San Francisco producer Kastle finally releases his self-titled debut album

By Emma Robertson

With more than 14 years of production experience under his belt, it may be surprising that Barrett Richards, known by the moniker Kastle, only just released his debut album in April—on his own label, Symbols Recordings, no less. His self-titled full-length is proof, though, that good things come to those who wait. A stunning release that features vocals from the likes of Ayah Marar and JMSN, Kastle is a spectacular distillation of his futurist take on R&B. We caught up with the San Francisco-based producer to talk about his new album, his North American tour, how it feels to run his own label, and the meaning of the fortress.

Interview

Californian dream-team Norin & Rad reflect on the journey so far and their latest Anjunabeats single, "Aldo"

By Dan Carter

Over six years of collaboration and invariable shifts in taste across the spectrum, Norin & Rad have asserted themselves as an eclectic benchmark in modern dance music. The Anjunabeats-approved duo (real names: Bruce Karlsson and Nick Sember) properly exploded onto the radar in 2012, with a gush of uplifting club fuel that ignites all sorts of genres.

With their latest single, “Aldo,” offering no exception to their spotless track record, California duo sat down with us ahead of their UK debut for Ministry of Sound to trace their daring footsteps and creative influences.

Interview

Size newcomers Wayne & Woods tease forthcoming material

By Dan Carter

Swedish House Mafia alum Steve Angello always had a secret weapon up his sleeve for 2013—a year that signaled a decade of investing in talent from across the globe. Already making a big splash and now maintaining the hype with the promise of long-overdue studio material, Swedish duo Wayne & Woods have brought a fresh breath of excitement the their nation’s club scene. The support of the Size Records head honcho aside, Iman Gilani and Simon Widman have been formally inserted into the label’s family, and their latest track, “Revolt,” alongside Chris Avantgarde, proves they’re more than worthy. Beatport News sat down with the fresh-faced duo to talk European influence, their forthcoming material, and the studio ethic that never sleeps.

Interview

New York house super-star MK on his pending LP and Pleasure State partnership with Lee Foss and Anabel Englund

By Dan Carter

While the name Marc Kinchen already resonates with positive properties, the initials MK have come to carry significant credibility across the house music landscape. As a long-serving studio whiz whose reign has even transcended into the world of commercial pop music, the New York-by-way-of-Detroit producer, remixer, and DJ has fought the odds to preserve his fertile legacy of quality club cuts throughout his career.

Now comfortably balancing a strong partnership with Defected Records and the recently formed Pleasure State super-group with Hot Creations’ Lee Foss, MK’s spree has looked to remain in full effect from the outset of 2013. Having rallied unprecedented demand and seen his debut In The House compilation out the door earlier this month, Beatport News fought against the background noise in a crowded coffee shop to scope what keeps MK making music with timeless stamina.

Interview

Jon Rundell on the rise of techno: "Historically, this wasn't the sound of youth"

By Dan Carter

As a consistent mainstay on the global underground circuit, Jon Rundell has made the transition from starry-eyed fan to influential tastemaker look incredibly easy. But for the Brighton-based DJ, whose early encounters with Carl Cox would lead to the now fruitful partnership known as Intec Digital, his penchant for diverse studio offerings has sent him on leaps and bounds across the digital market and dancefloor. Despite taking a brief hiatus from duties at the helm of Intec, Rundell has returned in full form to fuel the increasingly influential outlet with forward-thinking music.

Interview

LTJ Bukem signs exclusive digital 12" deal with Beatport and looks back on his label's classic catalog

By Jason Black

Legendary. Seminal. Groundbreaking. Visionary. Classic. These words get thrown around in electronic music like bootlegged SoundCloud files. Yet, in the case of pioneering drum & bass maven LTJ Bukem (aka Danny Williamson), the man who helped define an entire generation of liquid D&B, these descriptors are certainly warranted. Beatport News caught up with Bukem to find out why now was the perfect time to re-introduce his legendary label’s full body of work, to dive into his career of achievements, and—ultimately—find out what he thinks the future holds for drum & bass.

Interview

The science of addiction and the chemistry of music with Erykah Badu and The Cannabinoids

By Emma Robertson

When the reigning queen of neo-soul, Erykah Badu, conceived of the idea for an electronic project, she enlisted the most talented producers she knew, eager to create a band that would share her same musical values. Inspired by the “cosmic collaborations” of her album New Amerykah Part One, the concept for The Cannabinoids was born in 2010: a musical experiment that would feature a team of phenomenal producers—A1, Picnic, Jah Born, Rob Free, RC Williams, DJ Big Texas, Symbolyc One, and Cleon Edwards—alongside Badu herself. Working with eight laptops, three turntables, six keyboards, four drum machines, a Theremin, and perhaps the team’s biggest weapon, an inimitable chemistry, The Cannabinoids are a live remix production crew, whose music represents the sensational reaction created when the synthetic combines with the organic. Their sound blends elements of hip-hop, funk, and psychedelic, most prevalent in their incredible new beat tape for Beatport which, fittingly, dropped on 4/20. We caught up with Badu, Jah Born, Rob Free, Picnic, and A1 to talk inspirations, the science of addiction, and the chemistry of The Cannabinoids.

Interview

Pauly D on maintaining his DJ cred after Jersey Shore

By Jack Wiggins

Say what you will about Paul DelVecchio, but long before the Providence-reared star had any desire to move in with with Snooki, JWoww, and the rest of the Jersey Shore crew, he was plying his DJ trade at sweet 16 parties and nightclubs all over the east coast. Now, after much success on the DJ circuit, due in no small part to his TV fame, the man we all know as Pauly D is trying his hand on production, turning out “Back to Love” for 50 Cent’s G-Note Records, which comes backed with some remixes from Sandro Silva, Jump Smokers, and more. We took a second to chat with Pauly about his early party days and maintaining his DJ cred.

Interview

Dimitri Vegas is stoked to headline TomorrowWorld with Like Mike; hear why, and check out their new mix

By Jack Wiggins

We’re excited to be the first to announce that Belgium’s Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike have been confirmed as headliners for the first ever TomorrowWorld Festival (of the lauded Tomorrowland franchise), to be held near Atlanta, Georgia, from September 27-29. Last week, they revealed Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso, and Alesso as performers, and today we speak with Dimitri Vegas of his and Like Mike’s appearance. But before we do, make sure to check out their exclusive Beatport Mix.

Interview

Germany's Deniz Koyu teases future album and label ventures

By Dan Carter

It doesn’t take a seasoned industry analyst to recognize that Deniz Koyu is not your typical German club asset. While his discography dates back to 2007, the instrumentally refined artist really picked up steam with releases on Fedde Le Grand’s Flamingo Records in 2011, and since then he’s showed no sign of stemming his tide of boisterous peak-time anthems. Now a seasoned favorite on the global festival circuit and a proud player in the latest North American gold rush, Koyu’s consecutive chart-stormers “Bong” and “Rage” for Refune Records have made four-letter words a valuable currency across the dance-music industry. Beatport News pulled up a pew with the young German Turk in London on the heels of his stints at Ultra Music Festival and on the Generation Wild bus tour to trace the motions of his unstoppable big-room overhaul.

Older Posts » « Newer Posts