Attendees at Utah’s regional Burning Man affiliate reported yesterday that a man passed away after leaping into the three-story ceremonial fire in front of 1,200 people. Local news station Fox 13 News reports that Christopher Wallace, 30, of Salt Lake City, broke through security and jumped into the flaming effigy of a character from the children’s book ‘Where The Wild Things Are.’

The apparent suicide was premeditated according to guests at the festival, who report that Wallace told them earlier in the day about his intentions. Grantsville City Police Lieutenant Steve Barrett said, “This is what he was going to do, and it’s what he did. It took not even seconds. He was just through the barricades and into the fire.”

Element 11 organizer JP Bernier tells Fox 13, “He was really motivated to make this happen. He made it past, unfortunately, a lot of people. He was pretty quick, and there really wasn’t anything we could do once he got inside of an area that wasn’t safe for us… He was camping here with some people who knew him and loved him and welcomed him into their group.”

Due to the tragic incident, the final day of the festival was cancelled. Element 11 released an official statement: “This is a deeply upsetting event with tragic results. Our hearts go out to the Utah community and to the attendees of Element 11. This is a tragic event, and we struggle to respond to it. We ask for your patience while we find the appropriate resources, but please know that we are committed to supporting those affected by this event in the best way we can.”

Burning Man also made a statement about the news on their official website: “This is obviously a terribly difficult and sad event for the global Burning Man community, the dedicated organizers of Element 11, and most especially for those who witnessed it… An investigation is currently underway by local law enforcement, and more information will be made available in the coming days and weeks.”

Listen to Pulse Radio

As I was leaving this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival in the early morning hours after the first night of fun, I was handed the 2014 edition of ‘The Insomniac,’ which was full of articles about the flagship event and its culture – everything from a letter from Insomniac founder and CEO Pasquale Rotella and details about some of the art installations featured at the festival to how the soundtrack was chosen for the recent EDC documentary ‘Under The Electric Sky’ and why EDC attendees, called “headliners,” love the annual festival so much.  One of the most interesting sections of the magazine was ‘Electric Daisy Carnival: The Breakdown’ which shared some behind-the-scenes stats about the festival’s guests, production, and the overall fan experience.

Headliners

345,000 in Total

Most Popular Countries:
97,583 from the United States
3,734 from Canada
300 from Australia
267 from the United Kingdom

Most Popular States:
60,268 from California
6,014 from Nevada
4,512 from Texas
3,456 from Arizona

EDC gets bigger and better every year with 2014 featuring “headliners” from all 50 states and 40 different countries. 140,000 guests attended the festival each night this year, which ran from Friday, June 20th through Sunday, June 22nd from dusk until dawn at its home at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, about a 20 minute drive from Sin City’s notorious Strip.

As we took our shuttle to the Speedway and walked around the festival, I realized that it’s hard to define a typical EDC guest. There were people of all ages with different styles; everyone from older, experienced ravers to younger candy kids were there to enjoy three nights of good times and amazing music, all united by their passion for this truly unique environment where people who love electronic music can connect and create lasting memories.

Stages & Music

50 CDJs
33 Mixers
920,000 Watts of Speaker Power = 7,500 Sonic Booms
7 Stages
394,700 Square Feet of Stages and Temporary Structures = 6.25 Football Fields
102 Confetti Blowers
15,120 Pounds of Confetti = 7.5 Fiat 500s
162 Cryo Jets
4,911 Streamer Sleeves
6,300 Video Tiles

By far, the main draw of EDC is its unparalleled lineup, a combination of the world’s most recognizable DJs as well as a top-notch group of emerging underground talent. There’s really something for everyone at the festival, which allows each attendee to create his or her own personalized experience. Wandering around EDC, you’ll hear everything from underground house and techno, big-room progressive house, dubstep, drum and bass, electro, disco, and much more.

EDC featured seven stages this year. kineticFIELD, the main stage which draws the majority of guests, was really impressive with two huge owl structures on either side surrounding a series of tall columns. The stage evolved as the night went on and at times looked like a beautiful, colorful cathedral. I was happy to catch artists like Fedde Le Grand and MK in this crazy setting.

