“I keep it playin’ while some choose to play it safe…”
As I cruised through the lineup for Lightning in a Bottle, a wave of confusion washed over my body – I recognized about two thirds of the entire line-up but the closer I got to the bottom of the bill, the more questions I had: who are you, how did you get here and can you move my head,heart and / or feet? Moby, Phantogram and Little Dragon grace the topline and rightfully so – they’re household names that you actually have the chance of hearing on mainstream radio. Then you work downwards: Amon Tobin, Gold Panda, Simian Mobile Disco, Beats Antique, Gramatik, Chet Faker, Thomas Jack, Random Rab, Desert Dwellers; those names might cause some to scratch their heads, but if you’ve been on the outskirts of indie electro or in the electronic underground – they’re just as familiar, if not more so than the latest work from the ‘headliners’.
Slowly but surely, I’ve been chronicling the artists starting from the bottom right corner and heading up that bright headline of familiar faces. Over the past few years, this process has become more of a tradition – starting with my first Coachella and leading me here – to my second Lightning in a Bottle experience. And now that I’ve gotten aquanited with some of the lesser known acts, let me just ooze with excitement for a second: between the world music out of Natasha Kmeto, the delightful deep house grooves of Marley Carroll and the groovy, jam-band Plantrae – the bottom of the lineup has just as much, if not more talent than the top. And of course, I already have a steady list of favorite artists that I’m delighted to be sharing with the world. The cherry on top of my ice cream sundae is that two artists that I’ve featured in my Rising Star Spotlight series made the line-up – Thomas Jack and Flume, who’ll be performing as half of the duo What So Not.
The original plan was to meander through the artists repository on Soundcloud and throw a few tracks into my LIB Prep Playlist; but then, I put on The Polish Ambassador – and somewhere between the one woman dance party that started in my living room, rocking out in the car and then sharing my favorite jams with my friends, I’d realized that I’d been on a 2 hour kick and wasn’t planning on coming out of it anytime soon. From the funky soul grooves to the ambient, ethereal soundscapes, The Polish Ambassador has effortlessly and successfully crafted music for any occasion. My current favorite called ‘Girl Control’; it’s an oldie, but a goodie – and I’ll bet your bottom dollar you won’t stop booty shakin’ til its over.
As the festival gets closer, I’ll be shining the spotlight on the artists, entertainment, live talks and music that will be filling the hills of the San Antonio Recreation Area in Bradley, CA. I can’t wait to share what makes this festival so amazing with everyone, and hopefully I’ll be seeing your beautiful faces in the mountains!
Fresh off the heals of their epic lineup celebrating a decade of live entertainment at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival, The Do Lab – the seminal and ever evolving production team out of Los Angeles California, just keeps the hits coming with yet another epic festival announcement: the lineup for Lightning in a Bottle (aka, my favorite festival ever). From Amon Tobin to Kraak & Smaak, Thomas Jack to Desert Dwellers, Kaytranaa to What So Not – the weekend offers a little bit of something for everyone, especially those who distance themselves from the monotony of mainstream EDM. In a page from the book of Sea of Dreams, you’ll still find various remenants of mainstream indie acts like Moby, Little Dragon, Phantogram – but that just leaves more dancing room for the rest of us at the other stages! The majority of the lineup is, and has always been, creative and cultured underground music scene – and that’s precisely what the Do Lab is known for. Take a gander at the playlist they threw together and feast your ears on these delightful beats:
When it comes to music festivals, seeing is believing – and if you’re never been to Lightning in a Bottle before, each and every one of your senses is in for a delectable treat. These videos chronicle last year’s festival out at Lake Skinner in Temecula, California. This year’s festival promises to be bolder and brighter as the event migrates from its home in Southern California to the hills of Bradley, a location equidistant from the overflowing West Coast Music communities in Los Angeles and San Francisco (and you, too, San Diego; don’t think we’ve forgotten about you). The new location boasts more land, and swim-able water; a perk for those of us last year that spent too much time seeking shade in that hot, Summer sun.
