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Detroit house and techno staple DJ Holographic launches her new label, Through The Veil, with the release of her newest single, “Taurus.” The track, a mystical, groove-laden house jam (following the release of “Aries” last month) with influences that trace back to the Detroit funk of the ‘60s, is part of a new body of work that will channel Holographic’s deep ties to astrology. DJ Holographic’s spiritual journey has taken her deep into the practice of shadow work, a type of psychotherapy that allows her to access and heal repressed parts of herself, finding answers about everything from her childhood experiences to romantic relationships to creative blocks. This experience of inner exploration has educated and empowered her and serves as the inspiration behind her new project. “This new musical endeavor that I’m embarking on channels the healing power of music. Over the course of a year, I’ve decided to release one song per month, resulting in a collection of twelve emotionally charged songs that resonate with the unique energy of each zodiac sign. Drawing upon my own personal experiences and connections with these signs, I aim to positively impact and rejuvenate their conventional traits within the depths of my own houses and the dark night of the soul. This isn’t just about creating music; it’s about expressing my voice and embarking on a transformative journey.” — DJ Holographic Holographic will debut this extremely personal work entirely uninhibited on her new label. The releases correspond to each zodiac house and will arrive monthly alongside her globe-trotting tour dates as she pays tribute to the heart and soul of the city where she was born and raised, Detroit, through global electronic music’s most regarded spaces/parties. A celebrated DJ whose talents have taken her to Berlin’s Panorama Bar to Pitchfork Music Festival in Mexico City, Holographic has upcoming stops around the globe at Time Warp, Movement Festival, London’s fabric, and Red Rocks. DJ Holographic Tour Dates April 27 – Radio Estrella – Bogota, Colombia April 30 – Matiz – São Paulo, Brazil May 3 – Time Warp – São Paulo, Brazil May 4 – Luque, Paraguay May 11 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Denver, Colorado May 17 – Sandbox Festival – Hurghada, Egypt May 18 – Fabric – London, United Kingdom May 23 – Lightning In A Bottle – Bakersfield, California May 25 – Movement Festival – Detroit, Michigan May 25 – Defected x Detroit Love Movement After Party– Detroit, Michigan May 26 – House of EFunk – Detroit, Michigan June 1 – Ferndale Pride – Ferndale, Michigan June 7 – Department Festival – Långholmen, Sweden June 8 – Docklands Festival – Münster, Germany June 9 – Glitterbox at Hï – Ibiza, Spain The post DJ Holographic launches label Through The Veil appeared first on Decoded Magazine.

In the early 1990s, a growing nightclub and outdoor event culture gave birth to new genres in the rave scene, including breakbeat, hardcore, darkcore, and hardcore jungle. The music combined sampled breakbeats, and samples from a wide range of music genres including reggae, jazz, funk, soul, house, techno, hip hop, electronica and even film scores; basically, any sounds that provided the right vibe when it was underpinned with a heavy rumbling bassline and rolling breakbeats. From the early ’90s, tracks were beginning to strip away some of the heavier sampling and “hardcore sounding noises” to create more bassline and breakbeat-led tracks. Some tracks increasingly took their influence from reggae and this style would become known as hardcore jungle (later to become simply jungle), whilst darkcore (producers such as Goldie, Doc Scott, 4hero, and 2 Bad Mice) were experimenting with sounds and creating a blueprint for drum and bass, especially noticeable by late 1993. The shift in sounds and styles was all part of the fragmentation of the rave scene as we knew it, where sides were being determined by those who still loved the uplifting piano-led sounds (what we now know as happy hardcore) and those who favoured the more forward-thinking and darker sounds of what was referred to as “jungle techno” and “hardcore jungle”. Both phrases proliferated to describe that shift of the music from breakbeat hardcore to jungle. By 1994, jungle had begun to gain mainstream popularity, and fans of the music (often referred to as junglists) became a more recognisable part of the youth subculture. The genre further developed, incorporating and fusing elements from a wide range of existing musical genres, including dancehall, MC chants, dub basslines, and increasingly complex, heavily edited breakbeat percussion. Although jungle can be defined by the tempo of the music and the use of breakbeats, identifying the first-ever jungle record is not a straightforward task by any means. Some very good contenders would certainly be the likes of early Shut Up & Dance, Lennie De Ice, and Rebel MCs. Despite the affiliation with the ecstasy-fuelled rave scene, jungle also inherited associations with violence and criminal activity, both from the gang culture that had affected the UK’s hip-hop scene and as a consequence of jungle’s often aggressive or menacing sound and themes of violence which were usually reflected in the choice of samples used on the tracks. However, this was developed in tandem with the often positive reputation of the music, as part of the wider rave scene and dancehall-based Jamaican music culture prevalent in London. By 1995, some jungle producers began to move away from the ragga-influenced style and create what would become collectively labelled drum and bass. As the genre became generally more polished and technically sophisticated, it began to expand its reach from pirate radio to commercial stations and gained widespread acceptance around the mid-’90s. It also began to split into recognisable subgenres such as hardstep, jump up, ragga, techstep, and what was known at the time as intelligent. As more melodic and often jazz-influenced subgenres of drum and bass called atmospheric or intelligent (Blame and Blu Mar Ten) and jazzstep (4Hero, London Elektricity, Roni Size) gained mainstream appeal, additional subgenres emerged including techstep in 1996, drawing influence from techno. The emergence of related styles such as liquid funk brought a wave of new artists incorporating new ideas and techniques, supporting the continual evolution of the genre. To this day, drum and bass music makes frequent appearances in mainstream media and popular culture including on television, as well as being a major reference point for subsequent genres such as grime and dubstep, and producing successful artists including Chase & Status, Netsky, and Pendulum. It is not really an unreasonable opinion that drum & bass has changed the perception of what could be done with dance music forever. As a genre, it has certainly evolved over the years with a variety of trends and sub-genres coming and going, but it is a genre that still holds huge attraction for those clubbers and music collectors looking for something very different from the norm. Once you have the bug for this music, it never really goes away… once a junglist, always a junglist. We take a look back at some of the most influential drum & bass tracks over the years, as well as the sounds that influenced the very sound we all know and love today. 01. Lennie De Ice – We Are I.E. 02. Metalheads – Terminator 03. 2 Bad Mice – Bomb Scare 04. Goldie – Inner City Life 05. Codename John – The Warning 06. A Guy Called Gerald – 28 Gun Bad Boy 07. Nookie – Shining In Da Darkness 08. Origin Unknown – Valley Of The Shadows 09. Omni Trio – Renegade Snares 10. UK Apache & Shy-FX – Original Nuttah 11. D.R.S featuring Kenny Ken – Everyman 12. Marcus Intalex – Temperance 13. M-Beat feat. General Levy – Incredible 14. Roni Size & Reprazent – Trust Me 15. Dillinja – The Angels Fell 16. J.Majik ‎– Your Sound 17. Peshay – Piano Tune 18. Goldie (Metalheads) – Kemistry 19. Alex Reece – Pulp Fiction 20. DJ Hype feat. MC Fats – Peace, Love And Unity The post Twenty of the most influential Drum & Bass tracks appeared first on Decoded Magazine.

