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Get Ready to Launch: Countdown NYE Blasts Off at LA Convention Center
The Los Angeles Convention Center – December 31, 2025 Tickets On-Sale Now – Click here for Tickets The countdown is on! Insomniac Events is taking New Year’s Eve to interstellar heights with the 11th edition of Countdown NYE—and this year, they’re making a bold move to an electrifying new home in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. Ticket prices currently are $159.99 for GA and $239.99 for VIP. The Los Angeles Convention Center will be transformed into a sprawling cosmic universe where four massive stages pulse with energy, mysterious extraterrestrial civilizations come to life through towering art installations, and the legendary Red Light District makes its provocative return. From 7PM on New Year’s Eve until 5AM on New Year’s Day, you’ll journey through an all-night odyssey that’s quite literally out of this world. Leading the charge is house music’s meteoric sensation John Summit, whose explosive tracks have dominated dance floors worldwide. He’ll be joined by the transcendent, Grammy-nominated Above & Beyond, whose ethereal melodies have moved millions, and the legendary Pryda—Eric Prydz’s inimitable progressive alias that needs no introduction. But that’s just the beginning. Madeon strips things back with a DJ set showcasing his cinematic sounds, while SLANDER delivers their signature emotionally charged blend of bass and melody. Drum & bass titan Sub Focus promises to keep the energy at maximum velocity, complemented by Crankdat’s explosive sonics and Wuki’s genre-defying expertise. LA club disruptor AK SPORTS, viral tech house duo Ship Wrek, and high-BPM selector MPH represent the new wave, while the underground comes alive with an intimidating lineup of techno and hard dance heavyweights. Kobosil, Berlin R-Label boss Cera Khin, Tunisian selector Clara Cuvé, German force Kevin de Vries, and fan-favorite techno titan Shlømo will deliver relentless, hard-hitting performances that push boundaries. Rising stars round out the roster with quick-climbing acts like southstar, Starjunk 95, Gravagerz, Close Friends Only, Marie Nyx, AR/CO, and OdyMel ready to make their mark as the clock strikes midnight. Wander through the convention center’s transformation into an immersive cosmic playground, raise a glass of bubbly champagne beneath towering art installations, and lose yourself in the mystery of extraterrestrial civilizations. And for those seeking something a little more risqué, the Red Light District returns to bring its provocative atmosphere back to the heart of the celebration. GA and VIP passes are available now at Countdown’s official website. VIP Headliners (21+ only) can elevate their experience with expedited entry, exclusive viewing areas, and premium food and beverage options throughout the festival. This New Year’s Eve, don’t just celebrate—launch into 2025 with Countdown NYE’s most ambitious cosmic journey yet. Countdown NYE 2025 Lineup (A-Z) Above & Beyond AK SPORTS AR/CO Cera Khin Clara Cuvé Close Friends Only Crankdat Discovery Project Gravagerz Hedex John Summit Kevin de Vries Kobosil Madeon (DJ Set) Marie Nyx MPH Odymel Pryda Ship Wrek Shlømo SLANDER southstar Starjunk 95 Sub Focus Wuki View the full article
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Wahid Bayar on Cultural Fusion and Latest Single, “Summer Love
Injecting his own cultural roots into his music, Wahid Bayar has dropped a new single, “Summer Love.” The Afghan-Dutch artist has stripped away the ornate production that sometimes bogs down crossover records, instead operating on a simpler frequency. Unpretentious warmth meets competent craftsmanship in the new track, which blends house rhythms with breezy production that sounds like sunshine after a long winter. Bayar’s East-meets-West approach finds comfortable middle ground between traditional Afghan melodic sensibilities and Western pop structures. His background in hip-hop fusion and theater occasionally surfaces in unexpected rhythmic pockets, excavating deeper wells of creativity than a post-summer single typically demands. We caught up with Bayar to chat about the influences behind “Summer Love” and what’s next for the artist. EDM.com: You recently won the Gold Medal at the 2025 Global International Music Competition – Open Category, Versatile Musician Division. How does this honor shape your vision for future EDM and cross-cultural projects? Wahid Bayar: This award validates my approach to combining multiple music styles, including hip-hop, pop, classical and world music. It motivates me to push boundaries and collaborate on projects that integrate electronic music with dance and theatre for global audiences. EDM.com: “Summer Love” bursts with energy. How has your background in dance and theatre influenced this EDM track, and how do you translate emotion into electronic music? Wahid Bayar: Dance and theatre have taught me to turn emotion into rhythm. In “Summer Love,” I fuse EDM with hip-hop and world music. The melody expresses the emotion, while the rhythm supports it, creating an immersive experience that resonates even without a live audience. EDM.com: Since 2000, you’ve appeared on worldwide stages as a dancer, choreographer, composer and producer, earning international recognition. How have these experiences shaped the way you integrate movement, music and storytelling in your EDM and cross-cultural projects? Wahid Bayar: Movement, music and storytelling are at the core of my creative DNA. Performing globally in theatre has taught me to blend rhythm, emotion and energy to craft experiences that resonate with diverse audiences. Often, I create music inspired by choreography, or choreograph to existing tracks—each medium feeding the other. This holistic approach shapes my EDM and cross-cultural projects, allowing me to craft music that is not just heard, but felt, bridging genres, cultures and audiences worldwide. EDM.com: Looking back on your influential work introducing hip-hop and dance-fusion to Afghan and European audiences, what were the key milestones in your journey, and which early works best illustrate your impact? Wahid Bayar: I was one of the first Afghan artists to bring hip-hop and dance-fusion to both Afghan and European audiences. A major milestone was my first rap/hip-hop track, Birahmi (‘Cruelty’), released in 2002, followed by Bo Man Bego Ey Ghoda (‘Oh God, Tell Me’). After my 2005 performance at a refugee demonstration for children from war-torn countries, both tracks were included in the CD and book Een Royale Gebaar, presented to Dutch Queen Beatrix and government ministers. These works launched my international career, and since then, I have performed worldwide, collaborated with globally recognized artists like Mozdeah, DjRoshan, DjMir2 and released tracks reaching tens of thousands of streams, continuing my mission to connect cultures and inspire youth through music, dance and storytelling. EDM.com: Your music is reaching audiences across the globe. How does this international reach reflect your impact on the EDM and dance-fusion scene? Wahid Bayar: Platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube allow my music to connect globally. Even without a live audience, the response proves that cross-genre EDM resonates worldwide. EDM.com: You’ve performed in over 1,500 theatre shows worldwide, including a 4,000-person show in Amsterdam in 2009. Looking back, which of these experiences had the greatest impact on your artistic growth and career trajectory? Wahid Bayar: Every performance or theatre/dance show is a unique experience, as you encounter a new audience each time. The 2009 solo concert remains unforgettable because I was the first Afghan artist to combine dance and theatre elements with my own music on such a large stage for a large audience, who were visibly impressed. Additionally, international theatre festivals, benefit productions, and collaborations with other artists reinforced my belief that music and dance can transcend boundaries. EDM.com: Looking ahead, which projects excite you the most, and how will you continue blending EDM, music, theatre and dance globally? Wahid Bayar: I focus on cross-cultural collaborations, expanding EDM experimentation, and creating immersive projects that integrate music, theatre, and dance. My goal is to inspire audiences worldwide and pave the way for other artists exploring fusion genres. Follow Wahid Bayar: Instagram: instagram.com/wahidbayar Spotify: tinyurl.com/5he6sn5v The post Wahid Bayar on Cultural Fusion and Latest Single, “Summer Love appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Amsterdam Dance Event Draws Record 600,000 Attendees In 2025 Edition
The 2025 edition of Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) has officially broken every attendance record in its nearly three-decade history, transforming the Dutch capital into a sprawling epicenter of global electronic music culture. Across five days and nights, ADE welcomed an extraordinary 600,000 visitors from more than 140 countries, according to organizers. Over 3,400 artists performed across more than 1,200 events at roughly 300 venues, a degree of expansion that only further reinforces the continued growth of EDM as a cultural and economic force. From the megawatt mainstage spectacles at Ziggo Dome and Johan Cruijff ArenA to the avant-garde electronica reverberating through repurposed industrial spaces like Lofi and RAUM, ADE 2025 captured every frequency of the electronic music spectrum. Beyond the dancefloor, ADE’s conference offerings also continued to expand. The ADE Pro venue at Rosewood hosted panels and workshops with countless influential artists alongside tech innovators from Google DeepMind, Epic Games and Spotify, among many others. Meanwhile, ADE Lab at Westergas emerged as a creative incubator for the next generation of producers, songwriters, audio engineers and visual artists. The event’s economic and cultural imprint is impossible to ignore. According to this year’s IMS Business Report, the global electronic music industry grew 6% year-over-year in 2024 to surpass $12.9 billion in value, with Europe continuing to drive growth in the world’s festival and live event markets even as North America dominates recorded music revenue. ADE’s influence, however, extends beyond numbers. The event has become the connective tissue uniting industry professionals in all forms across continents, consistently serving as the world’s preeminent electronic music summit. Now, all eyes turn to next year’s milestone event. ADE’s 30th anniversary is officially slated for October 21-25, 2026. The post Amsterdam Dance Event Draws Record 600,000 Attendees In 2025 Edition appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Afrojack Marks 15 Years Of “Take Over Control” With New Remixes: Listen
Before EDM conquered the airwaves and festival stages, Afrojack lit the fuse with “Take Over Control.” Now, 15 years after the release of his generational dance anthem, the Dutch producer has released a new remix bundle built for today’s dancefloors. Released via Spinnin’ back in 2010, Afrojack’s hit featuring Eva Simons quickly became representative of EDM’s ambitions for expansion. With its electrifying synth riff and Simons’ soaring vocals, “Take Over Control” broke into the Billboard Hot 100, a rarity for the time. It marked Afrojack’s first major crossover hit, propelling him from the Dutch underground to international stardom. Now he is celebrating the milestone with Take Over Control [The Remixes 2025], a new collection that invited a diverse lineup of producers to reimagine the track for the modern rave generation. Maddix pivots the song’s big-room energy into a driving, techno-fueled banger befit for a 2025 audience increasingly favorable to hard dance. Meanwhile, Kasango’s take transforms the track in another direction, channeling Afro-house rhythms and world percussion. As a whole, the release spans multiple eras of dance music, with each paying homage to EDM’s early 2010s grandeur. The project also functions as a celebration of how far both Afrojack and the broader dance music genre have come. Since that moment, he has maintained a commanding presence on the global festival circuit while developing new artists under his Wall Recordings imprint. Listen to Take Over Control [The Remixes 2025] below and find the package on streaming services here. Follow Afrojack: X: x.com/afrojack Instagram: instagram.com/afrojack TikTok: tiktok.com/@afrojack Facebook: facebook.com/djafrojack Spotify: tinyurl.com/wr2zt259 The post Afrojack Marks 15 Years Of “Take Over Control” With New Remixes: Listen appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Rome’s Colosseum Director Shuts Down Rumors of Hosting Raves
