While Sweater Beats will be gracing us with his presence (and music) at Splash House tomorrow, anyone who is unable to make it to the pool weekender themselves can participate in his live Reddit AMA tomorrow instead (that's Saturday, June 14th folks).
Still want to make it out to Palm Springs this weekend so you can partake in the pool party fun yourself? It's not too late - three day passes and single day tickets still available HERE.
Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike have been tearing up the Beatport charts and their latest single with Martin Garrix, Tremor, is no exception. Reaching the #1 spot in a matter of days since its release, the dynamic duo is killing it. With the track's banging melody that's gripped in big bassline drops, this rumbling release is equipped with enough grunt to rattle dancefloors into submission. The pair will be dropping this massive hit at both my Life Every Day and Finger Lickin' so don't snooze and be sure to catch these pair live in action. You can stream the track below!
Check out LED resident Brazzabelle’s two new original tracks on SoundCloud! Boomslang has a smooth build up and unexpected drop that is sure to get you hyped up. Let LED know what you think in the comment section down below!
http://soundcloud.com/brazzabelle/boomslang-original-mix-preview
https://soundcloud.com/brazzabelle/this-is-only-a-test-tioat
LED resident DJ TJR has been one of the hottest artists to work with in electronic music. While tearing up festivals and clubs worldwide, he’s still had the time to create top-notch electro house bangers and recently hit the studio with Benji Madden on his latest original, “Come Back Down." The song combines Madden’s vocals on the breakdown and then builds up with TJR’s signature electro house and some Melbourne bounce that has you dancing. You can stream the track below, and be sure to pick up your copy on Beatport!
TJR – Come Back Down (ft. Benji Madden) | BEATPORT | iTunes
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Follow Benji Madden through Twitter
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You may know him as 1/3 of Miike Snow, 1/2 of of Bloodshy & Avant, or more recently, as part of duo Galantis with fellow Swede Style of Eye. But regardless of how you know Christian Karlsson, one thing is for sure: from song writing to DJing to performing live, he's a man of many talents. We got a chance to get to know Karlsson better as he gears up to play at Bang Bang this Friday. Grab your $10 pre-sales HERE, and read on to get up to speed on what R rated video he's soon releasing, which of his heros he got to work with, and where he recently relocated to...
We hear you used to be in Swedish hip hop group Goldmine and toured with the Fugees. Please tell us more about this!
I was very young when I got started with Goldmine, so it was a very big deal for me to get on this tour. I was 15 when I toured with the Fugees.
Goldmine is where I learned how to produce.
You've been creatively involved with a wide variety of genres - pop, electronic, indie, etc. We bet your music library is pretty eclectic. What are you listening to at the moment?
Well, I'm always listening to all types of music. I have my hour of exploring Hypemachine and Beatport in the morning, and when I eat my breakfast, I listen to 60's music. I have my ways of listening to all types of music everyday.
While producing as Bloodshy & Avant, you worked out of a studio based in an old fire station in Söder, Sweden. Are you currently living in Stockholm? Do you still work from this studio?
I still work out of the studio in Sweden. I just relocated to Los Angeles, so I work out here now, but the old studio is still there for when I go back.
Having had experience with writing, producing, and remixing music - which is the most enjoyable for you?
I do love writing the most, I mean, remixing someone else's music can be amazing, but writing is so much more fun for me. Starting from scratch, writing melodies...I also LOVE to make beats, because that's where I came from.
Aside from being involved in all aspects of song creation, you also have experienced the world of DJing as well as performing live. What are the notable differences for you? Which do you prefer?
I love doing live shows, of course, but the challenge of DJing is that every night is so different. Different crowds, different rooms...I change my set up all the time.
I do love DJing and what it brings to the table, and that's perfect for when I want to challenge myself. When you play live, you're pretty much playing the same stuff all the way through. I do really enjoy DJing. I love it.
Miike Snow has had official remixes from well respected artists such as Tiga, Alex Metric, Sinden, and Felix Da Housecat. What was the process like of reaching out to work with these artists? Was it easy to decide between the three of you who would rework the songs of Miike Snow?
Almost everyone who's remixed Miike Snow was a friend of mine or became of a friend of mine. A lot of people wanted to remix this music, and be a part of it. We also did a lot of swaps, where I did stuff for them, and they did mixes for me. It was fun getting to have my music remixed, and it was equally fun returning the favor.
