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Finally, after five years, Calvin Harris is back with the first single from his highly anticipated Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2, with “Potion” featuring Dua Lipa & Young Thug.

This marks the second time Harris has collaborated with both artists. Calvin previously worked with Dua Lipa on their smash hit “One Kiss,” which topped charts around the world and was the biggest selling single of 2018 in the UK. In 2017, Harris worked with Young Thug on the first installment of the Funk Wav Bounces project on the single “Heatstroke” (which also features Pharrell and Ariana Grande).

“It’s an honor to work with Dua and Thug again. They’re both such dynamic artists who have contributed so much to today’s musical landscape,” says Calvin.

The psychedelic music video for “Potion,” directed by Calvin’s longtime creative collaborator, Emil Nava, re-introduces the energy of Funk Wav Bounces setting the tone for a big summer for Calvin. Watch below.

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Calvin Harris Ushers In New Era Of ‘Funk Wav’ With First Single Featuring Dua Lipa & Young Thug

Web3, The Metaverse, Crypto, NFT’s…  we all hear these worlds nearly on a daily basis. The world is evolving at rapid pace and artists are joining. Whether it was Justin Boretta teaming up with Aaron Penne for their Generative Art and music project, or Steve Aoki spearheading the NFT movement in the dance music community, it is clear to see that technology and the music industry are now linked more than ever.

There’s another artist who’s enjoyed immense success over the past 30 years. Whether that be the frontman of a Hungarian pop group, one half of legendary trance duo, or producing beautiful progressive and trance  music under his solo project, Shane 54 managed to continue to pioneer new ways for people to experience his music.

What do we mean by that? Well, he’s using AI technology to create music videos and the result is jaw dropping.

“I’ve been making animated music videos for over a year now: I did some for other artists just as well for my own music. Oddly enough my first ever animation got shortlisted for “Best Animated Music Video” at the Hungarian Music Awards in 2021. (I didn’t win, but THAT would’ve been a miracle I guess)

The past few months spent exploring AI image creating technologies. I quickly got sucked into it: became part of a hot new movement in art, which naturally lead me wanting to use my newly found art in my music videos..

When he started, it took months of experimenting – and failing. Nothing was working the way he envisioned it.

“The first problem with using a brand new technology like this, is EVERYTHING looks fantastic and fresh. You create awesome visuals. Then – as soon as your tool’s new version comes out – your previous works all of a sudden start to look less cutting edge. Then it’s outdated faster than you could say ‘Björk’.”

Then he realized, with a separate app for animation, he could avoid the cliches that were so easy to fall for when creating AI videos.

“The idea was to create every single element of the video with MidJourney (my current favourite AI tool), creating a collage that is coherent like no other. THEN animate it. Even though it was a stupidly simple idea, the impact it had on my work is unbelievable…

I truly was able to create my own, unique world with a lion-headed king, magic carpet, castle in the sky, and anything I could think of. Using the right keywords and modifiers makes the images look well-textured / aged, so very little post processing needed in the end: it was lightning fast, and visually provided me literally everything I wanted.”

Although he does not think himself to  be a filmmaker in a traditional sense, he is undoubtedly creating a new visual experience to pair with music that has an absolutely unique look, and a story to tell.

“The worldwide AI community is pioneering an art form that’s so new and groundbreaking, that most of the old rules and labels don’t apply here. New methods and techniques getting released on a weekly basis, and it’s not an exaggeration. I’m extremely happy to be a part of this movement, giving me the opportunity to fuse music, art and filmmaking the way I always envisioned. It’s unbelievable really.”

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Shane 54 Is Pioneering A New Way To Make Music Videos With AI Technology

Don’t let the intro of the title track for Virtual Reality, Tengu’s first solo multi-track since 2020’s Comin’ In Tough LP fool you. The light, lilting, slightly vintage synths drop into the Brighton producer’s trademark madness soon enough, and then it’s running basslines, crunchy synths and jumpy rollers from start to finish on his new Virtual Reality EP, out this week on Korsakov Music.

Tengu has always had an ability to combine light, ravey elements with dirty, heavy bass and neuro flourishes in a way that doesn’t sound hokey or try-hard, and Virtual Reality is no exception. The hookup with dancefloor imprint Korsakov Music is timely as well, as after Tengu released a track on the Dutch label’s Future Stars compilation last year that was wildly popular, it seemed only a matter of time before an EP was due. With summer festie season about to begin in earnest, these tracks are likely to see even more play, and rightfully so.

The ravey, Tron-like synths follow Virtual Reality through all its tracks, so it’s obvious there’s a theme here. On second track “Rayquaza” one might even call the synths so ravey that they’re progressive, that is until the second drop, where a chunky af synth takes over and pushes the track into epic dancefloor/neuro vibes. Seeing as it’s named after a similarly epic Pokémon, the progression of this track seems fitting. The EP’s closer “Cell”, by contrast, is all chunky synths and has a more ominous vibe than its predecessors. Perhaps signifying an epic VR battle, the script is flipped here a bit, with the synths sounding very modern but the drums and snares having a fun, starburst throwback vibe.

