To close out this successful campaign, Bensley returns to mau5trap with a contribution to the label’s coveted We Are Friends compilation due out early next year. With ‘Never Enough,’ the talented producer beautifully showcases the skills that have allowed him to rise the ranks of the electronic scene.  The introduction is minimal yet intriguing, as Bensley creates a hypnotic soundscape before suddenly changing the pace of the track. The transition is abrupt yet seamless, as a crisp drum and bass rhythm takes center stage. Edging on the darker side of Bensley’s discography, ‘Never Enough’ boasts an air of sorrow and melancholy, but is nicely contrasted by brief tones of cheerfulness.

Don’t miss Bensley’s last release of the year.

The post Bensley Closes Out An Impressive Year With ‘Never Enough’ appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

The duo that make up the mysterious Kasablanca name do not hold back when it comes to infusing their music with their varied influences which includes analog synths and thickly textured soundscapes. Their sound is a stand-out in today’s electronic music scene with its modern yet nostalgic take on analog synths, and they demonstrate their talents with enthralling live shows, like their performance at the famous Red Rocks amphitheater and live from the future for DJ Mag, with their visual experiences. As Kasablanca drops Cronus/Volition it is a challenge not to salivate imaging what a full collection of their creations will be like.

The first track, ‘Cronus’, begins with a high toned synth that carries the melody through a backdrop of beefy bass, sing-song synths, and silky smooth transitions. The high tone is melted down into the break, transforming it into more of a brassy horn sound, before dropping away completely to showcase the steady beat. Blasts of booming rumbles that punch up the energy driving headfirst into the second half of the track. The drop back into the groove is fluid but also dramatically satisfying. It is fresh and flirty but still filthy. 

The second track, ‘Volition,’ has a similar rhythm and sound palette, making it feel like a fraternal twin. There is more focus on the vocal samples, which are classically robotic and repeat the abstracts ‘Emotion, Desire’- aspects of volition itself. This poeticism is splattered on top of the steadily increasing melodic synths, and throbbing, deep bassline. There are flutters of synths that circle in and out, weaving a texture to the sound that feels both metallically clean and raw with emotion. ‘Volition’ is not a track that is focused on opening the sounds up, but more of how they play with each other, leaning into one another, melding into and out of phases; it is as if the sounds are becoming silky as they settle into your ear yet they retain their form against the rhythm. After a near full stop, Kasablanca quickly dashes the bouquet of sound back together, whipping it forward, diving into the meat of the beat, and then it just seems like it’s over too soon. 

Check these out out below.

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As a progressive house track, ‘Better Off Leaving’ is woven with a techno technique that pumps up the emotion without giving up elegance, charm, or grace. The transitions are glossy, smoother than butter, and highlight the closeness of each genre’s soundscape. HNTR fastens in Tribe Alexander’s hypnotic vocals, keeping them in line with the rhythm and letting them hover, floating over the tight bassline. It provides an eerie contrast that simultaneously evokes fury and fastidiousness. The pair have been working together for some time and are pleased to see how fruitful their collaborations have really been.

Tribe Alexander and I worked on a tone of music during the last 18 months or so and I’m so happy to see so much of it see the light of day. Often when you’re writing songs you have no idea where it will end up and most of them never leave your hard drive. We took a lot of inspo from classic progressive house so to have it co-signed by one the greats and released on his label couldn’t be more perfect. – HNTR

With this ‘Better Off Leaving,’ HNTR demonstrated his willingness to go dark and deeper into dance music but does not compromise on his ability to create tension throughout the meat of the track, and then dip the audience into a creeping outro. It’s as if you are being lulled into anticipating what comes next while still lingering on the taste of what just was. It’s an interesting background for the thought-provoking question that lingers in the air.

Check out ‘Better Off Leaving’ from mau5trap below and be sure to stay on the lookout for more from HNTR.

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Between Us has the perfect balance of electronic and rock music, which makes total sense given his background. Both sides flaunting Lamorn’s impeccable instrumentality and emotional songwriting, his sound has the mainstream appeal everyone wants, without losing authentic artistry.

Lamorn was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to talk to us about what he has going on, but before getting into the interview, check out Between Us below.

Thanks for taking time out of your schedule to chat with us! How are you doing?

