Everything posted by Ravebot
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Rafa Santos drops ‘Where is the Clubbing?’ EP
MATE Records · Rafa Santos (Franck Roger remix) – Where Is The Clubbing? (MATE014) Spanish label Mate welcomes Rafa Santos and Franck Roger for a new deep house EP that shows the kids how it’s done. It is Santos who serves up the originals starting with ‘Where Is The Clubbing?’ which has depth but also drive – rich pads swirl about over the supple kicks and clipped vocals bring the soulful little hooks. French maestro Franck Roger remixes with a little more swing and a stripped-back, late-night feel that is sprinkled with cosmic dust. On the flip, ‘Smooth Jazz’ is just that over cuddly beats as star-gazing piano tinkles and sombre sax notes bring real class. ‘Don’t Fool Me’ shuts down with plenty of Chez Damier-style weight in the kicks and steaminess in the female vocals. Buy here The post Rafa Santos drops ‘Where is the Clubbing?’ EP appeared first on Decoded Magazine.
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StubHub Eyeing Late Summer for IPO
We all know about StubHub by now. Many use the third party site for tickets to various events all around the world. Now, it’s been reported that the major player in online ticket resale markets is aiming for an initial public offering (IPO) by late summer 2024, targeting a valuation of $16.5 billion. According to The Information, StubHub is testing investors’ appetites for cash-strapped companies as the firm has piled up more than $2 billion in debt. Additionally, CNBC has discovered that StubHub has been working with JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs over the last two years to prepare for this IPO. StubHub’s potential IPO also comes about as the world gradually recovers from the pandemic and live events finally getting back into the swing of things, with a few hiccups here and there. Investors may view it as an opportunity to tap into the resurgence of event and mores. However, uncertainties always remain for future industry-affecting issues that may come about in the future. Hopefully this is a good sign for more positive impacts within the event and ticket world. The post StubHub Eyeing Late Summer for IPO appeared first on EDMTunes.
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US Justice Department to sue Live Nation in antitrust lawsuit
The suit is stacked against the Ticketmaster parent company, Wall Street Journal reports Continue reading...
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Armin van Buuren and HI-LO talk about their collaboration
Here is “Now Love Will Begin,” a song that mixes different types of music by trance superstar Armin van Buuren and techno superstar HI-LO. HI-LO (Oliver Heldens) and I just click so well. It was apparent during our back-to-back live set at A State of Trance in Rotterdam, and many others were able to see it as well when we connected on stage again in Miami during the Ultra Music Festival. I’m so happy that this natural flow between us extends to our studio work as well. We’re both so passionate about dance music, and I’m having such a great time being producer-nerdy in the studio with him. ‘Now Love Will Begin’ is what came out of it, and I’m so excited for the world to hear what we cooked up together! – Armin van Buuren ‘Now Love Will Begin’ is a groundbreaking mix of techno’s pulsing beats and trance’s euphoric melodies. It was premiered on “A State of Trance” and was a standout track in Armin van Buuren and HI-LO‘s much-talked-about B2B set at A State of Trance Rotterdam. People who hear the song are taken on an exciting trip through both genres, which lights up dance floors and hearts alike. In the last half a year, it’s been awesome working with Armin on several collabs and preparing for our b2b sets. Probably the highlight so far was when all of that came together during our b2b at A State of Trance Rotterdam, and even though the b2b set at A State of Trance Miami didn’t happen in the end due to severe weather conditions, we still had a lot of fun preparing for that set, and in general, it’s been lovely to connect on a deeper level. Our first collab, ‘Now Love Will Begin,’ definitely captures that spirit; I think it’s a meaningful banger of a tune that crosses boundaries, uniting the worlds of techno, uplifting trance, and psy-trance. Enjoy! – HI-LO Get ready to hear the best of both techno and trance, where love and music come together to make pure sound bliss. “Now Love Will Begin” will be out on April 12 through HILOMATIK. The post Armin van Buuren and HI-LO talk about their collaboration appeared first on The Groove Cartel.
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Win a DJ Set At Ushuaïa Ibiza With ANTS: Next Gen Artist Program 2024
Win a DJ set at Ushuaïa Ibiza this summer, expert career mentorship, and more. After crowning breakout stars Us Two in 2023, ANTS begins fresh search for the next generation of DJ talent. Visit unitedants.com for more info ANTS is a global event series renowned worldwide for its creativity, passion and dedication to unearthing future stars. Today it commits to that mission once more, as it begins a fresh search for the next generation of DJ talent. The ANTS: Next Gen Artist Program builds on the success of last year’s edition, with a mentorship program that offers the ultimate winner exclusive prizes, including a set at ANTS flagship Ushuaïa Ibiza residency, plus access to experts and resources to help them truly turbocharge their career. ANTS has always been focused on driving underground music forward with its innovative and high-concept events, cutting-edge line-ups and futuristic production. Through its long-established summer residency at Ushuaïa Ibiza and renowned global touring series, the brand is synonymous with showcasing and supporting rising talent. The development of the ANTS: Next Gen Artist Program furthers this commitment to discovering and platforming the DJ talent of tomorrow. A superb panel of high-level industry figures, experienced talent spotters, and accomplished DJs has been assembled to select the brightest stars of this year’s program. This includes Yann Pissenem (Founder, CEO & Owner of Ushuaïa Entertainment, Ushuaïa & Hï Ibiza), Itziar Gonzalez (ANTS Project Manager), Jodie Layton (Talent Booker at The Night League), Leslee Clarke (Head of Music at The Night League) & Shirin Saffari (Talent Booker at The Night League), plus ANTS regulars Andrea Oliva, Chelina Manuhutu, Francisco Allendes, SYREETA, and ANTS: Next Gen 2023 winners, Us Two. The top 10 entries this year will all receive a one-year Soundcloud Next Pro subscription, while the artist ultimately selected for the ANTS: Next Gen Artist Program 2024 will receive a prize package that money cannot buy, including the opportunity to DJ on Ushuaïa Ibiza’s iconic main stage at ANTS this summer, a DJ set on Ibiza Sonica radio, hands-on music-making experiences and training, cutting-edge DJ equipment, and career support that will elevate them to the next level. The ANTS: Next Gen Program is a rare opportunity for rising DJ talent to shine and take their careers to the next level as part of the influential and globally renowned ANTS family. Last year’s competition received more than 1000 entries and resulted in the crowning of Us Two, the brotherly duo who made a huge impact with their mix of 100% original productions, and again when they made their ANTS debut performance at Ushuaïa Ibiza. They will bring their future-facing underground sound to ANTS once again this summer after a year that has sent them into the stratosphere with releases on major dance music labels and DJ sets all over Europe. Us Two, said: “Winning the ANTS NEXT GEN contest really changed things for us. Playing at Ushuaïa Ibiza was a dream come true and the support we’ve been given from the ANTS team has been amazing. Our advice for your entry is to be original and true to your sound! See you at Ushuaïa Ibiza!” ANTS: NEXT GEN ARTIST PROGRAM 2024 The prize in full includes: 1x Gig at ANTS 2024 at Ushuaia Ibiza A DJ set on Ibiza Sonica radio A training session with one of Pioneer DJ’s experts learning how to get the most out of the latest DJ equipment Pioneer headphones Metrica Studios workshop and visit Gifts from esteemed brand partners Live audio and visual streaming on the United ANTS YouTube channel Mix posted on SoundCloudMixes recorded and featured on ANTS SoundCloud Takeover Episode and Feature on ANTS Radioshow ANTS Official Playlist takeover Prominent visibility across ANTS channels through social media and editorial How to enter: ANTS: Next Gen 2024 launches on April 12th and to enter is simple: hopefuls must record and submit an exclusive 30-35 mix that they believe represents the famous ANTS sound. The deadline for entries is 1 May 23:59 CET. Submit mixes at unitedants.com. Every mix submitted will be published on the ANTS Soundcloud profile on 3 May for three weeks during which time the total number of listens and likes will be added up and mixes will be evaluated by the ANTS: NEXT GEN judging panel. All entrees will be whittled down to a final Top 10 which will be revealed in May ahead of the announcement of the ultimate winner in June. To enter ANTS: Next Gen Artist Program 2024 aspiring DJs must record and submit an exclusive 30-35 mix. Entries close 1 May 23:59 CET. For all of the details, visit unitedants.com . Follow ANTS Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube | X Follow Ushuaïa Ibiza | Website | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | X The post Win a DJ Set At Ushuaïa Ibiza With ANTS: Next Gen Artist Program 2024 appeared first on Electic Mode.
