PillowTalk
'Je Ne Sais Quoi'
[Wolf + Lamb]

PillowTalk’s new album, 'Je Ne Sais Quoi,' has a little bit of everything, and if you’re not already familiar the San Francisco-based trio, then you’re in for a bit of a surprise if you were expecting some garden variety house music. Right from the get go, PillowTalk makes it clear they’re not very interested in being predictable, and have instead focused all their efforts on making music that will win you over with its originality and finesse. “We All Have Rhythm” is the first full-length track on the list, and it’s a clever blend of house music and funk. The vocals are straight forward and devoid of any thick filters or reverb. This makes the track feel much more intimate than your average dance offering, and it’s a welcome break from convention if you’re getting a little tired of the overwrought vocal samples that many other house producers use. The next song on the lineup is “Devil’s Run,” and it is absolutely beautiful. Nothing about the instrumentation is particularly electronic, but the band uses some of the same composition techniques popular when producing electronic music and this blend of styles and sounds makes for a near effortless listening experience.

As you work your way through the rest of the project, you’ll notice almost all of the tracks follow this same method of mixing the vintage with the modern. The proportions of each vary from song to song, but for the most part, this very effective recipe is put to good use on each track. Tracks like “If I Try” and “Naive” are perfect examples of what PillowTalk can accomplish with synth heavy compositions, and their uncanny knack for putting together beats that sound both refined and catchy is unmatched. This is one of those albums that’s best enjoyed in one sitting, but that being said, there are definitively a few more standouts which you should take note of if you don’t have time to soak up this work of art all at once. “Meet Me in the Dark” has a shadowy quality to it that sucks you in right away, and the piano chords that proceed the vocals are a powerful way to get your attention before PillowTalk finally launches into the body of the song, which unsurprisingly, is every bit the slow jam you were hoping it was going to be. “LA to the Bay” is another one to look out for, and it has a very distinct jazz flavor to it that really sets it apart from the rest of the lineup.

The last track on 'Je Ne Sais Quoi,'“The Outcast,” is an acoustic track that opens up with a guitar melody, and then transitions into a bare-bones chorus that’s equal parts folk and indie. Despite the album’s eclectic nature, this one is still a bit of a departure stylistically, but it’s the perfect way to wrap things up, and just goes to show that PillowTalk isn’t going to get pigeon holed into one genre. It’s got an amazing sound, and will have you ready to cycle through the album again as soon as it’s over. These guys have put out some great music in the past, but this latest release just set the bar a lot higher.

Listen to PillowTalk on Pulse Radio

OneBeat is launching a new video series called ‘I AM,’ which profiles prominent artists, focusing on all the roles they have, digging deeper than just their lives as DJs and producers. The inaugural edition features Toronto duo Art Department, and their many roles as producers, label owners, DJs, and promoters. Filmed in Miami, the video gives you a behind the scenes look at several difference aspects of their daily lives.

Learn more about Jonny and Kenny as you get a glimpse into their busy touring schedules, No.19 label meetings, downtime, friendship with each other, and vision as artists and label owners. Enjoy!

Listen to Art Department on Pulse Radio

Next month, Joris Voorn is set to embark on a North American tour hitting cities across the US, Canada, and Mexico. The Rejected label boss will play eleven gigs over 25 days at top venues and festivals including a seven hour extended set at the famed Output club in Brooklyn and a stop at the inaugural Electic Zoo in Mexico City.

The news comes as Joris has been busy working on his ‘Rain’ EP under his Dark Science guise. Keep an eye out for his forthcoming single “A House” featuring vocals by Kid A, signed by Ninja Tune.  Joris’ highly anticipated studio album, featuring collaborations with Matthew Dear and Kid A among others, will drop this fall. Be sure to catch him as he tours around the continent this May - full tour dates listed below!

Listen to Joris Voorn on Pulse Radio

Sheik 'N' Beik is set to take over Up & Down, a swanky new venue in New York's Meatpacking District, on Friday, May 2nd for a night of shenanigans set to a musical soundtrack provided by Julio (celebrating his birthday), special guest Pako S, and Jeffrey Scott, Holosound, and FoNG. Ahead of the party, Sheik 'N' Beik residents Jeffrey Scott and FoNG sat down together for a little chat about becoming part of the Sheik 'N' Beik brand, some of their highlights from past events, what they've been up to, some dream gigs, and their favorite places to grab a drink and a bite in New York.

Jeff: How did you find yourself working with Julio and Sheik N Beik?
FoNG: How it happened was kind of a natural progression. I was playing at an after party for the Biatch Corp. Crew during the Minimoo Festival back in the day. I met Julio at that party as I was playing after him. He invited me to play at one of his infamous parties. I played and I became a resident right then and there. The rest has been a hell of a ride.

FoNG: What about you?
Jeff: Some of my friends were attending their parties and I went along for the ride… I met Julio through musical similarities and we started to play together.

Jeff: What are some of your stand out moments from past events?
FoNG: One of them was the Sheik ‘N’ Beik 5 Year Anniversary party, where the musical synergy was on point. Another one was back in the day when we threw a warehouse party with Guti and Lee Curtiss with just people we knew there.

FoNG: What have been some of your highlights?
Jeff: The Johnson Ave. warehouse art space in Brooklyn. I don't know, it was darker and the vibe was right.

Jeff: What are some of your inspirations musically, culturally, and artistically?
FoNG: Musically, there are too many to even name. Let’s just say that I draw inspiration from all musical genres. I get inspired by the phat beats of hip-hop, by the strings from classical music, and the emotions from indie music. En fin todo. I love to experience the cultures of different countries through their food. It’s amazing how something so simple can transport you into another state of mind. Especially sauces. I love sauces.
Artistically, my friends. I see what they are doing and it just pushes me to work harder and get better at my craft.

