After a stunning summer that saw him reign as king of Ibiza, as well as headline many Diynamic Showcases on the White Isle and further afield around Europe, Solomun is now heading to South America and the States from November. Solomun has long held clout in underground circles as a producer who has played a major role in turning European house music on its head, reconstructing classic sounds with modern twists.

The autumn tour kicks off with two dates in Argentina at Creamfields and three gigs in Brazil, including at XXX Festival in Sao Paulo. Then in December, Solomun will stop off in New York City for a very special Diynamic party with CityFox, as well as hitting Toronto and Montreal in Canada - last time he was there, the crowd were extra wild so that one will be really super special.

The revered headline DJ, who joins together house and tech into massive soundtracks that make people dance all night long, also plays key US clubs like Smart Bar in Chicago, Story in Miami, SLS in Vegas and Exchange in LA. He will also play all round Mexico on five different dates, including a first ever show in Mexico City and Guadalajara and a return to Hardtop in Juarez, plus a huge Diynamic party at the world famous BPM Festival on the 13th and 15th of January.

With his tracks, such as Friends, Medea and his recently released remix of Lana Del Rey’s‘West Coast’ on his own 2DIY4 label still doing the rounds and rocking crowds, as well as his standout contribution to the Global Underground mix series still pulling in new fans everywhere, this winter is set to be Solomun's best yet, so make sure you join him somewhere on his travels. Listen to his stellar remix of 'West Coast' below: 

Tour Dates

11.07.14 Buenos Aires, ARG, Creamfields Pre Party
11.08.14 Buenos Aires, ARG, Cremfields
11.13.14 Brasilia, BRA, Q5
11.14.14 Buzios, BRA, Privilege
11.15.14 Florianopolis, P12
11.16.14 Sao Paulo, XXX Festival
12.19.14 Coda Toronto
12.20.14 Diynamic event, NYC
12.26.14 Spybar, Chicago
12.27.14 Stereo, Montreal
12.31.14 Story Miami
01.02.15 Hardpop, Juarez Mexico
01.03.15 Bar Americas, Guadalajara Mexico
01.10.15 U Hall, Washington DC
01.13.14 BPM Festival, Mexico
01.23.15 Sala Puebla, Mexico City
01.24.15 Exchange, Los Angeles
01.25.15 SLS, Vegas

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The FNB Whisky Live Festival presents a rare and unique opportunity to attend a master class with Black Coffee, an industry leader in house music.

Reserved, studiously academic, inventive, imaginative, quiet, enigmatic, shy and bold are but of the few ways in which many across the world perceive and see Black Coffee. To many Black Coffee has led the ‘house music’ way, establishing a global pre-eminence in vocal house music and a business approach structured to unlock the plethora of opportunities offered by a converged digital realm, driven by the songs and their performance.

With a string of awards under his belt including four SAMAs, two Metro FM awards, and the Sunday Times Generation NEXT Award for Coolest DJ this year, many young musicians will be looking forward to a very interesting and useful master class.

The FNB Whisky Live Festival takes place from 12 - 14 November at the Sandton Convention Centre. 

The festival is currently running a competition - enter the competition to win tickets here. 

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In addition to his appearance at Victoria's Strawberry Fields festival this month, house DJ and producer Max Graef has lined up two gigs in New Zealand and one in Sydney.

At just 21 years of age, the Berlin native has been pricking ears with his jazz-influenced house and downtempo beats released on the likes of Heist and Love Fever Records. Graef also released his debut album in April this year, which many are referring to as a "game changer".

Max Graef kicks off his trip down under with a set at the Something Else party in Sydney, followed by Strawberry Fields festival, before jetting over to New Zealand for gigs in Christchurch and Auckland. Check the full dates below. Tour comes courtesy of Heads With Tales.