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BBC Radio 1: Jax Jones, Sonny Fodera, Tita Lau, And More Announced For Radio 1 Dance: Malta
Jax Jones, Sonny Fodera, Tita Lau, and more exciting names have been announced for Radio 1 Dance: Malta, taking place on Saturday 17 August 2024 at UNO Malta. Radio 1 will be heading to Malta this summer for a dance-fuelled night packed full of some of the freshest music and hottest DJ sets. Acts announced include (in alphabetical order): Plus more names to be announced in the coming months. Danny Howard says: “Radio 1’s mission to keep us raving all summer continues as we announce the very exciting news that we’re landing in Malta this August! Malta has become a hotbed for parties, DJ’s and dance music in recent years, so I’m delighted that we’re doing our own event there and of course, bringing with us some of the best electronic music artists the world has to offer. Having played in Malta many times over the years, I can confirm that it really is a place like no other. Beautiful setting, the friendliest people and plenty of sunshine! If you haven’t been there before or want to try something new, then this is definitely the spot.” Tickets for Radio 1 Dance: Malta are available now. For more information, please go to bbc.co.uk/malta. Listeners will be able to tune in on Radio 1, with performances and tracks available live and on demand across BBC Sounds. The post BBC Radio 1: Jax Jones, Sonny Fodera, Tita Lau, And More Announced For Radio 1 Dance: Malta appeared first on Electic Mode.
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Kasra V launches new imprint V-Sion with nine-track compilation record
‘10:10’ celebrates 10 years of his NTS Radio residency featuring Angel D’lite, Sepehr, and more Continue reading...
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Cafe Mambo Ibiza opens for its 30th year in 2024
Ibiza’s premier sunset spot Café Mambo is opening its milestone 30th birthday year with a bang, with sets from Grammy-nominated Chicago house legend Felix da Housecat and renowned Dutch tech-house heavyweight Ferreck Dawn ushering in a new decade in style from 6pm on Friday 19th April. The night will also feature sets from long-standing Mambo residents Jason Bye, Andy Baxter and Ryan McDermott — a fitting way to celebrate Mambo’s legacy. Synonymous with spectacular West Coast sunsets and well-known for hosting the legendary, official pre-parties for the Ibiza super clubs every night of the week including Pacha, Hï! and Amnesia, where their headline acts descend on the bar, terrace restaurant and iconic public promenade, making for legendary, intimate sets. Café Mambo was just a dilapidated finca on San Antonio’s coast until owner Javier Anadon spotted its potential and opened it as a brand-new bar with sunset views, where it was quickly recognised as Bar Of The Year by GQ. Now embedded in Ibiza lore, global music stars have been soundtracking the Mambo sunset for the past three decades including Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox, Sasha, Digweed, Pete Tong, Judge Jules, Swedish House Mafia, Boy George and many more. Today, Mambo is an Ibizan rite of passage, and rightly considered a modern-day Ibiza icon. With many more magical nights and fresh talent to be announced, Café Mambo is as vital and relevant to the island’s scene as ever. More info available here: www.cafemamboibiza.com The post Cafe Mambo Ibiza opens for its 30th year in 2024 appeared first on Decoded Magazine.
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Released 13 Years Ago: Afrojack, Pitbull, Ne-Yo & Nayer – Give Me Everything
Thirteen years ago, a powerhouse collaboration between Afrojack, Pitbull, Ne-Yo, and Nayer produced ‘Give Me Everything’, a track that became a global phenomenon. Released in 2011, this single not only topped charts around the world but also became an anthem of the summer, encapsulating a spirit of carefree celebration. ‘Give Me Everything’ showcased a perfect blend of Afrojack‘s electrifying EDM beats with Pitbull‘s energetic rap verses, Ne-Yo‘s smooth R&B vocals, and Nayer‘s sultry hooks. The track was an instant hit, appealing to a wide audience with its infectious rhythm and catchy lyrics that urged listeners to live life to the fullest. This collaboration was a pivotal moment for all artists involved. For Afrojack, it highlighted his versatility and ability to craft beats that could cross over into mainstream pop music. Pitbull, already known for his party anthems, found in ‘Give Me Everything’ a perfect vehicle to reach international audiences, further establishing his reputation as “Mr. Worldwide.” Ne-Yo’s involvement brought an element of soul to the track, enhancing its appeal, while Nayer‘s contribution added a touch of glamour and sensuality. ‘Give Me Everything’ was more than just a chart-topper; it was a cultural moment that brought together fans from various music genres, celebrating a fusion of sounds that defined much of the music landscape in the early 2010s. The track remains a beloved dance floor filler, a testament to its enduring appeal and the remarkable chemistry among its creators. As it continues to be played at parties and clubs worldwide, ‘Give Me Everything’ stands as a symbol of the era and a highlight in the careers of Afrojack, Pitbull, Ne-Yo, and Nayer.
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Coachella 2024 weekend 1 recap: what happened?
As the sun set over the Empire Polo Fields in Indio this past weekend, the Coachella Valley was transformed once again into a whirlwind of spectacular sounds, iconic guests, and eye-popping productions for the first of its two weekend runs in 2024. While stacked lineups and idyllic festival scenery are yearly guarantees, this edition debuted some major innovations and unexpected thrills that kept the energy stratospheric across all three days of music. The brand new “Quasar” stage Perhaps the most dazzling addition was the new “Quasar” stage. It featured an imposing outdoor structure including towering angled walls covered in massive LED screens. Located right near the entrance, these glowing monoliths immediately beckoned like an intergalactic beacon upon arrival. By nightfall, the facade truly came alive, utilizing stunning desert-themed visuals that blended seamlessly with the craggy mountains framing the festival. Trippy geometric shapes and pulsing colors elevated each extended DJ set to a mind-bending audiovisual journey. Artists at Quasar As one of the first acts to grace this awe-inspiring new stage, DJ/producer Honey Dijon x Green Velvet ushered in Quasar’s debut with a heavyweight techno/house set on Friday night. The screens morphed from dusty cacti to slick prism effects, engulfing the field of dancing fans. Saturday saw the one and only Michale Bibi hold court for three hours, throwing down his tech brand of house and techno as cinematic desert scapes and abstract animations swirled behind him. While this bold new stage clearly stole the show in terms of innovative flair, the rest of Coachella still brought plenty of buzz-worthy surprises and standout moments. Coachella 2024 Quasar stage via https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=967615901379270&set=pb.100043926079555.-2207520000&type=3 Lana Del Rey’s mainstage set Kicking things off on Friday was the one and only Lana Del Rey, who arrived on the Main Stage in quintessential dramatic fashion – standing atop a motorcycle caravan, soundtracked by her unreleased track “Jealous Too.” Her haunting vocals and theatrical stage presence were as captivating as ever, even as some fans aired grievances about microphone issues throughout her set. Those issues persisted when the “Summertime Sadness” singer brought out an A-list lineup of guests, including Jon Batiste on “Candy Necklace,” Jack Antonoff on piano for “Hope Is A Dangerous Thing…,” and finally, a duet with Billie Eilish for “Video Games” and “Ocean Eyes.” Despite the technical difficulties, these surprise team-ups kept spirits high, a testament to Del Rey’s status as a generational talent. Billie Eilish at the Do LaB stage Speaking of Billie, the multi-Grammy winner pulled off one of the most stunning cameos of the weekend – taking over the Do LaB stage (watch its new design) on Saturday for a psychedelic DJ/performance hybrid set. Amidst kaleidoscopic projections and glowing mushroom sculptures, Eilish debuted three unreleased tracks from her forthcoming “Hit Me Hard And Soft” album, even bringing out Tyga for a live rendition of “Rack City.” It was a full-on audiovisual extravaganza, and easily one of the buzziest and most memorable moments of Weekend 1. More surprise star power came from Kaskade over at the Sahara tent (watch the new design), who was joined by fellow dance music icon Alison Wonderland during his set. The two threw down a euphoric back-to-back session of progressive house and skippy electro bangers. On the hip-hop front, Tyler, The Creator went all-out with an explosion of flames