Last week, RL Grime‘s post-apocalyptic trap show, Void Tour, rolled through town, and although I wasn’t sitting on pins and needles initially, as soon as I got to the venue for the night, I could tell I was in for a treat. After the slow release of RL Grime’s highly-anticipated rookie full-length album, I knew I had to see what all the hype was about. And as much as I enjoyed the record, I enjoyed RL’s live show tenfold. Lesser known as Henry Steinway, the scene’s top trap-purveyor had me captivated the entire time with his dark, gritty brand of hard-knocking trap and his finessed hip-hop fusion, working in not only everything I wanted to hear that night, but everything I didn’t know I wanted to hear too. The LA-based producer’s seemingly minimal, yet intricately complex stage design accentuated the music perfectly, and allowed the quintessential RL Grime sound to fill the room and take everyone in attendance to the world of Void. As soon as his pyramid light structure sliced through the dark room and the strobes began to blast the packed crowd, my jaw hit the floor–where it remained until the house lights came on two hours later.

Clockwork’s trap-tyrant alter ego took to the stage after Djemba Djemba warmed the crowd with his brain-rattling brand of experimentally fearless bass music, and after a set packed with waves of rolling bass, I moved from my balcony perch down onto the venue’s main floor for what was surely about to be a rowdy affair. With my elbows up, I was ready for RL to take the stage, but I definitely wasn’t ready for what he was about to deliver.

Crusing between everything from Kanye West to Jack Ü, the Beastie Boys to Lil Wayne, Baauer, DJ Snake, and everything in between, RL Grime’s set was loaded with hell-raisers that kept the entire crowd moving all night long. The set was tied together with a collection of Grime’s best, sprinkling in “Mercy,” “Core,” and “Tell Me,” and “Trap on Acid.” Each time he dropped one of his biggest hits, the venue shook like a riot was about to ensue. About five minutes into the set, the album’s overarching concept fully hit me; this set could very well be the commencement of the apocalypse. I was prepared. I hunkered down and put my best trap-face on and kept dancing.

RL’s stage presence was also a noteworthy element to the show. He was having just as much fun as the crowd was and the energy in the room was palpable. He humbly accepted his role as “Life of the Party” from his dark pulpit before the packed crowd, and he delivered exactly what everyone in attendance wanted. To anyone who thinks trap music’s time in the sun is over, go see the Void Tour if you can. You’ll be eating your words. And for anyone who thinks that trap music is a cheaply produced, maligned sub-genre of hip-hop, listen to RL Grime’s latest record. It’ll change the standard of trap music for you.

Admittedly, I was one of these people just a short time ago. I thought I grew out of trap music after I grew out of sophomoric, sticky, vodka-soaked college pregames. I thought the trap music palette was unsophisticated and generally not too creative. Void flipped those misconceptions upside down and delivered the one-two punch I needed to realize that I still love trap music with all my heart. Ultimately it showed me that when done to the meticulous degree of detail that RL Grime spent on his record and live show, trap music can still captivate crowds and tear the house down.

The post The Night RL Grime Made Me Fall In Love With Trap Music All Over Again [Event Review] appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

Like any festival, decisions and sacrifices will be made. With five stages spanning across a much wider venue (Whittier Recreational Park — just north of the Downtown LA area), it’s almost vital to have some sort of personal schedule to follow. Or not…

HARD SUMMER 2014 MUST-SEE ACTS

With this being my fifth HARD Summer (not bragging, just establishing some background), it’s easy for me to say that HARD always brings the most talented DJs and producers around. This year, however, it almost goes without saying. With a multitude of genres occurring across the park, it’s going to be difficult to watch everyone you want, so here are some of the ones you should make an effort to squeeze into your schedule.

Brillstein — HARD always likes to bring some Los Angeles natives into the mix, giving the festival its own home-grown vibe. This time it just so happens to be Thee Mike B‘s most recent and funky project. Since the festival starts so early this year, there’s no reason why you and the homies can’t show up and get things started properly with Brillstein. If you’re into deep, rump-shaking funk, Brillstein will be delivering some serious grooviness that you should not miss out on.

Trippy Turtle — This one is brutal because it lines up with Dillon Francis, but if you’re trying to see one of the best up-and-coming producers live and in action, this is the dude to see. Trippy Turtle has been making some remarkably huge waves as of late, and HARD will be the perfect stage to see him strut his stuff.

