For over fifteen years, the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience has been packing in thousands of artists and probably millions of fans into the Louisiana City Park for what has to be the most impressive music festival east of the Mississippi.

This year is no exception, as the Voodoo Music Festival will be bringing top-billing artists like Outkast, Foo Fighters, Skrillex, Arctic Monkeys, Zedd, Pretty Lights, and TONS of other artists belonging to genres ranging from EDM to Rock to Metal to Funk. Good lord.

Taking place at the City Park just south of Lake Pontchartrain from October 31st to November 2nd in beautiful New Orleans, Voodoo will be by far and away the best way to celebrate Halloween.

Voodoo Music + Arts Experience 2014 Lineup

Foo Fighters // Outkast // Skrillex // Arctic Monkeys

Zedd // Pretty Lights // Thirty Second To Mars // Slayer // Awolnation // Rise Against

Flux Pavilion // Fedde Le Grand // Gogol Bordello // Death From Above 1979 // City And Colour

Claude Vonstroke // Manchester Orchestra // Galantis // Booka Shade (DJ Set) // Pete Tong

Twenty One Pilots // Thomas Gold // Action Bronson // Trombone Shorty & New Orleans Ave

Melvins // Bleachers // Griz // Congorock // Fishbone // MAK J // Fuel // Herobust // Le Youth

Big Freedia // Givers // Rebirth Brass Band // Red Baraat // Barcelona // Thomas Newson

The Wild Feathers // Wild Cub // Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors // Royal Teeth // Bonerama

Soul Rebels // Barely Alive // Trent Cantrelle // Manic Focus // World/Inferno Friendship Society

The London Souls // Peelander-Z // Lindsay Lowend // Astir // Flow Tribe // The Tontons

Honey Island Swamp Band // Sturgill SImpson // Benjamin Booker // Desert Noises

Dirty Bourbon River Show // Bo Ningen // Tysson // Quintron and Miss Pussycat // Yung Nation

Speak // Hello Negro // Carmine P. Filthy & A Boy Named Ruth

Church with Unicorn Fukr & Innerlign // Veridia // Naughty Professor // Crass Mammoth

Luxley // St. Cecilia’s Asylum Chorus // Marchfourth Marching Band

and many more!

Buy tickets for Voodoo Music + Arts Experience 2014 right here, and use the password “VOODOO” for a limited time, presale special!

For more information, stay tuned to Just Noise To Me and don’t forget to check out Voodoo online, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

The post Voodoo Music + Arts Experience 2014 Lineup Announcement appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

Pretty Lights is at the forefront of the EDM scene at the moment– in the last year, he’s run a record label and released a hugely innovative and popular album, as well as several awesome singles.  His last album, A Color Map of the Sun, brought a calm, yet enticing vibe to the otherwise loud and in-your-face sea of dubstep artists.  I liked it so much in fact, that it secured number three on my list of the top 5 albums of 2013.

That’s why I was so stoked to see that Derek Smith had a little bit more up his sleeve after the release of ACMOTS.  Yesterday, Smith released a “b-side” that didn’t quite make it on the album, appropriately named “Lost and Found”.

The song is a smooth and fresh continuation of the rest of the album, and with samples so groovy, it’s a wonder it got thrown out in the first place.  Either way, we’re glad he dug it up.

Download the album here.

The post Pretty Lights’ Unreleased B-Side — Lost and Found appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

Needless to say, Gramatik is ready to let his music speak for itself, and so are we.

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The beats are as heavy as ever, and the grooves are just as fresh and funky.  This one’ll be on repeat around the Just Noise To Me offices until something more intense and bodacious comes around.

Love it? Hate it? Let us know below.

The post Gramatik Drops “The Age of Reason” Despite Leaks appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

Disclaimer Part 2: Singles and short EPs didn’t make the cut for this list, there would simply be too much to consider.

Disclaimer Part 3: You’re getting tired of disclaimers, I know.  It’s a little late for a best of 2013 post, and I realize that.  But I needed the time to gather my thoughts, okay?

It was a massive year for EDM.  We saw the rise and fall of trends, the emergence of new artists and the dissolving of old.  Through it all, some artists really pulled themselves together to create masterpieces which broke trends, made us take a step back, and really think about where our music is headed.  I had a huge amount of fun discovering and sharing the diverse sounds of 2013, but there were just a few albums that really stuck with me.  Albums that I had on repeat for weeks on end.  These are my top five.