Max Graef 2014 Oz & NZ Tour Dates
22.11.14 - Sydney, Burdekin Hotel [BUY TIX]
23.11.14 - Victoria, Strawberry Fields Festival
28.11.14 - Christchurch, The Monday Room
29.11.14 - Auckland, Iron Bar Cafe & Courtyard

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Deadmau5 has a distaste for a lot of things, but Paris Hilton appears to be his public enemy #1 at the moment. Whether he's tweeting at her to "clean up her stupid f*cking mess" at Amnesia at Ibiza, or spitting out coffee onto his laptop screen from learning that she now earns up to $1 million per gig, he just has no time for the hotel heiress turned DJ.

But now everyone's favourite troll has revealed just how much it would cost to get him on the decks with Paris, and it ain't cheap.

"Two million dollars," the Mau5 flippantly told TMZ when they proposed the scenario to him.

Someone start a kickstarter fundraiser quick-sticks, because witnessing Paris Hilton and Deadmau5 going back-to-back would be the ultimate Christmas prezzie. Makes us feel all warm and gooey just thinking about it.

Check out what else Deadmau5 had to say about Paris Hilton in the below video...aside from "Fuck Paris".

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London Promoters, Electric Minds and Kompakt, are coming together to bring the eclectic Detroit producer Moodymann to The Hydra. Moodymann’s unique style, combining jazz and soul elements in his house music, has helped him develop a huge reputation.

New York City’s deep house don Joey Anderson will hit the decks, as well as Robag Wruhme, Michael Mayer, Leon Vynehall, Rebolledo, Sei A and DolanBergin.

Held in London’s Studio Spaces E1, the party kicks off at 10pm on Saturday 8th November and runs through to 6am.

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The Save The Rhino charity is holding its 21st birthday celebration at The Great Halls, Vinopolis in London on Friday 7th November at 7pm. The event will celebrate two decades of hard work dedicated to protecting rhinos.

The event will be raising money for the rhino field programmes which the charity supports in Africa and Asia.

Special guests at the event include comedy writer Clive Anderson, zoologist Mark Cawardine, photographer and filmmaker Sophie Darlington, actor Stephen Mangan and investigative journalist Julian Rademeyer.

There will be a sparkling wine reception, 3-course dinner with speakers, after dinner entertainment, live music and an auction and raffle to raise funds.

There will also be a late-night party kicking off at 10pm, where the band Smooth Sailors will be playing an array of classics live. Tickets are £18.

Tickets for the main celebration: £125 per ticket OR £1,125 for a table of 10.

http://www.savetherhino.org/

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Die Antwoord, the act that has people arguing over lines like ‘Jou Ma se poes in ‘n vispaste jar’ (your mom’s vagina in a fishpaste jar) and has skyrocketed to stardom around the world, has drawn attention over last week with various stories, and this week with big news.

Yesterday the group posted a new music video, ‘Ugly Boy’, which features Marylin Manson, Jack Black, Flea, Cara Delevingne. The track also borrows from another celebrity: the melody is based on celebrity producer Aphex Twin’s Ageispolis - video-game-synth tune that has been expanded. Sneaky music fun or marketing ploy for both parties?

The video plays on irony of the ugly (people) and ugly (element) in love. Essentially a love song, the track follows a back and forth between two lovers, one the proud ugly man singing his own praises, the other the devoted woman. The level of ‘freak’ that the man displays both enchants her and wins her over in the lengths it will go to, to protect her. The message and tone is surprisingly sweet and the ugly/sweet contrast present a shocking and powerful package.

Die Antwoord also caught our attention last week with evidence pointing towards a re-formation with Sibot - check out our the story here. We were also darkly delighted to see Ninja perform with Marylin Manson and Johnny Depp for Halloween - watch here. 

The movie 'Chappie', set to be released 6 March, is from District 9 director and SA gamechanger Neill Blomkamp. This is a South African affair. But let’s not forget that the movie also stars Hugh Jackman and Sigourney Weaver. 

Check back with us for updates.

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Next year marks the final edition of Croatia's Garden Festival, and the first acts for the 2015 edition have been announced. 

Known as the founding festival in Croatia, next year marks the 10th edition of The Garden Festival, but it will also be the last.

