We here at JNTM are beyond excited to introduce a new series called Just A Mix… which will feature some of the best young talent from across the world. Every month we’ll spotlight a different producer who is on their way to becoming the next big thing.

The first installment of Just A Mix… features one of the hardest working up-and-comers I’ve ever had the pleasure of communicating with, Shintaro Yasuda. I was first introduced to Shintaro by our JNTM homie, BRAZZABELLE, who has been working closely with Shintaro. I got a chance to ask Shintaro some questions in addition to getting the inaugural installment of Just A Mix…

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Download the very first installment of Just A Mix… right here. 

JNTM: Who was the first electronic artist that you listened to that made you want to start producing/DJing? Who still inspires you to this day?

Shintaro Yasuda: There were three songs that I remember that made me want to start producing electronic music. Chuckie’s “Let the Bass Kick” which I heard for the first time at my high school prom haha. It blew my mind.

The other two were Laidback Luke and Steve Angello’s remake of “Show Me Love” and Steve Aoki’s “Warp 1.9”

All of these producers still inspire me today because they’ve all been successful and have created their own signature sound, while still evolving with the progression and style changes of today’s music.

JNTM: Give us some background on yourself and your history working in music.

SY: I started at the age of 3 as a classically and jazz trained pianist in Miami. My career was focused on piano performance up until a few years ago. I’ve played in many bands, orchestras, solo performances, and as a studio musician.

I’ve picked up on a few instruments including guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, and clarinet. I then moved to LA where I attended school for audio engineering.

JNTM: What do you think the hardest thing is about getting started/getting your name out there, etc?

SY: Everything! Being able to stand out of the crowd can definitely be a challenge among the sea of producers and DJs especially when you’re trying to get your first few tracks heard.

JNTM: Do you think collaboration is a big part of getting your foot in the door? Why or why not?

SY: Absolutely. I found a lot of my growth as a producer was from being able to sit in a room with another producer and work on a track.

It’s always refreshing to learn and see how another individual’s approach to creating or editing can teach you to look at things differently and you can always pick up on a couple tips and tricks. It’s also more fun to be sitting in a studio with someone than being alone for 12 hours haha.

JNTM: What’s one of the biggest moments you had in 2013? What do you look forward to in 2014?

SY: Definitely opening up my own studio out here in LA was one the best things of 2013. Also meeting and getting a ton of feedback and support from producers and DJs I admire has been amazing!

2014 will be a busy year and I’m looking forward to be releasing a bunch of tracks and coming to a city near you! I also look forward to just be growing as a musician, producer, and person.

JNTM: Who are some of your favorite artists right now? EDM or not.

SY: Some of my favorite EDM artists that I’m really into right now are Brazzabelle, GTA, Wiwek, D.O.D, Juyen Sebulba, Laidback Luke, Autoerotique, Steve Aoki and Nervo. Some non EDM artists that I’m really into are Jojo, Leah Labelle, Tori Kelly, and Nikki Yanofsky.

I’ve been nostalgic lately so I’ve been listening to 90s/2000s Pop and Hip-hop.

JNTM: The EDM culture as a whole has been growing exponentially over the past few years — what are your thoughts on that? Do you think it’s a good thing or potentially a bad thing?

SY: I think it’s amazing. It’s great to see music I enjoy creating and listen to grow and become more popular by the day in all parts of the world.

JNTM: What’s one of the most embarrassing things to have happened to you on stage? How did you recover?

SY: Being as clumsy as I am, I remember playing keys in a gig once and spilled a drink all over my gear and had to stop in the middle of playing to switch out a keyboard haha.

JNTM: What do your parents think of you being a producer/DJ? Are they caught up on the culture and do they understand/support what you’re doing?

SY: My parents have always supported me since the day I picked up an instrument. My dad’s an old fashioned Japanese father so I don’t think he understands the culture but he’s always supported me in everything I do as long as I’m putting in the right work ethic.

JNTM: If you could have any other profession other than producing/djing what would it be and why?

That’s a tough one because all I’ve ever known was music but I did play paintball at a pro level for a while so maybe that. I also like arguing so maybe a lawyer haha!