Back when I was geeking out over The Magician’s latest mixtape, my infatuation turned to a specific moment of the mix – minute 26. Somewhere, between a delicious disco rhythm and empowered female vocals, my feet started sending out unknown Morse code messages throughout my office and my head began to slowly sway to the delicate beat drops. What was this magic and where do I find more? As I scoured through all my social media resources trying to piece together a track list, I found myself rewinding the mix in an incessant fashion. I feverishly tried to find out everything and anything I could about my addiction. Originally from Calgary, Canada – Kiesza has been hopping all over the globe – first to New York City and as of this week, London. Her first mark on the scene was ‘Oops’ back in ’12, but with ‘Hideaway’ she’s sure to make a more memorable splash.
The track begins by ushering in a rumbling beat and sultry vocals, with deep and open notes and slowly, progresses into a powerhouse Deep Disco vocal anthem. Featured last Friday as Annie Mac’s BBC show as the track of the week, this infectious earworm is guaranteed to leave the dance floor grooving. Think Disclosure with a soulful female vocalist (much like the addition of Mary J Blidge on ‘F For You‘ or Duke Dumont with a little sass and that’s exactly what you’ll get from Kiesza. With support from The Magician, Tenesnake and Route 94, there’s no doubt that ‘Hideaway’ will get plenty of play this year.
Follow Kiesza on her socials and don’t forget, the Hideaway EP releases in the US this March on Lokal Legend!
Being a California native, it takes me a little more than the average bear to get ‘starstruck‘; but, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Back when I was working in El Segundo for Internet Brands, I saw Gary Payton at the local dive bar and started shaking in my boots I was so excited! It’s not everyday that you’re standing in front of a childhood idol, and there I was – jaw to the floor in front of ‘The Glove’ and I couldn’t even muster enough syllables to form a coherent sentence. When I worked at Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week in Los Angeles, I hugged and interviewed Christian Audigier of the infamous Ed Hardy clothing brand. Now, no – I don’t ‘love‘ his clothes, and you might have to pay me to wear about a third of what they produce – but absolutely nothing can compare to meeting an idol, fashion mogul and exceptional business brain. A year ago this weekend, I started writing for The DJ List’ – an internationally respected, EDM webzine, and the number of opportunities I’ve had that take my breath away are simply magnificent. What started as me wanting a ‘hand in the EDM cookie jar’ has catapulted to me with a foot in the door in the EDM world. I’ve had the privilege of rubbing shoulders with the best and brightest, and have amazing memories to show for it.
Last Spring, my boyfriend and I met Markus Schulz and covered the details of his Scream 2 Album and Bus Tour. Then, to throw a cherry on top of my musical ice cream sundae – this past December as a little belated birthday present from the world at large: I got to meet, touch and hug the #1 Trance DJ in the world, Armin van Buuren at an exclusive Press and Fan meet and greet opportunity at the House of Blues in Hollywood where he dished about his latest one man tour, Armin Only: Intense, as well as his first Grammy nomination for the smash single ‘This Is What It Feels Like’ featuring vocalist Trevor Guthrie. Fast forward to last week and I’m churning through my emails, trying to find a ray of sunlight in my bleak inbox – and stumbled across an email from his PR agent who I simply adore: Sound Nightclub was pairing up with Armin and Trevor to celebrate their Grammy nomination for ‘This Is What It Feels Like’ and they wanted me there. What?! This is one of the first, and only moments, that’s left me laughing historically, wondering who in the world I am and exactly how I’ve gotten so lucky? Granted, hard work and dedication have paid off – I’ve penned almost 60 articles for The DJ List, which isn’t anything to sneeze at – especially when you consider my full time job, and penchant for wild and crazy fun, and inherent need to basically do everything under the sun. I want it all, and somehow, I’ve managed to get it.
