Dj MAG LA Edición Especial MMW by DJ Mag Latinoamérica

Ecuador 367 piso 13 oficina A - CP: 1214 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires - Argentina +54 11 4778 1500

EDITORIAL Proyect Leader B A N Directors Nicolás Barlaro, Pety Peltenburg Editor Hernán Pandelo hernanp@djmagla.com

COMERCIAL Institutional Relationships Belén Casas administracion@djmagla.com

Sales & Advertising Leo Jurjevich leoj@djmagla.com

Event Production Roberto Fernández

Finally, we can be here at the Miami Music Week to let you know what’s going on around Latin America! As the electronic music media leader of the region we feel that’s important to spread the word about our beloved lands and let you all know the strength that the region has been gaining over the last couple of years. Over the next pages, besides reading about this incredible meeting that takes place around Miami on March, you would be able to see and feel the way we do. Hopefully, we will arouse the curiosity in you. We’ll be waiting all of you in our lands! By now, we’re very happy to be landing in this amazing city.

HERNÁN PANDELO Editor

rfernandez@djmagla.com

DESIGN Director Alejandro Ramos aleramos@djmagla.com Design María Laura Sánchez info@micapsula.com Layout Sergio Aguirre

TRANSLATION J&B Traducciones www. jbtraducciones.com.ar Grosman Traducciones www.grosmantraducciones.com

THANKS TO... Agustin Festa, Ariana Ramos, Bad Boy Orange, Bobby Bassett, Fabian Hernandez, Kevin Arnold, Kevin Muter, Marcelo Fratini, Martin Carvell, Pedro Nonato, Ronan Minerva, Russel Faibisch, Thais Bello & Zach Kurfirst. Special thanks to Andy Pate.

CONTENTS FEATURES

COMIN’ UP

STARTING POINT

Everything you have to know about this year’s MMW!

BEST OF ARGENTINA

Argentina has decided. There are last year’s most voted artists.

A NEW BALANCE

Colombian Magdalena talk about her new projects.

08 11

A happy ending

Fighting for the present, looking for the future

Argentina is back on the track

Team Argentina

IT’S IN THEIR BLOOD

56 61

ON THE FLOOR

The Martinez Brothers and their view about the current scene.

In the land of dance

MIXED

The aim is giving

The hot spot of the argentinean summer

Riva Starr and Luis Nieva offer a majestic mix as a gift for you…

PURSUING A DREAM

Brazilian DJ ANNA is living the best time of her career so far.

ADDING INGREDIENTS

64 68

Deep House

Mainstream

JUSTIN OH & HIS MR. HYDE

Bass

Trance

Tech House

Techno

A DIFFERENT KIND OF TOUCH

We sat down with Steve Aoki to talk about his Dim Mak label.

LUCKY 7: ADRIAN HOUR

Mark Knight’s protégée reveals his favorites..

14 56

MUSIC

Korean-born Raiden talks about his approach to music. Korean dance music star has released his latest single on Spinnin’ Records.

Guy J is in love

TECH 88

An icon returns

Khomha tips

Alexis Cabrera’s personal choices

Rio Music Conference

Two heads are better than one

76 96

88 6

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COMIN’ UP

GUY J IS IN LOVE The Israeli producer released a song dedicated to the Argentine city of Mar del Plata after playing there with John Digweed.

“W

ait 10 minutes. I´m at the supermarket,” he says politely from the Skype chat. Of course, we waited. A few minutes later - the wait was longer than 10 minutes -, he takes our call from his home in Malta. “I’m having a jet lag here in my studio, and I’m about to sit down to do some work,” he explains. Guy Judah is the man behind the alias Guy J, someone who consolidated himself some time ago in the electronic scene of progressive house, sponsored in his beginnings by the great John Digweed. He´s just returned from a tour around Australia and some Asian countries, hence the jet lag. This Israeli, Head of the record label Lost & Found, moved to the European country about two years ago and is very happy there. “I moved to Malta because it is a super quiet place and is always sunny, I got used to it,” he states with his characteristic peacefulness. The environment helps and the island country absorbs bad vibes. Guy is pure joy! We contacted him regarding his most recent release on his own label. MDQ/Diagonal is an ode to the coastal city of Mar del Plata, located about 400 kilometers from the City of Buenos Aires. There, Guy appeared in January 2016 before fifteen thousand people together with one of the responsible ones for his early appearances in the scene: John Digweed. The show took place at Mute and he felt it was like graduation. “The time frame in which I played was not the best but the overall experience drove me crazy. What most impressed me was not to play, but to see how the audience reacted to John’s set. It felt as though the people were going to explode. The place was unbeatable,” he recalls using a tone with which a lover would tell us how he conquered his girlfriend. “Argentina is my favorite place to play. I came back from there full of energy and when I sat on the chair in the studio I knew that something warm would come out.”

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Guy explains it to us. One not always knows what to do when sitting in the studio. “We are not robots,” he explains. “As much as we know what we want, sometimes it is not that easy.” However, with this release it was. It seems that the Argentine city was able to inspire him. Clearly it did. He loves the southern country and he always makes that clear. “I like the fact that I’m getting to know more Argentine cities,” he says with a smile. When we spoke to him, he was about to return. This time with Eelke Kleijn at Mandarine Park. “Mandarine Park is huge,” he says as he starts thinking about the show. “I have some tracks which I´m dying to see how they sound in that space,” he says, and we have no doubt they will serve their purpose. Among his tasks, in addition to his tours, productions and the record label - which released “MDQ/Diagonal” - Guy managed to launch a second platform. Armadillo is the Israeli’s new record label for other types of productions. “Armadillo, you know? The animal? Well, it’s unbelievable.” All animals are amazing but this one in particular surprises me. It becomes a ball. It is a huge animal that can turn into an unbreakable ball. That’s amazing to me. I love that creature,” he explains. And he expands about the label. “For the label I want to explore other musical parts. It will be everything but house. In fact, I want it to explore ambient and downtempo. I already have a track to release there and I will add artists such as Robert Babicz and Guy Mantzur, for example. The idea is to give some room to this type of productions.

Every time we talk to him it becomes clearer: Guy J is in love. n

COMIN’ UP

A HAPPY ENDING The iconic London nightclub Fabric won the battle and reopened its doors in January.

inally, after an intense struggle with the Islington Council, the London night club came back to the ring the first week of January with “Friends & Family”, the reopening party starred by the big names of the British scene, such as Craig Richards, Seth Troxler, Terry Francis and Ben Sims, among others. Opened on October 21, 1999, fabric was made by clubbers for clubbers and since then it has managed to settle in the international electronic scene as a cult club with luxurious facilities —it’s one of the few clubs in the world with a “bodysonic” dance floor: the floor is connected to the speakers and you can feel the vibration under your feet— and an excellent artistic curatorship. Undoubtedly, the two pillars that every club needs to be among the best in the world and be loved by most artists in the scene. In this sense, fabric ranked number 1 in DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs survey in 2007 and 2008 and number 2 for three consecutive years, from 2009 to 2011.

managed to position itself as a cult club. It has become the heritage of not only the British, but also the international, electronic world — specially dedicated to the underground scene. In addition to its historic dance floors, fabric entered the world of records with two mix series —fabric and FabricLive— which have come to the hands of hundreds of thousands of fans, gathering all those artists who have stepped on its dance floor and represent a part of what fabric wishes to share. However, everything burst inside fabric when the club’s history was marred last August 15 when the London Metropolitan Police suspended the club’s license after the death of two teenagers by drug and substance abuse. Unfortunately, it is not the first time the

club fights against drugs: in 2014 the police seriously considered revoking its license after registering four deaths in the course of three years, and eight incidents in which several clubbers collapsed by drug abuse. One month after the license was suspended, the Islington Council reached a decision at fabric’s hearing, ensuring that the club’s license would be revoked; and criticism poured from all over the world. The editor of DJ Mag’s parent in the UK, Carl Loben, made a very clear statement. “This is a catastrophic decision, hugely shortsighted on the part of the authorities. Fabric is not just any old club —as DJ Sasha said, it is the jewel in the crown of UK nightlife. This is a huge blow for the dance music industry, and the wider entertainment sector at large.

Renowned for Saturday nights commanded by British Craig Richards, and governed by underground talents with the resident DJ Terry Francis, it is continuously filled with talent, unpredictable in the accuracy of genres, and has hosted the music of many artists as it seems possible, including Adam Beyer, Ben Klock, Dixon, Jamie Jones, Joris Voorn, Raresh, Ricardo Villalobos, Robert Hood, Slam and Zip, among many elite names in the less commercial electronic world. On Fridays, FabricLive takes the lead with regular shows by Basement Jaxx, Ben UFO, Erol Alkan, Groove Armada, Jackmaster, Pangaea, Pearson Sound, Simian Mobile Disco, Skepta, Skream, Subfocus, Tom Shorterz and many others; and on Sundays the WetYourSelf crew gets in charge and schedules amazing Sunday nights and Monday dawns with artists like Miss Kittin, DJ Hell, Sascha Funke, Martin Buttrich, Marc Houle, Popof, Gaiser and Alex Under, among many others. With these endless rows of internationally renowned gifted artists and local talents regularly appearing at the club, who have been creating amazing atmospheres and nights for 17 years, there is no doubt that fabric has djmagla.com

COMIN’ UP

Fabric had one of the best reputations when it comes to the safety of music fans —it was just unfortunate that these young clubbers died as a result of smuggling in strong drugs, through no fault of Fabric. Fabric’s door searches have always been thorough, and as has been pointed out elsewhere —you can’t even keep drugs out of prisons. The council’s licensing committee should’ve given Fabric a reprieve, with certain new conditions. Callously shutting down a cutting-edge UK venue, with no recourse, is frankly a scandal. There are going to be a lot of angry dance music fans all around the world right now.” Even the mayor of London was against the measure and decided to criticize the closure of the important club. “London’s iconic clubs are an essential part of our cultural landscape. Clubbing needs to be safe but I’m disappointed that Fabric, Islington Council and the Metropolitan Police were unable to reach agreement on how to address concerns about public safety. As a result of this decision, thousands of people who enjoyed going to Fabric as an essential part of London’s nightlife will lose out. The issues faced by Fabric point to a wider problem of how we protect London’s nighttime economy, while ensuring it is safe and enjoyable for everyone. London has lost 50% of its nightclubs and 40% of its spaces to listen to live music in the past eight years. This decline must stop if London is to retain its status as a 24-hour city with a world-class nightlife.” 12

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_Unsubscribe_ – FFS, R (Loop Mix)

u-Ziq – Bumshit (Vox)

18+ - Holes

2020 Soundsystem – No Order (Ralph Lawson & Rui-Z Remix)

A Short Run feat. Howie B & Craig Richards – Stasha

Abul Mogard – Patterns Of Our Own Times

Addison Groove – Equal Lies

Agoria – Tribute

Akkord – Scalar Wave

Ali B feat. Afrika Baby Bam – The Music Saves Me

Appleblim – Fabrication

Audion – Fun House

Broken English Club – The Gentle Art of Murder

Bruce – Cables

C.A.R. – Voodoo Moon (Thomas Von Party Cover)

Calyx & Teebee – Loose Ends

Caspa & Rusko – Ravers Tears

Clams Casino – Time

Clark – Shadow Banger

Coldcut Feat. Roses Gabor – Donald’s Wig

Cosmin TRG – Dens

Curses – A Face In Smoke

Dasha Rush – Sweet Monster

dBridge – Modern Submission

DJ Tennis – Magrelian

Dominowe (Gqom Oh!) – Just Dance

Dub Phizix – Beatroot

Dusk & Blackdown – 110 Not Out (2011)

Dusky & Todd Edwards – Holiday In Holloway

Enei & Kasra – Basic Instinct

Exercise One – All These People

Fake Blood – Reflections

FiS – DMT Usher VIP

Future Beat Alliance – Sleaze Bag

Guy Andrews – Procession

Hamid – Untitled 02

Heartthrob – Scott’s Teats

House Of Black Lanterns – Lost

Howie B – Space Trip

Ikonika – Miracle Whip

IVVVO & Aïsha Devi – Eros Plexus

Jesse Rose – Suck It And See

John Tejada – Ucbtron

Justin Drake, Lil Mark and Matt Tolfrey – Freedom

Kangding Ray – Summerend

Kate Simko feat. Amunet Shah – All Heart

Kirk Degiorgio – Shadow Of A Solitary Being

Kiwi – Throw Down (Latin Freestyle Radio Edit)

Kuedo – Bismuth

Lakker – Tuc Tuc

Laura Jones & Karousel – Find A Way

Letherette – Stabz

Lucy – The Juggler

M.A.N.D.Y. – Berry And North

Machinedrum – Stronga

Marc Houle – Broken Wing

COMIN’ UP

Marquis Hawkes – Redemption Radio

Masters Of Disasters – The Church Of The Many

Mathew Jonson – Decompression (MJ Ghostforce 12″ Remix)

Matthew Styles & s:vt – Machine Life

Max Cooper, Satirist – Grit

Michael Mayer – Auld Lang Synewave

MikeShannonFeat.DaveAjuandtheLCCAllStars–Can’tTakeMyLoveAway

Mr C – Stand Up (Club Mix)

Mr Jones – Heavy Eyes

Mumdance & Logos – Return Of The Room 2 Lazer

Nathan Fake – Laluna

Neville Watson – Fight On

Nightwave – Speakeasy

October – Anna’s Acid Hour

Om Unit – Pop Lockin’ Hieroglyphs

Optical – Shape The Future VIP

Overmono – U-Plastics

Paleman – Sore

Paula Temple – You Cannot Kill A Soul By Killing The Body (Live At Moogfest)

Perc – Foto Real

Peter Van Hoesen – Into A Fortification

Pinch – Skylines

Planetary Assault Systems – Twelve (L.B. Dub Corp Meets PAS Rework)

Radioactive Man – Craig’s Trousers Flap In The Bass Wind

Roger van Lunteren – Hills, I Want You (Gerd Janson Edit)

Roman Flügel – Jam The Jam

Route 94 – fabric

Rrose – Glands

Second Storey – The Last Record

Shackleton – The Stitch Up

Shaun Reeves & Tuccillo – Clouds

Sherwood & Pinch – Retribution

Shift Work – LA (S.L.O.W.) (Health & Safety Mix)

Simian Mobile Disco – Balloon Takes A Holiday

Skream – Munk

Slam – Government Problem 2

Smagghe & Cross – Sam & Jen

Snow Ghosts – A Moment

Soft As Snow – I Adore (Troy Gunner Remix)

South London Ordnance – Arc

Special Request – Requiem

Stanton Warriors & Cause n Affect – Never Let It Go feat. Janai (VIP Mix)

Sunset Graves – Dead City Hymn

100

Tasha – Lost And Found

101

tqd – Vibsing Ting

102

Terry Francis – The Answer

103

The Mole – Glide Down

104

Throwing Snow – One For The Booth

105

Tiefschwarz – Wegekuckuck

106

Tom Demac – Unchained

107

Trevino – Fractured

108

Tuff City Kids – Edlost

109

Untold – This Is How I

110

Vatican Shadow & Telefon Tel Aviv – Rejoice

111

Vex’d – Gravity (2004)

It was then that people joined in search of a solution. Change.org served as the right platform to gather signatures, driven by Jacob Hulsey, resident DJ and promoter of WetYourSelf parties. Hulsey’s request was based on the importance of the bright institution for the community and culture, arguing that the closure of the premises would not put an end to the problem of drugs in the city. In fact, for him, it would only make things worse. Thus, the hashtag #savefabric transpired digital borders and reached every corner where there was a lover of electronic music suffering from the loss of such an institution. Together with the power of words, fabric launched a compilation of 111 songs, where great DJs supported the club, giving away tracks to add to the CD and making even more noise. The money from the sale was allocated to the fight for the reopening. After the announcement of the compiled CD in early November, nearly a month went by until more news came to light. The club reached an agreement to operate under new conditions. While the club was preparing an appeal to review the decision rendered by the Islington Council on September 6, talks behind closed doors between the London institution and the police paved the way for an agreement. After a few back and forths, an agreement was reached, and fabric could thus announce the reopening of its doors with a new list of conditions imposed upon its license. Among the new methods applied for the reopening, fabric shall use a new identity scanning system, reinforce the searches for banned substances, make some physical changes to the club and ban the entry of anyone found in possession of drugs or trying to buy them within the institution for life. In the statement celebrating the return, the club said: “Now we have to take the lead. We want to fill our club with family and friends, with our Pioneer sound system featuring high sound quality. It’s always been about this.” What holds true is that, after a hard blow to the world of electronic music, fabric comes back to life thanks to not giving up. On Friday January 6 FabricLive staged the first event after the fight of an entire scene. That’s what we call a happy ending. n

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Words: RODRIGO AIRAF Photo: RUTGER GEERLING

FIGHTING FOR THE PRESENT, LOOKING FOR THE FUTURE A quick overview of the electronic dance music scene in Brazil amidst national economic crisis

the past few years, the Brazilian scene had great significance for electronic music, either internationally or locally; the market’s whole productive chain took big steps towards a more creative accomplishment and a greater professionalization. Numerous booking agencies, management agencies, content and marketing professionals, event agencies and talented artists came to light in that period. Business meetings such as Rio Music Conference reached successive records in the number of participants who demonstrate bigger interest in being part of this industry, apart from the increased number of listeners interested in the genre. In 2015, however, the country’s economy started facing recession and Brazilians were left with uncertainty in their financial lives. The purchasing power decreased, and in times of crisis, entertainment (not being considered an essential aspect of daily life) immediately loses attention. Therefore, the industry saw a 14

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reduction in the number of people that attend dance music events — the total profit figure showed a fallback in comparison to the last four years. Tomorrowland Brazil festival announced it would be canceling its 2017 edition, months after Electric Daisy Carnival Brazil did not refer to the possibility of a 2016 edition — which, in the end, never happened. Furthermore, Brazilian authorities sometimes make it difficult for promoters to host important events — those which represent big help for tourism and the creative economy — motivated by something that is or was a reality in many other countries that embraced nightlife: the prejudice against electronic music. ULTRA Brazil, which returned to the country in 2016 for a festival in Rio de Janeiro, faced many impediments from institutions like IPHAN (responsible for protecting historic and artistic national heritage), IBAMA (animal preservation) and the Federal Justice Court, as regards two different venues, even though the paperwork

was up to date and both places had already hosted bigger festivals before. ULTRA Brazil ended up moving to a third location 5 days before the date for which the festival was scheduled and it delivered a successful event — the festival sold out — but it’s curious to see that while dance music is considered part of local culture in many places of the world, Brazil still fights it in a very productive moment for dance music, which puts Brazil on the radar as one of the best destinations in the world for dance music fans — after all, many Brazilian nightclubs are among the most relevant clubs worldwide, according to DJ Mag. All that makes us think: how come that the electronic music industry is in the midst of a crisis? One of the main facts to notice is the bigger selectivity from sponsors to invest in dance music events. The need to save money left no space for amateurs, consequently driving investments to events that have more

COMIN’ UP GREEN VALLEY

potential, whether it brings a more coherent line up, a more creative concept or a superior structure. Despite the feeling that it’s bad for micro-promoters, Brazilian nightlife reasserts its maturity and quality. In 2015, the U.S. dollar reached its highest in 13 years — 48%, to be exact. The decrease in the purchasing power took the dance music industry to two distinct ramifications: on the one hand, it became unfeasible for event producers to bring international artists with the same diligence as the year before; on the other, Brazilian artists were more valued and received greater investment by the agencies, and more prominence in the line-ups of parties and festivals. The support for national artists developed proportionally with the totality of a Brazilian movement within mainstream electronic music which quickly became a lifestyle among the audience. House music played by Brazilian DJs — a result of the mix of energetic big room, deeper sounds such as tech house and deep house, and a bigger focus on the bass — won many passionate followers and brought with it a whole new generation of music producers who play for big crowds. Techno music also came back to the spotlight in the past few months. Nowadays, you can find dozens of Brazilian DJs who not only manage to be headliners at major events but also export themselves to the rest of the world, like Alok, ANNA, Chemical Surf, Vintage Culture, Volkoder, Elekfantz, and many others. Somewhere else in dance music, in the more underground sounds of house and techno, the feeling is also that the scene has reached a new climax in response to the partygoers´

DEKMANTEL FETIVAL

demand for new experiences. The creation and consolidation of several event collectives (especially in the Brazilian southeast region) complement club culture with occupational events (without a fixed location) for various audiences; there are as many free street events as paid meetings in abandoned sheds, fueling the alternative club culture that already takes root in other regions, while the traditional

Photo: ARIEL MARTINI

clubs in the South continue to be exponents of good music in Brazil. To complete this list, festivals in Brazil do not seem to want to leave anytime soon. The only difference is the size of these events, which will be mostly smaller - another reason to enjoy more intimate live experiences with artists of different genres. In addition to major editions of national festivals such as Xxxperience, international brands still see Brazil as a fertile soil to produce events. ULTRA Brazil will return for an even bigger edition in the “Marvelous City” of Rio de Janeiro in October. Dutch festival Dekmantel has just celebrated its first edition in São Paulo, which is also a city awaiting for Electric Zoo in April. There have also been rumors about the Awakenings Festival happening in Brazil during the second semester and, if only the BPM Festival had not gone through the unfortunate shooting in its Mexico edition, it would be a festival to land in Brazil in 2017 as well. Being a dance music fan in Brazil is clearly still a good deal for both the listeners and the entrepreneurs. Seeing the commitment of professionals from various parts of the industry with a desire and passion to make the culture thrive and thinking about all the aspects already mentioned, I find it a highly esteemed perception that dance music in Brazil fights for its present, but quickly learns to take care of itself again and start to look forward — even if you have to adapt to new realities and get around some obstacles. After all, Brazilians are resilient and, as far as we’re concerned, no one has stopped dancing. n djmagla.com

COMIN’ UP

ARGENTINA IS BACK ON THE TRACK

After almost a year without big events, the southern country is in full motion again!

ince the Time Warp tragedy took place in the City of Buenos Aires, resulting in five young people killed by intoxication with banned substances, the city’s scene had to fight tooth and nail to combat the prejudices that have been circulating in the Argentine capital for years. The deficiencies in the security and organization during the gloomy April 14th in the Costa Salguero events complex set a dark precedent for all those who are part of the electronic world, and also for those who aren’t. The boundaries between the liability of the deceased youngsters and the failures in key areas to rescue them and provide them with the security established in the documents that authorized the festival led, once again, to the stigmatization of an entire culture. Political leaders issued an almost instant prohibition, and the City of Buenos Aires lost all massive events —it was even attempted to ban events in authorized nightclubs, without success. For months, the big names that used to reach massive spaces such as Mandarine Park had to make do in confined spaces. Artists like Carl Cox, Marco Carola and John Digweed arrived in Buenos Aires compromising audience capacity and giving shows in night clubs —something that had not happened for years, since this kind of stars used to appear in venues for thousands of people. 16

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In November, a new chapter was written in the unusual current story of electronic music in the capital city. Only days from the arrival of the iconic Kraftwerk festival, hosted in the legendary Luna Park, a rumor began to take shape around the show. The authorization to sell tickets —obtained in July— was left without effect although 70% of the capacity had already been sold, and the show of the techno precursors was jeopardized. The answer came from the producer and the fans, who challenged the action taken by the Government Control Agency as irrational. Once more, the whole world learned of the retrograde actions taking place in Buenos Aires, where it was attempted to ban the presentation of one of the most important bands in the history of electronic music because of the use of synthesizers —something that appeared to be a four-letter word and fit within the prohibition that considered the use of electronic instruments as a risk. Fortunately, the producer MOVE acted in time, and only days before the show things returned to their normal course. Kraftwerk could perform in the designated space without setbacks, making the attendees part of an unforgettable piece of history and showing that there was no reason to demonize electronic music; since, after all, it was a recital like any other.

COMIN’ UP

WHAT’S NEXT?

ARMIN ONLY EMBRACE APRIL 8TH AT MANDARINE PARK

Meanwhile, behind closed doors and by the end of the year the Government was drafting a new law for massive events in the city — which it would announce a couple of days after the New Year. It seemed like everything was coming back to normal, and that in 2017 the country would again boast the spaces of the City of Buenos Aires which, historically, have been among the main venues to enjoy international electronic music. However, a new chapter would follow in this summer soap opera taking place in Argentina, not in the City of Buenos Aires, but in the province, precisely in the coastal city of Mar del Plata. Once more, the New Year was tainted with tragedy. A 20-year old girl died after attending an electronic music party where the British DJ Sasha was playing in a nightclub in the Province of Santa Fe, and the alarm went off again. The summer appeared as an acid test for electronic music to return to the growth it had been promising for years; while massive events were authorized again in the city, and Mar del Plata expected the brightest stars in summer, with scheduled shows by big names such as Above & Beyond, Eelke Kleijn, Solomun, John Digweed, Dubfire, Nina Kraviz, Luciano, Lee Foss and Popof, among others. But the last battle was still to be fought. After New Year’s events and the Dubfire presentation as a part of the Amnesia party in Mute, the Mayor of Mar del Plata put electronic music in the eye of the storm again. In a decision that seemed impulsive, he ordered not to authorize events that had already completed all relevant procedures, only days before the weekend when Above & Beyond was going to perform, apparently in response to the amount of drug seized in the first events of the season. Once more, the news spread across the country and, after some meetings, consensus was reached. The events took place in the coastal city with great success, under strict controls enforced between government agencies, the police and the production of the event. Electronic music blasted.

TALE OF US & VAAL MAY 13TH AT MANDARINE TENT

After that chapter, it became time to settle down. The city has returned to broadcast massive events in February, with Mandarine Park as the flagship, featuring artists such as Dash Berlin and Guy J. Soon, there will be new parties and it will be possible to regain the pace that Buenos Aires had reached, becoming one of the main cities in the region, and gathering thousands of fans at each event. We will have to prevent and raise awareness. What we already know is that banning makes no sense. n djmagla.com

COMIN’ UP

TEAM ARGENTINA The Argentine trance scene is experiencing its best moment. Here´s a brief review of the talents from the southern country who are spicing up the industry.

or several years now, the country has been providing the trance world with good material. A legion of young people have been managing to penetrate the fast-paced industry with successful productions, global presentations and some big-name remixes. The main exponent, for some years now, has been Heatbeat. The Argentine duo made up of Agustin Servente and Marias Faint has been in the forefront of the regional scene for more than five years, being one of the main acts chosen by the giant Armada not only for their shows but also for their productions. Signed to the legendary Armada Music in their beginnings, their productions such as ‘Extra Bacon’, ‘Rocker Monster’, and ‘Roses Never Cry’ have topped download charts and playlists worldwide, picking up plays from a diverse range of DJs from Armin van Buuren& Paul van Dyk to Porter Robinson, Gareth Emery &Tiësto, and they have been asked to remix

for and collaborate with some of the world’s biggest headliners, including Armin van Buuren& Richard Durand. This kind of work allowed the duo to join the exclusive list of DJ Mag´s Top 100 DJs in 2012 and 2013, marking the incredible popularity they have come to achieve. Since then, their career has been on a steady rise with success in all environments. Recently they have gained popularity by returning to the grounds of trance. The year 2017 saw them get one of the biggest milestones in their career, getting something that no other fellow countryman had achieved. Since February 3, Agustín and Matias are the Heads of Aerys record label, a platform that depends on its parent company Armada Music. This experience made them the first South Americans to occupy their own space in the vast list of sub labels owned by the Dutch giant, a fact that is not unimportant. “The idea of the label is to bring our vision of trance to

the people and to support new local talents,” they said about Aerys Records. The project was born with the release of their own single “Mechanizer”, a successful track that served as a kick-start for their A&R adventure. This is a clear example of the level Heatbeat has been demonstrating for some time, an indication of their quality and of the confidence they generate in the upper strata of the industry. For the future, the Argentine youths have already signed more than 8 releases that will see the light in 2017, including tracks of their own and others by emerging talents. “We will try to create a brand so that the trance listener can feel identified.” Another name that has been making a great impression in the trance world is Chris Schweizer. At only 24 years old, this Argentine man managed to get into the world of trance and, with an incredible 2016, consolidated himself as one of the great names of the

HEATBEAT

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COMIN’ UP

CHRIS SCHWEIZER

TOMAS HEREDIA

genre. After some years proving quality, also joining Armada with sporadic releases and presentations around the world, this last year saw him turn to the harshest sounds of trance, adding to the wave of productions at more than 138 bpm which has repopularized Armada´s sub label Who’s Afraid Of 138?!. His figure grew remarkably and his track “Scorpion” appeared as the seed of a new stage in his career. The trance of high bpms became his priority and the whole scene put its attention on his work. “People are very happy with my current sound,” says Chris. Of course they are. In fact, in 2016 he was one of the trance artists that sold the most in Beatport with many tracks reaching the top of sales throughout the year. Remixes

of prominent figures of the genre ended up spreading his sound towards new terrains. “It is evident that what I’m doing is effective,” he analyzes his new stage, in which he managed not only to remix artists such as Jochen Miller, Jordan Suckley and Bryan Kearney but also launched collaborations with big names of the likes of Standerwick and Ben Nicky, among others. His meddling in the prime time of the accelerated trance turned him into an icon of the genre in his native country, where he created his party series Reflections. There, he presented some international talents like Photographer and Super8 & Tab, and presented local talents in Crobar, one of the most important Argentine discos in the world of electronic music.

