Defected has long been the gold standard for house music. The UK-based label had a strong start in 1998 with Soulsearcher's debut record and an undisputed disco-house classic "I Can't Get Enough." Over the years, the lauded imprint helmed by Simon Dunmore, a fierce champion of house music culture, expanded to include 18 sub-labels, including Glitterbox and DFTD. They also run a series of fan-favorite festivals and one-off events worldwide. 

They have a fierce group of resident DJs, including veterans like Sam Devine, Low Steppa, and Gorgon City. The label is now offering the opportunity for up-and-comers to join the flock for the 2022 festival season. Unsung Heroes "will give up-and-coming DJ talent access to Defected's growing community of dedicated house heads and residencies across our offering of overseas events and live streams," said Defected. 

They are asking all entrants to submit a 60-minute mix along with a recommendation from a club owner, promoter, or established DJ that supports their efforts to push the culture forward in their scene. 

A panel of esteemed judges including Roger Sanchez, Cinthie, Yousef, Sef Kombo, Melvo Baptiste, Sam Divine, and Mambo Brothers will judge the entires.

Being an opening DJ is an often unrecognized art. Setting the vibe for the night is a talent that comes from years of experience and understanding what it takes to start the journey and successfully build a dance floor. 

"Unlike any other DJ competition or search for talent before it, Unsung Heroes is all about recognising the vital part resident DJs play in the makeup of clubland and giving recognition to the often under-appreciated art of the warm-up set," Defected explains. "Winners will be welcomed into the Defected family, contributing to parties across the globe from London to Ibiza, Croatia and Malta. With an array of judges across the breadth of the house music spectrum recruited to help with the search, Unsung Heroes is a statement of our ongoing dedication to investing in fresh talent and club culture as a whole."

You can enter the Unsung Heroes content via the Defected website.

 

Defected Is Searching For a New Resident DJ

On Thursday, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian missiles assaulted the country's capital Kyiv as families hid in shelters and subway stations. Harrowing video of bombings has come in from across the country as a catastrophic humanitarian crisis mounts. 

The situation is unlikely to improve any time soon. Below you will find a list of nongovernmental organizations providing aid and help on the ground. Please head to any of these websites if you'd like to donate.

We stand in solidarity with our community in Ukraine. Several Ukrainian artists have posted messages of shock and solidarity, we've included some of them below. Our heart goes out to them.

United Help Ukraine

United Help Ukraine collects and distributes food and medical supplies to Ukrainians displaced by war. Their fundraising also helps wounded soldiers and their families.

Donate to United Help Ukraine via PayPal




Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross, alongside the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, helps ensure that food is still being produced and aids in infrastructure repair. They also rebuild damaged homes, hospitals, schools, mental health facilities, and community centers.

Donate to the Red Cross once or become a monthly contributor.




Voices of Children

Voices of Children provides psychological support to children affected by the war in Ukraine. They also offer family services coping with the difficulties of rehabilitating children.

Donate to Voices of Children




UNICEF

UNICEF is the United Nations-backed agency that provides aid to children in over 190 countries. They support health, nutrition, HIV prevention, education provide safe drinking water, sanitation, and safe harbor to families in Ukraine.

Donate to UNICEF




Médecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders

Unfortunately, Doctors Without Borders had to halt all activity within Ukraine. However, they are mobilizing in bordering countries to provide humanitarian medical assistance to those displaced. 

Donate to Doctors Without Border as a one-time fee or monthly gift




Sunflower of Peace

This nonprofit is preparing first aid medical backpacks for frontline paramedics and doctors. The packs are designed for groups of five to ten and include bandages, medicine, and medical instruments.

Donate to Sunflower of Peace

Continue reading for messages from Ukrainian-born artists.


Korolova

Nastia

Artbat

Woo York

Miss K8

Juicy M

How You Can Help Ukraine

World-renowned techno brand Awakenings grandly announced earlier this year to celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2022, and they would be changing locations and adding a second festival, Awakenings Summer edition.   

The new festival edition will take place over three days, July 29-31. The summer festival in Hilvarenbeek expands on their previous festival’s two-day affairs and will include camping allowing you to enjoy the entire weekend without a fret in the world.   

Full lineup details were dropped today, and they are phenomenal. This is a techno wonderland.   

Friday will kick off the festivities with techno’s power couple Charlotte De Witte and hubby Enrico Sangiuliano, Joyhauser, Klangkunster, Kolsch, and Patrick Mason.  





Saturday keeps you going with Adam Beyer, Apollonia, Archie Hamilton, Ida Engberg, Mind Against, Nina Kravitz, Panpot, and Patrick Topping.   

If that isn’t enough to entice you to go, then the third and final mind-blowing day will surely solidify your plans. Sunday will see the likes of Amelie Lens, The Blessed Madonna, DJ Rush, Eats Everything, Jackmaster, Skream, and Stephan Bodzin with one of his unique live sets. 