Last night, three of my favorite people in the world – my wonderful boyfriend, one of my best gals that I started Beatnet EDM with and my friend who pioneered the amazing EDM Event site ‘Music Alerts’ – strutted into one of the hottest, and newest Hollywood clubs for our first time to see the man, the myth, the Trance Legend – AVB! The venue was small enough that it’s an intimate setting, and the party was small enough that there was room to shake your groove thing and get down with your trance arms wherever you felt necessary. Most parties at Sound pack the place to the brim, but since this was Armin’s party – no real tickets were sold; the show was invite only and the crowd, as plastic as 80% of them looked, was having the time of their lives. Unfortunately, Armin didn’t take home the Grammy for ‘Best Dance Recording’ but the category was chalk full of amazing singles, and could’ve easily been anyone’s ball game. The rest of the category played out like this – This Is What It Feels Like was up against Clarity from Zedd and Foxes, Kaskade’s Atmosphere, Calvin Harris and Florence Welch for Sweet Nothings, and last but certainly not least, breakthrough smash ‘Need You (100%)’ by Duke Dumont, MNEK and A*M*E. At the end of the night, the award was much deservingly given to Zedd and Foxes – and I couldn’t be happier with the choice. As much as I was rooting for Armin, if I had to pick a single of his to be nominated – that would not have been it. In and Out Of Love, Fine Without You, Virual Friend – they each have an immense depth, heavy layers and ethereal vocals that build throughout the track and IMO, were much more deserving of a Grammy nod; but that was a different world back then. I’m more than interested how EDM effects other, more mainstream genres and infiltrates both Pop Music, and our Pop Culture; Dance Music has been on the rise over the last ten years, and I can’t wait to see how EDM pushes the musical boundaries next.
Looking back at my posts from the last year, one that stands out the most to be is my 2012 Year in Musical Review. Partially, because it’s catalyzed my writing career on multiple fronts – but mostly because music, especially kickass live music, is something I truly care about to my core. Music influences our moods, our personalities and even our daily interactions. Unless there’s something highly important and technical that I have a deadline for, I’m literally submersed in music 24/7 – from the time my alarm and I wake up, to my morning runs, to the drive to work, you get the picture: I more or less have provided myself with a soundtrack to my life. With my attention span as short as it is (…squirrel!…), I constantly refresh my collection of original jams, remixes and singles and try to take in as much live music as I can.
I’ve been leafing through the ticket stubs and reminiscing about the excellent year in music that I just had. From attempting to co-start a music forum site and to with The DJ List, my daily extra-curricular activities have always circled around new music, fresh artists and the latest and greatest they have to offer. Somehow, even though I’ve managed to be busier than I’ve ever been I’ve definitely managed to fit in some quality R&R (Rave & Relaxation) into the mix. So, without further ado – here are my musical musings for 2013; enjoy!
Truth be told, I’m sitting here trying my hardest to even place Cosmic Gate in second place because Above & Beyond’s sunset at Avila Beach was just so spectacular! It was a small crowd with unexpected surprises in store for everyone in my friend group – we each found someone at the event from out of town (LA, Riverside and SF) that we didn’t know was in attendance and were all simply wowed by the musical prowess the group possesses. But Cosmic Gate is not a team to be underestimated, during the live show they brought out my favorite pixie blonde vocalist, Emma Hewitt, and Jonathan Mendelson who gave a phenomenal first live vocal performance during Nic Chagall’s ‘This Moment’.
Best D&B show: Modestep at the Nokia Club, High Contrast w. Camo & Krooked at Dim Mak Studios
Best Deep / Tech House Show: Kaskade @ Focus OC’s 10 Year Anniversary
Best Progressive House Show:Eric Prydz / Pryda / Cirez D @ Create
Best Electro House Show: Gareth Emery @ XIV
Best Festival: Lightning in a Bottle
For the last six or seven years I’ve been a self-professed seasoned festival go-er and have a host of Insomniac, HARD and GoVentures events under my EDM belt (almost 40 if you want to get specific), but truth be told last year I only attended three festivals, one of them being Sea of Dreams on NYE. For as much as the lineup to HARD Summer thrilled my pants off, the event didn’t…however, Lightning in a Bottle and Sea of Dreams surely did. Each was musically right in their own right but on a more personal level, I truly felt bonded to the community that LIB and Burning Man cultivates and have actively been seeking out similar events ever since.
