Genre Archives: Electronic

DROELOE

Based on the latest local guidelines, attendees are no longer required to provide proof of negative COVID-19 test AND/OR vaccination for entry into this event. Other shows on our calendar may still have specific health and safety requirements based on artist request.  Be sure to check our venue website for the latest updates and guidelines as entry requirements are subject to change. 

ABOUT DROELOE

Life’s ebb and flow is something we can all relate to, but it’s how we channel and react to it that sets us apart. Producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Vincent Rooijers aka DROELOE shares his perspectives through an intricate kaleidoscope woven from the blistering combination of forward-thinking sounds and stunning visual art. It’s this stunning blend of introspective reflection meets real life memories and moments where the most interesting stories are created. The story of life with no boundaries between chaos and order. The Unexpected Odyssey.

Dabin

Please note that Majestic Theatre, High Noon Saloon, Orpheum Theater, and The Sylvee are requiring all fans to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours OR full vaccination for entry to all events at the venue moving forward. In accordance with current Dane County Public Health guidelines, this performance will also require masks regardless of vaccination status. Additional policies may apply on a show-by-show basis. More details available here.


Dabin is a JUNO nominated music producer/instrumentalist from Toronto. Having spent his teens learning to play the piano, drums and guitar, Dabin started producing electronic music in 2011. He quickly attracted the attention of Kannibalen Records and released his first tracks on the ever growing independent label only a year later. Now Dabin has increased his exposure by supplementing releases with Mr. Suicide Sheep’s Vancouver label, Seeking Blue.

Dabin has gained millions of plays while refining his musical style into what it is today. His “Wild Youth” LP has seen Dabin solidify his signature sound which blends acoustic elements with electronic ones through a dance-pop lense. His high level of musicality has caught the ears of collaborators including Seven Lions, SLANDER, Said the Sky and Black Tiger Sex Machine, as well as Illenium who Dabin has collaborated with for “Hearts On Fire” and numerous tours together as a live band.

The Floozies – Night 1

Get tickets for Night 2 of the Floozies on Saturday, April 23 here.

Based on the latest local guidelines, attendees are no longer required to provide proof of negative COVID-19 test AND/OR vaccination for entry into this event. Other shows on our calendar may still have specific health and safety requirements based on artist request.  Be sure to check our venue website for the latest updates and guidelines as entry requirements are subject to change. 

*This event is a rescheduled date. All tickets purchased for the November 2021 dates will be valid for this show.

The Floozies – Night 2

Based on the latest local guidelines, attendees are no longer required to provide proof of negative COVID-19 test AND/OR vaccination for entry into this event. Other shows on our calendar may still have specific health and safety requirements based on artist request.  Be sure to check our venue website for the latest updates and guidelines as entry requirements are subject to change. 

*This event is a rescheduled date. All tickets purchased for the November 2021 dates will be valid for this show.

Jai Wolf

For fans of Big Wild, NGHTMRE, NoMBe, Whats So Not, Alison Wonderland 

just wanna make u cry.

 

 

 

EKALI

For fans of TroyBoi, Louis Futon, Jai Wolf, Boombox Cartel, Mr. Carmack 

I make music and travel the world playing it.

 

NIGHTMARES ON WAX DJ SET

It is no exaggeration to say that Nightmares on Wax’s work is synonymous with a place in time. It is a place individual to those who have savoured his popular brand of sun-drenched dubbed out soul, where fragments of hazy memories, halcyon days and past snapshots encapsulate a generation’s sofa sojourning.

For George Eveyln, the man behind Nightmares on Wax, did indeed create some defining moments in the 90’s. Firstly there was his involvement in writing two of the U.K.’s early rave classics Dexterous and Aftermath (with then writing partner Kevin Harper from the Nightmares A Word of Science album). George then went alone and in ’95 bought us Smoker’s Delight, a downbeat opus and the archetype 90’s stoner album (not surprisingly, he was a one time high judge of the Cannibus Cup in Amsterdam). The effect of Smokers Delight was palpable as it is considered one of the main catalysts in the explosion of the chill out / down tempo genre today.