Awakenings already hold the international throne when it comes to Techno events. The summer edition boasts plans to host nine fantastical stages, with all of the usual bells and whistles that set them apart, including impressive light shows and unparalleled sound design. 

This is an event you do not want to miss. Preregistration is live on the website, giving you early access to the ticket shop.

Awakenings Announces Summer Festival Lineup

Experiential party purveyors elrow have just announced the theme for their hotly anticipated Spring North American tour. The Spanish party crew will bring their Sambodromo Do Brasil concept to Miami on Saturday, March 26th, for Miami Music Week. And for the first time, a two-day stint in New York at Avant Gardner on April 9th and 10th.

You might be wondering what's in a name? The Sambodromo (or Sambódromo in Portuguese) is the given name for the exhibition space that Samba schools perform in for Carnaval in Brazil. Elrow is known worldwide for immersive environments, incredible performers, and a radically inclusive fan experience. And this theme is no different. Expect to be plunged into a world of dense Amazonian jungle, wild animals, roaming explorers, and Samba dancers decked out in a rainbow of colors.





Among elrow's twenty-plus themes, Sambodromo Do Brasil is one of its most colorful and lively. The theme also has a deep history with the brand dating back to their earliest days in Barcelona at a monthly event called Rowshow. In 2009 at their fourth event, they decided to transform the club into a jungle complete with Brazillian-themed performers, food stalls, fruit areas, and juices. 

It's a longtime favorite that has traveled to Amsterdam, Ibiza, Taiwan, Zurich, and Dubai. This will be the first time since 2017 that the theme has been state-side. 

Tickets are available now for both New York and Miami.

Elrow Brings a Slice of Brazil to New York and Miami

Movement Detroit has announced a jaw-dropping sneak peek line-up for its long-awaited 2022 return. Fans have patiently waited for details from Detroit's flagship techno festival.

Three veteran techno acts, Sweden's Adam Beyer, iconic Detroit-born DJ and pioneer Jeff Mills, and longtime Movement favorite Richie Hawtin will grace the main stage. The remainder of the teaser line-up includes several show stoppers including the Blessed Madonna, Carl Craig, Claude Vonstroke, DJ Minx, Eris Drew b2b Octo Octa, Louie Vega, Nina Kraviz, Seth Troxler, and James Murphy.  

Paxahau, the festival's organizer, announced the headliners and an initial wave of artists for this spring's event on Wednesday. They said the whole roster will be revealed in phases in the coming weeks.  





The comeback is expected to be filled with special surprises to delight attendees. Among the many remarkable milestones is Detroit native Jeff Mills celebrating the Axis label's 30th anniversary with a unique showcase.  

Mills told Billboard, "Of all the places I've traveled to and audiences I've played music for, Detroit is still the city that remains the barometer of advanced creative knowledge and technique. It's special because of what the long list of native Detroit musicians that have contributed to the world of music. It's a place that is infamous for proposing new ways and ideas as well as a unique and common viewpoint on the future of music. The city taught me to never fear what lies beyond, but embrace it as a means to advance the music art form."

One of the world's most renowned and longest-running electronic music festivals, Movement returns to its urban mecca Hart Plaza on Memorial Day, May 28-30. Three days of cement rattling and immense production in one of the most astonishing metropolitan landscapes.   

Early bird tickets are sold out, but Tier 1 3-Day and 1-Day Passes for both GA and VIP are now on sale here. For more information, check out their website and social media channels here.

Movement Detroit Returns with a Jaw-Dropping Sneak Peek Lineup 

AVA London returns to Printworks for its fifth edition March 18-19, 2022. The Northern-Irish-born festival and conference bring together a day of introspective and illuminating talks with a night of belting techno at one of the UK's most revered venues.

During the day, AVA welcomes powerhouse live act and titan of the hardware, KiNK, who will host a live masterclass. It's a rare opportunity to peek inside the mind of a brilliantly creative force in dance music.

Author of Trainspotting and electronic music enthusiast Irvine Welsh will be the subject of a special keynote interview. The king of techno Carl Cox will dial in for a virtual Q and A. And BBC Radio 1xtra presenter Jamz Supernova and Jaguar Bingham of BBC Radio 1 will be chatting with Niks Delancy of Black Artist Database. 





The daytime program features keynotes speeches, artist Q&As, masterclasses, tech demos, and workshops with over 40 artists and insiders. 

As the industry rebuilds and reaffirms its sense of community, AVA will concentrate on four key themes for the 2022 edition: Innovation, Diversity, Post-Pandemic & Sustainability. A full schedule of the day's events is available on AVA's website.

When the sun sets, and the lights go down, Print Works will turn on the lasers for a night of non-stop techno. The diverse lineup includes Maribou State doing a special Dj set, KiNK and Prospa each throwing down live sets, Roman Flügel, Carlton Doom, Fauzia, Holly Lester, Kessler, Powder, RE:NI, Tailor Jae, and some exceptional unannounced guests. 

Tickets are available now for AVA London.




