As evening sunset drenches the LA Coliseum in a bath of warm magic hour light, Dirtybird Records artist and Mi Domina founder Nala strides amiably under the Olympic cauldron and across the concrete stadium pavilion. As she nears the guardrails overlooking the cavernous inner stadium, she pauses at a wooden picnic table to sit for an interview with Gray Area. From there, she soaks in the colorfully psychedelic sights, sounds, and splendor of Desert Hearts Los Angeles while talking shop.





As a central producer and artistic driver in the ever-evolving North American tech house scene, Nala’s resume overflows with accolades and accomplishments. She’s an oft-featured Dirtybird player, collaborated with label head Claude VonStroke, and enjoys a close advisory relationship with both Barclay and Aundy Crenshaw after being officially managed by the dynamic Dirtybird founding duo throughout her initial professional years. She also works closely with major artists like Walker & Royce, the trio dropped “Not About You” on Chris Lake’s Black Book Records last September to widespread acclaim.

“My entire goal is to emphasize that my contribution to dance music is coming from a rock perspective, an indie-dance punk perspective,” she tells Gray Area. That focus on marrying punk and indie-rock with dance music is a genuine, deliberate choice to pursue her unique tastes. “I get annoyed when something is too common — I rebel instantly,” she says.




Even the recent wardrobe choices for her DJ performances mirror that rebellious predilection. “I was wearing a lot of black. A lot of my friends are wearing black. The techno community wears all black,” she notes. “And I was like, I can't do this anymore. Imma wear all white [when performing] so I could separate myself, my own identity. I just feel better that way. But now I call it my work uniform. It's getting ready for the job, twisting knobs and stuff. [My] suit of armor.”




Nala’s ongoing dedication to sculpting a unique artistic identity is undeniable. Coupled with ever-sharper production skills and an uncanny ability to cleverly tap into the cultural zeitgeist with her lyrics, it’s not surprising that DJ Mag North America nominated her for breakthrough producer of the year.




“Part of me is an Aries, so I'm a little competitive,” she ponders as she considers her nomination for the coveted award. “But I'm just grateful to be considered for my work. I've fought a really long time to be acknowledged in this way.”




NEW IDENTITY

“I still work with [Barclay and Aundy Crenshaw], [but] I am trying to branch out,” Nala says of her working relationship with Dirtybird. “It took me a couple of months to figure out where my footing was as an artist outside of Dirtybird, even though I'm still touring and releasing with Dirtybird.




“I was talking about this with Walker & Royce — [Barclay] has the best taste. He knows how to hear things and make them the best they can possibly be. It was through his vision that I was able to really level up. Now, I'm like, 'how do I take that and go even further?'”

Nala’s upcoming releases may hold the answer to that question. She's again turning her gaze inward and critiquing broader cultural and social norms. “A lot of the music I’m releasing this year is growth-oriented. I have a song that’s on Club Sweat in Australia [called 'Growth']. The whole lyrical theme is growth and being a better person — acknowledging that you have wrongs and being an adult about it.




“On the opposite side, I have a song called ‘Me Me Me’ with Catz ‘n Dogz. That song is just about sex, wanting and desiring someone. I try not to dabble too deeply into that — I don’t want to only ever write about sex. But once in awhile is fine,” she says with a laugh.




“Then I have a song called ‘I Don’t Mind’, which is more interpersonal relationship stuff. This year I’m doing a lot more relational writing based on the most pressing issues in my life," she explains. “Friendships that I’ve outgrown. [Experiences] that you just have to write about when you’re going through it.”




CONFESSIONAL ARTISTS




Nala's energetic, adroitly cutting social commentary vocals are a hallmark of her music. And she's more recently begun to incorporate them live into her DJ sets.




“[Vocally], I do a lot more punk, spoken-word, indie stuff. I consider my vocals and the way that I sing like an indie boy band — like I’m the boy band lead singer," she says with a bright laugh. "I’m not Ariana Grande — I’m not doing some crazy vocal runs. I’m like some cute little indie boy.”

“With my label [Mi Domina] I'm trying to curate a very specific niche, which is really palatable, fun acid house or punk,” she says. “Punk rock is real. It’s relevant to how we experience our lives. Unless you're living in a bubble of perfection — then congratulations!” she says with an incredulous chuckle.

In this way, Nala is reframing late 90s/early 2000s pop-punk and indie-rock conventions through her current perspectives. Forward-thinking artists have utilized a similar tact across various emerging subgenres in recent years — most apparently by pioneering hyperpop artists such as 100 gecs, Dorian Elektra, and glaive. The central difference between such artists and the rest is that many songs get created in a cultural vacuum, resulting in inauthentic, caricaturesque lyrics. It’s not that Nala thinks generic dance music featuring empty-calorie lyrics shouldn’t exist. That’s just not the type of experience she hopes to provide with her music.




“I’m not here to be escapist [with lyrics],” she says bluntly. “The instrumental itself is the force of escapism.” Accordingly, she pursues a definitively different approach to writing electronic music — one that’s decidedly personal and smartly subversive.




“Confessional artists,” Nala tells Gray Area. “It's something I learned based on how Gwen Stefani writes. It’s also part of my philosophy — part of our job as artists is to dissect the human experience and make it palatable for everyone else. So the driving force behind my lyricism is: ‘How can I say what everyone is avoiding and make it so it's not offensive, [but] we can still dance to it?’ However you digest them, it could apply to your life [in] a number of ways.”

As for the bottom line of her ongoing work in electronic music? “My main thing is trying to touch on the human experience,” she says. “Why else would I make art?”




As for the “main message for the next few years” that she seeks to convey to her rapidly growing legion of dancers and punks?




“Just pay attention to the fact that I’m bringing rock into dance music again.”

Pay Attention, Nala’s Bringing Rock Back into Dance Music.

Returning to reality after the Electric Daisy Carnival can be almost as surreal as being there. Even the most jaded of ravers can become delightfully overwhelmed by the scale of the world Insomniac Events creates at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Now that there’s been time to rest and recoup, this veteran kandi kid, along with DJ/producers Anabel Englund, Christopher Lawrence, and Kaleena Zanders, reflect on the memory-making moments we experienced at EDCLV 2023. The year 2023 was also a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Insomniac, started by Pasquale Rotella with his first parties back in 1993.



Besides being Insomniac's 30th anniversary, 2023 marks my 15th EDC, and my twentysomething raverversary (I started raving in the late '90s in Vegas). From the first time walking down those LA Memorial Coliseum stairs in 2008 to descending the stands and entering LVMS each year the fest has been in Vegas, the world that awaits beyond the gates is always a mesmerizing moment, never failing to leave me happily awestruck at how far the once underground subculture of outsiders has now obtained mainstream acceptance.

As we arrived on Friday, May 19, the perfect amount of light, misty rain was a refreshing way to kick off the festival as the sun set on the surrounding mountains. For a few brief moments as we approached the Circuit Grounds for Anabel Englund, the droplets amplified the beams of music-synced lights to create an effect not even the biggest budget could replicate. Add to that aesthetic the excitement of Englund premiering her new single “Strangely Sentimental,” complete with live vocals, and the first big EDC 2023 memory of the weekend set the bar as high as the desert sky.


“The Circuit Grounds was the biggest stage I’ve ever played in my life, and it was incredible,” Englund tells Gray Area. “It really showed me what I am made of.” Englund definitely noticed fans' extra enthusiasm during both sets for her originals. “My own songs like ‘Lightwaves’ and my new track ‘Strangely Sentimental’ got the most love,” says Anabel, who also dropped her collab with Oliver Heldens, “Midnight Rapture,” which reworks the Blondie hit, “Déjà Vu,” and her Hot Natured collab “Reverse Skydiving.”




“There were a few absolute bangers that went off as well, of course, but when I played my first personal record, I heard the whole crowd scream.”

Englund also got to spend time checking out other sets as a fan, citing her favorites as Camden Cox closing out Camp EDC (where Englund also spun an earlier set), and Westend and Noizu's B2B. “My girl Kaleena Zanders was interviewing people for Insomniac Radio and I love it and I love her,” adds Englund of another favorite EDC 2023 memory made.




We caught up with Kaleena Zanders after she pulled double duty with two sets as well. “Overall, my EDCLV 2023 was filled with a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings,” says Zanders. “This was my first EDCLV where I played one of the mainstages, and that was Stereo Bloom. Last year I played that Femme House art car takeover—shoutout to LP Giobbi for having me—and this year, I graduated!” she says. “During my set, I was met with nothing but love! And I also got to play Titanic's End art car later on in the night, and that was so much fun!” 



Highlights of her EDC include when she dropped "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, recalling, “I could see that people didn't expect that, but then their hearts exploded, and they sang their hearts out! Also, I had this fire dark rave edit of ‘This Is How We Do It’ by Montell Jordan and everyone was singing along and getting down! Was so cute!”

Zanders got in a little bit of raving too. “I got to check out Camden Cox, a fellow singer/DJ in the community hailing in from London, and I loved it, she says. “She had ethereal verse parts and then dropped into something hard; I loved the juxtaposition. Then I saw Will Clarke, and he blew my mind joining that techno and soul together; Man, he's got it down! I also saw James Hype to see what the ‘Hype’ was about, and my man’s is extraordinary!”

Zanders brought a few EDC virgins along for the weekend adventure, too. “I took my friends… to EDC Downtown within the festival, and we rolled up to all the people getting married!” she says. “It was so cute and hilarious, and I swear EDC has done that area up even more now.”

Indeed, the interactive experiences at EDC grow every year. “Instead of one area to get married, it seemed like there were four or five marriage stations, and all of them were a spectacle. Shoutout to all the ‘Headliners’ getting married,” laughs Zanders.

For intimate vibes, we were sure to check out the Parliament 2.0 30th Anniversary Art Car hosting numerous DJ legends who’ve been in the scene since the early days of Insomniac Events to celebrate the roots of raving. While we would have loved this whole lineup to be on a bigger stage to educate people newer to the scene, those in the know supported—even being allowed to climb aboard the art car to dance alongside their heroes, no VIP/guest wristband required.




Christopher Lawrence made a seamless transition from DJ Dan despite their genre differences. Unlike the sets on the larger stages that take breaks between each artist, the DJs on Parliament kept it old-school by mixing into each other. This helped keep the crowd from wandering away for a proper continuous party. After Lawrence’s set, one of the nicest guys in the biz tells Gray Area how EDC LV 2023 was an amazing time for him as a DJ and a fan.




“It was incredible to be a part of Insomniac’s 30th anniversary and to have played in all of the past three decades,” says Lawrence. “I was blown away at how far EDC has come since the early events in the ’90s. The production this year was phenomenal.”

Lawrence says he spent the weekend exploring the Speedway with his brother. “I really enjoyed taking laps around the venue, stopping at every stage and taking in the variety of styles being played,” he tells us. “I also made a point of hearing DJs I had never heard before or hadn’t heard in a long time. My favorite set of the weekend had to be Kaskade at Circuit Grounds on Saturday night. His set was super powerful and driving.” 



Beyond the artists on the stages, Lawrence adds, “One of my favorite things was watching all the people, the passion for the music, the costumes, the diversity, and the pure excitement of being around over 200,000 people celebrating music together!”

Discovering a new favorite artist just by being lured by their beats has always been one of our favorite festival pastimes, and as we approached the Stereo Bloom stage during Hannah Wants’ set, it was like a moth to a flame.

She laid down infectious house grooves, catchy—but not cheesy—lyrics and vocals, plus the right amount of classic sampling. Additionally, we discovered our new favorite song, in her yet-to-be-released ID, with the hook “…It only hurts when I breathe…” (get a taste of the track on Hannah Wants’ Facebook, and fingers crossed we can hear the whole song again soon!)



Cosmic Meadow is the first stage ticket holders see upon arriving and curates a smorgasbord of need-to-know DJs. Such was the case Sunday evening when Capozzi dominated the grassy dancefloor. While the petite producer may have been hard to spot behind the massive Cosmic Meadow DJ booth and stage, her fierce energy could be felt by the people all the way in the back and stopped many with plans to beeline to other stages. The only bummer was Capozzi not getting the final rousing cheers she deserved when what looked like a tech person interrupted the end to prepare for the next DJ, leaving us a bit miffed. Fortunately, fans could follow Capozzi to her next set in the Rave Hangar right after and keep the energy going.



The Allegiant Rave Hangar’s (sponsored by the airline, one of the many corporate sponsorships at EDC—a little weird for this old-timey raver)
indoor cool zone channeled old-school warehouse vibes (but with air conditioning! IYKYK…). We wandered in to ODDKIDOUT, who wowed us with dope drum ‘n’ bass.



EDC was an endurance test for all in attendance, but no more than a nine-months pregnant Alison Wonderland playing on the festival's mainstage Kinetic Field, who joked that she was going back-to-back with her baby. All precautions were in place just in case her little one premiered during her set, including a crew and ambulance backstage. And while there were rumors that she gave birth at EDC (at the time of this writing, she’s shared that the bun is still cooking in the oven), another woman went into labor six weeks early during Zedd’s set.

