SoundCloud’s bumpy road to solvency will soon take it back through bleak territory. The company will let go of approximately 20% of its global workforce as part of “a significant company transformation.”




Billboard reports that SoundCloud CEO Michael Weissman broke the news to employees in a memo sent out via email. “Making changes that affect people is incredibly hard,” he wrote. “But it is one that is necessary given the challenging economic climate and financial market headwinds.”




There is a bright side, according to Weissman. He claims that in tandem with other financial decisions made by the company, the layoffs will put the music streaming platform “on a path to sustained profitability.”




A representative confirmed the decision in a statement. “During this difficult time, we are focused on providing the support and resources to those transitioning while reinforcing our commitment to executing our mission to lead what’s next in music,” they wrote.




Streaming Struggle

SoundCloud was founded in Germany in 2007 by Alex Ljung and Eric Wahlforss. Its lower barriers of entry for content creators differentiated it from then-new streaming services like Pandora and Spotify; anyone can create an account and upload audio to the site.




Monetizing this model through subscriptions and advertising proved difficult. By the time Ljung stepped down as CEO in 2017, Axios reported that the company had raised over $230 million to remain afloat — yet still laid off 40% of its staff. During Kerry Trainor’s tenure as CEO, the service expanded on its subscription model and introduced DJ gear integrations, among other things.




In February, Music Business Worldwide reported that the company’s year-over-year revenues increased by 31% to almost $219 million in 2020. Its losses, meanwhile, had decreased by 41% to only $17.4 million. While it’s not yet in the black, the company has maintained a positive trajectory since The Raine Group and Temasek Holdings acquired a dominant share of it in 2017.




In the fiscal year ending in 2020, SoundCloud reported having 392 employees, 359 of whom worked for the company full time.



SoundCloud to Lay Off Roughly 20% of Staff

Beyoncé’s new album Renaissance included a song titled “Energy” that sampled Kelis’ 2003 smash hit “Milkshake.” Kelis claimed she was neither approached nor credited for the sample. It is now no longer included in the version currently available on TIDAL or Apple Music.




Hours before the July 29 release of the album, Kelis (full name Kelis Rogers-Mora) aired her grievances in a comment on an Instagram post about “Energy.” She pointed out that while Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo (who produce music together as The Neptunes) are credited as writers, she is not. Williams and Hugo were also credited on the original “Milkshake.”




In a follow-up Instagram post, Rogers-Mora said that “this is really not about Beyoncé,” although she remarked that she would have appreciated the superstar reaching out to her directly. She instead brought up how Williams has been outspoken about artist rights but has writer credits on her records despite allegedly having never written any of her lyrics. She feels that his sampling of “Milkshake” was a deliberate slight.









“Pharrell knows better,” she said. “This is a direct hit at me [and] he does this stuff all the time… The reason I’m annoyed is because I know it was on purpose. This is not like some, ‘Oh, they were in the studio…’ No. No, this was an on-purpose, direct hit, which is very passive aggressive, it’s very petty, it’s very stupid…”




Renaissance caught the attention of dance music fans thanks to artist features like Honey Dijon, Nile Rogers, and Green Velvet. Other high-profile collaborators included Labrinth, Raphael Saadiq, Luke Solomon, and Kelman Duran. Its lead single, “Break My Soul” — which came out a month prior — prompted articles misguidedly praising the track for “resurrecting house music.”




Earlier this week, the track “Blast” off Renaissance was also changed to remove an ableist slur following online backlash.



Beyoncé Removes Unauthorized Kelis Sample from New Album

It is no secret that gender representation is skewed in electronic music. The Jaguar Foundation set out to determine just how underrepresented women and other marginalized genders truly are in the U.K. industry. The organization founded by British artist Jaguar has published its findings in a comprehensive report.




Progressing Gender Representation in U.K. Dance Music, as it’s titled, presents quantitative and qualitative data. Artists and industry professionals from the live events, radio, and streaming sectors helped with the research. Among them are DJ Paulette, Annie Mac, Jamz Supernova, and TSHA. The resulting report “uncovers evidence supporting long-held beliefs about gender disparity in dance music,” according to a description.




Below are three notable findings from the Progressing Gender Representation in U.K. Dance Music. The 84-page report covers numerous other topics, though. Download it in its entirety on The Jaguar Foundation website.




1. Safety is Still a Major Issue




The #MeToo movement of 2017 triggered a reckoning for sexual abusers that certainly made an impact in dance music. Nightlife environments nonetheless remain dangerous for women, nonbinary, and trans people, according to artists interviewed for the report.




“We’re dealing with people who are putting on the night who get too drunk and act inappropriately towards you,” said U.K. DJ Riva. “It’s not something you have to deal with as a male or face the same risks. So it becomes so hard to feel secure and feel like you’re going to work but rather you become scared.”




“It’s about being in an environment where there are men who will undoubtedly touch you up or approach unwantedly,” said Amy Wheatley. “It’s all of that stuff that comes along with going clubbing.”




2. Event Lineups are Largely Male (but Improving)




Using data provided by Viberate, the authors of the report compiled the gender breakdown of 22 festivals from 2018-2021 (and the 14 that have announced their lineups thus far in 2022) to give a snapshot of booking trends in the broader dance music live events industry.




2018 saw average male representation of 86% across the events analyzed, and the figure increased to 87% in 2019. Then, in 2021, male billings fell to 79%, only to fall even further to 72% in 2022. In all aforementioned cases, the remaining proportion was split between women and non-binary artists.




The report notes that these figures fall close to those published from the FACTS 2022 survey conducted by female:pressure, which found that 20.3% of acts were female only, 9.3% were mixed, and 0.5% were nonbinary. A BBC Shared Data Unit report found that 13% of event lineups were solo female artists or all-female groups.