You could feel the bass radiating from the bassPOD and bassCON stages from far away. 12th Planet, Destroid, Paul Oakenfold, Infected Mushroom, Dirtyphonics, Sub Focus, and Carnage are only a few of the DJs who got to play there this year.

neonGARDEN was one of my favorite stages featuring the likes of Carl Cox (by far my favorite set of the weekend), Dubfire, John Digweed, Art Department, Dusky, Damian Lazarus, and Loco Dice among others.

Every stage had its own character and vibe, and I enjoyed walking around the festival grounds to experience a little bit of it all. The Discovery Stage showcased some great up-and-coming talent as the winners of Insomiac’s second Discovery Project were invited to throw down.

As the night drew to a close, we headed over to the Wide Awake Art Car to squeeze in a little more dancing to the tunes of Eric Volta before going home.

Atmosphere

35 Carnival Rides
30 Art Exhibits
11 Food Trucks

Spread throughout the grounds were several interactive art exhibits and of course the festival’s signature carnival rides, both great options when you wanted to take a quick break from dancing.

The food available this year exceeded my expectations with the addition of gourmet food trucks and local restaurant partners. There was a little bit of everything to satisfy any craving, from hot dogs and hummus to lobster and cupcakes, keeping us fueled throughout the long nights.

Production

1,370 Light Fixtures
4.6 Million Pounds of Steel
47 Forklifts
77,000 Gallons of Gasoline and Biodiesel Fuel

If there’s one thing that Insomniac is known for, it’s the extremely high level of production, attention to detail, and commitment to the overall fan experience that is evident at their events. Other festivals may have some of the same talent, but they’re not presenting it in such a mind-blowing, spectacular way. It was all amazing from the light shows and visual effects at each stage to the massive firework displays at the end of the night.

If you haven’t been lucky enough to experience the magic of EDC yet, I strongly suggest that you find a way to get yourself there next year as its a must do, one-of-a-kind festival. We’ll see you under the electric sky!

Listen to Electric Daisy Carnival on Pulse Radio

They're our favourite DJs here in Ibiza. Some have had residencies for over a decade, all have a special place in our heart.

Seeing them time after time, you can't help but notice a few of their quirks, especially once the party gets flowing and they get in the zone. 

These are a few of our favourite Ibiza DJ's dance moves. 

Sven Vath: Toilet Roll Time

The sheer look of concentration on Papa Sven’s face says it all. Proper legend.  

Alternate: Sven Record Pump

Luciano: Lean and Clap

This one's usually acompanied by a whistle - and cheers from the crowd.

Alternate: Lean and Drum

For when the percussion is just too much.

Loco Dice: Bob and Weave

Like a trained boxer, Dice gets his shoulders into it when the beat drops, and it's always infectious. 

Richie Hawtin: Hair Flip

Things are really warming up when the ENTER. ringleader sweeps his half-do out of the way.

Marco Carola: The Chin

Almost as subtle as his mixes. Wait for it...

Ricardo Villalobos: The Wanderer

The opposite of Carola, Villalobos leans, twists and turns, using the whole booth for his moves.

Carl Cox: “Oh yes, oh yes!”

While not technically a dance move, Carl’s signature phrase gets us every time, and why we couldn’t leave it a .gif. Watch below.

Listen to Pulse Radio.

Known for throwing some of the most era defining parties Ibiza has ever seen, Manumission now returns to the White Isle. 

In its hayday, Manumission came to define the Ibiza spirit, with wildly flamboient parties at Privilege that came to embody the hedonistic, care free spirit of the island. 

Run by Mike and Clare Manumission, the party now returns with Phantasmagoria, billed as a "love affair between dance, music and cinema."

For five Fridays at Booom beginning on August 1st, DJs like Craig Richards, Derrick Carter, Matthew Herbert, Ivan Smagghe and Skream will take the musical helm for Phantasmagoria, with special guests appearing throughout the month, while Booom will be transformed into a futuristic blues club.