Regarding the Kinetic Field, it takes a lot to convince this writer to brave the sea of people at the mainstage. We’d spent so little time there at first that we didn’t appreciate the full level of detail this year’s design incorporated. The stories-high hands framing the booth wore kandi and moved slowly together and apart! Animatronics? Yes, please. This stage only gets more impressive every year. Intentional or not, the equally skyscraping goddesses that framed the Kinetic Field entrance were reminiscent of the 80s classic, A Neverending Story, and created a pleasant feeling of nostalgia.




Gareth Emery commanded the stage with a set packed with near-perfect original productions and the ability to curate that sought-after magical journey, read a massive crowd, and hold the attention of those just waiting for the drop. Balancing those big adrenaline rush peaks while incorporating his trance sensibilities had to have attracted a swath of new fans to the sometimes stepchild of EDM genres. “We got some Trance Family in the house tonight and we’re gonna show EDC what the greatest genre is all about!” Emery said during his set, later adding, “EDC changed my life!” He also paid tribute to the late Avicii, saying, “I still miss him to this day,” while dropping “Seek Bromance,” much to the delight of the attendees.

Though logistics can be a nightmare (2023 was probably the worst traffic ever for EDC thanks to a zillion construction projects along key routes) and us OGs may end up with aging sore muscles (over 20 miles of steps counted!), every time this raver thinks each year will be the last time attending the Electric Daisy Carnival, FOMO always hits hard, and the vibes woo us back. It might be time to get our UFOs and kandi collection out of storage after all, so look forward to seeing you on the dancefloor again in 2024… or at least in the back of the crowd somewhere with a knee brace bouncing along. P.L.U.R. is life!

3 DJs and a Rave OG Reflect on Their Top EDC Las Vegas 2023 Moments

June may not spell peak season in Ibiza, but you wouldn't know it from the packed dancefloors and early sell-outs. The party calendar is packed with options to enjoy paradise at its fullest. June is shaping up to be one of the best months of the season, and we've got a selection of our favorites for the first week.




Destino Grand Opening Party | Music On | Destino Pacha | Friday, June 2

Pacha’s resort located in Cap Martinet kicks off the party season this Friday with Music On at 5 pm. Marco Carola will be on the forefront before heading to Pacha at midnight, accompanied by Loco Dice and Joey Daniel, to deliver one of the best alfresco events of the summer. This is the first of just 12 parties at Destino Resort during the summer and one of the eight chances to enjoy Music On open-air in Ibiza.




Tickets to Destino Grand Opening this Friday









Follow Music On on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud





Black Coffee | Hï Ibiza | Saturday, June 3

The first ever Hï Ibiza resident (from 2017) and Grammy award-winning artist and producer Black Coffee, continues his revolutionary Saturday night residency at the Platja D’en Bossa night club, together with Crosstown Rebels boss Damian Lazarus. Expect Afro, tribal, and evocative house music by many of the scene heavyweights and talented emerging DJs, surrounded by Hï ’s impressive production.

“For me, every Saturday night in the number one club in the world is a moment to reunite with family while working to bring residency to next level, each year is always better than the last!!” says Black Coffee.





Get tickets for Black Coffee this Saturday, June 3 at Hï.








Follow Black Coffee on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud






Club Chinois presents Luciano PORTSIDE | Ibiza Port | Sunday, June 4

Island Hospitality (the group behind Club Chinois) has surprised electronic music lovers by announcing a PORTSIDE takeover with resident DJs Luciano, Franky Wah, and Ibiza-born Manu Gonzalez this Sunday from 7 pm. A free one-off event to welcome an exciting start of the summer by Club Chinois, which is celebrating its second year. The after- party continues at Club Chinois from midnight.

Head to this exclusive free open-air at Ibiza port and secure your tickets for the after-party.






Follow Luciano on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud






Zero ’23 Opening Party | Underground Ibiza | Tuesday, June 6

The London-based Zero Logistics agency was founded in 2014 and is celebrating its sixth season this summer at Ibiza's coziest nightspot. Zero parties feature new talent with fresh, high-quality underground music, this is why Ibiza Underground, located within Amnesia and Privilege, became Zero’s spiritual home. For the opening party this Tuesday, you can enjoy showcases by long-standing Zero family member from Argentina, Franco Cinelli, avant-garde NYC-based selector O.BEE and local residents A.M. Project.




More info about the event and tickets.









Follow Ibiza Underground Club on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud






Mystik by Ida Engberg | Club Chinois | Tuesday, June 6

Swedish DJ and producer Ida Engberg is back at Club Chinois this season with Mystik. Ida’s new party concept takes place at the Marina Botafoch newest club every Tuesday through September and promises to break prejudices, stereotypes, barriers, and myths, inviting international artists of the highest level to join her on this adventure of self-realization. Engberg is the first woman to take the reins of a long-term party residency in Ibiza and her music style is predominantly techno with special touches of house, disco, minimal, acid techno, and pop.




Experience Ida’s brand-new concept at Club Chinois this Tuesday.









Follow Ida Engberg on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud




FISHER Opening Party | Hï Ibiza | Wednesday, June 7

The Aussie superstar FISHER headlines Wednesday nights at Hï Ibiza after a pioneering residency that exceeded all expectations last season. Paul Nicholas Fisher has become one of the most prominent figures on the scene thanks to his hilariously upbeat persona and unstoppable energy. With no doubt, he will offer a musical revolution every Wednesday, moving around tech house and big room anthems, accompanied by a great selection of guests and Hï's amazing production. The Club Room will be hosted again by Brazilian DJ and producer Vintage Culture. Fatboy Slim and Little Fritter are invited to the opening party to play the Theatre Room and next door, Joris Voorn, Ashibah b2b Viot will share the Club Room’s booth.




Tickets available for the FISHER Opening Party at Hï Ibiza.







Follow FISHER on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud





	

Solid Grooves Opening Party | DC10 | Thursday, June 8

The London label and party brand Solid Grooves led by Michael Bibi, returns to Ibiza’s underground mecca DC10 with “Casino Motel” after a great debut season last year. Expect a curated selection of deep tech, minimal, and techno sounds that will drive you to an authentic clubbing experience. This distinctive Casino Motel will be open every Thursday from June 8-September 28 and some of the most notorious names on the scene are invited. Are you in? 




Purchase your ticket for Solid Grooves opening party at DC10.









Follow Solid Grooves on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud

This Week In Ibiza (June 2 - June 8)

Danny Whittle’s phone starts ringing the minute he sits down to speak with Gray Area over video chat. “The life of a promoter,” he laughs before picking up to tell them he’ll call back.




The interruption elicits little reaction from Danny. At various other points throughout his nearly three-decade career, though, he’s received calls that set him on a course through key moments in dance music history.




Ibiza is gearing up for its busy season. Danny knows better than most that the hustle and bustle come with the territory this time of year. Since his first visit to the White Isle in 1996, he’s played key roles in such storied brands as Renaissance, Ministry Of Sound, Home, Pacha, and International Music Summit. Danny has made a career of sizing up dance floors and figuring out how to turn them into profit machines. His judgment is seldom wrong.



Born and raised in Stoke On Trent in the U.K., Danny Whittle had no designs on becoming a nightlife impresario. “I never ever thought I’d have a career in music,” he says, although he “loved music beyond belief.” He initially served in the military, sailing in aircraft carriers in the early ’80s. “My only comfort was reading books and listening to music,” he says.




Danny’s mother raised him on American soul records by the likes of Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Diana Ross, and Stevie Wonder. Everyone else in his mess deck only listened to rock and roll, though.




“I remember one guy coming up to me one time when I was listening to George Benson,” Danny recounts. “He said, ‘There’s another ‘f****t in the next mess.’ You know, it was that typical, macho military bullshit.”




“I went looking for him, because I thought, ‘I need to meet this guy,’” Danny says of the rumored fellow George Benson fan. The two did meet — on an aircraft carrier on Christmas Eve. The man’s name was Paul Whitehouse, and to this day, he and Danny remain best friends. “He’s the godfather of my son, and I’m the godfather of his son,” Danny says.




The two traveled the world on that aircraft carrier. Danny recalls, “While everyone else went off getting drunk and going to rock concerts, we went out and found the local discos.”




On one occasion, Danny and Paul went into a Black club in Jacksonville, Florida, oblivious to the racial divide still lingering in the Southern United States. “We were looking like we were gonna get murdered,” Danny says. “But then we spoke English with an English accent. Suddenly, it was like we were Black. They loved it.”




“We were so naïve, we didn’t know that was not a done thing in 1981,” he continues. “But we were on the dance floor with them moving and grooving and having a great time through naïvety — but mostly through the love of music.”




After the military, Danny Whittle joined the fire brigade. Ten years of firefighting later, he developed corneal ulcers in his eyes. He went to the local job center, hoping to find a new career path. Instead, they signed him up for six months of financial assistance.




Six weeks later, Danny received one of his career-defining phone calls. It was Geoff Oaks, the founder and main promoter of the iconic Renaissance event brand. Danny declares Geoff “one of the best promoters of the late ’80s and early ’90s,” noting that Renaissance billed “people like Sasha & Digweed, Dave Seaman. He followed a sound — some incredible music.”




“Geoff said, ‘Why don’t you come work for us? Why don’t you do logistics on our tours, events, festivals, and so forth?’” Danny recalls. “So I said, ‘Okay, I’ll do it.’ What I quickly realized was that I had the ability to get out of bed in the morning and actually make things happen, to apply the professionalism of the military and Stoke Fire Brigade, in a young electronic music world of cowboys.”




“Not in a bad way,” Danny clarifies of the UK dance music landscape in the wake of the acid house explosion. “I mean industry people finding their feet, becoming successful quicker than they thought, and not realizing that when you tell a venue you’re going to be there at 7:00 in the morning to start production you can’t rock up at 10:00 saying, ‘Sorry, I lay in.’”




Danny had visited Ibiza on holiday years before, but working on Renaissance afforded him his entree into White Isle nightlife. The Ibiza incarnation of Manchester-born event brand Manumission drew 10,000 revelers every Monday in its heyday. One such occasion saw them partner with Renaissance and, in turn, Danny.




“I remember we had to hang a load of these fake clouds on from the roof of Ku, and you know how Ku is,” Danny says. “It’s like a football stadium. We had these ladders but nothing to lean them on, so I had four guys at the bottom of the ladder holding it up while I went and hung up these massive clouds. They were aluminum frames of chicken wire covered in this white, fluffy stuff, and then we dropped strobe lights in them. That night we created a thunderstorm in the club.”




“It looked amazing,” Danny grins, “but again, no health and safety. Zero professionalism — outside of getting there on time — but 10,000 people in the club that night having the times of their lives. That was 1996. It was my first introduction to Ibiza, which I absolutely loved. At that point, I knew, ‘I’ve got to live there. That’s my kind of place.’”




Renaissance would send Danny Whittle back to Ibiza for weekly Wednesday events at Pacha the following summer season. “I fell more and more in love with the island, with the whole concept of what Ibiza was,” he recounts. “I got into the history of the island, and I went back again to work. Then, I sort of got poached by Ministry of Sound, running their event at Pacha on Friday night.”




Ministry of Sound was, at the time, booking Chicago house figureheads like Frankie Knuckles and Derrick Carter as well as NYC and UK talent such as David Morales and Jazzy M, respectively. Danny aided in the London superclub-turned worldwide mega brand’s Ibiza operations until he was plucked away by yet another historic clubland player.




“I went back to the UK, and then I got headhunted by a company called Home, who were building a big club in London’s Leicester Square at the time,” Danny says. “They asked me to work on their festivals. I didn’t particularly believe in the club in Leicester Square, but the festivals I loved — and I love Darren Hughs. Darren was the main man for Home, who used to be one of the owners of Cream, and he asked me to work on his outdoor events.”




Danny oversaw Home’s Winchester Bowl, which drew roughly 40,000 attendees, as well as gatherings in Dublin and Edinburgh. To his delight, the brand also sent him back to Ibiza to manage their newly launched event series at White Isle superclub Space.




“At the time, Space on Sunday was legendary. It used to open at 8:00 in the morning and close at 7:00 in the evening — but then everyone would go to Bora Bora or La Escollera,” Danny explains. “I said, ‘I think I can get Space from 7:00 in the evening on Sunday until 6:00 in the morning. Then we can do a 22-hour party all the way through. All we have to do is drop in Paul Oakenfold, Carl Cox, Sasha, Laurent Garnier, some big name, and I thought we could create the first 22-hour Ibiza party to run on a regular basis.”




Danny continues: “By week three, it was a roadblock. Oakenfold was a roadblock. Carl Cox was a roadblock. It just exploded, and anybody who was around at that time will tell you that’s what happened.”




What came next? “Then, Home went bankrupt,” says Danny.




The space occupied by Home was rebranded as We Love. Now a free agent, Danny Whittle celebrated the turn of the millennium helping throw a 20,000-strong party called Mobile Home at Bondi Beach in Sydney. During a layover on the way home, he received a call that marked the biggest turning point in his career.




“It was Ricardo Urgell from Pacha,” Danny says with a smile from ear to ear. “He’d obviously seen what happened at Space, and so he said, ‘Listen, why don’t you come to live in Ibiza and run Pacha.’”




