Dance music imprint Anjunabeats has partnered with MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative on a dynamic environmental project to engage music fans about climate change and foster awareness about sustainability. With this collaborative project, the label ultimately hopes to convey a plethora of actionable solutions that music enthusiasts and those who care about the climate on a more expansive scale may begin to take small steps on a personal scale to contribute positively to the bigger fight against climate change.




The partnership with MIT’S Environmental Solutions Initiative will enable the label to “apply scientific rigor in our sustainability efforts,” said Anna Johnson, the label’s Sustainability and Environment Officer. “Music events provide an opportunity for testing new ideas and experimentation around pressing global challenges. We hope the Gorge project contributes to a growing body of research with the objective to scale-up sustainable behavior changes.”







MIT’s initiative will use multi-disciplinary research (yes, they’re tapping into more than just tech and engineering experts for this collaboration), education, events, and partnerships to help propel our society toward a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.







Directly raising awareness through live music and art is Egyptian-born Boston-based recording artist Norhan Magdy Bahomi, better known by her artist name, Nourey. The MIT Ph.D. student-producer conducted a pilot study at Above & Beyond’s Gorge Weekender event earlier this summer.







According to the label, her climate study was active for 16 hours, and more than 500 people experienced the interactive augmented reality ‘Art Wall’ experience she created. The Anjunabeats artist said she believes that “music unites us, and so can science and Technology.”







“During the ABGT weekender this year, we were blessed with the opportunity to work with Anjunabeats/Involved Group on a beta project for Climate communication. Fusing AR technology with collaborative arts, we believe this could be a stepping stone in a broad space where audiences can better engage in climate change issues during live events,” said Nourey.







Professor John E. Fernandez, head of MIT’s ESI program, shared his excitement for the Egyptian producer’s project and the newly unveiled collaborative project with Anjunabeats.




“Working with Anjunabeats at the Gorge was a unique experience in projecting into the future – a more climate aware, sustainable, and equitable future. Bringing science into the heart of a music experience is not only a powerful way in which to engage people on the challenges of climate change but also inspires the potential for transformation. Anjunabeats has been a leader on these issues, and MIT has deep expertise and engagement activities on climate change and many other environmental challenges. Working together at the Gorge proved that there is much we can do to enhance learning and prompt real action for a better planet,” said the professor.







A presentation on the study’s findings will be unveiled at a special live-streamed event on Zoom and Twitch on Wednesday, September 21, at 11:30 EST. The stream will be hosted collaboratively by MIT and Anjunabeats as part of the ongoing sustainability project initiated by the revered music imprint.

Anjunabeats Partners with Tech Institution for Climate Change Study

Located on Kudryavska Street in Kyiv, Ukraine, newly opened ABO Records is doing their best to convey a feeling of normalcy for their community.



Founded last month by three music-enthusiast friends, Amir Hanani, Borys Stepanenko, and Oleh Baranovskyi, the store was set up at an abandoned liquor factory. Faced with a complete absence of music gatherings due to the ongoing conflict in their country, the friends decided the time to begin their well-intentioned business endeavor was now.



"The idea to open the store was in our mind for a while," the founders told Resident Advisor. "Now, while all our clubs remain closed due to war, we took the plunge."



An “alternative place” to dial in and relax with other musicians, producers, and music lovers, the shop is becoming a hub for the community at large, which spans fans of electronic music and vinyl collectors.



"We live in truly dark times, but still try to remain optimistic and are happy to see people visiting us and digging into records for hours," they shared.



The friends explained that though it hasn’t been very easy so far opening a business during a war, they reckon that their vinyl shop will be paramount in keeping their community’s morale up and their DJ scene alive.



"Even in such dark days, we want to keep it going," the friends said.





Currently, abo records’ stock includes vinyl that spans house, techno, ambient, downtempo, breaks, and trance.



The store owners believe that helping their community is vital to also provide aid for the Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the war. As such, a percentage of what the abo records shop makes in profits will go toward helping Ukrainian soldiers and a foundation for local volunteers.



The vinyl shop is open on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 4 PM through 9 PM.

New Record Shop Opens in Kyiv, Ukraine

A drug testing clinic in Canberra, Australia, determined that 40 percent of all cocaine tested was tainted with coke-less substances. The facility’s service, CanTest, is Australia’s first on-site pill and drug checking service. The researchers examined cocaine from 58 samples for the study. All cocaine tested by CanTest indicated purity levels below 30%, and 40% of the samples contained no cocaine at all.




Researchers led by Associate Professor Malcolm McLeod at the Australian National University’s (ANU) Research School of Chemistry determined that samples were cut with fillers like dimethyl sulfone, sugar, and talc.




