On Wednesday, August 25 Canadian producer, Felix Cartal divulged his plans for a special project to be released on September 1st. Expensive Sounds From Nice People: A Streaming Festival, his first Twitch festival, features sets from renowned DJs Dr. Fresch, LŪN, Hotel Garuda, Subset, and QRTR. The festival is named for his album Expensive Sound For Nice People released earlier this year. 

The Juno Award winner had a landmark year. He used his weekly streams through quarantine to promote his album that premiered to rave reviews receiving tens of millions of streams.

Cartal chose to partner with The Ally Coalition, (TAC) a lifeline of direct support for LBGTQ+ youth programs. Any donations collected during the event will be donated to TAC.

Founded in 2013 by Bleachers front-man Jack Antonoff and his wife Rachel Antonoff, The Ally Coalition provides meaningful support to LGBTQ+ youth through social media campaigns, collaborative partnerships, and live events. Music has always been a vector for social justice. 

According to TAC, LGBTQ+ youth are far more likely to be victims of depression, violence, bullying, and suicide. Last year, over 30 states tried to pass anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. TAC encourages allies to fight injustice and use music to mobilize the masses.

Because The Ally Coalition holds such a unique connection to the music industry, the artists who partner with the organization are able to use their expansive platforms to raise awareness of the adversities facing the LGBTQ+ population on a wider scale and activate their fan bases to fully engage with these issues in fruitful and effectual ways.

The partnership hits close to home for queer Brooklyn-based producer QRTR. She shared her thoughts with Grey Area on Cartal’s festival partnership with TAC.

“As a queer person myself, it's extremely refreshing to see such big names support LGBTQ+ youth via the The Ally Coalition,” she said. “I know this sort of thing would have been unheard of just a few years ago, so it's really heartwarming to see it happening now. It's a great indicator of the way dance music is pushing forward by amplifying and supporting the same types of marginalized people that built the foundations of dance music culture as we know it.” 

The New York-based producer will be headlining the festival next Wednesday with fellow house artists, LŪN, Dr Fresch, Hotel Garuda, Subset and Wh0.

“It feels really special to know I get to be part of this to not only represent, but also support the queer community simultaneously. Much respect to Felix for putting this together, I can't wait for folks to tune in!”

Expensive Sounds From Nice People streams September 1st, 2021 on Twitch







Felix Cartal’s Streaming Festival Supports LGBTQ Advocacy Group The Ally Coalition

Frankie Knuckles is considered the godfather of house music. His seminal DJ sets at Chicago’s Warehouse gave birth to house music culture. And he was shining example of black and LGBTQ excellence. Tracks like “Your Love,” and “The Whistle Song” still reverberate from the speakers of clubs and festivals. They stand as a testament to the timeless quality of his work. DJ International, one of Chicago’s longest-running house music labels, unearthed an unreleased Frankie Knuckles tune. “I Want The Love Of My Own.” It will be released this year to commemorate the 35th anniversary of his first release, “You Can’t Hide.” 

DJ International found “I Want The Love Of My Own” on an old reel-to-reel tape deep in their vaults. The previously unheard and unreleased song was restored and remastered by long-time Knuckles collaborator and friend Eric Kupper. The pair worked together from the early days of Knuckles career.

The news of the release comes on the anniversary of Knuckles death on August 25th. Declared Frankie Knuckles Day by President (and former Illinois senator) Barack Obama. The day celebrates the massive contribution Knuckles made to music culture and Chicago's history. 

The relevance of this release can’t be understated. After over 30-years, dance music has grown to be a global phenomenon. Its positivity and power reach every corner of the globe. And after decades of largely being ignored by audiences in the US (where it began), house music is recognized as a legitimate and necessary art form. Knuckles stands as a pioneer and role model in the Black and LGBTQ communities. He was openly gay in an age where that was unheard of for someone of his stature. And he created a safe space for the marginalized to feel comfortable and at home with their identities.



“I Want The Love Of My Own” may be a lasting testament to his activist spirit. DJ International says, “It is also rumoured to be performed by two men juxtaposing intertwining question and answer male vocals, toying with sexuality itself.”

