Tag: Dancing Astronaut

Dancing Astronaut

Haywyre unleashes his creativity in six-part ‘Panorama’ series [Interview]

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For two decades, the piano has been Martin Vogt’s forte. He’s been tickling the ivories for the majority of his 26 years and has been releasing under the name Haywyre for a decade this year, incorporating elements of jazz, funk, electronica, dubstep, and more across a wide catalog of music.

In recent years, the classically trained pianist has been particularly fond of creating concept series, first exploring comprehensive themes over the course of a body of work through his Twofold LP series on Monstercat in 2014 and 2016. With a slew of releases on the Canadian label spanning four years under his belt, Vogt has now opted to strike out on his own for the time being.

Haywyre unleashes his creativity in six-part ‘Panorama’ series [Interview + Photos]Haywyre10

Photo by Zachary White

“[Monstercat] helped me in my career big time, but I wanted to put myself in a position where I’m thinking more independently, and that meant working more independently,” Vogt said.

He began working on a new set of music: a concept series called Panorama that he planned to self-release, but it was “tough to get the ball rolling” at first.

“Seeing the difference between, for example, Panorama: Discover and Panorama: Form has been substantial in terms of reception,” he said, speaking to the first and second parts of the ongoing concept series. “People are more organically engaging with the content. I feel like I’m getting a better understanding of who listens to my music, and that really appeals to me.”

Vogt revealed near the end of last year that the initial Panorama release, Panorama: Discover, was only the first in a set of six EPs that would comprehensively make up the Panorama series.

“I’d been writing a bunch of different music for about two years, so between my album Twofold Pt. 2 and the first chapter of Panorama, I’d been coming up with all sorts of different ideas… everything from six-second loops to full-fledged pieces,” Vogt said. “They were just so different and so all over the place, and I started wondering how to piece it together. After putting some thought into it, I came up with this six-EP series.”

Vogt started sorting the songs into different categories based on how they complement each other, noting the importance of their order and how they guide the listener through the Panorama experience.

“There’s a definite ebb and flow that’s intentional,” he said. “[Panorama] is supposed to be listened to from beginning to end, more or less.”

Vogt kicked off the Panorama series with the release of Discover’s “Tell Me” in mid-November and was met with wild enthusiasm from fans who’d been waiting two years for new material.

The remainder of Discover followed a few days later, spanning from the effortlessly groovy “Stepping Stones” introduction all the way through to a full-fledged jazz number, “Blind Faith.”

Giving fans a few months to digest the new material, Vogt returned in early February to reveal the funk-laden “Let Me Hear That,” which he released with an accompanying one-take music video.

The four-track Form EP saw its official release a few weeks later, at which time he struck out on the Discover/Form Tour. In the weeks since, the tour has taken him across the United States, joined by friends like StayLoose, Balkan Bump, JNTHN STEIN, Jenaux, and K+Lab for select dates.

“Tour’s been very cool,” Vogt said. “It’s been surprising because I haven’t done a headlining tour in a long time. I hadn’t really had a chance to engage with Haywyre fans in this way for at least two years, and it’s been a really refreshing reminder that there are these real-life people that enjoy watching me perform my music.”

Unlike most of today’s electronic and dance music artists, Vogt doesn’t DJ—and doesn’t know how. His performances are purely live and dynamic, giving fans the chance to see how quick he is on the keys up close. On his Discover/Form Tour, Vogt delivers his performance on the keyboard (tilted toward the audience so they can watch him play), keytar, and vocoder-filtered vocals, making for a captivating set from start to finish. His passion for his music and for performing is unmistakable during his live performances as he switches seemingly effortlessly between instruments, showing just how far he’s come over the past decade.

“I’m more in touch with priorities creatively and what it means to me to be a musician… what it is beyond a potential lifelong career, but also what impact I want to have and how I want to be engaging with the people that are listening to my music,” Vogt said.

When he finishes his current tour, Vogt will be getting back into the studio to work the next two parts of Panorama, which he says we can expect later this year. Before that, though, he’s going to focus on some remixes and collaborations that’ve been on the back burner.

“I’ve been working on so much original content that I think it’d be cool to just switch things up for a little bit and work with [artists] I’ve talked with for years,” Vogt said. “It’s going to be exciting to see some of those come to life.”