He has been instrumental in the rise of the Jersey and Baltimore Club sub-genres and this young gun’s skills are creatively reflected in every live performance he puts on. Trippy Turtle will definitely be a wise choice for anyone looking for bouncy, out-of-the-box goodness.

DJ Mustard — If you were able to watch the live stream of Skrillex’ Mothership Tour at Red Rocks (or even better watch it IN PERSON), you most likely caught DJ Mustard. He’s the man behind some of the most infamous pop/ hip-hop fusion songs you hear on the radio and also is extremely mean on the decks.

Mustard’s set will undoubtedly be one wild party, so if you’re craving a hard, trap and hip-hop influenced sound, and you’re trying to get down with everything you’ve got, leave it all at DJ Mustard’s stage.

A-Trak — It goes without saying that this guy is a living DJ legend. So why see him when you can see other awesome DJs instead? First of all A-Trak has been DESTROYING his live performances lately. If you’ve been able to catch any of his recent Instagram posts, you’ll see that the dude is scratching better than ever and playing out one of the most diverse set lists you will ever see. Fact.

Coming off the recent GoldGoneWild tour, the Fool’s Gold Records boss is white hot, and with HARD coming up, you can most certainly expect this renown veteran to put out an amazing performance this weekend. With a handful of DMC championship titled under his belt, as well as production credits with some of hip-hop and dance music’s biggest names, A-Trak is a marquee act that you absolutely should not pass up on. Trust me.

Jack U — Another fairly obvious choice but, come on. Who would give up the chance to see Skrillex and Diplo share the stage together? They haven’t played a festival this big since Ultra and that was just a shit show (the good kind).

These are arguably the two biggest, most dominating American DJs and producers in the game right now, and I’ll bet the house of the fact that these two are going to deliver a larger-than-life performance at HARD. Not to mention that LA is Skrill’s hometown, so you know he will be putting out for his city in impeccable fashion. Sonny and Wes onstage for an hour and a half? Yes please. Move over Carnage. Go stage dive some more…

HARD SUMMER 2014 SCHEDULING CONFLICTS

Both days are packed to the brim with talent, so naturally there are some pretty major scheduling conflicts. This obviously all depends on what you’re into and who you’re trying to see, and thankfully, HARD is the festival that can deliver a completely unique festival experience to all of its attendees, because of its incredible diversity. Some of these conflicts might not even exist for you because you’re only going to see Tiesto though. Hey, that’s cool too, bruh.

Saturday:

GRiZ vs Bro Safari — Does one get funky as fuck or so turnt your face hurts? This is a toss up because I’m a huge GRiZ fan but I also love making that “who just shat in my lap?” face when Bro Safari drops something too nasty. With GRiZ making sweet electro-soul laced with sexy saxophone, and Bro Safari bulldozing masses with waves of head-crushing bass, taste plays a big part in making this tough call.

Tchami vs Alex Metric — The real question here is, “how much booty shaking do I want to do?” Either way you’re making a great choice. Are you going for that future-house sound Tchami has mastered over the past year or that silky, ultra-soulful, funky kind of booty shaking only Alex Metric can provide?

Flosstradamus vs Dusky vs What So Not vs Oliver — Woof. Turn up or boogie down? If you’re a ratchet bitch, go to Floss, obviously. But, if you’re into What So Not’s ambient, yet party-fueling sound, it’ll prove to be another tough call up against the likes of Oliver’s unmatched funky, nu-disco finesse. To make this even more difficult, Dusky will be serving up hot, fresh booty-house vibes right at the same time. This one is about to be a doozie.

Baauer vs Justin Martin vs Jack Beats — Good Christ. First off, after the “Harlem Shake” phenomenon, Baauer chilled out for a little bit, and now has returned with some pretty incredible tracks. On the other hand, Just Martin killed in the Dew Lab at this year’s Coachella, and he is one of the unparalleled masters of the booty bumping goodness that is DirtyBird Records.

But then there is Jack Beats. The UK-bred OWSLA duo is known to spin a wide variety of different sounds, but are always known to bring a good time, as well as a raucous set. These two vets are definitely a force to be reckoned with too, making this triangle of heavy-hitters an incredibly difficult call to make.