The other great bastion in the Argentine scene, completing the threesome of acts that made up Team Argentina, is Tomas Heredia. You may know him for some of his remixes of the great heavyweights of the genre. In his short career, he has touched up music by big names like Armin Van Buuren´s “Communication”, Above & Beyond´s “On My Way To Heaven” and “Fool For Life” by Dash Berlin, placing him in a privileged place in the scene. With a more radial sound than that of the previously mentioned Argentines, Tomas appears as many people´s favorite with his original productions to account for it. In 2016, he ventured into eclectic sounds, touring along vocal lands with releases on RCA Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music, demonstrating his diversity in music production with hits that reached radio top positions in his country. In 2017, with “Endurance”, the new single he released through A State Of Trance label, property of Armada Music, he focused again on the genre that took him to success and which allowed him to perform at renowned events such as A State Of Trance or Transmission Festival in Prague. The track by the young Argentine put him back in the limelight, something that excites us all. The present of these artists delights us. Still young, everyone has already achieved things worthy of true stars and they are out for more. Each in his own style, expect 2017 to be the year that takes them to glory. Argentina has a future... n djmagla.com

STARTING POINT Miami Music Week is the thermometer for the international

electronic music scene. During the last week of March, every major artist in dance music descends upon The Magic City to test and showcase their newest songs that will carry them through the rest of the year. For the attendees, it has to do with discovery. Everyone comes to indulge their senses for a whole week, taking advantage of a unique experience that only a city like Miami can offer. From an intimate show with one of the next great talents of the international scene to the presentation of an appealing mainstream DJ closing down the Main Stage at Ultra Music Festival, Miami Music Week has something for everyone. As years go by, we can witness the growth of this celebration with thousands of people approaching from all over the world to experiment this week. This year, in its seventh edition, Miami Music Week continues its non-stop growth with more than a thousand artists performing at over 250+ events that are distributed throughout the city.

Want to know more? Keep reading!

Here, we tell you everything you need to know in order to go through Miami Music Week as you should.

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Review 2016

THE SEASON BEGINS ANYONE WHO CAN RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR TO THE AMERICAN CITY OF MIAMI TO LIVE AND BREATHE ELECTRONIC MUSIC FOR A WEEK IS PRIVILEGED. THAT’S SOMETHING WE’VE CONFIRMED AFTER OUR LAST VISIT TO MIAMI MUSIC WEEK IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. YOU CANNOT OVERLOOK THE GOOD LIFE OUR NORTHERN BROTHERS LEAD AND THEIR AMAZING PRODUCTIONS, NOT JUST IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC, BUT IN EVERYTHING THEY DO. THERE WE WERE, ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 16, TO EXPERIENCE ALL THE DETAILS FILLING ONE OF THE KEY MOMENTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONIC AGENDA, WHERE ALL GENRES COEXIST IN HARMONY AND SPACES BECOME INSATIABLE SOURCES OF MUSIC.

Photos: JUAN AFANADOR (DJ Mag Poolside & ULTRA Music Festival®) AGP FOTOS (MoodDay) Words: HERNÁN PANDELO djmagla.com

DJ MAG POOLSIDE SESSIONS Miami welcomes us with a scorching sun that forces us to seek shade, and without much time to rest after the long flight, we leave to the pool at The Surfcomber to greet and support our British brothers from DJ Mag, who conduct the DJ Mag Poolside Sessions with a luxury line up. Their productions get better year after year, and 2016 would be no exception. Always trying to cover the whole spectrum of contemporary electronic music, they open up the senses for those present to get a little more. That’s the premise we find upon arrival. It’s a glorious day, and we are ready to enjoy the first moments of an incredible party, under the brightest sun. While German Nick Curly plays, with perfect beats that scatter throughout all the open space at The Surfcomber, the party begins to shape up, and as the songs come up, the curious get out of the pool to join the dance floor, over a good amount of sand. It’s time for the most relaxed beats of Curly’s tech house to give way to one of the most exciting spots of the evening, or rather, the entire party. The surprise guest appears in front of the trays, before an audience that, at the beginning, doesn’t seem too impressed with his presence. It’s Dubfire, and we are certainly impressed. In fact, we are glad that our colleagues in DJ Mag have decided that the surprise guest at their event would be this Iranian artist. The musical style changes a little, and Curly’s relaxation becomes power in the hands of Dubfire. The sun shines, and the floor begins to fill. We see his logo on simple screens behind the booth. He wears

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a white sleeveless shirt, different from the typical black he usually wears at performances. Miami changes us all, we think. In fact, he’s not playing his usual dark and robust techno either. Here, he adapts, and without losing his essence, he puts everyone up to tone. People dance to his techno and we’re amazed that an event can gather this type of mixture. Nicely done, DJ Mag! A few minutes before 6 pm, the time to end his presentation, he plays “Trees of Eden”, the new piece by Guy Mantzur and released by Diynamic, which has become very successful in the underground scene. People have fun, and his show ends. Five minutes after it’s over, while we see some Americans trying to understand the Spanish in the pages of our print edition of DJ Mag Latin America, boasting Hot Since 82 on the cover, the sound has already changed completely. There’s already been two drops, and everyone seems to have forgotten the constant sounds of Dubfire. People like this. You can tell. They dance wildly on the sand, while we watch Nick Curly and the artist who served as surprise guest leave the party. We say goodbye and get ready to change our mood and dance to EDM with the local crowd, who was expecting this. A little of the tropical sound led by KYGO begins to prevail at The Surfcomber, and the dynamics of mixtures becomes a whirlwind. The DJ in question is R3hab, a great entertainer in the EDM world today. He mixes songs at sheer speed, amid a roller coaster of sensations in the public. A remix of “Bitch Better Have

My Money” is followed by “How Deep Is Your Love”, while he gets up to the booth and claps, looking for everyone to follow. Now, the audience is really connected. For the end of his set, he chooses a modern rock classic, and everyone sings “Wonderwall”, by Oasis. Of course, the drop is loaded and attendees burst with excitement when that happens. It’s been several hours since it all begun, but it seems like the party is just starting. Now, the night has arrived, and everything will come to its hottest point. At 8, it’s the turn of Steve Aoki, one of the event’s stars. Everything changes when his own visuals appear on the screens. This is just a touch that may seem secondary to some, but it somehow shows the professionalism in Aoki’s team. The dark night helps pay attention to the screens. To the sides of the booth, stacks of speakers feed the main dance floor. All sound has been provided by Pioneer, the brand that’s trying to sneak into the main electronic spaces with its brand new sound system. Truth be told, it all sounds great. Following the EDM line that has been around the party since R3hab started, Aoki keeps that dynamic, and after the beginning with the classic “I Like To Move It” by Reel 2 Real, and some rousing by the artist on the mic, we turn to one of his original productions. “Rage The Night Away,” his collaboration with Waka Flocka Flame, sounds and precedes a new remix of “Bitch Better Have My Money”, emphasizing on that special feature of repeating the same pieces along the party in EDM.

Review 2016

MOODDAY On Thursday, a little more rested, we go out to enjoy Miami at its best. Already deep into the Music Week, hundreds of thousands of tourists split between the parties held in various South Beach hotels during the day, while others go for some of Miami’s charms beyond music, such as beaches and shopping malls. We set off in pursuit of good techno, and head to the party that Nicole Moudaber has created a while ago, named after her record label, Mood. It takes place in The Raleigh, one of the most iconic South Beach hotels and that, year after year, houses some of the most interesting pool parties in the city. Mood Day is utterly interesting and has the most graceful line up with an eclectic and sensible list of artists. We arrived just after 4 pm to see Guti leave the booth to Damian Lazarus. We are sorry for having been late and not being able to enjoy the Argentinian’s presentation, but the music by the great Lazarus quickly makes us forget. To reach the proper dance floor, we walk along the side of a huge pool for the first 30 meters. There are plenty of people there, but they are far from dancing and fully enjoying the music. Then, a series of bars —spread without much sense along the open space between the pool and the dance floor— compel us to have a beer before we fully dive into the back, where there’s a deck and a roof that frame the real dance floor. There, we see the Argentine artist greet the head of Crosstown Rebels and leave him the booth. We find a place on the dance floor with the wooden floor, and there we spend some time, dancing to the eccentric psychedelic rhythms of Lazarus. We love to think about how open Mood is to different sounds, having been established as a seal that is chiefly techno, and adding artists from genres that are not as strong, like Guti or whom is playing right now. In fact, Nicole Moudaber has already passed through the trays this afternoon, with a relaxed presentation after midday. Then, of course, she will do it again, getting closer to her dance floor sound. But, far from so much analyzes, we focus again on music and, more specifically, Lazarus. He takes us through different sound layers while we safeguard from the sun under the dance floor’s roof, and so we continue until the event comes to an end.

ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL After a great week in Miami, the day we had been waiting for had finally arrived- Day 1 of ULTRA Music Festival® at Bayfront Park. Hundreds of thousands of fans came out to enjoy all that the eighteenth edition promised to offer. We were eager to once again join the festivities of what was set to be a momentous weekend. At about 3.30 pm, we entered the venue. The weather was magnificent as the sun was shining and the warm temperature set the scene for a perfect day of dancing. The doors had not yet opened, and we felt privileged to be there. Outside, many groups were waiting to enter, and we saw flags from several countries. The sea of international colors made it clear that this was indeed going to be a celebration unlike any other. In the distance, Stage 7 kicked off the musical event, and the stage looked to have grown in size from prior years. The buildings formed a quintessential backdrop for this great celebration. Around the amphitheater, the surrounding corridor displayed the flags of all the countries that host Ultra, and we began to notice the first eager fans inside the premises, minutes before the doors opened. We walked a few meters to one of the venue’s boundaries, looking for the gigantic Carl Cox stage structure. There, the Apollonia boys were already playing music in the robust structure that each year receives all praise for its aesthetics and sound. Huge screens hung from the ceiling, and dipped up and down providing for an immersive experience. Although early, some Latin flags already waved in front of the interesting stage.

We decided to continue with the tour. Justin Oh performed at the ULTRA Worldwide™ Stage, and the LEDs behind him projected his excitement to the crowd. That’s when we got to the place that impresses everyone. This year’s Mainstage looked like something out of the movie Transformers. There were screens everywhere, and along with the indispensable “U”, they formed two large circles to the sides of the DJs. When we walked by the Mainstage, we heard none other than Blasterjaxx’s classic, “Wicked Games”, We were happy to once again enjoy such a outstanding production, and for a while we remained in awe because of the immensity of the main structure. Of course, we still had to visit the RESISTANCE® Stage, which always has something new and mysterious to offer. After partnering last year with the UK production company, Arcadia Spectacular, and putting together the Afterburner, they decided to bring everything to the next level. An elevated structure supported by three columns was not only shaped like a spider, but also allowed dancers to stand right under the booth and dance. The tech house duo, The Roaches were performing. We stayed to investigate the spider and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the RESISTANCE® stage. At 7, we left towards the UMF Radio Stage to see and talk to Tom Swoon, one of the great sensations of the EDM world. In the intimate setting, his set was energetic and full of productions that he has been releasing with labels such as Revealed Records. When we finished talking with Tom, we realized we wanted to hear what Joris Voorn had up his sleeve. Unsure of his set time, we stumbled upon the new LED screen outside of the Merchandise Store. The screen displayed not only set times, but also the map of the venue and live stream. When we got to the RESISTANCE® Stage, it seemed as if people had become intertwined with the presence of the Spider. Its seamless backdrop set the mood for the Arcadia Landing Show, a nice 20-minute performance where the structure moved and we all watched in awe the

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Review 2016

incredible story about an alien spider that comes to Earth to destroy it and then ends up finding unity between human beings and changes its mind. Anyway, we were impressed with the production that used the Intercontinental Hotel to project the name of the artist onto the side of the building for all to see from afar. The day had flown away, and the night took over the premises. Lights covered the buildings, and everything was framed in a kind of postcard that will remain in our minds for a long time. Armin van Buuren on the Mainstage called our attention, and we made our way to witness his performance. Following an incredible set from Armin, we left towards Carl Cox’s stage to see the boss himself begin his presentation- full of energy and in one of the places where he has been playing for now 12 years. The master closed the arena, and he took us on a journey that left us with no doubt that he is in fact a legend of the dance music scene. On Saturday, we were more prepared after having toured the site on Day 1. We decided to be more expeditious and go in search of the female talent, Mija, one of the bastions of the great Skrillex’s label OWSLA. Her mad, energetic music was well received by fans on the UMF Radio stage. Artists such as Wiwek and Valentino Khan followed her performance, and maintained the same level of excellence. At 6 pm, the great Carl Cox structure boasted Richie Hawtin, which was something we weren’t going to miss. Indeed, we found a place on the right side of the dance floor that allowed us to relax while still dancing to the sounds of ENTER.’s labelhead. The sound and screens contributed a lot to his presentation, which we enjoyed smoothly. After an hour of minimalist techno led by Hawtin, we ventured back to the Mainstage to witness a rare sunset performance from Tiësto. The brightest stars are usually scheduled at night, but on this occasion Tiësto appeared at a special time for everyone to enjoy the sunset

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with his music. The Mainstage was jammed with people, all in anticipation for what promised to be a remarkable extended set. A hundred meters from the booth, people watched the Dutchman, who invited the singer, Vassy, to join his presentation. In addition to playing their hit “Secrets”, they revealed a new production, and the result was fabulous. Thus, the performance was more than enjoyable, with the sun having set behind the structure. At night, we left a few minutes before the Arcadia Landing Show, to enjoy the end of Sasha’s set. His hypnotic music had everyone in a state of amazement, while Arcadia’s logo was projected on one of the walls of the Intercontinental. Several meters up, we saw Alexander Coe giving everything to make an audience that was eager for his presentation dance. We decided to go back to the Mainstage and stayed there to enjoy two great stars: Afrojack and Avicii. Endless fireworks and various production effects blew our minds by the minute, culminating with a performance by ULTRA favorite, Hardwell. Following the unfortunate announcement that The Prodigy would no longer perform, ULTRA sent out a message that Deadmau5 would take their place to close the Live Stage. With original music, Canadian Joel Zimmerman showed us why he is one of the most eccentric yet talented performers in music. This performance was a perfect way to end Day 2. After a phenomenal first two days, we returned to Bayfront Park for the grand finale. We arrived minutes to 5 to watch the closing moments of Felix Jaehn on the ULTRA Worldwide™ Stage. He decided to end his set with the radio hit “Cheerleader”. The stage’s lineup for Day 3 was set to be something resembling a second Mainstage, with slated performances including Marshmello, Sam Feldt, Robin Schulz and Tchami

After Jaehn, Feldt took the stage, and “Show Me Love” pounded, to the delight of those present. The set took on a live element, as he introduced a saxophonist to the stage to join him in performing some of his top hits. While the weather was cloudy with a few raindrops, it didn’t come close to slowing us down. Unlike previous days, instead of techno, the Megastructure featured Armin van Buuren’s world-renowned A State of Trance curation. At 5, when Markus Schulz arrived, the crowd was already packed in for a day of trance. We could already tell this would be a special setting, but before returning for the end of the evening, we decided to check out Galantis on the Mainstage. With tons of radio hits, this Swedish duo showed in person why they are a force to be reckoned with. The combination of lights, sound and pyrotechnics that accompany everyone playing from the monstrous stack of screens was amazing. But today, we all came to see something special. Yes, we may have saw him yesterday at the Live Stage, but the debut of Deadmau5 in the Megastructure was a moment for all to witness. Deadmau5’s show looked like an exhibition. He played a progressive techno set that while unusual for the ASOT setting, turned out to be a major success. Leading into nighttime, it was time for a turn to progressive house from none other than Eric Prydz. The laser show was jaw-dropping, teleporting us to a new dimension of dance music. The stage host himself, Armin van Buuren, closed the MegaStructure with a more classic trance performance– a fitting finale to what was a fantastic ULTRA 2016. Here’s where our night ends. Here we leave everything we came to look for in Miami. New experiences, different sounds and a whole new year ahead... u

THE MIAMI MUSIC WEEK HOTEL AT DELANO For the 6 days

& 6 nights of Miami Music Week, there is no question where you can find the best parties that Miami has to offer. Located on the ocean in the heart of South Beach at the prestigious urban resort, Delano, The Miami Music Week Hotel is the undisputed epicenter of events during the week. Serving as MMW’s “home base” for the past 3 years and the foreseeable future, the Miami Music Week Hotel at Delano sets itself apart from other venues by providing an intimate VIP experience like no other. Guests party alongside industry heavyweights and celebrities, day & night, while enjoying one of Miami’s hottest hotels.

Every year, Delano’s 2 distinct venues lay the foundation for a week of expertly crafted events, which are curated by Miami based promoter, DiskoLab. During the day, music fans from around the world dance in the sun at the poolside oasis, Delano Beach Club, which features top notch production, record label showcases and special guest appearances. At night, the party literally moves underground, down into the subterranean lounge, FDR. In here, the vibe is thick as partygoers enjoy the rare opportunity to get up close & personal with top tier DJs as they perform in one of the most intimate settings Miami has to offer. Of course, with so many visitors pouring in to Miami from every corner of the world for Ultra Music Festival, no MMW would ever be complete without a proper Ultra warm-up. Fans of the festival will want to take note that Delano’s pool has claimed the exclusive title as “The Official ULTRA Pool”. For 3 years running, this distinction has been unique to Delano Beach Club and events throughout MMW. Additionally, each night after Ultra Music Festival ends, the party will rage on inside of Delano’s underground nightclub, FDR, which hosts official Ultra CarryOn events. You can find Ultra Music Festival branded pool parties at The Miami Music Week Hotel at Delano on Wednesday March 22nd & Thursday March 23rd, with Ultra CarryOns at FDR Friday March 24th through Sunday March 26th. u

Visit MiamiMusicWeek.com for event lineups & details.

ULTRA WORLDWIDE: A GLOBAL DANCE FAMILY FEW COULD HAVE PREDICTED WHAT WOULD BECOME OF THE BEACHSIDE EVENT BACK IN MARCH OF 1999. FAST-FORWARD 19 YEARS, AND ULTRA WORLDWIDE™ HAS BECOME THE MOST INTERNATIONAL AND SUCCESSFUL INDEPENDENT MUSIC FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD. UNITING TWENTY COUNTRIES ACROSS 5 CONTINENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE, ULTRA WORLDWIDE™ CONTINUES TO TRANSCEND THE NORM WITHIN THE ELECTRONIC MUSIC SCENE. LAST YEAR, ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL® WAS AWARDED AS THE #1 FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD! NOW LET’S EXPLORE MORE REASONS WHY THIS FESTIVAL BRAND STANDS OUT AMONGST THE COMPETITION. THE FOUNDATION OF ULTRA WORLDWIDE™ WOULD BE BEST DESCRIBED AS STRUCTURED BY FOUR CEMENTED PILLARS: ULTRA WORLDWIDE™ FESTIVALS, ROAD TO ULTRA®, ULTRA BEACH™, AND RESISTANCE®.

FESTIVALS Festivals are two or three day, multi-stage events that showcase the most diverse array of electronic music talent, coupled with technologically advanced production, lighting and sound. These events are the foundation of the brand, and are ‘can’t-miss’ experiences. Festivals have taken place in South Africa, Korea, Croatia, Singapore, Japan, Argentina, Chile, Brazil & the United States.

ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL® 2016, RUDGR.COM

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Road to ULTRA® Road to ULTRA® events are single-stage, single-day events with the same focus as full-scale festivals. While they may be of smaller magnitude, they still pack the same punch as any other ULTRA event and help open the door to new destinations. Road to Ultras have ventured to territories such as Thailand, Taiwan, Peru, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, Paraguay, Hvar Island, Bali and Philippines.

ROAD TO ULTRA PERU® 2016, RAVALAMOL

ULTRA BEACH ULTRA Beach™ events are set on the scene of the most picturesque, luxurious islands in the world - Hvar Island and Bali - bringing the ULTRA Worldwide touch to your favorite locations. Imagine palm trees, the smell of salt water, a fresh beverage in hand, and the best music to top it all off!

ULTRA BEACH: HVAR 2016, PHILIPPE WUYTS PHOTOGRAPHY

RESISTANCE® Last but not least, RESISTANCE® is a concept dedicated to the sounds of house and techno, exploring the darker, more experimental sides of electronic music. Flexing its muscle with a standalone event in Peru last year, and taking over two areas at ULTRA Music Festival® 2017 for the first time (The Arcadia Spider and The Megastructure), there’s no telling where this brand will go next…

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RESISTANCE® POWERED BY ARCADIA, ALIVE COVERAGE

media Behind the scenes, ULTRA Worldwide™ has revolutionized the digital era of electronic music with its comprehensive and dynamic media outlets. ULTRA Worldwide™ debuted UMF Radio™ in 2005, a two-hour broadcast featuring live-recorded sets from ULTRA festivals around the world. Having recently celebrated its 400th episode, on the award winning UMF Radio™ continues to provide listeners with great music in either the comfort of their own home, or those frustratingly long traffic-filled commutes. Being a globally syndicated radio show, it’s only appropriate that UMF Radio™ hosts stages in various worldwide locations. Most notably, UMF Radio™ presents three-days of label curated showcases each March at ULTRA Music Festival® in Miami. This year, Jacked, OWSLA and Mad Decent will provide the soundtrack for the weekend-long affair.

an immersive and professional broadcast unlike any other. If you can’t make the festival, this is your ticket to the action!

Formerly considered a content hub for ULTRA videos, UMF TV™ has steadily grown into a multi-dimensional media channel. Providing recaps on events, behind the scenes reports and most recently ‘The UNCUT’ Series, UMF TV™ is your allaccess pass to the world of ULTRA. However, the crown jewel of UMF TV™ is the globally renowned livestream known as ULTRA LIVE™. Debuting in Miami, ULTRA LIVE™ now covers six festivals internationally, providing viewers everywhere with

In the same year as UMF TV™’s conception, ULTRA teamed up with the Amsterdam-based film company, Final Kid, to launch UMF Films™. What started as a feature-length documentary exploring the rise of dance music, has now become the source for the most breathtaking and visuallyadvanced aftermovies in music. Set in 4K resolution, these cinematic productions are best served with surround sound, a reclining chair, and a side of popcorn.

UMF RADIO 2016 LIVE BROADCAST, EDMPHOTOS.COM

ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL® 2016, ALIVE COVERAGE

We’d be mistaken if we didn’t mention that no ULTRA Worldwide™ event is complete without the stunning and incredibly talented ULTRA Angels™! Established in 2012, the ULTRA Angels™ started in order to bring forth a new dimension of dance entertainment to shows across the world. Encompassing beauty, energy and complete synchronization, their presence is undeniable. While the pyro is always in full effect, it’s hardly necessary when the ULTRA Angels™ take the stage.

ULTRA ANGELS AT ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL® 2016, RAVALAMOL

At the heart of all of these global achievements, nothing would be possible without the fans. In an attempt to show their appreciation, ULTRA Worldwide™ will debut its brand new customer loyalty program, ULTRA Passport, at ULTRA Miami 2017. As a provided resource, there will be an ULTRA Passport office on site with multilingual customer service to help answer any and all questions regarding the new customer loyalty program. ULTRA Passport is a must-have for all festivalgoers, as it will reward members for attending events while making it easier for them to explore ULTRA’s many global destinations. All members start as Silver status, but who will reach Platinum first?

In a world with such cultural, linguistic, and geographic barriers, ULTRA Worldwide™ has managed to bridge the gap by uniting millions of people through their unified love of music. With all things considered, if we know ULTRA Worldwide™, they are only just getting started. u

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RESISTANCE® POWERED BY ARCADIA, ALIVE COVERAGE

JOIN THE RESISTANCE THE NORM IS SO TYPICAL AND CLICHÉ. IMAGINE BEING A PART OF SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY, YET NEW AND EXCITING. THIS IS WHAT RESISTANCE® SEEKS TO PROVIDE. GEARED TOWARDS THE DARKER, EXPERIMENTAL SOUNDS OF HOUSE AND TECHNO, THE RESISTANCE® SOUND IS SOMETHING THAT WILL REINVIGORATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF DANCE MUSIC. FORGET WHAT YOU KNEW BEFORE, THIS IS DIFFERENT.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN The concept began in February 2015 as a single-day stage at ULTRA Buenos Aires™. Following its launch, RESISTANCE® was ready to embrace Miami with full force the following month. In collaboration with UK production company, Arcadia Spectacular, the 360-degree ‘Afterburner’ stage landed at ULTRA 2015. Artists such as Maceo Plex, Dixon, Tale of Us, Joseph Capriati, and Nic Fanciulli took over this mysterious structure, and RESISTANCE® had officially marked its territory on Bayfront Park. During RESISTANCE®’s inaugural year, the concept also landed in Croatia and Tokyo. In 2016, RESISTANCE® instinctively continued to seek out new destinations. The concept made its way to Cape Town and

Johannesburg, uncovering a brand new market, headlined by Seth Troxler, The Martinez Brothers and Black Coffee. While at this point RESISTANCE® had now made itself known, a new phenomenon was lurking beneath the shadows. In yet another combined effort with Arcadia Spectacular, the lifelike, fire-breathing ‘Spider’ made its North American debut at ULTRA Miami in 2016. This structure incorporates state of the art laser production, acrobatics, and pyrotechnics. In addition to sets from world-class DJs, each evening featured the Arcadia Landing Show, drawing attendees into an immersive experience like none other.

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RESISTANCE® WORLDWIDE From this moment forward, the echo surrounding RESISTANCE® was simply undeniable. Seeking to go where no brand had gone before, RESISTANCE® set forth on two widespread tours. In September, the brand expanded in Asia with stops in Singapore, Bali, and Japan. To conclude the year, RESISTANCE® traveled throughout South America, embarking on its greatest feat yet. Branching out from the traditional festival experience, RESISTANCE® held and completely sold out a 10,000 attendee first ever standalone event in Lima, Peru with a lineup headlined by Carl Cox.RESISTANCE® also traversed to smaller venues in Paraguay and Chile, and finished off the year in Rio de Janeiro with a stage that had artists and fans alike dancing in rhythm until the early hours.

