edm magazine may - june 2012

Electronic Dance Magazine

MAY - JUNE 2012

Editorial Staff

Living & Breathing Dance Music!

Content

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED HEREIN ARE THOSE OF INDIVIDUALS AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY SHARED BY EDM MAGAZINE

ELECTRONIC DANCE MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED SIX TIMES ANNUALLY.NO PART OF THIS MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION BY ORB MEDIA BROADCASTING INC.COPYRIGHT 2009. EDM IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK USED BY:ORB MEDIA BROADCASTING INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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PUBLISHED BY:

CHIEF EDITOR Alexia ChuckASSISTANT EDITOR Lisa ChonEDM ONLINE EDITOR Beverly StollFASHION EDITOR Ashle Quitadamo V.P. OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Timothy GoughTECH EDITOR Trevor YagenWEB MASTER Wendell Frohwein

Orlando R. Padilla Brittany Gaston Trevor YagenAlexia Chuck Tim Stark Beverly Stoll Lisa Chon Natalie Cabral D. Peters Vanessa Canal Steven Morrow

Contributing Writers

Christian Artieda Dianyelo Gonzalez Joseph LozanoRobert Kaneshi Erik Arellano

EDITORIAL MAY - JUNE 2012

Jason Brown Representative - Denver CO.Nick Domingez Representative - Las Vegas NV.Hamill Cruz Representative - Seattle WA.Kyle Lescarbeau Representative - Phoenix AZ.Cameron Peppers Representative - Honolulu HI.Andrew Lazar Representative - San Francisco CA.Eric Fragola Representative - San Francisco CA.

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DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Carlos Rodas

By: Alexia Chuck

PUBLISHER Yoel BerriosASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Adrian Mendoza

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Representative

Aleks Milanovic Director of Operations AustraliaCem Yurdakul Director of Operations The NetherlandsGustavo Matos Director of Operations South America

MARKETING DIRECTOR Presmiley AsuncionMarketing / Sales

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s we come full circle to the most anticipated weekend of the year, EDC draws near and the air is getting more and more electric with a distant sound of beats Aand bass. With America's largest festival due to be bigger than ever, it seems

like every year EDC has proven to show a direct connection to just how high the EDM buzz is escalating - and the good news is: we are finally turning heads. Not only are many new and talented artists emerging from our country, but it's also our shores that countless other international DJ's and producers are itching to play on. Our untouched, pure outlook on electronic music is something of a rare commodity in the international music world – our beats remain fresh, and our festivals rage on innovatively.

No matter how mainstream EDM becomes in America, I have no doubt that our crowds will always remain eager, willing, and excited to listen. It took many years, but our passion has finally been discovered; and I think I can speak for everyone when I say it was definitely worth the wait. We've been tuned in our whole lives, and now it's our turn world - are you listening to us? Transcription Writer

April Villagrana

Liquid Love: Netsky

Pacha New York

Pg.06

Pg.09

Massive Entertainer Pg.11

Q-Dance Pg.15

EDC Survival Guide Pg.16

The Voices of EDM Pg.23

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If you’re looking for those high energy synths, blood rushing buildups, and brain exploding breakdowns - - Netsky is it. Period. Boris Daenen - criminal mastermind

behind the beats that will steal your heart and soul - has single handedly paved his own path in the drum and bass world by creating his own unique blend of liquid, love making, bass music. By stringing together vocals, ridiculously catchy melodies, and high energy drops, Netsky has effortlessly captivated thousands of dedicated fans worldwide. And while his music really could be described with endless adjectives, it’s Netsky’s live show that is one to leave most speechless. Waiving lighters, moshpits, stage dives, and outright outbursts of energetic danc-ing really spotlights just how crazy fans are all over the world for their bass music guru. With so much energy boiling over, whether it is through his music or his live performances, one thing is for certain: Netsky speaks to the soul.

Hailing from Antwerp, Belgium, Netsky was found in the most unlikely of cities to unearth a liquid drum and bass pioneer. In his early years of DJ’ing and producing, Netsky looked up to innovative artists such as London Elektricity, Lo-gistics, High Contrast, along with many various talented producers from Hospital Records. Tak-ing his inspirations from these personal idols, Netsky slowly and intricately twisted his music

into a sound that he could call his own. With his beginning singles “Smile” and “Tomorrow’s An-other Day”, Netsky quickly rose to the attention of the world and even went on to be nominated for ‘Best Upcoming Producer’ at the 2008 Drum and Bass Arena Awards, as well as snatching up the award as the ‘Best Newcomer Producer’ in 2010. Within a few short years, Netsky’s fresh new sound earned him a permanent place next to the innovative artists of Hospital Records in 2009.