FoNG: What about you?
Jeff: With any of these categories there are so many possibilities… Musically, I just want something to tickle my ear, culturally, it's the passing of something through the spirit, and artistically, it has to strike the senses.

Jeff: What have you been working on lately in the studio?
FoNG: I’m currently working on some of my harder stuff that I want to release, but in the immediate future I have a scheduled release with Sheik ‘N’ Beik Records, which will contain a housier side project that I have with a good friend, under the alias Dirk Largo. It’s all finished; it just needs to be mastered.

FoNG: What have you been up to?
Jeff: I have a release for Sheik ‘N’ Beik, and I have been working on other musical ventures so we will have to see what’s around the corner.

<br>

Jeff: Are there any artists you’ve been watching lately?
FoNG: The first that comes to mind is Koze. I love the emotion he injects into his music. I’m a sucker for emotion. Also my good friend Braiden S. is such a groovy musician especially with his bass. He is my secret weapon.

FoNG: If you're not in the studio or playing music, where can we find you?
Jeff: Making a salad in my kitchen.

Jeff: What other brands in nightlife music do you think are doing a kickass job?
FoNG: Output. I like the variety of musical content that they offer.

FoNG: Liquid soap or hard soap?
Jeff: I don't use soap... I use oil.

Jeff: What can people expect from you at the party next weekend at Up & Down?
FoNG: I’m totally going back to my harder side of DJing and using vinyl again.

FoNG: What would you say is your favorite city?
Jeff: The town in Denmark where they kill dolphins, because it looks like a happy place.

Jeff: What about some of yours? Any on your bucket list?
FoNG: My favorite that I’ve visited are Barcelona, Bavaro, Berlin…I want to see Sydney, Moscow, Tokyo…

FoNG: What are some of your favorite spots to grab a drink or bite in New York City?
Jeff: Vezzo, M Noodle, and Kickshaw.

Jeff: And you?
FoNG: The Golden Unicorn in Chinatown.

Jeff: Which have been some of your favorite clubs to play and which do you hope to play soon?
FoNG: My favorites are Output, lots of warehouses in Brooklyn, and in the Dominican Republic with the Shaveurlegz and Onda Sonora 28C crew.
I would love to visit and play at Up and Down this coming Friday!

FoNG: Any thoughts on current affairs?
Jeff: Yes. Things seem a little upside down in the universe and it would be nice to see people better taken care of in the world arena. When the morning comes and you leave the club, there is still the world to take care of.

Jeff: If you're not in the studio or the booth what might we find you doing?
FoNG: Enjoying the great variety of food in New York City… and working on ideas with friends.

FoNG: What's next for you?
Jeff: I will be playing with the Sheik ‘N’ Beik crew at a place called Up & Down in NYC. Let's see what's in store...

Listen to Sheik 'N' Beik on Pulse Radio

If you aren't already familiar with Russian artist Roustam, you should be. Born in Moscow, raised in Chicago, and now splitting his time between Detroit, Berlin, and Moscow, Roustam's involvement in the scene goes far beyond his life as a touring DJ and producer. He also throws Moscow's infamous Techno Gipsy parties and runs vinyl-only label Redpanda. We had a chance to catch up with him to chat about his experiences with tINI & the Gang, new releases on his label, the trials and tribulations of throwing parties in Moscow, and what else he has in store for the coming months.

Pulse Loves... tINI. You have a few gigs coming up with tINI & the Gang including a big show at Sonar. How did your relationship with her begin? I’ve always been interested in what she’s doing. A few years back, I caught her set at Renate in Berlin. It was an intimate setting, where I really enjoyed it and we hit it off. Then I invited her to play at Gipsy, and although we had some weather issues and it wasn’t the best party by far, we had fun regardless and the rest is history as they say. We recently had a rowdy session in Miami during WMC with tINI and the other wild members of the gang like Guti, Julian Perez, Vlada, Bella Saris, Randall and Greg, and things got wild, so I’m really looking forward to our adventures this summer around the world.

Pulse Loves... vinyl. Your vinyl-only label Redpanda just successfully released a new EP, ‘RDRUM’ by Rainer & Patric Meiner. How did this come about? I’ve been friends with Rainer for a while. We played together a few years ago in Moscow at a freaky after-hours and really enjoyed our flow together. Since then we’ve played back to back quite a few times, even once in Ibiza for Next Wave, and enjoyed it more and more each time. Our music kind of compliments each other in a way we find quite groovy, so this was really the next logical step. I’ve been following Rainer’s production and he kept sending me things. Once I heard a special one with Patrice, we decided to do the release. I’m always looking for cool fresh talents from around the world from new places with fresh feelings and emotions for Redpanda.

Pulse Loves...  party series. You have been running Techno Gipsy in Moscow for a while now. What have been some of your personal highlights from the parties? For me, the most special parties are not the ones where we have 3,000 people and it’s a rave, but more private and heartfelt moments, which usually happen when good friends, more of an extended family from around the world, come to play and we share special memories in music together. This usually happens often with the Romanians - every time Praslea shows up it’s my favourite party of the year. Petre Inspirescu, Sonja Moonear, Vera, Binh, Cassy, Priku, Matt Tolfrey, Eli Verveine, Nick Curly, Dyed Soundorom, Djebali and many others also always deliver the goods. However, I found myself having an amazing time last year both when Luciano and Loco Dice stopped by, which were big parties that usually aren’t my style, so you never know when things get crazy at Gipsy.