Danny goes on: “It was like all my stars just aligned right there. That moment was everything I dreamed of since 1996. Four years later, one of my heroes, the owner of Pacha, calling me saying, ‘Come and live in Ibiza. Come program Pacha — the whole nightclub. I’ll give you a villa. You can live there. I’ll pay you good money. You can book what you want. You can do what you want. Will you come and do it?”




“I just went, ‘Yes,’” Danny says. “‘I’m going.’”




Danny Whittle argues that he helped Pacha usher in a new era of prosperity. He refined the statement made by Pacha as a brand, which partly meant putting the DJs front and center. “They didn’t understand that content was king,” he points out. “At that point, you could put Carl Cox in a skip down the road and it would be packed. You could put somebody else in the best nightclub on the planet and it would be empty.”




This meant cutting third-party organizers out of the equation. “They had this goose that lays golden eggs, but they didn’t really realize it,” Danny explains. “They were letting too many promoters come in and steal the thunder of their brand and their venue. I cut that out. I changed it to where we booked DJs direct.”




Under Danny Whittle’s leadership, artists like Pete Tong, Erick Morillo, and Luciano held residencies. Ditto for superstars like David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia, whose radio and festival-ready interpretation of dance music would soundtrack the EDM movement of the following decade. Amnesia and Space soon followed suit. They wouldn’t be the last by any means.

“Within three years, they all started to do it. They started to realize that they didn’t need the promoters anymore. The DJs, agents, and managers started to understand that if you’re not paying a middleman promoter, you can pay the DJ more, which means the agent gets paid more, which means the manager gets paid more, and so on. So, DJs and agents and managers quickly swung onto the idea,” Danny says.




The ripples of Danny’s influence reached far beyond the White Isle. “About 2003, 2004, all the guys from Vegas and New York all came over to Pacha — and the whole landscape of Vegas changed,” he argues. “They watched what was going on in Ibiza. Instead of doing big shows with names like Celine Dion, when I went out there a year later, all the bills had Tiësto and Swedish House Mafia.”




Las Vegas made a grand entrance into the conversation on dance music leading up to and during the EDM boom. According to the Bar & Restaurant Expo, in 2014 nine of the highest-grossing nightclubs on earth were based in Sin City. “It wasn’t club brands. It was presenting the artist like the artist mattered to, say, Live Nation,” Danny says.




Clubland eras are famously ephemeral, and Danny Whittle’s tenure with Pacha came to an end in 2013. For that, he blames “a little argument with my hero, which was the stupidest argument ever.”




The jury isn’t out on whether exorbitant DJ fees have equated to a net positive or negative for club culture. In 2013, Ricardo Urgell, the Pacha founder, decided it was the latter. “At the end of the day, it was just hard for Ricardo — somebody who had run nights since 1964-1966 since the death of [Spanish Dictator Francisco] Franco — to understand why a DJ would get paid €50,000 for two or three hours of work,” Danny says. “It wasn’t hard for me to understand, because the night was making half a million.”




Danny continues: “As much as he liked the bank accounts and all the rest of it, he came into my office one day and went, ‘Right, I need you to halve all the DJs’ salaries for next summer.’”

“I said, ‘Ricardo, I can’t do that. If I do that, they’ll all leave. There are five other nightclubs on Ibiza that will pay them that money. Managers will tell them to leave. Agents will tell them to leave. Please, I cannot do that. We already get a really good deal. They want to play Pacha. We’re an iconic brand, an iconic nightclub. We make a huge amount of money. Don’t ask me to do that,” Danny recounts.




“He said, ‘Well, if you don’t agree, maybe it’s time that you left,’” remembers Danny. “And that’s exactly what happened. I went, ‘Okay, I’ll fucking leave.’”




According to Danny, Ricardo had to pay him a substantial severance, and the club lost money hand over fist. “Remember,” he says, “Luciano left with me, Defected left with me, Pete Tong left with me, Erick Morillo left with me. So, four of the biggest nights all went, and they had to pay more for the ones they kept.”




Danny says that he and Ricardo have since resolved their differences. “Now we see each other, and he hugs me like a long-lost son,” he says. “He knows that it was stupid what we did.”




While still at Pacha, Danny Whittle helped launch an electronic music conference that would go on to serve as an annual mile marker of the industry: the International Music Summit (IMS) in Ibiza.




This time the catalyst was not a phone call, but a “drunken idea,” according to Danny. “Me, Pete Tong, Ben Turner, and Martin Netto were up on the roof of Pacha like we were pretty much every Friday when Pete was DJing. Well, we were up there every night for about 130 nights in a row. But every Friday, the roof of Pacha was like an English pub, basically, and everybody from the industry was up there.”




Danny says that the four of them got to talking about how Winter Music Conference (WMC) had, in their opinion, dropped off as an industry gathering. Miami Music Week, which coincided with WMC, began to draw more spring breakers than industry professionals.




“It was an amazing time, but we saw it was tailing off as a conference. We were like, ‘Oh, let’s do an Ibiza music conference, let’s do an Ibiza music summit. And we were like, ‘Ohh yeah, let’s do it, let’s do it,’ and instantly forgot the idea the next day,” Danny laughs.




They eventually pieced the idea together again and discussed it off and on for a couple of years. Then, in 2007, Danny Whittle, Pete Tong, Ben Turner, Mark Netto, and Simeon Friend each finally put in $30,000 towards the following year’s inaugural event.




For the first IMS, they partnered with Hotel Fenicia in Santa Eulària and held their grand finale at the tennis court of Pikes Ibiza. “The first one lost a fortune. About 90 people showed up,” says Danny. “But there was a really cool vibe about it and everybody was so happy they were at the first one. The finances weren’t ideal, but it just felt really good.”




The sophomore edition marked a turning point. IMS 2009 moved to the Ibiza Gran Hotel, and the town hall allowed Danny and company to hold the finale in Dalt Villa, a 5th-century district built atop fortified walls now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. “Then, everything changed,” he says.




“We’re still the only people allowed to do anything there outside of the medieval fair and a sit-down jazz thing they do. We’re the only ones who can do a rave,” Danny explains. “When you stand up there onstage and you look at 3,000 people raving like that, you think, ‘What were the Romans doing here 2,000 years ago? Or the Phoenicians, or Arabs, or whoever?’”




IMS, which Beatport acquired in 2023, has not only succeeded but continued to expand. The event often sells out all the rooms at participating hotels, but attendance isn’t the only metric that matters to Danny and his partners. He says that IMS hasn’t been connected to “a single arrest” throughout its history so far, “or a medical issue or anything.”




Now, Danny has a new project: Club Chinois. 1930s Shanghai jazz clubs inspired the space’s decadent decor, not the least of which is a disco ball hanging down from a giant, circular chandelier over the dance floor. Delays caused the club to open in July of 2022, forcing them to scramble for bookings. The owners nonetheless managed to lock in a Saturday residency with Luciano, who put them in touch with Danny.




“I got introduced to Sid and Sofijah, who are the owners. Amazing people. There’s a great team, they just opened late,” Danny says. “I spent The first sort of month fire fighting, just trying to fix the problems that they had already because of bad timing … And I think once I got involved they could see me sort of steady the rocking ship, make sure that things got dealt with. A bit at a time, the ship stopped rocking.”




Danny continues: “Once you start finding stability and people start talking about you in the right way — and not the wrong way — then you start to gain momentum. By the time we got to October, the club was just getting busier and busier, and by Halloween, we literally turned 2,000 people away.”




Club Chinois is smaller than the world-famous superclubs on Danny’s extensive résumé, to be sure. “In reality, it’s a 1,300-capacity club,” he points out. “It’s not a huge nightclub, which is partly why I took the job. I didn’t want the job of a 4-5,000 capacity club anymore. It’s just too much pressure.”




That’s fair, considering Danny Whittle’s accomplishments in dance music leave him with nothing left to prove. What adventures may come are bound to find him, though. As the tides of the industry turn, it’s only a matter of time before duty calls, and he finds himself drawn to the next dance floor.

Industry Spotlight: Danny Whittle

In the ever-evolving oasis of dance music, change is the only constant. Dutch duo Jim Taihuttu and Nils Rondhuis, have ventured into intriguing sonic territory, a shift heralded by their alias: €URO TRA$H.



No strangers to risk-taking, the duo's music has always had an element of diversity, a nod to their European roots and the genres they've explored over the years. €URO TRA$H, however, is a step into the realm of house and techno music, two genres that remained a constant in their hearts despite their heavier sound under the Yellow Claw moniker.



Born amidst the global events of 2020 that left many artists reflecting on their craft and exploring new directions, €URO TRA$H sprang to life as an unexpected but exciting venture. With a collection of house tunes that simply demanded to be released, the pair embarked on this new journey, infusing the €URO TRA$H brand with the same energy that has become their trademark.



€URO TRA$H caters to the smaller, more intimate venues, where old-school house music reigns supreme, providing a deeper, groovier alternative for those willing to step into the darker side of the room.



The name €URO TRA$H, a tongue-in-cheek nod to wealthy, carefree Europeans, perfectly encapsulates the project's energy and tone. It's a cheeky wink at their European roots and the flamboyant, sun-soaked, champagne-fueled lifestyles of the "newly rich." It's less about ostentation and more about the liberating act of not taking oneself too seriously, embracing the vibe and spirit of their music.



This chapter in their musical journey is not without its challenges, but it also carries its share of rewarding moments. It's about proving themselves anew, not just as musicians, but as tastemakers. It's about revisiting the past while crafting the future. It's about shattering genre barriers and championing the fluidity of dance music.



Whether it's through their unique version of a "trashy" mix made for HÖR BERLIN, collaborations with artists like Bonnie Strange and Psycho Boys Club, or their pioneering album ¥€$, €URO TRA$H is unapologetically bringing all the heat and grooves.







As artists who have been successful in one genre, what made you decide to take the risk of venturing into new territory with €URO TRA$H?

I didn’t feel like that at all. All our albums have always contained at least one decent house music song. Check out a song like “Run Away” we did almost ten years ago. They just never ended up in our DJ sets because we like to go hard with the Yellow Claw sets.

But in essence, all our stuff has big European ‘90s house music roots, because we are both ‘80s kids that grew up in Holland in the ‘90s when there was so much happening music-wise. At a certain point somewhere in 2020 without playing any shows, we suddenly found ourselves with four to five house tunes that we just really wanted to drop. So we did it. 

But it wasn’t until we made “1F2F” that we made a connection on a specific sound connecting to the €URO TRA$H brand and energy. And from that one, we made a whole bunch more and just put it on an album exploring that specific sound.



€URO TRA$H was named after a slang term for wealthy Europeans. How has this applied to your new alias, and what led you to choose this name with this meaning for your project?

The Urban Dictionary says this: "A person, male or female, from Continental Europe who spends most of the time partying and jet-setting around the globe in the most conspicuous (sometimes rude) manner to seek fun and sunshine. Often seen sporting fashion from designer hoses like Versace and Dolce & Gabanna with bold colors and animal prints. Too tanned and always adorned with excessive 18K gold jewelry and sunglasses. Far from subtle and often newly rich. Eats caviar and drinks champagne like water just because they’re expensive while having no idea or appreciation whatsoever." I mean, who has been spying on us? That’s like our Twitter bio right there.



What are some specific elements from your previous music experiences that you've brought into the €URO TRA$H project?

Just growing up in Holland in the ‘90s and going to those early raves as teenagers. Just really seeing that whole thing grow into what it is right now.



How would you describe the transition from your signature sound to house and techno? What challenges did you face during this process? What were the best moments?

I think the biggest challenge was not relying on a certain slot time at a festival or big groups of fans that are coming to hear some of the more known Yellow Claw songs. I think going back to square one and trying to prove yourself as a DJ and tastemaker behind the decks. Even convincing that one guy in the back of the club decided that he was a techno connoisseur eight months ago after deleting his @dubstepwarriorbro1 Instagram account. 

Nah just kidding, but people tend to be so serious about these genres and imaginary genre rules. Dance music has already proven itself to move in circles, all feeding off the same sounds and loops. They are just presented differently. I remember seeing a great set by Amelie Lens a few years ago and just thinking, ‘Wow, this whole set, the sound of it is so close to what an early rave gabber DJ would have played in Rotterdam back in the day.’ That whole idea of that circle is such a beautiful thing.



How has the public perceived this transition? If there were any mixed reactions, how did you address them?

There is no transition we still drop new hard-knocking Yellow Claw rave music every month and play the biggest festivals in the world with that name. We do, however, have another one in which we play small intimate afterparty rooms with trashy and sexy old-school house music. If you are into that, I would advise you to come check it out, if that’s not your thing and you are not open to new musical experiences with us, I would advise you to not come. It’s that easy. And, if you don’t like it, that is perfectly fine too. No biggie. But genre thinking has been dead for a while and will never come back from that. Look at which people are working together now, and what crazy lineups festivals and clubs dropping.



In terms of music and aesthetics, were there any other artists you drew inspiration from for this project?