All of that comes to fruition via the piano for Vogt, which has been the tool he’s been channeling his creativity into long before “Haywyre” was born.

“The piano is the closest thing I have to translating ideas in my head directly into something concrete,” he said. “I don’t have that kind of relationship with anything else.”

This story was originally published at dancingastronaut.com. Read it in full on DA’s website here.

Dancing Astronaut

Varien weaves a dark and vulnerable web in ‘Death Asked A Question’ [EP Premiere + Interview]

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In his seven years producing as Varien, Nick Kaelar has consistently surpassed genre constructs and proven himself a true mastermind of the electronic music realm. Having always fostered an affinity for music and composing, Kaelar made a name for himself with notable works such as his Skrillex orchestral suite and innovative originals like “Valkyrie” with Laura Brehm and “Moonlight” with SirensCeol and Aloma Steele. For years, his music has seamlessly blended industrial, metal and orchestral elements into modern EDM, and he’s become a figurehead for a shadowy genre all his own.

On Halloween in 2016, Kaelar released his noteworthy My Prayers Have Become Ghosts EP.  The seven-track body of work fully encompassed his dark style with components of ambient, baroque, and progressive metal.

“I still consider My Prayers to be my best work,” Kaelar says. “It’s a very artistic and accurate representation of what Varien means to me. I got to explore all the roots.”

Though riding the high of My Prayers in 2016, the following year would prove to be full of hardship for Kaelar. Both of his parents became ill, and the nine-year relationship he was in “started to fall apart at the seams.” With these factors on top of a grueling producing schedule, Kaelar sunk into a deep hole of depression and anxiety, overcome by elements in his life he felt he had no control over. Wanting to take a step back and clear his mind, he deleted his social media accounts and disappeared from the internet scene entirely. After six years of making music as a full-time job without a break, he took 2017 to take care of himself mentally and emotionally — reemerging at the start of this year ready to get back on the horse.

He returned in February 2018 with “Blood Hunter” and has since released a variety of singles and the title track to his latest endeavor: the Death Asked A Question EP. Where My Prayers marked the end of “Varien 1.0,” this year’s releases have been all about part two of Kaelar’s journey as an artist.

“I’ve been staying positive this year and working harder than I’ve ever worked before,” Kaelar says. “That’s led to lots of days and weeks in this year where I have had a lot of struggles with depression and bouts of panic and anxiety, though… and even small flirtations with self harm.”

In early September, Kaelar released a beautifully haunting track called “Oh, Sparrow…” and was open with his fans about the story behind it. “I was sitting in my car and had that depressive, thousand-yard stare,” he recalls. “I had planned to go home that night and take some [Oxycontin] and go back to old addictive, escapist habits. Instead, I made a track and played around with an idea. I woke up the next day feeling better.”

He calls this year’s re-acclimation to the music scene a “crawl,” but says he’s in a “much better place” now. “I’ve definitely found out I’m a lot stronger than I think I am,” he says.

“The main thing that I preach and practice often is to never forsake your future self and own the consequences of your actions,” he says. “I’m working really hard now so my future self can be happy and thank my past self. A lot of great opportunities have come my way, and it’s starting to feel like people believe me when I say I’m here.”

And here he is.

The new Varien EP, Death Asked A Question, is out October 26 via Most Addictive and is premiering here a day early on Dancing Astronaut. Fans old and new will find differences between this body of work and My Ghosts, as Kaelar seeks to explore things that “aren’t quite so kosher or as ‘Varien’ as people would think.”

“In my entire discography spanning back to 2011 as Varien, there’s always a sense of very deliberate storytelling. This EP is nothing like that. It’s a refraction. In the same way a mirror might bounce light, I’m bouncing the emotions of this year and last year into music format. It’s the most personal experience. It’s very raw. It’s very vulnerable.”

This story was originally published at dancingastronaut.com. Read it in full on DA’s website here.

Dancing Astronaut

Soak up some synthwave nostalgia in The Midnight’s new album, ‘Kids’

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Long gone are the carefree days of our youth. The breezy, blissful moments of our childhood have faded away into adulthood,

and The Midnight take time to reflect on those times gone by in their new album. Though vocalist Tyler Lyle insists that “we are not a sentimental age,” the duo’s latest venture may suggest otherwise.