Between Bloodshy & Avant and Miike Snow, you've worked with an impressive collection of artists over the years. Who would you want to collaborate with that you haven't yet?
Hmm...I don't know. That's a hard one. It used to be Madonna & Depeche Mode , but I've worked with both now. So, I don't know!
Your new project with Style of Eye, Galantis, just released its first single "Smile" earlier this month, yielding a lot of positive feedback. How did you and Linus link up? Do you have plans to release a Galantis album down the line?
Linus has been my friend for many years. We used to link up in the studio when we were off tour, listen to each others music and play stuff for each other.
One day, we decided we wanted to take it farther and become Galantis. We do plan to release an album in the upcoming year.
Expect big things out of Galantis, like we do!
You've recently had gigs in Indonesia and LA, are about to make your debut at Bang Bang in San Diego, and are still riding the waves of Galantis' first release. Anything else in the pipeline that you can tell us about?
Well...more hot releases from Galantis! There will be a R rated version of our new video coming out soon.
If you've been involved with dance music to any degree over the last several years, chances are you're familiar with Wolfgang Gartner. DJ, producer, label owner, and one of the pioneers of modern day electro-house, he's been a driving force in the scene since his first EP, 'Shapes,' was released in 2007. We caught up with the San Luis Obispo-born, LA-based artist just in time for his Hounds of Hell tour stop in San Diego this weekend with tour mates CHARLIE DARKER, BASS KLEPH, & TOMMY TRASH (tickets available HERE).
You launched your label Kindergarten Recordings in 2008, the same year in which you produced "5th Symphony." Both being major contributions to your career, were you prepared for everything to take off shortly after?
By the time I had set up the infrastructure of my label, I had already released quite a bit of stuff on other labels, and things were starting to take off which was the impetus behind starting my own outlet. 5th Symphony came a year after running the label and having a lot of chart success on Beatport in the top 10, and I was prepared for everything that came with it. It was a lot of work fielding requests for licenses and everything else that came pouring in but certainly not too much to handle at the time.
Like many other label bosses, you hired someone to do A&R for Kindergarten, as your busy schedule doesn't allow you the time to sift through countless demos. How difficult is it to find someone whose taste you trust in?
Extremely difficult. You'll never find somebody who has the exact same ears as you, but if you find somebody who's got a great ear, even if it's not a clone of your own, the system works. He just casts a wider net when collecting music to sign to the label, so that some things he might not love are included, and maybe I end up loving them and signing them. I could never hand over the A&R reigns to my label 100%, because then it wouldn't be my label. So my A&R basically does the 95%, and then that last 5% is just me filtering through what he presents to me and us figuring out which signings we agree on. Luckily his ear really is very similar to mine and the system flows about as smooth as one could possibly hope for.
Aside from electronic artists, you've collaborated with Jim Jones, Cam'ron, and Eve. Can we expect any future collaborations within the same realm? What hip hop could we find in your music library?
Having no definite projects in the works with rap features, I think I can pretty confidently say yes, you'll see more of them from me in the future. It all depends on the music I make - the music always comes first, and then we decide on what kind of vocal and who in particular we hear over it, me and my manager. My music library is pretty much only hip hop, except my DJ music library of course. You'd find everything from Wale, Wiz Khalifa and Wu Tang to Dipset, French Montana, Slum Village, Nas, Tyga, Vado, Slaughterhouse, I could go on for a long time.
You've mentioned before that you have two indoor waterfalls, and would eventually like to have a river running through your house with a koi pond. If you had no limitations (cost or location-wise), what else would we find in Wolfgang's dream pad?
Hmmmm. An indoor lap pool, a big garden inside with a sunroof, I have everything else I'd want I think. I haven't built the river yet because I know I'm gonna sell this house at some point in the next few years and move somewhere closer to the ocean and more permanent so I'm waiting.
Earlier this year you released a 90s house mix covering an assortment of classic tracks, from Richard F to Olav Basoski. What was your relationship with dance music during that era?
Just a kid in a bedroom playing records making tracks, trying to get my tracks on records.
You recently tweeted about getting platinum status with American Airlines. With so many miles under your belt, you must be near mastering the art of travel. Any tips you can share?
