William Djoko will launch his new DJOKO imprint this Friday 22nd February with the release of his ‘Whiplash’ EP.
The Amsterdam-based DJ/producer, former Trouw resident and Ibiza regular follows a busy 2018 with a new four track EP of bass-heavy house, jubilant disco nods and rattling percussion. Following a collaboration with Loco Dice and a remix for Cassius last year, these new cuts present Djoko at his most urgent and individual.
In case you haven’t realised, we’re big fans of Violet here at DJ Mag HQ. Founder of one of our labels to watch for 2019, Naive, and a DJ/producer extraordinaire in her own right, she has in the past number of years become one of the most vital figures both in Lisbon’s scene and beyond.
Long Island Sound are next up on Bobby Analog’s Body Fusion label.
Set for release in March, the Berlin-based Irish duo deliver three crisp original house cuts on this EP, with a remix by Mr. Analog himself to boot.
Marking the first release on the label from a producer other than Bobby, the emerging pair take a straightforward approach to deep, swirling house to create a captivating and addictive record. The EP’s closer, ‘We Got Fired For This’, is a syrupy and atmospheric cut with resonant melodic bursts and a friendly dash of acid. You can hear it below.
Valentine’s Day, for all our cynicism, feels like the perfect day to acknowledge our favourite records inspired by love, sex and romance. To rescue you from the saccharine, hackneyed ballads that will no doubt be filling the airwaves today, we’ve put together a playlist of 30 loved-up club tracks to soundtrack this most polarising of days. Love it or hate it, this should provide the ideal Valentine’s Day backdrop and, hey, you might even find the perfect cut to send to your crush, if you can’t quite find the words.
The rain is lashing down, it’s 8am, and Ricardo Villalobos is in full flow, wearing his usual green tank top and taking a few hundred hardened ravers down the rabbit hole. The Chilean DJ sets sail for nine hours of musical madness to a crowd that’s made up of 79 different nationalities. The soundsystem is pumping, shaking the raindrops of the Frisbee-like canopy above. It’s something of a family affair too, with his son handing the demigod records to send the dancers into an early morning frenzy.
Every Friday, we invite some of the world’s best DJs to our London offices for a #DJMAGHQ live stream to our Facebook and Youtube pages.
We are delighted to welcome Andres Campo to takeover our #DJMagHQ.
Be sure to tune-in between 16:00–17:00 (GMT) at djmag.com/hq, the DJ Mag Facebook Page, or the DJ Mag YouTube Channel.
Beats In Space is launching its new CD series with a mix from Japanese DJ/producer, Powder.
Tim Sweeney’s revered label/radio show will kick of its ‘...In Space’ CD strand on 15th February as Powder delivers a 74-minute mix of vibrant deep house, electrifying vintage tech house and lush new age ambience.
The new series is described as an exploration of “dance music’s form and informality” and will feature mixes from DJs who have previously featured on the Beats In Space Radio Show as well as new contributors.
When DJ Mag reaches Darius Syrossian at his home in Manchester late one November evening, he’s given up trying to sleep. That’s despite having just returned straight from a gig at Juarez, Mexico club Hardpop, a grueling trip home that included fog, flight delays and an Uber from London. “You know when you’re so tired, but for some reason you just can’t sleep?” Darius asks, sounding a bit less buoyant than normal.
Enter Moxy Muzik, the new label Syrossian is launching, in part, to stand firmly against the noise. “I’m looking to release music that will still be around in 10 years time,” he says. The first release, dropped in mid-December, came from Syrossian himself with ‘Dance Of The Shaman’, a pumping deep house groove featuring an eerie organ melody and euphoric-yet-melancholic shouts and screams.
The idea came partially as a response to the mass of warehouse-style events cropping up across the UK. While Darius loves playing large-capacity shows, they often come with shortened set times, as several stars play side-by-side, jockeying for headline slots. But don’t expect any headliners to play alongside him at Moxy. Instead, Syrossian is calling for local, mostly undiscovered talent to warm up the night, and a lucky few will earn a 90-minute set before him.
NASSER BAKER
ANNA LANN
VTSS
TIBASKO
DANIELLE
VLADIMIR DUBYSHKIN
STRATOWERX
“I can't speak for everyone, but here I see our queer community becoming stronger and more radical in the face of this harrowing moment in our history,” says Chris Cruse, DJ and promoter behind Spotlight, the L.A. party that has been running since 2012, the year he turned 30. Pushing a sound that’s “tough, sleazy, soulful and fun,” past guests include Honey Dijon, Prosumer, Tama Sumo, Lakuti, Daniel Wang and Mike Servito, illustrating an ethos that encompasses everything from ecstatic disco to corrosive acid bubblers.