The post JNTM Exclusive: Just A Mix… Episode 01 – Shintaro Yasuda [Free Download] appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

Hello friends,

My name is David Klemow, I am a new contributor to the JustNoiseToMe team, and I am looking forward to serving up some funky good stuff for you to get down to. I am 21 years young living in beautiful Tucson, Arizona. I am in my senior year at the University of Arizona, where the weather is warm and the good times are always rolling. We are all here because its all about the music, but before I get into any of that, I’ll let you in on a little bit more about myself.

First, my favorite drink in the entire world is water. I love water; the fresh, cool, deliciously crisp taste of water in unmatched by anything and I consider that a huge part of who I am. Second, an equally core element of my being, is that I am the world’s greatest Dachshund lover, and I take wiener dogs very seriously. I like to think of myself as rugged, although most of my friends would consider me sensitive. I am like a bull in a china shop when it comes to Super Smash Bros on N64. I like to pretend I am a world famous DJ, but most of those daydreams are played out in my boxers blasting bass music in my bedroom. Most importantly about me though, is that I live for dance music and I am proud to have a place where I’ll be able to share my thoughts with other fans.

I love dance music from all across the spectrum. Everyone from Justice to Dog Blood, What So Not to Paper Diamond, Major Lazer, Dillon Francis, A-Trak, Zeds Dead, Wolfgang Gartner, and everything in between. I can’t list all my favorite producers here, the list is lengthy. My love for electronic music spans across trap music, nu-disco, big room house, dubstep, dance hall, and electro-house. I have an unhealthy obsession with Skrillex, similar to “Beiber fever” or whatever. It actually gets a little weird. Too many times have I stood in front of the mirror with my buzzers wondering if I could pull off his haircut– I always back out at the last second.

I have traveled far and wide devouring dance music everywhere from small clubs to enormous festivals, and I hope to one day make that my big boy job. I actually had the pleasure of accompanying our fearless leader and lifelong friend Sam on an epic trip to Lights All Night and Snowglobe in the end of 2013. The best way to describe my taste and my undying love for this music would be to offer up my favorite 15 tracks on my iPod as of now. Check them out, drop me a line if you feel some of these grooves, and get excited for what we have coming. Feel free to follow me on twitter too @daverighteous1. Lastly, I will propose the following. Keep an open mind and give everything a listen. You might find that what is “just noise to me,” could be your next favorite song. And that is the name of the game.

Lets get this party rockin’,

Dave

Follstradamus x DJ Slink – Crowd CTRL

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/85335508″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Plastik Funk & Tujamo – Who (Victor Niglio Festival Trap Remix)

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What So Not – Jaguar

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Birdy Nam Nam – Goin’ In (Skrillex Goin’ Down Mix)

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Major Lazer – Bubble Butt (Boombox Cartel Rework)

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GTA – The Crowd

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Duck Sauce – Radio Stero

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Brillz – Buckwild feat. Teddy Tuxedo (Bro Safari and UFO Remix)

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/124929225″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Miguel – Do You… (Cashmere Cat Remix)

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J.Rabbit – Tequila Remix

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Dillon Francis feat. TEED – Without You

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Kill The Noise – Roots (Brillz Remix)

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Chromeo – Night By Night

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SolSelectas – Jump Around (Sabo’s Moombahstep Edit)

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Paper Diamond – They Can’t Tell Me Nothing

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Enjoy my friends!

The post Say “Hi” To Dave. appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

An unknown powerhouse of musical talent, Jackson “Hiperact” Taylor, has finally unloaded his first full-length album “Shadow Games” that’s been two years in the making.

I’m especially stoked on this release because Jackson is one of my best friends and roommate for the past three years. He’s been grinding for countless hours in attempt to find his sound, and with the passion that he brings to his producing, he’s finally “ready to be heard.”

Drawing from influences like Sub Focus and Figure, this album is full of hard-hitting bass and massive synths all the way through, and is not for the weak of heart. Do yourself a solid and make sure to throw on some headphones, and turn up!

