The return of EDC to New York for its 2nd year has now arrived. This year we physically will move to New York as Citi Field plays host (officially the 1st time in NY and not a “return”) and we’ll shine a spotlight on what each day has to offer with ‘Everything You Need to Know.’ We’ll break down what sets you can’t afford to skip out on and what we are dying to hear this weekend. Stay tuned tomorrow for Saturday.
The Basics
To start, we’re waiting ...Read More
Charismatic DJ duo Grand & Warren will be bringing their electro house beats and positive vibes to Santos Party House on Saturday, May 25 as the Electric Beach party’s headlining act for Memorial Day Weekend. We have an exclusive contest to win a VIP experience for you and a friend, so you can hang with Grand & Warren at their table! Just fill out our form and expect it to be an awesome night! If you’re not feeling lucky, buy tickets here in advance and don’t forget ...Read More
This image is of one patron from this past weekend’s Electric Daisy Carnival in Flushing, NY. This image has been circulated with hateful comments such as “Don’t be this girl” and other insensitivities. I sadly had to witness this girl get carried past the entire front from of Circuit Grounds instead of discreetly around the back. Perhaps if instead of shaming her and snapping pictures on smartphones someone had actually helped her, this girl would be spared the disrespe ...Read More
We’ve teamed up and partnered with SMIRNOFF’s Master of the Mix to give away a pair of ‘Beats’* headphones (See them here) . If you haven’t checked out the show yet, which is well underway into its 3rd season and airs every Monday at midnight on VH1. (You can see recap’s here: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3). Our coverage continues every Tuesday right as it goes down.
Enter after the jump!
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Now that it’s Thursday, we can start thinking about the weekend. As usual, there’s a lot going on in New York but if you only go to one club this weekend, make it Marquee. Their debut “Babel” party describes itself as “a community made out of different tribes and cultures, willing to gather and unite around Music, Arts, and pursuit of Magic.” Thugfucker is headlining this event, which is sure to draw a colorful, costumed crowd. Other highlights include a Neon Indian DJ set at Output in Brooklyn and the first Pacha Boat Party of 2013, featuring Chus & Ceballos. At Webster Hall, the Saturday nigh “brite nites” party continues with Carnage. Let us know where you’re heading on Twitter and look for our event reviews next week!
Friday 5.10
Pacha NYC – John Dahlback |Event Info|
Lavo – Italy vs. Brazil: DJ Paolo & Thiago Mansur |Event Info|
Marquee NYC – Claptone & Rony Seikaly |Event Info|
Cielo – Daniel Dubb & Joseph Indelicato |Event Info|
Santos Party House – Lange |Event Info|
Output – Dan Ghenacia |Event Info|
Webster Hall – MiM0SA |Event Info|
Saturday 5.11
Pacha NYC – The Pacha Boat Party with Chus & Ceballos |Event Info|, Chus & Ceballos |Event Info|
Lavo – Mysto & Pizzi |Event Info|
Marquee NYC – Babel w/ Thugfucker |Event Info|
Cielo – Willie Graff & Alex from Tokyo |Event Info|
Santos Party House – Norin & Rad |Event Info|
Output – Derrick May |Event Info|
Webster Hall – brite nites w/ Carnage |Event Info|
4Sixty6 – Danny Tenaglia: The Mad Hatter Ball |Event Info|
Sunday 5.12
Cielo – We Got This w/ Miss Jennifer |Event Info|
Monday 5.13
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Tuesday 5.14
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Where We’ll Be
On Friday, we’ll be hitting up Pacha NYC to cover John Dahlback and New Jersey newcomers Grand & Warren, who will be closing out the night. On Saturday, we’re hosting SoCal duo Norin & Rad at Santos Party House. The two have been featured on Above & Beyond’s Anjunabeats records with beautiful, energetic trance anthems like “Bloom” and “Aldo,” so they’re definitely a must-see.
On Friday, May 17th, Girls & Boys and UKF are coming together to bring New York City an unforgettable night of live performances. Tearing up the stage and amazing the crowd at Webster Hall will be Brillz, Sigma and a very special guest, Monsta, and of course, resident DJ, Alex English.