Best Festival Set:Keys n Krates, Dillon Francis, Alex Metric ((HARD Summer)) HeRObust, Pumpkin, Rusko, The Polish Ambassador, Odeza, Andreilien ((LIB)), LowRIDERz, A-Trak, Thievery Corporation ((Sea of Dreams))
Best Venue: Sea of Dreams @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium | NYE was one of the most amazing musical experiences I’ve ever had, everything about the night was golden and a lot of that is due to the venue and soundsystem that came with it; top notch.
Weird but Rad Venue: Lightning in a Bottle @ Lake Skinner, Temecula, CA | I was tempted to give LIB the gold star for ‘Best Venue’ but after the all of the shenanigans with the county and residents of Riverside, I’ll wait until next year to grant the festival that award. Basically, I want to see it shine in all of its glory; not just in my personal experiences but for the greater community in attendance as well.
Best Pool Party: Daylight
Best Party:Sea of Dreams
Best Up and Coming Venue:Sound in Hollywood
Favorite Reopened Venue: Create (previously, known as Vanguard)
Best Crowd: DoLab shows –Avalon | If you only remember one thing about the music scene in LA, let it be this: the Do Lab will always do you right. I always look forward to the art infused musical events they throw. Whether they’re at the Nokia Club, King King or out in the middle of nowhere Riverside – they make sure to cater to all of your senses and the people who show up are some of the nicest friends you hadn’t met you.
Douche-iest Crowd: XIV by Hyde, Greystone Manor, Sutra | I still hold by last year’s statement about Sutra, but now that I’ve finally attended events at Greystone and XIV I can easily bump those two to the top of the list. Maybe it goes hand-in-hand with my appetite for all things Do Lab and underground, but I can’t wrap my head around wearing 3″+ heals to a club and cozy-ing up to people just snag an extra drink (or five). I prefer the let-your-freak-flag-fly mentality of other events and prefer stomping around in flats to trying to maintain a proper demeanor in an outfit that’s definitely not meant for dancing.
Best Lasers:Create and Exchange have most definitely stepped their laser game up in the last year, far surpassing anything that Avalon has ever done (sorry guys – not knocking the place (it’s still rad!) but it’s true).
Ferry Corsten @ Exchange Hit us with those laser beams *pew pew pew*
Artists
Favorite Set/Act of 2013: Above & Beyond in Avila Beach
Best Surprise of 2013: Crywolf, Mitis, Kill Paris, Disclosure, Keys n Krates, Flume
So Glad I (Re-)Discovered: Bonobo, Emancipator, Shpongle, The Magician,
Remixes So Nicely: SubFocus, Flume
Best Remix-er: Boy Noize, Dillon Francis, Cazzette
Favorite Vocalists: Jonathan Mendelson, Alex Clare, Annabel Englund, MNEK, Chet Faker, Florence Welch, Emma Hewitt
Most Disappointing: Daft Punk everything; maybe because it was directly juxtaposed to Keys’n’Krates with their live instruments, but Duke Dumont was also pretty underwhelming live and looked like he was just pressing a button; last but not least, Cedric Gervais did absolutely nothing for me.