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Jackson first dabbled with production over the summer before his junior year of high school. He woke up the morning after a party to his mom telling him that he smelled like beer. The rest of the summer seemed like a bust, as grounding was inevitable in his Mormon household.

But instead of moping around the house all day, Jackson harnessed “the feeling I got when I turned my first boom box up all the way,” and started his journey down the music pathway under the alias “Mac J” utilizing his hip-hop roots to “record endless ballads to vent about whatever emotion I was learning at the time.”

Mac J slowly transitioned into his current alias, Hiperact, when he was first exposed to the EDM world at POP 2010 at the Cow Palace in Daly City. Notorious names like Fedde Le Grand, Benny Benassi and Armin Van Buuren showed Jackson for the first time “the energy that true fans can generate through the power of music… I had to make the crowd move like that.”

Download Hiperact — Shadow Games for free right here. 

After attending Sonoma State for a semester and promoting his music, he was faced with a tough decision as his parents, “gave me a choice kind of like the one Neo was given in the Matrix… I was given a choice between a blue and red pill… between staying at Sonoma for another semester, or coming home to attend community college with the perk of $3,000 towards music equipment.” He took the road less traveled and “went home to attend Sierra College and start really mixing and producing EDM.”

When asked if he ever looked back, or had second thoughts about leaving the college lifestyle he said, “It was really tough leaving my friends behind, especially all the ones I met throughout the Greek network. The way I saw it, it was either drink and study to get a degree, or follow my love for music and be proactive with my life.”

After finishing up at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo last semester, Jackson is fully dedicated to his music, and tells us to “Look out for some big singles in the future, cause there’s some gold in the vault.”

For more on Hiperact, check him out on Facebook, YouTube, and SoundCloud.

The post Hiperact — Shadow Games [Free Download] appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

After doing some more digging, I found that Banginclude had been featured on Mad Decent and had some incredible remixes of DJ Snake, LOUDPVCK, and Nadastrom.

I was able to ask Banginclude some questions about his background, taste in music, and his thoughts on EDM. What I got in return was an extensive look inside what I think will be one of the biggest new artists behind one the biggest new genres of the year.

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Just Noise To Me: Who was the first electronic artist that you listened to that made you want to start producing/DJing? Who still inspires you to this day?

Banginclude: Oddly enough it was a band that inspired me to start making music — Yo La Tengo. They made some of the most beautiful and passionate music and did it for the love of their craft, not to get rich or anything like that. Listening to them really made me understand how powerful it is to make music. So i started making it.

Today, I’m all over the place. Moombahton is definitely my favorite. I’m into anything that has a ton of groove and has a party feel to it. Lovin’ Zouk Bass as well. Zouk Bass has really opened me up to a lot of  different styles from Portugal and Africa. One guy that I’ve really been feeling is Nigga Fox.

Also, DZC is a crew from Portugal, they make some really good music, very sexy stuff. On the American side of things, Champion Rocka is killin’ it in the Moombah scene. Grandtheft is consistently puttin’ out fire. Dunno, so much good stuff comin out. Been listenin’ to a lot of hip hop. That Cali Hyphy and Jerk stuff… too fun not to listen to.

JNTM: Give us some background on yourself and your history working in music.

B: I don’t play any instruments. Growing up a lot of my friends were in bands so I was always around music and going to shows and stuff. I started off making music on the computer. I was always good with computers so it seemed a natural fit.

For work these days I work at a DJ and production school. Along with working and making music, I’m studying how to infiltrate this music scene

JNTM: What do you think the hardest thing is about getting started/getting your name out there, etc?

B: There’s so much music out there… and a ton of great music. It’s crazy, you dig through SoundCloud and you hear amazing next level tracks that have only a few plays.

Its upsetting at times seeing this, but the thing is nowadays, part of being an artist is getting your name out there for yourself. We have to spend time figuring out ways to get people to listen to our music and more than that, get the right people listening.

Luckily a lot of the right people are on social media, so it’s pretty easy to figure out what they’re looking for.