Of the Ketamine samples tested, much of them contained a majority of the substance. Only 65% of MDMA samples had the majority of the drug, and heroin samples tested indicated purity levels ranging from 31% to 63%.




The study’s findings provide an insight into what kinds of drugs are sold in the local market, explained the professor in a report by the Guardian. “They also suggest the service is reaching a far-broader cross-section of the drug-taking community than what was possible from Australia’s first festival-based pill testing services conducted in previous years,” he shared.




The CanTest clinic service won’t adjourn until after six months. The trial run is a collaborative effort with a few of Australia’s pioneering health, harm prevention, and drug testing organizations: Directions Health Services, CAMHA, Pill Testing Australia, and ACT Heath.




An Associate Professor from ANU’s medical school, David Caldecott, who maneuvered the study and guided researchers throughout it, shared that he felt it was vital to engage “a new generation of young consumers, many of whom have never sought advice on their drug consumption before.”




As the drug overdose death toll numbers continue to climb across North America from tainted fentanyl and cocaine consumption, studies like this could pivot the conversation surrounding the opening of drug testing sites to move forward.

Australian Drug Clinic Finds 40 Percent of Cocaine is Coke-less

Nearly 1,500 pounds of alleged cocaine was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to officials. The estimated street value of the narcotics is $11.8 million.



Approximately 1,500 pounds of cocaine was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on Friday, August 26 at the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge—the US-Mexico border—shared the agency in a news release.



“Officers assigned to CBP cargo facilities ensure effective border security by preventing and countering the flow of suspected narcotics entering the country,” said the Port Director Alberto Flores of the Laredo Port of Entry. “This seizure is a prime example of border security management and how it helps prevent dangerous narcotics from reaching our communities.”



The shipment’s street value totaled over $11,800,000. Colombia-Solidarity Bridge officers at the site on Friday recommended that a 2016 Stoughton trailer toting the massive shipment of baby wipes receive a second inspection. The truck was then pulled aside to get an extensive canine and non-intrusive examination. The exam revealed the discovery of “1,935 packages containing 1,532.65 pounds of alleged cocaine within the shipment.”



CBP has since seized the narcotics and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations agents continue to investigate the expensive shipment.







Director of Operations Randy Howe of the CBP office in Laredo called the bust a “colossal, recording setting seizure” and the "largest cocaine bust in 20 years" in a tweet on Monday. 



According to Border agents, drug seizures have been on a downward trend this summer.  In June and July they reported that they found a shipment of alleged cocaine worth more than $600,000 hidden in the tires of a trailer said to be shipping juice. They also found over $1M of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine at the same border crossing hidden in a shipment of statues.





Seized Shipment of Baby Wipes at US Border Revealed $11.8 Billion Worth of Cocaine

House heads, it’s that time of year to make the annual pilgrimage to the place where it all began—Chicago. ARC Music Festival is returning to the birthplace of house music once more this weekend September 2-4 with its biggest lineup to date.

Featuring some of house and techno's most iconic talents, and plenty of emerging and local acts, this is one multi-day event you won’t want to miss.

From 2:00 pm until 10:00 pm each day, immerse yourself into the genre that was born in the Windy City.



ARC weekend is a music festival experience that’s as dynamic as it is euphoric. As a festival-goer, prepare to traverse between the vibracious Grid stage, the eccentric party players of Spain’s elrow and make your way to the cavernous Expansions stage, where you’ll find groovers and dance floor heaters.



The expansive city-wide celebration of house music carries over into the after hours for those who have the stamina to keep the momentum winding, from dusk until dawn.



ARC’s After Dark parties are hosted at event venues all across Chicago once festivities end for the day. Find tickets for an array of ARC After Dark parties here.

The three-day festival’s lineup features house icons continuing to champion the genre alongside performances from local and international rising talents. This year's Friday’s ARC headliners include ANNA, Ann Clue, Boris Brejcha, Chris Lake, Cloonee, De La Swing, Eats Everything, Hiroko Yamamura, Kasablanca, Lane 8, Miane, Moritz Hofbauer, Nora En Pure, Pan-Pot, Richie Hawtin, Sama’ Abdulhadi, Skream, and Tini Gessler.







House and techno heavyweights set to perform on Saturday include Carl Cox, Carl Craig, Charlotte de Witte, Chelina Manuhutu, Derrick Carter, DJ Lady D, Enrico Sangiuliano, Gene Farris, Honey Dijon, Joseph Capriati, Maher Daniel, Mark Farina, Mike Dunn, Paco Osuna, Ricardo Villalobos, Ron Carroll, and Seth Troxler.