“

I’ve been a huge fan of RESISTANCE® since it started and I think it

deserves a stage that can showcase the brilliant production to its full potential. There is no question that RESISTANCE was built in the same vein as CC&F, to bring the most upfront talent, production value and experiences to the fans, and I know the best place for that is in the Megastructure. I know fans will agree and be absolutely blown away!” Carl Cox

RESISTANCE® POWERED BY ARCADIA, EDMKEVIN.COM

RESISTANCE® PERU 2016: ALIVE COVERAGE

CARL COX BECOMES AMBASSADOR If you’ve been to ULTRA Music Festival® in Miami, you’ve likely been drawn into the sights and sounds of the MegaStructure (otherwise known to many as the Carl Arena). After thirteen consecutive years of hosting this stage in Miami, RESISTANCE® recently unveiled that Carl Cox will be taking over as the brand’s worldwide ambassador. RESISTANCE® will now serve as home to not only the Arcadia Spider, but also the illustrious MegaStructure, forming a cohesive alliance between the two stages.

ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL® 2016, ALIVE COVERAGE 32

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RESISTANCE® MIAMI 2017 The debut of this enhanced RESISTANCE® experience will feature the return of Sasha & John Digweed who last played ULTRA Music Festival® together in 2010. Alongside their return, RESISTANCE® will also welcome the likes of Joseph Capriati, Marco Carola, Black Coffee, The Martinez Brothers, and Tale of Us to the hallowed MegaStructure. Meanwhile, the ‘Spider’ will serve as home to Hot Since 82, Maceo Plex, Dubfire, Marcel Dettmann, Adam Beyer, Eats Everything, Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones, Nic Fanciulli and many more….. While the emergence of RESISTANCE® has been impressive, we are certain this concept has not even tapped into its full potential and will seek to further its grasp in the near future. If the past is any indication, we won’t even try to guess what RESISTANCE® has planned next... u

THE VISIONARY RUSSELL FAIBISCH

ussell Faibisch, a Miami Beach native, first discovered electronic music in 1992. He began attending underground music festivals and rave parties in 1993. The business major at Florida International University decided to follow his passion and focus full-time on producing underground warehouse events and in 1997 he created Ultra Productions and promoted his first two parties the following year, Amoeba and Magical Maydaze, which were each a success locally. Quickly realizing he had hit his ceiling with producing small shows at venues with capacity limits of only a few thousand, Faibisch next set his sights on bigger goals and instead of thinking locally, his aspirations grew to include global achievements. In 1999, Faibisch co-founded Ultra Music Festival® with former business associate, Alex Omes. The first two years of the festival took place on the sands of the 21st Street Beach in Miami Beach and were a huge success, with an impressive showing of international attendees. Every year since the festival’s inception, the event grew. In the mid 2000’s, business associates, Adam Russakoff and Charles Faibisch, joined the organization.

In 2006, Faibisch found himself spending lots of time in Brazil researching which city would be best to launch the first international festival. This was the first step in his journey of chasing his dreams of international expansion. In 2012, Ultra Worldwide™ was created and Ultra festivals were launched in Korea and Argentina. Fast forward to 2017 and Ultra Worldwide™ now spans more than 20 countries, over five continents, including Africa, Europe, North America, South America, and 11 countries in Asia. Today, Ultra Worldwide™ is now the most international music festival brand in the world by far and, amazingly, simultaneously retains its status as a wholly independent organization. The brand also continues to evolve with Ultra Worldwide™ gearing up to announce further expansion into three new major international markets in 2017. While Ultra’s international success is on the rise, Miami is still the flagship of all the global editions. Ultra Music Festival® in Miami has recently won ‘#1 Festival In The World’ by DJ Mag in 2016 and ‘Best Festival’ by Your EDM in January 2017. u

Photo: DEVIN DEL SANTO

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ESSENTIAL 10 Ten events that need to be on your radar for MMW 2017.

One of the things that distinguishes Miami Music Week from other dance music events around the world is the diversity of the types of parties that you can attend. While Ultra Music Festival is considered the pinnacle event of MMW, there are countless other shows going on worth exploring as well. Whether you want to dance poolside in the sun, party with your favorite DJs on a yacht, or lose your mind in the debauchery of afterhours, you can find it all happening at the 250+ venues that comprise Miami’s annual dance music marathon. With so many options, planning your schedule while taking advantage of all that MMW has to offer isn’t always the easiest task, but lucky for you, we’ve got you covered. Here’s 10 events that need to be on your radar, selected by category…

AFTERHOURS Event: RESISTANCE Closing Party Venue: E11EVEN Rooftop Date: Sunday, March 26th Time: 11pm till the party ends As an off-shoot brand of Ultra Music Festival, you should expect only the best from RESISTANCE. For the 2nd year running, Ultra’s RESISTANCE brand will be ending the week in style at Miami’s one and only 24/7-365 super club, E11EVEN. While the capacity at this event is very limited, the lucky few who make it in will enjoy a wide array of special guest artists that comprise the best that underground dance music has to offer.

BOAT PARTY Event: Cosmic Gate & Friends Sunset Cruise Venue: Biscayne Lady Date: Saturday, March 25th Time: 3pm till 9pm If you leave Miami without having attended at least one boat party, you’ve failed. There’s nothing quite like cruising the waters of Biscayne Bay while grooving to renowned DJ’s who are locked in session doing what they do best. The sun retreating behind Miami’s skyline gives way to unparalleled vibes as you and a hundred of your closest friends let loose & party like there’s no tomorrow. With so many great boat parties going on during MMW, you almost can’t go wrong, but Cosmic Gate’s Sunset Cruise has historically been a sure fire winner.

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HOME GROWN Event: 5 Years of Slap & Tickle w/ Moonboots Venue: Bardot Date: Tuesday, March 21st Time: 10pm till 5am You’ll feel right at home inside the eclectic walls of Bardot which regularly hosts one of Miami’s most well established nights of dance, Slap & Tickle. Born in Miami and lovingly crafted through five years of blood sweat and tears, S&T Miami is well known to be the weekly go-to gathering for local music aficionados. With Moon Boots on deck for their five-year anniversary celebration, you can guarantee that this dance party will get your Miami Music Week started right.

INDUSTRY GATHERING Event: The SiriusXM Music Lounge Venue: 1Hotel Date: Wednesday, March 22nd and Thursday, March 23rd Time: 3pm till 8pm Every year, SiriusXM’s Music Lounge turns out to be a real “who’s who” of electronic dance music. As celebrities network with industry heavyweights at this event, which is exclusive to SiriusXM subscribers, you’ll often find them dancing alongside average music fans to a lineup that is absolutely jam packed with super-star DJs and noteworthy up-and-comers.

LABEL PARTY Event: Stereo Productions Miami Venue: Heart Nightclub Date: Saturday, March 25th Time: 11pm till 11am It is no secret that Miami has had a long standing love affair with Stereo Productions. For many years, the Madrid based record label has made Miami its second home, hosting legendary parties and earning its way into the hearts of the locals. If it’s a proper Miami experience that you’re seeking to find, look no further. Saturday night into Sunday morning you’ll find the terrace of Heart Nightclub showing the world what put Miami’s dance music scene on the map.

MARATHON Event: The Martinez Brothers & Special Guests 24hr Party Venue: Club Space Date: Sunday, March 26th Time: 5am till 5am Not only is the official artist billing on point, but word on the street is that this iconic Miami venue, legendary for its marathon afterhours events, will close out MMW 2017 with a most impressive lineup of unannounced special guests. Although promoted as a 24hr party, if there’s one thing we know about Club Space it is to always expect the unexpected. There is really no telling how long this party will go. So remember: When your sunglasses go up…Club Space goes down.

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NIGHTCLUB EVENT Event: Marshmello Venue: Story Nightclub Date: Thursday, March 23rd Time: 11pm till 5am Prepare yourself for one of the most dazzling visual displays you can find because there is no doubt that this venue flaunts one of the most impressive sound & lighting productions in Miami, if not the world. On Thursday, Marshmello takes control of the plot at Story Nightclub with his signature blend of deepfluffy-hybrid-melodic-sexy-trap-house, laying the foundation for one of the best clubbing experiences around.

POOL PARTY Event: ULTRA Pool ~ Axtone Miami Venue: The Miami Music Week Hotel at Delano Date: Wednesday, March 22nd Time: 2pm till 11pm Pool Parties are Miami’s specialty and none quite compare to the vibe you’ll find at Delano Beach Club. While events will be going on here all week long, you’ll find the first of two official ULTRA branded pool parties happening Wednesday afternoon featuring artists from Axwell’s record label, Axtone. As one of The Miami Music Week Hotel’s standout events last year, Axtone Miami is back for round 2 and we can’t wait for it.

POP-UP Event: Above & Beyond with Eric Prydz Venue: RC Cola Plant Date: Thursday, March 23rd Time: 8:30pm till 3:30am The formerly abandoned RC Cola Plant is an architectural mainstay of the Wynwood Arts District. On Thursday night, Miami based event producer, DiskoLab, will transform this unique 48,000+ square foot space into a sight to behold. With Eric Prydz slotted as one of Above & Beyond’s special guests, there’s no wonder why this has become one of MMW’s most talked about events.

18 + Event: Monstercat Uncaged Venue: The Hanger Date: Sunday, March 26th Time: 10pm till 5am While Miami’s party scene generally caters to the 21+ crowd, that doesn’t mean that the next generation is left with nowhere to go. Although there are other 18+ options, including Ultra Music Festival, one of MMW’s highlights will occur on Sunday night, as Embrace & Culture Productions host the roster of Vancouver based, Monstercat. This event marks the label’s MMW debut as their internationally recognized live show lands in Miami, closing the distance between fans worldwide.

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CHASING THE SUNRISE Electronic Music in Miami As a popular vacation destination throughout the year, where numerous events feature headlining artists every single weekend, it’s hard not to love Miami. With over 15 beaches, 24-hour liquor licenses in the downtown area and delectable food that highlights the area’s strong Latin roots, Miami is truly a one of a kind getaway. Breathtaking scenery, tourism and the footprints of millions of immigrants are tied together by the diverse and rich history that has crafted Miami into a melting pot of cultures and influenced the city’s music scene. Having truly established itself as a worldwide congregation to celebrate all music, old and new, Miami brings together top-charting tracks, underground credibility and all of the genres in between. The wide spectrum of music culture in the city enables everyone to find their niche, whether it’s a dark & intimate club setting that they seek, or a wild and packed crowd at a music festival. From luxury hotel pool decks, to remote beaches on nearby islands, mega-yachts specially equipped for parties and openair venues that host pop-up events, Miami houses settings that cater to nearly every type of event imaginable. Decades of blossoming genres and a lush background story highlight Miami as the ultimate electronic music destination for music lovers across the globe, a city whose extensive musical history gives rise to a transformative experience every year during Miami Music Week. For nearly 4 decades, Miami has been locked in an ongoing love affair with electronic music, but well before 808 bass lines and confetti reigned supreme, numerous landmark events in The Magic City decorated the timeline of pop-culture. Nirvana, The Doors, The Beatles, The Who and far too many more musicians than we have time to list made headlines while under the spell of The 305. During the 80’s and 90’s, as disco gave way to the sounds of house, hip-hop and freestyle, Miami introduced the world to a new genre of music called Miami Bass. Pioneered by artists like 2 Live Crew, Poison Clan, Freak Nasty and 69 Boyz, the genre, also known as Booty Music, forever engraved itself into the city’s culture and arguably became the sound of a decade. During those same years, two Miami residents would begin collaborating together on a project that ultimately proved to be a crucial milestone in the development of the city’s dance music scene. Introducing House Music to Miami through a record label and production group called Murk, Ralph Falcon & Oscar G pioneered a percussive, Latin & Afro-Cuban sound that ultimately put Miami on the world’s House Music map and gave birth to the scene that still dominates Miami today. Settling in almost 19 years ago, ULTRA Music Festival® began planting its roots in Miami, but no one knew that this beach party in 1999 would evolve into the revolutionary worldwide phenomenon that it is today. As dance music fever began to spread across the USA, ULTRA’s reputation for exposing audiences to festival production of the highest caliber led to exponential success year after year. Facilitating an absolutely intoxicating atmosphere of positive vibes, the festival eventually established itself as a musical landmark in the USA. Word spread and thousands turned into tens

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MIAMI, PHOTO BY - CALDER WILSON of thousands of diehard dance music fanatics journeying to Miami from all ends of the earth to attend the festival that rivaled its European counterparts. Ultra had become known as the start of the global festival season. Miami’s pride & joy soon exploded into countries near and far, producing events in 5 continents annually and cemented its status as the world’s most internationally successful dance music brand. Now, ULTRA Worldwide™’s crown jewel, ULTRA Music Festival® in Miami, serves as the portal through which DJs, both local & abroad, annually showcase their craft by debuting their latest music to the world and effectively transform ULTRA Music Festival®’s birthplace into a home for the evolution of dance music. Every year at the end of March, the brightest talents in the industry converge in Miami for one week, allowing those who are infatuated with the artistry of dance music to cherish and rejoice in it. Headlining artists representing every genre and subgenre of dance music overflow into the 250+ venues that comprise the city, paving the way for up and coming artists and saturating the city with new music. While commercial hits dominate the mega-clubs scattered throughout the city such as LIV and Story Nightclub, venues specializing in the underground spectrum of things like Trade Miami, The Electric Pickle, and Treehouse serve as a second home for those who hunger for a taste of deeper & more complex styles. Ranked as the #2 Best Dance Club in America by Rolling Stone, LIV represents the perfect pairing of an exclusive VIP lounge setting while maintaining its status as a high-energy nightclub. Alluring its attendees with remarkable talent every single week at the

historic Fontainebleau, the iconic venue sets a worldwide standard for an impeccable nightlife experience. Meanwhile, clubs like South Beach’s Story set the bar by providing a state of the art sound system, top notch visuals, mind-blowing lighting and sophisticated production that creates a vibrant music experience sure to leave even the most judgmental music snobs walking away with that all too rare sense of awe. The true essence of Miami’s club scene, however, lies in the tucked away venues where small spaces resonate a one of a kind experience. Obscure music has snaked its way into the heart of Miami, spawning an abundance of underground haunts and attracting music enthusiasts from around the world who thirst for deeper shades of the music that they adore. Fans who seek the many faces of Techno often find themselves grounded within the walls of Trade Nightclub, where attendees are greeted with proper vibes set within a dark atmosphere and the type of sound system that will leave you gasping for air in the best way possible. Those in search of a more personal experience immerse themselves deep within the walls of venues like The Electric Pickle, Do Not Sit On The Furniture and Treehouse, where the world’s most respected DJs & producers frequently spoil Miami with legendary performances inside their intimate spaces; a treat that many who live outside of Miami rarely have the opportunity to enjoy. Fueled by their passion for music, the people in Miami don’t sleep, or so it seems. Venues residing inside the labyrinth of downtown Miami like Club Space, Heart Nightlcub and E11even cater to after-hours, thriving on those who go beyond the wee hours of the night. While each venue sets itself apart from the rest through defining characteristics that have been painstakingly crafted over many years, they do share one thing in common: without them, Miami wouldn’t quite be the same. Known for their frequent marathon events that are famous for lasting more hours than you can probably endure, Club Space and Heart Nightclub each nurture their own dedicated fan base by providing carefully curated lineups that feature forward thinking music from some of the most in-demand talent in the scene. Like two different but complimentary notes struck from deep within the soul of the same minor chord, the venues reverberate together loudly throughout every corner of Miami in poetic harmony. Those listening hear the undeniable pulse that emits from the beating heart of Miami’s underground, a vibration that over time has shaken the earth down to its core drawing connoisseurs of electronic dance music like hungry moths to a flame. E11even, their neighbor, claims the status as Miami’s only venue that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Music aficionados and partygoers alike revel in the opportunity to indulge all 5 of their senses at sunset or sunrise any day of the week. This $40 million award winning 20,000 sq ft monument to hedonistic delight features Cirque-style performances, aerialists, 5-star hospitality, a delectable food menu, Funktion-One Resolution 6 sound and special guest artists that not only include world-renowned DJs, but also icons like Drake, Jamie Foxx, P Diddy, and more. Yet, even still, amidst the tangle of complimentary locations and contrasting genres lies another layer of musical exploration within the web of Miami’s musical landscape. To the North of Downtown, and separated by a distance of only a few blocks is an area that lends itself to the pursuit and execution of artistic endeavors. Over many years, the city’s insatiable hunger for art and creativity led to the beautification of an area that was previously run down. This district, now dedicated to hundreds of visionary murals, now displays the deep artistic roots that are ever-present within the tucked away areas of Miami. Wynwood, now one of the highlights of Miami, serves as a true exhibit to the craftsmanship of Miami’s artists. Marked with graffiti, the rustic urban aesthetic of the area has encouraged the birth of a new breed of events: pop-ups. Embodying the creativity that the Wynwood district identity is built upon, events such as those located at Mana Wynwood and the RC Cola Plant provide some of the more unique music discovery experiences. Enhanced by the tangibly raw & organic energy that flows through the city streets, this area of Miami is widely considered to be the creative epicenter of The Magic City.

LIV

E11EVEN

ELECTRIC PICKLE, PHOTO BY - MAXX MCINERNEY

TRADE, PHOTO BY - ADINAYEV

Simply put, Miami has it all. It has invented its own style that is truly one of a kind and impossible to mimic. Whether you’re only beginning to fall in love with the world of dance music, or have been irrevocably seduced by the scene already, Miami not only becomes a refuge for those who seek it, it also becomes home. As a well-rounded city with a dense culture, it represents the pinnacle of many music lovers’ bucket lists. Every year, enthusiasts of the scene who seek to be consumed by that special one of a kind “something” which is unique to Miami alone, flock together to experience the life-changing energy that floods the city during Miami Music Week. They crave to be suffocated by the music, blinded by the lights and to move in one cohesive motion with the crowd; becoming one in the adoration of the artistry of music. Every year, as Miami Music Week draws to a reluctant close and the last record is spun, the excitement of those departing continues to linger throughout the airport terminals of a city that eagerly awaits their return. Bittersweet memories of a life well-lived replay in the minds of all who joined together in this most thrilling ride. Strangers are now friends, a global dance family and testament to the power that brings together individuals of differing cultures through their shared passion for the one uniting force; music. u BY ALEXANDRA SHAFRAN

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latin artists YOU MAY NOT KNOW IT BUT THERE ARE A FEW LATIN AMERICAN PRESENCES GRACING THE DECKS DURING THIS EDITION OF THE MIAMI MUSIC WEEK. FROM PERUVIAN DUO DEAF PILLOW TO BRAZILIAN SENSATION ALOK, MMW HAS A VARIETY OF SHOWS WHERE YOU’D BE ABLE TO CATCH THEM AND ASSIMILATE THOSE LATIN VIBES. CHECK THEM OUT!

adrian hour

MARKEM

PLACE OF BIRTH: Argentina PLAYING AT: TOOLROOM IN STEREO POOL PARTY

PLACE OF BIRTH: Venezuela PLAYING AT: HOTL MIAMI Previously known as Mark.M, Marco Martinez was Born in Caracas, Venezuela, and raised in Miami, where he started his career in the nightclub industry as a promoter at just 15 years old. During this year’s MMW, he’ll be playing alongside David Tort, cofounder of HoTL Records at his own party.

This young man has been growing a lot lately. Producing music from an early age in various forms and guises, Adrian has taken the world stage by storm. His partnership & friendship with Mark Knight leaded him to be one the most representative artists of Toolroom Records and from that moment on, he’s been constantly surpassing his own expectations. This time, you can catch him playing at the Toolroom in Stereo Pool Party at the Raleigh Hotel on Friday.

Anna

alok

PLACE OF BIRTH: Brazil PLAYING AT: LOST & FOUND and OCTOPUS RECORDINGS ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL

PLACE OF BIRTH: Brazil PLAYING AT: OLIVER HELDENS presents HELDEEP POOL LIV Nightclub W/ TIESTO

Brazil-born and Barcelona-based ANNA is in high global demand. Having recently won Best Breakthrough Artist 2016 at DJ Awards in Ibiza, 2017 promises to be ANNA’s biggest year. She will be performing at Arcadia The Spider in this year’s Resistance Stage at Ultra Music Festival and she will also be playing at Lost & Found and Octopus Recordings party with Sian, Guy J & Guy Mantzur at Treehouse on Thursday.

This DJ is one of the hottest artists of the entire scene right now with his Brazilian Bass sound being distinguished around the whole world. Placed N°25 at the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Awards, he’s living the best moments of his career and the parties where he’ll be performing prove it: A pool party with Oliver Heldens at Delano and a night with the one and only Tiesto at Liv. Not bad!

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guti

FRANCISCO ALLENDES

PLACE OF BIRTH: Argentina PLAYING AT: KNEE DEEP IN MIAMI DESOLAT BOAT PARTY

PLACE OF BIRTH: Chile PLAYING AT: DESOLAT BOAT PARTY

Curious & creative, fusing electronic music with jazz & Latin roots, giving his heart every night and in every song, this Argentinean live act is the favorite of many of the headlining acts from the underground elite. His complex live performances led him to share booth & studio with the greatest musicians in the world. Mixing himself with the club & dance world, he will be playing two times during the MMW: Hot Since 82 and Loco Dice’s label parties.

Francisco is one of the hottest talents of the contemporary dance music scene. Now residing in Ibiza, he’s been active since early last decade, releasing music for some of the most prestigious labels in the techno & house scene such as Desolat, VIVa Music, Cadenza, Mood and Spectral Sound. With a sound that shifts between synthetic house & techno grooves, he’s been supported by some of the most influential DJs of our time. He’ll be playing at the Desolat Boat Party alongside Loco Dice, Guti & others.

DEAF PILLOW

HECTOR

PLACE OF BIRTH: Lima, Perú PLAYING AT: tINI & THE GANG ON A BOAT

PLACE OF BIRTH: México PLAYING AT: ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL

Pioneering Lima’s house music scene, Rodrigo Lozano & Christian Berger propose a mature, forward-thinking understanding of electronic music. Their sound is future-oriented yet classic, merging the unexpected and unconventional in a very well-structured way. With over ten years of experience, this Peruvian duo has been releasing music on their label Audionumb as well on other platforms like Crosstwon Rebels. Get Physical, Sudbeat&BaileMusik. They will be playing alongside tINI on his annual boat party on Friday.

Born and raised in Mexico, Hector ended working at the iconic Phonica record shop in London where he met Anja Schneider and Loco Dice. Since then, we all know the story. Producing for a wide range of labels and forming the Vatos Locos crew, he’s been constantly representing the entire continent getting the nod from all corners of the underground. At this year’s MMW he will be playing for the Resistance! You will be able to catch him at the Arcadia Spider inside Ultra Music Festival on Saturday.

ELIO RISO PLACE OF BIRTH: Buenos Aires, Argentina PLAYING AT: ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL Born in Argentina with Italian blood running through his veins, Elio landed in Ibiza in 1997 to learn the real DJ job. Twenty years later, he’s still one of the mains DJs of the region, consistently playing alongside the big names of the underground not only at their parties over Ibiza but also when they go on tour through South America. He’s part of the Ultra family and has already played at the festival editions in Miami, Buenos Aires, Croatia, Brazil & Korea. This time, he’ll be opening the Resistance Spider on Saturday.

JILLIONAIRE & WALSHY FIRE PLACE OF BIRTH: Trinidad y Tobago & Jamaica PLAYING AT: ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL As part of the Major Lazer act, Jillionaire & Walshy Fire are representing Latin America more than OK. They are, together with Diplo, responsible for some of the biggest hits that the EDM has given not only to the dance world but to the entire music industry. You will be able to catch them as Major Lazer on the main stage of Ultra Music Festival this year. u

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LOCAL LOVE MIAMI’S RESIDENT DJS Building a career from the humble beginning as a local DJ is no easy task in any city around the world. And while some view this rat race merely as a popularity contest, the fact is that popularity alone doesn’t cut it. To stand out, local DJs must climb their way from the bottom up with consistency, passion, quality taste, technical skill, forward thinking and music production. As one of the most competitive DJ markets in the world, rising to the top as a local DJ in Miami is paramount to scaling Mount Everest.

Damaged Goods Obi Tawil aka Damaged Goods has developed a career out of “stretching the borders of musical sanity”. From a Downtown dance spot, mega South Beach club, or an underground speakeasy, there isn’t a venue Damaged Goods hasn’t stamped with his signature high energy and ever-evolving style. Past accolades include residencies at venues such as Mansion, Louis, Mokai, Set, as well as securing an international sponsorship with Smirnoff Vodka. In 2011, he kick started his producing career with the release of “Devastating” alongside co-producer Sydney Blu. They went on to release their second single together, “Giving It Up,“ which took off on Beatport’s Top 10 Progressive charts. Obi reimagined his sound with releases on Fool’s Gold, Mad Decent, and a forthcoming release on one of Spinnin’s top sub-labels, “Oxygen.” 2017 has been off to a great start as he secured residencies at LIV, E11EVEN, Hyde Beach (Miami) and Create (LA). Expect more releases and shows to come in what seems to be stacking up as Damaged Goods’ breakout year.

For many years, Miami has birthed artists that have transcended the local scene to gain worldwide recognition. Today, as we survey crop of talent here, it’s clear that it is as ripe for the picking as ever. After weeding through the endless list of local DJs and producers, we selected ten of the most respected, up-and-coming talents that Miami has to offer. Below are ten audience-pleasing DJs we believe deserve recognition for all the energy they dedicate to curating music for Miami’s local community. Make sure to keep an eye out for them as they perform at numerous events around MMW.

Donnie Lowe Anyone who has had the opportunity to see Donnie Lowe perform will undoubtedly tell you he is more than just a “House Head.” Donnie’s eclectic music style draws on years of immersing himself in a wide array of genres and music communities. Today you can often see Donnie at the newest Miami venue, Heart Nightclub, where he plays several times a month and is the go-to Resident for Heart’s nowinfamous after-hours parties with the promotions team Humans Alike. His sounds incorporate chunky hip-hop bass lines, synths and percussion all within the realms of techno, minimal and deep house. Donnie is taking the South Florida scene on a funky and melodic ride through house music with no signs of stopping anytime soon. soundcloud.com/donnieloweofc

soundcloud.com/iamdamagedgoods

Ella Romand

Hardline

Influenced by the sounds of electronic music and her background on classical piano, Ella Romand plays deep house with a harmonious taste. In Miami, Ella can be found playing regularly at Treehouse, The Electric Pickle, East Hotel, or Do Not Sit On The Furniture among other popular venues. Brought up in a nurturing musical environment, the Franco-Brazilian listened to a variety of music, from Bossa Nova to classical music. Thanks to a natural ear, she began playing the piano at an early age, picking up songs from the radio before composing her own. Additional to her solo career, Ella’s newest track in collaboration with vocalist Emilia Garth and music producer DAN.K was released by Bobbin Head Music under the electronic music group name Dsided.

Dedicating more than 10 years of his life to Miami’s nightlife, Hardline has made it his playground. For over seven years, Hardline has been a resident DJ with LinkMiamiRebels - one of the most respected underground music promotion teams in Florida. He has traveled and resided on the island of Ibiza, earning himself opportunities to perform at events at Cova Santa, Café Del Mar, Ibiza Global Radio and Sankeys Ibiza, where he currently holds a residency. Hardline considers himself to be a very versatile DJ. He’s able to play many different styles depending on the night’s context, but always has a cutting-edge approach in his track selection. After getting an audio technology degree from SAE Institute Miami, he continues his journey as a musical artist by getting deep into music production.

soundcloud.com/ellaromand

mixcloud.com/hardline

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Beki Powell

ALX

Whether she’s warming up the party or playing at a peak hour, Beki Powell can look at an audience, feel the vibe and know exactly how she’s going to bring that party to life. Powell, born and raised in New York, has dedicated herself to curating musical journeys at countless venues along the east coast of the United States. Beki Powell is not only a DJ but also a multi-media artist. While her roots were founded in visual art, her creative energy eventually channeled into music, within which she applies the same principles she does to art. A few key words from her digital-media kit: soul, flow, depth, & feeling. These words are as literal as it can get when attempting to express Beki’s dedication to her art and music. It is Beki’s firm, genuine belief that “music and art are meant to be shared, and there is nothing like experiencing those electrifying, emotion-soaked moments, alongside the hearts of others.”

