His poetic and adventurous creations will truly make your souls leave your body in the best ways possible. And it’s with our great honor and pleasure to welcome him with his very own guest mix and interview! So buckle up, because this one’s going to be a wild ride!

First off, thank you for taking the time and joining us! How’re you doing? 

I’m doing great! I just came back from San Diego playing for the NOEXPECTATIONS crew with Tisoki and Control Freak. In general, I’ve been in a great creative headspace recently and really excited for this year, feels like anything can happen.

What can listeners expect going into this powerful mix?

Some upcoming records I’m working on, my favorite works from friends, and a few edits of all-time favorite records that have inspired me. This mix is a little bit of everything with some cool surprises thrown in as well :)

When I found electronic music, it felt like a place where I could really make my own world, so it stuck. 

Your artistic integrity and vision have shocked the underground and continues to push to brand new heights. Where did the Strobez project come from? What are its origins?

I’ve been making music in some form or another since I was 12. My fifth grade teacher was the mother of an artist who goes by Mad Zach. She’d play some of his finger drumming and beat-making videos in class during spare time or on rainy days, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I came across Skrillex right after, and his music opened up a world of sounds and energy I’d never heard before. It all clicked and I was like, “I gotta try this.”

I was also the type of kid who was always making something, always trying to replicate whatever I enjoyed the most at the time. I’d write stories, make homemade movies with my friends, build rocket ships out of cardboard boxes. When I found electronic music, it felt like a place where I could really make my own world, so it stuck. My tastes and inspirations have changed since then, but I’ve slowly been figuring out what Strobez means and sounds like.

Do you remember the first moment you just knew you wanted to pursue this crazy dream full-time on a serious level?  

There wasn’t a single moment where I felt like I was all in, making music was kind of always by my side as I was growing up. But the little wins, like playing my first show, getting my first few thousand plays, and eventually meeting some of my best friends through music all collectively convinced me that music is really where I belong.

Your debut EP, Restless adds such color and exceeds all expectations, bringing a new life to your project. How was the process of creating it as a whole? Were there any major obstacles you had to overcome?

It was a long process, but the most rewarding project I’ve done. I’ve always been excited by narrative-driven projects, and I really wanted to try my hand at that. It came together very naturally over the course of about 2 years and it feels closest to the core of what Strobez sounds and looks like. It was also a ton of fun working with my friends to bring the whole thing to life. A good friend of mine from high school contributed the vocals, we actually recorded some of them after class in the back of our school library. Halfway through the process of writing the music I met my now manager, photo/videographer and one of my closest friends, John Slack (@slvcker on socials). In addition to managing a couple of artists at FourFour Entertainment, he’s an incredibly talented full-time photographer and videographer. He really helped me bring the whole project to life, driving around with me and my friends in the middle of the night to shoot all the content. Those are some memories I’ll cherish forever.

You recently performed one of your biggest shows at a sold-out warehouse! How was that experience? What did you learn from that night? 

It was so much fun. I tested out some brand new music I’d never played out before and seeing the reactions was so amazing. Also really cool to see underground culture still going strong in San Francisco.

I’m really fortunate to have worked on projects for some of the most cutting-edge acts like Nitepunk, Habstrakt and ISOxo.

Beyond the music spectrum, are there any other activities or hobbies you love to do or want to do in the future? 

I do freelance graphic design and 3D animation when I’m not in school or working on music. I’m really fortunate to have worked on projects for some of the most cutting-edge acts like Nitepunk, Habstrakt and ISOxo. I’m a very visual person in general when it comes to creativity, I think that translates to my music as well. I always have an image in mind while working on my tracks.

What are the main qualities or characteristics that make up a Strobez tune? 

That’s hard to say, I feel like I have a hard time sticking to a consistent sound. I’d say a lot of my work has a dream-like and ethereal quality to it, and I want every song to transport you to a little world while you’re listening. Each song is a different place for me, but I put a lot of work into crafting a unique space with a lot of detail and texture that I hope the listener can get lost in. I also try to balance all that with a bit of attitude and playfulness, so hopefully that translates as well.

It’s a challenge for me to balance the introspective stuff with the heavier stuff, but when it works out, it results in the music that I’m most proud of.

Do you have any secret or really useful tips you always rely on when creating your works?

I think my best musical ideas come directly from memories. It’s a challenge for me to balance the introspective stuff with the heavier stuff, but when it works out, it results in the music that I’m most proud of. I also think it’s important to look beyond dance records and get inspired elsewhere. There’s a lot that I find in films, photography, design, and fashion that gives me ideas to bring into dance music.