The dream of watching a DJ drop a sunrise set inside the Roman Colosseum just got a reality check. While electronic dance music has echoed through ancient temples, deserts and castles in recent memory, the newly appointed Director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, Simone Quilici, is setting clear boundaries. In his first foreign media interview since stepping into the role, Quilici extinguished recent social media rumors sparked by misinterpreted comments about the potential for raves at the nearly 2,000-year-old amphitheater where gladiators once battled. “The music must be carefully controlled,” Quilici told the Associated Press. “I mentioned certain artists—not by accident—who haven’t been ‘rock’ for some time, who play calm music and attract a calm audience, because the important thing is that it’s not a wild crowd.” His words come in direct response to criticism from archaeologists and locals, who were initially alarmed by the possibility of turning one of Italy’s most sacred landmarks into a club-style venue. Even fans of electronic music expressed concern that pursuing raves at the venue could damage the ancient structure, which continues to yield new archaeological discoveries. The vision stands in contrast to what’s happening elsewhere around the world, particularly at UNESCO World Heritage sites. In recent years, a growing trend has seen DJs and promoters transform some of Earth’s most treasured landmarks into standalone stages, but the convergence of ancient history and modern music hasn’t been without controversy. Earlier this month, the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights filed a lawsuit aiming to halt raves and large-scale music events at the Great Pyramids of Giza, citing risks of vibration damage and improper laser illumination. The legal complaint followed a high-profile performance by Anyma in early October. The post Rome’s Colosseum Director Shuts Down Rumors of Hosting Raves appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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We Belong Here announces lineup for debut Palm Beach festival with Axwell, Kaskade, SG Lewis, Oliver Heldens, and more
We Belong Here has announced the lineup for its debut edition in Palm Beach. On December 27 and 28, the festival is transforming Palm Beach’s Meyer Amphitheatre into an immersive, open-air waterfront venue. Headliners feature dance music icons Kaskade and Axwell, plus SG Lewis, and a special sunset set from Oliver Heldens. Other acts include Bakermat, Le Youth, Supertaste, and Zoe Gitter. Following successful editions in Miami and New York, Palm Beach marks a continuation of We Belong Here’s expansion into new markets. They promise to bring their signature atmosphere to a new Florida destination – with a focus on stunning sight lines and an elevated festival experience. Designed for a 21+ audience, the festival touts enhanced amenities, ample seating, and curated culinary offerings from Smorgasburg, all set against scenic waterfront views. Presale ticket access starts Thursday, October 30th at 12:00PM ET. Register for presale here. Featured image: ADINAYEV Media The post We Belong Here announces lineup for debut Palm Beach festival with Axwell, Kaskade, SG Lewis, Oliver Heldens, and more appeared first on Dancing Astronaut. View the full article
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YDG and Łaszewo unite on new collaboration, ‘hey lil mama’
YDG and Łaszewo have joined forces for their new single, “hey lil mama,” out now via Breakaway Projects. The collaboration seamlessly blends blends YDG’s hard-hitting bass with Łaszewo’s melodic sensibilities, resulting in a track that feels both punchy and playful and reflects both of their unique styles. “hey lil mama” has already received radio play from the likes of Alison Wonderland and Adventure Club to name a few. The new record has been a highlight of both YDG and Łaszewo’s recent sets with the former in the middle of his ‘You + Me Forever’ tour and the latter getting set to embark on their debut European tour. Both artists have California roots – YDG hails from San Diego, while Łaszewo formed in Santa Barbara. Together, the quartet of collaborators deliver a track that bridges the emotional and the explosive, proving that melodic energy and bass-driven power can coexist beautifully. The single arrives via Breakaway Projects, the new label and artist management arm of the well-known Breakaway festival series. The imprint continues to build momentum following releases with SVDKO and Klo, Daniel Allen, and Beau Cruz, among others. YDG has upcoming dates at Hulaween and EDC Orlando as well as headlines in Boston, Toronto and more. He also just released “Please Don’t Go” with Mike Posner along with his remix of “Cash Out” by SIDEPIECE and Bobby Shmurda. Łaszewo, meanwhile, just recently announced their debut European tour with 10 dates across cities like London, Paris, Berlin and more. “hey lil mama” joins a discography that includes their remix of Lola Young’s “messy” that came out earlier this year and has been streamed over 60 million times on Spotify alone. Listen to YDG and Łaszewo’s new single “hey lil mama” – out now via Breakaway Projects – below. Featured image: Calvin Hite The post YDG and Łaszewo unite on new collaboration, ‘hey lil mama’ appeared first on Dancing Astronaut. View the full article
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Breakaway Festival Expands, Reveals Massive 14-City Tour for 2026
Breakaway Music Festivl is going big in 2026. The independent festival powerhouse has announced its 2026 tour, which includes first-time stops in Houston and Salt Lake City, with another mystery market set to be revealed later this year. With CELSIUS returning as presenting sponsor, Breakaway’s 2026 schedule kicks off in April and runs through November, bringing the red-hot festival to 14 cities next year. The announcement comes on the heels of what the brand’s owners are calling a record-breaking 2025 tour, which drew hundreds of thousands of fans. The 2026 run includes returns to established cross-country markets like Philadelphia, Minnesota and Northern California while the expansion into the two new markets signals even higher ambitions. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, October 28th. “Each year Breakaway grows, not just in size, but in energy, in impact, and in the community it brings together,” said Breakaway co-founder Adam Lynn. “2025 was an incredible year for us and we’re excited to bring the Breakaway experience to even more cities in 2026. Our goal has always been to make live music more accessible while delivering a high-quality, unforgettable festival environment and elevating the fan experience year after year.” The festival is also launching “Creator Lab,” a merch design competition that lets artists submit work to be featured on official Breakaway gear. Winners score VIP tickets, travel credits and a spot in the brand’s online store. Exact dates for each market are now locked in for what promises to be Breakaway’s biggest year yet. You can check out the full schedule below. 2026 Breakaway Music Festival Dates April 10-11: Breakaway Dallas April 17-18: Breakaway Tampa April 24-25: Breakaway Arizona May 15-16: Breakaway Atlanta May 29-30: Breakaway Ohio June 26-27: Breakaway Minnesota Aug 14-15: Breakaway Michigan Aug 21-22: Breakaway Mass Sep 11-12: Breakaway Philadelphia Sep 25-26: Breakaway Carolina Oct 2-3: Breakaway Utah Oct 16-17: Breakaway NorCal Nov 13-14: Breakaway Houston Follow Breakaway Music Festival: X: x.com/breakawayfest Instagram: instagram.com/breakaway TikTok: tiktok.com/@breakawayfest Facebook: facebook.com/breakawayfestival The post Breakaway Festival Expands, Reveals Massive 14-City Tour for 2026 appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Controversial AI Music Platform Suno Primed for $2 Billion Valuation
Generative AI music platform Suno is shopping for more than $100 million in new funding at a valuation exceeding $2 billion, Bloomberg reports. The figure represents nearly a 4x jump from its previous valuation and comes as the company reportedly generates over $100 million in annual recurring revenue. Suno previously raised $125 million from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Matrix and Founder Collective. The fresh funding discussions arrive in the wake of reports that Suno is engaging in settlement talks with three major labels, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Records, to license their catalogs and resolve ongoing legal battles. The consortium sued both Suno and competitor Udio for copyright infringement in June 2024, alleging the companies trained their AI models on copyrighted music without permission. The labels are seeking up to $150,000 per infringed work, which could translate to billions in damages. The platform allows users to generate songs simply by entering text prompts, stoking tension in the music industry as artists bemoan the AI-powered platform for bastardizing the art of music production. Suno and their ilk learn by ingesting vast libraries of songs, essentially copying the creative output of human musicians without consent or compensation. The platform has become a lightning rod in the artist community because many musicians view its technology as existential theft. Artists worry it will devalue their work and flood the market with cheap alternatives, while many also take issue with how easily anyone can generate tracks that mimic specific styles or genres that took years to develop. The lawsuit from major labels crystallizes these concerns, framing AI music generation as large-scale copyright violation rather than innovation. Mikey Shulman, Suno’s co-founder and CEO, faced pervasive backlash in January after claiming in an interview that most people find the music creation process “not really enjoyable.” “It’s not really enjoyable to make music now,” he said on the venture capital industry podcast The Twenty Minute VC (20VC). “It takes a lot of time, it takes a lot of practice, you need to get really good at an instrument or really good at a piece of production software… I think the majority of people don’t enjoy the majority of the time they spend making music.” The post Controversial AI Music Platform Suno Primed for $2 Billion Valuation appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Excision Announces 2026 Thunderdome Lineup
While thousands of dubstep fans are finally recovering from their month-long Lost Lands hangovers, Excision is back with another festival announcement. Early next year, the Tacoma Dome will transform into a battleground for the bravest bass warriors once again for the return of The Thunderdome. Since its debut in 2020, the arena event annually sees Excision bring large-scale production and bass music favorites to the Pacific Northwest. What started as a “modest” two-day event (by Excision standards) has since blossomed into a coveted three-day event. Excision will perform all three nights. ATLiens, Sullivan King and Ganja White Night will serve as direct support each evening, and Kai Wachi has been confirmed for a special b2b set with the Lost Lands and Bass Canyon creator himself to close out the event. Joining them on the undercard are HOL!, Dion Timmer, Trivecta, Smoakland, Tisoki, Codd Dubz, Cyclops and more, as well as EDM.com Class of 2025 star Jessica Audiffred. Check out the full lineup below. The Thunderdome is scheduled for February 6-8, 2026. You can purchase tickets here. Follow Excision: X: x.com/excision Instagram: instagram.com/excision TikTok: tiktok.com/@excision Facebook: facebook.com/excision Spotify: tinyurl.com/yebkma58 The post Excision Announces 2026 Thunderdome Lineup appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Big Gigantic and The Funk Hunters Drop Festival Anthem, “Beat Don’t Stop”