JNTM: Describe what Zouk/Zouk Bass is. How did you get into producing this genre of music and where do you think it’s going? Do you think Zouk will have a big year in 2014?

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B: Zouk Bass seems to be loosely based on the down tempo flavors of Zouk: Tarraxo, Tarrachina, Kizomba. Usually Zouk Bass tracks fall in the 85-100 BPM range.

In most dance genres, there is a specific beat that somewhat dictates the genre. For example with Moombahton, you have the dembow, with Dubstep you have the dub or reggea rhythm… Zouk Bass has a few since there are many flavors of Zouk.

One of the strengths of ZB is that most of the artists producing Zouk have an original sound to their productions. I never thought about it before but you could actually make sub genres  for each artist putting out ZB tracks.

For instance, you have someone like Insane Fennel whose stuff is super soundtrack-esque, JSTJR, whose stuff has this laid back, grind feel to it. DJ Riots stuff whose stuff is just crazy, but slays the dance floor…

Me, for the most part I try to focus on the groove and make something that will fit in at parties I play.

As for success for the genre in 2014, I think it will keep evolving nicely. There are a couple big projects that I am aware of that which in which Zouk Bass is the lead role.

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JNTM: What’s one of the biggest moments you had in 2013? What do you look forward to in 2014?

B: Ill say just as a whole I’m into small goals, so things like working with different artists that i respect, hearing from people that enjoy my music, being part of compilations…

A bunch of up and coming producers and myself started a crew (Globetrotters Crew)  and put together and released a pretty darn good compilation,( Global Bass Allstars vol 1). That was pretty awesome.

Just this past month myself and a bunch of other NYC artists started a collective, Tempo NYC. We plan on promoting local and like-minded artists as well as pushing global bass here in NY. Our first event is coming up soon. Just gotta keep things fresh.

JNTM: Who are some of your favorite artists right now? EDM or not.

B: I listen to a lot of different music these days. Been really into a lot of the stuff comin’ out of Africa, E.L. is nuts, Sarkodie is a pretty sick MC w a real nasty flow, love most of the stuff that Principe Disco puts out. Ckrono and Slesh are always puttin’ out next level stuff on the global front. Ape Drums is super nasty. The Pack, they’re broken up but still great stuff and is super relevant now. So much great stuff out there.

JNTM: The EDM culture as a whole has been growing exponentially over the past few years — what are your thoughts on that? Do you think it’s a good thing or potentially a bad thing?

B: There’s good and bad to everything. One good is that there is more of an audience for these styles. That means more opportunity. Bad is that its being monetized, anytime lots of money is involved intentions shift a bit in favor of money and art suffers.

JNTM: What do your parents think of you being a producer/DJ? Are they caught up on the culture and do they understand/support what you’re doing?

B: I got real lucky in that I have amazing parents who support me with anything I do. I could play my mother me burping with a beat behind it and she would tell me its the best song in the world. My dad is cool with it as well. He sees that I love doing this and that is all he can ask for.

JNTM: If you could have any other profession other than producing/djing what would it be and why?

B: Maybe porn? Prob wouldnt do it if it came down to it but thats really the only thing I can think of right now. Def something where I’m not in an office or driving.

For more on Banginclude, and all of his many upcoming projects, check him out of Facebook, Twitter, and SoundCloud

The post Artist Spotlight: Banginclude appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

After releasing remixes for DCup, Wave Racer, and Oso Gato, Slumberjack spent their first year together showcasing their DJing talents at Australian festivals like Wonderland, Club Paradiso, and Stereosonic, and will continue into the next year with shows all across their native country.

We were able to ask Morgan and Fletcher some questions regarding the origins of this project, being an independent artist on the rise, and what it’s like being one of the front runners of the Australian EDM movement.

JNTM: What got you both into producing? Was there a particular artist, album, or event that made you interested in producing/djing?

Slumberjack: Fletch: I got into electronic music when I first heard the Boys Noize track Lava Lava. I went and bought a copy of Sony Acid and started making my first (extremely hacky) tracks. It took me almost 6 years of jumping around different genres to find the sound that I really wanted to produce.