I’m doing great! I’ve had a pretty relaxed month or so to hang out with family and work on some music.

I was able to catch your set at Brooklyn Mirage in July and was gobsmacked at how you were able to work the stage and crowd! I know your debut live show was back just in June of this year, so I’m super impressed. To what do you think you can attribute your natural ability to perform in front of large crowds?

Although that was my first ‘Lamorn’ show, it definitely wasn’t my first show ever. I have been in rock bands starting around age 12 or 13, so I probably have a couple hundred shows under my belt already. I didn’t start off with any natural stage ability actually. I used to be a statue up on stage. It took a lot of time and effort to break through that barrier, and realise I can do whatever I want. Once I did, I found I could better connect with the crowd, and overall have a lot of fun up there.

It’s widely known that you’re Deadmau5’s protegé. He even signed you to the label on the spot! Do you find any pressure being associated with such a legendary name in music? 

The pressure has gone in waves! At first I didn’t feel much pressure at all. I was cranking out a few songs a week for a bit after the initial exchanges with Joel and his team, but that confidence dwindled away. I started worrying too much about making songs that I thought people would like, and lost track of what I wanted to make. I have found staying in touch with all the reasons I love music in the first place helps keep me inspired, and not worry too much about the pressures surrounding what I’m doing. It always goes in waves, so I try to approach music creation lightheartedly. 

I always notice a lot of, sometimes resentful, sentiments around young producers growing so quickly. Have you found that there’s any pushback from other producers who have been in the scene longer than you?

This is an interesting question, and it can honestly be hard to tell. No one has come at me with any aggressive comments, but certainly not everyone is going to be on board. You can really psych yourself out, and come up with things in your head that don’t exist when you think about things like that though. With social media being such an important part of marketing and sharing music these days, there can be places that you look for validation that isn’t really needed. People say nasty things online, and it is unhealthy to take that stuff in. I’ve chosen to try and avoid looking at that stuff as much as I can, because one bad comment can really bring me down. On the other hand, I’ve talked to a lot of producers who have been nothing but supportive, and have made friends with them along the way. There are a lot of nice people out there, so I would like to try and focus on interacting with them.

How has your experience in the industry been so far? You pretty much went straight into it, guns blazing.

It’s been a great experience so far. I am lucky to have landed in such a valuable position, with so many experienced, supportive people working with me. Being so young with very little industry experience, it has been valuable to have people there to help guide me through the business aspects of building a music career, and give advice on what to avoid and what to look for etc. I have learned so much from them this past year, and am already getting a better grip on all the stuff that is going on and what I need to do to move forward with where I want to go in music. 

You play instruments like bass, guitar, and drums… even incorporating some of them in your live set! I know you have a rock background, or what you call a “rock phase”—do you have any non-electronic artists that you can attribute some influence to in your current sound?

I remember calling it a ‘rock phase’ but thinking back I don’t think that was a very fair way of putting it. I still listen to a lot of that music. My music taste has been pretty fluid through my teen years, and recently it has all come together into the music I am making now. It feels like all the alt/rock influence I have had fused with my ongoing love for electronic music. Through highschool, I listened heavily to bands like Royal Blood, Tame Impala, Foster the People, Twenty One Pilots, Phoenix (I could go on forever haha). While at the same time I was still listening to the likes of deadmau5, Daft Punk, and Justice every day. It all became a huge pool of music I liked, and as I made more and more music I started disregarding genre, and just using the sounds that I liked from all sides of what I listen to. There are a ton of crossovers between all the genres I love, so I want to continue to push the envelope on what that can sound like.

With a large list of accomplishments in your first year already, do you have any large goals you’d like to achieve in the next few years?

There are so many things I want to work toward, it’s hard to narrow it down to specific goals. Right now I want to work hard and take advantage of such a great opportunity to see where I can take my music career. I want to write more songs, play more shows, and try to continuously challenge myself to go an extra step further and improve every time.

With your first Lamorn show, you also debuted ‘Physical Layer’ on mau5trap. And today, you dropped a 2-track project called Between Us What has it been like to release with the iconic label?

It’s been unreal. It was a long-time goal of mine to get at least one release on mau5trap, and I am blowing that goal out of the water. They have been great to work with, and I look forward to continuing to work with them in the future.

