Brazzabelle - Borena

After a breakout year of festival appearances at Electric Zoo and HARD Summer in 2013, Boots Bowles, better known by her stage name, Brazzabelle, is kicking off this summer with a banging new track co-produced with Shintaro Yasuda, titled ‘Borena’. The track’s rhythmic and catchy beats start low and then evolve to a contagious electro progression that would be sure to tear up dance floors in clubs nation wide. After the main course of the track, Brazabelle keeps the vibe rolling by closing out the progression with a catchy break beat to give the track a different feel to finish. A sure crowd pleaser and energy lifter, Brazabelle adds more firepower to her already banger-filled arsenal of tracks, ready for action in 2014.

Morgan Page - In The Air (SNBRN remix)

Looking for new "good feel" summer house to chill by the pool? Look no further than local LA DJ SNBRN, and his recent deep house remix of Morgan Page’s ‘In The Air’. SNBRN’s take of the classic features a mix of his signature elements of nu disco and deep house beats, coupled with soft piano keys. These elements build to a groovy deep house progression, and then retake the progression by SNBRN’s signature standards. With this release, SNBRN has solidified a presence in stereos driven down PCH and college pool parties all over Southern California for the summer.

www.facebook.com/IAMSNBRN

www.soundcloud.com/snbrn

SNBRN - California Love ft. Kaleena Zanders

Check out SNBRN’s new release ‘California Love ft. Kaleena Zanders’ for cheerful summertime vibes. The track serves as a spinoff of 2Pac’s renowned ode to the summer state, by replacing the vocals and adding deep beats to accompany in the background. The original lyrical praise for the season and its home in California is kept the same to simply result in added chilled vibes to a classic.

SNBRN Facebook

SNBRN Soundcloud

Sweater Beats Does Reddit AMA: Live From Splash House

While Sweater Beats will be gracing us with his presence (and music) at Splash House tomorrow, anyone who is unable to make it to the pool weekender themselves can participate in his live Reddit AMA tomorrow instead (that's Saturday, June 14th folks).

Still want to make it out to Palm Springs this weekend so you can partake in the pool party fun yourself? It's not too late - three day passes and single day tickets still available HERE.

(more…)

Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike's "Tremor" Hits #1 on Beatport

Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike have been tearing up the Beatport charts and their latest single with Martin Garrix, Tremor, is no exception. Reaching the #1 spot in a matter of days since its release, the dynamic duo is killing it. With the track's banging melody that's gripped in big bassline drops, this rumbling release is equipped with enough grunt to rattle dancefloors into submission. The pair will be dropping this massive hit at both my Life Every Day and Finger Lickin' so don't snooze and be sure to catch these pair live in action. You can stream the track below!

Brazzabelle - Boomslang + TIOAT

Check out LED resident Brazzabelle’s two new original tracks on SoundCloud! Boomslang has a smooth build up and unexpected drop that is sure to get you hyped up. Let LED know what you think in the comment section down below!

http://soundcloud.com/brazzabelle/boomslang-original-mix-preview
https://soundcloud.com/brazzabelle/this-is-only-a-test-tioat

TJR - Come Back Down: Electro House Original by LED Resident

LED resident DJ TJR has been one of the hottest artists to work with in electronic music. While tearing up festivals and clubs worldwide, he’s still had the time to create top-notch electro house bangers and recently hit the studio with Benji Madden on his latest original, “Come Back Down." The song combines Madden’s vocals on the breakdown and then builds up with TJR’s signature electro house and some Melbourne bounce that has you dancing. You can stream the track below, and be sure to pick up your copy on Beatport!

TJR – Come Back Down (ft. Benji Madden) | BEATPORT | iTunes

Follow TJR through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
Follow Benji Madden through Twitter
Follow Rising Music through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

Interview with Christian Karlsson

You may know him as 1/3 of Miike Snow, 1/2 of of Bloodshy & Avant, or more recently, as part of duo Galantis with fellow Swede Style of Eye. But regardless of how you know Christian Karlsson, one thing is for sure: from song writing to DJing to performing live, he's a man of many talents. We got a chance to get to know Karlsson better as he gears up to play at Bang Bang this Friday. Grab your $10 pre-sales HERE, and read on to get up to speed on what R rated video he's soon releasing, which of his heros he got to work with, and where he recently relocated to...

We hear you used to be in Swedish hip hop group Goldmine and toured with the Fugees. Please tell us more about this!

I was very young when I got started with Goldmine, so it was a very big deal for me to get on this tour. I was 15 when I toured with the Fugees.
Goldmine is where I learned how to produce.

You've been creatively involved with a wide variety of genres - pop, electronic, indie, etc. We bet your music library is pretty eclectic. What are you listening to at the moment?

Well, I'm always listening to all types of music. I have my hour of exploring Hypemachine and Beatport in the morning, and when I eat my breakfast, I listen to 60's music. I have my ways of listening to all types of music everyday.

While producing as Bloodshy & Avant, you worked out of a studio based in an old fire station in Söder, Sweden. Are you currently living in Stockholm? Do you still work from this studio?

I still work out of the studio in Sweden. I just relocated to Los Angeles, so I work out here now, but the old studio is still there for when I go back.

Having had experience with writing, producing, and remixing music - which is the most enjoyable for you?

I do love writing the most, I mean, remixing someone else's music can be amazing, but writing is so much more fun for me. Starting from scratch, writing melodies...I also LOVE to make beats, because that's where I came from.

Aside from being involved in all aspects of song creation, you also have experienced the world of DJing as well as performing live. What are the notable differences for you? Which do you prefer?

