After three reschedules, revelers will once again be able to gather under the Electric Sky for west coast festival juggernaut Insomniac’s 25th Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) October 22nd-24th. 

One of the greatest things about EDC is that there's something for everyone. Spread out over eight genre-rich stages, countless art cars, and side stages, the EDC line-up stratifies dance music representing artists from every possible corner of the culture. We've broken down some of the house acts that should be on your must-see list.




Claptone

Claptone has been active since 2012 and steadily gaining popularity since. I use the pronoun “they” not to be politically correct, but because until a couple of years ago, Claptone was believed to be one man. It turns out its two people. Both enigmatic artists don the iconic golden beak of the medieval plague doctor, black shirt, and white gloves. Which has often led me to think: What happens when they get picked up from the hotel or airport? Do they wear the getup the whole time? Looks aside, Claptone has consistently pumped out funky, chunky house and tech house for nearly a decade and has landed on the top 10's of some of the largest acts in the industry. 

Follow Claptone on Instagram | Spotify


Dom Dolla

Dominic Matheson—aka Australian DJ and producer Dom Dolla—has been busy over the last couple of years earning nominations and awards for his releases. His trademark sound can be heard on dance floor hits like "Take It," "Pump the Brakes," and 2019's Justin Martin sampling "San Frandisco." EDC is just one of the stops on his cross-country tour of the US, but his set at EDC on one of the largest stages CircuitGROUNDS is sure to be packed full of IDs. 


Follow Dom Dolla on Instagram | Spotify




J. Worra

J. Worra is the new kid on the block, but already making huge waves. Hailed as DJ Mag’s 2019 Breakthrough Music Producer of the Year she’s released on tastemaker labels such as Dirtybird, Club Sweat, Techne, Realm Records, and more. She's also become a sought-after remixer putting her spin on tracks by GRiZ, Gryffin, Gorgon City, Aluna George, Kaskade, and Deadmau5. She's a previously hidden treasure and you'll want to see this young master at work.

Follow J. Worra on Instagram | Spotify


Bijou

Bijou is recognized as one of the leaders of the G-house movement in America. By infusing the timeless styles of hip hop and classic house, BIJOU satisfies the craving for the thumping funk of house and the club-ready swag of hip hop. His production style is live enough for the underground and mean enough to hold down any main stage.

Follow Bijou on Instagram | Spotify


Oliver Heldens

Oliver Heldens is one of the very few performers who use their actual name. At the ripe old age of 26, he is regarded as a pioneer of future house, and one of the first to push it mainstream. Oliver Heldens burst onto the scene in 2013 (at age 18) with “Gecko.” It was picked up by none other than Tiësto, who later released it to Warner Brothers, and it peaked at #1 on the UK Top 40 charts. While most 18-year-olds are skipping school and drinking 40’s, Helden's was jet-setting and pumping out chart-topping hits. He has consistently released award-winning tracks and done remixes for Dua Lipa, The Chainsmokers, Katy Perry, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, and more.

Follow Oliver Heldens on Instagram | Spotify


Black V Neck

After making music together for years, Miami natives Ian and Julian decided to form Black V Neck in 2017. These titans of weird and wonky house hit the ground running after being signed to Shiba San’s label Basement Leak and subsequently to Dirtybird. This duo keeps their schedule fully booked throughout the year dropping bouncy tech house around the way. You will want to see why they are so in demand right now.

Follow Black V Neck on Instagram | Spotify




Cut Snake

Cut Snake has an interesting story. They started as two surfers from Australia who traveled the globe and became fixated on tech house. After working together for a while, they parted ways to go solo. Leigh Sedly kept the Cut Snake moniker, and Paul Fisher continued producing as Fisher (yes, THAT Fisher). Cut Snake is known for a massive stage presence at shows and destroying dancefloors.

Follow Cut Snake on Instagram | Spotify

	

Duke Dumont

Okay, so Duke Dumont may be a household name with multiple Grammy Award nominations, but that doesn't mean he should be overlooked. He was mentored by former Major Lazer member Switch and came up writing remixes for pop stars. However the release of mammoth house stompers like "Need U(100%)" and "Won't Look Back" solidified his place as a bonafide star. His sets are a solid mix of big room beats, heart-stopping vocals, and bouncy basslines for a perfect combination fitting for one of the world’s largest stages.

Follow Duke Dumont on Instagram | Spotify


Lee Foss

Lee Foss brings a special blend of tech house, synth-heavy techno, and deep house. He has an astute ability to transition seamlessly between sub-genres raising and lowering the energy of the dancefloor as needed. He's proved his curation skills are expert level as well, the incredible catalog he's built at his label Repopulate Mars includes work from John Summit, Shiba San, CID, Martin Ikin, Dillon Nathaniel, and Cloonee. Lee Foss is a true tastemaker. 