Top 3 locations you’d love to perform at? It could be anywhere in the world. 

My dream venue is Printworks, London. It’s a really cool space, love the architecture. The Warehouse Project in Manchester is a dream to perform at as well. And of course, Red Rocks Amphitheater is on the list for sure.

Any exciting news coming for the rest of this year for you? 

There’s not too much I can say right now, but you can definitely expect a lot of new music!

Who are some major heavy hitters you’ve been listening to recently that listeners need to know about? 

This is a really cool time for electronic music, a lot of new faces are bringing fresh stuff to the table right now. There are so many dope projects I’m excited about, but just to list a few, Shadient, Control Freak, Viperactive, and WINK have been killing it. Silcrow, Badlike, CURE97 and Oddly Godly are some new kids I’ve been stoked on recently.

Where can you see this journey going in a few years from now? 

I’m grateful to have anyone at all listening to my music so I try not to have any expectations. Just hoping to be able to keep doing what I’ve been doing and get to work with more talented musicians and visual artists. My big goal is a completely synced up audio/visual show, hopefully there’s an opportunity to make something like that down the road.

Thank you again for taking the time for this interview! Any last words for our viewers out there?

Thanks for having me, appreciate the opportunity to share some words about what I’ve been working on. Thanks as well to everyone reading and listening, the support means everything to me!

Strobez FUXWITHIT Guest Mix Tracklist

The Prodigy – No Good (Start The Dance)
Skrillex, Aluna, Kito – Inhale Exhale (Strobez Flip)
Nitepunk – Slices (Silcrow Remix)
Swedish House Mafia – It Gets Better (Control Freak Remix)
Strobez – Drama
Acyan – ID
Strobez & Phantomhouse – ID
Oddly Godly – NO FRNDZ (Strobez Edit)
Shadient & nikko – ID (+ Tyler, the Creator – EARFQUAKE)
Overmono – Blow Out (Strobez Flip)
Control Freak – FEVERDREAM
nikko – ID (+ Leotrix – Good)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll (Strobez Flip)
solomax – Really Bout It (+ Baby Keem – Trademark USA)
Tessela – Hackney Parrot (Strobez Flip)
Charli XCX – 1999 (Strobez Flip)
Strobez – You Won’t
Viperactive – Angel’s Crest (+ pinkpantheress – Another Life ft. Rema)
Strobez & Viperactive – ID (+ Gunna – fukumean)
RemK – Surface Wave
Strobez & Viperactive – ID (Tisoki Edit)
Strobez – ID
Strobez – ID (+ Rihanna – Diamonds)
PARTYNEXTDOOR – Her Way (Edit)
Strobez – Face It and Run To It (+ FLUME – Voices ft. SOPHIE & Kučka)

The post Guest Mix + Interview – Strobez appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Strobez’s style has proven itself to be gorgeously complex, unique, and impactful among listeners. Constantly throwing you for a loop while showcasing the future in all its blazing glory.  This EP does just that and so much more. So buckle up, because you’re in for the ride of the century. Comprised of seven tracks altogether, there’s a lot to unpack with each given listen. So many twists and turns within each track. Making each one different from the last while harnessing the same vision he intended to create. From cosmic atmospheres to melt your heart, to bursts of crazy wonky sound design throughout the chorus sections, this project really shines on a whole new scale. Showcasing what makes this artist unstoppable.

‘Restless’ is a mean sonic machine thanks to its violent bass designs, demonic saturated vocals, and an overall killer groove. Completely taking over your soul with every given moment. Making it one of our favorites. ‘Face It and Run To It’ is another highlight with its euphoric structure, colorful melodies, and playful attitude. There’s so much to love and adore with this EP and we’re stoked to hear what’s next. But for now, make sure to show your support by streaming the Restless EP everywhere!