For the film portion, Seth Troxler's Smokey Tails BBQ restaurant is hosting Smokey & The Movies, with 31 days of open air cinema featuring Oscar nominated English actress Samantha Morton, director Lynne Ramsay, author and former drug smuggler Howard Marks aka 'Mr Nice', Skunk Anansie's Skin, and Seth Troxler, who will all take over a week of cinema.

For more info, head to the Phantasmagoria website.

Listen to Pulse Radio.

Brazilian producer Gui Boratto has announced the arrival of his latest album, 'Abaporu', to be released in September.

Boratto's fourth studio album will once again be released on revered Cologne label Kompakt, which has been home to Boratto's pop-inflected techno since his 2007 debut 'Chromophobia'. The album's title and cover are "an inspired twist" on the famous modernist painting by Tarsilo Do Amaral and the sound is tipped as a collection of "richly orchestrated club tracks".

'Abaporu' officially drops on September 29th. You can check out the first single 'Joker' below.

Tracklist
01. Antropofagia
02. Joker
03. Please Don't Take Me Home
04. Get The Party Started
05. Abaporu
06. 22
07. Take Control
08. Indigo
09. Manifesto
10. Wait For Me
11. Where I Belong
12. Too Late
13. Palin Dromo

[Via RA]

Listen to Pulse Radio

It's the only bummer at a festival: The Porta Loo. Festival WC facilities always leave a lot to be desired. Grubby sinks, no toilet paper, not to mention the ever-expanding rim-side puddles - festival bathroom facilities are a real stinker.

But never fear, Austin City Limits has a 25-carat solution. God amongst bogs, the Golden Porta Potty is wall to wall with exclusive features, including a chandelier, air-conditioning, festival live-feed, phone charging facilities, wifi, imported toilet paper, bottles of Pellegrino, plus hand-towels, soaps and a selection of perfumes to spruce up before you go.

The Golden Porta Potty takes the idea of throne to a whole new dimension. This "Shangri-La of Relief" is nothing short of palacial. Best of all, you'll be one of only six people using it. When nature calls, get the royal treatment.

Listen to Pulse Radio

This weekend Marquee Las Vegas resident Jason Lema heads down under for a headline set at the club's sister venue in Sydney. In anticipation, he has recorded an exclusive promo mix for Pulse.

One of the hottest DJs in Las Vegas, Lema honed his ear for what goes off on the dance floor while growing up in Miami. His roots lie in house music, though his extensive music crates range from chart toppers spanning across all club genres.

The US jock plays Marquee Sydney as part of the club's annual Belvedere Winter Ball this Saturday 19th July. Marquee will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland and guests are asked to dress in all white. Tickets are on sale now for $30 via Moshtix.

You can listen and download to Dj Lema's mix below.

Listen to Pulse Radio

Keiran Hebden aka Four Tet has some seriously dedicated fans. Like 'notify the authorities' dedicated.

The man behind albums like 'Everything Ecstatic' and 'There Is Love In You' has recently become the focus of a young woman's agenda. London graphic designer Marta Dos Santos has made a pledge on her Twitter account "to see Four Tet live ninety nine times".

Little is known about the young lady, aside from the apparent excess of time on her hands. Precisely what Dos Santos hopes to achieve remains unclear. Currently at 13, Dos Santos will document her journey to 99 via her tumble account ,which can be viewed here.

While 99tet would be a feat of some magnitude, it's not as if Dos Santos has gone to any extreme lenghts thus far. As yet, Dos Santos has travelled as far as Portugal to see Four Tet, but the majority of gigs she has attended have been in and around her native London.

Listen to Pulse Radio

They might be the most popular headphones on the market, but Beats By Dre are often criticised for their sub par sound quality, tagged as more of a fashion accessory for high profile sports stars than a quality sound product. That the headphones are too bass heavy is the most common complaint, to which company president Luke Wood has defended in an interview with BBC Newsbeat.

“I’ve certainly heard that as an opinion on the headphone; I disagree,” he says. “We didn’t go to build a reference headphone, something you build in the studio that is really a technical tool to hear when you are recording. If you look at Dre’s pedigree, Jimmy’s [Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine] pedigree, even my pedigree, we are all recording engineers. What we did is build a headphone for playback. What does it sound like right when it is finished? And that is what we’ve accomplished.”