Sunday’s ARC headliners include some of the most eclectic and revered selectors in the scene. Acid Pauli and Adam Beyer who will be playing alongside Cirez D, Ben Böhmer, Claptone, DJ Tennis, DJ Three, Fatboy Slim, Giolì & Assia, Gorgon City, Justin Martin, Kryptogram, Öona Dahl, Vintage Culture, and Wax Motif.







Complete set times for all three days of ARC are listed below along with a map of the festival grounds.



ARC Music Festival 2022 Set Times are Here

Renowned Berlin mainstay Watergate will celebrate its 20th anniversary this month, with exclusive commemorative items, showcases, events, and festivities to commence leading into the end of the year.



An iconic venue for locals and the international music community, Watergate has announced several events, a vinyl compilation, and a fashion collaboration to commemorate 20 years of music, parties, and culture.


The esteemed venue will be hosting a Watergate 20-year showcase at three locations this summer, beginning with the W Algarve in Albufeira, Portugal. This vibrant coastal city has a busy nightlife strip and has become a popular holiday destination. Headliners include Hamburg DJ Matthias Meyer, maximal house DJ Kristin Velvet, and Hyenah.



Next, Watergate residents will take over the Tanzhaus West nightclub in Frankfurt, Germany on September 3. Artists headlining the special 20th-anniversary event include Anja Schneider, Ede, Extrawelt, Jamiie, and Matthias Meyer.


The third showcase this summer takes place at SAGE, a beach bar, and cultural center in Sage Beach, Berlin. The celebration, OPEN AIR 2.0, will see performances by the club’s residents Ede and Jamiie once more as well as DJEFF, Gheist, and JOPLYN.



Richie Hawtin, Maceo Plex, Acid Pauli, and Solomun are slated to play the club in October while a collaborative fashion endeavor from Irie Daily that “matches the club's culture” is set to launch the same month. It will offer an "old-school club tracksuit,” as well as hoodies, T-shirts, and other stylish, commemorative accessories.




A special triple gatefold vinyl, aptly named 'Watergate 20 Years’, will be released by the imprint in November. The selections will span artists from within the in-house label, featuring 20 exclusive tracks by artists which include Solomun, Anja Schneider, Adana Twins, Joplyn, Kollektiv Turmstrasse, and Extrawelt.


Tickets to the 20th-anniversary showcase events and more information about the upcoming festivities are available on the venue’s official website now.


Berlin's Watergate Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Music brand Roland, creator if the iconic 808, 909, and 303, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month with the grand opening of its first brick-and-mortar showroom in London. The new building—Roland’s first independent store to open and operate in the city—will sit on Denmark Street in the very center of London.



The official-unofficial birthplace of the British music industry, Denmark Street has been seen as a notorious hot spot over the years for artists to recharge and produce music. Elton John, David Bowie, and the Sex Pistols have all frequented the spot located in the heart of London.



A collaborative effort, the new store will grant customers the opportunity to glimpse new and vintage music items, gear, and equipment by the brand and its guitar pedal manufacturer-partner, Boss. The Japanese manufacterer has been a division of Roland for years, specializing in niche music equipment and accessories—an apt addition to the brand’s first London showroom.


Visitors will be able to access onsite workshops, masterclasses, and book demonstrations in advance for all Roland and Boss products—with vintage products to occasionally be included with this service throughout the year as well.



In addition, a Jupiter-X synthesizer donning black keys and unique gold accents will be on display at the store. The company only made a handful to celebrate their half-centennial milestone.



Staffed by Roland Product Specialists who are ready to help guide and equip customers with knowledge on all things Roland, the London store will also serve as a hub for visitors to explore Boss products and the brand’s latest releases.


Roland Europe’s CEO David Vazquez shared his delight on the brand in a statement issued: “We’re delighted to be able to support our customers in central London, and our retail partners nationwide, by showcasing an exciting range of Roland and BOSS products in a brand new Denmark Street showroom.”



The CEO continued, “Having retailed in Central London previously, both in Harrods and the Virgin Megastore, we’re excited to return to this iconic music location. Our aim is to once again let musicians experience a wider range of products not currently available in Central London.”



An apt celebration of Roland’s 50th Anniversary, the store-showroom is open in London now. Visit Roland Store London online for more information.


Roland Opens its First Showroom in London

DEF is Atlanta’s leading underground music and arts collective. The organization is championing a contemporary movement of music and culture with consistently sold-out monthly parties. DEF events often take place in secluded warehouses and unconventional places like skateparks and tunnels.

