Music interviews the definitive archive of stories behind the music

Loyle Carner | Sydney Opera House – December 4, 2025

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Healing Factor: Rich Delinquent & phem Dive Into the Dark Art of...

December 8, 2025

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The Fray — The Forum, Melbourne | 7 December

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Good Things Festival 2025 – Friday 5 December, 2025 – Melbourne, Flemington...

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Good Things Festival 2025 – Friday 5 December, 2025 – Melbourne, Flemington...

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by the partae

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UNUM Festival Returns to the Albanian Riviera for Second Edition Raresh, Seth Troxler, tINI, Sonja Moonear, Dyed Soundorom, John Dimas, Priku, Praslea, Digby, Cap and more will perform

Fatboy Slim announces a return to Melbourne's Revolver Upstairs this Tuesday 28 January

Fatboy Slim announces a return to Melbourne’s Revolver Upstairs this Tuesday 28 January

ARCHIE ROACH NEW SINGLE 'TELL ME WHY (FEAT. SALLY DASTEY)' OUT NOW + NATIONAL TOUR COMING SOON

ARCHIE ROACH NEW SINGLE ‘TELL ME WHY (FEAT. SALLY DASTEY)’ OUT NOW + NATIONAL TOUR COMING SOON

Having spent the majority of their career (& much of 2019) touring & selling out theatres, stadiums & festivals throughout the world including North & South America, Europe, the UK & Scandinavia, Wolfmother announce their return to New Zealand in 2020 for festival performances alongside of shows in Australia including Sydney’s famed Twilight At Taronga Zoo series. With an extensive history, including multi platinum sales globally, ARIA, Grammy & other award nods too numerous to mention, Wolfmother released album number 4, 'Victorious' in 2016 to rave reviews & enthusiastic international response resulting extensive world tours including forthcoming major European dates. Led by vocalist/guitarist Andrew Stockdale, Wolfmother have amassed an international fanbase, played to sold out crowds around the world, delivered show-stealing sets at star-studded festivals including Coachella, Lollapalooza, Reading, Rock In Rio, Download & more, and have been invited to share stages with rock icons Aerosmith,AC/DC, Guns N Roses & many more - including performing by personal invitation for Led Zeppelin's induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame! Recently Wolfmother also graced the stages of major Australian Festivals, Splendour In The Grass, Scene & Heard and Falls. Wolfmother recently announced the release of a new album ‘Rock N Roll Baby’ now available via all digital platforms - which includes the lead track ‘Rock N Roll Survivor'. Wolfmother also recently released the single ‘Chase The Feeling’ featuring Jet’s Chris Cester which has scored rotation on major radio stations nationwide. Alongside of current event and festival dates in Australia & New Zealand, Wolfmother have just announced 3 new shows for fans at The Gov Adelaide, The Corner Melbourne and Triffid Brisbane with all shows selling fast! Full details below: TOUR DATES Fri Jan 24 - Rock The Swamp, Palmerston North, NZ Sat Jan 25 - Bay Of Island Festival, Waitangi NZ Thu Jan 30 - The Gov, Adelaide SA Fri Jan 31 - Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC Sat Feb 01 - Twilight At Taronga Zoo Concert Series, Sydney NSW Sun Feb 02 - The Triffid, Brisbane QLD Thu Feb 06 - Freo Social, Perth WA Fri Feb 07 - Hillary’s Nth Perth WA Sat Feb 08 - Sugarloaf Rock Festival, Metricup (Margaret River) WA Tickets available from http://www.wolfmother.com/ Visit Wolfmother: FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/wolfmother/ INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/officialwolfmother TWITTER - https://twitter.com/wolfmother