Whether or not Apple agree, the company still bought Beats By Dre for a whopping $3 billion back in May.

You can read our article 'The Emergence of Headphone Culture' to find out why we think the headphones don't cut it.

Listen to Pulse Radio

Ever wanted to know what started an artists love affair with music? Pulse Radio's 'Record That Changed My Life' series takes is back to where it all began, asking you favourite artists which record made it all possible.

We explore the depths of a DJ's musical pallette, to pinpoint that moment where everything fell into place, to single out that track or album that sticks in their mind - the seed of their music career.With Splendour In the Grass right around the corner, Pulse spoke to a handful of DJs and producers playing the NSW festival this month.

 Motez: 'Oxygene 4' by Jean-Michel Jarre

JMJ is, in my opinion, the godfather of electronic music. I heard this as a kid, and listening to all these sounds put together in a pseudo-pop way made me move towards electronic and dance music. It's the first time I understood the importance of a 'hook' without having lyrics necessarily. The fact this record was made in 1976 is mind-blowing and shows you how much of a pioneer and genius Jarre is. Later on, he did albums that were as good or even better, like Magnetic Fields and Rendez-Vous. Plus he always had the best live shows

Gaz from Yacht Club DJs: 'Since I Left You' by The Avalanches

I remember sitting in my friend Ross' bedroom flicking through magazinges when I was about 13 looking at guitars and spending imaginary money when we came across a see-through blue vestax 2-channel mixer. We realized we could afford it if we bought it together. That sparked a week long conversation where we assigned all these imaginary functions that this thing could perform and all the crazy music we'd make with it. You have to remember we both lived in a tiny country town and the closest contact we had with music was choir practice at school.

Well, Ross grew up but I never really did. The deeper I got into it, the more it became an obsession, and soon my house was full of samplers, turntables, records, synths, and other musical instruments. Anyway, from 16 I'd always either been in a band or DJing at underage events. I remember my art tracher gave me a copy of 'Since I Left You' in '01 and I never looked back. I love a lot of records but it's hard to explain the effect that record had on me. I've never had to replace a record as many times as this one.

In one form or another, I've been trying to make a peice of music that means as much to me as this record does. It's just one of those things that's perfect, it was my doorway to a whole world of music. It was massive for me living in a small town where the height of culture was a half-cut bloked in a flanno singing 'Even Flow' at the pub.

 

Barnabas from Wordlife: 'Dig Your Own Hole' by The Chemical Brothers

In our opinion the most cohesive, exciting electronic dance album ever made. The tracks move from one to the other effortlessly with these amazingly tricky, but totally sense-making segues. It has everything you want on a record - psychedelia, sampled crowd noise, Beth Orton, Noel Gallagher, a Chuck D sample, a k-hole, harpsichords and other mind-melting wig-outs. It's pretty much the culmination of balaeric/acid/mad-chester scene, sped up and perfectly hacked into the 90s mainframe.

Kilter: 'My Comet' by Onra

Falling in love with a track is one thing, but to have a record change your life is something different entirely. While I might not listen to this track often anymore, it was very important to me at a time when I was discovering my own musical taste and first experimenting with my own productions.

As a 17 year old, when Onra's 'Long Distance' was on high rotation, this track was a particular favourite. I can't get enough of those lazy boom-bap drums and the perfect marriage of an old soul sample (BB & Q Band's 'Genie' from 1985) and Onra's added synths. After listening to each track on the album I would go and try find the original sample and (always unsuccessfully) recreate the cuts myself.

Splendour In The Grass: 24th - 27th July, 2014 @ Belongil Fields, Byron Bay

Listen to Pulse Radio

Chinese Laundry are straight up relentless. After a huge weekend of international superstars and DJs, CL has lined up another weekend of your favourite mix-masters, spread over two big nights.

Buckle up for a big night of bass on Friday as Girl Unit swings into town. With a swag of new material in his back pocket, the Nightslugs DJ will be positively frothing for this Laundry showcase. Get ready for a banging set from this UK star, with Spenda C and Nemo riding shotgun.