Genre-bending trailblazers Big Gigantic have joined forces with The Funk Hunters and Jurassic 5’s Chali 2na to drop “Beat Don’t Stop,” a track tailor-made for festival stages and late-night dancefloors. Out now via Westwood Recordings, the new collaboration showcases slick production with thumping four-on-the-floor drums and a chugging bassline. Meanwhile, Big Gigantic’s signature saxophone riffs and The Funk Hunters’ bouncy grooves add the unmistakable flavor their fans have come to know and love. The chemistry between the three acts feels effortless, a result of years of shared history onstage and in the studio. And that history runs deep. The Funk Hunters and Chali 2na have a long track record of collaborations, from 2014’s “Do This For You” and 2016’s Illelectric EP to fan-favorite singles such as “Get Involved” (with Defunk) and “All of a Sudden” (with Dr. Fresch), among others. They’ve also shared stages at festivals like Rifflandia, Shambhala and Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Earlier this month, The Funk Hunters rinsed the new track at Griz’s inagural Seven Stars Festival. “Teaming up with The Funk Hunters and Chali 2na on this track was such an exciting process for us,” Big Gigantic said in a statement. “We wanted to blend our raw energy with the Funk Hunters sound and Chali’s unmistakable flow, and the result is a high-octane bass house record.” “Beat Don’t Stop” marks the second time The Funk Hunters and Big Gigantic have teamed up following “Higher” from the former’s 2020 album Free Your Mind. The Funk Hunters also remixed the duo’s track “Got The Love” from Brighter Futures. The two groups’ shared vision for funky, feel-good electronic music shines through. With Big Gigantic currently touring in support of their new album Fluorescence and celebrating the 13th edition of their “Rowdytown” takeover at Red Rocks, “Beat Don’t Stop” arrives as the perfect soundtrack to their high-energy live sets. And for The Funk Hunters, it’s another reminder of why they remain one of Canada’s most forward-thinking dance duos. You can listen to “Beat Don’t Stop” below. Follow Big Gigantic: X: x.com/BigGigantic Instagram: instagram.com/BigGigantic Facebook: facebook.com/pg/BigGigantic Spotify: tinyurl.com/5cn8ajnd Follow The Funk Hunters: X: x.com/thefunkhunters Instagram: instagram.com/thefunkhunters Facebook: facebook.com/thefunkhunters Spotify: tinyurl.com/y6et9a6x The post Big Gigantic and The Funk Hunters Drop Festival Anthem, “Beat Don’t Stop” appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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REZZ Created the New Halloween Ringtone for Discord Calls
Gamers and other users of the popular messaging app Discord will find it easy to get into the Halloween spirit with help from REZZ. In a surprise announcement, the Canadian electronic music superstar revealed that she was tapped by Discord to create a special ringtone for the platform’s Halloween festivities. For the rest of the month and a few days into November, incoming calls on Discord will be soundtracked by an original creation from REZZ. Across Discord’s social media pages, the company shared a video showcasing the chilling new beat. It’s classic REZZ with some campy Halloween flair, perfect for the millions of uninitiated Discord members who will be unexpectedly treated to her music. All you have to do to hear REZZ’s spooky ringtone is receive an incoming call from someone on Discord, and the tone will play. Alternatively, you can go into your Discord settings and preview the sound under the “Notifications” section to play it. The app also features other Halloween-inspired sound effects, which can be turned off at will. Unfortunately for mobile users, they are only available on desktop and browser and will not be added to iOS or Android. Discord users can enjoy REZZ’s festive ringtone until November 3rd, 2025. Follow Rezz: X: x.com/officialrezz TikTok: tiktok.com/@officialrezz Instagram: instagram.com/officialrezz Facebook: facebook.com/officialrezz Spotify: tinyurl.com/ytc6k2vv The post REZZ Created the New Halloween Ringtone for Discord Calls appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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We Belong Here’s First Festival in Palm Beach to Feature Axwell, Kaskade and More
We Belong Here is crashing Palm Beach’s perfectly manicured scene this December, bringing electronic music to a town better known for charity galas and country club brunches. The surging festival brand today announced the lineup for its two-day takeover of Meyer Amphitheatre, scheduled for December 27-28, 2025. The event marks the second time WBH has ventured beyond its Miami stronghold in 2025 after announcing its expansion to Tampa on Dec 12-13 and snowballing its presence in New York. Organizers are betting that between Christmas and New Year’s, when Palm Beach fills with snowbirds, there’s a critical mass of people who’d rather hear electronic music than another story about someone’s grandkid at Princeton. To that end, the festival is catering to its surroundings with Smorgasburg-curated food vendors (because nobody wants sad nachos when they could be eating truffle fries), actual places to sit (somehow revolutionary in today’s festival scene), and art installations set against a crystalline waterfront backdrop. And true to WBH’s ethos, the 21+ event targets a “more mature demographic,” one of their unique selling propositions in their mission to reshape today’s festival scene. Whether Palm Beach’s rosé-sipping crowd is ready to embrace the rave community remains to be seen, but WBH is clearly confident that great music transcends zip codes. Even expensive ones. Heading to West Palm Beach for the festival’s debut are Kaskade and Oliver Heldens on Saturday, followed by SG Lewis and Swedish House Mafia’s Axwell on Sunday. In support of those headliners, the undercard features Bakermat, Le Youth, Supertaste (DJ set) and Zoe Glitter. You can purchase passes to We Belong Here: Palm Beach and find out more here. Follow We Belong Here: X: x.com/web3longh TikTok: tiktok.com/@webelonghere.world Instagram: instagram.com/webelonghere.world Facebook: tinyurl.com/2vjs3zae The post We Belong Here’s First Festival in Palm Beach to Feature Axwell, Kaskade and More appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Fred again.. DJs With Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter for Rare Set
Fred again.. went b2b with Daft Punk co-founder Thomas Bangalter over the weekend during a surprise DJ set inside Paris’ Pompidou Centre, marking a rare live appearance from Bangalter sans helmet. The appearance took place during Because Beaubourg, a two-day celebration of Because Music’s 20th anniversary held at the Pompidou before the building shuts down for five years of renovations. Fred joined Bangalter onstage alongside Busy P and Erol Alkan, closing out the weekend-long event with an unannounced set. “Last night I got to play with Thomas Bangalter, Erol Alkan, Busy P at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, the last night before it closes for 5 years,” Fred wrote on Instagram. “Thomas told me in this lift on the way down to the show that the first time he fell in love with electronic music was in this building in 1992. He also told me hasn’t played a proper set without the mask on for 24 years. I didn’t know what to say to either of those things and I still don’t. All I said to him at the end is that I hope it isn’t 24 years til the next.” Clips from the performance show the group mixing Daft Punk’s “Digital Love” with Fred’s “Billie (loving Arms),” dropping DJ Mehdi’s “Signatune (Thomas Bangalter Short Edit),” and playing “Contact,” the closing track from Random Access Memories. At one point, Fred took the mic and called it the “maddest two hours of my entire life.” Bangalter retired the Daft Punk project in 2021, but his solo work has continued with projects like Mythologies, a full-length orchestral score released in 2023, and CHIROPTERA. Meanwhile, Fred has kicked off his USB002 series with the release of “you’re a star,” the first of 10 tracks he’s dropping alongside a series of 10 DJ sets in 10 cities. You can watch footage from the rare performance below. Follow Fred again..: X: x.com/fredagainagain1 TikTok: tiktok.com/@fredagainagain Instagram: instagram.com/fredagainagainagainagainagain Facebook: facebook.com/fredagainagain Spotify: tinyurl.com/mrm2bn8a Follow Daft Punk: X: x.com/daftpunk Instagram: instagram.com/daftpunk TikTok: tiktok.com/@daftpunk Facebook: facebook.com/daftpunk Spotify: tinyurl.com/2jj6a9jp The post Fred again.. DJs With Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter for Rare Set appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Brooklyn Mirage to Be Sold for $110 Million in Bankruptcy Deal
A federal bankruptcy judge has reportedly approved the sale of Avant Gardner, the company behind the beleaguered Brooklyn Mirage venue and ill-fated Electric Zoo festival, to its primary lender for at least $110 million, bringing an end to a tumultuous chapter for one of New York City’s most prominent EDM venues. Judge Mary F. Walrath of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved the credit bid from AG Acquisition 1 LLC, an affiliate of Axar Capital Management LP, Bloomberg Law reports. The transaction includes the forgiveness of pre-bankruptcy secured loans and $45.8 million in bankruptcy financing, according to court records. The approval marks a turning point for the 80,000-square-foot East Williamsburg complex, which has been shuttered since its parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August with $155.3 million in debt. Avant Gardner cited persistent building issues and operational setbacks stemming from an ambitious $30 million renovation as factors preventing it from reopening the Mirage. Following contentious permit disputes and safety inspection failures, the venue’s proprietors ultimately ousted embattled CEO Josh Wyatt and replaced him with the influential nightlife entrepreneur Gary Richards. The sale order allows Avant Gardner, in consultation with the buyer, to demolish and reconstruct the Mirage structure, provided the buyer makes additional funding available. A demolition permit filed this month with New York City estimates tear-down costs at approximately $1.5 million. Judge Walrath also approved a settlement between Avant Gardner, a committee of unsecured creditors and the lenders, calling it a “very good deal” for unsecured creditors. Under the agreement, the lender will reportedly cover substantial priority and administrative claims and fund expenses for a liquidating trust. “This is a remarkable settlement and in the best interest of the estate,” Judge Walrath said at the hearing. The post Brooklyn Mirage to Be Sold for $110 Million in Bankruptcy Deal appeared first on EDM. View the full article ~ external link ~
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Brooklyn Mirage to Be Sold for $110 Million in Bankruptcy Deal
A federal bankruptcy judge has reportedly approved the sale of Avant Gardner, the company behind the beleaguered Brooklyn Mirage venue and ill-fated Electric Zoo festival, to its primary lender for at least $110 million, bringing an end to a tumultuous chapter for one of New York City’s most prominent EDM venues. Judge Mary F. Walrath of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved the credit bid from AG Acquisition 1 LLC, an affiliate of Axar Capital Management LP, Bloomberg Law reports. The transaction includes the forgiveness of pre-bankruptcy secured loans and $45.8 million in bankruptcy financing, according to court records. The approval marks a turning point for the 80,000-square-foot East Williamsburg complex, which has been shuttered since its parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August with $155.3 million in debt. Avant Gardner cited persistent building issues and operational setbacks stemming from an ambitious $30 million renovation as factors preventing it from reopening the Mirage. Following contentious permit disputes and safety inspection failures, the venue’s proprietors ultimately ousted embattled CEO Josh Wyatt and replaced him with the influential nightlife entrepreneur Gary Richards. The sale order allows Avant Gardner, in consultation with the buyer, to demolish and reconstruct the Mirage structure, provided the buyer makes additional funding available. A demolition permit filed this month with New York City estimates tear-down costs at approximately $1.5 million. Judge Walrath also approved a settlement between Avant Gardner, a committee of unsecured creditors and the lenders, calling it a “very good deal” for unsecured creditors. Under the agreement, the lender will reportedly cover substantial priority and administrative claims and fund expenses for a liquidating trust. “This is a remarkable settlement and in the best interest of the estate,” Judge Walrath said at the hearing. The post Brooklyn Mirage to Be Sold for $110 Million in Bankruptcy Deal appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Rüfüs du Sol tour Sound Engineer Johnny Keirle talks Stadium-Surrounding Sound and L-Acoustics Speakers