DJ Snake vs Kill The Noise — Another tragically difficult decision to be made here, although it really once again comes down to taste. Kill The Noise is going to offer his OWSLA/Slowroast Recs hybrid sound; a mix of head-splitting dubstep and wild electro-house. KTN will surely deliver the one-two punch with his veteran experience performing at HARD, and will undoubtedly put on one of the grimiest sets of the weekend.

Next, consider DJ Snake. The Parisian Mad Decent superstar has taken over the world this year with a handful of twerk-inducing collabs and originals that turn dance floors into saunas instantly. Taste remains key, but for those just looking for a good performance, this one is nearly impossible to call.

Seth Troxler vs The M Machine vs Jack U — This one might be the most difficult call on Saturday. Diversity, as welcomed and appreciated as it is on a lineup this large, is coming back to bite us in the ass as Saturday’s final sets pose this incredibly tough decision. Off to party with forward-thinking beat maker Seth Troxler, or will you make your way to one of the biggest, most anticipated headlining sets of the entire festival circuit over at Jack U? 

And as if that wasn’t hard enough to call, throw the M Machine into the discussion and it becomes all the more difficult. The OWSLA championed trio will be throwing down their brand of futuristic, fresh, hard-knocking bass music at the same time. 

Sunday:

Milo and Otis vs. Wax Motif— Sunday afternoon offers its first conflict as Wax Motif and Milo and Otis take the decks at the same time. To choose between the up-and-coming trap duo who are fresh off Skrillex’s Mothership Tour, and funky, techno guru who frequently collaborates with Destructo will prove to be a difficult test of tastes.

Mercer vs. Hannah Wants– Both of these performers have some serious talent to showcase at this year’s HARD. Both bred in the house genre, these two have respectively taken club music to their own realms, and each pack some noteworthy talent.

For the type looking for an immerse, deep house experience, look no further than Hannah Wants (who is making her first US appearance this weekend). However those looking to party down to some of the hardest electro-house out there, Mercer will absolutely be the set for you.

Clockwork vs. Shiba San vs. 2manydjs–  This conflict might be overlooked, however, with some thought, you’ll find this one to be just as tough as most of the others. Shiba San is going to take his crowd through a variety of different deep and funky soundscapes, while Clockwork is going to do what he is best at. Clockwork is going to deliver a mind-bending, teeth-grinding set that will be an absolute party from start to finish.

Then there is 2manydjs. The Belgian duo have been around forever and have produced some of dance music’s most creative outputs in the last two decades as either 2manydjs or their live collective Soulwax. Anyone who appreciates where all of this came from should definitely give 2manydjs a gander, I promise it’ll be worth your time.

Trippy Turtle vs. Dillon Francis– Probably the hardest toss up of the whole weekend here, folks. Cat master and festival headliner Dillon Francis is slated to play at the exact same time as on of the most promising up-and-coming names in all of dance music, Trippy Turtle. Both will surely deliver amazing bouts from behind the decks, however unfortunately this painstaking decision will have to be made.

Trippy is going to offer a bubbly, light, bouncy experience, complete with dripping synths and bedroom-rattling remixes. Dillon is going to bring the party like only Dillon Francis knows how. Who knows, DJ Hanzel, or even DJ Rich As Fuck might even make an appearance at Dillon’s set. Either way, this one will most likely be a game-time decision.

Maya Jane Coles vs. Tiesto vs. Nero vs. Brodinski– Oh, brother. We have the return on UK-trio bass masters Nero, going on at the same time as Bromance authority Brodinski throwing down his own meshing of deep, dark techno and filthy hip-hop.

As if that wasn’t difficult enough, you also have to choose between one of the biggest DJs who ever lived, Tiesto, playing at the same time as Maya Jane Coles. Tiesto will bring the world-celebrated house and club sounds that he helped create and popularize over the last twenty years, while MJC will bring her meticulous brand of silky, sexy deep house to the mix. This four-way talent cluster caps off the festival, leaving one of the hardest calls for last.

HARD SUMMER 2014 VENUE LAYOUT

One of the best things about this year’s HARD Summer is the new venue. Whittier Narrows Recreation Area is almost three times larger than the Los Angeles Historic Park (HARD’s former home) and offers guests a much GREENER atmosphere. I think I speak for most of the HARD ticket-holders when I say I’m very much looking forward to leaving the festival sans dust and wood chips.