After trying to lock down DJ Harvey for the last 5 years, it's now been revealed that the disco-house selector will be taking over Barbarella’s all night long on the very last night of the festival. Also announced is the inimitable Seth Troxler, who played last for the festival in his early years. UK bass will also be well represented with Joy Orbison, Ben UFO and Midland all on the bill, and eclectic minimal guru Craig Richards will also be joining the festivities. Wrapping up the initial announcement is Mr reel-to-reel himself, Greg Wilson, along with Crazy P and Psychemagik.

Once again, The Garden Festival will take place at The Garden Tisno for a weeklong party, happening in 2014 from July 1st through the 8th. 

For more info, visit www.thegardenfestival.eu

Check out last year's teaser video:

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Here's an electronica-trap bubble for you. From representing African Dope since its inception to co-founding sSHADOWORKSs, having played every conceivable kind of event, genre and DJ set from reggae to dub to glitch and IDM, the Cape Town based DJ Low has finally released a beautiful watery mix after a four year wait. ‘Below The Surface’ takes us into a calm space with harmonies and light instruments creating an impressionist sea painting. The ethereal sounds move into more movement gradually, presenting a glitch pulse that will leave you reminiscing about vinyl.

Black Motion’s ‘Fortune Teller Minimix ‘ has been doing the rounds on social media this week, with its playful and musically skilled set. Their breakthrough came when they joined Spirit Motion, where they produced the hit single Banane Mavoko. The act has enjoyed support from big name south African DJs and party goers alike. They have worked with names such as DJ Oskido, DJ Mthi, QT, award-winning vocalist Bantu Soul, to name but a few. ‘Pretoria (Tshwane) is known as the capital of house music in South Africa and Black Motion are flying the flag for the city’. (Resident Advisor). It’s good to know they are being heard – this is an exceptionally talented act with a mix of eclectic and exciting sounds.

With many strings attached to his bow, the UK based DJ/Producer D-Malice began DJ’ing at the tender age of 13, heavily influenced by the Old School Garage sound. Not restricted to one genre he tried his hand at Reggae, Hip Hop, R&B, Soul, Motown and other genres of the world, before finding his real passion for House. Showcasing Deep, Soulful, Afro House music from artist/producers worldwide, this MiSoul Radio mixer continues to gather fans. Ableton Live specialist Jonny Miller, besides being an artist in his own right, has helped established artists and DJs such as Goldie (Metalheadz), Redlight, Yasmin, Sonarpilot, Seiji, B.Traits (BBC Radio1) and Victor Simonelli. He is also a specialist in deep house, afro-house, broken beat, soul, and disco.

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Bloc. Weekender has added another batch of quality underground artists to the line-up. The new additions consist of some of the most respected underground house and techno artists on the scene. Standout names include Moodymann, Scuba, Levon Vincent, Rødhåd, Answer Code Request, Space Dimension Controller and Ryan Elliott.

The event will see a number of showcases from the likes of Ostgut Ton, Boiler Room, Hessle Audio and Numbers.

These artists follow previously announced acts such as Jeff Mills, Ben Klock B2B Marcel Dettmann, Jackmaster, Carl Craig and Omar-S.

The event takes place at Butlins in Minehead between 13th and 15th March 2015.

Check out the Bloc. website for full line-up details.

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Ultra South Africa kicked off 2015 plans of titanic proportions today with an all day take over of media partner 5FM national radio station to announce an absolutely stupendous Phase One line-up!

Current DJ Mag #1 Hardwell is set to make his first appearance at the festival alongside fellow debutants Armin van Buuren and the newly formed duo of Axwell^Ingrosso. In addition, firm favourite Martin Garrix will return to the grounds where he so memorably whipped local fans into total frenzy earlier this year.

With over 40,000 attendees passing through the hallowed Ultra gates across the two-day event in 2014, Ultra South Africa returns to the striking landscapes of Ostrich Farm in Cape Town and the Nasrec Expo Grounds in Johannesburg on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th February 2015 respectively.