When Australian electronic trio Rüfüs Du Sol made history as the first dance act to ever headline the prestigious Rose Bowl Stadium on August 16, 2025, they brought more than just their signature emotive soundscapes to Pasadena. Behind the unforgettable sonic experience that captivated 60,000 fans was a massive L-Acoustics sound system that demonstrated why the French manufacturer remains the gold standard for large-scale outdoor events. We had a chance to speak to FOH Engineer Johnny Keirle about how he was able to provide stadium-surrounding sound for Rüfüs Du Sol for their recent stadium tour finale in Pasadena, CA. What were the biggest acoustical challenges the Rose Bowl presented, and how did you address them with the L-Acoustics system design? The biggest challenges were not the Rose Bowl itself, but the standards set by the artist and management to provide an unparalleled EDM experience at a large scale. We wanted to deliver an experience that can be challenging at small scales, let alone on a scale of this size: essentially aiming to turn a 60,000 person venue into a club. Walk me through your decision-making process for the main PA configuration – why 16 K1s and 4 K2s per side rather than other combinations? The main arrays comprised 4 x K1SB, 16 x K1 and 4 x K2, with 12 x K1SB flown behind. This combination was chosen based off SPL and contour requirements. The K1SB were included for two reasons: to offer a different flavour of low frequency energy to complement the flown KS28 on the side hangs and ground KS28 sub array, as well as offer better directivity control of low frequency energy from the main system. As much consideration was put into vertical low-frequency directivity as anything else, contributing to the choice to run longer line lengths than typically necessary for shows of this scale. The subwoofer deployment was massive – 88 total units. How did you balance ground-mounted vs. flown subs, and what was the reasoning behind the KS28/K1-SB mix? We had five primary subwoofer sources at the main stage: two hangs of 12 x K1SB (main hangs), two hangs of 12 x KS28 (side hangs) and a ground sub array of 36 x KS28 in 19 cardiod positions of 2 x KS28 each. Each delay tower had 04 x KS28 in an end-fire config of two positions of 2 x KS28 cardiod stacks. A lot of time was spent modelling system performance to maximise positive interaction, minimise negative interactions and assess where and how energy needed to be focused. We rely heavily on the ground sub deployment, particularly to create a “club” feel on the floor, while the flown elements are deployed to interact intentionally with their respective full-range sources ( both main and side hangs comprised 04 x K1SB / 16 x K1 / 04 x K2) to control directivity both in the horizontal and vertical domains. The K1SB behind the main hang was chosen to maximise phase coherency with the main K1: offering better control of throw directivity, and in turn better control of the interactions between the flown LF resources and ground LF resouces. Having the mix of K1SB and KS28 also allowed us to tailor the feel of the system’s sub response: for me, the K1SB being more percussive and transient-focused (excellent with the percussive sub elements of the show – live drums, pads, transient-heavy synths), with the KS28 offering the leg-shaking low end and richness in sustained sub transients and underlying sub content. How did you determine the delay tower positioning and coverage patterns for a venue this size? The positioning of delay towers was actually decided prior to my involvement, although I had an opportunity to make some changes if and as required. I typically determine delay tower placements based off performances of the main stage system: having a pre-determined SPL target, and considering targeted system contour and LF extension into this allows me to use Soundvision to determine where delay reinforcement needs to begin. Lateral positions and azimuths of delay positions are typically determined by considering arrival times between the main stage source(s) and delay source(s), with a huge focus on maintaining transient clarity and intelligibility: I’ll use various prediction tools to determine not only delay tower placement but also the most suitable source type for delays (in this case L2 / KS28), required delay SPL and contour capabilities, panflex settings, etc. As an initial consideration I will look at HF / transient arrival consistencies with differing delay positions, followed by low-frequency interactions/contributions, and finally imagery across the full coverage zones of the delays. What was your approach to system tuning across such a large venue with varying acoustical zones? The majority of the system optimization is considered in advance: before I make noise with the system I’ve already made pre-determined contour EQ adjustments, calculated delay values, etc. When dealing with a system of this scale, I’ll look primarily at optimising each source independently, wherever that source has exclusive coverage, and typically relying on design optimisation and pre-determined design decisions to predict how multiple sources will interact with each other. The first step of my on-site workflow is ensuring all sources are deployed in their correct positions (checking rigging plots, measuring exact delay position placements, etc), so I can be confident in advanced optimisation choices made in the design phase. How did you handle the delay timing between the main PA, outfills, and delay towers? All delay timing is pre-determined in Soundvision and other proprietary calculators. With propagation time differences between sources being highly-considered in the design phase, when on-site I expect to have a good idea of how sources will interact and align from a delay perspective. I do not measure delay times on site – I prefer to do this by ear. Can you walk me through your process for integrating all the different fill systems (front fill, 270 fill, center fill) into a cohesive whole? As with time alignment, all smaller fill systems are tweaked and tuned by ear. Main reasoning being that most fill systems (front fills / centre fill, etc) are influenced by on-stage sound. Integrating these by ear gives me more control over imagery and feel of the fill systems. Centre fill and front fills in particular often differ drastically in terms of EQ and overall response: I’ll be looking for a system response and SPL that is suited to that one area of the venue: the pit. A few things I’m looking to achieve with these systems: match the energy of the sub array, create a suitable experience for people on the dance floor, and match the energy of the group on stage (including any acoustic contributions). I’ll always listen to the full system before the band gets on stage, but prefer to do all my front fill optimisation and adjustments with the band soundchecking or rehearsing. With Rufus Du Sol’s heavy low-end content, how did you manage the sub arrays to avoid mud while maintaining impact? All sub sources were deployed in cardiod configurations to manage directivity, and careful consideration was given to placement. Subwoofer sources deployed and interacting with full-range sources were positioned carefully to manage said interaction, with the same applying to positioning of multiple full range/sub sources. What challenges did the open-air environment present for maintaining consistent frequency response across the venue? Several factors to consider here, the most obvious being exposure to elements. In any environment we are dealing with atmospherics affecting propagation, but outdoors we are going to be dealing with greater changes in conditions. We can usually expect drastically different atmospherics between an afternoon soundcheck and an evening show. I don’t remember the specifics from the Rose Bowl show. Wind exposure is always a consideration outdoors, especially in an exposed environment like the Rose Bowl, and this was considered in the design phase. I monitor changes in temperature and humidity throughout the course of the day, making adjustments to compensate for differences in HF propagation. That said, we can’t as well predict or manage differences in temperature gradients, or the effect that a 60,000 person crowd has. How does designing a system for electronic music differ from rock or pop shows, especially at this scale? Live EDM has different frequency response requirements, as well as different sub and low transients. Live EDM is unforgiving, and with audiences used to “club” environments, standards are set that are harder and harder to achieve as show scales increase. Rufus Du Sol’s music has very dynamic arrangements – how did you ensure the system could handle both intimate moments and massive drops? This is one of the main reasons we are using K1 as much as possible: the full range and high-output offers enough headroom for full transient reproduction, even for low frequencies at high SPL. Cam’s mix (FOH engineer) is very consistent, and very well-controlled. Knowing his output, I can be confident dimensioning a system in the design phase. What considerations did you make for preserving the stereo imaging and spatial effects that are crucial to their sound? This is considered in source placement and alignment: preserving a sense of spatiality is important, but that spatiality is unachievable if sources aren’t standardised, optimised and aligned correctly. Source positioning is the biggest part of this: in the design phase I want to make sure sources are positioned so that alignment and spatialisation is as consistent across the audience as possible. What was the timeline for getting this massive system deployed and tuned? We have a production day before a stadium show: everything is deployed and calibrated during this day. In the case of the Rose Bowl, the band did a full run-through in the evening of the production day, meaning we have to be up and running by the evening. For this show, I actually flew in from Australia landing 7:00am the morning of the production day, and went straight to site to load in. In detail.. My first moves on site are to take verification measurements to validate design drawings: confirming my room drawings are accurate, and that stage and delay towers are built as expected. Small position changes can make a big difference. With this project, I had to draw the venue in advance – so venue dimensions needed to be verified / corrected. As part of this verification process, I also check trim heights are achievable and confirm hoists are rigged as per the rigging plots. Once the system is deployed, we verify system functionality. I’ll look at coverage verifications, then begin system alignment and optimisation. For RDS I target a very different system contour to usual; I don’t listen to any of my tuning tracks through the PA.. Instead, I used the live show to tune: either Cam (FOH engineer) will play virtual soundcheck through the system, or if unavailable, I have a stereo LR of the show. Come show day, I’ll use the soundcheck window to continue listening and adjusting around the venue, and will do the same during the support band. How many crew members were involved, and what was the most challenging aspect of the physical installation? For this tour, we were travelling with a total of five people in the PA team: three PA techs from Unreal Systems, Marc-Olivier Germain as crew chief, and myself as SE. For the few stadium shows, we had additional crew join: an additional three PA techs from Unreal, as well as Luca Sabatini (Unreal account handler / owner), who was instrumental