Everything posted by Ravebot
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SoundCloud Shines Light on Breakout Artists with Feature Film ‘The Day Ones’ [WATCH]
Heading into 2022, SoundCloud is celebrating another successful year and welcoming its next generation of artists with a feature film, The Day Ones. The first-ever film by SoundCloud includes music and live performances from 2021 breakout artists SoFaygo, Charmaine, Otis Kane, Pa Salieu, Lourdiz, Ela Minus, and more. Having came through the platform’s “First on SoundCloud” accelerator program, these are names to keep on your radar. The Day Ones brings together the worlds of music, entertainment, and cinema to create a major career-first for the artists, providing a new, innovative way to showcase their talents and connect them with fans globally. It’s one of the many efforts SoundCloud provides for the artists they believe in. Learn more and watch The Day Ones here. Listen to the soundtrack here. About First on SoundCloud: First on SoundCloud is a culture-shifting program designed to amplify artists breaking on SoundCloud. Follow their journey as they reach new milestones, break creative barriers and define the future of music. About The Day Ones: A film about two childhood best friends at a turning point in their lives. Before saying goodbye, they spend their last evening together at their favorite local party. Throughout the night, they experience musical performances from various artists from First on SoundCloud. THE DAY ONES Trailer | SoundCloud Original Film This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: SoundCloud Shines Light on Breakout Artists with Feature Film ‘The Day Ones’ [WATCH]
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Alison Wonderland Unleashes Trademark Masterpiece “Fear of Dying” [WATCH]
The latest from Alison Wonderland, “Fear of Dying,” is nothing short of a masterpiece. Through the dizzying sounds of “Fear of Dying,” which Alison wrote and produced, she unpacks feelings of anxiety and crippling fear of losing someone close to you. The vulnerability AW exhibits is as present as ever in this new single, as she begins a new journey by confronting her past head on. “Fear of Dying” comes on the heels of “Fuck U Love U,” a certified trap banger tinged with dark, relatable emotion that instinctively tugs at heart strings. These back-to-back releases showcase AW’s ability to keep her signature sound intact, while gracefully evolving and tackling especially painful subjects. The “Fear of Dying” music video (directed by Brandon Dremer) brings the song’s concept to life, as Alison holds her former self captive and ultimately leaves the past behind, making for a nail-biting finish. Watch below and go down the rabbit hole here. Alison Wonderland – Fear of Dying Photo Credit: Jared Tinetti This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Alison Wonderland Unleashes Trademark Masterpiece “Fear of Dying” [WATCH]
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OHMYGi Drops Unapologetic Debut Single “I’m Danger” [LISTEN]
Gisela Lindhorst aka OHMYGi makes her presence known with her debut single “I’m Danger,” out now. This Chilean-born talent earned the inaugural Icon Collective Women’s Scholarship and Icon Ambassador Award, allowing her to hone in on her unique vision in Los Angeles in recent years. As a producer, singer, songwriter, and performing artist — OHMYGi’s self expression is on full display with her very first release. The song is raw and unapologetic, setting the tone for OHMYGi’s upcoming album Danger in Pink. Described as a bilingual banger, “I’m Danger” is a blend of her native Spanish and improved English with heavy basslines and ripping lyrics. The OHMYGi project drips with originality and we already can’t wait to hear more. On a deeper level, OHMYGi expresses her point of view on female oppression and holds space for awareness to have “each one [of] us play their active role” in the community while also awakening the feminine power. Listen below and watch the music video here! OHMYGi – I’m Danger Connect with OHMYGi SoundCloud | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: OHMYGi Drops Unapologetic Debut Single “I’m Danger” [LISTEN]
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Porter Robinson & Rika Mikuriya Announce Their Engagement
Porter Robinson and his now-fiancée Rika Mikuriya are officially engaged! The two shared the news on Instagram today and we couldn’t be more excited for the couple. Rika wrote, “thank you for accepting me and taking me in to be yours. i’m so shocked and at the same time so thankful that someone who is so kindhearted, supportive, and loving like you wants to continue to spend the rest of his life with me. i can’t wait to marry you, porter. you’re the love of my life.” Porter offered his own thoughts, “i am engaged to the love of my life! i have never met someone so inspiring, so constantly sincere, so quietly strong and resilient, and so beautifully kind – to everyone, always, even when nobody is watching. none of this is hyperbole – rika is one in a trillion. rika, you are my soulmate and i cannot wait to marry you!” The two were officially engaged on New Year’s Eve. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Porter Robinson & Rika Mikuriya Announce Their Engagement
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New Artist Spotlight: Hasten Mercy Channels 90s Indie Pop With New EP ‘These Things’ [Global Heist] [Video]
Michael Baker is certainly not a new artist. He’s not even new to Your EDM, as we’ve featured his group Head Fake and their new wave style previously. Baker’s new solo project, Hasten Mercy, is new, however, and more EDM-focused. With the first EP, These Things laced with Happy Mondays-style rave pop, heavier, future bass/dubstep vibes and loads of ambient sound design and synth work, it sounds like Baker’s testing the waters for his breakout solo style. With a clear love for early electronica as is evidenced by Head Fake, the first track on Baker’s first Hasten Mercy release it “Star You Are,” a 90s Brit poptronica-inspired romp whose main piano and synth work is such an homage to the Mondays’ “Step On” that one might even mistake Baker for a much more melodic and less psychedelic Shaun Ryder. The content contained in the lyrics is also quite a bit more uplifting and inclusive. It’s an interesting opener, but certainly bridges the gap well from Head Fake’s new wave to the more modern tracks on These Things. Following “Star You Are” is “I Break Everything,” the much more introspective and self-deprecating but also more modern ballad-style pop track with lashings of drone and ambient synth work behind the soft digital organ driving the vocal melody. It becomes clear from “I Break Everything” that the tracks on These Things are thematically, if not musically connected. The lyrics of “Star You Are” being so expansive juxtaposed with those of “I Break Everything” coming back down to earth and expressing the difficulty with relationships and the fear of emotional intimacy despite that expansive philosophical ability. How does one reconcile macro and mirco? Very few of us are true masters. Baker’s vocals in these tracks doesn’t pretend to solve this problem; just hopes others can relate. These Things closes with the title track also the most EDM-heavy track, and the relationship and theme of the EP becomes even more clear. The barely audible backing drone synth from “I Break Everything” carries into “These Things” and takes a more prominent role. Still pop in the sense that it’s composed with the lyrics being the driving force, “These Things” shows Baker’s mastery of synth and sound design, this track would fit right in at a rave as break music and is begging to be remixed. Also quite introspective and focused on the slings and arrows of social interaction, the difficulties of connecting with others and the need to connect despite anxiety and nervousness is something even the most extroverted of social butterflies can certainly relate to after two years of isolation. Far from coming full circle, Baker’s lyrical observations in These Things have no answer despite the expansive tone of “Star You Are.” Rather, they’re a continuation of not just Hasten Mercy’s but the collective dialog about all the different facets of being human. As we roll into the new year and the possible third year of COVID, it’s good to remember everyone’s reconciling the expansive with the grounded, the sublime with the worldly. It’s a strange ride humankind is on, but it’s also somehow noble. These Things are everyone’s things, and the point might simply be the journey, so we might as well explore them. These Things is out now and can be streamed on Spotify. Check out Head Fake’s YouTube for more synths and videos. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: New Artist Spotlight: Hasten Mercy Channels 90s Indie Pop With New EP ‘These Things’ [Global Heist] [Video]