The nine-track Kids contrasts its somewhat darker predecessor: 2017’s Nocturnal, which was primed for late-night drives with its dramatic saxophone riffs and shadowy, intense undertones. Kids, which was released on Sept. 21, has an entirely different feel to it.

Set in 1985, the LP is ushered in by “Youth,” a shimmery track layered with audio snippets of broadcasters and children talking about the rise of computers and video games and what the technology could mean for the future of the world as it was known at the time. The album’s next track, “Wave,” starts much the same way, but it morphs into something much more recognizable as The Midnight’s style. Lyle’s vocals make their album debut on this track, insisting that “we are not a sentimental age,” and cites not wanting parents’ china and hooking up with strangers, never to be seen again. The album’s namesake track is broken into two parts: a prelude that follows “Wave” and a reprise that wraps up the collection. The prelude takes a somber tone, as Lyle sings wistfully about the arcade closing and monsters in the spare bedroom.

“Kids are sad, the sky is blue
There are monsters in the spare bedroom”

Its forlorn theme carries into the introduction of the previously released “Lost Boy,” a clear album standout. The duo teased the track’s July release by pairing it with clips of emotive scenes from Stranger Things, as the filtered vocals serenade, “I was a lost boy when I met you.” A soaring guitar melody accentuates the song’s themes flawlessly, leading out into into a brief interlude.

“‘Cause in the dark there are no strangers at all”

Cereal hits the bowl as a kid flips through the television channels in “Saturday Mornings,” finding commercials for The Tranformers, Blockbuster video, Atari Games, and more. The interlude gracefully delivers the listener from a carefree weekend morning to the empowering, adventure-filled “Explorers.” The Midnight pay homage to the explorers of the ’80s, giving a hat tip to the “spark-igniters,” the “Lost Ark Raiders,” the “lion-tamers.”

“Let it be said, and let it be known
He who is free is never alone”

Its hopeful undertones merge into the equally hope-filled “America 2.” Lyle’s vocals tell the tale of going to look for “America 2,” backed by the duo’s signature guitar melodies and retro synths. When it was released in August, the artwork for “America 2” depicted an ’80s-era mall, with a sign reading “permanently closed.” The neighboring arcade, however, was still lit up in its hazy neon glow, leading The Midnight to one of the LP’s final songs, “Arcade Dreams.” The instrumental track twinkles with a plucky melody and a dreamy atmosphere.

“We grow up and move away
The seasons pass, but the monsters stay”

To close out their latest endeavor, Lyle and Tim McEwan have tapped the West LA Children’s Choir to truly bring the kids to Kids. They bring back the theme from the prelude in a six-minute rendition that spans from an introspective guitar segment to the simple and sweet vocals children’s choir, summing up the LP’s overall contemplative and nostalgia-filled aura.

This story was originally published at dancingastronaut.com. Read it in full on DA’s website here.

Dancing Astronaut

Xan Griffin unveils the story behind his conceptual ‘Zodiac’ album [Interview]

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Xan Griffin has been producing music for nine years — half of his life. 

When he was just 9 years old, the young music enthusiast being creating his own compositions. He loved the idea of concept-style arrangements and swore to himself that when he honed his craft, he’d work on a large-scale project based around a concept or theme. At the time, he was interested in Greek mythology and the 12 astrological zodiac signs, which led to a genius idea.

“When I was 10, I researched the zodiac signs and couldn’t find evidence that anyone had ever done an album based on the zodiac signs,” he recalls.

No one had tailored a song to each personality of each sign of the zodiac and released them at their corresponding time of the year. But Griffin didn’t want to try to put such a project together at such a young age. He decided to put the idea in his back pocket and revisit it when he thought his production skills were up to par with the concept itself.

“I told myself that when I became proficient to the point where I could create anything I can imagine, I would pick the idea back up,” he continues. 

Fast forward six years to early 2016. Griffin has begun to make waves in the electronic music sphere with a successful set of remixes for the likes of Just a Gent, Botnek & I See MONSTAS, Illenium, and Bright Lights. He wanted to work on a big original side project to keep the momentum of the remixes going.

Then, “I remembered the zodiac idea,” he says. “I said to myself, ‘I’m going to spend the next two years grinding and working on this and doing as much research as I can. I’m going to try to make the best music I can to represent each one of these signs.’”

Griffin felt he finally had the skill set to execute his vision, and he got to work.