Follow Lee Foss on Instagram | Spotify


VNSSA

VNSSA is another Dirtybird standout who has steadily carved a name for herself over the last couple of years. Her live sets cover all genres of house and techno, although don’t be surprised to hear some classic disco or booty breaks. VNSSA is a dynamic and wide-ranging producer who's unafraid to experiment and get a little weird. All in the service of rocking dancefloors. 

Follow VNSSA on Instagram | Spotify

















Add These 10 House Artists to your EDC Vegas Schedule

United States

VNSSA

For VNSSA, loving house music is easy. "These are my people," she explains. "This is my music." 

In her home, a disco ball and plant hang behind her head, and shelves of vinyl surround her. The Los Angeles-based producer is kicking back on her off days before her gig at San Diego's Audiotistic Festival. 

Her latest outing, "When Will I See You," is on the 

 EP with Lenny Kiser and Neon Super Block. In November, it came out on Rules Don't Apply records, which is Walker & Royce's new record label. 

She first joined forces with Walker & Royce

" and "Rave Grave," which helped launch her towards major festival lineups in 2019.

Growing up in Newport Beach, California, Vanessa Barnes' journey as a musician began when she took up drumming and started a band with a friend. 

"In the beginning. I just wanted to get it down and just be a good drummer," VNSSA remembers. She felt drawn to live music, picking up the clarinet and cello, but set them aside when she found her true calling as a DJ. On Fridays, it was house night at a small Costa Mesa rock venue, and that's where she fell in love with electronic music spun by the local DJs. 

VNSSA, Fantom Freq - Do You Wanna Play

Provided to YouTube by Label Worx Ltd

Do You Wanna Play (Original Mix) · Fantom Freq · VNSSA

Miami Hustle 2018

℗ Copyright Control

Released on: 2018-04-02

Composer: Fantom Freq & VNSSA

Auto-generated by YouTube.

Do You Wanna Play (Original Mix)

," with Fantom Freq in 2018. Shortly after, she quickly went from attending to headlining Dirtybird events. She learned about house music from heavyweights like Claude Von Stroke, Justin Jay, and Justin Martin. With her five little letters next to some huge names on recent lineups, VNSSA bounces around genres without relying on anyone's star power but her own. 

VNSSA trusts her instincts when it comes to expressing style. "I just noticed what sounds I like and I use them all the time," she explains. "It's kind of subconscious. I don't know that I'm making a VNSSA track until it's done, and everyone's like, 

" Rocking oversized frames, braids, and an all-black ensemble, she looks club-ready while simply eating her cold oatmeal and returning from an afternoon walk. VNSSA's chill demeanor backs up her approach to unique house beats. 

"If it sounds good, it sounds good," she says, reflecting on her production techniques. She's not out to please producer snobs with expensive sounds, templates, or following trends. The only tools she swears by are the 

, which she uses on every track. But she's equally a fan of using free synths and plug-ins. 

VNSSA - Nocturnal Wonderland Virtual Rave-A-Thon

#VirtualNocturnal is LIVE NOW! 🔮🌙 Adventure through the night with Pasquale Rotella as he takes us through the history of Rave Culture with some very special guests! #StayHome and rave #WithMe #VNSSA

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"The one thing about Ableton and these programs that I love the most is that to accomplish one thing, there's 20 different ways to do it. There's no right way or wrong way. It's just your way." 

She makes up her own rules. "I like doing everything from scratch because I feel like that's my warm up. It's like setting your canvas." VNSSA describes her sound as "Classic melodic break tech house." 

Obviously not bound by any one label, she's focused on the process. "I like to have a lot of arps and different melodies in my music," she explains. "I like to have pretty elements in it. Classic snares, super reverbed 80s drums." Her tracks have dabbled in acid and breakbeat, too. Simply know that everything VNSSA delivers will make you sweat. 

Nala

It's not enough to call LA-based musician Nala, aka Stefania Aronin, a producer or DJ. She radiates artistry in everything she does. Informed by a slant towards the experimental, her off-kilter psychedelic house is a refreshing disruptor for a scene she says, “got wedged into this idea of what dance music was.” She shatters the formulaic chad-house aesthetic with her strikingly authentic lyrics. It’s proof that house music can slap the subs and captivate the mind. 