As 2011 rolled by, Netsky had already traveled the world playing for thousands of his adoring fans in Europe and America alike, breaking records in being one of the fastest rising stars in drum and bass. In 2012, Netsky unleashed his full live show (Netsky: LIVE!) upon the crowds of Brixton, which included a full band complete with drums, keyboard, and more. With nothing but free flowing innovation, Netsky is sure to completely explode across Europe and United States within the next few years. He brings a freshness that has been long overdue in the drum and bass world, and his ever growing fan base really proves that he is putting the ‘music’ back in electronic dance music.

We sat down with Netsky to ask him about drum and bass, and his inspirations for his original sound:

Words by: Alexia Chuck

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Can you tell us a little bit about your musical history and how you came to produce Drum and Bass?“I grew up with a lot of different styles of music. My father was really into classical music , jazz, and he also had a really big 70’s dance collec-tion. My mother was also into classical but she was also very into that cheesy 70’s music as well. Growing up, I guess I kind of had their mu-sical tastes subliminally influencing me. I started experimenting producing music when I was 14. I began making house first, and after a couple of years I started to get into more breaks and drum and bass. I can’t really explain how it went from classical music to drum and bass. Everything just kind of fell into place, and drum and bass spoke to me the most I guess you could say.”

What is Drum and Bass to you? “For me it’s a very interesting genre, and it’s really all about the energy. You can blend a lot of different kinds of styles into Drum and Bass, because you can really express yourself with that specific tempo. You can mix something really dark with something really happy, and I don’t think you see that as often with other elec-tronic genres. I like bringing all types of musical styles to drum and bass while still maintaining that energy that you get from the genre.”

What would you say inspire your per-sonal unique sound?“The music that I grew up with has definitely influenced me in more ways that I might realize. Music from the past has a lot to teach all of us. I’ve gained a lot of influence from 70’s music due to my parents, and my upcoming album has a lot of influences from the music of the 80’s I believe.”

What are some the artists that you’re really into right now?“I’m really into Moombahton right now – artists like Dillion Francis and Boyz Noise.”

What inspires you for your track selec-tion when you play?“I think any DJ just looks at the crowd and tries to play something in between what’s comfort-able for them, and what pleases the crowd. Getting feedback from other DJs on what really hypes up the crowd is always a good idea too. Generally speaking though, I like to play tracks that people won’t expect. Sometimes I like to even throw in some hip-hop and electro - I like to mash it up a little bit.”

If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what do you think you would be doing?

“I hope that once I stop DJ’ing I can still go on to keep producing music. If I never got into DJ’ing or producing I think I still would have ended up doing something like stage production, sound engineering or something to that extent.”

What have been some high points in your musical career so far?“The biggest news for me was getting signed to Hospital Records - They have really done a lot for me. I also think some other high points have been my first couple of remixes, and some of the new collaborations that are scheduled to come out soon.”

Can you give us a little bit of an insider into what we can expect from your new album?“There are a couple of tracks that have an 80’s feel, there’s a little bit of that rocky drum and bass, there’s a little bit of dubstep, and there’s even some electro. I was really trying to portray more of a story within the album, so it has a little bit of everything – but it’s still me.”

If you could say one thing to your fans what would it be?“They are the reason why I’m standing here, and I am happy to have every single one of them in my life.”

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acha New York is the newest of the nightclub franchises in North America, located on the West Side Pof Manhattan. There are twenty-five Pacha clubs all

over the world from Buenos Aires, to all the way out in Ibiza. New York's Pacha is over thirty-thousand square feet with four levels of fun, drinks, dancing, amazing lighting, effects and lazers (not to mention the multiple DJ booths, and an award winning sound system). It's no wonder Pacha has been voted one of the best-poised and refined clubs in NYC.

When first entering the club, you will find yourself in the basement level of the building where you can hang your coats as well as purchase merchandise. The first floor of the club is the common area where you are likely to find your traditional dance floor with a grand staircase and a full bar. As you migrate through the club, you reach the second level, which is called the Mezzanine, where you will find crazy LED lights, a fully installed video system that overlooks the main floor as well as the clubs VIP area.