His first release came in May of last year with its corresponding zodiac symbol, Gemini (his own zodiac sign). The collaboration with WILD has since garnered nearly half a million plays on SoundCloud and served as an exceptional launching point for his zodiac series. From there, he spent the next 12 months leading up to the full release of his Zodiac album by releasing the corresponding time period’s song.

The production process for each track was different, he says. Of the album’s 14 tracks, 10 of them feature collaborators, and each of them came about in a different way. “Capricorn,” for example, “was the most unexpected thing ever.” Griffin had been hanging out with WOLFE and practicing on his CDJs for his first show. When Griffin showed the producer the original instrumental for “Capricorn,” WOLFE revealed that he was a Capricorn and wanted to lend some vocals to the concept. This led to the track in its final form and has become a fan favorite.

Overall, Griffin says went into Zodiac without a specific direction. He he dove into each piece wanting to recreate a feeling rather than a sound — a theme that carried through the entirety of his two-year production process on the album.

“In ‘Scorpio,’ for example, I wanted it to be dark and inspirational and mysterious,” he says. “Instead of focusing on the sound, I focused on melodies and how certain things could harmonize to create the character I was going for.”

Gemini artwork by Peter Mohrbacher

As each one of the tracks was released, fans not only fell in love with the unique and varied qualities of each zodiac sign, but also the artwork that accompanied each one. Griffin had called upon the talents of Magic: The Gathering card game artist Peter Mohrbacher, who created the otherworldly designs that provided a visual representation of Griffin’s creation. 

“He loved the idea of collaborating,” Griffin says. “I sent him the songs, and he based every piece of artwork on the characters in the song, along with the knowledge he had of the zodiac signs.”

Zodiac was released on Seeking Blue on May 24, 2018 — Griffin’s 18th birthday. It features a track for each of the 12 signs of the zodiac, along with a title track called “Zodiac” and an extra called “Ophiuchus,” which draws its meaning from a large constellation located around the celestial equator.

As the embodiment of his sign — the Gemini — Griffin says he’s always going to be changing. “There are so many different genres in this album,” he says. “It’s diverse, and I want to prepare people for what’s going to come in the future.”

As for the future, Griffin just graduated high school a few weeks ago and is preparing for his next steps in life. He’s already working on a second album: another conceptual-type series, filled with “some pretty big curveballs.”

“Some of my favorite music I’ve ever produced is on that album,” he admits, excitement audible in his voice. “It’s going to be a visual-focused project… think music videos, 3-D and 2-D animation. I want this to be executed to its fullest ability.”

When asked to describe his music in three words to someone who’s never heard it, Griffin immediately fires off the first two: “emotional and unpredictable.” He takes his time to come up with the third, which seems to truly sum the thoughtfulness behind his projects: “metamorphic.”

“What I represent is the epitome of a Gemini,” he says. “I always want to be changing and never get in the comfort zone of making the same kind of music.”

Featured photo: Pablo Sanchez

This story was originally published at dancingastronaut.com. Read it in full on DA’s website here.

Dancing Astronaut

Dancing Astronaut proudly presents the 2017 label of the year

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Monstercat

Breaking barriers and pushing the dance music envelope since its inception in 2011, Canadian independent label Monstercat is Dancing Astronaut’s Label of the Year. For the past six years, Monstercat has paved the way for listeners to discover dozens of new artists, garnering a massive following along the way. Led by a boundary-pushing team, 2017 proved to be the label’s best year yet. They brought on more than a dozen new artists, including Modestep, Kill The Noise, Bassnectar, Ragga Twins, Dirtyphonics, Gammer, Kayzo, Lookas, Ookay, Fox Stevenson, Slander, Sullivan King, and Gareth Emery.

Monstercat started 2017 strong with the launch of a massive anti-bullying campaign in accordance with the release of Gareth Emery and Standerwick’s “Saving Light,” raising thousands of dollars for an anti-bullying foundation called Ditch The Label.

February brought the label’s first-ever platinum record recognition for marshmello’s 2016 release, “Alone,” which has garnered millions of streams across platforms to date.

As festival season approached, the Monstercat team ramped up their efforts for shows at Amsterdam Music Event, EDC Las Vegas, Tomorrowland, E3, PAX East and Miami Music Week.