Pulse Loves... Moscow. What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced throwing parties in Moscow? I think it’s the same problem for most promoters around the world. Here people respond well to big acts with big brand names. These names, party brands, labels, etc. bring the crowds in every time regardless of what music they play! However, really cool forward-thinking underground acts are tough to introduce and have small, but loyal fan bases. Gipsy is a big club! Sometimes, in three days of a weekend we can have over 10,000 patrons go through, and to keep the numbers up it’s always a challenge for me to balance big budget popular acts and cool breakthrough underground music. I want to introduce my city to more and more great acts from around the world that they haven’t heard and have people enjoy them. It’s an uphill struggle but we’re getting it done! 

Pulse Loves... Ibiza. As a resident at Ibiza’s Next Wave, what do you have in store for this summer on the White Isle? Something is definitely brewing for this season. Of course with a motto like “No philosophy, just music,” Next Wave really requires a special venue to put on their parties. It seems in Ibiza every year that it’s harder and harder for this type of underground music to find its place outside of places like Underground, Sirocco or Sal Rossa and one-off parties here and there. The island’s infrastructure, club culture and attitude in general, it seems, is getting more and more commercial, aimed at the tourist EDM experience. But good music will always prevail so it’s wise to keep your ear to the ground and hear about what’s Next Wave doing first!

Pulse Loves... mixes. Tell us a little about the mix you made for Pulse Radio. What was your approach? This is a live set recorded just a few weeks ago during a gig I had in the southern Russian city of Rostov. I really find that I can’t do special mixes at home much these days and prefer to record a set live. I actually enjoy all its small errors and little mishaps, but also think the unmistakable energy and emotions can only be obtained when you are mixing records together in front of a live audience in a club setting. It wasn’t a super serious night full of academic techno, more the kind of the night where we had some drinks and threw our favourite records together, freestyling and dancing. I try not to take myself too seriously on the regular. 

Pulse loves... big plans. What else is on your horizon in the coming months? I’m working on my next release for the guys from All Inn. I really enjoyed putting out my debut record with them on Nilla, and they’re interested in doing another one with me. Hopefully they like what I have brewing in the kitchen. Also continuing to seek, find and release great music on Redpanda. I'm really excited about an upcoming release from young guys from St. Petersburg, Russia, Adjustment Bureau, and upcoming future classics from Barac, Stab-9, Kirik and some interesting collaborations I’m doing now with friends around the world. This plus running the Techno Gipsy parties, our Gipsy Music Agency and touring around the world should hopefully keep me busy this summer, when I’ll be celebrating my 30th. Of course tINI and the Gang is going to be more and more decadent with each gig, I assume! I'm really looking forward to Next Wave in Kiev on May 10th with Francesco Del Garda at Closer. The place there is very social and quickly became one of my favorites in the world. It seems you can play there forever for the most friendly and beautiful people.

Listen to Roustam on Pulse Radio

Chicago legend DJ Rashad has reportedly died, according to a tweet by Detroit’s DJ Godfather this evening claiming that the news was confirmed by sources close to the DJ. Although few details are known at this point, it is believed that the cause of death is a drug overdose. Godfather was scheduled to play tonight alongside Rashad and DJ Spinn at the Inhale Art Expo in Detroit.

DJ Rashad has been a key player in Chicago’s juke music scene with releases on Dancemania, Juke Trax, Planet Mu, and his own label, Ghettophiles. His latest album ‘Double Cup’ was released last October and he released an EP called ‘We On 1’ earlier this month. DJ Rashad maintained a busy touring schedule, joining friend Chance the Rapper on his tour.

Listen to DJ Rashad on Pulse Radio

The Hot Natured crew - aka Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Ali Love and Luca Caza - took the reigns of the Essential Mix over the weekend, dishing out an eclectic two hours of "secret weapons, favourites and special exclusives."

Some of those favourites include the Geiger remix of Heiko Voss''I Think About You' (yes, THAT opening track from Michael Mayer's Fabric 13) and the Hell Interface reworking of disco classic 'Midas Touch' which closes out Hot Natured's two-hour mix in style (for the trainspotters: Hell Interface is actually a pseudonym of infamous electronica duo Boards Of Canada).

Enjoy the mix below.

Tracklist:
[00:00] 01. Essential Mix - Intro (02:07)
[02:07] 02. OutKast - ATliens (02:13)
[04:19] 03. Horror Inc. - Dans La Nuit (09:09)
[13:28] 04. Moodymann - No (02:53)
[16:21] 05. ID - ID (04:11)
[20:32] 06. Todd Terje - Delorean Dynamite (05:04)
[25:37] 07. Heiko Voss - I Think About You (Geiger Mix) (04:20)
[29:57] 08. ID - ID (02:56)
[32:53] 09. ID - ID (04:30)
[37:23] 10. ID - ID (02:33)
[39:56] 11. ID - ID (06:20)
[46:16] 12. Michael Claus - Cloudy Day Beat (Solc Remix) (03:57)
[50:13] 13. ID - ID (05:03)
[55:16] 14. ID - ID (08:49)
[64:06] 15. Mic Mills - Wonderland (Edit) (05:32)
[69:37] 16. Shadows Movement - I.D. (05:22)
[74:59] 17. Moodymann feat. Andres - Lyk U Use 2 (04:58)
[79:57] 18. Pharrell Williams - Happy (ID Edit) (04:04)
[84:01] 19. ID - ID (07:58)
[92:00] 20. Colin Dale - That's What I'm Here For (2011 Remaster) (05:57)
[97:57] 21. ID - ID (04:08)
[102:05] 22. ID - ID (01:58)
[104:03] 23. Celsius - Thirds & Fourths (04:32)
[108:35] 24. Jori Hulkkonen feat. Nick Triani - Science (Aril Brikha Remix) (06:20)
[114:55] 25. Midnight Star - Midas Touch (Hell Interface Remix) (04:37)

Listen to Pulse Radio

Just when you thought the music lineup for Vivid Sydney this winter couldn't get any better, the Future Classic label and Sydney's favourite clubbing haunt The Spice Cellar have revealed their rosters for the festival.