As your night goes on and your journey continues, you will find the third floor known as the “Funky Room” that has been named after Pacha Ibiza's pre-club lounge area. It also has a VIP area which they call the “Shower Lounge”. Here is where you can an experience an exotic night complete with live shower dancing. Last, but not least, you will find yourself on the fourth level known as “Little Pacha”. There you can kick back, relax, dance if you wish, or have seated presentations. Little Pacha has couches that can be changed for your own personal liking, an independent sound system, and full bar. Little Pacha is also the area where you will find that most private parties are hosted as it is the most separated from the main area and events that are going on.

09

EDM’SCLUBBER'S

CHOICE

Words By: Adrian Mendoza

Within the past few months artists that have appeared at Pacha NYC and Miami have been many of everyone's favorites such as: Sebastian Ingrosso, Tritonal, Erick Morillo, Eddie Halliwell, Ferry Corsten, Chuckie, Avicii, Sean Tyas & Simon Patterson, Carl Cox, Cedric Gervais, Boris, and Armin Van Burren – just to name a few.

Portraying the same originality and unique atmospheres as its cousins located in other countries, Pacha New York truly proves that you don't need to take a vacation to an unknown land to experience an exotic and colorful night.

NEW YORK , NEW YORK PACHA

The best and most refined club in NYC

It isn’t too often that a young man organiz-es and throws his first music event at the age of 15. It also isn’t very common that by 18, he’s already hosted the large-scale electronic music festival Nocturnal Won-derland. For the founder and visionary of Insomniac, Pasquale Rotella, the dream

of bringing together a community of people and the music they loved became a reality at a very young age. Notorious for becoming a pioneer in electronic music festival planning in the U.S. and across the world, Rotella hasn’t stopped making his visions a reality since 1992, and he’s not done yet.

Born in Glendale, California, Rotella was raised in a traditional Italian family and adopted an in-tense work ethic from his Italian born parents. As a young boy, he kept to sweeping floors and paid close attention to just how business worked at his family owned restaurant “Rotella’s” in Venice Beach, California. These skills would later come in handy with the ridiculous amount of work he takes on now. Best known in the U.S. for Insom-niac’s Electric Daisy Carnival, Rotella’s start in the business was inspired by the underground raves of Los Angeles back in the early 1990’s. Hanging with kids that weren’t exactly Venice Beach boardwalk material, threw Rotella out of his element and he was in awe of the odd cloth-ing and communal attitude that he witnessed during these undergrounds. After the gradual disappearance of these functions, Rotella was overcome with the need to reunite the EDM com-munity and its music. With dreams of creating more than just concerts, he aimed to create an experience festival goers would never forget.

Driven by his own appreciation for the music, Ro-tella and a few friends scouted locations and ven-ues to hold Insomniac’s then weekly parties. Im-mediately attracting over 300 people, Insomniac was well on its way to success. Focused on pro-viding an experience, Rotella booked talent him-self on top of personally choosing décor for the venues. A man who was once just a fan him self was instantly skyrocketing to success by booking DJ’s who hadn’t even crossed over to U.S. ears yet. The stress of weekly parties by Insomniac eventually wore down Rotella who at 18, was ready to expand the dance music horizons here in America. Insomniac’s longest recurring event, Nocturnal Wonderland was born in 1995 and still attracts around 50,000 fans, if not more, depend-ing on the venue. By 1998, The Los Angeles Me-morial Coliseum and Sports Arena was host to Countdown. Soon after, in 2000, Nocturnal Won-derland was held at the Empire Polo Fields and welcomed over 40,000 guests. The event’s mas-sive turn out of guests was no surprise thanks to the quality DJ’s Rotella had been booking. Noc-

Words by: Natalie CabralPhotos by: Carlos Rodas

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turnal Wonderland hosted huge talent such as Paul Oakenfold, Christopher Lawrence and the Dilated Peoples. If U.S. electronic music lovers hadn’t heard of the popular music across the seas, Insomniac brought it straight to them.