The release will support the Frankie Knuckles Foundation, the non-profit that carries on his tireless advocacy work. The 501c3 organization focuses on music in schools, LGBTQ youth homelessness, AIDS research and prevention, and diabetes research and prevention. The foundation also supports the Brave Space Alliance, the first Black and trans-led LGBT+ center to provide social services to the LGBTQ+ community of Chicago.

For more information on the release sign up for updates here.

Previously Unreleased Frankie Knuckles Music Has Been Unearthed

Trans DJ, producer, and advocate Honey Dijon launched a Creator Collab on Etsy celebrating queer culture. The 20 piece collection includes printed scarves, earrings, statement piece homeware, and playing cards created by women of color and queer artists.

The collection references cultural footnotes from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. The period of collective change within marginalized communities gave birth to the modern LGBTQ rights movement. The struggle of queer folks throughout this period was also the impetus for disco and dance music culture.

"What really draws me to that is when fashion and art reflect that social change, in the end, you have marginalized people creating their own music and culture,” she told Billboard. "I mean, two generations ago, we lost so many of the most highly creative people and the audience that appreciated these high art forms. So I try to investigate these times, not in a nostalgic way, but in a critical way, saying, 'How can we still celebrate these people in a modern way, and celebrate our culture in a modern way?'"

She intended to spark joy with each design. A noble mission in a time when happiness is in short order. Conversation-worthy pieces like the sculptural vessels from Hannah Simpson Studio pop with texture and vibrant, eye-catching color. The handmade vases are based on an iconic vogue dance move.

Dijon isn't comfortable paying lip service to activism for her people. She felt it was necessary to engage and support creators in an actionable way.

“As a trans woman of color, I think we need to start owning our narrative and celebrating ourselves and our creativity,” she says in a blog post for the Etsy collection. “All of my work is based on the experiences, the narratives, and the history of queer people of color, and it’s very important to keep that conversation alive.”

Check out the full collection here. 

Honey Dijon's Etsy Collection is a Celebration of Queer Culture

Gaston Steenkist, aka Dobre, of Chocolate Puma, announced his retirement from touring. The Dutch DJ and production duo have worked together for three decades. Their career is marked by dance floor destroying records like “Scrub The Ground” with DJ Fun and Tommie Sunshine and “Rebels On The Run” featuring Grace Tither.

“A lot has happened in my personal life since the beginning of this pandemic, both sad and beautiful things.” Steenkist said in his statement posted to the Chocolate Puma Twitter page. 

“I feel very privileged that I was given the opportunity to travel the world and play for you guys. I feel very grateful and humbled that so many of you enjoyed our music. But in the end I felt the crazy tour life has taken a heavy toll on me, both mentally and physically. I have realized that being at home with my loved ones and being in a more quiet and structured environment made me a happier and healthier person.”

René ter Horst will continue to tour under the Chocolate Puma name. Steenkist will remain part of the duo in the studio. “Rene can’t wait to DJ again, to play our music and to represent Chocolate Puma on stages around the world, “ he said about his longtime partner and good friend.

He said he looks forward to more time writing music, diving deeper into new productions techniques and spending time with his family, something he has grown to appreciate more over the last year and a half with no dance floors. The pandemic has undoubtedly made many artists reevaluate what it means to spend more time on the road. With a touring schedule that requires many to spend 52 weekends of the year away from home, the last year offered time to reassess what’s truly important to them. And to get grounded with their mental health.

Steenkist’s bubbling energy will be missed, but he wants fans to understand that this only means that Chocolate Puma will live on and continue to level up.




Gaston Steenkist of Chocolate Puma Announces End of Touring Career

The dance music community today mourned the loss of two of its pioneers. Chicago house legend Paul Johnson passed away this morning at age 50 from complications related to COVID-19. And First Lady of Detroit K-Hand, aka Kelli Hand, passed away yesterday at age 56, the cause of death was unknown at the time of publication.

Both artists were powerful voices in dance music history. Born and raised in Chicago Paul Johnson began his career in the early 90s. He’s released music on renowned labels like Dance Mania, Cajual, and Relief. His seminal 1999 hit “Get Get Down” topped the dance charts in the US, UK, Netherlands, France, Greece, Belgium, and Canada. Its bubbly refrain can still be heard on dance floors over two decades later.



He also co-founded the Chicago label Dust Traxx with Radek Hawryszckuk in 1997 and released music from Gene Hunt, Glenn Underground, and Roberto Armani.