In the midst of festival season, Monstercat announced a partnership with Rocket League that resulted in the label releasing an album for the video game. The 18-song compilation featured songs from Slushii, Notaker, Tristam, WRLD, and more, and was released in accordance with the game’s two-year anniversary.

They capped off a successful summer by opening their headquarter doors in Vancouver for a Monstercat Compound event. The street party served as an opportunity for the label to recognize the community that has supported them over the years with free performances by Robotaki, Conro, Going Quantum and Grant.

In November, the team continued their worldwide reach with multiple shows in China, including a residency at Asgard Nightclub in Beijing that featured performances by JOYRYDE, Delta Heavy, Pegboard Nerds and Lookas.

As 2017 draws to a close, recognition for the label is coming in from all sides of the music industry. SoundCloud recognized Unlike Pluto‘s “Everything Black” as their Top Electronic Track of 2017, and the track was also Monstercat’s most-streamed on Spotify, amassing more than 10 million streams on the platform. Two weeks ago, the label turned the power over to the fans and asked them to vote on their top Monstercat tracks of the year. After a short voting period, listeners selected label OGs Pegboard Nerds’ track “Heaven Let Us Down” as their favorite release of 2017.

As years go by and music trends shift faster than most can keep up with, the Canadian label proves time and time again that they have finger on the pulse of the next best thing in electronic and dance music. By exposing their listeners to an unimaginable range of music from some of the industry’s most talented innovators, the Monstercat team has established themselves as fearless trailblazers in an unpredictable industry.

To celebrate their incredible year, Monstercat called on Dan Scarcelli, Head of Programming for the label’s weekly Call of The Wild show, to whip up this vicious mix packed with some of their hottest releases to date. Appropriately, the mix serves as the 200th edition of our long-standing AXIS mix series.

This story was originally published at dancingastronaut.com. Read it in full, including runners-up, on DA’s website here.

Dancing Astronaut

Kove goes back to his roots with new EP, shares exclusive ‘Dig It’ [Interview]

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James Rockhill, known to the music world as Kove, has been taking the drum & bass world by storm since his beginnings as an artist in 2012. In the five years since his debut, Rockhill’s sound has morphed and transformed as he’s honed his sound. He’s toyed with house music for singles like “Jericho” and “Comin’ On Strong” in 2016, but his forthcoming collection of music takes him back to his fast-paced drum & bass roots. In From The Cold is a four-track exploration of the very essence of Rockhill as an artist, showcasing his raw, old-school style.

In From The Cold is out Nov. 24, and we have an exclusive first listen of “Dig It,” below.

Why was “Ain’t No Love” chosen as the EP’s lead single? How does it pave the way for the rest of the EP?

I feel like it is representative of where I am musically at the moment so it felt like the right one to re-introduce myself with after the break I’ve just had. It’s got an old-school raw flavour to it in my opinion, which is a theme that runs through this EP and a lot of the stuff I’m making.

How long has this EP been in the works?

It’s actually been a relatively short turnaround with this one. I had the demo of “Aint No Love” knocking about for a fair while before anyone really heard it. Risky at DNBA got hold of it and suggested putting it out, and that really kickstarted writing DnB again for me. The rest of the tunes on the EP were written in the space of a few weeks and here we are now!

How does In From the Cold differ from your previous Nightfires collections?

The most obvious difference would be it’s all drum & bass. I really used Nightfires to explore different styles and techniques, such as exploring rock music through different vocalists and using guitars instead of synthesizers. There’s also a lot of house tunes on those EPs. With In From the Cold, I wanted to get back to the sound that I started out producing, going back to my roots so to speak.

What are you most excited about in today’s dance music scene?

Dance music is exciting at the moment. It seems to be equally looking forward and dipping back into the old school at the same time, which I think is a good place to be. There was so much talk of the ‘EDM bubble’ and its inevitable burst, but electronic music seems to be from strength to strength and diversifying all the time. It’s also interesting to see how much pop is becoming influenced by more left field styles like trap and the whole ‘SoundCloud rap’ thing, rather than pop-house being so prevalent.

What do you see for the future of drum & bass?

It seems super healthy at the moment. I don’t think you’re going to see it bothering the charts as much as it has been in recent years but that seems healthier for the more underground sounds. I personally think we’re going to see a bit of a resurgence in more melodic dancefloor tunes, much in the same way dubstep is hinting towards pre-2010 sounds.

