It feels unreal that we have finally reached Ibiza’s most anticipated closing week. It’s a particularly magical moment; the weather is smooth, and there’s a tremendous buzz on the island. Everyone here is more than ready for the last dance of the season inside the super clubs, yet no one is quite ready to say farewell to what’s been an incredible return to the dance floor. So don’t miss a minute of the final week in the island’s super clubs. We’ve got you covered for one last round of recommendations.




Circoloco Closing Party | DC10 | Monday, October 10

Circoloco’s longest season ever comes to an end. DC10’s flagship party invites some of the best underground artists in the world, more than 20, for this special occasion, including Dixon, Honey Dijon, Maceo Plex, Michael Bibi, and Âme, to provide the best soundtrack for a night to remember. A crowded event made just for pure beat-lovers with no go-gos, performers, or VIP area, just a proper mix of worldwide party-goers, workers, islanders, promoters, and DJs. So head over to Circoloco’sfinal celebration of 2022 to experience what a real Ibiza closing is like.

Purchase your ticket for the Circoloco Closing event at DC10




Follow Circoloco on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud







tINI and the gang Closing Party | Underground Ibiza | Tuesday, October 11

It was back in 2010 when the tINI and the gang brand was born in Ibiza. It started as a free daytime event in Platja D’en Bossa and has become one of the few residencies at Ibiza Underground, where tINI feels free to express her energetic music, style, and dance moves away from the mainstream side of DJing. The German DJ and producer has successfully run more than 15 weeks with her gang in the San Rafael club, and closing sees her playing b2b with her DJ friend Dyed Soundorom (part of the Apollonia trio) all night long. Click here for more details on tINI and the Gang’s closing party.




Follow tINI on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud







Jazz Point Ibiza | Various locations | October 13, 14, 15 & 16

Jazz Point Ibiza was created by Ibiza Music Agency (David Moss and Adam Lenox) and New York’s Joel Chriss Productions. From October 13 to 16, they host an international lineup of jazz groups and soloists. Get ready for four days of pure jazz, funk, and soul.




On Thursday, October 13, Pikes hosts a musical dinner party enlivened by young French singer, songwriter, and guitarist Leïla Duclos, who will be presenting her new album Fille du feu.




On Friday, October 14, at 9 pm, Teatro Ibiza features Dutch jazz guitarist and composer Jesse van Ruller.




At Teatro Ibiza on Saturday, October 15, the Félix Rossy Sextet will present their new album Elena Mágica featuring Spanish saxophonist Enrique Oliver.




On Sunday, October 16, the festival concludes at noon in Ibiza Town, at the Conservatori Catalina Bufí, with jazz duo David Schroeder and Antonio Figura, followed by the Muriel Grossmann Quartet.




Follow Jazz Point on Instagram | Visit www.jazzpointibiza.com







Boho Experience by Camilo Franco Final Reunion | Beachouse & Club Chinois | Thursday, October 13

Born in Colombia, raised in Spain, and based in Ibiza, Camilo Franco has traveled with his BOHO Experience brand across the globe, sharing an evolved vision of electronic music, art, and fashion. This Thursday, the last bohemian reunion by Camilo Franco and guests takes off during the day by the dunes of Platja D’en Bossa at Beachouse and continues at Club Chinois. Get tickets to enjoy Boho Experience’s final reunion at Club Chinois.




Follow Camilo Franco on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud







Music On Day & Night Closing Party | Destino Ibiza & Pacha | Friday, October 14

Marco Carola thrives in parties that go from day to night and day again. This season his Music On marathon takes place across two Pacha venues (Destino Resort and Pacha Nightclub).






Carola invites Paco Osuna, Joey Daniel, and more guests at Destino from 5 pm to midnight. The party continues with a cutting-edge club sound and production indoors at Pacha all night long, accompanied by Loco Dice, Richy Ahmed, and Ms. Mada.




Secure your tickets for the Music On closing party at Destino.




Secure your tickets for the Music On Closing party at Pacha.










Follow Music On on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud







Amnesia Closing Festival | Amnesia | Saturday, October 15

Amnesia has always hosted marathon closing ceremonies, regularly stretching for more than 12 hours. On this occasion, the legendary club brings The Chemical Brothers for their only appearance on the White Island this summer. The “Hey Boy, Hey Girl” creators and pioneers of big beat will headline the closing party from 9 pm-midnight. Cuartero, Eats Everything, Marco Faraone, and Jamie Jones will also be on Amnesia’s legendary terrace. The Main Room will host techno heavyweights Nina Kraviz, Luca Donzelli, and Kobosil. Buy tickets for Amnesia’s closing festival.


Follow Amnesia Ibiza on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud







Solomun + 1 Closing Party | Pacha | Sunday, October 16

After 22 consecutive Sundays, this week marks the last chance to enjoy one of Ibiza’s leading parties. The king of Sundays takes over Pacha for the last time with Boys Noize as his +1 guest. A great musical combo for the most special Sunday night at Pacha this summer.




Get your ticket for the last Solomun + 1 party at Pacha.









Follow Solomun on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud

Ibiza Selects Closing Week (October 10-16)

Turkish-Italian DJ and producer Carlita served a spellbinding set for Cercle in Rome’s Cinecittà. Nestled in Europe’s largest movie studio and the hub of Italian cinema, imposing replicas of ancient roman temples surrounded the decks. Evolving from classy house to spellbinding melodic techno and beyond, Carlita succeeded in blending a variety of different emotions into her memorable performance.

Carlita packed her set full of unreleased heaters, including a stunning collaboration between herself and andhim, as well as tracks from LP Giobbi, Jasper James & Wallace, and more. Carnival vibes came courtesy of Sean Finn, DJ Wady & MoonDark, while a classic 80s spirit flowed from the likes of Arno Cost & Norman Doray. The set also featured the stunning lead track from Carlita’s most recent EP, Bon Trip.




To calm her nerves, Carlita always meditates for five minutes before she steps behind the decks. And unlike most of her other shows where she never preplans a set, she chose to prepare her tracklist in advance for her Cercle debut. The results speak for themselves: a crowd ecstatic and bubbling with life from start to finish. “The people were just amazing,” she explains. “It was very, very special.”




Born in Istanbul, Carlita is a classically-trained musician and multi-instrumentalist. First learning piano at the age of three before moving on to cello, bass, drums, and electric guitar, she experiments with a mix of live and electronic instruments in her productions. She first fell in love with DJing while studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London. From Israeli pop to 90s rock, Turkish psychedelia, and more, her musical influences continue to be broad, diverse, and exploratory.




In the coming months, Carlita will play at an array of clubs and festivals, including Brunch-In the Park #14 in Barcelona, Paradiso in Amsterdam for ADE, and III Points 2022 in Miami.




Follow Carlita on Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify

Carlita Delivers a Cinematic Cercle Debut

Miami-born, LA-based DJ, Producer, and vocalist Nala emerged from the pandemic as one of Dirtybird's most powerful and poised voices. She struck a chord with an aesthetic that fuses indie rock and underground dance with an electric stage presence. Her brilliantly poetic lyrics are a breath of fresh air in a world flush with banal party tech. And her upfront delivery conjures the spirit of Blondie in the heyday of CBGB.




As she fights the sound of a lawnmower outside her LA home she tells me : "I make this joke all the time that I like when women yell and I like gentle, kind men in music. Soft, delicate, men like The Cure. And I like Blondie. I just want both worlds in dance music right now."




The indie dance meets punk rock image she cultivates has made her a standout in house music since the release of her Dirtybird debut, "Red," with Steve Darko in 2021. Her follow-up solo EP, Psychic Attack, further cemented her unique voice as one of the few in dance music that has something to say with her music. And now she's struck out on her own with Mi Domina, a record label and femme-dominated platform. Its first release sees Nala teaming up with Miami techno and electro mainstay E.R.N.E.S.T.O. for the three-track Get Familiar EP.

Being closely aligned with a venerated, respected label like Dirtybird may lead one to wonder why Nala would want to go her own way. Surprisingly she says, "it was Barclay— Claude VonStroke's idea. He thought it would be a good idea for me to have an outlet that's simply my own. And, and he's not wrong."




VonStroke and his wife Aundy were the core of Nala's team over the last year, And after working so closely with her, they recognize the fierce strength and independence foundational to her personality. Her unbridled creativity has led her to occupy a unique space in dance music that both personifies the spirit of feminism and communicates a deft understanding of how one can infuse social justice with modern dance floor heaters.




"That allows me to have the creative freedom to build out this whole space of my imagination," she says about Mi Domina. "In addition to that, I now get to work and highlight artists that I find [that are] femme, or they're non-binary, or they're just like really nice men. I get to exclude the assholes. I don't have to work with anyone I don't want to work with, and I get to really highlight guys in the industry that are actually good people, that are like super kind, but also super talented. [I get] to create this world where nice people come together."

Nala has been vocal about a scene overrun with unkind, self-important people. The lyrics for "God Complex," while open to interpretation, she explains, speak directly to this.




"When I first started writing it, I was really talking about Twitter and DJs. People that think they're so much smarter and better than everyone else. And they're making these critiques as if they're above everyone. That song is really like kind of a mockery."


All of Nala's lyrics are dual-layered, working on a macro and micro level.

It's not just the Dj community she's exposing. She's revealing the hypocrisy of an even wider net of shitty people.




"In a heavier sense, people that are putting out these abortion laws are people that have had abortions or have paid for other people's abortions. So, it's very 'above the law below your standards. We're untouched, but we're also very demanding,' right?" She says, quoting the lyrics to the song. "Like, we have everything we need already. But we're going to go ahead and be more demanding than we need to be. There's always two sides to lyrics that I write, there's the personal side. And then there's the bigger picture side."