Alex Sanchez, more commonly known as ALX, fuels his audience by combining deep and energetic styles of music from across the globe. Surrounded by the vibrant flavors of his hometown Miami, ALX’s one-of-a-kind concoction of deep, rumbling techno mixed with enticing, high energy grooves wrap his audience in vibrations from dusk ‘til dawn. His reputation for distinctive beats and style has earned him a seat as one of today’s most promising techno exports. ALX’s contribution to the scene exceeds the title of DJ/Producer. 2014 saw ALX expand into a new territory of the industry, with the launch of his very own record label and party brand Descend. When it comes to music, “it’s all about the crowd and the vibe” says ALX. “Everything I do in music, every new track, every baseline, every beat, is done for the experience. Nothing gets me more pumped than seeing people captured by the sound.”

soundcloud.com/beki

soundcloud.com/Alxofc

Luke Hunter

Ms. Mada

For Luke Hunter, every musical endeavor is an opportunity to create a completely new experience through sound. His aim is to always connect with his audience and invoke that thrill a person feels when hearing a song for the first time. He has also performed at Ultra Music Festival for six consecutive years with his partner Francesco Cardenas, as the electronic music duo, SanedracHunter. Luke coowns and manages the electronic music label, Typ3 Records, which has released over 130 tracks. You can find him this March, sonically and professionally catering to the audience at Typ3 Records’ Miami Music Week showcase.

Filipino born and Miami raised, Rachel Tumada a.k.a. Ms. Mada, is an upcoming DJ & aspiring producer based in Miami Beach. As the youngest addition of LinkMiamiRebels, she has become a staple in the Miami scene with her residencies at TRADE Nightclub and now, Club Space. With many successful appearances at venues throughout Florida and abroad, she has swiftly become a force to be reckoned with in the Miami local dance music scene. Her highly demanded performances in both local and international spectrums further prove that there is no end in sight for her continuous growth.

soundcloud.com/lukehunter

soundcloud.com/ms-mada

Archila

Dude Skywalker

The Colombian, Juan Jose Archila, has been captivated by all kinds of music from birth. At the age of 18, Archila traveled to Miami, the city where he found his musical passion for electronic music, and he never looked back. Archila defines his style of music as percussive techno. Just a quarter of the way into the year, Archila has had nine of his newest tracks released by multiple record labels internationally. Archila has been catering music to audiences throughout South Florida for many years, making him a strong influence in the electronic music scene of Miami.

Dude Skywalker has time-traveled from the distant future to save the current state of dance music. With the cosmic sounds of the forthcoming space age, Dude Skywalker combines a signature, eclectic vibe of space-funk, disco, hip-hop, soul and jazz. With the moving beats of deep house and gritty techno, Dude Skywalker has all angles of the underground dance floor covered. Miami natives Sam Plessett, Alex Borges and Fabio Galarce are the brainchildren behind Dude Skywalker. In January, they released a two track EP labeled Nasty EP via Nervous Records.

soundclould.com/archila

soundcloud.com/dude-skywalker

Please visit MiamiMusicWeek.com for more artist and event information throuhgout Miami Music Week. djmagla.com

MMW PRO TIPS A few suggestions for you… Welcome to Miami! If you’re unfamiliar with the local lay of the land, the tricks of the trade, and marathon party essentials, don’t worry because we’ve got you covered. Most everything you need to know to navigate the city and do it proper during MMW is listed here. If you would like to contribute to the list, tweet your advice to #MMWProTips

WEBSITE & MOBILE APP SPECIAL FEATURES In addition to the basic function of creating a custom schedule of events, Miami Music Week’s website & mobile app contain some very useful tools that you should be careful not to overlook.

FIND EVENTS NEAR YOU: Turn your GPS on and use the “sort” option when searching for events in the mobile app to see what parties are happening near your immediate location. You might just find out your favorite DJ got added to an event that is just a short walk away. Alternatively, you can use the “Event Map” in the side navigation of MMW’s website to see an entire citywide display of venue locations. FIND OUT WHERE YOUR FRIENDS ARE GOING: Connect your Facebook to enable special views that display how many of your friends plan on attending any particular event, their names, sorting options, a social activity stream and an aggregated list of events that your friends have added to their calendar.

EVENT UPDATE NOTIFICATIONS: Don’t worry about having to check event pages over and over again as you wait for new lineup announcements & information. After adding an event to your calendar, notifications about updates will appear in the “social stream” section.

PARKING

For those who venture to Miami with a car, finding parking parking can sometimes prove to be quite a task. This is where the mobile app, Parking Panda, comes in. You can use this app to find and reserve a spot in one of several parking lots that are available throughout the city. However, if you park at a meter along the street, you’ll want to get both of these mobile apps: PayByPhone & ParkMobile. You can use these to pay the meter directly from your phone without having to worry about the obnoxious process of finding a ticket machine and typing in your information and you’ll also be able to refill the meter from your phone. 44

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QUICK FOOD SPOTS It’s not always easy to find decent food on the run, especially when you’re from out of town. These are a few of the popular spots that locals go to when they want easy food that doesn’t sacrifice quality.

NO MATTER WHAT, ALWAYS BRING SUNGLASSES If you don’t know already then you’ll find out soon that, in Miami, we party like animals. Just because you’re on your way to a club at 12am doesn’t mean that it is a wise idea to leave those sunglasses behind. No matter how unlikely it might seem, through some unknown force of Miami magic (and especially during MMW), it’s likely that you will find yourself at an afterhours event that you do not want to be caught at without your shades readily available. It’s a mistake that’s easy to make that will leave you feeling like an amateur among pros as you look upon your fellow party people in squinty-eyed envy.

MIAMI BEACH: La Sandwicherie, Pizza Bar, Big Pink, Bodega Taqueria y Tequila, Suviche, Gogo Fresh, Café Del Mar, Juice & Java, Commonwealth Miami, Taste Bakery, Yardbird, Whole Foods Buffet DOWNTOWN:

The Daily, GiGi, Zona Fresca, Ten Fruits, Bayside

Outdoor Mall

BRICKELL:

Mister O1, La Sandwicherie, Coyo Taco, La Moon,

Pincho Factory

WYNWOOD:

Coyo Taco, Kush, The Butcher Shop, Wood Tavern

PHOTO: ROBERT BURGOINE

AREAS OF INTEREST If you have never visited Miami, then you might not be clued in to the locations of the various “hot spots” of activity around the city. Miami Music Week’s events & visitors generally gravitate around a select few main areas, so if you have some down time, don’t exactly know where to head and are in the mood to explore…. look no further. We’ve got you covered.

SOUTH BEACH: Ocean Drive, Collins Ave, Washington Ave and Lincoln Road. There’s a good chance that almost anything you’ll want to find will be located around one of these main roads and usually between 1st and 24th Street. Since this area represents every preconceived notion of what to expect from the surface of Miami, you can find a lot of enjoyment exploring these roads. Make sure to keep an ear out for the occasional pop-up DJ sets that occur in hotel lobbies & stores. You never know what DJ you might unexpectedly see.

DOWNTOWN: Biscayne Blvd, NE 11th Street, Bayfront Park and Bayside Mall. This is where Ultra Music Festival lives. While the Bayside Mall is pretty much the only touristy area to visit here around here, there’s still enjoyment to be had wandering the streets. Even if you’re not able to attend the festival, it’s worth the time to walk by and look through the exterior gates at the production because Ultra is a sight to behold. You’ll easily identify party

people from every corner of the globe as they wander the streets electrified by anticipation of what’s to come. If its after 11pm it might be a good time to make your way over to 11th Street where the famous Club Space, Heart Nightclub, and E11even make their home.

WYNWOOD: Part of what makes this area exciting and fun to visit is the fact that there is so much to look at while simply strolling along the sidewalk of any given street. Wynwood is world renowned for serving as the beating heart of Miami’s art scene and thus is covered in mesmerizing graffiti & street art. A good place to start your journey around here is by the intersection of NW 2nd Avenue & NW 26th Street. Pick a direction and you almost can’t go wrong. Make sure to swing through Wynwood Walls where you’ll find a labyrinth of immersive graffiti, pop in-to Wood Tavern for a quick drink, and don’t be afraid to explore. You never know what kind of inspirational treasures you might find around here.

TIPPING

When you’re paying your tab at 5am after enjoying hours of face melting music from your favorite DJ, you might be surprised to find that your bill is more expensive that you anticipated. Many times, this is because most of the clubs, bars & restaurants around Miami will automatically include your tip into the final price of the bill. That means, unless the service was most exceptional, you’re off the hook on leaving more. djmagla.com

GETTING AROUND Like most major cities around the world, visitors to Miami can either use taxis or ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft to get around. However, many visitors to Miami are unaware of a few additional services that are available to get you from point A to B.

CITI BIKE:

Unlock a bike and unlock Miami with this convenient (not to mention healthy) mode of transportation. With a thousand bikes located at a hundred stations all around Miami Beach, downtown and other areas, these bikes are available to rent and use 24 hours a day. With rental rates starting as low as $4.50 for 30 minutes, CITI BIKE is a great way to get where you need to go while enjoying the city.

METRORAIL:

If you happen to be staying on the main land (as opposed to Miami Beach), you may be able to make use of Miami’s Metrorail. With stops in many areas like South Miami, Coconut Grove, Brickell, downtown, Hialeah, the airport and more, this cheap mode of transportation is not only reliable but also has extended hours during Ultra Music Festival (closing at 2am). So don’t worry, you’ll be able to catch your favorite closing act and make it to the station in time to get back to your hotel.

ESSENTIAL GEAR Any seasoned veteran of the party scene should be able to compile this list of items that you absolutely must have with you as you embark on your next clubbing/festival adventure. They are the few universal essentials that you never think about until you need them the most, so prepare in advance and adventure in confidence knowing that MacGyver would be proud.

MIAMI TROLLEY: A FREE and fun way to travel around Miami. If you’re trying to save cash for drinks at the next party, then don’t forget to keep this convenient shuttle in mind. Running from 6:30am to 11pm on most days, and routes all throughout hotspots like downtown, Brickell and Miami Beach, you just might find yourself stumbling out of afterhours and enjoying a nicely air-conditioned free ride back to your hotel.

ALCOHOL SALES Showing up to an event without the proper ratio of alcohol to food in your stomach can mean the difference between spending a couple bucks and a couple hundred bucks. Save money on alcohol by making a point to stop by one of the local supermarkets, gas stations, liquor or convenience stores to stock up on your pre-game booze. However, if you are staying around South Beach you should note that alcohol sales at these store locations end at 12am so you need to make sure that you get your supplies in advance.

1. SMALL PLASTIC BAG FOR PHONE Random sun showers at outdoor events in Florida are not uncommon. So if your final destination lacks a ceiling and four walls, you would be wise to carry a small plastic bag to protect that computer in your pocket.

2. PORTABLE BATTERY CHARGER It’s funny how after only a party or two and a few brews you’re bound to find your phone’s battery clinging to life by a thread. Nothing is worse than losing your friends, getting stranded with no obvious way to contact anyone or get back to your hotel safely. To avoid this amateur mistake, carry a small USB charger for your phone at all times and, after-hours be damned, you’ll be good to go…. 3. TOILET PAPER Correction. Worse than losing your charge is attempting to use the facilities to relieve the last few hours of pressure on your system and finding there to be no toilet paper anywhere in sight. If you don’t have TP in your time of need, you’re going to regret it. 4. EARPLUGS

Miami’s clubs boast some of the best production in the world. Whether you walk into a large venue or intimate club, you can rest assured that the sound system will be top notch. To protect your hearing, make sure you keep a pair of quality earplugs with you at all times. You might not need them most of the time, but when you do you’ll be glad they’re there.

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THE BUCKET LIST If you’re visiting Miami from afar, then there are a few items that you absolutely must check off your MMW bucket list before you can return home truly fulfilled.

1. WATCH THE SUNRISE ON THE BEACH. 2. ATTEND AT LEAST 1 BOAT PARTY. 3. LOSE YOURSELF AT AN AFTER-HOURS…. 4. …AND THEN FIND YOURSELF AT E11EVEN, MIAMI’S ONLY 24/7-365 ADULT CLUBBING EXPERIENCE. 5. WAKE UP HUNG-OVER AND FIND A COLADA. 6. WALK THE STREETS OF MIAMI’S RENOWNED HUB FOR ALL THINGS ART, WYNWOOD. 7. ENJOY A PUB-SUB, EVERY REAL FLORIDIAN’S FAVORITE GO-TO SANDWICH ON THE RUN (THE “CHICKEN TENDER” IS WHERE IT’S AT).

BEST OF

ARGENTINA 2016 Argentina has decided. These are last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most voted artists.

he first edition of Best Of Argentina was a complete success. More than 35 thousand people went through the voting platform with the intention of analyzing, from their own perspective, what is happening in the southern country. From December 9th to January 31st, voting was enabled for all those who wanted to support some of the local talents we nominated. 73% of the votes came from men, compared to 26% by the female audience who added their support. To our surprise, the voting tendencies reflected in the first days did not change throughout the entire voting process, with some minor changes in one or two categories. The results are now available. Here they are:

BEST HOUSE DJ 01. BAREM 02. DEEP MARIANO 03. FRANCO CINELLI Mauricio Barembuem won the Best House DJ category, obtaining one of the largest amounts of votes, taking into account all categories. The Argentine, former Minus, who knows how to enchant the whole world through his minimal techno with his own stamp, turned to more houselike grounds some time before releasing his brand new record platform called Fun Records. This new adventure, on which he embarked along with his friend and partner Alexis Cabrera, was a great help for his redefinition on the scene, positioning himself in the world as a headliner with his own style. With 31.5% of the votes within the category, Barem got the first position. Deep Mariano and Franco Cinelli, two heavyweights of the Argentine scene, complete the podium in a very interesting 2016 that saw them both head events throughout the country, often in back to back format, earning their place at the top of the local industry.

BEST PROGRESSIVE HOUSE DJ 01. HERNÁN CATTANEO 02. MARTIN GARCÍA 03. MACELO VASAMI The category with the most differences from the entire voting. With 67.7% of votes, Sudbeat’s boss, who appeared as a strong candidate to win the crown in his genre, showed that he still leads the progressive house movement in the country - and around the world. In a year in which his presentations in Argentina were fewer than usual, he got the support of his audience to get the first position in the poll. Second was Martin Garcia, another historic DJ in the country, who consolidated himself as one of the great figures in the local scene. The third place was for the ascending talent of Marcelo Vasami. The young DJ and producer was part of the showcase that Sudbeat label organized at the end of 2016 where he demonstrated the level he is offering at present.

BEST TECH HOUSE DJ 01. ELIO RISO 02. FESTA BROS 03. MATIAS SUNDBLAD In one of the most contested categories of the entire voting, the Argentine-born Italian-blood artist knew how to make the difference that earned him the title of Best Tech House DJ in 2016. His presentations around the world have given him a privileged position in the region, to which he has arrived after immense tours in which he appears daily in Ibiza, sharing booth with the greatest figures from the international scene. His recent productions, with appearances in respected labels such as Great Stuff and Deeperfect, are also key facts to understand part of his success. Completing the podium, there are two of the most recognized and important acts in the Argentine scene. Both Festa Bros duo and Matias Sundblad are synonymous with quality DJ sets focused on the dance floor. Their presentations in all parts of the country make them two of the most federal acts in our vast nation.

BEST TECHNO DJ 01. ROMINA COHN 02. JONAS KOPP 03. ADRIAN HOUR And now, Best Of Argentina´s most contested category. The only woman who was nominated ended up winning her category: the techno genre. The Argentine woman appears in the local circuit of events related to techno and her figure as an icon of the scene dates back to a long time ago. DJ Hell’s favorite - they recently played together in Bahrein -, she has worked with artists such as Felix Da Housecat. She is a leading figure in the Argentine techno scene and her first position, with 22.8% of the votes, is proof of it. Up close, with 18.3%, Jonas Kopp obtained the second position after a year full of success and trips around the world - so far in 2017, he has already played in Argentina, Portugal, Austria, Brazil and Italy – obtaining a strong position in the international techno elite. Backed by the great Mark Knight, and releasing successful music on Toolroom label, young Adrian Hour remains firmly on his way to the international elite. Settled in Berlin, a prominent future in the techno scene is ahead of this artist who got the third position.

BEST TRANCE DJ 01. HEATBEAT 02. CHRIS SCHWEIZER 03. TOMAS HEREDIA Heatbeat duo gets the top position in another of the most contested categories. For a long time now, they have been in charge of bringing Argentine trance to the world with regular presentations in all continents and with successful productions that see the light in the most outstanding labels from the enormous industry of trance. 2016 was another of their great years, with highly successful local parties and releases that not only reached the top of the charts but also saw them return to the style that gave birth to them and made them stand out. Their last step was to have become the first artists in the region (not only in Argentina) to create their own platform within a giant like Armada Music: Aerys Records. The podium is completed by two of the great promises from the present local trance. Not so far from the winning duo, they have both won the podium thanks to their constant level of presentations and releases. Chris Schweizer consolidated his sound in 2016, becoming one of the artists with the greatest sales in Beatport, while Tomas Heredia comes from performing twice with Above & Beyond and from releasing a new single in Armada Music, promising a successful 2017.

BEST LIVE PERFORMER 01. GUTI 02. TROCCA 03. ALEXIS CABRERA Another of the easy resolutions of the survey took place in this category. The Argentine based in Barcelona won the section with 43.8% of the votes, almost doubling those who followed him in this same section. Guti is the maximum representative of live presentations around the world and week after week he plays with the big names of the international elite. He visited the country in 2016 and made us all dance with his groovy house and, back in Europe, he’s been producing a lot more of that gangster vibe house that will make everybody dance in the whole world. The Head of Arjaus Music Academy, Mariano Trocca, was left in second place. Mariano is one of the most respected figures of the local scene and obtained second place with his live act Trocca. The third place was in the hands of another international artist: Alexis Cabrera. Barem’s partner also had a great year with presentations across the globe, many in Argentina, and the growth and consolidation of his record label Fun Records.

BEST PARTY 01. PM OPEN AIR 02. RIO ELECTRONIC MUSIC 03. SAVAGE The podium for Best Party Cycle is entirely represented by the City of Buenos Aires. With more than 30% of the votes, people chose the Saturday cycle that takes place in the Punta Carrasco complex. With five seasons in its history, the cycle has consolidated as the plan par excellence for Saturday afternoons in the Federal Capital, with its facilities located outdoors near the river and a broad hiring policy that is always well-aimed. In 2016, artists such as Traumer, Rebolledo, Shall Ocin, Livio & Roby, DJ W!ld, Andhim, Cuartero and Kolombo, among many others, went through its booth. The second place was for Rio Electronic Music, a brother cycle to PM that takes place on Sundays in the same facilities and which has established based on major events, featuring world-class artists such as Solomun, Adriatique, Monika Kruse, Yousef and Troy Pierce. Savage was in third place, after a great year on the terrace of the Buenos Aires nightclub called Jet Lounge. Also near the river, the sunset format played a fundamental role and ended up on the podium. With a very interesting aesthetic, it also presented big names of the likes of Uner, Volkoder, Fur Coat, &ME and Dennis Ferrer.

BEST NIGHTCLUB 01. CROBAR 02. THE BOW 03. BAHREIN Another of the battles in this category starred entirely by clubs from the capital city. Buenos Aires, with its weekly cycles full of international artists, provided the best nightclubs. The winner, Crobar, made a slight difference with 23% of the votes thanks to its consistent hiring from the underground world for several years now. Crobar has always been at the forefront of electronic music. This year it celebrated its tenth anniversary in Buenos Aires, with the presence of Claude VonStroke on the turntables. In July 2012 it gave birth to its Crobar Be Techno cycle of parties and since then it has secured a place in the heart of Argentine fans and DJs around the world. From Ben Klock to Carl Cox, John Digweed, Chris Liebing, Magda, Josh Wink, Len Faki and many others, everybody loves Crobar´s dance floor. The second place was in the hands of The Bow. The club was recently renamed and with a cycle aimed at the whole spectrum of house music on Saturday nights, it fought tooth and nail for the first place. Third was Bahrein, the mythical nightclub located in downtown Buenos Aires that has remained firmly in the conscience of the clubbers for more than a decade. Only fourteen votes left the club Dorian Gray from Córdoba outside the podium.

BEST VENUE 01. MANDARINE PARK (Buenos Aires) 02. LA FÁBRICA (Córdoba) 03. MUTE (Mar del Plata) With a good margin from the second place, Mandarine Park is positioned as the most representative venue for mass events in the country. 33% of votes went to the space that is located in Punta Carrasco, which in 2016 could not give its best due to the problems that hit the City of Buenos Aires after the tragedy occurred at Time Warp. Although only Hardwell and techno masters Ben Klock, Sam Paganini and Marc Houle participated, that was enough for it to keep the first place. The second place was for La Fábrica, the interesting space in Cordoba that attracts big names with an enviable regularity. Located right by the river and surrounded by trees and mountains, this former factory has a most private vibe. In 2016, it presented talents of the likes of Boris Brejcha, Marco Carola and Pan Pot, among others. The podium was completed by the summer diva: Mute Mar del Plata, the space that every year organizes the most popular events in the Argentine coast, obtained the bronze medal. u

A new balance MAGDALENA TOLD US ABOUT HER PROJECT’S SIDE B, A MORE SENTIMENTAL FACET THAT INJECTS A CERTAIN RIGOUR TO ALTERNATIVE SOUNDS. WE WENT OVER HER CAREER TO GET A BETTER GRASP...

From zero

The origin

At first, we intended to meet Magdalena at Doce record store but because they were closed for the holidays, she recommended Pergamino Café, a perfect spot that every day serves some of the most outstanding coffees produced in Colombia. It was after 10 o’clock and Ana –that’s her real name– was a no-show. She might have been caught up in the chaotic city traffic. “Hello! Listen, I just woke up, I’ve been so tied up I completely forgot about our meeting. Jesus! Are you there?”, read her email. She got there a while later, still feeling embarrassed. “I’m sorry, it’s just I’ve been taking medicine and I completely overslept,” she explained, adding that she had developed a bone formation and spurs in one foot from wearing the wrong shoes. But it’s understandable because after her debut as female woman at Boiler Room Colombia, 2016 marked a year with more gigs and events than usual. The fact is, as a DJ, doing more than ten performances a month cannot be easy.

Not-so-little Ana Magdalena Camargo was born in Medellín, one of Colombia’s most charismatic cities, sometimes called the city of eternal springtime. She didn’t stay there for long: it was in the capital, Bogotá, that she grew up, went to school and was part of several music groups that led her to being always immersed in music. “Besides techno, I had always made music and written stuff but I never put anything out. All of a sudden, I realized I had a lot of songs, so I said, ‘Let’s put out an alternate project,’” she says. The project’s name couldn’t be Magdalena, since that was her DJ alias, so she added “Solo Project.” “The name became official when I started to put together the staging. Then I called a girl to sing with me and help me at live shows because I couldn’t do it all alone. But it wasn’t so cool. It’s very hard to make yourself understood when you want the other person to do something specific,” she says. It all started six years ago, and although she tried working with someone else, she decided to pursue her project solo because it makes a difference in terms of freedom.

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“When it’s your own music, you’re free to say what you want.” Magdalena describes herself as a girl that simply vomits songs. And although she feels she gets influenced by several things, she implies that this is a bit confining, as she has a lot of things in mind whenever she writes and shapes up a song. In her opinion, it is important to have some background before experimenting with alternate projects, because experience and background can be of use when it comes to creating something new without feeling restricted. What would she be doing if Magdalena Solo Project hadn’t occurred? “I’d be writing books,” she replied with laughter, and said she would already have finished a book called “My memoirs.” She mentioned an old blog she used to keep. “The blog came up from a solo project EP, called ‘Thoughts from a broken mind.’”

A new era These days, Magdalena Solo Project has fallen into oblivion, but only in terms of its name. The project’s music and charisma are alive and well, and the sound aesthetics remains. And although the Solo Project has turned into a new version called Magdalena MSP, she says the acronym has made the project known to a wider audience, because the ‘Magdalena’ part of the name led people to automatically associate it to the DJ and open themselves more easily than the Solo Project. But things didn’t end there. Recently, Magdalena went from singing and mixing separately to doing it all at once. This was a result of people’s feedback. “A lot of people who have heard both projects ask me, ‘Why don’t you sing when you do mixes?’ To me, the music I mix is one thing, just like my singing is one thing, but in the end, I got to a point where instead of going two separate ways, I managed to connect it and be the same person. Another important point is that you see producers that make highly melodic things and when they spin, they play really hard stuff, so it’s like, ‘Hey, it can be done!’” “I had decided to end the project. I grew tired because it was too much pressure to do live shows and shoulder such a big load on my own. So I said, this is it. Also, I had a lot of songs that I’d made but I hadn’t released,” she says. Then I came across Diego, who was making a compilation of electronic music women artists in Latin America. He showed me the other girls and I wondered if he wanted a techno song. I sent him several tracks that I had finished,” she explains, adding that these were the tracks that were later released under PZ Records. “I’m sure this isn’t what you’re after,” she told Diego, and he replied, “No, no, I want your other project.” And even though he didn’t know the other project was over, Magdalena submitted several tracks, of which “Blue Dress” was the definitive one for the compilation. Before its end, the project found an outlet again.

Sometimes I find myself not “knowing what to write about and I think, ‘I need someone to break my heart!’

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The song “Blue Dress” was born out of a dream she had of wearing such a dress. In the dream she was with a real person that she hadn’t spoken to in years. “‘I Can’t Help It’ was one of the last ones I made. It was like, ‘There’s a time that’s gone and it’s over, and even if you want to, you can’t go back – sorry.’ It was around the time when I was thinking about putting an end to the project,” she tells us. “Piano Sheets” is one of her favourites. They are all based on true stories. Being in love is useful and being heartbroken is even more useful!, she claims. “Sometimes I find myself not knowing what to write about and I think, ‘I need someone to break my heart!’ I mean it, you even try forcing a love affair in order to be broken-hearted and then write about it.”