Vocalists Who Shouldn’t Perform Live with DJs: Danny Brown
People Who Should Be Reminded They’re Not DJs: Will.i.Am, Paris Hilton
Songs:
My Top 10 Songs of the Year
Depeche Mode – Soothe My Soul (Steve Angello + Jaques Lu Cont Remix)
Darkside – Papertrails
Oliver – Night is On My Mind (Dillon Francis Remix)
Disclosure – You & Me (Baauer Remix)
Seven Lions + Myon & Shane 54 – Strangers
Minnesota – Stardust Redux (Crywolf Remix)
Maya Jane Coles ft Karin Park – Everything
Thomas Jack – Booka Shake
Flume ft Freddie Gibbs – Holdin’ On (LKids Remix)
Lane 8 – Be Mine
Mat Zo – Lucid Dreams – (M Machine Remix) [runner up]
If you’ve been following this blog since its inception, you’re more than aware of my affinity for all things EDM; from festivals to intimate clubs, amazing remixes to fresh artists I can honestly say that I love it all. However, one thing that’s been driven into my head lately is that there really is too much of a good thing. One of my favorite quotes goes ‘Everything in moderation, including moderation‘ and I should have been more willing to apply that to my taste in music. Over the course of this year, I’ve found myself with more than just a hand in the music industry’s ‘cookie jar’. Back in January, my good friend and I co-founded Beatnet EDM to provide a fun forum for EDM fans and concurrently, I began penning articles and reviews for The DJ List, one of the largest Global DJ resources since ’97. Suffice it to say, I’ve essentially over-saturated this precious brain of mine in untz, driving basslines and the sound of sweet synths and I’ve been yearning for something more.
Now, I haven’t always been an EDM junkie – once upon a time I listened to everything under the sun; not that I don’t still appreciate all of it, but I do have a method behind my madness. Back in the late 90’s and in early 2000, I’d just discovered Trance and House – DJ Encore & Angelina, Tiesto, Benny Benassi – but spent most of my time listening to acts like the Dixie Chicks, Yellowcard, Eminem, New Found Glory, Montgomery Gentry, TI, Outkast, 50 Cent. Over time, the Pop lyrics were simple and the melodies repetitive; the Alternative guitar shrills, Punk drum snares and Emo noises blended together; the lyrics coming out of the Hip-Hop and Rap camps were overwhelmingly misogynistic, drug fueled and money hungry. Needless to say, at the time I wanted something more – and that something more was Electro. I was sick of people dictating my emotional state with every quarter note and EDM gave me the opportunity to feel something absolutely different each and every time I listed to a track like Tiësto’s ‘Flight 643’.
Little did I know that I was more or less creating a bouncing, breathing EDM monster; there’s no way around it, I was hooked….but like I said earlier, everything in moderation – including EDM. I’ve gotten to the point that I’ll listen to five or six songs in a row and they all blur together – artists that are completely unrelated sound absolutely synonymous and my worst fear has actually come true: I’m bored. No, let me extrapolate – it’s far more than that: I’m not being mentally stimulated or driven to feel a profound emotion like I was before; I don’t get lost in the music – I simply find myself wanting more. More than those monotonously repetitive chord progressions, more than beats that bombard you with bass , more than music that inspires the people around me to rage face and get plurnt. I like music with a message – whether it’s telling me one or I can derive one – I like music with a purpose, music with meaning. And lately, it’s been harder and harder to find it.
And let’s face it, it’s not just me – my boyfriend is a shining example of a faithful festival goer who loves his dirty beats and vocal trance, but over the course of the past year he’s become fed up with the monotony of the music industry and has more than begged me to diversify my tastes and branch back out into other genres. A few weeks ago, we went up to San Francisco for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival and I was immediately reminded why I used to love acoustic music, crystal clear vocals and real instruments. So, I thought it’d be the perfect time to branch back out into the genres I’ve formerly loved and see what else is out there. I’ve been doing some prowling over the past few days and I’m excited to share what this bouncy kitty has dragged in.
I literally just stumbled on her today and already have to confess something: I have the tinniest little girl crush on her! Her sultry voice feels like silk on my eardrums and her seductive r&b infused indie rock sound is absolutely refreshing. I’ve been riffling through her discography and she’s worked with an all star production cast including two of my personal favorites, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Jamie Woon. Yes, there’s admittedly an electronic influence – but it’s just that, an influence – an afterthought. Banks reminds me of Jesse Ware, Landa Del Rey and Fiona Apple – but with more of a bite.