It's a strong but expected statement for Nala and her label. Perfectly indicative of an imprint that will see femme-fronted punk bands sit alongside and collaborate with electronic producers. Bridging two worlds with more in common than most would admit and taking on a sound that she lovingly calls "grungy punk acid rave."




Starting the label comes at an opportune time for Nala, a year and change into her journey as a touring act, she's more comfortable and focused than ever. She explains that life on the road at times revealed a dark mental health aspect exacerbated by constant travel, inconsistent diet, and lack of a regular sleep schedule, leaving her to question if her choice to be a full-time DJ and producer was sustainable. She often found herself down when performing in smaller markets with smaller crowds.




However, a shift in perspective (And a chat with DJ Justin Jay) reminded her that this was meant to be fun no matter what. A new agent revealed the power of reworking her support network. And small things like later flights, noise-canceling AirPods, regular yoga and meditation, and bringing her vitamins and favorite personal care items with her on every trip have helped transform her outlook.

She's also discovered a new performance style that has made her eclectic sets even more vitalic.




"I'm really excited that I have this new style of performing. That is really working for me. And I never saw it coming. I started introducing my vocals into my live shows, where I start like yelling at people," she explains in a call back to her earlier reference to Blondie. "It just is working really well for me. The fans are noticing and booker's are noticing. So, that, to me is the most exciting part. Because it just means that I'm onto something good. And I can expand on that. And it definitely is setting me apart. So, I'm excited to see where that can take me."




As our conversation draws to a close, I comment that it seems that the theme has been growth. She agrees and mentions she just wrote a song with the same title, which is a natural segue into my final question for Nala: "what excites you about the future of dance music?"




"What excites me is the fact that there doesn't seem to be something that has caught wildfire yet. [There's] nothing that's just blown people's minds in recent memory. And I'm just excited to see what that becomes. And if I can get a foothold on it."

Nala on Punk Rock, Mi Domina, and the Duality of her Lyrics

We’ve made it to the weekend, and you know what that means: time for Gray Area’s Track Of The Week. This time we’re starting your weekend off with something raunchy and ready for the dance floor—Michael Bibi’s new remix of Guy Gerber and Albertina’s “Bocat.”



Gerber has served as one of the leading tastemakers in Israel for two decades. The myriad moods and melodies that make up his expansive library set him apart as an almost mythical figure in dance music. His eclectic tastes have led him to work with artists blazing their unique trails, artists like Albertina. The British/Caribbean artist has proven herself to be a Swiss army knife of music, a wiz behind both the mic and the board.



When it comes to beats, you know Bibi’s got you covered. The UK-based DJ and producer is among the best in the business and regularly shares some of the sauciest sounds via his respected label, Solid Grooves. This rework takes a digital knife to Albertina’s vocals weaving them amongst spacious percussion, deep acid lines, and pounding kicks, all while allowing Gerber’s delicious guitar riff to wind and skate through the air above.



This new remix comes courtesy of Guy Gerber’s label, Rumors. Bibi is joined on the Bocat (Remixes) EP by a deeply powerful reimagining by Tel Aviv up-and-comer OMRI.




If you’re vibing with Bibi’s prowling take on this exotic cut, you’ll surely want to make an effort to attend one of the stops on his traveling event series, ELOVATE. The British beat smith traverses the globe sharing some of the most robust rhythms in the game from London to Tulum and Buenos Aires. Get a taste of what’s to come by streaming Michael Bibi’s carnal new remix of Guy Berber and Albertina’s “Bocat” below.

Michael Bibi Gets Guy Gerber’s 'Bocat' Fit For The Dance Floor

House has a long and beautiful history of uniting people from all walks of life on the dancefloor. From its roots in the gay, Black, and Latino communities of Chicago to the common ground it gave British youths during the acid house revolution, it has, for a long time, offered a sanctuary defined by inclusion and acceptance.



Why, then, is it so difficult for anyone falling in love with house music to learn more about it nowadays?



Getting involved with the scene can seem daunting. Those belonging to the house music community seem to speak in code, and they brand you an outsider unless you drop just the right lingo. For a culture that celebrates self-expression and freedom from judgment, it can feel awfully isolating.





This is, of course, a survival mechanism. As house grew to encompass a worldwide movement, these barriers to entry became necessary to prevent commercial influences from diluting the authentic, DIY essence of the underground. On the same token, though, they keep well-meaning newcomers on the outside. How can we expect the next generation to protect the culture if we won’t teach them what it means to do so?



We started Gray Area with the simple mission of connecting house heads old and new, no matter their age, nationality, gender, sexuality, ability, or any other identity that might divide people off the dancefloor. What isn’t as straightforward is how we get there. As you’ll read below, our platform consists of numerous interconnected moving parts that all work in tandem with one another—and we’re building each of them with your help.



Artist Directory



You just witnessed a DJ set that sent chills down your spine, each song somehow better than the last. You track down the name of the artist and then look them up online, but now you’re met with information overload. How do you know where to start?



There’s an overwhelming number of places online where you can find information on an artist. We here at Gray Area choose to go directly to the source. Each of our artist pages links to articles about its subject as well as recommendations for their upcoming events. Whenever possible, we go a step further by conducting a “Spotlight” interview with them to give you a definitive, concise resource that summarizes their music career and personal background.





With nearly four decades of history, house has its fair share of elder statesmen: artists like Todd Terry, DJ Sneak, David Morales, and Harry Romero. Gray Area is committed not only to honoring these forerunners, but also bringing attention to the next generation of electronic musicians. Shimza, LP Giobbi, Miss Monique, and Mochakk are but a handful of the up-and-coming artists disrupting the dance music industry. We think you should know about them.



Events



When it’s all said and done, moments of transcendental bliss on the dancefloor are what brought us all together in the first place. We want to facilitate as many of these as possible for music lovers like you.



If you click on the “Events” tab of an artist page, (or at the very top of any page) you’ll notice that we here at Gray Area organize many of the gatherings in our searchable directory ourselves. Our team includes promoters with 25 years of experience in the dance music live event space. We especially take great pride in identifying which artists are most actively pushing the culture forward and giving you the opportunity to experience their music for yourself.





Gray Area has partnered on events at such clubs as Quantum and Superior Ingredients in Brooklyn, and we’re working on other gatherings at venues across the globe. Our Debut series brings artists to cities in which they have never headlined—or in some cases, played at all. Double Header, meanwhile, is an event concept in which two artists perform one after another and then close out the night with a back-to-back set.



Outside of our own events, Gray Area also recommends gatherings around the world for fans interested in exploring house music by traveling to other countries. For instance, every week of the Ibiza season we curate a list of happenings on the White Isle for our "Ibiza Selects" series.



Gray Area Academy



Those of us who work in dance music stay abreast of industry happenings before they’re news by talking shop with one another in passing. We want to give you a window into our world. 



As we touched on above, we believe that any house music fan who cares enough about the culture to study it should be given the means to do so. What better resource is there than stories about artists who have influenced the history of dance culture or are actively shaping its future?





Gray Area Academy articles can be found on the “Articles” tab of many artists’ pages. Topics include master music curator Jaguar’s list of artists to watch and Archie Hamilton’s argument for staying true to your roots. Sometimes Academy pieces shed light on a lesser-known facet of one of these artists. For example, did you know Partiboi69’s sister is also a DJ, or that an obscure, Bulgarian sample on a Snoop Dogg record inspired Shermanology’s “Bon Bini”?



Magazine



Gray Area also publishes articles similar to those of a more straightforward media organization in our “Magazine” section. Even with these pieces, we provide our readers with as much context as possible for the topics covered so that even the most informed house heads can learn something new.





Have you ever wanted to read a deep dive on Detroit ghettotech, or to learn about the origins of Afro house? Have you heard about parties in Costa Rica, but didn’t realize that it was growing into a big enough nightlife mecca to draw comparisons to Tulum? You have a wealth of reading material to choose from in our Magazine section.



Streaming and Radio



If you would prefer to listen to our artist Spotlights in streamable podcast form, head over to our Spotify page. Here you'll find audio recordings of all of the interviews we've conducted with artists as part of the series.





Gray Area is also on SiriusXM radio! Our monthly "Ocho" radio show airs on the channel Diplo's Revolution, and each installment consists of eight exclusive, 60-minute mixes by top global house music talent. John Summit, CID, and Paco Osuna are but a few of the artists we've featured thus far.



Inner-Circle Golden Ticket



They're called clubs for a reason: It’s a lot more fun when you’re on the inside.



We have something special for you house heads who would like more direct access to everything Gray Area has to offer. Our Inner-Circle Golden Ticket serves as proof of digital membership, and it unlocks exclusive perks for its holder as part of a long-term roadmap that we plan to roll out in the coming months.





The Golden Ticket is a blockchain-validated non-fungible token (NFT). Unlike the NFTs associated with widely publicized cash grabs you might have read about, we do not intend for ours to be bought and sold by speculators. This emerging technological format is simply the best way for us to offer new IRL and URL experiences to music lovers without having to surrender any data to traditional ticketing platforms.



The Most Important Part is You



Gray Area is a community, not a publication. As active participants in dance culture, we do not pretend to be an objective media outlet looking in from the outside. This also means that we want you to help weigh in on the evolving voice of our platform.



Talk to us. Gray Area is a conversation, not a one-way narrative. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, SoundCloud, YouTube, or Twitch, and share any thoughts you might have about what we’re building. If you’re new to house music, think of these channels as a safe space to ask any questions. If you’re a longtime participant in the scene, we encourage you to share your knowledge and impart our scene’s strong values to the next generation.