Deeply rooted in the story of underground culture, past and present, the iconic venue will showcase a programme of pivoting artists emerging from the golden era of modern music. Each week centres around the evolution of four trailblazing genres, with both live performances and DJ sets from the era’s finest exports. On Friday 7th June, the godfather of jungle music Roni Size meets the Metalheadz boss lady DJ Storm in an unmissable match-up. Size’s pirate radio appearances date all the way back to 1993 and beyond on stations like Bristol’s Raw 101.1 FM. Known by many as the ‘first lady of drum & bass’, Storm is recognised as one of the most influential women in the scene. Expect an extensive catalogue of DnB and Jungle records – old and new. Dive into the sounds of UKG on Friday 14th June with an esteemed trio – DJ Spoony, Wookie and Lady Passion. Born in Hackney, the epicentre of East London culture, Spoony began his career on stations such as London Underground. Wookie earned his status as UKG hero with an impressive record working with some of the greatest names in the scene. Representing South London’s electronic scene, Lady Passion takes to the decks with her collection of exciting Garage tracks. The series wouldn’t be complete without paying homage to Grime and Dubstep icons. On Friday 21st June, a line up of huge names including Slimzee & Flowdan, Coki and Loefah will take over the intimate venue. Powerful duo, Slimzee, the co-founder of Rinse FM and Flowdan, leading Grime pioneer, join up for a performance like no other. DJ and Producer Coki, alongside Loefah, named one of Dubstep first founders, will also head up the night. Moving into the grooves of UK Funky for the final instalment of the series, Crazy Cousinz, Roska, and Cooly G join The Jazz Cafe on Friday 28th June. Famed for Drake’s sampling of his remix one “One Dance”, which reached number one in the charts for 15 weeks, Cousinz has led the way for the genre from the early stages of his career. UK Dance icon Roska will be completing the lineup is multi talented singer, rapper, DJ and Producer Cooly G. Since its origins in 1990, The Jazz Cafe has been home to some of the UK’s most groundbreaking performances from up-and-coming talent, now legends in their own right with the likes of Wookie, Ray Keith, Skepta, and Roy Davis Jr playing throughout the decades. Today, the venue continues to showcase the next wave of emerging talent, alongside appearances from established artists from around the globe. Simultaneously, the 20th-century pirate radio phenomenon, at its glorious peak during the 90s, also forged a platform for artists paving their own way against the mainstream. Well loved stations of today, such as Rinse FM, Kool FM and Eruption FM, began underground, transmitting unheard records to thousands of listeners across London and the UK. Join The Jazz Cafe in honouring three decades of pirate radio’s innovative place in modern musical history. For the full 2024 calendar, tickets and restaurant bookings, please visit: https://thejazzcafelondon.com/whats-on/ The post A History of Pirate Radio: The Jazz Cafe announces June residency appeared first on Decoded Magazine.

Black Lives in Music has launched a survey to uncover the extent of misogyny in the music industry Continue reading...

Warner Music Group with it’s division Warner Music South East Europe (WM SEE) has launched Balkan Electro, a new EDM-focused label. Balkan Electro was formed in collaboration with Ensis Records, whose roster will now be distributed, up-streamed and marketed through the Warner-owned label. WM SEE, Warner Music Poland and Ensis Records will work together to sign local talent to Balkan Electro. Balkan Electro will tap into Warner Music Group’s global network, collaborating with Amsterdam-based Spinnin’ Records and the dance-focused teams at Warner Music Central Europe and Warner Music France. The label has three global releases in the schedule: Prisko and TBX’s ‘Back to 95′ (out now), Melli’s ‘Losing My Mind’ (April 26) and Kevin’s Palacios & Jordan Grace’s ‘Bright As You’ (May 10). Izabela Ciszek-Podziemska, general manager, WM SEE, said: “It’s a proud moment for me launching Balkan Electro alongside Alex [Cristian]. EDM music has no geographical boundaries, so we’ll strive to find the next local superstar and take them to the world stage with the help of Warner Music’s global network.” Alex Cristian, founder and owner of Ensis Records, added: “There are so many unknown talented producers and DJs across Eastern and South Eastern Europe, so I’m looking forward to working with Iza, Warner Music and its team to make Balkan Electro a big success. EDM is already present locally in this part of Europe thanks to local festivals such as Untold, Sziget and Ultra Europe, so I want to showcase our local talent and music to the world.” Ensis Records was established by Alex Cristian in 2013 to bring together a group of Romanian producers. The label’s focus expanded to cover global producers and DJs, and the team discovered and signed Norwegian global superstar DJ and producer Kygo.

A Carl Cox mix is always a special experience, his dancefloor sensibility and innate musicality, sense of groove and funk come together in a way that no other DJ can replicate. And, when he chose the challenge of mixing together the diverse range of releases from ASW last year we knew something unique and special was going to come out of it! Listening to Carl’s mix of 25 tracks from 25 artists really highlights the range of talent and diversity of output from the Awesome Soundwave family. Each of these live electronic artists brings their unique voice to the label with artists ranging from afrohouse act Digital Afrika to experimental electronic house artist Stimming, from the legendary and prolific Robert Babicz to the spiritual explorer and player of modded toys Giorgia Anjiuli, and from the french superstar Vitalic to the underground live concept artist Hybrasil, they each bring a flavour that is unique and diverse and yet, they come together through the love of live electronic performance and production. Now, Carl has brought us all together with this mega mix of exclusively ASW releases. Some, like Marc Romboy and Andre Winter’s amazing remix of An On Bast’s “Climb the Tree” are brand new.. Other tracks, like Christopher Coe’s “My Dark Materials” would initially seem unmixable due to it’s dark and uncompromising improvised form. There are some special treats along the way like the mysterious Klauss Tejger’ “FIRE!!” .. an acid banger from an artist that we still know nothing about! (they anonymously delivered a whole swag of amazing stuff that we are planning on releasing as the year progresses) Every artist on the label is represented here and we are so proud to have them all as part of the ever growing family. Carl has given them all a warm embrace with this deep, funky and beautifully curated mix. We start the year with this and we welcome you to come with us as we dance our way into 2024 with many new and amazing records lining up to come your way! ASW is Live, mixed by Carl Cox is a testament to the curation and care taken by Carl and Christopher to build a label that really does transcend genres. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoy putting this together for you. Pre-order here Track Listing: 1. Ehsan Gelsi – Take me to your leader 2. Julien Chaptal – To Be Ob 3. An On Bast – Climb the tree (Marc Romboy remix) 4. Harmonik Kontrol – Pablo Assan 5. Hannes Bieger – Poem for the Planet ( Christopher Coe remix) 6. Marc Romboy – Gangwon 7. De Sluwe Vos – Subterranean Cloud 8. Christopher Coe – My Dark Materials 9. Charlie Thorstenson – Handlingskraft 10. Robert Babicz – Magic Club Nights 11. Hannes Bieger – Pacana 12. Giorgia Anguili – Purple Eye 13. Stimming – DFAM on the Field 14. Momec – Wormhole 15. Hybrasil – Tailtiu 16. Mat Playford – Shifu 17. Honeysmack – Fortunate 18. Digital Afrika – Lavapies 19. Monolith – Cowdry 20. Vitalic – And it goes like 21. Cox and Coe – Nocturnal (Rebuke Edit) 22. Klauss Tejger – FIRE! 23. Nancy Live – Cressick 24. Jani Ho – Angry Minimal 25. Saytek – Non Stop The post Carl Cox releases “ASW Is Live” Mix featuring the Awesome Soundwave catalogue appeared first on Decoded Magazine.

