Love him or hate him, David Guetta has played an undeniable role in proliferation of dance music on a global scale. The Parisian DJ/producer may have become something of a joke to much of the EDM community in recent years, but the genre may not have shifted into mainstream consciousness if not for his influence.
It wasn't all that long ago that Electric Daisy Carnival organizers Insomniac Events wowed the world with the latest installment of their world-renowned three day massive, but it looks like they're already putting in work on next year's festivities. It's not lost on most music fans that the 2016 edition of the festival will also mark its 20th anniversary, and if the official trailer is any indicator they plan to up the ante on all fronts.
Canadian dubstep duo Zeds Dead made a brief, regrettable departure from the saw waves and deep bass frequencies that solidified them as one of the scene's greats several years ago, but their latest material sees them return to their iconic sound. The duo has released "One Time," a trap instant classic with verses by American rapper Murs, alongside a handful of other announcements.
As far as trance fans are concerned, any news of an upcoming Armin Van Buuren album is indeed a momentous occasion in and of itself. And today, the world-renowned DJ/producer and A State of Trance founder has announced the official release date of his long awaited, sixth studio album, EMBRACE, and it's safe to assume that it will be all that his devoted fanbase talks about in the couple of months in between now and its release.
The number of statements with the words "postpone" and "indefinitely" as of late spells a grim state of affairs for dance music. Representatives speaking on behalf of EDM icon Avicii have announced in a statement to Billboard that the Swedish DJ/producer has cancelled all of his upcoming tour dates, citing an overloaded summer schedule and prioritizing a "larger tour initiative and a well deserved break."
You might not expect a Halloween rave in the Northwest to command a substantial draw. EDM hasn't taken hold there like it has in many other parts of the country, and the region's weather doesn't exactly lend itself to large-scale live music events that far into the fall. Nonetheless, Freaknight has proven itself a worthy contender among festivals like Escape and HARD Day of the Dead in the past, and this year's festivities look as though they'll measure up to the standard set by previous editions.
Talk to any bass head for more than a passing few minutes and the name Snails is bound to come up. The self-proclaimed "vomitstep" producer (so named, perhaps, because of its sawtooth synths' resemblance to guttural vocal noises) has emerged as a dominant name in dance music's darker, dirtier side, and his VIP mix of his and Jack Ü's "Holla Out" stands as further validation of his credentials.
Rock-influenced Israeli psytrance outfit Infected Mushroom have been quiet on the release front for the past couple years, so it comes as no surprise that they would want to make a bold statement while announcing their upcoming album. The first track they've let trickle out is "Fields of Grey," featuring vocals by none other than adult film actress-turned DJ Sasha Grey.
Perhaps this is how the bubble that the EDM world has speculated about for years finally bursts. Organizers of inaugural SoCal festival One Tribe have released a statement announcing that the festival has been "indefinitely postponed due to a mix of unforeseen events and circumstances." One Tribe would have been the first foray into the SoCal dance music market by promotional company ID&T, which was purchased by EDM conglomerate SFX Entertainment in 2013.
