Wax Motif has a long history with Miami Music Week. The don of bass-forward house music has been coming to the infamous marathon of dance music events since before he signed his first official releases to Nervous Records and Mad Decent nearly ten years ago. So, his debut appearance on the Worldwide Stage at Ultra Music Festival on Saturday, March 26, was a potent full-circle moment.

 

When he took the stage early Saturday afternoon, the crowd stretched well beyond the confines of the massive structure that towered over the dance floor. And as the Australian-born LA-based artist breezed through his library of naughty, low-end slappers, the crowd only grew more frenetic. While certain artists' music is more conducive to a mellow two-step, the crowd for a Wax Motif set comes to get down. There's no parking on the dancefloor.

 Born Danny Chien to immigrant parents near Sydney, Australia, Wax was imbued with a hustler's spirit. He watched his parents grind to build a home for their family. And they imprinted the entrepreneurial spirit upon him. Aside from his command of ripping basslines and technical DJing, his passion for innovation stretches into community building, label management, and technology.  

He was among the first to recognize the power crypto holds to create unique direct-to-fan relationships. His WAX coin allows users to engage directly with him in various ways, from meet and greets to production workshops. And his ever-growing Discord has forever challenged the way he sees the community that coalesces around him. So much so that he is no longer comfortable calling them fans. Instead, they've become a vital part of his team. 

 We caught up with Wax Motif just after his Ultra Music Festival debut to chat about his love for Miami, his wildest nights out, and what it means to have come this far. 

 

You've been coming to Miami for years since you were handing out USBs to DJs at shows. How does it feel to be on one of the biggest stages in the world in front of a crowd like that?

 It's crazy because we used to come out every year from Australia. Just hustling, trying to get into parties [to give] the DJs a USB. I can't believe it now. I'm the one getting USBs, and I'm the one they got getting a boat here. It's like a dream. Like I was saying earlier to the boys. I was like, 'Yeah, you want the helicopter to EDC. You want the boat to Ultra.' So I feel like I did it.

 

What do you think sets Miami apart from other party cities in the world?

One. It's Miami! Even when I was coming from Australia, every time I landed here, and walked out of the airport, I felt that humidity and smelled the air. Something happens in your brain. And you could see it this week when everybody was landing they were all posting their photos on IG for Miami. Yeah, that's that feeling.

 

There's an energy here that's different than anywhere else in the world.

I'm living in LA. Everyone's done by two or midnight. So it's like that excitement of 'I don't know, shits going on all the time. There's never a downtime. You can probably go to leave [for the club] at 3 am, and it's crackin'. 

 

 So, you started your label in 2019. And I feel like it's inevitable for artists to start a label at some point. Why do you think it's essential to create an outlet for yourself and other artists?

I think the number one thing is speed. I think with the big labels, they have a lot of other artists, and there's a release schedule. And, you know, the process is a little longer. When you have your own label, you can be like, 'bang, bang, bang' and kind of run and gun a lot. Some things need to go out straight away. One of the biggest things is speed. And then the second thing I think is owning your own masters and retaining control over everything.

 

Let's talk about your label as a community, not just for you but for your artists too. How do you see that as being a community-building project?

So, I think I involve a lot of my fans in what I do as well. We have a really good Discord. For instance, I let them vote on the title of my album. And so I think it's the same thing when someone signs to the label to the label. Like with longstoryshort the other day, my next song is with him, and he dropped in my Discord. Everybody's chatting with him, and he's chatting back and getting that crossover with fans in a genuine way. Direct engagement goes a long way.

Yeah, it's a beautiful thing to see artists be able to be so direct to fan.

I love hanging with my fans. And I hate even calling them fans. That sounds cheap. I mean, half of them are my friends now. Lunar and X, for instance, are definitely two of the biggest fans. They've come to every show from east coast to west coast. They'll fly. And we'll tell them, 'hey, we're going to an after-party. Do you guys want to come?' I want to include all my people

I love to hear that. That's so awesome that you're really making friends in the process.

 Yo! I've made shitloads of friends. My tour manager is my friend.

Are you serious?

Yeah, we became such good friends. I had other tour managers I was working with, but I just wanted to work with my boy. We met because of all that shit.

 

So fun fact, you put out the very first Dj Mix on Spotify a few years ago. I was working for the company that did that. And then you've also been an innovator in the crypto space. So I just got to ask, what is so impactful about you being one of the first to do something?

I'm pretty big on that. I'm not much of a procrastinator. If I have an idea, I'll want to do it like today, and you can ask my manager about that. He's laughing his ass off back there. Because the minute something gets in my head, I'm blowing his phone up, and I'm like, 'you gotta go now.' I'm not a waiter. I don't like waiting. He'll tell you too. If I can do it myself, I fucking will. I also just don't mind taking a risk. And if I fall on my ass, cool, but lately, every risk has paid off for me. So, I gotta keep going.


We also recorded a hilarious speed round with Wax Motif. You can check that out in the above video.

Wax Motif Came Full Circle at Ultra Miami

This week’s Track of the Week comes from none other than .WAVCAVE cofounder Meagan Rodriguez, aka QRTR. Her music has been described as an amalgam of “art house film composer and basement rave,” seamlessly navigating a full spectrum of sounds and themes through mesmeric sound design and a masterful command of sonic energy.

 

Fresh off a fully booked Miami Music Week and the release of her Snowfall EP on Walker & Royce’s Rules Don’t Apply Records, QRTR picks Jamie xx’s “SeeSaw (Four Tet Club Version).” Kieran Hebden, better known in dance music circles as Four Tet, has a long career living on the fringe of Dance music, blurring genre lines and garnering praise from some of music’s most progressive thinkers since the early 2000s.

           

“When I used to throw .WAVCAVE parties in Brooklyn years ago, I would often close out the night,” QRTR recalls. “The fog engulfed the basement space we used to occupy, strobes of light cutting through to reveal silhouettes of dancing bodies going strong in the hours of the early morning. 




“On more than one occasion, I sent everyone off in a euphoric haze with this club version of ‘SeeSaw.’ If I find myself playing the final set of the night, I’ll drop this track right before the house lights come on to allow myself a sweet nostalgic moment and remember why I started this journey in the first place.”

 

One listen to this transcendent remix, and you might find yourself in that nostalgic moment as well.

Check out our interview with QRTR from Miami Music Week on our YouTube channel.

Track Of The Week: QRTR Selects A Transcendent Four Tet Remix

Gray Area welcomes Dave Ralph, Global Head of Electronic Music at Pollen, to curate this week's Mix. Pollen is an industry-leading provider of vacations, music, and travel experiences. The platform allows users to connect with communities who share the same passions and interests and facilitates various festival experiences: from Palm Tree in Croatia to Defected in Ibiza and beyond. 




As an eclectic music lover, Ralph found it challenging to whittle his favorite mixes down to just one. In the end, he landed on a stunner from English DJ and producer Greg Wilson, which spans classic funk, soul, and indie. 

"I love music, all kinds of music from all kinds of genres, as long as it resonates with me I don't care what it is or who made it, if it's good its good. So, when I get asked to highlight music it can send me into a tailspin because I just love so much music! I had to think long and hard about this one but I think it's an absolute belter! Greg Wilson is one of the unsung heroes of dance music in the UK. Greg was the first DJ to ever mix two records together live on UK TV. That was way back in the day but nevertheless it was intriguing and a moment in time that will resonate with me forever," Ralph told Gray Area. 




"In 2009 Pete Tong of BBC Radio One aired a Greg Wilson Essential mix. It's breathtaking. Greg takes the listener on a musical journey through funk and soul and indie that laid the foundations for so much modern-day dance music," he continues.


"Rolling Stone Magazine named this mix in the top 25 DJ mixes of all time. I have played this mix so many times I know it back to front. I have shared it with friends and family to the same reaction every time, smiling happy faces, toes tapping and the desire to dance. Greg has some very special edits/versions that wow me every time. I think everyone needs a little Greg Wilson in their lives and I hope that listening to this will put people of the same journey I experienced when I heard it for the first time. Hats off to Greg Wilson. Enjoy."

Pollen Curates Mix of the Week: Greg Wilson's Essential Mix

Shortly after touching down in Miami on Wednesday, March 23, the Gray Area team headed over to 1-800-Lucky for the RVDIOVCTIVE Showcase thrown by New York’s Devon James. As if a lineup including Skream, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Nala b2b QRTR, Tara Brooks, and Francesca Lombardo wasn’t enough to entice us, the venue is a unique Miami hotspot. There aren’t too many other places to experience world-class DJs in the blissful sub-tropical Miami climate while chowing down on ramen and sushi from the on-site food court.

A name familiar to fans and industry insiders a like, Devon James has an impressive catalog of heaters on including last year’s “Dazzler” with long-time friend and collaborator Felix Da Housecat. His RVDIOVCTIVE brand started off as a tight-knit artist collective in New York and has evolved into a lauded party brand, and now a recently launched record label.

When we last caught up with James, he enchanted us with wild stories of touring with Felix Da Housecat and growing up in the music industry. This meet-up was no different as he spun a tale of a past Miami Music Week that involved the police, Ron Jeremy, and one of Miami Beach’s most infamous poolside venues.

To catch the whole story, find out how a 13-year-old Devon snuck into the rave, and hear his favorite Miami foods, check out the full interview in the below video.

Watch: Devon James Shares A Tale of Miami Music Week Past

Kyle Walker and Dillon Nathaniel threw down an absolutely slamming back-to-back set on Friday, March 25th, at the National Hotel for the MK and Friends Pool Party. As the sold-out crowd filled out the sandy dancefloor, the two rising artists amped up the energy with a set that ranged from bouncing tech house to grinding techno.

Walker emerged as part of the Insomniac Discovery Project competition in 2016 and has since evolved effortlessly as an artist moving from bass house to tech house and beyond with the ease and sophistication of artists twice his age.

Indicative of the insanity that permeates Miami Music Week, we caught Walker between back-to-back meetings and shows that would make most faint of heart. He was reaching the tail of his epic Miami run and told Gray Area he had one more show to hit before he could hang up the headphones for the week with John Summit at Floyd in Miami. He promised it would only be a small bender with the tech-house superstar. We still haven’t heard back about how small yet.

We had a blast chatting with Walker about his journey from dubstep to house music, what he’d do if he weren’t a musician and his infamous love for breakfast cereals. Check out the full video below.

