Gray Area is ready to take our beloved community on a magical musical journey spanning eight hours of music on our personalized radio show, OCHO. As the hub for musical discovery, we are utilizing our integral partnership with Diplo's Revolution and Sirius XM to construct a musical adventure narrated by the leading musical tastemakers setting the tone in house and techno.




On May 28, 2022, OCHO will groove the airwaves with a completely new lineup, including Francis Mercier, De La Swing, Heidi, Gene Farris, Idriss D, Chloe Caillet, Gettoblaster, and Alisha.




Adjust that dial from 12p-8p EST on May 28 to glimpse and groove to this group of stellar superstars bringing all day long. This edition is an installment you surely do not want to miss.




Francis Mercier


Deep Root Records label boss Francis Mercier is a force behind the New York City house music scene as one of its most popular producers and DJs. Growing up in Haiti, his diverse background has influenced his productions merging deep, melodic, and tech house with afro, soul, and disco. His unconventional originality and chart-topping hits such as “The Whole World.” “Stereo High,” “Can You Love Me,” and “Waiting For” have gained him notability, making him a regular feature on global stages captivating the masses.




Follow Francis Mercier on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud




De La Swing


De la Swing is a Spanish DJ and producer rocking stages as a resident for elow and the Monegros Desert Festival. Heavily influenced by techno, Drum & Bass, and Dubstep, he uses his technical skills with his ability to connect with the crowd personally, which has aided his success in Spain and throughout Europe. This up-and-comer has shared the stage with heavy hitters such as Paco Osuna, Dubfire, Richy Hawtin, Marco Carola, Loco Dice, Luciano, Carl Cox, and Tiga.




Follow De La Swing on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud




Heidi


Hailing from Ontario, Canada, she comes from a long line of music lovers and was inspired by classic rock, blues, and folk. However, she started traveling across the border to Detroit to DJ as soon as she was old enough, which inspired her to pack up and follow her heart to Motor City. She eventually ventured across the pond where she was on the founding team of the legendary Phonica Records in London. Since her inception, the Jackathon party queen has made a mark on house and techno, spending her life devoted to creating globally inspired sounds, touring, and sharing her music with the masses.




Follow Heidi on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud





Gene Farris


Gene Farris is one of the forefathers, part of the second-wave of Chicago house musica, and stands tall as a global ambassador of Chicago's classic house music sound. His humble beginnings started spinning acid house, disco, and his peers' classic Chicago style, which gained him status in some of the most legendary venues in the windy city. As a self-taught engineer and producer, his work with Cajual, Relief, Defected, Soma Recordings, and his breakout label Farris Wheel Recordings propelled his influence into ever-expanding realms.




Follow Gene Farris on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud




Idriss D


Since early childhood, Italy-based Idriss D has been surrounded by music. His family spurred his love for funk, disco, and global fusion. In the early 90s, he discovered the club scene in Algeria, where he gained his first gigs at Rai Hamidou club. However, he did not establish himself until he relocated to Italy. His stand-out mixing skills, unique style, and hypnotic dance vibes gained him multiple residencies and widespread acclaim in Italy's nightclubs, where he is still a resident today. Beyond his busy DJ schedule, Idriss has built a solid international reputation with his artist agency and record label Memento, signing artists such as Carl Craig, Luciano, and Ten Walls.




Follow Idriss D on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter




Chloe Caillet


Chloé Caillet is a DJ, producer, and multi-instrumentalist from Paris. Growing up between New York, Paris, and the UK, her passion for music and fashion has consistently played a driving force in her life. She prides herself on her distinctly unique tones in both artful mediums. Best known for her vibrant blend of disco, electronica, afrobeat, house & funk, Chloe has held a residency with Dixon for Transmoderna at Pacha and played at some of the world's most renowned clubs and parties. After releasing a critically acclaimed remix commissioned directly by Beck, Chloé will release her series of singles on the newly found label XCESS RECORDS.




Follow Chloe Caillet on Instagram | Facebook | Soundcloud




Gettoblaster

More than just DJs, this pair of tastemakers is leading a movement, heavily influenced by the sounds of Chicago and Detroit's underground scenes. They're taking it back to the fundamentals, to what made dance music so damn good in the first place. Fully equipped with four-on-the-floor beats, Gettoblaster has created their sound by taking what they've been influenced by for years and twisting it with modern-day production and pushing the genre of jackin' tracks in to the future. Releasing on some of the top labels such as Dirtybird and Confession, this duo can regularly get down and share their beats in performances worldwide.