Not that much in aesthetics, the whole idea of the €URO TRA$H aesthetic is that it’s not about overthinking. That is why there is a non-visual show, no effects, no co2, and no smooth artwork. It is just about the music and feeling the vibe in the club. It is not an EDM spectacle. It’s just going back to the roots. And yes, some super inspiring artists are balancing vintage with those new sounds. People like Sosa, Westend, Clonee, Wax Motif, and so on.



What has been the most “wow this worked" moment or turning point in the development of €URO TRA$H so far? How have those differed from your Yellow Claw performances?

I think when we first made "1F2F" and played it that same night in the Bootshaus club, that was the ‘yeah this connects, this is what it should sound like when it all comes together.’ Another moment was when we played a surprise set at House of Wax at the Palladium in Los Angeles last year, that’s a big venue with a lot of history, and it was filled up with house music fans of Wax [Motif]. That is when we got them not relying on the Yellow Claw brand. We felt like this could become a thing, not knowing that soon after we would be playing shows in New York, Tokyo, and Bangkok. Now sometimes we have a show request for YC and ET on the same day in different parts of the world, and hard decisions must be made.



Were there any moments you were hesitant about launching this project? If so, why, or why not?

No, we just wanted to do it right, because we initially made the songs to DJ them, and we know it’s a tough transition in a DJ set going from 160 bpm hard techno or trap, and then suddenly going back to this super groovy and vibey 126 bpm song. We didn’t want it that way and just really were excited about playing these long sets where you play all the drops of a song, not just the first.



In 2020, you released a video on YouTube named “Yellow Claw presents €URO TRA$H: The Art of €URO TRA$H.” Where did the inspiration for dressing like the '1700s come from?

Ahh, that was merely a joke, I kept seeing this meme on all these techno accounts of these three guys from this vampire movie looking down on the people from this balcony. We recreated that meme and did a DJ set like, just to f*ck with the people and their perceptions. I’m surprised you don’t know the meme hahaha. No judgment though.



How did working with Bonnie Strange and Psycho Boys Club contribute to the first LEGIT TECHNO BANGER, “Trust You”? Can you share any interesting stories from the making of the track and its music video?

All of us were hanging out in Bali for a while, and we wanted to create this Berlin-style techno banger with Bonnie. The video is in the same aesthetic too, and was just super fun to do. Looking back at it now, I feel the song was still too hard and loud for what €URO TRA$H would later become. It is way closer to a Yellow Claw thing. Maybe we should remix it ourselves.

What was the motive and interest behind the ¥€$ album, and how did you manage to maintain a consistent theme centered around wealth, partying, and ego throughout the entire record?

Well that wasn’t easy, but we kept on repeating the same mantra in our minds. All this music is made for the first Miami strip club that only plays real house music. That was the holy grail. House music for strippers.

On the Record: Unraveling the €URO TRA$H Phenomenon

When dance music aficionados think of Germany, the mind drifts to techno. Scenes of dark, sprawling clubs filled with the bonging bass and metallic high-hat ticks of peak-time warehouse music go hand in hand with the German dance music landscape, but that landscape is experiencing change. In fact, it has been changing for some time; as music streaming and sharing blurs the geographic and thematic elements of genre, a new generation of German artists is blazing new trails and modern sounds. One such artist is Cologne-based beatsmith Kolter.


Kolter is no rookie. He’s been releasing music since 2014. However, his output since 2020’s Covid-19 shutdown has reached a new level with a staggering twenty-nine releases in 2022 alone. Kolter is on pace for another massive year with eighteen releases so far in 2023, and today we highlight a stand-out track, “Bust A Beat.”

You best watch out because there’s no stopping the thumping groove of this roller. This ain’t your daddy’s techno, and it ain’t your mama’s house. Leave your genres at home and bust out those dancing shoes as thumping kicks get you stepping left, right, forward, and back. Tac on the offbeat cymbal punch, a furious, attitude-filled bass line, and some sassy lil’ synth licks, and you got yourself an absolute fire starter. While Kolter wields those foundational elements handily enough to get the dance floor bouncing, he doesn’t stop there. The HOOVE label head keeps our focus and keeps it fresh with a piano-laden bridge that takes this beat to the heavens.


"Bust A Beat" and the rest of the Bust A Dream EP mark the debut of his new label, Koltrax. The new imprint will focus on releasing his most in-demand unreleased tracks. We’d say he’s starting on the right foot.

'Bust A Beat' With Kolter’s Funky New Roller

We welcome the last week of May in Ibiza with a variety of old and new club nights. There are many opportunities to hit the dancefloor, whether you like to do it under the sun, by the beach, poolside, or beneath the LED lights at one of the island’s super clubs. Read below for a selection of happenings you shouldn’t miss this week.





Calvin Harris Opening Party | Ushuaïa | Friday, May 26

Scottish DJ, producer, and songwriter Calvin Harris reclaims Fridays at the impressive outdoor venue in Platja D’en Bossa, Ushuaïa. New weekly resident Tyson O’Brien joins him every Friday afternoon on warm-up duties, followed by house music legend MK and other big names as special guests. For his first party of the season, Calvin Harris invites the Patrick Topping protege and "Tell Me Something Good" producer, Ewan McVicar.




Grab your tickets for Calvin Harris at Ushuaïa









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Cova Santa Opening Party | Cova Santa | Friday, May 26

Located on the top of an ancient cave in the San Jose area, Cova Santa is the open-air hilltop club and high-end restaurant that fuses dancing, theatrical performances, gastronomy, and mixology. For the opening of the season this Friday, Amnesia’s sister venue brings performances by French multi-disciplinary artist and DJ Agoria, Tel Aviv-based producers and DJs Red Axes, Ibiza regular Alex Kennon, Spanish duo Los Suruba, and Cova Santa resident DJ John Woods. Night Evolution, the team behind Amnesia, Cova Santa, and Pyramid, is known for throwing incredible parties and creating unforgettable atmospheres in beautiful locations. Don’t miss out on this daytime opening!




Buy tickets and check all events at Cova Santa this season







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Children of the 80’s | Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza | Friday, May 26

One of the most popular retro events by Hard Rock Hotel starts its season on Friday, May 26, from 7 pm-midnight. Children of the 80s features the best pop and rock tunes from the 80s and 90s. Get ready to enjoy uplifting live acts with breakdancers, bands of the time (think Vengaboys, Sabrina, and Seguridad Social), and live performances by Ibiza-based singers Rebeka Brown and Mimi Barber. Early in the evening, enjoy resident DJs Dream3Team Reload and Petit and Vazquez, better known as La Movida Ibiza.






Get tickets to Children of the 80s opening party at Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza








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Pablo Fierro presents We’re Here Opening Party | Club Chinois | Friday, May 26

After an incredible 2022 debut, Pablo Fierro's We're Here returns to Club Chinois every Friday from May 26-September 29. Fierro has been a longtime champion of Afro house. His residency allows him to take his worldly sound to even more people showcasing his incredible mix of Arabic, European, Latin American, Caribbean, and African influences. The Spanish artist (born in the Canary Islands) is more than just a DJ. He also owns Vida Records and is a composer, musician, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter, giving the We're Here parties a fresh and unique perspective.




Join Fierro and guests to celebrate We’re Here this Friday









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elrow Opening Party | Amnesia | Saturday, May 27

elrow features colorful themes, street theatre, wild costumes, lots of confetti, and a team of resident DJs who have been part of the family for years. The weekly circus begins this Saturday for 19 dates at Amnesia. The Nowmads New World theme kicks things off to immerse you in an interstellar world where diverse cultures and tribes come together, blurring time and space. Spanish DJ Wade will kick off the season alongside Shermanology, Tini Gessler, George Privatti, and Chelina Manuhutu.

Buy tickets for elrow at Amnesia









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Solomun + 1 Opening Party | Pacha | Sunday, May 28

After seven seasons of success, two heavyweights on the scene join forces every Sunday on the White Island. Solomun is an inseparable part of Pacha and vice versa. He will again dominate the red cherries dancefloor for more than 20 Sundays this season under his Solomun +1 concept. The kick-off features Polish duo Catz N’ Dogz starting at midnight, then Solomun will take control of the booth, and they’ll close the night out with a massive back-three-back session. Expect melodic grooves and the magic of the Polish duo, who usually move towards disco, soul, and deep house. Get ready to dance non-stop!




Purchase your entrance for Solomun + 1 opening party with Catz N’ Dogz









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WooMoon Opening Party | Cova Santa | Sunday, May 28

Combining music, art, and gastronomy for the whole family is something that WooMoon knows how to do. The Ibiza-born concept from LunArts, celebrates the beginning of the summer season, coinciding with the new moon. From this Sunday, May 28, Cova Santa hosts a weekly surreal mix of theatrical performances, circus, live art, interactive experiences, and body painting, all topped with nomadic and mystical sounds. The event kicks off at 6 pm outdoors and moves inside after midnight.




Get tickets in advance to enjoy WooMoon opening party at Cova Santa








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Sven Väth Catharsis | Las Dalias | Thursday, June 1

Last season the Catharsis party series (taking its name from Sven Väth's last solo album) at Las Dalias and Akasha were amongst the most beloved of the summer. Once again, Papa Sven gets up close and personal with the crowd for more than 10 hours, beginning outdoors in Las Dalia's garden at 7 pm and moving inside Akasha at midnight.



Join the Catharsis opening party by Sven Väth at Las Dalias










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This Week In Ibiza  (May 26 - June 1)

To all the destination ravers out there, time to add one more country to your list: Israel. For decades, a thrumming dance music scene in Israel has churned out some vital offerings to global dance music culture.




Venues like Haoman 17 in Tel Aviv regularly host European favorites like Adriatique and Henrik Schwartz, while larger festivals and outdoor events also have a strong presence. Damian Lazarus hosted his famed Day Zero party in Masada back in 2019. The Netherlands staple festival, DGTL, has also produced an iteration in Israel as far back as 2017, bringing artists like KiNK and Jayda G.




But in Israel, like with any scene around the world, the lifeblood is the artists, and along with the impressive events, Israeli artists have been championing unique dance music sounds for years. Check out five Israeli artists who are making waves in house and techno.


1. Red Axes

Dori Sadovnik and Niv Arzi of Red Axes are internationally known for their fluid approach to dance music. On tracks like “The Phone Call,” they flex the sample chops of the most revered hip-hop producers, but their knack for different grooves, as heard on their albums like 2020’s self-titled effort, makes them a shoo-in for headlining slots at any type of party. Whether DJing or manning the hardware for one of their epic live sets, they demonstrate the kind of widespread musical influence enmeshed into Israel’s scene.


2. Guy Mantzur

The landscape of Israel is generally one of desert. Within the long stretches of sand lie scattered oases wherein this dance music culture lies, but due to the sweeping nature of the country, many artists, like Guy Mantzur, hone to a cinematic, mysterious sound.



Actively releasing music since the mid-’00s, Mantzur has shared the sonics of his home country in all the notable dance music hotspots from London to Chicago to Ibiza and even to new sprouting markets like India. Put on tracks like “Tremolo Man” and let the wispy synths and tight-groove basslines soundtrack an imaginary journey across an Israeli Desert.


3. Sahar Z

Sahar Z is a resident of the aforementioned Tel Aviv nightlife establishment, Haoman 17, so he’s one of the artists playing a deciding role in the sounds of the country. But at the same time, he only decides his own sounds in the moment.




Having won DJ of the year three times in a row (decided by Israel’s most popular music magazine), his talent for curating bespoke musical journeys is widely celebrated, and his own tracks represent this versatility as well. One of his most celebrated, “Zikaron,” channels the mystical energy that punctuates the traditional dance music of Israel, but a keen ear will also hear an interpolation of the oft-sampled Incredible Bongo Band track “Apache.”











4. Jenia Tarsol

Jenia Tarsol is a relative newcomer, but major players in the scene are already paying attention to him for a reason. The most prominent example is undoubtedly Tale of Us, who signed two of his tracks, “Panic Attack” and “Do You See It Yet?” to their momentous record label, Afterlife, back in 2021.




What’s intriguing about Tarsol’s career is that he has developed a couple of consistent production partners. The Afterlife cuts were made in concert with the Greek rising star Echonomist, and Tarsol also frequently works with another Israeli-born artist named Chaim, as he did on their joint single, “Lazy Evil.” It seems as fast as he’s rising, Jenia Tarsol is committed to bringing his friends up with him.


5. Lonya

If there is still any doubt about the vitality of the Israeli dance music community, consider the veteran artist, Lonya, who has over 400 production credits to his name. No one could achieve that kind of statistic without an unshakable work ethic, and with that kind of statistic, there is no chance his catalog is anything less than eclectic.




Frequently working with Israeli-born record labels like Asymmetric Recordings and labels helmed by Israeli artists like Guy Mantzur’s Plattenback, this consistent stream of music touches on organic house, melodic techno, deep house, and everything in between.

5 House and Techno Artists Making Waves in Israel

Releasing what we once were is the key to unlocking our full potential. Letting go of the past, shedding the limitations of what we once knew, and embracing growth with open arms is a transformative act of liberation, especially as an artist. Circus Recordings founder, Yousef, has never been afraid to explore beyond his comfort zone, in fact, he’s made a career out of it. It’s one of the reasons he is consistently in DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs. Unafraid to do what must be done to bring justice to his audible artwork, Yousef recently took a knife to his 2022 single, “Learn To Fly,” and emerged with a new remix bright with kinetic, glitched-out energy.