WOLFMOTHER – 2020 FESTIVAL & SHOW NEWS UPDATE & ANNOUNCE

It has been a whirlwind January for HAWA. First, she closed Telfar’s Pitti Uomo fashion show in Florence performing atop an ornate table above Solange, Kelela and Juliana Huxtable, followed by a performance that grabbed Vogue’s attention at Gap x Telfar’s event in Paris and now she announces her debut EP. the ONE will be released on March 5 via b4 / Remote Control. The EP includes previously released single 'MY LOVE' and is produced by Tony Seltzer with beats from Cadenza, Kashaka & Oscar Key Sung. HAWA also shares new single 'IPHONE' today, a melancholic Hip Hop call for romantic ceasefire where clarity in a relationship is sought, circling back to the EP’s title. HAWA says of the new track,““IPHONE” is about a person trying to do everything right by the one they’re in love with, but still feeling like that person is never fully satisfied. It seems like they’re losing their love. Is the only reason why they’re staying is because they’re used to it?” Pitchfork says HAWA’s strong, direct “sing-rap delivery stand[s] out in a crowded New York scene” and her tracks have received praise everywhere from FADER to Dazed to Pigeons & Planes. Although HAWA’s first-ever song was released just over a year ago and she graduated from high school this past spring, the 19-year-old has already lived many lives. Born in Berlin to West African parents and raised in New York City, as a pre-teen HAWA was one of the youngest-ever composers for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom she toured the world. But soon HAWA’s insatiable creativity became stifled by the classical world’s stuffy limitations so she broke out. the ONE is released on b4, a future-facing label launched in 2018 that serves as a home for tomorrow’s most relevant artists. The music on b4 is a reflection of the genre-smashing landscape, where prior categories no longer apply. This is b4’s first-ever EP release. HAWA - the ONE EP 1. INTRO 2. AROUND ME 3. MY LOVE 4. FRICK 5. OFF 6. AND GET FAMOUS 7. IPHONE 8. OUTRO HAWA - the One EP is out March 5 via b4 / Remote Control. b4 website | instagram | facebook | twitter HAWA instagram

HAWA Announces debut EP the One Shares first single ‘IPHONE’

Tour Dates Friday 6th March: Pitch Music & Arts, Moyston Saturday 7th March: FourFour, Adelaide Sunday 8th March: Baker’s Lane, Launceston Friday 13th March: The Bottom End, Melbourne Sunday 15th March: Warehouse TBC, Perth Widely praised for her ‘uncompromising aesthetic’, it remains difficult to diminish a meteoric talent such as SPFDJ. With early roots in London, she acquainted herself with DIY projects and the local scene, playing regularly for the all-female techno collective Universe of Tang alongside London club institution Siren. Relocating to Berlin, she coerced life out of dancefloors as a regular of all good things electro, hardcore, and trance at the local legendary Herrensauna events. Apart from bringing a Wall of Sound to these parties, she powers many of the city’s underground raves, co-operating System.out Sound making available hireable Funktion One loudspeakers and amplifiers. SPFDJ further jolted the scene with the establishment of Intrepid Skin, her own label featuring likeminded creators like Nene H and VTSS. The label recently released the much-awaited Schacke EP 'There's Something Inside Me', which extensively landscaped the rave sound. An SPFDJ set is a graffiti of imagination, blisters, techno, ruthlessness, bubbling acid, kick drums, EBM, and trance. SPFDJ's provocative nature is incomparable, her Resident Advisor bio proves she "plays techno dystopia, gabber kicks looking angry but classy". A mix between techno dystopia and euphoric release, her trademark style makes her unforgettable and unmissable. With a string of 2020 international bookings, including Pitch Music & Arts and Dekmantel, SPFDJ's trajectory suggests she is about to become extermely sough-after... Tailgating SPFDJ is no easy task. Her sharp ascent is born of a taste for dynamics that approach and bank with ecstatic momentum. Occasionally working at vicious speeds, acidic techno climes are funnelled through kaleidoscopic wares from the wealth of high-energy outposts found across dance music today. Hailing originally from Sweden, SPFDJ’s beginnings were in London as part of the infamous collective Universe of Tang, an ongoing club operation steeped in DIY means and mystifying aesthetics. A relocation to Berlin then prompted a new chapter of projects and activity, and the chance to import her affiliations. With sprintf, she runs the Cranial Handles transmission, the System.out sound system, and the latest party coerced into life: Power Play. Drawing now on the many and varied collaborative efforts at the heart of her activity, SPFDJ deliver Connect with SPFDJ:

The full Australian dates of the Intrepid Skin owner SPFDJ

Canadian singer/songwriter Tanya Ryan is thrilled to announce this week’s release of her new single and music video, “My Heart Song”. “My Heart Song” – Ryan’s inspirational self-love ballad, which is produced by Mark Troyer – is the lead single from her new album, Open, coming February 20th. The first new single release since her Top 3 finish in 2017’s Project WILD Artist Development Project, “My Heart Song” follows a period of deep transformation for the Okotoks, Alberta native. “I went through a period of depression in which I felt really lost and isolated. This song came from the smallest voice that reminded me there is a force greater than ourselves that can support and guide us if we choose to reach for it. It was the final song written for Open, and I chose to release it as the first single because it is the most vulnerable and real. My intention moving forward in life and in music is to be entirely transparent. This was the most honest first step,” says Ryan. Ryan’s new music marks an artistic shift as well. Known for her country sound on her 2014 EP Simple As That and at many live shows like the Calgary Stampede and the Big Valley Jamboree, the CCMA Discovery alumnus and ACMA-nominated artist has adopted a “country crossover” style for Open that also integrates roots and pop elements. Joining “My Heart Song” on the album are five other tracks written by Ryan: the empowering life fulfilment anthem “Almost Famous”, the assertive love ballad “I Want You” (co-written with Steve Mitchell in Nashville), the unapologetic tongue-in-cheek pop-funk track “So. Damn. Good”, the contemplative ballad of relationship exploration “Love Like That”, and “Dimes” – a heartfelt ballad about a late mother’s wishes on her son’s wedding day. Ultimately for Ryan, Open is an authentic expression and exploration of love in its many forms. The soon-to-be mom says, “In my own life, I wanted to understand the expressions, facets, and nuances of love - love observed by a romantic partner, sexual love, mother’s love, self-love, and a love of one’s ambitious pursuits. This album represents my own understanding of love.” Tanya Ryan will support these releases with several Canadian shows in Alberta. Facebook: @TanyaRyanxo Instagram: @TanyaRyanxo Twitter: @TanyaRyanxo YouTube: @TanyaRyanMusic Spotify: HyperURL.co/phtkwl

TANYA RYAN TEASES NEW GENRE-BLENDING ALBUM MADE WITH DEEP LOVE, REFINED ARTISTRY, AND FULL AUTHENTICITY – New Single ‘My Heart Song’

What’s been happening recently? In between shows and our usual day to day lives, we’ve been hard at work behind the scenes preparing for a multitude of things, this single being one of them. We’re all keen to rip into 2020 and releasing this single is just the beginning for us. Your new single ‘Wherever You Go’ is out on the 24th of Jan 2020, what influenced the sound and songwriting for this track? I think Will was listening to a fair bit of ‘Royal Blood’ at the time he wrote ‘Wherever You Go’, and that’s where the big bass and lack of guitar in the verses came from. In terms of drums, I think the idea was really just, “keep it simple, keep it tight”, and that definitely worked for me. The bass and drum combo in the verses is what hooked me when I heard the first mix, and it still does whenever I hear it today. How did you go about writing Wherever You Go? This track kinda fell together pretty quick, I seem to recall. Once we had established the basic structure of the verse, everything else just flowed on and clicked together. We definitely spent a bit of time fine tuning the details, but for us ‘Wherever You Go’ was really easy to connect with, and we had no problems laying it down. Where and when did you record/produce? ‘Wherever You Go’ was recorded with a bunch of other tracks, including our last single ‘Too Much’, in May 2019. We all spent a few days at the local ‘Housefox Studios’, and took our time getting everything sounding just right for these tracks, and we’re quite proud of how they all turned out. Who did you work with during the recording/production process? As usual, the three of us bounced ideas off one another until we found the perfect mix to suit the song, but a big influence for us was Lachlan West. He helped us out majorly for our first two EP’s, and we didn’t want anyone else to be behind the desk when we walked into the studio this time around. He has an insane amount of knowledge and skills with all the equipment, and also its just a bonus that he’s an awesome as fuck drummer and mad legend. How did you approach the recording for this single? As I mentioned before, we recorded a few other tracks in the same session at the studio, but we made sure we weren’t biting off more than we could chew. We took our time setting up, and made sure every little detail sounded perfect before moving onto the next thing. Being a relatively straight forward song drumming-wise, it was a pretty simple process to lay down the track and then spend a bit more time focussing on the guitars, vocals and all the other little things. What programs/instruments did you use? The drums on the track are played on a custom kit, based off a Pearl Reference Pure, and a variety of tasty sounding cymbals from Zildjian, Bosphorus and Meinl. We messed around with a few different sizes of snares and toms, but we ultimately landed on the usual 14 inch snare and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. In terms of production, Lachy is the production wizard, so the ball is very much in his court. All that stuff doesn’t really make sense to me, I think he uses Protools. Who are you listening to at the moment? For the last few weeks I’ve had ‘The Vanns’ on repeat non-stop, especially their ‘Through The Wall’ album. I really cant seem to get enough of it, which is the best feeling to me. If I haven’t been listing to that, then I’ve been blasting some ‘Middle Kids’ as well which is always a safe bet. What is the average day like for you? For me, most days consist of work until about 4pm. I manage to listen to quite a bit of music while I’m there so I’ve always got my ear out for what’s on the radio/what’s up next on the playlist. After work is usually a quick swim at the beach and/or a bit of time playing drums. I try and get behind the kit every few days, and recently I’ve been investing a bit more time in my technique, instead of just thrashing away like a maniac. If its not one of those things, I usually hang out with Will and Dan for a few hours and we just chill out, have a few drinks and have a laugh. Do you collaborate with other musicians? As a band we haven’t collaborated with anyone yet, or that I know of. However if any opportunity of the sort came about, I would be keen to pursue it and see where it takes us. Have you ever dealt with performance anxiety? Yeah for sure. I cant speak for everyone when I say this, but I’m sure most performers have had some wobbly knees before a show or two, I think its just natural. Obviously as time goes on and you become more comfortable doing what you’re doing, the nerves will go away. But I have definitely been anxious before a big gig, but they’re the nights that tend to be the best shows we play, so its always worth it. Any advice for aspiring musicians? Persevere! It sounds simple but it really is important. We’d all love to play our music and “make it” overnight. But the reality is that rarely happens in this day and age. However, if you’re good at what you do and you continue to put the effort into your practice/gigs/recording then you will 100% start seeing some results, you’ve just got to persist. What’s planned for 2020? A whole bunch of stuff, to put it simply. Without revealing too much, I can safely say you will hear more new tunes, and you will see us playing more shows around the country and locally. Stay tuned, we’ve got some cool stuff coming.