3. Less Than 1% of Top 200 Airplay Dance Tracks are Female/Nonbinary




According to perhaps the most telling figure published in the report, less than 1% of the 467 dance/electronic tracks to reach the top 200 airplay charts of U.K. radio stations over 2020-2021 were credited to entirely female or nonbinary artists.




44% of the songs featured female artists, to be sure. Of those, however, 76% credited a male as the primary artist, while the remaining 26% named female or nonbinary artists first in their credits.




The data could be skewed by how many old tracks find their way onto the airwaves, according to the report, which found that 69% were released in 2019 or earlier. “This would go some way to explain the imbalance, given the weighting of the sample,” it explains.




It might surprise some that commercial stations played more tracks featuring female or nonbinary talent than their counterparts. Commercial stations averaged 49%, whereas the average for all stations was 40%.


Learn more about The Jaguar Foundation by visiting their official website.



3 Takeaways from The Jaguar Foundation’s Report on Gender Disparity in U.K. Dance Music

When COVID-19 restrictions forced clubs across the globe to shut their doors, De School in Amsterdam was also becoming mired in allegations of racial profiling and exploitation. In July 2020 the multi-space venue officially discontinued operations after remaining closed since March — but it has now shared plans to reopen on September 9.




It will only be a limited run. According to a press release, the “16-month finale” will close out the nightlife institution’s temporary lease by offering a “multi-dimensional platform for both the neighborhood and the city, focused on music, art, education, and food.”




Importantly, De School also claims to have made key changes to its team and company culture in response to its 2020 controversies.




This is the venue’s first public acknowledgment of said issues. In June 2020, queer collective X3 pulled out of a live stream at the establishment due to a perceived lack of diversity. The following month, allegations of sexual harassment by security staff were mentioned in a podcast with co-owner Jochem Wertheimer (whose surname was Doornbusch prior to his recent marriage). The club only cited “debts piling up” as its reason for shutting down.




The new announcement reveals that Wertheimer has taken on a lesser role following the July 2021 hiring of Erol Kiran, who now serves as director. Under Kiran’s leadership, De School underwent a “time of listening, learning and restructuring” in which over 500 hours of conversations were conducted with over 100 members of the community, per Resident Advisor.




“There was a huge need to dig deep to uncover problems, to create structure, for having painful but healing conversations and for creating an environment of trust for our employees, visitors, artists and everyone else that is part of this place,” Kiran said. “We have spent the past year having those conversations, listening to many of the people involved and affected, focusing on our responsibility towards our community, and creating new and much-needed structures.”




De School promises new door staff and building renovations as well as an updated code of conduct which it will share next week. An art curation program and education agenda look to utilize the numerous spaces in the onetime school building more effectively.




If all goes to plan, De School will end its 16-month run in January 2024. More information will be made available on their official website.




Amsterdam Club De School to Reopen for 16-Month Finale

In 1987, Alan Oldham says he paid a visit to Marvel’s NYC offices and handed the editors promo copies of his new comic book, JOHNNY GAMBIT #1. Imagine his surprise when in 1990, the world-famous publisher introduced a character named Gambit bearing a distinct likeness to his in the 266th issue of The Uncanny X-Men.



The years afterwards brought new creative horizons for Oldham. In the mid-‘90s he became a fixture of Detroit techno under the DJ and producer alias DJ T-1000, landing on labels such as Tresor and BPitch Control. The 2000s saw him revisit comics and illustration, delivering artwork that appeared in exhibits from Detroit to Berlin to Kobe, Japan.




After 25 years, Alan Oldham is giving Johnny Gambit a long-awaited reboot — but he needs your help.




September 5 marks the launch of a fundraising campaign for THE RETURN OF JOHNNY GAMBIT. Accompanying the 124-page, black-and-white graphic novel will be a double CD soundtrack compilation of music inspired by the story. Among the artists featured are techno mainstays BlakTony (of Aux 88), FBK, and Nino Sebelic.




Oldham told Gray Area that he’s worked on THE RETURN OF JOHNNY GAMBIT for over 15 years, having started in early 2007. “I finally had a story idea, then I ran with it,” he said. “So I did it part time around DJ gigs, production, other art projects, and other commitments.”




As an illustrator, Oldham’s work has given visual context to a broad swath of the techno landscape. He has delivered album artwork and merch designs for labels like Djax-Up-Beats, De:Tuned, I-Robots, Houndstooth, and Plus 8.




In February, Oldham released a five-track techno EP titled Don’t Complain, Don’t Explain on his own Pure Sonic Records that included a remix by Gene Richards Jr. Earlier in July, he performed at Rave The Planet — Dr. Motte’s reincarnation of the legendary Love Parade events.




Sign up to be notified when Alan Oldham’s crowdfunding campaign for THE RETURN OF JOHNNY GAMBIT goes live on September 5 via Kickstarter.




Alan Oldham to Bring Back Johnny Gambit Character for New Graphic Novel

In the five months since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, inhabitants of the latter country have found little cause for merriment. One volunteer organization called Repair Together has devised a way to lighten the mood while making an impact: “clean up rave” events in the northern village of Yahidne.




DJs at these gatherings play techno and house tracks while volunteers chop wood or haul damaged furniture from bombed-out buildings, taking occasional breaks to dance. A recent event focused on cleaning up the village’s House of Culture, but AP News reports that Repair Together’s previous efforts saw them help renovate 15 damaged homes in the village.









“They already repaired our windows, doors, and entrances,” local resident Nina told AP News. “We couldn’t do it ourselves with our salaries or pensions. I’m thankful that they helped us.”




Among the DJs who performed at the House of Culture repair event were Recid and Oleksandr Buchinskiy. “These are all young people that still have a passion for life, but they feel pain and are very sad and angry because of the war,” Buchinskiy told AP News. “But they feel a need to take part in this historical moment, and help people, and make Ukraine a better place with a smile on their faces.”