Free from the weight of orchestrated synths, this latest flip instead charges ahead on the back of thunderous percussion. While largely unchanged, Afronaut Zu’s vocals reach new heights as its layered support assumes new chordal responsibilities. The one piece keeping this track from total USDA all-organic certification is the digitized glints breaking the chains of preconceived boundaries and limitations. Classic Yousef—imbuing the sounds of the future with human connection while injecting progress into the sonics of humanity.

As a DJ, producer, label owner, and events organizer, the Liverpool native stays busy. Summer is right around the corner, and you know that means a world-renowned curator like Yousef will be making the rounds in Ibiza and the global festival circuit. While many artists slow their release schedule in these times, he and Circus Records continued to roll out new material last summer despite a hectic season. This comes as no surprise considering many of the world’s top DJs count on the latest material from Yousef and Circus to keep their sets on the cutting edge. Will we see another fruitful summer of releases from the camp? Time will tell, but be sure to check back here for news on that front.

Yousef Harnesses a Liberated Power on New 'Learn To Fly' Flip

The opening parties continue this week, alongside exclusive events, gathering people from the worlds of culture, art, and fashion all over the island. No matter what you are looking for, there is sure to be an option for you! 





It’s All About the Music Opening Party | Amnesia | Friday, May 19

After a one-off event last summer, Ibiza-born radio show and party brand It’s All About The Music returns to Amnesia, launching four exclusive parties through May and June under the concept "Electric Garden." Celebrating ten years, It’s All About The Music has hosted parties beyond the Pityusic Islands in London, Holland, Italy, and The States featuring up-and-coming DJs and producers alongside well-established names from the tech house and deep tech scenes such as Audiofly, Proudly People, Richy Ahmed, Nic Fanciulli, Marco Faraone, and Yousef.

The men behind the concept are Italian entrepreneurs and promoters Ernesto Senatore and Roberto Postiglione, formerly of Music On. They are inviting a wonderful blend of emerging and well-known Ibiza artists to the opening party, including, Latmun, De La Swing b2b Caal, Anna Tur, Proudly People, and support from Ukranian-born Ibiza-based Alev Tav. Let the music do the talking!




Buy tickets to It’s All about The Music at Amnesia this Friday.







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III Ibiza Inclusion Fashion Day | Hï Ibiza | Friday, May 19

Fashion and music are universal languages that celebrate and promote freedom and diversity. The third edition of Ibiza Inclusion Fashion Day tales over Hï Ibiza with its groundbreaking 100% inclusive catwalk. Fashion Day showcases the creations of talented designers from the island and beyond, including Oscuro Ibiza, Jose Perea, Delfina Bianco, Trinidades Ibiza, Origens Pomar, Alfonso Sanchez, Etikology, Lina Rojas, and the Escuela de Arte de Ibiza y Formentera. Also scheduled to attend are influential leaders from the world of fashion, music, culture, and media, such as the plus-size modeling ambassador Raquel Villadiego, international model Krys Pasiecznik, journalist, author, and para-olympian Irene Villa, and international singer Rebeka Brown.



Entrance donation is 20€, and tickets are limited based on capacity. All proceeds will be donated to ADDIF Adapted Sports Association of Ibiza and Formentera.







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Ants Day & Night Edition Part 3 | Ushuaïa & Hï Ibiza | Saturday, May 20

The final part of ANTS Day & Night edition takes place this Saturday, kicking things off open-air at Ushuaïa then moving across the street to Hï at midnight. On its 10th anniversary, the Ants colony welcomes Adam Beyer, Chelina Manuhutu, East End Dubs, and more to play daytime. Get a double dose of Davide Squillace, Francisco Allendes, and Andrea Oliva playing both day and night, alongside German rising star Melanie Ribbe, all playing the Theatre room. Completing the lineup, the Club Room will feature wAFF, Archie Hamilton, and Mahony B2B Wheats.

Do not miss the last chance to dANTS to 12 hours of the best underground house and techno sounds!




Tickets available to enjoy Ants day & night experience part 3









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Matinée Gold | Amnesia | Saturday, May 20

Matinée Group was born in Barcelona in 1999 and quickly captured the heart of Ibiza nightlife with its provocative shows. Expect joyful house music, the best tech house tunes(the Matinée Gold Music playlist is the perfect primer), and Matinée Gold Classics. The Matinée All Star DJs are leading the dancefloor for this edition. Enjoy the sounds of Juanjo Martin, Taito Tikaro, and a live performance by Rebeka Brown. Although it was born as a party made for the LGBTQIA crowd, it soon became a welcoming event that transcended cultural and sexual boundaries. This Saturday, May 20, Matinée returns to Amnesia, its new permanent home in San Rafael (after a few glorious years leading Space Ibiza mornings), to recapture ‘the gold old’ years with a special one-off event. 

Get tickets to enjoy Matinée Gold at Amensia this Saturday









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Flower Power Opening Party | Pacha | Monday, May 22

Pacha’s flagship throwback party (and the longest running on the island) is back this Monday, celebrating over ten years of parties. Flower Power is synonymous with Ibiza celebrating its unique spirit of peace, love, and freedom with anthems from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Pacha is celebrating its iconic 50th anniversary this season, so the opening party promises to be unique, featuring interactive performances and many surprises. Pacha resident DJs Victor Nebot and Sergio Vicedo will make you feel the real essence of Ibiza!




Celebrate freedom, peace, and love at the Flower Power Opening Party








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Camelphat Opening Party | Pacha | Tuesday, May 23

After successful seasons at Hï and Ushuaïa Ibiza, Liverpool duo Camelphat now takes on hosting Tuesday nights at the legendary Pacha. Mike Di Scala and Dave Whelan became Camelphat in 2010, and have remained Ibiza regulars since. This season, the British duo moves to Pacha on its fiftieth year, delivering a great mix of house and melodic techno, accompanied by an incredible weekly line-up of international guest DJs and live acts. For the opening party, they bring Agents Of Time and Massano.




Get tickets for the Camelphat Opening Party at Pacha






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Bedouin presents SAGA Opening Party | Pacha | Wednesday, May 24

After a great debut last summer under The Cherries' roof the mesmerizing melodies of Bedouin return to Pacha with SAGA. Tamer Malki and Rami Abousabe, better known as Bedouin, are two Brooklyn-based, Middle Eastern-rooted artists who have traveled the world with their unique musical vision, fusing their Eastern influences with melodic, shamanic, deep house and the most sophisticated techno sounds. A new chapter begins this Wednesday night at Pacha.





Purchase your ticket for SAGA by Bedouin.








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This Week in Ibiza  (May 19- May 25)

From his early years immersed in piano studies, to his evolution into a multi-instrumentalist and innovative live electronic performer, Eelke Kleijn has continually exhibited a profound love for music. His journey, distinguished by his gratitude for traditional musicality and his perpetual pursuit of new sounds, has led to a distinctive style that is rich in harmonic complexities and melodic nuances. Eelke's unconventional practices, such as performing barefoot to feel the music's vibrations, and his successful ventures into Hollywood film scoring, all play a role in his innate persona in the music world. This portrait of an artist going beyond the bounds of his craft sets the stage for a deep dive into the life and work of Eelke Kleijn.



The Early Years of Eelke Kleijn

As a child, Eelke Kleijn exhibited a deep passion for music. At the tender age of 12, he began learning the piano. This foundation in traditional musicality would later prove invaluable, forming the bedrock of his distinctive style as an electronic music producer. Instead of solely relying on synthetic sounds, Eelke's tracks are often richly layered with the melodic nuances and harmonic complexities that his early piano training afforded him.



The Multi-Instrumentalist Journey

Eelke’s thirst for music mastery didn't stop with the piano. As his career progressed, he found himself wanting to incorporate more natural instruments into his work. To achieve this, he decided to learn guitar. Picking up a new instrument at an older age was challenging, but Eelke’s dedication to his craft saw him through. Today, the subtle strums and distinctive timbre of the guitar often find their way into his productions, adding an extra layer of depth and originality.





A DJ Without Shoes

One quirky fact about Eelke is his preference for playing barefoot during his DJ sets. No matter where he performs, he always ditches his shoes, preferring to feel the vibrations of the music through the soles of his feet. Despite occasional mishaps with spilled drinks and glass shards, Eelke has stuck to this ritual, which he believes helps him connect more deeply with the music.



Scoring for Hollywood

Eelke Kleijn has not confined his talents to the club and festival scenes. He has also made a name for himself in Hollywood, composing scores for various movie trailers, television series, and adverts. This includes major projects like "Rush," "Parker," and "This Means War." Working in film scoring requires a different mindset and skill set, and Eelke enjoys the challenge of shifting between these two worlds.

Innovating Live Electronic Performance

Eelke has a unique approach to live performances that sets him apart from many other DJs. In an effort to combine the best elements of live and DJ setups, he developed a hybrid show. This performance setup includes two Pioneer DJS 1000 samplers and two keyboards, allowing him to trigger sounds on the spot and even improvise entire tracks. This innovative setup underscores Eelke's commitment to pushing the boundaries of electronic music performance.

From Piano Prodigy to Pioneer: Unraveling the Unconventional Journey of Eelke Kleijn

In recent years topics surrounding mental health have received increased attention in dance music. However, it's still something that's largely kept in the dark. More often than not, the flashing lights, endless bottles of 1942, and cryo-blast accented drops get the most attention, while the aftermath of bender culture is woefully ignored. Dillon Nathaniel and Sacha Robotti are flipping the script with their 23-stop See The Light tour.




Taking its name from their recent collab released on Solotoko, the tour promises incredible music and an uplifting message for their fans. In an Instagram post, Nathaniel said, "We want to spread our love for house and techno music and celebrate life with every single one of you." He added that they would donate a share of every ticket sold to MusicCares, the charitable arm of the Grammy's that provides a health and welfare safety net for musicians.

Nathaniel said they partnered with MusicCares because they "help artists make the right choices for themselves." What often doesn't get talked about is that while DJing can be glamorous, it comes with actual financial and mental costs. There's no union or healthcare plan for DJs, and returns diminish after paying your team and expenses. Despite the constant push to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive field, he says, your health should always be paramount.




"Even if you have a management team and agency, and you're successful in your career, and they're pushing you to keep going, you have to take a step back and realize when it is time to take a break—time to stop listening to everybody else and listen to yourself."




Robotti and Nathaniel's in-studio chemistry was evident when they started working together. They both carry a sound that bridges the chasm between straight-up tech house and warehouse-driving techno. They've quickly found common ground with a darker, sexier sound leading to a stack of unreleased tracks and hopefully more to write on tour. They've also found mutuality in their mental health journeys.




During the COVID lockdown, Robotti says he was living with another DJ, and after years of riding nightlife to the rails, he'd developed some unhealthy habits. The initial lockdown period only saw those habits magnified.




"After six weeks of lockdown, I was just like, 'Okay, if I continue doing this, I'm not gonna survive." So he used the time in isolation to stop using drugs and drinking for six months. A regular regimen of exercise, sleep, and sunlight was the reset he needed.




"Honestly, every DJ kind of had an epiphany," he continues. "You're constantly on the move. It's hard to take that time to self-reflect and realize that your life choices are affecting the way that you think. On a daily basis, we're always plugged into this matrix of social media gratification ... it's hard to take that time to sit back and actually reflect on the things that we need to do as human beings and not just as artists."




Nathaniel says that COVID was also a significant reset for him. But his biggest gains have been through therapy. He's a big-time champion of the mental healthcare app BetterHelp which makes sticking with a mental healthcare regimen much more effortless.




"I was raised in a family where nobody talked about anything. No one talks about their emotions, nobody. It was very taboo to be like, 'Hey, I'm feeling this way.' Or 'you made me feel this way.' Because it was always shut down," he explains, adding that his journey through therapy has taught him to be more open, honest, and present with himself and his family.




Cleanses and psychology are obviously great ways to clean out the cobwebs. But you can't ignore a resource many in the scene can access quickly. The use of drugs therapeutically has been proven to be incredibly effective. Putting the inherent risks of recreational use aside, psychoactives like MDMA, psilocybin, and ayahuasca can be used in clinical and spiritual settings to help defeat years of trauma.




Sacha tells Dillon and I that two clinical experiences with ayahuasca relieved years of unresolved trauma left over from the death of his mother when he was 15. In 2019 after holding his aunt's hand as she passed and the suicide attempt of a close friend, he decided to find a way to clear the emotional blockage.




"I went to space. I felt like my mom and my aunt who had both never met each other were sitting there at a table drinking coffee, and laughing," he remembers about his journey. "They saw me come in and they were like, 'don't be sad, you know, we're always with you. Look over your shoulder.' And then I looked over my shoulder. And there were all my ancestors, like millions of ancestors, standing there... And then I woke up the next morning, and I found peace."