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New Artist Spotlight: Take a ‘Butcher’s Hook’ at Unconventional Breakbeat Act, The Nylon Admirals [Video]
Everyone loves a bit of Cockney rhyming slang: “up the apples and pears” for “up the stairs” or “what’s this box of toys” for “what’s this noise?” et al. are examples of the cheeky wordplay which, though most prevalent in Victorian East London, still snakes its way into the modern vernacular. As a nod to those cheeky UK cultural signposts also contained in its musical composition, Seattle duo The Nylon Admirals’ newest single could only be called “Butcher’s Hook,” the Cockney rhyme for “look.” Extremely cheeky in their own stylistic right, The Nylon Admirals are already known to love a good homage, with their J-pop/kawai take on Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” (vocals by Hastune Miku) off last year’s debut LP Drama being one of their most-streamed on Spotify to-date. Indeed much of their work is a genre-melding spitfire of not-quite-experimental electronica that utilizes the amen break so liberally you’d think we were actually back in 1991 at the cusp of UK hardcore and jungle. That is, until the composition of The Nylon Admirals’ tracks comes into focus. Also clearly fans of prog rock, classical composition, opera and early, Switched-on Bach-style electronica, The Nylon Admirals like to mash up literally all music eras and genres with their much-loved ameny breakbeat basslines. As an example, their most recent “Sono Binario” single combines operatic vocals, industrial beats and video game synths. From Drama again, “The Blind Watchmaker” brings in literal opera and analog classical piano to a standard breakbeat while “We Were Romans” samples 80s techno stings with classical choir, military battle calls and, um banjos? Did we just hear that right? It works, however, despite often sounding like the spaghettified random noise that may one day reach a distant star via a black hole. If Zappa had made electronic music, it would have been close to this. At the very least, he would have appreciated it. “Butcher’s Hook” is mercifully more cohesive and less all over the place, but with no less mashup flare. Again mercifully grounded by an ameny breakbeat that sort of straddles 140 and 170, the main synth is sort of an old sea shanty-style melody that seems to be played on a zither or similar, also accompanied by a celestial vox-and-strings secondary melody that takes the track into The Nylon Admirals’ other important calling card: flawless ambient sound design. In “Butcher’s Hook,” perhaps because of it not being quite so chaotic, the sound design and theatrical background work – an element that is prevalent in all their tracks, mind you – is on full display and really sells the sound here. This is EDM crossover stuff; no wonder the duo named Hans Zimmer as one of their influences; they’re damn close with this track. Accompanied by its cool, steampunk-styled video, “Butcher’s Hook” promises to be an actual hook for the larger EDM audience to experience the wonderful weirdness that is The Nylon Admirals. While their wacky, well-composed, we-didn’t-even-know-that-could-be-fusion fusion electronica may not be for everyone, it’s definitely, as the duo themselves say, “electronic music for thrill-seekers.” “Butcher’s Hook” is out now and can be streamed with the rest of The Nylon Admirals’ discography on Spotify. Check out their other videos and remixes on their YouTube channel. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: New Artist Spotlight: Take a ‘Butcher’s Hook’ at Unconventional Breakbeat Act, The Nylon Admirals [Video]
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Your EDM’s Top 40 Artists To Watch in 2022
So, here we are once again — the end of another year. While 2020 presented its own obvious challenges, 2021 (in general) fared much better for artists with the return of festivals and live events. Though, even that came with its own caveats with vaccine and testing requirements, and now omicron bumping up case loads across the world. COVID might just be something we have to deal with for the rest of our lives. Thankfully, we have music to fill our lives with joy and there are plenty of names you should be paying attention to heading into the new year. We happy present our annual Your EDM’s Top 40 Artists To Watch list for 2022, with 40 fresh names, some you may have heard of, others maybe not. In particular this year, we have a few artists with less than 100 monthly listeners on Spotify (at time of publishing): DRFT (21), Sejo (28), and Tearsofmine (67). On the vast other side, we have ACRAZE with 21 million listeners, thanks to his breakout his “Do It, To It.” Typically we wouldn’t include someone with that many active listeners, but considering it was his first breakout hit, we need to see what more he has to offer next year. Another point of pride in this year’s list is the diversity, with 37.5% of the names being women, and 25% of them people of color. Artists like Tsu Nami, SENZA, and HoneyLuv are putting in double work proving that POC women not only deserve a seat at the table, they are in some cases doing far more than their male counterparts. Our featured artist this year is Justin Hawkes, who has been the most vocal proponent of drum & bass in America over the last year. Formerly known as Flite, Justin Hawkes has been a driving force in pushing the genre in the US and has the track record, both discography and shows, to show for it. As we do every year, we’ve picked our 40 artists who we feel will have an incredible year in 2022, not just in their own personal careers, but also on the electronic music scene as a whole. As a reminder, we do our best not to repeat names year after year so as to give new artists the spotlight. So if you don’t see the name of an artist you feel has had a great year and is destined for more, it’s more than likely we featured them in the past five years. 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 See Your EDM’s Artists To Watch in 2021 list below. Congratulations to all who are featured! We expect big things of you next year. helloworld | Sejo | BRUER | qwaston | Dot | Tsu Nami | SENZA Friendzone | Claymore | Saka | REVEL | Justin Hawkes | Pauline Herr | ACRAZE Entel | Tearsofmine | DRFT | lupa | Poni | HELLBOUND! | LAYZ | Canabliss Miane | HoneyLuv | FrostTop | Capozzi | NotLö | VEIL | Gelus AIRGLO | PawS | Mport | Ranger Trucco | Joshwa | Nikademis Redrum | KILL SCRIPT | Zingara | Gibson Parker | Allen Mock Featured image via Jake West Photo This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Your EDM’s Top 40 Artists To Watch in 2022
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Dubstep Pioneers, Legends Skream x Benga Returning In 2022
Dubstep pioneers and legends Skream and Benga haven’t worked together in years. Despite both being catalysts for the rise of a worldwide genre, both eventually went on other paths. Skream began producing house and disco around 2015, while Benga unfortunately dealt with mental health issues that took precedence over his musical career. Benga released his Future Funk EP in 2016 and another single in 2018, but his releases since 2012 only number five. Skream has had a successful career performing since his transition. But the two haven’t appeared on a track together since 2010’s Magnetic Man with Artwork. Skream announced the return of the duo yesterday promising new music in 2022 — in fact, he said they’ve already finished two collaborations. (He also mentioned two finished collabs with Friction, with whom he hasn’t put out a track since 2013.) Keep an eye out next year for more news on this! The boys are back in town…. Skream X @iambenga 2.0….. 2022 we’re having it. — Oliver Jones (@I_Skream) December 27, 2021 This trip in NZ has been productive so far considering I haven’t done any shows… Collabs with @iambenga (2) @friction (2) @Kid_Drama (1) and a studio session with @Prospauk on the cards…. — Oliver Jones (@I_Skream) December 27, 2021 This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Dubstep Pioneers, Legends Skream x Benga Returning In 2022