and pyro to kick off his headlining set on the Main Stage Saturday. The “Igor” rapper had no shortage of A-list friends in attendance, welcoming guests like A$AP Rocky, Childish Gambino, Charlie Wilson, and Kali Uchis for an unforgettable performance. Rounding out the weekend’s headliners on Sunday was Bad Bunny, who kept the Latin pride soaring with a typically electrifying performance of his chart-toppers and cutting-edge reggaeton jams. Karol G and Eladio Carrion were just a few of the other Hispanic megastars to make surprise cameos during his set, adding even more fuego to the proceedings. Do LaB stage at Coachella 2024 W1 Courtesy of Do LaB – Jamal Eid Michael Bibi on the Quasar stage Saturday night Undeniably one of Weekend 1’s most heartwarming moments came during the surprise guest-laden Coachella set from house DJ/producer Michael Bibi on the Quasar stage Saturday night. The Brit was performing for the first time since being diagnosed with and beating CNS Lymphoma cancer last year – he even shared that this was his mother’s first time seeing him play at the festival. As Bibi showcased several new anthemic IDs from his upcoming “One Life” tour to rapturous crowds, you could feel the outpouring of love and gratitude radiating through the desert air. While the debut of the Quasar stage and surprise-filled headliner performances were clear weekend highlights, there were still plenty of other buzzworthy moments and indelible scenes scattered across Coachella’s various stages and campgrounds. One set that certainly generated its share of buzz – for better or worse – was Grimes’ evening appearance on the Outdoor Theatre stage Saturday night. Grimes’ technical issues at Coachella 2024 The experimental pop provocateur had been eagerly hyping her first Coachella performance in years leading up to the festival. However, things got off to a rocky start almost immediately as fans watching the livestream could clearly hear Grimes shrieking in frustration about technical issues. As it turned out, the tempos for her songs were reading incorrectly – some even clocking in at over 300 BPM – throwing off her entire set from the get-go. While Grimes did eventually power through performances of hits like “Genesis” and “Violence,” the debacle quickly attracted a mix of criticism and empathy from other DJs and producers online. Many questioned her lack of preparation, while others understood the harsh realities of wrestling with unreliable music software onstage at a major festival. Regardless of which side fans fell on, it was an unexpectedly chaotic scene that put a slight damper on one of Coachella’s most highly-anticipated sets of the weekend. Grimes took full accountability after the fact, issuing an apology on X (formerly Twitter) for the “technical issues”. She also reassured fans she would “personally organize all the files” ahead of Weekend 2 to ensure a “flawless” performance. The saga emphasized the intense difficulties and unrelenting pressure performers are under on one of the world’s biggest stages. More issues on weekend 1 Technical issues were also a struggle for one of Friday’s headlining acts, as Lana Del Rey’s microphone volume and feed was noticeably lower than her backup singers throughout her dramatic set on the main Coachella stage. Del Rey soldiered through, still delivering an iconically theatrical performance complete with an opening motorcycle caravan entrance and high-profile guests like Billie Eilish, Jon Batiste, and Jack Antonoff joining for duets. In the aftermath, LE SSERAFIM member Sakura provided some philosophical perspective on what it truly means to deliver a standout festival performance. Despite admitting that the girl group’s Friday set may not have been “perfect” for everyone, Sakura noted she wanted to create “an unforgettable amazing day” regardless of how familiar fans were with their music. She affirmed she believes their Coachella debut lived up to that standard as “undoubtedly our best stage yet.” Tyler, The Creator and Coachella’s Vampire Weekend One headliner who definitely achieved the “unforgettable” bar was Tyler, The Creator on Saturday night. The rapper kicked off his set with a massive pyrotechnic explosion before being joined by an A-list rap lineup including A$AP Rocky, Childish Gambino, Kali Uchis and more for a hit-filled, high-energy performance on the main stage. Tyler even wore a Palestinian flag pin as a statement of solidarity during his culturally-charged set. Coachella 2024 Vampire Weekend via https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=967616168045910&set=pb.100043926079555.-2207520000&type=3 Closing out an eventful Saturday was indie vets Vampire Weekend, who went full whimsical spectacle for their set on the Outdoor Theatre stage. Amidst a country/folk-rock covers medley they dubbed the “Cocaine Cowboys” set, the band brought out none other than Paris Hilton and an Abraham Lincoln impersonator for an impromptu game of cornhole on stage. While the Simple Life star admittedly missed her attempts, the absurd stunt culminated with the group showering the audience with gold chocolate bars – a surreal, only-at-Coachella moment. J Balvin brings Will Smith Another memorable guest appearance came from Will Smith during J Balvin‘s Saturday performance on the main stage. The Colombian reggaeton star’s interstellar, UFO-themed production effectively turned the crowd extraterrestrial, with Smith descending from above in his Men In Black character attire to perform the film’s 1997 hit theme song. Justice Festivalgoers also got a sneak peek at some of the year’s biggest upcoming albums. French dance titans Justice treated fans to a heavy-hitting, audiovisual-driven showcase of their first LP in over seven years, ‘Hyperdrama‘, out later this month. High-octane tracks like “Generator,” “Mannequin Love,” and Tame Impala collaboration “One Night/All Night” provided a tantalizing preview. Coachella’s new alcohol policy One highly-anticipated change at this year’s Coachella was an updated alcohol policy, allowing anyone over 21 to consume drinks purchased from roving bar setups throughout the grounds. In previous years, booze was restricted to specific cordoned-off areas only. The move proved to be a welcome change for attendees based on elated social media reactions. A roundup of this weekend Between the mind-melting production spectacle of Quasar, once-in-a-lifetime team-ups from icons across genres, and a constant stream of energy flowing through each performance, Coachella 2024 kicked off in quintessential Valley fashion – stylish, ecstatic, and bursting with surprises around every corner. If these three days were any indication, both the festival’s innovative new buildouts and stacked lineups have set the stage for even more unforgettable magic to unfold over the upcoming Weekend 2. The Groove Cartel has been named one of the 20 best EDM magazines by Feedspot. The post Coachella 2024 weekend 1 recap: what happened? appeared first on The Groove Cartel.
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Spotify to Add New “Remix” Feature For Paid Subscription Users
While the price of Spotify’s monthly subscription fee is increasing yet again, we will have access to a new feature. It’s rolling out TikTok-inspired remix features within its own space. What does that mean? According to the Wall Street Journal, Spotify is developing tools that would allow paid subscribers to “speed up, mash-up, and otherwise edit” tracks from their favorite artists, which could then be saved for repeat listening. According to the WSJ, Spotify will likely make some of these more basic tools available via the standard Spotify Premium subscription that starts from $10.99 (or $5.99 if you’re a student). The more advanced tools will be included in the “Supremium” tier. The reason for these additions comes from, obviously the ever-increasing popularity of the TikTok platform. Additionally, data was collected from Pex that finds that 38% of songs on TikTok had their speeds or modified in 2023, compared to 25 percent the year prior. A stat we never thought to look at. It’s a very telling stat in a few ways. First, it adds more creativity to all different forms of content. Second, it can be an attempt to evade copywrite protections or contractual disputes that would otherwise see the track removed from the platform. Spotify reportedly isn’t planning to make the remixes sharable on third party platforms. Instead, the company is aiming to make it easier for artists to receive royalties or other compensation for their work, without having to release multiple versions of their music on the platform. Lastly, at the moment, it’s important to note that performers and labels often do not see any money from these modified songs as they’re hard to track. Spotify’s approach could open a new source of revenue since the remixes would be tired to the original recording. The post Spotify to Add New “Remix” Feature For Paid Subscription Users appeared first on EDMTunes.
