Albums | Rising talent Belle Vex drops uplifting pop single, “Us”
Posted by VMan on September 12, 2022
Upcoming singer/songwriter Belle Vex has released the new single “Us”, driven by acoustic guitars and his airy vocal lines touched by hazy beats to round it off. The empowering single has been worked on for 6 long years by Belle Vex, and the song’s message encourages his listeners to be your own biggest fan in both good times and bad. A powerful and feel-good message to all is exactly what I needed to kick off my Monday. Check it out above now!
“Us is about being the support system when no one else would. This includes being there for yourself. My favorite song to date.” – Belle Vex
Albums | FUXWITHIT Presents Debut Compilation ‘Champions Of The Underground Vol. 1′?
Posted by VMan on September 12, 2022
FUXWITHIT is a Canadian tastemaker blog and record label that is starting to turn some heads around the EDM scene thanks to its constantly dope output of raw tunes. They’re now back with their first compilation that is filled with heat. The thirteen-track project sees Golden Child, Haan808, L*o*J, dope, and sebjin making their return to the label while showcasing a wide range of fresh talents including KUREI, PRYZMS, Dropwizz, Lenny x SL!DE, Galazy x BAGG, Gurf, Borny, Hontis and Zodiaque. Tune in above now!
Albums | North Carolina upcomer Keith Heart returns via “Serial Heartbreaker”
Posted by VMan on September 11, 2022
Raleigh, North Carolina-hailing singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Brady Keith Gearheart – better known by his stage name Keith Heart – is back with a catchy new single entitled “Serial Heartbreaker.” The hyper-pop infused single has elements of Pop, emo and alternative rock, and EDM music all blended together an incredibly groovy and dance-able track. The heavy bass infused production will keep you moving and tuned in throughout but lyrically is where this one will draw in the most listeners. Th e song paints a picture of a dance club where people have lost all sense of themselves, indulging in acts they’ve never tried before. The subtle foreboding implications reveal a predator-prey scenario where someone is taking advantage of the people in the crowd to do what he pleases with them. Check out the track above now and read a quote from Keith Heart on his latest drop below now!
“I want the audience to enjoy the track but also feel uncomfortable when listening to the lyrics; having the same feelings as the people I’m describing in the song itself. Something is unnatural about the scenario I’m painting, and that’s reflected in the production being very bare-bones without any traditional style dance production.”
Albums | Bingo Players Returns To Perfect Havoc With ‘Phone A Friend’?
Posted by VMan on September 10, 2022
Platinum certified producer, Bingo Players returns to UK leading independent label, Perfect Havoc, with the emotive, feelgood track ‘Phone A Friend (feat. Tia)’. Out today, 2nd September, the Dutch mega producer aka Maarten Hoogstraten only releases music to the highest standard and this latest commercial house cut neatly follows suit. Stream via all platforms here: https://perfecthavoc.lnk.to/phoneafriend
Bingo Players needs little introduction. For over a decade, Maarten Hoogstraten has been dominating dancefloors and singles charts around the world with a style of dance music that has seen fans in their masses flock to sets at major festivals around the globe like Coachella, Tomorrowland, EDC Vegas and more.
With his late DJ/production partner Paul Bäumer, Bingo Players had huge success with the Top 40 global anthem ‘Cry (Just A Little)’, and in 2013 with the UK No. 1 single ‘Get Up (Rattle)’ where they made history as the first Dutch act to hit the top spot in 25 years. AfterPaul’s passing, Maarten came back with ‘Knock You Out’, a tribute to his lifelong friend, which became their first No.1 on the US Billboard Dance Chart. With over 20 million streams, it catapulted Bingo Players further into the mainstream.
Today Bingo Players’ sound as fresh as ever. Maarten’s 2020 rework of ‘Devotion’ became a hit for the second time around on Musical Freedom some 11 years after its initial release on Spinnin’ Records. Subsequent success came with the US Billboard Top 4 single ‘Forever Love’ with Disco Fries, and the heavily supported collaboration with fellow Dutchmen, Oomloud on ‘Brighter Days’.