I love doing live shows, of course, but the challenge of DJing is that every night is so different. Different crowds, different rooms...I change my set up all the time.
I do love DJing and what it brings to the table, and that's perfect for when I want to challenge myself. When you play live, you're pretty much playing the same stuff all the way through. I do really enjoy DJing. I love it.

Miike Snow has had official remixes from well respected artists such as Tiga, Alex Metric, Sinden, and Felix Da Housecat. What was the process like of reaching out to work with these artists? Was it easy to decide between the three of you who would rework the songs of Miike Snow?

Almost everyone who's remixed Miike Snow was a friend of mine or became of a friend of mine. A lot of people wanted to remix this music, and be a part of it. We also did a lot of swaps, where I did stuff for them, and they did mixes for me. It was fun getting to have my music remixed, and it was equally fun returning the favor.

Between Bloodshy & Avant and Miike Snow, you've worked with an impressive collection of artists over the years. Who would you want to collaborate with that you haven't yet?

Hmm...I don't know. That's a hard one. It used to be Madonna & Depeche Mode , but I've worked with both now. So, I don't know!

Your new project with Style of Eye, Galantis, just released its first single "Smile" earlier this month, yielding a lot of positive feedback. How did you and Linus link up? Do you have plans to release a Galantis album down the line?

Linus has been my friend for many years. We used to link up in the studio when we were off tour, listen to each others music and play stuff for each other.
One day, we decided we wanted to take it farther and become Galantis. We do plan to release an album in the upcoming year.
Expect big things out of Galantis, like we do!

You've recently had gigs in Indonesia and LA, are about to make your debut at Bang Bang in San Diego, and are still riding the waves of Galantis' first release. Anything else in the pipeline that you can tell us about?

Well...more hot releases from Galantis! There will be a R rated version of our new video coming out soon.

Interview with Wolfgang Gartner

If you've been involved with dance music to any degree over the last several years, chances are you're familiar with Wolfgang Gartner. DJ, producer, label owner, and one of the pioneers of modern day electro-house, he's been a driving force in the scene since his first EP, 'Shapes,' was released in 2007. We caught up with the San Luis Obispo-born, LA-based artist just in time for his Hounds of Hell tour stop in San Diego this weekend with tour mates CHARLIE DARKER, BASS KLEPH, & TOMMY TRASH (tickets available HERE).

You launched your label Kindergarten Recordings in 2008, the same year in which you produced "5th Symphony." Both being major contributions to your career, were you prepared for everything to take off shortly after?

By the time I had set up the infrastructure of my label, I had already released quite a bit of stuff on other labels, and things were starting to take off which was the impetus behind starting my own outlet. 5th Symphony came a year after running the label and having a lot of chart success on Beatport in the top 10, and I was prepared for everything that came with it. It was a lot of work fielding requests for licenses and everything else that came pouring in but certainly not too much to handle at the time.

Like many other label bosses, you hired someone to do A&R for Kindergarten, as your busy schedule doesn't allow you the time to sift through countless demos. How difficult is it to find someone whose taste you trust in?

Extremely difficult. You'll never find somebody who has the exact same ears as you, but if you find somebody who's got a great ear, even if it's not a clone of your own, the system works. He just casts a wider net when collecting music to sign to the label, so that some things he might not love are included, and maybe I end up loving them and signing them. I could never hand over the A&R reigns to my label 100%, because then it wouldn't be my label. So my A&R basically does the 95%, and then that last 5% is just me filtering through what he presents to me and us figuring out which signings we agree on. Luckily his ear really is very similar to mine and the system flows about as smooth as one could possibly hope for.

Aside from electronic artists, you've collaborated with Jim Jones, Cam'ron, and Eve. Can we expect any future collaborations within the same realm? What hip hop could we find in your music library?

Having no definite projects in the works with rap features, I think I can pretty confidently say yes, you'll see more of them from me in the future. It all depends on the music I make - the music always comes first, and then we decide on what kind of vocal and who in particular we hear over it, me and my manager. My music library is pretty much only hip hop, except my DJ music library of course. You'd find everything from Wale, Wiz Khalifa and Wu Tang to Dipset, French Montana, Slum Village, Nas, Tyga, Vado, Slaughterhouse, I could go on for a long time.

You've mentioned before that you have two indoor waterfalls, and would eventually like to have a river running through your house with a koi pond. If you had no limitations (cost or location-wise), what else would we find in Wolfgang's dream pad?

Hmmmm. An indoor lap pool, a big garden inside with a sunroof, I have everything else I'd want I think. I haven't built the river yet because I know I'm gonna sell this house at some point in the next few years and move somewhere closer to the ocean and more permanent so I'm waiting.

Earlier this year you released a 90s house mix covering an assortment of classic tracks, from Richard F to Olav Basoski. What was your relationship with dance music during that era?

Just a kid in a bedroom playing records making tracks, trying to get my tracks on records.

You recently tweeted about getting platinum status with American Airlines. With so many miles under your belt, you must be near mastering the art of travel. Any tips you can share?

That tweet was a joke because I don't really fly American. If you want travel tips? Don't travel. It sucks. If you have to, bring mouthwash and lots of extra socks. And your phone really doesn't affect the navigational equipment of the aircraft.

What's in store for you once you complete the tour?

Back to the studio to hit it pretty hard for the next few months. Tommy and I play a slew of Hounds Of Hell tour dates in Mexico, I play some sporadic fly-dates throughout the next couple months, and the cycle continues.

$25 tickets still available HERE!