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Steve Angello Captivates Coachella With Spin of Unreleased Swedish House Mafia Track, "Lioness"
As the lights of Coachella's fabled Sahara stage bathed fans, Steve Angello unleashed the enduring spirit of Swedish House Mafia during an epic closing set. Angello took us on a journey in Indio over the weekend, where his set culminated in the euphoric reveal of a long-awaited Swedish House Mafia's song, tentatively titled "Lioness." The unreleased track, destined to dominate the festival circuit just as their 2023 anthem "Ray of Solar" did, reverberated through the crowd with its majestic choir chants, setting a surreal scene. The song then plunged into a deep and visceral house rhythm, buoyed by an uplifting, anthemic lead synth that lifted spirits sky-high. The high-octane moment was met with an overwhelming response as fans danced under the spell of Angello’s masterful crescendo. As the crowd dispersed into the night, the echoes of "Lioness" promised that the magic of the prolific Swedish House Mafia remains as captivating and powerful as ever. The timing is almost poetic, its reveal occurring nearly two years to the day since Swedish House Mafia's acclaimed debut album, Paradise Again. The anniversary underscores the the relentless evolution of the trio's sound—a saga that will no doubt continue to unfold and excite in 2024 and beyond as the influential trio readies another album. View the original article to see embedded media. Follow Steve Angello:Instagram: instagram.com/steveangello X: x.com/SteveAngello Facebook: facebook.com/steveangello Spotify: tinyurl.com/4nfc2ucf
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Watch Alison Wonderland and Kaskade Drop Surprise Techno Collaboration in Explosive Coachella Set
Over the weekend at Coachella's Do LaB stage, Alison Wonderland and Kaskade sparked a technicolor dream for dance music fans by previewing their first collaboration. It was the type of surprise that may have been mistaken for a mirage in the desert of Coachella. However, it was hardly anything of the sort. Alison Wonderland and Kaskade indeed delivered a surprise b2b set that resonated like a pulse through the veins of the Do LaB stage. Despite their distinct soundscapes—Alison's emotive, bass-laden style at variance with Kaskade's uplifting house anthems—the duo proved that opposites not only attract, but can also thrive under the right spotlight. As twilight draped over Coachella on Saturday, the pair stepped up to the decks before a sea of frenzied fans to revel in the surprise, with the highlight being a premiere of their unreleased collaboration. The track features Wonderland's haunting vocals, which sliced through the night and rolled out like thunder with thumping drums. And more new collaborations are in the works, according to the Loner producer, who said "the music we are making is insane." This isn't the first time the dynamic duo turned up to surprised their fans. Just a few weeks prior at Brownies & Lemonade's Miami Music Week showcase, Alison and Kaskade's performance set the stage for this full-fledged musical revelation at Coachella, marking the start of a thrilling new chapter for two titans of the craft. Check out a clip below. UNRELEASED @KASKADE X ALISON WONDERLAND IMMINENT pic.twitter.com/XoboKpcuOh — ALISON WONDERLAND (@awonderland) April 14, 2024 FOLLOW KASKADE:Facebook: facebook.com/kaskade X: x.com/kaskade Instagram: instagram.com/kaskade Spotify: spoti.fi/3fHaUGk FOLLOW ALISON WONDERLAND:Facebook: facebook.com/awonderdj X: x.com/awonderland Instagram: instagram.com/alisonwonderland Spotify: spoti.fi/3clhKRg
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Autograf to Perform at LA Charity Fundraiser for Children's Cancer Research
The pursuit of a perfect martini is giving way to the pursuit of a cancer-free future at "Cocktails for a Cure," a philanthropic event in Los Angeles raising money for children's cancer research. Scheduled for Wednesday, April 17th, the private event is fundraising for St. Baldrick's Foundation, the nation's largest charitable funder of childhood cancer research grants. A child is diagnosed with cancer every two minutes worldwide and one in five in the United States will not survive, according to the organization. "Cocktails for a Cure" will feature a special performance by the esteemed dance music duo Autograf, whose scintillating sophomore album Affirmations released last summer on Armin van Buuren's illustrious record label, Armada. It's a big moment for Autograf's Mikul Wing, who tragically lost his father to cancer. "Eight years ago, cancer took my dad from me, but by donating my time to raise money for cancer research, I'm honoring his memory and striving to make a difference in the lives of those affected," Wing tells EDM.com. "Each moment spent supporting this cause is a heartfelt dedication to him and a step closer to a world without the pain of this disease." Lighting the way for kids battling the darkness of cancer, the event's organizers established a goal of $100,000 and have raised roughly $82,000 at the time of this article's publication. Donors can contribute to the cause here. "Our kids deserve a world where their biggest worries involve scraped knees and picking out which pajamas to wear—not waiting around in hospital gowns for their next IV drip, wondering if they will survive," added Ryan Brown, a Board Member at St. Baldrick's Foundation. "It's imperative that we support children’s cancer research in order to protect the most vulnerable in our society. Research is what leads to discovering breakthrough treatments and in turn, better outcomes for kids. Unfortunately pediatric cancer research is severely underfunded—representing less than 4% of the U.S. government’s total cancer research budget, and I believe we need to be doing more for our kids." Donors and ticket-buyers will enjoy custom cocktails from Casa Del Sol and Off Hours Bourbon, world-class wine from Ehlers Estate, craft beer by Smog City and hors d'oeuvres by Chef Steven Ruiz and Taste That LA. Check out a preview of "Cocktails for a Cure" below and find out more here.
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Chris Lake's Black Book Records to Host Pair of Open-Air Summer Raves at Brooklyn Army Terminal
If there's anyone to provide the soundtrack of a walk-on-air summer rave, it's Chris Lake. The house music superstar has announced "Black Book on the Pier," a two-day takeover of the Brooklyn Army Terminal by his esteemed imprint, Black Book Records. Scheduled for July 19-20, the shows will each feature a headlining performance by Lake, who is fresh off a monster performance at Coachella alongside his Anti Up bandmate, Chris Lorenzo. Lorenzo is poised to perform a solo set at "Black Book on the Pier" on the 19th, which also features Andruss and Book Club Radio founder Jojo Lorenzo. The lineup for the following night features house music icons Green Velvet and Harry Romero as well as Black Book's Cole Knight. Located in Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood, the historic Brooklyn Army Terminal is the ideal canvas for a summer dance music show thanks to its scenic, unobstructed waterfront views. Soundtracked by the raw and unrelenting rhythms of Black Book, the rare doubleheader is being organized by the beloved NYC dance music promoter EMW Presents. The event's pre-sale is live as of 12pm ET (9am PT) on April 16th. Tickets are due to release the following day at the same time and can be purchased here. FOLLOW CHRIS LAKE:X: x.com/chrislake Instagram: instagram.com/chrislake Facebook: facebook.com/chrislake Spotify: spoti.fi/3auKRRk FOLLOW BLACK BOOK RECORDS:X: x.com/blackbookrecs Instagram: instagram.com/blackbookrecords Facebook: facebook.com/blackbookrecords
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Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, & Ice Spice Dance To Dom Dolla At Coachella
Music’s favorite couple has been spotted once again. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were spotted at Coachella dancing their feet away to Dom Dolla. One of the best parts of the video is Ice Spice 3rd wheeling in the background. This is a win for dance music and I’m sure all the swifties are thrilled to see them dancing together. Dom Dolla’s hit ‘Saving Up’ can be heard in the background; who doesn’t love that track? The highlight of his set came when Nelly Furtado, who delighted onlookers with her surprise appearance and performed a mash-up of her legendary hit “Maneater” and Benny Benassi’s “Satisfaction”. She later returned to the stage for a remix of her and Dolla’s massive collaboration “Eat Your Man”, which they released to critical acclaim last year. This wasn’t Dom Dolla’s only performance of the weekend – the Grammy-nominated producer also played a back-to-back set with John Summit on Friday night at the Outdoor Stage as their collaborative alias, Everything Always. The post Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, & Ice Spice Dance To Dom Dolla At Coachella appeared first on EDMTunes.