On Saturday May 31 Future Classic will return to the Sydney Opera House for their third Vivid LIVE studio party takeover, featuring the Australian debuts of Young Turks family member Koreless and Stwo, set to play alongside homegrown electronic prodigy Basenji and the Future Classic DJs.

Meanwhile the Spice Cellar will be running special events throughout the entirety of the festival under the banner of Spice Spektrum - a "visual twist on Spice which will light up each night of the week with different colours and effects." The club has lined up up some rather special guests too, including Studio 54 resident Nicky Siano, Panorama Bar resident Prosumer, Black Angus of Sneaky Sound System and more.

Vivid Sydney runs from May 23 - June 9 with performances from Giorgio Moroder, Pet Shop Boys, Lauryn Hill and more. More info here.

Future Classic @ Vivid Live
31.05.14:Koreless, Stwo, Basenji & Future Classic DJs @ Opera House Studio

SPICE SPEKTRUM @ VIVID Sydney Dates
23.05.14: SOFT&SLOW, – Pink Lloyd (Softwar)
24.05.14: SPICE – SNEAKY vs SPICE (Sneaky Sound System vs SPICE)
28.05.14: La Femme Boheme - Illuminate (Burlesque)
29.05.14: Thursday SPICE - Mantra Collective presents SCHLEPP GEIST
30.05.14: SOFT&SLOW - Jad & The Ladyboy (Exploited)
31.05.14: Slowblow presents PROSUMER (DE)
04.06.14: La Femme Boheme - Illuminate (Burlesque)
05.06.14: SPICE Thursday - Nicky Siano (NYC)
(Movie premiere with intimate Q & A dinner followed by Studio 54 party)
06.06.14: SOFT&SLOW - Sleep D (Live - Melb)

Listen to Pulse Radio

Marquee Sydney is gearing up for another big month in May, locking down a slew of international talent to rock the club and keeping things hot as we head into the winter party months.

Following their tour with Stereosonic last year, men-of-the-moment Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano will be returning to Marquee Sydney on May 17 with their big-room bombs. Prok & Fitch make an appearance on May 10, and our very own Dirty South returns home for a rare Australian performance by rounding out the month on May 24. Plus plenty more - check out the full lineup for May below.

Marquee Sydney May Lineup:
03.05.14 – Chardy
09.05.14 – K-Note
10.05.14 – Prok & Fitch
16.05.14 – Tenzin
17.05.14 – Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano
23.05.14 – DJ Bliss
24.05.14 – Dirty South
24.05.14 – Zannon

Listen to Pulse Radio

Spread out over the weekend of the 12th and 13th of April, London was treated to the annually run London Electronic Music Event or ‘LEME14’ for short. Now in it’s third year, the event boasted up to 50 speakers and was attended by over 500 fans, musicians, producers and industry insiders alike.

Held in the Rich Mix multipurpose art space in the heart of Shoreditch, guests were spoilt for choice with artist keynotes and performances, industry panels, production workshops and networking sessions on hand throughout the multi level building. With performances and workshops by the likes of Theo Parrish, Kris Wadsworth and Legowelt and debates held by industry heavyweights from leading labels, management services and music retailers, the weekend promised a lot for a wide range of people.

Bearing this in mind, it seemed a daunting task getting the most out of the weekend, as equally informative sessions ran concurrently across the numerous venues. So in order to best sample the ‘buffet’ at hand, if you will, it seemed wisest to attend both the production side of things as well as the more business led talks.

After a quick introduction, and run down of proceedings, the event was underway with guests eagerly filling into their venues of choice. First up was a Mixing Master-class focusing on frequencies and the science behind a top-class mix-down. ‘La Bombe’ label head ‘Sharooz’ offered his obvious experience and skill in dissecting 3 classic tracks and why they work. Having released music off labels such as ‘Fools Gold’, ‘Modular’ and ‘Bedrock,’ and then later off his own imprint, it was immediately evident of his wealth of knowledge for the technical side of music production. Throughout the workshop he elegantly handled questions from beginners and advanced producers alike, and conducted one of the most highly recommended sessions of the weekend.

All too quickly it was over, and immediately onto session 2. Moving down to the main space on the ground floor it was time for the Techno Masterclass in beat production – a session I was highly looking forward to. It was a bit of a shame that this talk was also to be held by Sharooz as it would’ve been nice to hear from one of the other experts at hand, however this was one I wasn’t going to miss. Once again, Sharooz held a highly insightful session, giving us the low down on his top programming tips, ranging from beat building to layering and sample choices.

Switching to the business aspect of the industry, it was Hypercolour cofounder Jamie Russell’s guide to setting up a label for session 3. As head of one of the UK’s most respected labels, Jamie has experience as a promoter and DJ, as well as running Sneaker Social Club, and Space Hardware. For the full 90 minutes, guests were entertained by Jamie’s infectious enthusiasm and humble outlook on our scene.\

Ideally situated in Shoreditch, guests were afforded the choice of lunch at the venue or at one of the numerous restaurants and bars close by. We chose the second option, as other guests and delegates visited the shopping and info area offering tutorials and demos on the latest tech by Ableton, Pioneer, Korg and more.

Session 4 offered the much attended studio talk by Legowelt, as well as a heated debate on the topic of ‘What Is Underground And Does It Matter?’ hosted by Red D and Dan Cole. It seems like the jury’s out on this one, as the electronic music landscape continues to evolve. But interestingly, the term ‘underground’ seems less and less about the actual music and more about the people and venues that tie in with it.

Equally as important to the production and industry insight on offer was the social aspect to the event and once the bar opened on Saturday evening guests happily mingled, networked and shared stories of the day so far. Others chose to catch the Resident Advisor film screening in Venue 1, whilst some took a break before the final session of the day, and then of course the after party hosted by Legowelt.