Morgan: My musical journey started when I begged my parents to let me pick up the classical piano. With that said, I was also always drawn towards mainstream pop and hip-hop production. Not long after I heard what the guys like The Neptunes and Timbaland did on Justin Timberlake’s “Justified” album, I got myself a copy of Sony Acid as well!

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JNTM: How did you two meet?

Slumberjack: We met at the Perth Dance Music Awards last year. We both won the Into The Limelite DJ Competition consecutively (Fletch in 2011 and Morgan in 2012) so we decided to suss each other out. We got in the studio a couple of times and with just a couple of tracks under our belt decided to make it an official project.

JNTM: How has being friends helped with the production process? Is it any easier or harder than producing alone?

Slumberjack: When there are two brains in the studio, tracks tend to get completed a lot faster. When you’re by yourself, you often hit a wall with a track and it’ll end up sitting on your hard drive and never get finished.

Now though, if we hit a wall, we’ll just flick the project over to the other person and they can keep working and maybe add those few little bits that open a new direction for the track so we can keep working.

JNTM: Who are some of your favorite artists right now, EDM or not?

Slumberjack: We really love Ludovico Einaudi, a pianist and composer. We study up on his chord progressions and melodies and have even sampled one of his pieces for the title track of our forthcoming EP.

On the electronic side of things, we’re loving the gritty sounds of What So Not and Mr Carmack as well as the smooth vibes coming from guys like Renz and Sable.

JNTM: There is this incredible thing happening right now with Australian artists becoming more and more popular in the US. Artists like Flume/What So Not, Wave Racer, and yourselves are getting tons more recognition out here. What’s going on down there that we should know about? Describe this movement as best as you can.

Slumberjack: Not going to lie, it’s pretty wicked! Being from Perth, there is significant physical separation between us and all the acts over on the East Coast but it’s definitely a “we’re in this together” kind of vibe and we all keep in touch via the wonder of the internet.

Each city has their own handful of acts which we were stoked to be able to meet when we flew over to Sydney for the Electronic Music Conference at the start of December.

JNTM: With that, it seems as though all of the previously mentioned artists pull from the same style — almost this “Love Trap” style pulling from slowed down almost hip hop beats with HUGE airy synths. If you could, describe this genre that’s beginning to show from Australian artists.

Slumberjack: It’s pretty hard to put it in words really. In its very essence, we see it as a lovechild of a multitude of genres all thrown into a musical cocktail.

Unlike most “EDM” genres where the main focus is a club-oriented “drop”, we think the producers of this new wave of music tend to produce without any preconceived notions on the direction of the finished record.  They tend to write much like any other conventional musician would and without sounding too cheesy, they let it flow from within.

JNTM: How would you describe your music in your own words?

Slumberjack: A mixture of future garage and hip-hop with a touch of jazz thrown in.

JNTM: What do you think the biggest differences are between the ‘EDM’ scene in Australia and the US?

Slumberjack: There’s no doubt that EDM is exploding all over the world but to be honest, we haven’t seen enough yet to make a judgment. It would definitely be cool if we could do a few shows in the US to get a vibe of the scene there.

JNTM: What’s the most important part about being independent producers on the rise? What are some challenges you’ve faced? What’s the most enjoyable? Is there anything you try to tell yourselves as you work towards bigger things?
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Slumberjack: We reckon the most important part about being independent producers is setting realistic goals.  For example, we have to accept the fact that many labels won’t reply to emails and there will be blogs that won’t like our material enough to push it.

We also constantly remind ourselves that we need to stick with own sound despite being tempted to do what’s popular. Having said that, when label’s do reply with positive feedback and the blogs do feature our tracks on their platforms, we feel a sense of accomplishment and pride.

We prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

JNTM: With that, what ‘bigger things’ do you both strive to accomplish?

Slumberjack: We’re definitely working towards expanding our fan base to the other side of the country so we can take our live show on a full Australian tour. We’re also pretty keen on the idea of eventually doing an album, but that is quite some time into the future.

JNTM: What advice would you give to someone(s) that wants to be doing what you guys are doing? What advice would you give yourselves if you could go back in time?