In 2020 she signed a management deal with purveyors of west coast weird, Dirtybird, a perfect match for someone who created her own lane so early in her career. COO Aundy Crenshaw and Claude Von Stroke encouraged her to embrace her unique style.

They were both excited that she brought a sound that broke from traditional tech-house. Her open format DJ sets and indie inspired beats are a vessel to help push the label forward. She says during one of their first conversations, Von Stroke expressed how tired he was of paint-by-numbers tech house.

Writing that way is simply at odds with who she is. “I just can't talk about things that are superficial. It's just not part of my character. It feels wrong. It feels like nails on a chalkboard internally.”

As she recites the words for “Sun Is Hot,” the second track from her Dirtybird debut EP Psychic Attack, she explains how she disguised a meditation on the health of Mother Earth beneath what sounds like something steamy and sultry.

“That’s a song is about global warming, first and foremost,” she says. “But then its open for interpretation. It could also be about sex. It's funny 'cause NPR was like, 'Oh, this is a dirty song.' And I was like, 'It's about global warming.” She tells the story with a perfect deadpan.

“I don’t know how to be a closed book,” she admits. “Most of my writing is confessional. I think a lot of what art is supposed to be on a philosophical level is something that people relate to. It's part of the human experience. And that's why we are obsessed with art to begin with. Because it makes us feel something. It makes us feel less alone. And I just love making people feel less alone.”

In college, Aronin switched from a psychology major to advertising because psychology got too dark. Yet she continues to find ways to dissect human existence. Nala's confessional lyrics seek to connect.

“I wrote Psychic Attack, because I was really overwhelmed with the news last year," she explains about the title song on her Dirtybird debut. "I wrote that song out of a space of anxiety. But I think a lot of people could relate to that, because it was so chaotic. It was psychological warfare.”

She spends several minutes reciting lyrics to new songs during our call. And with each turn of phrase, it’s clear how adept she is with her words. She’s also so clearly excited about every aspect of her work. She radiates positivity and bravery. 

Being bold is natural she says. “I don't have even like an ounce of doubt that it won't work,” she says about her fuck it Im'a go for it attitude. Her mental framework is devoid of the self-doubt that stops most people from trying. “I just don't have that kind of dialogue in my head for whatever reason. I push it out, probably as a self-protective measure.” 

Or maybe it’s a touch of confidence mixed with a dash of creative magnetism. She’s consistently able to draw exactly what she wants directly into her orbit.

Three months before she signed with Dirtybird she decided to break from her indie background and go full-on into dance music. She was already well known on the Dj circuit in Miami and LA. Her music was getting played in H&M stores across the country. But she felt she needed a label ecosystem to pull her off the plateau.

She set her intention and told herself, “I need to shift focus. What is going to be best for me? I need to find a label that I can work with. And out from the sky came Dirtybird!”

The family atmosphere that seeps through all that Dirtybird does was the perfect match for Aronin. "I got really lucky that I managed to find a community of people. Because even the other artists on the label VNSSA, Walker & Royce, Ardalan we're all family now. And it's so nice to be around people that are so positive and supportive, have a good message and [are] inclusive and happy."

She now sits in the perfect position to carry her message to a wider audience. “I want everyone to feel. I want people to relate. I want them to know that their experience is not isolated. And that to me is the most fulfilling. The best I can do is create music with a message that resonates with people.”

While emitting cool confidence, she is acutely aware of the challenges she and other women face in the music industry. "When people think about women doing things in male-dominated industries, the first thing that people will think is like, 'oh look, she's wearing a low cut top, no wonder she's where she is now,' or 'She probably slept with that guy to get there,' you know?"

"Unfortunately, that's the world we live in," VNNSA says. "They're gonna comment on you regardless, because you're a woman."

In 2020 VNSSA adapted to the extra challenges of working in the industry during a pandemic by turning to streaming. She was part of the 

 collective and appeared on Twitch channels, including 

Become a Gray Area member for access to exclusive perks!

When Gray Area catches up with VNSSA, it's on a laidback day ahead of a weekend where she attends a friend's wedding. There, 

 ends up spinning VNSSA's edit of Toto's "Africa." 

She's got a new car, a RAV4, which she nicknamed the "Rave 4." 


Last month she also played Chris Lake's Black Book Block Party in San Francisco. She will continue to serve up spicy tech house singles, having recently finished an upcoming remix for NYC-based DJ 

"I'm having a lot of fun just making music and touring right now," she says. Without a second thought, VNSSA lives in the moment and feels satisfied with where she's at. She's happy with the hardware she's got. She has massive dreams for the future but wants for very little. At this exciting point of her life, the only advice she'd give her past self is to stay on track. She tells herself, "Keep going. You got this." 