These powerful experiences have contributed to a rich understanding of how they carry on and forward with a renewed sense of self. Robotti and Nathaniel also say that taking control over how they party has been instrumental in their journey. After thousands of nights out, they both recognize that sometimes it's necessary to understand that the party doesn't need to last until after sunrise.




"When I was younger, I used to let my friends and my peers influence how long I stayed [at] a party. When you're younger, you're easily persuaded to do these things," Dillon explains. "Then, as an adult, you realize you don't owe anyone anything. You don't need to do anything that you don't want to do. Just learning how to say no is huge."




That's not to say that the excess of the scene is all bad. On the contrary, their life-long commitment to the dance music community and the many beautiful and eye-opening experiences it's given them were life-changing. In many ways, they say, dance music has gifted them a brilliant mental health revalation. It saved their lives.




"Growing up as a young kid, I was abused heavily by my mother, to the point where it just got dark. I was pretty much a very damaged kid, on the wrong path, heading towards suicide, heading towards jail, heading towards just all the wrong decisions," he begins. "When I ended up moving back to California with my dad to get away from my mom, my dad took me to EDC when I was 16. And it changed my whole perspective of what I wanted to do. So dance music saved my life in that aspect. It means so much more to me than just a place to go party. This is my entire world. This is what I eat, sleep, and breathe. This is everything to me. And I know, with the power of electronic music, I can help change other people's lives too."




Sacha discovered dance music at a similarly pivotal time. When he lost his mother at 15, it was after a five-year battle with lung cancer. He was living in Belgium, and his dad was working in Switzerland, and coping with the void left while grieving was only compounded by feeling completely alone. His dad asked him to move to Switzerland, but the rebellious teen refused and started living independently. And then he discovered house music and techno.




"It was just like a family. My family was these people and the music. I saw Jeff Mills and Green Velvet and all these amazing guys from Detroit and Chicago in Belgium. We had a club where I always went, regardless if it's me and my friends or just myself, I would just go...I was just like, 'Oh my God, I want to do this so bad.' And then I started buying records. We didn't have a lot of money, so we shared decks. We had this room in the back of a church where we could listen to records and smoke weed. It's funny, because I'm still doing that now but now I'm the guy at the decks, and that's just like, a beautiful full circle."




The mission of the See The Light tour is to add some much-needed focus to all the alternative ways we choose to take care of ourselves both on the dancefloor and off. And while these can sometimes delve into heavy territory, Nathaniel says they'd still like to do so without taking themselves too seriously.




Certain sectors of rave-ready social media have recently turned to glorify bender culture in a way that, while entertaining, isn't necessarily healthy.




"We want to give a good idea of what it looks like to be healthy on tour," Nathaniel laughs, while Sacha adds, "We're going to try!"




"All the other people are raging showing videos of them pounding bottles, like running around doing the craziest shit ever," Nathaniel continues. "Sacha and I are like, Let's go like get a smoothie. So we can kind of change the narrative a little bit about what it means to be cool on tour but also be healthy."




"I'm 43 now," Sacha explains, not looking a day over 32. "I want to do at least 10 years, you know... 20 years, 30 I don't know. I want to be able to still do that and be healthy, and fit, and in shape."




The See The Light Tour runs May 19-July 29. Tickets are on sale now.

Dillon Nathaniel and Sacha Robotti's See The Light Tour Puts the Focus on Mental Health

When Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance met in high school, no one could have guessed the musical journey that was to come. Fast forward eleven years and the Canadian duo, known to millions of listeners as Bob Moses, has become one of the most universally acclaimed acts in electronic music even picking up a Grammy Award for the smash hit, “Tearing Me Up.”

Last year, Howie and Vallance dropped their third studio album, The Silence In Between, to critical praise. The project explored the deeper points of the duo’s music tastes while making space to honor the sounds that catapulted their careers to the top. One year later, and The Silence In Between (Remixed) arrives to deliver a fresh look at some of the project’s peak tracks, including the positively rave-ready stand out, “Hanging On.”

The tune’s assigned remixers are German electro-house duo, Digitalism. An accomplished pair in their own right, Digitalism has even remixed for the likes of Tiga, The White Stripes, and The Presets. This latest flip finds the duo injecting space into the immersive orchestration of the original, instead favoring a collection of kinetic drum machines and fluid synths to cast rejuvenating waves of euphoria over listeners near and far.

This remix joins seven other new takes from The Silence In Between. “Remixes are always a fun part of the process,” Bob Moses share. “It’s exciting to hear how some of our favorite producers reimagine our music, and we’re always stoked to have fresh versions for our club sets. This EP is a collection of all of the remixes created during our The Silence in Between period, and it’s chock full o’ bangers. A big thank-you to all the talented people who spent the time making these beauties.”



With artists like Vintage Culture, Amtrac, and Kasablanca also contributing, this remix EP will surely be doing the original project justice.

Digitalism Gives Bob Moses’ 'Hanging On' a Gorgeously Glitchy Makeover

The island is buzzing with tourists from all over the world, kicking off the season early this year! If you’re heading this way, check out our suggestions below for an experience that will last a lifetime, beginning on Friday May 12.




Music On Opening Party | Pacha | Friday, May 12

For more than a decade, Music On has been a leading techno party on the island. Created by Italian DJ and label head Marco Carola in 2011, the party conquered Ibiza just a year after founding the brand and has become a religious experience to many. The Music On crew and its loyal fanbase will get together for the first time this season at the iconic Pacha nightclub on Friday, offering pure techno and tech house by the man himself, Marco Carola, Spanish DJ Dennis Cruz, and Italian regular Ale De Tuglie.




Secure your tickets for Music On opening party at Pacha






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Amnesia Opening Party | Amnesia | Saturday, May 13

After an amazing pre-season event with Pyramid at the end of April, the legendary club located in San Rafael officially raise the curtains for the summer season with over 14 hours of non-stop music. This Saturday, May 13, Amnesia celebrates its opening party with a trio of special back-to-back sets. Seth Troxler and Skream take over the terrace, Adam Beyer performs with Layton Giordani, and Marco Faraone pairs up with Special Request. Also on the bill are Palestine’s queen of techno Sama’ AbdulhadI, Maceo Plex, and Guy Gerber, among many others. Get ready for one unmissable event!





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Claptone presents The Masquerade Opening Party | Pacha | Saturday, May 13

The famed masked DJ and producer brings mystery and joy to the opening party at Pacha this Saturday. Claptone has just launched a new label called Golden Recordings to celebrate house music and its everlasting golden era, so head over to the iconic club and dance to his newest single, “Euphoria.” The Masquerade party continues to transcend generations featuring incredible production, creative decor, and theatrical entertainment! Don your mask and join the spectacle!




Tickets to enjoy The Masquerade opening event at Pacha









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La Troya Opening Party | Club Chinois | Monday, May 15

Following an early season warm-up party this Easter, the most popular Ibiza-born LGBTQIA-friendly show is ready to fill Club Chinois on Mondays with its glamorous style. Created by Brazilian promoter Brasilio de Oliveira three decades ago, La Troya launched its first party in the ’70s at Ibiza’s KU club (known as Privilege since 1995), displaying the colors, symbols, and spirit of his country through flamboyant performers and superlative production. Join the La Troya family on Monday, May 15, to welcome a new season!




Get tickets for La Troya opening party at Club Chinois








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Macaco Live concert | Las Dalias | Thursday, May 18

To commemorate almost 70 years on Ibiza, the charming Las Dalias hippy market in San Carlos organizes an attractive series of live music events throughout May under the concept "Back To Live." This Thursday, May 18 from 8 pm, the multi-platinum band from Barcelona, Macaco (1997) will fill the venue with pop, rumba, rock, reggae, rap, and flamenco vibes, to get all the people “Moving.”









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Pure Pacha | Pacha | Thursday, May 18

No stranger to Thursdays at Pacha, Robin Schulz is back this 2023, headlining The Ibiza Cherries decadent in-house production, Pure Pacha. The German DJ and producer has traveled the world with his dance music style and instantly recognizable sounds, winning over 200 awards and selling millions of records throughout his career. On its 50th anniversary, Pacha’s flagship party promises to be a night to remember, so don’t miss the chance to enjoy Schulz alongside Bakermat, Wave Wave, and Riton this Thursday!





Get tickets for Robin Schulz at Pure Pacha this Thursday









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This Week in Ibiza (May 12 - May 18)

Kyle Watson has captivated the dancefloor for the last decade with wonky, slippery, soulful, bass-forward house music. He’s expressed a unique ability to seamlessly blend playful party starters with dark, sometimes emotional, house music with slick sound design and rich soul-swallowing basslines.


Watson’s music goes beyond trend-setting, existing in a world of its own. It’s why artists like Chris Lake, Diplo, and Gorgon City turn to him when they want something that gives dancefloors those blissful WTF moments. It’s also contributed to the success of Box Of Cats, the label he co-founded with a cast of fellow fidget house castaways, Marc Spence, Wongo, Jeff Doubleu, Jak Z, and Tom EQ. Collectively, they’ve curated a catalog of wonderfully left-of-center music, tossing aside paint-by-numbers tech house in favor of weird and wonky beats from artists like The Sponges, Basura Boyz, and Sacha Robotti, who also ascribe to the idea that they should create their own lane.




In 2022 he wrapped a year of landmark gigs that included CRSSD and a Brooklyn Mirage debut with his My Machines tour. He reimagined the most compelling pieces of his 15-year catalog into a unique audio-visual experience. Beyond curating extended sets that solely featured his music, he also created the visuals—Watson’s former day job was in video and motion graphics.




Watson sees 2023 as a year of change and upward trajectory. In March, he dropped “Kick Drums.” The stuttering club heater is the first track for his newly-minted label, No Context. And in April, he checked an item off his DJ bucket list with his Coachella debut.

We chatted with Watson over a video call about the foundations of his groundbreaking sound, how his wife helped solidify his music career, and what he hopes to achieve with his new label.




Looking back at your catalog, I saw releases on old fidget house labels like Potty Mouth. You’ve had a prolific output of music the entire time you’ve been doing this. How long did it take you to land on this distinct sound that you have?




It’s crazy that you bring up Potty Mouth and that whole era because when I talk to people now, that doesn’t even come up. I started releasing music around 2007. And at the time, fidget house was coming up. People were making music that was so weird. [I thought] “I want to make music like this.”




That was where everything started for me. When you think about how the music got to where it is today, your starting point was the busyness and the weirdness, and the wobbliness. And the interesting approach to drums as opposed to straight-up samples. And the mangling of things, changing the feel and Lo-Fi of everything. I think those have stayed as central drivers for me and my production. Those are still elements that I try and keep in the music today.







I want to go back even further to talk about your dad, who was in the music industry and was the one that got you into production. What did your dad do in the music industry?







He did everything. He started out playing in a band when he was at school and went through university, and then he did a few musical projects—public performance stuff. And then, he started a record label, he started a publishing company, opened up recording studios. That was what he did for most of my life. So the introduction to music production software just came from him. He went to go and meet with one of his contacts [at a] music store, and he was like, “Hey, Kyle’s been playing piano for a while. Maybe, you’ve got something that he can mess around with.” And it was like a piece of software that was pre-made loops. I made records with that software for years. It just never got boring.










Your dad seems like he served as a mentor to you as well.




Yeah, he still is. His arc, being in the industry, starting in a band, and then going and opening up a successful recording studio and running a successful record label and everything. It’s kind of crazy because here I am. Starting out playing the piano, going into music production, two months ago starting a record label with my wife. You know, it’s a very similar kind of arc.







Since you mentioned the record label, you already have Box of Cats, which is this landmark, really fun, and groundbreaking label. What are you doing differently with No Context? Why did you decide to start something that’s a little bit more Kyle Watson?







That’s a good question. Box of Cats initially started as this crazy combination of six dudes’ musical tastes. We’re not finding the music that we all like [with] the influences from back in the day. We were talking about Potty Mouth. We all came from that era. So we decided to do a free record label that was never intended to [have] an income model. It just grew, picked up, people started really enjoying it. And that’s when we took it on to Beatport and started doing merch and stuff. But that was very much multiple people involved, multiple tastes.




Starting a record label that’s a little bit more tailored to my tastes as an artist is something that I’ve been meaning to do for a while. I posted up a clip of “Kick Drums” (which was the first release) back in October. I was like. “maybe I should find a home for this record.” And so many people came in and [said] self-release it. That was almost like the catalyst to get it kicked off the ground. It’s great because I run it with my wife. I’m not very good at the organizational side of things. I’m very good at being a procrastinator, and she is the opposite. She’s super efficient. She gets stuff done. She keeps on top of everything. So it’s quite nice that we’re a team in this venture.







You’re also at the point in your career where you can do this, and it can be effective. But also, you get to work with your wife, who I know has seen you through the entire evolution of your musical path.







She’s one of the reasons why I’m in this position today, to be honest. This is a very difficult career. For the people around you, it’s not easy when you’re touring, and you’re away, you’ve missed things, you’re not always available, in different time zones. It’s very taxing on people and on relationships in general.