The lion’s share of the 200 volunteers hail from Ukraine — mostly its capital, Kyiv, but also the western city Lviv and nearby Chernihiv. Other volunteers came from the U.S., Portugal, Germany, and other foreign countries.




Bitter conflict has ensued on Ukrainian soil since Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two self-proclaimed separatist states in Ukraine’s Donbas region and sent in troops beginning on February 24. U.S. defense officials believe Russia is suffering hundreds of casualties per day, with totals estimated around 15,000 dead and 45,000 wounded, according to Reuters. In June, the New York Times reported that Kyiv officials said around 100-200 Ukrainians were being killed each day, amounting to roughly 22,000 dead.




“Volunteering is my lifestyle now,” said one of Repair Together’s organizers, Tania Burianova. “I like electronic music and I used to party. But now it’s wartime and we want to help, and we’re doing it with music.”




Repair Together plans to hold similar clean-up raves in the nearby town of Lukashivka, where they will build 12 houses for people whose homes have been destroyed. Donate to the organization here.




Volunteers Organize 'Clean Up Raves' in Ukrainian Village of Yahidne

You can’t make everyone happy, as Carl Cox seems acutely aware. The globetrotting superstar DJ was recently targeted by an inexplicably angry internet commentator. Rather than let it get to him, he demonstrated how to handle a techno heckler (techler?) gracefully.




The exchange took place in the Facebook group Real Techno. Members of the online community share classic tracks from the genre’s formative years and more recent cuts they perceive as remaining true to its challenging philosophy.




One participant from Brighton made a post wishing Cox a happy 60th birthday while he visited the city. The ensuing thread was where the troll made their jab.




https://www.facebook.com/groups/therealtechno/permalink/797367007935668/




“Carl Cox is over,” wrote the commenter, not likely expecting to receive a reply from the longtime Space Ibiza resident. “I can’t believe this guy still has fans.”




“I cannot believe it also [sic],” Cox himself quipped a couple of comments later. “A 40 year [sic] career, who would have thought.”




Cox erred on the conservative side when casually dropping how long he’d been working as a DJ. He was given his first set of turntables and began working as a mobile DJ at age 15, putting the beginning of his origin story back in 1977.




A decade later, Cox would go on to make a name for himself for mixing on three decks at seminal acid house parties like Danny Rampling’s Shoom events. 1991 marked his debut recording on Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto Records: “I Want You (Forever).”




Techno absolutists who denounce the more accessible style of tech house Cox has championed in recent years as a betrayal of his roots seem oblivious to his early history. He first collected music during disco’s heyday, and his aforementioned first release fell closer to breakbeat hardcore.




Carl Cox will Bring Carl Cox Invites to Electric Zoo on Sunday, September 4. It will be his first time back at the festival in 11 years.









Carl Cox Takes the High Road While Shutting Down Troll

“Break My Soul” was not the end of Beyoncé’s recent foray into house, it turns out. Composer credits for the pop icon’s upcoming album Renaissance reveal a motley crew of collaborators from throughout the history of dance music.




“Cuff It” credits none other than Nile Rodgers, who rose to fame as a founding member of the disco band Chic in the late ‘70s. His contributions to Daft Punk’s 2013 album Random Access Memories reintroduced him to the mainstream conversation around dance music.




Chicago-born, Berlin and NYC-based DJ and producer Honey Dijon is credited on “Alien Superstar.” She also appears alongside fellow Chicagoan, techno/house staple Green Velvet on the credits for “Cozy.”




Representing the more recent end of the electronic music continuum is EDM superstar Skrillex. He is credited on “Energy” with Pharrell and Chad Hugo, who produce music together as The Neptunes.




Other high-profile collaborators on the album include Raphael Saadiq, Labrinth, Kelman Duran, Luke Solomon, and A.G. Cook. “Summer Renaissance” also samples Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer. The two famously worked together on the 1977 disco single “I Feel Love,” whose synth arpeggios are often cited as an early influence on house music.




House enthusiasts have been quick to point out that Beyoncé (full name Beyoncé Knowles Carter) did not resurrect the genre, as a cavalcade of headlines about “Break My Soul” suggested. Including key personalities on the album for which the track served as a lead single may help her curry the favor of the historically mainstream-wary audience.




Renaissance will be the second full-length album with unmistakable house influence to be released by a pop heavyweight this year. Drake’s June effort Honestly, Nevermind credited collaborators like Black Coffee, &ME, and Alex Lustig.




Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records will release Renaissance on July 29. Find the tracklist and composer credits for the album below. 



Beyoncé - Renaissance tracklist and composer credits:



1. I'm That Girl

Beyoncé, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, Kelman Duran, MIKE DEAN, Tommy Wright III & Andrea Yvette Summers



2.  Cozy

Beyoncé, Nija Charles, Honey Redmond, Christopher Lawrence Penny, Luke Francis Matthew Solomon, MIKE DEAN, Dave Giles II, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant & Curtis Alan Jones



3. Alien Superstar

Beyoncé, Honey Redmond, Christopher Lawrence Penny, Luke Francis Matthew Solomon, MIKE DEAN, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, Brittany “@Chi_Coney” Coney, S. Carter, David Debrandon Brown, Dave Hamelin, Timothy Lee Mckenzie, Danielle Balbuena, Rami Yacoub, Lev



4. Cuff It

Beyoncé, Nile Rodgers, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, Raphael Saadiq, Brittany “@Chi_Coney” Coney, Morten Ristorp, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, Mary Christine Brockert & Allen Henry McGrier



5. Energy [ft. Beam]

Beyoncé, Skrillex, Tyshane Thompson, BEAM, Almando Cresso, Jordan Douglas, Tizita Makuria, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, Brittany “@Chi_Coney” Coney, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, Mary Christine Brockert, Allen Henry McGrier, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo



6. Break My Soul

Beyoncé, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, Christopher A. Stewart, S. Carter, Allen George, Fred McFarlane, Adam Pigott & Freddie Ross



7. Church Girl

Beyoncé, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, Ernest “No I.D.” Wilson, Elbernita Clark Terrell, Jimi Stephen Payton, Dion Lamont Norman, Derrick Robert Ordogne, James Brown, Orville Erwin Hall, Phillip Glen Price, Ralph MacDonald & William Salter



8. Plastic Off the Sofa

Beyoncé, Sabrina Claudio, Sydney Bennett & Nick Green



9. Virgo’s Groove

Beyoncé, Leven Kali, Solomon Fafenson Cole, Daniel Memmi, Dustin Bowie, Darius Dixson, Jocelyn Donald, Jesse Wilson, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews & Brittany “@Chi_Coney” Coney



10. Move [ft. Grace Jones and Tems]

Beyoncé, Richard Isong, Ariowa Irosogie, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, Brittany “@Chi_Coney” Coney, Temilade Openiyi & Ronald Banful



11. Heated

Beyoncé, Aubrey Drake Graham, Matthew Samuels, Jahaan Sweet, Rupert Thomas Jr., Sean Seaton, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, Brittany “@Chi_Coney” Coney & Ricky Lawson



12. Thique

Beyoncé, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, Chauncey Hollis, Jr., Atia Boggs, Julian Martrel Mason, Jabbar Stevens & Cherdericka Nichols



13. All Up in Your Mind

Beyoncé, Jabbar Stevens, MIKE DEAN, Cherdericka Nichols, Michael Tucker, Alexander Guy Cook, Jameil Aossey & Larry Griffin, Jr.



14. America Has a Problem

Beyoncé, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, MIKE DEAN, S. Carter, Andrell D Rogers & Tino Santron Mcintosh



15. Pure/Honey

Beyoncé, Michael Tucker, Raphael Saadiq, Darius Dixson, Michael Pollack, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, Brittany “@Chi_Coney” Coney, Moi Renee, Eric Snead, Jerel Black, VEJAI MARCEL ALSTON, Michael D. Cox, Andrew Richard


16. Summer Renaissance

Beyoncé, Leven Kali, Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, MIKE DEAN, Brittany “@Chi_Coney” Coney, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, Atia Boggs, Lavar Coppin, Saliou Diagne, Ricky Lawson, Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder & Peter Bellotte












Honey Dijon, Green Velvet, Nile Rodgers Credited on Beyoncé's Upcoming Album

DC10 is the latest Ibiza club to land on the wrong side of the law. The local police of Sant Josep cited noise complaints in a decision to seal the establishment’s music equipment on Tuesday night, preventing the Carl Cox Invites residency from taking place.




According to Mr. Afterparty, most ticket holders learned of the cancellation when ticketing platforms contacted them to offer refunds. The following day, Periódico de Ibiza reported that the club is now one of 22 to have wire clasps soldered on limiters, amps, or compressors due to noise complaint investigations so far this year.




On Wednesday, DC10 issued a statement on social media announcing that Carl Cox Invites had been moved to Tuesday, July 26th, on account of “circumstances outside our control.” Comments on the posts suggest that several would-be attendees had planned trips to coincide with the previous date.




“I planned holidays to see the king,” wrote one commentator. “Very very sad to have not seen Cox yesterday.”




“Only here this week,” wrote another. “So because you can't turn the volume down we've all had to miss out on Carl Cox, and now Solid Grooves isn't on tonight, either?”




The Sant Josep City Council has received 143 noise complaints connected to establishments thus far in 2022. Of the 42 investigated, 20 were reportedly found in compliance and were not subject to equipment seals.




This is not the first time DC10 has landed in the crosshairs of lawmakers for its perceived impact on the surrounding area. In November 2020, the establishment allegedly refused to take down six of its eight billboard fences found to be obstructing the natural landscapes of the island.




Spanish brothers Deogracias and Antonio Lara Moreno opened DC10 in 1999. The house and techno club has benefited from a partnership with Circoloco that sees the event brand’s founders, Antonio Carbonaro and Andrea Pelino, hold a small stake in the venue.



Ibiza Club DC10 Temporarily Closed Due to Noise Complaints

After being awarded a grant of just under $300,000 from the state of California to fund its nightlife violence prevention program for two years, Four 4 Consent is finally gearing up to start their preventative courses later this month. 



As previously reported by Gray Area in April, the Nightlife Safety Summit ambassador program aims to educate music professionals—from artists to their agents, talent acquisition, and buyers—on sexual assault and violence prevention within the music industry. 



"We are glad that California is taking initiative and placing finances into prevention funding for sexual and domestic violence programming. Prevention work is historically some of the most underfunded in the anti-violence movement, despite the high associated costs of each instance of sexual violence," said the organization’s executive director, Kay Brown.



Administered by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CAL OES), the Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Program awards are used to invest in sexual and domestic violence education by prioritizing accessibility to populations where these issues are overly prevalent.



According to Brown, funding will be primarily used for operating costs and expanding the program’s staff which will now include several prevention advocates, community education and outreach specialist, a music business management facilitator, and an artist advisor—all available to Nightlife Safety Summit attendees for consultation.



The grant will also reduce the financial barrier to accessing training and education for participants with ties specifically to Los Angeles County, said Brown. “All participants who work, live, tour, or are on a team with an artist that falls into one of these areas qualify for this cohort.



"While spots for the Los Angeles cohort have all been filled, applicants with ties to the remaining 49 states are still being accepted on a rolling basis—managing a US-based artist or working in music within any US state will qualify an applicant for the program.