Interview with Maxim of Prodigy

You may know him as the fierce MC behind Prodigy, but Maxim has extended his artistic ventures yet again as he embarks on a U.S. tour to showcase his own skills behind the decks. Having recently paired up with MC Cianna Blaze and with new music in the works, we wanted to catch up with Maxim to get to know the multi-dimensional artist better.

Keep reading to find out what was on his playlists backstage at Prodigy shows, how he manages to keep a balance within his life, and what else he's working on at the moment. Don't miss him TONIGHT at Voyeur - get your $10 tickets HERE.

You've been involved with electronic music for over two decades now. What has it been like to see it progress over time? What have been some of your defining moments?

I haven't really assessed the amount of time i've been in the scene - but I still enjoy it! One of the highlights for me was performing on stage with Rage Against The Machine in Japan.

We literally went on stage with them and I was freestyling with the guys. It was great.

An overwhelming number of artists refer to Prodigy when asked about their musical influences. Did the band have any idea how widely influential they would become?

It is something that I focus on but, yes, I realise we have been a big influence on a lot of music out there. It's all good - if you can inspire people to push music forward, then I feel I have done something positive.

Your ascent into DJing began when you started playing backstage after Prodigy shows. What could we have found on your playlists back then?

I basically played hip hop, rock and funk. Everything from Public Enemy to the Clash to James Brown to the Specials.

By partnering with MC Cianna Blaze, you've broken the stereotype of performing with a male MC. How did you two meet? Do you think there's a need for more female MCs in the industry?

I wanted to do something different from the stereotypical male MC.

I met Cianna through a mutual friend, and we clicked straight away. The more I worked with her I began to realise how talented she was, so we started to write music to put into the DJ set that she can perform live. This has taken her away from the 'Hype MC' I originally intended her to be.

She is my voice when I am behind the decks, and she adds sexiness to the the show as she is an attractive girl.

Most importantly she has a good voice. One of the key things for me in being an MC is having a dope voice. Some female MC's voices are so high, that they grate on you after a while.

The industry is getting more female MCs. They are getting their props now. It's a long time overdue, but they are here now.

You've mentioned before that mental and physical fitness are important to you. How do you maintain both while juggling tour schedules, a family, and other obligations?

It's very hard, but this is my life, and this is what I enjoy doing. It's important to have balance on all levels, and to feed each part equally so no part suffers.

As far as the band goes - we all have families, so we work the touring out amongst ourselves. Over the years we have created a good touring structure.

Without mental and physical fitness I would have been burnt out years ago, but today, I feel I am at my peak of fitness mentally and physically.

Aside from music, you're also involved in visual art. What prompted you to start painting? Do you draw inspiration for your music and visual art from the same sources?

To be honest, the reason I got into art was because I needed some paintings for the wall space in my home - I wanted to buy some art and visited a few exhibitions.

When I was told the prices, I thought "I can do that!" So I went home and started painting. Then I realised I was really enjoying the freedom that art gave me - you can do anything you want, there are no boundaries.

As the years went by, I did a few commissions for friends. A friend of mine (Stuart Semple), who is a much respected artist, saw my paintings and said I should put on an exhibition. I did have doubts, but I trusted his opinion and here I am 11 years later.

You've just embarked on your U.S. tour and will be releasing music on the we Are noize (wAn) imprint. What else is in the works for you?

Yes I'm excited about being in the US on tour. I love touring and meeting people - travelling and playing music - so I'm looking forward to the next US tour already!

we Are noize is just an outlet that a couple of my friends and I have set up, that we can use to put out the music we have created.

In 2014 look out for Cianna Blaze. You will be seeing her skills soon, also.

I will also be working on my next art exhibition in the UK, and hope to bring that to the US sometime in 2014.

And we have the new Prodigy album coming out next year... I think that's enough on my plate for now, don't you?

Peace

Interview with Treasure Fingers

Ever wanted to know a little bit more about modern disco-house phenom Treasure Fingers? So did we. With an impressive resume of music that spans before the birth of Treasure Fingers, Oklahoma-born Ashley Jones has remixed artists such as Empire of the Sun and and Little Boots, released on labels like Fool's Gold and Defected, and of course, given dance floors around the globe the gift of his own originals.

We have the pleasure of hosting him this weekend for his debut at Bang Bang, so we picked his brain to get the low-down on a few things about the artist we've grown to love since his debut of "Cross the Dancefloor" back in 2008.

You grew up in Oklahoma and have since lived in Brooklyn and Atlanta. Where are you calling home at the moment?

Currently, I'm in staying in Atlanta. I moved my full studio down here last year. I really miss Brooklyn, but there's less distraction here and the airport is great to travel out of.

Like many other successful artists, you were picked up by a reputable label [Fool's Gold], which essentially helped launch your career as Treasure Fingers. How important do you think it is for up and coming producers to have backing from a big label?

I think it's great to help break a career. It's like instant validation, a whole group of people co-signing for you and promoting your music. A lot of people complain about low music sales, but I think the job of the label has transformed into marketing, promotion and even PR for the artist. It's a platform to get your music out, even if you aren't pushing huge numbers of digital downloads, you can still be highly successful. Take Fool's Gold as a direct example with the amount of free releases they put out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4B8wEXB1P4

In an interview you did a few years back, you mention that you feel more well-received in Europe and Australia because they're generally more receptive to house music. Being that the deeper, nu-disco vibe has steadily been gaining popularity state-side, has this changed for you?

Yeah, it's really picked up a lot over here! I think it has a bit to do with the "EDM" sound becoming so mainstream that it caused the underground to grow as well. Whether it be backlash against the mainstream sound, or just fans growing and getting deeper in to the genres, I can't say for sure, but I've noticed a lot of new fans as of recent.

