Barclays Centre and the Los Angeles Convention Centre (followed by a full spring US tour) – comes new single “Northern Soul”. Tony wrote it in 2014 after the band shot the “On A Good Day” video in Detroit. He wanted to hymn the qualities of a once great, then neglected and now resurgent heartland American city.
“There’s a sense of hope when you go to Detroit now,” he notes, “and I knew I wanted to write a song about that.”
Less immediately clear was who would be the singer. Exploring all their options, the band tried out (in Tony’s estimation) ten singers. All were great in their own ways, but none fitted the bill exactly. Then he had the brainwave of sounding out one of the trio’s foundational singers. Richard Bedford was the voice of some of Above & Beyond’s cornerstone songs, notably “Sun & Moon” and “Thing Called Love”, before going off to do his own thing.
“I just thought, sod it, I’ll give him a shout, see if he’s up for coming back,” relates Tony. He was, and he did, “and it immediately sounded and felt right. He’s got one those voices that has a really lovely balance of power and vulnerability. And because he’s one of our original singers, it’s like he owns the song. It’s great to have back in the family.”
Bedford’s involvement speaks to another dynamic at work on Common Ground. As they approach their 18-years-young birthday, Above & Beyond are refreshing their roots to reach new heights.
As Paavo says, “working with Richard for the first time in ages has that feeling of us looking back at our beginnings – and Northern Soul definitely covers again that happy-sad territory. It sounds like something really old and something really new mixed together.”
On Northern Soul, at least, the threesome are coming full circle. But as for the rest of Common Ground? On previous form, it’ll showcase Above & Beyond not so much circling as spiralling upwards, outwards and onwards – not least on the not-quite-completed Is It Love (1001) a track which features another brand new vocalist.
“Yeah, Jono sings that,” chuckles Tony, “which is something he’s never done before. He’s very, very critical of his own singing, but in terms of the music he likes to emulate, that Eighties pop thing, his voice is absolutely perfect on this.”
“I didn’t originally want to sing it, but the guys seemed to like it,” begins Jono by way of (humble) explanation. The backstory, he continues, is that the song was always meant to be a vocal track. “But the lovely folk at the offices at Anjunabeats rushed it to release, so it first came out as an instrumental. Musically, it’s a mix of synth pop with a strange combo of trance and almost a French disco feel to the crunchy claps in the chorus. I’d put some scratch vocal melody ideas down a long time ago, and then later we came back to it with Tony writing the lyrics to fit the melodies around my original ‘it’s the same way down’ demo lyric. I am a big Eighties synth pop fan,” he acknowledges, “so I wanted to do something with that kind of aesthetic.”
In its own small way, Is It Love (1001) and its deft, smartly realised vocal left-turn sums up again that A&B way. As Paavo cheerfully puts it in conclusion, “we do get bored quite quickly. When we’re busy and creative, we’re excited. And we want to remain excited, and that means moving sideways, moving forwards…”
And it means moving towards Common Ground.
soundcloud.com/djkenneththomas
Hailing out of Detroit, this DJ/Producer/Label Owner understands and appreciates emotional, melodic dance music and how to translate our deepest feelings into tracks and sets that stay imprinted on our hearts. With Top 10 Beatport hits that cemented his name in the industry such as “Ghost In The Machine” and “The Orange Room,” “Drive” and “The Heart Speaks” Kenneth continues to bring us a variety of musical goose bumps with forthcoming releases like “Be With You” and “Heart On Fire.” When not working on originals, KT is putting together hit mashups like “Waterfall Language” and “Set Fire to 1983”, being played by Armin van Buuren and Tiesto- while also keeping an ear out and developing new talents to put out on his own imprint IAMPHOENIX.
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What makes Weiss stand out as a DJ/producer? It’s the fact he embodies the spirit and simplicity of that original House sound. With a love of old school jackin’, Chicago House – combined with a modern approach to his productions and sets – as an artist he has a unique and individual style that’s won plaudits from across the scene.
After a spectacularly successful intro to the scene in 2013 which saw Weiss being championed by the likes of Groove Armada, Green Velvet, Loco Dice, Kenny Dope, Pete Tong & more, the hit single ‘My Sister’ rotating on BBC Radio 1 whilst staying strong in the Beatport top ten chart for over four months, and countless gigs all over Europe, it was plain to see that Weiss was here to stay. Following this lead, Weiss has risen to even greater heights, with his releases inspiring support from the most respected & freshest names in the industry, including Gorgon City, Eats Everything, Shadow Child, Hot Since 82, Claude Vonstroke, Green Velvet, Annie Mac and more.
Reading through his discography is like an accolade to underground club hits, with original productions like ‘Guitar Man’ ‘Man Gone’ ‘Our Love’ & ‘I Believe’ delivering that classic Weiss production, ranging from defining vocals to that unmistakable rumble and old school drums of the driving club cuts. More recently his summer anthem “You’re Sunshine” ignited both the clubs and radio becoming one of the most recognized tracks of 2016 with countless Radio 1 plays whilst becoming one of the “most played” tracks of the summer on Sirius FM, one of the biggest stations in the U.S. Similarly Weiss has seen Huge demand for remixes, including MK, Rudimental, Gorgon City, Green Velvet, Tube & Berger & more all looking for that distinctive Weiss sound. Most recently he has seen success on labels such as Dirtybird, Relief, Play It Down and Toolroom, with every release racing up Beatport’s charts whilst gaining widespread support from his peers and across global radio waves.
Touring has seen Weiss play on some of the world’s most famous stages, including Fabric London, BPM Festival Mexico, Kosmonaut Berlin, Exchange LA, Treehouse Miami, Cielo New York, Vista Club Ibiza, Sankeys Manchester, Revolver Melbourne and many more.
Over the past 12 months Weiss has showed no signs of slowing down, culminating with a DJ Mag Best Of British nomination and the world-renowned BBC Radio 1 inviting him on to Pete Tongs Essential Selection for the ‘Afterhours Mix’ where he was able to showcase his darker side with a suitably driving mix ranging from 6am heavyweights across to forgotten 90’s classics.
A huge venture for Weiss see’s him taking his very own night into the clubs; ‘Weiss City’ showcases this talented producer’s ability to transcend the full spectrum of house music – and give his fans a true insight into his musical talents. An opportunity to invite fellow producer/DJs who Weiss truly admires, these night’s also feature special guests who will bring their own signature styles that are true to that original house sound.
Following two stand out performances at the Egg in 2015, it made only natural sense for Weiss to be launching his own London residency at the club with the first ‘Weiss City’ taking place at the beginning of 2016 to a sell out crowd. Regular packed out events followed with special guests including Oliver Dollar, Ninetoes, Dennis Cruz, S-Man, Riva Starr, Mat.Joe & more, finishing off the year with a stand out event at ADE Amsterdam with Tube & Berger at the Legendary Panama club.
Trends in dance music will always come and go, Weiss is an ambassador for real House music, championing the original Jackin’ Chicago house sound, and with a string of exciting projects, collaborations and hotly tipped releases on their way, expect nothing but the hottest and most underground cuts from this rising star…
Kaskade’s signature sound is as unmistakable as it is beautiful; a combination of dewy female vocals, tough electronic underpinnings, and memorable melodies.” — Billboard
The New York Times may have called him the “new face of electronic dance music” in a recent profile, but Ryan Raddon, known as Kaskade, has been in the trenches of the EDM scene as an original recording artist and in-demand DJ for more than a decade. He has released seven studio albums, including his latest, Fire & Ice, scored nine Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot Dance Airplay Chart, created chart-topping remixes for everyone from Lady Gaga to Beyoncé, appeared at all the major summer festivals, and has performed between 150 and 200 headlining shows a year for the last 10 years, building a name for himself as an innovator of the EDM scene as we know it today, which has opened doors for the likes of Deadmau5, Tiesto, Skrillex and more. In doing so, he has helped to lay the groundwork for a titanic musical and cultural shift: a post-rock EDM revolution that has captured the imagination of a new generation of music lovers across North America
Kaskade has been named America’s No. 1 DJ by DJ Times and Pioneer DJ. In 2012, he will appear at this year’s Coachella, for which he has a special performance planned, and will hit the road in May for his biggest headlining tour ever — 50-plus North American shows in just over three months. His own live show is a jaw-dropping spectacle that finds him performing in front of an 80-foot wide, three-stories tall LED screen that blares images synched with the music while strobe lights scan the crowd. Kaskade’s belief in the transformative power of dance music to uplift thousands of people at once has had a significant effect on the U.S. scene. His ground-breaking double residency in Las Vegas at the Encore Beach Club (which had not even been built when he signed on) and Marquee has elevated the city’s status as a premiere club-going destination on par with London, Berlin, and Ibiza, is another testament to his influence.
Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Raddon was heavily influenced by New Wave bands like The Cure, Echo and The Bunnymen, and The Smiths that ignited his love for melody and lyrics and was strongly impacted by the house music scene that developed in Chicago. Following stints spinning throughout college and in A&R at OM Records, he began working on his own music, which includes multiple singles, EPs, and remixes, as well as the albums: his most recent 2011 release Fire & Ice – which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Chart, No. 3 on the Independent Albums chart, and No. 17 on the Top 200 Albums chart, while the iTunes version debuted at No. 4 on the overall album chart. The Fire disc contains ten original songs geared firmly toward the dancefloor, while on the Ice disc, Kaskade delivers the perfect down-tempo post-club experience by remixing all ten songs. Both discs showcase the musical versatility tat has characterized his work ever since he began writing his own songs. This album was preceded by It’s You, It’s Me (2003), In the Moment (2004), The Calm (2006), Here & Now (2006), Love Mysterious (2006), Strobelite Seduction (2008), Dynasty (2010) and Dance.Love (2010).
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He started making dubstep in 2011 and from there evolved into a whole sound and genre of his own. With swampy bass lines and ambient mystical soundscapes, a Toadface set is a journey that all bass music fans can enjoy.
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The origins of Montreal born DJ-producer-incipient Teutonic legend Tiga lie to the vague and troubling East, where he was weaned on the nefarious milk of the notorious 1980s Indian club scene. “To the unforgiving eye,” he says of the sybaritic night-kingdom, “a world of filth and decadence is revealed. For example, I’m fairly certain that more than a few club owners had an unsavory arrangement with the man who brought the folding chairs. I was at once appalled and enraptured. After that, I had no choice in the matter.”
By 1990, Tiga had returned to Montreal, prodigiously night wise and unsatisfied with the existing local club scene (calling it “the plumage of a bird I cannot bring myself to want.”) With the help of a core group of friends, he began to throw a series of small parties infused with the sense of dead-eyed ennui gleaned from a past littered with acid whores and crazed Indian gamblers. Other innovations which Tiga introduced to Montreal party culture include guest DJs, intense street promotions featuring rival gangs of street acrobats, color flyers, multi-dj sets, and leading the supplicant crowd through the innermost corridors of one’s soul.
It was this heady time of dizzying innovation and ravenous sexual ambition which culminated in the birth of 1993’s “Solstice,” generally considered to be Montreal’s first genuine rave. (A year earlier, a hyper-prescient Tiga staged “Eclectricity,” the first online rave, a project whose utter failure remains a source of bafflement: “It broke my heart, given my views on diversity. . . I am, I feel, a very interactive person.”) Tiga has since helped to orchestrate no less than ten major events, including “The Orb Live,” “Pure,” and the very first North American appearance of continental illusionist Jean-There.
In 1994, Tiga bought DNA Records, a small medical data concern, and parlayed it into Montreal’s premiere electronic music boutique. “We’ve always believed in putting the customer first, from helping you find that one minimal house record that will make your collection to offering concerned looks as you wade through the enormous backlog of test results to discover if you are in fact afflicted with a congenital disease.”
In 1996, Tiga mourned the death of actor and poet Tupac Shakur.
That same year, the Montreal dance community found a haven for the boldest feats of dance, where fools are in love with mystery and sex-valor is prized above all else. Sona (meaning literally ‘Liar-dancer’) was initially conceived of by Tiga and his two partners as “a perverse, jeering monolith, because nothing is sacred anymore” but it has evolved into much more. In addition to its place amongst the pantheon of urban groove centers, on weekdays it rents out its facilities, at a very reasonable rate, to a local program dedicated to teaching homeless men to dance properly (“I just think it’s an important project,” Tiga said at the time).
In 1998, Tiga started Turbo Recordings as an outlet for his wildman organ escapades but he soon found a host of other artists who were willing to be paid to record for him. Turbo has released over 20 albums, 2 samplers, and 12 vinyl twelve inches as well as secured global distribution with Prime, Intergroove and Caroline. Notable releases include Peter Benisch’s “Soundtrack Saga,” Christopher Handlebar’s “To a Time of Asia” and Tiga’s own “Mixed Emotions” and “American Gigolo”
By last year, however, overwork and media saturation began to show their strain, as evidenced by Tiga’s hysterical outburst at a fashion photographer during a promo shoot:
“I’ll sit for your venal cigarette pictures, but I will not indulge you in your game of ‘Eyes! Lies! Surprise!’ I dare you, coward– call out your cloakmen! What are you waiting for? The truth?!”
Following a month spent riding horses and caring for his voice, Tiga entered the studio with producer Zyntherius “Jori” Hulkonnen and a singular vision: “electro, but mainly about my eyes.” The result, a searing rendition of his former Mother Mio bandmate Corey Hart’s solo smash “Sunglasses at Night,” challenged dancers and seduced critics alike, yet Tiga is coy when asked about its impact, particularly in Germany: “’Sunglasses’ is a sinless child, a gleaming medallion. But is also a trick, a trick of memory. You must understand– on a whim, we revealed the hidden fire of Europe.”
But fires need tending and lumber. And so be advised of the onslaught of Tiga-powered releases, both recent and forthcoming. They are his craft, his life, his fire:
The immense success garnered by “Sunglasses at Night” was just one facet that catapulted him into the international feeding frenzied world of other electronic music notables. Tiga has remixed for the likes of Martini Bros., Alpinestars, Linda Lamb, Crossover, FC Kahuna, Cabaret Voltaire, Telepopmusik, Felix da Housecat, Fischerspooner, FPU, The Devils (Nick Rhodes), and Danni Minogue. As if this wasn’t enough, he also produced remixes for City Rockers, and singles for Turbo Recordings, Intec, Drumcode, and Electrix all under his TGV moniker, which is his collaborative effort with Mateo Murphy.
2003 was the year that Tiga released his mix CD on !K7 for their DJ Kicks series. His take on Nelly’s “Hot in Herre”, released for the DJ Kicks compilation, became a huge success and resulted in it being licensed in the UK by Skint, as well as the GAS region by Warner Music. The video, which can be seen at http://www.eyeballnyc.com/tiga, features a sardonic view of the hip-hop world through some clever puppet wizardry from Tiga’s brother, Thomas (aka Lord of the Marionette).
Tiga has also lent his vocals to Richard X’s debut album on a track titled “You (Better Let Me Love You X 4) Tonight”. Most recently, Tiga has remixed Alex Kidd’s “Come With Me”, Neon Judgement’s “TV Treated”, Scissor Sister’s cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb”, Junior Jack (feat. Robert Smith)’s “Da Hype”, and Peaches’ “Shake Yer Dix”. Already gaining massive rotation amongst club DJs, Tiga’s latest single, “Pleasure from the Bass” is being released on the Belgian imprint PIAS. His first full-length original artist album is due within the year.
The Glitch Mob – the Los Angeles-based trio comprising Justin Boreta, Ed Ma, and Joshua Mayer – continues their forward movement into 2018. Boreta, edIT, and Ooah came together around 2006, passing through various members until settling on this core trio of musicians. Together, they combined their different skills and aesthetics into the compellingly collaged whole that has become one of the most beloved live electronic acts, and distinctive recording artists, working today.