Losing the fear On previous live shows of the solo project, Magdalena used to wear outfits and masks designed by herself to hide her eyes from the audience. It might be hard to believe but she, like so many others, is very uptight and suffers from stage fright. “As a DJ, I don’t, because you’re within the booth and somehow you feel protected, but when you’re presenting your music to an audience, it’s different. It makes me very anxious to do live shows and, to a certain degree, having my eyes covered gave me some feeling of security,” she admits. Ana did not know about the possible consequences of keeping her eyes hidden before the audience –for instance, psychological and physical problems– but after speaking with a psychologist, she understood. She stopped wearing the masks and bunny ears and started wearing normal clothes and singing. These days she no longer feels the need to cover her face, yet she always makes a point of wearing something unusual in her shows. After all, we have seen her wear her self-designed dresses for her project. “In general, when it comes to the EP, I’ve always wanted to work with visuals. The first time I worked with Doppelgänger for this project I really liked how it all played out. Plus, he loved the music, so we understand each other. This is even more so with Julián Gallo,” she says about her photographer. Magdalena’s new vision for her project is to associate each song to a short video clip filmed by Gallo and Doppelgänger. “They will be loops of images that we will film ourselves. So the three of us’ll work as a team, to make the staging more personal and original.” Although the list of venues to present Magdalena’s new project and show is taking shape, the subject makes her uncomfortable. “In promotion matters, I’m rather bad,” she says with a laugh. She knows the solo project is a tough sell because people are getting so used to electronic music as such that there aren’t too many venues for other types of offerings. “It’s all very sporadic but the idea is, together with Magio –a.k.a. Raven– to start mingling with people that are more involved in the matter to be able to deliver more to the audience in venues where it’s not all about dancing.” 54

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The journey continues After closing several chapters in order to start a new journey, Magdalena says 2016 was a very rewarding year but it was also too busy: she did a lot of live shows, which drove her away from the artistic part as such and the music. “In 2017, I want to recover and find myself. I want to work on the new album that I’m putting together. 2017 is the year of realizations, new projects, a year to show my techno live show as Magdalena and make more music,” she says earnestly, laying out her current feelings. Also, she wants to realize her dream of releasing an album in physical format. Specifically, on vinyl. “As I said, I come from punk, and the magic of taking the CD booklet out and having contact with the object is priceless. The initial idea was a CD but, speaking to the Ensamble guys, [I realized] the nicest format is on vinyl,” she says. She knows that this turns it into a more ambitious project, but it is her personal choice, and she will struggle to get it done this year. “Because of promotional matters and all that, it might be released under Surrounding Label,” she adds. As far as she’s concerned, the message is clear. “Do not do more or less than you must do. And if you’re too busy to deal with all the details involved in organizing an event, then you can’t organize an event. If the money to pay your artists is gonna come from tickets sold at the door, you can’t put on an event,” proving that it is frequent to mix friendship and business relations… Now, Magdalena’s alternate audience is in for an engrossing experience, as she is working on another project with a name other than Magdalena, as it belongs to a different genre. “It’s like half-way between Magdalena and Magdalena Solo. There’s singing but it’s a hybrid, so to speak,” she explains. “Being a DJ is great and I love mixing live but I want to take the next step, I want to do live shows with machines and equipment. The idea is to be more like a band when it’s live. It’s still electronic music, but with a punk vibe. If I manage to do this, I might include vocals, because they would be my songs. There’d be more improvisation,” she says. u

IT’S IN

THEIR BLOOD TRYING TO BRING THE OLD SCHOOL VIBE BACK TO THE DANCE MUSIC SCENE, THE MARTINEZ BROTHERS HAVE BEEN CLIMBING IN THE UNDERGROUND FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. A LOVE FOR MUSIC THAT WAS ALREADY IN THE GENES... Photos: GREG SWALES Words: HERNÁN PANDELO

rom the comfort of his New York studio, Steve Martinez answers the phone very kindly to talk about his and his brother’s goings-on. “Do you need him to be in the call too or can I do it alone?” he asks about getting Chris on the phone. As it turns out, he’s not in the studio with his brother, and putting him through won’t be so easy. “He’s stuck,” Steve says with a laugh. “He’s gone to spend the day out in the mountains with my parents, but there was a heavy snowfall and they got stuck. They can’t move,” he explains. Steve stayed in. He decided to spend the day in the studio and answer our call. Both brothers still live in New York, as they always have.

FROM THE BRONX

The Martinez Brothers were born and raised in the Bronx. In spite of being of Latino descent, they are American citizens and their connection to electronic music dates back to their early years. “Basically, our father was our first conduit to electronic music. He would go to clubs and listen to disco, listened to Kraftwerk and some electro stuff from the ’80s,” he recalls. Of course, there was also the 56

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radio, and in New York, a lot of electronic music got radio airplay. “And obviously the Internet. That’s when we started to understand a little more, to learn and get to know details about electronic music and how to make it. I think those were the two main channels we had,” he adds. Their father’s influence was key in the brothers’ musical development. “He’s so glad that we do this! He was with us in Ibiza this summer. He loves it. He was the first one to turn us on to DJing,” Steve comments about the relationship they have built with their father through music. He is very proud, and with good reason. These two have been playing music for over ten years, and today they are one of the most respected duos in the underground scene. “It’s bizarre that so much time has passed. It’s all been worth it.” They started out near the turn of the millennium with the idea of becoming DJs. Steve says they had always had music influences in their life, and they dabbled in all music styles and every instrument you can think of. DJing was one more instrument, and one thing led to another, without too much pressure, organically. “It was sheer curiosity in our case,” he explains. “We had played all the instruments and been

part of hundreds of bands, and it was time to immerse ourselves because we found it totally cool. It was nothing more than curiosity,” he claims. “Even so, I always knew I wanted to be a DJ. It was something I envisioned. It’s strange but I always knew. It’s not like it came out of nowhere – it had always been there.”

OUT OF THE SHELTER

As they took their first steps in the electronic world, their lives started to revolve around decks and records, being guided by a father that gave them his full support. Then success came with gigs and releases, all together. “The first club we ever played was one that we really idealized when we were kids. When I was in school I would draw the logos and listen to the mixes recorded there. It was bizarre,” he says. “It was Club Shelter, a legendary club in New York City. So, from that day on, we believed we could make it. ‘If we got to play at Club Shelter, who knows what else we can achieve?’ we told one another,” he says about that big step. The gig at Club Shelter materialized because Chris got in touch with Dennis Ferrer via MySpace, and eventually Ferrer invited him to play there. “He invited my brother to play

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at Shelter; my brother told him about me and in the end it was an amazing thing. We played at the club at 4 am and ever since that day we built a great relationship with the club and with Dennis, of course,” he says. After that performance, things took an unexpected turn to the best. The Martinezes consolidated as a duo and made strides in their career. “After that, we built a great relationship with Dennis. We would hang out in his home all the time, working on tracks and learning. That’s when we immersed ourselves in music a hundred percent, you know?” he explains. “From that moment on, everything boiled down to working hard and learning. All these years we’ve been learning, and we keep on learning everyday.”

they intend to do with their record label. “We want to play those songs that, from time to time, someone comes up and asks you what it is. Obviously, the sets always change and we don’t play the same thing everywhere, but it’s good to play those songs that people expect to hear and know that we’re gonna play,” he says. It is a new kind of old school that takes

The label itself is a complete success and on it they make room for some of their friends in the industry, such as Argentine-born Guti who, as we speak with Steve on the phone, has just penned a new song that will come out under the label. “He’s like my brother. We’ve known each other for seven years and we get along great. No doubt, there will be more of his music on the label,” he assures.

TO IBIZA AND THE WORLD

“The real recognition came when we became regulars in Ibiza, you know? Ibiza, to me, changed everything. Having people from all around the world coming to see you at a club, week after week, is mind-blowing,” he asserts with excitement. For some years now, the brothers have taught a sixweek course on groove at DC10, one of the island’s greatest clubs. “Both Ibiza and the DC10 family have been super important throughout our careers,” he states. In fact, the DC10 residency is the only one they have held to date. “I believe one of the biggest problems of DJs today is they always want to play the new stuff, and I think that’s why we don’t have classics anymore. There are no DJs playing all the time a track that makes people go, ‘what is that?’ It is the DJs that build the classics. They are the ones that make them popular, make them well-known,” he says, posing a theory that involves his father. When Steve went to Shelter, or when his father went to see legends Larry Levan or David Mancuso, they sometimes got to hear the same track three or four times on the same night. That wasn’t unusual. It was a DJ strategy to make people wonder, “what is that record?” “I think that’s what we want to bring back,” he confesses. Steve says this is something

to see how well they do. It’s a lot of fun. We just want to put out good music. Everything we put out we play like crazy for quite a while. People look for it everywhere to see what it is. And as I said before, that’s what we want to achieve,” he adds. The label is run by the brothers, and they get help from their manager, Shauna Slevin, with everything, and Matt Tolfrey, the English DJ, producer and head of Leftroom Records. “Matt is basically the label manager. It’s really a team effort. We all do a bit of everything but it’s always good to have a good team and more than a couple of ears to listen. It’s a great dynamic and it’s working very well.”

elements from the past and resignifies them. Or something like that. “It’s important. Today, you have a track that’s great but you hear it a couple of times and everyone’s already thinking about the next. So it would seem that every track is meaningless. I think this stinks because a lot of effort goes into making a song,” he explains with a hint of passion.

RUNNING LABELS

About his record label, Cuttin’ Headz, he explains, “I think it’s wonderful. It’s a fantastic platform to release music. We love to get demos and feel the adrenaline of wanting to try out the songs

And it wasn’t the only friendship relation that moved into the music realm. Alongside the great Seth Troxler, they created a more conceptual label called Tuskegee. “It’s something different that was born out of our good friendship with Seth. We share a lot of shows, spend a lot of time together and have a good time. We’re friends,” he claims. Seth had the idea and the name, and he wanted to get them on board. It is a record label that aims at a more diverse terrain. The brothers have their own label and Seth also has his, so this is something different, and they want to give it a sophisticated touch. “We want to do something unique with Tuskegee. Something different from all the existing labels,” he explains, adding, “Definitely, there will be more to the label, and it will be diverse. Different.” With all these projects going on, it seems they have no time for anything else! Yet, they are racking up frequent flyer miles around the globe. “Honestly, I don’t take notice of our growth. We keep on doing our thing. We are in love with what we do. We never did this to become great stars. It was always because we love music,” he clarifies. u djmagla.com

LUIS NIEVA Luis Nieva’s biography is, in a large part, the story of Argentinian electronic music. He’s been one of the protagonists since the very beginning. Before the local scene hadashape,anameandacommon denominator, his involvement and his knowledge of music helped shape a movement that goes beyond music. In the mid ’80s he stood behind a turntable for the first time, strongly influenced by disco music, soul, funk and Chicago house. Later, he incorporated German and Detroit techno to his deck in the early ’90s, when he started a series of residencies at several clubs in the Buenos Aires province. To this day, Luis remains a heavyweight in the local scene. Here he delivers a mix populated by local talents so you can get more familiar with his Argentinian roots.

MIXED

RIVA STARR

Photo: SHAUN BLOODWORTH

Driven from his Italian motherland by a compelling desire to reinvent, innovate and progress, Riva has made London his home since 2008. A breath of freedom and fresh beats allowed him to wear his inspirations proudly beyond the sleeve and deep into the groove. In the past he’d produced house, techno, breakbeat, electro, pop, folk and everything in between. Here was the city where he could bring them together. As the very name of his own label Snatch suggests, Riva’s unpredictable “Magic Hat” selection keeps both him and us listeners on our toes. It’s kept him relevant, but more importantly, it’s kept him alive and kicking... He has delivered the first part of our new installment with one hour of his incredible selection. Enjoy this around the beautiful beaches of Miami.

DJ MAG LATINOAMÉRICA

MIXED - MIAMI SPECIAL EDITION PART 2 01. BRUNO LEDESMA “180109 (NICO CANO REMIX)” 02. THE ARQUITECH & EMANUEL QUEROL “GATEWAY” 03. RONAN PORTELA “33” 04. EMANUEL QUEROL & THE ARQUITECH “CHECKER” 05. EMANUEL QUEROL “SCRAT” 06. BS AS DEEP “LOOPER” 07. LUIS NIEVA “UPCOMING (FRANCO CINELLI REMIX)” 08. BS AS DEEP “RAUTEMASTER” 09. FUNK 198 “RED (NACHO CASCO EDIT)” 10. ADRIAN HOUR “LIKE THIS” 11. THE ARQUITECH & EMANUEL QUEROL “FORCE”

DJ MAG LATINOAMÉRICA

MIXED - MIAMI SPECIAL EDITION PART 1 01. TEST “TEST” 02. CHRISTIAN NIELSEN “BRINGIN’ BACK THE FUNK” 03. BLAZE “MY BEAT (SOLID GROOVE DUB)” 04. ELLIOT ADAMSON “PLEASED TO MEET YOU” 05. PAUL C & PAOLO MARTINI “TOUCHDOWN” 06. RUSS YALLOP & WAFF “SNAKECHARMER” 07. APEXAPE “JOY & PAIN (RIVA STARR REMIX)” 08. NATHAN BARATO “STOMP CHANGE” 09. TEST “TEST (RIVA STARR EDIT)” 10. RIVA STARR “THE BASEMENT SHIT (SKREAM REMIX)” 11. MOOVE D “I GAVE MY LOVE (SHAN & GERD JANSON EDIT)” 12. SUENO LATINO “SUENO LATINO (RIVA STARR EDIT)”

12. ADRIAN HOUR “TEST005” 13. JARK PRONGO “MOVIN THRU YOUR SYSTEM (NACHO CASCO EDIT)” 14. ADRIAN HOUR “HAPPENING” 15. FLUG “TIME”

PURSUING

a dream

Brazilian DJ ANNA is living the best time of her career so far. After moving to Barcelona, things came along very well and she’s not complaining at all! With a new release on Matador’s label RUKUS, she’s developing her career confidently.

hen we catch ANNA, she’s at Dubai’s airport about to take a plane to Alicante where she will be performing. She moved to Barcelona almost two years ago so she’s travelling close enough to her new home. It seems that her career was about to change and she needed to be closer to all those gigs she was having. And, to be fair, it seems that it was a nice move…

How’re you finding living in Barcelona? Why did you have to move from Brazil?

How often do you come back to your city? What is the best about it? “I go a lot actually. I am coming back to Brazil a lot to play recently. And of course I stay an extra few days with the family. I am so happy that my music is more accepted there nowadays and I am playing in clubs and festivals. That’s what I always wanted to while I was living there. The best part about going back is to spend time with my dog and my new nephews.”

Tell me how you felt last October when you performed at Ultra Brasil… that’s something to be really proud of, right?

“It is amazing. Since the first time I fell in love with Barcelona and I had a strong feeling that I was going to live there one day. It has been great living there so far! I had to move from São Paulo because I was playing too many shows in Europe and it became too exhausting to fly from Brazil to Europe so frequently. I was also having to reject many important shows for not being able to come. So I thought it was a good time to make this move.”

“It was amazing! The crowd was so welcoming with me. I felt really free to play whatever I wanted. It was one of the best gigs I played in Brazil. The line up was really great and I felt proud to be part of the first edition of such a big festival in my country.”

“I had to move from Sao Paulo because I was playing too many shows in Europe and it became too exhausting to fly from Brazil to Europe so frequently.”

“Back when I moved it was a bit uncertain how things were going to turn out for me but I made the move regardless and am hoping for the best’. I had a nice team working with me and I had a strong will to make the things happen for me outside of Brazil. Looking back now, it feels amazing to have achieved this. Living outside my country with things going really well, experiencing things that I’ve always dreamed of… I am very thankful.”

What things have you found better there than in your home country? “For my work specially being in Europe is much better. Electronic music here is much more present and diverse than in Brazil. I was having a bit of difficulty to express myself entirely when I was in Brazil, at that time. For my personal life, I also found it better as I have much more security, infrastructure and the standard of live is much better here than in São Paulo.”

And what things do you miss from Brazil? “I miss the feeling of family. That cozy feeling of when you are at your mother’s house watching Brazilian TV -this is what I miss the most. The friends and family I left there…” 62

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Do you feel that moving to Barcelona is a success in your career?

“Back when I moved it was a bit uncertain how things were going to turn out for me but I made the move regardless and am hoping for the best.” Looks like 2016 has been your greatest year to date. Do you feel it this way? “Yes. I’ve accomplished so many things last year. It was an unbelievable year

Anna’s first

MIAMI MUSIC WEEK “It is a week to meet friends, listen to good music and discover new artists. I always wanted to go but it never worked, so I am very excited for my first time there. I will try to meet as many friends as I can as everybody is there during the MMW!” “I can’t wait to play at Ultra Music Festival in Miami for the first time. Also I want to check the artists I love playing. It is difficult for me sometimes to go to listen to them because I am traveling a lot so it will be a good week to do this, I will try to spend the whole week there. I’ll be playing Ultra Music Festival and Octopus label party.”

Anna chooses

THE BEST OF 2016 1 “Playing with SOLOMUN + 1 at PACHA IBIZA”

2 “Receiving the BEST BREAKTHROUGH

and studying, improving my work and then all these nice things started to happen. Also I have been blessed to find a super passionate manager that helps me a lot. She believed in me and worked hard even when she was making no money working with me.”

ARTIST AWARD from DJ AWARDS”

You are the first artist to release an EP on Matador’s RUKUS, although you already released a remix on it. What went into that process?

SED ON DIYNAMIC doing so well”

“After the remix collaboration I sent some demos to Matador because I really liked to work with him and his team, and the remix went really well. He answered me some minutes later saying that I sent the tracks in a perfect time as he was looking for some artists for the label. He loved the track and even wanted to do a remix for it. So everything went really smooth with him. It is a nice label to be working with.”

3 “Seeing ‘ODD CONCEPT’ which was RELEA4 “Being able to PLAY AT THE LAST EVER

SPACE CLOSING PARTY”

for me. It was the year that I toured the most, I was able to discover lots of new places and nice people, had amazing gigs like Solomun +1 and Space Closing. My releases also went really well, supported by some of my heroes, and I even won some awards! Yes, it was my greatest year to date!”

You’ve accomplished a lot! New labels, new shows around the world… Do you feel this as a change of status? Why do you think this happened? I feel that it is a reward for so many years of hard working, love and persistence. I never gave up doing what I love and I continued working with patience and perseverance and dedication during the hard times which there were many along these 16 years of career where I had no money, no bookings, and no requests and I was full of uncertainties. I kept working

Are you happy so far with the results? “Yes! I think we have a strong and diverse EP with the remixes from Marc Houle and Matador. I am very proud and excited about this project.”

How did the collaboration with Gavin began, and how does it feel to open the door to the new direction the label is taking? “My first contact with Matador was last year when he invited me to remix a track of his album. I was really happy with the invitation as I’ve been a fan of his for a long time. I got along really well with him! I love his wife and his manager, it is a great team! It is a privilege. They did a great job on Matador’s album and the remixes album so it feels amazing to be trusted to be the first one to continue this work.” u djmagla.com

ADDING

INGREDIENTS A resident at one of the best clubs in the world, Korean-born Raiden has started to travel around the world thanks to the exposition brought by Nicky Romero’s label, Protocol. We talked to him about one of his best years to date.

ello, Raiden. How are you? “I’m fine. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me!”

Tell us, where are you right now? Right now I’m in South Korea. Tell us about the present moment you’re living… How are things in Korea regarding electronic music? “Electronic music has become very popular in Asia lately. There are big EDM festivals such as Ultra Music Festival being held on a monthly basis throughout Asia so I think the explosion of electronic music has been big around here. In South Korea, electronic music has become an important part of everyday life. The night scene is getting bigger and bigger. I am a resident at Octagon club, which ranks 5th in DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs, and there are raves across the country that go on until the early hours of the morning. It never ends!” How long have you been involved in the scene and where do you think you stand today? “I was the guitar player in a rock band while I was a student in Japan. Unfortunately, I had to quit when I moved back to Korea. I started playing in 2012, when I was back in the country. I wanted to try out performing alone rather than with a band, try out having an audience by myself as I used to have with the band. I was always close to the electronic thing, even when I was in the band. I was interested in exploring the electronic world 64

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more and that’s how it all started out. It’s hard to say where I’m at in the scene. All I know is I want to keep working hard and keep on doing what I do. And if people respond to my moves and like what I do, it’s amazing!” Do you see yourself as one of the best artists in your homeland when it comes to representing your country locally and abroad? “I definitively feel I get a lot of support from my fans in South Korea. I got to play at incredible shows and festivals like Ultra Music Festival and ADE, and they’ve all been amazing! I don’t know if that makes me one of the best artists in South Korea but I’m someone who really enjoys the present time I’m living and the support that my fans give me.” How was the ADE experience you mentioned? “I’d been to Amsterdam many times but this was the first time I went to the Dutch city for the ADE. It was amazing. Basically, the whole city revolves around one big event. I had a great experience: I got to meet hundreds of artists that I didn’t know, talked about music with them and found out what these Dutch artists do in their free time. I played at one of the biggest events in the festival. Being part of the Protocol showcase lineup was a great honour. I hope some day I’ll be in the Top 100 DJs and get to play at the award ceremony organized by ADE. To me, those days in Amsterdam were among the year’s highlights.”

01. PLAYING MY REMIX OF “KEEP ON BELIEVING” AT ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL

“It was an unforgettable memory and a real honour to get to play my remix at Ultra and share the stage with Fedde Le Grand, one of my favourite artists and a true inspiration to me.”

02. NICKY ROMERO’S STATEMENTS AT ADE

“I still can’t believe this! Nicky Romero mentioned he had been inspired by my music during an interview he gave at ADE. It was truly an honour.”

03. ULTRA JAPAN

RAIDEN’S

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

“I’m always surprised that so many people recognize my name and my face wherever I travel, and I always feel great when that happens. But this year at Ultra Japan a group of people came over and asked me for autographs. That was amazing, and it was a first. I hope it happens again! [Laughs]”

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“IF I HAD TO DRAW AN ANALOGY OF MY MUSIC WITH FOOD, I’D SAY ELECTRONIC MUSIC IS THE MAIN COURSE AND I SEASON IT WITH A BIT OF ROCK AS THE SPECIAL INGREDIENT.” 01. “HEART OF STEEL” LIVE SESSION IN LA.

“I was a guitarist in a rock band whilst I was studying in Japan. Sadly, I had to quit when I came back to Korea in 2012. Even I started my career as a DJ, I always dreamed of playing my music with the band. It was such a great experience that I could mix up the both elements of rock and electronic music!“

What would you like to achieve in the world of electronic music? “To be recognized as an artist that constantly produces high-quality music. If fame and fortune come along with it, that’s great, but music will always be the top priority for me. If it becomes popular it would be cool but that’s something that will happen naturally. Stardom is not something I’m pursuing. Good music that people can enjoy is.” And what do you think are your achievements so far? “I still have a whole lot that I want to experiment and achieve but there are things I’ll never forget I’ve achieved, and I feel very grateful that I got to do them. One of those was getting to play at Ultra Music Festival, a dream for any electronic music DJ. The other thing was making a remix of the track ‘Keep On Believing’ by one of my favourites, Fedde Le Grand. I feel blessed that I had the chance to do those things.”

02. ULTRA KOREA 2016: RAIDEN WAS INVITED WHEN FEDDE LE GRAND PLAYED HIS SET AT THE MAIN STAGE. “I’ll be coming back to you at Ultra Miami Main stage this year!” How did you end up playing at the Protocol show? “I’d been sending my tracks to Protocol for quite a while and one day I got a reply indicating that they liked my music. Florian Picasso was about to release his track ‘Final Call’ under Protocol and I had the chance to join in with a remix. After the remix, Protocol invited me to play at their ADE show.” It looks like you’re having a great relationship with the label now… Why is that? “I think we have similar tastes. What I pursue when I write music apparently fits their music 66

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perspective. It’s still a new relationship that is developing, and I’m very grateful for the opportunities they’ve given me. I hope it will last much longer.” How would you describe those musical tastes or that music perspective? “As I was a rock guitarist before being a DJ, I try to express the intensity and emotional elements of my old rock sound when I play. Also, I play guitar in a lot of my music. If I had to draw an analogy of my music with food, I’d say electronic music is the main course and I season it with a bit of rock as the special ingredient.”

Ultra Music Festival! Tell us about your experience playing in such a big show with so many artists. “Ultra was, without a doubt, a highlight. It’s probably the best thing that’s happened to me in my career so far. And it was a real pleasure to play with those great artists. It’s an amazing feeling to see the audience cheering and encouraging you to play. It really makes you feel alive. I see it as truly inspiring. Ultra was very intense. It was a very moving moment that I’ll never forget.” What are your plans for the near future? “I have an upcoming release that I’m very excited about, as it is my first original production. I can’t say much yet but I’m very happy about its release and I hope everybody enjoys it.” What are your biggest dreams in music? “One of my biggest dreams would be to collaborate with a rock band somehow. Like what Knife Party did with Pendulum at Ultra Miami. That was incredibly good.” u

JUSTIN oh and his MR. HYDE KOREAN DANCE MUSIC STAR JUSTIN OH RELEASED HIS LATEST SINGLE ON SPINNIN’ RECORDS, PROVING THE WORLD THAT THIS YEAR WILL BE BETTER THAN 2016. WE SAT DOWN TO CHAT ABOUT THE WAY HE ENDED UP RELEASING HIS NEW SINGLE “DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE” IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST OUTLETS OF THE DANCE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

e start talking to Justin just after listening to “The Time Traveller”, his first studio album. We know him since he came to Argentina, performing for the very first time in Buenos Aires for the local edition of Ultra Music Festival. Of course, he remembers! However, we want to start for the very beginning… How did everything started for you? How did you get introduced to electronic music? “Like most artists, I started as a fan. I listened to everything. From Rock to Hip Hop & Pop. My taste was pretty eclectic. And then I discovered electronic dance music and I was listening to everything from Progressive, Big Room, House, Drum ‘n Bass, Trance to Techno. I was checking out DJs at clubs whenever I could. Probably some of the first shows I saw that had a big impact on me were Armin Van Buuren or Eric Prydz. Huge admiration and respect to them because they changed the game for me. By the way, thanks for listening to ‘The Time Traveller’! That was a long time ago but I am really proud of that one! While I was working on the album, I really wanted to make a classic journey album. Like a movie, you don’t skip to the best parts or favorite songs. You just listen from beginning to end without interruptions. That’s the best.” The album went really well… Did things change after that? “Yeah! It did really well on Beatport. Hit all the genre top five charts and amazing support from some of the biggest DJs. It was definitely one of the starting points when people noticed me as an artist.” Exactly. Explain a little about the Korean electronic scene. “Crazy awesome. It blew up and everyone is still super excited about dance music and festivals. They play electronic dance music everywhere. There are tons of huge festivals and big clubs. And recently, the fans are just starting to get educated on the different genres of electronic dance music and exploring new styles and discovering new DJs. It is an amazing time to be in South Korea and Asia right now!”

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How did you get involved as an artist? Do you remember your first steps in music? “I was very fortunate at that time because Paul Oakenfold, who was and is a legend and pioneer in my eyes, came across one of my tracks and started to support it heavily. I didn’t even know and found out months later. But, he was playing it in his podcasts, BBC Radio 1 shows, putting it on his mix CDs, and even chose it as his top 10 tracks of 2011. I reached out to him and his label Perfecto Records, and they gave me my first record deal. That really helped when I was starting out, especially in Korea (where I was living at the time). There were a lot of DJs in Korea but not a lot of artists producing original music so I got a lot of attention. Since then, I’ve made friends in the industry who have been super supportive and influential. Now, I have an amazing team that supports me and my goals. It definitely helps to surround yourself with good but more We start talking to Justin just after listening to “The Time Traveller”, his first studio album. We know him since he came to Argentina, performing for the very first time in Buenos Aires for the local edition of Ultra Music Festival. Of course, he remembers! However, we want to start for the very beginning… How did everything started for you? How did you get introduced to electronic music? “Like most artists, I started as a fan. I listened to everything. From Rock to Hip Hop & Pop. My taste was pretty eclectic. And then I discovered electronic dance music and I was listening to everything from Progressive, Big Room, House, Drum ‘n Bass, Trance to Techno. I was checking out DJs at clubs whenever I could. Probably some of the first shows I saw that had a big impact on me were Armin Van Buuren or Eric Prydz. Huge admiration and respect to them because they changed the game for me. By the way, thanks for listening to ‘The Time Traveller’! That was a long time ago but I am really proud of that one! While I was working on the album, I really wanted to make a classic journey album. Like a movie,

you don’t skip to the best parts or favorite songs. You just listen from beginning to end without interruptions. That’s the best.” The album went really well… Did things change after that? “Yeah! It did really well on Beatport. Hit all the genre top five charts and amazing support from some of the biggest DJs. It was definitely one of the starting points when people noticed me as an artist.” Exactly. Explain a little about the Korean electronic scene. “Crazy awesome. It blew up and everyone is still super excited about dance music and festivals. They play electronic dance music everywhere. There are tons of huge festivals and big clubs. And recently, the fans are just starting to get educated on the different genres of electronic dance music and exploring new styles and discovering new DJs. It is an amazing time to be in South Korea and Asia right now!” How did you get involved as an artist? Do you remember your first steps in music? “I was very fortunate at that time because Paul Oakenfold, who was and is a legend and pioneer in my eyes, came across one of my tracks and started to support it heavily. I didn’t even know and found out months later. But, he was playing it in his podcasts, BBC Radio 1 shows, putting it on his mix CDs, and even chose it as his top 10 tracks of 2011. I reached out to him and his label Perfecto Records, and they gave me my first record deal. That really helped when I was starting out, especially in Korea (where I was living at the time). There were a lot of DJs in Korea but not a lot of artists producing original music so I got a lot of attention. Since then, I’ve made friends in the industry who have been super supportive and influential. Now, I have an amazing team that supports me and my goals. It definitely helps to surround yourself with good but more importantly, the right people.” How did your steps lead you to where you are now? “Ultra was happening in Korea at that time and they were looking for local DJs to represent and play. But, they weren’t looking for just regular DJs. They were looking for artists and producers with a musical identity. I think I was just lucky. I was in the right place at the right time and caught the ear of the right people. That was a big moment for me.”