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MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM Ushers In A New Age Of Musical Freedom In Saudi Arabia [REVIEW]
Guest contribution from Christina Hayek Today I join Your EDM as a guest contributor to share my experience attending the second MDLBeast Sandstorm Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia which featured performances by Axwell & Ingrosso, Major Lazer, David Guetta, and Armin Van Buuren among many others. When initially invited, I felt compelled to see how music was continuously evolving in the region, especially in a predominantly Islamic state, so I decided to join the Your EDM team on this journey to witness it firsthand. What unfolded before my eyes was truly something I will be processing for a very long time. As an personally identifying Arab American female whose parent escaped a civil war in the Middle East by seeking refuge in America, seeing a young generation of Arabs in Saudi Arabia dancing freely in a large public space was nothing short of inspiring and truly moving. Photo by Neville Hopwood/Getty Images for MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM There were some reservations about making the long journey and expedition to the Middle East, let alone to a country that historically did not pride itself in having a full spectrum of freedom of musical expression. It seemed daunting and a bit terrifying. But what we came to find there was nothing short of the exact opposite. The journey began with an invite to the inaugural XP Conference, a 3-day excursion full of panels, workshops, Q&As about topics such as feminism and the progress happening in the industry covering Talent, Scene, Policy, and Impact. The newer generation who were leading these discussions were proud of their heritage and progressive in their views. It was impressive and inspiring to witness, especially seeing it run by a team of strong women, which made the beginning of the adventure that much more reassuring. As we started to get our bearings and recover from the jet lag, we really began to feel the true hospitality of the region and how welcoming the Saudis were to us foreigners; they showed nothing but kindness and hospitality, as well as shared their date fruits with us that tasted like pure melted caramel. We had the pleasure of sharing many conversations with locals that crossed a lot of geopolitical boundaries — we bonded over our love for EDM and our shared hatred of standardized school tests, we even sang along to Ariana Grande together. The Saudi Gen Zs and Millennials had fashion swag that would put the average New Yorker to shame. As the first day of the festival arrived, we did observe and were affected by some logistical nuances that could be chalked up to new festival jitters in a region not familiar with throwing large scale events. Miscommunication between English and Arabic staff made for a bit of rough-around-the-edges entry into the grounds, but it was quickly made up for by the eight mind-blowing stages, design visuals, pyrotechnics, and the beautiful sculptured art scattered around the large grounds. Photo by Darren Arthur/Getty Images for MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM One of the most remarkable sights was the initiative called Respect & Reset. Teams of trained responders were available throughout the event grounds, dispatched as needed to intervene and take action to reports of harassment. Anyone violating the MDLBEAST Code of Conduct or Anti-Harassment Policy was faced with immediate removal from the event site and referred to legal authorities. The most beautiful sight to see, outside of the massive stages and firework displays overnight, was the energy from the attendees. Many coming from the surrounding region, they were nothing short of exuberant in their ecstasy to be there. Even in a sober environment, the energy level was more infectious than most festivals I have attended around the world. They were there to purely just experience the full scale synesthetic immersion into music. I am honored I got to stand alongside them and share in their pure joy. Notably, seeing the attendees share a dance floor with females and cheer on the female DJs that were playing is something that will not only shape the next generation but inspire other countries to follow suit. Photo by Darren Arthur/Getty Images for MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM As the festival came to an end, and the team was able to reflect on the past week, we realized that the progress being made in the country is clearly showing and authentic, I left feeling rejuvenated and excited about the future. I will never forget the opportunity I had to witness this investment of music and progress in the Middle East alongside the foreign media staff. Saudi, you left a mark on my heart, I cannot wait to see what you are capable of contributing to the global dance music scene in the future. Photo by Neville Hopwood/Getty Images for MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM Featured image by Neville Hopwood/Getty Images for MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM Ushers In A New Age Of Musical Freedom In Saudi Arabia [REVIEW]
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Beloved Melodic Dubstep Artist Blackmill Announces First New Album In A Decade, Out On Christmas
Back when melodic dubstep was just becoming a thing, all the way back in the early 2010s, a few names stood out — Skrux, Seven Lions, Singularity, MitiS, and most elusive of all, Blackmill. Blackmill’s output was sparse but perfectly captured the essence of the genre, with brilliantly emotional melodies, crisp drums, and a bass that felt like it was wrapping you in a warm blanket. Blackmill’s only albums, Reach For Glory and Miracle, both came out in 2011. Though he’s released a few singles here and there in the years since, it has been ten years since his last album … until this Saturday. The beloved artist has announced his first new album in a decade, Home, will be released on Christmas Day. Excited and nervous. New album ‘Home’ will be releasing Xmas day! I’ll post links to the album when they are available and a video on my YouTube channel. Hope you lovely people like it Much love x — Blackmill (@BlackmillMusic) December 23, 2021 If you’re a fan of Blackmill, you’ll recognize the album title is the same as a track he put out on YouTube all the way back in 2012. He confirmed on Twitter that it is the opening track of the album. Photo by Adi Nayev This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Beloved Melodic Dubstep Artist Blackmill Announces First New Album In A Decade, Out On Christmas
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ULTRA Europe Unveils Phase 1 Lineup: Martin Garrix, Tiësto, Alesso, Nina Kraviz & more