in making sure the additional crew, gear and logistics were under control. On top of the PA team, we have the two engineers, each with a respective tech, and an additional tech in monitor world to help with gear adds and RF brought in specifically for the Rose Bowl show. Audio crew: Cam Trewin – FOH engineer Gabe Santana – FOH tech Jimmy Gueness – Monitor engineer Benny Masterton – Monitor / RF tech Touring PA team: Marc-Olivier Germain – Audio crew chief and PA tech Joe Williams – Unreal crew chief and PA tech Juan Villa – PA tech Mark Molton – PA tech Johnny Keirle – System Engineer Additional PA team for stadium shows: Luca Sabatini – Unreal Systems How did you coordinate with FOH engineer Cameron Trewin during the tuning process? I do all my system measurements and optimisation independently, then Cam and I listen to the system together. Cam typically walks venue with me, and will be alongside me as I’m making adjustments. If there is anything he hears, he’ll mention it and we’ll address it together. What tools did you use for system monitoring during the show? I’m using Network Manager for ongoing optimisation throughout the course of the show, and for monitoring of system performance. I don’t run any RTA or TF monitoring during the show, and prefer to make show adjustments by ear. Were there any moments during the performance where you had to make real-time adjustments? I’m making regular small adjustments. Either to compensate for atmospheric changes, or changes in the feel of the show. With RDS I tend to make song-by-song changes to low-end filters. How did you handle backup systems and redundancy for a show of this magnitude? The whole system runs on AVB Milan: so, a self-managed in-built redundancy as part of the transport protocol already. As an additional fallback, we have AES hitting each amplified controller and configured to take over automatically if AVB sync is lost. For front-end, I have two P1 processors in my drive rack. Each processor takes AVB from the FOH control, as well as analogue as a backup. As standard, AVB Milan is distributed from the Main P1, and the AES backup to the amplified controllers is fed from the Backup P1. If the Main P1 was to fail, the amplified controllers automatically fall back to AES from the Backup P1. I have Milan Manager configuration files to change AVB patch between processors in the event of a catastrophic processor failure What’s your background that prepared you for handling a project of this scale? I’m pretty familiar to designing projects of this scale: I’ve toured extensively on stadium tours with a number of artists, and am involved in a various large-scale annual projects that give me time each year to fine-tune my stadium design approach. How has stadium-scale system design evolved during your career? The tools available for offline, computer-based design optimisation have improved drastically. Improvements to tools like Soundvision and M1 within Network Manager have revolutionised how I approach system design and optimisation, particularly at larger scales. Compared to 15 years ago, we can spend more time finessing in the design phase, and less time measuring and analysing performances on-site. What advice would you give to aspiring systems engineers looking to work on large-scale productions? Read and learn as much as possible, and don’t be afraid to experiment. A good understanding the science behind sound system design is essential, and opens the door to experimentation. Hypothetical and design-phase experimentation has been a huge part of developing the techniques I now rely on. I strongly discourage a “one-size-fits-all” approach to system engineering. Earlier this year, at L Acoustics’ L-Connect conference in Paris, I spoke about what I call “Adaptive Engineering” — the concept that every show or production should demands unique approach. There is no universal template; every system design should be tailored to the specific needs and targets of each project. Another piece of advice: don’t underestimate the value of pre-production. With the design tools and prediction software we have access to today, we can achieve 90% of the system work offline. Advance and pre-production steps are as important as the “traditional” on-site steps. The advance is where we deep-dive, finesse desifns, and prevent avoidable issues on-site. L-Acoustics Technology: What specific features of the K1/K2 system made it the right choice for this application? A number of things make K1 the right box for this application: Full range frequency output and high SPL support a system design that can fully reproduce the dynamic content of live EDM, where smaller or less powerful formats would fall short. K1 allows us to manipulate coverage characteristics to lower frequencies, offering better control over flown LF propagation, and most importantly better control over interaction between the flown sub and ground sub sources. Extending the line source by adding K1-SB above the K1 main hangs further improves this low-frequency control. Without the full-range headroom of the K1/K2 combo, we couldn’t maintain a linear relationship between the full-range and sub components of the system, resulting in dynamically inconsistent interactions. A well-dimensioned K1/K2 system offers linear and predictable interactions. Another point – the HF. The density and coherency of the K1 HF waveguide allows for long-throw which is less susceptible to wind interferences, and the physical properties of a long line of K1 offer stability and prevent an exposed system from swinging around in gusts of wind. How has the AVB networking and P1 processor integration changed your workflow compared to analog systems? AVB is a very clever but user-friendly protocol. Easy to implement and monitor, and robust with inherent redundancy. The P1 as a front-end makes AVB integration simple, and again offers redundancy that make it suitable for live applications. Any upcoming L-Acoustics technology you’re excited to implement on future projects? The performance of the L-Series has been very impressive. I used L2 a lot in 2024 with Adele, and again in 2025 with Rüfüs Du Sol. I recently changed a Benson Boone arena tour design from K1/K2 to a full L2 system with excellent results — I’m looking forward seeing what other applications will benefit from these newer technologies and R&D. How did the actual show performance match your expectations from the design phase? I’ve become confident with design performance parameters and how these translate to real-world performance. That said, it’s always amazing to hear some of these larger-scale systems in real life: walking during the support act, in the furthest listening areas at the top of the bowl, had the impact, immediacy, imagery and low-end of the mix was more what you would expect listening <100’ from the stage – not >500’ from the stage. What feedback did you receive from the band and FOH engineer about the system performance? I didn’t have many conversations after the show – it was fairly late by the time load out was done (and I was flying back to Australia the following day) – but everyone was very happy. Tyrone (singer) made a point to say how many people had said how good it sounded around the venue, and Cam (FOH) had received similar feedback. Management are hands-on with this, and only had good things to say. If you were to do this setup again, what would you change or optimize? We made some last-minute changes to the design which introduced some rigging challenges – for example, I was unable to fly my delay subs and had to position them on the ground. As far as the general design is concerned, I don’t know if there was anything I would change. Everything went about as well as it could have. What does it mean to be part of the first electronic dance act since Depeche Mode to headline the Rose Bowl? A fact I didn’t actually know. Nice to know we did something unique, and hopefully set a high standard for electronic acts going through the Rose Bowl moving forward. How does this deployment compare to other major stadium shows you’ve worked on? No two productions are going to have the same targets. That said, my approach for RDS is drastically different to a “typical” stadium design approach. The main differences between this deployment and my “typical” approach are all around low frequency: primarily the sub count and configuration. Typically, I’ll rely more on flown subs and less on ground subs. This conversation was had early on: Cam and the band want to have the feeling of ground plane coupling, turning a stadium floor into a club. Ground sub arrays come with unique properties; to achieve this feel for the floor while also providing suitable sub energy travelling distance (and to the sides of the venue) meant experimenting with and trying different design and alignment approaches to usual. As part of this, the design of the full-range sources was also approached differently: making sure we had the resources for full-frequency transient reproduction at high SPL, and the line length to best manage flown low-frequency directivity and interactivity with the increased ground sub systems. Another consideration that came as a byproduct of the above: managing low-end outside of the audience areas. Not only for the band on stage but also to minimise low-order reflections muddying up the audience areas, the designs put high emphasis on pattern control and cardiod configurations, deliberately steering areas of alignment as well as misalignment. We thank Johnny for his time with this in-depth interview and a behind-the-scenes look at running sound for a massive dance music stadium show at the Rose Bowl! Additional thanks to L-Acoustics for arranging access to the show for EDM Life. View the full article ~external link~
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Rüfüs du Sol tour Sound Engineer Johnny Keirle talks Stadium-Surrounding Sound and L-Acoustics Speakers
When Australian electronic trio Rüfüs Du Sol made history as the first dance act to ever headline the prestigious Rose Bowl Stadium on August 16, 2025, they brought more than just their signature emotive soundscapes to Pasadena. Behind the unforgettable sonic experience that captivated 60,000 fans was a massive L-Acoustics sound system that demonstrated why the French manufacturer remains the gold standard for large-scale outdoor events. We had a chance to speak to FOH Engineer Johnny Keirle about how he was able to provide stadium-surrounding sound for Rüfüs Du Sol for their recent stadium tour finale in Pasadena, CA. What were the biggest acoustical challenges the Rose Bowl presented, and how did you address them with the L-Acoustics system design? The biggest challenges were not the Rose Bowl itself, but the standards set by the artist and management to provide an unparalleled EDM experience at a large scale. We wanted to deliver an experience that can be challenging at small scales, let alone on a scale of this size: essentially aiming to turn a 60,000 person venue into a club. Walk me through your decision-making process for the main PA configuration – why 16 K1s and 4 K2s per side rather than other combinations? The main arrays comprised 4 x K1SB, 16 x K1 and 4 x K2, with 12 x K1SB flown behind. This combination was chosen based off SPL and contour requirements. The K1SB were included for two reasons: to offer a different flavour of low frequency energy to complement the flown KS28 on the side hangs and ground KS28 sub array, as well as offer better directivity control of low frequency energy from the main system. As much consideration was put into vertical low-frequency directivity as anything else, contributing to the choice to run longer line lengths than typically necessary for shows of this scale. The subwoofer deployment was massive – 88 total units. How did you balance ground-mounted vs. flown subs, and what was the reasoning behind the KS28/K1-SB mix? We had five primary subwoofer sources at the main stage: two hangs of 12 x K1SB (main hangs), two hangs of 12 x KS28 (side hangs) and a ground sub array of 36 x KS28 in 19 cardiod positions of 2 x KS28 each. Each delay tower had 04 x KS28 in an end-fire config of two positions of 2 x KS28 cardiod stacks. A lot of time was spent modelling system performance to maximise positive interaction, minimise negative interactions and assess where and how