“It is an amazing time to be in South Korea and Asia right now!” Now, you are one of the main artists and a representative of your country within the dance world. You should feel some kind of pressure trying to uplift the name of your country within the music community. Does this happen to you? “Definitely there is some pressure! In some ways it’s kind of similar to an athlete. You want to show your best and work hard to make everyone proud but more importantly, make yourself proud. Your music identity is a representation. You know, there are not a lot of Asians representing in the DJ music world, maybe it’s because of negative stereotypes or whatever. So, I want to break that and do it properly. Korea already has a strong music scene with K-Pop. It’s dominating Asia. I want to set the bar high. And, I think it’s changing now in the local dance scene as well. A lot of new artists emerging and hopefully I can open the door or show how it’s done without compromising the art.” Which were the best places where you were able to perform? “Too many to mention! Playing Ultra Miami is the big one but also all over Asia, Europe, and India have all be amazing. Each country has something different to offer and each show is so cool to see different people party to the same music. But, I think my personal favorite moment has to be playing Ultra Korea. The hometown support was unreal! Indonesia has always been good to me as well. I’m pretty sure my biggest fan base is from Indonesia. Playing at Djakarta Warehouse Project was incredible. I have never seen the stage fill up so fast at one of my shows. I was worried because the stage was a little empty before my set, but as soon as I played my first track the room filled up instantly. It was packed before I started mixing the second song! Croatia is also one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever visited and played. Ah, and I can’t forget my

HIS DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE FIVE THINGS YOU LIKE FUTURAMA “Best TV show ever. Best finale ever.”

NETFLIX “Stranger Things, Black Mirror, House Of Cards, etc...”

BURRITO “Everything Burrito! I love you Everything Burrito.”

SIGHTSEEING “Always good to experience some culture.”

MCRIB “One day, I want to plan my tour around the McRib Comeback Tour.”

& FIVE THINGS YOU HATE MIDDLE SEAT “Especially on a full flight.”

LOW BATTERY NOTIFICATION “You know the panic.”

AIRPORT SECURITY CHECK-IN “Laptops. Shoes. Belt. Water Bottle.”

CHEAP TEQUILA “Bad hangovers. I recommend only drink the good stuff.”

NIKE MAG RAFFLE “Better odds with the lottery. Grail.” djmagla.com

first time playing Argentina. It was my very first big overseas gig. I had a horrible flight. Multiple transfers and 40 hours total round trip. When I arrived, I was a little nervous and did not know what to expect. It was my first time on that side of the world. But as soon as I went on stage, the crowd was showing so much love. It was amazing! I’ll never forget. Much love to Buenos Aires. Muchas gracias!” In the last few years you’ve been consistently at the forefront but right now you’ve had releases on some of the biggest labels of the industry. Armada, Revealed and now Spinnin’! Tell me about this new one in Spinnin? How did it end up being released there? “I think everyone in the dance music world is looking for something new right now. I was at Amsterdam Dance Event 2016 because I had a meeting with Spinnin’ Records. I had one song and only one song to show them. ‘Jekyll & Hyde’. Which, thinking back now in hindsight was kind of stupid. What if they didn’t like it? What if they asked to hear something else? It was quiet when I started to play the song. But after the first drop, they immediately said ‘Done! We are signing this’. I was kind of blown away because the song hasn’t even finished playing and they already decided they wanted it! It was a cool moment for sure.” How would you describe the track? What did you wanted to achieve on this new release? “Something different. I guess the genre you can call it is ‘Future Trap’ but not really. I wanted to mix all my musical influences and make something new but with an Asian fusion to it. No one is really doing it right now like that and I wanted to give Asia a voice in the dance world in a cool way that wasn’t cliche or sounded cheesy. If you listen to the song you can hear two very different personalities in the sounds, split in half like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The top melody hook has this half-organic half-synthetic Asian feel to it. Very graceful, almost like a geisha dance. But on the flip side, there is this low dark bass that has this mysterious but sexy vibe with a groove. When it drops, it hits you in the chest and stays there.”

“I didn’t want to make a normal party music video with ‘Jekyll & Hyde’. So, we made something more cinema. Quentin Tarantino style.”

“If you listen to the song you can hear two very different personalities in the sounds.” “Jekyll and Hyde” features Hyolyn of Sistar on the track. She is a super famous Korean POP idol! How did that happen? “Obviously I knew I wanted to collaborate with a Korean singer for this track. But I wanted someone who was bad-ass and sexy not someone who was too ‘pop’ or ‘cute’. It was tough but I kept thinking of Hyolyn. She is the lead member of Sistar, which is a hugely popular K-Pop group. She was doing stuff with Far East Movement, Giorgio Moroder and had even shared the stage with Stevie Wonder! So, we linked up at Ultra Singapore because we were both performing there. I played her the track and she was into it right away. Next thing you know, we were in the studio in Seoul together laying down vocals for the track. She was super cool and added that ‘character’ we needed to complete the song.”

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What was the toughest part? “The music video. Definitely. We filmed it in 4 different countries with 15 different actors in 5 different languages. We had an amazing team though. That’s why the music video turned out so great! From the start, I didn’t want to make a normal party music video with ‘Jekyll & Hyde’. So, we made something more cinema. Quentin Tarantino style.” Why that name “Jekyll & Hyde”? “Good and Evil. That’s the story. ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ is about the inner conflict between them and the voices inside your head. But for me, it is also about what kind of music I wanted to make as an artist. I really wanted to make something new that was my identity. Nowadays, it is hard. There is a line between fun party music and making music with more art and story. I enjoy both but I think as an artist you need to find the balance. ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ is me exploring the latter.” What’s next in your career? Do you have some goals in the near future? Some dream collabs? “I want to start bringing my sound to North America. West coast is blowing up right now and the party scene is really amazing. I feel they are ready for some ‘Jekyll & Hyde’. Music wise, I’m always on the look-out for interesting collaborations. There are tons of vocalists and producers out there that are unique and have incredible talent. As far as dream collabs go, I think what KSHMR is doing for the India scene is amazing. I think he would be someone very interesting to collab with. Fusing East Asian with South Asian sounds.” u

T N E R E F F I D A F O D KIN H C U O T DIM MAK IS THE TOUCH OF DEATH IN THE MARTIAL ARTS BUT IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, IS A COLOSSUS WITH MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS OF HISTORY. WE SAT DOWN WITH STEVE AOKI TO TALK ABOUT HIS FRESH LABEL.

hat were you doing when you decided to start the label? “It was 1996 and I was 19 years old. I was very much involved in the punk/ hardcore scene, in every possible way that you could be involved. I was in multiple bands and throwing shows in my living room with touring bands passing through the area. I had my own zine and also wrote a regular column in a punk/ hardcore magazine. The only thing that I could do that I wasn’t already doing was helping bands put out music. I had the expertise to release a demo and circulate it amongst friends and people that were in the scene, so I was like: “Okay, we’ll start DIY and we’ll start from a very, very humble place”. I launched Dim Mak Records with my friend’s band, who needed some help. I put $400 in with two of my other friends and we released his first 7”. That was the start of Dim Mak.” How was the electronic music scene in that moment? What was going on around LA? “In 1996, I was putting out mainly hardcore punk emo bands. I knew nothing about electronic music. I was playing guitar, singing, playing bass, and recording in live studios. When I moved to LA in 2002, I started DJing and throwing Dim Mak parties. We had a lot of indie bands at the time, and we started a little culture around them by 72

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hosting after parties. I started remixing tracks from these indie bands in 2004, and an indie/ electro era started brewing. Electro was starting to grow into a much larger culture. It started out as a very small, underground scene in Los Angeles, where the early Dim Mak parties took place.” Did you have anybody helping you in the beginning? “In the very beginning, the help that I got was working a summer job where I accumulated about $400 in cash. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for me to fund the 7”. I had friends in the community that actually came and helped cut the covers. My roommate was working as a manager at Kinko’s. He would let me go in there and steal inserts and we’d print all the covers on them. I would use their machines to cut all the covers up and hand-number them. I did that for free because he was working there -we were basically stealing from the place. But it was a corporate place so we thought it was okay. So that was the start and we did not have investing rounds or marketing budgets. We just wanted to put out records and help out friends. And that’s how it started, very humble.” How did the team of the label developed over the years? It started out with me doing everything from

Address: Los Angeles, CA. Dim Mak’s birth: 1996 First release: stickfIgurecarousel “For the Kids” (7-inch) Amount of releases: 875+ Most selling release: The Chainsmokers - “#SELFIE” Artist with most releases on the label:Autoerotique 1996 to 2003, about 7 years. Once I moved to LA, I brought on my first employee after we signed The Kills and Bloc Party. So we had some cache, we’d already put out over 60 releases, but we weren’t making much money because it was all going back into the following records. We had a P&D distribution deal, which funded the production of these records and allowed me to allocate our income elsewhere. Eventually, I was finally making enough money where I could hire someone to help me in 2003-2004

Photos: CAESAR SEBASTIAN

OSES STEVE T CDHIO M MAK

THE BES TIME TRACKS OF ALL when we signed Bloc Party, which was a big, big awakening of the business structure of the label. It went from building a brand to actually building a business. That’s when I got my first investors, Benji and Joel Madden (from Good Charlotte). They came in, moved me out of my apartment and put a down payment on my first office. It was an investment, but for them it was more of a friendly loan to help me out as I tried to grow Dim Mak into a legitimate business.” And what about the label? How would you describe the evolution of Dim Mak over these 20 years? “It’s been a long road. Lots of ups and downs. You have to learn how to evolve faster than the people buying your music. That way, you are the trendsetters. That’s what a label should be - they should be the ones that are pushing the music forward so the culture follows. You have to think ahead and be willing to take risks and challenges. Sometimes they don’t work, and you have to keep pushing forward. You hire a team that is on the same page and has the same vision and dedication, and really believes in the music and the culture.” What would you say are the main differences between this stage and the beginnings of the label? “It started out as an outlet for me to help support a very small culture of punk/hardcore music. I was a huge advocate of that culture. Dim Mak started out as a tool to share and spread music with more people. Now it’s evolved into more of a proper business, a music lifestyle brand. We think about not just the music, but also the lifestyle, the clothing line, the events, and how our brand is presented. Through all these moving parts, we support the artists.” How did the internet and globalization impact on the daily work of a label? “Now, everyone has access to music and a lot of times they are not paying for it. But you can’t fight it. You can’t fight the system if it’s already there.

And we’re not here to stop a revolution. So in order to be successful, you need figure out how to work within this new landscape, this new paradigm. The Internet and globalization is making it easy and accessible for music to be out there, so our role is -most importantly- to circulate it and get it out to as many people as possible. And the business is finally getting healthier. Thank God for streaming, because it brings in revenue for the artists, labels, and everyone involved in the music side of the business. We put a lot of our efforts in the streaming business.” How do you deal with (bad) reviews? Do you read them? Do you find them accurate? “You read the bad reviews and take what you can from them that has any source of constructive criticism. Sometimes, there is just flagrant hate and you can’t really take from it. But if you can find ways to use it to better your output in whatever means, then use it. I personally love constructive criticism.” What is it like to celebrate 20 years of a label? How do you feel about this? “I feel like we’ve been so fortunate because it’s difficult for independent music businesses to survive 1-5 years, let alone 20. I ran this label as my firstborn child, so I wouldn’t let it fail no matter what. And thank God I had DJing and other businesses to help subsidize it at times when we were going through a very difficult economic growth period. We fought through the trenches, and we got to a place where some of the artists blew the hell up like The Chainsmokers, Deorro and Keys N Krates, where we build careers from the very beginning. I love being a part of that process and helping artists get to that point where they can spread their wings and do their own thing. I’m really proud of all the artists on the label and of the team that’s been supporting all them. We’re looking forward to the next 20.” What is the best about Dim Mak? “The best thing about Dim Mak is our artists

Steve Aoki, Chris Lake & Tujamo “Boneless” Bloc Party “Banquet” The Bloody Beetroots & Steve Aoki “New Noise (ft. Refused)” The Bloody Beetroots ft. Steve Aoki “Warp 1.9” Zedd “Stars Come Out” Keys N Krates “Dum Dee Dum” The Chainsmokers “#SELFIE” Steve Aoki & Autoerotique “ILSYM” Deorro “Dechorro” Borgore Feat. Waka Flocka Flame & Paige “Wild Out” and their constant flow of music. It’s been a pleasure witnessing the change, evolution, and transformation of the culture. It’s great to be a part of it and I’m excited for everyone to hear all the new blood that we have on Dim Mak.” What are the things that separate the label from the rest? “We put out all kinds of music. We haven’t just stuck with one genre. We like to be creative and disruptive, challenging our culture by bringing in new talent that you wouldn’t expect. You’ve got to do things like that in order to stimulate excitement and growth. Why are we different? You’ll have to see for yourself.” What does a track need to have to be signed to Dim Mak? “It’s got to make you feel something that you haven’t felt before. You’ve got to feel something where you think, “Wow, this is blowing my mind.” Something that can change you. At the end of the day, music tends to your emotions, to your gut, to your core. If it strikes a chord, I’m listening.” u djmagla.com

ON THE FLOOR

IN THE LAND OF DANCE ULTRA Worldwide™ landed in full force in Latin America once again with its Rio de Janeiro edition. We were there and here’s the rundown on an event that overcame a number of setbacks to give us a twoday top-tier experience. Photos: RUKES Words: HERNÁN PANDELO

he lit-up Christ the Redeemer on the hill was visible from the beach, and the thrill of having set foot in Rio filled our hearts with joy on the evening of Thursday October 13th. The next day, Ultra Brasil would once again make electronic history in a Latin country with its debut in cosmopolitan Rio de Janeiro. We stayed at a marveloushoetl on the scenic coast of Copacabana, looking forward to what would be one of the biggest events of the year for the region’s largest country. The whole scene was expectant and the focus was set on this new event being brought with a determination to stay and become a leader. The first obstacle was the change of venue only weeks before the event itself, putting the giant’s intentions at risk. The event was relocated from Quinta da Boa Vista, a vast urban park that houses the National Museum and the Zoological Garden, to the Sambódromo, one of the city’s most representative venues. On Friday, feeling stoked, we got up early to walk around the grounds and complete our preparations for a weekend full of coverage. At first, before the doors opened, we strolled around the sambodrome feeling overwhelmed at the greatness of the building, envisioning traditional samba schools parading down the main street –about 800 meters long– and looking at the stands on the sides, surprisingly symmetrical and oversized. After surveying the venue, we went back to the hotel to rest for a while in order to fully

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enjoy the event later. After a good meal and a short walk to the nearest hill, we take a BRL-45 taxi ride to the Sambódromo at around 5 pm. When we get there, it’s a different outlook. The clouds still loom over the city but the lonely atmosphere is gone and quite a few anxious concertgoers are there, celebrating the festival’s arrival to their city. The attendees put in some serious effort to their looks, and costumes are everywhere. From face masks to full Mario Bros outfits, the locals bring the colourful touch the event needs. With three stages organized in the shape of a devil trident, the mainstage is flanked by two secondary stages set behind the stands. Facing the stage to the left is RESISTANCE®, where we head to from the start, out of sheer curiosity. On it, Renato Ratier is ending his performance and making way for Italian-Argentinian Elio Riso. The RESISTANCE® stage has a roof over half of its dancefloor and a curved ceiling that makes us feel we are on a spaceship. This, combined with Riso’s amicable tech-house, helps us feel comfortable and understand, once and for all, that we got to the party. As we walk on, the mainstage that we’d seen from afar rises before us like a giant that’s willing to roar for hours. Set across the whole stretch of the Sambodromo street, at one end it faces the huge dancefloor formed by the stretch of street between the stands. North American Jauz is playing his eclectic, hyperkinetic mix, with sped-up acid sounds and trap drops that get the ravers’ hips shaking.

ON THE FLOOR

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

A few hours later, we go out to the field and head for the remaining stage. The UMF Radio stage was devoted to sped-up sounds, beginning with big-name trance artists and ending with full-throttle psy trance. Set off to the right of the mainstage we were marveled by pyrotechnic explosions as we got nearer. The top-tier production created an interesting combination with the sambodrome surroundings. Standing on the UMF Radio stage dancefloor, listening to the engrossing sounds of Markus Schulz, we enjoy a picture-postcard sight of the hills that surround the city, lit-up by the lights of the houses that stand on them, in what is widely known as a favela. We stay for a long while watching Markus, who regales us with mostly trance numbers, doing justice to his alias, Dakota, with sped-up percussions that go on for quite a while. The mainstage dancefloor gets more crowded as the hours go by, with performances that draw larger audiences than we ever imagined. With three large vertical LED panels on each side and a round screen behind the booth showing a kind of cross made up of countless LED screens, the mainstage is entertaining everyone with Carnage’s music. His trap binge seems to work very well with the locals, and we get to see this out of the corner of our eyes as we prepare for a few interviews. We get out as Above & Beyond begin their performance, and we stay to watch it. The screen begins showing phrases and the audience seems delighted to enjoy their performance. Their remix of “Porcelain,” Moby’s classic, is the song that gets everybody moving, including us. From then on, it’s all emotionally-charged on the mainstage, where the Brits put on a show before a sea of attention-paying Brazilians. Next up is DJ Snake,

who impressed with his powerful sound as many ears perk up. Feeling tired, we go back to rest for the new day ahead. On Saturday, with the energy recharged, we wake up in Copacabana, the sky a menacing gray. When we get to the venue, the air is hot and sultry. It looks like rain. On the mainstage, Chris Schweizer is already spinning with his sped-up sounds and new aesthetics that he’s been promoting, close to 138 bpm. There are several hours ahead and it seems today the audience will be much larger. The Argentinian gives way to Felguk on the mainstage, and the Latin presence on it is worthy of mention. The duo kicks off with their own “This Life” and we are before a more vocal performance, one full of energy, with the lyricism of “We Are Your Friends” mashed up with Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” The crowd cheers the local talents and the main dancefloor fills up with enthusiasts. The RESISTANCE® stage is packed now and under its roof there’s no room for anyone. People here are pressed together whereas others choose to stay somewhat away from this floor so they can dance more comfortably. Jon Rundell entertains us with his upbeat tech house for a while as the visuals behind the DJ catch our eye, even though they’re discontinuous. Two underground stalwarts, Matador and Pan Pot, take the stage in turns. We could tell that the eventual performance of Carl Cox was going to draw a massive crowd. As we head for the backstage, the area below the mainstage is full of costumes, ambulant vendors with signs held up and a feeling of joy that reaches up to the stands. On the mainstage, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano propose something different, with more continuous lines and sheer sensuality on every beat, something the Brazilian audience

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ON THE FLOOR

seems to really enjoy. From then on, it all seems to work by contagion. The venue gets crowded, it’s getting hard to walk around and it’s clear we must stop. Having completed our interviews with artists such as Dash Berlin and Hardwell, we return to the scene. Nic Fanciulli on the RESISTANCE® stage should not be missed and of course, when Carl Cox hits the stage, we’re glued to the ground. The sea of people flock the place to listen to the closing act by the head of Intec Records, as we look down at festival-goers rejoicing in the artist’s energy. Before heading for the door opposite the mainstage, we listen to the last part of Hardwell’s set. People are hooked and you can

tell they were looking forward to it. They stay till the end, as we walk away in the opposite direction and the stage becomes smaller, in a picture-postcard sight of Rio that will remain engraved on our memory. The debut of the festival in Rio is a complete success and we can feel it. And the cultural contribution the Sambodromo brings is the cream of the crop, in a venue where wild dancing is in the air. ULTRA Brasil is here to stay. ULTRA Brasil will return back and bigger than ever before to Sambódromo, this time for a three-day affair. The event is the only threeday electronic music festival in all of Brasil -exemplifying ULTRA’s grasp on the South America territory.

Early Bird tickets have already sold out, but Tier 1 tickets are available now exclusively at UltraBrasil.com. Don’t miss out on what is sure to be a memorable second edition! n 78

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ON THE FLOOR

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

THE AIM IS GIVING In the Oasis dance floor of the Punta Carrasco complex in Buenos Aires, stars of the Argentine scene gave a charitable show... Photos: JUAN AFANADOR

he space that hosts the parties of the PM Open Air cycle and Rio Electronic Music —which was last season’s Picnic— witnessed an excellent proposal developed with a different goal. Showcasing some of the main talents in the Argentine scene, DAR! — which means GIVING! in Spanish— gathered electronic music fans with a selfless goal last December 17th in the beautiful space of the Punta Carrasco complex.

SONRISAS. SonRisas is a nonprofit civil association that focuses on children at risk, facing the consequences of poverty and exclusion. It currently operates in several neighborhoods of the town of Esteban Echeverría. It is made up of volunteers from various professional backgrounds, engaged with reality and who undertake the task of combating social injustice.

Detrás de Todo is a nonprofit civil association that works in the shantytown Villa 31 bis, in the neighborhood of Retiro, to foster inclusion and equal opportunities. It

From 4 PM, under a completely clear blue sky, people approached the venue to enjoy their favorite artists and, at the same time, to contribute to two civil associations that struggle day in and day out to make this world a better place: SonRisas and Detrás de Todo – Sueños Bajitos. With a line up based on the back to back format, this was not only a good way to help those in need, but also a unique opportunity to experience some connections between the electronic Argentine elite. Thus, Alexis Cabrera performed together with the happy couple DFUNKLUB; then, the great Franco Cinelli deejayed accompanied by another major local star, Deep Mariano from Rosario; the Córdobaborn Ernesto Ferreyra was on stage with

DETRÁS DE TODO.

is aimed at encouraging the social inclusion of children, teenagers, adults and the elderly through the defense and promotion of their rights, by means of educational projects, recreational and sports activities, cultural workshops and Federico Molinari before the grand finale; and the Fun lead, Barem, spun his discs together with the Savor lead, Jorge Savoretti. The sun shined throughout the event, and the music played not only served to make attendees dance, but also to unite us all under a message that had the same goal as the name of the event.

business ventures. Among so many bad news hitting the country, this event was more than welcome to show the bond between artists and to promote music as a key driver to turn the page and pursue a noble objective. We are already waiting for a new opportunity for giving with Dar!. n djmagla.com

ON THE FLOOR

MAR DEL PLATA:

THE HOT SPOT

OF THE ARGENTINEAN SUMMER Photos: JUAN AFANADOR

Throughout January, the coastal town received great artists from the electronic world…

here were several events that caught the attention of electronic music fans: events scattered between several large venues located in the south of the largest city in the string of resort towns in the Buenos Aires province. Mar del Plata is, in its own right, the city that attracts the highest number of tourists in Argentina, with over 1 million people from across the country visiting its most popular beaches in January. In the last few years, the southern beaches –whose facilities have always been the hottest spots during the summer– have started to dabble in

electronic music, and every January, the arrival of increasingly renowned DJs has been causing a frenzy. This means that, on top of the class acts offered at some of the city’s clubs such as Sobremonte and Club Quba, the massive influx of attendees has turned the beaches into dance floors, with events attended by over 10,000 people. In previous years, the lineup featured big names of the likes of Aly & Fila, Cosmic Gate and Paul Van Dyk –in several editions of Armada Beach Festival–, whereas British DJ John Digweed has been the summer’s main attraction for years: last year he played at Mute together with Guy J for more than 15,000 ravers. This year would not be an exception. In fact, it would be one of the richest years in terms of event variety. With two great shows to celebrate the New Year, Mar del Plata once again was on the spotlight. At Destino Arena, Eelke Kleijn rang in the year 2017, whereas at Mute, local talent Ernesto Ferreyra was the man of the hour. Already into the new year, things would continue on a high note. A week later, with Dubfire as headliner, the Amnesia brand brought its tour over to Mute’s dance floor, with an unparalleled show featuring international talents Cuartero and Mar-T, among others. A few days later, the city made headlines when a city mayor intended to put a ban on parties citing inadequate controls. The stir caused in the media plus the potential monetary loss derived from the cancellation of all the scheduled events in the end tipped the scales and it was allowed to hold events with special attention placed on controls. This made all things go smoothly again.

DUBFIRE | January 7th, 2017 80

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On January 13, the head of Cadenza Records, Luciano, performed at Destino Arena watched closely by the authorities – then things were on track again. The following day, British trio Above & Beyond hit the stage at Mute, drawing an amazingly large audience on the beach, and it was clear that electronic music would be the name of the game in Mar del Plata this summer.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

ON THE FLOOR

SOLOMUN | January 28th, 2017

ABOVE & BEYOND | January 14th, 2017

JOHN DIGWEED | January 21th, 2017

The following Friday, another interesting event was held in the city: Hot Creationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; crew, led by Lee Foss, Kenny Glasgow and Anabel Englund, took one of the stages at Destino Arena. The other stage was graced by Form Music, the record label owned by French-born Popof, featuring the boss and his countrymen Julian Jeweil, Oxia and Animal & Me. The following day, the rain played a trick on us and John Digweed, who was over an hour into his performance, had to put an end to it and leave the booth to avoid the risk posed by the storm. The gig was rescheduled to Monday afternoon, thanks to an effort by the artist, who ended up playing for a good number of hours: he started at 5 pm and ended at 1 am. Do the math.

The last week of January was up to par. On Friday, Nina Kraviz performed for a massive audience whereas on Saturday, the head of Diynamic Solomun was the protagonist of the summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most anticipated party, playing for thousands at Mute Club de Mar. On Sunday afternoon, British talent Nick Warren entertained the crowd at Destino Arena presenting The Soundgarden, with a live broadcast on Be-At TV. With a clear preference for underground, the city came to the end of a month with amazing events held at venues appropriately fit for the occasion. We are looking forward to seeing what the next year brings. n djmagla.com

Deep House REVIEWS LEMONADE lemonade@deportedmusic.com

9.5

and producer shows us his quality in four original tracks with his imprint. While they are all great pieces of work, “Puntarenas”, with its elegant sax, and “Tilly’s Tool”, with its familiar guitar, rise above the rest.