Headlining the night is a true trap legend from LA. Brillz recently released a trap-heavy mix, Twonk Team Volume 1, which you can listen to on his soundcloud. His unique style sets him apart from most other artists today. With unrelenting heavy bass coupled with catchy synths, Brillz will have you jumping and bouncing all night.
Also taking the stage is drum & bass act, Sigma, who was recognized as the Best Breakthrough DJ at the DNB Arena Awards. Making up Sigma, are Cameron Edwards and Joe Lenzie from the UK. They have remixed songs for artists such as Ellie Goudling, Eric Prydz, and Rusko. Their hard drum & bass will keep your adrenaline going for sure.
Also returning to Webster Hall, is MONSTA. Discovered by Skrillex, MONSTA is made up of producers Rocky and Rufio, along with vocalist, Skaar. Their unique live performances featuring powerful vocals from Skaar are renowned worldwide. Dropping everything from dubstep and drum and bass, to trap and house music, MONSTA puts on a must-see performance.
Join us in the fun at Webster Hall, whether you’re continuing your night from EDC or not, you won’t regret it! This show is 19+, doors open at 10pm. Get your tickets here
Since his success with the Black Eyed Peas, Will.i.am has demonstrated that selling yourself can come with great reward. From the auto-hyperlinked name ‘Will.i.am’ (which redirects to his main website), to his pre-hashtagged songs like #ThatPower, the man is a genius at self-branding and complete commercialization.
His music, much of which is fairly bland and band-waggoned off of already successful artists (anyone remember that collaboration with Wolfgang Gartner?), utilizes key endorsers to elevate its success. In recent collaborations with Justin Bieber, Mily Cyrus, and Britney Spears, all three collaborators heavily endorsed these singles across their social media channels: this allowed for double the market penetration. His social media,is fan-farmed to display more than 5 million fans on all fronts (ok fine, ALLEGEDLY fan-farmed) appearing to make him a heavy influencer in the EDM genre and giving him basic credibility with newer adopters of EDM. His music has appeared in commercials for Pepsi, Coca-Cola, in as the theme for NBA Live 2005 and Madden NFL 2005, and most recently one of his songs from the #willpower was selected for a commercial for Italian automaker “Lancia”.
Outside of his music, Will.i.am has launched numerous side projects, most notably a clothing line, series of questionable tech products, and auto line named IAMAUTO, was the voice of ‘Moto Moto’ in Madagascar Escape 2 Africa, and even appeared on The Voice UK. Will.i.am has also shown a large interest in tech, as evidenced from his involvement with the kickoff event for FIRST Robotics Competition in 2011, and role as director of creative innovation for Intel Corp.
Astoundingly, what shocks me most is objectively, Will.i.am is one of the most creative innovators in the space…a trait, which he appears to utilize solely for marketing. This is in turn marred by the fact that nearly every musical effort he makes is overshadowed by the overt and mind-numbingly commercialization he utilizes to maximize each song’s success (rather than its unique musicality). Think about it; ‘Scream and Shout’ COULD have been amazing, ‘That Power’ (not hashtagged, because that’s so forced) COULD have been innovative, and had he gotten permission from Arty and Mat Zo and utilized them as editors (and opted out of using Chris Brown), ‘Let’s Go’ could have been a powerful and excellent execution of flawless beats with well-thought out lyrics.
Sadly, Will.i.am’s over-marketed white-washed dumbed-down musical throwaways leave little to the imagination (which makes sense as they are designed to assault your wallet, not your ears). As an artist, at a base level, you must learn to sell yourself, but perhaps today’s musicians, DJs, and Producers can see Will.i.am’s approach as a blatant overkill and avoid it.”
After last month’s amazing remix of Capital Cities “Safe & Sound”, legend Tommie Sunshine and Live City came together again to give us the remix of Mt. Eden’s “Sierra Leone”. Tommie Sunshine is known in the industry for his chart-topping mixes and obsession with music, thus being recognized as one of the most “productive and passionate” dj’s in the scene. Immediately drawn in by the noticeable energy and hard hitting beats, it is obvious this mix will be at the top of everyone’s must-have list.