That tweet was a joke because I don't really fly American. If you want travel tips? Don't travel. It sucks. If you have to, bring mouthwash and lots of extra socks. And your phone really doesn't affect the navigational equipment of the aircraft.
What's in store for you once you complete the tour?
Back to the studio to hit it pretty hard for the next few months. Tommy and I play a slew of Hounds Of Hell tour dates in Mexico, I play some sporadic fly-dates throughout the next couple months, and the cycle continues.
$25 tickets still available HERE!
You may know him as the fierce MC behind Prodigy, but Maxim has extended his artistic ventures yet again as he embarks on a U.S. tour to showcase his own skills behind the decks. Having recently paired up with MC Cianna Blaze and with new music in the works, we wanted to catch up with Maxim to get to know the multi-dimensional artist better.
Keep reading to find out what was on his playlists backstage at Prodigy shows, how he manages to keep a balance within his life, and what else he's working on at the moment. Don't miss him TONIGHT at Voyeur - get your $10 tickets HERE.
You've been involved with electronic music for over two decades now. What has it been like to see it progress over time? What have been some of your defining moments?
I haven't really assessed the amount of time i've been in the scene - but I still enjoy it! One of the highlights for me was performing on stage with Rage Against The Machine in Japan.
We literally went on stage with them and I was freestyling with the guys. It was great.
An overwhelming number of artists refer to Prodigy when asked about their musical influences. Did the band have any idea how widely influential they would become?
It is something that I focus on but, yes, I realise we have been a big influence on a lot of music out there. It's all good - if you can inspire people to push music forward, then I feel I have done something positive.
Your ascent into DJing began when you started playing backstage after Prodigy shows. What could we have found on your playlists back then?
I basically played hip hop, rock and funk. Everything from Public Enemy to the Clash to James Brown to the Specials.
By partnering with MC Cianna Blaze, you've broken the stereotype of performing with a male MC. How did you two meet? Do you think there's a need for more female MCs in the industry?
I wanted to do something different from the stereotypical male MC.
I met Cianna through a mutual friend, and we clicked straight away. The more I worked with her I began to realise how talented she was, so we started to write music to put into the DJ set that she can perform live. This has taken her away from the 'Hype MC' I originally intended her to be.
She is my voice when I am behind the decks, and she adds sexiness to the the show as she is an attractive girl.
Most importantly she has a good voice. One of the key things for me in being an MC is having a dope voice. Some female MC's voices are so high, that they grate on you after a while.
The industry is getting more female MCs. They are getting their props now. It's a long time overdue, but they are here now.
You've mentioned before that mental and physical fitness are important to you. How do you maintain both while juggling tour schedules, a family, and other obligations?
It's very hard, but this is my life, and this is what I enjoy doing. It's important to have balance on all levels, and to feed each part equally so no part suffers.
As far as the band goes - we all have families, so we work the touring out amongst ourselves. Over the years we have created a good touring structure.
Without mental and physical fitness I would have been burnt out years ago, but today, I feel I am at my peak of fitness mentally and physically.
Aside from music, you're also involved in visual art. What prompted you to start painting? Do you draw inspiration for your music and visual art from the same sources?
To be honest, the reason I got into art was because I needed some paintings for the wall space in my home - I wanted to buy some art and visited a few exhibitions.
When I was told the prices, I thought "I can do that!" So I went home and started painting. Then I realised I was really enjoying the freedom that art gave me - you can do anything you want, there are no boundaries.
As the years went by, I did a few commissions for friends. A friend of mine (Stuart Semple), who is a much respected artist, saw my paintings and said I should put on an exhibition. I did have doubts, but I trusted his opinion and here I am 11 years later.
You've just embarked on your U.S. tour and will be releasing music on the we Are noize (wAn) imprint. What else is in the works for you?
Yes I'm excited about being in the US on tour. I love touring and meeting people - travelling and playing music - so I'm looking forward to the next US tour already!
we Are noize is just an outlet that a couple of my friends and I have set up, that we can use to put out the music we have created.
In 2014 look out for Cianna Blaze. You will be seeing her skills soon, also.
I will also be working on my next art exhibition in the UK, and hope to bring that to the US sometime in 2014.
