Earlier this month, Los Angeles’ highly anticipated HARD Summer took place in its new home on the radically expanded grounds of the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Outdoing themselves not only in the amplitude of attendees, but with the mind-boggling lineup, Gary Richards (Destructo) and his crew delivered one wild party.

Notorious artists such as the Jack U duo, Nero, Dillon Francis, A-Trak, and Disclosure headlined the overwhelmingly distinguished lineup of artists, although all of the talent could have been headlining acts. Each headliner delivered a wild, main stage primed set, capping off each night of the weekend with a bang. Of course we could not miss the rare union of Skrillex and Diplo coming together to form Jack U, nor could I have passed up on crowd-pleasing funnyman Dillon Francis.

However, since the day the lineup dropped back in April, I was beyond enthusiastic to see the amount of funky deep house and techno house talent that was represented. Don’t get me wrong, witnessing the Jack U closing spectacle the first night in the rain, playing banger after banger, setting off flames and lasers was incredible, but what really got me going was the intense funkiness that characterized this summer lineup.

Watching A-Trak do what he does best on his turntables in complete awe was unforgettable, and Disclosure’s all-out, strictly business live set won’t soon be forgotten either, however, I was mostly grasped by HARD’s heaping dose of groovy garage funk. The acts I boogied down at were marked by surprisingly small crowds in HARD’s multicolored tent stages where I spent most of my time out of the dust and getting sweaty in the massive awnings from group-session groovin’.

Saturday kick-started the funk in the Pink Tent. Representing the badass ladies taking over the scene, JNTM favorite J.Phlip had the Pink Tent going off with her infectious, deep bass lines meshed with bouncy disco elements. J.Phlip throws down a party, never a moment of monotony, and she effortlessly makes the crowd dance as hard as they can as everybody gets down to her bootylicious house. I stayed right where I was in the Pink Tent as J.Phlip came to an end for my most anticipated set of the weekend, Tchami.

This Paris native is conquering the states with his uncanny, groovy take on what he is calling “future house.” Tchami flaunted his melodic, deep basslines making anyone and everyone boogie down, whether they were in control or not.

The Pink Tent was booming and what seemed to be a smaller sized crowd was now a roaring crowd of people reflexively dancing in unison, almost as though Tchami was robotically controlling the entire Pink Tent.

From the visuals and the grooving to his exotically catchy take on deep electro house and addictive hit remixes, Tchami tremendously exceeded my expectations and upheld my every reason for anticipation. I headed over to the Purple Tent for the infamous British OWSLA duo, Jack Beats, initially to catch a quick glimpse of what their hype was about.

It quickly turned into me becoming hooked by their incomparable sound blending everything from hip-hop to drum and bass to dubstep to electro/deep house. Their captivating originality makes Jack Beats’ set one I will not soon forget either.

Sunday’s staggering schedule of performances had me restless before I even entered the festival’s gates. My day started early and I soon realized the incredible inflation in attendees, dust, and intoxicating performances. Australia’s Danny Blanc, known as Wax Motif, brought his fresh and unique mixing technique to the Green Tent.

Wax Motif’s techno house sound had crowds flocking from every direction to get down and dance. His set showcased elements of hip-hop throughout his distinct techno dance style and was the perfect prelude to the Green Tent’s next electrifying star, Hannah Wants.

As one of her premiere US appearances, Hannah’s garage-house sound that incorporates familiar hip-hop and R&B tracks had the crowd boogying down. Her use of heavy bass creates a toxic sound that had me goggle over her and her groovy deep house style that impressively stimulated the entire crowd. Hannah Wants got me and the rest of the crowd so pumped for the style she was creating as well as ceremoniously showcasing the success of women artists across the dance music spectrum.

I moved from the Green Tent to the Purple Tent to experience a different take on deep house by Pittsburg’s own Kastle. His sunset performance brought a soulful edge to grime and garage style dubstep. The crowd was disappointingly small considering Kastle’s love to party that is represented by his accomplished development of underground electronic music fused with hip-hop.

His sound is so clean and precise due to his background as an engineer you can’t help but wonder when people will catch on. Kastle effortlessly warmed up the crowd for Wave Racer to take the decks, flipping the party upside down.

The crowd was immediately hypnotized by Thomas Purcell’s, a.k.a Wave Racer‘s, playfully distinct sound. His mix of bouncy, animated synthesizers, electro house, and samples of 90’s gaming systems are compiled into an unmatched blend of sunshine that intoxicated the Purple Tent. Wave Racer’s unconventional and whimsical take on future bass and warping of party jams had everyone boogying down.

The final night of HARD ended with a rapid fire round-robin of sets, as we checked on Gary Richard’s funk-laced techno set as Destructo, Disclosure‘s absolutely jaw-dropping live showcase at the main stage, alongside R&B maven Mary J. Blige, DJ Mustard‘s rowdy hip-hop shakedown, and Nero’s festival-ending return to the American festival circuit.