Gray Area represents no single sound, group of people, or ideology. No barriers stand between bodies on our dancefloors, nor do gatekeeper narratives skew the stories we tell. This cross-section is where art and technology overlap to push the culture forward, authentic and uninhibited. It strengthens the bonds that unite the global house music community as we work towards the inclusive vision at its foundation.



We hope you’ll join us as we explore what it means to exist in the Gray Area. We’ve only just embarked on our journey to provide a definitive resource on dance culture, and we think it’ll be a lot more fun if we do it together. We’ll see you on the dancefloor.

Gray Area's Mission to Blur the Lines and Unite Through House Music

Washington D.C. rave brand Nü Androids' motto is "We're weird, come join us." Their website explains, "We're looking to push the cultural boundaries of what you can expect from a house music event." Nayef Issa is the creative visionary behind Nü Androids, an introverted house head that loves to dance and has worked in nightlife since he was 21.


"[Nü Androids] is about the music and really creating a space where people just come in and dance and leave their problems at the door," Issa says on a recent Zoom chat. "[It's about] making it feel like a home space."



Since 2015, he's hosted around 180 events a year and brought Black Coffee, Dom Dolla, Tchami, Ela Minus, Sophie, Virgil Abloh, Purple Disco Machine, Nora En Pure, and other dance heavyweights, many before they blew up, to the nation's capital. His favorite events are the artists that bring the "melting pot crowd" together on the dance floor. He asserts that many variables contribute to booking such stellar talent, especially when competing with clubs owned by deep-pocketed corporations like Live Nation. And while agents often go after the money, many recognize his passion for the music and artists, which lets them know their artists will be in good hands.


This passion for the music and dedication to creating a fun, inclusive, and inviting party space has allowed Nü Androids to thrive, grow, and continue to book exciting acts.


"In order to counteract corporate offerings, you have to offer something different and create your own lane," he explains.



What started as Wednesday night parties at beloved club Flash in 2014—then just a year old and primarily playing minimal techno—has grown into a plethora of exciting, modular event offerings. Nü Androids is the overarching brand name and refers to events at preexisting clubs, like the first ones at Flash. A.i. are pop-up events held in warehouses and other converted spaces, decked out with custom visuals, art, and lighting. SünDown are open-air day parties, often held on Flash's roof. There have also been two iterations of the Dimensions festival, the first one in D.C. in 2018 and another in a 50,000-square-foot abandoned Macy's in Miami for Art Basel 2019.

A major highlight was their event with the late cultural powerhouse Virgil Abloh, eight months before he signed with Louis Vuitton in 2017. The A.i. branded event took place in a former restaurant and lounge, Café Asia, with a Boiler Room-style set up, perfect for Abloh's electrifying set. Issa grew up on hip-hop and R&B and loves house. So, he loves a DJ set that spans the spectrum, as Abloh did so seamlessly.

Seeing the excitement and joy on peoples' faces is everything for Issa. It's humbling when attendees thank him after an event, knowing they had a good time and appreciated the space and vibes. It's vital that he intentionally create a space where people feel joy and feel welcome.

"Money and access don't curate the culture you want," Issa states when asked about V.I.P. While they have tables available for purchase to those who want their own space and can afford it, there's no V.I.P. entrance or viewing area. He's mindful of how many tables are available for each event, leaving plenty of room on the dance floor and good vibes.

"We're doing this because we're making a living, and you have to find a good medium where you're not selling out, but you're also still hitting certain numbers. When we did the Black Coffee pop-up, I waited till the last three days to sell tables because I wanted people that really just loved Black Coffee to attend. We had 2500 people and we only listed 12 tables and they sold out within a few hours. People kept asking me to add more, and I know I could have added another 10 or 15 tables, but I didn't want to. I wanted the majority of the people attending to feel like they're part of the party and not have table space taking up the majority of the dance floor."



Issa is mindful of every detail and, as a seasoned raver, does everything he can to ensure an energetic dance floor with a collective spirit. He's always loved dancing, and while he doesn't have quite as much energy as he did in his early 20s, he will still create dance circles at events sometimes to encourage people to get grooving.


"I'm a host, not just a promoter. There's a negative connotation with promoters, the ones that are labeled as douchebags [chuckles] and are just popping bottles, not giving a shit. Because I love the music and dancing and I have that host mentality, if I go into the dance floor, it encourages people to let loose and have a good time. Once you see a few people letting loose, all the barriers evaporate and you feel that everyone is here on the same wave length."



He started promoting at 21, at Top 40 clubs in the city—where the money is, he says—but he always had a taste for forward-thinking music. The connections he made in nightlife helped him envision and build Nü Androids. And even before he could enter clubs, he was a music curator for his friends—before Spotify and SoundCloud, he was always burning them CDs. In the blog-heavy days of the early aughts, he partnered with Complex's (former) dance music blog, Do Androids Dance, which inspired the name for his events and allowed him a public space to share his eclectic musical taste.

At the first Nü Androids events, on Wednesdays at Flash, he explored his music taste and shared it with D.C. ravers, the ones who were down to get down on a weeknight. They were there for the music, and the artists could feel it. The very first event was with Wax Motif, and the first five weeks in a row sold out. Nü Androids had officially landed and met a need the city's existing nightlife offerings had yet to fulfill.

The next space Issa set off was the former Café Asia space for a year and a half. The first event in that space was with EDX—800 people showed up.



"That kind of put the stamp [on us] and built our credibility for being able to bring 800 people to a space that's not known for music. That was the eye opener where, I was like, 'Okay, we kind of have something now.'"

Issa is on a mission to "normalize that D.C. is cool," pointing to the rich art, food, and music scenes.

"People just think of D.C. as a political town and that we're not cool… My biggest pet peeve now is when we do cool shit—I have a cool restaurant [Residents]—and people will come in and be like, 'I don't feel like I'm in D.C.' Well, what the fuck is it going to take for you to feel like you're in D.C.?" he explains. "It's definitely frustrating to constantly educate out-of-towners, or even D.C. people. They'll go travel, and then they'll come to the events and they'll be like, 'Oh, this is just like New York.' Why isn't it just D.C.?"




Like the broader music scene, he says the dance music market in D.C. has always been good and is currently healthy, with some good competition keeping things exciting. D.C. offers an array of dance music venues, from Insomniac-owned Club Glow and Echostage to 9:30 Club and Anthem. And as the club experience likes to put the DJ on a pedestal, Issa feels there's something lost when the crowd grows too large, or the DJ can't directly connect with the dancefloor.

"I think anything over 800 to 1000 people, it's not really a culturally forward-thinking venue, it doesn't create the atmosphere. Once it gets too big, you lose the essence of a dance party. When you're on a big stage as an artist, it's harder to connect when you're not within arm's distance [of the crowd]. I always value and want to bring that no matter how big the show is… that's what creates the vibe."



And soon, Issa will have his own club, Culture. It will be the first official permanent home for Nü Androids, although they will still work with other spaces. He hasn't shared much about it publicly yet; you can expect the creativity and adaptability of his events to inform the vibe. There won't be a fixed stage at Culture, meaning one show to the next could look completely different and always offer a different point of view for the DJ and audience. The setup and vibe for each party will be tailored to what's suits it best.

Like anyone involved in events, getting through the pandemic has been a challenge. At first, the 2020 shutdown was a much-needed time for rest for Issa, the ever-busy introvert. But as things dragged on, he figured it might be necessary to figure out a career change. Luckily, that didn't have to happen, and he was able to pull through. And it was so worth it. At the first party back after restrictions began to lift, a SünDown roof party at Flash in May 2021, it was a proper reunion—everyone was crying and hugging each other.

And what's the biggest lesson he's learned from all his time in the rave business? "Always expect the unexpected."

Nayef Issa On Throwing Raves With Nü Androids: "Money And Access Don't Really Curate The Culture You Want"

VNSSA continuously keeps the momentum going. After years of rising through the American DJ circuit, she has checked off another career box with an official remix of "These Notes In This Order" for Dirtybird boss Claude VonStroke. The remix comes with the massive remix package for Von Strokes Covid era album Freaks & Beaks alongside remixes from Nikki Nair, Shiba San, and Steve Darko.




VNSSA burst onto the scene in 2019 with club favorites "Word" and "Rave Grave" with Walker & Royce. While she was a new name to some, she'd spent years honing her skills in the LA scene and had already scored underground cred with releases on Box Of Cats, Psycho Disco, Dim Mak, and Country Club Disco.




VNSSA has since become a festival favorite. Her onstage presence matches her wonderfully eclectic catalog, often breezing from bottom-heavy tech house to joyous disco in one set.




We caught up with VNSSA to chat about her latest Dirtybird release, her upcoming performance at Dirtybird Campout, and more.









You've been a regular on Dirtybird over the years, with multiple appearances on compilations and your first single coming last year. However, this is the first time Barclay tapped you for a remix. How do you approach a remix for someone like him? Do you feel pressure to try and make it in the "Dirtybird style," or is it simply about expressing your take on the track?



I still cannot believe I got to do a remix for Claude VonStroke. He's been one of my favorite artists for so long. I was definitely feeling the pressure because I wanted to stay true to myself while also making something that he would like and that we would both play out at shows.



You're playing the upcoming Dirtybird Campout Festival. Given your association with the label, this festival is probably somewhat of a homecoming filled with friends and family. What does it mean to you to play this event, and how is it different performing at an artist/label-driven event versus other festivals?



Dirtybird Campout is my home away from home. In a way, it's just like summer camp. Every year you see the same friends (and meet a ton of new ones), catch up, hang out, and enjoy all the music and activities together again. It brings together some amazing people and music, and I'm so happy I got asked back to play again. It really is the most unique festival I've been to.