The title track to Virtual Reality is our YEDM premiere today and despite its very vintage, keys-from-Kyrie-by-Mr. Mister vibe, that balance between light and dark, sublime and heavy is present, with loads of interesting sine wave manipulation and ambient sound design that really introduces the theme of the EP nicely. The highs and bass flow together nicely here, and if we’re talking balance, it probably is the most balanced track. That means it’ll probably be the most played this summer, as it will mix well with loads of different styles and genres.

While all Tengu’s releases over the past few years (usually on Southampton UK label YosH) have this lovely balanced quality that works well with different mixes, it seems he’s dialing that style in even more lately, and it will likely serve him well. With Korsakov Music and its Future Stars series as a pretty decent predictor, fans can expect to see a lot more of Tengu in the coming months and years.

Virtual Reality drops this Friday, June 3 on Korsakov Music. Click here to pre-order or pre-save.

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Your EDM Premiere: Tengu Gears up the ‘Virtual Reality’ Machine With Some Summer Bangers [Korsakov Music]

Now, Callie is making her return to Dim Mak with her electrifying single, “Arm’s Length“. Laced with gritty synth wave production, Lia delivers a gripping vocal performance that together, helps this song soar to new heights. “Arm’s Length” showcases a more sophisticated, sonically dark side of Callie and the result is spectacular.

Listen below!

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Callie Reiff Returns To Dim Mak With Electrifying Single, “Arm’s Length”

Fedde Le Grand is back with another groovy new track, “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You.” Following from his previous release “Heaven” with Robert Falcon, “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You” sees the veteran producer/DJ go deeper into the tech-house realm. Featuring a catchy bassline, old school bass synths, and a hypnotic vocal refrain, “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You” is sure to light up the floors at after-hours around the world.

This track is more of a stripped back affair for Fedde Le Grand. The production is fairly minimal. A four-on-the-floor beat propels most of the song, the vocals lend a nice touch and the drop lends it a nice, old school feel with its droning bass synths. “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You” is an undeniable house hit, and a track that is sure to make its way into sets all summer long.

Listen to the latest from Fedde Le Grand, “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You” out now on Darklight Recordings.

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Fedde Le Grand Drops Groovin’ New Tech House Track “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You”

Bass house lovers will relish in the sounds of StoryTime Records x Nightenjin Present: Unleashed — a compilation that features producer friends of each label.

When it comes to seeking out talent in electronic music, StoryTime Records and Nightenjin stay ahead of the curve, providing platforms for newcomers in the scene. The result is a never ending cycle of new music, offering fresh perspectives with every release.

This comp serves up a new generation of creators — Zewmob, Chard x Matt Campbell, TRYPBOX, Nolephant, Avenue, SPACEWALK, Alex Amaro and Prayer Handz. Purposefully arranged from harder to lighter tracks, Unleashed is a lively, yet smooth play through with much variety in the mix.

Listen here!

StoryTime Records x Nightenjin Present: Unleashed

Stream/download: music.nightenjin.com/unleashedcomp

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: StoryTime Records x Nightenjin Present: ‘Unleashed’ Compilation [LISTEN]

Bringing psychedelic and jazz-inspired synths and production into rock or pop music certainly isn’t a new concept. See: the entire 60s, for example. Lately, however, with all the merging of EDM and ambient electronica with pop, there seems to be push more to ravey or hip hoppy styles rather than jazzy or funky. Psychobilly or beach rock has also been making a comeback and leaning heavily on electronica to make those sounds, but generally pop acts don’t pull those jazzy and beachy sounds. At the vertex of all these different trends and sounds, however, is where we find a band willing to merge all that stuff and create a new sound with it: Swansgate

Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina and with a beat basis straddling hip hop and trip hop, Swansgate’s first EP in 2020 Mirrors is much more strictly lofi than their most recent LP, Becoming Someone, which dropped a couple of weeks ago in late April. If you know your jazz, you’ll hear twinges of it in the interlude of “U In My Head” or the keys of “Sand to Glass” but these could really be general funk a’la Chromeo or Tame Impala. Indie pop? Sure. Funky? Absolutely. Venturing into psycho-pop, not quite yet. Swansgate saved that for Becoming Someone.

With real lashings of The Doors, The Beach Boys, Miles Davis and even actual The Cramps-style psychobilly, Swansgate really let it all hang out style-wise on Becoming Someone and it’s paid off in spades, creating a niche for their sound that’s really got no equal. According to the band’s producer, vocalis, arranger and general frontman Stu Draughn, that fusion of jazz, indie pop, rock, funk, lofi and psychedelic rock came from a personal inspiration point.