My weekend ended with some of the best sets of the festival, where I got to see some of the freshest talents dance music has to offer. Nero’s set wound down with their famed “Must Be The Feeling,” artfully mixed with Justice’s pounding magnum opus “Genesis.” I let the goosebumps take over as I put my hands in the air, let my head tilt back, and I took a moment to take it all in.

I had survived HARD Summer. As I joined the mass exodus of exhausted fans still buzzing from the festival’s finale, I realized I had seen every set I wanted to see from the lengthy weekend lineup, while also turning myself onto some brand new sounds I had previously never heard before.

Known for their ultra-diverse roster each year, HARD had me at hello, and now the waiting game begins with anticipation soaring high for next year’s big event.

The post HARD Summer As I Saw It: Fresh, Feisty, and Funky appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

This morning, HARD Summer released a bit of news that will get festival-goers all giddy. OWSLA will take over one of the stages for this year event, and will include artists Jack Beats, Kill The Noise, What So Not, Alex Metric, The M Machine, Henry Fong, Valentino Khan, David Heartbreak, Alesia, and Etnik. Damn.

Not sure what the other stages will look like, but I for one think that the OWSLA Tent is worth the ticket price alone.

The good people at HARD also released an official OWSLA Tent Mixtape by none other than Alex Metric. 

Alex Metric Mixtape Jun 2014

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TRACK LIST:

Alex Metric & Oliver – Galaxy
Tensnake – Love Sublime (Ewan Pearson Remix)
Appleblim – Silencio (Prins Thomas remix)
Soulphiction – Mind & Body
Duck Sauce – Chariots of the Gods (Alex Metric re edit)
Sonic Future – Bring it on
Riton – ??? (Aeroplane remix)
The Alexanders – Pwoin Pwoin Pwoin
DJ Wank – 106 miles away (Amine Edge Remix)
Little Dragon – Paris (TEED Remix)
Arveene & Misk – Don’t Stop
Alex Metric & Oliver – Hope
London Grammar – Hey Now (Alex Metric Remix)
Klaxons – Love Frequency (Tom Rowlands Remix)
Alex Metric – Spiritism
Sam Smith – Stay With Me (Soul Clap Remix)

For more info on HARD Summer, check out their Facebook, Twitter, and Website.

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At last being released through Skrillex’s monster label OWSLA, Kill Paris includes 4 astounding tracks through his second EP titled Foreplay. Starting off with his hard-hitting original, “Float“, the incredible bass and melody transforms into pure electronic funk in “The Walk” and the Kill Paris and Keytar Mix of his original “Falling In Love Again” featuring Marty Rod & Alma. This EP comes to a smooth and relaxing close as “Silence Of Heartbreak” rolls out featuring the spot-on vocals delivered by Marty Rod yet again. Grab your Foreplay EP copy via iTunes and Beatport both linked below. Enjoy!

Kill Paris – Foreplay EP | iTunes | Beatport

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Kill Paris

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This song is only the first of many tracks on Kill Paris’ forthcoming EP “Foreplay” which is set to be released on OWSLA on April 29th. With this extremely promising prelude, this EP is bound to be straight groovy.

 Kill Paris

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The funk-lovers of the world are pumped that British producer Alex Metric released his new three track EP Hope today via OWSLA. This highly anticipated project is in large part a collaboration with LA based disco duo Oliver bringing together key Fool’s Gold and OWSLA Records. The EP celebrates old school dance music with a raw funky twist that modernizes the sound and makes you want to get down.

Alex Metric – Hope EP

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This EP epitomizes Alex Metric’s talent of combining bass heavy club sounds with upbeat danceable electronic synths. The title track “Hope” is a sampling of an old 90’s house record made distinctive with Oliver and Metric’s pulsating rhythms, revamped vocals, and infectious bass. This track is a fresh mix of soulful disco and house.

Oliver and Metric’s other track “Galaxy” takes the listener on a 7 minute journey straight into a funkadelic 80’s club. The robotic voices, use of actual instruments like the perfect retro keyboard work, and electronic beats illustrate Oliver and Metric’s toxic new take on disco. Finally, the track “Spirtism” highlights the heavy bass sound blended with lively, happy chords that Metric has made his own.

Metric says this and all of his EPs are meant to “paint a picture of where my head’s at right now. So I hope they all do sound different; that’s always the aim.” His new EP ‘Hope’ embraces bona fide house music sounds, but adds a soulful disco grooviness that makes the listener hyped for what he will deliver next.

Alex Metric

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In case you missed the news, Alex Metric is coming out with a brand new EP entitled Hope which is set for release April 22nd on OWSLA Records, and to help kick things off and to tantalize everyone around the world, AM has released the debut single of the same name.