Can you tell us about coming up in Newport Beach? It doesn't seem like a place that one would necessarily associate with electronic music, yet we've spoken to a handful of DJs over the years from the area. What was your time like there, and how did you discover electronic music?



Growing up by the beach, I did a lot of surfing and riding my bike around at the beach. I went to a lot of surf, punk, and rock shows until eventually starting my own band with some friends, although we were more indie rock than anything. After a while, I started going to clubs and DJ shows at the local live music venue (Detroit Bar at the time) and just fell in love. I decided that I didn't want to be in a band anymore. I wanted to be the band. So I started DJing.



You DJed the local circuit for five years before scoring your first release on a label in 2018. This period in any artist's life often gets overlooked. It's easy to think your career starts with that first release, but the reality is you were grinding for years. Do you have fond memories of this time? Is there anything you miss from those early days? How do you feel the electronic scene on the west coast has changed since you first got your start out there?



I had a great time early on before releasing music. I was hanging out with all the other local DJs and learning new stuff constantly. I stopped getting booked in my local scene for a while, so I decided to start throwing my own parties. Every party had a theme. They were kind of like janky elrow parties, except confetti would eventually get banned.



You've managed to avoid being put into a box throughout your career. You've released music with an eclectic group of labels, from Dirtybird to Higher Ground. It seems that tech house is becoming increasingly popular every day. What's the biggest challenge in staying fresh with your music and consistently finding new ways to approach producing/DJing?



My music taste is always evolving, and I listen to just about everything. I think it's important to draw inspiration from other types of music, not just dance music. As the music I listen to transforms, so does the music I make. I hope to continue to keep changing and growing and stay out of a box.



2019 was a massive year for you. "Word" and "Rave Grave" with Walker & Royce received an incredible response and put you into the spotlight. Did you have a sense that these tracks were a little different? How did you meet Sam and Gavin?



I met Gavin and Sam in 2016 or 17 at a gig in my hometown. I opened for them a few times, and we remained in contact. I knew those tracks were different just from the amount of hype they were getting before they even came out. Walker & Royce have been a huge inspiration for me over the years and have believed in me from the start. I'm super thankful for their support and always love working with them. We currently have a few tracks in the works, so hopefully, you'll hear more from us soon!





In the last year or two, you've been releasing music at a higher rate, carrying the momentum and growing rapidly. What do you hope to accomplish in the next year or so of your career? Are there any long-term goals you have, such as starting a label or building out some crazy tour production?



I want to keep releasing music and honing my craft. I feel like I'm still learning new stuff, and I don't see an end to that. I hope to continue to tour more outside of the US. I'm touring Australia for the first time in October, and I'm so excited! Eventually, I'd like to take a live set on the road, but for now, I'm going where the wind takes me!



What are your favorite songs to play out right now?



Anything by Hannah Laing or Ben Sterling.




Do you have any pieces of hardware or software plugins you rely on frequently for producing?



My Novation Peak is my favorite synth at the moment, and U-he Diva.



What music do you listen to outside of dance music?



I listen to a lot of dream pop synth wave, indie rock goth punk. That's one genre.



Festival, large venue, or club?



Festival during the day. Large venue at night and club for the afters.



West Coast or East coast show?



Different vibes, but both are amazing. I can't pick



What advice would you give to an upcoming artist in an ever-crowded scene?



Be true to yourself and follow your own path.

VNSSA on Remixing Claude VonStroke and Dirtybird Campout

Nashville is frequented for its honky tonks and cowgirl-clad bachelorette parties, but soon enough, it may be a destination for eco-warriors too. That’s because Deep Tropics, a two-day gathering produced by Full Circle Presents, brings environmental visibility to Music City with the help of their parent 501c3, Deep Culture. What used to be a dream for the social impact organization is quickly materializing, and its leaders couldn’t be happier.




“Deep Culture started in 2019, originally as a vehicle to support the festival’s sustainability initiatives,” explains Joel Atchison, Deep Tropics’ co-founder and head of regenerative design. “Now we’re trying to map out what we’re doing so we can share that information with other organizers and festivals.”




Joel and his twin brother Blake Atchison are responsible for the nonprofit and its critically acclaimed electronic event, which in 2022 attracted over 5,000 attendees and featured high-energy sets from international acts like Tchami, Chris Lake, Vintage Culture, Wax Motif, and LSDream.




The colorful stage designs and art installations made from hempcrete and aircrete that cover Deep Tropics’ Bicentennial Park home each August are impressive on their own, but it’s the behind-the-scenes magic that makes this green-friendly party stand out in a sea of summer music attractions.





Among the most distinguishing factors are Deep Tropics’ green activities, which drive positive change on a global scale. In the past, the team has created rainwater catchment systems and produced biochar to promote soil health for local grounds, and that doesn’t even touch on what happens during the main event.




In 2022, Deep Tropics captured 2,819 pounds of post-consumer materials from the festival (including 650 pounds of compost). In total, they diverted a stunning 93.01% percent of the festival’s waste from the landfill — an effort made partly by their reusable “infinity cup” program and “Earth Guardian” volunteers who work on-site while bass rumbles in the backdrop.




Attendees also had the option to purchase "Green Disco Eco-bands” — bracelets made from organic, all-natural materials — the proceeds from which are now being used to plant a total of 23,150 fruit-bearing trees in Kenya later this year. An additional local donation of more than $2,000 went to Root Nashville and Tennessee Environmental Council. The agencies will plant 1,000 trees locally, including inside the municipal park where Deep Tropics takes place. The carbon sequestered, or offset, by these trees is expected to reach some 407 metric tons — a number that has positive implications for air quality far beyond the downtown metro area.






That said, Deep Tropics and its aforementioned outcomes wouldn’t exist without Full Circle Presents — the leading independent promoter of house, bass, and dance music events in Nashville. With more than 100 shows on its rosters annually, Joel sees an opportunity to leverage that existing infrastructure to build more mindful programming within the flourishing tourist spot.




“We’ll be curating events that are more in the health and wellness lane — we’re bringing epic sound baths and thought leaders and conferences to our city,” he shares excitedly with Gray Area of what’s still to come. “It’s all about exposing people to the righteous ideas of self, community, and planet. We want to encourage personal development and growth, while obviously taking care of the Earth, too.”




Joel is feeling particularly optimistic, and with good reason — he’s all in these days. After working for years as a partner for a local cannabis company, he recently decided to redirect his attention entirely to Deep Culture.




“I’m still a partner but I have officially moved out of my operational role,” he adds happily. “I’ll be doing a little consulting in September and then my plate’s all cleared.” Regarding the evolution of the nonprofit, he says there’s no better time than now to expand.




“We’re trying to do events all year around and find different ways to activate people,” he explains. “All of my favorite podcasters — I’m booking them, along with great teachers, doctors and philanthropists. We’re aligning with like-minded organizations, like-minded people and creating community, which is just desperately needed here.”






Full Circle Presents’ regular Decompress party is already a fixture of Nashville’s dance music ecosystem. Joel hopes to soon unveil sister events backed by the Deep Culture mission. Eventually, he wants to create a multi-day hybrid celebration that blends educational programming with shows and wellness activities.




“I see us having a night of partying, maybe some ecstatic dance with fun, festive components to it, but I really want the main focus to be on healing,” he elaborates.




While the ultimate look of Deep Culture and its forthcoming schedule is still taking shape, Joel is putting his money where his mouth is. “Since we established the 501c3, I just haven’t known exactly what exactly I was going to do with it,” he continues. “Now that I’ve decided that is what I’m going to be doing full time, I’ll be spending the rest of the year working on pitch decks and reaching performers. We plan to raise a half million dollars to make it happen.”




While a fat stack of cash is sure to bring the goal within reach, we’re betting it’s Joel’s passion that will push Deep Culture and its mindful vision over the finish line.

Deep Culture Deepens Social Impact in Nashville and Beyond

October in Ibiza is a month full of emotions as the season is officially ending. Closing parties are a tradition in Ibiza, just as the opening events are. Exclusively during three weeks this year, party lovers, artists, and seasonal workers get together to celebrate one last dance inside the clubs and let the festive atmosphere carry them away. We are celebrating the second closing week with a selection of some of the top fiestas.







Flower Power Closing Party | Pacha | Monday, October 3

We kick off the second week of closings featuring the last opportunity to enjoy the most genuine and oldest party on the island! Flower Power by Pacha was launched in 1980 by Piti Urgell and stands out from the musical landscape of Ibiza. Head over to the cherry club and listen to the original versions of rock and soul songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s by resident DJs Victor Nebot and Sergio Vicedo. You’ll find people of all ages dancing and singing along with flowers and a happy hippie spirit. Tickets for Flower Power closing party at Pacha

Follow Flower Power on Instagram | Facebook







SAGA by Bedouin Closing Party | Pacha | Wednesday, October 5

For the first time, Bedouin curated their own night at Pacha Ibiza under the name “A Wednesday Saga.” For the last dance this week, Bedouin brings Hoomance, a regular at Storytellers and Burning Man, alongside Swiss-Chilean legend Luciano, who will display minimal house with a Latin flavor. In addition, the multicultural duo plans to release their debut album later this year, so the Saga continues beyond their Ibiza closing event. Purchase your tickets for the A Wednesday Saga closing party

Follow Bedouin on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud




Paradise by Jamie Jones Closing Party| Amnesia | Wednesday, October 5

This season, Jamie Jones and Paradise’s switch from DC10 to Amnesia has been a match made in heaven. Entitled The Age of Love, every Wednesday Amnesia has been adorned with abstract neon shapes and futuristic dancers, bringing back the original Ibiza Balearic vibe of the historic venue. For the grand finale, the Hot Creation boss invites Nicole Moudaber, Joseph Capriati, and Amémé to The Terrace. The Club Room, named The Music Box, will be hosted by Alan Fitzpatrick b2b Richy Ahmed, Darius Syrossian, and more. Do not miss the last chance to experience The true Age of Love. Get your tickets to enjoy the Paradise closing party this Wednesday.