Do you have any other special plans for the rest of the year?

So many! I will be playing both nights with deadmau5 at Red Rocks this November, and will be playing the day of the deadmau5 weekend in Miami prior to that as well. There are a lot of things that I can’t talk about yet, as well as more popping up all the time. It will be a busy rest of the year going into 2022, and I’m excited for it all.

Lastly, what advice do you have for young musicians who might not think a career in music is possible?

It was only about 6 or so years ago that I was a complete newb. I had no idea how to use a synth, or Garage Band, or anything really. I have a clear memory of sitting in front of my computer, having no idea where to start, but wanting to learn really bad. I watched youtube videos, searched forums, and looked for any bit of information I could. But overall, I was having fun with it. If you want to do it, then do it. Don’t put it off or make any excuses, because you really can do it if you have the drive and passion. And have fun :)

Is there anything you want to talk about, that I haven’t asked?

I have a lot of music just about ready to release, going to be putting it out soon ;)

Thank you again! I hope you have a great and safe rest of your year!

The post mau5trap’s Lamorn Talks Pressures of Being A Protégé, Proudest Moments, and 2-Track Between Us [Interview] appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Lupa is fresh to the scene but got her feet wet in the UK underground before committing completely to her music. It seems to have sucked her in, being an unavoidable outlet for her self-expression and creativity. 

“I was once asked what motivates me to create music and at the time I had no idea how to answer it. I love the music for the sake of art itself, but there was something else deep inside that pushed me even further. When I’m not working on music or art, I’m thinking about it constantly and it’s usually my first waking thought. The only thing I have is this relentless motivation for self expression and it’s the only thing I need. This EP represents that fierce, undefinable feeling in my gut, an insatiable hunger.” – Lupa

With the motivation, honed technique, and burning creativity, Lupa created Insatiable’s fiery five tracks. The first track ‘Along for the Ride’ is a moody soundscape that picks up speed like a train and is coupled with crooning vocals that give the feeling of being swept away by the music, the beat, the sensations of it all. The second track ‘Darkness’ has a bolder bassline, sharper synths, and a tight snare that blossom at the drop into a fervent storm of throwback techno styles that simmer with new flavors; the vocals again share raw emotions of despair but seem beautiful in their starkness. 

The next track brings in more of the raw, industrial, warehouse sounds and is titled ‘Icarus’. “The name comes from one of my favorite stories in Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses,'” explains Lupa, “the story itself is about a man who goes against the way of nature and the Gods and in return is punished.” The steady techno rhythm is speckled with staccato synths, and it just adds this modern grittiness to the sound. The artful transition from this to the ethereal break, glittering with birdsongs clips, and cloudy effects, is breathtaking and provides the abrupt contrast to the return of the main beat. 

This earthy, industrial sound continues in the final track, ‘The Night.’ This one mixes in the same type of intensity but trusses it up a bit with a meaty bassline and a dramatic pause. The lyrics allude to the overwhelming emotions of an early attraction and are a duet that tells the same story from two perspectives. ‘The Night’ is a brooding love story with a sharp techno setting that emotes both the delicate nature of emotions and also their power. 

Check these tracks out below plus a bonus extended version of ‘Darkness’ below.

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Earlier this year, No Mana dropped singles from the record with house legends Tommy Trash and Wolfgang Gartner, giving you a taste of what to expect from the mixture of melodies. We also loved the final single from Electromag, ‘Electro Forever’, which our writer Mekabeth describes as, “catchier, with modern laser sounds hyping the transitions and subtle vocals that create a sexy vibe.”

I was surprised to see one of my favorite producers, Uppermost, who gave his French house take on dance music with his collaboration with No Mana in ‘Example.’ Another standout has to be ‘Saucy,’ where Moki brings a dreamy funk energy to the compilation.

I gathered a bunch of friends and idols to forge a hammer that beats a dead horse that is electro house AKA ‘best genre. This started as a joke between EDDIE, Bentley Dean and myself as to mock nostalgic electro house (mostly the excessive releases of compilations and the ones that were ripped from YouTube). Now, I think the joke has gone a little too far; but we’ll go the extra mile. It’s in our tempo, bitrate, and pathetic crowd size…128 is the number of the beast.