In 2006, I met Tash, my wife, for the first time. I was just playing around with music at the time. I never had any end goal of being a DJ, or being a music producer. I knew I enjoyed writing music. I played her some of my music, and her brother was a DJ at the time in South Africa. He had a connection to two guys who had a record label there. And my first releases came from that. And it all just built up from there. So right from the beginning of my career, she’s been there. [She’s] core to everything.





So did she go with you to Coachella?




Of course, she did. No way she was gonna miss that.







Yuma has the most relevant people in house and techno. So how was it to not just play there but also play early and have a full tent?




We really walked in there not knowing if it was going to be amazing or if it was gonna be like, you know, 150 people. It was ridiculous. We went in the first weekend before the doors were open [and] we saw it completely empty, lights on and everything. And we were like, damn, this is a big room. You need a lot of people in a 2 pm set on a Friday to make this feel nice and beefy. Went into the room 10 minutes before my set started, and I think there were probably like 4000 people in there already. Chris Stussy was playing. I think within 15 minutes or so, they [were] closing the doors because they got all 6000 people in the tent, and they couldn’t get any more in. I mean, I knew it was gonna be good. I didn’t think I was gonna be that good. What an experience! And to do it twice and have the same result was just mind-blowing.







So, last year, you went on your My Machines Tour. The tour was a full circle moment for you because you brought together a 15-year library of music and something else that you do, which is motion animation. How did you get into that? And what was it like to bring those two things together for the tour?







I actually studied that at university. So I’ve got a degree in that. And up until July 2021, I had a job doing that. It really helps, for me, because I’m able to make my own show visuals. We had someone come on to design the actual elements. I turned the elements into those visuals that we played on the tour.




When I lived in South Africa, my home club that I played is called Truth. We did the first My Machines there. And it was really cool. You know, it was the town I’d grown up in and played in for ten years. So, a lot of the music people knew, even if it came out in 2010.




[In The States] It was different because I was bringing this to a country where [I] only started touring in 2018. Maybe a lot of people didn’t know the music before then. So it’s risky to dig into your catalog and play something from 2013. Without the context of it, it sounds really weird, right? So I ended up doing a bunch of edits and flips. It was really fun to play those shows and watch people react in ways I didn’t think they would, to tracks I thought they maybe wouldn’t have even known.




You were at kind of an advantage to do it after the pandemic too. Because you have a bunch of new ravers that just discovered dance music, who had never been anywhere before, so they’re all coming out. Crowds are just more willing for DJs to take risks and play those weird records.







I was having this discussion with someone just earlier this morning. I think you can get away with a lot more now: different tempos, different genres. If I look at some of the biggest acts that are playing now on my Instagram, they’ll be playing vocal tech house, and then all of a sudden, the next slide, they’re playing dubstep. And then flip through, like slide six, there’s a drum and bass track. And then in between, it’s like, all tech house. I think people are just going off for it all. So I think that that’s hyper-exciting. There’s nothing better than taking a risk in front of a crowd and everyone being up for that experience.

[Interview] Kyle Watson on Making Music the Family Business, Coachella, and Crafting His Sound

Leave it to Chris Lake to take a slinky pop tune and flip it into the most dexterous stomper we’ve heard this spring. If you're a fan of Portugal. The Man, then you're in for a treat as Lake sets his sights on the band’s hit song "Dummy." The once laid-back amalgam of lush guitar riffs and pronounced keys gets turbo-charged just in time for the summer circuit, and all we can say is, “Look out.”

From beat one, we hear the newly weaponized vocal casting a siren song to the dancefloor as the buoyantly precise bass line bounces side to side. While some original elements did get the boot, less is more in this tech house stomper whose percussive energy is both infectious and unrelenting.

This isn't the first time Chris Lake has worked his magic on a pop tune. The Black Book Records label boss has accrued a remix reputation with fresh takes on cuts like Calvin Harris' "How Deep Is Your Love," KH’s (Four Tet) “Look At Your Pager," and "WTF (Where They From)" by Missy Elliot and Pharell. His take on "How Deep Is Your Love" is one of his most popular remixes, with over 66 million streams on Spotify alone.

We first heard this one during Lake's show-stealing set at elrow during Miami Music Week. If you missed that reliably raucous time, you'll be happy to know he's got a busy schedule ahead. He's slated to perform at festivals like North Coast and Imagine while frequenting famous venues like Denver’s Mission Ballroom and Las Vegas’ Marquee Dayclub. His shows are known for their high energy and infectious beats, so you won't want to miss out.



Portugal. The Man also continues to drop transcendent tunes that prove to be prime canvases for electronic remakes. “Feel It Still,” 2017’s global phenomenon, earned remixes by every artist from Zhu to Medasin, while production legend, Tycho, scored official remix duties for “Live In The Moment.” “Dummy” has now received flips by Chris Lake and Chrome Sparks since its release in March of this year, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it sparked a few more as festival season approaches.

Chris Lake Preps Portugal. The Man’s 'Dummy' For a Summer on the Dance Floor

A drizzle of Southern California rain falls in the downtown San Diego twilight as techno patriarch Richie Hawtin finishes his set and steps offstage. As his first North American tour in nearly half a decade concludes, he crosses the concrete plaza of the Quartyard Brewery and ducks into a large, matte white corrugated steel shipping container outfitted as a green room. “It’s the end of our eight-date From Our Minds tour across North America — warehouses, underground,” Hawtin tells Gray Area.




The tour started in the birthplace of techno, Detroit, moved through the western US and concluded in San Diego. Every tour stop featured the techno forefather alongside a hand-selected bevy of emerging North American artists, each with particular tastes and styles.




“I don’t know what [the new wave of American techno] is,” Hawtin says with a subtle frankness. “But, I can say I’ve been around for 30 plus years,” he says in a turn of authoritative confidence. “America, for real, focused techno, is probably at its best that I’ve seen in 25 years. Maybe it’s the best ever.”




The artists enlisted to travel and perform on this North American tour are an eclectic mix across a wide geography who share a singular passion for pushing experimental, uptempo techno sounds. They collectively view electronic music through the generational prism of a completely interconnected, post-COVID digitalized world.




“We’re all working together, we’re friends with the people who came before us. And they’re our peers — we all have this mutual respect for each other,” says Phoenix-based Lindsey Herbert, the artist and co-founder of EvilGroove Records. “[It’s] nice to get that kind of recognition and affirmation of those who paved the way for you.”




Toronto-based Barbosa, founder of the label and party series Heist Mode, is circumspect as he considers the ongoing relationships between his fellow artists and Hawtin.




“In order to produce what we’re doing, you truly need to be DIY. You have to be a producer because the music, after all, is what we’re trying to display,” he says about creating a unique sonic experience. “We really connect because we are producers, we are label owners, we are event producers. Keeping it very authentic and keeping it genuine is what brings more people into that fold.”




So a big important piece is having someone like Rich, who is the front runner and who helped start and get this movement going back in the late 80s [and] early 90s,”




For Hawtin, organizing and promoting such tours is a welcome reminder that musical ideologies transcend mainstream culture across generations.




“Techno’s bigger than its ever been, and there’s a lot of big parties and a lot of big DJs and Instagram and all that,” he says. “It’s very comforting to realize that there’s a lot of people making music in North America, listening, dancing to this music. Searching out something a little bit more alternative.”







FAST MINIMAL




“This tour is about rhythm and bass. Giving people just enough to move their bodies and not fill them with too many melodies or too many samples,” Hawtin explains. “Just giving people room within the music to dance and move — I don’t think that’s happening so much.”




“Techno has become quite formulaic,” he asserts. “I think what we’re trying to play is something different.”




“I always had this idea of minimal [techno] as how Richie, Dubfire, and [Hawtin’s label] Minus sound. But it’s cool because there’s this new wave,” Lindsey Herbert says. “We’re calling it ‘fast minimal’. It’s always got that groove and some kind of element of trippyness, something that makes you feel an emotion.”




The underlying values and aesthetics of this new wave of American techno artists mirror the 90s significantly, Dallas-based label and event series VOIDWARE Declan James observes.




“I think each one of us has played a Planetary Assault Systems track on this tour,” James says of the seminal UK techno producer Luke Slater’s early 90s pseudonym.




When considering the global nature of popular techno music, Barbosa tells Gray Area, “in Europe, what’s big right now is more hard techno or hard trance. Music that is similar to the structure of EDM — big breakdowns, big drops, very melodic focus, vocals.”




These techno artists’ response is to return to minimal techno’s roots, particularly in a way that eschews popular internal structures.




“I truly believe that hard techno was consumed quicker during COVID with the crowd in America,” Barbosa says. “What’s happening is now that they’re consuming it, they’re looking for something more complex, or that gives you more to your body on the dance floor. That usually happens with very dynamic, very hypnotic music. It’s the core of dance music — having a groove, having a rhythm. Something that locks you in and keeps you going.”




BIG SPECTRUM OF TECHNO




“Declan James and Decoder — they are actually the sound of underground [American] techno,” says Jia. It’s a bold claim, but Jia knows what he’s talking about — after all, he’s the LA underground scene insider and founder of 6AM Group, who co-produced the LA edition of From Our Minds.




James and Decoder’s collaborative project Frame is relatively new — the San Diego tour stop is the sixth time they’ve performed together. Frame released “1076030” on Insomniac Records sub-label, Factory 93, last August.




After the tour concludes, James tells Gray Area about the general contours of those new fast minimal artists and the sounds he experienced on tour. “Everyone had their own style, but the theme was minimalists, 909 [and] 808 driven stuff that’s much more true to form techno than Drumcode style stuff. People were responding to the general sound of faster 909 [and] 808 driven stuff,” James notes.




James’s words hold weight, considering his history playing EDC in 2019 and 2021 on the Drumcode and the Factory 93-hosted stages, respectively. He also has releases on both labels and others, including Above and Beyond’s Anjunabeats and LA-based Space Yacht. James and his fellow artists’ sounds somewhat respond to the cultural commodification of previous waves of techno, all mainstream and underground varieties included.




“We all have our own different styles,” says Herbert. “My style is different from Decoder’s, who is very spacey, and Jay [York] is very groovy. Barbosa is a bit heavier. Henry is a bit more industrial and heavy. We scale a big spectrum of techno, but it still makes sense.”




James agrees with Herbert.




“There’s an overarching continuity between everybody in that we all work really well together as a group. In time, this will develop into something similar to different musical movements like New Wave,” James says.




“That’s what we’re onto here — the beginning of some sort of wave or movement of techno that’s going to be remembered as such in time,” James reasons. “It sources a lot from the timeless qualities of 90s techno without being too nostalgic. It’s traditional in form but still polished and novel.”




A half-hour before Hawtin’s tour ending set concludes in the downtown San Diego twilight, he is running tracks at 138 BPM — brisk but not overly frenetic. The pace moves similarly to Charlotte de Witte’s during her Ultra Music Festival mainstage set the following Friday in Miami. That set had Billboard asking if de Witte’s performance was “the first time a ‘serious’ techno DJ played the Ultra main stage?”



But unlike de Witte’s more digestible mainstage offerings, the sounds Hawtin plays are emblematic of techno: rapidly forming, oft-experimental juxtapositions such as those that Herbert endorses in her fast, minimal sonic aesthetic, James pushes in his blisteringly textural Lovecraftian minimal style, and Barbosa purveys a heavily layered darker minimal material.




It’s about speed and complexity.




“Music is something to get lost in. Hypnotic frequencies that allow you to step away from reality and lose yourself, and then find yourself,” Hawtin says. “That’s what it’s all about.”




COOL TO BE WEIRD




“Now it’s cool to be weird,” says Barbosa. “Crowds in North America, they’re not conforming. So it’s cool to like EDM and techno, and it’s cool to not wear black or wear all black. You see some old heads, but you also see very young people, new people. People are dressed very differently — you see every type of person.”




The focus on personal aesthetic authenticity “was something that was common with ravers in the 90s and early 2000s,” he says. “Now this new generation, kids from 18 to 22, they have the same mindset. It’s cool to be authentic — even if it’s not something that many others like.”




“People are there from the beginning till the end, they’re not there for a headliner [because] we keep it A to Z, we don’t post set times so the energy is there right from the beginning to the end,” he says. “It’s a new type of energy yet it’s also kind of nostalgic of rave crowds back in the day.”




Herbert agrees with Barbosa.




“Each stop was so special in its own way,” Herbert says. “It was also really cool to get to see Richie in some of these smaller, more intimate or underground spaces where he felt more freedom to play how he doesn’t sometimes. It was great for everyone, merging the generations at the events:”






“Tours like this have a lot to offer that type of connection,” says Michelle Sparks, a Phoenix-based producer, promoter, and co-founder of Circuit. “It’s cool to see local promotion companies outside of the Live Nation owned massive corporate promotion companies — it’s nice to connect the dots on that and see the promoters on the [tour] stops. That will ultimately create a network amongst the smaller promoters as well as the artists on the tour. That’ll do a good amount in every city to build that underground community and that safety net for techno out here [in America].”




As for an overarching perspective on the state of American techno, Hawtin tells Gray Area that “there were always pockets. But the pockets of techno in North America are now connected, and they’re really reflecting on what this music is all about.”