Mt. Eden – Sierra Leone (Tommie Sunshine & Live City Remix)
Swedish music producer and DJ John Dahlback will be bringing his infectious progressive house tunes to the decks of Pacha NYC on Friday, May 10. Closing out the night will be up-and-coming DJ duo Grand & Warren from New Jersey.
Since landing his first record deal at age 15, John Dahlback has been producing a massive amount of hits on various labels, including Toolroom and Spinnin’ Records. Dahlback might be most known for his progressive house anthem ‘Life,’ which was featured on Tiesto‘s ‘Club Life: Vol. 2 – Miami’ compilation in 2012. His discography not only includes four full-length albums that showcase his talent for producing lighter, delicate house tunes but also an impressive array of harder electro house remixes. Dahlback’s newest single, the fiery ‘Nuke,’ was released on May 6 on his Protocol Recordings label and expect this one to drop on Friday night.
Grand & Warren are DJ Gary Rabbit and James Alexander hailing from northern New Jersey. Since they started producing various house tunes and mash-ups together, the two have been featured on popular New York radio stations like 92.3 NOW and 103.5 KTU, as well as making appearances at clubs such as 4Sixty6 in West Orange and Bliss Lounge in Clifton. Their standout track right now is ‘Waiting For Aiden,’ one that’s sure to keep the dancing crowd happy long after Dahlback leaves the decks.
John Dahlback is a production machine that never stops generating progressive house anthems. The Swedish producer’s most recent release, ‘Nuke’, is just the sort of colossal anthem that John Dahlback has become known for. The combination of a robust bass and distorted lead sound pack energy into every crevice of the track, and with enticing melodic chords filling in what space remains, ‘Nuke’ is definitely capable of taking over any dancefloor. The Protocol Recordings released ‘Nuke’ follows up another huge club track that John Dahlback recently produced, the gritty ‘Don’t Stop.’
Hope you caught America’s Premier DJ Competition, SMIRNOFF’s Master of the Mix, last night on VH1. In case you missed out, here is a recap of what went down. The eight remaining DJs had a twist when they were faced with the toughest challenge of the season – working together in pairs. For DJs inexperienced working together, this proved to be a curse and a blessing for the various pairs. Guest judges The EC Twins, who definitely know what it’s like to work in a pair, provided valuable expertise and insight on how difficult it is to spin together. In the end, technical DJing pros Chris Karns and Jayceeoh took the cake, while other partners with disparate musical backgrounds and skills struggled to execute a set while working as one.
The EC Twins Thoughts on the Episode
Unfortunately, DJ team Tina T and Brian Dawe couldn’t keep up and were sent home last night. Although the road may have come to an end for DJs Brian Dawe and Tina T on last night’s episode of MASTER OF THE MIX, but that didn’t mean that they didn’t give a talented performance. Last week’s winner Chris Karns matched up Brian and Tina as a bit of the joke, but as a fellow competitor noted about the duo, they are both skilled club DJs and put up a fight during the scratching match. The EC Twins appreciated their coordinated effort and showmanship, including Tina’s scratching while she stood behind Brian, so he could basically say “look ma, no hands!”
But all is not over for Tina, so be sure to tune in next week as the competition continues to heat up and drama unfolds as the eliminated DJ comes back to the show for a second chance. This is America, right? Not only does Tina make a return appearance, everyone’s favorite rapper Lil’ Jon stops by to sit in as a guest judge. You might not have known this, but Lil’ Jon started his career as a house DJ in Atlanta, so he will fit right now. So be sure to check out the episode next week on VH1 airing Monday at 10 to see which DJ will wow Lil’ Jon and be one step closer to crowning the title Master of the Mix? Watch the trailer here!
‘Violetta’ by the Norwegian Orjan Nilsen is FINALLY released. After being a staple of Armin Van Buuren’s ASOT600 ‘The Expedition’ world tour, fans can now purchase ‘Violetta’ and enjoy one of the finest Trance tracks of the year. Orjan Nilsen is a 30 year old man who looks very young, but doesn’t let that get in the way of his ridiculous ability to produce monster Trance tracks. Orjan Nilsen brings an unmatched energy to the decks every time he spins, and we can’t take ‘Violetta’ off repeat.
Orjan Nilsen- Violetta
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Electric Zoo just released the Phase 2 artists. With many amazing artists just added to the lineup, and more to come, who are you most excited to see?