Photo Credit: Riya Hollings With what has been a career filled with many eclectic styles of drum & bass, Laurence Reading is widely accepted as one of the most creative producers within the community. Halogenix has immersed himself in a foray of sounds throughout his production journey containing some of the most soulful, futuristic, and forward-thinking showpieces out there. A background in classical music combined with a sharp ear for thought-provoking concepts very readily transformed him into one of the most complete artists in the game. The unique innovation throughout the body of work he possesses is thoroughly recognised by everyone associated with the genre, holding him in the highest regard amongst some of the best creatives to grace the scene, over the course of the last decade. The notable spell with supergroup Ivy Lab essentially put Halogoenix on the map, signed by Kasra’s infamous Critical Music label, they went on to release some of the most iconic projects in the scene. Their drive took them right to the very top of the experimental game, till the North Londoner decided to part ways and crucially embark on a solo career that would ultimately make him stand out from the crowd. To focus on his solo output, it felt necessary to take these steps, especially off the back of two exceptional EP releases, ‘Velvet’ released on Critical Music, which contains ‘Blej’ , one of the standout tracks on his discography. Whilst the other was the ‘Jumpsuit’ EP on Alix Perez’s hard hitting 1985. Having consistently worked with these two heavyweight labels over the years, this highly esteemed producer has been able to refine his sound and showcase some of the finest constructed sound design in the electronic sphere. During his time as a solo artist he’s been able to work with some of the greats including the likes of Noisia, Goldie, dBridge, and Alix Perez – a real testament to the respect he’s earnt. In the early stages of this new chapter he’s currently embarking on, we can already denote that high calibre production is a given. In addition, the desire to release what he wants and market it how he pleases has now become a luxury he can afford. With the launch of his label Gemini Gemini he finds himself in a period of euphoria where he can unapologetically express the music to his taste. More recently, the ‘Lost Friends’ EP which pays homage to his close friend Ebow Graham who tragically passed away in 2020. This series of production demonstrated an empathy in his songwriting that is able to touch on trauma, creating a distinctive, immersive, sonic experience. Looking ahead, we are all eagerly anticipating his debut solo album ‘Passions’ on 26 April for what can only be described as a body of work that challenges the parameters of electronic music in every sense. The album holds thirteen tracks, and includes collaborations with dBridge, Steve Spacek, and Liam Bailey going on a journey that explores the depths in which he is able to express his songwriting through variations in range, sub-genre and tempo. Using his 2 year old son’s painting as the artwork for this project is a true testament to embracing things as they are, marking this curation of tracks a meaningful one on a personal level. The ability throughout the album to merge soulful and minimal sounds is impressive, interwoven in a way that will work seamlessly in a multitude of settings – from the bedroom to the nightclub. How’s life going at the moment? I’m doing well. Aside from being a fulltime musician, I recently got a role as a product developer at Apple, which I’ve been doing since last May – and that’s three days a week. I’m really having to structure my week. The accountability side of things took a bit of getting used to as I’ve been my own boss for the last 14 years of my life. I thought I’d struggle with that, but it’s been great. I’ve also enjoyed spending time with my little boy, taking him to nursery and stuff like that. Getting that balance right in terms of spreading my time out is very important to me. Growing up, what was influencing you? Heavy metal and drum & bass. My brother was big into heavy metal and we’d often go to gigs together, he had a big influence on me growing up. One day he came back from the shops with my Mum and had bought a Grooverider Mix CD ‘Pure Drum & Bass’. I used to swipe it from his room all the time. It’s what started me on my obsession with D&B.It had tunes from the likes of Ed Rush, Optical, Dillinja, and Die. I would listen to them all on repeat. A year later when i was 11 I got an ‘Underfire’ CD mixed by Mampi Swift mixed CD called ‘Dangerous Drums Vol.2 Underfire’ which I also didn’t stop listening to. It had loads of really early techstep on there; Konflict, Stakka & Skynet, K-Tee. It was a darker and techy sound. I went to my first rave at Fabric at 15 and I was going most weeks after that. It blew my mind. I was hooked from the first rave so I went to a venue called Herbal the week after where Grooverider, Storm, and Goldie were playing – I realised then that I’d arrived. So how did the idea of the Album come about? I guess the idea was born through me trying to be organic in my music production. The idea took shape over the course of lockdown when I was stuck at home. There was no theme per say in terms of theme, it just kept evolving with the musicality. Being immersed in club music, and then suddenly having no clubs was a challenging time. So I started experimenting with my songwriting, making things a bit more musical. I took some online piano lessons to keep my skills up. I also listen to a lot of R’n’B and hip-hop in my spare time, when I’m not writing music, so when I had the idea of making an album it took a lot of cues from that kind of sound. I was very sample-based before, but there’s only so far you can go with samples. You have clearance issues, on top of that you can only manipulate the samples to a certain point. I took inspiration from watching young sample makers create hip-hop samples online and I thought I could do that too. Then I’d have ownership over the whole thing. Before I knew it, I had a playlist with twenty tunes on it. Only then did I think this could be an album. I played it to a few people and came to the conclusion that there was still a bit of work to do. The irony is, that how the album plays now is nothing like how it first sounded. Two songs survived from the first draft. The oldest tune on the album is nine years old from my Ivy Lab days. Really loving the collaborations on the album! Thanks. So the dBridge tune ‘Take Me Away’ was written online. We were sending each other bits back and forth. I’ve known him for a long time, so we have been sending each other music for a long time. When he sent me a bunch of samples one day, I was able to write the beat in like a day. dBridge has been one of my biggest influences in drum & bass, so it felt very full circle. After he left Bad Company, he was the guy for some of the most iconic minimal and melodic sounds in the scene. I’d borrowed a lot from his production ethos, with sampling chords and reese baselines – a lot of my earlier tunes carry that influence. So when he sent me these stems I wanted to see how close I could get to recreating his classic ‘True Romance’ without being a copy. He loved what I’d sent him back, but I suggested it needed a vocal so he sent it to his brother Steve Spacek. Within a week it was done, the whole process was very organic. The Liam Bailey collaboration was so intriguing. I obviously knew who he was already, he’s been on some big d&b tunes over the years, he’s a wicked vocalist, and we have a lot of mutual friends within the scene. I released ‘Satisfy My Soul’ as a single last May before the album idea was finalised. That came about because I was just jamming, messing around with all my synths, on instagram live and he saw this. He messaged me asking if he could come round the studio. He’s got such a charismatic energy about him, being in the studio with him was an experience. He laid down a bunch of different ideas. The album has a variety of down tempo and experimental numbers. Yes, well there are a bunch of vocal samples on the album as a whole. I also like to take vocals and really chop them up so it doesn’t even sound like words. ‘Keeping you close’ was actually my vocals, I thought I needed to go big for the album. It’s a soulful slowed down tune, I was writing lyrics, had the mic on and just started singing. I can’t sing well but I whacked the autotune and just played around with it. ‘Peng’ was the other slowed down tune. This was nine years old from the Ivy Lab project. It sums up what I like about music in terms of its sound and tone. I had an emotional connection to the tune due to where it came from, putting it out really showcases my journey. To be honest, the whole album shows off the musicality I wanted to achieve. I’ve always tried to make music that’s different from trends, making it a bit more deep and thoughtful. Why the name ‘Passions’? It’s a very emotional project. I discovered that before the 1800’s there was no word for ‘emotions’, it was just described as ‘passions of the mind’. So that’s why I named the album ‘Passions’. The name resonated with me because I tried to challenge a lot of my feelings through music from a young age. The whole experience was very cathartic for me, I could get lost in it and make sounds that make me understand myself more. Making me come to terms with my feelings better and helping me combat different emotions like sadness and fear. Using my two year old son’s paintings as the artwork added to this idea. Just watching him paint and not care about constraints and boundaries inspired me. With just a raw passion to paint. The idea of making something perfect doesn’t exist, it’s a discipline I need when approaching my own production. I was going crazy about trying to figure out what the artwork was going to be, watching him paint made me understand my own music more – it was the perfect idea. And how did the ‘Gemini Gemini’ side of things come to fruition? Was it always on your mind to release this album on a label you created? Creating the label has been on my mind since before Covid. It seemed a good idea as part of maintaining my growth since Ivy Lab and becoming more independent away from Critical. I launched in January 2023, so releasing this album that I knew would be coming out around this time meant it was always in the plan to release on my own label. I wanted to create my own ecosystem. I’ve seen it through different projects I’ve been involved in and now I think it was time for me. I was very lucky with Critical as Kasra gave me license to do what I wanted because he trusted me. Overall, I believe that having my own label makes things a lot easier moving forward not only as an artist, but as a creative. I felt that if I didn’t take the risk and do it then, I may never have done it. I would love for the label to co-exist with the likes of 1985 and Critical. Your first release on the label was the ‘Lost Friends’ EP. How much did it mean for that to be the first release? It was really special. It wasn’t the complete intention, but things just fell into place at the right time. I wrote most of it during lockdown, and ‘Amé’ was written with Alix Perez when he was able to come over to the UK. Starting a label had crossed my mind throughout lockdown, especially because there were no gigs. When my friend Ebow died, I wrote the ‘lost friends’ tune. We’d had many conversations about our feelings towards music and starting the label then with the ‘Lost Friends’ project to kick things off seemed like the right thing to do. The vibe with this EP was similar to the album, I was feeling very musical at the time and just really wanted to honour my friend. What is your approach with the label moving forward? I definitely don’t want to rush it. Starting everything from scratch has been a long process. Kasra was a big help, pointing me in the right direction he was able to guide me with who to contact about certain bits. I did sign a bunch of projects last year, but realised I was doing it for the sake of it. They were brilliant demos, and they still would’ve been the stuff I wanted to sign had I ended up taking on demos. I had time to realise that I need to take things a bit slower. I had to let the relevant artists know I was no longer taking their songs on and that I would hit them up again when the time is right. I just need to see how this album goes, and if it resonates with people. Everyone has their own little lanes and niches, I just need to work out mine with the label. In the grand scheme of things the label is one years old which is no time at all. After the album I want to showcase the broad range of sounds I can do. I touch on a wide range of sub-genres. It really does seem like the pieces are coming together not only in your production, but in your label pursuits. It must be a nice feeling! Yes, it has felt good. I have to add, however, that there’s an internal conflict that I have about pursuing personal passions whilst also feeling a moral obligation to address larger social issues, particularly in light of current events in Gaza, I have a sense of conflict and guilt about focusing on my artistic pursuits when there is so much suffering and injustice in the world. Music has such an extraordinary power to connect with others and evoke emotion, but I question whether it’s enough to justify the pursuit of personal goals in the face of global crises. I feel like as a society we may be too self-absorbed and distracted by our own experiences to pay attention to the suffering of others. I think it’s important, now more than ever, that we speak out and take risks to stand up for basic humanity. Otherwise what’s the point in all of this? Music throughout history has been a form of rebellion against the status quo, from the revolutionary spirit of Hip-Hop to the defiant energy of Punk and Jungle, it can be a vehicle for social change, it has the potential to inspire positive and meaningful transformation in society. I hope that others use their platform and influence to address pressing social issues rather than being solely focused on personal success or validation. Really refreshing to hear! You’re obviously known for your minimal & soulful sound, but as you’ve said already you can dip into heavier sounds. Talk to me about how they’ve fed into your career so far. Yeah for sure. I guess ‘Blej’ was the first notable one. It was an anomaly at that point. I’d never written a track like that before. I then started getting bookings for more heavier nights. That side of my sound evolved and became a cool part of what I do. The next big dance track I did was ‘Dragon force’ in 2020 followed by my remix of ‘Shella’. It’s something I want to showcase more, I’ve written so many over the course of my career I think it’s time some more of them came out. There was a point where the album actually had some in, but I get it was more appropriate to save them for a bit further down the line. Of course, it might have made the appeal of the album broader, but I’m at a point in my career where I’d like to follow what I want to do. How were these tracks to write? They are good fun. Thinking back, ‘Blej’ was a bit of an accident. I was just messing around really, and when Kasra heard it he loved it. He played it in a rave and I saw everyone lose their mind. Was a really cool moment for me. With ‘Shella’ Hospital Records asked me to do the remix and I initially said no, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do with it. A few days later I emailed back saying I wanted to take it on, and they immediately sent me the stems. I’m a big overthinker so I think the worry of not being happy with the final product got to me. In the end I’m glad I did it. We’ve touched on this label a fair amount during the interview. But as you now move forward with your own endeavours, a final word on Critical and what it’s done for you and for the community.Critical have championed the underground like no one else. Consistently putting out great music that caters to more niche tastes within drum & bass. Kasra is a great A&R and business man. He knows how to run a label, promote events, how to build artists and get the best out of them. It’s created an incredible ecosystem for people like myself to get to where I’m at now. I wouldn’t be where I’m at now without Critical, like many other artists. It’s making the underground a very fertile place. Allowing other great labels to grow such as 1985 and Overview, ensuring the scene lives on.