The family of Insomniac events soon welcomed Beyond Wonderland, Escape From Wonder-land, and White Wonderland. All events set the bar high for quality experiences and be-came host to legendary talent. Rotella, being a natural overachiever, provided everything from advanced pyrotechnics, lighting and even acrobatic performers at his events. His suc-cess unfortunately, did not come without some arguments. Banning of glow sticks and gloves upset many Insomniac attendees a few years ago, leaving Rotella stuck between satisfying his customers and venue managers who were blinded by stigmas about drug use and electron-ic music. Still, he remains firm that festivals will soon become the “social norm” among young adults who want to go out, much like nightclubs. Relentless in the battle to shake some of the stigmas, Rotella said, “we’re fighting everyone’s fight, which we’re fine with, and we’ve learned a lot. I feel like it’s made us stronger. We’ve never given up. We won’t give up.” Never fail-ing to forget about his original vision of creating a truly unforgettable experience, it didn’t take long for the world to realize his talent for or-ganizing these notable occasions. The Electric Daisy Carnival, which came to be not long after Nocturnal Wonderland, broke all expectations in 2011 when it was hosted for the very first time at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada.

The move of venues came after bad blood be-tween Insomniac Events and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, who banned electronic music events or “raves” after the death of an underage girl at EDC in 2010. Confronted with bad press after another death at EDC Dallas, Rotella assured the public his events were still as safe as ever despite the tragedies. Cracking down with security and strict age limits, he car-

ing. The show already sold out within hours and like it’s EDC counterparts, will feature world class DJ’s such as Armin Van Buuren, Avicii, Afrojack, Markus Schulz, Gareth Emery and ATB to name just a few. The powerhouse of Insomniac Events has certainly been “Wide Awake Since 1993”, or at least Rotella probably has been. His non-stop desire to out do himself with legendary events has given him well-deserved respect within the music industry. Insomniac’s club events are held regularly as well and are acclaimed for their qual-ity.

At just 37-years-old, Rotella has created an em-pire revolving around the music he loves most. He’s been featured in Las Vegas’ Inc. “Top 40 Under 40” and came in at number 5 on Bob Lef-setz’s 2011 list of the Top Ten Most Powerful Peo-ple in the Music Industry. Following EDC 2011, Rotella was recognized at the DJ Ibiza Awards for “Top International Festival”. The Las Vegas Con-vention and Visitor’s Authority even features the festival as one of their annual events. Insomniac Events has also been featured numerous times on Fast Company’s Top Ten list of the music industry’s Most Innovative Companies. Rotella earned himself “Promoter of the Year” by URB Magazine and “Best Event Promoter” at the 27th Annual Dance Music Awards in 2012. It seems as if the awards just keep rolling in for this young mogul.

Currently residing in Los Angeles and Las Ve-gas, Rotella is constantly searching for new ideas, possibilities and ways to transform what first started as a simple idea of combining music and people. Through social media like Facebook and Twitter, he isn’t afraid to listen to his custom-ers either. Replying to tweets like “parking was a mess” or “the bathroom lines took too long” isn’t uncommon for Rotella. Always staying on his A-Game, he tries his best to accommodate to fans’ needs by replying directly. Guests will probably always find something to nag about, but it can’t be denied that Insomniac currently hosts some of the largest and most popular dance music events in America. Building back their reputation for safe

ried on with the massive concerts and eventu-ally reached an agreement with the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Happy to host and reap in the revenue of thousands of festival attendees, Las Vegas welcomed EDC with open arms in 2011. That June, the speedway evolved into a three-day music paradise that hosted over 230,000 EDM fans. Filled with everything from carnival rides, fireworks, beyond impressive stage set ups and even free water stations, Insomniac tru-ly outdid itself. The event received praise from around the world and even boosted the city of Las Vegas’ economy after what became known as “EDC Week”. According to one independent economic report, EDC 2011 provided more than $136 million to the Clark County economy and produced about $8.9 million for the state and local government. These numbers were record-breaking for an Insomniac event in the U.S. and they’re still expected to climb another 30% with the 2012 installment of the Electric Daisy Carni-val in Las Vegas.

This isn’t to say that the Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas 2011 occurred without incident. Ac-cording to Jackie Valley of the Las Vegas Sun, the Metro Police arrested six people on June 26 alone for felonies with five of them related to narcotics. Valley also noted that the “mass exodus of attendees created traffic problems along Interstate 15 [on] Monday morning during rush hour.” Considering the massive amounts of people the event attracted, Mike Blasky and Adrienne Packer of the Las Vegas Review-Jour-nal, noted that police were not alarmed by any major incidents that would concern them about the festivals return in 2012. Las Vegas Police spokesman Bill Cassell was quoted after the event as saying “from a law enforcement stand-point, this was a success.”