Watch: Kyle Walker Reveals His Wildest Dancefloor Moments

Whitney Wei, Kat Bein, Annabel Ross, and more give insight on how we can support women journalists in dance music.

A year and a half of lockdown didn’t necessarily shutter the music industry entirely, despite how it seemed. Artists still made music, new records were released, and careers flourished throughout the pandemic. And with no events to inform their perspective, dance music fans and industry professionals turned to publications more than ever to understand what was going on in the music world. It was an incredible time for discovery. 

That being said, music journalism remains one of the most thankless (and often underpaid) jobs in the business, regardless of the work being an integral part of the industry’s ecosystem. And at its forefront are talented, passionate women who care deeply about dance music and the people in it.

Whether sharing stories from underrepresented artists, reporting on delicate news, giving strong opinions, or critiquing new releases, these seven dance music journalists perpetually set the standard.

Ebony Anderson-Brown

Editor-in-Chief of HangTime Magazine || Former Editor-in-Chief of CLUBJERSEY.net

If you could give yourself advice for when you started in journalism, what would it be?

Always be confident, and don’t let your age or gender get in the way of doing the work! When I first started, I was very young. At the time, I was already so insecure and constantly doubted myself. I always felt like I needed to be older or a man to be in certain rooms, but building confidence definitely helped me. It’s all about standing your ground.

How can we empower other women music journalists?

To empower other women music journalists is to uplift them and show support. Nine times out of 10, they’re wearing multiple hats to get the job done but rarely get the flowers they deserve. The work alone is a lot to commend anyone for doing, but as a woman, there are times when I am being left out of the equation because the music industry is still predominantly men. I believe that women music journalists add value in a lot of conversations, and their input should be shared and amplified as much as it is for our male counterparts.


Who are your favorite women journalists in dance music right now?

I don’t know her personally, but Isabelia Herrera, an Arts Critic Fellow at the New York Times, is a new favorite. She recently wrote a piece on the Dweller Festival that immediately caught my attention. Another journalist is Suzy Exposito at the LA Times, who covers a lot within music, not just dance. 

Follow Ebony on Twitter and Instagram.

Whitney Wei

Editor-in-Chief of Resident Advisor || Former Editor-in-Chief of Electronic Beats

If you could give yourself advice for when you started in journalism, what would it be?

Invest in yourself and subscribe to a magazine whose writing you respect—not necessarily music-related. When I was living in Brooklyn, just dipping into my career, I lived with my best friend, a film and literary critic, who subscribed to the New Yorker. The volume of the weekly issues was so overwhelming that we always had plenty to read and discuss on our commute into Manhattan. 

Ironically, I forgot all about the enrichment provided by these magazine subscriptions when I moved to Berlin to commit to being a full-time, freelance journalist. In the first two years, there were moments I could’ve used something in print, on hand, with a wider perspective, to inspire my writing. I’ve since picked the habit back up, but I’d have told myself to do this right off the bat—and to supplement these issues with fiction to enliven my observational prose. Quality reading begets quality, confident writing. 

How can we empower other women music journalists?

The argument of representation here is definitely one step towards empowering other women journalists. Seeing the byline matters, but seeing who heads an editorial team also matters. As someone currently in a position of power, I often think back to all of the women editors who took a chance on me and honed me to become a better journalist under their review. 

The editor-writer relationship is a formative one for all parties involved, for the quality of the copy and the overall quality of the publication. Now, I’m paying it forward. Most of the section editors and senior staff writers on my team are women, and a majority of the freelance writers with whom I work are women. Having this kind of representation on all levels of the editorial ladder and having women be—in part—responsible for another woman’s personal, professional growth, is incredibly empowering for all involved. 


Who are your favorite women journalists in dance music right now?

Günseli Yalcinkaya, who is currently at Dazed, is one of my favorites and someone I’ve been lucky enough to work with. She doesn’t exclusively write within dance music, more at the intersections of art, fashion, internet culture, and more. Last year, she penned a trend piece for Resident Advisor on the rise of medieval-themed raving. She often has this very mordant insight into music subcultures that is both rare and refreshing, such as her recent coverage on the rise and fall of hyper pop. Plus, she’s a lovely individual. 

Then there’s also Bianca Giulione, freelance and formerly of Highsnobiety. She’s really carving her own path as half music journalist, half spiritualist who is starting her own tarot and holistic healing consultancy. I commissioned her for The Ultimate Raver’s Diet piece for RA’s wellness month in January, and she did a stellar job researching and reporting. Generally, I gravitate towards journalists at the nexus of various interests, not only dance music, because these other disciplines inform their perspective on music storytelling in unexpected ways.

Follow Whitney on Instagram.

Kat Bein

Assistant Digital Editor at Modern Luxury || Former Editorial Director of Festival Insider || Freelance Journalist at Billboard, SPIN, Miami New Times, etc.

If you could give yourself advice for when you started in journalism, what would it be?

I’m a big fan of Nardwuar, and he has some great advice: Just ask. Whether it’s sending a cold pitch to a new editor, reaching out to a big act for an interview request, or sending a request to cover a local event or festival, there’s literally no harm in asking. Worst case scenario, someone tells you no or doesn’t bother to answer. No one was hurt in the process, and you’re likely to get a yes or at least learn something from the experience.

You work for your editor. It’s not the other way around, and you work for no one else. Artists and publicists don’t send you checks. Your editor does, so keep in mind that what your editor asks of you is the only ask that matters. Take your word count seriously. If you overshoot and your editor cuts a bunch of work, don’t cry about it. You had the chance to control the story, and you gave that up to someone else. Also, be open to criticism. A good editor will make you a stronger writer, and a bad editor will still teach you something about making your work stronger. If someone doesn’t understand what you’re trying to get across, that’s not on them. It’s on you to write with clearer concision. Find better words.

Be reliable, and be on time (at least, don’t blow your deadline until that editor, really, really knows you’re good for it). Clean copy delivered on time will get you soooo many callbacks. Copy that is just okay but delivered on time will still get you more work. Reliability and timeliness are things far too few freelancers and journalists are bringing to the table. 

 If there’s something in the field you want to do and no one is hiring you, do it yourself. Start a podcast, start vlogging, start a newsletter, start a blog. Prove to the world that you’re capable of creating the content you’re most passionate about, and people will start identifying you with that content.

 If you’re making 10k or more annually on freelance work, start a sole-proprietorship LLC. You’re going to save A LOT of money in taxes. Get a good accountant, too. It’s worth it.

 Beyond prepositions and the like, try not to repeat words in your story. Try not to start all your sentences with the same words. Pay attention to your internal cliches. What phrases and sentence structures are you relying on? Try to switch that up from time to time.

 You don’t have to refer to musical styles by their given genre. Come up with your own way of describing sounds. That way, you don’t “piss anyone off” by “getting it wrong,” and it’s a lot more memorable anyway.


How can we empower other women music journalists?

The best thing we can do is help each other get paying jobs. If you see an opportunity and know someone who would be good for it, give them that info or put them in touch with the recruiter. Also, we all deserve to make more money. Never ever take a job that doesn’t pay, and don’t be afraid to raise your own prices. Also, don’t be afraid to talk about your rates with others. I have watched a man with a couple of years of experience get hired and immediately get paid more than a woman who was on staff for like 6+ years. Also, easy stuff like sharing each other’s work, being friendly and encouraging, and subscribing to each other’s platforms.


Who are your favorite women journalists in dance music right now?

I have to give it up to my name-twin and BBDance editor, Katie Bain. It’s an honor to be confused with her (but also, please stop doing that). My old Thump editor Michelle Lhooq has an incredible newsletter called Rave New World. Lily Moayeri does incredible work across all genres. She has a great podcast called Pictures of Lily and has become a wonderfully supportive colleague. Dani Deahl can write about the tech and business side of dance music with masterful deftness and clarity. Gabriel Pharms currently works with me at Modern Luxury and doesn’t just do music journalism but is still slaying music content regardless. My girl Brittany Gaston always does a banger job when she gets behind the keyboard. I’m super impressed with the sentences coming from my friend Alli Lindsey right now. Megan Venzin is smashing it over at DJ Mag and is also super fun to party with. Annabel Ross does great work and always takes care to address the important topics of our time. Lisa Kocay brings a lot of fun to her writing. Valerie Lee isn’t technically working as a journalist all the time anymore but still does great work whenever she gets on camera or behind the keyboard and is also putting in work for dance music at Twitch. Aurora Zboch is really nice and has a great handle on storytelling—and the writer behind this piece, Arielle Lana LeJarde, knows how to tackle complicated subjects with graceful poise and strong prose! 

Follow Kat on Twitter and Instagram.

Annabel Ross

Winner of the 2021 Drum Award for Best Investigative Journalism || Freelance Journalist at Resident Advisor, Mixmag, The Guardian, etc.

If you could give yourself advice for when you started in journalism, what would it be?

Read, read, read. Think about what you want to say and try to develop your own voice. Know that this career path will probably never make you rich, ha. Try and develop complementary skills — photography, video, audio. Think critically about the work you’re doing. 


How can we empower other women music journalists?

I think the best thing women journalists in electronic music can do for each other is support each other and especially try to amplify WOC writers and other minority voices. Traditionally there haven’t been many women journalists in dance music, which I think leads some to become territorial or competitive. We’re all on the same team! There’s room for all of us. 


Who are your favorite women journalists in dance music right now?

There are so many of my peers doing great work. Nyshka Chandran and Kiana Mickles at RA. Isabelia Herera. Shiba Melissa Mazaza has been doing an incredible job covering the South African music scene. Christine Kakaire. Tara Joshi. Chal Ravens is always class, ditto Kate Hutchinson. Christine Ochefu. I also love to see young writers and editors like you and Melisa Yuriar coming up (yes I’m talking about you, Arielle!) It’s really exciting to see you taking on important topics at EDM publications and introducing your readers to different artists and ideas. 

Follow Annabel on Twitter and Instagram.

Jina Kim

Owner of Sidewalk Talk EDM || Photographer at C-Heads Magazine 

If you could give yourself advice for when you started in journalism, what would it be?

I would tell myself to stop overthinking everything. I never thought I earned the “journalist” title because EDM/Sidewalk found me. I was working as a foreign exchange sales trader and my boyfriend (and now fiancé), a new music producer at the time, introduced me to Sidewalk Talk EDM. I quickly fell in love with EDM and its community, so my only goal was to introduce incredible people in the scene to the world. I still haven’t reached the level of confidence I would like and still overthink everything I do, but I hope I can showcase the amazing personalities I’ve met in their most genuine form.