Follow Paradise on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud







ONE MORE dANTS| Ushuaïa | Saturday, October 8

Ushuaia has hosted over a hundred parties this summer and saved the best for last, ONE MORE dANTS. ANTS colony, The Night League's creation, and Ushuaïa’s flagship party take over on the final summer date this Saturday with a mind-blowing line-up. The global Afro house DJ Black Coffee will headline the party, performing outside a week after concluding his residency at Hï Ibiza. Cutting-edge Brooklyn duo, The Martinez Brothers, will join him with house and techno favorites Camelphat. Buy tickets to enjoy ONE MORE dANTS at Ushuaïa.


Follow ANTS on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud







Hï Closing Party | Hï Ibiza | Saturday, October 8

After Ushuaïa holds its One More dANTS closing event, Hï Ibiza begins its season-ending celebration across the street at midnight. Both venues opened the season with the Better Together party in late April and have selected the same day, once again, for a monumental final event. The World’s #1 club brings together several high-profile international artists, Peggy Gou, Anna, Anfisa Letyago, and some of the club’s most notable residents, including Vintage Culture, The Martinez Brothers, Damian Lazarus, and Paco Osuna. This promises to be one of the many highlights of Hï ’s longest and most successful season. Get tickets to experience Hï Ibiza's final party this Saturday

Follow Hï Ibiza on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud




The Masquerade by Claptone Closing Party | Pacha | Saturday, October 8

The mysterious German DJ with the golden mask brings his magic one last time this Saturday to the legendary club Pacha. The Masquerade is a party for the senses with the best house music and a fun and uplifting atmosphere. Expect a dance floor full of masked faces beneath the most fantastic lighting system, mystique décor, astounding dancers, and eye-catching performers. Claptone will bring special guests for the closing, so get ready to groove. Grab tickets to enjoy The Masquerade Closing event at Pacha.

Follow Claptone on Twitter | Instagram |SoundCloud







WooMooN Closing Party | Cova Santa | Sunday, October 9

Hidden in the countryside, among the Sant Josep hills, WooMoon has become the best alternative party in Ibiza. A spiritual fusion of art, theatrical performances, tribal music, food, and drinks are found at Cova Santa, a mix that celebrates its final ritual together. A day and night immersive experience with intense deep sounds from Valentin Huedo, Landikhan, Lalou, and Num feat Jo:ke, coinciding with Cova Santa’s last day open this summer on Sunday, October 9. Buy tickets for WooMoon and Cova Santa's closing party before they run out!

Follow WooMooN on Instagram | SoundCloud







Pyramid Closing Party | Amnesia | Sunday, October 9

The purest electronic music community reunites at Amnesia on Sunday for the second part of the Pyramid Closing. Headlining the party, Ricardo Villalobos will play back-to-back with his old friend Luciano, marking the pair’s last time playing together in Ibiza this season. tINI makes her first and last appearance at Amnesia as the special guest on the terrace, alongside Gianluca Pagoiani and resident DJ Mar-T. In the Club Room, get ready to enjoy proper techno by Lilly Palmer, Helena Hauff, and Circoloco regulars Tijana-T and FJAAK. Amnesia's in-house underground party is closing the season in style! Get Tickets to dance at the last Pyramid party of the season.




Follow Pyramid on Instagram | SoundCloud

Ibiza Selects (October 3 – October 9)

Last week, Scottish DJ and producer Jamie Roy passed away at 33. The sudden passing left a massive hole in the hearts of artists, fans, and the dance music community. One year ago this week, Roy released his breakout single, “Organ Belta,” on Patrick Topping’s label, Trick. The track was a force in the Beatport charts reaching number one in house. Even a full year after its initial release, it remained in the top 50 while continually seeing surges of improved position.



One year after its release and this tune is still an absolute roller. A turbocharged engine of percussive energy gives sturdy reinforcement to the attitude-filled bass line. The simple yet tasteful addition of that anchoring organ sample ensures that no one gets too lost in the sauce. Rapid fire synths at peak drop do their best to prove otherwise. This track is a can’t-miss addition to any DJ’s USB or enthusiast’s playlist.




In honor of Jamie’s passing, the Trick label is pushing fans to play and purchase “Organ Belta” in hopes of pushing the track back to Beatport #1. The label will also send all track sales proceeds to Roy’s family.




The young artist was truly just getting started. A regular in the eclectic Scottish scene, his reach had only recently extended to the house music Mecca that is Ibiza. 2019 marked his first residency on the White Isle at Nic Fanciulli’s Dance or Die parties at Ushuaïa. The next three years would see the up-an-coming Scott expanding his sound and brand across the globe. While we can only imagine what might have been possible for Jamie Roy, we know his relentless drive and immutable energy made an impact that will last a lifetime.

Remembering Jamie Roy: The Immutable Force Behind 'Organ Belta'

With enchanting vocals, anthemic hooks, and mesmerizing stage presence, Sofi Tukker – aka Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern - won the hearts of ravers at Ultra Europe this year. Taking place in Split, Croatia, this past July, the festival drew in vast swathes of fans from every corner of the globe.








The American duo's self-described "house-inspired jungle pop" has made a splash in recent years; their full-length Ultra Records debut, Treehouse, was nominated for a Grammy in 2018 and peaked at number 14 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart.



The pair released a steady stream of singles into the 2020s, including high-profile collaborations with John Summit, Icona Pop, Gorgon City, Amadou & Mariam, and Lady Gaga. This year, they dropped their highly anticipated sophomore album, Wet Tennis, which featured Turkish producer Mahmut Orhan and Halpern's father.




Hawley-Weld and Halpern met in Providence, Rhode Island while attending Brown University. After deciding to collaborate as a duo, they wrote their first song, "Drinkee," which became an international hit. The track featured lyrics adapted from a Brazilian poem sung in Portuguese (which Hawley-Weld studied in college), adding to its global appeal. Streamed millions of times and charting in multiple countries, the song received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording.




Experience Sofi Tukker in person as they continue to tour across North America and beyond, featuring shows at Emo's in Austin, House of Blues in Dallas, Hakkasan Nightclub in Las Vegas, and Dreamland New Year's Eve weekend in Miami.













Follow Sofi Tukker on Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud

Sofi Tukker Takes the 'Freak Fam' to Ultra Europe

ARC Music Festival returned for its second year at Union Park in Chicago this past Labor Day Weekend. The three-day festival by event production company Auris featured techno and house luminaries such as Carl Cox, Joseph Capriati, Boris Brejcha, Richie Hawtin, Chris Lake, and Fatboy Slim. And while the headliners represented an international melange of heavyweights, Auris was sure to pay homage to the locals and legends who have been instrumental in building the scene in Chicago and beyond. Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, Carl Craig, Gene Farris, Hiroko Yamamura, Dani Deahl, and DJ Heather were among the many Chicago-born artists who took the stage.



Emerging festivals have a lot of competition regarding stage design. ARC has established a unique artistic footprint over the last two years, proving that even new festivals can create memorable and immersive visual experiences.



The main stage, dubbed the Grid retained its industrial design with towers of shipping containers emblazoned with lighting looming high above the dance floor. The addition of pyro was a noticeable and welcome change over last year's production.



The elrow stage was arguably the most interesting from a design perspective, housing a DJ booth inside a blow-up sea monster while costumed performers, stilt walkers, and jugglers worked the crowd. Of course, no elrow party would be complete without hourly confetti blasts, all perfectly timed to the most epic drops. The area surrounding elrow shone a gorgeous hint of red after sunset while attendees packed in and raged in close quarters like something out of a movie.



Expansions, a beautiful stripped-down jungle-themed outdoor oasis, featured DJs like Giolli & Assia and Seth Troxler & Carl Craig playing sets
that slanted a bit more underground.



Finally, the ARC Car centered around art car (see what they did there) the Goodbus switched things up this year to significant effect. Last year, the DJs performed atop the bus creating issues for performers with sound bleed from the main stage. This year, they put the DJ booth on the ground creating a dancefloor in front of the bus. It made for a cozy atmosphere where up-and-coming local talents like Abigail & Zooey, Meesh, and Jaygee could throw down intimate sets for people looking to escape the madness of the other stages.



The production and logistics at ARC this year continue to exceed expectations and delight the masses. While the festival's footprint is small (you can quickly get around every stage in less than 15 minutes), there was minimal (if any) sound bleed across stages. The sound systems were pristine. And for an outdoor music festival in the heart of a bustling city like Chicago, there was never a moment where the music felt dull or quiet.



Above all, ARC shines for its expertly curated lineup of the finest in house and techno. High-profile artists like Charlotte De Witte, Adam Beyer, and Cirez D threw down proper techno on the main stage. Legends in the game like Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim, Dereck Carter, and Honey Dijon gave newer fans much-needed exposure to the foundation of the music we cherish today. In-demand artists like Gorgon City and Chris Lake were also sprinkled throughout, enticing younger fans to the festival.



ARC wasn't the only festival in town. Just a few miles away North Coast Music Festival featured a more mainstream-leaning lineup with Fisher, Kaytranada, Diplo, and Porter Robinson, to name a few. It could hardly be seen as direct competition, however. Instead, ARC's strong focus on the underground house and techno scene made it a clear choice for those looking for a more boutique festival experience. It might seem counterintuitive that these festivals would happen on the same weekend, but the healthy turnout at both proves the demand for electronic music continues to be strong. We predict ARC continuing to grow and look forward to what they have for us next year.