Those interested in applying to the program may text “Ambassador” to (313) 367-1228 to receive a link to apply.




Nightlife Violence Prevention Program Four4Consent is Awarded Grant by State of California

Nearly three years have passed since Nyege Nyege Festival took place in Jinja, Uganda. The music gathering makes a triumphant return from September 15-18 at a bigger site on the White Nile’s Itanda Falls with a lineup that does the momentous occasion justice.




More than 300 artists will perform across seven stages over the four-day event, at which talent from throughout the African continent features prominently. Ghanaian-Nigerian songstress Adomaa, Kenyan performer Kabeaushé, and DJ Travella from Tanzania stand out on the bill just as boldly as Nyege Nyege staple electronic acts Kampire, MC Yallah, and Otim Alpha. Among the most famous Ugandan performers on the bill are Navio and DJ Zato.




European and North American talent appears on the lineup as well. DJ Paypal, Zoë McPherson, and Juliana Huxtable are each slated to perform at the festival’s anticipated return.




After starting as a record label in 2013, Nyege Nyege Festival debuted in 2015 and helped put East African music on the map globally in the four years that followed. Speaking with OkayAfrica, Pete Jones of Ugandan-British group Nilotika Cultural Ensemble argues that the festival “created a scene in [the Ugandan capital] Kampala.” The event brand has grown to curate stages at gatherings worldwide, including Glastonbury Festival in the U.K. and Primavera Sound in Spain.




When live events halted due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Nyege Nyege was no exception. Organizers spent these fallow years wisely, though, billing around 340 acts for a digital event at the end of 2020 and doubling down on recorded music releases.




Moving to Itanda Falls for the long-awaited 2022 event grants organizers access to five times the land available to them previously. Attendees can enjoy camping and glamping amenities, including hot showers, morning yoga sessions, and a private beach. The festival is also partnering with Bamboo Uganda to offset its carbon footprint.




Find the full lineup for Nyege Nyege Festival below. Tickets and additional information are available on the event website.



Nyege Nyege Festival 2022 lineup:




Abdul Lateef (CA)

Adomaa (GH)

Alidekki Brian (UG)

DJ Alisha (UG)

Anita Mobango – New Maman (CN)

Arsenal Mikebe (UG)

Asher (TZ)

Astan Meyer (FR)

Assyoutii (EG)

Aunty Rayzor (NG)

Authentically Plastic (UG)

Anti Vairas (TZ)

Aweko Brian (UG)

B4BA (ES)

Baba Sy (ES)

Bamba Pana & Makavelli (TZ)

Batukizer (BR)

Benzema (KE)

Binghi (RW)

Black Sistarz (UG)

Boutross (KE)

Boyoka Bestaguy – Cocoman (CN)

Byg Ben Sukuya (UG)

Catu Diosis (UG)

Chief Beka and Tak Show (TZ)

Cindy Sanyu (UG)

Crazymind (UG)

Chrisman (CD)

Clara! (BE)

De Schuurman (NL)

Debmaster (FR)

Decay (UG)

Demonic Glare (UK)

DJ Diaki (ML)

Domadana Kadodi Drummers (UG)

Dongo (TZ)

Dope I Mean (KE)

Ebrahim Soul"O (UG)

Ecko bazz (UG)

Eddy Ekete – Homme Canette (CN)

Eko Roosevelt (CM)

Ex Ray - Boondocks Gang (KE)

Exoce (FR)

Extraterrestrial God (NL)

Falonne Mambu – Femme Électrique (CN)

Flo (UG)

FRA ! (GH)

FUMU (UK)

DJ Hanuman (KE)

Hibotep (SO)

HHY & The Kampala Unit (UG/SS/PT)

Ikram Bouloum

Illexxandra (USA)

DJ IV (KE)

Jako Maron (RE)

Janzi Band (UG)

Jay Mitta (TZ)

Jessika Ekomane (CM)

Jokkoo Collective (ES)

Juliana Huxtable (US)

K8 (JP)

Kabeaushé (KE)

DJ Kampire (UG)

Kaneda (KE)

Keito (JP)

Kidene & DJ Dusko (TZ)

Kid Gringo (DE)

Kilomboshi Pape Noire – Homme Caoutchouc (CN)

Kinact collectif (CD)

Kingdom Choir (CD)

Kujo (LB)

KZLK (EG)

Lady Hash (ET)

Leon Duncan (KE)

Lithium Beats (PT)

Low Jack (FR)

Mr Lu (KE)

DJ Magnum (KE)

Makossiri (KE)

Mapua Mazochetti (BE)

Maraboutage (FR)

DJ Marcelle (NL)

Masaka Masaka (UG)

Maveen (UG)

DJ Mawinch (KE)

Mbodj (ES)

MCZO & Duke (TZ)

Menzi (ZA)

Mestre Desconhecido (PT)

MGM (KE)

Mika Oki (BE)

Mimi (AO)

Miss Iness (Tunisia)

Mitokon (JP)

Miziguruka (RW)

DJ MP3 (ZA)

DJ Moro (JP)

Mookie (ES)

Mr Fabz (KE)

Munchi (ND)

Mwanza Duda – Fuluman (CN)

Nah Eeto (KE/UK)

Nakibembe Xylophone Troupe (UG)

Nana Zay (TZ)

Naselow with Party Pipo Dance Crew (UG)

Navio (UG)

Net Gala (KR)

Nico Adomako (GH)

Ninos Du Brasil (IT)

Nsasi (UG)

Odai Masri (PS)

Opoku (ES)

Otim Alpha (UG)

Oyisse (CG)

DJ Paypal (US)

Pallaso (UG)

Pathy Kitete – Homme Miroir (CN)

Phatstoki (ZA)

Phelimuncasi (ZA)

PÖ (GH/ FR)

