Name: ANTS Invasion
Start: 2022-05-21T15:00:00.000+02:00
End: 2022-05-21T23:59:00.000+02:00

Recognized internationally as one of the most influential artists in electronic music, Carl Cox continues to astound fans. And while he holds an exceptional discography and unmatched skills behind the decks, his ability to curate talent is unmatched. For the first time in 11 years, he’ll flex his unique skill set at Electric Zoo 3.0, performing a rare stateside festival appearance and curating the lineup on his very own Carl Cox Invites stage at the Hilltop Arena on Sunday, September 4. He’ll be joined by some of house and techno’s most sought-after DJs and live acts.



Carl Cox always heeps his ear to the underground, and for EZoo, he’s pulled together a lineup of artists who will light up the crowd with their original tracks, remixes, and edits. These are the artists that are pushing the culture forward. Cox said that he's putting together a very special set including music from his upcoming album Electronic Generations. His first album in over six years, he recently revealed the first track "How It Makes You Feel," a collaboration with Nicole Moudaber, that he's been road-testing for months.



Joining the king of techno is New York City-based tech-house guru Charles Meyer, Ibiza-based superstar Chelina Manuhutu, and Detroit house queen DJ Holographic.

“DJ Holographic has so much house music soul and true techno flavor in the music she plays,” Carl Cox said in a press release. “It draws you in the longer she plays. It really does come from the depths of her heart, you can feel it so much. This will be the first time I will get the chance to see her live, and I for one cannot wait.”



Techno legend and long-time friend of Carl Cox, Loco Dice, will join the Invites lineups. Loco Dice was also last on an EZoo lineup 11 years ago. The two iconic artists have frequently shared stages across the world, but this New York reunion is going to be a special one.



“Dice is always evolving with his sound of music that you cannot put in a musical box at all. He really does push the boundaries,” Cox said.



The prodigious Andrea Oliva and incredible Ilario Alicante will also perform a unique b2b set. Oliva will be stopping by between sets as a resident of Ibiza’s favorite day party spot Ushuaia. Alicante is quickly becoming a festival mainstay in his own right, having already performed at Ultra and EDC Vegas this year.



This year’s Electric Zoo lineup features a heavy influx of underground house and techno talent, and the Carl Cox Invites stage takeover will be the cherry on top for the revamped festival. With only a few months left until the quintessential New York festival returns to Randall’s Island, Carl Cox and friends are counting down the days. We know we’ll be at the Invites stage on day three of Ezoo, will you? The only right answer to that question is “Oh yes, yes.”









Carl Cox Returns to Electric Zoo and Curates Carl Cox Invites Takeover

In techno, it doesn’t get more legendary than Kevin Saunderson. One of the Bellville Three (with Juan Atkins and Derek May), he’s credited as one of the founders of techno. His work with vocalist Paris as Inner City produced two of dance music's most classic cuts, "Big Fun" and "Good Life." And the bass line for his 1988 track "Just Want Another Chance" was the first known use of the Reese bass and was hugely influential in the Drum and Bass scene.

Listen on Apple Music

On January 7th, his remix of Swiss-born Andrea Oliva’s “Transit” dropped on Oliva’s freshly minted All I Need imprint.

Saunderson leans heavily on the staccato strings from the original, making them the centerpiece of the remix. The spicy rhythmic play is exposed when it breaks down, accenting the wavering synths and a transcendent layer of strings. While Oliva’s original pops and bounces, Saunderson has crafted a remix that shakes and slides. The breathtaking rework is at once cinematic and club-ready.



Follow Kevin Saunderson on Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify



Oliva is an iconic act in his own right. He taught himself to DJ at 13 and quickly rose to prominence in Switzerland. Since he was first invited to DJ at Space, Ibiza in 2004, he’s been a fixture of the White Isle’s scene. The longtime resident of ANTS at Ushuaia recorded his Essential Mix live from the legendary party in 2016. However, his impact as a DJ and producer extends miles beyond Ibiza. He’s genuinely a globally lauded talent.

Oliva’s label All I Need (a sublabel of Armada) is an extension of the pivotal role music plays in his life. Part record label, events series, and fashion brand Oliva is cultivating something that will carry his legacy for years to come.

Andrea Oliva will drop one of his iconic sets for OCHO 3 on Diplo's Revolution this January 22, 2022.




Track of The Week: Kevin Saunderson Remixes Andrea Oliva's "Transit"

It's about time again for our monthly takeover of Diplo's Revolution. Yes, that's right, OCHO 3 is coming on January 22, 2022, to Sirius XM. We're serving up eight hours of non-stop exclusive sets by eight extraordinary artists from across the globe.

This month's diverse lineup features eight artists from across the spectrum of house sub-genres. Andrea Oliva, Cloonee, J. Worra, Layla Benitez, Meduza, Paco Osuna, Shermanology, and Wax Motif all come from different corners of the worldwide house music community. And while their sounds may vary, each one encompasses the words of Chuck Roberts from the 1988 anthem "Can You Feel It" by Fingers Inc., "house music is a universal language."