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For American electronic music producer Tanner Petulla, more often recognized by his stage name Getter, 2015 was a year of exploration in the art of experimentation. Since signing onto the Skrillex imprint OWSLA in 2015, Getter’s sounds have evolved from his early aggressive basslines to a blend of beats sailing buoyantly over waves of reverb and bass.
In 2015, we saw Getter put out some of his best content including his Allegiance EP and his futuristic, experimental bass album Getter Presents: Planet Neutral. Sitting at over 1.5 million views, his “Head Splitter” music video premiered via MTV, proving that the world is ready for his raw and slimey soundscape. In the past, Getter has infused his original production work into remixes for Brillz, Ghastly, Banyox, Jauz, Pegboard Nerds, Herobust, and Snails. With releases on OWSLA, Mad Decent, Buygore, Warner Japan, Monstercat, and more, Getter’s powerful yet precise production skill set has evolved into an assimilation of elements that has listener’s heads turning twice.
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By combining sound and force with weight, the Bassnectar experience engulfs the senses. The experience of Bassnectar is more visceral than auditory, as the music sets any stage for an adventure without rules or limitations. On Bassnectar’s stage, there is no hesitation in fusing the familiar with the strange or the classic with the
cutting edge.
Bassnectar is the brainchild of Lorin Ashton, and his open-sourced musical project is as diverse as it is imaginary, as raw as it is meticulous, and as fierce as it is stunning. Spanning the spectrum of sonic style, the music draws inspiration from every genre imaginable and supplies a synthesis of intense, wobbling basslines and hypnotic soundscapes for a devout international audience that desires the beautiful and the bestial in the same breath.
In whatever medium Bassnectar works, music is the lure and social impact is the sincere intention. According to Ashton, “We are so blessed, and so deeply fortunate to be alive and awake right now…it’s a basic truth, but it’s very powerful. I think privilege confers responsibility, and Bassnectar is a reflection of that opportunity to give back; the motion of my cells bouncing back at the world.”
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Midnite Panda is the powerhouse collaboration from producer/dj Seje Omieno and emcee/drummer Cali the Kidd.
Hailing from the South, Midnite Panda has been bringing the heat to the Atlanta music scene since 2012.
After much success in hosting local residencies with IDC Presents as well as their own Pandamonium showcase, the duo have continued to gain notoriety with their newest residencies with Liquified/Opera Nightclub, Havana Club and Midnite Panda and Friends in Atlanta Georgia.
The duo are no strangers to the circut, having played major festivals such as Tomorrowworld, Counterpoint, Imagine, Moonshine, Big Beat, and Kingdom Rave, amongst others. In 2015 Midnite Panda embarked on two Canada tours, playing shows and collaborating with Atlanta clothing sponsors Six Feathers.
Midnite Panda has released five mix tapes in their Strictly Bangers Series, gaining more than 500,000 plays. This year Midnite Panda is set to release original work, bringing their unique brand of Atlanta trap, bass, and hip-hop to the world, making them the ones to watch for in 2018.
Originally starting life as a trio, North London outfit Ivy Lab were brought together out of a shared enthusiasm for experimentations on the fringes of the UK bass music scene. The years that followed saw them go from strength to strength, earning a place in ‘The top 10 DJ’s of 2015’ (Mixmag) and propagating a new generation of hip-hop inspired abstractions housed within the framework of their ’20/20 LDN’ project.
The duo now find themselves at the apex of the ‘Halftime’ / ‘Future Beats’ / movement – A motley assortment of actors from across the bass music landscape applying their sonic-heritage to experiments with hip-hop and drum machine electronica.
Ivy Lab invested further in the exploration of this sound with the creation of their ‘20/20 LDN’ clubnight. Housed primarily at Brixton’s Phonox nightclub, it earned the characterisation of “ultra innovative” (Timeout Magazine) and a “London standout” (Mixmag).
Minted in late 2015, and borrowing the same raison d’être as its elder sibling nightlife brand; 20/20 LDN Recordings was unveiled with the pseudo-mixtape/compilation LP “Ivy Lab presents 20/20 Volume.1” – described as “uncompromising, insightful and rather awesome : 9/10” (Mixmag) and “impossible to categorise : 9/10” (DJ Mag) . Little over a year (and only 5 releases deep) the label was awarded the title of ’Best Breakthrough Label 2016’ in the DJ Mag ‘Best of British Awards 2016’.
Now a galvanising presence in the ‘Future Beats’ movement, Ivy Lab’s’ “20/20 Volume.1” release and the subsequent follow up E.P’s were benchmark moments in forging the genre into a pillar of the electronic music landscape. Tracks such as “Spooky Dub”, “Can’t Say No” & “Peninsula” all garnered incredible currency, supplemented by showpiece remixes for Banks (“Fuck with myself”) and Noisia (“Tentacles”).
That same currency as bass music figureheads has been embraced by festivals as varied as Glastonbury, EDC Vegas, SXSW, Sonar (Barcleona + HK), CTM Berlin, Dour, ADE, Woo Hah!, Shambhala, Lightning In A Bottle, Lowlands, Origin NYE, Exit & Outlook.
Ivy Lab head into the horizon not only with an anchored presence at the cutting edge of the bass-music landscape, but also a secured reputation as pioneering label bosses & event promoters in ownership of one of the UK’s most exciting contemporary music brands.
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Those looking for a top 40 DJ to keep toes tapping have come to the wrong place. For Levitation Jones, peculiarity has always been nothing more than the norm, and compromise has never been a part of the equation. Instead, it’s all about attitude, and Levitation Jones simply does not pay mind to expectations, acknowledging that “professionalism” is rather subjective. After all, we all have our own style of art to express. That approach has been enigmatic to his rise as one of the most celebrated and renowned names in independent bass music, bustling from coast to coast, all whilst spreading a dark cadence of sub-bass.��
Levitation Jones, Brian Gardner, steps up to the plate with quite a surprising, rule bending, curve ball approach, stretching the spectrum of bass physics as well as the “rules” and testing the limits of what a sound system and audience can handle. This quickly rising producer blends his original productions with heavy influences of underground dubstep and future bass paired with a seemingly effortless style of live mixing, pulling his audience in for a trip to the depths of the strange and the weird. — Known vastly for NEVER planning a set and continuously testing audiences mental comfortability with more than unique sounds of his own creation paired with a thirst for digging up and rinsing out the most unheard of, yet top shelf plates, Levitation Jones ALWAYS delivers a new masterpiece of crowd, er… well, mind control to every single set.
��As the year 2017 begins to unfold, Levitation Jones is ready to reveal his most extensive tour to date, covering over 40 cities, and reaching unabashedly from the pacific to atlantic. The next perilous chapter in the New England bass physicist’s saga brings an immersive new element to an already decisive live performance. Along with him, Jones will cart an additional 75k watts of lethal Danley Soundlabs state of the art low-end technology. �
Levitation Jones frequently shares the stage with renowned acts such as: G Jones, Space Jesus, Bleep Bloop, Yheti, The Widdler, TRUTH, EPROM, and an incredibly long list of other dons and champions.