Filmed cinematically the Boiler Room-esque parties are unruly, engaging, dimly lit, and headlined by tenured and rising talents. The woman-owned and operated collective is uniquely attuned to emerging artists and trends of the underground. 


Artists like Dr. Fresch, Alix Perez, Freak On, Sara Landry, Shades, HELLBOUND, and SOHMI have all joined DEF’s growing roster of performers. Their latest underground events endeavor has finally been unveiled after weeks of speculation online. The ØFFLINE Project is an expansive multi-day music and arts event is taking place in the heart of Atlanta in October.



The two-day event, taking place on October 7-8, will feature some of the most acclaimed acts and emerging talents spanning house, trap, and bass. While information about the multi-day event’s location and complete lineup have not been revealed, what is known is that it will take place at “a warehouse less than ten minutes away from Downtown Atlanta.”

The ØFFLINE Project’s partial lineup includes a plethora of some of house music’s most revered headliners: A-Trak, Boys Noize, Baauer, Chris Lorenzo, and J. Worra.



Drum and Bass music duo Chase & Status, who have taken the reigns of Ibiza's only D&B residency Louder, will also perform.

Also on the lineup is the undisputed queen of Jersey Club, UNIIQU3; King of the spicy edit Wuki, Prospa, Nitepunk, and X&G. South African bass producer Chee and experimental bass act Jon Casey will perform an exclusive B2B session as ‘IT HZ.’



Among the headliners announced on August 23, supporting acts include multi-genre maven Mija, industrial pop producer girl_irl, Kyle Kinch, DJ Craze, MIZE, Township Rebellion, and more to be announced in the following weeks.


Tickets for DEF’s ØFFLINE Project are available for purchase now. 2-Day, 2-DAY PLUS, and 2-DAY (4 Pack) wristbands may be purchased here.

DEF Collective is Atlanta's Underground Gem

Beatport is dealing with fallout from an investigative report on its company culture by Annabel Ross. Black Artist Database (BAD) has suspended its partnership with the download store’s editorial arm, Beatportal.




Writing for Vice, Ross compiled anonymous allegations of sexism, racism, and bullying to paint a picture of a toxic workplace festering in various Beatport offices during the tumultuous years after its parent company, SFX Entertainment, declared bankruptcy. They involved CEO Robb McDaniels, who allegedly said “African tribesmen have been killing each other since the dawn of day” during a meeting on the company’s public response to the 2020 George Floyd protests, as well as general managers Terry Weerasinge and Romain Pouillon, who allegedly accused an employee of having sex with an executive.




“In light of the allegations regarding the safety of Beatport’s workplace for Black employees highlighted in a piece published by Vice yesterday (August 23 2022), alleging racist, sexist, and bullying behaviors by Beatport management, Black Artist Database is immediately suspending the partnership between ourselves and Beatportal, pending further internal review,” reads a statement from BAD. “Once we have conducted our internal review, we will return with a further course of action.”




BAD’s statement went on to say that the platform, a discovery tool for finding music by artists of color launched in 2020, will be forced to pull out of an August 28th event called The Carni Dance “due to a license issue” stemming from the Beatport situation. “Unfortunately, the timing has meant we’ll be unable to secure another venue with as much care as we apply to our events, so we have made the decision to cancel,” it reads.




Beatport was launched in 2004 by Bradley Roulier, Jonas Tempel, and Eloy Lopez in Denver, Colorado, offering an online music marketplace as the proliferation of CDJs increased the demand for electronic music MP3 downloads. It was acquired by SFX Entertainment in 2013; the international electronic music conglomerate rebranded as LiveStyle following its bankruptcy.




Beatport has not publicly responded to the allegations in Annabel Ross’ report at the time of writing.




Black Artist Database Suspends Beatportal Deal Over Racism, Sexism Allegations

Simon Dunmore, owner, and CEO of Defected Records, announced today that he would step away from his position at the helm of the iconic label group and cultural institution. He will hand over the role of CEO and co-owner to his longtime partner Wez Saunders.



In a statement posted on Instagram today, he said, "My last post as owner of Defected & Glitterbox. It’s been a wild but rewarding journey...an incredible ride. 23 years of iconic memories. Way more highs than lows.
Few get the privilege of working on incredible music with inspirational artists and dedicated staff…there are far too many to mention, but I thank each and every one of them. My intuition has guided me well, and I have decided that for the company to continue its progressive journey that it needs a new approach, fresh energy."



Dunmore founded Defected in 1999 with funding from Ministry of Sound. The label's first release, "I Can't Get Enough" by Soulsearcher, was a rousing success hitting number five on the UK Singles Chart. The label has been home to countless club stomping classics like Paul Johnson's "Get Get Down," Dennis Ferrer's "Hey Hey," and more recently, John Summit's breakthrough hit "Deep End."