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“Grassroots is from the ground up”: Inside Studio Monkey Shoulder, the new grassroots music initiative
The collaborative project between Monkey Shoulder, Worldwide FM, and Gilles Peterson was launched with a panel and Q&A session on the future on the future of grassroots music Continue reading...
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Ultra’s RESISTANCE Miami residency unveils Race Week programming at M2 Miami
ULTRA Worldwide’sesteemed underground series RESISTANCEwill continue its celebrated U.S. club residency during Miami Race Week from Friday, May 3 – Saturday, May 4, 2024, atM2 Miami. Since launching during Miami Music Week 2023 with four sold-out nights, RESISTANCE Miami welcomed underground music lovers to M2 on Saturdays throughout the fall/winter, and recently concluded an impressive five-night run during Miami Music Week 2024. The residency has showcased some of the world’s most in-demand house and techno selectors, bringing heavy hitters like Adam Beyer, Charlotte de Witte, Enrico Sangiuliano, Eric Prydz, Reinier Zonneveld, Joris Voorn, andGreen Velvet, to soundtrack the sprawling, 35,000 square ft. venue. The second annual installment of RESISTANCE Miami Race Week will be a tour-de-force of house and techno, commencing on Friday, May 3 with the return of longstanding ULTRA Worldwide veteran Carl Cox. The dance music icon previously performed at RESISTANCE Miami’s sold-out MMW closing party in 2023. Ahead of Carl Cox’s 4-hour extended set, German duo Hidden Empire will make their RESISTANCE Miami debut and m.O.N.R.O.E.will return to the residency to kick the evening off. On Saturday, May 4, RESISTANCE Miami will welcome Italian brother duo Mathame back to the stage for a 3-hour extended set following their triumphant performance in January 2024. The duo will also be supported by German artist HOSH, as well as first-time RESISTANCE Miami act Eagles & Butterflies for a galvanizing clinic of house and techno soundscapes. ULTRA Worldwide’s underground series RESISTANCE is heralded as the most international house and techno festival brand, boasting active events on all six inhabited continents. The dance institution’s global takeover has included programming stages at Ultra events in 35 cities internationally, tours across Latin America and Asia, its residency in Ibiza at the world’s largest nightclub Privilege, and now to Miami Beach’s two-story venue M2 Miami, where dancefloor denizens can revel in RESISTANCE’s signature, stadium-smashing production in a more intimate, sultry club atmosphere. RESISTANCE Miami tickets are available to purchase via https://resistancemiami.com/ The post Ultra’s RESISTANCE Miami residency unveils Race Week programming at M2 Miami appeared first on EDMTunes.
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IND:RA Releases New Melodic Techno Single ‘Remember Me’
The London-based Producer and DJ IND:RA unveils his newest Melodic House & Techno release, ‘Remember Me’ via Panda Lab Records. A multi-genre talent, IND:RA is no doubt keeping the bar raised as he brings this brand-new, captivating release for his fans to enjoy; as he continues to build a production catalogue detailed with must-listen tracks, this talented Producer and DJ surely maintains his determined drive, continuing with an unstoppable momentum to stand out and carve a unique way within the world of Electronic Music. A force whose diversity and penchant for pushing boundaries marks him as a talent to keep an eye on, IND:RA has crafted a musical journey that continues to see him crossing genres to develop a signature sound incomparable to any other: an intricate sonic tapestry of House, Techno, and Acid, IND:RA creates hard-hitting productions that continually place the value of melody at their centre. Having made his mark on the landscape of Electronic Music, playing his part in the evolvement and development of the genre’s culture within his homeland of India, IND:RA is surely on a promising path, appearing as a fresh addition to the scene as he keeps striking out with compelling and dynamic music. With ‘Remember Me’, IND:RA offers to take listeners on a captivating musical journey, inviting them into a soundscape woven with detailed layers of driving rhythms, underlying pads, thumping basslines, and hypnotising vocal textures. As the track continues to build in momentum, pulsing synth lines, powerful risers, and pounding beats all join to add to the mighty energy of ‘Remember Me’; then atmospheric vibes take over as the track guides through the breakdown, building the tension with intensifying elements and stimulating sonic details. A sonic experience that is certainly original and distinct, listeners are sure to enjoy the mesmerising sound and refreshing energy that ‘Remember Me’ offers to them; an unmissable production within IND:RA’s growing catalogue, the track comes as the ideal listen to discover the unique and innovative style that IND:RA consistently showcases. ‘Remember Me’ is out now via Panda Lab Records and is available to stream and download here. A talent worthy of attention, make sure to keep up-to-date with IND:RA by following him across social media. Follow IND:RA: Soundcloud | Instagram Follow Panda Lab Records: Beatport
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Freekbass Offers Up New Remix of ‘I Know You Do’
Freekbass returns with another release, presenting a Funk/Disco rework of his own track, ‘I Know You Do,’ with his ‘I Belong To The Light’ remix. Having just dropped his production, ‘Change My Mind,’ Freekbass is continuing to keep his momentum high as he builds a production catalogue filled with unique productions. With this latest track, Freekbass invites listeners to delve further into his vibrant sonic world as he welcomes them on an auditory adventure through an immersive soundscape. A versatile and multi-faceted talent, Freekbass has made a name for himself on the music scene, winning accolades for his work across genres like Funk and R&B and touring and recording alongside top Artists such as Bootsy and Catfish Collins. Having just recently been crowned a winner of “TikTok Live Fest”, celebrating the top 30 creators worldwide, Freekbass’ reputation is no doubt set to continue growing as listeners keep discovering his funky sound and originality. As he presents a track detailed with compelling risers, his signature bass sound, and thumping beats, Freekbass breathes fresh life into his ‘I Know You Do’, making the track an unmissable listening experience for all his fans. As the track presents engaging layers of sound, incorporating catchy vocal hooks and intensifying rhythmic elements that build the tension and guide the listening journey, the production appears as an exemplary expression of Freekbass’ creativity. With the original track’s vocals taking centre stage, Freekbass adds a unique sonic touch, filtering the detailed vocal layers and placing them in conversation with his bold bassline. As underlying textures and subtle synth details add depth to the soundscape, the track keeps driving forward, offering listeners intoxicating grooves and vibes that will surely position this new release high on the list of favourites amongst Freekbass’ fans. ‘I Know You Do (FB’s I Belong To The Light Remix)’ is out now and available to stream and download across platforms here. So, with Freekbass showing no signs of slowing down soon, be sure to keep an eye on him by following him across social media to stay in the know about future releases, projects, and performances. Follow Freekbass: Spotify | Website | Instagram
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Canguru Delivers With New Trap Banger ‘West Goes The Sun’
Canguru unveils his new Trap single, ‘West Goes The Sun’, bringing a production unique in sonic makeup and distinct in musical character: a refreshing listening experience, this latest track from the talented Producer places his originality in the spotlight, offering a soundscape that serves to highlight his diverse range of influences and varied musical background. With a production style that blends elements from genres like Alternative Dance, Melodic Techno, and Alt-Hip-Hop, Canguru has curated a sound that is both distinctive and fresh. As he drops more and more productions, Canguru’s talents and expansive skillset continue to be marked out, shining through in the impactful music he creates and the energy he exudes. Having been exploring and expanding on his passion for music ever since his youth, beginning with Classical Music and then turning to the infectious energy of Electronic Music later on, Canguru comes to music creation from the perspective of a knowledgeable and experienced talent, continuing to be driven by his love and enthusiasm for music itself. As he drops this latest release, Canguru ensures that listeners are captivated by his sound, setting his reputation to grow even further as more genre lovers discover his infectious vibes and signature sound. ‘West Goes The Sun’ brings a relaxing energy, introducing a soundscape detailed with laid-back beats, a rhythmic guitar hook, underlying textures, and a captivating vocal. With the emotive vocals taking centre stage throughout the track, ‘West Goes The Sun’ keeps the listening experience engaging, layering in panned and filtered vocal elements with enveloping melodic details and subtle rhythmic hits. A listening journey that comes as the perfect introduction to Canguru’s individuality and innovative approach towards music production, ‘West Goes The Sun’ is surely a must-listen for any lover of the style looking to discover the stimulating and unique productions emerging within Electronic Music today. A Producer whose future within the genre continues to shine bright, Canguru is a talent to keep track of, as he is guaranteed to keep adding exciting and fresh productions to his release repertoire. ‘West Goes The Sun’ is out now and available to stream and download across platforms. So, make sure to follow him across social media to stay up-to-date with his upcoming releases and projects. Follow Canguru: Website | Instagram | Spotify