Day one had certainly been a testament to all involved in running this unique event. At the beginning of the day, guests were welcomed by informed and friendly staff and left to pick and choose exactly what they wanted to get out of the day - a relaxed atmosphere that allowed both guests and experts to share insights, stories and opinion on the music we love and the culture that presides it.

Listen to Pulse Radio.

Barring a few notable acts, 2013 seemed to underwhelm with regards to the new crop of artists taking the helm. Generic sounds and overly hyped releases continued to dominate in the saturated landscape of electronic music we find ourselves in today - Yet it took just a couple of minutes listening to Drew Hill’s debut EP ‘Solitude’ to change that perception and reignite the flame that was fast diminishing.

Crossing paths at Music College in London, Danish born Michelle Drew and German born Philipp Hill started making music together in their second year of studying. A mutual consent of music genres, and with strong opinions of what they wanted to do and where they wanted to go, Michelle and Philipp found a bond on both a musical and personal level – Something that comes across clearly in the music they make together. Philipp’s background and interest in complex and understated house music (think Stimming) along with Michelle’s unashamed upbringing on pop music has resulted in a sophisticated brand of electronic music with a certain ‘pop sensibility’. Something that blurs genres and could quite as easily be heard on the radio at 3pm or in a nightclub at 3am.

With obvious talent and an already distinct sound, it didn’t take long for the duo’s productions to spike interest amongst A&R’s, eventually signing to the Born Electric imprint. Thrown into the public eye for the first time with a commissioned remix of Maribou State’s ‘Tongue’, it was 6 months later that their first original content was released on Born Electric.

With Michelle’s haunting vocals laid over ambient and sultry tones it’s no surprise that the title track from their debut EP has already amassed 500,000 views on YouTube and picked up plays by both Pete Tong and Annie Mac. Not to be outdone, ‘In The End’ - the second piece of original music off Solitude - lent itself more to the dance floor with a bass driven composition once again complimented by Michelle’s outstanding vocals and fast received support from the likes of Eats Everything and Midland.

Instilling a supportive and family like vibe for their artists, Born Electric must be credited for helping bring Drew Hill to where they find themselves today. As explained by Michelle, “Born Electric has been a constant pillar of support and guidance, and has opened up many seemingly impossible doors in our short relationship.” The culmination being a recent tour of Australia with label boss James Zabiela, seeing them visit and performing in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth as well as attending and performing at Snowbombing Festival with the rest of the Born Electric family. Self-confessed producers before DJ’s, the two have had to bring a new dynamic into their skill set as their touring schedule picks up. That being said, there are plans to take this even further as they intend to incorporate a live aspect into their DJ sets.

When quizzed about the future, Drew Hill keeps their cards close to their chest. Since the completion of Solitude, the two have completed a host more tracks, and are confident in what will be released. Reading between the lines, it seems that the second EP (no confirmed release date yet) may stray a little further from the dance floor as they start to explore new sounds and influences. What we do know is that the second EP will consist of 2 tracks, and will be released off Danse Club Records. The imprints close ties with the legendary Groove Armada, and also means that they’ll be getting remixed by the legends themselves. Tom Findlay of Groove Armada had this to say: “I absolutely love it! Super, super cool, ‘90s vibe, a touch of Janet Jackson on the vocal almost. Build ’em right and you can do another Azari and III vibe. House acts with real live presence such a godsend!” [sic] Not too shabby…

Now slightly wiser and more familiar with the game that is the music industry, the two are under no illusions of the hard work and dedication it takes to make it. Both Michelle and Philipp are currently studying additional degrees outside of the music world, and it is this calculated and mature approach that comes across in their music. ‘Calculated and mature’ can easily be interpreted as boring, yet this is not the case with Drew Hill – more a sense of sophistication, and a calm that exudes both in person, and in their sound, a sound that goes well beyond their years.

It’s been a while since I was genuinely excited about a new act breaking through, and if you had told me it would have been a pop-vocal act, we’d have had a few words. However, he remainder of 2014 will be an interesting time for the two, as they juggle obtaining master’s degrees with a developing musical career, but I can only hope that it’s music they choose at the end of the day, as it would be a shame for these two to be doing anything else.

Listen to Pulse Radio. 

After several high profile gigs around Ibiza last year, Nastia caught our attention. Since then, the Ukranian jock - whose been somewhat reluctent about getting into the studio - released her first EP, dubbed "Maslo." A resounding success, she's continued on with her residency at Arma17, a place she discribes as "more than a club," maintained an enviable tour diary, and has plans to return to the White Isle this summer, along with mixing Pulse.170.

DOWNLOAD PULSE.170

First off, can you tell us about your mix for the podcast? How did you approach it? I don’t like to make podcasts. They make me stress. This one, I was just choosing records nearly in the same rhythm to make it complete for the 1-hour trip. I like it when it’s just groove, but not a boring one. I made this podcast easy and quick, so I was surprised by myself because usually it takes more time.

I understand you used to not seem to be interested in producing, only DJing, yet you recently dropped your debut solo EP, “Maslo,” in November. What changed? And did you enjoy the experience? I enjoyed it of course. But I am still about DJing. I am not a producer. I like to work on music at the studio, but my life is a bit difficult for producing. I don’t have much time to lock in the studio, because I have my family – my daughter and a lot of gigs, so I am traveling like a crazy, or busy with home-family stuff, organizing everything to be ready to leave the house again. It’s not easy to be a mum and a touring DJ to be honest. So I don’t push myself and wait for the right moment to continue producing. But the time is not yet.

How did the EP come about? I was working with my friend Alex in Kiev. We were just making projects. We have a lot of not finished projects together, but we had some of them ready and my friend from Nilla wanted to release me, so everything we made I sent to him. In the end he choose “Maslo” and “Moment.” And I was glad to have Fumiya for remix, ‘cause I love him and we are kind of friends. I like “Maslo,” it’s interesting and melodic. Moment is darker and the remix from Fumiya is very intelligent I think.