SA’s finest homegrown talent billed alongside the Phase One internationals include: afro house legend and icon Black Coffee, Cape Town-based funk duo Goldfish, acclaimed trance producer Protoculture, house superstar DJ Kent, celebrated tag team Fresh & Euphonik and mix specialist Roger Goode.

Pre-registered fans will have the chance to exclusively purchase their tickets at 9am SAST on Thursday, 6th November before they go on sale to the general public the following day, Friday, 7th November.

Russell Faibisch - Founder, Executive Producer and CEO of Ultra Music Festival and Ultra Worldwide shared his excitement, saying: 

“As Ultra expands to all corners of the globe, there truly may not be a more beautiful location than South Africa. The memories that everyone came away with after the inaugural edition are timeless. The fans there are truly passionate. They encompass what loving the music and our experience is all about. We are raising the bar in February, bringing Ultra back to South Africa in a big way." 

2015 Ticket Information:

Ultra South Africa is strictly an 18 and over event.

Tickets on sale to pre-registered fans on Thursday 6 November.
Ticket sales open to the public on Friday 7 November.

To register please visit: www.ultrasouthafrica.com

Cape Town
Early Bird General: R750 (SOLD OUT)
Early Bird VIP: R1000 (SOLD OUT)

Advance Price General: R850
Advance Price VIP: R1250

Full Sale Price General: R950
Full Sale Price VIP: R1500 

Johannesburg 
Early Bird General: R750 (SOLD OUT)
Early Bird VIP: R1250 (SOLD OUT) 
Early Bird VVIP: R3000 (SOLD OUT)

Advance Price General: R850
Advance Price VIP: R1500 
Advance Price VVIP: R3500

Full Sale Price General: R950
Full Sale Price VIP: R1750 
Full Sale Price VVIP: R4000 

For the latest news on which other amazing acts will be setting the stages alight at Ultra South Africa plus the latest updates, keep an eye on the Official Website and the Ultra South Africa Facebook Page.
 
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Lithuanian producer Ten Walls, aka Mario Basanov, the guy responsible for this awesome podcast, this epic Essential Mix, and arguably the biggest track of the year so far, has uploaded an unreleased track 'Chains And Shackles' to his Soundcloud and is giving it away as a free download.

The man of the moment is heading down under this month for a four-date tour of Australia which includes a headline slot at NSW's sold out Return To Rio weekender.

Grab the free track below and check out his full tour dates.

Ten Walls (Live) Australian Tour Dates
13.11.14 - The TBC Club, Brisbane
14.11.14 - The HiFi, Sydney
15.11.14 - Return To Rio, Del Rio Resort, NSW
16.11.14 - TBC with Dusky, Melbourne

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Berlin based music streaming site Soundcloud has inked a licensing deal with the Warner Music Group. Warner is the first major label to agree to terms with the online music platform, ending the era of ad-free listening on Soundcloud.

The details of the deal are still a little murky, however Soundcloud has stated Warner artists will gain new promotional opportunities through their online streaming service, as well as receiving royalties for their content. Until now, record labels had allowed their artist’s content to feature on the site for free, believing exposure could boost sales. The Warner roster includes Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem, Moby, Breach and Flume.

Soundcloud founder and CEO Alexander Ljung “We’re thrilled that Warner Music Group will be the first major label to join our creator partner program. We expect to generate significant revenue for Warner and its artists in the months ahead”. Other labels, including Sony and Universal are apparently also being courted to join the streaming service.

The Warner deal will reportedly pave the way for Soundcloud’s paid subscription streaming service, to be launched in 2015. Much like services on Spotify or Rdio, users will pay a fee to gain access to Soundcloud’s music catalogue.

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JD Twitch

Liquid Liquid - 'Optimo'

The track that gave us our name. Musically it also served as a blueprint for the early sound of the club; more organic, percussive, an actual song and a great energy.

Dinosaur - 'Kiss Me Again'

Perhaps my favourite disco record of all time, this eccentric Arthur Russell track became a sing a long favourite at the club.