How can we empower other women music journalists?

Always being there for each other. Even if we’ve never met or talked to each other, I want women to know I support them and am here to listen and support them in any way I can.


Who are your favorite women journalists in dance music right now?

Lauren Engel, even though she’s no longer a music journalist, she taught me everything I know, and I respect her so much, Arielle Lana LeJarde, and Kat Bein.

Follow Jina on Twitter and Instagram.

Rachel Narozniak

Managing Editor of Dancing Astronaut || Music Editor at Crust Nation 

If you could give yourself advice for when you started in journalism, what would it be?

I’d impress upon my younger self the importance of developing a more supple vocabulary because I believe this is a way to forge your own distinctive voice. When I started out in music journalism, I had no experience. I’d written a smattering of arts & culture, lifestyle, and events features for my university’s newspaper, The Daily Targum, but I wasn’t accustomed to writing music news and track posts—music journalism’s bread and butter. 

As I worked to adapt to this new genre of writing, I was preparing to enter my master’s program in English. I noticed that the preliminary reading I was doing was expanding my vocabulary, and I found myself using a broader net of words to capture what I was trying to say in my track posts and features specifically. Having a broader net of words to pull from made my word choice more intentional. By choosing to describe something one way vs. another, I was developing my own voice. So, I worked to build up my vocabulary further.

 An artist’s project is going to be covered by writers across outlets, many of whom will express the same ideas as you. However, how you relate these ideas is a means of differentiating and developing your voice. Increasing your vocabulary level enables you to convey your thoughts in a more creative and idiosyncratic way that will ultimately help you in your efforts to establish a voice and authorial identity all your own. And this becomes all the more important considering that much of music journalism is creative writing. I didn’t realize this or appreciate its power when I started out.

How can we empower other women music journalists?

We can empower other women music journalists by being more thoughtful about diversifying the contacts with whom we share opportunities. Have you sent the same writer in your Rolodex new writing-related opportunities when you see these opportunities, or have you made the effort to recommend other writers you know to diversify who receives your referrals? This is a people-centric industry, and many opportunities come from who you know and the relationships you form. When we have the chance to recommend someone for a journalistic role, it is important to ensure that we are using this chance to give women, especially women of color, an opportunity that might not be easy to come by given the male-dominated nature of the dance industry specifically.


Who are your favorite women journalists in dance music right now?

Kat Bein, Katie Bain, Jaguar Bingham, Paige Sims, and Danyel Smith. 

Follow Rachel on Twitter and Instagram.

Lisa Kocay

Contributing Writer at ForbesLife, Festival Insider, and Gray Area

If you could give yourself advice for when you started in journalism, what would it be?

Take in content before creating content. I wasted so much time staring at a blank screen, trying to figure out what to write. That being said, there are days when there is no creative spark, and it’s okay not to write on those days—don’t beat yourself up over it.


How can we empower other women music journalists?

Read their work and support one another by sharing it on social media. When it comes to women of color in journalism, educate yourself on microaggressions, your own whiteness, and unconscious bias. It’s also important when supporting minority artists to learn how to pronounce their names, understand your privilege, and acknowledge your mistakes. In addition, understanding vocabulary such as misogynoir, non-binary, pronouns, chosen names, and more are important.


Who are your favorite women journalists in dance music right now?

Kat Bein, Katie Bain, and Arielle Lana LeJarde.

Follow Lisa on Twitter and Instagram.

Words by: Arielle Lana LeJarde

Taking Notes from 7 Influential Women in Dance Music Journalism

Dance music planted its seeds in cities like Chicago and Detroit, and with its all-inclusive ethos and ability to bring people together, the genre made its way to every crevice of the world. Once house and techno reached Europe, electronic dance music (or EDM) was born. English composer Richard James Burgess first used “electronic dance music” to describe his single “European Man.” The now commodified and catchily-named genre spread like wildfire, and by the late ’90s, EDM made its way to Vietnam, which bred their own subgenre, Vinahouse. 




The name Vinahouse signified Vietnam’s unbreakable ties to the country’s culture: Vina, which is short for Vietnam, combined with house music. DJs began remixing popular Chinese and Vietnamese songs with a simple but memorable beat full of high-energy and a bombastic four-on-the-floor beat. Credited as the first Vinahouse song, “999 Roses” remixes by DJ Thái Hoàng and DJ Nam Tào created the sound we now know as Vinahouse.

DJ Hoàng Anh was the first Vinahouse DJ to successfully give global attention to Vietnam’s dance music. In 2004, Tiesto chose him as the first winner of the Heineken DJ Contest. DJ Hoàng Anh frequently represented Vietnam in contests around Asia, garnering him the title as “The King of Vinahouse.” Even with the bedazzling title, he has acknowledged throughout his career that it’s a difficult lifestyle. In a translated interview with Zing news, he says, “However, to live with the profession and make a mark in the world and with the audience is not easy, the same is true of any profession, not just DJ.




The beautiful thing about rave culture is that you can escape from reality, meet amazing people, and dance the night away. But if you pull back the curtains, the glaring issues in the industry remain the same no matter what country you live in. And once Vietnam’s nightlife began to attract international attention, the scene shifted in ways that made the country’s dance music scene a bit more complex.




A Saigon-based promotion company and collective called Heart Beat is credited with pioneering the techno movement in 2012. Made up of international DJs from Germany, Thailand, France, and Vietnam, Heart Beat wanted to bring Detroit techno and Euro tech house to Vietnam by throwing events that showcased global and local talent.

DJ Mag reports, “In recent years, the few underground music events available typically followed strict ‘only house and techno’ policies and focused on attracting expats who could afford the entry fee.” Though looking through Heart Beat’s Resident Advisor page, their standard ticket price is usually 150k Vietnamese Dong ($6.62 USD), and they also offer free entry before 10 pm. 

In a 2015 piece on VICE’s now-defunct THUMP, Heart Beat expressed that throwing the parties wasn’t easy. Heart Beat cofounder Paul Tonkes said, “We’d have to give them [the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Vietnam] a list of every track a DJ intended on playing, which we would make up because you never know what a DJ is going to play. It would end up being $300 to $500 for the night just for copyrights. That’s not the money going to the artist, either.” 

Giving out tracklists for techno parties was virtually unheard of, but it was one of the rules the Ministry ordered to gain an event license. There were also midnight curfews—which Heart Beat didn’t abide by—making their parties doubly illegal.

Bringing international talent to the forefront of Vietnam nightlife was a mission for promoters like Heart Beat. The German Consulate sponsored the crew. And members of the collective included people not local to Vietnam. Some Vietnamese DJs feel that this emphasis on transplants rather than the true local scene has proven problematic. 




Cuong Pham, whose artist name is Phambinho, tells DJ Mag, “I know of people who have been kicked off the decks or out the clubs for violating the ‘standards’ of these gatekeepers.” He also says its “sính ngoại,” an expression similar to xenophilia, an attraction to foreign cultures or customs. 

Now taking the forefront of Vietnam’s nightlife is Saigon party collective Nhạc Gãy. French-Vietnamese founder Anh Phi tells Dazed, their goal for the club night was to fill “a gap in the market and the need to develop a local rave scene.” They wanted to do so without constraints. She adds, “We don’t subscribe to convention, or at least we try not to. Gãy is a way of saying that, when everything is broken, it’s OK.” Gãy translates to “broken,” but is a beautiful double entendre for its LGBTQ focus.


Unlike previous worries about revenue, Anh Phi says, “We were never in this for the money. Without a fixed venue and the costs attached to that, we didn’t have the financial pressure others faced.” And with no focus on one dance music genre, they were able to attract the eclectic and expressive crowd of Ho Chi Minh City.

But Phi wasn’t only veering off from close-knit event-throwers in the scene, Nhạc Gãy also wanted to distance itself from the formulaic Viahouse. So around this time last year, the collective released a club compilation full of Vietnamese artists that “reflected more on what could be modern Vietnamese club music.” However, they don’t wholly reject the country’s electronic music roots in the compilation, even opting to include some of the playful genre.

Electronic music tourism still seems to be a budding industry for Vietnam, especially in places like Ho Chi Minh City. And while they might not have the festival circuit that its neighbors in Thailand and Hong Kong might have, dance music continues to thrive. In a scene so young compared to the US and Europe, it’ll be interesting to see how Vietnam’s scene will continue to develop in the coming years.

From Vinahouse to Techno: Vietnam’s Complicated History with Dance Music

As states begin to end indoor mask mandates for vaccinated people across the US, we reflect on nightlife venues' journey to organize safe gatherings for the masses over the past two years. Navigating life with COVID and its variants hasn't been an easy task, but one group of event organizers demonstrated how to efficiently and safely coordinate incredible shows for vaccinated Southern California club-goers.

The COMPOUND venue has been throwing parties nonstop in Los Angeles since 2007. Looking out for their longevity and the community, they decided to press pause on events at the location in the months following the COVID-19 pandemic breakout in 2020. When lockdown ended in June last year, artists Ønyx and Insical asked if they could document the return of COMPOUND.

Nightlife organizations COMPOUND, INCOGNITO, 6AM, Dirty Epic, and Synthetik Minds worked together to produce an unforgettable event to commemorate the long-awaited return to the dance floor after all mass gatherings, and live events ground to a halt. Returning to the Dancefloor depicts their story as it came to a brilliant apex in Los Angeles earlier this year.

"This video is a story of that," said organizers from the house and techno club INCOGNITO in a statement. "…and a reminder that we must continue to do what is right by each other so that we can keep our community dancing safely."

As seen in the documentary, the stunning festival-sized return of COMPOUND was an incredible affair. With state-of-the-art light shows, an incredible sound system, and plenty of open-air passages for increased ventilation, the massive warehouse party was a celebration of music and community. 

Featuring techno acts like Modus, Jeremy Olander, Sophia Saze, Nur Jaber, Regis, Orly Gal, and so many more, the two-night event was an eagerly anticipated event that exceeded expectations.

In an exclusive interview with Gray Area, Dirty Epic founder-curator Andrew Souto shared his frustration about not being able to work in nightlife these past two unprecedented years of almost opening and then being let down when officials deemed it unsafe at the last minute. 

"We had been anticipating the reopening for many months and were even putting artist holds as soon as we were given a date of reopening. Foreign artists were still barred from entering even with a working visa so we had to focus on Americans only which was really fun but became more difficult as the excitement about events being open waned and we had started running out of new options for bookings," said Souto.