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A member of the infamous Planet of the Drums crew alongside fellow drum ‘n bass pioneers AK1200, Dieselboy, & J Messinian, this Irish transplant has been a dominant figure in the U.S. drum ‘n bass scene since his arrival here in 1994. His discography includes 2 critically acclaimed full length artist albums, 8 DJ mix CDs, as well as numerous singles and remixes for artists such as Freq Nasty, Afrika Bambaata and Keoki. Along with DJ DB, Dara co-founded the nation’s first & largest drum ‘n bass record store, Breakbeat Science, in NYC which doubles as his own imprint, Breakbeat Science Recordings. He has been featured in countless magazine articles and interviews both in the US and worldwide. He previously hosted one of the internet’s most popular drum ‘n bass broadcasts, Velocity, where he regularly interviewed leading drum ‘n bass artists such as Jonny L, Kemistry & Storm, Trace, Ed Rush, Optical, Hype, Andy C, Zinc, and many others. Dara’s long standing relationships with the world’s drum ‘n bass elite gives him access to an astounding amount of new and unreleased material. His brilliant recording endeavors along with his incessant touring marked by consistently awe-inspiring DJ sets have made him one of the most recognized and well respected DJs in the country. After a lengthy hiatus, 2012 sees DJ Dara return to the studio to produce the kind of beats he wants to hear. Watch this space……
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Conjuring an artful amalgam of trance, techno, house and pop that transformed the landscape of 21st century EDM; Josh Gabriel, with his formal training in music composition from California Institute for the Arts and the Netherlands’ Institute of Sonology, and Dave Dresden, with an esteemed club DJ career that included work as a Billboard club chart reporter, music director for a prominent online radio station, and a curator for the legendary Pete Tong’s Essential Selection, struck a genuine synergy that captivated listeners around the world.
Their smash hit in spin-off project Motorcycle, “As the Rush Comes”, topped Billboard’s “Hot Dance Airplay” 2004 year-end chart and landed at #11 in the UK Singles Chart. Their compilation, Bloom turned heads globally, while their self-titled artist album that featured “Tracking Treasure Down” (with vocalist Molly Bancroft) and “Dangerous Power” (featuring Jan Burton) both screamed into the #1 slot onto Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Songs chart, solidifying their status as leaders. Everybody from Britney Spears and Madonna to Annie Lennox, Sarah McLachlan, Tiësto and Above & Beyond sought them out for official remixes, while the likes of FX and Rockstar Games licensed their music to enhance their visual narratives.
After a three year hiatus that officially ended in 2011, the two embarked on an exhaustive reunion tour; playing high-profile global festivals like EDC, Creamfields, Tomorrowland, Electric Zoo, Spring Awakening, Sunburn Festival as well as club dates in over 20 countries around the world.
Despite the envelopment of EDM in popular culture, the two are sticking to their guns and following their most innate impulses. “It is always about being timeless,” affirms Dresden. “We don’t pay much attention to trends. We choose sounds and words that we feel will mean something to a lot of people and at the same time, make them put their hands in the air.” Gabriel concludes. “We want everyone to be able share that experience with us.”
His most recent works have taken him from the DJ booth of the worlds hottest nightspots and festivals to the studio producing soundtracks for Hollywood blockbuster movies. His diversity in artistry and ability has earned him accolades from critics and fans alike. Garnering him not 1 but 2 Grammy Nominations for his works.
But lets take a step back. The son of a musician, Paul came up as a young DJ in the late ’70s spinning Funk in Covent Garden. Not what some might have expected from one of Trances preeminent masters. But he knew then music would be his life. In the ’80s 2 life-changing trips took place. The first in 1984 where he spent several months living in New York City working as A&R man for the famed Champion Records signing DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, as well as Salt-n-Pepa. He also became promoter and British agent for the Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C.
The second trip and more contemporary influence was in 1987 which brought Paul to the White Isle of Ibiza. Here he discovered the Balearic sound that flowed through the Ibiza air at clubs such as Amnesia. Inspired, he took the music and experiences back to the UK and became its ambassador. Paul returned often holding residencies at Amnesia and Pacha in Ibiza. Around the same time Ministry Of Sound in London was opening and tauted Paul as their first resident. However it was his famed residency at UK super-club Cream in Liverpool that brought Paul global respect as a master of his art. It was some say the catalyst to what has made him a touring legend.
This residency was celebrated through the Grammy nominated 2004 compilation ‘Creamfields’ (Paul went on to receive a second Grammy nomination in 2007 with his artist album, “A Lively Mind” and then again in 2009 for his production work with Madonna).
Oakenfold’s stature as a DJ and entertainer has taken him beyond the normal club and festival circuit, playing landmark gigs that have changed the face of electronic music. Highlights include three worldwide tours warming up for Madonna and U2 (with both artists insisting on a DJ set from Paul instead of a support band); performing physically on the Great Wall of China and two sold out dates playing to 30,000 people at the Hollywood Bowl in California.
A year after that first visit to Ibiza, Perfecto was born. Founded in 1988, Oakenfold’s groundbreaking Perfecto record label played an integral role in the birth of trance music, with Paul at the helm producing massive international hits such as “Not Over Yet”, “Bullet In The Gun” and “Southern Sun”. With countless high profile releases and remixes in its path, Perfecto Records is still the benchmark to which so many labels measure themselves. 20+ years later, Perfecto remains as cutting edge and popular as ever, even resurrecting its Perfecto Fluoro sublabel in 2011. Probably Perfecto’s most notable release was the recent double album “Perfecto Las Vegas” which held the #1 spot on the US iTunes dance chart for several weeks. This release solidified Paul’s stronghold as an International DJ power player achieving the highest selling DJ compilation ever released in US history – with over half a million sales.
Paul has produced for megastars such as U2, Madonna (including her latest release “Celebration”) and The Happy Mondays. As well as three acclaimed artist albums under his own name. He has remixed Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones and Justin Timberlake and released over 20 DJ mix compilations. In recent years Paul has also been responsible for creating some of the most breathtaking film scores and cues for a long list of Hollywood blockbusters – including The Bourne Identity, Matrix Reloaded, Shrek 2, Swordfish and Collateral. But his most anticipated release is yet to come. Paul Oakenfold’s newest artist album ‘Pop Killer’ is scheduled for imminent release featuring The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Gnarls Barkley, OneRepublic and B.O.B.
Astonishingly, despite all his success in the worlds of chart music and film, Oakenfold has found time to keep in touch with his roots as a club DJ. Over the past 3 years he has held a weekly residency at the legendary Rain nightclub in The Palms, Las Vegas. Planet Perfecto is a fully produced show with 75 circus performers, cutting edge visuals and special effects – giving the 3,000-strong crowd a truly unique experience.
Whether you are listening to a CD, watching a commercial, going to a club or playing a video game; Paul’s omnimedia presence is felt everywhere. Paul Oakenfold is the sovereign of DJ culture and is its most recognizable icon.
Original, emotional, visceral. These are all words that are used to describe Noisia’s music and each is more than justified. In less than a decade the Dutch trio, renowned for their unparalleled technical skill, has gone from releasing drum & bass on now defunct independent labels to crossing multiple genres, scoring for triple A video games, having their music used on trailers for Hollywood blockbusters and producing and remixing tracks for some of the world’s biggest artists.
Working from their studio in their hometown of Groningen Nik Roos, Martijn Sonderen and Thijs de Vlieger have gradually developed and cultivated a sound that’s all their own; a sound that’s obsessed with production techniques; a sound that’s instantly recognisable whether you’re hearing three minutes of a Noisia track dropped at a festival or three hours of it while playing Devil May Cry 5. Having pushed the envelope and successfully managed to blend incredible sound design with unrelenting and uncompromising beats and basslines, Noisia’s sound is undoubtedly unique.
In 2003 the trio released their first forays into drum & bass on underground labels such as American label Shadow Law Recordings and Glasgow-based Nerve. From there it wasn’t long before those at the top of the D&B scene began to take notice, as legendary imprints like Moving Shadow, Renegade Hardware, Subtitles and DJ Friction’s Shogun Audio all lining up for the latest Noisia release. In just two years the young Dutchmen had become the go-to producers for hard and heavy beats and had remixed one of the D&B scene’s biggest anthems, Konflict’s ‘Messiah’.
Taking the next logical step, the group decided to set up their own label. Having gained their name by reading an upside down VHS tape with the word ‘vision’ written on it, Noisia re-inverted polarities and Vision Recordings was born. Vision has played host to a series of Noisia’s best singles and EPs, including the anthems ‘Stigma’, ‘The Tide’, ‘Dustup’ and KRS One vocalled ‘Exodus’, meanwhile the group began forays into remixing the likes of Pendulum, Moby and Amon Tobin and producing tracks for other artists such as Foreign Beggars’ ‘Contact’ an incredible bass music/hip hop fusion which was way ahead of its time: All of which led to the release of their debut album ‘Split The Atom’ in 2010.