Alex Metric & Oliver – Hope

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“Hope” has sounds similar to what you could find on some of Alex Metric’s most recent releases such as “Rave Weapon,” but with some help from funk duo Oliver, the track is a disco club favorite that you’ll be hearing in tent sets all summer long.

Alex Metric

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Oliver

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While AAZAR may boast only 676 followers on Soundcloud he has already dropped a track with Trap god ƱZ and now has an exclusive release through Mad Decent. There isn’t much information on who AAZAR is or where he hails from, but if the release of RELOAD is any indication we should expect big things from him in the next year.

RELOAD blends classic trap elements with that festival style that has been made popular by Yellow Claw and Carnage. There is a heavy bassline and some fun percussive elements reminiscent of Baauer x RL Grime’s Infinite Daps but this guy is far from derivative

I’d give you more info but that’s pretty much all we know about this up n’ comer! Be sure to follow AAZAR on Soundcloud and keep an ear out for new tracks.

AAZAR – RELOAD

Get AAZAR’s RELOAD right here, only available through Mad Decent.

AAZAR

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The phenomenal British duo, KOAN Sound, have returned once again to deliver their next EP installment, Dynasty. This stream begins with their first track “7th Dimension” which creates such a perfect funky atmosphere only to shift into the mad dubstep vibe of “Dynasty“. As “Infinite Funk” takes over, we are presented with yet another track with a funky drop for you to get lost in. Returning to their beautiful sound foundations, the EP will finish off with their last track, “Lost In Thought“, which captivates fans with its incredibly chill feel and lovely sounds. Set to release on April 1st through Skrillex’s monster label, OWSLA. Enjoy!

KOAN Dynasty EP (Preview) | Pre-Order

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Tracklist:

1. 7th Dimension
2. Dynasty
3. Infinite Funk
4. Lost In Thought

Koan Sound

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There was a good period of time where my life was constantly haunted by Phuture Doom: I would spend my days searching for their true identities, trying to solve every riddle they left on their website, and reading countless forums and blogs to try and figure out what the f*ck the group even was and why they were making music to begin with. But after a while I gave up hope.

Since the release of their self-titled debut LP (along with The Book of Nightfall), the trio of OWSLAnauts have been scarcely seen. With the help of Revolver Magazine, Phuture Doom released a 30-minute mix entitled “Limbs of the Network,” which left anything but satisfied. The mix, made up of breakbeat and white noise, was more annoying than enjoyable… but I think that was the point. 

Phuture Doom – Limbs of the Network:

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Yesterday, about a month after Limbs of the Network was released, I saw a post on Instagram from the group that finally had me interested. It was a picture as puzzling as anything else the group has released: a distorted picture of radio towers and a barbed wire fence with a house and giant plume of smoke in the background.. a radioactive testing facility or possible a jail?

The caption for the image: “T̸̕R҉̡A̢N͞SMÌS̡҉S̛͘I҉̸̸O͜N 0̡1̀ + 32.133333,-106.597222 phuturism.org”

Luckily, one of the comments lead me to a private version of a “track” consisting of, you guessed it, white noise, radio transmission, and some hardcore breakbeat. I’d share the private link, but it’s literally the same sounds you’ll here by going to Phuturism.org.

Could this be a sign of a new EP or single on the way? Maybe the group is finally getting ready to head out on tour? My guess is probably the former, seeing as the trio likes their identity to remain completely unknown. Whether it’s a new track or a tour, I’m sure Phuture Doom has something epic in store for us all.

 Phuture Doom

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The post Catching Up With Phuture Doom: Limbs of the Network & Transmission 01 appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

The tune is a vibe-setting, bouncy cut that is dripping wet with bubbly synths and mellow bass-lines layered throughout.  JB’s latest tasty treat incorporates an ultra-catchy hook that will surely continue to bounce around in your head, after one quick listen.  The video, premiered via Thump features everyone from Skrillex to veterans like Skream and Benga. Nadastrom’s Dave Nada, bass-maestro AC Slater, as well as Dirty Bird‘s Justin Martin all lend a hand too, featured in some candid footage of the modern-day rock star life. Appearances by BBC taste-maker Annie Mac, Flux Pavillion, and Mad Decent‘s mad scientist Diplo, all help make for an enticing music video as well.

Jack Beats gives us a quick glimpse of what life behind the decks is like with the official video for “Beatbox.” Quickly hopping between frames, the viewer is taken from packed clubs to festival tents, on the road, and into green rooms with this fresh, immersive new video.

Check out the video for “Beatbox” and get down with some of your favorite DJs. The bumping new video should hold you over until “Beatbox” is officially released on March 18th via OWSLA. Cheers.

Jack Beats

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Preorder “Beatbox” here!

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