60 Seconds With VNSSA

For VNSSA, loving house music is easy. "These are my people," she explains. "This is my music." 

Read the full Spotlight: https://grayarea.co/artists/vnssa

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#grayarea #VNSSA #housemusic

For VNSSA, loving house music is easy. "These are my people," she explains. "This is my music." 





In her home, a disco ball and plant hang behind her head, and shelves of vinyl surround her. The Los Angeles-based producer is kicking back on her off days before her gig at San Diego's Audiotistic Festival. 

Her latest outing, "When Will I See You," is on the Splits 001 EP with Lenny Kiser and Neon Super Block. In November, it came out on Rules Don't Apply records, which is Walker & Royce's new record label. She first joined forces with Walker & Royce on "Word" and "Rave Grave," which helped launch her towards major festival lineups in 2019.

Growing up in Newport Beach, California, Vanessa Barnes' journey as a musician began when she took up drumming and started a band with a friend. 

"In the beginning. I just wanted to get it down and just be a good drummer," VNSSA remembers. She felt drawn to live music, picking up the clarinet and cello, but set them aside when she found her true calling as a DJ. On Fridays, it was house night at a small Costa Mesa rock venue, and that's where she fell in love with electronic music spun by the local DJs. 

She dropped her first original track, "Do You Wanna Play," with Fantom Freq in 2018. Shortly after, she quickly went from attending to headlining Dirtybird events. She learned about house music from heavyweights like Claude Von Stroke, Justin Jay, and Justin Martin. With her five little letters next to some huge names on recent lineups, VNSSA bounces around genres without relying on anyone's star power but her own. 

VNSSA trusts her instincts when it comes to expressing style. "I just noticed what sounds I like and I use them all the time," she explains. "It's kind of subconscious. I don't know that I'm making a VNSSA track until it's done, and everyone's like, Oh, yeah, this sounds like you!" Rocking oversized frames, braids, and an all-black ensemble, she looks club-ready while simply eating her cold oatmeal and returning from an afternoon walk. VNSSA's chill demeanor backs up her approach to unique house beats. 

"If it sounds good, it sounds good," she says, reflecting on her production techniques. She's not out to please producer snobs with expensive sounds, templates, or following trends. The only tools she swears by are the SoundToys effects bundle, which she uses on every track. But she's equally a fan of using free synths and plug-ins. 

"The one thing about Ableton and these programs that I love the most is that to accomplish one thing, there's 20 different ways to do it. There's no right way or wrong way. It's just your way." 

She makes up her own rules. "I like doing everything from scratch because I feel like that's my warm up. It's like setting your canvas." VNSSA describes her sound as "Classic melodic break tech house." 

Obviously not bound by any one label, she's focused on the process. "I like to have a lot of arps and different melodies in my music," she explains. "I like to have pretty elements in it. Classic snares, super reverbed 80s drums." Her tracks have dabbled in acid and breakbeat, too. Simply know that everything VNSSA delivers will make you sweat. 







While emitting cool confidence, she is acutely aware of the challenges she and other women face in the music industry. "When people think about women doing things in male-dominated industries, the first thing that people will think is like, 'oh look, she's wearing a low cut top, no wonder she's where she is now,' or 'She probably slept with that guy to get there,' you know?"

"Unfortunately, that's the world we live in," VNNSA says. "They're gonna comment on you regardless, because you're a woman."

In 2020 VNSSA adapted to the extra challenges of working in the industry during a pandemic by turning to streaming. She was part of the GOOD TV collective and appeared on Twitch channels, including Insomniac Records and Desert Hearts. 



Become a Gray Area member for access to exclusive perks!



When Gray Area catches up with VNSSA, it's on a laidback day ahead of a weekend where she attends a friend's wedding. There, the DJ ends up spinning VNSSA's edit of Toto's "Africa." 

She's got a new car, a RAV4, which she nicknamed the "Rave 4." 


Last month she also played Chris Lake's Black Book Block Party in San Francisco. She will continue to serve up spicy tech house singles, having recently finished an upcoming remix for NYC-based DJ QRTR. 

"I'm having a lot of fun just making music and touring right now," she says. Without a second thought, VNSSA lives in the moment and feels satisfied with where she's at. She's happy with the hardware she's got. She has massive dreams for the future but wants for very little. At this exciting point of her life, the only advice she'd give her past self is to stay on track. She tells herself, "Keep going. You got this." 

Interview By: RYDEN

VNSSA

Articles

Derek Southworth