Aside from Treasure Fingers, you're 1/3 of bass project Evol Intent. Having experienced both worlds, what are some of the differences between the drum & bass and house scenes?

One has a bunch of dudes in the crowd, and the other has a bunch of girls. Just kidding, sort of. I'll probably catch some nice emails over that one. I have fun doing both and jumping between the two.

If you could work with any musician, vocalist, or producer- dead or alive- who would it be?

Roger Troutman, hands down. He's one of my biggest inspirations. Listening to his music, I still hear random synths and sounds hidden in the mix that I haven't picked up on in all these years. The talk box was what original drew me to him when I was younger, I was so amazed by that and my curiosity pushed me to buy one and really explore music production on a deeper level.

Initially, you were making hip hop when you started producing. Would you ever consider working within that realm of music now?

Definitely. I still mess with it and produce for a few Atlanta rappers, but I haven't fully pushed that side of stuff, I usually just sit on a bunch of beats until I meet someone that sounds dope to me and send a few tracks over for them. If I had more time I'd probably pursue that a lot more heavily.

On worstgig.com, you share your story about a gig in Australia where you played to five guys watching cricket in a warehouse. Sounds awfully awkward. Have you experienced any other weird gigs since?

Not that bad, but there's always a few random weird ones. Nothing really stands out compared to that aussie show, haha.

We hear that you have an affinity for Call of Duty. Any other guilty pleasures you can tell us about?

I don't play as much as I used to, but yeah there's a little group of us producer/DJ's on there that nerd out occasionally. My only other guilty pleasure is probably just weird internet findings, I like googling strange combinations of words to see if they actually exist.

You recently remixed Katy Perry. How did that come about?

Her team had requested it and put in an offer. It was a good offer and I figured I could do something cool with the song, flipping into a housier vibe, so I accepted the challenge and they accepted my remix in the end. It was fun and it's been doing damage on the dance floor. I don't have anything against pop music or people remixing pop stuff. I feel that sometimes the underground scene is a bit too serious & snobby, it's a good thing to just have fun with music.

So far this year you've remixed and collaborated with The Knocks, curated mixes for DJ Mag and Thump, and just wrapped up the summer festival circuit in the states. You've also got shows coming up on both coasts. What else is in the works for you?

I have another collaboration with the Knocks that will be coming out on Fool's Gold soon. I also finished up another collab record with Codes that will be coming out on Win Music. Unfortunately, I don't have hard release dates on either right now. I'm also working on a solo EP that's about 75% done, so expect that in a few months. I'll be mainly just working on new music and playing one-off shows throughout the winter.

Catch the funk master himself at Bang Bang this Friday. Pre-sale tickets still available - snatch yours up now for express entry after 11 PM.

Hounds of Hell Interview with Tommy Trash

Hailing from down under, Australian DJ/producer Tommy Trash has made quite a name for himself since his break onto the scene back in 2007. He has since released music on a variety of labels including mau5trap and Fool's Gold, and has even managed to earn the number one spot on Beatport twice in a row. With an impressive resume of music under his belt as well as an unmistakable air of energy around him, he's managed to captivate fans and fellow DJs alike with his technical skills and ear for music. This Aussie continues to prove himself again and again not only in the studio, but also behind his decks. Read on to find out what tribute band he'd be in, what would give his manager a heart attack, and why he's living in LA. Congratulations on recently hitting 300,000 fans on Facebook. At what point in your career did you realize you could pursue being a DJ/producer full time?
Thanks, still can’t believe it!! I think back when Tiësto & the Swedes started playing my tracks ‘The End’ & ‘Future Folk’ sometime in early 2011 and I was playing in Ibiza with Tiësto for the first time was when I really felt like this was a full-time gig. Feels like ages ago!

You were studying classical music at university when you discovered club life and house music. What profession would you currently be in if you hadn't gone forth with Tommy Trash? Do you find that your classical studies have an impact on how you approach music in the studio?
Oh man haha.. I’d probably still be packing bags of potatoes in Australia for all I know! Studying classical definitely helped with the melodies but I really think experiencing the whole club scene back then had a much bigger impact on my approach to my music.

You're a fan of rock music and grew up playing in bands yourself. If you were going to be in a tribute band, which group would it be for?
I think I’d wanna do Smashing Pumpkins although I’m def not shaving my head like Billy! ‘Siamese Dream’ and ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ are two of my favs of all time!

Your hair has received a lot of attention over the past few years - it even has its own Twitter. Did you ever think it would be such a trademark for your music?
That twitter profile is awesome, they really know their shampoo. Yeah it kind of just happened! I think my manager would have a heart attack if I ever cut it.

You're from Australia, lived in London, and are now based out of LA. How has each place shaped you, personally and/or musically?
Each place definitely had a different effect on my music. I think I was really able to find my ‘sound’ once I moved to London; it was like a new beginning for me. I wasn’t playing many gigs there, mostly just writing tons of new stuff. I moved to LA back in early 2012 and that was a really big deal for me. Being that much closer to the places I was touring in made everything so much easier and plus there is just so much going on in LA, so many talented people to work with and tons of inspiration.
Your collaboration track with Wolfgang Gartner, "Hounds of Hell," just dropped, with the North American tour beginning in a few days. How did you two link up for this project? What's in store for you when the tour is completed?
We really just linked up and got a project going! It was super easy. We’re both in LA and figured it would be the perfect time to finally do a track together. I sent him an idea I started and he loved it. I’m really happy we did it!
When the tour is wrapped up, I'm going to sleep for like 4 days then I'm off to India for a 3-day run, got some shows at the end of November which aren't announced just yet, and then off to Australia for Stereosonic! Going to be a crazy couple of months!! Ready for a little Tommy Trash action? Grab your tickets for his Hounds of Hell pitstop in San Diego with Wolfgang Gartner on Saturday, November 2nd and party with the Aussie yourself!