After already selling out of Tier 1 tickets, ULTRA Europe has unveiled a stacked Phase 1 lineup of headliners performing at Park Mladeži in Split, Croatia from July 8 –10, 2022. The eighth annual edition of the world’s premier destination music festival will feature headliners including Adam Beyer, Alesso, Afrojack, Armin van Buuren, Joseph Capriati, Martin Garrix, Nina Kraviz, Oliver Heldens, Richie Hawtin, Tiësto, Timmy Trumpet and Vini Vici. Martin Garrix, who was ranked number one on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list for three consecutive years, will return to ULTRA Europe following his stadium-smashing performance at the festival in 2017. At every one of the high-energy performances, Garrix showcases his intrinsic capability to uplift and connect with his audience. ULTRA Worldwide’s esteemed techno and house concept RESISTANCE will once again showcase the festival’s darker shades of underground sounds. Stockholm-based DJ Adam Beyer continues to pull on the heartstrings of modern techno like few others can. The internationally-renowned Siberian selector Nina Kraviz will also make her debut performance, and is sure to dole out her unmistakable, experimental soundscapes. Italian underground virtuoso and ULTRA Europe fan favorite Joseph Capriati will once again showcase his beautifully melodic sounds, and three-time DJ Awards winner Richie Hawtin is ready to bring back his unique landscape of minimal yet highly-danceable techno. ULTRA Europe is ready to set the bar higher than ever before and treat fans to a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience, with numerous production surprises in store. Tier 1 tickets are already sold out, and Tier 2 tickets can be purchased on the official website at price for €149 for three-day GA ticket. ULTRA Passport holders can purchase the Passport Pack and secure 6 tickets for the price of 5. ULTRA Europe is also offering the ultimate seven-day Destination ULTRA ticket for €339, which will grant access to all events during the Destination ULTRA week – including an exclusive opportunity for the first 250 purchasers to attend the ULTRA Europe Sunset Family Dinner on Island of Vis before the Closing Party starts. Be sure to get your ULTRA Europe tickets today, and be a part of the world’s premier destination music festival. Tickets on sale now at ultraeurope.com/tickets Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: ULTRA Europe Unveils Phase 1 Lineup: Martin Garrix, Tiësto, Alesso, Nina Kraviz & more
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New Artist Spotlight: Toigo Does Indie Pop Right With New Single, ‘We’ve Got Tonight to Leave Me Broken’ [Video]
With multiple excellent releases dating back to 2014, an epic look that’s a cross between Rick Rubin and Yosemite Bear and a falsetto that rivals Jeff Buckley or Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip, Toigo should truly be mega-famous by now. One gets the impression from his music, however, that fame isn’t really what Toigo (full name Zachary Toigo) is after. With with a brand of indie pop rock as well-crafted as it is joyful and interesting, it seems that Toigo makes art purely for the love of it. Nonetheless, with his latest electronica-infused singles “We’ve Got Tonight to Leave Me Broken,” “Starchild” and “Another Shade of Blue,” let’s see if we can put him on the EDM map. Right out of the gate with his debut album Leafyleaks, Zachary’s then more acoustic-based work was pretty freaking flawless. With lashings of Radiohead, Arcade Fire and Death Cab for Cutie, Zachary’s sound was as well-developed as his voice pretty much from jump. In the interstitial work he’s done between that first album and now, Toigo has only further developed his craft, playing with loads of other styles and genres but really just putting his own stamp on and excelling at them all. From grunge to Ben Folds-style piano rock to a bit of synth pop on his 2020 singles “Milos” and “Perfectly Clear,” it also didn’t seem like Toigo was trying too hard to venturing out of his depth. He’s just that versatile. Rolling up the Toigo timeline to present, “We’ve Got Tonight to Leave Me Broken,” “Starchild” and “Another Shade of Blue” are technically the first teasers off his upcoming EP, due out in late February or March. Still very much in indie pop and now working with Grammy winning producer Brian Howes, these two singles are laced with electronic production that brings Toigo’s work to yet another echelon of awesome. Hearkening back to the heyday of Hot Chip, Cut Copy and other electro indie pop acts of the late 00s, the first thing that jumps out on these tracks is his voice. Somewhat obscured by guitars in previous offerings, now the pitch-perfect, rich and incredible range of his vox shines thought, especially on “We’ve Got Tonight…” where a dazzling falsetto chorus takes the song from great to “why the hell isn’t this all over the radio?” Seriously, why? Since music seems to just flow out of this guy and he nails every genre he touches, it’ll be interesting to see where Toigo goes next and what the rest of his forthcoming EP has in store. In the meantime, we’re happy to have that brilliant falsetto on the synth side of things. No matter what genre, however, this is a bandwagon you’ll want to jump on. “We’ve Got Tonight to Leave Me Broken” and “Starchild” are available to stream on Spotify, and the rest of Toigo’s (as Zachary) discography is available on his Bandcamp page. For more videos and some fun stories form Toigo, check out his YouTube page. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: New Artist Spotlight: Toigo Does Indie Pop Right With New Single, ‘We’ve Got Tonight to Leave Me Broken’ [Video]
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Excision Reveals His Fifth Studio Album, ‘Onyx’, Out January 13
Beginning with X Rated in 2011, then Codename X, Virus, and Apex, Excision has been feeding the bass world with albums for a decade now. And with the success of Subsidia and tours around the world (COVID-willing), his popularity continues to grow. So it would be the perfect time to drop a new album in the new year, with Onyx. Fans have already heard a preview of the album last week, but it’s really so short that there’s plenty left to the imagination. 1.13.22 pic.twitter.com/bAYbcaA17s — Excision (@Excision) December 14, 2021 Check out the official cover art for the album below! Onyx, my fifth album, is out January 13, 2022! pic.twitter.com/yVq5AlYYCW — Excision (@Excision) December 22, 2021 Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Excision Reveals His Fifth Studio Album, ‘Onyx’, Out January 13
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Noisia Share ‘Resonance I’ Remix EP Ahead Of Final Tour Dates In 2022
Noisia’s farewell has been prolonged longer than anyone initially thought, thanks to the global pandemic. Announcing their imminent breakup all the way back in 2019, the farewell tour was supposed to conclude by the end of 2020. The pandemic saw otherwise. Even at the end of 2021, they still have some shows to get done before they say goodbye for good. “Hey friends, quick update for the shows we weren’t able to do the last few months: we’ve decided that we’ll open up a short tour window before the summer to catch up with those shows. We’d hoped to be done at the end of the year, but again there were a lot of restrictions leading to cancelled shows. So take care of yourselves and each other, and we’ll see you after winter! <3 team Noisia”. In the meantime, the trio have released a special remix EP — a rarity for the group. “Over the years, not many Noisia tracks have been remixed,” Nik Roos of the group said. “But now, with Noisia’s ending nearby, we want to give our 20 year catalogue to as many producers as possible. Allowing the music to echo one more time and to hear the resonance of our work. Hence the name.” Given the “1” at the end of the EP name, we can expect more amazing remixes next year. For now, check out The Resonance I below. RESCHEDULED CLUB SHOWS 18 MAR Rampage, Sportpaleis Antwerpen, Antwerpen, BE 24 APR Wipeout Open Air Presents Noisia, Hard Club, Porto, PT 13 MAY Noisia Invites Amsterdam, Melkweg, Amsterdam, NL 14 MAY Noisia Farewell Tour, Link, Bologna, IT 27 MAY Noisia Farewell Tour, Salzhaus, Zurich, CH 28 MAY Subquake, 013, Tilburg, NL This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Noisia Share ‘Resonance I’ Remix EP Ahead Of Final Tour Dates In 2022
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Your EDM Q&A: Noveliss and Dixon Hill Team up to Bring Music to the I Ching [Video]