What are your plans for 2018?

Plenty more new music! I’ve been on a writing spree recently so I can’t wait to get new beats out. Apart from that, I’m looking forward to getting back out on the road!

This story was originally published at dancingastronaut.com. Read it on DA’s website here.

Dancing Astronaut

Krayysh releases stunning debut EP, ‘Talk To Me’

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Since his debut earlier this year, mysterious producer Krayysh has consistently hypnotized listeners with his dark, experimental style. All of his hard work has led him to the release of a thrilling inaugural EP, Talk To Me, which came out on Nov. 17.

The EP consists of four originals, wrapped up by Mat Zo’s remix of “Talk To Me.” The EP’s namesake track kicks off the collection of music on a relatively lighthearted note for the undetermined road that lies ahead. With sweet, almost sorrowful vocals from Joyia,”Talk To Me” moves along at a spirited pace, fooling the listener into thinking they’re in for a mild adventure.

As the initial track dwindles away and fades into “The Opposite of Happy,” it becomes clear that the remainder of the tracks will take on a more foreboding tone than the first. The Canadian producer takes his listeners on a journey down a dark rabbit hole with “The Opposite of Happy,” using bass-heavy glitchy sound design to portray an almost spooky vibe. He continues to build tension in “Take a Look and See,” a downtempo track that swings the listener back and forth between a delicate, wistful melody and trippy, heavy bass. Krayysh closes his original pieces of work with a short track called “Cold Ash,” which features a quicker pace and an elaborate intro and outro.

Overall, Talk To Me impeccably showcases Krayysh’s intricate attention to detail and the shadowy, cinematic journey he’s crafted in his debut set of songs.

“I put my soul into this and am unbelievably excited to share it with the world,” he says in a Facebook post.

This story was originally published at dancingastronaut.com. Read it on DA’s website here.

Dancing Astronaut

Just A Gent talks style evolution, creative process [Interview]

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Australian artist Just A Gent has been producing since his pre-teen years, evidenced by his compellingly composed pieces of music that transcend genre classifications. His diverse musical interests have led him to flip songs of all genres over the years — from Illenium to Whitney Houston — all while sporting a spiffing suit and top hat.

Just last month, he released a wistful melodic dubstep track featuring Thief, “Hold,” that’s been met with glowing reviews. The classy producer is currently on a massive tour with San Holo and DROELOE that’s taken him across North America and will wrap up in mid-December.

We caught up with the producer to hear more about his style evolution, tour life and what’s in store for 2018.

You’ve produced music of all genres over the years. How has your style evolved?

I’ve been trying to fuse genres together for a long time. I think it’s an essential thing to be able to make more than one style of music whether that be inside the electronic category or anything outside of that, it just helps bring a fresh flavour into music and you can tell when people know more than just ‘trap’ or ‘dubstep’. I think my style has developed a lot since I started the Just A Gent project and with a plethora of other styles and genres out there I hope I can continue to do that.

You’ve flipped everything from Phantom of the Opera to Rage Against the Machine. What makes you decide to flip a song?

Generally the tracks I have been flipping on the Just A Tune project are really solid tunes, some of them are my favorite themes of all time like the Phantom of The Opera “Overture” and the Star Wars “Binary Sunset” and even the “Bing n Bong” remix is a flip of my favourite childhood TV shows, Tiny Planets. I think the song just has to really pop to me and connect with me from the first time I hear it till the 1000th time. I am always open to suggestions though so slide into my DMs with ideas.

How does your creative process differ for your original productions versus your flips?

With the flips, I’m generally just rushing it, finishing the track in a few hours and throwing it up on SoundCloud. There isn’t really a deep and meaningful story or process behind it, it’s just me throwing together a quick flip of a track I love. With my original tracks I want people to be able to hear how much time I put into them and I like to think there is more story behind them. I also just generally put a tonne more hours into the originals and make sure they are perfect before release.

How’s the tour with San Holo and DROELOE going? Memorable moments so far?

Pretty bloody amazing. Every show has been a sold out stellar time and the crowds have been insane. Just hanging out with the dudes and getting to understand Dutch culture a little more has been a blast. They are a great bunch of guys and I am extremely grateful to be touring with them.

What’s your favorite song to play out live and why?