5. Aleph By Gesaffelstien

French House producer Gesaffelstien saw a big rise in popularity in 2013, from his collaboration on  Kanye West’s Yeezus, alongside big names like Daft Punk and Brodinski.  He also found a huge following with his remixes, taking on huge songs like Lana Del Rey’s Blue Jeans, and Justice’s Helix.  His hard-hitting, dark industrial style was a refreshing change of pace from the upbeat, happy-go-lucky vibe that was prominent in EDM in 2013.  Gesaffelstien’s newest album, Aleph, which was fully released in October, began to catch attention earlier on in the year with the release of “Pursuit”; an angry, progressive house song complete with unintelligible chanting, vicious beats, and intimidating melodies.  Although the album as a whole was not met with the same success as the single, Aleph’s disregard of trends in the industry and dedication to originality secures it as the number five spot on the list.

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4. Teddy Massacre by Teddy Killerz

Okay, so technically, this release is an EP.  But the exclusive tracks released alongside Teddy Massacre bumps it up to a nine-song production, making it an acceptable album-length.  These Russian producers have been around for a few years, producing small EPs and singles with a classic dub/drum and bass style.  Their newest release, Teddy Massacre, sponsored by the one and only OWSLA, made a splash with its diverse take on the horror-oriented sound made popular by juggernauts like Knife Party and Dog Blood.  Featuring songs with swing and jazz influence, supported by interesting bass lines and thick drum sounds, the Teddy Killerz proved themselves to be powerful innovators in EDM, and we hope that they continue their streak into 2014.

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3. A Color Map of the Sun by Pretty Lights

Derek Smith (better known as Pretty Lights) has long been credited for creating music that easily introduces people the concept of EDM.  His remixes of popular classics like Pink Floyd’s Time and Steve Miller Band’s Fly Like an Eagle began to turn heads and sway opinions as early as 2008.  Since then, he has become the proprietor of his own record company, Pretty Lights Music, which has gone on to sign funk-soul legends Grammatik and GRiZ, as well as push the Digital Liberation movement, encouraging artists to release their music free of charge for distribution.  In July, Pretty Lights released his newest album, A Color Map of the Sun.  Relying heavily on Smith’s gift from combining samples (all of which he created himself) with groovy beats, the album creates a pleasant, yet distinctly funky vibe front start to finish.  Although it leans slightly towards the mainstream with a premier on Conan, as well as a nomination at the Grammys, A Color Map of the Sun has cemented itself in the EDM scene as step forward for funk and soul.

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2. Random Access Memories by Daft Punk

What “Best of 2013” list would be complete without the earth-shaking release of everyone’s favorite robo-duo?  I’ll spare you the Daft Punk backstory that you’ve surely read 20 times this year, and get straight to the praise.  RAM was a massive wake-up call for EDM is 2013, proving that the bar can be raised in more ways than one.  This album collected tons of hype in the month preceding its release, and many weren’t sure what to expect.  Would Daft Punk follow the trends and progression of the genre they helped create and release a dub-centered, aggressive and heavy production? Nope. Instead, Daft Punk shocked old and new fans alike by releasing a smooth and thoughtful yet goofy album that shook the scene by its roots.  The first track off of RAM, Bring Life Back to Music perfectly summarizes their not-so obscure message, and we hope more artists will take heed of these legends in 2014.  Here’s to hoping for more ground-breaking material from the boys this year.  (Also, Coachella?)

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1. Rebel Era by GRiZ 

Grant Kwiecinski has been called a pioneer of musical expression, and that powerful, emotional expression shines bright and clear in GRiZ’s newest album, Rebel Era.  The album flaunts an air of defiance, Kwiecinski claiming it to be an act of rebellion against the oppression of capitalism, as well as a democratic government.  Besides the potent (and important) political statement carried with the production, Rebel Era contains the best combination of electronic music and live instrumentation I’ve heard thus far.  The beats in the album are, at times, slow and sensual, though the samples and horn instrumentation laid over the top build the songs in a visceral way, creating an outstanding and unavoidably danceable experience.  From the James Brown-influenced funk guitar licks to the perfectly placed and balanced electronic riffs, this album quickly became my go-to for every situation.  At parties, nobody hesitated to move to the main room and start dancing, all the while leaning over and asking “Who is this?”.  Rebel Era perfectly blended the fantastical, off-the-wall style of EDM, and the sultry, emotional style of funk and soul music.  We can only hope that GRiZ continues on his quest to liberate music, all the while keeping us on the dance floor.

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Honerable Mention: Rollercoaster by Skream (feat. Sam Frank)

I’m a massive disco-house fan, and to see Skream take a full 180 from his dubstep career to focus on disco was both hilarious and awesome.  Luckily for him, he completely nailed it, and I wouldn’t at all mind seeing Rollercoaster become the quintessential party anthem of 2014.

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So that’s it, I hope I didn’t step on too many toes.  Feel free to give your input in the comments, I’d love to hear it.  Happy 2014!

The post Zak’s Top 5 Albums of 2013 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.