*Featured Cover Photo Credit: Do LaB / Jamal Eid Attending a music festival is a joyous occasion that any music fan regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background loves to attend. However, with difficult times throughout the world such as hyperinflation and significant conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, prices have increased at various music festivals. Additionally, more people have not been attending music festivals, particularly major ones such as Coachella and Glastonbury, because of the lack of global icons such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé performing there. To make things clear, whether if the fests are mainly hip-hop/rap, pop, rock, EDM, jazz, country, classical, and so on, music festivals still pack in huge crowds. However, some could say that since the COVID-19 pandemic ended a couple years ago, music festival promoters have increased the prices, plus extra fees, which then lead to less people attending. Perhaps if festival prices gone down, even by a little, perhaps more people will packing in like they were in the pre-COVID days. The factors that discuss why there are not a lot of people going to music festivals According to an article from Canadian news outlet, Global News, it reported that multiple factors that count toward a lesser attendance at music festivals. Those factors include the end of “funflation” (the post-COVID period where many music festival goers bought passes to make up for lost time during the pandemic), Gen Z music fans being less likely to attend fest, high interest rates for festivals since the end of the pandemic, and less global music superstars (see paragraph above) performing at fests. Even people who are Boomers, Gen X-ers, and older Millenials are going to fests less since they have gone enough in their younger years. The ‘funflation” times happened when many attendees spent as much money for the tickets and for the amenities at the music festivals since they had missed out on a lot of great memories because of the COVID lockdowns. Regarding Gen Z-ers not going to fests more than their older counterparts, they are more likely to have a great time with their small circle of friends and less likely to be open to meeting other strangers at a festival (not to mention that Gen Z also has a vast access to tons of music so there’s not a really a need to go out much). About the high interest rates in the past few years…well, that’s one major reason why more music fans are less likely willing to attend a festival due to extra costs. Photo Credit: Andrew Allcock The near future of fests Top headliners, even electronic music icons such as Tiësto and Swedish House Mafia, would most likely headline their own world tours rather than performing alongside multiple fellow stars at a large fest. Headlining their own world tours will allow the music superstars to earn vast amounts of revenue in comparison if they perform at festivals like Tomorrowland or Ultra. There were times, even in past decades, where top superstars performed at multiple fests even while they were still on their respective tours. Having not just the decreasing fees at music festivals, alongside the appearance of multiple superstars irrespective of the genres they perform in, will for sure bring more attendees like before. Not to mention, lowering prices for amenities such as food, drinks, and souvenirs will definitely help out a lot as well. The post Are There Still More People Going to Music Festivals? appeared first on EDMTunes.