Follow Gettoblaster on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud




Alisha


ALISHA is a proud underground house music producer and DJ keeping it real for her birthplace city Peterborough, UK. She regularly steals the show in some of the industry's most esteemed spots and their respective parties, with previous successful chart-climbing releases on Kaluki, Relief, Libero, Nothing Else Matters, WYLD, and more.




Follow Alisha on Instagram | Facebook | Soundcloud





OCHO May 2022

On Saturday, June 11, Gray Area welcomes one of the techno scene's fastest rising stars, Will Clarke, to the decks at Quantum, Brooklyn. The multi-hyphenate artist is a prolific producer, magnetic DJ, expert curator, and charismatic cultural icon.



Over the last several years, Clarke has firmly established a trademark sound within the techno realm. Warehouse rattling funk with a touch of rave. A fan of dance music since before he was a teenager and a Dj for almost as long, Will Clarke has been in more clubs than one could count. Yet, he hopes that he can build a bridge to take dance music beyond the club. He told Gray Area, “I think the thing with dance music is that a lot of the time, it’s just for the club. And that’s absolutely fine. I think clubs have a real important place in our lives. But I think there’s actually more to [dance] music than just the clubs. I'm trying to write songs that have a bit of a meaning.”



His record label, All We Have is Now, has been the vehicle driving that goal. Since 2020 he’s released a stream of genre-defying gems. The Candi Stanton sampling “Hallelujah” not only received over 8 million Spotify streams it was also named “Todays Anthem,” and “Future Anthem,” by BBC Radio 1 and was on Beatport’s Top 50 Tracks of 2020. “U take Me Higher” was tapped by Pete Tong as an “Essential New Tune.” His music regularly played by the worlds top DJs, “The Hymn,” made its way into the Essential Mixes of Carl Cox, Paul Woolford, and Yousef.




His collaboration with MK “My Church,” and his recent record with Shermanology “Searching.” The label’s most recent release, “New Generation,” takes a classic 80s anthem and adds Will’s trademark spin. In addition, Clarke has commissioned stunning and imaginative music videos directed by Matthew Freiheit to carry out his vision as a storyteller further.


Never content to work just as solo artist Will frequently collaborates and remixes for heavy-hitters like Dubfire, HI-LO (Oliver Heldens), Dom Dolla, MK, and Shermanology.




His hectic tour schedule sees him circling the globe regularly. This summer alone, he’s slated to rock the decks at DC-10 for Patrick Topping’s Trick, Ushuaïa Ibiza for Calvin Harris’ residency, Elrow, Drumcode Festival, and Skyline Orlando.




He’s also on the bill for the pre-eminent techno festival for the US, Movement Detroit. This is of unique importance to him as the city that built techno is also his home in The States. He’s deeply invested in the city where he throws regular events and will be hosting an afters for Movement with Anfisa Letyago.


While he currently calls Detroit home, he hasn’t completely left the UK behind. In stark contrast to his urban Detroit lifestyle, he also has a home and studio on a fully operational farm in the English countryside.






He spent much of his time there crafting techno bombs during the pandemic. It’s also where he started the Will Clarke Podcast. A further expansion of his cultural curiosity, the podcast—now over 100 episodes strong— sees him doing deep-dive interviews with musicians, chefs, tech gurus, and Olympic athletes.

Gray Area is excited to welcome Will for another night of delicious techno beats at Quantum Brooklyn. This one is unmissable.

Will Clarke on Tour, New York Edition

Quantum Brooklyn

Miss Monique is one of the most recognizable artists in Europe's progressive house and melodic techno scene. For nearly ten years, she's built a fiercely dedicated global community on YouTube—long before quarantine streaming—with her DJ sets from idyllic and picturesque locations. With nearly 500K subscribers and tens of millions of views, her sets from the Dead Sea, a rocky island in the middle of the Aegean Sea in Turkey, and a top rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean have captivated fans from around the world.





She expertly blends progressive house, melodic techno, and trance in a way that suits these sprawling landscapes. Yet, she's no stranger to rocking headlining slots at clubs and festivals across Europe, Asia, and South America.





Miss Monique never stops moving for a moment. Whether she's recording a new video, jet-setting across the world for DJ gigs in Ibiza, or helming her progressive house label Siona—the 5th best-selling label in the genre of 2021—she does it all with grace and style.