Arvo Pärt - 'Cantus In Memory Of Benjamin Britten'

The first hour of the night was always very important. We'd play music that specifically wasn't for dancing, to set a mood, so people coming in at the start could socialise and also as a way of introducing other music we loved. This is simply one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.

Liaisons Dangereuses - 'Los Niños Del Parque'

Already a long time favourite of mine, this was the perfect early Optimo track (although I still play all of these records to this day). German electronics infused with a sense of funk.

Cameo - 'Money (Reese Revamp Mix)'

A classic remix from Kevin Saunderson that I had already been playing for many years but that fitted with the then original ethos of the club of playing music that wasn't quite as faceless as most of the current techno at that time and that had a bit of personality.

JG Wilkes

The Birthday Party - 'Sonny's Burning'

Often played as what I’d call a “re-entry record” - when the lights came up and the crowd would chant “one more tune”, then dropping this night terror with the intro line that screams “Hands up who wants to die???”, it seemed to capture that beautiful hedonism which the club always reeked of. Flame on.

I-F - 'Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass'

Originally released in 1997 (the year Optimo was born) this dutch alien-like electro was one of those rare “new” records which really took the club by storm. It had these verse-chorus dynamics whilst being a fierce electro record which worked for us. Ferens (IF) was in fact one of the very few dj’s we invited to play at the club in it’s first year - in fact ever.

James White and The Blacks - 'Contort Yourself'

The title in fact became a slogan for the club for many years and this more bass line driven or disco-fied version of The Contortions squealing no-wave bomb has a groove and a message which seemed synonymous with the crazy, flamboyant and slightly eccentric energy of the party we were all part of.

The Normal - 'Warm Leatherette'

A four track tape electronic anthem that epitomised the hard stripped sound and sexually charged buzz of the basement. The song was of course covered by Grace Jones and later by DJ Hell and Chicks on Speed, but Daniel Miller’s version made entirely on a Korg 700s keyboard was right for Optimo.

Plastikman - 'Spastik'

An Optimo mix tool if ever there was one.

Tour Dates:
19.11.14 - Melbourne Music Week with Pachanga Boys, Melbourne
21.11.14 - Wellington, New Zealand
22.11.14 - Lost Disco, Greenwood Hotel, Sydney
28.11.14 - Mutant Dance, Geelong

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EMC have announced a string of new artists and major industry players to present at their upcoming summer conference. EMC will run a series of presentations and discussion panels, exploring emerging trends and developments in electronic music.

Local favourite Flume will be on hand to discuss his meteoric rise, while Dutch icon Laidback Luke will share his thoughts on the current state of dance music. UK veteran John Course has also been announced, along with Presets manager Will Larnach-Jones, Late Nite Tuff Guy, Kite String Tangle, Emoh Instead, Cedric Gervais and many more. They join previously announced speakers, including Porter Robinson, Steve Aoki, Will Sparks and Peking Duk.

Details of conference talks have also surfaced, with EMC releasing discussion program titles and themes. The conference will run keynote addresses from Steve Aoki and Porter Robinson, as well as exclusive ‘Meet the Team Behind…’ presentations from Peking Duk and Flume. Other conferences include ‘Bridging the gap: The shrinking divide between the underground and mainstream’, ‘Going East: Dance music in the Asian market’ and ‘The new mainstream: What does dance music’s popularity mean for us?’. Check out the program (thus far) here.

Over 80 artists and industry figures will speak at the conference, to be held across 4 locations in the Darlinghurst area. The conference will run from December 2nd til 4th, with events held at Eternity Playhouse, The Beresford Upstairs, The Standard Bowl and Lo-Fi.