NO MANA

Joke or not, this project is seriously incredible. You can even experience Electromag in visual form, with a mini-mix that pokes fun at the inspiration behind the compilation. Check it out below and don’t forget to stream the whole thing to get you in the mood for a good week.

The post No Mana Presents Massive 19-Track Electro House Compilation ‘Electromag’ appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

‘Searching for Self’ is a seven-minute-long escape into synthy pulsations, dreamy vocals, and silky transitions. It’s a nice break from the quick-but-dirty style of other contemporary artists and can give hope to techno fans that there is still a bright future for this genre that doesn’t just involve volume or catchy lyrics. HNTR shows how electronic music can still be about the art and less about the party, but still delectable and irresistible to dance to. 

Tribe Alexander’s vocals were the inspiration for this track and it is not hard to see why with just a first listen; Alexander croons through the dense synths and ripples of bass with a plushness that makes it both velvety and hypnotic. 

“My buddy Tribe sent me about 12 vocal demos, this was the second one I listened to and I was instantly hooked by the entrancing repetition of the vocal. It grabbed me and spoke to me instantly, I wanted to try to use that same feeling in the production to help amplify that feeling of searching for something.” — HNTR

While HNTR wastes no time setting the stage, there is a fierce steady rhythm classic to the genre, but nothing here is hurried. The drama is kept crisp with smoky effects drawing out the emotion in Alexander’s lyrics and building trills of synths. The sensation of yearning is palpable in ‘Searching for Self’ and it tingles with the sensation of an elusive truth. The steady techno beat is expertly crafted with perfectly timed breakdowns that focus on the serenely slick sounds and the intensity of the bass. 

Check out below and be sure to stay tuned for more from the talented HNTR.

The post HNTR Is ‘Searching for Self’ On New Mau5trap Release appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

This EP is special for me. Not only are ‘All Night’ and ‘We Belong Together’ reflect very real emotions that surfaced for me during quarantine.  In a way, they reflect the vibe I was craving, and feeling while at home and waiting for our world to open back up. – Speaker Honey

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Synopsis is a bold exemplification of the experimental technics gyrofield is so widely praised for. A tactical layering of rolling basslines and melodic cuts, the four-track project marries contrasting genre-cultures with drum and bass design: a boundary-shattering approach the Hong Kong native beautifully perfects. Pushing drum and bass production to its absolute limit, Synopsis maintains a bright, dance floor energy with aery emotion thriving at its core.

Serving as a brief glimpse into gyrofield’s otherworldly mind, Synopsis opens with ‘2024’ (as premiered on Drum & Bass Arena). Euphonic in personality, ‘2024,’ is viciously complex, highlighting upbeat rhythms and rapid melodic force. This opening hitter creeps slightly over four minutes in duration, setting an imaginative precedent for what lies ahead.

Gyrofield lends an introspective look into the creation of ‘2024’ and its influence in guiding the creative execution of Synopsis:

“After ‘Evaluate Me’ and ‘Tech Flex,’ I knew I really enjoyed making music with synths. I enjoyed their unique expressiveness and the energy they brought to tracks, so I knew I wanted to do something focused on them, though at first, I did not know how. The first track, ‘2024’, came about from a simple bass riff experiment where I added layers and details to make the track progress. The initial idea sounded like something Camo & Krooked would do. At the halfway mark of the track, I wondered what I could do with the second half to give it that special edge. When I made the triplet switch idea, I felt the track really came together, and that it had an interesting series of twists and turns. Once the rough arrangement of ‘2024’ was finished, the concept of Synopsis started to take shape. I wanted tracks that were unexpected, full of details in both engineering and composition, and high energy. ‘Search Optimized’ came next…”

Our transition into ‘Search Optimized’ is an unpredicted one. Keeping true to gyrofield’s signature sound, ‘Search Optimized’ sits at just under four-and-one-half minutes in length. Although this track continues the promise of light-hearted dynamics and quickening excitement, it approaches listeners with an unsuspecting shift.

Gyrofield goes on to explain her creative process behind the record and its second-half tempo switch-up: 

“…I had the original idea of it back in last September, and it started as a more typical dancefloor track. One day I decided I wanted to revamp it, so I built a new track around the repeating synth riff. In some ways, it’s influenced by synth-funk music, like the short interjecting synth lines, the syncopated basses, and the complex call and response they were all a part of. With the tempo switch in the second half, the track was built.”