And we have the new Prodigy album coming out next year... I think that's enough on my plate for now, don't you?
Peace
M
Ever wanted to know a little bit more about modern disco-house phenom Treasure Fingers? So did we. With an impressive resume of music that spans before the birth of Treasure Fingers, Oklahoma-born Ashley Jones has remixed artists such as Empire of the Sun and and Little Boots, released on labels like Fool's Gold and Defected, and of course, given dance floors around the globe the gift of his own originals.
We have the pleasure of hosting him this weekend for his debut at Bang Bang, so we picked his brain to get the low-down on a few things about the artist we've grown to love since his debut of "Cross the Dancefloor" back in 2008.
You grew up in Oklahoma and have since lived in Brooklyn and Atlanta. Where are you calling home at the moment?
Currently, I'm in staying in Atlanta. I moved my full studio down here last year. I really miss Brooklyn, but there's less distraction here and the airport is great to travel out of.
Like many other successful artists, you were picked up by a reputable label [Fool's Gold], which essentially helped launch your career as Treasure Fingers. How important do you think it is for up and coming producers to have backing from a big label?
I think it's great to help break a career. It's like instant validation, a whole group of people co-signing for you and promoting your music. A lot of people complain about low music sales, but I think the job of the label has transformed into marketing, promotion and even PR for the artist. It's a platform to get your music out, even if you aren't pushing huge numbers of digital downloads, you can still be highly successful. Take Fool's Gold as a direct example with the amount of free releases they put out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4B8wEXB1P4
In an interview you did a few years back, you mention that you feel more well-received in Europe and Australia because they're generally more receptive to house music. Being that the deeper, nu-disco vibe has steadily been gaining popularity state-side, has this changed for you?
Yeah, it's really picked up a lot over here! I think it has a bit to do with the "EDM" sound becoming so mainstream that it caused the underground to grow as well. Whether it be backlash against the mainstream sound, or just fans growing and getting deeper in to the genres, I can't say for sure, but I've noticed a lot of new fans as of recent.
Aside from Treasure Fingers, you're 1/3 of bass project Evol Intent. Having experienced both worlds, what are some of the differences between the drum & bass and house scenes?
One has a bunch of dudes in the crowd, and the other has a bunch of girls. Just kidding, sort of. I'll probably catch some nice emails over that one. I have fun doing both and jumping between the two.
If you could work with any musician, vocalist, or producer- dead or alive- who would it be?
Roger Troutman, hands down. He's one of my biggest inspirations. Listening to his music, I still hear random synths and sounds hidden in the mix that I haven't picked up on in all these years. The talk box was what original drew me to him when I was younger, I was so amazed by that and my curiosity pushed me to buy one and really explore music production on a deeper level.
Initially, you were making hip hop when you started producing. Would you ever consider working within that realm of music now?
Definitely. I still mess with it and produce for a few Atlanta rappers, but I haven't fully pushed that side of stuff, I usually just sit on a bunch of beats until I meet someone that sounds dope to me and send a few tracks over for them. If I had more time I'd probably pursue that a lot more heavily.
On worstgig.com, you share your story about a gig in Australia where you played to five guys watching cricket in a warehouse. Sounds awfully awkward. Have you experienced any other weird gigs since?
Not that bad, but there's always a few random weird ones. Nothing really stands out compared to that aussie show, haha.
We hear that you have an affinity for Call of Duty. Any other guilty pleasures you can tell us about?
I don't play as much as I used to, but yeah there's a little group of us producer/DJ's on there that nerd out occasionally. My only other guilty pleasure is probably just weird internet findings, I like googling strange combinations of words to see if they actually exist.
You recently remixed Katy Perry. How did that come about?
Her team had requested it and put in an offer. It was a good offer and I figured I could do something cool with the song, flipping into a housier vibe, so I accepted the challenge and they accepted my remix in the end. It was fun and it's been doing damage on the dance floor. I don't have anything against pop music or people remixing pop stuff. I feel that sometimes the underground scene is a bit too serious & snobby, it's a good thing to just have fun with music.
So far this year you've remixed and collaborated with The Knocks, curated mixes for DJ Mag and Thump, and just wrapped up the summer festival circuit in the states. You've also got shows coming up on both coasts. What else is in the works for you?