Then on Saturday, Viper Recordings celebrates it's tenth birthday with a special edition Chinese Laundry day party. Matrix and Futurebound will headline, with Brookes Brothers and The Prototypes also on show. If that's not enough, Christian Luke will keep the party going late into the evening. Having just returned from Brazil, the 'Alpha' DJ will bring his freshest material to Laundry for one special night.

Pulse has double passes to both Friday and Saturday night. To win, send your name and the night you'd like to attend here. Winners will be notified by 6pm on Friday. Best of luck!

Friday Full Lineup:
Girl Unit (UK)
Spenda C
Nemo
Empress Yoy
Deckhead
Daniel Farley
Big Deal Gillespie

Saturday Day Party Lineup:
Matrix & Futurebound
Brookes Brothers
The Prototypes
Rockwell
Struz
Kyphosis

Saturday Full Lineup:
Christian Luke
Mantra Collective
Visual Lies
Daschwood
Nils Hillstrom
King Lee
Fingers
Deckhead

Listen to Pulse Radio

Last month over 80 acts were announced for Brisbane's BIGSOUND festival. Today another 40 have been added to the all-Aussie lineup including electronic names such as Seekae, Hayden James and SAFIA.

They will be joining the likes of Alison Wonderland,Wordlife, Fractures, Paces and more on the massive roster this year. BIGSOUND takes over fourteen venues in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley on September 10 & 11 which this year includes a new outdoor venue. The final lineup is expected to boast over 140 acts.

Check out the entire lineup below, with the newly announced artists in bold.

BIGSOUND 2014 Lineup:
the church
Seekae
Voyager
Nicholas Albrook
The Funkoars
Pierce Brothers
July Talk (Canada)
Hayden James
Art Of Sleeping
SAFIA
Life Pilot
Meniscus
Toehider
THIEF
Felicity Groom
Jeremy Neale
Harmony James
DARKC3LL
Mr Hill & Rahjconkers
A Million Dead Birds Laughing
Kathryn Rollins
Mammals
Daily Meds
Like Thieves
Marlon Williams
Kucka
Mise En Scene (Canada)
Coin Banks
Eden Mulholland
Males (NZ)
Mosman Alder
Jesse Sheehan (NZ)
REPTILES
Bound For Ruin Mathas
My Friend The Betrayer
All Our Exes Live In Texas
Usurper Of Modern Medicine
Dozzi
Peter Bibby
Rolls Bayce
Shellfin
Sparkspitter
Airling
Alison Wonderland
Apes
Ash Grunwald
Avaberée
Bad//Dreems
Banoffee
Baptism Of Uzi
Blank Realm
Bonjah
Brad Butcher
Caligula’s Horse
Client Liaison
Coach Bombay
Crooked Colours
D.D Dumbo
Deep Sea Arcade
Devon Sproule
DMAs
Ernest Ellis
Eves
Fieldings
Flyying Colours
Fractures
Fraser A. Gorman
Gold Fields
Halfway
Hayden Calnin
Hits
Holy Holy
I’lls
Indian Summer
Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders
Jane Tyrell
Jess Ribeiro And The Bone Collectors
Jesse Davidson
Jimblah
Karl S. Williams
Kingswood
Klo
KLP
Lanks
Left.
L-Fresh The Lion
Lia Mice
Little May
Lime Cordiale
Lower Spectrum
Luca Brasi
Lucianblomkamp
Lurch & Chief
Major Leagues
Mansionair
Milwaukee Banks
Morning Harvey
Oisima
Okenyo
Olympic Ayres
Orphans Orphans
Paces
Panama
Pikelet
Remi
Ruby Boots
Sampology Ft. Tom Thum & Jordan Rakei
Scenic
Steve Smyth
Step-Panther
Stillwater Giants
Sweet Jean
Sydonia
Teeth & Tongue
The Bennies
The Creases
The Harpoons
The Murlocs
The Phoncurves
The Tiger & Me
Thelma Plum
Thrupence
Tin Sparrow
Tkay Maidza
Tully On Tully
Wordlife
Yeo

Listen to Pulse Radio

Monday night’s trip to Cocoon had all the signs of being one to remember – namely the prospect of Seth Troxler and Ricardo Villalobos going back-to-back to close the Amnesia Terrace.