Full Lineup:
Aden Mullens - Head of etcetc, Artist Manager, Kilter, Acaddamy
Al Green – Director, Maker Agency (What So Not, Nina Las Vegas, Golden Features)
Alexander Burnett - Songwriter (Motez - Own Up; Digitalism - 2 Hearts; Flight Facilities - I Didn't Believe; George Maple - Talk Talk)
Alexander Haeusler - Director, Funf (Jeff Mills & Melbourne Symphony Orchestra)
Amba Shepherd - EDM Vocalist & Songwriter (Features for Hardwell, Porter Robinson, Ferry Corsten)
Andrew Jackson - Milton Archer / Artist Manager, Hook n Sling, The Aston Shuffle
Andy Van - Artist/Vicious Recordings
Anthony Colombi – Director, Global PR
Arlo Enmark – Label Manager, Xelon Entertainment
Basenji - Artist
Ben Marshall - Head of Contemporary Music, Sydney Opera House
Ben Munro – General Manager, Hostess Japan
Bobby Runway - Director of Entertainment & Nightlife, SBE / SLS Las Vegas
Briese Abbott - Spark & Opus / Artist Manager, Elizabeth Rose
Callender - Agent at AM Only (What So Not, Baauer, TNGHT)
Cedric Gervais - Artist
Claire Collins - Bossy Music
Dan Rosen – CEO, ARIA
Dan Zilber – Head of Programming, EMC Play
Danny Robson – Manager, RUFUS
Danny Rogers – Managing Director, Lunatic Entertainment / Founder, Laneway Festival
Dominic Furber - Audiopaxx / Artist Manager, Just a Gent, Yahtzel, Carmada, LDRU
Donnie Estopinal - SFX/Disco Donnie Presents
Emoh Instead - Artist
Evan Coghlan – Artist Manager, M4Sonic
Frank Rodi, Deputy Director Writer Services at APRA
GABBY - Artist
Gary Richards - Hard Presents/Live Nation
Grant Smile - Artist
Henry Johnstone - Editor, Pulse Radio
Jane Slingo - Director, Young Strangers, EMC Conference Programmer
Jeff Johnson – Director, Frank Meets Wolf
John Course - Artist/Vicious Recordings
John Ferris – ARIA Club Chart Committee member, Committee Chair APRA Club Music Advisory Group
Johnny Shockey – President & Founding Partner, LED Presents
Just a Gent - Artist
Katie Cunningham - Deputy Editor, inthemix
Kid Kenobi – Artist & Label Owner, Klub Kids
Kilter - Artist
Keiran Dole - Senior Agent, Lucky Entertainment
Kirsty Brown - Executive Officer, Music NSW
Kite String Tangle - Artist
Laidback Luke - Artist
Latane Hughes - Agent at Windish Agency (Flume, Cashmere Cat, Aeroplane)
Late Nite Tuff Guy - Artist
Lorne Padman - VP & Label Manager, Dim Mak Records
Luke Udorovic - Lucky Entetainment / Artist Manager, Will Sparks, Joel Fletcher, Zac Waters
Lynden Gare - Director, Colour Blind (Flume)
Lynne Small – General Manager, PPCA
Mac Clark – Agent, CAA
Matt Nugent – A&R Manager, Onelove Recordings
Nao Kiyota - Director, Sushi Records (Japan)
Nathan McLay - Director at Future Classic / Management for Flume, George Maple, Ta Ku)
Neil Ackland - Founder, EMC & inthemix
Neil Jacobson – EVP, Interscope Records
Neil Terry – Account Director, The Sound Campaign
Nick Jarvis - Editor, inthemix
Nick Thayer - Artist
Nikhil Chinapa – Director, Submerge/VH1 Supersonic India
Olga Heijns - Unmanageable Artists / Artist Manager, Laidback Luke
Paul Brandoli - Writer, Vocal Producer, Producer (The Disco Fries - Parachutes; Angger Dimas - Angger Management; Kronic - Fire In The Sky; Chardy - Tomorrow)
Phil Smart - Artist
Porter Robinson - Artist
Priya Dewan - Agent at Feedback Asia (Flying Lotus, Sampology, Simian Mobile Disco)
Robb Harker - Agent at Super Modified Agency (Will Sparks, Helena, Avicii, Afrojack)
Robby Towns - Founder of NestaMusic & EDMTCC
Rosanna Marks-Smith - Program Officer, Australia Council for the Arts
Sampology - Artist
Scot Crawford - General Manager Australia & New Zealand, Pledge Music
Senthil Chidambaram - CEO, Dancing Astronaut (USA)
Simon Caldwell - Artist
Simon Coyle – Touring Manager, Totem Onelove Group
Simon Moor - Managing Director, Kobalt Music Group
Steve Aoki - Artist
Stuart Watters – Director Licensing & Business Affairs, Nightlife Music
The Kite String Tangle - Artist
Tom Huggett - Artist Manager, Astral People (Wave Racer)
Tom Piper – Artist & Label Owner, Medium Rare Recordings
Vi Hermens – Operations Director, The Motorik Co
Will Larnach-Jones – Parallel Management (The Presets, Nina Las Vegas, Beni, Swick)
Will Sparks - Artist
Yvette Myhil - Executive Director, Association of Artist Managers
Zac Waters – Artist