Quest?onmarq (USA)

Ratigan Era (UG)

RUDE BOYZ (ZA)

R3igndrops (UG)

Rey Sapienz & The Congo Techno Ensemble (CG)

Rose Bonica (ZA)

Rosie Parade (ZA)

Sarah Ndele (CG)

Selector Jay (UG)

Shivay la Multiple (CD)

DJ Siq (KE)

Sisso & Maiko (TZ)

DJ Skothane (ZA)

Sockethead (UK)

Soungou (CM)

Spiritus Bongonda – Bokoko (CN)

SWAK Catalog (ZA)

Sylvia Saru (KE)

Tash LC (UK)

Titi Bakorta & Ensemble (CD)

TNTC (ES)

Tokyo Gqom (JP)

Tom Boogizm (UK)

DJ Travella (TZ)

Triggah (UG)

DJ Tunix (CM)

Turkana (SS)

Violaine Le Fur (FR/ CM)

MC Yallah (KE)

Yao Bobby & Simon Grab (TG/CH)

Yunis (EG)

Zakente (AO/PT)

Zay (TZ)

Zato (UG)

DJ Znobia (AO)

Zöe Mc Pherson (IE)





Nyege Nyege Festival in Uganda Shares Full 2022 Lineup

The worlds of dance and rock music mourn a crossover musician who played no small role in the “Madchester” scene of the late ‘80s. Happy Mondays bassist Paul Ryder has passed away at age 58.


Ryder’s July 15th death was confirmed in a statement issued by his band on the same day. “The Ryder family and Happy Mondays band members are deeply saddened and shocked to say that Paul Ryder passed away this morning,” it reads. “A true pioneer and legend. He will be forever missed.”




Ryder formed Happy Mondays in Manchester in 1980 alongside his brother Shaun on vocals as well as drummer Gary Whelan, keyboardist Paul Davis, and guitarist Mark Day. After releasing the Forty Five EP in 1985 and the album White Out in 1987, they arrived at a fusion of rock and house music dubbed “baggy” that cemented them as a fixture of the burgeoning U.K. rave movement.




1988’s Bummed first encapsulated this fusion, with singles such as “Wrote For Luck” pairing guitar riffs with drum machines and synthesizers. Happy Mondays followed it up with Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches, which was co-produced by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne, in 1990.









Happy Mondays disbanded and reunited three separate times in the decades since. Mixmag reports that the band was slated to perform at Kubix Festival in Sunderland on the 15th, but Ryder passed away mere hours before they would have taken to the stage.




Key personalities of Manchester’s early rave scene and beyond have shared tributes to Ryder on social media. Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown tweeted, “Rest in peace Ryder. A great friend, a great musician, a great fella.”




“Very sad news,” tweeted DJ Graeme Park, one-time resident of iconic Manchester club The Haçienda. “Sorry for your loss. Sending love."



Happy Mondays has asked fans to respect the privacy of Paul Ryder’s friends and loved ones at this time.




Paul Ryder of Happy Mondays Dead at 58

Vinyl is not the most energy-efficient music format, as some have recently pointed out. Music Declares Emergency (MDE) is working to remedy this. The environmental advocacy group claims to be releasing the world’s first plant-based, bioplastic vinyl record that includes a track by none other than Bicep.




U.K. label Ninja Tune donated “Atlas” off the Belfast duo’s 2021 album Isles for the tracklist of the four-song EP. The rest came courtesy of non-dance music artists Porridge Radio, Angel Olsen, and Black Country, New Road, all of whom are signed to U.S. label Secretly. The bioplastic vinyl is the flagship product of sustainability initiative Evolution Music.




MDE has launched a campaign on Crowdfunder to raise money for their operations and will give 20 of the records away to donors. Every £5 donated earns its contributor a single prize draw, and there’s no limit to entries.




Vinyl record sales ballooned from $619.6 million in 2020 to over $1 billion in 2021, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. In his 2019 book Decomposed, Kyle Devine draws attention to the massive amounts of toxins released into the atmosphere from the manufacture of PVC for vinyl records.




Bicep (real names Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar) formed in 2009, raising their public profile with a music blog called Feel My Bicep. They released on labels like Throne of Blood, Traveller Records, and Mystery Meat before their self-titled debut album landed on Ninja Tune in 2017. Both Ninja Tune and Secretly are longtime supporters of MDE, according to the Crowdfunder page.




At the time of writing, the fundraiser campaign for the first-ever bioplastic vinyl release is just shy of £1,000 with a goal of £2,000. Find more information on the four artists involved and donate to the cause via Crowdfunder.



Bicep Among Artists Featured on World’s First Plant-Based Vinyl Record

Function, an emerging underground warehouse in El Paso, Texas, welcomes its first Boiler Room showcase in the region on August 27th. Earlier this week, Boiler Room announced their latest collaborative US showcase, sharing a seven-date tour including debut locations in major cities like Dallas, Nashville, Baltimore, Orlando, Tucson, and DC, with the border city listed as one of the first shows to take place.



Boiler Room released their carefully curated, co-produced programming for the breakout show, announcing a lineup consisting of UK headlining act Ø [Phase], Stephen Disario, When We Vanish, Gusso b2b Sydney, and Bleaker.



Even before the lineup was released, the excitement for a debut Boiler Room in El Paso was thick. The show sold out within hours of its initial announcement.



Function was founded in June 2019 by Israel Morales, Sydney Contreras, Gustavo Soto, Christopher Ksiazak, Jorge Moya, and Gabriel Estrada. With a vision of expanding the boundaries of El Paso’s underground music scene and educating the ravers in the region, they sought the perfect space for their ‘HUMVNS’ warehouse series.



The Function brand expanded and, in 2021, officially opened the warehouse doors. The sold-out crowd enjoyed wall-pounding sets from Brennen Gray, Stephen Disario, and Anakim.