Following Smokers, in 1999, Carboot Soul was delivered. A sublime languid success, it solidified George’s reputation as the patriarch of this very popular genre. Regardless of the connotations now associated with chill out / ambient / down tempo, both Smokers and Carboot remain untainted zeitgeists, still viewed as soundscapes of good times past, music that a cross section of people enjoyed, often whilst languishing post clubbing. Zeitgeists of an era, these albums have sold over 150,000 copies and continue to, ten years and six years respectively after release.

However, the Nightmares success story doesn’t end there. Having been away for nearly four years (like a fine wine, the maturation of his work is crucial to its production process!), George honed a more polished production technique, and in doing so, in 2002 presented the addictive brew of pop, dancehall and old-soul that was Mind Elevation. Conquering the unknown, two hits on the album Know my Name and 70’s/80’s were embraced by the radio fraternity, infecting our airwaves that following summer with their sweet vocals, lush melodies and lolloping hip hop beats.

Spring 2006 sees the drop of another one of George’s musical gems, in the form of In A Space Outta Sound. It is a contemporary and varied album of many textures, tempos and tones, with harmonic inflections from cultures beyond these shores. Whilst this is an album deconstructing George’s musical make up, by inviting you down a personal retrospective journey, In A Space… also unwittingly reflects the urban multi-cultural landscape we live in today. This mish-mash of geographically distinct sounds are heard whilst treading the streets of London, or Leeds where George is from, or any other big city in Britain. The society we live in is a racially heterogeneous one and this album is as diverse in its influences. Tellingly, this pastiche of styles has for many years also been reflected in his DJ-ing output (under his DJ name EASE).

It is a sonic palette taken from each continent; each track presents a facet whether it be the infectious repetitive African percussion sounds of African Pirates, the recurring Caribbean reggae riddims as heard in Sweetest and Flip Ya Lid, the seduction of the Persian snake charmer’s harpsichord entwined around Damn!, or Mo-town’s soul-laid-bare in I Am You. Sometimes it is a blend of all of the above.

Once again, Nightmare’s trademark stamp is evident; rhythms infectious in their simplicity, blues infused time signatures overlaid by Quincy Jones-esque synth lines and the inherent fusion of relaxed dub, hallucinogenic hip hop and Balearic melodies. And there is another factor in George’s formula, the intangible touch of glowing warmth that infects his music. As the Times newspaper once commented, “George Evelyn is one of those people who can bottle sunshine”. This blissful quality is perhaps the x-factor in his success as a musician and it is one that George consciously and liberally mixes in. He takes from the essence of soul where emotion is its driving force. However, it is apparent that his emotions veer on the lighter side. As he says “I want to share my positivity in life, in music.”

Like many fortunate music enthusiasts, his love of music was passed down from his parents. The Evelyn household was one often enveloped in the indignant funk of Curtis Mayfield and the smooth melody lines of Quincy Jones (where George’s devotion began). The sweet, cloying lullabies of Sarah Vaughn were as often heard coming out of Mr. Evelyn’s precious mahogany 78 players as Duke Ellington’s lively compositions. Having come over from the West Indies as a young man, George’s father also passed on to his children musical legacies of his birthplace, frequently playing staple classics of Soca, or Calypso as it’s now called, found too at the local dancehall he frequented.

However, like many, George’s musical epiphany was most keenly felt through self-discovery. When only a pre-teen, he joined a local break dance crew, having immersed himself in the first wave of hip hop filtering through to Britain in the form of Rappers Delight and Buffalo Gals. It was here that he also found an early allegiance to soul where the sampled voices of the OJ’s, Isley Brothers and James Brown were used over and over again as scratches on such records.

However pre-dating his initiation into hip-hop came the pivotal moment when he discovered bass. It was inevitable that he would stumble upon local sound systems that mates’ older brothers were involved in, but the effect the heavy, reverberating dub breaks that each collective tried to out do the other with, would be long lasting. In George’s young mind, the louder those bass lines were, the bigger the impact it had on him hence his lifelong love for those heavy, rolling beats, integral to his sound. In fact, on his next tour, promoting In A Space… he will be performing as part of a sound system from a local Leeds collective.

Naturally, it was also a great privilege to meet and collaborate with personal heroes like Scientist and De La Soul but his interests certainly don’t end here, also citing rare groove, ska and 80’s electro. A compliment to his taste, he has had not one, but two established music compilers (!K7 and Another Late Night) approach him for a personal selection of favourite songs for release, and within 3 years of each other. An endorsement of his popularity if ever there was one.