Beatmaker Dixon Hill and rapper Noveliss have both been making waves in their own right, in their home city of Detroit and the hip hop scene at large. A touring artists with an MF Doom tattoo and a love of philosophy, Noveliss (Jarred Douglas) splices hard-hitting subjects with peaceful pronouncements and has been releasing well-crafted, Asian philosophy-tinged work since 2018. Dixon Hill is a lover of vintage mods and funky melodies, Dixon Hill’s put out a number of game-changing releases both solo and working with other artists. They came together recently in a collab that rivals any indie hip hip release out there, the recently released album, Book of Changes. While both subject matter and sound on Book of Changes would lead some listeners to tag this album “conscious rap,” the work is also fun, danceable and works as a piece of music that’s not just about its content. That said, the content also happens to be quite expansive. You couldn’t really come away from this album without clocking some serious insight, and you wouldn’t want to. Without drawing too many parallels with Wu Tang (and specifically Rza, his various meditations, his book The Tao of Wu and the Ghost Dog soundtrack), it seems both Noveliss and Dixon Hill wanted to work together on their interpretation of the famous I Ching of Chinese tradition, also known as the Book of Changes. With funky, semi-lofi beats from Hill and articulate, thought-provoking flows from Douglas, it seems the pair are modernizing the ancient text and contextualizing it for the modern era, and it’s none too soon with current events as they are. Normally when introducing artists to our readership, YEDM likes to do a new artist spotlight or some other short form, but it was clear with these two artists and the quality of the record that they have a lot to say, and we wanted to hear it. We sat down with Noveliss and Dixon Hill to talk about Book of Changes, “conscious rap” and why, with this album, it just clicked. How did the two of you come to work together on the Book of Changes album? Noveliss: Dixon reached out to me and I checked out his work and was instantly excited to see what we could come up with. DH: I had a connection to Detroit through my work with Guilty Simpson and I started reaching out to other emcees from ‘the D’ that I respected. I sent a batch of beats to Nov via email, having been a fan of his since the early days of Clear Soul Forces. I would periodically hear his voice in my head while making beats. He was quick to get to work, and the rest is history. Noveliss, East Asian culture and philosophy seem to feature heavily in your work and you both have an interest in I Ching and other philosophical guides. Aside from the obvious Wu Tang influence, what is the draw for you of these texts and ideas? Noveliss: As a longtime student and practitioner of Martial Arts, I’ve always been interested in Asian philosophy and the spiritual nature of martial arts, sometimes even more than the physical side of it. I’m always interested in reading something or practicing something that can lead me to a better version of myself. DH: Wu-Tang is for the children. Left to right: Noveliss and Dixon Hill Dixon’s style contains quite a bit of funk and melody, which is a little more smoothed out than previous Noveliss offerings and it seems to give Book of Changes a more peaceful outlook. Was it a conscious decision to smooth out the edges with more funk and lofi vibes? DH: When I make beats, a lot of different styles and influences tend to come out of me. In one day I may make something quiet and introspective and the next beat is aggressive and rash. When I was picking beats to send to Nov for the project, I was more concerned with how his flow would match with the beat and whether or not the beat gave him enough space to be creative. I find that when you keep this in mind the beats tend to naturally fall into place and later you discover the thread that unifies them after the lyrics are added. It was a conscious decision to sit down and make beats, but after that I’m reacting to sounds and working on instinct; it is only after the fact that I can put a label on it and tie the beat’s identity to any sort of vibe. Noveliss: The sound of this project was all Dixon Hill, as well as the idea to tie it all into the I-Ching or the Chinese Book of Changes. We both share a mutual interest in these philosophies and it was dope to stumble upon that during the process of making this. How did the songwriting process go in terms of working together? Noveliss: Noveliss on the pen, Dixon Hill on the sound. We were subconsciously on the same page before we even discussed the central theme of the project. The beats he was sending and the stuff I was writing just matched up perfectly. Some of the songs required me to open up some of my books and refresh my memory. My favorite example is, in the song “Feng Shui,” the entire song is based on the five forces concept of feng shui. The “metal” force of feng shui has been described as the “sinking sunset.” I have a line in the song that reads “Internal growth, he swam to the sinking sunset, eight Immortal Sword, his studying wasn’t done yet…” that ties in my connection to the metal force which would be my studying of the sword. I’m extremely proud of the way this song was written. DH: The process was smooth from a production standpoint. I trusted Nov to take care of his verses, because he takes his craft seriously. The only time I asked him to re-do a verse was when he told me he knew he could better. I could tell he was pushing himself and that makes me feel good because I know he was taking the project as seriously as I was. On the flipside, Nov respected my production decisions and allowed me to get creative with the concept. Every song is a puzzle and there are always challenges when trying to make a project feel complete but this project represents us at our absolute best because we had the freedom to experiment. Nov left some spaces on “Feng Shui” so I ended up singing a hook. That was never the plan, but that’s what happened. The process just felt natural. Noveliss, you seem to have a knack for being able to speak about heavy subjects but balancing it with philosophy or spiritual ideas. How important is it for you to get your ideas out in this way? Is this a balance you feel you like to strike in your own life/experience? Noveliss: Absolutely, everything is connected. I always try to provide a perspective of learning from each experience and applying everything to achieving the best version of yourself. Balancing these heavy subjects through the lens of spiritual nature or philosophy is just connecting the dots, trying to make sense of things we really don’t understand. Speaking of heavy subjects versus spiritual balance, as both of you seem to be on the indie edge of hip hop, how do you feel about the whole “conscious rap” genre or style? Do you think it needs to be labeled as such? Do you have any criticism of the current mainstream hip hop culture/subject matter/sound? Noveliss: In my opinion, there is no such thing as “conscious rap.” To be conscious? Like what does that label even mean? To me, it implies that being aware of the world around you, and sharing your view is rare in hip hop and that’s just not true. Sure, we might not like what other people talk about or how they get their message out but it’s all “conscious,” whatever it is. DH: Labeling music is a marketing decision. When we label a piece of music we essentially negate the nuance and details of it. It is convenient to corral music styles into genres, but it doesn’t get to the bone of what we actually experience when we hear any particular piece of music. Its very easy for rap music to become too self-referential or stagnant by way of its own traditionalism, and the more artists that ascribe to genres of hip hop the more we as listeners tend to get bombarded with the same repackaged content. Hip Hop has always been a style of music that represented creative freedom for me and I find that most of the time, hip hop that is labelled “conscious rap” captures that freedom more often for me. I think if you step outside of the commonly accepted subject matter of hip-hop you tend to hit peoples ear’s with something fresh, and sometimes that just gets boiled down to “conscious rap”. Rap that encourages people to look at their world differently is exciting and should be celebrated for its courage and its detail, not labeled for convenience sake. Oh yeah….and mainstream music is mostly garbage. Dixon, how was this project different for you and how did you adapt your style? Was it easier or more difficult to incorporate your beloved vintage equipment on this album? DH: This project was different in a few key ways. Noveliss was great to work with, like I said before, he takes his craft seriously and I feel he reacts to the mood of my beats accurately. I have