Tune in to Gray Area OCHO on January 22, 2022









Andrea Oliva

Born in Switzerland, Oliva taught himself to DJ at the tender age of 13. The young DJ found a job in a record shop and quickly established himself as a skilled selector, building a carefully curated library of promos and white labels. It wasn't long before he was booked in Switzerland's best clubs and throwing his legendary sold-out Banditz parties. He's since become a staple of the Ibiza scene cemented by residencies with elrow at Amnesia, Music On at Amnesia, and ANTS at Ushuaïa. His lauded production skills have seen him on remix duties like Luciano and releasing club weapons on Defected, Moon Harbour, Relief, Hot Creations, and 7Wallace.







Cloonee

One of the tech-house scene's most potent stars, Cloonee, has seen an unprecedented rise since the release of his 2017 Estes EP on Elrow. What's followed in an unstoppable tear of genre-defining releases on labels like Sonny Fodera's Solotoko, Desert Hearts, Big Beat, Michael Bibi's Solid Grooves, Mark Knight's Toolroom, and Chris Lake's Black Book Records. With an unsurpassed sense of rhythm and soul-shattering basslines, his releases regularly break the Beatport charts making him one of the site's top-selling tech-house artists of 2021. His back-to-back set with Andrea Oliva at elrow Rowsattacks! in December blew us away; we can't wait to see what tricks he has in his bag for OCHO.







J. Worra

Even before being named the 2019 Breakthrough Music Producer of the Year by DJ Mag, J. Worra's technical abilities, trademark swag, and imitable ability to create body grinding beats were well known. Her performance in December at Rowsattacks! in New York was a showstopping moment, proving once again why she's rocked major festivals like EDC and Coachella as well as every major club in the US. She discovered house music in Chicago and, while she may LA-based, brings a hint of that classic vibe to everything she does. Her dynamic catalog includes releases on labels like Higher Ground, Realm, Sweat It Out, and Sink or Swim. And her remixes for GRiZ, Gorgon City, and deadmau5 have elevated their work to new heights.



Tune in to Gray Area OCHO on January 22, 2022









Layla Benitez

It's clear from watching her perform that Layla Benitez has a potent understanding of how music moves people. Her visceral connection to dance music extends beyond the dance floor. It's in her soul. Her father, Jellybean Benitez, is an acclaimed DJ and culture-defining producer who was a pillar of New York's nightlife community throughout the 80s and 90s. Yet Layla's abilities are more than a legacy. Her distinctive blend of afro house, deep house, and world beats create peak dance floor moments for fans from Ibiza to Miami, New York to London, and Mykonos to Los Angeles.










Meduza

House music's recent domination of commercial radio is bookmarked by young producers who understand what underground dance music fans have known for decades. That house music is a feeling. Leading the charge is GRAMMY-nominated Italian trio, Meduza. Their debut single "Piece of Your Heart," with Goodboys, was a worldwide phenomenon topping charts throughout Europe, US, and Asia. The boys have gone on to dominate the charts with radio-friendly beats that have touched millions, streamed in the billions, yet pay homage to house music's underground roots. They masterfully walk the tightrope between the often protective, tight-knit house music community and the mainstream with grace and style, effortlessly bouncing from remixing for the likes of Ed Sheeran to releasing on legendary imprints like Defected.










Paco Osuna

For over two decades, Paco Osuna has steadily built a reputation as one of dance music's most respected and revered selectors and producers. The Mindshake Records founder has been a fixture of the Ibiza scene since the late 90s and held down residencies Richie Hawtins ENTER, Sven Vath's Cocoon series at Amnesia, as well as an endless array of prestigious events all over the world from Electric Zoo to Space Miami, Time Warp to EDC, and Watergate Berlin to WOMB Tokyo. In the studio, his imitable rhythmic timing, sophisticated sound palate, and imaginative spirit have made him a sought-after award-winning producer with releases on Mood, Plus8, Minus, Defected, Moon Harbour, and Get Physical.










Shermanology

Brother sister duo Andy and Dorothy Sherman's ability to inject tech-house with the soul and spirit of their Caribbean heritage has made them a uniquely genre-defying pair. Dorothy's distinct and stirring vocals transport the dance floor to the days of diva house. And Andy's production and DJ experience have traversed genre barriers from UK garage to bass house. Together their sound is boundless, impressing the underground and the mainstream alike. Their 2020 release "Boyz N Da Club" was an unstoppable club slumper. Yet they continue to prove their diversity working with artists like Will Clarke on the emotive "Searching" and scoring over a million plays on "Bon Bini," performed entirely in Papiamentu, their native language. 