‘Split The Atom’ was a departure from the norm, featuring a wide range of sounds and styles, but all with that distinctive Noisia sound. This was a culmination of seven years of studio knowledge and musical experimentation and it was received with such resounding success that deadmau5 picked it up for a Special Edition re-release on his own mau5trap label. Packed with dance floor anthems and more subdued moments, ‘Split The Atom’ was a milestone in Noisia’s already glittering career.
Enlisted by the likes of Skrillex, Labrinth, deadmau5, Mark Knight ft. Skin and The Prodigy for remixes, Noisia’s career continues to grow as the Dutch trio have become one of the hottest DJ-production outfits around; a fact confirmed by numerous awards, including being voted Best D&B Act three times at the Beatport Music Awards. Noisia were commissioned to write three tracks for Korn’s album ‘The Path of Totality’ and have written and licensed music to video games including Devil May Cry 5, Wipeout 2048, Gran Turismo, Ridge Racer and SSX Snowboarding and blockbuster movie trailers, including the launch trailer of Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon.
Meanwhile the group continue to pay homage to their roots by signing and developing some of the most exciting bass music artists to their Vision, Division and Invisible labels, travelling the globe and destroying some of the biggest festivals and arenas in the world – from Coachella to their own Noisia Invites events at Amsterdam’s infamous Melkweg and their own hometown of Groningen. No matter what Noisia’s vision is clear, these incredible producer’s producers will always stick to their guns, pushing an uncompromisingly original, emotional and visceral sound.
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Born in Australia as Danny Chien, Wax Motif’s unique production style and mixing skills have kept this rising producer in high demand. Continually wowing fans and industry insiders, his production efforts have drawn critical acclaim and support from the likes of Diplo, A- Trak, Tommy Trash, Nicky Romero, Tiesto, Knife Party, Laidback Luke, Crookers, Chuckie, Steve Aoki and more. Wax Motif has become a pioneer for the G-House movement, working with Destructo for his album on Interscope with the likes of Ty Dolla Sign, YG, Yung Thug, Problem, Kurupt and Warren G. His DJ sets already incorporate this style heavily into his mixing, and 2015 will see a lot of original productions in this vibe.The super-fun “Love Ting” (produced with Anna Lunoe), deeply pleasurable “Go Deep” (with Neoteric) and his solo “Shimmy Shake” EP have attracted significant attention domestically and abroad, with “Go Deep” reaching top 5 status on the Beatport Electro House chart and the tracks receiving heavy airplay on BBC Radio 1, Capital, Kiss FM, Scion, Triple J, Channel V and Rage as well as being licensed to several compilations around the world. His recent collaboration is currently in rotation on Sirius XM and hit the top 10 of Beatport overall. No stranger to the festival circuit, Wax has played EDC Las Vegas, New York & Mexico, HARD Summer & Day of the Dead, Holy Ship, Stereosonic and Splendour in the Grass to name a few. Wax has released tracks through A-trak’s Fool’s Gold, Laidback Luke’s Mixmash Records and Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records, a compilation on legendary label Strictly Rhythm as well as a host of remixes for the likes of Chromeo, Deadmau5, Warren G’s “Regulate” and more.
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walkerandroyce.dirtybirdrecords.com
After being introduced by way of New York City’s mid-2000s dance music scene, Sam Walker and Gavin Royce decided to team up in 2011. Six years later, having logged countless hours refining their now-signature sound and growing their impressive catalog, the duo is set to release their debut album Self Help on October 20.
The LP’s title, as Sam puts it, is a “multiple entendre”, but its ultimate meaning comes down to a simple phrase: “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” Gavin and Sam have meticulously crafted the sounds they want to hear at clubs, festivals and in their headphones. The result is a cohesive, career-defining body of work that firmly places the duo at the forefront of dance music’s future.
Given all the time they’ve spent in the studio, it’s only natural for Walker & Royce to take their new tunes on the road. Their album tour spans four months this fall, beginning in Europe and then kicking off the U.S. leg with a weekend at the Dirtybird Campout. Armed with their fresh productions, Sam and Gavin have something irresistible to offer fans at every stop..
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KOAN: A puzzling, often paradoxical statement or story, used in Zen Buddhism as an aid to meditation and a means of gaining spiritual awakening.
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Productive and successful for more than a decade, Italian native artist, producer, DJ and multi-talent EDX first hit people’s radars in 1994 with various mix tapes that within weeks had circulated around the globe. With his new found fame EDX quickly climbed up the ladder of recognition with labels and producers asking him to sprinkle his remix magic touch onto their releases.
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Chocolate Puma is a Dutch DJ/Producers duo consisting of René ter Horst and Gaston Steenkist aka Dj Zki & Dobre. They are two of Holland’s most celebrated producers and with a career spanning 25 years, 400+ releases and countless remixes under their various guises make them a duo whose influence on the European dance music scene cannot be underestimated.
The guys started out producing music in the early 90s, delivering club hits under several artist names. Most famous are probably The Good Men, Jark Prongo and René et Gaston. Just check these names on Spotify or iTunes and discover a collection of awesome oldskool house music!
Drawn together by a common appreciation of the house music movement of the early 90s, their career got off to a turbo-charged start with the release of what would become one of the defining records of their career. Recording under their alias of The Good Men the duo released ‘Give It Up’ on their own Fresh Fruit label in 1992. The record surpassed all expectations, reaching #1 on the US Dance Chart and #5 in the UK Singles Chart, propelling them to unexpected global stardom. ‘Give It Up’ remains a unique record that people still sample and play, and one about which they are extremely proud of.
René and Gaston embarked on a staggeringly diverse and accomplished string of releases, dabbling with house, techno and even breakbeat as the number of aliases they recorded under grew steadily in number. Arguably the best known of these early incarnations was Jark Prongo, the increased recent support for records like ‘Moving Thru Your System’ proving just how ahead of their time they were. Indeed, some of this “strange underground stuff” despite only selling a couple of hundred copies when initially released on Pssst Music has been picked up on and championed by some key players in the German techno scene.
In 2001 the duo came up with what would be their last alias Chocolate Puma.
And like The Good Men, Chocolate Puma got off to a dream start with the release of ‘I Wanna Be U’; another record that became a worldwide hit and reached #6 in the UK Singles chart, prompting an appearance from the duo on Tops of the Pops.
And then after ‘Learning’ in 2002 and A Star Is Born’ in 2003 they released ‘Always And Forever’ in 2005 what again ended up in the UK singles chart, they decided to let go of all those other aliases and go on as Chocolate Puma.
After working with Defected Records for some time, Chocolate Puma and leading dance music label Spinnin’ Records have enjoyed a close relationship for the past few years, with the duo establishing themselves as key artists both in the studio and behind the decks. Records like ‘Step Back’, ’Space Sheep’ (with Oliver Heldens), ’Steam Train’ (with Hi-Lo), ‘Scrub The Ground’ (with Tommie Sunshine & DJ Funk) and ‘Lullaby’ (with Firebeatz) as well as countless well-received remixes have placed Chocolate Puma in a league of their own and steadily built them a loyal legion of fans all over the world.
It’s no surprise they have regular appearances at major clubs and festivals worldwide, including Hï & Ushuaia Ibiza, Tomorrowland Belgium, Mysteryland The Netherlands, EDC & Omnia Las Vegas, Sensation Korea, Veld Festival Canada, Stereo Live USA.
Head to see a Chocolate Puma live DJ set and three quarters of the tracks you hear will be produced or remixed by them, while the rest contains personal edits of some of their favourite brand new or classic tracks, all mixed and improvised on the fly into one massively energetic set.