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In the depths of Balangalow forest, intrepid FBI reporter Ivan Lentell has captured the world of the bush-doof on film. Meeting all manner of escapists and other-worlders along the way, the journalist has produced a brief but enlightening snapshot of underground doof culture, getting down in the dirt to better understand this unique and intriguing sub-culture.

The video gives a first hand look at the world of ‘doof’. FBI’s wide-eyed wanderer pits himself deep in the doof, where he is warmly accepted by more seasoned doof-goers. The bizarre and colourful characters of the doof didn’t hesitate in welcoming an outsider, embracing their foreign visitor with open arms.

One thing is made clear in Lentell’s video – these people are not for show. No matter the time of day or night, these dedicated party people were getting amongst it. These are not your average weekend warriors, but true believers who are genuinely passionate about their culture. After more than 12 hours of wild and wooly celebration, punters were still jumping and jiving to the non-stop psy-trance soundtrack.

Lentell gives an unwashed and uncensored view of the doof: “Without the social walls of constraint, the doof is a place of freedom and expression. It brings together people from all walks of life without any judgement”. Stay tuned for the next episode in Sceno’s Subcultural Safari.

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"Let them eat cake!" Words once uttered by the notoriously sensitive and street-wise monarch Marie Antoinette. Recently reclaimed by one of Melbourne's best boutique festivals, Let Them Eat Cake is back again in 2015 with what promises to be a royally good time. LTEC has put together another huge event for 2015 and with a reputation rivalled by few, it's is the perfect way to bring in the New Year. The artists are booked, the venue is prepped - all they need is you! Just to give you extra impetus, here's 5 reasons why you can't miss LTEC in 2015.

1. The Music
It’s stating the complete and utter obvious but it’s a no-brainer that the music at the festival is the best thing about it. The first Let Them Eat Cake back in 2013 boasted acts like Kerri Chandler, Theo Parrish, Dj Marky, Space Dimension Controller and the crazy AV show Flying Lotus spectacularly ended the night with. Somehow, things only got better in 2014 with the festival hosting Bicep, James Holden, Soul Clap, Dj Koze, Floating Points and Cyril Hahn. That trend is set to continue with next year’s edition - where else will you get to see acts like Goldie, Cashmere Cat, Carl Craig, Hudson Mohawke, Todd Terje, Kink and a whole lot more in the same place on the first day of 2015? That’s right, nowhere else…

2. The Mansion
The Werribee Mansion is for those who are lavish at heart, and it has a history to boot. Dating back to the 1870s, this “illustrious Italianate mansion, with 10 acres of spectacular manicured gardens and historic seminary” will be your compass wherever you venture. It will look over you during the day, and come night time, light up in a spectacular visual display that completes its reverence amongst the Cake throng. This 150-year old mansion is the heart and soul of the festival, and it is a big clue as to why NYD in Melbourne has taken on a whole new meaning.