Inklines

Elements Festival announce 4th edition lane up – Headliners include Bonobo, Diplo, Four Tet, Claude VonStroke and more

You've had a gnarly 12 months, what's happened and what's been happening? Its been crazy! 2019 was hectic - I think I played about 200 shows :o I released an EP and a single with Zoe Badwi, and I did a tour around Bali, Fiji and Oz the last two months of 2019! It was hectic. Where are you at the moment? Currently I’m in Tasmania! Playing a show in Burnie Oz Day Eve! My new single just got released! YEEHAW! We're frothin on your new single 'Take It In' what influenced the sound and songwriting? Thanks man! Im super proud of it! About a year ago I stumbled across this dude Max Glyde. Absolute freak. The moment I heard is shit I wanted to make something with him. 12 months later we have a single and about 7 beats stacked up! I think his classy feel and my funk work super well together! Where and how did you go about writing/producing Take It In? We made the beat in a studio at his uni in Box Hill, and to be honest the crux of it came together in about an hour. Was pre crazy. We both work with Velvet Bloom so we got her in a week later and she smashed the top line. From there, we finessed it for 4-5 months after that. What programs/instruments did you use to record/produce? Me and Max both use Ableton. And me and max both heavily use Massive and Sylenth for sounds! As well as Max on live guitar! How did you approach the recording/production process? Unless a vocal is sent to me, I pretty much always start with making a beat which is what Max and I did, then you approach a vocalist and re structure and do stuff from there! Who did you work with if anybody? Max Glyde (collab), Velvet Bloom (vocals), Lachie Milne (Mixing), Panorama Mastering (Mastering). What did you find most challenging and rewarding during the creation of Take It In? Rewarding for me was the dynamic me and max have in the studio. We just click and its so good. It was challenging finishing the last 10% of it. Really challenging. Most of it was there but we took several sessions to be completely happy with it! How has your live show progressed over the last few years? My DJ set I feel has just become more versatile and I think as a performer I’ve become more confident in what I’m doing. Im also playing more and more originals which is great. I am definitely working towards my live show though with a full band. Watch this space :P What have the fans been like live? They love it - and its great cause they vary so much depending on where you play. Blessed to be here. Who are you listening to at the moment? Max Glyde, Tentendo, Dombresky, Blush’ko, heaps of slower stuff and Yoga music when I’m trying to sleep haha. What's planned for the next few months and 2020 as a whole? Definitely playing shows, but more importantly releasing music and making heaps of it. I have about 4 singles ready and raring and I want them all out this year ideally. 2020 for me is really honing in on the production side of things. I hear that you've got a fun lil show coming up with The Partae, what can we expect? You must’ve heard correctly ;) Intimacy, funk, fun and a heap of taking it in ;) FB - http://bit.ly/2zIHvtn Insta - http://bit.ly/2iXnYeZ