Ever since I had seen the line-up, I knew that this night had the potential to be a particular landmark event this season. There was certainly an element of danger lurking around as well though, with Ricardo’s well-documented unpredictably the cause for some concern.

Whilst the night was still young, Seth Troxler and Craig Richards took the Cocoon soundtrack very deep, with minimalism at its very core. Having spent so many years warming up at Fabric, Richards’ record collection possibly reflects his musical circumstances, with a lot of his selections during the evening occupying the murkier end of the spectrum. The buzz of anticipation was pervasive however, as the growing pack filled all corners of the Terrace floor.

4am saw proceedings step up a notch with Ricardo Villalobos hitting the decks with conviction, control and bundles of unique charisma. Not many DJs receive a huge cheer once they take to the decks – such is Villalobos’ enormous wealth of character. Oozing emotion and a genuine love for the music, he was brilliant to watch as he swayed around the booth, simultaneously lost in the music and the party.

The beginning of the set saw Villalobos hitting the minimal side of things, with Spanish vocal influences and Latin rhythms thrown in for good measure.

This then made way for some pumping sounds around the hour mark, however, and Villalobos heated things up considerably, sending the dance floor spiralling into madness with each selection building on the last. Mixing flawlessly, he would cut snippets of the next record in, teasing us playfully, before dropping it out again and building more tension.

As we reached peak-time, the set carried a forceful driving motion, with tough raw techno pushing the BPM higher and pushing our heart rates higher still. By this point Villalobos was serving up some monumental tracks that were sending the dance floor into all sorts of thrilled states. A huge saxophone solo gave way to some heavy-duty break beats and then came one of my favourite moments of the set – an airing of Floorplan’s ‘Never Grow Old’.

The relentless techno rhythm coupled with some of the most powerful vocals you’re likely to hear becomes a match made in heaven, blending the disparate elements of light and dark perfectly to craft an out-and-out dance floor weapon that is sure to tear up peak-time dance floors wherever it’s played.

Eventually Seth reappeared in the Terrace booth ready to lay down some killer peak-time tracks. One that particularly stuck in my mind was Head High’s monster, ‘Hex Factor’, which combines swathes of aquatic-sounding pads with ear-drum battering break beats.

Craig Richards then responded with an old-school break beat track, and at this stage, around 7am, we had Villalobos, Craig Richards and Seth Troxler playing back-to-back-to-back. A pretty monumental trio if you ask me.

The threesome set about playing off each other’s vibe whilst the mass of early morning dancers still carried on strong. Whilst Villalobos and Troxler were pushing the atmosphere and playing to the heady mood of the room, Richards kept pulling things deeper, which wasn’t quite in keeping with the tone of the room, as Troxler looked to be encouraging him to select tracks that would maintain the momentum.

Before long though it was just Seth and Ricardo left to see out the remaining moments as the morning’s hedonism was laid bare by the ever-familiar sight of sunlight pouring through the Terrace windows.

As Papa Sven watched down from the balcony above, Troxler selected the last three tracks to see out the morning. Octave One’s ‘Black Water’ is one of the most uplifting tunes you’ll hear anywhere, then there was the hugely infectious Detroit classic, Underground Resistance’s ‘Transition’, and to round things off Troxler dropped some authentic Latin flavours to end the night in the most joyous of ways you can imagine.

The clubbing gods were having fun with this party, the stars aligned and we were treated to the real deal, which as far as I’m concerned is already going to be considered when looking back at the season’s best parties.

Amnesia is one of those clubs that sucks you in. I went to Cocoon anticipating a big night of partying and Amnesia swallowed me up. Before there was even chance for me to take stock of the enthralling rave experience which had just occurred, I found myself emerging from the Terrace’s side doors, shielding my eyes from the broad daylight and wondering what on earth had just happened. I knew it was incredible though.