Don’t ever doubt yourself! If we could go back in time, we’d tell past Fletcher and Morgan the same.

JNTM: What’s coming up for Slumberjack? Any upcoming mixes, tracks, or tour dates?

Slumberjack: We’ve got quite a bit coming up! We’re taking on a summer residency at Sydney’s FBi Radio along with a few other Australian acts and are playing a hoard of shows around Western Australia over the new year break (details on our Facebook page).

We’re also working on our first EP which will be out early next year along with a few collaborations with really talented guys we’ve met over the months.

JNTM: When can we expect to see you guys in the US?

Slumberjack: Soon hopefully – we’d like to expand to the rest of Australia first and then move outwards and upwards! Like we mentioned above, it would be a hell of an experience to travel to the US for shows.

JNTM: A question we always ask: If you guys could have any profession in the world besides producing/djing, what would it be and why?

Slumberjack: Morgan:  I’d be a professional sessionist. I probably wouldn’t pick anything not related to music. I just simply cannot imagine life without it!

Fletch: I’d definitely be an astronaut. I know it’s kind of a kiddy dream, but floating in space, come on!

Slumberjack: Facebook // Twitter // SoundCloud

The post Artist Spotlight: Slumberjack appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

TurtleGravy loves eating cookie butter from Trader Joe’s, watching French New Wave Films, and having dreadlocks. He also enjoys “slangin’ DSLRs at Best Buy.”  We were able to ask Quinn some more questions about his taste in music, favorite artists, and much more.

The post Welcome to the JNTM Team, Quinn! appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

We caught up with Zak to find out a little bit more about one of our new contributors.

JNTM: Who are some of your favorite producers right now?

Zak: I’m really into GRiZ right now, Breakbot is a favorite of mine, [as well as] Oliver.  Anything with some funk in there.

JNTM: If you could see any DJ/artist perform live, who would it be?

Zak: I missed Gesaffelstien at HARD Summer, and I’ve been getting into him lately. So, that’s the first thing that comes to mind.  Wouldn’t mind seeing Dillon Francis again soon either.

JNTM: What’s the last show/festival you went to? Who was your favorite artist there?

Zak: HARD Day of the Dead.  And this is a tough question; with so many artists, it’s tough.  However, Pretty Lights really vibed with me in a surprising way.  The groovy subtleties in his set really got me moving.  Jack Beats was also surprisingly heavy.

JNTM: What are some genres you really like and some you really hate? Any that you hate you like?

Zak: For a long time, I was the guy who fully denounced electronic music.  I saw a lack of live instruments as a huge weakness in the music, like so many people do.  It wasn’t until I discovered the emotion and creativity that can be unlocked with the limitless sort of potential that EDM provides that I fell in love.

That being said, I still have an affinity for live instruments fused with electronic music.  GRiZ’s Rebel Era is a perfect embodiment of this.  Funk, groove, soul.

But hey, who doesn’t like to go hard?  Dog Blood, Bassnectar, Zomboy, ect…

Hate?  I’d have to go with trance.  I can stick with it for a few minutes, but 8 minutes into the same beat, and I get bored.  Maybe that makes me an uncultured neanderthal, I don’t know.

Hate that I like? I’ve heard it called “brostep”; That slow, 1-2 beat that Skrillex is all about.  Entry-level? Maybe.  Dope? Probably.

JNTM: If you could produce a track or DJ with any producer who would it be and why?

Zak: As far as him musical prowess, I’m not sure, but It’d be an absolute riot to spend a day with Dillon Francis. Ooh, or Gary Richards (Destructo).  That guy knows everything.

Want to join Zak on the JNTM team? Send us a message on Facebook and we’ll be in touch!

The post Welcome to the JNTM team, Zak! appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

We here at JNTM are very excited to welcome Raffi to the writer staff!  Raffi is a Los Angeles resident studying Computer Science at California State University, Northridge.

When Raffi isn’t writing for Just Noise to Me, he enjoys swimming, exercising, watching movies and shows. Let’s take a look at what else he had to say about himself.