With this album, we really wanted to bottle up about 20+ years worth of musical influence into a 45 minute piece of music. My dad died a year before starting the project, and that thrust me into a transformation of sorts. I went through a long process of reflection, which led to a better understanding of who I am. Just as we are all children of our ancestors, this album is a child of all of the musical ideas that inspired it. I really tried hard to capture the essence of every artist I’ve ever loved, while arranging things in a way that is new and fun to listen to.

The silver lining with tragedy is often a letting go of worries about what others think which can lead to more creative freedom. In this case, that creative freedom created an album that’s both relatable and technically strong, rooted in diverse influence but coming to a modern apex that will appeal to modern audiences. It’s a tough thing to pull off but Draughn and crew manage it beautifully.

Almost every track on Becoming Someone has some form of psychedelic presence, from the Doors-like keyboard work in “Lust for Love” to the sitar sample on “Island of Lies” to the ambient production on “Moving Forward,” it’s clear that beach rock vibes are the cherry on top of this funk-infused lofi dream pop. These psychedelic nodes also help tie together the album, which goes from the pure pop and funk of “Lost in the Sun” to the jazzy trip hop of “Drunken Limbo” to ambient jazz like “While the Nighttime Wades.” That string of trippy sound design or synth or even a flourish connnects all these many and sundry styles on Becoming Someone in a surprising way: psycho pop.

What lyrically is a journey through grief and loss into becoming whole again, or a different whole is also an homage to Draughn and his bandmates’ love for music and its process. With both processes, one comes out different than they were before, and usually there’s a pretty great byproduct. Becoming Someone and the someone they’ve become are Swansgate’s byproducts.

Becoming Someone is out now and can be streamed on Spotify along with Swansgate’s previous EP, Mirrors. To see more videos and a recent live performance from the band, check out their YouTube page.

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: New Artist Spotlight: Psycho-pop Group Swansgate are ‘Becoming Someone’ With New LP

Nostalgix brings default bubbly energy to her latest bass house banger, “My Type,” out now on AC Slater’s Night Bass.

“My Type” follows the Nostalgix playbook with catchy lyrics and a booming house beat, making the track easy to sing along with and get down to. As the project continues to blow up, Nostalgix maintains a fun, 90s it-girl essence with every release.

Nostalgix has become synonymous with a powerfully energetic sound that fuses hyped-up house productions with her own incredible rap flows, and she brings all of that sassy flavor together for her new single “My Type.”

Stacked with a signature hook from Gix, heavy basslines, and hyper rhythms, “My Type” is popping off just in time for EDC weekend. By the way, she’s playing mainstage at EDC Las Vegas this year — putting her in the company of rockstars like Anna Lunoe and Krewella.

Listen here!

Nostalgix – My Type

Stream / DL: nightbass.ffm.to/my-type

Connect with Nostalgix

SoundCloud | Spotify | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Photo via @sirjhn

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Nostalgix Drops Bubbly New Single “My Type” Out Now via Night Bass [LISTEN]

AUSTERIA dips her toes in an experimental realm with her latest track, “SPICY.”

Following up AUSTERIA’s rather gritty and well-received original dubstep anthem “THE GARDEN,” the rising talent continues to raise her own bar with “SPICY.” This beast of a track showcases her natural abilities as a bass music producer, with heavy emphasis on the bass.

As the track progresses, it calls out “SPICY!”

… “THAT’S HOT!”

… “VERY SPICY!”

But the result is much more sinister.

What we’re actually hearing is AUSTERIA’s immenent rise in the bass scene. A journey that has recently seen her featured on Peekaboo’s Black Hole Tour and playing Red Rocks b2b with friend and fellow producer Zingara as part of Subtronics’ second annual Cyclops Rocks.

Listen here and link up with AUSTERIA below!

AUSTERIA – SPICY

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: AUSTERIA Unleashes “SPICY” Experimental Bass Weapon [LISTEN]

Wreckno, DEV and Super Future make an iconic trio in their futuristic hybrid hip-hop bass bop “Everything” — out now on Four Loko Records.

As part of Wreckno’s mission to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ people in EDM, “Everything” is a show stopper that inspires and empowers with a sick beat and even sicker hook — and that’s on everything.

It’s rare that collaborations come together like this, but each piece fits together ever so nicely. DEV’s lush, confident vocals, Super Future’s bass-forward production style and Wreckno’s fresh to death bars. Not to mention a music video worth obsessing over.

Wreckno shares how this dream collab came to be:

DEV discovered me after my track ‘Medusa‘ with Griz dropped and showed interest in working together. DEV came up with the lyrical concept and sent it to me, then I sent it to Super Future so it kind of snowballed from her first recording. When I first started recording music with my brother in 2011 at 15 years old, we would use her tracks as templates to write our own, so working with her is literally a dream come true.

Watch here!

Wreckno, Super Future – Everything ft. DEV [Official Video]

Stream/download: orcd.co/wreckno-everything

This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Wreckno & Super Future Slay with Futuristic Dream Collab “Everything” ft. DEV [WATCH]