FYOR - Proper F*ck

Festival season in the states has wrapped up, but we've got a track to share that'll make you feel like you're main stage at Tomorrowland. "Proper F*ck," the latest single from LED DJ FYOR, has just been released for your listening pleasure. This electro beast is the definition of a peak time festival tune, yielding a heavy kick drum and a pumping lead synth with just enough reverb to leave you hungry for more. The captivating drops and solid percussion rhythms are true testaments to FYOR's production capabilities, which makes us wonder what he's got in the pipeline next.

The best part? FYOR has been kind enough to release this track for free. Preview and download "Proper F*ck" below, and be sure to follow him on his Facebook and Twitter channels to stay up to date on future releases and tour dates.

Laidback Luke Interview

Lucas Cornelis van Scheppingen, better known to some simply as Laidback Luke, has been a driving force in dance music for the better part of the last decade. Born in Manila and raised in The Netherlands, Luke has made a name for himself with his quality productions and energetic DJ sets. Having remixed the likes of dance music pioneers Green Velvet, Daft Punk, and Underworld, he has grown to become a pioneer himself. While juggling title as label boss at Mixmash, throwing notorious Super You&Me parties across the globe, and curating a weekly radio show, he also manages to fit Kung Fu into his schedule.

We caught up with Luke as his Musically Driven bus tour begins to get the skinny on the artwork behind his label, upcoming projects, and where you can find him on his days off (rare as they are). You've got two chances to watch his skills behind the decks this week as he makes his way to House of Blues and Voyeur this Thursday, for an 18+ and 21+ show, respectively.

1. You launched your "Super You&Me" parties in Amsterdam several years ago, which are now being held around the globe. You've even hosted Super You&Me stages at festivals such as EDC and Tomorrowland. How have the parties evolved since the first? Where would you like to throw a Super You&Me party that you haven't yet?

I'm very happy it latched on! I feel the crowd and even the DJs are getting the fun of it now. This was hard to get across at first, as I was the only one dressing up for instance.

We changed the name and style of it a couple of times too. My dream for it has always been to host festival arenas and I'm so happy we got there successfully! I think the only place next is on the moon ha ha.

2. You've openly discussed the tendency for some DJs to lose their sense of humility when reaching a certain point in their careers. In an industry that has shifted to treat DJs somewhat like rockstars, how does one maintain their sense of humility?

Don't believe your own hype. You're a human, we are all humans. You are just a very lucky one. And don't take it for granted! As it will be taken off of you as easily as it came.

Be thankful and respect every other human being as a human being. We are all equal! Staying humble can only help you, whereas becoming arrogant can cost you your career.

3. Illustrator Olivier Cramm curates the album artwork for the releases on your label, Mixmash. Are the funky, surrealist designs a reflection of the playful nature of your music? Or was that coincidence?

Yes it does! It's very fun most of the time. It has a hint of grafitti in there too, but yet, there's also a reference to some spooky stuff in there as well.

4. Your wife and fellow DJ, Gina Turner, has a well-known love for yoga, while you indulge in a bit of Kung Fu yourself. Does the mindful nature of these practices play a part in how you approach your music, either in the studio or behind the decks?

My Kung Fu is a way of life. It affects me as a human being. And in that sense it affect everything I do in life. Kung Fu means skill achieved through hard work, and I approach my music and career like that.

5. Your touring schedule has pretty much been non-stop the past several years. When you do have the odd day off, where can we find you?

You can find me in the kitchen cooking or practicing my Kung Fu and Tai Chi. I'm like obsessed and love it! But I'm doing this on a very high level now and I'm even a Kung Fu instructor. So I have to keep up my level too.

6. So far this year you've collaborated with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Hardwell, and most recently, Martin Solveig. Your "Musically Driven" bus tour across North America is also just kicking off. What else is in the pipeline for you?

After 'Blow', my collab with Martin Solveig, I have a collab with Project 46 ready to be released. It will be a more big room type song. Currently working on tracks with Ferry Corsten,Will Sparks and Peking Duk as well. A lot of exciting music coming up!

GET TICKETS HERE

SNBRN - Sandy Shoes EP

The warm weather may be winding down, but that doesn't mean your soundtrack for summer has to. LED resident DJ FYOR's disco alias, SNBRN, has released a late summer EP whose title speaks for itself. Released on Prep School Recordings, the four track EP "Sandy Shoes" features two upbeat songs with sunny vocals, including a dub mix for each. The collaborating vocalists are Andrew Farr (Midnightflight) and Chris Hess of SWIMM, who manage to capture the essence of the season in each song. SNBRN, who released several tracks with fellow LED DJ Mossberg Pump earlier this year, will be an artist to watch these next few months.

Grab a copy for yourself on Beatport and extend your summer a little while longer!

Digitalism Interview

Comprised of Jence and Isi, German duo Digitalism formed when two Hamburg natives bonded over their mutual love of vinyl over a decade ago. While indulging fans around the globe with both live and DJ sets over the years, Digitalism has also managed to release two defining albums (Idealism & I Love You Dude), with another EP fresh off the press. The pair has remixed esteemed artists such as Depeche Mode, The Presets, and Cut Copy, released on labels such as OWSLA and Toolroom Records, and even arranged their own compilation for the famed DJ Kicks series last year.