JNTM: Who are some of your favorite producers/DJs right now?

Raffi: Feed Me, Deadmau5, Adventure Club, Carnage, Mat Zo, Armin Van Buuren, Datsik, Kaskade, Ummet Ozcan and Flux Pavilion would be a handful.

JNTM: If you could see any DJ/artist perform live, who would it be?

Raffi: I would probably have to go with the Mau5 on this one.

JNTM: If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Raffi: I really admire Europe. One of my choices would be Ibiza.

JNTM: What are some genres you really like and some that you really hate? Any that you hate you like?

Raffi: I could say I like mostly everything in the electronic sub-genres: trap-style, trance, electro house, dubstep, and progressive house.

I am very selective when it comes to drum n’ bass tracks. I’m not sure why. I do enjoy classical, rock, and some hip-hop/rap too. Country music and most pop tracks on the radio are not for me.

JNTM: What’s one thing you’re willing to admit that most people don’t know about you?

Raffi: While sharing this much love for electronic dance music, I never got around to going to an Insomniac event yet. This is my goal!

Want to join Raffi on the Just Noise to Me team? Send us a message on our Facebook page and we’ll get back to you! 

The post Welcome to the JNTM Team, Raffi! appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

Vancouver native Sleepy Tom has been making huge waves in the EDM scene for the past few years. With some heavy-hitting remixes, including his “Set it Off” remix which appeared on Diplo’s Express Yourself Remix album, Sleepy Tom’s work has been featured in live sets of DJ’s like Felix Cartal, Botnek, and Zeds Dead.

His newest EP The Currency is a collection of tracks that break through the boundaries of genre labels and instill hope for EDM fans who have given up on the likelihood of anything original surfacing onto the scene.

We had a chance to ask Sleepy Tom a few questions about his musical influences, what it’s like working with A-Trak, and what’s in store for the future of electronic music.

Just Noise to Me: What got you into producing?

Sleepy Tom: Music has always been a big interest of mine. I grew up playing guitar in rock bands and started writing songs at a pretty young age. My cousins had Reason on their computer, so I think that was my introduction to production. I’d just screw around with the drum machine in there and make loops.

It wasn’t really until 2008 that I really dove into it. I started listening to a lot more electronic music before then. Crystal Castles, MSTRKRFT, Justice etc. and when the whole remix culture blew up I was like, I think I could do this.

JNTM: Who are your favorite artists right now? EDM or not.

ST: Miguel, Oliver, Cashmere Cat, Tame Impala, Kendrick Lamar.

JNTM: As a producer who isn’t really restricted to any specific genre, where do you see the electronic movement moving?

ST: Music with a little more grit and attitude. Less “shiny.” I hear a lot of the old rave elements coming back into dance music, which is tiiiiight.

JNTM: What’s your favorite part about releasing your album on Fool’s Gold?

ST: Having been a fan of the label for several years makes it pretty special. They put so much love into every release they do. Nick [Catchdubs] and Alain [A-trak] picked through all my demos and chose whats on “The Currency.” Having them as filters has really helped me to focus in on what works in my productions and what makes them unique.

JNTM: Being from Vancouver, what can you tell us about the EDM scene in Canada?

ST: It’s big! You can see big name DJs on a weekly basis and BC has a bunch of great electronic music festivals during the summer. There’s always cool new producers popping up in Vancouver too.

JNTM: What software do you prefer to use when producing? Abelton? Logic?

ST: Logic

JNTM: What can we expect for Sleepy Tom as for as touring, another EP, remixes?

ST: I’ll be doing some touring in the fall. Not sure where yet, but it’s getting put together. I’ve got a bunch of remixes coming out this summer for some very cool artists. There will be another EP eventually…

JNTM: Just for fun, if you weren’t a producer, what would your dream job be?

ST:  Basketball player. HOOP DREAMS!

For more on Sleepy Tom, check him out at these fine social media outlets:

twitter.com/reallysleepytom

facebook.com/reallysleepytom

The post Artist Spotlight: Sleepy Tom appeared first on Just Noise To Me.