In the months since events & nightlife have started up again, Souto says returning has meant everything and more to him.

"Not just throwing events but just the social aspect of talking with strangers, and having some good laughs. Getting closer with my core group was great for a while but that diversity is necessary."

The COMPOUND party continues, with many more underground techno events lined up for winter 2022. The organizers shared that they will continue to remain consistent with guidelines from health authorities, requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of an event. The promoters continue unwavering in their commitment to throw safe, enjoyable events as the world proceeds with navigating through life with COVID and its variants.

"Life needs to return to normal at some point," said Souto. "I'm happy to shut down business again if we have to, but this thing can't have a massive influence on our lives forever." 

Stream the Compound LA documentary on Youtube.

Words by: Melisa Yuriar

Watch Compound LA's Return to the Underground

One of the most iconic gatherings in dance music culture is back in full effect this week. Miami Music Week has returned for its first proper edition since 2019, and everybody’s celebrating. Whether you’re chilling out poolside and leaving your plans up to chance or mapping out your itinerary down to the hour day by day, Gray Area has got you covered on the coolest places and parties that can be found in Miami this week…




Pool Parties

It wouldn’t be Miami Music Week without some pool-adjacent beats and bangers. That’s why Gray Area is teaming up with top-tier talent to offer five days’ worth of dance music madness at The National Hotel. Between Wednesday, March 23 and Sunday, March 27, this oceanfront Miami Beach getaway will host everyone from melodic techno titans like CamelPhat and Magdalena to electro misfit Tiga and house music legends Green Velvet and MK to San Francisco staple Justin Martin. You can get a full rundown on the Gray Area goodness and details on each party by checking out the complete list of events right here.




Scenic Shopping

Yes, Miami Music Week orbits around the dance floor and the magic of the crowd uniting under a groove. But like it or not, it’s also about serving up the looks, and there’s no shortage of places in Miami where you can score some sweet apparel. 

Upper Buena Vista and the Miami Design District are among the 305’s many shopping hubs. Both areas also include an array of sights to see and savory spaces to grab a bite. Don’t skip out on the incredible creativity displayed at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) or the delicious nibbles and immaculate atmosphere emanating from Palapa Miami.




Club Culture

Assuming you’ll have enough energy left over from your daytime shenanigans, these are the places you’ll likely be spending most of your Miami Music Week nights. 

Club Space is a mecca for Miami’s after-hours landscape, and revelers passing through its hallowed dance floor will have the treat of being among the first to see its newly colorful halls redesigned by Miami-based artist Francisca Oyhanarte. 




If you’re going to be in the downtown area and would like a more intimate experience, you can’t go wrong with Floyd — a sub-venue of Club Space that caters to more underground acts — or ATV Records, which boasts the best disco ball in Miami. 

If your Miami Music Week is planned largely in the area you’re staying, get familiar with each neighborhood’s venues. If you’re sticking to Miami Beach, get familiar with Do Not Sit on the Furniture and Treehouse. 

Wynwood’s got a lot going on too, with 1-800-Lucky and Oasis Wynwood bringing the heat courtesy of selectors like Skream and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs as well as A-Trak and friends.




Airport Arrangements

There’s more to the art of party producing than just what’s immediately visible on the surface. Booking top-notch DJs and securing fancy light setups get you far. Still, a stellar get-together needs that extra something to make it truly special. It requires finesse, vision, and a holistic consideration for aesthetics. In other words, you need to curate a vibe. 




Fortunately, Where Are My Keys? has plenty of vibes to go around. Although this long-running party has taken place at multiple locations over the years, it’s found a comfortable home in recent editions at 94th Aero Squadron, an old-timey restaurant and event space situated right next to Miami International Airport. 

Where Are My Keys? is usually a seasonal affair reserved for long weekends and special occasions, but it’s pulling out all the stops for Miami Music Week 2022 by staging three parties spread across three days. Move D will control the decks with an extended set on Thursday, March 24. Friday will be a Life and Death & House of EFUNK showcase featuring respective label masterminds DJ Tennis and Soul Clap along with AceMoMA, DJ Holographic, and more. 

On Sunday, March 27, the closing party is poised to be one for the books. Palms Trax and Omar S will join Miami’s own Danny Daze on the ones and twos — if you’ve never had the privilege of raving until sunrise as planes land and take off mere feet away from you, circle these dates on your calendars.

 

 

Record Store Recommendations

If you’re planning on crate-digging during your Miami stay, you can’t go wrong with these record stores. Sweat Records and Technique Records have become foundational to Miami’s musical community through their impressive selections as well as their frequent in-store events. If you’re looking for more specialized wax, T Bag Records has an ample supply of dance music deep cuts, while The Miami Record Fair, staged by local label Terrestrial Funk, will feature a little bit of everything. 




Beach Bumming

Although South Beach is the obvious choice for where to bask in Miami’s sands, locals know that it’s actually all about Haulover Park Beach. This northern alternative is much less crowded than the international tourist trap, but you also enjoy the beach without the fleet of airplanes and boats advertising club nights you’ll never actually go to. As if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also actually be able to find parking. Oh, and there’s a clothing-optional section of the beach… y’know if you’re into that sort of thing. 

 

Coffee Consumption

Wherever you’re staying in Miami, find your closest Panther Coffee. You’ll need caffeine if you’re going to survive the week, and this local chain offers some of the best brews you’ll find in the 305. And should you stumble out of Club Space, ATV Records, or any downtown spot at an unreasonable hour of the morning, All Day is right around the corner to provide one last brain boost for the day.

 

Bar Bumping

 No visit to Miami is complete without a dive into its local watering holes. Dante’s HiFi has quickly become one of the city’s most essential musical hubs with its bespoke sound system, intimate atmosphere, and consistently excellent programming curated by musical director Rich Medina. And yes, the cocktails and Miami Music Week offerings are delicious as well — be sure to swing by the Wynwood hangout on Wednesday, March 23, for a cozy listening session with house music master Louie Vega, who’ll be guiding guests through his new LP, Expansions In The NYC. 

While you’re in the neighborhood, grab a drink at Gramps, a Wynwood institution that’s stood strong while its surrounding area has changed several times over. As for darker and lovably seedier dens, you can’t go wrong with Mac’s Club Deuce on Miami Beach, Las Rosas, or The Corner.

 

Rest & Relaxation 

Miami Music Week is a marathon, and you better carve out some time to recharge if you hope to make it through with your brain cells intact. If you’re winding down from an early morning of partying and could use a relaxing rendezvous, there are several spots promising just that. The Vagabond Hotel in the MiMo Historic District and The Standard both provide sunshine and refreshing pools far away from the hustle and bustle of South Beach. Just make sure to coordinate with your crew or be prepared to fork over some cash for passes: luxury doesn’t come cheap, and neither does seeing everything Miami has to offer. 

 

Graffiti Go-To

The abundance of art adorning Wynwood’s walls has become a world-famous sight. Although the neighborhood’s changed a lot since it first became a popular hang for Miami’s culturally inclined scenesters, it’s still worth seeing for anyone visiting the 305 for the first time. Whether you’re in the area to grab some food — don’t sleep on the delicious Mexican cuisine being served up by Coyo Taco — or trying to check out the myriad parties happening over the next few days, odds are you’ll spot something that catches your eye in Wynwood.

Words by: Zach Schlein

The Gray Area Guide to Miami Music Week

Long before becoming a celebrated producer, DJ, and event producer, she honed her skills as a pivotal part of Solomun’s Diynamic family. Behind the scenes, she was a powerhouse running the label’s famous EGO club in her hometown, Hamburg. By the time she started her weekly party at the German hotspot, she was already well on her way to stardom. She’d spent years learning every aspect of the industry and thus understood how to read the room as a DJ and properly build a vibe as a host.

Her infectiously positive spirit, brilliant understanding of what moves the room, and gorgeously produced music put her in prime position to dominate clubland. And after residencies in Ibiza, appearances on festival stages, and releases on Diynamic, John Digweed’s Bedrock, Mobilee, Anjunadeep, and Nicole Moudaber’s Mood, she decided to curate her party concept, Shadows.

Firmly focussed on vibey emotive melodic house and techno, Magdalena had curated a brand that excels at uplifting new artists and showcasing well-established ones in beautiful settings that heighten the music and allow dancers to go inward, just a bit. 

Shadows takes its name from the ineffable transition from day to night. When you can observe your silhouette lengthen and shimmer in the daylight as it slowly disappears with the setting sun. 

The next stop for Shadows is Miami Music Week at The National Hotel on Sunday, March 27. We caught up with Magdalena to chat about the lauded party brand re-emerging from the pandemic, what she loves about Miami, and the magic that the golden hour holds for her.

Tickets are available now.

You just did a Shadows event in Tulum and at SXM. And the concept is widely known around the world. So what’s unique about bringing the vibe to the US.

With the SHADOWS vibe, we try to capture the Ibiza feeling as it was back in the days and bring it to places around the world like Tulum, the Caribbean for SXM Festival, or Miami in a few weeks. I’d say what’s unique is the way we curate the days and nights musically and our approach to the overall concept.


You had a pretty long history in the industry before starting Shadows. What was the motivation behind starting something of your own?

My motivation behind SHADOWS is that I wanted to build a platform where I can showcase talent, which inspires me in my sets. There are so many super talented newcomer producers out there who are missing a platform for exposure. With SHADOWS, I am creating a platform where we can highlight such talent.

In club culture, we are so trained to treasure sunrises. Yet, there’s something magical about the change from day tonight. So why did you decide to focus on that as part of Shadows? 

I love the golden hour. That’s the time when you naturally start to slow down and find your inner self. Also, with music, this is a very interesting time for transition. The vibe goes from laid back-relaxed over to uplifting, energetic. Perfect to showcase different electronic music styles in one party while still hitting the right vibe for every set.

What magic does that space hold for you?

Going on a night out is like turning the page in my book of life to a blank and unwritten sheet. New stories are to be told. The transition from day to night is when this page gets turned, and a new small story starts to be written.


Miami holds its own as a party city alongside Tulum, Ibiza, and any other city in the world. But the vibe is different. What do you treasure about Miami?

I love the energy in Miami. I’ve had amazing morning sets that turned into extended daytime sessions. I feel like the party crowd in Miami is full of energy and manages to stay on the dancefloor for a very long time. Maybe that’s because, in Tulum and Ibiza, the party crowd kinda runs from one party to the next without taking the time to really immerse themselves in the party they’re in at the moment. In Miami, that’s different.