In 1987 Johnson was left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot. He DJed from a wheelchair for the rest of his career. He was also a double amputee. He lost his left leg in 2003, and then his right in 2010 after a devastating car accident.

Despite his disability, he continued to tour, DJ, and produce. He passed after a battle with COVID-19 left him hospitalized for several weeks.

K-Hand was born and raised in the birthplace of techno, Detroit. She regularly traveled to New York in the 80s to attend parties at Paradise Garage to soak up the emerging sounds of house music. She eventually bought her own turntables and production equipment. She founded Acacia Records and released her debut EP Think About It in 1990. Her amalgamation of jackin’ house and thumping techno took her around the world. She started touring Europe in the earliest days of the dance music movement and continued to release music until last year.

The dance music community exploded with messages of respect and mourning for the passing of these two legendary figures.

Tommie Sunshine said, “Paul was an inspiration to all whoever had the joy of hearing him DJ & his production influenced absolutely everyone including being the very first person named in Daft Punk’s Teachers. This was a man who live in a wheelchair due to a chooting accident which took on eleg & an auto accident in 2010 that took the other one. He was a fighter who radiated joy in his music, on the decks playing Gospel House like no other & always had a smile on his face.”


Dance Music Mourns the Loss of Paul Johnson and K-HAND

Last Friday, July 30th Mixmag HQ hosted its first Lab LDN in over a year. And what a way to open up the greatest office party in the world than with the legendary Sasha on the decks. The live mix series has been on hiatus since the start of the pandemic, but as restrictions loosen in the UK, the Lab opened back up for this masterclass in DJing from one of dance music's most lauded artists.

Sasha just released a new compilation titled "LUZoSCURA" that brings together his favorite sounds of dance music techno, ambient, breaks, and electronica. He's enlisted the talents of a laundry list of notable and up-and-coming artists on the boundary-breaking project including QRTR, Franky Wah, MJ Cole, DJ P, and BAILE.

It's not often you get such an up-close view into how Sasha works the decks. As he loops, cuts, samples, builds, and breaks it down you're reminded why his career as a DJ and producer has endured for more than 25 years. 

His label Last Nigth On Earth will soon mark its 10th anniversary of genre-bending releases. Among its illustrious artists are Cristoph, Audiojack, Ejeca, Jeremy Olander, Max Cooper, and Timo Maas. 

Sasha embarks on a world tour with stops in Miami at Space on September 18th and New York at the Brooklyn Mirage on September 24th. His next EP is due out on August 20th. 

Mixmag's The Lab LDN Returns With Sasha

The reigning queen of Italian techno, Deborah De Luca will rock a hometown stream on July 5th, 2021. In partnership with Beatport, she will DJ from the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples, Italy. The event will stream via her Facebook page. Located only a stone’s throw from where she was born in Le Vele, Scampia, this is sure to be a passionate set for the Italian DJ and producer.

De Luca’s hard-hitting techno reverberating through the massive 54,000 seat stadium will undoubtedly be a sight to behold. The stadium is the third-largest in Italy. And it holds a special place in De Luca’s heart as it’s where her home-turf team Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, affectionately known as Napoli plays.

De Luca hasn’t slowed down one bit over the last year, despite COVID eviscerating the dance music industry. In 2020 she released her acclaimed album “She Sleeps” to rave reviews from the techno world. She also continued to release singles and EPs at a breakneck rate on her Solamente imprint. 

This isn’t the first stream for De Luca from her beloved Naples. Back in 2020, she streamed from atop Vele De Scampia. The housing project where she was born and spent her early youth. It was made famous in the critically acclaimed crime drama Gomorrah. De Luca’s stream was meant to shed her suburb in a more positive light and showcase the urban beauty as a gorgeous backdrop to her heart-stopping beats.

The live stream event may further prove that returning to the dance floor won't stop the streaming game. Utilizing fantastic vistas and well-known locales for streaming events is a trend that allows artists to highlight their favorite places to audiences that may never get a chance to experience them. And for De Luca it lets her share her pride in her home.

Tune in to the stream live via Facebook on Monday, July 5, 2021, at 11:45 AM.

News

Alexander Dias

Alexander Dias

Alexander Dias

Alexander Dias

Alexander Dias

Alexander Dias

Alexander Dias