had situations where I send an introspective beat to someone and they come back with a verse about sending dick pics, and I think to myself “were we listening to the same beat?” That was never a problem with Nov. As far as arranging the album, the process fit easily into my trajectory as an artist. My last instrumental album (Holodeck Beats: Program 3) I made a conscious effort to tie the beats together with a narrative, and have the album feel like a complete whole with nice bookends and transitions. Book of Changes was a full realization of that same goal and part of that was the wealth of raw materials I had and the environment in which I was working. I still rocked with my tape machines and old gear for sure, but I was isolated in a cabin in the desert, with no internet, completely locked in on the album and the I Ching concept. What’s up next for each of you? Any plans to work together again? DH: I always have music in the works. Some collabs are on the horizon although I cannot say too much yet. I would love to work with Nov again, I think we can continue to make great music together. He was a great collaborator and I am proud of what we made. Noveliss: Hopefully getting back to touring, always working on more stuff. Definitely would love to work together again, I think there’s something here that doesn’t exist elsewhere. Book of Changes is out now and can be streamed or purchased on multiple platforms here. Check out other work from Noveliss and Dixon Hill by clicking on their respective names. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Your EDM Q&A: Noveliss and Dixon Hill Team up to Bring Music to the I Ching [Video]
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REPORT: Tomorrowland Granted Permission to Expand to Three Weekends in 2022
Tomorrowland has been given the green light to host three weekends in 2022. More specifically, the province of Antwerp has officially granted the environmental permit for Tomorrowland’s one-off third weekend, according to a report. Prior to the pandemic, Tomorrowland had annually taken place over two weekends in Boom, Belgium to much success. In recent years, festival organizers also introduced the Tomorrowland Winter concept, a single-weekend destination event in Alpe d’Huez. To make up for six canceled Tomorrowland weekends over the past two years — four in Belgium, and two in France — adding a third weekend in 2022 will undoubtedly help soften the financial blow. And with Tomorrowland being one of the most beloved music festivals in the world, demand for its long-awaited return will be running high. Jan Dierckx, chairman of the Bosstraat-Hoek-De Schomme, confirmed the district council will honor the permit: “It goes without saying that we as a local government will honor the environmental permit issued and will furthermore ensure compliance with all promised flanking measures, so that this one-off special edition can take place with the greatest respect for our residents.” Tomorrowland spokeswoman Debby Wilmsen said: “We can now start our preparations.” “At the moment there are no names known, but we are working on that now. The festival stages will remain the same during the three weekends, but the line-up will change slightly per weekend depending on the availability of the artists. But whether you come on the first, second or third weekend, you will be able to enjoy a mix of established values and new talent.” Tomorrowland will recommence over July 15-17, 2022 followed by previously locked in weekends of July 22-24 and July 29-31. Stay updated with official Tomorrowland news and announcements here. Source: HLN This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: REPORT: Tomorrowland Granted Permission to Expand to Three Weekends in 2022
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Electric Love Festival announce line up with Armin Van Buuren, Kygo, Don Diablo, Fisher, Solardo & more
The first headliners announced for Electric Love Festival 2022 were already coming in with a bang, but those who thought that the organizers already gave it their all were wrong. With this illustrious selection of absolute top DJs from Armin Van Buuren, Kygo, Don Diablo, Fisher, Solardo & more, it is clear: #ELF22 is going to be absolutely legendary! The DJs at a glance: Line-Up Phase 1/6: · Timmy Trumpet · KYGO · Fisher · Don Diablo · Solardo · Brennan Heart · Dr Peacock · Dan Lee · Felice · Paul Elstak · GPF live · Aftershock · Dr Rude · Scale Vs. Anodyze · Toby Romeo · Dominique Jardin Line-Up Phase 2/6: · Acraze · Alan Walker · Armin Van Buuren · Caine · DJ Shany · Gigi D´Agostino · Hard Driver · Headhunterz · HBz · Krewella · Latmun · Levex · MC DL · Primeshock · Sefa · Tarik Asadi · Tungevaag · Vize Electric Love is more than just a music festival. Since 2013, Electric Love means a feeling of life, music, and adventure, embedded in the beautiful Salzburg Lake District. It means spending a short vacation for all senses in the Fuschlsee region and dancing into the night on one of the five stages to more than 160 international EDM, Hardstyle, Techno, Tech House, Bass, or Hip Hop artists. Visitors can get the full festival experience at one of the four campsites or sleeping in one of the 1* – 5* hotels around Salzburgring. They can also celebrate life in four different VIP areas and recharging drained batteries with various activities, fancy drinks, and soul food. ELF is also culture and sightseeing between festival days in one of the most beautiful historic old towns in the world, Salzburg. “We want visitors to have the best time of the year at our festival”, organizer Manuel Reifenauer said, looking forward to the festival summer 2022 and the 9th edition of Electric Love Festival at Salzburgring. Electric Love is a feeling of life, music, adventure, and experience from July 7-9, 2022, at Salzburgring, Austria. Tickets are available in the official ticket shop: tickets.electriclove.at This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Electric Love Festival announce line up with Armin Van Buuren, Kygo, Don Diablo, Fisher, Solardo & more
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New Artist Spotlight: Chawa Lilith Joins the Few Truly Universal Meditative Artists With ‘Euphonious’ EP
It’s extremely few and far between, despite sharing a lot of common methods and sounds, that ambient music that can truly be called meditative and EDM cross paths in a way that make them actually cross over. Quite often new age music is just a little too woo with not enough pop or dance cachet to light up the average EDM fan, and of course EDM is generally a bit too charged and fast for the spa or yurt. There are, however, a handful of artists who have truly cracked that code and successfully blurred the lines between ambient and dance. Massive Attack, Moby and Morcheeba come to mind pretty quickly on the EDM side of things, while acts like Rasa or Morcheeba may be tagged as more meditative but which translate to other genres and settings. Chawa (English disambiguation: Hava) Lilith, a singer and songwriter who’s come to the US by way of Berlin and now splits her time between LA and Atlanta, has been releasing since 2017 but really found her stride with her newest EP, Euphonious and she’s about to join that small but prestigious number of true ambient crossovers. A massive departure from her previous offerings, Euphonious is largely beatless but nonetheless holds the weight and pop acumen that will take it out of the spa and, potentially, right to the festival stage. Chawa Lilith says Euphonious comes directly from her own meditations, especially those of the last 18 months being stuck in lockdown in Los Angeles. If this sound is any indication of her meditative experiences, we can all assume she’s reached nirvana because it’s truly celestial. Smartly partnering with up-and-coming Atlanta producer Dawson Hendrix for the mixing and mastering, Euphonious earns its namesake many times over by way of the ambient sound work highlighting and elevating the vocals to a truly operatic level. The result is, well, euphonious. The vocals being solid and the production being clean can only take one so far in the ambient game, so what really sets Euphonious apart from the rest? In a word, the songwriting. The way the tones and vocals have