Morning Maxwell Interview

Amsterdam, January 22nd, Awakenings Festival, the world’s largest outdoor techno festival, has just announced the line up of its 20 year anniversary. The iconic festival will return to the festival grounds in Spaarnwoude on June 27 and 28 for two full days of techno. Starting as an underground community, Awakenings has established itself over the last two decades as one of the leading brands in the techno industry. With over 100 artists performing in eight different areas at the biggest outdoor techno festival in the world, Awakenings Festival will once again showcase a broad spectrum of techno artists, from the pioneers of techno and international headliners to new and upcoming talent. Similar to last years’ sold out editions, Awakenings Festival will welcome an international crowd of 80.000 visitors. The festival’s all-star line up includes pioneers like Derrick May, Jeff Mills, Kevin Saunderson, Robert Hood, Richie Hawtin & Carl Cox. Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, Reinier Zonneveld and Dax J will also return to Spaarnwoude to play on both days. On top of that, Maceo Plex will host his Mosaic area for the third year in a row and Joris Voorn will return to the festival grounds with ‘Joris Voorn & Friends’. Awakenings will as always offer a platform to a new generation of artists. This year, upcoming names like VTSS, ONYVAA, Park Hye Jin, SAMA', Chris Stussy and Kevin de Vries have been added to the line up. Other widely respected names that have been announced for the anniversary edition include Adam Beyer, Joseph, Len Faki, Sam Paganini and Tale Of Us. In addition to the jaw-dropping line up, Awakenings Festival’s anniversary year will once again feature innovative and groundbreaking stage designs and next level production during this massive weekend. Today at 18:00 o’clock, Reinier Zonneveld played a unique role in unveiling the full 2020 line up, performing a live set from a boat on the Amsterdam canals, broadcasted on Awakenings’ Facebook and YouTube page. Prior to Awakenings Festival, the festival organisation will host three nights and one full day of techno during Awakenings Easter in the Gashouder, a perfect way to get in the mood for the 20 year anniversary with over 60 hours of techno in one weekend. For the full line up, tickets and more information, visit www.awakenings.com/festival Awakenings Festival 2020 Date: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th of June Time: 12:00 - 23:00 CEST Location: Spaarnwoude (near Amsterdam)

AWAKENINGS FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINE UP FOR ITS 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TICKET SALE STARTS ON THURSDAY AT 19:00 CET