I have another collaboration with the Knocks that will be coming out on Fool's Gold soon. I also finished up another collab record with Codes that will be coming out on Win Music. Unfortunately, I don't have hard release dates on either right now. I'm also working on a solo EP that's about 75% done, so expect that in a few months. I'll be mainly just working on new music and playing one-off shows throughout the winter.
Catch the funk master himself at Bang Bang this Friday. Pre-sale tickets still available - snatch yours up now for express entry after 11 PM.
Hailing from down under, Australian DJ/producer Tommy Trash has made quite a name for himself since his break onto the scene back in 2007. He has since released music on a variety of labels including mau5trap and Fool's Gold, and has even managed to earn the number one spot on Beatport twice in a row. With an impressive resume of music under his belt as well as an unmistakable air of energy around him, he's managed to captivate fans and fellow DJs alike with his technical skills and ear for music. This Aussie continues to prove himself again and again not only in the studio, but also behind his decks. Read on to find out what tribute band he'd be in, what would give his manager a heart attack, and why he's living in LA. 
Congratulations on recently hitting 300,000 fans on Facebook. At what point in your career did you realize you could pursue being a DJ/producer full time?
Thanks, still can’t believe it!! I think back when Tiësto & the Swedes started playing my tracks ‘The End’ & ‘Future Folk’ sometime in early 2011 and I was playing in Ibiza with Tiësto for the first time was when I really felt like this was a full-time gig. Feels like ages ago!
You were studying classical music at university when you discovered club life and house music. What profession would you currently be in if you hadn't gone forth with Tommy Trash? Do you find that your classical studies have an impact on how you approach music in the studio?
Oh man haha.. I’d probably still be packing bags of potatoes in Australia for all I know! Studying classical definitely helped with the melodies but I really think experiencing the whole club scene back then had a much bigger impact on my approach to my music.
You're a fan of rock music and grew up playing in bands yourself. If you were going to be in a tribute band, which group would it be for?
I think I’d wanna do Smashing Pumpkins although I’m def not shaving my head like Billy! ‘Siamese Dream’ and ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ are two of my favs of all time!
Your hair has received a lot of attention over the past few years - it even has its own Twitter. Did you ever think it would be such a trademark for your music?
That twitter profile is awesome, they really know their shampoo. Yeah it kind of just happened! I think my manager would have a heart attack if I ever cut it.
You're from Australia, lived in London, and are now based out of LA. How has each place shaped you, personally and/or musically?
Each place definitely had a different effect on my music. I think I was really able to find my ‘sound’ once I moved to London; it was like a new beginning for me. I wasn’t playing many gigs there, mostly just writing tons of new stuff. I moved to LA back in early 2012 and that was a really big deal for me. Being that much closer to the places I was touring in made everything so much easier and plus there is just so much going on in LA, so many talented people to work with and tons of inspiration.
Your collaboration track with Wolfgang Gartner, "Hounds of Hell," just dropped, with the North American tour beginning in a few days. How did you two link up for this project? What's in store for you when the tour is completed?
We really just linked up and got a project going! It was super easy. We’re both in LA and figured it would be the perfect time to finally do a track together. I sent him an idea I started and he loved it. I’m really happy we did it!
When the tour is wrapped up, I'm going to sleep for like 4 days then I'm off to India for a 3-day run, got some shows at the end of November which aren't announced just yet, and then off to Australia for Stereosonic! Going to be a crazy couple of months!! 
Ready for a little Tommy Trash action? Grab your tickets for his Hounds of Hell pitstop in San Diego with Wolfgang Gartner on Saturday, November 2nd and party with the Aussie yourself!
Festival season in the states has wrapped up, but we've got a track to share that'll make you feel like you're main stage at Tomorrowland. "Proper F*ck," the latest single from LED DJ FYOR, has just been released for your listening pleasure. This electro beast is the definition of a peak time festival tune, yielding a heavy kick drum and a pumping lead synth with just enough reverb to leave you hungry for more. The captivating drops and solid percussion rhythms are true testaments to FYOR's production capabilities, which makes us wonder what he's got in the pipeline next.
The best part? FYOR has been kind enough to release this track for free. Preview and download "Proper F*ck" below, and be sure to follow him on his Facebook and Twitter channels to stay up to date on future releases and tour dates.