Outset, a highly anticipated new live music venue located on the outskirts of Lincoln Yards in Chicago, set to open this spring. The 750 person capacity, 10,000 square foot venue is ready to make an impressive impact on Chicago’s rich live music scene. The space is just north of downtown area and extremely close to The Salt Shed which has been an amazing addition to the city just about 2 years ago. Outset has been designed to offer the production value of a large-scale venue coupled with the vibe of anintimate and up-close setting. Outset provides the perfect atmosphere for established artists, while creating a new room for rising talent and, above all, will offer an unparalleled experience for Chicago music fans. We already have the artist schedule for the coming season! Outset’s initial show calendar features two-night runs from Parliament Funkadelic ft George Clinton w/ Dumpstaphunk, Thievery Corporation, Rawayana, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, followed by a wide reaching program featuring Pussy Riot / Nadya, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Princess Goes, Franc Moody, Conway The Machine, Ekkstacy and many more. Prior to events, attendees can enjoy the venue’s 10,000 square foot outdoor space, which will host a rotating variety of local food trucks, beverages, artist merchandise, fan focused activations, and community events. Check it out. Also, sign up for their newsletter to make sure to receive more information as it comes. The post Chicago to Premiere Indoor/Outdoor New Music Venue in June 2024 appeared first on EDMTunes.

This one is for all of you looking for a track which matches any situation better than a chameleon does its surroundings. Get ready to crank up the heat! DJ and producer R3HAB teams up with singer Jason Derulo for their infectious new Dance Pop piece ‘Animal‘. This genre-bending song portrays a perfect blend of R3HAB’s energetic Electronic sound and Derulo’s smooth vocals, guaranteed to get you moving, and warming up for summertime. As heavyweights as they have been for years in their own musical niches, this isn’t the first time these two artists have joined forces, though, as R3HAB remixed Derulo’s tracks ‘Goodbye‘ alongside David Guetta, Nicki Minaj, and Willy William in 2018, then ‘Take You Dancing‘ two years later, and, just recently, ‘Spicy Margarita‘, his collaboration with none other than Michael Bublé. About the track, R3HAB recalls: “Jason and I have been tossing ideas back and forth for a few years in search of a perfect match. Then he sent me ‘Animal’ and everything quickly fell into place. This record is a perfect bridge between my dance vision and Jason’s uplifting pop touch. Jason is one of the defining artists of our generation. He’s passionate about his work and has a clear artistic vision, which makes the creative process flow“. (Left to right) R3HAB, Jason Derulo. ‘Animal’ ‘Animal’ contains soulful singing and groovy House beats, an ideal going-out aura. R3HAB builds on this energy with shimmering melodies and a driving rhythm, making it a fun song for both singing along to or dancing the night away. The track has an upbeat, uplifting energy, and at the same time is such an easygoing composition, that it doesn’t really ask for a special place or occasion to give it a play or spin. It works on any aspect of life, driving back from work, having a Sunday morning walk by the beach, you name it. Listen to R3HAB and Jason Derulo‘s ‘Animal‘ below for your beloved Spotify play. Also, check the lyric video by following this link, and support the release anywhere you like by clicking here. The post Jason Derulo Joins R3HAB On Latest Feel-Good Collaboration, ‘Animal’ appeared first on EDMTunes.

Jakke’s inaugural original track “Reckoning” marks a compelling fusion of atmospheric progressive house with lyrical singer-songwriter flourishes, where he not only produces but takes on vocal duties. ‘Reckoning’ dives deep into the emotional, seamlessly transitioning from tranquil, meditative states to soaring, ethereal crescendos. Aimed at fans of Emmit Fenn and Lane 8, and evoking the lyrical introspection of Chris Martin from Coldplay, the single emerges as Jakke’s musical manifesto against the backdrop of global unrest, inspired by the harrowing images and narratives that have permeated the news. Through this song, Jakke channels his artistic energy to acknowledge and empathize with the victims of war, conflict, and adversity around the globe. His vision is clear: to provide a soothing anthem of comfort and awareness, making a heartfelt appeal to those who hold a deep-seated yearning for worldwide peace and understanding. The post Jakke arrives with a ‘Reckoning’ appeared first on Dancing Astronaut.

Over the last few weeks, A State of Trance has asked listeners to vote for their 10 favorite tracks ever played on A State of Trance, and out of that list came the A State of Trance Top 1000! Now, the full top 1000 list is being revealed via a live broadcast on YouTube. The broadcast began last Saturday, April 20th, and will run through this Thursday, April 25th, finishing with a spectacular FOUR HOUR live show starting at 18:00 CET! Previous A State of Trance Top 1000 lists have featured many classic producers like Above & Beyond, Tiësto, Paul van Dyk, Gareth Emery, BT, ATB, deadmau5, Sasha, and Armin van Buuren himself. Tracks like Armin van Buuren and Susana’s collaboration, ‘Shivers,’ have appeared in the #1 spot while the likes of Tiësto’s ‘Adagio For Strings’, Ferry Corsten and Gouryella’s ‘Anahera’ and GAIA’s ‘Tuvan’ have been featured among the top 10. Previous countdown streams have attracted more than 50 million people hailing from 121 countries, spread across more than 100 radio stations, YouTube, Twitch, Facebook and VK live streams. You can tune in to the broadcasting channels here to see if your pick made the list and which track will take the #1 spot! The post A State Of Trance Top 1000 Broadcast Running Now Through This Thursday appeared first on EDMTunes.

The next stop in Porter Robinson‘s new era has arrived. After announcing yesterday the release date and album name for his third artist album, many flocked to YouTube and streaming platforms today to welcome the second single from his upcoming album, SMILE! . ‘KNOCK YOURSELF OUT XD‘ is upbeat, lyrical, and fun. Click play below! The music video is airy and bright with ‘Cheerleader‘ similarities! It’s definitely a Porter that we have not heard before; it’s continuing with the emo pop vibes alongside the celebrity narrative. We also have discovered that the album will most likely be 10 tracks total. 20% of the way there – excited for more of this new era to unfold before July 26th! “B*itch, I’m Taylor Swift.” Now that we’ve heard the song, we can’t help but think about the Notes that he posted yesterday as well. Infer what you want, but maybe the next release will showcase this pivot that he describes below. The post Listen To Porter Robinson’s Second Single, ‘KNOCK YOURSELF OUT XD’ appeared first on EDMTunes.