HEADLINERS TO INCLUDE GRYFFIN (LIVE), KYGO, LAZERFACE BY GARETH EMERY (LIVE), KSHMR PRESENTS DHARMA, LOCO DICE, MADEON (LIVE), MALAA B2B DJ SNAKE, OLIVER HELDENS AND SOFI TUKKER (LIVE) SUPPORT TO INCLUDE ANDY C, ANNA, BOYS NOIZE (LIVE), CAMELPHAT, EATS EVERYTHING, FEDDE LE GRAND, GORGON CITY, KREWELLA (LIVE), MARKUS SCHULZ, NIC FANCIULLI, NICKY ROMERO, OOKAY (LIVE), SANDER VAN DOORN PRESENTS PURPLE HAZE, SNAILS B2B KILL THE NOISE, SOLARDO, PAN-POT, TCHAMI, THE RETURN OF DASH BERLIN, THOMAS GOLD B2B DENIZ KOYU, TRITONAL, VINI VICI, WHETHAN, WHIPPED CREAM & MANY MORE CURATED STAGES TO INCLUDE A STATE OF TRANCE, GUD VIBRATIONS, RESISTANCE MEGASTRUCTURE, REVEALED RECORDINGS & STMPD RCRDS Tickets on sale now Ultra Music Festival will return to its longtime home at Bayfront Park March 20 - 22, 2020, with a stacked roster of talent from across the electronic music spectrum. Following last month’s highly-acclaimed RESISTANCE lineup reveal of artists including CamelPhat, Gorgon City, Eats Everything, and ANNA, the festival has added a multitude of performers to its already impressive lineup. All live headliners will be making their exclusive Miami Music Week performances, including multi-instrumentalist crossover kingpin Gryffin who careens between guitar and drums, Gareth Emery’s immersive, cutting-edge laser technology in the exclusive Lazerface show of 2020, Madeon’s first ever live Ultra appearance featuring him singing, playing keys and drum pads, and SOFI TUKKER’s ecstatic performance helmed by their custom-designed ‘book tree’ instrument which the duo uses to trigger various samples. Headlining DJs also making their exclusive Miami Music Week performances include Kygo spinning a special sunset slot in his first Ultra set since his surprise 2017 appearance, and Parisian production cohorts Malaa and DJ Snake making their back-to-back festival debut in their first announced collaborative set of the year. Another headlining exclusive performance will come from KSHMR, who ascended DJ Mag’s Top 100 chart to the number 15 spot last fall, and will now reveal his KSHMR Presents Dharma experience for the first time ever, welcoming fans into his record label’s cinematic electro-house universe. Headlining Ultra veteran Oliver Heldens will return to showcase his bombastic, progressive beats, while hip-hop-meets-techno hybrid powerhouse Loco Dice will once again command the decks at the RESISTANCE stage. Ultra will continue demonstrating its commitment to innovative bookings with special live performances from acts like underground purveyor Boys Noize, melodic bass juggernaut Ookay, and vocalist-producer sister duo Krewella in their first Ultra set since 2014. The festival will also host debut performances from the likes of Snails B2B Kill The Noise, Thomas Gold B2B Deniz Koyu, Bassjackers B2B Dr Phunk, Deorro, Ilan Bluestone, 1788-L and more. Psytrance duo Vini Vici will make their main stage debut following years of celebrated A State Of Trance performances, while Dash Berlin will make his first festival appearance since relaunching the moniker as a solo project last year. Hot on the heels of his Ultra Abu Dhabi debut, Nicky Romero will perform his progressive house magic at Ultra Miami, and after Sander Van Doorn debuted his Purple Haze alias at Ultra in 2017, his dark trance meets tough techno side project will once again take the festival stage. The UMF Radio Stage will celebrate its tenth anniversary with the Gud Vibrations label making its takeover debut, while fan-favorites like Revealed Recordings and STMPD RCRDS once again curate their own talent takeovers. Carl Cox will also celebrate the landmark achievement of 20 years at Ultra Miami by hosting his iconic RESISTANCE Megastructure at Bayfront Park during all three festival days for the first time ever, while Armin Van Buuren’s A State Of Trance will celebrate its own decade milestone partnership with the festival. A full list of 100+ artists is included below, and stay tuned for more additions forthcoming. ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2020 - PHASE 2 LINEUP (ALPHABETICAL ORDER) * denotes exclusive Miami Music Week performance LIVE HEADLINERS Flume* Gesaffelstein* Gryffin* Lazerface by Gareth Emery* Madeon* Major Lazer* SOFI TUKKER* Zedd Presents The Orbit* DJ HEADLINERS Above & Beyond* Adam Beyer B2B Cirez D* Afrojack* Amelie Lens* Armin van Buuren* Carl Cox* David Guetta DJ Snake* Dubfire B3B Nicole Moudaber B3B Paco Osuna* Eric Prydz* FISHER Jamie Jones B3B Carl Cox B3B The Martinez Brothers* Jauz B2B NGHTMRE* KSHMR Presents Dharma* Kygo* Loco Dice Maceo Plex B2B Carl Cox* Malaa B2B DJ Snake* Martin Garrix* Oliver Heldens Richie Hawtin SLANDER B2B Kayzo* Tale Of Us SUPPORT 1788-L 4B B2B SAYMYNAME Aly & Fila Andrew Rayel Andy C Bassjackers B2B Dr Phunk Borgore Boys Noize LIVE Brooks B2B Julian Jordan Cesqeaux Chemical Surf Chocolate Puma Dannic B2B Sick Individuals The Return of Dash Berlin Deorro Eptic Fedde Le Grand Frank Walker Habstrakt Hybrid Minds Ilan Bluestone Infuze J. Worra Justin Mylo KAAZE B2B Maddix Kompany Krewella LIVE Laidback Luke Logistics Lost Frequencies Markus Schulz Matisse & Sadko B2B DubVision Metrik Mike Williams B2B Special Guest Moksi Nicky Romero Ookay LIVE Osrin Peekaboo Perto Rodg Ruben De Ronde Sander van Doorn presents Purple Haze Snails B2B Kill the Noise Somnium Sound B2B Ubur Space Jesus Sub Focus Subtronics Syn Cole Tchami Thomas Gold B2B Deniz Koyu Tritonal TV Noise Vini Vici WAVEDASH B2B Shadient Whethan WHIPPED CREAM Young Bombs

ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL REVEALS PHASE 2 LINEUP

This week at Cherry! Don't miss out on The Soul Movers, The Dead Amigos, Cosmic Kahuna and so much more!

