Look, I'm not saying it's a bad thing that Skrillex has collaborated with as many artists as he has. It's 2016, he's his own person, and I'd like to think of myself as a progressive. All I'm saying is that just because he's not worried about keeping his number of partners low doesn't mean he should throw his standards out the window as well.
L.A.-based DJ/producer duo Two Friends almost seem to have waited for the hype surrounding Audien's "Something Better" featuring Lady Antebellum to thoroughly die down before releasing their remix of the track. What they've finally delivered though isn't relevant by its own merit, either, as even from a stylistic standpoint it would have made more sense as a 2015 release.
After an anticlimactic reunion during Calvin Harris' performance at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the superstar DJ and Rihanna have now redeemed themselves by releasing their new track, "This Is What It Feels Like." Demonstrating an eagerness to further cash in on the momentum of the song, the two artists have also teased its official music video as well.
Billboard has revealed the figures for its annual "Music's Top 40 Money-Makers" list, and the absence of electronic music artists makes for a point of controversy once more. Despite the staggering earnings of DJ/producers in recent years, not a single one found their name in the feature.
March might be the unofficial beginning of festival season, but things don't really set in until April. With any luck, the electronic music world has recovered from the hustle and bustle of Ultra Music Festival, and from that snapshot of industry leaders’ releases, the emerging trends of the year begin to take form.
Ultra Europe already piqued the interest of electronic music fans on a global scale when the festival's organizers released its phase 1 lineup announcement two months ago. The phase 2 list has followed, bolstering the event's already massive draw by adding several more iconic names to its already impressive entertainment roster.
Even if it's not my cup of tea, it's always admirable to see electronic music producers come up with concepts that haven't already been done. Texas-based Biggs' recent collaboration with Swedish DJ/producer First Gift, "Cardio Anthem," may feature elements of trap and jungle terror, but to categorize it as such would ultimately do it an injustice.
2016 might seem like a strange time for a trap duo like Chicago-based Flosstradamus to launch a record label, but here we are and there they go. However, instead of using it primarily as a platform for their own music, they've gone the respectable route and announced that they will kick off Hi Def Youth with Party Thieves' Undrafted EP.
Max Vangeli may have launched NoFace Records several months ago, but only now has he put out a track with the sort of mass appeal that could ensure it placement throughout the festival circuit. "Stay Out" featuring Connor Foley is just that sort of song, and it's arrived at just the right time of the season.
A-Trak seems to have gotten off to a slow start thus far in 2016, as his Ookay collaboration back in March left something to be desired. He's more than made up for it with "Parallel Lines," which showcases the genre-bending quality that's become the DJ/producer's calling card since his work with the likes of Kanye West thrust him into the mainstream spotlight.