Can you talk about the new design concept for Shadows? What inspired the change, and is it a reflection of any personal changes?

Of course, the forced Covid break was also a time to think about all of the details. Me and my team felt like the SHADOWS brand needed a visual uplift, and we were lucky to have found a very talented visual artist called Tommy Onraed, who does an amazing job. The new design already looks amazing, but we’re still tweaking the last few details with every event we put on until I have the feeling that the design is perfect for the years to come.

You took some time off last year to work on music. Will we be hearing any of this music in Miami?

This you can be sure of! Loads of new music coming…


You also told Mixmag Brazil that breakbeats and a new synth had inspired you. Breaks have always been a massively underrepresented genre. What about the genre has inspired you more recently, and do you see the genre being more prominent on bigger stages?

When I listen to music, I don’t think so much about what I listen to. It’s more my tummy that takes the decisions. I need to feel good when defining the style of music that I play. Kind of like falling in love, where you don’t use your brain to fall in love; it’s your heart that makes decisions. My tummy tells me that breakbeats and new synths are a way to spice up things at the moment, so if you’re asking me if these genres will become more prominent on bigger stages, I’d give you a yes :)


Breakbeat also has a pretty legendary connection to Miami and Florida. How do your sets in each city reflect the musical DNA of the community there?

I put a lot of thinking and preparation into every set I play. I don’t just arrive at the venue, put my USB stick into the player and start playing. Every time I travel to a new city, I check the taste of the local scene, combine this with my own taste in music and create something unique for every city.

Finish this sentence. House music is… 

…one of the reasons I get out of bed every morning.

Words by: Alex Dias

Magdalena Celebrates The Magic of The Golden Hour With Shadows Miami

Alessandro and Federico Fognini—aka Mind Against—have, over the last decade, become a driving force in techno. The Italian-born, Berlin-based duo turned heads in 2013 with their debut Atlant  EP on DJ Tennis' Life and Death imprint. Melding intelligent and compelling sound design, soaring synth work, and a decidedly 80's aesthetic, they quickly rose the ranks. And after being launched into the spotlight, they moved on to help establish Afterlife, the party brand record label owned by fellow Italian duo Tale of Us.

Their remix of Stephen Bodzin's "Earth," is everything great about them in just under eight minutes. The chugging Moroder-esque bassline thumps from the gate while a sheet of warm synths softly rains down. The glorious breakdown preserves the vibe and structure of Bodzin's original synth work but adds a big room shimmer that moves the song into the stratosphere.

Track of the Week: Mind Against Remix Stephen Bodzin's 'Earth'

As we gear up for Miami Music Week, we thought it'd be proper to get things grooving with this masterpiece of a mix from Mathame. Italian brothers Amedeo and Matteo Giovanelli started making music together while living in the forest on the slopes of Mount Etna, an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily. The combination of Amedeo's youthful energy and Matteo's spiritual understanding make for dreamy melodics with serious dancefloor weight.

Pete Tong named their 2021 Essential Mix as the best of the year. But watching the brothers lay it down for Afterlife's Unity Live Series amongst the sweeping natural beauty that first inspired them to create is truly an emotional experience. From start to finish, this mix tugs at the feels. And sticking around for the final track from Icelandic band Sigur Ros ties everything together beautifully.

Mathame will be joining Yotto, Oona Dahl, Rodriguez Jr, and Magdalena for the Shadows Pool Party to close out Miami Music Week. It goes down at the National Hotel on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Tickets are available now.

Follow Mathame on Instagram | Spotify | Soundcloud

Set of the Week: Mathame for Afterlife's Unity Live

Music creates communities. Festivals are the physical manifestation of that concept. When thousands of people concentrate in an area to eat, sleep, and be entertained, sustainability experts liken these complex communities to mini-cities. With this in mind, one Amsterdam-based festival is determined to set a new standard for environmentally-friendly events. 

On top of a spectacular music and visual art lineup, DGTL group has curated their sustainability efforts with extreme detail. They place a significant focus on climate impact, with the goal “to become the first regenerative event organization on a global scale,” according to their website. 

DGTL Amsterdam takes place on April 15-17, 2022, at the NDSM Docklands. The lineup brings a variety of electronic DJs spinning trance, techno, and deep house. Talents behind the booth include LSDXOXO, Jon Hopkins, KI/KI, Jaguar, and Kerri Chandler b2b Hot Since 82. 

DGTL 2022 plans to be climate-neutral, and they are meticulous with how they define their goals. This year they added a third day and have seven stages with 80 artists. DGTL also has editions taking place this year across Tel Aviv, São Paulo, Barcelona, Santiago, Mumbai, and Guadalajara. 

Seeing as DTGL has expanded their objectives and welcomes back more folks year after year, they proudly call themselves sustainable under Dutch green deal standards. Since the first edition in 2017, they have become a “fully circular festival,” which  means DGTL designs their events “to close material loops, eliminate CO2-emissions, and increase environmental awareness.” 

The high consumption nature of festivals has traditionally failed to model sustainability efforts. It takes massive amounts of energy to support people gathering and dispersing throughout a weekend. While the loudest examples fall on poor planning, the attendees also play a huge part.  

Famously, at the close of Woodstock 1969, images show the mass garbage piles accumulated by 8000 volunteers who stayed to clean up after the 400,000 attendees. With exponentially larger crowds than expected, the toilet and water situation was disastrous, and potable water was tainted. Archeologists have uncovered traces of the festival fifty years later in an excavation of the Bethel, New York grounds. 

Festival organization has come a long way and usually manages to serve the expected crowd size, but with or without sustainability in mind, they aren’t perfect. 

In 2021, the Reading and Leeds Festival made headlines when thousands of tents and sleeping bags were abandoned at the Bramham Park site. Some materials were redistributed around Europe through Herts for Refugees. But the lack of understanding often toted leave no trace policies was astounding. Reading Festival’s sustainability coordinator Lily Robbins said, “The ultimate messaging is: take your tent home. It’s the best thing people can do.” 

Broken cups, water bottles, gum wrappers, beer cans, and tiny baggies... Plastic waste is probably the number one thing that comes to mind for anyone who has kicked their way through trash towards the venue exit. In numbers reported in 2015 by Powerful Thinking, a think tank on sustainability and festivals, events in the UK generate 23,500 tonnes of waste annually, and only 32% is recyclable. 

In their sustainability report, DGTL calculated how much CO2 is emitted per artist - an average of 196kg. The average weight of waste created by visitors is 2.33 kg, and they have already reduced that to 93 grams in 2019, with the goal this year to hit zero. They redirect landfill waste to compost using food trays made of sugar cane. By switching to hard cups, the festival is saving an average of 1000kg of plastic. Their machinery uses biodiesel—Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil—as a fuel alternative with lower emissions. 

This year, DGTL wants to change the “waste status” of, well, human waste. So it comes down to what is considered “waste” and how the emissions are counteracted. 

They broke down the categories of sustainability into food, sanitation, energy, resources, and mobility. Each presents unique challenges to reducing waste and increasing renewable sources while minimizing climate impact. From transportation and drink stalls to stage production and portapotties, DGTL demonstrates how festivals can look at renewable options. 

The goals address many points for environmental impact, and most of the energy solutions are specific to the Netherlands, like Greener batteries and power grids that use renewable energy sources. The Dutch government’s participation in the international Green Deal Circular Festivals initiative is a commitment to “reduce the environmental impact of European festivals as much as possible by 2025.” DGTL’s parent company Apenkooi Events, was one of the first to meet the criteria.  

All these numbers sound impressive and promising but does it truly change the impact? 

As standards change and these practices become more popular, we might see more festivals at the very least be inspired to track their energy usage and output. However, festival companies expect to push tons of waste towards landfills and emissions even with diligent planning. Offsetting emissions by planting trees and supporting outside initiatives after the fact is a final phase option. The point of touting sustainability is being able to do the numbers and keep eco-friendliness ingrained in the planning of outdoor events, not as a later problem.

Nothing beats the feeling of returning to your favorite festival’s sacred grounds after a long time away. The desire for a trash-free dancefloor the next day seems to instill a little respect for a voluntary cleanup effort, too. Often festival attendees are eager to help with just a little personal incentive – what comes to mind is the dinosaur pin my friend got after turning in a bag of trash at Lost Lands. A few people caring for the rest of the crowd go a long way in terms of tidiness, but does that equate to sustainability? 

Young adults care most about climate change, and they’re also the demographic buying the most tickets. Naturally, for those seeking a wholesome festival experience over aesthetics, placing value on sustainability on the festival front adds points to attending a show on top of an appealing lineup. It’s hard to ignore when the festival’s information writes its environmental commitment so boldly. If we knew precisely how resource management affects ticket prices, that might highlight the literal value of sustainability, even if we can’t picture the true costs. 

The Netherlands has hundreds of festivals each year, and it’s ripe with opportunities to innovate festival sustainability practices at multiple scales. An abundance of resources are required to create a space for people to settle in and move across festival grounds. Sustainability is best managed at smaller-scale festivals, but DTGL’s long list of environmentally friendly solutions can be applied to festivals with tens or hundreds of thousands in attendance. 

Leading the charge in making festivals more eco-friendly is Mitchell van Dooijeweerd, the sustainability manager for DGTL and the Revolution Foundation in the Netherlands. Revolution is involved with a dozen festival organizers, including DGTL, elrow, The Gardens of Babylon, and Valhalla. His approach aims to invoke a change in behavior with festivals, partners, local governments, and attendees. He looks at the micro-city perspective of festivals as they are a controlled environment to test various solutions that can be applied to the rest of the world. 

The United Nations identifies even more targets for creating sustainability development in a holistic sense, including social and economic growth. Festivals contribute to local tourism, but job creation and upsizing productions can also conflict with the notion of making environmental strides. 

So, is it possible to have a genuinely sustainable festival ecosystem? 

In the fast-paced, hedonistic world of a music festival weekend, fans can easily overlook what goes into the production and what is left over afterward. But escapism shouldn’t exclude morals: respect for your space is very much in line with PLUR values. Fans will notice real work and see through greenwashing. It will take years, but with international green deals growing, festivals are starting to catch on. 