The powerhouse producer matches the energy she gives off in her DJ sets in the studio. Her releases on labels like Tiesto's Black Hole Recordings and AFTR:HRS, and Nora En Pures Purified Monique have gathered a long list of lauded supporters, including Armin van Buuren, Paul Oakenfold, Gareth Emery, and more.







She's caught the attention of stateside audiences as well. With upcoming appearances at Seismic Dance Event, CRSSD, Dreamstate, and EDC Orlando this year, seeing her in an intimate setting will soon be a rare treat.





As the sun sets over New York, The rooftop of Superior Ingredients will be the perfect place to catch this maven of melodic techno and progressive house live.



Miss Monique

Superior Ingredients (Roof)

Celebrated producer, DJ, and personality Dombresky brings a touch of disco flavor to the Superior Ingredients Rooftop on June 24 for a sun-soaked day party. 

The French producer is well known for his high-energy and joyous hands-up house music. He's recently been toying with a string of secret unannounced disco sets. First seen at EDC Vegas in 2021, Disco Dom rocked the campground with throwback favorites to a crowd that was elated to hear the songs that formed the roots of dance music ring out from a big sound system. 

in December of last year, Disco Dom reached his final form when he threw a super-secret underground LA disco party that he said, "got out of control." 

We're ready to get a little crazy to some disco too. We're excited to bring Dombresky out to Brooklyn for the premiere of Disco Dom in New York. 
 
 
 
 

Dombresky Presents Disco Dom

Veteran techno DJ and producer Fatima Hajji touches down in New York for her debut at Quantum Brooklyn. With over two decades of experience working the decks, this queen of hard techno brings with her the fire that has blessed massive festival stages and iconic clubs throughout Europe.

She’s electrified the dancefloors of bucket list venues and events like Awakenings, Tomorrowland, Solar, and Decibel, Berghain and Tresor in Berlin, and Privilege and Eden in Ibiza. 

Her explosive sets masterfully blend brutal hard techno beats with dark warehouse vibes evoking the spirit of the rave for the modern dance floor. A 20-year veteran, she began exploring music in her bedroom, blending radio songs on cassettes before learning how to mix vinyl. At 16, her trademark confidence and razor-sharp mixing ability were recognized when she won a DJ contest in Madrid, and she never looked back.

Spanish-born but with strong Arabic roots, her deep connection to her cultural heritage helped code her musical DNA. Her dad would play Arabic music constantly at home, and the influence of the sounds of artists like Mory Kante and Cheb Khaled eventually fused with her club-thumping beats. She ultimately turned “Abdelkhader” by Khaled into one of her most heavily supported songs, “Violines.”

Hajii is truly a multi-faceted artist. A venerated producer and label owner, her Silver M imprint has curated nights at Privilege in Ibiza. And she continues to impress with releases on labels like Octopus Recordings and Solamente (run by fellow techno royalty Deborah De Luca). She continues to prove why she’s one of the most sought-after DJs on the European techno circuit. Come through and immerse yourself in the unbridled energy of Fatima Hajji.

 

Fatima Hajii



Wax Motif is one of the reigning kings of bass-forward house music. His tracks like "Tokyo," "Fly Kicks," and "Skank N Flex" define the warbling shuffle of UK-inspired bass house. His recent album House of Wax saw the globe-trotting festival rocker dig deep into the vault and pull out 17 genre-defying originals, collabs, and remixes from across his decade-plus career. 



Beyond his incredible grip on the house music scene, he's proven to be innovative and forward-thinking at every turn. He was among the first DJs to release a mix on Spotify. And he began leaving his mark on the crypto community long before it was a buzz-word. His fan-focussed Wax Coin was a first of its kind jump into the space, allowing him to tighten his fan connection. And as he told Gray Area, also strengthen his inner circle.

We're excited to bring Wax Motif to Brooklyn. And to get you primed and ready check out his recent mix for Gray Area OCHO.



Wax Motif

J. Worra’s journey began even before she fell in love with house music after moving to Chicago. Long before she started crafting tech house anthems like “Burn This House” with Little Boots and “Lose My Mind” with Taylor Moody, she taught herself how to play the piano and the intricacies of production on her favorite DAW. The embers that were ignited when she moved to the city that built house music have caught fire as she continues to set festival stages from EDC to Bonaroo ablaze with her irresistible beats.





And it all started with the intention to share the music she loved while making space for more women in a male-dominated space.