The post Strobez Unleashes Mass Chaos Through The Stars With His ‘Restless’ EP appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Alasen

I’m not sure how Alasen has alluded a proper feature on our site for this long. The Chicago-based producer posseses an impressive discography of trap meets future beats that spans back years. While the gifted producer has been popping up in FUXWITHFRIDAYS, and his 2023 release ‘Theme’ served as the opener to our Guest Mix for Deadbeats, it’s more than overdue that we formally introduce Alasen to our audience. With recent releases on Quality Goods Records and Lucid Monday, it’s fair to say 2023 is the year everyone stops sleeping on this immense talent. Bringing amplitudes of knock and pairing them with a synthesized sense of emotion gives Alasen a sound that’s evocative yet banging. Off-kilter, addictive and vibey, every track is another step into the creator’s stunning sonic world. Alasen’s entire SoundCloud is worthy of a deep dive but if you want a sample of what expect ‘supercompute,’ ‘Theme,’ and ‘spiral’ are sure to make you a fan.
-C

Nautika

UK-based Nautika wandered onto my radar a few months back when I was blown away by the Lil Yachty remix he dropped alongside Formula. Let me start by saying, “blown away by the Lil Yachty remix” are words I never thought I’d find myself writing but it’s really that fucking good. The track landed in our first installment of Bootleg Business and has been on repeat ever since. The way they utilize Yachty’s vocals is uplifting to a point of spiritual ascension. It’s absurdly fun, addictive, and it hits. If you’re a serious DnB head who’s not convinced by SoundCloud rap flips, don’t worry, Nautika’s impressive catalog runs deep. ‘Convert Operation’ with Formula mixes a spy-tinged undertone with some darker layers and a brooding bounce. If that’s not enough, enter a ‘R.E.M State’ for a sinister and filthy trip into your mind’s subconscious darkness.
-C

haydys

This month we’re stopping in Minneapolis to get familiar with haydys. Those of you who are deep into the wave scene might also know him as hades, his alias before the recent rebranding. Co-founder of Cybercollective and producer himself, haydys characterizes his storytelling-driven sound with the motto “nostalgia of a time long gone.” It’s no surprise then that the influences we can recall the most in his music come from genres that have powerful melodies at their own essence, like downtempo and trance. Especially the latter is quite present within his discography but often contextualized in ways that preserve the original trance flavor without turning into a predictable hardwave sound. After all, he lists among his main influences names such as juche, skeler and heimanu who are masterminds in this field. haydys is fresh from a superb release on Liquid Ritual, titled ‘Tear In The Sky,’ which was preceded by a very special release on his own imprint, ‘carousel’, the first track from the incoming Cybercollective’ Chronicles: Prologue compilation. Listen to both songs below and be sure to dive into haydys’ entire discography. My personal suggestion is to start from his and Sage’s NEXT GENERATION collaborative EP.

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Sorza

With less than 600 SoundCloud followers, Sorza is criminally underrated. Landing his first official release on the coveted Alpha Pup and making a statement with the enthralling nine-track I IDENTIFY LP, the Dutch producer already impresses with the breadth of his discography, but only recently landed on my radar with his mind-melting official remix for Noisia and Former’s ‘Pleasure Mantra.’ Remixing these legends is no easy task, but Sorza executed at a top tier level. With his debut LP, the artist sways between various styles of bass music, telling a cohesive story despite the lack of lyrics. Reminiscent of Alon Mor in some ways (‘Catharsis’ is a great example), Sorza masterfully blends bass and musicality throughout his works.

It’s only at the time of writing this article that I discovered that Sorza is the side project of one of the members from The Outsiders, which explains the top-tier production behind this relatively new alias. Nonetheless, Sorza is one to watch.
-SC

Strobez

Hailing from the Golden Gate City, Strobez is quickly becoming an all-time favorite within the electronic spectrum. His swift and mind-blowing techniques behind his works are simply jaw-dropping. Developing high-tier ideas with executions that slice through the competition. Making a truly unique world for himself. Crisp bass structures combined with high-energy vocals are only a couple of characteristics that make his works memorable.

His most recent remix for Greentea Peng packs a major punch. Making your soul soar into the sky and beyond. Its attitude shines on a whole new level thanks to Strobez’s whimsical skills and techniques. The way he uses her vocals to compliment his overall personality through the sonic spectrum elevates your spirits and makes you become purely hypnotized. The main lead combined with those groovy drums can make any listener happy with glee. The perfect amount of movement from beginning to end. Never a dull moment!

His newest original, ‘Drama,’ is easily an instant classic for his project. There’s so much going on but it all works together in a colorful fashion. From a euphoric introduction with an angelic atmosphere to the chorus sections comprised of a distorted bass lead and powerful vocal following along, this piece is full of ear candy and gets better and better with each listen. An absolute monster of a track that will take over any stage around the world. So make sure to keep an eye on this artist throughout 2023. We’re stoked to hear more from him!
-JD

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Words by Alessio, Colin, John & Steph

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