5Qs

dirtybird newcomer Justin Jay reps SoCal with smooth vibes

By Michelle Kuppersmith

As the newest and youngest member of the dirtybird crew, 20-year-old Justin Jay proudly reps his SoCal roots, bringing LA’s laid-back vibes into perfect harmony with dirtybird’s trademark groovy funk. After winning a DJ Mag competition at the tender age of 18, Jay released his first track ever on dirtybird in 2010, and in the past three years his stature has only grown. Now, with his Static EP burning up the deep-house charts, we checked in with him to talk NorCal/SoCal beef and having two Justins on one label.

5Qs

Nick Curly reads "Between the Lines" on Defected-approved debut album

By Dan Carter

Devout house heads claiming to be wise to the renowned “Mannheim sound” are sure to have lapped up the versatile talents of Nick Curly somewhere along the way. A multi-angle evangelist who traffics in the soulful and energetic ends of modern house music, Curly has carefully balanced his unique studio offerings with dual label duties for Cecille and 8Bit.

His debut album, Between the Lines, was recently re-released by Defected Records, and brings with it a considerable arsenal of remixes from the likes of Dennis Ferrer and Yoruba Soul, among others. Beatport News sat down with Curly to talk instrumental aptitude and the legwork that led his Cecille imprint towards its fifth anniversary.

5Qs

Booka Shade bring the white noise with a new live show and EP

By Dan Cole

In the last few years, Booka Shade’s Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier haven’t played a ton of live shows—but that’s about to change this weekend as they bring their Blackout: White Noise Tour to London’s Neon Noise Project this Saturday, March 9, and take the stage with all their gear alongside Lindstrom, Marc Romboy, Russ Yallop, Foamo, Fort Romeau, and Warm DJs. But what’s more is that they’ve also got the Blackout: White Noise EP out a week after that. We chatted with Kammermeier about what’s changed with their productions over the years and what to expect from the new live gigs.

Artists to Watch 2013

New Zealander Unsub rolls multiple personalities into one and drops a new EP

By Jack Wiggins

Despite a longstanding presence in electronic music, it was not until recent years that Unsub (aka Lily Alice Kaitlyn Luck) began gaining international exposure, with her remix of Ill-esha’s “Only Fair” doing some damage on the Beatport charts in 2011. After spending almost six years developing her sound under a number of different monikers, including Alexis K, Kidsader, Reiko Che, Josie Gets Naked, Slightly, and Sub Affair, the Wellington, New Zealand-based producer decided to combine her different projects as Unsub in 2012. Inspired by the likes of Massive Attack, Peaches, Burial, and Jimmy Page, Unsub has been garnering attention for her post-rock-influenced take on dubstep and bass music. Her 2013 four-track EP Methodology was released last month to wide acclaim, and we can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

5Qs

Size Records "Swoons" over Tim Mason's third single

By Dan Carter

Entrusted by Size Records play-maker Steve Angello for several releases, progressive-house producer Tim Mason has spared little time replacing his humble seaside views of Brighton, England, for a home on the stages of global clubs and festivals. His breakthrough track, “The Moment,” was an anthem at WMC two years ago, and his subsequent Size release, “Anima,” and remix duties for Moby, Zedd, and Pnau quickly established Mason as an undeniably rare and wonderful asset to British dance music.

In a typically chaotic two-show spree set between the not-so-sunny Liverpool and London’s Ministry of Sound, Beatport News joined Mason for a day in the life of the British globetrotter to discuss “Swoon,” his love for America, and his forthcoming records.

5Qs

What Chris Lake taught up-and-coming prog-house producer Northend on the road

By Michelle Kuppersmith

Ravetastic Canadian producer Northend fell in love with electronic music when he first heard the Tiësto classics “Adagio for Strings” and “In My Memory.” Now at the age of 24, the producer born Daniel Wagner Cash is coming into his own as a musician, having ended 2012 with a bang, touring with greats Chris Lake, Michael Woods, and TJR. He looks to keep up the pace in 2013, moving forward with a slew of releases including “Reverence,” some collaborative tracks like “You & Me” with Jed Harper and “Dancing In the Dark” with Yug, and his first full North American tour later in the year. Cash told us a bit more about his history and his goings on in the following 5Qs.

Artists to Watch 2013

Under-20s Bondax spin "Gold" with R&B- and soul-inflected house

By Angie Terrell

Some call the music that Bondax make “club-ready pop music.” But whether compared to Disclosure or The xx, it’s clear that the Lancaster, UK-based R&B- and soul-house duo are hitting their stride early, with tracks like “Wet Summer” and their remix of Rudimental’s “Not Giving In” catapulting them into the spotlight. Producers George Townsend and Adam Kaye aren’t even 20 yet, so expect big things—including their latest track, “Gold”—to bubble up throughout the year.

Artists to Watch 2013

Dana Ruh knocks off her day job and reinvigorates the Brouqade label

By Angie Terrell

Berlin-based Dana Ruh has been a DJ and producer since 2005, but it was quitting her day job to focus solely on music last year that really kickstarted her career. Not only did she relaunch her Brouqade label with a new team and EP, but she also laid down some original tracks for Cocoon Recordings. And one such track, “Voyage,” produced with friend Andre Galluzzi, has placed her in the spotlight with its driving, dark, late-night vibe. It’s a perfect track to connect a deep warm-up into a hypnotic, dark tech set, so we’re psyched to see what she comes up with this year.

Artists to Watch 2013

Swiss DJ Eli Verveine keeps her head down in the decks for 2013

By Jack Wiggins

Producing only sporadically throughout her understated career, Switzerland’s Eli Verveine has built a respected reputation as a DJ who exists somewhere between house and techno, piecing together exquisite, immersive sets that build tension in measured steps and then release it with elated electronic impulses. With a few more productions in the works and plenty of dates already set, 2013 appears likely to be another fruitful year for Verveine, one in which the Swiss artist will continue honing her craft while quietly taking her place as a leading figure within the world of sophisticated dance music.

Artists to Watch 2013

Australia's Wolfwolf brings MPC charms to Nurvous Records

By Matt Ferry

Australia provided some of the freshest sounds for our weary eardrums in 2012, and 2013 is already shaping up to be another musically defining year for the land down under. One live act we expect to step right into the limelight is Brisbane-based Wolfwolf. Armed with an MPC and recently signed to Nurvous Records, this future-funk master is poised to make huge waves in the dance music scene in 2013, so keep an eye out.

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