The space has been vital in reviving the border city’s underground techno scene and has hosted some of the most prestigious underground names in underground techno, including Sara Landry, Matador, Ilario Alicante, Jay Lumen, and 9x9.



“We have the opportunity to book artists that not only we personally like but are also hitting hard overseas,” co-founder Israel Morales explains. “And we want to give people the chance to see artists in El Paso that they thought they’d only ever see in Europe or major US cities like LA or NYC. I don’t think many people have realized that a lot of artists we are currently snagging are touring the US and are only making stops in LA, NYC, Boston, Phoenix, Miami, and El Paso. We think that’s really f*cking cool!”



Boiler Room began in London in 2010 and has since hosted some of the most iconic and popular parties globally. They’ve been steadfast in their ethos of supporting emerging artists and connecting local dance floors to the global community. Boiler Room El Paso further exemplifies the expansion of underground dance music’s stranglehold on US dance floors. And soon, others can see what El Paso and the city’s underground culture offer.







El Paso’s Techno Scene Thrives With its First Boiler Room Showcase

Ableton Co-Founder Robert Henke is no stranger to taking a stand when it comes to controversial matters. He recently weighed in on an unexpected argument: CDs versus vinyl records.




The composer and audiovisual artist makes a strong case for the former format, especially taking aim at the social and environmental impact of the latter. “I still love physical products,” he writes in a Facebook post. “But manufacturing big heavy plates of plastic and having them shipped around the globe is a huge waste of energy and resources. In times of global warming and dependency on cheap energy from the likes of Russia or Saudi Arabia, I consider not doing any releases on vinyl anymore, but fully embracing CDs.”









Social media commentators predictably defended vinyl in the ensuing thread. Henke amended his post to include seven points addressing some of the arguments made in the comments, including one professing the resilience of CDs and another clarifying that he has no qualms with anyone who buys and sells vinyl records.




Before developing Ableton Live alongside Bernd Roggendorf at the turn of the millennium, Robert Henke emerged as a respected name in deep techno for his Monolake project. His body of work also includes audiovisual installations and stage shows such as Destructive Observation Field and Lumière.




In 2017, Henke made headlines for canceling all U.S. Monolake and Lumière III dates in protest of an immigration ban imposed by then-President Donald Trump. Globetrotting DJ and producer Dave Clarke had made a similar announcement after Trump was sworn into office.




Vinyl records have enjoyed a prolonged resurgence only bolstered by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl sales grew 28.7% to $619.6 million in 2020 — $136 million more than the amount spent on CDs. It was the first time since 1986 that vinyl sales exceeded that of CDs, and vinyl sales climbed even higher to over $1 billion in 2021.




April saw Henke publish a limited run of his first book. It explores CBM 8032 AV, his audiovisual project entirely run on computers from the 1980s.



The Case for CDs: Ableton Co-Founder Robert Henke Defends the “Underrated” Format

Esteemed Berlin venue Berghain has outlined a set of harm-reduction and awareness protocols for club-goers in response to claims regarding needle and drink spiking that allegedly transpired in late May. The venue received significant backlash for ejecting a woman from the club who had been spiked prior to publishing the new protocols on their website.




Berghain has now dedicated an entire page of their online site that lists various protocols, informal rules, and support resources to ensure the personal safety of their attendees.




“Take care of each other and respect other people’s personal space—previously unwritten rules need to be spoken out due to a rise in needle/drink spiking of club goers,” Berghain shared in the statement.




“While it is important to note that such unwitting, non-consensual, and devious assaults happen rarely, every case is one too much—encroaching behavior is not acceptable, drugging others is a crime and dangerous: offenders are being permanently removed from the premises and reported to authorities.”




The venue explains that all Berghain staff members are prepared to assist club-goers who feel sick or report experiencing sexual violence at the venue.




The new protocols are available to view in their entirety on the venue’s website.



Berghain Outlines New Safety Protocols After Spiking Claims Emerge

Gray Area, in partnership with SiriusXM, is bringing a fresh listening experience to the airwaves on Saturday, July 16, from 12-6 pm ET called Deeper Frequencies. This takeover on SiriusXM Chill is a journey into house music’s deep, melodic, and soulful side. Gray Area has assembled an extraordinary lineup of global artists, including 8kays, Tube & Berger, Enamour, and Glowal.





8kays



Ukrainian DJ Iryna Shyvdka, aka 8kays’ projects carry a certain je ne se quoi that set her apart from her peers in the house and techno genres. Intensely euphoric, melodic, and full of deep grooves, 8kays mixes are dynamic, unforgettable works. The Kyiv-born producer has released with esteemed labels like Renaissance Records, Anjunabeats, and Eleatics Records and performed on the renowned stages of Tomorrowland, Untold, and Burning Man.




Tube & Berger



The German duo is bringing the heat to the inaugural Deeper Frequencies! Notorious for their playful electro-infused, tech house sound, Arndt Rörig, and Marko Vidovic expertly weave emotive vocals with downtempo soundscapes, creating introspective, dance floor ready cuts. The Kittball Records label founders’ joint project was established over a decade ago and has gradually pivoted toward producing some of the warmest, melodic tech house records we’ve heard yet.




Enamour



From progressive and melodic house to the darkest hues of techno and deep trance, Enamour’s musical range transcends genre boundaries. His varied productions reflect an eclectic sonic taste and an extensive background in music theory. Coming off his North American “EnamTour,” the DJ is gearing up to play out some of his most innovative and melodic deep house cuts yet for you.







Glowal





Italo house meets euphoric rhythms in electronic duo Glowal. The Italian producers are rising talents, having only begun producing as a team in the last few years. With releases already on Innervisions, Sapiens and Afterlife imprints and cosigns from Solomun and Dixon, Fabio Gianelli and Alessandro Gasperini are proving they’re one house act to watch closely.