Following last year’s sold-out tenth-anniversary celebration, Miami’s beloved III Points Festival unveiled the Phase One lineup for its 2024 edition today! Set to return to the Mana Wynwood Convention Center on Friday, October 18th, and Saturday, October 19th – the festival continues its tradition of creating a mesmerizing world within the vibrant heart of the Wynwood district. III Points is coming in HEAVY with their Phase One. Jamie xx and Justice are the first to catch our eyes after coming from SPECTACULAR performances at Coachella. Justice’s upcoming release of their next album is also turning heads in the early reviews. The billing is continued with equally massive DJ sets and performances from Solid Grooves mainstay PAWSA, industrial techno enchantress Sara Landry, Hellbent Records label head Cloonee, Venezuelan-born DJ and producer Arca, CircoLoco Records staple Mochakk, and breakout UKG-act Sammy Virji. Lastly, we also have Yung Lean & Rick Ross, singer Bad Gyal, and chillwave pioneer Toro Y Moi. With the full lineup announcement to come, tickets are slated to go on sale Friday, April 26th at 11:11 AM ET for presale and 1:11 PM ET for general on-sale, sign up HERE. Additionally, limited quantities of full-priced tickets will be accessible via DICE on Friday, April 26th, at 11:11 AM ET for presale and 1:11 PM ET for general on-sale. GA tickets will begin at $199 plus fees, GA+ tickets at $299 plus fees, and VIP tickets at $499 plus fees. The post Discover the Hottest Acts at III Points 2024: Phase One Lineup Revealed appeared first on EDMTunes.

Space Ibiza has announced a fittingly historic lineup for its monumental 24-week residency at fellow clubbing giant Eden Ibiza, beginning April 26th and culminating on October 4th, 2024. The summer kicks off with Space’s big Opening Fiesta from 9pm on Friday 26th April, with Armand Van Helden, Chris Liebing B2B Nicole Moudaber, Davide Squillace B2B Matthias Tanzmann, Jason Bye, Kesia, Richy Ahmed and Simon Dunmore raising the curtain on the Discoteca, while Daniel Orpi, Detlef, Federico Grazzini, Jesse Calosso, and Niteplan open the Redbox room. A carefully curated wave of internationally loved artists welcome Space back to its spiritual home in the heart of San Antonio, with friends old and new uniting in celebration of the Ibiza spirit. High profile highlights include father of German techno Sven Väth, acclaimed British house DJ Hannah Wants, Berlin techno punk Boys Noize, and New York Strictly Rhythm house legends Todd Terry, Armand Van Helden and Roger Sanchez. Not to mention groundbreaking, mask-donning EDM artist deadmau5, UK legends Sasha and John Digweed, Iranian-American DJ Dubfire, techno and flamenco-fusing Spanish duo Mëstiza, imperious DJ and label head Fatima Hajji, Australian underground icon Partiboi69, in-demand New York DJ Nicole Moudaber, legendary Jo Mills and breakout UK techno star Charlie Sparks, and many more. Taking place every Friday, Space and Eden’s joint celebration signifies a profound homecoming to San Antonio town – the birthplace of Space’s founder and visionary, Pepe Roselló. San Antonio, a town with a rich legacy within the clubbing community of Ibiza, serves as the perfect backdrop for Space Ibiza’s next chapter, weaving the past, present, and future of electronic music into the fabric of the island once more. The choice of Eden Ibiza as the venue for this monumental residency stems from a deep-rooted connection and shared ethos between the two clubbing giants. With a fittingly legendary lineup under the stars and strobes of Eden, prepare to immerse yourself in a season of unforgettable nights each Friday from April 26th to October 4th as we open a new chapter in the ongoing story of Space Ibiza. Tickets: https://www.edenibiza.com/events/space-ibiza The post Space Ibiza 2024 Lineup Revealed: 24-Week Residency at Eden Ibiza appeared first on EDMTunes.

Fans have been anticipating the rework since it was debuted a Lost Village in 2022 Continue reading...

IMS Ibiza, the annual thought-leadership platform at the intersection of culture, education, industry, and wellness in electronic music, announces today full details of the annual IMS Business Report 2024. Presented live (Wednesday 24th April) at the IMS Ibiza summit the new report builds on the success of previous editions to present the definitive vision of the global dance music industry of today. Now in its tenth edition, the report is authored by MIDiA Research’s Mark Mulligan for the second year running. MIDiA Research is a leading provider of research, analysis and data for the digital entertainment business, with a team of analysts and consultants focused on everything related to where tech and entertainment meet. “2022 was an unusual year, in that it reflected the post-pandemic bounce back effect for live. There was a risk that 2023 would struggle to live up to those inflated expectations, but instead the electronic music industry grew strongly once again, with impressive growth across virtually all of its constituent parts. What is more, electronic music culture grew its fan bases faster than other leading genres, in part due to the rapid rise of African music and fans, illustrating the growing cultural footprint of electronic music culture and its vibrant global scenes.” Mark Mulligan (MD & Analyst, MIDiA Research) This year’s report features a number of exclusive MIDiA datasets including a survey with Association For Electronic Music (AFEM) aiming to be the definitive account of electronic music business and cultural music trends covering every aspect of the industry. AFEM is an independent, not-for-profit, democratically run global trade association created to connect, and represent the common interests of, those companies and individuals whose business is Electronic Music and stands at over 270 member organisations across 29 countries. With many key financial, economic and cultural findings in this year’s analysis broken down in detail highlighting major emerging themes which can help to guide and inform the industry. The global dance music business is now firmly in its post-pandemic growth phase with 17% revenue growth in 2023 and a total industry valuation reaching $11.8 billion with notable growth particularly across festivals / clubs, recordings, and publishing. “The new IMS Business Report reflects how deeply electronic music is now integrated into mainstream culture – from festivals to films, finance to fashion – with the genre now ever-present in society. We had shifted from segregated stages or one-off moments to an always-on culture that is hard to get away from! It’s testament to the industry that the valuation is now showing continual growth post-pandemic. The pent-up demand experienced in 2022 is also reflective of a new generation coming through who are proving to be passionate, loyal, and keen to experience everything possible. We are pleased to see the IMS Business Report also grow in stature and impact with all eyes on the genre like never before.” IMS Co-Founder Ben Turner Festivals and clubs continue to dominate revenues (nearly half of the industry total) while music hardware and software was the next biggest segment (around a quarter of total). After a slower 2022, the global recorded music market returned to strong growth in 2023 up 10% coupled with a return to growth across most formats including physical, with streaming growing 10% yet still outpaced by licensing and expanded rights. The report reveals that Non-major labels increased their market share for the fourth consecutive quarter, reaching 31% hinting at a newer generation of independent future-focused labels. Despite a slowdown in catalogue acquisitions due to rising interest rates, music publishing continued to perform well in 2023. Electronic music fandom and consumption is thriving and growing its share of global culture, far outgrowing other major genres, and with Mexico, India, and Brazil representing the newer wave of global electronic music markets there is no question that South Africa emerged as a leading hotspot for electronic music fans. While the impressive growth the electronic music industry experienced in the previous year of 2022 was skewed by the live sector enjoying its post-pandemic rebound. There was a risk that 2023 growth would struggle to maintain the pace – instead, 2023 was another strong year of growth. Find the full business report here The post Dance Music Industry Now Firmly In Its Post-Pandemic Growth Phase IMS Reports appeared first on Electic Mode.