"We first set sail on January 1st, 1999. Waving the flag for the culture we love, we marauded our way through the music industry," Dunmore continued in his statement. "Our mission was simple. Build a global reputation & a catalogue that someday might be considered alongside the great labels that always inspired me…..Strictly Rhythm, Philadelphia International, Salsoul, Prelude."



Over the last two decades, Defected has had 650 releases and built a label group that encompasses some of dance music's most celebrated imprints, including Glitterbox, Classic Music Company, DFTD, and sixteen others. They've become a staple in Ibiza, and their festivals in London and Croatia continue to wave the flag of inclusivity and universal love.



Dunmore says he will not entirely step away from the label he built from the ground up. "I am not abandoning ship and I’ll continue to be part of the Defected’s campaigns as consultant to the a&r team," he explained.



Wez Saunders, who will take over as CEO, has been with Defected for almost a decade. Dunmore said, "All captains need a first mate to steady the ship and lead the crew. Wez Saunders has been my right hand man for 8 years. Together we navigated Defected into prolific times, built an incredible team and a treasure chest of masters and publishing catalogue’s."



Among the treasured items in Defected's publishing catalog is a credit on Beyonce's recent RENAISSANCE album. The track "Cozy" was co-produced by Honey Dijon, Defected is listed as a publisher.



With dance music moving into a new era, Dunmore explained the importance of passing the torch.



"It is important to me that there is a continuum. A continuation keeping the company structure, maintaining Defected’s approach to quality music and events. To continue to deliver our promises and obligations to our community, our artists, staff, and all those that have helped us get here……Collectively we will discover new treasures. House Music All Life Long!"

Simon Dunmore Steps Down as CEO of Defected Records

London’s fabric is gearing up to celebrate its 23rd birthday in the most fabric-esque manner: with a multi-day 30-hour event. Fabric will host its official birthday party at the venue on Friday, October 14, from 11 pm-6 am, with its massive celebrations beginning on Saturday, October 15-Monday, October 17.









Fabric will be debuting an amapiano-focused celebration this year with South African trailblazer Vigro Deep as the massive party’s host.









Vigro Deep will lead clubbers into the whirlwind that will be fabric’s biggest event yet, on Saturday evening. Helping him rock the decks will be Kitty Amor, Charisse C, and KILLAMANJARO, with the addition of various special guests not yet announced.









Fabric-favorite and somewhat enigmatic Ricardo Villalobos will play his second London event this year. Also headlining the 30-hour party is Craig Richards, Margaret Dygas, KiNK, VTSS, Afrodeutsche, and DJ Tennis.









Fabric residents Anna Wall, Harry McCanna, and Tapefeed will take over the club. And Pleasure Club, North/South Records, and Josh Caffé’s Love Child party collective will also host takeovers.









Since 1991, the Farringdon club has seen emerging artists and talented acts pioneer new music genres and break the mold of what clubbing can look like. Showcasing the best in techno, house, garage, and UK bass, fabric continues to be club-goers' favorite destination for a memorable UK clubbing experience and music discovery.









This year will mark the return of Continuum, their 24-hour plus event series, which debuted in 2021. The event was initially created to pair rising talent with legacy acts, garnering the artists more exposure in 24 hours or often entire weekends.









Early bird tickets for fabric’s upcoming birthday party are available for purchase now.

Fabric will Celebrate 23rd Birthday with a 30-hour Party

Brooklyn’s Public Library has introduced a new vinyl collection at the library for all of its members beginning this month. The collection is located on the first floor, in the New & Noteworthy room.

The room includes several listening stations and hundreds of records to browse and check out. The vinyl library’s stock spans close to 400 records and features a plethora of genres that range from country, pop, hip hop, classical, and many more.

The Grand Army Plaza Central Library, based alongside Prospect Park, will allow its library cardholders to play and listen to the records before borrowing them at listening stations. Per the library’s rules, only three albums may be checked out at a time by cardholders and only f​​or a three-week period. Records cannot be put on hold in advance, and all vinyl must be borrowed and returned in person.

The growing collection at the time of this writing includes offerings by Hye Jin Park, Talking Heads, Erykah Badu, Al Green, Lady Gaga, and Notorious B.I.G., with plenty more to be added soon.

A unique collection of music made by famous New York musicians and producers is now available for checkout, including artists of the likes of Suzanne Vega, The Strokes, George Gershwin, the Velvet Underground, and more.

In addition to the collection’s debut, the library is also offering new programs for those interested in audio production and DJing.