 

AVA London Conference and Club Night Returns to Print Works 

New York-based artist Proper Villians has reinvented himself throughout his career while always staying ahead of the curve. His latest remix for fellow New Yorker QRTR is another example of how his intelligent sound design and impeccable grooves can elevate an already stellar piece of music.

"Nossa" appears as an interlude on QRTR's 2021 album infina ad nausea. The haunting choral arrangement is accented by clips of dropped calls and an equally haunting backdrop of chimes, swells, and hits. 

Proper Villians take is a warped late-night ride to a dark warehouse lit only by a strobe light. The drums are crisp, and as the vocal sample washes out, a devastatingly dirty descending synth plunges you deeper into the rave. The icing on the cake. The voice asking, "Are you fucking serious?" before the last drop. It's a simple touch that's beautifully effective.

When QRTR finished her album and asked him to pick a song to remix, it seemed like an odd choice to choose a two-minute interlude. However, the choral sample was something he knew he could work with. 

Initially, the remix flowed from him organically. "I spent like one day on it. And like I got the weird string crazy drop thing and then the intro thing. " 

What's remarkable about the source material revealed itself when he asked QRTR for the original sample. You won't find the choral sample on Splice or in any sample library, for that matter.

"I asked her about it. She recorded it in a church. She just took a field recorder and recorded the choir." 

The creativity behind both the original and the remix are hallmarks of these two remarkable artists.




Track Of The Week: Proper Villians Remixes QRTR's 'Nossa' into a Rave Ready Masterpiece

This week, we’ve tagged in the LWE group to curate Mix Of The Week. Since 2010 they’ve held down some of London’s biggest parties, including Junction 2, Ion, and their legendary throw downs at Tobacco Dock. 

In 2020 they pivoted to virtual shows and took Junction 2 digital. It was the UK’s first large-scale virtual underground festival broadcast in over 150 countries. The follow-up, Junction 2: Connections, was a global affair, filmed in the techno trifecta: Detroit, Berlin, and London. While over six million ravers from around the world looked on, they paved the way for a new era of hybrid events finding a union between the IRL world and virtual. 

The UK crew takes us down the rabbit hole with Spanish artist Indira Paganotto. She carries us on a trip that rips through grinding warehouse-ready acid techno. 

LWE had this to say about one of techno’s most fascinating emerging talents. 

“Star on the rise, Indira Paganotto delivered a blistering techno voyage for number 176 in the LWE mix series. Impressing with standout sets on lineups with the likes of Nina Kraviz, Amelie Lens, and Ben Klock, Indira is quickly stamping her mark as one of Spain’s most exciting new exports. Delivering acclaimed releases for the likes of Second State, OFF, Octopus and UNCAGE, her latest EP on Charlotte De Witte’s KNTXT capped off another prolific year for the young talent.”

Mix Of The Week: Indira Paganotto's Scorching Acid Techno

Flesh is launching as the United Kingdom's first-ever LQBTQIA+ electronic music and camping festival. All of the acts will be underrepresented artists, championing a spectrum of gender minorities and ethnicities. This two-day celebration of house and techno music will occur over Bank Weekend on May 28th-29th, 2022 at Springfield Farm in St Albans – about 25 minutes from central London. 

"The festival addresses long-term issues in festival programming, which is dominated by cis-male straight artists, breaking the cycle and allowing emerging and underrepresented talent to break through on a worldwide platform," Flesh Queer organizers said in a statement.

The outstanding of up-and-coming House and Techno DJs over three stages includes Aisha Mirza, Raven, Lady Shaka, Jaguar, SPFDJ, object blue, and more. 

Not only is Flesh looking to create visibility for minority artists, but the festival also strives to create a safe space for people from all walks of life. One of the critical features of the festival is a sober tent hosted by Riposte London will host workshops, panels, and hold place to share experiences in a calm environment comfortably. 

Organizers also launched an open call for on-the-rise QTIPOC (Queer, Transgender, Intersex, People of Color) to apply for scholarships to the London Sound Academy. Winners will also have the opportunity to perform at the festival. Those interested in applying can do so here before the February 3 deadline.

2-day general admission and camping tickets to the festival are now available on Flesh Queer's website.



Flesh: The United Kingdom's first-ever LQBTQIA+ Electronic Music Festival

Ibiza is finally opening its nightclubs and epic parties for a season that will be the White Isle’s longest ever. This year will be slightly different as nightclubs will open earlier than usual, in April, two weeks before the typical opening week. They continue into October and November.

With only a handful of clubs able to open last year under strict regulations all of the influential party outlets are said to be in full force. There will be restrictions in place for opening this year—65% capacity guidelines and COVID passport which officials are confident will aid against shutdowns this year.

Here are some of the Baleric island’s most banging events to look forward to.    