This music industry legend, trailblazer, and currently one of the hottest DJ’s and producers on the underground electronic music scene…Green Velvet… came into existence more than 25 years ago. In 1993 Green Velvet launched Relief Records and since that time has been a constant presence in the industry. When this very eccentric, green Mohawk wearing Green Velvet emerged, he sent shock waves throughout the House and Techno music scenes. What was even more intriguing was his background. Born in the southern suburbs of Chicago, IL he has always been an active athlete and focused student determined to follow his dream of becoming a chemical engineer. While he excelled scholastically he was socially introverted, but always committed to finding ways to share his enthusiasm for living. Following in his father’s footsteps, he began DJ-ing while attending undergraduate school at the University of Illinois and later graduate school at U of C Berkley. Until one day, he realized that while his dream was to become a chemical engineer…his passion…his God given talent was to pursue life in the music industry. That passion and commitment led him back to his hometown, and clearly kept Chicago on the House Music map. Even today, more than 25 years later…it is difficult to go to any electronic music festival or set and not hear music from Green Velvet/Relief Records. Crowds everywhere sing along when notable hits like: Bigger than Prince, Flash, La La Land, Lazer Beams, Live Stream, Preacher Man, Shake and Pop, Sheeple, Suga, and Voicemail, are blasting across the airwaves. Part of the history of Green Velvet and Relief Records is all about the Love…. Love of the music…Love of the fans…Love of other artists. The history of great releases on the label and artists speak to this. There are too many artist collaborations to mention…. but the likes of: Carl Craig, Detlef, Eats Everything, Jay Lumen, MarkKnight, Mason Maynard, Mihalis Safras, Patrick Topping, Prok|Fitch, Riva Starr, Shiba San, and of course …GET REAL, (the ultimate collaboration of Green Velvet representing Chicago… the birth place of House and Claude VonStroke…growing up in Detroit… the birth place of Techno) attest to his commitment to work with both established and emerging artist. One thing is very clear, in this industry success and change go hand in hand. Staying current with the scene and his fans is paramount. 2013 was a big year for Green Velvet: Bigger than Prince was voted the #1 Underground Dance Track of the year by International Dance Music Awards and Green Velvet, the artist, received the Life Time Achievement Award from Beatport. In 2017 Green Velvet was voted the #1 DJ in North America by DJ Mag.
2018 is another record-breaking year: Relief Records reached the #1 Label in Beatport Top 100 (all genres), Sheeple, (a collaboration with Green Velvet & Prok|Fitch) held down the #1 spot for 8 weeks. Green Velvet will introduce yet another innovation to his music arsenal beginningwith the 2018 launch of the LA LA LAND STAGES.DzIt’s all about our fans, about their love, support, loyalty and encouragement.dz More than 25 years and going stronger than ever…no doubt…the best is yet to come!
Lotus has crafted a unique musical style outside of simple genre limitations. On a given weekend the band could be the only group with guitars at an all electronic music festival and then the next night crash a traditional rock festival with their dance heavy beats, synths and samples. Equal parts instrumental post-rock and electronic dance, the band’s distinguishing feature is the ability to maintain a decidedly unique musical voice and remain current while bucking passing trends. No matter what the venue, the energetic joy and catharsis of a Lotus show is infectious. The band slowly built a devoted fan base through steady touring and the crowds have grown at an increasing pace. This grassroots growth has made the band in high demand for festivals including Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Ultra, and Electric Forest and earned the band sold out shows at the country’s premier theatres and clubs.
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The way music is produced and performed is growing at an astounding rate. From the roots of acoustic music to amped up rock n’ roll and into the electronic revolution, the options available to the modern musician are more like a scientific lab, then the campfire jam from where it all started. From the controls of a tiny laptop, a performer now has the power to mix, change and loop sounds in a concert setting with great ease. This modern twist of technology is bringing a new level of music to the electronic dance party.
While the genre of live electronica is relatively new on the music circuit, nobody is breaking the boundaries of live producing and improvisation like EOTO. Fusing elements of live instrumentation, house music, dubstep and electro into their dance ready sound, the band will be taking the country by storm beginning in late September for their perennial fall tour, performing 33 consecutive nights in a row.
Consisting of Michael Travis and Jason Hann the duo mixes the organic sounds of live drums, bass and guitar through a variety of programs and gadgets to create a style of music that is more likely found in a dance club, then a live music theater. What sets EOTO apart from other artists in this emerging genre is how the music is created. While some artists may spend hours pre-mixing samples and elements of music for their live show, EOTO uses nothing pre-recorded, giving them the ability to approach each song with on-the-spot spontaneity and 100% live improvisation.
Because of the ever-changing sound and style of music, it’s hard to describe a band like EOTO. In a recent discussion on the bands highly active Facebook page, the thousands of subscribed fans were asked to describe the band in their own words – descriptions ranged from mythical to visual, each in awe of the duo’s ability to create high octane dance music in a live setting. A trait that has fans old and new catching multiple shows on a tour and packing venues wherever they play. Or maybe EOTO is selling out venues around the coast for the spirit of dance music they bring in general.
It should come as no surprise that the members of EOTO have performed with a range of musicians second to none. Their combined resume includes the likes of Isaac Hayes, Loreena McKinnett, Herbie Hancock, Drummers of STOMP, DJ Tequila, Les Nubians, Stanley Jordan, Les ClayPool, Joshua Redman, Arturo Sandoval, Bela Fleck, Trilok Gurtu, Charlie Hunter, Mike Marshall and Dave Grisman just to name a few.
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Breaking the mold before it’s even set is nothing new for indie-electronic artist Jai Wolf, better known to some as Sajeeb Saha. Born in Bangladesh, raised in New York City, inspired by everything from hip-hop to classical music to punk rock, both his life and music have been defined by an amorphous quality that only a third culture kid could understand. The fact that Jai Wolf never quite fit in used to be fuel for his daydreams, now it’s what makes him one of the most exciting electronic artists of his generation.
It was Skrillex himself who plucked Jai Wolf from obscurity when he came across the then-fledgling bedroom producer’s bootleg of “Ease My Mind” in 2014. The OWSLA boss was so impressed that he signed the track for release and dropped it into heavy rotation in headline sets around the world, beginning with Glastonbury in the UK. From that point, Jai Wolf was a fixture at major stateside festivals, developing a reputation as a master remixer, often mentioned in the same breath as Flume and ODESZA in that wave of 2015 future bass. It was the kind of year of which most bedroom producers only ever dream, but Jai Wolf’s real breakout moment was just about to hit.
‘Indian Summer’ was the first time I ever tried sampling South Asian music. I had no expectations. I thought it was a strange, weird song,” Jai Wolf smiles, looking back on his unique path to stardom. Since then, that “strange, weird” track has taken over the world, racking up tens of millions of streams, a major GoPro ad campaign, appearing on American Idol, and even soundtracking one of Kobe Bryant’s final basketball games in the NBA. The song made Jai Wolf a star, but creatively, he was already looking towards bigger and better things.
The success of “Indian Summer,” a track that leans more indie than EDM, was the catalyst to a major change in Jai Wolf’s perspective. He decided to ditch the drops and focus on crafting songs with depth, with meaning and melody. He signed to indie darling label Mom + Pop Music, placing himself alongside the likes of Flume, Jagwar Ma, and Wavves. The result was the debut Kindred Spirits EP in 2016, a record that stunned critics and signaled the birth of Jai Wolf the songwriter, the live performer, the indie-tronic artist. The EP somehow merged the sweet melodies of 80s synth-pop with the atmosphere and grandiosity of EDM, the intimacy and closeness of chillwave, and the thoughtful introspection of indie-rock. It’s a busy brew, but an easy listen, and it was the sound of Jai Wolf finding his voice. “I like writing songs that have a duality,” he says. “A complexity of feeling that takes you to a melancholy, reflective space.”
The creative release of Kindred Spirits and the deep connection Jai Wolf has forged with his worldwide fanbase has strengthened his sense of mission. “I really want to make honest music that people can relate to, can escape into. I don’t want to make music that’s just for the sake of being popular or trendy. I want people to really get lost in the world that I create,” he says. “My music is for people who are desperately dreaming beyond where they are at right now — it can be the future, it can be the past. I want you to feel nostalgic. I want you to reflect on your life. I also want you to be inspired about where your life could go.”