energy needed to be focused. We rely heavily on the ground sub deployment, particularly to create a “club” feel on the floor, while the flown elements are deployed to interact intentionally with their respective full-range sources ( both main and side hangs comprised 04 x K1SB / 16 x K1 / 04 x K2) to control directivity both in the horizontal and vertical domains. The K1SB behind the main hang was chosen to maximise phase coherency with the main K1: offering better control of throw directivity, and in turn better control of the interactions between the flown LF resources and ground LF resouces. Having the mix of K1SB and KS28 also allowed us to tailor the feel of the system’s sub response: for me, the K1SB being more percussive and transient-focused (excellent with the percussive sub elements of the show – live drums, pads, transient-heavy synths), with the KS28 offering the leg-shaking low end and richness in sustained sub transients and underlying sub content. How did you determine the delay tower positioning and coverage patterns for a venue this size? The positioning of delay towers was actually decided prior to my involvement, although I had an opportunity to make some changes if and as required. I typically determine delay tower placements based off performances of the main stage system: having a pre-determined SPL target, and considering targeted system contour and LF extension into this allows me to use Soundvision to determine where delay reinforcement needs to begin. Lateral positions and azimuths of delay positions are typically determined by considering arrival times between the main stage source(s) and delay source(s), with a huge focus on maintaining transient clarity and intelligibility: I’ll use various prediction tools to determine not only delay tower placement but also the most suitable source type for delays (in this case L2 / KS28), required delay SPL and contour capabilities, panflex settings, etc. As an initial consideration I will look at HF / transient arrival consistencies with differing delay positions, followed by low-frequency interactions/contributions, and finally imagery across the full coverage zones of the delays. What was your approach to system tuning across such a large venue with varying acoustical zones? The majority of the system optimization is considered in advance: before I make noise with the system I’ve already made pre-determined contour EQ adjustments, calculated delay values, etc. When dealing with a system of this scale, I’ll look primarily at optimising each source independently, wherever that source has exclusive coverage, and typically relying on design optimisation and pre-determined design decisions to predict how multiple sources will interact with each other. The first step of my on-site workflow is ensuring all sources are deployed in their correct positions (checking rigging plots, measuring exact delay position placements, etc), so I can be confident in advanced optimisation choices made in the design phase. How did you handle the delay timing between the main PA, outfills, and delay towers? All delay timing is pre-determined in Soundvision and other proprietary calculators. With propagation time differences between sources being highly-considered in the design phase, when on-site I expect to have a good idea of how sources will interact and align from a delay perspective. I do not measure delay times on site – I prefer to do this by ear. Can you walk me through your process for integrating all the different fill systems (front fill, 270 fill, center fill) into a cohesive whole? As with time alignment, all smaller fill systems are tweaked and tuned by ear. Main reasoning being that most fill systems (front fills / centre fill, etc) are influenced by on-stage sound. Integrating these by ear gives me more control over imagery and feel of the fill systems. Centre fill and front fills in particular often differ drastically in terms of EQ and overall response: I’ll be looking for a system response and SPL that is suited to that one area of the venue: the pit. A few things I’m looking to achieve with these systems: match the energy of the sub array, create a suitable experience for people on the dance floor, and match the energy of the group on stage (including any acoustic contributions). I’ll always listen to the full system before the band gets on stage, but prefer to do all my front fill optimisation and adjustments with the band soundchecking or rehearsing. With Rufus Du Sol’s heavy low-end content, how did you manage the sub arrays to avoid mud while maintaining impact? All sub sources were deployed in cardiod configurations to manage directivity, and careful consideration was given to placement. Subwoofer sources deployed and interacting with full-range sources were positioned carefully to manage said interaction, with the same applying to positioning of multiple full range/sub sources. What challenges did the open-air environment present for maintaining consistent frequency response across the venue? Several factors to consider here, the most obvious being exposure to elements. In any environment we are dealing with atmospherics affecting propagation, but outdoors we are going to be dealing with greater changes in conditions. We can usually expect drastically different atmospherics between an afternoon soundcheck and an evening show. I don’t remember the specifics from the Rose Bowl show. Wind exposure is always a consideration outdoors, especially in an exposed environment like the Rose Bowl, and this was considered in the design phase. I monitor changes in temperature and humidity throughout the course of the day, making adjustments to compensate for differences in HF propagation. That said, we can’t as well predict or manage differences in temperature gradients, or the effect that a 60,000 person crowd has. How does designing a system for electronic music differ from rock or pop shows, especially at this scale? Live EDM has different frequency response requirements, as well as different sub and low transients. Live EDM is unforgiving, and with audiences used to “club” environments, standards are set that are harder and harder to achieve as show scales increase. Rufus Du Sol’s music has very dynamic arrangements – how did you ensure the system could handle both intimate moments and massive drops? This is one of the main reasons we are using K1 as much as possible: the full range and high-output offers enough headroom for full transient reproduction, even for low frequencies at high SPL. Cam’s mix (FOH engineer) is very consistent, and very well-controlled. Knowing his output, I can be confident dimensioning a system in the design phase. What considerations did you make for preserving the stereo imaging and spatial effects that are crucial to their sound? This is considered in source placement and alignment: preserving a sense of spatiality is important, but that spatiality is unachievable if sources aren’t standardised, optimised and aligned correctly. Source positioning is the biggest part of this: in the design phase I want to make sure sources are positioned so that alignment and spatialisation is as consistent across the audience as possible. What was the timeline for getting this massive system deployed and tuned? We have a production day before a stadium show: everything is deployed and calibrated during this day. In the case of the Rose Bowl, the band did a full run-through in the evening of the production day, meaning we have to be up and running by the evening. For this show, I actually flew in from Australia landing 7:00am the morning of the production day, and went straight to site to load in. In detail.. My first moves on site are to take verification measurements to validate design drawings: confirming my room drawings are accurate, and that stage and delay towers are built as expected. Small position changes can make a big difference. With this project, I had to draw the venue in advance – so venue dimensions needed to be verified / corrected. As part of this verification process, I also check trim heights are achievable and confirm hoists are rigged as per the rigging plots. Once the system is deployed, we verify system functionality. I’ll look at coverage verifications, then begin system alignment and optimisation. For RDS I target a very different system contour to usual; I don’t listen to any of my tuning tracks through the PA.. Instead, I used the live show to tune: either Cam (FOH engineer) will play virtual soundcheck through the system, or if unavailable, I have a stereo LR of the show. Come show day, I’ll use the soundcheck window to continue listening and adjusting around the venue, and will do the same during the support band. How many crew members were involved, and what was the most challenging aspect of the physical installation? For this tour, we were travelling with a total of five people in the PA team: three PA techs from Unreal Systems, Marc-Olivier Germain as crew chief, and myself as SE. For the few stadium shows, we had additional crew join: an additional three PA techs from Unreal, as well as Luca Sabatini (Unreal account handler / owner), who was instrumental in making sure the additional crew, gear and logistics were under control. On top of the PA team, we have the two engineers, each with a respective tech, and an additional tech in monitor world to help with gear adds and RF brought in specifically for the Rose Bowl show. Audio crew: Cam Trewin – FOH engineer Gabe Santana – FOH tech Jimmy Gueness – Monitor engineer Benny Masterton – Monitor / RF tech Touring PA team: Marc-Olivier Germain – Audio crew chief and PA tech Joe Williams – Unreal crew chief and PA tech Juan Villa – PA tech Mark Molton – PA tech Johnny Keirle – System Engineer Additional PA team for stadium shows: Luca Sabatini – Unreal Systems How did you coordinate with FOH engineer Cameron Trewin during the tuning process? I do all my system measurements and optimisation independently, then Cam and I listen to the system together. Cam typically walks venue with me, and will be alongside me as I’m making adjustments. If there is anything he hears, he’ll mention it and we’ll address it together. What tools did you use for system monitoring during the show? I’m using Network Manager for ongoing optimisation throughout the course of the show, and for monitoring of system performance. I don’t run any RTA or TF monitoring during the show, and prefer to make show adjustments by ear. Were there any moments during the performance where you had to make real-time adjustments? I’m making regular small adjustments. Either to compensate for atmospheric changes, or changes in the feel of the show. With RDS I tend to make song-by-song changes to low-end filters. How did you handle backup systems and redundancy for a show of this magnitude? The whole system runs on AVB Milan: so, a self-managed in-built redundancy as part of the transport protocol already. As an additional fallback, we have AES hitting each amplified controller and configured to take over automatically if AVB sync is lost. For front-end, I have two P1 processors in my drive rack. Each processor takes AVB from the FOH control, as well as analogue as a backup. As standard, AVB Milan is distributed from the Main P1, and the AES backup to the amplified controllers is fed from the Backup P1. If the Main P1 was to fail, the amplified controllers automatically fall back to AES from the Backup P1. I have Milan Manager configuration files to change AVB patch between processors in the event of a catastrophic processor failure What’s your background that prepared you for handling a project of this scale? I’m pretty familiar to designing projects of this scale: I’ve toured extensively on stadium tours with a number of artists, and am involved in a various large-scale annual projects that give me time each year to fine-tune my stadium design approach. How has stadium-scale system design evolved during your career? The tools available for offline, computer-based design optimisation have improved drastically. Improvements to tools like Soundvision and M1 within Network Manager have revolutionised how I approach system design and optimisation, particularly at larger scales. Compared to 15 years ago, we can spend more time finessing in the design phase, and less time measuring and analysing performances on-site. What