The new venue offers guests a TON of strolling area compared to the Historic Park’s high-traffic try-not-to-run-into-people areas. My hopes are that with so much additional space, the festival will be able to accommodate attendees with plenty of bathroom areas. Although last year was fine (for me at least) there still seemed to be an alarming number of drunk white girls screaming “I’M GONNA FUCKING PISS MYSELF!”

TRAVELING TO HARD SUMMER 2014

As always, HARD makes it incredibly easy for you and your crew to get to the festival. By train, cab, uber, or hooves, you can get to Whittier Park for next to nothing. Or absolutely nothing. Take a look at this dope ass pic:

Welp, that about sums up everything you need to know about this year’s HARD Summer. Have fun, be safe, and dance your little tush off!

The post The Ultimate Guide to HARD Summer 2014 appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

We noticed something very special immediately upon entering BUKU 2014… It might have been because we were totally out of our element in the deep south, or maybe it was being so close to the Mississippi river. Maybe it was the perfect weather or maybe it was the beautiful people… No matter what it was, we knew we were going to have an incredible time at BUKU right from the get-go.

The festival was set up exactly like a shotgun home in New Orleans: the stages were all in line with each other, allowing attendees to go from the main stage all the way to the back alley without having to walk around aimlessly or use a confusing map. Everything was straight forward and easily navigated. You could literally walk in a straight line next to the river and hit ever stage. It was incredibly easy and convenient.

Along the way from one stage to another, concert-goers could stop by an assortment of INCREDIBLE vendors including food, merchandise, and more. New Orleans is home to some of the best cooking in the entire world, so taking a break for food was something to look forward to. From brats to pizza and even some vegetarian options, BUKU had the food game locked down.

BUKU 2014 Day 1 Recap:

If you weren’t able to make it to the first day of BUKU as soon as the gates open, you missed out on some serious up-and-comers. Treasure Fingers was a blast in the Ballroom, and NO native DXXXY tore it up in the back alley (check out DXXXY’s full set from BUKU right here) before Jesse Slayter completely blew it up. Kid Kamillion was after Slayter making the Back Alley the place to be for some of the best underrated acts at the festival.

Meanwhile at the Power Plant main stage, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony were bringing everyone back to the 90’s with all of their hits. Seeing them followed by NAS was one of the coolest and most nostalgic festival experiences ever.

The Ballroom definitely had its own vibes throughout the entire afternoon with Classixx and Miami Horror playing some incredible live sets that were each funkier than the next.

We were also able to hop on board the S.S. Blu-Ku to catch Big Freedia’s Twerk Lesson which had to have been one of the most unique experiences of any festival we have ever been to. Watching a swarm of people twerk as hard as they could while Big Freedia slapped their asses was hilariously educational.

If you were looking for a place to really get down, the Float Den was where it was at. Good lord was that place sweaty. Watching Paper Diamond we thought there was no possible way that stage could get any more rowdy, until Carnage came on and completely ruined every one in attendance.

Once the sun went down was when things really got goin’ at BUKU. After rocking out to Sleigh Bells (who were extremely impressive and above our expectations) we were relaxing with a few beers during Dusky‘s deep set in the Back Alley before catching the last bit of Ellie Goulding at the main stage.

One of the biggest (and best) surprises of the entire festival was getting to catch The Gaslamp Killer‘s set in the ballroom between Pusha T and Chance The Rapper. GLK’s set was full of awesome new music from Hudson Mowhake and live scratching that showed the audience what an actual DJ does…

The best set of the night (and possibly the entire weekend) was without a doubt Chance The Rapper. Saying his stage presence is “high energy” does not do the man justice. An hour was not nearly enough time to soak in the magic that was Chance. His band was tight, on point, and perfectly coupled his quick flow.

BUKU 2014 Music + Arts Festival Photos

More photos and a recap video on the way! Stay tuned!

BUKU 2014 Day 2 Recap:

Day 2 of BUKU 2014 started off harder than expected with DJ Snake in the Float Den. It was our first time seeing Snake perform live and it was not a let down whatsoever. Focusing more on his  festival set than what he showcased in his two-hour essential mix, DJ Snake definitely blew us away. But nothing could prepare us for what was to come.

As we made our way into the Ballroom, we noticed something strange happening during Dan Deacon‘s set. He had shifted the entire audience into a giant dance party — and not the kind you would expect. Playing on the floor instead of on stage, Dan Deacon was able to shape the crowd into a huge circle that completely occupied the space of the Ballroom.