If you're due for some Digitalism action yourself, you can get down with Jence and Isi at Sound Nightclub on September 5th, and then once more at Voyeur in San Diego on September 12th. Read on to find out what role California played in their production, why they spend time in a WWII bunker, and their collaboration experience with The M Machine and Steve Duda while making Lift.

LED: You both met in a record shop, began DJing on vinyl, and referenced your vinyl roots for last year's DJ Kicks compilation- so naturally, you must have an affinity for the wax. Do you still find yourself buying vinyl today? Any particularly special record shops in your hometown of Hamburg?

DIGITALISM: We still buy vinyl sometimes, but not really for DJing. We travel so much that we just cannot carry all that stuff with us. But buying vinyl is a great antidote to the extinction of 'libraries' you have at home… Back then, you could tell a lot about a person by checking out his or her shelves full of books, 12"s and CDs. Nowadays everything is just data on a tiny iPod or something. If we love an album for instance, we do buy it on vinyl to add it to our collection. Also; years ago vinyl was a good source for underground music that you couldn't find anywhere else, but that's changed too, because making a vinyl release costs so much (compared to just a digital release), that only bigger projects get that treatment.

Sometimes we still buy 12"s in the shop that we used to work at in Hamburg, but they've moved and turned into more like a mail-order thing now.

LED: Can you describe Digitalism's very first live set? How has it evolved over the years?

Our first live set was a lot of fun. We took the train down to Strasbourg in France to play a festival. We'd rehearsed for weeks but still didn't really have a clue of what to do. We brought a friend with us to play guitar, and had some samplers, a tambourine and a synth with us. It was rather embarrassing, but we felt like super grown up after we finished the show. We were almost dying before we went on stage, and killed a whole jumbo-sized fridge full of booze.

DIGITALISM: Since then, we kept on developing the show, added more instruments, more crew and more production to it. We never really came back to the same place with the same show. It is a very seasonal thing for us. Also, over the years we wrote more music, so instead of only five songs at that Strasbourg gig in 2005 we now have tons to choose from when we play. All this playing-live has turned us from DJs and studio producers into something like a 2-man electronic band. You could tell the influence of that on our second album, which was more song-based than the first one.

The last live tour here in the US was again very stripped down and rock'n'roll on the other hand. We wanted to try this out, playing live shows without any fancy production and just very minimal gear that we could take on planes with us. It turned out well! At the end, it's all about the music and the performance we found out. You can bring tons of fancy lights and stage props with you, but if the basics aren't right, it's just a waste of money.

LED: You guys are known for your energetic performances. Do you have any pre-gig rituals?

DIGITALISM: We call it our daily workout. We sit on tour buses and planes a lot, so once we get on stage it's our time to go wild. There's a lot of energy that we have to get rid of. Before the show we might have a cheeky glass of straight liquor, but that's all. One time when we played in Osaka and we had to kill 3 hours in the backstage before the show, we started shooting action movies on our phones with added special FX and all the crew. It got a bit out of hand.

LED: There have been some major changes in electronic music within the States over the past several years. Has the scene in Germany changed much, or has it stayed close to its house and techno roots?

DIGITALISM: It's pretty much stayed true to its roots! Of course new sounds are coming over from the States, but people are very protective of their underground scenes in Germany and Europe in general.

LED: Some of the Digitalism tracks on the DJ Kicks compilation were produced while in California. What does California mean to you?

DIGITALISM: It's become something like a second home-base for us over the last years. We have a lot of friends here, and we always try to come over to avoid the grim, grey European winter. The weather is always great, and there's always someone visiting while you're here too… It's a great place.

LED: Is your primary studio still located in a WWII bunker? Does the isolated atmosphere feed into the creative process?

DIGITALISM: Yeah we still have the bunker studio. It's funny though, because this civilian bunker is right in a pretty bourgois neighbourhood in Hamburg. So you'll have Paris-style boutiques next to it. It's a good place to get creative because there's no distractions. You cannot tell what season or time of the day it is. It's very isolated indeed, which forces you to get creative really. There's nothing in there but whatever you come up with or phantasise.

LED: Your 3-track EP, Lift, was just released exclusively on Beatport and will be available worldwide September 26th. Lift is being released on Kitsuné, the French label which first introduced Digitalism to listeners around the world. From what I understand, this is your first collaboration album. What was it like going from working in the studio solely as a duo to working with different producers?

DIGITALISM: It'll be our 10th year anniversary next year, and yes, so far we've pretty much done everything within our own little bubble. We've learned everything DIY, and we did things our way, because we didn't want to listen to anybody in the first place. Over the time we opened up though, and this year we wanted to try out writing and producing with other people. It was a learning process for us, too. How would you write music together in a studio, when everyone's an electronic producer, and no-one plays any instruments really? No drums, no guitars, nothing. It was an interesting experience! We were lucky to meet and work with all these people -- Steve Duda, The M Machine and Blood Diamonds. It brought more stuff to the table for sure. It's good to mix DNA sometimes, you know.

Tramps Like Us Day 2 Preview

We've already released a preview of the first day of Tramps Like Us that you can read here. Today, we're here with a preview of the second day of the massive event.

ƱZ is one of the most intriguing acts in the dance music world at the moment. There are many theories as to whose face is behind the ƱZ mask. Regardless of ƱZ's true identity, there's no doubt that the man behind the mask is an extremely talented producer. He's one of the most prominent names in trap music, and his talent led to prominent rappers such as Trinidad James, Casey Veggies and Problem stepping into the studio with ƱZ to help create Balltrap Muzik Vol. 1. If you've seen ƱZ live, you're familiar with the fact that he always knows how to make the crowd turn up. His wild sets have gotten Voyeur crowds so turnt up that mosh pits happened. Don't miss out on the crazy energy that the trap extraordinaire will bring to the Valley View Casino Center stage!