No country is safe from the chaos of Marc Rebillet. Beloved for throwing down sets that comprise whatever comes to mind in the moment, the energetic Rebillet has become a viral sensation with performances on the stages of the world's biggest festivals. With his trusty loop station and strict "no setlist" approach, he acts out hilarious skits, comes up with absurd and often explicit melodies, and interacts with fans all on the fly. Now, these improvisational talents will take him all over the world for his a 2024 world tour, "We Outside." Rebillet, fans of whom affectionately call Loop Daddy, will take over venues across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium and beyond from spring until winter. He'll kick off the tour on May 4th at the Netflix Is A Joke Festival in Los Angeles. Check out the official trailer below. Pre-sale passes are on sale now and the general ticket on-sale begins this Friday, April 26th at 10am local via Rebillet's website. Follow Marc Rebillet:Facebook: facebook.com/marcrebillet X: x.com/marcrebillet Instagram: instagram.com/marcrebillet YouTube: youtube.com/marcrebillet

There is a new official artist on Spotify that we all might enjoy. As part of the UN conservation initiative, Nature has been listed as an official artist on Spotify. If you enjoy the soothing sounds of mother nature, this is the perfect artist for you. You can listen to melodies across the seas, feathers in the forest, or nature’s rainfall melodies. Anything you desire or can think of with regard to wilderness is here. Many of the sounds come from Colombia. The page already has over 2 Million Monthly Listeners and growing. Launched on Earth Day (22nd April), Sounds Right will help fund climate action initiatives by donating a share of streaming royalties generated by any track crediting Nature as a featured artist to Earth/Percent, a climate-focused charity founded by Brain Eno. In addition, musicians including Eno, Louis VI, UMI, Bomba Estéreo, Ellie Goulding, MØ, and London Grammar have released new music featuring nature sounds. You can check out the official Spotify playlist showcasing the tracks. UN Live hopes the project will raise $40 million within its first four years. Some of the fund’s current targets include forest preservation in Madagascar and efforts to prevent deep-sea mining. The post Nature Listed As An Official Artist on Spotify appeared first on EDMTunes.

Porter Robinson has revealed the release date of his long-awaited third album, SMILE! :D. Set to drop this summer on July 26th, 2024, the album will feature his recent hyperpop debut, "Cheerleader," as well as a brand-new single released moments ago, "KNOCK YOURSELF OUT XD." You can check out the official music video for that track below. Robinson took to social media to open up about his new album's recording process, hinting that it will be a drastic departure from its predecessor, 2021's Nurture. The Worlds producer admits that while he tried to create an absurd album filled with bangers, he ended up spilling his innermost feelings and ultimately created what he believes is his most confessional work to date. "the album that I was TRYING to write was this nonstop party — NO sincerity, ALL fun, an album that revels in absurdity for a world that rejects context," Robinson wrote. "And that was the plan until I accidentally started confessing how I was really feeling, and … you’ll hear the rest. "my most fun, and maybe my most heartbreaking album," he added. MY THIRD ALBUM “SMILE! :D” is coming out JULY 26th!! pre-order / pre-save : https://t.co/8LoGDWRiTw pic.twitter.com/ss5wHhMiRG — porter robinson (@porterrobinson) April 23, 2024 Those looking to enjoy the new album the old-fashioned way will have plenty of options considering Robinson announced multiple physical album bundles, which are set to launch with the release of SMILE! :D. Fans can preorder a CD, a pink 2LP pressing and a deluxe box set, the lattermost of which will feature the vinyl, an exclusive art print, a lyric and photo book, and an exclusive 7" "Cheerleader" vinyl all contained in a custom case. You can pre-save SMILE! :D and preorder physical bundles here. FOLLOW PORTER ROBINSON:X: x.com/porterrobinson Instagram: instagram.com/porterrobinson Facebook: facebook.com/porterrobinsonmusic Spotify: spoti.fi/2Zu4oNS

Listen to a colossal track we recently came across. What’s been on your mind lately? Is it Techno by any chance? If that’s the case, here’s good news for you: there’s a brand-new tune you should be playing in a loop. Very recently, we’ve had the pleasure of adding a new Saad Ayub track to our personal playlists. Works wonders! Saad Ayub Canadian-Bangladeshi DJ and producer Saad Ayub is one of those finely polished veterans of the Dance music industry. Having started at just 18 years old, he made waves in Bangladesh, all accompanied by Ministry of Sound World Tour gigs. He’s worked on a handful of releases, both on his own and by the hand of legendary artists such as Paul van Dyk, Markus Schulz, and Ferry Corsten. Five years ago, Ayub figured it was about time to open up a space for other like-minded artists to test and expand their limits of creativity, and founded VRTN Records. Since then, he’s featured nearly 40 releases, while also releasing his music on his and other prestigious labels like VANDIT and Coldharbour. Just before celebrating his tenth anniversary as a producer with a three-part album this year (more on that in a few weeks’ time), he’s got one more ace under his sleeve. ‘L’amour’ What do Paul Van Dyk, Sam Divine, Richie Hawtin, Kyau & Albert, and Ronski Speed have in common? They’ve all supported ‘L’amour’, Ayub’s latest release. Peak-Time Techno is what best describes this track, one quite dark, tense, and crafted especially for the most intense moments of the night. Let the sustained beds keep you glued to the dancefloor, anticipating the fall of the next round of hard-hitting beats. Wide leads and powerful kicks are bound to get you dancing throughout the duration of this track, and fly away with the soft whispers of legendary vocalist Zara Taylor, who also brings her magic to the piece. It’s minimalistic in terms of the number of elements, but each sound has a clear role to play, and plays it, in fact, to perfection. Listen to Saad Ayub’s ‘L’amour’ in full by clicking the Spotify button we’ve provided. Also, be sure to follow him on his socials, and click here to support the release on your platform of choice. And don’t forget to stay tuned to our page for the latest news and reviews from our beloved EDM industry. The post Saad Ayub Sets The Industry Ablaze With Latest Release ‘L’amour’ appeared first on EDMTunes.

The organizers of San Francisco's Outside Lands have revealed the festival's 2024 lineup. Co-produced by Another Planet Entertainment and Superfly, the three-day fest is scheduled to return to Golden Gate Park from August 9-11. Electronic music superstars Chris Lake, Kaytranada and Gryffin will headline along with The Killers, Post Malone, Sturgill Simpson, The Postal Service, Grace Jones, Jungle and Tyler, The Creator. Elsewhere on this year's Outside Lands lineup is the Kasablanca duo, a member of which recently made his triumphant return to the stage amid cancer treatment. Other big names from around the dance music world include SIDEPIECE, Snakehips, Seth Troxler, TSHA, Daily Bread, Idris Elba and EDM.com Class of 2023 star Knock2. Check out the full lineup below and find tickets and more information on Outside Lands' website. Three-day passes start at $465. The 2024 Outside Lands lineup features Kaytranada, Jungle, Chris Lake, Gryffin and more.Outside Lands FOLLOW OUTSIDE LANDS:Facebook: facebook.com/SFOutsideLands X: x.com/sfoutsidelands Instagram: instagram.com/outsidelands