People would take turns running into the middle and showing off their moves. Once he felt the crowd had enough, Dan had everyone run to the center and greet each other with high fives. It was yet again one of the most unique things you could ever witness at a festival.

Since the Back Alley was a success for us on the first day of the festival, we made our way back and once again were not dissappointed. We caught another New Orleans native, Shanook, on stage while Boyfriend was getting down with the crowd performing one of her newest tracks. It was just another in-your-face experience from BUKU.

One of the most anticipated acts of BUKU (for the JNTM BUKrew at least) was the Funklords known only as Chromeo. It was awesome getting a chance to see the the guys live, right in midst of their 2014 tour. The guys were on point as always and their set featured some of their new jams like “Jealous” and “Come Alive,” both of which were even better live.

Cashmere Cat was another catch in the Back Alley, playing everything from his own Wedding Bells EP to other FoFoFadi-inspired artists like Drippy Dolphin and Trippy Turtle. Cat went super hard and had the entire back alley packed to the brim with adoring fans.

There was really no other choice other than seeing Baauer b2b RL Grime. Two of trap music biggest stars collaborating with each other behind the decks was by far the most insane experiences of the festival.

After getting completely turnt up at Baauer and RL Grime, we made our way to Soul Clap who was playing two full hours of some of the most soulful, funky house music we had heard all weekend long.

Fortunately the grooves kept on rollin’ with Skream, who as of late has been venturing further away from the disgusting dubstep he made his name with and has moved closer to disco house that had the Back Alley getting down with their funky selves.

After passing through the Float Den to catch a little of Tyler the Creator (who was raunchy and awesome as always), we made our way to the Beats Antique set in the Ballroom. The place was packed and sweatier than ever. The crowd was full of die-hard fans who were dancing and enjoying the last few hours of the festival.

BUKU 2014 Review

The festival was overall a huge success. Everywhere we turned we were met with another great act. The venue could not have been better and the food and beverage vendors were a perfect representation of the host city.

It wasn’t just the entertainment that was impressive, the attendees of BUKU 2014 were also something to write home about. The people in New Orleans are some of the most down to earth and friendly folks. There were multiple times where people would walk up to us and start a conversation like we had all been best friends for years. Now THAT was truly a unique festival experience.

Another important aspect was the art. Now, most festivals say they’re an “music and arts” festival, but not many actually mean it as much as BUKU does. Everything about the festival was in some form or another focused on art. Whether it was the wall of live graffiti or the commissioned piece hanging in the float den, BUKU was actually an art festival.

Overall, the BUKU experience was a refreshing one. The festival is still very young and growing into itself, but that’s what makes it so great. There weren’t a lot of bros or VIP people spending tons of money just to be seen at the show. Everyone in attendance was someone who was there for the music, or at least there to have fun.

That’s the bottom line. The festival was FUN. There was nothing quite like BUKU and I personally cannot wait to return.

The post BUKU 2014 Music + Arts Festival Recap & Photos appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

New Orleans’ own BUKU Music + Art Project unveiled its schedule that fuses EDM, hip-hop, indie rock, and everything in between into two short days with 69 acts. With one of the year’s freshest and diverse lineups, its inevitable that BUKU’s schedule is full of overlapping performances forcing festival-goers to make tough decisions.

Friday the 21st’s schedule kick-starts the weekend with instrumental dubstep supergroup Conspirator followed by notorious hip-hop collective Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.  The conflicts get tough, do you see Paper Diamond deliver his soulful blend of bass and trap, hip-hop legend NAS, or New Orleans-native trap star Kid Kamillion? Catch Carnage’s grimy big-room showcase or WAVVES surf-inspired vibe session? Dance music powerhouse pop producer Zedd or pop-rock duo Sleigh Bells? Ellie Goulding or Dusky? How do you choose between Kaskade and Chance the Rapper? Do you cap the night grooving to the kings of dubstep Zeds Dead or with Holy Ghost (DJ set)?! Buku brings the best of all worlds, making festival-attendees to plan their sets carefully.

Saturday, March 22nd brings even more hype and brutal decisions.  The day gets started with Thundercat’s jazzy take on bass music, Mad Decent hotshot DJ Snake, and Schoolboy Q. But then, do you see the legendary Dan Deacon or electro-house maestro Clockwork? It’s painful knowing you can’t be getting funky with both Chromeo and GriZ.