The incentive for festivals would be to see positive feedback and money saved by using green alternatives. This usually looks like a green deal with government benefits, which is the main reason festivals will take action. It certainly can’t hurt festivals to tote their efforts in their marketing and explain the significance for people to grasp what it looks like to be “circular” beyond the buzzwords.

DGTL’s transparency shows integrity and effort in handling the most tangible aspects of what inevitably goes into human gatherings and major stage productions. The community and culture that a festival brings to its surrounding area should be a point of pride. Following incentive programs may boost the profile of festivals locally, and successful partnerships translate to increased chances of an event returning. 

With a multifold approach, DGTL hopes a handful of its methods will be adopted by other festivals internationally. The visibility of sustainable efforts are essential for others to understand, emulate and appreciate. While not everyone will be down for “pee to tea” levels of regeneration any time soon, the focus on sustainability is a choice organizers can either approach head-on or deal with as an afterthought. 

Words by: Aurora Zboch

How DGTL Amsterdam Raises the Bar for Festival Sustainability

New York DJ, CID, has steadily made a name for himself throughout the years. He’s an in-demand producer with a love and passion for dance music that’s been evident since day one. He’s a two-time Grammy nominee in the Best Remix Recording category, and in 2014 he won for his co-production of Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness” remix.

But how much do you really know about CID? Did you know that his name is actually Cid, Carlos Cid to be exact? Cid’s his last name and he grew up with people calling him just that, so it seemed apropos for a DJ name. He’s of Spanish descent, with his family hailing from Spain, but he was born in Queens, New York. He started DJing at the tender age of 12, taking buses throughout the New York boroughs to various record shops so he could spend the day crate digging.

His aptitude for music was clear, even at such a young age and he caught the attention of top NY DJs who were intrigued by him and his enthusiasm. That led him to hone his craft and soon he joined the ranks of those top DJs. He can totally hold his own against top tier talent, yet he, like anyone else, still has those artists he looks up to and one day hopes to work with. His ultimate dream collaboration? Daft Punk, because of course it is. Green Velvet, Riton, Claude VonStroke, Benny Blanco, and Calvin Harris also made that list, which shows game recognizes game. 

And game really does recognize game, as CID’s talents have led him to where he is today; fully appreciated and working with some of the biggest names in dance music. He’s got so many collaborations under his belt, we thought we’d pick some of our favorites and list them here for you.  


Follow CID on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud

Alex Adair - Make Me Feel Better (Don Diablo & CID Remix)

First up is frequent collaborator Don Diablo. Together, he and CID have teamed up for countless remixes together, each more fire than the last, it’s kind of hard to just pick one. In my mind, the remix deserving the most of recognition is “Make Me Feel Better” by English producer, DJ and remixer Alex Adair. Released in 2015, this track was THE hit of the summer. It was a global phenomenon, played on many major radio stations. With its infectious sound, energetic vocals and quality mastering, it’s no wonder “Make Me Feel Better” is a certified anthem. 

Follow Don Diablo on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud

Follow Alex Adair on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud






Kaskade & CID - Us

Also making this list is Kaskade, as he and CID collaborated together for not one, but TWO tracks, “Us” and “Sweet Memories.” For this instance, we’ll feature the earlier track, “Us.” Released in 2015, “Us” is a song about intimacy and young love. The ethereal lyrics, beautiful melody and chunky basslines make for one upbeat song. The official video for this song really fits the lyrics, bringing so much hope while depicting a raw, real-life love story of a family in the Philippines. The harmony, energy and overall vibe truly make for one feel-good song. 

Follow Kaskade on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud





CID - Secrets ft. Conrad Sewell

CID started 2017 off with a bang as he teamed up with Australian singer/songwriter Conrad Sewell for their collaborative track “Secrets.” This stirring single touches on the feelings that secrets can evoke: the willingness to do almost anything for another person, sometimes even at the detriment of yourself.  The video breathes new life into the lyrics sung by Sewell, telling the story of a lover experiencing hardship, who, despite all that, keeps their promises as best they can.  Together, Sewell and CID create a song that is reminiscent of The Weeknd, and find just the perfect balance between delicate lyrics and bouncy house bass.

Follow Conrad Sewell on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud 





Galantis - Pillow Fight (Galantis & CID VIP Mix)

Galantis' music puts smiles on people’s faces. This Swedish duo has incredible talent and a vast expertise of dance-pop. Their 2017 song, “Pillow Fight” is a euphoric anthem already on its own,  so when CID was brought on, he helped take it to that next level with a VIP remix. This rendition leans even more into dance music, adding the original male vocal, epic build-ups and heavier bass. This song is the ideal creation for these two, showcasing their connection in the best possible way.  

Follow Galantis on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud






CID - Believer ft. CeeLo Green

2017 was a big year for CID and collaborations. This time, he teamed up with Cee-Lo Green for “Believer,” a cheerful, hopeful song all about love. “Believer” debuted to the world at a time when faith in humanity was at an all time low, and it’s inspirational and catchy sound, plus the animated video full of imagination, was just what the world needed. Trust me when I say this song has the perfect beat to tap your feet. If you’re needing a mood booster or a little more positivity in your life, “Believer” is just the song for you. 

Follow Cee-Lo Green on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud





CID & VINNE - Take Your Place

For this next collaboration, CID teams up with Brazilian Bass master Vinne for 2018’s “Take Your Place,” released on Tiesto’s label, Musical Freedom. CID himself describes this song as a ‘dancefloor weapon’ and let me tell you, he’s not wrong. This track has it all- trippy vocals, glitched out beats, a sick drop and dirty dirty basslines. It’s the quintessential blend of styles and really showcases just what these two talented producers can really do. 

Follow Vinne on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud 




CID x Riddim Commission - ME N U 

Riddim Commission and CID came together in 2019 for “Me N U,” which samples the classic Cassie track, “Me & U.” This collaboration really melded both Riddim Commission’s and CID’s styles entirely, what with CID’s ability to stand out and Riddim Commission’s ability of mashing together different genres. Released on CID’s Night Service Only label, this song has a bouncy melody, big basslines and just an all around good vibe. Perfect for CID’s label, “Me N U” is the ultimate dancefloor banger and will instantly put a smile on your face as soon as the first note hits. 

Follow Riddim Commission on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud





Loud Luxury x CID - Nights Like This

Next up is the 2020 collaboration between duo Loud Luxury and CID, “Nights Like This.” This pairing is a match made in heaven as these guys are true party-starters and really know how to get the crowd moving. And their creation? An uplifting track full of good vibes and nostalgia, reminiscent of all those times, or nights, you never want to forget. This song really makes you think about the small stuff, savoring each and every moment. 

Follow Loud Luxury on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud





Dombresky & CID - R.E.A.L

In 2021, Dombresky linked up with CID and gave us “R.E.A.L,” a song that walks the fine line between tech house and funky house. Using old-school hip-hop samples, “R.E.A.L is nostalgia wrapped in house music. The familiar melodies and memorable lyrics are like an old, long lost friend. Couple that with thumping bass and the innovative take on the classics, and you’ve got yourself a banger. 

Follow Dombresky on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud





Lana Del Rey vs Cedric Gervais 'Summertime Sadness' Remix

And of course we couldn’t make a list about CID collaborations without including the one that led to his first Grammy.  In 2014, Cedric Gervais was commissioned to remix Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness” and CID helped co-produce it. Obviously it was a match made in heaven and the remix was a great success. CID and Gervais took Del Rey’s melancholic track and turned it into a club hit. The contrast between Del Rey’s haunting lyrics and allure, and the exultant incorporation of house make for a unique sound that is sure to destroy dancefloors. 

Follow Cedric Gervais on Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud

10 Must Listen CID  Collabs

Over the past ten years, Barcelona-based party promoters elrow have grown into a global force in electronic music events. What started as a “slightly illegal” Sunday morning party at a club called Row 14, near the Barcelona Airport, has ballooned into an events company that now hosts 100+ parties a year and half a dozen festivals, from the Caribean to Egypt to Chicago to Peru. Gray Area caught up with the founder and leader of elrow, Juan Arnau, to talk about their upcoming US tour and some of the past parties that have put them on the map. 

Juan Arnau was born into clubbing royalty. His family has run legendary nightclubs for seven generations in and around northern Spain. For decades, the family was famous for its nightclub Florida135 in Fraga, Aragon. First opened in the 1940s as a cinema, it became a dancehall, then a disco, then a club hosting the first proper house and techno parties in Spain in the late ’80s. 

In 2009, the latest generation of Arnaus opened a new club called Row 14. Its Sunday Sessions parties became famous for elaborate decor, costumed dancers, stilt walkers, confetti, inflatables, props, performances, and other shenanigans. At an elrow party, the aim was to make the crowd the star attraction – a policy that’s resonated with clubbers across the world, though nowhere more than in Ibiza. 

Starting in the early 2010s, elrow hosted two seasons at the Vista Club, followed by three seasons at Space, before a massive 2017 season at Amnesia. By 2019, elrow was throwing multiple massive parties every week across the world, hosting stages at festivals, and running festivals of its own. Then the pandemic hit, and everything ground to a halt. 


“We were essentially stopped by the pandemic for two years,” says Juan Arnau. “But things are finally coming back. We recently did our largest post-pandemic show, elrow in Amsterdam, for 25,000 people back in September. Since then we’ve been rebuilding the team, going back into the party mood, especially in Europe but also in the USA. 

"We also managed to get to the UK because they opened up a bit before the rest of Europe. We did a big show on New Year’s Eve in Madrid for 2,000 people. Finally we’re back to doing shows in Barcelona in our club, where we’re based. And as of today, we’re launching three or four festivals in the next few weeks, planning the summer, and looking forward to being back on the road – finally.” 

So how do they manage to do everything when most promoters are pleased to put on one show a month? “If we are capable of putting on 110, 120 shows a year it’s because of the team. I consider them almost a family, and we work really well together. The base is here in Barcelona, but we have teams now in countries around the world. We have 30, 40 people in Ibiza because that’s a really important place for us. Our great team makes it possible – and then the audience makes the magic happen.” 


Over the years, elrow has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible, hosting events in ever-more-unlikely venues. “We are a creative company,” Arnau laughs. “About five years ago we got sponsorship from Heineken and they challenged us to come up with the craziest event we could. The first idea was a hot air balloon festival. We put together 10 hot air balloons and invited 2,000 people for a party up in the sky, three hours outside Barcelona.” 