Hi! Who are you? Nick: Yooo I’m Nick aka The Prototypes and myself and Benny V both own and run Roadblock Records! What’s your ethos? Nick: To release banging dnb from producers that push boundaries and package it differently to the rest Tell us your origin story… Nick: Myself and Benny weirdly both became available to work together at exactly the same time…I had a concept for a new label for a while and wanted to bring someone on board to make that a reality. Better than that we decided to start the project as a partnership and after a few meetings Roadblock was born. Benny V: I have always rated what The Prototypes have been doing and although the music style isn’t exactly the same as what I have been working on I have always loved the raw energy. Where are you based? Tell us about your local scene… Nick: I’m based near Brighton and the scene down here is thriving. I feel it gets a bit overlooked when the best places in the UK for raving get mentioned. Brighton was strong when some weren’t and remains strong to this day. Benny V: I’m born and bred in East London. Will never not appreciate growing up where I did, going to wicked raves every single weekend. A choice of multiple pirates on the airwaves and where I first cut my teeth DJing. Originally at 16 in my local Ice Rink at Lea Valley and then 17 when I started playing at Labyrinth. Do you have a specific sound or vibe? Nick: For the label, I think it’s not so much the sound as a sonic production but the sound that creates the vibe and energy in a track. I’ve always known what I like immediately. It’s an internal thing. Benny V: It is always best not say “This is the sound” because things evolve. The scene. The vibe. Even ourselves. We are staying true to being music with a great energy throughout. Do you have a regular artist roster? Nick: Not sure we can release that yet… Benny V: We have an absolutely brilliant blend of the top-level established acts and have hand-picked some of the rising stars that we believe in Tell us about your A&R process… Nick: We both get sent a lot of tunes and so far we’ve been on the same page with everything we’ve signed. I like to sit with the tune for a while and listen/play it in a number of different places before making a choice. It has to work for me day to day as much as in a club environment Benny V: “What you think of this” has been our motto for the last few months. Throwing tracks to and fro and thrashing out, not just the best, but what fits best too. What makes you different from other labels? Benny V: The branding, the eclectic mix of styles and probably the fact that two different people who have worked in the scene for as long as we have, without ever officially crossing paths professionally means we can both draw from a massive pool of talent and experience. Nick: I think it’s quite rare for two artists this far along to pair up on a project like this and I think our experiences from very different scenarios in career and life will really benefit the shape the label takes in the future What does it take to run a bass music label in 2024? Benny V: The game has changed immeasurably over the last few years. Before you got great music, got your artwork done, sent it to the club DJs and bang. Now you have to think of so many other aspects. It’s so unpopular to say for the original dons but the reality is, at this moment in time, the work you do on social media really can propel things. Whether that changes in the future we shall see. Nick: Gotta be bang on it with the socials obviously. A lot more networking with the vast array of pages available to push the releases. I feel like the music I want for Roadblock has to grab your attention one way or another so it’s about varied campaigns, consistent quality music and a few extra tricks chucked in too. What have you got coming up that we should look out for? Nick: My 2nd single came out on Roadblock on Friday April 12. It’s called ‘Don’t Wanta Play’ and features Genesis Elijah. Benny V: I team up with two exceptionally talented people Exile and Entice MC who I have done a fair amount of work with already, and we have something in the pipeline for Roadblock. I also have releases lined up on Suburban Base, Dance Concept, a liquid remix for Ruff DnB and even got a Hardcore track coming out in the summer which was tonnes of fun to make!

Nestled in the vibrant Provenza neighborhood of Medellín, dance music enthusiasts can find a surreal world of creativity and connection at Selina. The hostel offers travelers a unique blend of music, culture and coworking, making it the perfect accommodation choice for those attending Tomorrowland's upcoming CORE festival, which is scheduled for May 11-12. Selina Medellín boasts a vibrant ambiance filled with locally curated murals and art that reflect the city's rich history. And with a wide range of accommodation options to suit every budget, from shared dorms to private rooms, it provides a welcoming atmosphere for travelers who not only want to immerse themselves in the local culture, but also meet new friends. Selina/Facebook Apart from its amenities and relaxed atmosphere, Selina Medellín features a fully-equipped music studio on its rooftop that offers a 360° view of the city as well as a coworking space equipped with everything digital nomads need to stay productive on the road. After a day of work or exploration, guests can unwind in the wellness area with a yoga class or relax in the cozy onsite movie room. In the evenings, Selina comes alive with social events and live music performances so guests can mingle with fellow travelers. From casual bar nights to lively parties featuring local DJs, these events capture the spirit of vibrant Medellín's nightlife scene. Selina With Tomorrowland's inaugural CORE Medellín event just around the corner, Selina is a surefire go-to. Over 30,000 attendees are expected across its two days as the iconic festival brand will construct its spectacular new CORE stage. The event features a big lineup with Bicep, Agents Of Time, ANNA, Chet Faker and more. Find out more about Selina Medellín and book your stay here. FOLLOW SELINA COLOMBIA:Instagram: instagram.com/selinacolombia Website: selina.com/colombia

The electronic dance music industry has achieved a remarkable $11.8 billion valuation, according to the 2024 IMS Business Report. Reinforcing its prestige as a cultural and economic force, the global dance music business "is now firmly in its post-pandemic growth phase" after achieving 17% revenue growth in 2023, per the report. The upsurge can be attributed to EDM's universal appeal, technological integration and unparalleled ability to captivate audiences. As the genre's popularity snowballs at major events like Coachella, festivals and clubs continue to dominate revenues, amassing nearly half of the industry total. The next biggest segment was music hardware and software, which comprised roughly 25% of total revenues. The rise in the number of EDM fans far surpassed those of hip-hop, rock and Latin music, reflecting a substantial boon for its "share of global culture." Electronic music has the smallest fanbase of those four major genres but grew fastest across all key DSPs in 2023 by a wide margin, passing rock on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. It was dwarfed by hip-hop, which still dominates in streams. The 2024 Ultra Music Festival in Miami.Kelly Knisel/EDM.com Elsewhere are key data points revealing the swelling influence of non-major labels, which increased their market share for the fourth consecutive quarter at a clip of 31%. The majors still dominate, according to the report, but lost share to "the newer generation of future-focused labels." When it comes to streaming, the four markets with the most monthly electronic music listeners are Germany, the US, Australia and the UK, respectively. But the report indicated strong market penetration from South Africa, which has nearly twice as many Spotify listeners as its total population. That figure reflects the degree to which the country "has built its own electronic scenes and culture." South African dance music icon Black Coffee won the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album in 2022 and the renowned Defected Records imprint recently launched One People, a label aiming to "orchestrate a sonic celebration of Afrocentric music from a diverse and international roster of artists." Meanwhile, Zimbabwean producer Nitefreak was recently named to the EDM.com Class of 2024. That global appeal is the upshot of a post-pandemic rebound the likes of which David Guetta predicted in late-2021, when he said "the next few years will be the best years for dance music in history." Today's $11.8 billion valuation towers over the dance music industry's $6.9 billion reckoning a decade ago in 2014, when the genre experienced a cultural stateside explosion. "2022 was an unusual year, in that it reflected the post-pandemic bounce back effect for live," MIDiA Research's Mark Mulligan said. "There was a risk that 2023 would struggle to live up to those inflated expectations, but instead the electronic music industry grew strongly once again, with impressive growth across virtually all of its constituent parts. What is more, electronic music culture grew its fan bases faster than other leading genres, in part due to the rapid rise of African music and fans, illustrating the growing cultural footprint of electronic music culture and its vibrant global scenes." You can download the full 2024 IMS Business report here.