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DJ Dris Brings The Afro House Vibes With ‘Ethereal’
DJ Dris is back with his next powerful release, this time bringing mesmerizing vibes with an Afro House track titled ‘Ethereal,’ featuring vocals from the talented Olivia London. Released through Born Digital Music, the production offers listeners dreamy vibes, inviting them on an enchanting musical journey that will no doubt captivate. With a signature style that continually results in impactful music, whether bringing high energy through groovy productions or creating tracks moving in sonic makeup, DJ Dris consistently places his high-quality talents in the spotlight, delivering music that continues to resonate with fans around the globe. Just recently releasing tracks like ‘Work’, and ‘Keep Trying’, DJ Dris is building a production catalogue that works to showcase his varied and original style, incorporating elements from genres like Afro House, Afro Tech, and Funky House, DJ Dris has curated a sonic identity that boldly shines through in each of his productions. With his latest production, DJ Dris once again shows off his wide-ranging skillset and distinct approach, bringing a track sure to stand out. Introducing chilled vibes, compared to the funky energy of his recent previous releases, ‘Ethereal’ no doubt comes as a unique addition to DJ Dris’ musical collection. As the track offers an atmospheric soundscape layered with the soulful vocals of Olivia London, listeners will surely enjoy the emotive sonic experience that DJ Dris has crafted for them. Featuring relaxed beats, subtle synth chords, delicate sonic details, and hypnotic rhythmic hits, ‘Ethereal’ presents a rich sound whilst bringing a calming energy to listeners. A fresh production from DJ Dris, ‘Ethereal’ no doubt comes as a striking new release, stimulating in its unique sound and impactful energy: moving, immersive, and soulful, ‘Ethereal’ is a track not to be missed. So, make sure to discover its powerful sound for yourself and stay up-to-date with DJ Dris by following him across social media as he promises more unmissable releases soon. Follow DJ Dris: Website | Spotify | Instagram Follow Olivia London: Spotify Follow Born Digital Music: Instagram
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DJ Meetch Releases New Tech House Gem ‘Upside Down’
Meetch unveils his newest Tech House track, ‘Upside Down’, inviting listeners on an enthralling sonic journey with a release that places his unique sound at its centre. Known as a talented DJ on the live circuit, Meetch is continuing to build his production catalogue, now adding a fresh, new single to his collection to once again spotlight the originality of his signature sound. Having carved out a place within Electronic Music, Meetch continues to find motivation through his passion and love for music itself, continually appearing confident in his pursuit to push the limits of the genre. With a live performance style that is no doubt unique, adding a visual element to his live sets with his robot helmet, and a production approach that sees him pushing the elements of House music to curate a sound that is individual in character, Meetch continues to impress. As he consistently offers fans the opportunity to discover the depths of his creativity, delving further into his artistry with weekly episodes of his radio show ‘Digital Dance Radio’, Meetch is breaking apart from others on the scene to establish a reputation as a talent to take note of. With ‘Upside Down’ coming as the debut release to his 2024, Meetch has ensured the production captivates, keeping the standard raised with a refreshing soundscape. Featuring potent beats, a compelling lead, a groovy bassline, vocal hooks, and intense risers, ‘Upside Down’ brings the party-starter vibes, delivering dancefloor-ready energy that positions it to become a staple in the playlists of DJs around the world. As the track guides through tension-building breakdowns, leading the listener with filtered vocals and pulsing synths, ‘Upside Down’ presents its intricately detailed soundscape, incorporating anthemic sonic details and hypnotising melodies. A production poised to enthral listeners, ‘Upside Down’ surely appears as a must-listen from the talented Producer and DJ Meetch. So, be sure to keep up-to-date with Meetch by following him across social media, as he surely remains a talent not to miss. Stream this single below and purchase here. Follow Meetch: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
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Cyazon Drops New Melodic Dubstep Single ‘Nexus’
Cyazon unveils his latest Melodic Dubstep single, ‘Nexus’, treating fans to an uplifting production that incorporates hard-hitting beats, euphoric melody lines, and powerful sonic details into an intricately layered soundscape for them to enjoy. Cyazon’s status within the realm of Electronic Music continues to grow with each new release; as he shows himself to have the talents and skill set of a high-quality Producer, Cyazon’s name keeps climbing to new heights within the genre, positioning him amongst some of the top talents to keep an eye on. Cyazon’s ability to keep developing as his inspirations change and evolve sees him continually offering exciting productions; with the confidence to strike out with fresh, new sounds, Cyazon keeps pushing boundaries, taking his sound to enthralling and original sonic territories. Having been steadily building his release catalogue throughout his musical journey, Cyazon now emerges with an expansive collection of productions, all of which serve to showcase his skillset when it comes to curating impactful music. With a signature style defined by its powerful sound and innovative blend of elements from genres like Dubstep, Drum and Bass, and Electro House, Cyazon’s music continues to captivate fans around the globe, resulting in a reputation that only keeps growing. ‘Nexus’ brings together driving arpeggiators, glowing synths, and emotive vocals, quickly introducing listeners to its electrifying energy as intense beats and gritty basslines join the mix. As bold leads and electrifying layers of sound add to the soundscape of ‘Nexus’, Cyazon ensures the track continues to drive forward, building in momentum as it leads through tension-filled breakdowns and powerful drops. With a punchy vibe, ‘Nexus’ is surely a striking example of Cyazon’s signature sound, making it the perfect track to discover the talents and extensive abilities of this skilled Producer. ‘Nexus’ is out now and is available to stream below and download here. So, one to keep following, make sure to stay up-to-date with Cyazon across social media so as not to miss any future releases or upcoming projects. Follow Cyazon: Instagram | Beatport | Spotify
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In Conversation With El Hornet
Paul “El Hornet” Harding is a founding member of Pendulum and has been the man behind the decks since their inception. He’s played an important role in the D&B scene for the past 20 years and Pendulum have very much come back with a bang in recent years. They released a new EP at the back end of 2023 and the live band are fresh off the back of a hugely successful UK arena tour. There is more going on behind the scenes for the Aussie DJ and producer though, who also has solo music on the horizon and a new label project called The Hornet’s Nest Records – with a 60-tune compilation about to come out soon. David Harrison caught up with Paul during the recent arena tour to hear more about the busy developments for him personally and for Pendulum… We’re speaking as the band are on the UK arena tour, how has it been going? Numbers have been ridiculous, the shows have been great, we’ve debuted a new song on this tour too, playing it live for the first time before anyone had even heard it in a club – which is a new one for us. As we’re speaking the guys are playing in Birmingham tonight and tomorrow is the O2 in London and I’ve just had a sneak peak at the numbers – bigger than anything we’ve ever done. The O2 is pushing 15,000, that’s a big room and I was terrified when I heard we were going there, because I’ve watched Prince and Metallica there, massive bands like that. Sometimes you second guess yourself, but we did 11,000 at Ally Pally last time, so this is progress. The UK must feel like a home away from your Aussie home these days after all the years you’ve spent here? It actually has been home since 2003. Every year we would go back to Australia for one week if we were lucky and some years not at all. Even though we’re proud to be Australian, we left that behind and we felt more at home here. I still do now, even though I live in Perth again. I was back in London walking around Soho just now, visiting some of