Riding the wave of success after EDC Las Ve-gas, Rotella recently has been working on his next project to provide festival perfection for his East Coast fans…EDC New York. While EDC is already held in four major cities across Amer-ica including Puerto Rico, Rotella took it upon himself and his company to keep on expand-

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in a different way. Seeing all the people com-ing together and creating an experience that is unique is something that I really enjoy. When I’m seeing thousands of people happy and smiling, I really get a lot out of that – to know that I helped create that feeling within someone else.”

Do you feel like your underground roots have influenced your events today?

“Absolutely. I remember that feeling when I walked into an underground event, and what caught my eye. It was the people that were there, it was the art, the decor, and the production. All that to me was really important. It wasn’t just about going and being entertained by a Dj or any one particular thing - it was about a complete experience. Everything from getting ready at the house, to getting all the way to the event, every part of it was enjoyable to me and that is really where I got inspired the most.“

What event(s) in your earlier years would say inspired you to start throwing events?

“There are so many... In my earlier years the warehouse parties and events out in the desert were a big influence. To this day I get inspired by various festivals. Burning Man and Moontribe

and professionally held events, Insomniac is un-doubtedly going to become an even bigger play-er in the music event industry. Unprecedented success and popularity leaves fans begging for more, and Rotella has been inclined to provide an experience for almost two decades.

Faced with the struggle of taboo ideas about electronic music and rampant drug use, Rotella has remained professional about his events and plans on moving forward with successful event planning. This is despite the alleged malfeasance charges against two Los Angeles Colesium man-agers related to Rotella’s EDC 2010 and missing funds belonging to the bankrupt Los Angeles Me-morial Coliseum. While Rotella was not arrested, he was eager to work with police and attend court to clear his name. Avoiding the unnecessary bad press as much as possible, Rotella is still look-ing into new venues, festival ideas and projects. His search to go above and beyond is seemingly endless. Having not even reached 40 years old yet, this businessman still remains humble about his genius. “I am a fan first, and being a fan is what pushes me to make each event better than the last,” he admits.

If you haven’t attended an Insomniac event yet, you’re definitely missing an experience. A typi-cal festival consists of huge lights, impressive dancers, booming sound systems and amaz-ing shows such as Armin Van Buuren’s A State

of Trance, which graced Beyond Wonderland in San Bernardino, California in 2012. Headlin-ers are always huge and it’s almost a guarantee that you, just like countless others who’ve fallen under Insomniac’s spell, will love their acclaimed club events and festivals. Rotella’s mind is home to the ideas that have branched out into the In-somniac brand and you’d be a fool not to see for yourself how he makes his visions come true.

How has the journey been from when you were a small promoter to the point that you are at now?

“The journey has been very long and slow. The first “Insomniac” event I did was in 1993, and it was on Crenshaw Blvd. in a warehouse. That event drew 300 people, and then the next week it drew about five or six-hundred people – from there it just kept growing. I did “Insomniac” every Friday for a whole year, each in a different ware-house location. After that year I found that was a bit draining to find a new venue every week. There were a lot of challenges and stress throw-ing events like that so I stopped, and just stuck to doing annual events. Nocturnal Wonderland was my first annual event.”

What was your vision for Insomniac when you first started, and how has that vision changed over the years?

“I had been a part of the first wave of under-ground parties as an attendee, and then in 92 that scene had started to fade away. I loved that original scene so much that when it started to fade, it really felt like there was something that was missing from my life. So I originally started throwing events because I wanted to entertain my friends, and also to continue that scene that we all loved so much. Today I do it for basically the same reasons except I get to enjoy my events

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events in particular are some events that I love attending, and they always open my mind to new ideas and new things.”

What is a typical day in your life?

“I am on the phone a lot – haha. I am stacked with meetings and conference calls. I am lucky these days to have a great team, so things are delegat-ed a lot more than in my earlier years. I also think it is important to still experience live events, and not be stuck at my computer or on the phone all the time. So I still need to get out and see how things are progressing and feel the energy of the crowds at other people’s shows. It’s a very impor-tant part of keeping our events fresh.”

What would you say is your favorite genre of EDM or maybe a few different genres?