3. The Food
As much as this festival is about the music, the other shining star here is the food. Foodies needn’t feel excluded by the deliciousness going on inside the mansion because the Let Them Eat Cake Food Rave will have you salivating months in advance. In 2013, they started things off with those Korean twisty potatoes on a stick, or more aptly known as ‘The Tornado Potato’, Fancy Hank’s Barbeque and Zebra Dream Coconut Icecream. If beer wasn’t really your thing, Storm In A Teacup had your back with a ridiculous choice of incredible cocktails. This year some of the highlights included Banh Mi Boys and Ladro to get your year off to a very satisfied and delicious start. Already LTEC have announced that Hammer & Tong 412 will be making their debut to the festival in 2015 and they’ll be bringing their mouth-watering soft-shell crab burger with them. Put on your best Matt Preston-cravat and get inspired by the upcoming food announcements.

4. The People
It’s not a festival that’s only about the music as the attendees and visual artists at the mansion is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Expect to see every type of person at this festival… and the best costumes. The no-dick head policy employed by some festivals isn’t needed here as this little gem seems to draw those who has only the utmost respect for their fellow punters, the majestic grounds and, of course, the artists. Gramophone enthusiasts, superheroes, Marie Antoinette… The crowds are as much a part of the artistry as the visual performers.

5. The Space
The Werribee Mansion is proof that you can judge a book by its cover, as it’s beautiful both on the outside and in. The gardens and surrounding areas make for a great place to hang out and stretch your legs in between acts. The festival has the perfect amount of punters and the well-manicured lawns mean you can just hang out and relax, with plenty of places to hide if you need to just chill out. This in fact is one of the major points that sets this festival apart: Space – and copious amounts of it. This really is the only place in Melbourne where you can you fit a festival-size amount of people in a pristine garden that feels just like a lazy, private Sunday afternoon session with your mates. In your own backyard. With 16 international DJs providing the soundtrack of course.

For more info and tickets, click here

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Zimbabwe’s biggest electronic music festival, Neverland, has released phase 1 of the headliners – featuring Kryder (UK), Tom Staar (UK), and Locnville (SA), among a host of some of the best South African and Zimbabwean acts.

The festival, taking place on 19 and 20 December at the Cleveland Dam, comes as a refreshing alternative and competitor, and a clear indication of the fruitful blooming of the electronic music scene in African countries. The announcement yesterday comes in among many big announcements in South Africa for parties such as Ultra and Sonar which have been causing hype – let’s not forget that there is always more to see and do further afield, featuring some of the world's biggest acts, making for beautiful adventures.

(Check out our review of last year's Neverland Festival here and watch the aftermovie here).

Kryder’s invigorating take on big room firepower has found a massive audience, both on the dance floor and within the dance music industry. Two massive releases have recently brought stardom on his head – the ‘Apocalypse’ 2014 remix with Tom Staar, blowing up main stages at Tommowland this year, and original mix ‘Feels Like Summer’, a collaboration with Still Young and Duane Harden. On Monday he released the new track ‘Fiji’, for the Beatport SPRS imprint, the preview of which was already getting massive attention in the lead-up to the release. He also runs new imprint Sosumi Records.

As the EDM world cracks under the weight of thousands of generic, play-it-safe productions, the new guard of big room house is preparing to lead the way. Powered by grooves rather than noise, the likes of Tom Staar are the evolutionists being dubbed ‘the next big thing’ by the likes of Steve Angello, Axwell and Ingrosso. He’s released on Size, Mau5trap, Axtone and Sosumi, and been featured on the Beatport Top 10 on numerous occasions. His own Staar Traxx imprint is quickly becoming a hot platform, occupying the upper echelons of the Beatport chart from its very first release. It’s also pretty much impossible to hear the likes of Alesso, Nervo and Steve Angello DJ without hearing at least one of Tom’s floor destroying tracks.

Other stellar artists announced in the phase one release include:
Locnville (SA)
Mark Stent (SA)
Arteligent / HEADROOM (SA)
Gil K (USA)
Lady M (SA)
Chris Taylor (ZIM/SA)
Rob Macson (ZIM)
Nic Fourie (Zim)

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