Listen to Cocoon at Amnesia Ibiza on Pulse Radio.

Tomorrowland has partnered with non-profit organization Bridges For Music to make a dream come true for two talented South African township Dj’s. Bridges For Music is a non-profit organization with an aim of gathering key global players in the music industry to support social development in disadvantage communities by creating awareness and collaboration through the platform of music. Last month Bridges For Music partnered with Glastonbury Festival and invited South African DJ's Thibo Thazz & Fosta to perfom which included surprise set with Skrillex. Click Here 

This partnership with Tomorrowland will see two South African township artist, DJ Siphe Tebeka& Lavish 189 both performing on The Dream Island stage, on Friday 18th July and Friday 25th July respectively.

Lavish 189 hails from Cape Town’s Langa Township, being both a DJ and producer, has come to fore-front of deep house scene in South Africa with his latest release “Trumpets Call” collaborating with stalwart musicians, clarinetist David Ngayi and trumpeter Simphiwe Mathole.

DJ Siphe Tebeka is a 17 years old producer from Cape Town’s Gugelethu Township. Having produced over 800 tracks with many yet to be released, this youngster is aiming to share his music on international stage. The future seems bright for this young DJ whom is seeing his dreams come true ironically on The Dream Island stage at Tomorrowland, thanks to Bridges For Music.

Trenton Birch, the Bridges For Music African Director had this to say:
"We are so proud to be able to offer this opportunity to the guys and are incredibly grateful to Tomorrowland for their continued belief in what we are doing and support in making this a reality. The two artists come from disadvantaged backgrounds and this trip will be an epic and life changing experience for them. This is a very exciting step for us in our evolution"

Listen to Pulse Radio

Cocoon In The Park has become without doubt the most anticipated event of the year in Leeds. The picturesque surroundings of Temple Newsam provide the perfect setting for the one day techno festival, and with just one stage placed at the foot of the sloping grounds, the focus is right on the music.

Each year, a pick of Cocoon artists and affiliates showcase a fine selection of techno and house to a more than appreciative crowd. This time round was no different, with a range of flavours on offer from some of the biggest names in the business.

After a week spent checking an ever changing weather forecast for rain, it was a relief to wake up to a hot summers day with barely a cloud in the sky. Like many others, the plan was to head down early so as to make the most of it.

Strolling through the park to what began as faint background bass from Enzo Siragusa was an exciting start to the party. Within minutes, the stomping ground for the day was visible – bass pounding, a palpable buzz surrounding the entrance, as comrades got together and prepared for entry. Even young children had been brought down for the occasion to experience a taste of techno in preparation for their future tune loving years.

French trio Apollonia took to the stage and set about proving why they are at the top of everybody's booking agenda right now. Recently they've secured sets for two of the biggest labels in the industry, ENTER. and Cocoon alongside their (separate) consistent residencies with Circoloco, and of course their own label showcases.

Dyed, Shonky and Dan are masters of versatility, merging their signature deep, sexy house with Cocoon flavours. We were barely passed lunchtime and the trio had hands in the air to groovy tracks like Erik Bo's 'OK’ – it was an energetic set to get the crowd going.

Taking over at 3pm, Ricardo Villalobos was on top form and doing what he does best. How he works through a set is genius, and there are few better places to see him than on a stage in festival surroundings under the glowing sun.

He began by lowering the pace right down; a minimal, punchy drumbeat laced with the South American vocals of his Ruben Blades 'GDBD' remix. Lovers of the minimal sound were ecstatic to hear such a beautiful track.

The tempo gradually increased as Villalobos weaved between acid and pumping techno, creating an artistic masterpiece held together by impeccable mixing. Floorplan aka Robert Hood's Re-Plant of 'Never Grow Old' had smiles all round and it was nice to hear dreamy vocals soaring around the park. For a man so used to extended sets, he certainly used his two hours wisely.

Following on from this was Seth Troxler, who also brought with him a hint of tribal and trippy tunes. Another one for extended sets, Troxler wasted no time laying down weird and wonderful grooves, some eerie vocals and lots of raw drum beats that were brilliant to have a good old stomp to. Though throwing in the odd classic and Delicious Inc's 'Eau de Chante' were without doubt the highlights.