advice would you give to aspiring systems engineers looking to work on large-scale productions? Read and learn as much as possible, and don’t be afraid to experiment. A good understanding the science behind sound system design is essential, and opens the door to experimentation. Hypothetical and design-phase experimentation has been a huge part of developing the techniques I now rely on. I strongly discourage a “one-size-fits-all” approach to system engineering. Earlier this year, at L Acoustics’ L-Connect conference in Paris, I spoke about what I call “Adaptive Engineering” — the concept that every show or production should demands unique approach. There is no universal template; every system design should be tailored to the specific needs and targets of each project. Another piece of advice: don’t underestimate the value of pre-production. With the design tools and prediction software we have access to today, we can achieve 90% of the system work offline. Advance and pre-production steps are as important as the “traditional” on-site steps. The advance is where we deep-dive, finesse desifns, and prevent avoidable issues on-site. L-Acoustics Technology: What specific features of the K1/K2 system made it the right choice for this application? A number of things make K1 the right box for this application: Full range frequency output and high SPL support a system design that can fully reproduce the dynamic content of live EDM, where smaller or less powerful formats would fall short. K1 allows us to manipulate coverage characteristics to lower frequencies, offering better control over flown LF propagation, and most importantly better control over interaction between the flown sub and ground sub sources. Extending the line source by adding K1-SB above the K1 main hangs further improves this low-frequency control. Without the full-range headroom of the K1/K2 combo, we couldn’t maintain a linear relationship between the full-range and sub components of the system, resulting in dynamically inconsistent interactions. A well-dimensioned K1/K2 system offers linear and predictable interactions. Another point – the HF. The density and coherency of the K1 HF waveguide allows for long-throw which is less susceptible to wind interferences, and the physical properties of a long line of K1 offer stability and prevent an exposed system from swinging around in gusts of wind. How has the AVB networking and P1 processor integration changed your workflow compared to analog systems? AVB is a very clever but user-friendly protocol. Easy to implement and monitor, and robust with inherent redundancy. The P1 as a front-end makes AVB integration simple, and again offers redundancy that make it suitable for live applications. Any upcoming L-Acoustics technology you’re excited to implement on future projects? The performance of the L-Series has been very impressive. I used L2 a lot in 2024 with Adele, and again in 2025 with Rüfüs Du Sol. I recently changed a Benson Boone arena tour design from K1/K2 to a full L2 system with excellent results — I’m looking forward seeing what other applications will benefit from these newer technologies and R&D. How did the actual show performance match your expectations from the design phase? I’ve become confident with design performance parameters and how these translate to real-world performance. That said, it’s always amazing to hear some of these larger-scale systems in real life: walking during the support act, in the furthest listening areas at the top of the bowl, had the impact, immediacy, imagery and low-end of the mix was more what you would expect listening <100’ from the stage – not >500’ from the stage. What feedback did you receive from the band and FOH engineer about the system performance? I didn’t have many conversations after the show – it was fairly late by the time load out was done (and I was flying back to Australia the following day) – but everyone was very happy. Tyrone (singer) made a point to say how many people had said how good it sounded around the venue, and Cam (FOH) had received similar feedback. Management are hands-on with this, and only had good things to say. If you were to do this setup again, what would you change or optimize? We made some last-minute changes to the design which introduced some rigging challenges – for example, I was unable to fly my delay subs and had to position them on the ground. As far as the general design is concerned, I don’t know if there was anything I would change. Everything went about as well as it could have. What does it mean to be part of the first electronic dance act since Depeche Mode to headline the Rose Bowl? A fact I didn’t actually know. Nice to know we did something unique, and hopefully set a high standard for electronic acts going through the Rose Bowl moving forward. How does this deployment compare to other major stadium shows you’ve worked on? No two productions are going to have the same targets. That said, my approach for RDS is drastically different to a “typical” stadium design approach. The main differences between this deployment and my “typical” approach are all around low frequency: primarily the sub count and configuration. Typically, I’ll rely more on flown subs and less on ground subs. This conversation was had early on: Cam and the band want to have the feeling of ground plane coupling, turning a stadium floor into a club. Ground sub arrays come with unique properties; to achieve this feel for the floor while also providing suitable sub energy travelling distance (and to the sides of the venue) meant experimenting with and trying different design and alignment approaches to usual. As part of this, the design of the full-range sources was also approached differently: making sure we had the resources for full-frequency transient reproduction at high SPL, and the line length to best manage flown low-frequency directivity and interactivity with the increased ground sub systems. Another consideration that came as a byproduct of the above: managing low-end outside of the audience areas. Not only for the band on stage but also to minimise low-order reflections muddying up the audience areas, the designs put high emphasis on pattern control and cardiod configurations, deliberately steering areas of alignment as well as misalignment. We thank Johnny for his time with this in-depth interview and a behind-the-scenes look at running sound for a massive dance music stadium show at the Rose Bowl! Additional thanks to L-Acoustics for arranging access to the show for EDM Life. View the full article
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Dancing Astronaut’s New Music Friday: Skrillex & ISOxo, Mary Droppinz, Kevin de Vries & Jast, Mochakk, deadmau5 and more (October 24, 2025)
New music highlights from Dancing Astronaut’s Artists to Watch in 2025 Mary Droppinz – Metallica Dub Mary Droppinz’s latest track, “Metallica Dub,” began as a personal tribute to her dad — something she made just for her sets. But after a TikTok clip of the track gained over 350,000 views, she decided to give it an official release on SoundCloud, adding another standout to the 2025 Artist to Watch’s growing discography. She drops it fresh off her performance at GRiZ’s Seven Stars festival. – Zach Salafia Skrillex & ISOxo – Fuze Brostep is back — and it’s arriving in the form of Skrillex and ISOxo’s debut collaboration, “Fuze.” The track made its explosive debut as the opener to their highly anticipated back-to-back set at the niteharts festival in San Diego. While the pair have been teasing several unreleased IDs, “Fuze” marks the first to receive an official release — and hopefully just the beginning of many more to come. – Zach Salafia Kevin de Vries & Jast – Born Like That The long-awaited collaboration between Afterlife mainstay Kevin de Vries and rising talent Jast has finally arrived. Out now via Afterlife, “Born Like That” has become one of the hottest IDs in melodic techno this year. The track has been a standout in Anyma’s headline sets across the globe, drawing heavy anticipation from fans and DJs alike. With support flooding in from across the scene, “Born Like That” is at the forefront of a new wave of peak-time electronic music. – Alex Lambeau Mochakk & J.J. Fad – HyperSilent Brazilian producer Mochakk returns to Disorder with “HyperSilent,” a track that blends classic grooves with his signature club-ready edge. Sampling the iconic vocals from J.J. Fad’s “Supersonic,” the release flips a hip-hop staple into a modern house weapon. Following his standout single “Legumes” with KWENGFACE and his recent remix of PinkPantheress’ “Noises,” Mochakk keeps the momentum rolling with another bold entry in his discography. “HyperSilent” captures the producer’s instinct for pushing boundaries while keeping the groove front and center. Designed to light up any dance floor, it’s Mochakk firing on all cylinders. – Danielle Carty deadmau5 – Ameonna deadmau5 begins the next chapter of his forthcoming studio album with “Ameonna,” a new instrumental composition that showcases his cinematic approach to production. Named after the Japanese mythological rain woman – often depicted as both haunting and beautiful – “Ameonna” captures this duality through escalating, pressurized synths and swirling atmospherics. The track sets the tone for what’s to come on his highly anticipated LP, due out next year. – Liana Stern Featured image: Eric Dew The post Dancing Astronaut’s New Music Friday: Skrillex & ISOxo, Mary Droppinz, Kevin de Vries & Jast, Mochakk, deadmau5 and more (October 24, 2025) appeared first on Dancing Astronaut. View the full article ~external link~
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Dancing Astronaut’s New Music Friday: Skrillex & ISOxo, Mary Droppinz, Kevin de Vries & Jast, Mochakk, deadmau5 and more (October 24, 2025)
New music highlights from Dancing Astronaut’s Artists to Watch in 2025 Mary Droppinz – Metallica Dub Mary Droppinz’s latest track, “Metallica Dub,” began as a personal tribute to her dad — something she made just for her sets. But after a TikTok clip of the track gained over 350,000 views, she decided to give it an official release on SoundCloud, adding another standout to the 2025 Artist to Watch’s growing discography. She drops it fresh off her performance at GRiZ’s Seven Stars festival. – Zach Salafia Skrillex & ISOxo – Fuze Brostep is back — and it’s arriving in the form of Skrillex and ISOxo’s debut collaboration, “Fuze.” The track made its explosive debut as the opener to their highly anticipated back-to-back set at the niteharts festival in San Diego. While the pair have been teasing several unreleased IDs, “Fuze” marks the first to receive an official release — and hopefully just the beginning of many more to come. – Zach Salafia Kevin de Vries & Jast – Born Like That The long-awaited collaboration between Afterlife mainstay Kevin de Vries and rising talent Jast has finally arrived. Out now via Afterlife, “Born Like That” has become one of the hottest IDs in melodic techno this year. The track has been a standout in Anyma’s headline sets across the globe, drawing heavy anticipation from fans and DJs alike. With support flooding in from across the scene, “Born Like That” is at the forefront of a new wave of peak-time electronic music. – Alex Lambeau Mochakk & J.J. Fad – HyperSilent Brazilian producer Mochakk returns to Disorder with “HyperSilent,” a track that blends classic grooves with his signature club-ready edge. Sampling the iconic vocals from J.J. Fad’s “Supersonic,” the release flips a hip-hop staple into a modern house weapon. Following his standout single “Legumes” with KWENGFACE and his recent remix of PinkPantheress’ “Noises,” Mochakk keeps the momentum rolling with another bold entry in his discography. “HyperSilent” captures the producer’s instinct for pushing boundaries while keeping the groove front and center. Designed to light up any dance floor, it’s Mochakk firing on all cylinders. – Danielle Carty deadmau5 – Ameonna deadmau5 begins the next chapter of his forthcoming studio album with “Ameonna,” a new instrumental composition that showcases his cinematic approach to production. Named after the Japanese mythological rain woman – often depicted as both haunting and beautiful – “Ameonna” captures this duality through escalating, pressurized synths and swirling atmospherics. The track sets the tone for what’s to come on his highly anticipated LP, due out next year. – Liana Stern Featured image: Eric Dew The post Dancing Astronaut’s New Music Friday: Skrillex & ISOxo, Mary Droppinz, Kevin de Vries & Jast, Mochakk, deadmau5 and more (October 24, 2025) appeared first on Dancing Astronaut. View the full article