8.0

Insomnis

For the launch of its brand new label, Stillhot agency, led by Martin Eyerer, Alex Flatner and Benny Grauer, brought together two of the most famous Romanians. After several years with no joint releases, they return majestically with three tracks of the most beautiful and refined deep house that we will find these days. “Insomnis´” female vocals and groove are captivating, as well as the tremendous bassline of “Accent”, but the ovation goes for the percussive and summery “Taragon”, a must see!

Leo Grunbaum Amarone

All Day I Dream

A new member of the ADID family, the muli-instrumentalist trained at Berklee College of Music, who fuses electronic and symphonic styles with jazz. From the graceful vocals of the mysterious Aerial East in “Bloom,” the enigmatic xilo-piano in “Cruxes Credo”, to the magical strings and the bass of the eccentric “Amarone”, the composer’s seriousness and status are clear. Music to dream!

7.5 Oracle

Lower East

Doctor Dru Savannah

Jeudi Records

The last work by the German promises to be a dance floor cheerleader in the months to come. The two originals that make up the album have a marked Afro-house rhythm where percussion works wonders. Doctor shows his highest quality in the disturbing melody of “Praeire”, which takes control after a full breakdown in the middle of the song, and in the powerful arpeggio of the explosive “Savannah”.

One of the artists that have grown the most recently is undoubtedly English Cera Alba, generally related to styles such as house and tech, his foray into the deepest sounds is more than interesting. The atmospheric “Oracle” unfolds between powerful arpeggios, spaced vocals and some quite ethereal strings. In a more house-like key appears its companion “Anjana”, a real dance floor breaker!

Till Von Sein Forever

Suol Music

The organic rhythms and the clever ways in which he generates energy in his pieces are one of the most outstanding features that distinguish Till. In his fourth appearance on Berlines label, the talented DJ 82

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8.5

Push Cat

A great new release by the great Chilean producer, this time in collaboration with his fellow countryman, the rising Felipe Galleguillos. The most underground microhouse for the track that gives its name to the EP that includes remixes of Spanish Jairo Catelo and of the talented Argentinian Jorge Savoretti. To close the combo, another original to turn on the dance floor, the restless “Rework”. For vinyl lovers the good news is that it was also released on 12’’.

Savvas

Love Affair

The Purr Music

Based in Greece but born in Chicago, this experienced DJ and producer that mixes deep house with progressive and down-tempo, brings us two originals with the typical quality of the label, fine music. Beautiful synths and winds in the mystical “Love Affair” that includes a hot remix of Pion. And “Clear Eyes”, a beauty at 114 bpm to relax the senses and let yourself go. The remix of VieL is great too!

Catch The Play Love & Loops

One of our favorite artists presents his new release, tells us his news and his plans for 2017, we get into the kitchen of the talented Argentinian Manuel Sahagun. Tell us about this new release… “I am presenting my recent track ‘Catch The Play’ in the first release by the Mendoza label, Love & Loops Records. It is a 12” of various artists and I am accompanied by: Buenos Aires Deep, Franco Strato and label owner, Ale Castro.” What did you use for this track? “I set it up by programming the drums and bass line in the sequencer and it has a lead of the A.C.E synth that modulates along the track holding the groove and taking you through different climates.” How’s 2017 coming? “I had a very hectic 2016 with releases in Oblack Label, Blind Vision and Diggin Disco Deep. This year will see new albums in those same labels plus some added projects with Tooman Records, Castelar Discos, Playground Records and Myna Music. Also in parallel I am finishing the first releases with Cristian Burstein and with a different musical direction. Anyway, it’s going to be a great year!”

MANUEL SAHAGUN

01. Manuel Sahagun

Catch The Play - Love & Loops Records

02. Frantzvaag

Fuck Reality 03 EP - Fuck Reality

7.5 LondonGround

8.0 Quivver

Marea

Mumbo Jumbo, This Was

An old acquaintance of this section returns after a long time to prove that he is still more than present. With a sound increasingly refined and evolved, the Argentine prints his characteristic extra groovy deep-techie to the three originals that make up the EP. It is no coincidence that the album should go out for sale on the label of one of the names that know more about this, Mihai Popoviciu. Press play!

After being part of the album 18 of the giant headed by John Digweed, the acclaimed “Mumbo Jumbo” and “This Was” return, this time, with clubby versions. The multi-faceted producer, songwriter and vocalist John Graham, AKA Quivver, proves he is undoubtedly one of the most respected names in the electronic scene, always updated and original. Standing ovation!

Cyclic Records

8.5

Manuel Sahagun

Andre Butano & Felipe Galleguillos

7.5 Cera Alba

9.0

7.0

Jesus Was Black

MARKUS HOMM, MIHAI POPOVICIU Still Hot Records

QUICKIES + Q&A

Bedrock Records

03. Behind The Name

Confession - Fauxpas Musik

04. Young Wolf

Kabuki - Themes For Great Cities

05. Manuel Sahagun

Latino Tool EP - Blind Vision

06. Bjõrn Torske & DJ Sotofett Hõst - Sex Tag Mania

07. Pender Street Steppers The Glass City - Mood Hut

08. Andrade

The Bridge EP - Politics of Dancing

09. Okain

Invaders - Talman Records

10. Nachtbraker

Pollo con pollo EP - Heist Records

MAINSTREAM REVIEWS KEVIN MUTER kevinmuter@hotmail.com

QUICKIES + Q&A Axwell & Ingrosso Dream Bigger (Garmiani Remix)

9.0

Free Download

Talented Garmiani offers a new and violent remix of one of the latest singles by the Swedish duo Axwell & Ingrosso. It’s quite hectic and very well produced with a super aggressive drop that is perfect for any festival around the world. What have you been up lately? How did your 2016 end? “This January I’ve been enjoying trying out new studio gear, plugins and sounds in my new studio. “Bomb A Drop” and “Jump & Sweat” have been doing well so 2016 ended great for me. Feels like 2017 will be an awesome year!” What can you tell us about the experience of remixing Axwell & Ingrosso latest single? “Dream Bigger” was my personal favorite out of the Axwell & Ingrosso releases last year so I really wanted to remix it. When I got the remix parts from Sebastian Ingrosso I started right away and put my touch on it. It came out dope and I’m happy we could release it as a free download for the people!” What is your favourite gear in your studio? Which daw do you use? “I use Logic Pro X. I really don’t need anything more than my MacBook pro, good monitors and a room with good acoustics. Sometimes it’s just me on my laptop and some good headphones on a plane or on a balcony somewhere.” What can we expect from Garmiani this year? “New music, new exciting collaborations and new shows!”

9.0 JX

Son Of A Gun (Mat Zo Bootleg) White

A direct rework of the JX early ‘90s rave classic. Zo’s rework manages to repackage these thrills in a fashion that genuinely captures that early hypercolour excitement, while still suitably buffing and polishing it for the modern dancefloor.

since their reunion, a series of hits in which they manage to collaborate with artists of all kinds and to experiment with different genres -electro house, trap, etc.- but without losing their original essence: house. In this case, they joined the famous rapper Kid Ink creating a super catchy song in which the latter shines.

7.0 Galantis

Pillow Fight

Big Beat Records

8.0 Alesso Falling

Virgin EMI Records

In recent months we have seen many DJs and producers related to EDM and other popular genres change their sound for one closer to the lower BPMS. The child prodigy of Sweden, Alesso, shows a clear tendency to deep house in his new song “Falling”. This one has very house-like pianos, very marked bass lines and reminds us of Calvin Harris’ “How Deep Is Your Love”.

9.0

CHOCOLATE PUMA

Without any warning, Galantis, the famous duo of Swedish DJs and producers, released a new song called “Pillow Fight”. A very clubby track but also very useful for the radio, with catchy vocals and fun lyrics.

7.0 Omnia Ultra

Armind

Ukranian young gun Omnia throws down an utterly perfect example of classic progressive trance energy that could have been lifted from the darker end of the 2000 Gatecrasher era, though with a slower tempo and requisite house grooves to give it that modern touch.

9.0 ARMIN VAN BUUREN FT. OLAF BLACKWOOD

I Need You Armada Music

Armin Van Buuren is an extremely well-known name for all electronic music listeners throughout the world. His name is associated with the trance genre, since he has been the ambassador of that sound for more than a decade now, but sometimes Armin pleases himself by playing and experimenting other genres. In this case, together with singer Olaf Blackwood, he released a new song called “I Need You”, in which he experiments with sounds more linked to tropical house. It’s weird since we are not used to listening to Armin doing low BPMS tracks (rather the opposite), but in this case he shows us how versatile he can be when producing and composing. “I Need You” is a beautiful song that shows us that even the greatest artists treat themselves to experimenting with new sounds.

Oliver Heldens 01. Bart B More

“Chu Want Dat” - Club Sweat

02. Green Velvet & Prok & Fitch “Sheeple” - Relief

03. Indian Summer

“Love Like This feat. Lastlings (Auro Remix)” - Sweat It Out

04. Solardo

“Tribesmen” - Hot Creations

05. Traffic Signs

“The Big Fake (Moksi Switch Up)” - White

06. Bonobo

I Don’t Wanna Go Home Heldeep Records

If you are looking for someone who will never let you down, that person is Oliver Heldens. The young native of Rotterdam has a very marked style influenced by disco, 90´s house and soul. In “I Don’t Wanna Go Home” Oliver uses vocals along with a powerful and groovy drop accompanied by some swinging pianos which result in a lethal combination.

“Outlier” - Ninja Tune

07. Chocolate Puma X Pep & Rash “The Stars Are Mine” - Spinnin’

8.0

08. Hifi Sean Feat. Crystal Waters

“Testify (Steve Mac Mix)” - Plastique

09.Tom Staar & Daddy’s Groove

Axwell & Ingrosso ft. Kid Ink

10. Wiwek Feat. Audio Bullys

Axwell Music

“Railgun” - Doorn

“This Is How It Will Feel (Ode To Jimmy)” - White

I Love You

The former Swedish House Mafia duo has been launching,

8.0 Don Diablo Switch

Hexagon

Hexagon became a very trendy label and very important for the aspirations of every DJ/ producer of the genre who wants to make a leap. Its owner, Don Diablo, uses it as an endless source of music for his solo project, both as brand and as generator of content. In this case, the Dutchman released “Switch”, a clubbier track than the previous ones, aggressive and special for festivals. Many marked percussions and vocals saying ‘Switch’ end up forming a track that we will see and listen to on and on in different event streamings around the world.

8.0 Kygo ft Selena Gomez It Ain’t Me Sony Music

We always find it interesting when we see artists of the quality and influence of Kygo collaborating with pop artists or other artists from completely different genres. In this case, he joined famous Selena Gomez to make “It Ain´t Me”. In the past Selena has already made tracks with Zedd and received different remixes from different artists, so she appears to be quite interested in EDM and certain related genres. The collaboration is a tropical house trademark, the genre created by Kygo and sung to perfection by the young star. djmagla.com

Bass REVIEWS BAD BOY ORANGE badboy@djorange.com

9.0 KILLBOX Killbox EP

RAM Records

Two legendary leading figures from the global drum & bass scene join their experiences for a new project that is already causing quite a stir. Sovereigns from the depths Ed Rush and Audio bring us Killbox which presents them as they have always been: corrosive and technological. Bound to Others, an alien voice, introduces an aggressive LFO, Hype Cycle is a metallic crack trance, Pitch Fork vibrates directly to the cerebellum to produce involuntary spasms to close with Surge that will make waves on the dance floor.

8.0 Varios Artistas

best new label at the D&B Arena Awards. They arrive at Shogun Audio with an exquisite selection of four soulful tracks among which we can highlight Find Your Way together with the singer Charlotte Haining, an instant classic, and the jazzman Moments Notice with winds and piano in a salsa scale.

9.0 Varios Artistas Gradients LP Astrophonica

Fracture’s label features this compilation which is essential for any lover of advanced rhythms. With a consistent selection of artists it includes certain gems such as Sully’s acoustic jungle “Helios” remixed by Philip D Kick (a.k.a. Om Unit), Exit Records’ boss dBridge with the broken and stripped dB vs. 45 King, Parisian Moresounds and his dark ragga Warriah and Stray´s elevated Blink which feeds the sun rays and also presents new talents like Tehbis and its smoking Alphabet Ooz.

Rampage

Radar Records

After eight years, Rampage grew from 1,000-people events to the world’s largest Drum & Bass and Dubstep party in the Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium, with a capacity for 15,000 ravers. 2017 finds them presenting their first compilation with a lot of exclusive material like Fire by Murdock & Doctrine, Mental Fracture by Baz & Simplistix, Turkeytap by Hypoxia and several hits such as Ember by Camo & Krooked and Dead Limit by Noisia & Upbeats and Suicide Bassline by Mefjus.

8.0

9.0 Aeph

Jaeger Clap / Deathcamp Thirteen Lifted Music

Lifted Music, Chris Renegade´s label, dusts itself again, after presenting Magnetude, and its impressive Hyperdrive EP arrives with this single in charge of an old acquaintance of the label, the Italian Aeph who hands us out two bombs that won´t be missing in the selections of the most intense DJs. Jaeger Clap is an epic half tempo that marches at a steady pace and then accelerates. But in Deathcamp Thirteen everything explodes with a neurofunk that exacerbates the techno anxiety.

Pola & Bryson

Find Your Way EP Shogun Audio

Pola & Bryson worked hard to make their mark on the more refined side of the fast-paced culture, editing on labels such as Hospital, Spearhead and Soulvent and nominated last year for revelation and 84

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as the biggest Drum & Bass festival in the world and its staging, line-ups and dance floors are a real temptation for the lovers of the broken rhythms. It is that they never do things halfway. Its second compilation is a clear example: 43 tracks out of which 21 are exclusive. We highlight Kilo by the Spanish Dub Elements together with Trilo, Icicle´s Electronic Bandwagon, Levela’s Penguin, Rido and Counterstrike’s Let It Roll VIP and Low Right Now by Symplex.

8.0 Varios Artistas Let It Roll Vol. 2 Let It Roll

From the Czech Republic, Let It Roll was conceived

9.0

QUICKIES 8.0 Alibi

Trunk feat. MC Coppa / No Escape feat. Nitri V Recordings

The Brazilian duo Alibi returns with another hit that is already playing in many places: Trunk, with the contribution of MC Coppa, is a dark, dirty and groovy tech step. DJ Chap & Level 2 are on fire!

7.0 Phil Tangent & Pennygiles Bardarbunga / Crossing The Rubicon

Metalheadz Platinum

First installment of the year of Metalheadz and a couple of tracks perfect for the Platinum selection, rough but exquisite rhythms. Bardarbunga has that Intalex atmosphere that drives us crazy.

The Upbeats

De-Evolution Pt III

8.0

Vision

The third and final installment of the De-Evolution puzzle comes with 6 pieces which are, in turn, new ways of life. The Upbeats transform the extreme technology into something organic. From hyperconnected humans to primates, then to amoebas and then to the Big Bang, right there sounds DeEvolution. As the symphony of that trip comes the melancholic Streetlight, Veiled explores the cosmos at 174bpm, but highlighting tracks does not do justice to this conceptual work that we recommend listening fully.

Emperor

7.0 L 33

Dispositions: The Remixes Critical

One of the most interesting albums of 2016 already has its remixes. In charge of geniuses like Phace in Haste, Klax in Made of Light, Jounce by Ivy Lab (my favorite) and the unplugged version of Made of Light.

Karate LP The Black Belt Edition Eatbrain

If you choose Prolix, Joe Ford, Synergy and Neonlight to remix parts of Karate LP, it certainly deserves the black belt. L 33, also known as the smart Bulgarian, includes a Bloodrain´s VIP.

MURDOCK

01. Doctrine

“Panopticon” - Ram Records

8.0 Varios Artistas

02. Hypoxia

“Turkeytap” - Radar Records

We Are 21

03. T & Sugah & Zazu

Another spectacular compilation to highlight now at the beginning of 2017 is one by Hospital label which is celebrating its 21 years of existence with 68 tracks of which 24 are exclusive and there are many inspiring compositions such as the collaborations of SPY with Etherwood in Because of You, Fred V & Grafix with Metrik in Tension, London Elektricity remixed by the Brazilian Urbandawn in Hanging Rock, the heavyweight Warning by Whiney, Milkyway’s luminous Fairy Tale and Serum’s hectic Blow Dem Away.

04. Murdock

Hospital

“Lost on My Own” - Liquicity “Make Me Stronger Ft Jenna G” - Viper Recordings

05. Doctrine

“Parabol” - ProgRam Records

06. Upgrade

“Run This Again” - dubplate

07. Tc & Metrik

“the Light” (A.M.C Remix) - Donít Play Records

08. Culture Shock

“Pandemic” - Ram Records

09. Murdock & Doctrine

“Fire” (Rampage Anthem 2017 Vip) - Radar Records

10. Dj Phantasy & Macky Gee

“Transition” - Down 2 Earth Musik

Trance REVIEWS MARCELO FRATINI djmarcelofratini@hotmail.com

QUICKIES + Q&A Age Of Love

Age Of Love (RAM 2017 Rework) Grotesque Music

Probably one of the most iconic classics there is been reworked by RAM. Giving it a 2017 sound but still keep the original feeling in it... A massive rework that will work on each dance floor How did the idea of reworking this classic came to you? “It’s in my top 3 track ever. So I wanted to do a rework of it but also trying to keep some key elements in it. Because the track is perfect like it is. So it was a tricky thing to do. Just give it a 2017 sound and keep the same vibe.”

10 Chris Schweizer

Indecent Noise & Johann Stone

Lithium

Who’s afraid of 138!?

Argentine DJ & producer Chris Schweizer, through Who’s afraid of 138!?, announces Lithium, one of his latest productions. The Argentine, who is at his best, is one of the most supported in recent times by the global trance elite. A track with great strength and a well- marked style which identifies him, and which we can see as another candidate for the 1st position in the top 10.

Do you have new projects for this 2017? “Yes! Lots of projects on the way and few collabs. Now working on a collab with Arctic Moon ft. Stine Grove. This will be something very beautiful. I’m a big fan of Stine Grove. Also, doing some tracks on Future Sound of Egypt & Who’s afraid of 138!? And, of course, Grotesque. But even lots more to tell. 2017 will be on fire with RAM tracks!” What is your favorite country to play? “I love South America. They are so passioned. Argentina wins the trance cup awards… Everything is nice there.”

RAM

04. Ciaran Mcauley

In Memory Of You - Grotesque

05. Allen Wat Ts & Amir Hussain Parallax - Grotesque

06. The Thrillseekers Pres. Hydra Amber (Skylex Remix) - FSOE

07. Ahmed Romel

Drusilla - Grotesque

08. James Diamond

Show the World - FSOE

09. The Noble Six

Colony/Chernobyl - Kearnage

10. Scot Project

W5 [Waiting For] - Outburst

Clandestine, the new extension of the FSOE family, shows us the work which is fruit of the union between Aleksander and Johann which they named Rimur. We can say that this combination gave an excellent result since both have different styles and that is what makes this PSY track even more interesting. Strong candidate for the N° 1 position within the genre since it has everything it needs.

9.0

RAMexico

Who’s afraid of 138!?

Who’s Afraid is back on the charts. On this occasion they present the latest work by Dutch DJ and producer Ram, who never ceases to amaze us with each new release. True to his style, “RAMexico” is one of those tracks that transmit happiness through its melody, drawing a smile on your face as it plays. Another very good release by WAO in early 2017, which looks like a great year for the genre.

PAUL DENTON Curtain Call Subculture

An excellent release by Subculture, as it could not be otherwise. This time together with Irishman Paul Denton, one of the producers of the moment, who presents us his most recent work entitled Curtain Call. A demolishing track from beginning to end, one of those with which the dance floor explodes. We are in front of one of the candidates to the number 1 position in the chart without a doubt. Congratulations to the label and the author, and we wish you an even better 2017!

Project 8

Willy Wonk

Grotesque Fusion

Once again the Irish power is present in the charts! Under his alias Project 8, Shane Kinsella presents us with his most recent production, Willy Wonka. We can say that this track is strong and dynamic, what makes it effective on the dance floor. It will be released through Grotesque Fusion, the label of the renowned Dutch DJ & producer RAM. A very good track that we will undoubtedly see among the best in the ranking.

8.0 Alan Morris Anaconda

Flashover Recordings

Anaconda is the name of Alan Morris´ latest single, edited by Flashover, label of one of the living legends of trance, Ferry Corten. A song that sends you shivers down your spine, an epic descent that gives it an air of anthem of trance, the experts in the subject know what we mean. Another great candidate to rank high at the top ten.

02. Andres Sanchez & Katherine Amy

City Of Life (RAM Remix) - Grotesque Reworked

FSOE Clandestine

RAM

Nordic Nights (Grotesque 250 Anthem) Grotesque Fusion

03. Ahmed Romel

Rimur

01. Mark Sherry & Ram

These Ties Are Binding - Grotesque

9.0

Sneijder

9.0

Viper

Kearnage

Groove and strength in the same track, that’s what we feel with Viper, the latest by Sneijder, which comes to us from Kearnage, one of the labels which had an excellent year and with this release closes a very positive 2016. As we said at the beginning, it is a track with great strength and a lot of groove, which makes it 100% effective on the dance floor. We wish the label a 2017 just as good as last year or even better. They have the characteristics and the talent to achieve it!

Michael Kaelios Who’s Who

Mental Asylum

The Mental Asylum is growing little by little. Endowed with very good art, it is another of the labels that had a good year of releases, and which today invites us to meet Who’s Who, the new material belonging to Spanish Michael Kaelios. A powerful track, 100% ‘’old school’’ tech trance sound, the lovers of this genre are more than grateful with this presentation and expect more material from both parties.

8.0 Vita

Victorious (Fergie & Sadrian Remix) Pharmacy Plus

Argentina once again present in the charts, this time through PHARMACY PLUS, who provides us with Victorious, the latest achievement of Andres Vitantonio, aka Vita, which in turn was remixed by his countrymen, the duo Fergie & Sadrian. Faithful to their style, the Argentinian threesome achieved a good result which had a very good acceptance. Congratulations and we look forward to more. djmagla.com

TECH HOUSE REVIEWS FESTA BROS info@festabros.com

8.0 9.5 PHILIPP STRAUB

Revolution of House 8 Bit

Nick Curly & Gorge’s label continues to edit productions that help us all DJs. In this case, from Austria, Philipp Straub surprises us with an EP that’s somewhere in between house, tech and techno. Many percussions and the right musical side, old school vocals with low pitch to hit the note of the synth that works as the song hook.

Daniele Di Martino FAUST (Thomas Schumacher Remix) Mono Noise

A completely different impression left on us this remix made by the techno legend Thomas Schumacher. Since Schumacher is an expert in creating clear and direct sounds in his more techno profile, the result is harder and even straighter than the original. It crowns the EP by not leaving room to think or dream and reflects the intention of the whole trilogy. Faust is a track that we will hear in many sets!

7.0 Juan Rodriguez and Ralp Fighter

9.0 Habischman Moan

Knee Deep In Sound

Knee Deep In Sound, Hot Since 82´s label, always releases a compilation for every major global electronic event. In this case, BPM could not be missing. The track par excellence in this compilation was in the hands of Iranian Habischman. Its 90’s-style vocals and tremendous hook make this compilation better than expected. It also includes tracks by artists such as James Grow, Spencer K, Piem, Veerus and Maxie Divine.

Pacific (Luca Donzelli Remix) Underground Audio

“Pacific” shows deep melodies with lots of groove and slick synths added to spaced vibrations. The bass is rich and warm. Luca Donzelli remixes it and its version is deeper and more bended, with distorted chords and a noisy bass which remains throughout the track and makes you want to dance. Very good EP! Luca continues to show that he’s going to become a leading tech house and techno figure.

6.0 Acumen Envieuse NONSTOP

8.0 Supernova Up to Venus Lapsus Music

Deep tech sound from their own label for Italians Supernova. This time, they edited an EP with 4 original tracks solidifying their own name and label. This is a groovy EP! This duo often shows what the fusion between house and its derivatives is really like. A strong hi-hat and opaque percussions play on the background giving it rhythm. “Revelation EP” is the number 180 edited by Lapsus, a label that boasts great artists in its ranks. 86

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“Envieuse” consists of seven minutes of house driven by bass with continuous claps, along with expressive synth patterns with dark energy which penetrate the entire groove. Acumen is an underground artist who is often referred to as a referent and has a place in the sets of several melodic techno and tech house DJs.

8.0 Mat.Joe

Dance Machine

Mother Recordings

Mat.Joe, the duo based in Berlin, is one of the most commented acts on the circuit at this moment with releases in Toolroom, Hot Creations and Mother, among others. “Dance Machine” is a house track with percussions and a slick bass. The vocals add fuel to the fire, some colorful tunes bring the soul and the whole thing will really start up any set and get people to hit the dance floor.

8.0 DJ T

Werk It

Moon Harbour

From Matthias Tanzmann’s label comes an EP by one of the heads at Get Physical: the legendary DJ T. Techno sounds layered over the groove of tech house always give good results when you work well. Vocals work here as hooks which keep buzzing in your head on and on.

8.0 Fancy Inc

All About Love

Warung Recordings

“All About Love” kicks off with very high rhythms following this high impact hi-hat fashion with this fusion of sub bass and intermittent claps. The vocals are very submerged throughout the track, mixing with science fiction synthesizers exploding on the surface and lots of energy. A great duo from Brazil releasing an EP for the label of the acclaimed Warung, famous for his beach environment.

QUICKIES + Q&A Montel

Get Loose

8.0

Toolroom

A fresh new acid from Mark Knight´s label. A simple but solid groove is brought to life with a cleverly manipulated 303 bass pattern and lashings of chopped up vocals. This is the rising Montel! What can you say about upcoming releases? “I had a couple of releases in March: an EP from Kaluki Musik that features four tracks and my follow up EP on Bedrock Records. I love working with John Digweed as he supports my music and Bedrock is a legendary label with 18 years at the top of the game.” Which are the labels that you are aiming for signing your next tracks? “I love working with artists and labels that already support my music and follow my sound. People like John Digweed, Anja Schneider, Richy Ahmed and Hot Since 82 always make me feel like home. I’m really excited to be working with Kaluki now too. They have a very strong brand and roster!” Which hardware/software have you been using? Something new to recommend? “I work completely in the box now. When family life came along a few years ago, space in the house for equipment was at a minimum and all had to go sadly. In this day & age you don’t need a studio full of equipment though. Computers are so powerful now.”

ELLROY

01. Tish

“Mist” - Draft

02. Ellroy

“Sentinal” - Suara

03. Okain

“Boom Bap” - Talman Records]

04. Io (Mulen)

“Corona Australis” - Recycle Records

8.0 Patch Grube

AudioHell Department

“Grube” begins with drums that create a good base making the synthesizers, those soft melodies and the bass lines accommodate with absolute balance. It’s a track that can sound in an after beach when the sun goes down... or during an incredible close at sunrise. Audiohell bets on new talents who are really going to get far.

05. Peace Division

“Eh Oh Um (Dungeon Meat’s Break Meat Mix)” - Tsuba

06. Dubsons

“Faraon” - NG Trax

07. Tuccillo

“Melo Melo Garden” - Roush Label

08. Ellroy

“Munk” - Tiny Lamp

09. Mulla

“Grandma’s Groove” - Cahoots Records

10. Ellroy

“Simple Things” - SK Supreme

Techno REVIEWS RICHARD BROPHY richardbrophy@gmail.com

QUICKIES 9.0 7.0

7.5

Andrew Red Hand

Redshape

MOS Deep Romanian techno isn’t all about clickheavy minimalism, as this release from Andrew Red Hand demonstrates. Jacking rhythms!

Delsin Recorded during Redshape’s live shows. ‘London’ is a headsdown, driving affair that centres on a muddy bass, while ‘Paris’ is more rarified.