I love playing out my Whitney Houston, “I Will Always Love You” flip. It’s been popping in and out of my sets for the last couple of years, but it’s so great to hear everybody sing it back and then confused as a chameleon in a bag of Skittles when the drop hits.

Where do you see electronic/dance music in 5, 10 years? As someone with a rich music background, do you think the scene/genre is sustainable long-term?

Electronic music is only gonna continue becoming more and more relevant in the mainstream. I think people need to start looking at them producers really changing things up though, artists like Fytch, Former & Nomak have really been inspiring me lately with totally new sounds that I am loving.

What’s coming up for you in 2018?

So much new music and touring. I can’t wait to share some of my new tracks with everyone, they are definitely a little on the experimental side but we shall soon see what everyone thinks!!

This story was originally published at dancingastronaut.com. Read it on DA’s website here.

Dancing Astronaut

Slander discuss new EP with Kayzo, ‘Dilapidation Celebration’ [Interview]

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The relationship between Slander and Kayzo goes back many years.

A simple Google search reveals that while their two-track Monstercat EP is out in full on Oct. 27, their first musical collaborations date back to 2012, when all three of them were just getting started in the dance music scene.

Derek Anderson and Scott Land, who make up Slander, were local DJs in Los Angeles at the time. They were passionate about what they were doing and wanted to find a way to make music as a career. Anderson recalls joining producer groups on Facebook – in one of which he met Hayden Capuozzo, who went on to become Kayzo.

“I really liked the music he was making, and I asked him if he wanted to work on a song together,” Anderson says. “He invited me to come to his studio, but when I got there, it wasn’t really his studio.”

It was Icon Collective, a music production school in LA, and Capuozzo was taking classes there.

“I remember walking in the door and seeing a bunch of kids on their laptops with headphones in the lobby and thinking ‘this is where I need to learn how to do this,’” Anderson recalls. “I had no idea something like [Icon Collective] existed until [Capuozzo] showed me.”

The trio worked on a few original tracks and a remix together – tracks that would become some of their first pieces of work under the names Slander and Kayzo.

“[Capuozzo] taught us so much about production, and he’s been our friend ever since,” Anderson says. “It’s been crazy watching both our progressions over the years.”

Though they did some work together early on, Anderson, Land and Capuozzo’s musical paths took them in different directions for a few years. They only recently got to play a show together earlier this year in Cologne, Germany at Bootshaus.

“Bootshaus is hands down the craziest club on the planet,” Anderson says. “It was one of my favorite shows we did all year. [Capuozzo] got up there and totally crushed it,” he says. “When we got back from to LA, the show was stuck in my mind.”

He contacted Capuozzo and said he wanted to work on more music together. Capuozzo agreed, and sent the duo a folder of unreleased songs. Two of the vocals stuck out to Anderson and Land – vocals that would later become the groundwork for “Without You” and “Holy.” One was perfect for Slander’s “heaven trap” touch, while the other was a more festival-ready track with Kayzo’s flair. They decided to label “Without You” as Slander & Kayzo, while “Holy” is branded as Kayzo & Slander.

“It’s a mutual respect thing,” Anderson says. “It all came together really organically.”

While the EP came together organically, the theme didn’t. Since the two tracks are so different, both artists struggled with a way to tie them together. Anderson says the concept for Dilapidation Celebration came to him after a trip to Burning Man.

“We always celebrate happy times in our lives, like birthdays, anniversaries and holidays,” he says. “But life is more than just the happy moments. Life is every moment… all your sad moments and your happy moments together. That’s what makes the human experience.”

Both artists had released on Monstercat before and played at EDC this past summer. Monstercat CEO Mike Darlington heard them drop “Holy” at the festival and said the Canadian label would love to release it.

“A lot of labels are stuck in one lane, but Monstercat is so open-ended,” Anderson says. “They’re open to different genres, which is good because the two songs [on the EP] are so different.”

In the end, Anderson says the EP was simply done because of their relationship with Capuozzo, with no ulterior motives.

“Some collabs sound forced, and you can tell the two artists are working together just to further their careers,” he says. “We did this because we’re friends, and I think that really comes across in the music.”

Dilapidation Celebration is out now on Monstercat.