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The Chainsmokers Drop New EP “Breathe” for a Generation That Forgot How
The Chainsmokers have returned with a new EP, Breathe, reminding us that slowing down and growing up aren’t mutually exclusive. Opening up about the EP’s concept, Alex Pall and Drew Taggart say it serves as a reminder to pause amid our chaotic world, which feels appropriate for a duo that’s spent the better part of a decade sprinting from festival stages to Grammy podiums to venture capital boardrooms. The project argues that we chase highs because the lows feel unbearable, forgetting that neither state was meant to be permanent. “When we looked at the names of the songs on this EP, they all had something in common with the word ‘breathe,'” said Pall and Taggart. “Beyond that, the word serves as a reminder to take a second to pause when faced with the demands of our chaotic world. The group of songs feels like a step on a path to somewhere. We aren’t sure where yet. But these 8 songs belong together and will allow us to move on to what’s next.” Breathe arrives as The Chainsmokers’ first long-form project since 2024’s No Hard Feelings, and if you’ve been following the breadcrumb trail of singles, you already know half the tracklist. “Smooth,” “White Wine & Adderall,” “Helium” and “Spaces” appear alongside four fresh cuts including “Veins,” on which the duo reunited with “Don’t Let Me Down” vocalist Daya to rekindle the magic that conjured their first and only Grammy Award back in 2017. With house, future bass and trap flourishes, the sound revisits The Chainsmokers’ EDM roots after years of producing radio-friendly mega-hits. They blend those pop instincts with a deeper electronic pulse in Breathe, showing off the kind of sonic maturation that happens when you’ve already conquered the zeitgeist and can finally exhale. You can listen to Breathe below and find the new EP on streaming platforms here. Follow The Chainsmokers: X: x.com/thechainsmokers Instagram: instagram.com/thechainsmokers TikTok: tiktok.com/@thechainsmokers Facebook: facebook.com/thechainsmokers Spotify: tinyurl.com/bdrupjkp The post The Chainsmokers Drop New EP “Breathe” for a Generation That Forgot How appeared first on EDM. View the full article ~ external link ~
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The Chainsmokers Drop New EP “Breathe” for a Generation That Forgot How
The Chainsmokers have returned with a new EP, Breathe, reminding us that slowing down and growing up aren’t mutually exclusive. Opening up about the EP’s concept, Alex Pall and Drew Taggart say it serves as a reminder to pause amid our chaotic world, which feels appropriate for a duo that’s spent the better part of a decade sprinting from festival stages to Grammy podiums to venture capital boardrooms. The project argues that we chase highs because the lows feel unbearable, forgetting that neither state was meant to be permanent. “When we looked at the names of the songs on this EP, they all had something in common with the word ‘breathe,'” said Pall and Taggart. “Beyond that, the word serves as a reminder to take a second to pause when faced with the demands of our chaotic world. The group of songs feels like a step on a path to somewhere. We aren’t sure where yet. But these 8 songs belong together and will allow us to move on to what’s next.” Breathe arrives as The Chainsmokers’ first long-form project since 2024’s No Hard Feelings, and if you’ve been following the breadcrumb trail of singles, you already know half the tracklist. “Smooth,” “White Wine & Adderall,” “Helium” and “Spaces” appear alongside four fresh cuts including “Veins,” on which the duo reunited with “Don’t Let Me Down” vocalist Daya to rekindle the magic that conjured their first and only Grammy Award back in 2017. With house, future bass and trap flourishes, the sound revisits The Chainsmokers’ EDM roots after years of producing radio-friendly mega-hits. They blend those pop instincts with a deeper electronic pulse in Breathe, showing off the kind of sonic maturation that happens when you’ve already conquered the zeitgeist and can finally exhale. You can listen to Breathe below and find the new EP on streaming platforms here. Follow The Chainsmokers: X: x.com/thechainsmokers Instagram: instagram.com/thechainsmokers TikTok: tiktok.com/@thechainsmokers Facebook: facebook.com/thechainsmokers Spotify: tinyurl.com/bdrupjkp The post The Chainsmokers Drop New EP “Breathe” for a Generation That Forgot How appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Armin van Buuren Announces First Acoustic Album, “Piano”
Armin van Buuren has announced his first acoustic album, Piano, arriving October 31st via Armada Music. The album’s first track, “Sonic Samba,” is out now on Apple Music and Apple Music Classical, where Piano will stream exclusively for one week before its wide release across major streaming platforms on November 7th. Composed and performed entirely on piano, the 15-track album pulls back the curtain on a side of van Buuren that has quietly guided his sound for more than two decades. Raised by a piano-playing father and steeped in classical music from a young age, the trance icon says he developed a fluency in melody and structure that shaped the way he built tracks long before he became a mainstay of EDM. The producer’s path to Piano began unintentionally, sparked by a need to support his mental health. That discipline soon turned into writing. Bored of playing existing pieces, he began composing his own, working closely with classically trained composer Geronimo Snijtsheuvel to develop them into full compositions. Each track reflects a memory, relationship or emotional snapshot, with several dedicated to his father, brother and wife Erika. “Creating melodies behind the piano has always been the foundation of my music,” van Buuren said in a statement. “Together with my teacher Geronimo, sketches grew into 15 pure pieces, free from beats. This project shows another side of me: intimate, honest, direct. My roots lie in a home filled with classical, rock, and electronic music, shaped by my father, brother, and artists like Vangelis and The Orb. After decades of trance and festivals, I longed for music without pressure—just fingers on keys.” The album was recorded in early 2025 over seven days at Utrecht’s ConcertLab, which bills itself as “the world’s first purpose-built filming studio dedicated to Fine Arts Music”. Each piece was performed in a single take, with arrangements ranging from solo ballads to collaborations with a chamber orchestra, cellist and violinist. The first composition he wrote for the project, “Fathers & Sons,” became a blueprint for the album’s emotional tone. In addition to his original works, van Buuren also reimagines Robert Miles’ seminal trance anthem “Children” as a stripped-down piano piece. Piano will be available to stream exclusively on Apple Music and Apple Music Classical starting October 31st. Fans can pre-save the album here. Follow Armin van Buuren: X: x.com/arminvanbuuren Instagram: instagram.com/arminvanbuuren TikTok: tiktok.com/@arminvanbuuren Facebook: facebook.com/arminvanbuuren Spotify: tinyurl.com/32txeefb The post Armin van Buuren Announces First Acoustic Album, “Piano” appeared first on EDM. View the full article ~ external link ~
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Armin van Buuren Announces First Acoustic Album, “Piano”
Armin van Buuren has announced his first acoustic album, Piano, arriving October 31st via Armada Music. The album’s first track, “Sonic Samba,” is out now on Apple Music and Apple Music Classical, where Piano will stream exclusively for one week before its wide release across major streaming platforms on November 7th. Composed and performed entirely on piano, the 15-track album pulls back the curtain on a side of van Buuren that has quietly guided his sound for more than two decades. Raised by a piano-playing father and steeped in classical music from a young age, the trance icon says he developed a fluency in melody and structure that shaped the way he built tracks long before he became a mainstay of EDM. The producer’s path to Piano began unintentionally, sparked by a need to support his mental health. That discipline soon turned into writing. Bored of playing existing pieces, he began composing his own, working closely with classically trained composer Geronimo Snijtsheuvel to develop them into full compositions. Each track reflects a memory, relationship or emotional snapshot, with several dedicated to his father, brother and wife Erika. “Creating melodies behind the piano has always been the foundation of my music,” van Buuren said in a statement. “Together with my teacher Geronimo, sketches grew into 15 pure pieces, free from beats. This project shows another side of me: intimate, honest, direct. My roots lie in a home filled with classical, rock, and electronic music, shaped by my father, brother, and artists like Vangelis and The Orb. After decades of trance and festivals, I longed for music without pressure—just fingers on keys.” The album was recorded in early 2025 over seven days at Utrecht’s ConcertLab, which bills itself as “the world’s first purpose-built filming studio dedicated to Fine Arts Music”. Each piece was performed in a single take, with arrangements ranging from solo ballads to collaborations with a chamber orchestra, cellist and violinist. The first composition he wrote for the project, “Fathers & Sons,” became a blueprint for the album’s emotional tone. In addition to his original works, van Buuren also reimagines Robert Miles’ seminal trance anthem “Children” as a stripped-down piano piece. Piano will be available to stream exclusively on Apple Music and Apple Music Classical starting October 31st. Fans can pre-save the album here. Follow Armin van Buuren: X: x.com/arminvanbuuren Instagram: instagram.com/arminvanbuuren TikTok: tiktok.com/@arminvanbuuren Facebook: facebook.com/arminvanbuuren Spotify: tinyurl.com/32txeefb The post Armin van Buuren Announces First Acoustic Album, “Piano” appeared first on EDM. View the full article
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Tomorrowland Symphony of Unity’s First-Ever Release Reimagines Generational Dance Anthem, “Reload”
Tomorrowland‘s Symphony of Unity is finally taking its show from the stage to streaming platforms. The orchestral collective, which has been turning EDM bangers into cinematic experiences at Tomorrowland since 2015, today released its debut recording, a symphonic version of Sebastian Ingrosso and Tommy Trash’s generational dance anthem “Reload.” The timing makes sense. After performing at Tomorrowland’s flagship festival in Belgium, selling out two Brussels shows and appearing at the Las Vegas Sphere for the scintillating UNITY series, Symphony of Unity has proven there’s serious demand for electronic music reimagined with strings and brass. Now that proof of concept gets a proper studio release through the festival’s in-house record label, Tomorrowland Music. Thanks to its euphoric production and John Martin’s stentorian vocals, “Reload” immediately became a festival staple after its release back in September 2012, and the Symphony of Unity treatment maintains the track’s anthemic quality while layering in cinematic orchestral arrangements. The release marks the group’s transition from a live-only concept to a recording act, which opens up possibilities beyond festival slots. It’s a natural next step for a collaboration that’s been building momentum since 2015. “We’ve always believed that music has no boundaries,” the ensemble said in a statement. “This rework is our tribute to a timeless classic, transformed into a powerful symphonic experience.” Follow Tomorrowland: X: x.com/tomorrowland TikTok: tiktok.com/@tomorrowland Instagram: instagram.com/tomorrowland Facebook: facebook.com/tomorrowland The post Tomorrowland Symphony of Unity’s First-Ever Release Reimagines Generational Dance Anthem, “Reload” appeared first on EDM. View the full article ~ external link ~