Choosing between forward-thinkers Gaslamp Killer and Friends and Cashmere Cat will also prove to be a gut-wrenching call. Overlap between veteran psychedelic rock band The Flaming Lips and trap music’s most promising young guns Baauer and RL Grime‘s back-to-back effort also highlights just how packed this lineup is. French electro-pop juggernaut David Guetta or Explosions in the Sky? Tyler the Creator or Beats Antique? The Glitch Mob or Danny Brown?

Thankfully though, Buku has also announced a stacked series of after parties to keep the good times rolling after the festivities and into the early morning. Curated after hours parties hosted by the likes of Bassik, Lucky Me, Mad Decent, and Zeds Dead are bound to bring around the clock madness after each night of Buku. Follow up sets by Cashmere Cat, Doctor P, Just Blaze, Valentino Khan, Trippy Turtle and a bunch of guests to be announced add even more hype to one of this year’s most promising festival experiences.

Buku’s schedule announcement comes just a little more than a week prior to the event, giving attendees barely enough time to tweak their set schedules and prepare for an out-of-bounds weekend of good times, packed full of great music.

So if you still haven’t purchased your tickets for BUKU 2014 — Buy ’em now!

The post BUKU Music + Art Project Announces Set Times appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

HARDFEST has just announced that they will be hosting an Arena at EDC Mexico featuring Alex Metric, Baauer, The Bloody Beetroots, Boys Noize, Branchez, Cajmere, Clockwork, Cory Enemy, Destructo, DJ Snake, Flux Pavilion, Gorgon City, Wax Motif, What So Not and Zeds Dead. Make sure to check back in on more updates on Electronic Daisy Carnival’s announcements and lineups.

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To purchase tickets click here.

The post Insomniac Announces EDC Mexico Lineup appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

I was planning on writing another “Top 5” post, but there are so many trap artists and sub genres I think a simple retrospective of the genre with suffice. Let’s take a look at what 2012’s top trap producers are up to and the future of the genre.

Looking Back at our Top 5 from 2012

Baauer

Since we profiled Baauer in 2012 his career has skyrocketed. However annoying “The Harlem Shake” phenomenon was it did help bring Baauer and trap into the public eye. Since his breakout success Baauer has feuded with Azaelia Banks, collaborated with Jay-Z, and embarked on tours with Danny Brown and RL Grime.

Most recently, the Brooklyn transplant collaborated with RL Grime on the massively popular “Infinite Daps” If there is a face to the Trap movement it’s probably Baauer.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/46527740″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/75409800″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Bro Safari

Bro Safari also had a successful 2013.  He headlined the Animal House tour with other trap mainstays, ETC! ETC!, CRNKN, and Brillz. Additionally, Bro Safari had a short run opening up for EDM wunderkind Skrillex on his Fall Club Tour 2013.

The young producer has produced remixes for Kill the Noise, Steve Aoki, and Skrillex. In June he released the collaborative EP “Animal” with UFO!

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/108830586″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/93264846″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Flosstradamus

The duo has a had a killer year delivering one of the best sets at Hard Summer and producing remixes for Flux Pavilion and Major Lazer.

Flosstradamus has fully embraced their identity as trap artists and will continue their success going into the New Year.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/111133727″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/43784798″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

UZ

The enigmatic producer has enjoyed moderate success in the past year. He has continued his “Trap Shit” series and released tracks through Boys Noize Records and OWSLA. Additionally, UZ has crafted remixes for Jack Beats, Zeds Dead, and Alex Metric.

It’s still a mystery who is behind the mask, but I think we will see more of the gilded masquerade in 2014.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/5781173″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/10929926″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Kid Kamillion

Looks like we can’t predict them all! Kid Kamillion has virtually fallen off the map in 2013. After releasing his massive remix to A-Trak‘s “Heads Will Roll”, Kid Kamillion has slowly been releasing tracks throughout the year.

Kamillion never made it on the festival circuit and it appears he is only performing in his hometown of New Orleans. I just listened to his newest EP, it’s not bad but it’s nothing special.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/118881995″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Artists Who Blew Up in 2013

RL Grime

What began as a side-project of hard house producer Clockwork has quickly become the more recognizable name in EDM. RL Grime’s popular Halloween mixes are some of the best in trap music as the young producer intuitively mixes contemporary trap with 90’s hip-hop staples.