The story of Jai Wolf so far is more than the hits, the packed dancefloors, or co-signs by mega-stars. There’s a message within it. “It’s really easy to feel like you need to follow trends, the blueprint,” he says. “But over the past three years I’ve learned that you shouldn’t try to emulate anybody. You can take the elements you like and find a way to speak them through your own voice. That’s the only way you’ll ever truly express yourself honestly.” It’s a lesson for artists and fans alike, and a hint of what’s to come for Jai Wolf. With his first ever LP impending in 2018, it seems that this story — one that spans the globe and genres alike — is just beginning…
“I know that there are people out there who are feeling what I’m feeling,” says Jai Wolf. “I would love for them to find a way to connect with that through my music.”
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In an ever-shifting social landscape of self-promotion and curated digital identities, ZHU is a unique voice making a name for himself, without ever having mentioned it. With a Grammy nomination and underground hits accumulating almost half a billion online plays, ZHU is an inspiration for the entrepreneurial millennials who shun the status quo in favor of cultural exploration and game-changing creationism.
In early 2014, the phantom artist ignited word of mouth hype via viral guerrilla marketing when respected influencers championed his debut THE NIGHTDAY EP despite zero self-promotion from the silent musician. After a Grammy nomination for the lead single ‘Faded’, ZHU’s follow up EP featured a second single with 100M+ streams, this time a collaboration with Skrillex. With coverage from Pitchfork to The New York Times, the EP was critically acclaimed as a worldly collection of music appreciated for its immaculate attention to detail and groundbreaking sonic concepts.
ZHU’s debut album GENERATIONWHY, was the top streamed new album the week of its release. With projects like animated shorts scored to music, a fashion line, and digital art activations, his shows incorporate all of his work. Combining cinematic beauty, with avant-garde fashion, live music performances, and art installations, ZHU fans never know what to expect next.
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It’s 2018 and we find a 28-year-old GRiZ (or Grant Kwiecinski, to his mom) spending most of his days in the studio focusing on his next full body of work, which will undoubtedly be his most refined, polished, and personal offering to date. When not in the studio, GRiZ has been headlining Electric Forest, Lightning In A Bottle, Sloss, and other major festivals, as well as selling out his two-night run at Red Rocks Amphitheatre within an hour of on sale. The unforgettable Red Rocks weekend saw the return of
his powerhouse 15-piece live funk band and the second annual limited edition run of his Chasing The Golden Hour Ale. Touring aside, 2018 has been a year of self-reflection and creative development for Kwiecinski, who has signed off of social media and turned his focus on his new music.
Since his start, GRiZ has become a champion of the live electronic landscape; effortlessly blending
improvised saxophone, guitar, vocals and more over booming bass lines, hard drops, and some of the
most creative transitions in the game. A man of many talents, it’s no surprise that GRiZ’s show-stealing performances have reached the main stages at some of the largest festivals on the planet all while keeping true to his mantra
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Show Love. Spread Love.
firepowerrecords.com/artists/riot-ten/
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Riot Ten (Christopher Wilson) is exploding into the world of electronic dance music. Originating as a Hip Hop producer at the age of 15, Chris’s music has evolved into a unique blend of the Trap and House genres. Featured on top music blog sites such as Smash The Club, Digi Love, EDM Sauce, Trap Style, Trap Sounds and Fist In The Air, Riot Ten is gaining momentum from coast-‐to-‐coast.
Chris was recently featured on the Sirius Satellite Radio station “Electric Area”, and aims to continue his growth as a music producer. Riot Ten has recently received support from A$AP Ferg, who has been in contact with him in regards to a collaboration for original work and future official remixes. Other Riot Mob supporters include: Flux Pavillion, Caked Up, Kennedy Jones, Victor Niglio, D!rty Aud!o, Migos, and many more. Join the movement as Riot Ten takes over the scene.
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Bear Grillz’ meteoric rise into the Pantheon of bass music legends was predicated on a philosophy of love for the scene and the necessity of always grinding as hard as you can. This philosophy netted him multiple Beatport #1’s including his massive collaborations with Datsik and Getter, “Fuck Off” and “EDM” respectively. 2016 was also a time of artistic transformation. At the start of the year, the as-yet-unidentified Bear Grillz revealed his true identity on the Jerry Springer show. Two million viewers and fans watched with amazement as he removed his iconic Bear Grillz helmet on camera. But by this time, Bear Grillz was already a global bass music brand, selling out shows in North America, South America, Australia and Europe. His notoriety only increased, and 2016 saw him booked for 12 international festivals while touring as support for Excision on his Paradox Tour. 2017 promises to be an even better, more successful year for Bear Grillz. An 8 track EP, with talent straight from the rosters of Bass Music royalty, is set to drop later this year, and a full North American tour is slated for the spring. He’s bringing his brand new custom stage design, “The Void”, with him, and, to make it rage even harder, he’s adding the sonic support of PK’s famous sound system. The name Bear Grillz has always been synonymous with face-melting, neck-breaking bass music, and his shows are always one mosh pit away from a prison riot. Don’t sleep on him–you’ll be seeing a lot more of him at a show near you
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Influenced by producers like Tiësto and Skrillex, Canada’s Adventure Club blended the sounds of their inspirations, offering a mix of slick EDM and floor-rumbling dubstep. Fully in touch with the digital age, Montreal-based producers Christian Srigley and Leighton James introduced their Adventure Club project with remixes and videos uploaded to the web. They toured across North America in 2012 with no official product yet available, while 2013 saw them land gigs at the Ultra festivals in both Miami and Seoul, South Korea. That same year they dropped their debut EP, Calling All Heroes, featuring guest spots from vocalist Yuna and EDM producer the Kite String Tangle. The song “Wonder” featured the latter and hit Canada’s Top 40. Their full-length debut, Red//Blue, arrived in late 2016 and included appearances by Delaney Jane, DJ DallasK, and the electro-pop duo Sondar.
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Born of radical sonic possibilities and limitless permutations, Electronic music has always been a fluid genre where innovation is prized. Having been at the forefront of the sprawling genre since 2009, Dylan Mamid (DC) and Zachary Rapp-Rovan (Hooks), aka Zeds Dead, are acutely aware of how vital new ideas are. That’s why when the Toronto-based producer/DJs finally took time off from headlining festivals, they crafted a debut album full of dynamic, forward-thinking songs that defy categorization and disrupt musical foundations.
The products of two musically-inclined households, DC and Hooks played piano before moving onto the guitar. As teens, they became enamored with the beats of ’90s hip-hop producers (e.g. DJ Premier, Pete Rock) and formed production duo Mass Productions (MP). Like DJ Shadow or RJD2, they explored the boundless potential of hip-hop based instrumental music.
This insatiable appetite for sonic exploration has been the guiding principal of their career. In college, DC and Hooks became entranced by the rhythms of drum & bass, dubstep, and electro. Changing their name to Zeds Dead, the pair founded one of Canada’s most storied club nights: Bassmentality. Initially held in the tiny basement of 751, around-the-block crowds prompted a relocation to Toronto’s Wrongbar, where the duo booked artists like Skrillex, Borgore, and Nero.
Zeds Dead haven’t stopped their ascent since Bassmentality, touring the world, performing to thousands at music festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, Osheaga, HARD, Ultra, Tomorrowland Belgium, plus the biggest stages in India, Asia, & South America. Zeds Dead have also launched their own events, notably their annual Deadrocks event at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater, which they most recently sold out in June of 2016, and their first annual Deadbeats Toronto event at Echo beach in August 2016.
The group’s compelling, high-intensity live shows double as a showcase for their ever-expanding catalog. To date, Zeds Dead has released projects with electronic music titans like Ultra (The Living Dead) and Mad Decent. The duo considers their 2014 EP, Somewhere Else (Mad Decent), a significant artistic milestone. With features from Twin Shadow and Perry Farrell, among others, Hooks and DC seamlessly fused the sonic hallmarks of contemporary hip-hop with brain-melting bass, poignant piano keys, and more.