Gray Area and SiriusXM Present 'Deeper Frequencies' on SiriusXM Chill

As journalists, historians, and artists continue to shine a light on the Black roots of electronic dance music, a new series of short films directed by London-based Daisy Gaston, aptly titled Connecting the Dots, will be released via Resident Advisor.



The films focus on three cardinal Black, British figures within the UK electronic music community. The first in the series kicked off on July 5 and offers an exclusive look into Future Bounce label founder and BBC 1Xtra DJ Jamilla Walters, aka Jamz Supernova. She reflects on a changing electronic music scene, musings on Afro-diasporic dance records, and passing the proverbial baton to other dance music community members so future generations may understand the cultural and historical significance of Black artists’ contributions.




“Industries around creativity that start from a place of marginalization, or class…It’s seen as cool, it’s seen as edgy, and then somebody may come in with the means and the position to do the same thing and get ten times the amount of interest,” Walters shared candidly in the short film.



“So if we think about those young black and brown kids that started off disco, house, and techno… imagine a more privileged white DJ comes in and starts doing something similar—who’s going to get more bookings? Who’s going to get paid more? Who’s going to have longevity in the industry to be able to do what they’re doing?”




Featuring compelling cinematography by Miguel Cármenes and stunning coloring by Andi Chu of Black Kite Studios, Connecting the Dots grants viewers a unique opportunity to discover a more intimate side of three prominent UK artists as they share their insight on the music, the industry, and the Black roots of dance music.





‘Connecting the Dots’ Film Series Highlights Three Black, UK talents

Sasha once commanded such a strong presence in dance music that indulgent journalists suggested he might be the “son of god” on magazine covers. Nearly two decades later, his influence on the culture has earned him a relatively modest accolade: an honorary doctorate from Bangor University.




Sasha (real name Alexander Paul Coe) was born in the Welsh city of Bangor and first performed as a DJ and producer at the Bangor University Student Union. He did not need to complete any coursework to earn his doctorate in music from the university on Tuesday, July 5th. The progressive house mainstay was instead awarded the honor for his influence on electronic music culture over the years.




“It gives me great pleasure to present Bangor-born Sasha for this honor,” said Bangor University Vice-Chancellor Andrew Edwards. “Sasha has made an outstanding contribution to culture, language, music, and the arts through his creative work. An honorary doctor of music degree is well deserved.”




“I didn’t expect to go back to Bangor University to get a degree as it was where I did my first Student Union job and it has taken me around the world,” said Coe, who returned there for a performance in November 2021.




Coe cut his teeth playing acid house records after attending events at legendary Manchester venue The Haçienda in the late ’80s. By the mid-’90s, his and John Digweed’s names had grown virtually synonymous with the emerging progressive house sound for their back-to-back performances at Mansfield nightclub Renaissance. Sasha and Digweed achieved great success with compilation albums like Renaissance: The Mix Collection and Northern Exposure.




The two artists stopped performing together in 2002 — although they never formally announced that they had parting ways. They played back to back once again at Ultra Music Festival in 2010, and following a surprise set together in 2016 at Ministry of Sound, their paths have crossed far more often, including a return to Ultra Music Festival this year.




April saw Coe celebrate the tenth anniversary of his label Last Night On Earth with the release of ten new collaborations. Later in July, his travels will take him to Sunrise Festival in Kolobrzeg, Poland, and RADIUS in Chicago, US, for a back-to-back set with Digweed.



Sasha Receives Honorary Doctorate from Bangor University

Between Drake’s album Honestly, Nevermind and the Beyoncé single “Break My Soul,” house music has proven a popular (if not controversial) pursuit for chart-toppers in recent weeks. Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Electronic music mainstay Paul Woolford has collaborated with Serbian producer Pessto on a house track titled “Can You Pay” that samples the 1999 Destiny’s Child classic “Bills, Bills, Bills.”




The official remix was “personally approved and signed” by the ‘90s girl group — of which Beyoncé was a member. It’s easy to hear why. Woolford and Pessto pair the iconic hook of the source material with danceable peaks and valleys in their rendition, punctuated by emphatic keys and underscored by a rubbery bass line.









“Can You Pay” is a far cry from the challenging soundscapes that define Woolford’s output as Special Request, ranging from Detroit-reminiscent techno like “Achilles” to the tougher rhythms of “Curtain Twitcher.” It fits well alongside his latest offerings, however. Club-friendly vocal house collaborations such as “Promises” with Diplo and “Tear Drops” with MK stand out in his recent discography.




Nor is it entirely off-brand for the sampled party. While headlines about Beyoncé resurrecting house music with “Break My Soul” triggered resounding groans from genre enthusiasts worldwide, better-informed journalists like Brittany Gaston point out that house has bubbled up to the surface of pop culture numerous times since it coalesced in Chicago’s gay, Black nightlife community in the ‘80s. In the ‘90s, it arrived in the form of hit singles like “Show Me Love” by Robin S and “100% Pure Love” by Crystal Waters. More recently, FISHER’s 2018 single “Losing It” reached #1 on Billboard’s “Dance Club Songs” chart.




How many more pop icons are about to find refuge in the house that Jack built? As with any music trend, that remains to be seen. In the meantime, “Can You Pay” by Paul Woolford and Pessto is available for streaming and purchase across platforms here.



News

John Cameron

John Cameron

John Cameron

John Cameron

John Cameron

John Cameron

John Cameron

John Cameron

John Cameron

Melisa Yuriar

John Cameron

John Cameron

John Cameron

Celeste Olvera

John Cameron

Melisa Yuriar

Melisa Yuriar

Melisa Yuriar

John Cameron

John Cameron