To the very present, this latest single follows Bingo Players’ debut on Perfect Havoc alongside Oomloud in 2021 with ‘Touch & Go’. ‘Phone A Friend’’s retro sound are enhanced by soft synths, 80s-style percussion and a BP signature bassline. Singer Tia comes in with her dreamy vocals, longing after a lover she can phone from the bed (we’ve all been there, right?).
‘Phone A Friend’ is another solid release for Perfect Havoc. Shortlisted for Best Independent Record Label at the 2022 Music Week Awards, Perfect Havoc has carved out its niche of commercial dance with a smattering of the more club-focused sounds. Now having generated over 5 billion streams and given rise to six UK Top 20 singles, including the No.1 single ‘Head & Heart’ by four-time Brit Award-nominated producer Joel Corry & MNEK, it’s one of the most consistently successful indies in recent years.
With a talent-packed schedule still to release in 2022 including cuts from Oliver Nelson and James Hurr, Ros T, Parx and many more, Perfect Havoc continues to serve up accessible and underground house sounds from both breaking and established talent.
Albums | ANTICALM Shares Ferocious Debut Single
Posted by VMan on September 10, 2022
ANTICALM is a new rapper out of the UK with tons of high energy. On his first ever release and music video for “BOBS N BITS” he shows off his upbeat swagger and lyrical ability as a newcomer emcee on the British rap scene. ANTICALM is a great name due to how in-your-face and high energy this track sounds. Check out a quote from the up-and-comer on his debut drop below now and peep his visual for the single above now. Keep this kid on your radar, this one is a very impressive debut offering!
“I walked past a discount shop called bits n bobs when I was living in Manny! Walked home, flipped the chorus and recorded the track that day. Everyone talks about doing bits round here, me, I don’t do bits, I do bobs and bits. Simple!” – ANTICALM
Albums | Marvel Years kicks off ‘Voyage Ahead’ EP series with 5-track package
Posted by VMan on September 9, 2022
Shape-shifting producer and multi-instrumentalist Marvel Years has dedicated his career to evolving his sound and redefining electronic music’s traditional genre boundaries.
Melding guitar instrumentation with studio beat-making, the Vermont-born, New York-based artist fuels his productions with soul and blues to create the raw, bass-heavy signature sound that’s landed him multiple performances at Red Rocks alongside ZHU, STS9, and Pretty Lights. When the early days of the pandemic deprived Marvel Years of his refuge of live performance, the creative polymath decided to use lockdown to reinvigorate his love for studio songwriting and refine the Marvel Years sound. The result of this reflection was the concept for Voyage Ahead, a sprawling, thematic listening journey that takes fans into Marvel Years‘ exciting new sonic ventures.
That journey now begins with Voyage Ahead Pt.1, the first part of a two-part EP series and a collection of songs that emulates the jubilation of live performance in electronic music. On Voyage Ahead Pt. 1, Marvel Years goes beyond just live guitar recordings by playing each instrumental element himself in places where he would have used samples. This process results in a studio EP that recreates the Marvel Years live sound from a time when he couldn’t actually perform, thus bringing out the artist’s most innovative work yet and showcasing the immense possibilities of what Marvel Years can be.
Last month, fans got their first taste of Voyage Ahead Pt.1 with the EP’s first single, “Come This Far” – a collaboration with electronic music keyboardist Jason Leech (who’s opened for Galantis, GRiZ, and Big Gigantic) and vocalist Jess Lamb. The song kicks off with bluesy piano riffs and raw, hard-hitting bass lines that underline Lamb’s raspy, infectious vocals. It then transitions into deep, booming bass tones, futuristic synth melodies, and grand guitar solos, setting the tone for the cosmic, genre-blending listening experience of Voyage Ahead Pt. 1.