my favourite spots, it felt like home – it’s weird because I wasn’t born here, but it feels like this is where we belong. What role do you think the UK community and D&B scene has had in Pendulum’s career then? I think it’s been very important for us to be here from day one and we knew we had to leave Australia to progress to where we wanted to be – it made most sense to be where D&B came from. The English fans just got what we were about from day one. You’ve been busy in a personal capacity recently, away from Pendulum. What have you got coming up with the new label – The Hornet’s Nest? I’ve been working on a lot of solo stuff. I’ve also got a compilation I’m putting together on the label and that’s taking way more time than anything I ever expected. I’ve got a couple of remixes I’m putting together, it’s been a really interesting time to make music and I’m just trying to write what I feel like and not be influenced by anything or anyone, that’s really hard. What kind of tunes are you looking to make, what sort of sound? I always air to the side of uplifting. There are people like Matrix and Futurebound that I cite as my number one influence in terms of what I would like to hear in a club and what I love to DJ the most. It’s positive uplifting euphoria, but with power. That’s hard to do though, they’re hard to write. When I listen back to their back catalogue, I’m always floored, how do they make me feel so good and they have so much weight? That song is ridiculous. I actually have just done a remix of singer from Manchester called Kintsuku, which is just being pressed to vinyl now, it’s an El Hornet remix, totally solo. That song I was like, how do I give it “Control” vibes. I’ve been trying to mimic that “Control” tune for years. You wouldn’t believe how many cast off versions I’ve made myself and shouted “I can’t do it”. The euphoria of it is ground zero for me, that’s what I want to listen to and make. When do you hope to have that remix out? First I’ve got to release the label artist compilation. It’s called the 90 Second Maximum and I have 60 tunes on it, which is complete insanity. 58 of the tunes are other artists and two of them are by me. That is due to come out soon on The Hornet’s Nest Records. The premise for that compilation is to do something with all these abandoned tunes that I was just talking about, everyone has them. I have 20 year’s worth of parts of tunes, which I think “fuck that was so good” – I might have lost the project file or deleted it or whatever. I put feelers out and asked people if they had loads of these little clips and they were like “of course we do.” Next minute I had one from Rusko, I had one from Ekko and Sidetrack and I thought, I reckon I could ask newer people as well if they’re interested in putting a song in this compilation. Next Stamina MC sends me a song, he’s only every produced one song ever on his own under his alias Armour and he’s like “I’ve got one for you”. I thought, I’m on to something, next thing you know I’ve got 60. I’m not too hell bent on getting names or big guys. Some of them are people I’ve been friends with for ages, but there are also people I’ve never met or spoken to before. I hope that it’s a springboard for some people too. It’s been painstaking putting this together and a long process. If I was going to do something I wanted it to be something unique, that I hadn’t seen anyone else do. We’re going to push go on 12th April on that, which will go to the streaming services, but I’m also producing it on a cassette tape. It’s being printed right now, 30 songs on side A and 30 on side B. I’ve listened to it fully on the tape and it’s sick. I really want to do physical products for my releases. After the mixtape I’ll be following that up with the Kintsuku remix and her original song on a 12-inch vinyl. Occasional releases of things I really enjoy, rather than just banging out tunes. Have you enjoyed the experience of bring together sounds you like? It’s been hugely enjoyable because for so long we just let Pendulum do its thing and that was handled by our major labels and I didn’t have to do a lot of anything myself, aside from me DJing and Rob making tunes. But this compilation project has been really hands on, getting to know people kind of affair, boy it’s hard work. People who run labels, wow. It’s a real labour of love and anyone who does this more often, I really respect it. Hopefully I can do a few releases a year, good projects and some physical medium – a record or a tape or even a CD. They’re telling me CDs are coming back, but everyone’s new cars don’t have CD players, so where are you going to play them? What do you have coming up DJ wise this year? Quite a bit of stuff actually. I’m going back to Australia and playing right up in the northern end, near Darwin, somewhere we’ve only ever played twice in 20 years. We’re playing somewhere big as a DJ set in August in the UK, but I don’t think it’s been announced yet, so I won’t say much more, oh and there is another one in the UK, which I don’t think has been announced yet. And you’ve been pretty busy recently in the Southern Hemisphere haven’t you? How did all the shows go? Fantastic, I did a run through New Zealand, the equivalent of doing student unions in the UK. The students get a 2-week run of parties, with mad UK headliners doing these welcome to university parties. I decided to do that, which were so good. There was one which wasn’t so good actually. I think I saw, was it in Dunedin? Yeah, I felt so bad because Georgie Riot had flown from Coventry to New Zealand to play, at the end of the earth. I stuck my head around and there was four people at the barrier. It was about 8 degrees, raining and the last day of two weeks of gigs, where students get a ticket and you get entry into every gig. All these students were broken and cooked and didn’t come. I took it in my stride and asked the stage manager if they can come up on the stage instead. It was great fun in the end. In contrast two days later I played down the road to 1,000 kids, so I thought “you can’t win them all”. I also did some fantastic gigs in Adelaide for The Fringe. The Edinburgh Fringe being as big as it is, has a sister one in Adelaide and one in Perth. The Adelaide Fringe is a massive event, I did two nights there, 2,000 people, 2 weekends in a row – it was fantastic. It was great to play down there. What has it been like to straddle two different scenes? It’s pretty unique with Pendulum, there aren’t a lot of groups who can play the likes of Liquicity or D&B club shows, but the same tunes appear at a big rock festival like Rock am Ring or Download? We have had an interesting progression from the purest rave scene through to the almost the rock scene – taking rockers into a rave setting without them even knowing it and that just seemed easy in the UK, it wasn’t a hard sell. One moment we would be playing Global Gathering and the next moment at Glastonbury and the next at Download – those audiences are vastly different, but culturally bass music and dance music was just an easy sell over in the UK. It makes perfect sense to me, that’s what we always wanted. We always came with our production from a dance music perspective, but we were also musicians who had come from live projects before and we were more about instrumentation, rather than just pure sample manipulations. Being able to straddle those things was a long process and it didn’t come over night. We definitely left some fans behind along the way, I’m very mindful of that, but every time we did that we seemed to grow 10x more in whatever direction we had chosen. I think it’s fantastic – like you say, let’s go and play Liquicity, I’ll play modern D&B, some Pendulum and some D&B classics, then the following night the band will play 20 Pendulum tunes at a rock festival. Those rockers will be dancing to D&B without entirely being aware of it. It’s a masochistic pleasure. Pendulum played an important role in many people’s musical journey I think, transporting many young people of a certain age, who grew up listening to punk, rock, metal etc. and opening their eyes properly to D&B and rave culture. I’d include myself in that bracket 20 years ago. Are you aware of that role you played in many people’s musical journeys? I think it’s a generational thing, the same thing happened to us. I was playing in a punk band that sounded similar to NOFX and the other guys were in a band that sounded like the Deftones. When you’re into that scene, it’s quite an extreme, left of centre world and then you hear D&B – you think to yourself “wait, this is the electronic version equivalent of what we like already. It’s not house music or sexy or all white parties with Tiësto. It’s dirty, it’s underground, it’s wicked, what is it?” The same happened to us a generation earlier, the fact that I saw that generationally every 8 or 10 years pleases me greatly, it’s so cyclical. For me those groups were The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers – I was like hang on, I like Slayer, but I’m cutting some shapes to these guys, hang on a sec. Enter Shikari are another who’ve played a role in that development, when they started to add electronic elements into their songs. All of a sudden all these screamo kids, with the cool fringes and painted finger nails, are like “hey Mum, I think I like D&B”. Pendulum had a break at one point and stopped making new music. What happened back then and what brought you back? I think it was just