Wax Motif

Known as a leader in G house and UK Bass, Wax Motif has more recently established a wider range of sounds. His recent release "Koalack" on his Divided Souls imprint shows a softer, more reflective side. And while Waxy continues to move dance floors with his trademark dirt nasty bass house, his emerging diversity proves his talents in the studio. He's also recently stepped out as a leader in blockchain and community building as one of the first dance music artists to create his cryptocurrency, $WAXM. The industry-leading move gave fans access to exclusive music, one-on-one Zoom sessions, and even the chance to collaborate with the producer who has released on labels like Confession, Night Bass, and Musical Freedom.



Tune in to Gray Area OCHO on January 22, 2022



Get Ready for Another Bumping OCHO on Diplo's Revolution

Chile

Francisco Allendes





Francisco Allendes describes his music as retro-futuristic Martian groove.  
A definition without constraint. Because he says, "Anything can be done in the Martian way." It's a way for the Chilean artist to compress a library of influences into a unified sound. 

He discovered his passion for gorgeous soundscapes at eight-year-old. A neighbor who was obsessed with classical music shared tapes of Mozart and Vivaldi with him. Enamored with their complexity and beauty, he set his heart on learning the violin. 

Unsure of his dedication, his father said no. However, his mother tried to get him lessons in secret. The secret only lasted a day, he says, because they did a terrible job of hiding the violin.

His parents became his most ardent supporters. His mom would drive him all over Chile to perform with youth orchestras. He is incredibly grateful for their support.

“I started taking classes and right away they both were very enthusiastic for me," He explains. "Of course to have this support from the family is a lot because I know many people that don't have the support from their family. And this already cuts your legs if you don't have love and support from your [family] to do what you want.”

The neighbor who first unveiled his passion for music wasn't the last of his friends to guide his musical journey. His eldest brother introduced him to rock music and took him to his first concert, legendary guitar virtuoso Steve Vai.

But it was a friend who gave him two of his greatest musical gifts. Francisco joyfully remembers his friend Camila a flutist in his youth orchestra. She introduced him to Bjork and gifted him his first guestlist experience.

Camila was so obsessed with Bjork that she learned Icelandic. When Bjork came to town, Camila and Francisco snuck into her hotel. They managed to speak to a violin player in her orchestra who was so impressed by the young Chilean girl's Icelandic he invited them to the concert as his guests. The first time Allendes heard Bjork, he was only two meters from her.

With such a patchwork of influences, Allendes continued to learn instruments and explore. He bought a guitar and a keyboard. And as high schoolers do, he joined a band. But he was struck by how different he was from his bandmates.

“Every band that I was part of I was the more committed.” He said. “I need to find a way to do my music on my own. I don't want to be dependent on a drummer that likes to go party on Friday night and doesn’t come to rehearsals. Real rock and rollers, they come even if they didn't sleep.”

So he started to make weird noises on his computer. He figured that so many of his idols found pathways to sound through synthesizers, so why not him? 

A couple of years later, he ran into Camila again on a bus coming home from school. After catching up, she said four words that would change his life, “Do you know techno?”

Allendes was already DJing. Well, kind of. He was a selector. He couldn't mix records yet. So the idea that anyone could play music on three turntables was mind-bending. 

Camila’s boyfriend was a DJ, and she brought him to his first event. When he heard dance music for the first time, he realized the weird beats he made weren’t too far off. So, he decided to focus on recreating the sound of the dance floor.

Allendes was dedicated to his craft from the gate. Even at eight years old he was determined to make his passion a profession. However, he always retained a sense of realism. He made a deal with himself that if by 30 he wasn’t successful, he’d quit. He was only a few months shy of losing the deal. 

He already had an attempt to live in Spain under his belt by the time he released the Llovizna EP on Luciano’s Cadenza imprint. It was huge to be validated by such a luminary in Chile’s house music scene. The songs were hits, but he still had trouble getting the proper visa to live and work in Spain. 

Six months from his 30th birthday, he got a random Facebook message from a girl who worked in Ibiza. She wanted to help, but the claim seemed too good to be true. He was used to getting messages from producers looking to collab. It turned out that she was a talent buyer for legendary Ibizan USHUAÏA, and she wanted Francisco to be a resident.

“My first summer in Ibiza was very painful,” He says. Because he worked at one of the clubs, he was able to go everywhere. And he took full advantage. But he quickly realized that he couldn’t party like a tourist for the rest of his life. 

He limits how much he goes out. He exercises five times a week. And his kids help keep him balanced because no matter how late he’s out, he gets up at 7 am to get them to school.

Throughout his career, he depended on the help of others at every step. It’s been his community that has had the most impact. And if it’s taught him anything he says, it’s that you must be humble. 

“So many people want to come in the scene that has a vision of something that is not real. And this can really can make your head go cuckoo. So, it's very important to be humble. I want to do this until I die. I mean, maybe sixty, seventy years. So, I have to be healthy. I have to be focused. I have to be humble. I have to be thankful.”

ANTS Invasion

Gray Area Editorial Team

Alexander Dias

Alexander Dias

Alexander Dias