Marvel Years continues to display this blues-inflected electronic style across the EP. On “Higher Up,” the producer infuses virtuosic guitar playing with high-level digital production technique, blending together catchy vocals, pounding drum beats, and detailed synth sound design for a lavish, shape-shifting banger.
The EP is rounded out by its other kaleidoscopic masterworks, “Lean With It,” “Where The Bounce At,” and “Space March,” culminating in a five-track package designed to retain Marvel Years’ typical groove and swagger while also taking a glimpse into the future of the dynamic musical project.
Fans can immerse themselves in the Voyage Ahead universe at Marvel Years’ forthcoming headlining show at Denver’s Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom on Friday, October 7, 2022. The event will vaunt a unique, two-part performance: a solo Marvel Years set preceded by a Marvel Years Trio set featuring Jason Leech alongside Emancipator/Manic Focus drummer Colby Buckler. The solo set will spotlight Marvel Years’ eclectic skills as he bounces between guitar, synths, and the DJ board for a bass-heavy performance. The Marvel Years Trio set will then see the multi-instrumentalist flex his abilities as a bandleader, with the jamtronica sounds from Jason Leech’s keys and the powerful, versatile drumming from Colby Buckler coming together to complement Marvel Years’ more soulful, instrumental-driven sonics.
Marvel Years will also display his live performance prowess on his nationwide Fall Tour, including festivals such as Freaky Deaky and Greenway Music Festival. Tickets on sale now!
Albums | Saxophone-playing bass maestro SoDown announces nationwide tour and debut album, unveiling first LP single “All Go Wrong (feat. Bailey Flores)”
Posted by VMan on September 9, 2022
Denver-based bass purveyor SoDown has always thrived on an axis of dualities. As a saxophone-playing electronic musician, SoDown naturally balances organic instrumentation with digital production, lush melody with detailed sound design, and dynamic composition with grandiose beats and booming bass. It is through this original, genre-blending practice that SoDown has cultivated a fervent community and toured the nation to sold-out crowds.
Following his recent Get Up EP and remix of Black Tiger Sex Machine, Hairitage, and Hyro The Hero’s dubstep single “Cheatcode,” SoDown has announced his debut album, Worlds Beyond, a gripping package that will release on Friday, November 4.
SoDown gave fans their first taste of Worlds Beyond today via the LP’s lead single “All Go Wrong,” an epic, impassioned collaboration featuring vocalist Bailey Flores. “All Go Wrong” Is SoDown’s second song with Flores, following their soulful banger “Cliffs,” featuring fellow Denver-based producer Manic Focus.
With a vibrant mix of instrumental elements and emotive vocals and lyrics, “All Go Wrong” reflects the melancholy of facing a meaningless existence and subsequently finding solace in the chaos of life.
The track kicks off with propulsive drum patterns before transitioning into a somber piano chord progression that underlie Flores’ wistful vocals about regret and resilience. The song then builds with the repeated title phrase into a grand drop that contains bombastic, illuminating synth chords and a massive half-time beat – an all-encompassing soundscape that evokes the track’s poignant central message.
“All Go Wrong” then adds acoustic guitar for its second verse before incorporating SoDown’s iconic saxophone playing in the final chorus and outro, thus retaining the producer’s characteristic genre and instrumental infusions while still exploring new tonal depths.
Following a sold-out Red Rocks show last spring supporting Boogie T, two sold-out nights at the iconic Colorado riverfront venue The Mishawaka, and his debut performance at the Shambhala Music Festival in British Columbia, SoDown has announced his 25+ date nationwide Worlds Beyond Tour. Tickets on sale now.
The tour will kick off next month with SoDown’s Lost Lands Festival debut, and will feature performances at festivals like Freaky Deaky and Ember Shores before concluding with a special hometown headlining show at Denver’s Mission Ballroom show on Friday, February 3, 2023. The Mission Ballroom event will feature supporting sets by kLL Bill, Jaenga, Evalution and Josh Teed. Tickets on sale now.