George’s success is enduring, and he has often been praised for his polished production work. Indeed with a state of the art studio, no one can fault the craft he has been honing for fifteen years. The subtle complexities and layers to his music is also what makes it so accessible. However this is certainly not the sole result of one man and a mixing desk. He works with a varied group of local musicians; a range of percussionists, classically trained keyboardists, guitarists etc., and evidence of this was found on his last tour to promote Mind Elevation, doing a string of dates with a thirteen piece band. Live musicianship is also quite apparent on In A Space…. where much of the ideas came from impromptu studio ‘jams’.

Producing the genuine article and constantly evolving and progressing is the prime motivation behind Nightmares’ music. It is about taking the sounds of soul and reggae and hip-hop and more to a new plateaux. “Today’s music is inspired by what’s gone on before and that is what fascinates me. Following on in that tradition I am inspired by the old and want to evolve it into something new. I see it as a never ending cycle and that is where I want to be.”

Audien

For fans of: Borgeous, Gareth Emery, Elephante

Check out our Audien: Upcoming Artist Spotlight playlist on Spotify and find your new favorite song!

In the middle of a global explosion of Electronic Dance Music, a genre that thrives in the most exclusive nightclubs of the world’s cosmopolitan cities, a prodigious producer has emerged from the unlikeliest of places. The small seaport town of Mystic, Connecticut, has been the home of Audien (AKA Nate Rathbun) for his entire life, and it’s in a small apartment in Mystic where Audien began creating music in 2008. Using a very basic set up, and a secret cocktail of plug-ins, Audien worked diligently to hone his craft. By age 17, while his friends were either preparing college applications or teeing up jobs, Audien began to test the waters by sending his unsolicited music out to producers, labels & bloggers. Though confident in his sound, Audien carefully managed his expectations, suspecting it was unlikely that he’d hear back from a random demo submission. An enthusiastic response came, however, from Flashover Recordings, the trance label owned by beloved Dutch Producer/DJ Ferry Corsten. Audien’s single “Rise & Shine” was released, and soon thereafter he was off to the races.

Over the next two years a slew of renowned labels came calling, gravitating to Audien’s stunning melodies & innovative sonic landscapes. Audien worked meticulously, but prolifically, churning out anthems & remixes for labels including Armada, Spinnin, and Anjunabeats, with tracks routinely charting on Beatport. Audien’s tracks also began to appear on compilations assembled by some of the genre’s giants, including Tiesto’s Club Life, Above & Beyond’s Trance Around The World, and Armin Van Buuren’s A State of Trance. A particularly exciting opportunity presented itself in May of 2011, when Audien had the opportunity to open for Van Buuren at New York’s Roseland. In just 3 years, Audien had gone from idolizing Van Buuren to sharing a stage with him.

As Audien has continued to release tracks into 2012, his music has evolved to include elements of Progressive House. The monster 2012 release These Are The Days was lauded by influential blog Dancing Astronaut as a “catchy summer anthem,” while The Top Sound noted “the combination of flawless evolution, beautiful piano chords, & trance-y plucks makes this an absolutely brilliant track.” Never straying far from his roots, Audien released his highly acclaimed song Eventide on Anjunabeats in August of 2012. Audien’s relationship with Above & Beyond continued to blossom through the fall; in November, A&B premiered Audien’s track Wayfarer as the first ever song played on their new radio show, Above & Beyond Group Therapy.

Elsewhere in November 2012, Audien released the incendiary progressive house track SUP, via Trice Recordings. SUP was featured by Dutch icon Hardwell on episode 87 of Hardwell On Air. Commenting on the track, Elektro magazine declared, “… this production takes its listeners on a roller coaster ride of uplifting synth progressions, chaotic builds, and hard, bouncing drops that holds the ability to move crowds wherever this banger is played.” Shortly after the track’s release, Audien joined Hardwell on tour for dates in New York & Boston.

With his ability to create fresh tracks in auto-pilot, Audien has turned his attention to performing live, a craft he takes just as seriously as his production. Audien recently performed at some of the hottest clubs in the US including L.A.’s Exchange & Lure, San Francisco’s Ruby Skye & Harlot, New York’s Pacha, XS in Las Vegas, and Miami’s LIV. With more big shows forthcoming, Audien is ready to continue his rapid rise out of Mystic, and around the world.