been put together, the work sounds incredibly fresh and modern despite the style being solidly in the meditative wheelhouse. With Chawa on instrumentals and Hendrix on mix, the album is easy to listen to in any setting, not just in meditation. The EDM minded among us could also easily see any of these tracks being set to a beat and remixed or even just used as break music in a festival set. Heartwarming and musically solid at the same time, Euphonious lives up to its name no matter where you plan to listen to it. It’s just good music. While Chawa Lilith has played with a number of genres in her career thus far, Euphonious seems to represent a breakthrough for her, both musically and personally. Her confidence has clearly increased over the four years since her last album Persian Prince, and that clearly translates to her work and even how she presents her vocals. Experimentation is always a good thing for artists but here’s hoping she stays on this ambient path and maybe continues to work with electronic producers. The music world could certainly use this sort of uplifting work right now, and Chawa Lilith is clearly someone who can translate it to reach a huge audience. Euphonious is out now and can be streamed or purchased on multiple platforms by clicking here. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: New Artist Spotlight: Chawa Lilith Joins the Few Truly Universal Meditative Artists With ‘Euphonious’ EP
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Alesso & Katy Perry Tease Massive Dance/Pop Crossover Collab “When I’m Gone” [PREVIEW]
The star power behind an Alesso x Katy Perry collab has yet to be seen until now. Just this week, the two global icons announced their first-ever collaborative single together. Due out at the end of this month, “When I’m Gone,” is a vibrant dance/pop crossover track set for a massive worldwide premiere. “You know, I just think it’s time to give them everything they want,” Katy confesses in the teaser video below — and Alesso agrees, “Let’s do it.” Following the song’s release, Alesso will perform in Miami on New Year’s Eve and headline Omnia Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. Meanwhile, Katy will launch her Vegas residency called PLAY, with shows scheduled on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. See the full rollout with all the bells and whistles below. Check back to hear “When I’m Gone” on December 29th and look out for the official music video drop via ESPN on January 10th. Alesso x Katy Perry – “When I’m Gone” [PREVIEW] Pre-save: alesso.lnk.to/WhenImGonePreSave When I’m Gone with @katyperry. 12/29 : https://t.co/fhq14qffhj #WHENIMGONE pic.twitter.com/WRtyHQ7IPW — Alesso (@Alesso) December 15, 2021 This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Alesso & Katy Perry Tease Massive Dance/Pop Crossover Collab “When I’m Gone” [PREVIEW]
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Subtronics Drops Melodic Banger “Spacetime” Ahead of Debut Album ‘Fractals’ [LISTEN]
With his latest release, Subtronics sets the tone for his much-anticipated debut album, Fractals. “Spacetime,” out now on the producer’s own Cyclops Recordings, builds softly with unexpected, melodic flair and standout vocals from NEVVE. Lush synths are soon overtaken by thrashing wubs, offering the best of both worlds — swelling with emotion before spiraling into heavy dubstep sequences. Subtronics explains, the song “was originally called ‘Las Vegas VIP’ then ‘Okeechobee WIP’ then at one point ‘Sparkles.’ Basically, there are at least 5 different versions of the track, whereas my other song ‘O.P.U.S.’ was done in 3 hours.'” He adds, “‘Spacetime’ took two entire years and I realized through the process there is a huge part of me that loves to write anthemic, emotional music. It might be one of my favorite parts about songwriting at the moment, or at least the most gratifying, and I was able to figure out how to translate my sound over to such a larger universe of feeling.” There’s plenty more where this came from, with Subtronics’ debut album due out next month. Listen and pre-save here! Subtronics – Spacetime (ft. NEVVE) Stream/download “Spacetime” – outnow.io/t/subtronicsspacetime Pre-save ‘Fractals’ – presave.io/t/fractals This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Subtronics Drops Melodic Banger “Spacetime” Ahead of Debut Album ‘Fractals’ [LISTEN]
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Your EDM Guest Mix Exclusive AND Premiere: Audio Releases His Set From the [unsocial] Album Release Party Plus a New Track [RAM]
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past month (which is not altogether impossible anymore in light of current COVID events), you’ll know that Audio released his [unsocial] LP on RAM records on November 26, with a massive album release party the night before at Boxpark Wembley, London. With this being easily one of the best albums of 2021/2022 and Audio’s admitted personal favorite to-date, many fans outside of the UK were gnashing their teeth at not being able to go and witness [unsocial] in a social setting. Luckily one of the teeth-gnashers happens to be the person writing this article, who would not rest until we got the set. [unsocial] may feel like a novelty as a full-length and quite concept heavy album from Audio, but the tattooed tech genius historically has been quite a fan of long play. [unsocial] is his second solo album with RAM and fifth overall. There’s been a bit of an LP gap since 2016’s epic Beastmode, but that doesn’t mean there was a lack of Audio audio in that time: he launched the now infamous and award-winning Snake Pit Records imprint and was busy with Killbox, his ongoing project with Ed Rush, among other things. The silver lining with 2020 and 2021 is busy touring artists like Audio suddenly say a lot of extra time on their hands, so some of D&B’s most epic LPs have been raining down on the scene like a torrent. Conflict plus time equals amazing art, and [unsocial] is no exception. Emotive, cinematic, drone-inspired and larger than life, Audio’s said on many occasions that this was his most personal offering to-date and it shows. From the desolate and heart-rending yet still dance-worthy vibes of opening track “Tundra” to the sleepy snares and vox of “Fool’s Paradise” to the big beats of “Omega” and “Feral” that will make dancefloors go, well, feral, Audio really put it all out there on [unsocial], and while it may not have been a hundred percent about lockdown, he certainly did an amazing job capturing how so many of us were feeling during this period. RAM Records · Audio – Your EDM Mix The guest mix is Audio’s set in its entirety from the album launch event, MCs and crowd noise included. It’s always great to hear how an artist will mix their own work, and the way Audio’s done it at this event not only shows [unsocial] in a new light but it really captures the passion and feeling of the album in real time. If this mi doesn’t get you amped up, you might want to check your pulse because it’s certainly not beating at 174. The [unsocial] album, this mix and indeed the whole event at Boxpark are thus a celebration; not just of making it through COVID, but really the triumph of the human spirit, the strength we all have and the paramount importance of art to get us through. Let’s make sure we take care of our artists, because they’re certainly giving everything in these crazy times. At shows or stuck in [unsocial] lockdown, we owe them at least that much. [unsocial] is out now and can be streamed or purchased on multiple platforms here. Now the reward for all your scrolling, check out “Proton”, dropping with RAM’s 2021 annual on Friday, December 17. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Your EDM Guest Mix Exclusive AND Premiere: Audio Releases His Set From the [unsocial] Album Release Party Plus a New Track [RAM]
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LICK’s New Album BEYOND THE VOID is a Must Hear
We’ve been waiting for this moment all year, but LICK’s sophomore album is finally out. BEYOND THE VOID features 10 songs and 10 different styles/genres showcasing his ability to make whatever type of music he wants to. With numerous collaborators like Holly, Slowpalace, Nytrix, and more this has a little something for everyone. Check out the entire collection below and catch LICK on tour with 1788-L in 2022. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: LICK’s New Album BEYOND THE VOID is a Must Hear