Next up on the list is LA resident Anna Lunoe. She just moved to Los Angeles last year from Sydney, Australia, and she's already made a huge impact on American soil. Anna Lunoe initially started her career as the host a dance music show on FBi Radio in Sydney. From there, the multi-talented Australian moved into DJing and producing. To further illustrate her talent, she's even laid down her heavenly vocals to a number of tracks. When it comes to describing Anna Lunoe's sound, don't try to put her into a box. She's been known to spin house, techno, nu disco, glitch, garage and indie pop. In an interview with Denver Westwood, she said, "I'm naturally attracted to a lot of different music, and I'm more in love with the ideas behind different musical movements than one particular genre." Anna Lunoe's diverse set at Tramps Like Us will undoubtedly be a ton of fun!

Borgore needs no introduction. The Israeli gorestep producer rose to fame on the back of his huge drops, mind-bending wobbles and raunchy lyrics. His inclusion of Miley Cyrus on his single "Decisions" led to him garnering even more attention across the globe. However, the most shocking moment of his career was when he released his collaboration with Carnage, "Incredible." The song was a huge departure from what the music industry had come to expect from Borgore. It is a big room house anthem that was played at festivals worldwide. "Incredible" showed that Borgore has plenty of tricks up his sleeve as he continues to rise up the dance music ranks. He's also shown great ability as a record label manager, as he's brought on huge talent such as Bare, Kennedy Jones and Ookay. We can't wait to see what Borgore has in store for us during Labor Day Weekend!

Chuckie has consistently made people jump for years with his high-energy music. Wait, shouldn't we be calling him Sir Clyde Narain? That's right--the Dirty Dutch purveyor was recently knighted in his homeland of Suriname. That should show you big of a deal Chuckie is! He has been a fixture in the house music scene dating back to the release of "Let The Bass Kick" in 2008. His consistency as a producer has been extremely impressive. You might need a Redbull before Chuckie takes the stage at Tramps Like Us, because he might wear you out with all the jumping you'll be doing!

Gareth Emery made a huge wave in the dance music industry when he came out in opposition to the controversial DJ Mag Top 100. The catalyst to his decision was a PR company who approached him saying that another DJ had spent $15,000 on solely Twitter advertising. Instead of spending money on DJ Mag Top 100 advertising, Gareth Emery told his fans that attending his shows was enough support, and he urdged the public to not vote for him in the poll. Furthermore, he donated $15,000 to five different charities. The move by Gareth Emery deservedly received support from many people in the music industry. Although he used to be known for his trance music, Gareth Emery has made a transition to more of a house/trouse sound, which is evident when listening to his weekly podcast.

R3hab was taken under the wing of Afrojack a few years ago, and he has turned into one of the most prolific remixers in the dance music industry. However, that doesn't take anything away from R3hab in the original production department. In the past, he's had huge success with "Prutataaa," "Sending My Love" and "The Bottle Song." He looks to have another huge hit on his hands in the near future with his track "Revolution," which he created with the help of NERVO and Ummet Ozcan. Having R3hab playing on the same night as Chuckie means that there will be a ton of Dirty Dutch music playing, so you better be prepared to do a lot of dancing!

What So Not will no longer be playing at Tramps Like Us due to visa issues, but rest assured that we have replaced their set time with a huge SPECIAL GUEST!

Be sure to get your TRAMPS LIKE US tickets here!

Tramps Like Us Day 1 Preview

Tramps Like Us is so close that we often find ourselves daydreaming about going crazy on the dance floor at the Valley View Casino Center. To get you even more excited for the event, we're here with a nice little preview of the event. Today, we'll preview the first day of Tramps Like Us, which is taking place on Saturday, August 31st.

The first name that appears on the bill is Brazzabelle. You might recognize the LEDdj from recent events such as My LED USA, HARD Summer and Splash House. She was also on The CW as the DJ for the 15th Annual Young Hollywood Awards. Hell, she even received a cameo spot in the video for "Hey Now" by Martin Solveig! There's no doubt that Brazzabelle is a rising star in the industry, and we are proud to have her as an LEDdj. She did a great job of kicking off My LED USA, and she will do the same for Tramps Like Us.

Next up on the alphabetical flier is Spanish wunderkind Danny Avila. The 18-year old has accomplished more over the last year than many DJs have done throughout their entire career. Avila played at Coachella, earned placement on Sirius XM for his radio show Ready to Jump, secured a residency at Hakkasan and to top it off, he's booked to play at TomorrowWorld. International superstar Tiesto is on record as saying that Avila is the next big superstar in the dance music industry. After doling out such high praise, it's only fitting that Tiesto signed Avila's new single "Tronco" to his record label Musical Freedom. Listen to "Tronco" and get excited to see the 18-year old Avila at Tramps Like Us before he truly hits international superstar status!

Dirty South's 2013 has been unlike any other year for the veteran Grammy-nominated producers. This year featured the release of the Dirty South's first ever studio album, Speed of Life. The album hit #1 on the iTunes Dance Chart the day that it was released. Also, the house DJ/producer has a residency at XS Nightclub at Encore. His infectious vocal house tracks always gets people excited, and you can be sure that the Tramps Like Us crowd will be singing at the top of their lungs when he plays "City of Dreams" and "Walking Alone."