Gyrofield’s well-calculated detail and chopped melodic progressions carry into the following track titled ‘The True.’ However, unlike the previous records, ‘The True’ holds onto darker tones as it draws inspiration from classic techno production and design. 

The artist elaborates on the track’s gripping emergence of complimenting soundscapes from contrasting music cultures:

“‘The True’ and ‘Jade’ both seem more straightforward arrangement-wise, but I made sure to pack in enough rhythmic and sonic nuance to make them just as satisfying to listen to as the first half of the EP. ‘The True’ was influenced by synth-heavy techno tracks where layers built upon each other, but always changing. Similarly, the rhythms of the track change every 16 bars. The juggling-around of kick and snares was also a prominent feature in the track. I’d say juke and footwork and broken beat techno were influenced in the rhythmic ideas.”

Continuing further down the beaten path that is Synopsis, we land upon ‘Jade.’ Adhering to the orthodox drum and bass structure fans adore, “Jade” leads with a full-spirited atmosphere and strategically implemented gyrofield charm. The light-hearted makeup of ‘Jade’ then breaks into finite detail while harmonizing alongside a punchy bassline.  

“I think Jade is the most standard track out of the four and was very much influenced by contemporary drum and bass artists, such as Grey Code, The Caracal Project, IMANU, Phace, etc. One neat thing about it is that it used syncopated 16ths as the rhythm on the sharp sub stab, which made for an interesting groove and allowed for the elements on top to be more rhythmically simple but still interact with the bass. I packed in a lot of small little synth details into the intro and breakdown while finishing Jade to make sure that they were engaging while still being ambient enough to have the function of an intro or breakdown.”

Outside of the auditory aspects that enable this project to be so enticing, gyrofield finds the importance of carrying her intricacies to the visual experiences. The emerging tastemaker relays her admiration for abstract design and the early inspirations for the Synposis artwork:

“In terms of the artwork, I’d always been interested in abstract designs, so I decided I’d keep the Synopsis artwork in line with my two previous drum and bass EPs. I was fascinated by abstract oil paint art and crystal structures and wanted to combine the two in some way for the artwork. Once again, in this EP, I was attempting to communicate the abstract, but in a way that more resembles a narrative, and I aimed for the EP to be full of detail but still interesting as a whole, so I thought the ideas for the artwork were quite fitting for the music”.

Synopsis positions itself as just one of gyrofield’s more technical works and fans are right to be ecstatic. When listeners feel they have pinpointed her defining sound and direction, she surprises the masses to reinvent what drum and bass can accomplish in sound design and overall presentation. Gyrofield’s art-conscious and haphazardly philosophical approach to production is nearing incomparability as her newest EP displays not only her vast capabilities as an artist but her unique placement within the electronic scene. Setting unique sounds into the minds of steadfast drum and bass die-hards, gyrofield is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with, and Synopsis plays proof to this statement.

The post ‘Synopsis’ Is A Bold Exemplification Of gyrofield’s Talents appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Showcasing each artist’s signature sound, the compilation launches off with ‘Badder Things’ from No Mana and Fay. Incorporating mystic vocals alongside a fast-tempo bassline, an enticing futuristic instrumental phases in and out of the single to draw listeners into a state of hypnosis.

Now, bringing you ‘Way Down’ into the dark side of house music is none other than one of South Africa’s biggest dance exports known as Kyle Watson. Initiating the groove on the dancefloor with waves of ferocious bass and alarming synths, Watson is not playing around on this one.

Undeniably a highlight in the compilation is Tommy Trash’s ‘4U’ which reflects both a melodic and tech-house-inspired sound.

For all those in need of some bass-house in their lives, Jay Robinson and MASTERIA are about to ‘Pass That’ along as they have crafted a dark, yet euphoric atmosphere. Going deep into the realms of house music while not forgetting the eruptions of bass, Robinson and MASTERIA are about to get you feeling some type of way on the dancefloor.

Be sure to check out the full compilation below and discover the hidden gems planted by mau5trap and Insomniac Records.

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