Earlier this year RL Grime embarked on the “Infinite Daps” tour with Baauer and Ryan Hemsworth. Additionally, he performed some of the hardest sets at Hard Summer and Hard Haunted this year. Remixes of tracks by Chief Keef, Rihanna, and Benny Benassi indicate we will be seeing more Grime in the New Year.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/117852346″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/119987732″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

TNGHT

Artists Hudson Mohawke and Lunice had been producing hip-hop tracks for years before joining forces to form TNGHT.

The duo’s 2012 debut ep “TNGHT” garnered critical acclaim and has been used in everything from shoe commercials to being sample on Kanye West’s “Blood on the Leaves.” Stellar performances as Hard Summer and Coachella cemented their status as trap innovators. Several artists have adopted TNGHT’s use of “brass” synthesizers.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/55499783″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Brillz

Brillz rose to fame after releasing an insane remix for Kill The Noise’s “Roots”, and he has been releasing track after delicious track since.

Brillz debut release “TWONK” puts a new spin on traditional trap utilizing elements of moombahton and jack swing.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/116372880″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/101526780″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

What So Not

Hailing from Australia, What So Not has been making waves after releasing The Quack EP with OWSLA records. The record features tracks with Action Bronson, D Mac and Blood Diamonds.

What So Not, utilizes crunchy synthesizer and a heavy style that isn’t seen often. Their remix of Major Lazer’s, Get Free has attracted over 500,000 hits on Soundcloud.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/118905056″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/43723548″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

TROPKILLAZ

Based in Brazil, TROPKILLAZ make some seriously huge trap anthems utilizing the brass style made popular by TNGHT.

TROPKILLAZ have collaborated with another one of my favorites Yellow Claw as well as gLAdiator. They have not been producing tracks for a long time but hopefully we will see them stateside in the New Year.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/120303964″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/119196995″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Honorable Mentions

These producers are just as good as the last five but I thought of them later!

Yellow Claw

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/112025881″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/111090225″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

gLAdiator

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/54228089″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/105291251″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

CRNKN

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/107707383″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/111209951″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

GTA

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/82522529″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/108031501″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Mayhem x Antiserum

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/74163931″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/86961861″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Djemba Djemba

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/103900272″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/86298134″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

ETC! ETC!

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/58641304″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/114284736″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

L D R U

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/93608566″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/76800509″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Obviously, there are other trap artists out there and this article just goes to show how much the medium has evolved.

The post Top Trap Producers: 2013 Recap appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

While throwing major bass in your face, they have a released new documentary on the channel, Thump, named Infinite Daps. Baauer and RL Grime have been performing together as their reputations in trap rapidly grew. Around 23 minutes of interesting footage showcasing what RL Grime and Baauer experienced throughout their tour and rise as producers and DJ’s alike.

Baauer x RL Grime – Infinite Daps Anthem

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/119987732″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

The post Baauer x RL Grime – Infinite Daps Anthem & Documentary appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

One thing that sets this festival apart from any other Halloween-themed EDM festival, or any HARD Presents… festival is the fact that this one actually showcases some otherwise hard-to-see and lesser known acts. Artists like Them Jeans, Tokimonsta, Henry Krinkle, and Thee Mike B are just some of the artists that are, unfortunately, most likely under most people’s radars this fall.

This increase in lesser-known artists could also create a problem for the festival as a whole, as most attendees will choose to start arriving later in the evening to see the more popular artists (like Skrillex), creating a massive line and an increase in waiting time. Last year, this resulting in complete chaos as concert-goers began literally throwing barricades and trampling over people to get in faster. There was also an incident involving an angry mob tipping over a golf cart on it’s way to deliver more water.

Either way, we’ve taken the time to map out some must-see acts, scheduling surprises, and acts to pass:

HARD Day of the Dead 2013 Must-See Acts

Phuture Doom: This will be Phuture Doom’s first live set EVER. No one knows anything about these guys, so it would be a huge opportunity for anyone to get to see the group in the flesh. We predict they’ll play their audio book “Phuturism: The Book of Nightfall” for the most part…

Gaslamp Killer: By far one of the most unique artists on the lineup this year, Gaslamp Killer is a must see for multiple reasons. This guy brings an energy to the stage most DJs probably think is a little much. To fans, however, Gaslamp Killer is one of the funnest performers to take the stage anytime, anyplace. Plus, he was the star of the HARD Day of the Dead trailer!