Dear Goddess

Best Of Live Vol.2

7.0

8.0

Transparent Sound

Mind Against & Aether

Electrix A grinding, acid-heavy workout. Remixes come from Larry McCormick - a droning, dancefloor reshape - and steely, buzz-saw, riff-heavy interpretations from Mr Velcro Fastener and Sync 24.

Afterlife What a techno monster! This team up between the Mind Against duo with Aether is the example of what dramatic big room techno is all about. The kind of track that work at techno festivals.

No Call From New York

FJAAK FJAAK

Monkeytown

This is an absolute banger from this trio that’s been delivering awesome cuts. They have released his studio album on Modeselektor’s label and it ticks all the boxes! The entire album is wrapped in a warm, analogue blanket that sounds like nothing else. Including collaborations with Modeselektor and Rødhåd, FJAAK’s self-titled album is kind of a schizophrenic piece, full of dark and light moments.

8.0

Solaris

ALEX YOUNG 01. Grasso & Maxim vs Alex Young & Deetech Censored - Natura Viva

02. Drunken Kong Chanted (Original Mix) - Terminal M

03. Sinisa Lukic, 7464

Purveyors Of Fine Funk Soul Message EP Metamorphic

Apart from a one-off return three years ago, it’s been a long time since Dan Curtin worked as Purveyors Of Fine Funk. While this comeback EP does not teem with the raw unpredictability of vintage POFF releases on Peacefrog, it does stand out amid the morass of same-y house and techno. Cheeky vocal snippets, funk basslines, deft drum shuffles and liberal servings of disco loops make this an idiosyncratic release. In particular, the tropical rhythms of ‘Subaffection’ and the Aubreyesque looped ‘Genius Of Touch’ are worthy of your attention.

Boiling Over - Kaseta Music

04. Rob Hes Why - My Favourite Freaks Music

05. Dj Dextro Paralel Universe (Alex Young & Deetech Remix) Tanira Recordings

06. Dhyan Droik Gruved - Oscuro Music

07. Eric Sneo & Christian Smith Loaded Dice - Tronic

08. Chrono Bastards - Rezongar Music

09. Marc B Cricket (Kostha Remix) - BullDog Records

10. Christian Hornbostel Geo Vibes (Metodi Hristov Remix) - Voltaire Music

7.5 Ali Renault Altro Mondo

Bordello A Parigi

The past year has been prolific for Renault and ‘Altro Mondo’ sees him deliver a collection of tracks comparable to his recent outing for Giallo Disco. Both the title track and ‘Fume’ focus on what Renault excels at, namely chugging, lowslung electronic disco grooves, underscored by brooding bass tones. On ‘Nowhere’, he departs from that script; teaming up with Fred Ventura, he delivers

broken beats and wind-swept synth melodies as a backdrop for the Italian producer’s bittersweet vocals. Uabos from Bitter Moon rounds off the release with a bassheavy take on ‘Lenticular’.

9.0 FOLAMOUR

Shakkei

8.0 Heinrich Dressel Space Wave Shaft Slow Motion

With a multitude of releases on his own Minimal Rome label, Barba and Bordello A Parigi, Dressel is one of Europe’s finest electronic producers. This release on Slow Motion gives full vent to his ambient tendencies. The title track, ‘Inside Outsight’ and ‘Dorian Landscape’ are characertised by layered textures, warm sounds and blissed-out tones, but they are eclipsed somewhat by remixer Ma Spaventi. Getting his hands on the title track, the engineering powerhouse drops two versions -a warbling, acidled disco mix and the chiming, melodic ‘chill’ reshape- that will warm even the coldest hearts.

8.0 Various Artists

Ten Year Electronics Cultivated Electronics

Few labels have the same resolve as Sync 24’s Cultivated Electronics - and its stance is borne out on this 10th anniversary release. Sync’s collaboration with Steve Allman, ‘We Animate’, is old school, body-popping electro, while his co-authored track with Radioactive Man veers into rave madness. In between, there’s the nocturnal synths and wired acid squiggles of ‘Wave ID’, his track with Jensen Interceptor and the broken techno of ‘Tri-Gate’, a workout forged with Truss.

8.5 Juju & Jordash

What About Tuesday? Dekmantel

As always, Juju & Jordash bring a highly distinctive

All City 2017 has only begun, but it will be hard to find a greater tune this year than Folamour’s ‘Shakkei’. This is despite the fact that there’s not much to it. The drums and percussion are forceful without being tough, but it’s all about the melody that evolves from flowing, beautiful piano keys. ‘Maybe I Did Burn Ya Place’ sees Folamour deploy tight tribal drums and sensuous chords, while ‘Each Day Is A First Day’ has a groovy, disco influence, but it’s all about the shimmering, sublime ‘Shakkei’. take to house/techno on ‘Tuesday’. ‘Monday Mellow’ uses minimal beats as a basis for the duo to explore mysterious soundscapes, while ‘Wednesday Something’ features trails of chiming guitar - reminiscent of the Durutti - unravelling over a meteoric acid groove. Maintaining the freeform approach is ‘Thursday, Heavy’, where the pair slip and slide their way through tribal drums, resonating bass and chiming melodies. ‘Tuesday’ is a seriously enjoyable trip.

8.0 Melly

Low Pressure Jheri Tracks

Melly is the latest in a long list of electronic producers to emerge in recent years from Ireland — and he proves his worth on ‘Low Pressure’. ‘Mask Shop’ is all clattering drums and a dense, stepping rhythm, while on the title track he veers into organic ambient chitterchatter. Best of all though is ‘Doof Doof’; in stark contrast to what its title suggests, it’s a lush techno track, powered by rasping percussion. ‘Low Pressure’ is a fine opening statement. djmagla.com

TECHNEWS

TECH TIPS

Colombian DJ & producer KhoMha reveal some handy tips and tricks...

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PERSONAL CHOICES

We asked Argentinean DJ & producer Alexis Cabrera about his favorite equipment for music production.

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RIO MUSIC CONFERENCE

The leading player in the electronic music and entertainment market in South America.

p.94

TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE Mexican duo Tom & Collins invite us to their studio.

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TECHNICS BRAND NEW SL-1210GR TURNTABLE An icon returns…

echnics revealed the first new 1210 turntable in almost 15 years yesterday with the SL-1210GR. Our brothers from DJ Mag UK Tech section got up close with the new 1210 at Abbey Road Studios where Technics unveiled the turntable before they go on show at Bristol’s Sound & Vision convention at the end of February. The new Technics SL-1210GR joins the SL-1200GR silver edition that was revealed earlier this year. Last year’s SL-1200G combined Technics’ traditional analogue technology and advanced digital technology, and parts from it were newly developed to create the SL-1200GR and the SL-1210GR, such as the coreless direct-drive motor and precise motor control technology, high-rigidity platter and high-sensitivity tonearm. Let’s see…

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CORELESS DIRECT-DRIVE Last year, Technics developed a twin-rotor, surface-facing, coreless direct-drive motor with rotor magnets placed on both sides for their SL1200 GAE turntable. The result was a system that eliminated the rotation irregularity of the motor, referred to as cogging. The SL-1200GR/SL-1210GR inherits a similar design philosophy with a single-rotor, surfacefacing, coreless direct-drive motor, which Pioneer says results in a similar elimination of cogging.

TURNTABLE PLATTER The platter has a two-layer construction with deadening rubber applied to the rear surface of the aluminium die-cast in order to achieve highrigidity and vibration-damping characteristics. This eliminates any unnecessary resonance being relayed to the record. The SL-1210GR’s platter is 0.8kg heavier than that of the previous SL-1200MK5, but lighter than last year’s SL-1200 GAE. The torque delivered to the aluminium platter is slightly lower too, but the reduced weight means the SL-1200GR achieves the same start up speed as it’s £4,000 predecessor.

S-SHAPED TONEARM The tonearm is the static-balance universal S-shaped tonearm traditionally used by Technics, and employs an aluminium pipe instead of the SL-1200 GAE’s magnesium one, again making it lighter. Detachable cables.

The GR models feature gold-plated phono terminals and ground terminals for use with detachable cables. This means a variety of cables can be used with the new 1200/1210, as well as making the terminals much easier to fix than its predecessor, which were built into the turntable’s shell. Check out images of the SL-1200GR below, and see the full tech spec at the bottom of the page. n

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TECHPRODUCER We reveal some handy tips and tricks to help you on the road to wicked productions...

COLOMBIAN ROBERTO ALZATE is one of the stars of the trance scene nowadays. Born in Medellin 26 years ago, he has become the first latin American artists signed to the big David Lewis agency and he’s one of the favourite producers of the Armada Music label. He’s been collaborating with Andrew Rayel and Orjan Nilsen lately, remixing Armin Van Buuren and also editing the classic “Californa Dreamin” this last December with great success. With a lot of new music coming out this year, we sat down with him to know a little bit more about how he creates his productions.

How do you try to keep fresh in the studio? I’m always looking for new stuff , fresh sounds and samples. I love to combine the classic’s with the new era sounds in order to get something unique. Music has no limits and gives the possibility to open your mind and your sound in many ways. Is there a common process that you use when you get in there? I get inspiration from different things every time. Sometimes I start with the melody, sometimes just with a very simple drum loop or humming a melody in the shower. Trust me water has something special. Do you have some favorite softwares and hardwares that you use? FL studio is my go software, very easy to use and straight to the point. One of my key plugins is the Jupiter 8. I’m totally in love with this one, because you can get a very analog classic sound and take it to a very modern sound, a truly monster synth. What would you advise to starting producers from your own experience? Be unique with your sounds! yes, you can get inspired by all the artists you admire but try to get your own identity. Work with love and passion those two elements are the ones that are going to help you to keep working for your dreams.

KhoMha is coming with lots of new music and remixes almost every month this 2017, so keep in touch.

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TECH

ALEXIS CABRERA: PERSONAL CHOICES

We asked the Argentinian to tell us about his favorite equipment for music production.

here is something a producer of electronic music cannot escape: to aspire to have his own studio full of instruments with which to have instant satisfactions by touching a key or a button. It is not something easy to achieve. In fact, I think it’s a never ending story. Who hasn´t ever said “this is the last unit or synth I need and the studio will be ready” to be surfing eBay the very following day in search of the next toy? In addition to the fact that renewing and having new instruments periodically is something healthy, let´s recall that in electronic music inspiration often comes from the machines themselves, both from their virtues and their flaws or limitations. That is exactly what I want to talk about in this feature. I have the studio in my house in Berlin. More precisely, in my living room, like many other producers nowadays. It is also very common to have the studio out of the house, in a rented room, for instance, but the truth is that for as long as I can remember I have always made music in my house, so the option of having that part of me in another place never caught my attention. Maybe it is because if I had to go somewhere else to make music, I´d feel as if I were going to the office, something I did a few years ago, when I was working as a computer

network administrator in an office and had to go there ten hours a day. So the further from it, the better. Besides, there is nothing better than waking up and knowing that just by turning on some machines you can start working and with your breakfast ready waiting for you. As I was saying before, it is good to renew the instruments. It’s pure adrenaline. From the moment you see an article for the first time which catches your attention to the hours on Youtube watching reviews by some Russian guy who uploaded a recording with his cellphone of twenty seconds showing that instrument you want... nothing matters. Anything helps when choosing the new toy. After an intense tour I had around Argentina in December last year, I came back eager to renew my stuff. In 2016, I closed the production year in November - before starting the tour around Argentina - with almost fifty tracks of my own, plus other collaborations with friends. I felt that I had squeezed up the machines I had so, in order not to fall into the formula repetition from which I always want to escape, I replaced almost everything. First I will list all my equipment and then I´ll go into detail about each piece:

Mixer: Allen & Heath WZ 16:2 DX

Modular System: Mutable instrument Braids / Befaco Even / Filtros, Lfos& more. Drum machines: Roland TR8 (with 7x7 y 606 kits) / Arturia DrumBrute

Synthesizers: Roland TB3 / Make Noise 0-Coast / Teenage Engeneering PO-14

Sampler: Microgranny 2.5

Effects: Nux Time Force delay / Nux Mod Force / Electro Harmonix Pitch Fork

Sound Interface: Motu ultralite Mk3

Midi Interface: Midi Solutions Quadra Thru 4 ports

Monitors: KRK Rokit RP6

DAW: Ableton Live

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so you can achieve random variations per instrument. It has individual 3.5mm outputs for each instrument to process separately or, in my case, I sometimes send a sequence to the modular as a gate. Then I send the rhythm from the DrumBrute but I prepare the notes in the modular so, together with the randomness and polyrhythm, very interesting things are assembled. The sound is very electronic. Some sounds are extremely similar to the classic 808 sound but others, like the hihat, are totally different, which I love so as to be able to build layers of hihats with those from the TR8 although they also work very well alone. When recording, I use the Motu Ultralite MK3 and Ableton Live as master clock. That’s when the DrumBrute receives the clock via USB and the rest is distributed with the Midi Interface Quadra Thru. As in the Allen & Heath mixer, I have six aux, I use one exclusively to record the individual sounds in Ableton or sometimes I group several... Or, for example, if a sound takes a delay from the Time Force, I record everything along with the delay so that piece is as faithful as possible. I had a time - at the beginning of my career – when I spent hours and hours with automations, checking details until exhaustion. Now I’m too old to be so detail-oriented! Many times I like how it all sounds together, and while I’m trying out sounds, I’m already creating the structure in my head so I prefer to let it flow and record everything together from the mixer master to a stereo channel in Ableton. Anyway, I record the sounds separately since then I need them to play Live. When making music, I like to start with the machines I have. Many times, I use the DrumBrute as master clock since it has both MIDI OUT (which I connect to the MIDI IN of the TR8 - if it is your case, remember to disable MIDI note input or otherwise you will hear the drumbrute sequence in the TR8) and CLOCK OUT 3.5 mm (which is perfect for me to send the sync to the modular). The Arturia DrumBrute is a powerful, fully 92

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analog drum machine. No sound presets! This makes it even more special. You can only save patterns but the sounds are those you see in the parameters of the front panel with the system “one knob per function”. The sequencer has up to 64 steps and you can assign as many steps as you want for each instrument, so you can create interesting polyrhythms. Another very powerful thing about the sequencer is that it has the option of randomness per track

The TR8 receives the clock from the DrumBrute or from the Quadra Thru - depending on whether or not I use the computer. Many of you must already know it, so I won´t go into detail. You can see some Russian reviews on Youtube! I make use of the 4 independent outputs to be able to group and separate in order to process in the mixer -L: kick; R: clap and snare; A: hihats rides and crash; B: toms and rimshot. I have all the default expansions -808 and 909, plus

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7x7 and 606. Many of the new percussions may sound a little raw but it is good to take them to a pitch end and then process with some filter or play with the delay, although I mainly use them for more classic sounds, such as the hihats of the 909 or the claps of the 808 and 909. The toms are also sounds that I use quite often but always processed with modulation effects and pitch shifters -flanger, phaser, envelope filters or with lfos, and more.

its touch screen. You can enter notes in classic mode as step sequencer or you can also record them live with the virtual keyboard that is on screen. You can assemble patterns of up to 32 steps and you can also chain patterns, hours and hours of fun guaranteed.

I assembled the modular less than a month ago, so I’m in the middle of the learning phase but I love it. The idea of assembling one had been in my head for some time but I was postponing it because I knew that once you open that door you cannot close it anymore. The extreme sounds and textures you can get are something amazing. I worked for many years with Reaktor, for example, which is a modular system but in a software. It’s surprising but it isn’t at all similar to the modular hardware workflow. I think there´s virtually nothing you cannot achieve with the correct software but the way you come to do things with the modular hardware is far more fun.

I fell in love with the Make Noise 0-Coast from the moment I saw it for the first time on a Youtube review. This time it was no Russian guy. It was the nice bald guy from Sonic State. It has the WestCoast Style sound structure with additive synthesis and no filters - as opposed to the subtractive, where you give the character to the sound with filters. It comes with a Triangle oscillator but you generate overtones with a Square oscillator and with its corresponding Multipliers - yes, it is information for nerds. The envelopes are typical of Make Noise, which you can loop generating crazy lfos, plus a classic envelope. I love the sound of this synth as well as the fact that being semi modular I can integrate it with the modular. Just as it is and without patching too much, you can get bass sounds, leads or random noise if you want... It is very versatile!

The Roland TB3 is an emulation of the legendary TB303. I really like the sound. It is very powerful and acid. The good thing is that not only can you get classic sounds like TB303 but you can also get completely different sounds. There is a software editor with which you can enter the brain of this synth and generate your own sounds, with effects like delay, reverb, distortion, flanger and more. I usually use it when I want to add some sequence with a classic acid sound. The sequencer is great and is super intuitive with

The Pocket Operator PO14 was a gift from my brother three years ago, as soon as it hit the market. Thanks, Ari! It’s super fun and is, mainly, to do bass sounds with different sound presets. With its integrated sequencer and an 80´s video game-type screen, it offers a very nice combo. But don´t get carried away by appearances: some demolishing bass sounds come out of this thing. The sequencer is step type, where you can enter the note for each step and it also lets you record automations - deforming the sound or adding

some of the integrated effects it brings. Also, it is synchronized by 3.5mm miniplug so I get the clock from the modular´s LFO, from where I can send different tempo divisions - or sometimes I take some sequence with rimshot from the TR8 or the DrumBrute to send a crazier clock. The Microgranny 2.5 granular sampler is also super fun. It is more on the lo-fi side since you can record with the built-in microphone or through its 8-bit line input. Or by using the micro SD card you can load your own samples but at 22050 hz sampling. It was also a birthday gift this past month: I have two theories, either they love me very much or they are throwing me hints that I should change my sound ... I’ll talk to my psychologist. It is very immediate, you load anything and it deforms it in a second - it can also be used as a classic sampler. I spend a lot of time tweaking parameters. Just in case, I leave it recording all the time. Many happy accidents are lost in oblivion by not recording during the process of looking for a sound. Effects are indispensable when I assemble the sounds. The delay is inexpensive but has enough options like eleven types of delays, loop function and you can record layers on top of each other. The modulation pedal has the function for which I bought it: you can mix two effects at a time. For example, you can have a flanger plus a filter at the same time. Very interesting! And the Electro Harmonix Pitch Fork I use mainly for the oscillators of the modular since, being monophonic, I can generate triads. The monitors are the old KRK Rokit RP6. They are quite bad and tricky but, after so many years together, I already know all their tricks. n djmagla.com

TECH Photos: Ebraim Martini Words: Rodrigo Airaf

RIO MUSIC CONFERENCE THE GREAT GATHERING OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC IN BRAZIL Since its inception 9 years ago, Rio Music Conference has become the leading player in the electronic music and entertainment market in South America.

RMC represents the wishes and

connects, empathizes and truly

needs of all of Brazil’s main regions and the South American markets as a whole within the electronic music scene. Its recent Global edition in Rio de Janeiro has taken a big number of professionals and dance music enthusiasts to three days of activities. On the RMC’s academic activities (conferences, Q&As, panels, workshops and speed coachings) the audience is presented to debates on relevant market issues, to new techniques, new trends, new equipment and new technologies by EDM industry leaders. It also promotes RMC Club Week, a night program in partnership with clubs in the city that can last up to two weeks, and the closing festival Rio Music Carnival during the world-famous carnival holidays — this year brought acts like Afrojack , Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, Vintage Culture and Illusionize.

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The festival might be actually one of the city’s most important events for electronic dance music fans. To date more than 120 DJs & Artists have played at previous RMC’s festival nights such as Tiësto, Erick Morillo, Luciano, Armin Van Buuren, Sven Vath, Loco Dice, Pete Tong, David Guetta, Fatboy Slim, Steve Angello, Axwell, Kaskade, Booka Shade, Trentemøller, Dubfire, Dave Clarke, Bob Sinclair, Steve Aoki, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Alesso, Ingrosso and Afrojack. Meanwhile, the conference has its focus over three main pillars: market & trade, art & music and formation & training, following a successful model that has evolved around business activities, live presentations and shows. The discussion on the professionalization and expansion of the market, the content distribution and re-traing of professionals and its circling around new trends in music, technology and techniques make RMC a great convergence point

for dance music in its three main locations: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Curitiba. Through partnerships with the towns of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the RMC Social actions uses public facilities to promote, totally free of charge, a series of panels, practical classes, debates and workshops that seeks to bring themes, issues and actions related to the various professions of electronic music to several local public schools and communities with the aide and participation of innumerous very skilled dance music professionals. This year, to discuss the trends, insights and more relevant topics of this industry, six rooms were prepared in the beautiful Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR), located in a tourist region of the city in front of the sea, Praça Mauá. Representatives of some of the main Brazilian brands debated the health of the national scene: Green Valley, Warung, D-Edge, Privilège, Ultra Brazil, and

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dozens, aswell as latin brands like Aftercluv. In addition to the most relevant professionals in the Latin American scene, international guests such as Mark Lawrence (AFEM), Richard Zijlma (ADE), Roland Leesker (Get Physical), Wade Cawood (Pulse Global), Chiara Belolo (Scorpio Music), Justine Watkins MALLA), Lee Parsons (Ditto Music), Kristen Agee (411 Music Group) and many others attended the conference. In RMC there has been since 2012 the launch of the Market Yearbook — a printed publication with data, facts and other information about the market in the previous year — and the ceremony to deliver the RMC Awards, which had its 6th year in 2017. The RMC Awards are a celebration that recognizes professionals, companies and artists that stood out in the year before. The RMC Awards are voted by more than 800 acting professionals in the market from all regions in Brazil.

RMC is a great event for DJs and music producers too. With a big part of the Conference focusing on workshops taught by some of the most relevant instructors, DJs and music producers are also able to experiment the latest equipment from companies such as Pioneer DJ and Native Instruments, while the museum’s rooftop was the stage for live sets of some major Brazilian DJs. As the main exponent of the wishes and tendencies of the electronic music industry, RMC encouraged the interaction between DJs, journalists, producers, promoters, advertisers, entrepreneurs and various other entertainmentrelated areas, and provided the necessary environment for the industry to continue growing in Brazil and receiving healthy business partnerships even in an economically uncertain period. All this, amidst the warmth and beauty of Rio during Carnival holidays and the ebullient nightlife of São Paulo and Curitiba. n

Editions during 9 Main Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival

35 and 1 in Miami Beach, USA Regional Editions in Brazil

+800 in Brazil

Acting Ambassadors

of Business Activities 66 Days & Academic Activities people have attended to Business Activities & 31000 the Academic Activities of 335 hours Live Performances people have attended the Live 225000 toPerformances events 102 official in Brazil

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TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE Mexican duo Tom & Collins started this year in full motion with the release of “Mutual”, his latest single. We catch them to talk about how the complement each other in the studio…

hy did it take so long for you to release original music? “Because we didn’t wanted to release something that wasn’t us at 100%. We decided to explore the production world before releasing something with our own sound.” How’s been going with the first released tracks? “We are very happy with the response of the people. The first two tracks – “Obsessed” and “Savage”- were relatively dark. “Mutual” – their next single- is a classic house track with some vocals.” 96

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Is there a particular sound that you are looking for? “We like to experiment and play with different sounds for the different moments when people listen to music. In our next releases, you will hear music from 108 to 125 bpm.” Before your own material, you’ve been releasing some remixes. What differences do you find between remixing and creating something from scratch? “Is something completely different to have a vocal and create the track around it. We really enjoy both processes and both have their own obstacles but we believe that the most important is to have

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something to deliver, like an artist stamp.” Which things do you have in common or how do you two complement each other in the studio? “We complement each other quite well. Juan Pablo is beyond the technical stuff while I –Jorge- know a little bit more about musical theory. I think our musical taste is different but we always recognize our partner’s taste so we can find easily a common ground.” Do you have a process when you get in the studio? “In general, we start creating a drum loop

that we like, from the kick to the percs & hats. And then, from there, we create some chords with a synthesizer. After that, we focus on the track structure and by the end we go back to the arrangements. This process may vary because we can build the track around a hook or a sample but it usually works like this.” How’s a typical day in the studio? “We arrive, drink a cup of coffee and then we listen to new music that has attracted our attention. We talk about what we’ll be doing that day and we start right after that. We let the creativity flow and we take a few

break to refresh our ears. Which software do you use for production? “We use Ableton Live for the session with lots of plugins and synths. Maschine for the drums from time to time.” What would you like to have in your dreamed studio? “An analog mixing console Neve and the big ATC monitors.” Which plans do you have for the future? “Keep learning and creating new music. We are very excited about our releases in 2017.”n djmagla.com

Adrian Hour is one of the most successful Latino talents in recent history. The support he received from Mark Knight, head of Toolroom Records, was essential to develop this new process of his career as an artist. “I had a lot of support from Mark. I’ve been playing music since ten years ago but he was the first big artist to pay attention to what I was doing”, he explains about his now friend and colleague. Since then, this young Argentinean left his other works and dedicated his life to music, representing his hometown around the entire world, sharing booth with the biggest names of the dance music industry.

OUR H N A I ADR

“Mark told me that I had the facility and speed to adapt very quickly to the changes and I think it is one of the keys to surviving.” Recently moved to Europe, Adrian is the perfect candidate to to reflect on his Lucky 7… Words: HERNÁN PANDELO

THE TRACK THAT REMINDS YOU OF YOUR CHILDHOOD?

WHAT’S AN ALBUM OR COMPILATION THAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY INTO?

“I’m a fan of many styles of music. When I was young I started with heavy metal and local rock bands. If I have to think about one track I’d say ‘Everlong’ by Foo Fighters. I listen to that track and I remember a lot when I was a teenager so if I have to choose one, I choose that one. I keep listening to it and I love it.”

“It’s not that new but I’ve been listening to it a lot: ‘Powers of Ten’ by Stephan Bodzin. I love it. Also the remix album that came out is amazing. There’s a version of Dominik Eulberg that’s the best for me. It wasn’t the song that hit the charts but it’s my absolute favorite from the release. The remix album of ‘Powers Of Ten’ is my choice.”

THE FIRST RECORD THAT YOU EVER BOUGHT?

THE RECORD IN YOUR COLLECTION THAT YOU MOST TREASURE?

“The first CD I bought was a compilation of remixes that came out of an Argentinean magazine called D-Mode. I didn’t know that much about electronic music at that time. Internet wasn’t as accessible as it is now. When I bought my first vinyl I was already a fan of techno. It was the remix that Mauro Picotto did for the track ‘Taub’ by Megamind. An amazing track! I still have it until today. It’s a little broken but I have it.” WHAT IS THE CHEESIEST RECORD IN YOUR COLLECTION?

“I had to check a little my music library and I will say one that is a classic. I know that for some it can be a little bit cheesy and for others it won’t. I still like it and, until today, you can hear it in a lot of parties. ‘I Feel Love’ by Donna Summer. For me, it’s not chessy but I know that in the techno world it can be.” THE TRACK THAT’S GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOU CRY?

“I feel a little bit embarrassed but, of course, there were moments when the music made me cry. If I have to choose a track, I’d say ‘The Sky Was Pink’ by James Holden but the ‘Icelandic’ version, which has no kick. Only the melody! That track still blows my head. It has a lot of emotion. There were several tracks but I think if I have to choose one, it has to be this one. “

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“While it’s not a track that I played in my sets, it was a great experience to create it. I’m talking about my collaboration with Mark Knight and Indiana. It’s a bit more electronic sound going towards the pop world. Now that you ask, I think that’s my favorite track of the moment. It’s called ‘Dance On My Heart’.” WHAT IS YOUR ALL-TIME FAVOURITE TRACK OF ALL-TIME?

“There are too many but if I have to choose one there’s a track that reminds me of a friend who is no longer with me. I hear it and I

cannot believe it. It is ‘Gebrunn Gebrunn’ by Paul Kalkbrenner. An absolut bomb! That’s my all-time favorite song. “ u