The library will be hosting D.J.s to spin during two sessions of their new 'August Lunch Beats' program, to take place in the Central Lobby on August 18 and 25. Then, on August 30, D.J. Face Control will be spinning the decks in the evening, beginning at 7 pm.

View the entire collection on the Brooklyn Public Library website or visit the venue in person for further information.

Brooklyn Library Debuts New Vinyl Collection

One of Germany's most iconic festivals is endangered due to reports of climbing debt. The organizers behind Fusion Festival, Kulturkosmos Müritz eV, issued a statement on the festival's website citing the debt will land between 1.5 and 2 million Euros after all tallying all calculations.



Fusion Festival 2022 took place earlier this summer and was the first in two years. The company raised ticket prices and received government grants to help with the costs accumulated during the pandemic. However, none of it was sufficient to help offset the reported 20 percent hike for materials, services, and infrastructure at this year's Fusion.




The post issued by the company explained that for Fusion 2023 to go forward, the festival's deficit must be resolved before the year's end.




Now in the face of insolvency, the festival organizers posted a call to arms to the broader international music community and Fusion Festival attendees to raise funds as quickly as possible.




According to the post, Kulturkosmos Müritz eV's options include bank loans, raffling 10,000 early bird tickets for next year's edition (sans price reductions, to go on sale September 26), and private lenders.




The company will also be selling properties, including a 100-year-old house bought and renovated in 2015 to house refugees and nine other plots of land on the outskirts of the Fusion site—at Müritz Airpark in Lärz, around two hours from Berlin.




The land is "ideal for those who have fled the city, are tired of the pandemic, and are Fusion-savvy home builders with children," said the organizers in the post.




Die-hard fans of Germany's longest-running festival may donate to the fundraising efforts through PayPal if they feel inclined to do so. "Fusion-themed shirts, hoodies, and other solidarity items" will be available for purchase mid-September as well, with all proceeds going toward lessening the deficit.

Million Dollar Debt Jeopardizes Fusion Festival's Future

Jeff Mills has never remained confined to his career as a DJ and producer. From orchestral performances to jazz side projects, he constantly works to expand his horizons as an artist. This week, he’ll add a film score for the 1922 film Dr. Mabuse the Gambler to that list.




Dr. Mabuse the Gambler was a silent film directed by Fritz Lang and based on a bestselling novel of the same name by Norbert Jacques. It consists of two parts, the first of which will premiere at UFA Film Nights on Thursday, August 25, with the new score composed by Mills.




This is not Mills’ first foray into film scores. He delivered one to accompany the 2010 update of METROPOLIS at the 2017 UFA Film Nights, and 2019 saw him perform an original score for the 1929 film Woman in the Moon.




Although best known for his contributions to techno (both artistically and philosophically), Jeff Mills has explored innumerable creative outlets since his career started 40 years ago. Originally going by The Wizard as a hip-hop DJ for Detroit stations like WDRQ and WJLB, he went on to form an industrial band called Final Cut alongside Anthony Srock in the late ‘80s. Both of these preceded Underground Resistance, the politically charged Detroit techno collective that would put Mills on the map globally.




In May 2020, Mills announced that his label, Axis Records, would expand into classical, jazz, and film scores. The following year, he and French instrumentalist Jean-Phi Dary launched an electronic jazz group called The Paradox and released a six-song album titled Counter Active on the imprint.




Tickets to the 2022 edition of UFA Film Nights can be purchased via Ticketmaster. The film will also be livestreamed beginning at 9:00 PM CET; it will be available for viewing for 24 hours on the UFA Film Nights website.



Jeff Mills Creates New Score for 1922 Film, Dr. Mabuse the Gambler

The Desert Hearts crew is returning to their new home at Lake Perris in 2023 for Desert Hearts Festival on May 5-8, 2023. Tickets are now on sale, and payment plans are also available for those who are already stacking up their festival season schedule for next year.




When you select the payment plan option at checkout, you'll only have to drop $9.99 plus fees ($41.10 total). Nine payments of $37.43 will be charged to your credit card on the first of every month starting in October and ending in May, just before the start of the festival.




You can update the credit card at any time during the payment period. You can also cancel at any time however, doing so will forfeit all funds from previous payments. For more information on the payment plan details and to purchase tickets, visit the Desert Hearts website.




The Desert Hearts Festival celebrated its tenth year in 2022 with an expanded celebration at Lake Perris, California. Leaders of the transformational festival movement, co-founders Mikey Lion, Marbs, Porky, and Lee Reynolds have cultivated a family-like community united under the mantra of "House, Techno, Love – We Are All Desert Hearts" since their first renegade in the Mojave Desert in 2012.