International Music Summit 

The traditional kick-off event, Ibiza's annual International Music Summit happens a little early this year, April 27-29. Co-creator of IMS Pete Tong and BBC Radio 1 broadcaster Jaguar will host the three-day event. The series of keynotes, lectures, conversations, workshops, and sessions at Destino Pacha Ibiza Resort will have a 'no-panel' policy this year. There’s a lot to discuss as the industry begins to take steps towards rebuilding after (or amidst) the pandemic.

Information on attending can be found here. 




Amnesia 

As predicted one of the most iconic nightclubs in Ibiza is coming back with a bang. The long-awaited announcement of their May 21st 18-hour opening party has travelers salivating as the venue’s curation is always in top form.  The line-up is yet to be announced, but if you fancy a warm-up, on April 29 they're hosting Amelia Lens in the main room, Luciano on the Terrace, and East End Dub Dubs with Seb Zito  in 3R Dimension.

You can purchase tickets to Amnesia's 2022 Opening Party here.




Repopulate Mars at Eden

After a 10 year ban from Ibiza, Lee Foss has announced he will bring Repopulate Mars to Eden as a weekly residency. “The Arrival” will take place every Tuesday from June 21-September 20. Over the last decade, Foss has worked with everyone from Jamie Jones, as Hot Natured, to MK. And Repopulate Mars has released music from Vintage Culture, John Summit, Ferreck Dawn, Miane, and Dillon Nathaniel so the lineups for these shows will most definitely be a who’s who of tastemakers in house music. A

Tickets for every night at Eden club with Lee Foss’s Repopulation Mars are now on sale via tixr.com.




Ibiza Clubbing Season for 2022 Gets an Early Start

This Track of The Week comes from John Barry from Analog Agency’s North American office. Analog manages the bookings of a stellar lineup of house and techno acts omes including Carl Cox, Chelina Manuhutu, Jeremy Olander, Francisco Allendes, Matthias Tanzmann, Andrea Oliva, Cassy, Yousef, Joseph Capriati, and Deborah de Luca. Barry received a bachelor’s degree in business enterprise management from Wake Forest University. And after only eight years in the industry, he established himself as a driving force in building a stronger house music community worldwide.

This week he’s chosen “Only Love” by GRAMMY award nominee Tycho and Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and Postal Service. The emotionally reverent lyrics are inspired by Naomi Klein’s book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate, Gibbard told Rolling Stone in July 2021. Combined with Tycho’s lilting, atmospheric synths, it translates a brilliantly uplifting message. W

“While the messaging and lyrics resonate with the ebbs and flows of the past two years
globally, I’m also a long-time fan of Scott’s production and music,” Barry tells Gray Area. “Live & recorded instrumentation can elevate a song to a new level, which Tycho has been doing for years. A tactile notion... it’s like pulling paint off a picture. Dive into Tycho’s music catalog and there are plenty of gems.”





 





 





 





 









Track of The Week: Tycho and Benjamin Gibbard's "Only Love" has a Powerful Message

Brooklyn is arguably New York City dance music’s beating heart. Large venues like Avant Gardner and Music Hall of Williamsburg host some of the biggest events in the city. Yet hidden gems like Nowadays, Mood Ring, and Bossa Nova are among the few that hold the scene together day by day. Tragically, on the night of January 12, the apartment atop Bossa Nova Civic Club caught fire, leaving one tenant seriously injured.

The morning after, word spread over social media about the devastating situation. The community worried about the victims, as well as dance music’s little home on Myrtle Ave. Dweller Festival and Discwoman founder Frankie Decaiza Hutchinson, also known as Frankie Fat Gold, gave insight into the state of Bossa Nova after the event. 

She tweeted, “I just got off the phone with John in regards to bossa, he told me the fire was above bossa, bossa didn’t burn but the water damage and the damage to the whole building means it won’t be opening for a very long time and may not reopen at all but still figuring this out.” 

The venue confirmed this in a now-vanished Instagram story, rehashing that “the building sustained significant damage” and “will be closed for a notable amount of time.”

She continues, “I’m extremely heartbroken over this, this space really gave me everything. we all know how meaningful this club has been for so many of us. I really don’t know what to say. Will be posting a GoFundMe soon.”

A GoFundMe has been created. The description states that the money raised will go to “the staff, bar, and tenants. Distribution of funds will be broken down as we approach the goal.”

It also says, “This space is a second home to a lot of us and has cultivated many careers, friendships and chosen families. Bossa has endured but survived an extreme amount of adversities, during a pandemic no less. This level of harm needs the full backing of the community to restore.”

Bossa Nova is indeed a hub for dance music DJs from all over the city, continuously pushing the incredible local talent that New York City offers. 

DJ SWISHA commented, “So heartbroken about the news that an apartment above Bossa caught fire. We gotta do everything we can to keep this institution afloat once they further assess the situation. Also, please be careful with your words and don't just call this ‘the bossa fire’ it’s not a meme.”

Mood Ring, a club that sits only a block away from Bossa, showed their support on their Instagram in a caption that reads, “Our hearts go out to our friends and neighbors @bossanovacivicclub & everyone in the building affected by the fire. Please consider donating to their Restoration, Tenant & Staff fund.”