At this point, everyone knows who Nicky Romero is. After he absolutely destroyed the Valley View Casino Center at LED Anniversary last year, everyone in San Diego knew that the Dutch DJ would become a superstar. He just surpassed one million 'likes' on Facebook, and his collaboration with Krewella titled "Legacy," is already at 500,000 listens on Soundcloud after just one month. We are lucky enough to be the first stop on his Nothing Toulouse North America Tour. Let's make sure we kick Nicky Romero's tour off right!

The Russian producer Proxy is next up on the lineup. Proxy aims to seek and destroy when he's spinning, and his unrelenting sets are known to make crowds go bonkers. He does not let up on stage as his blend of techno and electro tracks put the crowd under his spell. If you look up interviews Proxy has given in the past, you'll see that he is an intelligent and very blunt person. Growing up in the bleak Eastern Bloc was clearly influential on the talented Russian. When it comes to answering questions, Proxy never sugarcoats his responses. Proxy desires to CRUSH anything that stands in his path. We can't wait for him to crush the stage at Tramps Like Us!

Quintino is another Hakkasan resident DJ who's playing at Tramps Like Us. Prior to 2013, most people stateside only knew Quintino as a friend of Tiesto and Afrojack and as one of the guys who made "Epic." However, he's worked hard in 2013 to gain international attention. His new single "Puzzle" is currently in the Beatport Top 10, and he's quickly proving that he has what it takes to succeed. His high energy electro house and Dutch house set will be exciting to watch!

Will Sparks has been on fire recently. The Australian producer is currently at the forefront of the 'Melbourne Sound' movement. San Diegans should know all about the bouncy style known as Melbourne Sound, because LEDdj TJR's hit "Ode to Oi" is a perfect example of what the Melbourne Sound is all about. In fact, TJR even edited Will Sparks' track "Ah Yeah." If you have yet to hear "Ah Yeah," you might have heard Will Sparks' remix of "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke. The remix currently sits at #4 on the Beatport Top 10. We'll embed both "Ah Yeah" and the "Blurred Lines" remix below to help keep you bouncing until you can see Will Sparks on August 31st!

Get your TICKETS to TRAMPS LIKE US here!

Tramps Like Us Interview with Proxy

Hailing from the dark throes of Soviet Russia, Proxy was destined to emerge onto the electronic scene after a seed of inspiration was planted at a Prodigy show in 1997. With a newfound fascination brewing within, Proxy set out to master the dark art of synths himself, and would find success a decade later after signing with Tiga's Turbo Recordings. Since then he has had releases on BNR, Dim Mak, and Southern Fried, while also maintaining his position as label boss at self-started Mako. While touring the world and playing what many would describe as the definition of rave music, Proxy continues to push the boundaries of electronic music while also making hopeful headway for the future producers of Russia.

We tracked down the mysterious Proxy himself before he makes his debut at Sound Nightclub this Thursday, after which he will make his return to San Diego this Saturday for Day 1 of Tramps Like Us.

LED: You currently perform your live sets using Ableton. How has your DJ setup evolved over the years?

Proxy: Pretty Simple really, It was a long time ago when Vinyl just died and became a bit heavy to carry around the planet, everyone played on CDJ's . So as well as others I was playing cd's then that moved to Ableton. A lot of people don't realise that I only play my productions and remixes in my shows. I don't actually DJ but Run my show electronically Live via ableton, controllers, launch pads etc..

LED: Your career took off when you contacted Tiga over MySpace, which resulted in your signing to Turbo Recordings. You now run your own label, Mako. What do you look for in demos? Are there any new releases on the horizon for the label?

Proxy: We are planning now 4 new releases, making a new website, and a new team in place. I am pretty busy re arranging my studio and doing many upgrades as I start writing my own next record in September 🙂

LED: Do you have any musical guilty pleasures? Perhaps something your fans wouldn't guess was in your library?

Proxy: I love to listen a lot of Hip-Hop, DnB and all other kinds of breaking beats.. Also sometimes I make remixes like I have just done for The M Machine which is not really the usual "Proxy" sound but I love testing people with new styles and sounds sometimes!!

LED: In an industry where producers are moving more towards primarily digital studios, you're a diamond in the rough with your analog-laden playground. If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only bring one piece of analog equipment with you, what would it be?

Proxy: This one is Easy!! My Vintgage Russian Polivoks Synth. That thing starts the riot ! And not many people have one as they don't make them anymore. A BIG sound comes from that thing!!! If I could not get that on the desert Island I would find a way to make music on Bananas. Is there any bananas on the island ! ?

LED: What are some of the defining tracks that assisted your descent into electronic music?

Proxy: Smack My Bitch Up was my best assistant into electronic music. Also most of the Prodigys 'Music from the Jilted Generation album. An electronic Masterpiece.

LED: Earlier this year you released Part II of Eastblock Jungle, your 5-track EP "B Sides," as well as a remix for Japanese Popstars. What does the future hold for Proxy?

Proxy: Lot of stuff have to be done in the future, new studio, new experimental tracks, new live show. My life is one big tour ! . Remixes in the near future. My Main thing is writing the new album. And that is what I'm looking forward too

Don't miss PROXY at Sound Nightclub in Los Angeles on August 29th,

>>> TICKETS

AND at Tramps Like Us on Saturday, August 31st !

>>> TICKETS

TLU_lineup_sketchy

Brazzabelle - Trina 'B R Right' Edit

Here is LEDj Brazzabelle's edit of the baddest bitch Trina's "B R Right" feat. Ludacris. The edit is a pumped up version of the classic that drops into a more modern heavy bass style flip to make this the "Bad Bitch Anthem" of 2013. Enjoy!