ARC Music Festival Remains Strong in its Sophomore Year

Whether you’re a diehard house fan or a mainstream music enthusiast, you’ve probably encountered the work of John Digweed. After all, his career spans four decades and has transcended the house music genre to influence pop culture from the ’90s to the present day.




English DJ, producer, label owner, and club promoter John Digweed began his career in music at the age of 15 in Hastings, England. In his early days, he saw quick success as the organizer of a series of successful club nights and raves at Hastings Pier. The parties featured high-profile guests such as Carl Cox and The Prodigy, making the young DJ’s taste and eye for talent apparent early on.




Digweed caught his big break seven years later in 1993 when he sent a mixtape to Geoff Oakes of Renaissance nightclub in Mansfield. Oakes was thoroughly impressed and extended an invite for Digweed to DJ at the British nightclub alongside his future collaborative partner DJ Sasha.




In 1994, the pair released Sasha & John Digweed’s Renaissance: The Mix Collection. The three-CD set gave listeners a taste of the intoxicating soundscape that Sasha & Digweed regularly delivered at Renaissance. The compilation also laid the foundation for DJ mixes to be supported by major marketing campaigns, from artwork commissions to heavily-funded promotions.




In an interview with Redbull, John described how groundbreaking the mix release was, saying, “Clubbers could now start to hear what the possibilities were for DJs outside of a club. It’s like, all right, you can transfer that experience onto a CD and still have it be as enjoyable as being in the club.” The release was a smash hit and is still considered one of the best DJ mixes of all time.




Sasha & Digweed gained popularity in the United States with the release of their Northern Exposure mix series from 1997-2000. They also became the first British DJs to hold a monthly residency at New York’s storied Twilo club. John described his success in New York, explaining, “I think Sasha and myself brought in a European sound, but with a New York influence.” During their legendary parties at Twilo, Digweed often played sets for over ten hours. He loved the crowd’s vibe, saying, “You’d have 4000 people in there going nuts, but they weren’t looking at us, and they weren’t all on their phones; they were just on the dance floor.”




In the late ’90s, Digweed was also busy collaborating and building his empire with fellow DJ and producer Nick Muir. Together, the two formed Bedrock, an onstage moniker for the pair and later the name of their production company and label. Bedrock landed in the UK. Top 30 with the track “For What You Dream Of,” featured in the iconic film Trainspotting. In 1999, Digweed premiered Bedrock Records with the release of the hit single “Heaven Scent.” He discussed his inspiration for the label with Forbes, saying, “I was being given so many tracks from DJs and producers who were asking me to pass them onto labels…so it really made sense for me to set up a label and find a home for like-minded DJs and producers.”




Throughout the 2000s, Digweed released an unbelievable amount of work, sometimes as many as three recorded mixes per year. From 2000 to 2011, the DJ began a weekly two-hour radio show called Transitions on the UK radio station KISS. Digweed continues to showcase his impeccable programming and ear for on-the-rise talent via the Transitions podcast, which now boasts over 900 episodes.




John Digweed also drew crowds in Brooklyn as a regular guest at Output until the club closed in 2019. He quickly fell in love with NYC, saying, “I always find the New York crowd brings the best out of me when I play. Output was a very special club.”




As a crowd favorite, he was invited to play the club’s closing night. Digweed played a historic set he felt was befitting of Output’s legacy. After listening to the recordings from the evening, Digweed decided to immortalize the party in album form. In 2019, he released Last Night At Output, an album mix containing six CDs worth of music from the evening. He has described the night as “one of his favorite NYC sets ever.”




Throughout his 40-year career, John Digweed helped popularize progressive house in the ’90s, and his prolific work essentially established the format of modern house music. His impact as a musician is undeniable, with DJ Mag voting him the World’s No 1 DJ in 2001 and appearing in the Top 100 DJs poll over a dozen times. On Saturday, Nov 26, 2022, fans can see John Digweed play again at Superior Ingredients, the evolution, and reimagination of Output. As for how John feels about returning to the city that never sleeps: “I always love coming back to New York. It’s a place that I feel is like a second home after so many years of playing there, and the crowd always gives me so much love.”

John Digweed's Lasting Love for New York

Gray Area founder Michael Julian Kovadlo discussed Gray Area’s new Doubleheader event series, building synergy between artists and fans in a high-energy back-to-back showcase

Think about last time you stumbled across an artist you’d later grow to love. An unknown opening act at a concert who completely blew you away. A DJ at a local bar that you dropped into on a weeknight. Discovery is fundamental to how humans experience the world. It applies to music, art, food, careers, relationships… the list goes on. I believe these “happy accidents” are the magic of the music industry. Sonically, we’re always searching for new and inspiring sounds, and tend to gravitate toward things similar to our current tastes but with a slight twist.

I’ve written before: Building a bolder and more vibrant dance music ecosystem means fostering a lifelong sense of wonder and discovery, for everyone. At Gray Area, our mission is to create opportunities for fans to discover new music and new artists intentionally. We do so, first, through digital content. Then, we connect the dots with live events where diverse audiences can naturally cross-pollinate — exposing fans to new artists, and artists to new fans.

With our new Doubleheader event series, we’re doubling down on that mission.

Doubleheader is our new series based on an old concept: There is power in partnership. “Double header” is a term likely familiar to American audiences. In baseball, it’s when the same teams play two back-to-back games on the same day – one game flowing seamlessly into the next.

We’re bringing that same ethos from the stadium to the club. Doubleheader will pair together two artists with similar styles but distinct fan bases. One artist will play, the second will follow, then they will close out the party with an epic back-to-back (B2B) set.

Doubleheader stems from a lessen I’ve learned throughout my 20+ years in music: B2B sets are a recipes for sonic gold. When we bring together best of both artists, magic happens. I’ve been enjoying and booking B2B sets for a long time, but I’ll never forget one that blew me away and forever made me fall in love with the concept of back-to-back sets: I recall the pervasive energy at BPM Festival 2013, when tech house icon Dixon went B2B with German deep house juggernaut Henrik Schwarz. Despite the rain and winds in Playa Del Carmen, these two artists were a match made in heaven and delivered an incredibly memorable set.

Our love for B2B influenced us to curate an all B2B lineup at Awakenings Debut in North America at Manhattan’s legendary Hammerstein Ballroom. Open to close, it was only B2B sets for this Dutch techno powerhouse festival, including Adam Beyer B2B Ida Engberg and Nicole Moudaber B2B Victor Calderone. In 2018, our first open air elrow at Brooklyn Mirage saw an entire lineup of B2B sets. Yes, for 10 hours straights. Even more recently, we’ve been inspired by labels like PIV Records and their multi-artist “B2B2B2B2B2B” closing sets rotating through their entire roster.

With Doubleheader, when we put two artists with similar style but divergent fan bases on equal footing for a headlining show, they both win —introducing them to new fans and bolstering their reputations through playing a sold-out show as a co-headliner, which will create more and bigger opportunities for both Doubleheader artists. This fall, we’re proud to be kicking off our Doubleheader series with a pairing of two stellar artists, with elrow resident De La Swing joining forces with Cuttin Headz producer and DJ Jean Pierre.

Exposing people to new experiences and new music creates value for everyone. From fans keen to discover new artists adjacent to their interests. To venues eager to pack rooms and sell tickets. To DJs who can intermingle audiences to ultimately sell out venues. We want to lead in building a bigger community and a stronger dance music ecosystem, for all.

Because the reality is: The same love, camaraderie and unity that happens on the dance floor happens behind the decks and in the green room. Mutual respect. Beautiful friendships. And, above all, a love for delivering dance music to fans eager for discovery.

Op-Ed: Creating Valuable, Unifying Connections — On the Dancefloor and Behind the Decks

I'm currently listened to an advance stream of Honey Dijon's Black Girl Magic, and it's such a vibe; so grateful for Honey and all she brings to dance music. For this Week in House Music, we have the last stellar lead single from the upcoming album, a chill, vibey mix from Atish, and a celebratory classic from Fatboy Slim. Enjoy!

Best New Track: Honey Dijon & Channel Tres feat. Sadie Walker – Show Me Some Love [Classic Music Company, Sept. 27]

"Show Me Some Love" is the sixth and final lead single from Honey Dijon's upcoming Black Girl Magic album, due out November 18 on Classic Music Company. It's a collab with Channel Tres, a perfect marriage of their styles, both of which are housey, sexy, and together, fun a.f. It also features gorgeous vocals from Sadie Walker, which dance with Channel's confident bars atop a bouncing beat.

"I had a lot of fun working with Honey on this track, and it's been fun through each step of the process," Channel Tres stated in a press release. "It’s everything I love about underground dance music confident, and sexy."

Follow Honey Dijon on SoundCloud | Twitter | Instagram

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Best New Mix: atish - [091] - august 2022 - surface tension

For the 91st edition of his mix series, New York-based house DJ Atish welcomes fall with a moody, groovy blend of downtempo vibes. Track IDs from the hour set include: Tea White's "Bread & Milk (Enchanted Mix)," Bookwood's "One Last (Fka Mash Glitch Dub)," boys be kko's "Lop Nor," and Orbital's "Are We Here (30 Something) (Dusky Remix)."



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Best Classic Track: Fatboy Slim - Praise You [1998, Skint Records / Astralwerks]

"Praise You" is the jubilant third single from U.K. legend Fatboy Slim's second studio album, You've Come A Long Way, Baby, which also includes two more of his massive tracks,"Right Here, Right Now," and "The Rockafeller Skank." "Praise You" features a prominent sample of Camille Yarbrough's 1975 soulful "Take Yo' Praise," as well as a handful of other samples, including a test piano recording from JBL in 1973, and Steve Miller Band's "Lucky Man."