“The way Somewhere Else came together, the concept behind it, and the way we worked with other people — it was closer to my main vision for Zeds Dead,” says DC.
Zeds Dead fully realizes this vision on their forthcoming album, Northern Lights. Released via the group’s DeadBeats imprint, it is the culmination of two musical journeys, of years of collaboration, touring, and recording. As such, the album encompasses much of life’s emotional complexities. Some songs evoke the wistfulness of nostalgia, others the uncertainty of the present. While others still brim with bright-eyed hope for the future.
“It’s music that works best at night. The northern lights are something beautiful and vibrant coming out of the night sky,” explains DC. “That contrast provided the framework for the album.”
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Armin van Buuren is widely regarded as one of the world’s biggest DJs and producers within Electronic Dance Music for a whopping twenty years. His life-long dedication to Electronic Music has earned him a Grammy® nomination for ‘This Is What It Feels Like’ (feat. Trevor Guthrie) and he has been voted “#1 DJ” in the world for an unprecedented five times in the annual DJ Mag Top 100, not to mention the fifteen consecutive top 5 spots to date,
His weekly two-hour radio show, “A State of Trance” (ASOT), is broadcast weekly in more than 84 countries, drawing more than 37 million listeners every week. The ASOT brand has grown into a complete live show experience and touring concept, with stages and events all over the world. The next event series of A State Of Trance, A State Of Trance 800, is to kick off in Utrecht, the Netherlands on February 18th, 2017. In the same month (February, 2017), Armin van Buuren is to open a brand-new radio studio in the HQ of Armada Music in Amsterdam, from which the A State Of Trance episodes are to be broadcast live.
Throughout the years, Armin has launched several ‘Armin Only’ world tours, including the ones based on (one of) his albums (‘Imagine’ in 2008, ‘Mirage’ in 2010, and ‘Intense’ in 2013). His latest world tour, ‘Armin Only Embrace’, is directly tied to the ‘Embrace’ album, his sixth and latest full-fledged artist album.
In addition, Armin is the co-founder of the Armada Music record label (together with Maykel Piron and David Lewis), which has been acclaimed internationally for releasing top-notch Electronic Music in a variety of genres.
As a performer, Armin headlines more than 150 shows a year at leading festivals and venues around the world, including Electric Daisy Carnival (Las Vegas, New York), Ultra Music Festival (Miami), Tomorrowland (Belgium); Omnia Nightclub (Las Vegas), Ushuaia (Ibiza), and numerous others.
Lastly, Armin has six full-length artist albums to his name: ‘76’ (2003), ‘Shivers’ (2005), ‘Imagine’ (2008), ‘Mirage’ (2010), ‘Intense’ (2013), and ‘Embrace’ (2015).
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Life is full of decisions that either make or break us. In the grand scheme of things, selling his
motorized scooter for his first studio set up may well have been the best move Alessandro
Lindblad – a Stockholm born youngster of Italian ancestry – ever made. Now a regular at
some of the world’s largest festivals and collaborating with producers such as Sebastian
Ingrosso, Calvin Harris and One Republic, Alesso continues to bring uplifting moments to
the forefront of global dance music.
From his debut single ‘Nillionaire’ and breaking through with the dark and energized ‘Raise
Your Head’, Alesso has had successive Beatport chart toppers. His discography is one to be
desired, with ‘Calling’ alongside Sebastian Ingrosso, ‘Years’ ft Matthew Koma, the 2013
Summer anthem ‘If I lose Myself’ a One Republic remix to his latest collaboration with
Calvin Harris ft Theo Hurts – ‘Under Control’.
The summer of 2013 was a busy one for Alesso. Playing the main stage of Summerburst at
the beginning of the season, interspersed with headline shows at Amnesia and Radio One
Weekend, Ibiza; Tomorrowland, The Light, Electric Zoo, and everywhere in between.
Highlights of his summer included playing alongside fellow Swedes Sebastian Ingrosso and
Axwell at the newly branded ‘Departures’ on the white Isle and headlining the ‘All Mixed
up’ tent with Sebastian at Creamfields – a night that for everyone involved will never be
forgotten.
As a strong producer as well as a DJ the future looks bright. Having already spun sets to a
variety of crowds, on a backdrop of different skylines on various stages across the world, this
is a man who is destined for greatness. For Alesso it’s his fans who motivate and inspire him
to keep on producing hit after hit. Pursuing his passion for music is inbuilt, a way of life,
which means that exciting times are ahead.
With a hit album, headlining major shows, and two Grammy nominations under their belts, producers/DJs Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklöw of Galantis had a stellar 2015. But the duo show no signs of slowing down in 2016.
Galantis’ debut album, Pharmacy (Big Beat/Atlantic Records), was released June 2015. Since then, the album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Dance album chart on the strength of hit singles like “Peanut Butter Jelly” and “Runaway (U & I),”went gold in three countries and has streaming numbers upwards of 430 million.
Galantis’ popularity continues to grow after every live show thanks to their infectious energy, and their fans’ fascination of The Seafox (the mysterious creature who encompasses all things Galantis). Standout shows include Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, Coachella in Indio, CA, Miami’s Ultra Music Festival, Lollapalooza in Chicago and NYC’s Electric Zoo.
The story of Galantis started back in 2009. Working as Bloodshy, Karlsson’s songwriting collaborations included Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry and Britney Spears (whose “Toxic” earned him a Grammy award), but only reached out to Eklöw (as Style of Eye, who produced Icona Pop’s hit single “I Love It”) to remix “Animal,” a single from Karlsson’s band Miike Snow. Shortly after, the two started hanging out, playing each other songs and sharing bits of ideas in the recording studio.
As Galantis, Karlsson and Eklow released the self-titled EP in 2014. The duo’s transcendent sound, encapsulated in singles like “Smile” and “You,” won over the likes of fellow DJs/producers Pete Tong, Diplo, Tïesto, Porter Robinson, Kaskade and A-Trak. The overwhelming feedback from the two singles was enough proof that Karlsson and Eklöw were onto something. “We felt the urge to fill the dance world up with songs and with songwriting,” Eklöw says. “We realized, this is Galantis, this is our band,” Karlsson adds.
That like-minded thinking helped create Pharmacy. “It’s almost like telepathy,” says Eklöw. “You get it from being in the studio together for a long time, but we also share a lot of common interests in music.” “Finally, I have someone who works like me,” says Karlsson.
The duo’s shared philosophy has earned them two Grammy nominations from their work on Pharmacy. “Runaway (U & I)”-which hit No. 1 on the iTunes Dance Charts in 15 different countries-is nominated for “Best Dance Recording” and “Best Remixed Recording” for its Kaskade remix.
Galantis has truly been a phenomenon in dance music. With a synergy yet unrivaled by any Dance artist, the duo’s inspirational sound and riveting on-stage performance will continue to resonate with fans worldwide.
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When Los Angeles-based DJ/producer Henry Steinwaycombines hip-hop, electro, drum’n’bass, and any number of other bass-heavy genres, he dons the moniker RL Grime. After debuting the project in 2011 with a series of Internet uploads, RL Grime became official with the Grapes EP, released in 2012 by Wedidit Collective. In 2013, the Fool’s Gold label released the High Beams EP with a guest appearance from rapper Problem. RL Grime remixed Benny Benassi‘s club staple “Satisfaction” as well as Jamie Lidell‘s “What a Shame,” and toured with Baauer, Ryan Hemsworth, and Jim-E Stack. Full-length debut Void appeared in 2014 and featured rapper Big Sean, electro-house producer Boys Noize, and indie act How to Dress Well. A remix album followed, as did “Tell Me,” a collaboration with What So Not, and a remix of the Weeknd‘s “The Hills.” The solo single “Aurora” appeared in 2016, as did “Waiting,” a collaboration with Skrillex and What So Not. “Reims” and “Stay for It” (with Miguel) followed in 2017, in advance of RL Grime‘s second full-length, Nova.
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