Last year's highly anticipated event came after a two-year pause due to the pandemic. And while their in-person parties may have been on hold, the purveyors of judgment-free self-expression grew their community immensely by cultivating an online army of Desert Hearts faithful through their popular Twitch channel.




The 10th-anniversary event featured underground heavyweights like DJ Harvey, Carl Craig, Omar-S, Danny Daze, Township Rebellion, Atish, and of course, the core crew Mikey Lion, Marbs, Porky, and Lee Reynolds.




The lineup for the 2023 edition has not yet been released, but if last year is any indication, it will be an expertly curated cross-section of the finest underground talent.



Tickets for Desert Hearts Festival 2023 Are Now On Sale

When the Nintendo GameCube title Metroid Prime came out in 2002, fans of more challenging electronic music noticed that the names Sean Booth and Rob Brown, known professionally as Autechre, appeared in the credits. Booth has finally said that Retro Studios initially enlisted them to soundtrack the game, but Nintendo decided on longtime Metroid franchise composer Kenji Yamamoto.




As VGC first reported, Booth confirmed the rumors during a Twitch AMA. “Well I can now [explain my mention in the Metroid Prime credits],” he said. “Even though I am violating an NDA technically by saying this, but basically we got asked to do the soundtrack by [Retro Studios]…”









“We met up with them in Austin. They were really keen and we were really keen, because it’s fucking Metroid… the best game ever. And then Nintendo borked it for some reason and wanted their guy to do it, so that was that really.



“I don’t know how much involvement they had in the sound of it, or whether they intentionally tried to make it sound a bit more [like] us, but I don’t think so really. I’ve read people saying they think it sounds a bit like us, but I don’t think it does. But it’s subjective really.”



In his 1998 book Energy Flash, dance music journalist Simon Reynolds describes the music of Autechre as “unlovely but queerly compelling sound-sculptures: abstruse and angular concatenations of sonic glyphs, blocs of distortion, and mutilated sample-sones, with occasional light relief in the form of pretty pulse-scapes of chime color.” While the duo’s musique concrète-reminiscent execution may have certainly complemented the otherworldly imagery of the Metroid franchise, perhaps Metroid Prime’s developers decided it would clash too significantly with the melodic in-game music of previous installments.



Last month, 11 tracks later confirmed to be Autechre and Gescom compositions were leaked and uploaded to YouTube.




Sean Booth of Autechre Says Group was Supposed to Score Metroid Prime

24 years have passed since hard house icon Tony de Vit passed away at only 40. He is now the first DJ to be honored with a blue plaque in Birmingham to commemorate his contributions to the arts and culture.




The Birmingham Civic Society commissions each plaque to recognize an individual who has “achieved greatness” and “made [the city] what it is today.” The blue plaque for de Vit, who was born in nearby Kidderminster, will be installed on September 24 at Digbeth’s Custard Factory to coincide with a ceremony.V2 Recording Studio — previously located at the Custard Factory — is where Tony de Vit produced more than 100 tracks in the years leading up to his passing. Between 1994-1998, 11 of them entered the U.K. singles chart.




"I’m so delighted that a historic institution like the Birmingham Civic Society is recognizing the contribution that Tony de Vit has made, not only to Birmingham’s dance and music culture, but also the influence he’s had on a generation of DJs, clubbers, promoters and audiences," said Jez Collins of Birmingham Music Archive. "Not many people realise that Tony started his career in Birmingham DJing at the seminal Nightingale Club where he would take his music from a predominantly gay audience into the mainstream.”




In late June, 1998, de Vit collapsed while on vacation in Miami. He was taken to Heartland Hospital in Birmingham, where he passed away of bone marrow failure and bronchial pneumonia on July 2.




While de Vit is the first DJ to receive an official blue plaque, fans have taken it upon themselves to honor others in a similar way. Since his passing, plaques for acid house legend Andrew Weatherall have popped up throughout London.




Following the Birmingham Civic Society’s ceremony on September 24, a Pride party will take place at the Custard Factory. Tickets to both are available via Eventbrite.




Tony de Vit Posthumously Awarded Blue Plaque in Birmingham

Techno blossomed in Berlin in the heyday of the early 90s, beginning with the genre's arrival at the famed Berlin club, Tresor. The club will release an archival book celebrating this rich history on September 9th, coinciding with the esteemed venue's 31st-anniversary festivities.


Tresor: True Stories is a treasure trove of first-hand accounts of the club's history, spanning over three decades of artifacts, personal anecdotes, and exclusive images.