If you have the means, please donate to the Bossa Nova Civic Club Restoration & Staff Fund.



Brooklyn’s Bossa Nova Civic Club Closes After ‘Sustaining Significant Damage’ in Fire, Crowdfund Begins

It's about time again for our monthly takeover of Diplo's Revolution. Yes, that's right, OCHO 3 is coming on January 22, 2022, to Sirius XM. We're serving up eight hours of non-stop exclusive sets by eight extraordinary artists from across the globe.

This month's diverse lineup features eight artists from across the spectrum of house sub-genres. Andrea Oliva, Cloonee, J. Worra, Layla Benitez, Meduza, Paco Osuna, Shermanology, and Wax Motif all come from different corners of the worldwide house music community. And while their sounds may vary, each one encompasses the words of Chuck Roberts from the 1988 anthem "Can You Feel It" by Fingers Inc., "house music is a universal language."



Tune in to Gray Area OCHO on January 22, 2022









Andrea Oliva

Born in Switzerland, Oliva taught himself to DJ at the tender age of 13. The young DJ found a job in a record shop and quickly established himself as a skilled selector, building a carefully curated library of promos and white labels. It wasn't long before he was booked in Switzerland's best clubs and throwing his legendary sold-out Banditz parties. He's since become a staple of the Ibiza scene cemented by residencies with elrow at Amnesia, Music On at Amnesia, and ANTS at Ushuaïa. His lauded production skills have seen him on remix duties like Luciano and releasing club weapons on Defected, Moon Harbour, Relief, Hot Creations, and 7Wallace.







Cloonee

One of the tech-house scene's most potent stars, Cloonee, has seen an unprecedented rise since the release of his 2017 Estes EP on Elrow. What's followed in an unstoppable tear of genre-defining releases on labels like Sonny Fodera's Solotoko, Desert Hearts, Big Beat, Michael Bibi's Solid Grooves, Mark Knight's Toolroom, and Chris Lake's Black Book Records. With an unsurpassed sense of rhythm and soul-shattering basslines, his releases regularly break the Beatport charts making him one of the site's top-selling tech-house artists of 2021. His back-to-back set with Andrea Oliva at elrow Rowsattacks! in December blew us away; we can't wait to see what tricks he has in his bag for OCHO.







J. Worra

Even before being named the 2019 Breakthrough Music Producer of the Year by DJ Mag, J. Worra's technical abilities, trademark swag, and imitable ability to create body grinding beats were well known. Her performance in December at Rowsattacks! in New York was a showstopping moment, proving once again why she's rocked major festivals like EDC and Coachella as well as every major club in the US. She discovered house music in Chicago and, while she may LA-based, brings a hint of that classic vibe to everything she does. Her dynamic catalog includes releases on labels like Higher Ground, Realm, Sweat It Out, and Sink or Swim. And her remixes for GRiZ, Gorgon City, and deadmau5 have elevated their work to new heights.



Tune in to Gray Area OCHO on January 22, 2022









Layla Benitez

It's clear from watching her perform that Layla Benitez has a potent understanding of how music moves people. Her visceral connection to dance music extends beyond the dance floor. It's in her soul. Her father, Jellybean Benitez, is an acclaimed DJ and culture-defining producer who was a pillar of New York's nightlife community throughout the 80s and 90s. Yet Layla's abilities are more than a legacy. Her distinctive blend of afro house, deep house, and world beats create peak dance floor moments for fans from Ibiza to Miami, New York to London, and Mykonos to Los Angeles.










Meduza

House music's recent domination of commercial radio is bookmarked by young producers who understand what underground dance music fans have known for decades. That house music is a feeling. Leading the charge is GRAMMY-nominated Italian trio, Meduza. Their debut single "Piece of Your Heart," with Goodboys, was a worldwide phenomenon topping charts throughout Europe, US, and Asia. The boys have gone on to dominate the charts with radio-friendly beats that have touched millions, streamed in the billions, yet pay homage to house music's underground roots. They masterfully walk the tightrope between the often protective, tight-knit house music community and the mainstream with grace and style, effortlessly bouncing from remixing for the likes of Ed Sheeran to releasing on legendary imprints like Defected.










Paco Osuna

For over two decades, Paco Osuna has steadily built a reputation as one of dance music's most respected and revered selectors and producers. The Mindshake Records founder has been a fixture of the Ibiza scene since the late 90s and held down residencies Richie Hawtins ENTER, Sven Vath's Cocoon series at Amnesia, as well as an endless array of prestigious events all over the world from Electric Zoo to Space Miami, Time Warp to EDC, and Watergate Berlin to WOMB Tokyo. In the studio, his imitable rhythmic timing, sophisticated sound palate, and imaginative spirit have made him a sought-after award-winning producer with releases on Mood, Plus8, Minus, Defected, Moon Harbour, and Get Physical.