The Spike Jonze-directed music video features Jonze and the fictional Torrance Community Dance Group flash-mobbing a Los Angeles movie theater. The video is said to have cost just $800 to make and won three MTV VMAs in 1999. The radio edit of the song (the album version is about two minutes longer than the video and radio version) hit No. 1 on the UK Singles, Dance, and Indie charts.

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This Week in House Music: Honey Dijon, Channel Tres, Sadie Walker, Atish & Fatboy Slim

This past weekend, Portola Festival brought big rave energy to San Francisco's Pier 80. I was chuffed to be there, and seemingly all 30,000 festival-goers there were too. It featured a stacked lineup across dance music, incomparable to any event in the city in my rave lifetime.




Held in an active shipyard, the space served industrial vibes, plenty of room to dance, and a beautiful backdrop of the bay and rolling hills, with Karl the fog unfurling a stunning scene of fluffiness at sunset. Upon entering Portola on Saturday, I thought, "Why haven't we raved here before?"




The looks were on point, with Folsom Street Fair's kinky leather uniform providing sexy fashion influence. There were some creative signs and festi-poles, with the winning one reading: "Last year was better."





I began my Portola at the Crane Tent with DJ Holographic, thrilled to see the space swiftly fill out in just the second hour of the event. She played a bouncy set to get the positive energy flowing as the tent's large disco balls sparkled above us.



After getting distracted by the free margaritas and good company in the artist compound, I emerged to find tons more smiling faces. I caught the end of Jungle's joyful jubilee on the main stage, followed by Kaytranda's infectious beats and swag.


After, it was time to experience the Warehouse for Jamie XX, who filled the space with a high-energy mix ranging from his In Colour hits and more recent singles to Ludacris and UK garage.




As Flume closed out the main stage with his breaky beats rattling across the space, Bicep flooded the Warehouse with their euphoric rave dreamscape. I've seen their stunning live show three times this year, and it continues to entrance me with its simple-yet-impactful visuals perfectly adapted for the space.


On Sunday, I was on a mission to see more music than Saturday and find friends before losing cell service. I began with the adorable French disco funk band, L'Impératrice, who played a joyful set sending us to galaxies beyond with a closing song that sounded like space disco.


Yaeji was next on the main stage, clad in all-white, effortlessly swinging from Korean to English over playful beats. Her dancers added drama to her set, including her breakthrough hit "Raingurl," and a very cute, unreleased song.


While Kelly Lee Owens captivated the Warehouse with a set of slow-burning left-field electronica that slowly rose into trippy techno SG Lewis brought Sunday Funday disco vibes to the main stage. Clearly as stoked as we were to be there, he announced, "This lineup is fucking sick, I have no idea how I'm a part of it."




Channel Tres was next up in the packed Warehouse. The crowd shook their booties to his swaggy blend of house and G-funk. Another live dance act I can't get enough of, he sounded and looked great as he and his dancers moved confidently on stage.




The final main stage acts were two of my favorites, James Blake and the Chemical Brothers. During Blake's vibey, pulsing set, we found out it was his birthday (yay, Libras!) and sang to him (poorly) as he blushed. His emotional set was gorgeously set off by moody, smoky red and blue lights. He brought Atlanta rapper SwaVay for their 2021 collab "Frozen," also featuring JID, and closed with his piercing cover of Frank Ocean's haunting "Godspeed" (which he co-produced and co-wrote).

The Chemical Brothers were the perfect way to close a world-class, fun AF weekend in the city I became a raver in. The visuals enhanced the journey the lads took us on through their three-decade rein over electronica. It was one of the loudest sets of the weekend, activating whatever energy we had left in our bodies. After bringing out their giant rave robots for a dance, they paused briefly with a message on the screen reading, "Hold tight San Francisco." Proving why they are one of dance music's most sought-after live acts, they closed with the feels. "Swoon" swept over the speakers offering a mantra-like message fitting for the current chaos of the world: "Just remember to fall in love, there's nothing else."

Portola Festival Debuts With Big Rave Vibes

The experience of dancing for the last time inside the super clubs of Ibiza is a singular experience. The last week of September and the beginning of October brings the final call for many of the most popular residencies at Ibiza's top venues. And while there are many closing parties to choose from, we're bringing you the ones you can't miss out on.




Sven Väth presents Catharsis | Club Chinois | Tuesday, September 27

The founder of Cocoon, Sven Väth, will take the stage at the brand-new Club Chinois for one exclusive night this Tuesday. The German artist has heavily influenced Ibiza's dance circuit over the years. This season he has brought unique musical experiences through Catharsis (the name of his thirteen-track album) to the most essential venues playing every party as if it were his last. This will be the final chance to connect with the Ibiza legend this season, don't sleep. Buy tickets to enjoy the last Catharsis show by Sven Väth in Ibiza at Club Chinois.




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The Martinez Brothers Closing Party | Hï Ibiza | Tuesday, September 27

The superstar brothers from the Bronx, Chris, and Steve Martinez, conclude their first-ever residency in Ibiza this week. The Martinez Brothers have led one of the hottest nights on the island this summer with their trademark sound that expertly blends techno and house with a distinct New York edge. Next door in the Club Room, Paco Osuna has offered exquisite and forceful techno sounds. Paco and the Martinez Brothers were accompanied by a carefully curated selection of talented DJs, making Tuesdays at Hï Ibiza a must-visit for all dance lovers. For Kerri Chandler, Guti, and Renato Ratier, join them for the final outing alongside a special guest to create a memorable grand finale.

Get tickets for The Martinez Brothers' closing party at Hï Ibiza.




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FISHER Closing Party | Hï Ibiza | Wednesday, September 28

From the start of the season, it was obvious FISHER's headlining slot at

the #1 club in the world (as voted by DJMag) was going to be one of the greatest debuts in Ibiza this summer. The Aussie DJ and producer knows how to throw a party, and we have all danced to some of his tracks like "Losing it" or his latest "It's A Killa" (with Shermanology). FISHER will play all night long in the Theatre Room at Hï to conclude the season, while Vintage Culture drops an extended set next door in the Club Room.

Enjoy FISHER's last show at Hï this season




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Afterlife Day & Night | Hï & Ushuaïa Ibiza | Thursday, September 29

Italian music duo Tale Of Us present a final glorious show across Ushuaïa and Hï Ibiza this Thursday, kicking things off in the open-air at Ushuaïa at 5 pm. The melodic techno pair play two headline sets in both venues (offering a b2b with Maceo Plex outdoors before midnight) and will be joined by Stephan Bodzin (live), Dixon, Mind Against, Sven Väth, Ben Klock B2B Marcel Dettmann, and many more. Purchase combined or separate tickets for Afterlife Grand Finale.




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Solid Grooves Closing Party | DC10 | Thursday, September 29

Solid Grooves, the much-loved party and label with a distinctive deep tech soundtrack wraps up its first DC10 season this Thursday. Founder Michael Bibi joins label mates Dennis Cruz, PAWSA, Ben Sterling, and ANOTR and secret guests. The iconic underground venue DC10 has proven to be the perfect match for the groovers crew, so head over to the Salinas club and enjoy the last Solid Grooves of the year! Purchase your ticket for Solid Grooves Motel Closing party




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Defected Closing Party | Eden | Friday, September 30

House music giant Defected is ready to close a fantastic season at San Antonio hotspot Eden. Defected has been at the forefront of the clubbing scene for more than 20 years and culminates its longest-ever season on the last day of September with Simon Dunmore, Mambo Brothers, Low Steppa, and many more. Head over to Defected closing party if you are looking for classic house music and uplifting vibes before the party season finally ends! Purchase your ticket for the Defected closing party at Eden.




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elrow Closing Party | Amnesia | Saturday, October 1

elrow presents a new theme to close the busiest night at Amnesia properly. For the first time, elrow will present its most artistic and avant-garde theme: DELUSIONVILLE, a concept curated by the American contemporary artist Ron English. Metamorphic landscapes and anthropoid animals come to life exclusively at elrow's closing party. Amnesia and elrow have chosen one of the greatest representatives of clubbing culture to headline the show on the terrace, Fatboy Slim, alongside Eats Everything and elrow resident DJs Bastian Bux and Tini Glesser. The Main Room, renamed elrow City, will be occupied exclusively by Kölsch all night long. Dare to join the last elrow event of the summer in Ibiza and discover their new world! Buy your tickets for the elrow closing party and discover its newest theme.




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Storytellers Pangea Closing Party | Cova Santa | Sunday, October 2

A day trip by Storytellers (the team behind WooMooN) finalizes the season with Pangea. The closing is the last opportunity to take an active role in the fairytale world they've created while dancing to an extended set by Red Axes and Audiofly b2b Deer Jade. The event begins outdoors at 6 pm at Cova Santa and follows indoors from midnight till sunrise. Get tickets to enjoy Pangea by Storytellers at Cova Santa.




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Ibiza Selects (September 26 – October 2)

Three things are certain in life: Death, taxes, and Four Tet redefining reality with music. On this latest episode of “What Will Kieren Hebden (aka Four Tet) Think of Next,” we see the UK producer take his talents to Chloé Robinson and DJ ADHD’s 909-driven, four-the-floor stomper, “Pax.”







Despite what many people think, a proper banger does not need excessive elements to get the party started. Robinson and ADHD prove their discipline as producers by using space to do just as much as the beat and the bass. Trust me, with an invigorating pulse like this, you’ll want as much breathing room as possible. Four Tet honors this energy, allowing his addition of swelling bass waves and timbre distortion to morph this tune into pure, unadulterated sonic stimulus.