The set of the day came from the Cocoon don himself, Papa Sven Vath. An onslaught of heavy hitters such as Douglas Greed's 'Bastard' and DJ Koze's huge remix of Moderat's 'Bad Kingdom' had the crowd bouncing around ecstatically. It was almost hard to believe how consistently good each and every track was and it was certainly a royal way to complete a day of top shelf techno.

Unfortunately the inevitable happened, and in the lead up to the last hour Sven's techno tour de force saw the heavens open with it. Those of us too cocky to take jackets became drowned rats and many scarpered, but the weather wasn't enough to dampen what had again been Leeds' event of the year. The countdown to CITP 2015 begins.

Listen to Sven Vath on Pulse Radio.

The Worldwide Independent Network has recently coordinated a campaign to enforce better compensation practices for independent labels and artists. 

Backed by over 700 labels, including Ninja Tune, Mute, Brainfeeder, 4AD, Domino, Houndsooth and Warp (full list here), the Fair Digital Deal Declaration aims to ensure transparency regarding guidelines for fair compensation for independent labels. 

The declaration consists of 5 major points:

1. Ensure that artists’ share of download and streaming revenues is clearly explained in recording agreements and royalty statements in reasonable summary form.

2. Account to artists a good-faith pro-rata share of any revenues and other compensation from digital services that stem from the monetization of recordings but are not attributed to specific recordings or performances.

3. Encourage better standards of information from digital services on the usage and monetisation of music.

4. Support artists who choose to oppose, including publicly, unauthorized uses of their music.

5. Support the collective position of the global independent record company sector as outlined in the Global Independent Manifesto below.  

Alison Wenham, Chairman of WIN said:

“A healthy commercial relationship based on mutual trust and partnership between artists and labels is critical to the long term financial health of our industry. We believe that this new initiative, which seeks to put in place simple, fair and transparent guidelines for labels dealing with third party digital partners is a template for best practice.

We invite companies – majors and indies – to join the hundreds of companies who have already signed and put a stop to the practise of diverting revenues from the artists without whom we would not have a business.”

The declaration comes after YouTube move to block independent labels who refused to sign up for its new subscription service. 

To sign the declaration, or learn more about it, head here.

[Via RA]

Ryan Crosson, Lee Curtiss and Shaun Reeves are embarking on a tour across the UK, Europe and Russia this summer as Visionquest.

Along with UK dates at Lovebox this month, and Fabric and Mint Festival in September, they'll be headed to Ibiza for both We Love... Space on 20th July and 21st September, and Kehakuma on 23rd August.

In Germany, the trio is set to play Kiesgrube on 17th August and an all night set at Watergate on the 22nd of August.

They'll also be headed to Tomorrowland, along with Gipsy in Moscow on 27th July, Glasgow's The Arches on 26th September, and the Loft at Razzmatazz on 27th September, finishing with a TBA date - presumably a closing party - in Ibiza on 5th October. 

For more info and full dates, head to www.yourvisionquest.com.

Listen to Pulse Radio.

Following a plea letter from Aussie trio Art vs. Science, it's now being reported that experts may agree on keeping sniffer dogs away from music festivals.

It turns out that the presence of sniffer dogs causes two key changes in festival goer's behaviour, according to a study by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.

The study, which looked at 500 festival attendees in New South Wales, noticed that there was an increase of 13 percent in the number of people who would opt to take their drugs before entering the festival grounds.

Lead researcher Caitlin Hughes also said that since dogs find it easier to sniff out marijuana, “The other big change was a 40 per cent increase in the relative amount of consumption of ecstasy, methamphetamine and other drugs, as opposed to using cannabis.” 

“So they’re switching from cannabis to ecstasy and methamphetamine for reasons we think are to do with reducing their potential risk of detection by the dog,” Hughes said.

Art vs. Science also pointed out that sniffer dogs can cause panic in festival-goers, who may ingest their weekend's worth in one go. 

[Via Sydney Morning Herald]

Listen to Pulse Radio.