Shermanology

Brother sister duo Andy and Dorothy Sherman's ability to inject tech-house with the soul and spirit of their Caribbean heritage has made them a uniquely genre-defying pair. Dorothy's distinct and stirring vocals transport the dance floor to the days of diva house. And Andy's production and DJ experience have traversed genre barriers from UK garage to bass house. Together their sound is boundless, impressing the underground and the mainstream alike. Their 2020 release "Boyz N Da Club" was an unstoppable club slumper. Yet they continue to prove their diversity working with artists like Will Clarke on the emotive "Searching" and scoring over a million plays on "Bon Bini," performed entirely in Papiamentu, their native language. 













Wax Motif

Known as a leader in G house and UK Bass, Wax Motif has more recently established a wider range of sounds. His recent release "Koalack" on his Divided Souls imprint shows a softer, more reflective side. And while Waxy continues to move dance floors with his trademark dirt nasty bass house, his emerging diversity proves his talents in the studio. He's also recently stepped out as a leader in blockchain and community building as one of the first dance music artists to create his cryptocurrency, $WAXM. The industry-leading move gave fans access to exclusive music, one-on-one Zoom sessions, and even the chance to collaborate with the producer who has released on labels like Confession, Night Bass, and Musical Freedom.



Tune in to Gray Area OCHO on January 22, 2022



Get Ready for Another Bumping OCHO on Diplo's Revolution

As COVID drags on, the music industry continues to battle with uncertainty, especially in nightlife. Before the pandemic, many creatives still couldn’t rely on their craft to pay for basic needs. According to Catherine Martin TD, Irish Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media, the solution is Basic Income for the Arts. A form of Universal Basic Income.

In a statement on Ireland’s government site, she said, “This is a once-in-a-generation policy intervention, a measure that I believe will redraw the landscape for the arts for hopefully many years to come. Our culture and the arts are a fundamental expression of who we are as a nation. Our rich cultural heritage is one of our greatest assets, and our artists weave a sense of identity, creativity and belonging into the fabric of our communities. The intrinsic societal value of culture and the arts was particularly evident during the pandemic, where it provided colour, light and hope in uncertain times.”

Ireland will commit about €25 million ($28.3 million) to the program, which it expects to implement in February or March. Two thousand artists, actors, musicians, and other performers are expected to receive a basic income of €10.50, or $11.89  an hour over three years. This is equal to Ireland’s minimum wage. However, the living wage in Ireland (the lowest amount needed to cover basic needs) is €12.90 ($14.61) an hour.







In an interview with The Irish Times, Martin explains, “Obviously this is post the Covid-19 restrictions but the goal here is twofold: it’s to support jobs and businesses in the night-time economy and but also to support the new and emerging acts. We could be looking at music, we could be looking at poetry slam nights, local theatre groups, traditional music, classical music, and of course, our electronic music.”

Venues and cafés expect to receive grants of at least €10,000 “to support hundreds and hundreds of events with new acts” through night-time events. Martin adds, “If we look at how far behind we are, look at Berlin where culture thrives at all hours, why does the city’s heartbeat have to end at midnight or one in the morning.”

Mixmag spoke to Dublin DJ Aiden Thompson about the pilot scheme. He tells the publication, “In my opinion, I would like it to go ahead, however, I’m skeptical about who they’ll deem ‘eligible’ for it.

"Judging from stories from my friends I probably won’t be eligible and instead, the people making large amounts from sales and tours anyway will be those who receive the payment, which I sincerely hope is not the case."

While Thompson is hopeful, he acknowledges that other DJs he knows will “believe it when they see it.”

Irish producer and DJ Air Jackson also commented on Mixmag’s initial report of the online consultation with, “PR spoof and nothing more. The Irish government literally couldn’t care any less about music & arts and it has been this way for decades. Musicians, artists & venues have been thrown under a bus for the past 22 months with little or no supports [sic].”



Irish Government Will Pay a ‘Basic Income’ to 2000 Artists, DJs Are Skeptical

Destination festivals have been all the rage in recent years. And Tulum was at the center of it all, where even through the pandemic, the party seemed to continue. Last year a brain trust of lauded promoters came to imagine a new festival experience in Playa Del Carmen called Departure. Conceived by Pollen Presents, The CityFox Experience, and Brooklyn Mirage, the five-day event promised an impressive lineup including Adam Beyer, Cassy, Lee Foss, The Martinez Brothers, Jamie Jones, and Dubfire. 

The rise of the Omicron variant has cast a shadow over the world as cases rise to unprecedented numbers. And as festival-goers made the journey to Tulum to escape the winter's chill, festival organizers were forced to postpone the opening day of the festival on Thursday.

Early today, festival organizers posted a social media update announcing the total cancelation of the festival. They said, "It is with an incredibly heavy heart that on the weekend of our show, after ten days of building and months of planning, we have been instructed that we cannot operate Departure."