DANCE IN DARK PLACES




After the tour’s final show concludes, Hawtin and the gathered artists retreat to a Japanese restaurant on the corner directly across the street from the Quartyard. He holds court from the middle seat of a long black lacquered dinner table while the group gobbles sushi. Then, in true Hawtin style, he pours chilled sake, and glasses clink together in a celebratory end-of-tour toast.




What has he learned from supporting and integrating with this next wave of American techno producers and listeners?




“What this tour showed me was that there’s still a lot of weirdos out there who want to meet other weirdos and dance in dark places,” Hawtin says with a quiet, wry chuckle.




Basking in the afterglow of a wildly successful eight-stop North American tour, Herbert knows his new wave won’t last forever. “Now there’s people even coming after us, newer DJs from after COVID. Kind of brewing. It’s exciting,” she says. “I love to see more people doing it, and I love to see techno growing [in North America].”




Barbosa hopes tours like this inspire others in similar pursuits. “I hope that we’ve inspired others to do what we’re doing. Just do what you believe in. And if this type of an experience was something you like and want more of, then the best thing you can do is to connect with others who do it,” says Barbosa. “And if there’s no one else, just do it yourself.”




Herbert feels similarly when asked about her thoughts on this next wave of techno artists and their ongoing impact on electronic music.




“Trends come and go,” she says. “What will always remain is the true, pure, no BS kind of stuff that us [artists] on the tour are all about.”

Neo-American Techno: Richie Hawtin and the New Wave of American Minimalism

May in Ibiza means beach days, warm nights under the stars, and the beginning of summer residencies at clubs all over the island. Below are our favorite selections of Ibiza events beginning on Friday, May 5.




Melon Bomb Opening Party | Pikes | Friday, May 5

The DJ collective, formed by local Ibiza DJs Paul Reynolds, Scott Gray, Ben Santiago, and Juan Corbi, brings an exquisite mix of house and disco that perfectly captures the spirit of Ibiza. The party brand has played an essential role in Ibiza’s clubbing scene, appearing at Glitterbox, Pacha, and Pikes (where they performed their first gig together in 2015). This season, Melon Bomb returns to Pikes with a monthly residency, kicking off this Friday with some special guests!


Join the guestlist for Melon Bomb Opening Party at Pikes.








Follow Melon Bomb on Facebook | Instagram | SoundCloud





TRIP Opening Party | Club Chinois | Friday, May 5

In 2022 legendary promoter Johannes Goller (formerly of Cocoon fame) launched the TRIP concept, "from Ibiza, for Ibiza," a profound new journey into underground sounds and trippy visuals. After a spectacular debut summer last year, TRIP returns to Club Chinois, the 1,000-capacity club in Ibiza Marina Botafoch. For the official opening party this Friday, TRIP brings Shonky (from French trio Apollonia), Doublet (a duo formed by Tomoki Tamura and Tuccillo), and Ibiza regulars Isbel and Cesar Vinzent. Listen to Shonky's last EP, Le Velour, to get in the mood to TRIP!


Buy tickets for TRIP Ibiza at Club Chinois this Friday.


















Follow Trip Ibiza on Instagram 





ANTS Opening Party | Ushuaïa & Hï Ibiza | Saturday, May 6

The ANTS colony celebrates its 10th anniversary by launching three colossal day-to-night events at both Ushuaïa and Hï Ibiza in Platja D’en Bossa. The Ibiza-born party brand will transform open-air club Ushuaïa and futuristic night club Hï, into an immersive playground inspired by science-fiction B-movies from the ’60s, with all-new mesmerizing production, a revitalized soundtrack, and new special guests such as Franky Wah, Oden & Fatzo live, Mahony b2b Wheats and many more. Crawl to the ANTS opening party this Saturday and enjoy over 12 hours of underground music!




Purchase tickets to enjoy the ANTS opening party this Saturday.









Follow ANTS on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud





Glitterbox Opening Party | Hï Ibiza | Sunday, May 7

On Sunday, dance to the rhythm of house and disco anthems at the Glitterbox opening party. Creating a feel-good vibe on the dancefloor since 2015, Defected’s sister brand brings the most respected DJs alongside emerging talents playing dance music in its purest form to an inclusive crowd of all ages and genres. Glitterbox returns to Ibiza super-club Hï Ibiza for its sixth season and brings Roger Sanchez, Carl Craig, Riva Starr, and many others to the opening party.




Get tickets for the Glitterbox opening party at Hï this Sunday.







Follow Glitterbox on Facebook| Instagram | SoundCloud





Cosmic Pineapple | Pikes | Thursday, May 11

“It’s a mix of the music and magic sides of Ibiza,” says Cosmic Pineapple founder Kim Booth, a real raver and music PR turned yogi, healer, and creator of galactic events. This day-to-night event invites you to dance and open your heart to creativity and connection, offering trance and immersive music, yoga, conscious talks, workshops, healthy food, and a children’s area. Since 2016, Pikes has been home to Cosmic Pineapple happenings, and the charming San Antonio venue is ready to kick off the cosmic season this Thursday from 4 pm.


Although it is a free event, all donations are welcome and go to local NGOs.



Join the guestlist to attend Cosmic Pineapple opening party at Pikes.







Follow Cosmic Pineapple on Facebook | Instagram | Mixcloud





Ibiza’s Medieval Fair | Dalt Vila | Thursday, May 11

For over 20 years, Ibiza's old town goes back to medieval times for a long weekend, from this Thursday, May 11, through Sunday, May 14. Hundreds of professional artists participate in the event representing the different religious and cultural groups that lived peacefully on the White Island during the Middle Ages. Dalt Villa transforms into a vast open street theater that showcases a craft market, dance, magic performances, and live music.



It is a must-visit for anyone who wants to learn about Ibiza's cultural legacy. This festival is one of the most important celebrations on the island, attracting residents and tourists alike.






Follow Eivissa Tourism on Facebook| Instagram | Twitter

This Week In Ibiza (May 5 - May 11)

Franky Rizardo, the Dutchman who has the house scene in a chokehold with his dexterity on turntables and expertise in production, has established himself as a force to be reckoned with through his leading-edge brand, FLOW. An incessant drive to build both his imprint, Listen to Flow (LTF), and his FLOW events, has shown the world his meticulous and creative approach to music. Whether they are moving and grooving at his live events or vibing to LTF’s releases in the comfort of their homes, fans are plugged into Franky Rizardo’s orbit.



With fond memories of FLOW starting as a humble radio show, to kitchen table grooves, all the way to FLOW Beach Club events, Rizardo’s wicked ride has been undeniably successful. In between the blossoming moments of FLOW, he had also carved a distinct niche for himself and his music by releasing on acclaimed labels such as Defected Records, Altra Moda Music, Spinnin’ Records, Stereo Productions, and more.



Rizardo’s sound and style have become synonymous with his name, making it recognizable to identify a remix that has been graced by his touch simply by the track’s flow – and that’s no pun intended. His distinguished taste in sound is exemplified in every aspect of music. One of the many examples to note is his ability to take a hip-hop/rap track like LL Cool J’s 1996 hit “Doin It,” extract a sample from it, and ingeniously transform it into a groovy, modern house track.

Franky’s rare musical flair makes him a formidable weapon on stage behind the decks and in the studio when he is cooking up house bangers. Our Q&A with Franky delves into LTF and the ever-growing FLOW phenomenon, revealing the passion of the man behind the music, and empowering the bond between this unstoppable artist and his fans.



Discovering the Unique Sound: A Pivotal Moment

Throughout your career, you've experimented with various genres and styles. Can you share a pivotal moment when you felt that you had truly found your unique sound, and how did it shape your music going forward?



I remember moving into my new house and starting my remix for Blue Boy’s “Remember Me” at the kitchen table, where everything clicked, and it hit me that this is the kind of energetic groove and flow I’d like to have in my productions.

Wearing Different Hats: Label Owner and Events Organizer

In addition to your work as a producer and DJ, you've also taken on the roles of label owner and event organizer. What challenges and rewards have you encountered while wearing these different hats, and how do they influence each other?



Having been on both sides of the spectrum, the booker, and the artist, I understand the dynamics more deeply between the two as a collaborative effort on both sides, not a one-way business transaction. The booked artists are as much part of the event as the owner is.



Capturing the Essence of FLOW: An Unforgettable Memory

FLOW has become a prominent force in the electronic music scene. Can you share an unforgettable memory from one of your FLOW events that encapsulate the essence of the brand and the connection you strive to create with your audience?



One of the best memories for me was our FLOW Beach Club party at Colorado Charlie Beach Club in Scheveningen. Everything merged perfectly, the sun setting, the music, and the people. There is a special magic when this happens, when DJs start choosing tracks, they normally don’t dare to play, and when they did, they hit perfectly in sync with the crowd and the magic moments happen. One of my favorite memories for sure.

Pushing Boundaries: Memorable Collaborations

Collaboration plays a significant role in your music-making process. Can you tell us about a memorable collaboration that pushed you out of your comfort zone and resulted in a truly unique track?



I’m working on my debut album, and I’ve had the pleasure to work with the ambient melodic artist Rebelski. As a big fan of his compositions, we have managed to connect our worlds and create an amazing track called “Islands” - look out for it this summer.

Shaping a Love for House Music: Daft Punk's Influence

Your passion for house music is evident in your work. Can you share a story about a specific track or artist that had a profound impact on you and helped shape your appreciation for the genre?



The first album I ever bought was Daft Punk’s Homework - I remember playing this on repeat for weeks. It cemented my love for the dance music genre.

Words of Wisdom: Advice for Aspiring DJs and Producers

With your extensive experience in the music industry, what advice would you give to aspiring DJs and producers looking to make a name for themselves?



When performing, try to relax, just do your best and connect with the people. It’s a moment in time when people come to unwind, destress, and have fun. Make sure you do the same and connect with love. Make sure you feel excited about the music you have in your bag and carry this excitement over to the crowd.

Iconic Performances: Memorable Moments and Inspiration

You've performed at numerous iconic venues and festivals around the world. Can you describe a particularly memorable performance and what made it stand out from the rest? How do these experiences inspire your future performances and productions?




There have been many moments I’m grateful for - from after-hours magic at Lost Beach Club Ecuador to my 10-hour set at Thuishaven. One moment engrained in my mind is my first ever time playing in Ibiza at Pacha, closing the night from 5.00-7.00, ending the night with disco-infused house music, I could see that Ibiza magic happening in front of me. Still, goosebumps thinking about that!

A Glimpse into the Creative Process

As a music journalist, I'm curious to know about your creative process. Can you walk us through a typical day in the studio and how you approach the creation of a new track from start to finish?




It’s a fun and flowing process for me, I don’t try to think too much but just let the project lead me. I like to work quickly and first start off with a broad idea before going in for the details, having fun first, then perfecting it later.


The Future of House Music and Shaping the Genre

In recent years, electronic music has continued to evolve and diversify. How do you envision the future of house music, and what role do you see yourself playing in shaping the genre's direction?



I love the way house and electronic music have been evolving over the recent years, with house music gaining more love and I feel the freedom to play all the music I love. My aim is to do my part to show the more warm and groovy side of the genre, getting lost in a groove and dropping back in from a break is the best feeling for me.

A Message for Loyal Fans

Lastly, for fans who have followed your journey and supported your music, what message would you like to share with them? How do their love and enthusiasm motivate you to continue pushing boundaries in your career?



I appreciate the love I’ve been receiving, online as well as during my shows, it motivates me to always bring my A game, and always bring 110%. If it’s for 1 or 10,000 people, I will give it all I got to have the best time together and reciprocate the enthusiasm.

The Art of Connection: An Exclusive Interview with Franky Rizardo

The world of dance music is filled with contributors of all ages and backgrounds. The scene would not be where it is today without the years of trial, error, and trail blazing done by its stalwart seniors. However, the energy and forward thinking plays its own important role with fresh perspectives and invigorated energy for performance and discovery. One younger talent in particular has had a notable impact in recent years—Jaden Thompson.



The UK young gun has wasted no time making his mark on dance music. A regular favorite of Pete Tong’s BBC Radio 1, he’s been backed by the likes of The Martinez Brothers and Damian Lazarus and even started his own label, Midnight Parade. The label serves as a launchpad for Thompson’s revitalized, Chicago-tinted brand of house music, including one of his latest tunes, “Shimmer.”



This track is brimming with attitude and energy that demands to be seen, heard, and felt. The buoyant bass line proves infectious and unstoppable while the synth accents do in fact shimmer in a technicolor whirlwind that is as pleasant has the new spring’s breeze. And is that my heart pounding or the kick drum? Either way I’m so here for it. This cheeky groover is nothing but pure unadulterated vibes from bottom to top. Careful—press play and you will undoubtedly begin strutting your stuff.

“Shimmer” serves as the B-side to Jaden Thompson’s latest EP, Memories. This latest release is aimed straight at the dance floor, a noted difference from the anthemic vocal cuts that launched the label in 2021. Expect to see more club focused tunes from Thompson as summer and festival seasons approach—news just broke that he will be joining The Martinez Brothers and Skepta at HÏ Ibiza along with a host of other phenomenal artists. You know where to find us on Tuesday nights this summer

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