Over the past week, one trance artist announced his mission to push the genre forward, while a debut single shows that collaboration, even when several thousand miles separate you, is still possible. And, continuing the “good” versus “bad” EDM Twitter debates of last week, Sasha calls newer producers “douchebags.”
Announced this week is John 00 Flemming’s sophomore album, One Hundred Ten WKO. Scheduled for a March 4 release on JOOF Recordings, Flemming’s sophomore album follows 2011’s Nine Lives and, over the past two years, he experimented with scoring. Talking about moving trance out of its stagnant state, Flemming said in a statement: “With this album, I really wanted to prove that the old form of trance has survived and is moving forward. People have been saying ‘trance is dead’ for years now but to me, it’s never looked more alive and vibrant.”
For a debut, cross-continental duo Rolvario and Moe Aly have scheduled new electro track “rockin” for a January 28 release. The two, from the Netherlands and Egypt, apparently met on Facebook and shared production tracks and sounds. The track can be heard here.
Aside from new singles, the video for Sandro Silva’s “Let’s Go” came out over the last week. Watch it here.
In regards to a release we mentioned last week, a launch party for Anjunabeats Volume 10 was announced for a February 16 date in New York City. Joining Above & Beyond at the Roseland Ballroom are Andrew Bayer, Norin & Rad, and Beckwith. The album features 30 tracks, mostly unreleased, from over 20 of the trance label’s artists, and is scheduled for a March 5 release.
Around the same time, but across the ocean, is the Cape Town Electronic Music Festival, now scheduled for February 12 to 17. Added to the 2013 lineup, Richie Hawtin is the festival’s first international guest.
Over a month after that, but announced this week, is Juicy Beach 2013. Now a staple of the Winter Music Conference, and the newer Miami Music Week, the Juicy Beach party has been around since 2005 and is known for attracting thousands of guests and 17-hour sets. Joining Robbie Rivera, in the first phase lineup, are Bob Sinclar, Cosmic Gate, Moguai, Manufactured Superstars, Nari & Milani, Stefano Noferini, Manuel De La Mare, and Federico Scavo. Coinciding with the event is a competition, and stemming off is a multi-date tour.
More pop artists continue to mention EDM influences for upcoming projects. On the least-surprising end is Robyn, whose 2010 dance-pop album Body Talk branched into house. Her follow-up is expected to move in this direction. Last week, we mentioned two late 1990s pop stars – Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake – trying for the same approach.
Remember the Deadmau5-Afrojack and Chemical Brothers-Swedish House Mafia feud from last week? Sasha, now, is going after current EDM producers. As part of Mixmag’s Great EDM Debate, which started on January 12, the quintessential house DJ said: “Most EDM is made by douchebags for douchebags. Do i care if lots of douchebags buy it? Not really, But it pollutes.”
Other DJs have responded, too. Do you agree or disagree with Sasha?