The festival team has worked closely with local authorities in Playa Del Carmen. They stated that "with the recent severe rise in the cases of Omicron in the past few days, the Governor announced last night that Playa del Carmen is returning to yellow tier COVID restrictions and therefore we cannot continue with a show of this size as planned."

All tickets will be refunded, and Polen offered a $200 credit towards a future experience. Hotel bookings will not be affected for anyone who has already made the trip.  

The festival team went on to express, "it breaks our hearts that we can't put on the incredible experience that we had planned. For those that are already here, we sincerely hope that you can continue to enjoy the incredible location."

For more information on refunds, please contact Polen's live chat in the Pollen app or text 25931.






Departure Festival Cancelled Amidst New Covid Rules in Mexico

One of the best parts about live music is crowded spaces sharing community, freedom, and most of all, love for the dancefloor. In 2021 when restrictions began to loosen globally, dance floors again became packed and shined as a bright beacon of recovery.

SWG3, an arts center in Glasgow, hosts the city’s immense dance parties — post-pandemic tickets for club nights sold and had energy stronger than ever. Which got the team behind the art center thinking. What if the well-being dance floor supported the sustainability of the planet?

In partnership with TownRock Energy, SWG3 will begin installing an innovative and first-of-its-kind renewable heating and cooling system which recycles the body heat of attendees. The plan estimates a reduction of SWG3's total carbon output by up to 70% and is showing a high demand to be replicated.   







In 2019, managing partner of SWG3 Andrew Fleming-Brown expressed interest in exploring low-carbon energy systems for SWG3. As a result, the idea was born to capture the energy from the attendees and trap it into the ground for future use storage.  

Photo Credit: Michael Hunter



The Science Behind It: 

The human body produces about 100 watts of energy while resting. Vigorous dancing can quickly multiply that output by five or six. Dancing generates the same kinetic energy power as running, which is a decent amount of human control. 

To store the energy, TownRock developed an application for a heat pump custom to SWG3. It utilizes similar energy transfer to the standard household refrigerator; however, instead of cold to warm transfer, the process implemented in SWG3 will be warm to cold. The system is called Bodyheat, which will transfer the heat of dancing clubbers into 12 boreholes. This will turn a large cube of underground rock into a thermal battery storing the energy heat for venue temperature and water.   

The system development began in 2019. Then in 2020 fueled by pandemic shutdowns, the SWG3 team focused on a full-scale sustainability plan for the venue, setting the goal of achieving "net-zero" carbon emissions by 2025. 

When work resumed in the fall of 2020, Bodyheat is the central component of the plan. The first installation phase should be complete by early spring and provide heating and cooling to SWG3's two main event spaces. The final stage will offer hot water to the bathrooms and central heating, ridding the venue of its central boilers.   



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The Future: 

The system is not cheap as Bodyheat costs approximately ten times the amount of a conventional heating and cooling system. However, this will be recovered in full as it balances out the cost of energy bills within five years. 

With these statistics, this system has become extremely attractive to event spaces and businesses. Multiple spaces in different industries are exploring the technology behind Bodyheat. Interest is already building in Berlin and Scotland.

This is not the first use of dancing to generate sustainable energy. A Dutch company called Energy Floors developed a line of tiles almost a decade ago that converts dancers' steps into electricity installed at Club Watt in Rotterdam in 2008. Although in comparison, Kinetic dance floors make only small quantities of electricity. While Bodyheat will have a meaningful impact on carbon output.   

"We did not initially think that dance would be such a big part of this project," Fleming-Brown said. "But you need a visual language to communicate an idea, and it quickly became apparent that the emotional connection people have with live music and dance was a winning streak."

For nightclubs and events, environmental consciousness has been a theme in the community. The next logical step is this fantastic innovation that will enable us, party people, to do tremendous good for sustainability and the environment.  



A Glasgow Venue is Creating Renewable Energy From Dancing

Next year in Frankfurt a new museum dedicated to electronic music.   

The Museum of Modern Electronic Music (MOMEM) previously planned to open in October but was postponed due to funding. It will now open its doors on April 6th, 2022.

MOMEM announced the project in 2015 and held a pop-up trial in 2018. The museum is under the stewardship of Alex Azary, a pioneering Berlin techno and electro artist who has produced music under several monikers for more than two decades. He was inspired to create the museum by Technoclub founder Andreas Tomalla aka DJ Talla 2XLC, who came up with the initial vision for the museum back in 2011.

The final design of the museum will feature exhibits, performance areas, and installations, as well as a library that will allow people to sift through a vast chronicle of electronic music history. 

One of the opening exhibits at MOMEM will feature an exposition of Sven Väth titled It's Simple To Tell What Saved Us From Hell. The show delves into the German techno Producer and DJ's private record collection, art, photographs, show flyers, and more.



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"There is no better opening exhibition for MOMEM. Because Sven Väth and Tobias Rehberger have each, in their own way, taken electronic music culture from Frankfurt to the world," said Azary on the opening of MOMEN.