The party worked, generating predictable amounts of attention on social media. A year later, Heineken returned to sponsor another one – if elrow could think of an ever more prodigious venue. 

“So we found the deepest diving pool in the world, it’s in Italy, and we decided to do a party there. We convinced Peggy Gou to play and we invited about 300 people.”


So… how do you throw a party at the bottom of a diving pool? 

“There was a small dancefloor outside the pool,” explains Arnau. “Peggy was playing in a transparent tube that ran through the middle of the pool. Partiers took turns going into the tube, 15 at a time, to dance and take pictures with Peggy underwater in the middle of the tube. It was challenging – the insurance, the security, all that – but it was very powerful on social media. We’re a creative company, and we were very happy with how it went.” 

Does every party come off without a hitch? Of course not. “After the last seven years of touring we have many stories of things going wrong,” says Arnau. “Four years ago, we were supposed to do our first festival in Spain, in a town one hour from Barcelona. I met the mayor, the town council, and everything seemed fine. We had a press conference to announce it and I booked the DJs and the performers, and then one month before the show they told us they weren’t going to give us the permit and the whole event was canceled. That sort of thing happens and it’s very stressful. Finally, four years later, we’re putting on a festival in Spain this year, in Madrid next month, but that cancellation was a painful one. We lost a lot of money, but that’s all part of it. 

"There are dozens of stories like that," he continues. "We’ve had containers of decorations blocked in Colombia, and we had to pay bribes to the police to get them out. We’ve had shipping containers of costumes and decorations lost forever in Dubai. We lost a container in Lebanon. Someone just took it from the harbor and we never saw it again.”

So, is elrow ever tempted to make things easier for itself and just put on regular parties in regular places? 

“No,” says Arnau without hesitation. “That’s not who we are. We are here to stay and we love the industry. We don’t know what else to do, and our passion is to keep growing and making things bigger. We’re always learning and finding new ways to put on better parties. I love doing it, otherwise, it would be too boring. If the shows were copy-paste, I wouldn’t be here.” 


elrow’s US tour is on now, taking them to Chicago, Las Vegas, and New York. As they build back from the forced hibernation during the pandemic, Juan says they will focus on Europe and the US before returning in force to South America and Asia next year. “The exciting part of the brand is that it keeps evolving. We keep adding new things, new music, new decorations, new collaborations with contemporary artists. We’re creative, and I’d never change that. I just want to make sure we deliver great things – better, crazier than ever before.” 

Follow Elrow on Soundcloud | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter 

Words by: Nick Taylor

Elrow Grows Bigger, Better, and More Absurd

Cera Khin

Born in Tunisia and based in Berlin, the sounds of Cera Khin are hard enough to bring the roof down. Take a look at her Instagram to get a feel for her vibe: each video of her live performances contains enough energy to make you feel like you’re right there on the dance floor. Described as a hardcore-fueled signature style, Cera Khin’s thunderous beats have brought her to a diverse roster of regions worldwide since her 2016 debut, including Portugal, Colombia, the UK, and even in the United States. Expect high BPM madness across the genre spectrum during Cera Khin’s thrilling performances, where she often closes the night with gabber and hardcore. You can catch Cera Khin all over the globe in 2022, including performances at Bang Face Weekender in May, Rotterdam Rave Festival in August, and more.

Fatima Hajji

Celebrated for her status as a globe-trotting techno maven, there’s no artist quite as passionate about her craft as Fatima Hajji. The Spanish producer, DJ, and label owner is a trailblazer and a triple-threat with two decades of work under her belt. With a penchant for fast, threatening techno beats, Fatima continues to climb the ranks of the industry and command a crowd for headlining shows. In 2016, Fatima established herself as a curator and host by launching her record label and events imprint, Silver M, which will see the release of Fatima’s debut full-length album and a handful of new singles on the way. Quickly becoming a household name in hard techno, Fatima Hajji proves time and time again that she’s capable of taking this sound to the next level.

Catch Fatima Hajji at Quantum, Brooklyn on June 25th, 2022. Tickets are avaialble now


Clara Cuvé

Representing the promising sounds of the new school, Clara Cuvé is well on her way to closing the world’s biggest hard techno stages. Well-respected by peers and supported by brands such as Drumcode and Boiler Room, German DJ Clara Cuvé is a master behind the decks: she’s built her reputation as a hard-hitting selector with a true love for the music, continuing to announce show after show alongside some of techno’s major players, including Richie Hawtin, Joseph Capriati, and more. As she dips her toes into production, you can check out her first track, “Control,” via R - Label Group before we see more heat from her.




Juliet Fox

Get familiar with Juliet Fox before she claims her spot at the top. Aussie-born and Berlin-based Juliet Fox has stolen the hearts of techno connoisseurs throughout the rise of her career, never afraid to crank up the energy to the max. Performing alongside trailblazers such as Nina Kraviz and Adam Beyer, Fox’s experimental flair flows through her DJ sets with ease and fierce energy. Beyond her mettle in the DJ booth, Juliet is an accomplished producer as well, with releases on Drumcode, Filth On Acid, Toolroom, and more trendsetting labels in the scene. Dancing across house and techno into fast, hard beats, Juliet Fox will take the headlining slot sooner than we think.




CC Luna

For the hard techno fans who feel the urge to go even harder, look no further than CC Luna. Self-describing her sound as transcending, dark, and fiery, Stockholm’s CC Luna has embraced the industrial and hardcore end of the techno spectrum throughout her budding career. She’s a powerhouse producer with countless releases under her belt on hard techno imprints such as Dolma Red, CANCELLED, Modular Soul, and more. Outside of the studio, CC Luna delivers DJ sets, not for the faint of heart — you can regularly catch her alongside acts like 999999999 and performing as a resident DJ for DI.FM Radio and KINK VIBE. Crowned Stockholm’s Producer of the Year at the 2019 Elly Awards, there’s a reason her catalog has caught global attention from techno enthusiasts.




Lesia Karz

Make way for the hellish sounds of Lesia Karz. The Belarusian producer and DJ kicked off her project in 2016 and has become a workhorse in the hard techno scene, unleashing her original music on her imprints Eclipse Recordings and Black Square Recordings alongside Gene Karz. Lesia’s output is nothing short of incredible — take a look at her storied catalog, and you’ll find countless hard-hitting anthems fit for a seance on the dance floor.




Ayako Mori

Best described as a Swiss army knife in the rave scene, Ayako Mori has been holding down the underground in Germany. This Japanese powerhouse is the owner of three different record labels: Physical Techno Recordings, Kalmary Records, and Unbekannt, all the while producing her own club weapons and performing DJ sets across Europe. A regular name on Beatport’s hard techno charts, there’s a reason why Mixmag Asia described Ayako Mori as one of the hardest working creators on the techno circuit. Her most recent release, a remix of Chemtrailz’s “To Be Right Now,” puts her pounding hard techno kicks on full display and is sure to be a secret weapon in the scene this summer.




Juliana Yamasaki

A tried and true hard techno leader, Juliana Yamasaki has built this movement since she began her DJ career in the early 2000s. By 2006, Juliana launched her label Descontrol Techno before throwing parties in São Paulo, paving the way for hard techno producers and DJs today. In 2022, Juliana continues to be a driving force in the hard techno scene in multiple regions: she’s the label head for DCRYPTED TECHNO and continues to churn out heart-stopping releases. To get a feel for her earth-shattering style, listen to the title track off her Burning Fire EP via Odd Recordings — it’s an instant earworm.

8 Hard Techno Artists You Should Know

Cody Chapman of artist agency Wasserman New York is on deck to curate this track of the week. Chapman began his career as an independent agent in Toronto. Then, Paul Morris recruited him to join the legendary AM Only agency. Last April, he joined Wasserman as part of Paradigm's merger with the company. He manages the bookings for artists like Fisher, Chris Lake, Miane, Will Clarke, Gordo, Mochakk, Tchami, and Malaa. 

His pick is Yeah But No's "Perished (Trikk Selva Tensa Mix)." Trikk is a pivotal artist on Dixon and Âme's Innervisions label. The Portuguese artist has had a steady stream of releases since 2011 while actively avoiding the pressures of social media. 

"This is my secret weapon of the moment," Chapman says about Trikk's slinky yet powerfully emotive remix. "For those times when darkness and beauty clash just right. Long after sunset, well before sunrise, when the weight and unease of the right track knocks anyone listening to the floor."


We think Cody hit the nail on the head here.

Track of The Week: Trikk Remixes 'Yeah But No' by Perished

Gray Area welcomes Jacob Merlin, Chief Marketing Officer of 1001 Tracklists to curate this week's Mix of the Week. 1001 Tracklists is the internet's number one source for track IDs and dance music song data. Lauded by heavyweights like Spinnin and Tomorrowland, their platforms include the artist focussed Songstats platform making it easy for DJs and producers to know who is playing their music and where.

Merlin obviously listens to a lot of DJ mixes and he's chosen a smoothed-out house mix from Johannesburg, South Africa DJ, Kasango to get your day started.

"One of my go-to artists every morning is Kasango. His 'House Bound' monthly mix series has been a long-standing favorite (don't miss episode 015!) and his sets are always a perfect blend encapsulating Afro, deep, and progressive house to get your day started right," Merlin told Gray Area.

"We've recently been teaming up with another South African artist VANCO, and doing some co-branded mixes with various artists under his ALGRA imprint," he continues. "ALGRA standing for Acceptable, Love, Gratitude, Respect & Acknowledgement. The series showcases some of the top talents coming out of the country. Kasango's new mix for the series dropped last week is a must listen and track selection is so on point!"

1001 Tracklists Curates Mix of the Week: Kasango 'House Bound'

Curtis Jones has adopted many aliases over the years. Also known as Cajmere, Green Velvet is the force behind the seminal labels Cajual and Relief. And while his illustrious history stretches back to the '90s, he continues to slap legendary dance floor bangers today. 

The history of this dance music icon is extensive. He first fell in love with house music's energetic culture and lifestyle while studying chemical engineering at the University of Illinois. He decided to change his path in 1991, midway through a graduate school program. He dropped out of school to pursue his dreams as a producer. When he discovered how hard it was to sign records to labels, he created Relief Records.

Green Velvet's unique sound is signature for blending 80s electronic funk, crafting soundscapes that take you on an electronic voyage over lyrical terrains. His records always harbor maximum dancefloor influence while showcasing his legendary prestige.