A masterful producer and technician behind the decks, her recent evolution as a musician and selector has further cemented her star status. It’s incredible to think that for much of her career, through marathon weekends of club shows, festivals, and releases on venerated labels like Insomniac, Diplo’s Higher Ground, Gorgon City’s REALM, and Thrive Music, she also managed to hold down a high-level corporate day job.




In 2021 she finally made her passion her profession. Devoting herself completely to music has only served to confirm her life’s path. She’s more comfortable, committed, and in control than ever. She’s totally tapped into her inner voice in a way that allows her to tell a compelling story of love and passion through music.





The move away from corporate life has freed her mind and spirit to pursue her music in a new way. Without the stress of attempting to balance both, she feels more open to exploring her relationship with music with more joy. She’s settling into the role of a storyteller, sharing more of her personal journey like her beautiful relationship with partner Sierra.




All the while, the accolades continue to roll in. A clear fan favorite throughout the country, her 2022 festival highlights read like the bucket list for any tried and true raver, including Elrow, Groove Cruise, Buku, Splash House, Skyline, Elements, and Diplo’s Higher Ground.







Adored by fans, praised by her peers, and celebrated by curators and industry authorities her music has put her on the cover of Dance Rising, Housewerk, and Operator, three of Spotify’s most-followed dance music playlists.




In addition, she’s currently in the midst of her 30-city Check Out Tour that’s quickly selling out all over the country. And none other than the legendary Swedish House Mafia just announced that she would join them for seven dates on their much-anticipated Paradise Again come back tour.




Clearly, the industry has noticed what fans and followers have known for years: J. Worra is a singular talent. Her ability to seamlessly blend the nostalgic energy of classic house with a firebrand new school swag has made her a favorite of Chris Lake, Pete Tong, Oliver Heldens, John Summit, Claptone, Martin Garrix, Lee Foss, and so many more.





She effortlessly occupies a space that keeps a foot firmly planted in the underground with an energy and musicality that is turning heads in the mainstream. She’s well on her way to even more incredible heights as she prepares to release remixes for the likes of superstar artists Sofi Tuker and the one and only Lizzo.







Experiencing the inimitable artist in a more intimate setting will soon be a rare treat. So, don’t sleep on the chance to catch J. Worra in Brooklyn. She’s pumped for her return to New York as she told Gray Area, “The energy of NYC is always on fire. It always shows at the clubs I play. It’s def one of my fave cities to perform in, the fans really get after it, so I’m always excited to come back.”






Joining J Worra is underground sensation Sante. Well-known in the house music community for his releases on in-demand labels like Hot Since 82’s Knee Deep In Sound, Matthias Tanzmann’s Moon Harbour, and Solardo’s Sola Nauts, the German-born Portugal-based artist has spent years building a sound that favors musicality and a more thoughtful approach to moving the dancefloor. He’s a frequent guest at legendary house music institutions like Amnesia and Eden in Ibiza and Watergate in Berlin. He’s also been called upon multiple times to play for lauded industry brands like Abode, elrow, and Fuse.






He recently released his much anticipated collaborative album Road To Sanrey with his brother Re.You. The nine-track long-player is their most ambitious project to date seeing them take deep, vocal house into new sonic territories.




J. Worra Check Out Tour

Summer in New York is the perfect time to experience elrow in the beautiful outdoor setting of the Brooklyn Mirage. The Spanish purveyors of quirky experiential parties are pulling out all the stops. The Western-themed show will be spread out across two stages with 20 DJs for over 11 hours! 





Beyond the incredible musical curation, elrow is all about getting into the spirit of the theme. And they are experts at building immersive worlds full of larger-than-life deco, towering stage designs, and inviting colorful performers to keep everyone in carachter. The only thing you need to do is bring your dancing shoes, and create your own colorful persona for the night. Think cowboy boots, dusty landscapes, chaps, and ten-gallon hats.



There's lots more in store for this summer's edition of elrow. Stay tuned to Gray Area for line-up announcements and more.





Elrow Summer Festival New York

The Brooklyn Mirage

Melodic deep house star EMBRZ has racked up millions of streams with a style that combines his icy-cool vocals, immitable production style, and captivating DJ sets. Championed by tastemakers and world renowned DJs alike, he's received airplay on BBC Radio 1 and Sirius XM and by lauded artists like SG Lewis, Lane 8, and Shollou. We're excited to bring him to Quantum, in September for his North American debut tour.





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