This stand-out track comes off Chloé Robinson’s debut EP, Steamin, marking the full launch of her latest project. Formerly known in dance music circles for over a decade as Barely Legal, the Pretty Weird label head has always been a champion of diversified sounds. From polyrhythmic techno to face-melting dubstep, Robinson has been behind it all. No wonder she’s linked with renowned sonic explorer Four Tet.



Pretty Weird also supports DJ ADHD, a genre-blending UK-based up-and-comer. He’s emerged onto the scene only in the past year but has already gained support from established boundary pushers of sound like Robinson, Nikki Nair, and Villager.

Four Tet Revamps Chloé Robinson & DJ ADHD’s 'Pax'

This past July, São Paulo-born DJ and producer Fernanda Pistelli brought her signature mystical melodies and soundscapes to the crowds of Boom Festival in Portugal. Opening with a Native American Flute piece courtesy of Jessica Ariosi, she channeled waves of fuzzy synth and transcendental beats into a two-and-a-half-hour set. The video gorgeously captures the spirit of Boom Festival and Pistelli's sound, which brilliantly fuses a psychedelic aesthetic and the driving weight of techno,








"Boom is the festival I most admire for its purpose of awakening the world and bringing people together by sharing respect, love, and sustainability," Pistelli explains. "Playing at this festival was the realization of one of my biggest dreams!"




Boom is a transformational, multidisciplinary, psychedelic, and sustainable festival that happens every two years in Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal. Conceived in 1997 as a goa trance-psychedelic party, the festival has since evolved into a biennial global celebration of alternative culture. With a mantra of "Oneness, Music, Peace, Arts, Environment, Culture, and Love," Boom is globally recognized for its independence and leadership in sustainability.




Born and raised in São Paulo, Pistelli left Business Administration College in 2016 and moved to Australia. There, she took up residence at the prestigious Dragonfruit Label Party and one of Brisbane's biggest clubs, The Met.




After returning to Brazil in 2017, she played at the pre-party of Boris Brejcha's "Fckng Serious" event in São Paulo before going on to play at an array of established festivals and clubs worldwide. Pistelli's sound, which fuses elements of progressive house with psy-techno, is inspired by her philosophy on life.




"Life is cyclical, so we are constantly changing, and through music it is possible to find an axis that is in harmony with everything that exists, and that is the key to connect our mind to our body."




Follow Fernanda Pistelli on Soundcloud | Instagram

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Fernanda Pistelli Channels Free-Spirited Energy to the Crowds of Boom Festival

For those who may have come across our pre-coverage surrounding the tenth anniversary of Dimensions Festival, which just passed from September 1-5 at the Garden Resort in Tisno, Croatia, what excited me most about the event was the unconventional and diverse lineup.




Apart from a small handful of artists like Octo Octa and DVS1, the roster was filled with DJs and live acts who feature far less often on the general festival circuit. It’s a lineup that rejects sameness, and when I had to put together my “Top 10 Artists” piece ahead of the festival, I had to do a deep dive to find most of those artists.




Little did I expect that attending the festival itself would be the deepest dive, and I discovered even more amazing new artists playing incredible music alongside the Adriatic Sea.




Across five days, I enjoyed a plethora of exciting and explorative sounds. Breakbeats, hardcore rave, deep techno, minimal house, and garage, all iterated in a fashion that blurred the parameters that define those titles in the first place.




The point of this festival was reveling in music that would not be found elsewhere, and all other aspects served that mission, full stop.




At each of the three primary stages (Cosmos, The Beach, and Olive Grove), the one side stage (The Haze), the boat party, and the after-hours at the legendary Barbarella’s Discotheque, the sound was immaculate.




Despite all the stages within the festival grounds being generally very close to one another, each provided a kind of orb where you felt surrounded by the vibrations.




Frequencies were evenly distributed from top to bottom, and whether you were tearing up the heart of the dancefloor to the infectious grooves of Liquid Earth at the Olive Grove or lounging on one of the several public hammocks among the trees on the outskirts of Cosmos while Helena Hauff and DJ Stingray demonstrated immaculate chemistry on the decks, the audio was crisp and clear.




This same musical expertise extended to the after-hours at Barbarella’s, which I attended Sunday night for the three-hour shared set from D. Tiffany and Roza Terenzi.




Neither of them were artists I discovered on-site (after hearing their phenomenal new collaborative album Edge of Innocence earlier this year), but they built a set that provided an aural narrative while adapting to the pristine outdoor atmosphere of Barbarella’s. It was like they were reimagining classic adventure stories like The Lord Of The Rings into house and techno beats.




Watching the circumferential view of the sky slowly turning from black to green to blue as the sun rose astride the giant disco ball, it felt like the dancefloor was a floating platform, lifted by nothing but the pure energy of the music and the people who channeled it into their bodies.




I appreciated this unfiltered, music-first approach even though that much emphasis did leave other logistical aspects of the festival lacking.




The food options were minimal and not of the best quality. The port-a-potties were almost unusable for most of the festival (thank god there were actual bathrooms in the lobby of the resort), and the only way to pay for anything on-site was by loading up a wristband with money.




I do understand the desire to keep things cashless. However, I’d already spent nearly three months traveling through Europe before attending the festival, and every establishment in multiple countries accepted contactless pay through my phone. So why not just do that?




So many people complained of being overcharged through the wristbands, and if you had excess money on your wristband, you could only get a refund in two small windows of time on Monday, September 5, and Tuesday, September 6. You needed at least 100kn on your wristband to get a refund, and each refund cost 20kn.




If you were leaving before September 5, the festival told you to “top up carefully.” I’ll leave you to decipher the meaning of that message.




My only hope is all the extra money they pocketed from the rigged wristband system goes into the budget for next year and delivers yet another first-rate lineup of electronic music that rejects the framework of the standard festival roster.




After leaving Dimensions, I have a whole new standard of both musical curation and discovery at festivals, which are by far what I value most in the experience—especially discovery. Having a fresh list of artists to search through on Bandcamp and Discogs is the best result of an event, and here are five artists I will soon add to my collections because of Dimensions:







Soichi Terada Live




For many years the class of dancers who generally flock to Dimensions criticized main-stage EDM artists for their antics behind the decks—standing on tables—throwing cakes. Essentially demonstrating a lack of focus on the craft of DJing.




And yet when the legendary composer, producer, and DJ, Soichi Terada, was leading his audience at the Beach Stage in synchronized dance moves during his live set, they simply could not get enough.




Sporting his classic Hawaiian shirt, Terada was emitting the same utter joy for music heard in his video game soundtracks for Ape Escape and his 2022 house LP Asakusa Light.




He would lift mini-machines from the table purposely placed within the crowd to show the effects of each touch of a button. There was not a more fun and engaging set throughout all five days of the festival.




Follow Soichi Terada on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter




Djrum

Vinyl records were a frequent sight at Dimensions. Because I saw Djrum at the fabriclive Boat Party on Saturday afternoon, where there was no separation between the decks and the dancefloor, I saw exactly what he was doing with them.




Vinyl selectors remain celebrated despite the continuing advance in DJ technology for two main reasons.




First is the selection of tracks that can only be found on wax. So many record labels sacrifice the accessibility and potential profit from digital releases to honor the music by releasing it only in the format of supreme quality.




Second is the tactile precision necessary to curate a seamless vinyl set. It requires placing the needle at the exact right place, dialing in the tempos to perfectly align, and adjusting the beats in the moment.




Djrum demonstrated his mastery of the elements on a boat sailing off the coast of Croatia, and to see it live in front of me was ineffable.




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LCY

As I mentioned prior, a couple of the stages had free-to-all hammocks amongst the trees on the perimeter, and after a long Saturday of festival-ing, I found myself using one at the Cosmos stage.




I was swaying among the trees, gazing at the stars, while the most cacophonous and seductive rhythms exploded out of the speaker’s thanks to LCY.




It took me a few minutes to register what was happening during their set. It almost didn’t sound like music at first—just sonic additions to the busy soundscape of the festival.




But after adjusting my ears a bit, I realized LCY simply understands how to channel the unpredictable, avant-garde energy of John Cage into UK-born electronic music.




Even if I had wanted to research their music before the festival, it wouldn’t have prepared me for their set. They have eight tracks total on their Spotify, and yes, those eight include everything from IDM breaks to ambient snapshots, but what they played at Dimensions was bigger than any genre.




The best way to describe it is through action. I had no choice but to get up off the hammock, put my earplugs as far into my ears as possible, and plant myself right in front of the speaker stack. Theirs is music that needs to be felt.




Follow LCY on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter




SHERELLE

Throughout the festival, from the boat party on Saturday to walking to get food on Sunday, I kept running into this slick-dressed Black woman who emanated cool. She reminded me of a character from The Matrix in the best way possible. Like she could slow down time at her will, start running on the walls, and lay the smackdown on anyone who was causing trouble.




Sunday night, I found out that person was none other than SHERELLE. The London-based DJ, producer, radio host, and label boss had the closing slot at the Cosmos that evening and, in 90 minutes, demonstrated why she prefers to describe herself as a “high-speed raver.” Techno, jungle, juke, and footwork were all cranked up to 11 during her set, and she never missed a beat.




Follow SHERELLE on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter




OCB a.k.a. Dennis Briss

For the final night of the festival, Morocco-based record label Casa Voyager and label boss Dennis Briss hosted the Cosmos Stage.




Briss chose to perform under his new project OCB, which was through and through electro, a sound aesthetic that extended to most of the other artists at the Cosmos that evening. Except OCB took electro roots and watered them with his label-curator energy.




It always felt like he was playing electro, even if it didn’t sound like it at some points, a fact that demonstrates the kind of all-encompassing versatility of every artist who performed at Dimensions in 2022.




Follow OCB on Instagram