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New Artist Spotlight: Tanuki Project Is ‘Adamant’ About their New Releases [Video]
Tanuki Project is much less a “new artist” than an undiscovered gem from Canada who’s been producing innovative music and touring with increasingly complex audio-visual shows since 2009. It’s actually criminal they haven’t had more interest yet, as the quality both of production and performance rivals the likes of Bjork, Massive Attack, Phantogram and modern-era Kraftwerk, to name a few. That seems about to change, however, with the release of the first two chapters from their new EP series, Adamant. Adamant Chapter#01 released back in June and its lead track “Dystopia” has garnered the duo nearly 200k streams on Spotify, so it seems someone is indeed noticing them. It seems with this project, Tanuki project have really honed their style musically, striking a balance of hip hop and drone structure with ambient and experimental sound design and layered, nuanced melodies from programmer Ledyl’s synths and vocalist Nady’s lyrics. There’s something sophisticated about the way this project was produced thus far that will likely make it appeal to a wide range of fans. It’s not to say that previous releases by Tanuki Project weren’t sophisticated as well. It’s clear from releases like 2019’s “Happening” single, where Nady channels her inner Nina Hagen, and 2015’s UKG-and-soundsystem-inspired EP, the aptly named Soundsystem that the pair approach their composition with a healthy love of experimental music theory and likely a classical-style libretto to hand. “Experimental” is the key term here, however, as it seems with those releases and their many others prior to Adamant, Ledyl and Nady were still very much in their wild west phase sound-wise. It was wild, interesting and passionate to be sure, but it seems with Adamant, they’ve screwed down some of the loose nuts and bolts to make something a bit more grounded. Almost. While Adamant Chapter#01 is melodic, orchestral and conjures feelings of early trip hop (for lack of a better comparison), Chapter#02, released just this past weekend, brings back that wilder, experimental style of previous Tanuki Project releases. Depending more on drone and a sound design template that sounds almost industrial, the title track opens the EP sounding desolate and minimal before the staff is filled with space-inspired ambient work, classical piano and a distant and haunting vocal melody from Nady. Think Krafterk meets Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” “Mountain” is even more drone-driven and industrial bringing a real techno beat into the middle of the track, making it the most danceable of the Adamant project thus far. That is, until it gets to closing track, the fun, ultra-ravey and trap-grounded “Question.” It would seem both installments of Adamant are almost too short, clearly leaving the listener wanting more, but there’s so much to unpack sonically, most fans probably wont complain. These are the types of tracks one can listen to hundreds of times and still hear something new on each listen. They’re dense, emotive and endlessly complex. And we haven’t even talked about the visuals yet. Despite being all electronic, Tanuki Project is meant to be a touring project, with loads of visuals lighting up the stage both in the background and the 3D foreground. They’ve gotten more and more complex over the years, reaching a sort of apotheosis as the duo began traveling with an A/V expert to debut Adamant right before COVID hit. Touring and travel in general have been very limited in Canada, so while they still have their A/V show locked and loaded, they’ve decided to shift focus for the time being to videos. The first video is for the single “Slow” off Adamant Chapter#01 released in mid-November and was directed by international commercial director whose passion is experimental videos, Thomas Castaing. The video puts an emotional visual point on the message of the song: the sense of isolation and loss that can come from so many places but which we all felt and still feel during COVID. It’s also a call to appreciate life and humanness, even when humanity feels completely mad. There is still great love here, both song and video seem to say, and the story hasn’t ended; it’s just slowed down. With the goosebump-inducing “Slow” video pairing, one could say it’s definitely a good thing that Tanuki Project is opting to add cinematic-style videos to their A/V repertoire. With more videos planned for Adamant Chapter#02 and beyond, it’s clear the duo can translate the feelings from their shows to personal screens and have a similar impact. While no one quite knows the future at the moment, artists like Tanuki Project are forging ahead to give both music and film fans more hope and beauty so that maybe we can come to appreciate this slowed-down story, or at the very least the art created and contained within it. To quote the duo themselves: Head-up, soul wide, gliding across the plain. Present Senses searching. Watching, breathing, hearing, Bare feet feeling the earth, Heart rooted in nature. Life nasty, brutish and short. But at least aware, at least alive, at least here. Both chapters of Adamant are out now and can be streamed on Spotify. Check out Tanuki Project’s YouTube channel to see clips from their previous shows. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: New Artist Spotlight: Tanuki Project Is ‘Adamant’ About their New Releases [Video]
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Black a.m Drops Sensational Grooving Track, ‘The Fault’
“The Fault,” is the final release from budding artist black a.m. The solo DJ/producer brings together a spacey feel to a house-focused style, making this track breed an extra edge. If the single finds it’s way into your go-to playlists, don’t be surprised. black a.m. isn’t like many other electronic artists out there, he’s willing to incorporate ‘unorthodox’ aspects into the standard live performance structure to bring something different to fans. He often plays live guitar during his set and releases, allowing a distinctive special feeling to shower down to listeners and leaving a lasting impression on those who cross his path. iamrecords · Black A.M. – The Fault (Original Mix) From holding down a residency in Las Vegas, to playing sold out Insomniac events, black a.m. is getting more and more noticed for his fascinating intersection of music culture he’s created. He’s played hundreds of show in his life time, having plenty of experience to bring to live events when duty calls. He’s been signed to Ultra Records, supported by names like Cash Cash, JOYRYDE, and NGHTMRE, and show no sign of letting up as things continue to grow for this artist. “The Fault,” is one part of a greater whole that shouldn’t be missed. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Black a.m Drops Sensational Grooving Track, ‘The Fault’
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Kasablanca Drops Analog Synth-Ridden ‘Cronus/Volition’ Project
Kasablanca burst onto the scene back in 2020 with their standout Human Learning EP (Armada Music). Now, the mysterious techno outfit take to deadmau5’s mau5trap label for their latest 2-track offering. Their Cronus/Volition project is out now on all platforms, and is a sonic offering of immense technical prowess. Kasablanca’s musical identity comes from their use of melodic retro textures combined with the rhythmic fundamentals of house & techno. The pair blend genres and influences like RUFUS DU SOL, Eric Prydz & ARTBAT with the attitude of acts like Justice and Kavinsky to create a unique sound all their own. Cronus/Volition is a sweltering 2-track release centered around the pair’s analog synth mastery. Utilizing fresh faced techno with elements of edgy house, Kasablanca’s Cronus/Volition is a rapturous club-infused gem. Check out Cronus/Volition wherever you stream your music here, or find it below on Spotify. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Kasablanca Drops Analog Synth-Ridden ‘Cronus/Volition’ Project