a case where Rob had got to a point where he felt he had explored as much as he could and he didn’t see that there was an immediate need for more of that. Rather than just constantly rehashing what we’ve done, he was quite inspired by the world of EDM at that point and decided to have a crack at it – that’s why Knife Party was born. During that period I just kind of maintained the Pendulum DJ sets and stayed in touch regularly. Whatever makes the guy happy is important because he’s such an amazing creator and if he’s not in a happy place with what he’s creating then there isn’t any point of putting energy into it. We had done 3 albums, the last one went to number one in the UK, they had all gone platinum, so we thought what is next? Do we keep going over and over again? If you’re a DJ you can hold down a club residency for 10 years quite happily and because the music is fresh and continually changing, that’s fine. But if you’re a band playing the same 20 songs weekly, you think we’ve already headlined everything, we’ve done Glastonbury playing before Beyonce, what’s next? Do you just keep going? I enjoyed a period of just playing D&B for a long time, outside of the Pendulum live world and I just played Pendulum DJ sets. It was a good time, because I had time to make a lot of music of my own, which I hadn’t had chance to do for years. Rob and Gareth really enjoyed Knife Party and made some huge noise in that scene, which was great, and then when it felt right to come back again, that’s what we did. What reignited the spark that brought you all back to it? I’m not sure. I think we got to a point where we thought we’ll either never do this again or it will feel right and it could have gone either way. Rob started writing again and I thought do you reckon there’s an EP here? I mean there is probably 10 albums of unreleased Pendulum albums that never got done. I think also a lot of it is relevant to what other people are doing, when you see other people in the scene doing things which are inspirational, you’re like ok, I’m inspired by this overall scene and I like where things are at – now it’s time to pop back in. It wasn’t long ago that Pendulum brought out a new EP, there are quite a few different sounds in there, including a heavier one with a Bullet For My Valetine collab, called “Halo”. How did that come together? That is just a testament to doing what we want and Rob just producing what he’s feeling. There was a desire to work with the Bullet guys and I think he’s at a point where he looks at people that he finds inspirational and says “let’s make a record”. We used to procrastinate for a decade, trying to do a collab, now it’s just like, “fancy making a tune?” – “Great, let’s do it”. In this new period of Pendulum things seem to be coming out easily, comparatively, there used to be a lot of procrastination. It’s a healthy time for us. Pendulum teased a chunky sounding new D&B intro on Instagram the other day – that sounds very punchy indeed? That’s call “Napalm” and we debuted that in Leeds on the tour. It’s a straight up, no nonsense, Pendulum banger. That’s what they started the live show with. We sent it out to a few DJs already too and it sounded great at the live shows, it really lit up. When do you hope to have it out? don’t know, no idea actually. The song got done and we’re playing it, which is all I know know. You must be pleased to see how things are blossoming and growing continually D&B wise in your homeland and the Southern Hemisphere in general? I forget that I was responsible for some of it to be honest. I think to myself, this is good, what a great scene – oh wait, we put a lot of hard yards in there. People used to say no to D&B and put us in room three, next thing you know, particularly in Western Australia, I think it’s the biggest genre that exists. I don’t just mean in just the dance music sphere, the biggest consistent numbers and events are D&B gigs. I have to pinch myself, every week there is some multi-headliner event. I just remember thinking when I got home recently, that there are more gigs here than in London on a monthly basis and they always seem to be good. It’s from one end of the scene to the other – they had Roni Size and LTJ Bukem, then they have Sota, the new and the old. A strong mix, it’s great. Do you think what is being produced locally in Australia is keeping up with the pace of the number of gigs being put on and the number of visiting international artists arriving? I think so, I’ve lost track of how many producers there are in Perth and in Australia in general. Quite often I don’t realise that’s where they’re from, because the scene is so global. I sometimes don’t know that they’re even from my home town. Like Luude, when he blew up, I thought “where did he come from?” I find out he’s from Tasmania, but grew up half in Perth, I was like what? He is from the scene in my town? On New Year’s Day I played a bootleg of “Circles” by Adam F and I go back to the hotel and looked at my phone, and see the dude who made the bootleg (Mystik) was actually in the crowd at the gig and I didn’t even know. How have you seen things change over the years and where do you think we’re up to now in D&B? I think we’re at the point where it isn’t a hard sell anymore, we don’t have to convince anyone anymore. D&B is cornflakes now, it’s everywhere and you can’t avoid it. It has taken a long time to get like that. We’re at a point now where it is so normalised and so ingrained in history that it’s undeniable. I think there must be more people listening to D&B than house music now? I mean come on. When you see how fast things are moving and progressing, does that fill you with confidence to keep on flying the flag with Pendulum? I think more inclined than ever. I want it, let’s go. We worked too hard to rest on our laurels and watch this thing explode without being at the forefront of it. I think that is one thing with this scene, you get very motivated by seeing other good things happen and we have worked really hard to get to this place. So we must be at the front of it and strike. I get FOMO – I want to be on all the gigs and of course that isn’t possible, there is a lot of strategy around Pendulum and important things for the long run, but I’m a damn bull in china shop and want to be on every rave. When I see things like the USA kicking off, I think “right, I’m moving there tomorrow”. I want it to be done properly and not taken the piss of, by people who aren’t motivated by the scene and the sound, but rather by the self. That can happen a lot when there is an explosion of something, capitalists come in for their own gain. I want D&B be looked after. Out of all the Pendulum group I’m the D&B guy predominately, I’m the purest one, it’s deep in my soul. I don’t want D&B to be watered down to please people. Do you think with social media there is a danger of that? There is always a danger of that and it’s always been prevalent. There will always be people who see something that pops off and has success, and that’s followed by 20 versions of it that are progressively worse. That is probably the same in every genre of music. Look deeper past just those big tunes that people are producing and look at the other material, there is always gold, there is always the next thing waiting to pop. There is always honest creativity in D&B and I want to be the guy to find that. Who are you enjoying listening to at the moment? Sota who I mentioned earlier is very impressive. I did a virtual B2B mix with him on Radio 1 not long ago and he’s the first one in a while who made me stop and go damn this kid is crazy. There is a lot of people – A.M.C’s remix of that Sota tune is just killing me and everything he sends me I’m just blown away by. Ed Rush’s new album actually, which is due to come out soon, is just ridiculous. Someone who is a pioneer of this sound, 30 years in, coming with brand new record, which sounds brand new. ShockOne is on tour with us at the moment with Pendulum and he’s just brought out an album, which is remarkable. It’s a life’s work and I’m really stoked for him. He was in the band that Rob and Gareth were in before Pendulum existed, he was the drummer. So he’s been around us, before I even knew the other guys. Flowidus from Perth/New Zealand- they’re fantastic. The kid I mentioned who heard his own tune at my show is called Mystik, he’s doing some great stuff. You mentioned “Napalm” coming out, can we expect any more music from Pendulum? That’s all I’m telling you for now. There is more stuff to come on the next EP, but I think the next EP, might be an album. We’ll see. What does the future hold for you as an artist? You’ve already achieved so much in the world of D&B. Me personally, I would like this little label to gain some momentum and for me to use this as an outlet to bring newer people into the fold. Or just present something that I love, more than just DJing it. I want to channel some of my energy and experience into getting newer music into the world. I put this off for so long. I’m going to put energy into that outside of Pendulum and work on some solo stuff – I really enjoyed making a couple of tunes lately and that’s something I haven’t done a great deal of by myself. It seems like the fire is very much within your belly? And long may it continue. It definitely comes and goes, but seeing the state of affairs globally with D&B at the moment. It’s like, this is what we’ve always dreamed of, it’s as good as it’s ever been.