This week at Cherry! Don’t miss out on The Soul Movers, The Dead Amigos, Cosmic Kahuna and so much more!

Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there? I was born and raised in London and am currently still based here. Its a city that has given birth to so many cultural movements as well as adopting many others and making it our own. The jazz scene in the UK has exploded in the last few years, often crossing into hip hop, grime and rock and I feel that has definitely influenced my sound. How did you first start playing music,producing rapping? I started playing piano when I was at primary school but I would say I got really into it when I was in my teens after hearing the likes of Bill Evans and Chick Corea and that seemed to spark something. I'd dabbled in a bit of production but it wasn't until I was chilling with lots of producers when I went to study music in Leeds that I got more and more into it. I'd also been writing bars from around 15 or 16 but never really took it seriously until me and Lausse were freestyling at a house party and he insisted that I come over to his home studio and record a tune and thats kind of where it all began.. You've just released - self produced 'Life's A Bitch, I Just Need An Early Night' through College Music Records and it has been gaining some traction, receiving just under half a million streams on Spotify alone since the release, what influenced the sound and songwriting? I'd gone through a lot of self-discovery and personal change over the few years leading up to that project so I think conceptually a lot of it focuses on self-development and growth. I didn't really have a pre-planned or set way I wanted the project to play out, but the themes and ideas seemed to just develop as I found threads through the stuff I was writing. I think in terms of the actual sound I'll always be deep routed in jazz especially the more emotive styles of Bill Evans or Dexter Gordon etc.. and I've always been into all the hip hop greats as well I think if you want to be doing this thing you have to know your history and study the greats/people that came before you. The same goes for when you're learning the tradition of jazz i guess! I was always hugely into the UK hip hop scene as a young teenager like Klashnekoff, Jehst and Taskforce and I think elements of that sound finds its way into the music often. But I'm trying to aim for music that has depth of narrative and musical complexity, whilst still fully saying true to who I am and where I come from. How did you go about writing the music? The writing process is kinda different for each song - some I had a really clear idea of how I wanted the whole thing to sound from the get go and some I had the beat and then just saw what came out lyrically, often chopping and changing stuff all the time. How did you approach the production/recording? I recorded the entire project between about 3 or 4 different bedrooms across the UK..haha! Some of it I recorded it at my mums house in London, some of it was recorded in my old house in Leeds, some of it at friends houses in Leeds. Had all kinds of makeshift stuff going on including taping a duvet around some opened cupboard doors to get rid of some the room sound when recording vocals..I feel like theres something quite charming about the DIY thing and I'm probably going to record the next project in a similar way. I also find working in my own comfortable space is a bit more creatively freeing than in a more clinical studio. What programs/instruments did you use? The recording process was really fun - I recorded most of it in Leeds with people I went to music college with so was a very collaborative project on the musical front. I wanted to do more than just having samples and the same drum loop the whole way through. In terms of live instruments on the project I recorded keys + piano, drums, guitar, bass, trumpet, tenor and alto sax and violin and I try and include as much of that in the live show as I can. I wanted to cross over more traditional programmed drums layered with real drums as well as having some of the other live instruments layered with more electronic synths etc. How did you come to release with College Music Records and how has the experience been working with College Music Records? I met Jonny from College Music at a gig when I was supporting Joe Armon-Jones in Leeds once, but we only had a brief chat. After that I heard about what he had been up to with CM and I was keen to get involved in some way. I had the project nearly finished and wanted to approach him to ask if he'd want to put any of the tracks on the CM spotify playlists. We went for a pint and he was keen to put the project out under their label which they were beginning to expand. Its been cool cos it feels like we're both at an early stage of what we're trying to do so even though they're a label, it feels grassroots and DIY. Please tell us about the video that you have accompanying 'Life's A Bitch, I Just Need An Early Night' where did you film? Who with? How the concept came about? The video that I am releasing is for 'See U In The Morning' which is the lead single off Life's A Bitch. It's quite an introspective song - like a lot of the album - and I definitely wanted to