Can we expect more productions in the future from you? Probably. I just need to stop myself from confirming all the bookings I have for at least a month! [laughs]

I’ve read that you feel like Arma17 was like more than a club. Can you explain what you meant by that, and are you still a resident there? Ah yes. You know, I am answering you two days before Arma17 has it’s sixth birthday, and it’s the last party on this location ever. So my heart is crying, because it’s the most beautiful club I’ve ever seen or visited in my life. And yes, for sure it’s much bigger than just a club. It’s full of different kinds of art projects, it’s a friendly family… it’s just something what you can’t see anywhere besides this place. And I will miss this place so much. It’s the point in a history, legend. Arma17 is in my heart and I am proud and honored to be a resident of it since 2010.

As your gigs have increased, have you found any other clubs you feel similarly about? Similarly? No. The rest of my favorite clubs are proper clubs, but just a club.

You played at Sankeys Ibiza twice last year, including closing party. Was that your first time paying in/coming to Ibiza? And how did you like it? Yes, I did. Unfortunately I didn’t find Sankeys Ibiza as my club. I didn’t feel it that much. Somehow it was difficult for me to make a connection with people and create an energy and atmosphere that I wanted.

Any plans on coming back this season? If so, do you know where yet? Oh yes... I have some good plans for Ibiza this year. Can’t announce it right now, but it’s definitely something I am happy about.

Finally, what’s next for you? Next release on my label Propaganda Records, and summer!

Listen to Nastia on Pulse Radio.

With another chart topping hit, Oliver $ has proved his studio chops once again. He first burst onto the scene with "Doin Ya Thang," an infectious house groove with Moodymann's vocals layered over the top, which became something of a phenomenon, and has inspired copy cat versions many times over. This time around, his effort with Jimi Jules, "Pushing On," released on Defected, contains the same hook driven, soulful funk that pushed the Berlin born and based producer into the international spotlight initially. Just about to embark on a tour, and with plenty of Ibiza dates coming up, we caught up with Oliver to find out where it all comes from.

 How did you first get involved with DJing and who were your early inspirations behind the decks? I started DJing because my cousin Jan Driver was already long time in the scene. He was my early inspiration as he taught me all the basics and I just started from there and started to develop my own sound and taste.

You achieved your very first number 1 Beatport track with "Doin' Ya Thing" in 2011. How did it feel to finally achieve your first number one Beatport track? It was the first track that got my name really out there, and I never thought it was going to go number one. Like with any other track, you never think about how well they’ll do, you just hope that people out there will like it and if it becomes a success like “Doin Ya Thing” did, then it’s just an extra bonus. But of course, when you work so hard and so long on something and it becomes a success then you feel all the hard work has paid off.

What were your original expectations for that record and how do you feel this has impacted upon the progression of your career up until now? It started of as just something that I created for myself and my DJ friends. More like a secret DJ weapon, then we thought, this could do really well, so we released it. Although it was a shock just how well it did!

Your latest release on Defected, "Pushing On" is currently number one on Beatport. Tell us a bit more about this record - what the concept was behind it and how did it all come together? I worked with Jimi Jules on the “Earl” EP for Hive Records last year, and we were both pleased with the result, so we thought why not work together again. We wanted to create something that was true to the core of house music but also include a jazz element, which is why we used vocals from the Quantic Soul Orchestra. We have a good work-flow together and we understand each other. Usually, I come up with the core structure and then he builds around it and so on.

"Pushin' On" also achieved five plays on five different shows last Friday. These included the likes of Radio One with Annie Mac, Pete Tong and Radio One Xtra. With such global exposure already, what else do you hope to achieve within the next five years? I hope to just keep on going as I have been, getting more recognition along the way and building up gradually. I’ll carry on doing as many parties as possible and spending a lot of time in different studios just doing what I’ve been so far.

So far, this year you’ve had extensive dates booked in the US as well as the UK, and are also currently working on a tour for Australia and South America. What are you most excited for whilst planning this tour and where are you most looking forward to performing? All dates are exciting! Every gig is different and I look forward to all of them. Every country and then city is different. It also depends on the night, so what type of party it is and who else has played – you get different vibes everywhere.

I understand you’ll be performing with Defected in Ibiza this summer. Do you have any details about that you can share with us? We’ll be celebrating Defected being 15 years old. Big parties with big line-ups full of great artists. There will be parties in Ibiza, Dublin, LA and also London that I’ll be playing at with MK, Noir and more.

Everybody has their favourite memories and parts of the island. What’s special about Ibiza for you? It was definitely my first-time appearance at Loco Dice’s Used+Abused party last summer. With Ibiza you know everyone just wants the same thing and that's to party and to have fun. The atmosphere and the hype is always huge there, so I'm always excited to go back. 

Finally, if given the opportunity of a lifetime to work with any one artist in the world, who would it be and why? Stevie Wonder & Marvin Gaye. Both because of everything they've achieved and how they're each legends in their own right.

Listen to Oliver $ on Pulse Radio.

New City Gas is an impressive industrial heritage building containing an amazing event space near downtown Montreal, Canada. The pumping dance factory plays host to some of the finest international dance, electro, house, techno and trance acts in the city.

Just this year alone, they've had Deadmau5, Wolfgang Gartner, Borgore, Showtek, and Dada Life manning the decks as well as other crowd-pleasing acts.

A gleaming and evocative presence in Montreal's social scene, with its state-of-the-art sound system and light show spectacular, I knew I was in for a big night with energetic duo Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano and Aussie electro-house star Tommy Trash, the unmistakable head banging party aficionado. Showman Tommy with his untamed locks certainly brought down the house, wowing the crowd with his infectious electro-infused sounds and pumping club anthems.