Little known N9ne fact for yea: you might know him for his ridiculous flow, but the veteran rapper is gaining recognition in the business world as being the mogul of the Hip-Hop Industry. Between his record label, Strange Music, tours, merchendising company and recording studio – he came in as the 18th highest paid rapper in the business last year. Tech N9ne has been around as long as I’ve been listening to rap, and based on the sound of his new album – Therapy – he and I share similar feelings, just about different industries. He’s reached out to several people in the Rock and Metal scene including Limp Bizkit frontman Wes Borland and the multi talented producer behind the likes of Slipknot, Korn and At the Drive In – Ross Robinson. His vocals still pack the same powerful punch as when I first started listening to him – but now, with the combination of the 808 and live instruments I’m completely enthralled and drawn in. I’m impatiently counting down the days til November 5 when Therapy hits iTunes and can’t wait to hear what he does next.
This is the face of a girl who’s been battling the most ridiculously annoying cough and cold combination from hell for a week. I’ve sneezed more times than I could count and essentially coughed up my body weight; so, why’s she smiling, you ask? Oh, because she gets to do her second big show review in the history of ever. Whether you’re a new follower or you’ve been around the block with me a few times, I’m sure you’ll come to notice sooner or later that the passions I have in life are what makes my world go ’round. Music, writing, cats, beauty in the world, my boyfriend and our friends, sunshine and the good life – in any and every combination possible.
A few years back I was talking with a good friend of mine who continually maintains two jobs – one job being a pain in the ass but money in the bank, and the other the exact opposite: the only richness she got from the job was a feeling of pride. And my, oh my…isn’t that enough? Ever since then, I’ve thought about a two fold approach to what “work” is supposed to be. “Work” is what you do to support your dream job and as a writer for the renowned EDM Web-zine The DJ List I’m now a walking, talking example of it.
I’ve gone to the Palladium at least fifty times in the last two years, possibly over 100 times in my five year span in Los Angeles; but never have I ever stammered when I talked to doormen, and been so confused at a simple press ticket – what I kept forgetting was I got this job by being an avid and energetic EDM fan, not by letting my nerves get the best of me. Thank-fracking-goodness my boyfriend knows how (and when) to take control of a situation that’s slipping through my anxious little fingers. After stopping by the wrong booth, I finally heard the magic words I’ve been waiting for: Here’s your VIP wristband and your photography pass. What. If I died at that very second, which is in fact what my heart felt like it was doing, I would have died the happiest little bouncy kitty on planet Earth.
When we walked in, Candyland was rocking the stage with their OG swag and EDM style; their fusion of grimy Hip-hop, dubstep and electro house got the crowd jumping like crazy. From the rafters, it honestly looked like popcorn just going off in every direction. Not to mention, the duo – better known to their friends as Ethan and Josie – hail from Santa Barbara and know some of my college buddies; small, talented world, right? After their set was another 805 local, Seven Lions. There aren’t even appropriate words to describe how his music moves me – he takes chilled out trance and indie rock, pairs it with some of the most stunning synths and rumbles I’ve ever heard and simply put – the man makes musical magic. His set was effing phenomenal and after seeing him be the opener for Porter Robinson and Krewella I cannot wait to see him headline his own show; shit’s gonna get real!
Finally, after a palpable intermission where we refused to leave our spot on the dance floor – the house lights dimmed, the Volcano was unveiled and Jahan, Yasmine and Rainman took the reins at the DJ Booth; it was all uphill from there! Churning through hit after hit, the sisters interchangeably jumped to stage level to interact with their immensely diverse fanbase and feed off of each other’s electric energy. They went through their entire repertoire – Come and Get It, Live for the Night, Candyland even came out to perform their OG remix of Legacy – their song with Nicky Romero. This Chicago trifecta has worked with some of the greatest across all EDM genres and paid homage to many others that I’ve considered incredibly influential. Pendulum, Knife Party, Gareth Emery, Skrillex, Adventure Club, Nicky Romero, Fall Out Boy. No doubt this list is going to get exponentially longer as their careers catapult – and they’re still fresh on the scene!
Now, I can’t leave you without some jams to get you through the day so here are my current favorites from all three artists; enjoy!
The Bouncy Kitty 
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