Snakehips – All-Stars North America Tour

For fans of Cashmere Cat, MØ, AlunaGeorge, Louis The Child, Whethan 

Since forming only 18 months ago, Snakehips have made their name with Hype Machine chart-topping remixes for Banks, The Weeknd, Bondax and Wild Belle, which between them have notched up more than 30 million plays on Soundcloud and YouTube. Last May, the mysterious production duo built on their early acclaim with On & On, a Radio 1-championed debut single that set out their signature sound, a sensual up-to-date take on old school R&B and hip hop.

In time to usher in another summer and ahead of appearances at major festivals across the UK and abroad, Snakehips are ready to release their glorious, second single, Days With U, featuring Disclosure and Rudimental vocalist Sinead Harnett. With the vibe of long, hot, hazy days coursing through its veins, Days With U sounds both retro and fresh and as dreamily laid-back as it is dancefloor-friendly. Driven as much by melody as by hip hop beats and shimmering synths, it’s a song about heartbreak that, somehow, sounds resolutely life-affirming.

With a debut album well underway and due out early next year, Snakehips have decided it’s time to reveal themselves as 24 year old Londoners Oliver Lee and James Carter. Despite a shared home city, the pair met on separate business trips to Hong Kong, where they bonded over shared musical interests. They shared a flight to L.A., began talking music and booked a studio in which to work on a track. It went so well that within days of returning to London they nudged their laptops together and Snakehips was born.

The pair’s first release was a remix of Chicago band Wild Belle’s It’s Too Late; their next a remix of Gold by electronic duo Bondax. Both used only the original vocal, topped the Hype Machine chart and revealed Snakehips’ love of ‘90s hip hop, disco and vintage soul.

The reaction to their own music, however, was in a different league. The steamy, sultry, lushly-produced On & On, featuring up-and-coming, Australian singer George Maple, sent blogs in to a frenzy, reached the Top 10 of the iTunes electronic charts on both sides of the Atlantic and caught the attention of Radio 1’s Zane Lowe, Annie Mac, Mistajam and Monki, for whom Snakehips recorded a guest mix. Like Days With U, On & On was a song about heartbreak that sounded like summer. Or as Ollie outs it: “It’s about a bloke George was in love with who didn’t love her back.” On & On’s soulful blend of retro and modern became Snakehips’ trademark.

“We love the vibe of 90s music – Hi-Tek, Pete Rock, that golden era of R&B with singers like Aaliyah and SWV,” says James. “We’re suckers for anything with cool soul samples and old drum beats. But we’re also influenced by living in London. We borrow from the past to make music for the future.”

Last year, Snakehips heard the Banks’ song Warm Water and loved it so much they contacted Banks, asking to remix it. She sent the acapella, they added funky disco music, had another blog hit on their hands and were rewarded by being asked to rework The Weeknd’s Wanderlust. After The Weeknd tweeted his praise for their version, it received a million and a half plays in less than a month.

In between official singles, Snakehips have put out a handful of sample-based tracks, among them the Annie Mac-premiered Make It and Miss U Always, a love song posted for fans on Valentine’s Day. They sold out a tour of Australia, shows across the UK and were in demand to play clubs and festivals everywhere from Paris, Vienna, Warsaw and Berlin to the Netherlands. The pair’s debut London date, this May, at Village Underground, sold out so quickly a second show had to be added.

Most of 2014 so far has been spent working on their as-yet-untitled debut album, which will be preceded by a third single, Falling, featuring Meleka. All releases are on Snakehips’ own label Hoffman West, named after a fictional character Ollie created to get in to clubs for free.

“Put the name Hoffman West, plus five, on a guest list and no one asks questions when you get to the door,” he explains. “There’s something about that name that sounds so important that you’re always ushered straight in.”

It’s a busy summer ahead for Snakehips with appearances lined up at festivals such as Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Love Saves The Day as well as European jaunts at Outlook in Croatia and Pitch in Amsterdam. With a debut album also in the pipeline, there’s certainly a lot more of exciting things in store from the London based production duo.

 

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