In the month of May, New City Gas presented by Produkt, will be showcasing a bevy of stellar acts including:

Myon & Shane 54 + tyDi + Glenn Morrison – 5.02.2014 Boys Noize – 5.03.2014
Project 46 + Rebecca & Fiona – 5.10.2014
Figure - 5.10.2014
Steve Aoki + Matthew Koma – 5.16.2014
David Guetta – 5.18.2014
Sander Van Doorn + Quintino + Charity Strike - 5.24.2014 Mat Zo + Kill the Noise – 5.30.2014
Audien + Ben Gold + Feenixpawl – 5.31.2014

Check out more work from Carine + Jordi, with thanks to: Delinquent Valley | Facebook

Starting May 7th, London's morning raves are heading to New York! Called "Morning Gloryville ~ Rave Your Way Into The Day," the unique sober dance party will kick off at the crack of dawn at 6:30am and run until 10:30am in Brooklyn. In addition to the music, the event will also feature free massages, fresh smoothie and coffee bars, a motivational dance team, and a lot more! We had a chance to check in with Annie Fabricant, New York's Glory Agent, ahead of the launch event to chat about the success of the concept in London, her experience bringing morning raves to New York, Morning Gloryville's planned expansion to even more cities around the world, what goes into planning an event of this scale, and some of the feedback from artists and guests who have experienced the magic.

For those who don’t know, tell us a bit about who’s behind Morning Glory and how it came about? The magic Morning Glory seed was planted in springtime last year. Two friends, Samantha Moyo, an experienced event producer and a mind-bending visionary, and Nico Thoemmes, a pro yoga teacher and bodyworker, came up with the idea together. I thought the story went like this: the duo sparked the idea while sipping tea after a morning yoga class, but I only recently found out that they were sprawled out on the bank of the River Thames after a massive bender and thought Gosh! How much fun, but this isn’t sustainable…How can we revolutionize the fun…?

They decided that the world needed a revolution in conscious dancing. They acknowledged that the city was full of morning-haters, yet they figured that the morning was the perfect time for the stressed out people with demanding desk jobs, the ravers and ex-ravers, and everyone else to get into their bodies, relax their minds and discover a positive mindful and fun way to express themselves and energize for the day ahead. They felt people needed something that’s more fun, more creative and with more community-feel than the gym. Ultimately they wanted to create an experience for London city-dwellers that would shift their perceptions of mornings, and clubbing, and increase their wellbeing. The first Morning Glory (it’s now called Morning Gloryville) took place on Wednesday, May 29th in the Village Undergound, in Shoreditch. It caught press attention almost straight away and just grew steadily from that moment on.

What’s the feedback been like in London? How do the attendees describe their experience? The feedback has always been 100% positive, and there’s been lots of it! Founder Sam Moyo has been inundated with emails and calls from people eager to talk at length about their experience. Everyone is bowled over by the wave of positive energy that fills the space. They feel alive and buzzed by the natural high and by how FUN it is. “It’s literally turned my life around! I live for my Glorified mornings" and “Best start to the day ever! Can doctors prescribe this?!“ are the types of comments we get.

What led to the decision to launch Morning Glory’s global expansion in New York? Are you planning to take it to more cities in Europe as well or explore other cities in the US? Absolutely! Morning Gloryville will be launching in Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Sydney, Perth and Zagreb this summer, and in more cities across the globe by the end of the year, including San Francisco and Miami in the US. 

Last December, I returned to London, my hometown, and a friend took me along to a Morning Gloryville. The energy and positivity that penetrated the space was tremendous. Amazing. I was so struck by the experience that despite my plan to move back to London, I knew instantly that I had to bring this incredibly inspiring movement to the people of New York. I paired up with Harry Inglis, another NYC-based Brit who had reached out to the founders in London expressing enthusiasm to be involved. As you know, things move espresso-fast in NYC, and New Yorkers just love new quirky ideas. Everyone I’ve been speaking to about it has been so enthusiastic and so supportive. The great energy and feedback we were getting prompted our decision to launch in May, a bit earlier than originally planned.

How did you go about choosing the DJs to play at the New York launch event? Is it a challenging process? We are so excited to have Natasha Blank and Zev playing for us at the launch. It happened very naturally, organically… With regards to Natasha: I had been intro’d by Ben Makosch (Cityfox) to a great guy called Ryan Fix (Pure House) who’s also in the wholesome social activist and holistic health world. He intro’d me to Natasha, who I had already heard wonderful things about. She DJs at The Get Down at Cielo, and is also a massive holistic health advocate and healer among many other wholesome things. We met and she dug the concept and being on that path clearly believes in the conscious clubbing movement.

Getting Zev on board was also a very natural and friendly process. I knew that he has been into holistic health and nutrition for a while. Seeing as he’s cancer survivor who took the brave and admirable decision to avoid chemo and instead put himself on an optimal diet, practice meditation and seek alternative healing therapies, I thought the MG concept would resonate with him. And it did – et voila!