Also just announced is the Friday Combo Pak. If you sign up here, you can get a free pre-sale access code to get the deal before it goes public.
The Friday Combo Pak includes:
● Your choice of 2-Day General Admission Pass to Electric Zoo 2013 (Fri/Sat or Fri/Sun)
● Round-trip shuttle bus transportation
● $15 worth of credit towards non-alcoholic beverages encoded on your wristband for use at the festival
Electric Zoo 2013 Phase 2 Headliner Additions:
Friday, Aug 30
Hilltop Arena
Ferry Corsten
Big Gigantic
Jack Beats
Baauer
Riverside : BOYSNOIZE RECORDS & OWSLA
Dog Blood
Kill The Noise
Sunday School Grove
Danny Tenaglia
Dixon
Saturday, Aug 31
Hilltop Arena
Boys Noize LIVE
Moderat
Datsik
Mat Zo
Riverside : FOOL’S GOLD CLUBHOUSE
A-Trak
Brodinski vs Gesaffelstein
Sunday School Grove
John Digweed
Laurent Garnier
Sunday, Sept 1
Hilltop Arena
Fedde Le Grand
Markus Schulz
Adventure Club
Sub Focus
Riverside : DIM MAK
Chase & Status
Clockwork
Sunday School Grove : DRUMCODE
Adam Beyer
Victor Calderone
Despite popular beliefs to the contrary, producing EDM is just like any other job. Most producers are good but haven’t received the recognition they deserve. Others have achieved success and are well known within the EDM community. However, there are a select few DJ’s whose names are spoken with near reverence by both the casual fan and hardcore fanatic. As the five-time #1 DJ on DJ Mag’s poll (the most by any DJ), Armin Van Buuren has wholly entrenched himself in that category. However, following up a stellar album like his 2010 release ‘Mirage‘ is no easy feat. Thankfully, ‘Intense‘ does not disappoint, not even in the slightest.
After the release of the single ‘This Is What It Feels Like,’ many Trance enthusiasts feared that Armin was selling out. We’re extremely pleased to report that to rumors of Armin selling out have been greatly exaggerated (to paraphrase Mark Twain). Don’t believe us? Scroll down to the bottom of this review and listen to ‘Who’s Afraid of 138?!’, we’ll wait… Satisfied? Snarky humor aside, it’s clear that Armin certainly has not forgotten his Trance roots.
However, the Dutch DJ shows incredible range on this album which according to him is “more house-y electro stuff and of course trance, some rock influence, even a little bit of dubstep and classical music in there” (You can hear the quote here). This is certainly true, seeing as the titular track features the accomplished violinist Miri Ben-Ari. That track is hauntingly beautiful yet still manages to be exactly what it claims to be: Intense.
All in all, Intense is a fabulous album that clearly shows Armin’s impeccable eye for detail. There’s nothing groundbreaking on this album, but ultimately, that means very little. Every single track is polished and unique. Every single track shows a different genre, or at the very least, a different side of a genre. Intense is an album that will have you stopping at times and simply marveling at how good Armin is at his craft. They say you can’t please everybody, yet Armin’s done exactly that. There’s a very good reason that he’s the best in the world. All hail the king.
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This Is What It Feels Like (feat. Trevor Guthrie)
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Pulsar
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Who’s Afraid of 138?!
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Tracklist:
1. Intense (feat. Miri Ben-Ari)
2. This Is What It Feels Like (feat. Trevor Guthrie)
3. Beautiful Life (feat. Cindy Alma)
4. Waiting for the Night (feat. Fiora)
5. Pulsar
6. Sound of the Drums (feat. Laura Jansen)
7. Alone (feat. Lauren Evans)
8. Turn This Love Around (vs. NERVO feat. Laura V.)
9. Won’t Let You Go (feat. Aruna)
10. In 10 Years From Now
11. Last Stop Before Heaven
12. Forever is Ours (feat. Emma Hewitt)
13. Love Never Came (feat. Richard Bedford)
14. Who’s Afraid of 138?!
15. Reprise (feat. Bagga Bownz)
16. Humming The Lights (By Armin van Buuren presents Gaia) [iTunes Bonus Track]