convey that through the video. I wanted to portray a scene where you've been partying all night to run away from the darkest recesses of your mind but once it gets to about 5/6am you can't run anymore and it all hits you at once. I teamed up with an old friend of mine Simon Aukes Stolland who recently D.O.P'd 'Blue Story' which released in late 2019, and was one of the highest grossing films in its genre. Aside from his work being top quality he's a really solid guy to work with, very on the ball and open to trying things out and generally really helpful and sound. I also had Alex aka Verbz The Gaffer who did an amazing job in bringing the vision to life. Big ups to PK who's always there helping with the ideas and general vibes for these things too. The headline release show for 'Life's A Bitch, I Just Need An Early Night' at Notting Hill Arts club was a sell-out show in which you were accompanied by a full 9-piece band and included support from Enny, Eerf Evil and Joe beard. How did the band come together and how was this experience? The release show was a huge success and managed to sell out completely, which was a bit of a surprise for me. The album had only been out for about 3 weeks and I've never put an event on in my life so was a bit nervous about numbers etc. But with a small team we managed to spread the word and it got far and wide so big love to everyone who was involved with that. The live band are a mixture of musicians I've been playing with for the last 3 or 4 years or so who are all currently based in Leeds. I wanted to stay true to the sound of the record whilst also bringing a completely new dimension to the live show to make it engaging in its own way and I think we just about managed to do that! The live setup consists of only live instruments including drums, bass, guitar, 2 keyboards (sometimes I rap + play keys at the same time, others just rap, others just play keys), trumpet, violin and BVs. Joe Beard, Enny and Eerf Evil absolutely killed it and helped warm up the crowd and I'm truly grateful to know and be working with them. I hear your main collaborator is fellow rapper and producer Lausse The Cat and we that you often collaborate with B-ahwe who is a singer/songwriter. You work under a collective name of Velvet Blues, how did this all come about? We all met in Leeds while studying music and spent a lot of time working together on Lausse's first project entitled 'The Girl, The Cat and The Tree'. Around that time me and B-ahwe started writing our own music and it kind of grew from there. Velvet Blues is still quite a young concept but I guess its a collective-type thing and we'll see where it goes! I believe you're much stronger as a unit of individuals all backing each other in this game. You're heavily involved with Root 73 which is a community grass roots studio space in Hackney in London. I hear that you're are in the final stages of finishing off a collaborative album with about 30 artists and producers, how has the recording process taken place and what have you found most rewarding and challenging through out the process? Yeah man the guys at Root are all amazing people. I met them when I moved back to London from Leeds and because I hadn't been back for a few years I wasn't really sure where to find a group of people doing similar things to what I was doing. But they were really welcoming and encouraging and I'm humbled to be a part of whats going on there. We have a collaborative album coming out this year called the silhouettes project - the idea was to pair different producers and artists, most of which had never worked together before and to see what they came up with. The result is a community focused, ultra diverse album showcasing individual artists and producers within the Root 73 community. I've really enjoyed being inspired by what the people around me have been making and all the different characters I've met throughout the process and there will be much more to come in the future. Do you have any singles coming out soon? I'm currently working on my next project, as well as some standalone singles to follow up Life's A Bitch but ill be able to give a bit more info on that as time goes on. Who are you listening to at the moment? Listening wise I've found myself returning to the same things, especially Good Kid, M.a.a.d City and To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar - I always find there is always something new I discover every listen both lyrically and musically. I've also been listening to a lot of Steve Lacy and some King Krule as well as some 60s/70s Brazilian music like João Donato and João Gilberto which I think will find its way into my next project. Favourite food and place to hangout? All I need is a good full english brekky any time of day and a cheap pint in Spoons.

Nix Northwest

STEPHEN MALKMUS Announces new album Traditional Techniques Shares first single 'Xian Man'

STEPHEN MALKMUS Announces new album Traditional Techniques Shares first single ‘Xian Man’

Rising North London Artist Natty Wylah Releases Sublime Jorja Smith Sampling New Single 'Feel U'

Rising North London Artist Natty Wylah Releases Sublime Jorja Smith Sampling New Single ‘Feel U’

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