Them Jeans: With his high energy and incredible mixing abilities, Los Angeles based producer Them Jeans is on our list a must-see at this year’s Hard Day of the Dead. With multiple remixes of artists like Bloc Party, The XX, and Rihanna, you’ll definitely want to catch this artist on the rise before he gets to high!

Baauer b2b RL Grime: Two of the biggest names in trap music right now, Baauer and RL Grime return to LA State Historic Park but this time as a team. This pairing is going to be one of the coolest sets of the entire weekend for seemingly obvious reasons.

Deadmau5: What might seem as an obvious choice, Deadmau5 is our absolutely must-see artist of the entire festival. Playing his first live show in quite sometime, the mau5 will no doubt return with some incredible visuals and will most likely be debuting some of the tracks he’s been previewing online.

HARD Day of the Dead 2013 Scheduling Surprises

Nero // Boys Noize // Zeds Dead: It’s totally understandable that the main stage would be the hardest (no pun intended) to schedule, but you would think that the minds behind the program would think to at least spread out these acts across a few different stages. The most unfortunate thing is that this stage is going to packed for the entire night, though with good reason.

Paper Diamond // Pretty Lights: This is more of a pleasant surprise, mainly because most attendees will want to see both Pretty Lights and Deadmau5, which would not have been possible if the order had been switched. This could be unfortunate for Paper Diamond, but with such a killer set at this year’s HARD Summer, it’s possible he’ll still have a packed crowd at the HARDer stage.

Cirez D // Bloody Beetroots: Bloody Beetroots not headlining the night? This might be another switch up created so people can see Skrillex.

HARD Day of the Dead 2013 Acts to Pass

Skrillex: Unless you haven’t seen Skrillex at any show, festival, tour, or anywhere else, there’s really no point in seeing him again. Yes, he’s been putting out some new remixes and collaborations, but seriously? Another HARD event with Skrillex as a headliner? Go to Lunice! Go see Master at Work! Skrillex is a great DJ and a fantastic producer, but you can spend your time

Agree? Disagree? Let us know what YOU think on our Facebook page! For more on HARD Day of the Dead, click here. 

The post HARD Day of the Dead 2013 Set Times Released appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

HARD has just released the stages for this year’s Day of the Dead taking place at the LA Sate Historic Park, November 2nd – 3rd.

From the looks of it, HARD has set up the stages pretty much the exact same as last year’s event, with the addition of the Underground stage which was birthed from this year’s HARD Summer.

As always there will have to be some pretty tough decisions made by concert goers, as the stages are all pretty equally stacked, depending on what type of genre you’re more interested in.

Check back soon for set times and more!

The post HARD Day of the Dead Stages Announced appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

With HARD Day of the Dead 2013 only a month away, many were excited to see the newest updates from Gary Richards, aka Destructo, about this year’s Dia de los Muertos themed event. The initial lineup was released only a few days after the end of HARD Summer 2013, but now HARD Presents has released the official lineup along with an amusing trailer featuring some of the big names set to appear at Day of the Dead this year including Skrillex, Jack Beats, and the Gaslamp Killer.

UPDATE: Just Noise to Me favorite Phuture Doom has just announced their first ever live appearance will be at this year’s HARD Day of the Dead.

If this video is proof of anything, it’s that Gary Richards and his team at HARD Presents are definitely raising the bar with their promotional videos. Their promo video for this year’s HARD Summer, featuring dogs (and one cat) dressed up as the featured DJ’s, was a smash hit on the internet and definitely proved to gain some interest by those who wouldn’t normally know about the event’s existence.

The HARD Day of the Dead 2013 trailer is a little more dramatic: The Gaslamp Killer, after finding out he’s “not booked” for this year’s show, starts killing off the DJ’s who are actually on the bill, bringing the “missing DJ’s” campaign Destructo has been pushing for the past few months to a close — almost. More surprises are more than likely on the way.

HARD Day of the Dead will take place on Saturday, November 2nd and Sunday, November 3rd at the Los Angeles State Historic Park in Downtown Los Angeles from 12AM to 12PM. Click here for tickets and more information. 

Check back for updates on set times and more!

The post HARD Day of the Dead 2013 Lineup & Trailer appeared first on Just Noise To Me.