This story was originally published at dancingastronaut.com. Read it on DA’s website here.
Dancing Astronaut

Gammer releases fiery new dubstep track, ‘Let’s Get Crunk’ [+ Interview]

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Make no mistake: Gammer’s love of hardcore music is here to stay, as is his production of the genre. But like with any form of artistry, the multi-faceted producer is working to expand his sound and has been dabbling in other types of music production this year.

His latest, “Let’s Get Crunk,” steps boldly into the dubstep world. With grinding bass and hyped-up vocals, Gammer’s production skills are polished and perfected. His hardcore roots shine through with a focus on the track’s blissful melody in between bass breaks. In his Reddit AMA, Gammer said the idea for the track came about after watching Kayzo play at Hard Summer for the first time.

“I was so inspired by all these different rhythms and decided I wanted to try and make a dubstep track but with a ‘thicker’ sound (mainly using the same percussive elements I always use in my happy hardcore songs) – I also didn’t want to follow the typical dubstep formula so I decided to add some more musical elements.”

Earlier this year, the UK producer entered the world of Monstercat with a fierce Darren Styles collaboration called “Feel Like This.” Since then, he’s released two other tracks on the Canadian label: “Party Don’t Stop” with Darren Styles and Dougal, and “Over The Edge” with Kayzo. The tracks couldn’t be more different. “Feel Like This” and “Party Don’t Stop” contain Gammer’s signature BPM-bursting hardcore rhythms, and “Over The Edge” blends both producers’ skills into a bouncing house track.

Lee talked to DA about the new track, the Monstercat family, and his enduring love of the hardcore genre.

Tell us a little bit about the making of your newest track, “Let’s Get Crunk.” How long has it been in the works, and why is Monstercat the perfect place to premiere it?
It was actually just a demo for the longest time. Consider it one of my earliest attempts at bass music. However I produced it in the same comfort zone in which I make my hardcore. Thick kicks and subs that aren’t the cleanest but just have some weird energy that whacks hard as fuck in a club. It’s a functional tune! Straight up I’ve been trying to work with Monstercat for years, I love how open-minded their fanbase is and I love their energy. As well as being fans of happy hardcore, they’ve openly embraced how much I’ve wanted to expand my sound as an artist.
In addition to the premiere this week, you also just released your Diplo & Friends mix. What was that experience like?
Stressful! Haha. I love making mixtapes, but I always stress myself out over them. For me it’s always been about more than just putting tracks one after the other, it’s about engaging the listener from the start and keeping them hooked. Also, I’m comfortable making mixes last for 30-40 minutes, and having to make it last a whole hour was just something else. On top of this I spent weeks compiling it, mostly in hotel rooms and on planes in between shows. I’m super happy with how it came out and I’m honoured to be involved with Diplo and Radio 1. If I make a few more people fans of the music then I guess that’s a bonus.
What do you see for the future of hardcore in the States? It seems it’s popping up more and more in the North American dance music scene.
One thing thats great about hardcore in the States is it’s still considered a newer / different sound. It’s crazy going to these bass heavy clubs and dropping this 170-bpm madness and seeing the energy levels lift immediately.
What’s your favorite country and/or city to play and why?
Haha this is a tough one. I love playing in different regions for different reasons but my most standout has to be Tokyo. These kids go facing wild from start to finish, completely sober!
What are some of the biggest differences in playing a show in the States vs. back home in the UK?
My core style remains similar in both countries, but it’s kinda like this: my U.S. sets tend to be bass heavy but I can’t really play the super super purist hardcore stuff. The UK I can play the super anthem-y hardcore but I wouldn’t play the bass-heavy stuff.
Who has inspired you the most in your years of producing?
Haha, it’s got to be my boi Kanye West! It would take an entire interview to go through the reasons, but essentially I really admire the way he thinks outside the box and is absolutely unafraid of what people think about him.
What does the rest of 2017 look like for you?
Busy! Another tour, some Asia shows, more U.S. shows, an EP, more collabs, more life!
Why does hardcore hold a special place in your heart? What makes the music and the scene stand out?
I wanna make this super clear for all the people that have been worrying about me and my feelings on hardcore. I fucking ADORE hardcore. It is beyond any measure of a doubt, my favourite style of music. When you drop it in a club and it pops off, it pops off way WAY harder than even the coolest dubstep track – it’s unlike anything else! I’m just over scenes though.
This story was originally published at dancingastronaut.com. Read it on DA’s website here.