As you may have read in our Major Lazer feature from earlier today, Diplo is one seriously hard worker, and he’s got a discography miles long. We picked out a few choice cuts from that long list to get you started.
There’s no denying it that Diplo (aka Wesley Pentz), the Grammy-nominated producer, remixer, and and head honcho of Mad Decent Records, is one of the hardest-working men in the music business. Through unending curiosity and exploration of the world’s vast musical heritages in Jamaica, Africa, the US, and beyond, Diplo has a knack for seamlessly connecting the dots between the global underground and the commercial music mainstream. And in connecting those dots, he’s racked up production credits for MIA, Santigold, Drake, Usher, Snoop Dogg, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars, among many others.
It’s one of those special days in which we’ve been graced by a slew of new music videos to introduce you to. So, let us get to it, with new heat from Uner, Flight Facilities, Jon Hopkins, Sam Smith, and a whole lot more.
There’s been much ado about Mad Decent’s and Major Lazer’s appropriation of Caribbean culture over the years, and, yeah, we can see both sides of the argument. But finally, label head Diplo has spoken in greater detail on that topic. Read up on that and a whole lot more in today’s Roundup.
Today we launch five new Beatport Play remix contests—and with them, many chances to score some awesome gear and get your remix signed to some of dance music’s hottest labels. Read on for how to enter competitions featuring tracks by Rone, the Stafford Brothers, Pleasurekraft, Zomboy, and Daniel Dexter.
Old-school-style dubstep, classic deep house, and even some roughneck dancehall all factor into today’s On Rotation, where Beatport’s editors and merchandising managers hip you to what’s hot.
Chic guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers is already off to a banner year, with tons of collaborations on the books. Today we find he’s also in the studio with Tensnake. But guess what else is everywhere these days? That Hitler/Downfall meme, which rears its head in the dance-music world today. Check it, along with news from Adult., Hot Natured, Nine Inch Nails, and much more in the Morning Roundup.
Sure it’s just February, but with festival-announcement season in full swing, it’s high time we took a look at the most promising dance-music gatherings of the year ahead. Whether it’s been going for 20 years, like Barcelona’s venerable Sónar Festival, or if it’s a relative newcomer to the scene, like Playa Del Carmen’s BPM Fest, if it rocks, it’s got our attention—and hopefully yours, too. Read on for a killer list of must-attend parties this year.
Oooh, boy, is this an exciting day. Not only do we have more news from the big gear-industry tradeshow NAMM, but we’ve also got lineups for Ultra Music Fest and Coachella in today’s wrap-up. See who makes the cut after the jump.
Happy Monday! To get you psyched for the week, you need to check out today’s top story, which involves a 15-year-old kid, DJ Focus, from Sierra Leone, who reverse-engineers electronics and builds his own radio transmitters. So get on it!