The early releases vaulted the eclectic Jones to an echelon of utmost praise and worldwide distinction. Moreover, his early triumphs shifted the spotlight of global dance music back to Chicago, forming a sound considered a contemporary staple of the iconic city. 

Outside of his pieces, both Cajual and Relief helped nurture and present names like DJ Sneak, Boo Williams, and Mark Grant to the world. In the process, he ignited the third wave of Chicago house music.

Going on 30 years strong, Green Velvet is still a forceful figure in house and techno as an impressionist artist from the get-go. He is still steadily touring globally, regularly releasing heaters and delivering it all with signature tongue-in-cheek shenanigans. 

His tunes stand the test of time with lyrics and rhythms that still slam on the dancefloor—dabbling with bass and flirting with minimal techno in his sets and productions. He displays versatility and a selective ear that have kept him current as he a creator and selector of that soulful, funky, distinctive imprint that Chicago house left on dance music (and on Green Velvet himself) back in the day.

Below we have thrown down the top 10 Green Velvet (and Cajmere) tracks, which are only the tip of the iceberg of this musical genius.  

Catch Green Velvet and friends at La La Land Miami Beach on March 26 at the National Hotel in Miami Beach, Fl. Tickets are on sale now. 




"Percolator"

Cajmere, Green Velvet's alter ego, released this iconic track in 1992 during the second wave of Chicago House in the 1990s revival. This vocal-heavy tune embraces a minimal and raw sound with wild bleeps and an ever-catchy chant. He features himself on the vocals, repetitive drum patterns, and silly synth sounds. This track paved the way for free frame structure, not traditional in house music, and trail blazed the stricter sounds of ghetto house.     







"Flash" 

"Flash" has claimed its spot in history as one of the most recognizable and celebrated tracks ever to hit the airwaves, never ceasing to ignite a frenzy of insanity on the dance floor. Since its release, it has become a staple with its simple and pulsating synths. This song takes the cake for one of the greatest techno songs to come out of the 90s and notably even in the entirety of genre history as a whole, making light on the 'dark' counterculture of the rave scene where all the bad little kiddies do the bad little things.   







"Voicemail" 

A follow-up to 1997's hilariously classic tune "Answering Message," "Voicemail" saw the return of Green Velvet's signature fictional characters (some that we may know too well), Taniqua, LeShaun, and Tyrone, all chasing Green Velvet with their selfish agendas. With Patrick Topping teaming up on the beats, the original beats of "Answering Message" are replaced with a stylish thumping house groove, topped off with a bumping bassline.  







"Preacher Man"

"Preacher Man" features a long-spoken word sample of Clarence LaVaughn Franklin (Aretha Franklin's father!) overlaid on a driving, tweaking, peaking, and freaked-out acid groove. Still to this day, having the ability to make people go mental. With lyrics that better (cynically) extoll the pure debauchery and freedom that a nightclub can provide. In 2012 the 1993 classic was re-released with a turned-up jackin' factor but sounded fresh after 20 years.







"Bigger than Prince (Hot Since 82 Remix)" 

"Bigger Than Prince" is a grower. With the tunes meaning "Walk around like you're bigger than Prince," presumably calling out artists with an inflated sense of self-worth. Musically, though, it's a clever pastiche of the Purple One. Full of mewling, minor-key synths, and drum machine hits, the funk groove is impressively simple, wily, and faintly ridiculous, which has always been Jones' sweet spot. 







"La La Land" 

The wonky classic 2001 single "La La Land" released on Relief repeats the "Flash" template with loopy—wild beats and a hook utilizing his signature vocals supplemented by Walter Phillips. Since its release, the chart-topping song epic lyrics were remixed multiple times and claimed multiple acclimates. The club sing-along masterpiece is simple and straightforward, touching on drug use (you know something about those little pills), which some of us know too well-- looking for the excitement of La La land and the afterparty at whatever rave we find ourselves. 







"Shake & Pop" 

This 2006 electronic track with supporting vocals by Walter Phillips is full of danceability and energy with its simple instrumental beat. This track strays away from the deeper tech-house side of Green Velvet's style, showcasing lighter, more pop-house notes. The hit has the same vocal gimmick and popping beat, just like any of his other tracks having the mastership to make your move.   







"Satisfy (feat. Dajae) [Tiger Stripes & Pleasurekraft Remix]" 

Tiger Stripes and Pleasurekraft revamp of Cajmere's "Satisfy" brings the original tune to new ranks of funky weirdness. The fire remix plays up the underlying tribal tones of the original mix and accentuates the bass. Moreover, Dajae's vocals in the remixed version are slightly distorted robotically, along with the reduplication of the eerie cooing sound. Nothing short of sexy dancefloor magic.   







"Calm Under Pressure (feat. Maceo Plex)" 

Teaming up with fellow heavyweight producer Maceo Plex for a new release on Cajual Records for the 2013 track "Calm Under Pressure." The collaboration may seem oddly suited as their styles are divergent. However, this track came out finessed and solid with an effortlessly definable Maceo Plex bassline and a certain polish and finesse more attributed to Cajmere's familiarity in the studio.







"Brighter Days (feat. Dajae) [Underground Goodies Remix]"

Another early Cajmere house tune with vocals by the queen Dajae is a straight-up anthem that has been the blueprint for a thousand house tunes since its release in 1992. Compiled of an essential bumpy 909, chopped up soulful vocal, finished off with a whole lot of cowbell, a quintessential Chicago house masterpiece inspiring shufflers and house steppers alike to destroy the dancefloor. This track is an oldie but goodie, done just right.

Green Velvet's 10 Best Tracks

When Kai Cant launched Abode in 2014, he had a vision for its future. Still, he surely did not expect to be putting on international festivals, hosting a record label, and maintaining a residency in Ibiza. At the time of its conception, Kai wished to create an event series where vibe and sound mattered more than big splashy headliners. So, he centered his events around a stable of solid resident DJs, each uniquely selected for their individuality. Jimmy Switch was the first to play his shows, followed by the legendary GW Harrison. Soon after, Will Taylor, Jack Swift, Devstar, and Ellie Cocks joined the roster. With sounds ranging from garage to tech house and techno, Abode began to build a name for themselves as one of the most unique parties out there. 

Just two years after the first Abode event, it became clear that a record label was needed. The brand had quickly built up equity amongst house music fans, and the event’s unique bookings led to a clamoring for more. 

With the release of the Round My House EP by Rob Cockerton in August of 2016, Abode Records was born. Since its inception, Abode Records has maintained a position as a true tastemaker in the world of electronic music. Primarily focusing on house and tech house sounds, Abode has regularly delivered dance floor smashing records while also consistently being at the forefront of identifying rising talent.

The label saw immediate success, which led to further growth on the event side of things for the Abode crew. As their profile grew, so did the budgets and scale of events. Within a few years, Abode began to regularly throw large, festival-style events, booking the hottest names in dance music while also maintaining a residency at the legendary Amnesia club in Ibiza. 

A part of the experiential travel and party platform, Pollen, Abode is expanding even further to other parts of the world. Their upcoming takeover in Las Vegas is the first time American audiences will have the opportunity to experience the madness of an Abode event. And with a lineup that includes the legendary Abode residents and mainstays on the festival scene like Skream, Fat Boy Slim, Joel Corry, Claptone, Sonny Fodera, Solardo, and Jamie Jones.

We’ve gathered a selection of Abode’s finest house bops to get you primed and ready for a weekend in Sin City with the crew.




GW Harrison - When House Takes A Journey

“When house takes a journey, from jack, Chicago, to acid house….” Any true house music devotee now knows the iconic line of GW Harrison’s track. The Abode resident made his imprint on the label with this legendary tech house burner, layering a scintillating vocal hook over a tech house beat.  







Pass The Bottle - Pax

Released in 2019, “Pass the Bottle” combines soulful vocals with Pax’s signature low-end bassline. The track was a highlight for Pax in what was a career year, another signifier of Abode’s ability to identify rising talent. 







Will Clarke - Tricky

Will Clarke is now firmly cemented in the world of techno after completing a masterful transition out of funky tech house. However, the switch only began a few years ago. 2019 saw WIll take small steps into experimenting with techno. “Tricky” was one of the first clues that he was experimenting with a new sound, implementing a hollow driving bass sound alongside a vicious build-up. 





Ellie Cocks - Like Tupac (Josh Butler Remix) 

Ellie Cocks, one of Abode’s first residents, is a regular on the label. She typically brings her unique brand of banging techno, but this Josh Butler remix of her track takes it in a completely different direction. Reminiscent of the Josh Butler sound, the remix features vibey tech house drum patterns, creating a perfect late-night track. 







Caal, Baum - Chinese GIrl (Eskuche Remix)

Eskuche made a name for himself as a master remixer. Here, he layers a thick bouncing bassline over the repeating vocal sample. “Ima just do my thing” rings back and forth through your ears as the track becomes increasingly intoxicating. The slippery acid synth line is the perfect icing on the cake, perfect for the big room party and the intimate club.  





Eli Brown - Get it Together 

Eli Brown is known for bringing higher BPM and a bit of that bangin’ warehouse energy to the world of tech house. That said, his offering on Abode is a more typical tech house offering, containing punchy vocal samples with a high energy build leading into a low-end drop. 







Cozzy D - The Upside Down (Mark Knight Remix)

Anytime Mark Knight pops up as a remixer, one must listen. So he naturally does not disappoint with his remix of “The Upside Down.” High energy house music at its finest, Mark Knight brings his soulful piano-laced sound to the track, creating a proper hands in the air and a smile on faces vibe.







Franky Rizardo - The Block

Franky Rizardo’s music knows no boundaries. He has often crossed genres throughout his career, although this early entry into Abode Records represents a more minimal tech house approach. Smooth drum patterns accompany a chopped-up vocal sample to create a straight groover. 







Sonny Fodera, Flash 89 - The System

In 2018, Abode records struck gold with this Sonny Fodera collab with fellow Aussie Flash 89. Another example of their prime talent spotting, the label inked Sonny to a track right as he was blowing up across stages worldwide. This is a proper tech house banger, bringing Sonny’s signature big room sound uniquely. 




Amine Edge & Dance, Clyde P - Make it Mine 

Perpetual tastemakers Amine Edge & Dance and Clyde P collaborate for a masterful release on Abode Records. Showcasing the very best in tech house, this track is a masterclass in rhythm. Synth and vocal stabs hit all the right notes while a bassline as stiff as a strong drink maintains the core.




We put all of these tunes together on one epic playlist. Check it out.