The museum describes itself as "a place to explore, conserve and relive the historical dimensions and influences of Electronic Music. A journey from the beginning to the future. A place of continuous movement and transformation, turning from museum into stage into bar into academy. A reactive environment in the heart of Frankfurt. A museum not for visitors but for guests."

Visit the Museum of Modern Electronic Music website and donate here to learn more. 



Museum of Modern Electronic Music Will Open In Frankfurt in April 2022

Grammy-nominated South African DJ and producer Black Coffee (aka Nkosinathi Maphumulo) has been named Executive Music Producer for a project directed by Hicham Hajji of the film Redemption Day. The upcoming feature film called God is a DJ. It focuses on two up-and-coming minority DJs in the electronic music space.

The movie follows a Jewish man and Moroccan imam who begin a partnership as a DJ duo. As they gain recognition within their local communities, the story details the tribulations of collaboration as a musical duo, how they learn to trust each other despite their cultural differences, and the trials of taking a musical act on the circuit.   



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With this film, producer Hajji stated that he "aims to bring this nice music to the world through the minorities that understand it."  

This is the second feature film project Black Coffee is helming the music for, after the 2017 film 2017's Wizard. And with the nuanced understanding he holds for the story of a POC navigating the music industry, he will undoubtedly impact the movie in the best of ways. 

The film is in the pre-production phase, with the release date still unknown.





Correction (1/5/22): A previous version of this story reported Black Coffee as the Executive Producer of the film. It has been updated to reflect his role as Executive Music Producer.

Black Coffee is Producing Music for a Film Directed by Hicham Hajji 

Music collective Girls Don't Sync headlined at Liverpool's newly established venue STN LVP on opening night.

Presented by Mixmag and Coors, the first iteration of the Lab at brand new venue STN LVP featured sets from talented DJs and foundation.fm residents Matty Chiabi, G33, Sophia Violet, and Hannah Lynch. 

The GDS DJs welcomed Lucid and Beccas Vernon, who brought with them plenty of good vibes and house bangers for the crowd to enjoy.

The girl gang played an energetic session at the party's launch in true GDS style.

Kicking off the night was the inimitable Matty Chiabi, who brought the vibes with her mixing talent and irresistible Afrohouse selections—one particular highlight was Wande Coal's absolute house banger, "ISKABA."

G33 smoothly segued into Duke Dumont's "The Giver" and followed the track with some tech house and UK garage sounds to many clubgoers' delight.



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Sophia Violet brought the session's sound back into Afrohouse with Conducta's remix of Wiley's "Boasty," and Hannah Lynch drove the crowd wild with her percussive selections and detailed mixing.

The set features some of the freshest tech, afro house, and D&B cuts, mixed and specially curated by GDS' best talents. Tune in to the entire two-hour session on YouTube here.

If you're a local, you'll be happy to know that STN LVP will be hosting more in-house events and weekly livestreams soon with some of Liverpool's local talents and upcoming artists and DJs.

Stay tuned for more information on future events by following the venue's Instagram.



Watch: Girls Don't Sync in The Lab Liverpool

Ultra’s return to historic Bayfront Park in Miami gets a touch sweeter today with the announcement of the Resistance lineup. The underground house and techno off-shoot of Ultra has a well-documented reputation for curating forward-thinking lineups. And next March 25-27 they’ve upped the ante with an impressive array of world-class talent that spans the expansive diversity of the underground community.


The Resistance lineup gives some context to some of the incredible artists already announced on the Phase 1 lineup.  Melodic techno duo and Afterlife Records head honchos Tale Of Us join progressive titans CamelPhat, veteran and legend Dubfire, and Resistance champion Carl Cox who debuts his all-new three hours hybrid performance exclusively for Ultra Miami 2022.

What’s truly striking is the diversity in the rest of the lineup. The representation of fantastic women in house and techno can’t be undersold. And this year’s lineup includes venerated acts alongside exciting rising stars. Amelie Lens, ANNA, Anfisa Letyago, Nina Kraviz, Sama’ Abdulhadi, Ann Clue, Georgia Anjuli, and Nala will all take the stage.



The lineup is also diverse in sound with a broad sonic footprint, from the grooving bassline of Dom Dolla and John Summit to the sweeping melodics of Hannes Beiger’s live performance. The pounding beats of Adam Beyer to the sun-soaked Beatport topping tech house of Solardo and the legendary progressive sonics of Sasha | John Digweed. The Resistance lineup overflows with talent. There’s so much there that you’ll never have to leave the revamped Resistance area of Ultra Miami.



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Resistance will take residence in a new section of Ultra’s fabled home on the park's northern perimeter. The new location allows house and techno fans to spread amongst multiple areas, including the Carl Cox megastructure and an all-new concept called The Cove. Beneath the palm trees overlooking Biscane Bay, Resistance fans will feel a hint of nostalgia for 2019’s Resistance Island.

Tickets on sale now at https://ultramusicfestival.com/tickets/miami/

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