The book includes event flyers, vintage record sleeves, and notable news clippings pulled from the club's archives. Boasting over 400 photographs by photographers Gustav Volker Horst, Marie Staggat, Oliver Wia, Susanne Deeken, Tilman Brembs, Wolfgang Brükner, Tresor: True Stories is the most extensive archival print work ever compiled by the institution.




Over 40 contributors were tapped for the specially curated book, giving detailed accounts of Tresor's origin story and the burgeoning techno movement that began in the 80s West Berlin. After the Berlin Wall fell, it proliferated through the underground and permeated above in clubs and venues that sprouted around a newly reunified Germany.




The repercussions of social and political movements were reflected in the music and culture of the times—Tresor: True Stories is a printed time capsule showcasing the humans and music that established techno's legacy in Berlin.




The new historical work will also include exclusive commentary from the institution's co-founders Dimitri Hegemann, Achim Kohlberger, Johnnie Stieler, and the late Regina Baer—whose recent death in July 2022 continues to be mourned by her Tresor family.


Tresor: True Stories features additional contributions from veteran DJs and Underground Resistance founders Jeff Mills and Mike Banks. Commentary by artists Carola Stoiber, Electric Indigo, Mark Reeder, and Alexandra Dröhner is also featured.




A handful of photos from the special project are available to preview below. Preorder the new archival work in English or German on Tresor's website.


Tresor Unveils Archival Book on Techno and Venue's Origin Story

Amnesia, Ibiza’s White Isle institution notorious for being one of the leading all-night venues on the island, was the first of several clubs to test out a new charitable rave app. Tequila-flavored beer company Desperados launched the Rave to Save app to fund nightlife venues across Europe by calculating club-goers’ steps via their smartphones as they dance the night away.




“We’re calling on the party community to support nightlife venues across Europe by doing what they do best – dancing. By bringing people together, we can all support the venues we love…” said Rutger van der Stegen, Desperados Head of Marketing in an interview with Beatportal.




One euro will be donated for every thousand steps to support the local club venue. Rave to Save app users can also directly contribute by donating through the app. Desperados will match each direct contribution up to 30,000 euros.




Purple Disco Machine played the first party in Berlin, party brand elrow joined in with a special event at Reineke Fuchs, Cologne, featuring David Hasert and Franca on April 4. In July, Amnesia attendees took part in the campaign.




Club-goers downloaded the app and paired it with a wristband given to them by the venue to monitor their dance steps taken throughout the charitable event. Collectively, they accrued close to one million steps—raising over 30,000 euros, or $30,500 US dollars, for charities supporting diversity in nightlife.




An exclusive invite to an afterparty hosted by Peggy Gou was extended to those participants who garnered the most steps.




“The Rave to Save campaign highlights the fact that every partygoer has the power to positively impact the future of entertainment,” shared Nicole Barsalona, the President of Women in Music, whose nonprofit received a portion of the funds raised at the charitable event. Elrow Town London is gearing up to partner with the Rave to Save app on August 20, followed by Hype Festival, Elrow Island, and Elrow Town Amsterdam.

Amnesia Clubbers Dance to Raise Funds for Charity

A five-part documentary series that highlights Black music in the U.K. has premiered on BET UK. The Evolution of Black British Music has thus far featured notable figures like Fabio & Grooverider, Goldie, and Roni Size — and it’s only an episode in.The pilot episode premiered on August 11th, focusing on jungle’s origins in Hackney, East London. The August 18th episode deals with the history of UK garage, and subsequent documentaries in the series will explore grime, AfroBashment, UK funky, road rap, and drill.









The Evolution of Black British Music is directed by Femi Oyeniran and Nicky “Slimting” Walker. The two previously worked on Against All Odds, a film on grime centered around the story of MC Active.




“We will show that beyond just being dance floor fillers, the genres reflected their time,” reads a description of the series. “Jungle was born out of post-Thatcherite youth disillusionment; U.K. garage rose to prominence during the heady days of New Labour; grime grew in prominence in youth clubs; U.K. funky and Afro swing were born out of a yearning for the good times and coincided with the coming of age of second-generation Africans; while drill is arguably born out the years of austerity, the closure of youth spaces, and the digitalization of the world.”




Dance music’s roots in Black culture are certainly not exclusive to Britain. From disco to house music to techno, U.S. dance culture largely originated in gay, Black and Latino communities (of New York, Chicago, and Detroit, in therespective case of each genre).




The influence of dub, reggae and sound system culture had been steeping in Jamaica long before that. When cross-pollinating with offshoots of the American dance music that gained popularity in the U.K. in the late ‘80s, it planted the seeds that would later become jungle and drum and bass.




Each of the five episodes of The Evolution of Black British Music run one hour in length.




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Gray Area Editorial Team

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