What has playing for an alcohol and drug-free crowd been like for the artists? Pretty positive! Here are some quotes:

"That was my favourite DJ-ing experiences ever. It's such a great crowd of people who just want to dance. I had a real blast." [Will Rees from The Mystery Jets]

"Literally THE most frenetic, and engaged crowd I have ever played to. The level of participation was truly on a spiritual level of oneness - seriously - it was an enlightening experience. Each tune was wholeheartedly embraced by all 800 glory-hunters such that each groove had to earn its keep. This resulted in FULL appreciation of every tune and every mix - a DJ's dream both for learning and navigating the diamond path. FUCKING INSANE!!" Ben Zaven Crane - Mojo Filter

"I love playing at Morning Glory because the people and the general vibe are a lot more genuine than at a night club. More smiles, more sweat, more aliveness, more realness. The energy generated at MG really is infectious and you leave exhausted but happy - I feel blessed to be part of it." [Annie O ]

How did sorting out the logistics in New York compare to your counterparts doing so in London? What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve been facing? The biggest challenge by far in NYC has been finding the right venue. Unlike finding a venue for a night time/regular clubbing event, the venue for Morning Gloryville needs to be as far from a dark sticky club as possible. In other words: light, bright, uplifting, fresh with super high ceilings. Location-wise it needs to be as convenient as possible for people to get to work afterwards. Plus, noise-wise, we don’t want to be waking residents up with pumping music at 6.30am! In London, the location thing was actually a walk in the park: Shoreditch and even Bethnal Green (where MG moved to last December) is pretty convenient as it’s an area of London where not only all the ravers/ex-ravers, creatives, freelancers, and hipsters live and also work. It’s also hugging the City [the financial district], so it’s also easy for all the corporates, lawyers etc. With rent prices in BK soaring, people are scattered everywhere. Manhattan is convenient for most people, but the venues that fit the bill are extremely pricey. Our first couple of events will be in Williamsburg, and then we’ll move to the city. An outdoor event is also on the cards.

What can we expect from Morning Gloryville in the future? Any plans to branch out into other types of events? Expect Morning Gloryville to become a global movement with dozens— no, hundreds! — of cities around the world raving their way into the day! Most importantly, people from all backgrounds, ages, professions and religion will be mingling, connecting and discovering their true amazing selves. Morning Gloryville will restore people’s faith in humanity and encourage them to live conscious, joyful and inspired lives.

Besides that, yes the MG team has plenty of ideas for the future. Apart from getting involved with great festivals, such Burning Man, Electric Forest, Lightning In a Bottle, Bestival (Morning Gloryville will feature at this year’s Bestival), andThe Secret Garden Party; there are some exciting possibilities related to clothing lines, health retreats, and various healing modalities.

Purchase tickets to NYC's launch event here!

Listen to Pulse Radio

Electric Island Concert and Picnic Series is back and lighting up Toronto’s Centre Island on Monday, May 19th. Victoria Day marks the 2014 debut of the one of last summer's standout event series. The lineup has been officially announced and features the Godfather of Techno and Cocoon Records label boss Sven Väth, Mano Le Tough and Daniel Avery. They will be accompanied by local talents Jonathan Rosa, Jamie Kidd and Rafwat & Chorniy.

Electric Island made our "Top 20 Must Do Parties Before You Die” and for good reason. Fully licensed, Electric Island will feature both international and local talent on Centre Island overlooking Toronto’s waterfront and amazing skyline, officially closing each of Toronto’s four summer long weekends. Accessible by ferry, the tree-filled spacious island will have plenty of food trucks and beverages on-site. Party-goers will have the option of relaxing picnic style on blankets or throwing shapes on Mother Nature’s dance floor while casually enjoying the sweet sounds of Sven Väth and the list of exceptionally talented artists. Tickets for the May 19th season opener are on sale now. 

Listen to Sven Väth on Pulse Radio

Alex Allmont, a full-time coder who also happens to be working on a Ph.D in polyrhythmic music and is a massive long-time Lego fan, has created something really cool. It’s a crazy complex Lego rig that produces electronic music that sounds like slowmo acid house.

Called Play House, the machine was built for AudioGraft, a music festival in Oxford, England. Taking over a whole tabletop, it churns out music as drum samples and digital notes are triggered. These sounds are based on those of the Roland TB303, the legendary synthesizer that played a role in the acid house movement of the ‘80s.

Allmont describes that the machine’s output is not concerned about “the white-gloves-and-whistles sort of acid house, but the more spatial stuff, inspired by artists like Plastikman and Basic Channel.”

Below, check out the Lego machine in action as well as a 10-minute clip of the Allmont explaining how it works.

Listen to Pulse Radio

Hello JustMo and welcome to PulseRadio, for some of our readers out there who don't know who you are, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your back round? 
Firstly thank you for the opportunity and a big hello to all your readers across the globe. My name is Just Mo, I am a Deep House DJ & producer from Johannesburg South Africa, I am also a radio presenter & mix DJ on YFM 99.2 a regional radio station in Johannesburg (The biggest youth station in Gauteng). I have been a music lover all my life, growing up I listened to a whole variety of genres but mostly I listened to House music & Hip hop. After I completed high school I started Djing this was in 2004 during the vinyl era & from there on I have been working my way up in the ranks moving from a bedroom DJ to a club DJ. In 2009 I joined YFM as an intern in the Y-academy training programme which was for six months during that time I was mentored by South African house legend DJ Oskido, after a long time of hustling and keeping my ears on the ground I eventually worked my way up to where I am now,on radio with my own show, it has not been an easy journey but this is only the beginning.

Memorial Day Weekend is quickly approaching, and that means that it’s almost time for Mysteryland USA! The world’s longest running music festival is heading to the former Woodstock ’69 showgrounds for the first year ever, and it’s bringing along an impressive list of artists including Steve Aoki, Kaskade, Nicky Romero, Moby, Dillon Francis, and more.

In addition to these DJs, the festival is also featuring a Sunday School Minifest with a great roster of artists who are set to play on three stages over the weekend. Don’t miss Dubfire, Joris Voorn, Seth Troxler, Ryan Crosson, Scuba, Carl Craig, Lee Foss, and many more as the infamous Miami party is reincarnated at these historical grounds.  See the full lineup here.

Check out “The Countdown Has Begun,” the festival’s offical trailer, and start getting pumped! Enter to win a pair of tickets to Mysteryland USA here.

Listen to Steve Aoki on Pulse Radio