“I enjoy listening to Drum and Bass, House, Techno, and I even enjoy listening to the mixes that all the DJ’s play on dance radio as well. To be honest I like to cover all genres. I do need to change it up or I get bored.”

With the recent events that have transposed, a lot of Insomniac’s fans are concerned about the future of Insomniac and its events. What would you have to say to them about that?

“There is nothing to worry about. If something happens to me, my team is strong and ready to handle business. I have had a lot of challenges throwing these events and growing Insomniac. This is just another one. I am taking this very se-rious, and in the worst case scenario - if I was un-available for any reason, I am very lucky to have an amazing team. Not only are they attendees and fans of the scene, but they truly get what it’s all about and we wouldn’t miss a beat.”

What is some advice you can give inspiring promoters who look up to your events?

“Do not give up, and do not let the obstacles that come in your way stop you from continuing. There are going to be so many different challenges, and you just have to keep going. You have to really love it because it is really hard, there is nothing easy about it - it’s no party. If you are doing it for girls, or money, or fame, you are not going to make it. Passion is what got Insomniac where it is today. There is nothing else in life that I would rather do than do this. Whether it is five-hundred people or five hundred-thousand people, I would get the same thing out of it.”

THE PEOPLE

Q-DANCE LIKE IT HARDER:

Words By: Natalie Cabral

aking its way across the Atlantic Ocean and hardstyle genre. This year's lineup features DJ's such America. It's no surprise that Europe has held amazing into the ears of American listeners was a as Brennan Heart, Lady Faith, Zany, Coone and more. and spectacular EDM shows and festivals for years gradual process for one European-born style A huge step for Q-Dance and its fans, Las Vegas will now, but Q-Dance, within its specific genre, has truly M

of electronic music. Hardstyle sounds exactly like its soon be host to legendary talent and Q-Dance's bass set the bar for memorable stage set-ups. Large venues name: hard. The beats and heavy bass throw you into a craze. in countries like Poland have held thousands upon mental frenzy almost immediately, and it's near A company not to be underestimated, upon entering it's thousands of hardstyle fans surrounded by massive impossible to keep from dancing to it. While in recent website you'll quickly realize how serious the Q-Dance speakers, huge lights and some pretty impressive years, American EDM lovers were slow to uncover the empire really is. Broadcasting live radio shows almost pyrotechnics. Absolutely astounding décor engulfing madness that is hardstyle, fans in Europe were already every day, Q-Dance features shows by the likes of Ben stages are all the more reason to keep an eye out for Q-fawning over it. And if it's one name that goes hand in Harder as well as Isaac's Hardstyle Sessions. On top of Dance events. hand with hardstyle – it's Q-Dance. non-stop music, Q-Dance's website contains videos,

more music, tickets and event schedules. For the more The music blares, the lights and lasers flash and you're intense fan, Q-Dance sells merchandise ranging from t- left in awe. Q-Dance takes its business seriously and is shirts, to DJ bags, to boxers. All merchandise is a relevant player in the event planning industry. Their appropriately tagged with the Q-Dance logo that invasion of the U.S. is definitely one to note and will interestingly enough looks like a computer's “power on” certainly be a bass haven for fans itching to experience icon. Q-Dance for them selves. So stomp, shuffle or just

throw yourself around to the hardstyle sounds of Q-Just browsing through photos posted on the website of Dance's EDC stage this year if you're headed out to Las past events thrown by Q-Dance will have you rethinking Vegas and don't be surprised if Q-Dance is here to stay.why you spend your summers or vacations here in

They've built a reputation upon hosting events featuring some of the world's most famous hardstyle DJ's. Catering to the happy ears of bass lovers, Q-Dance has been thriving in the Netherlands since its start in 1998. While the genre's music hasn't shifted to mainstream American radios, such as that of DJ's like David Guetta, its fans have remained loyal to the fast paced genre regardless. Hardstyle DJ's like Headhunterz and Showtek are frequent headliners at festivals here in America already, and have been serving a very dedicated fan base. Outside of the United States however, Q-Dance has already hosted hundreds of events and is finally moving its crazy hitting bass over to the States.

Insomniac's Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas revealed earlier this year that they would feature an entire stage dedicated to Q-Dance's notorious

Founded in Holland during the late 1990's, Q-Dance is a Dutch entertainment company best known for their elaborate and popular hardstyle concert events. If banging and bashing your feet to hard hitting and repetitive bass attracts you, look no further than Q-Dance hosted stages.

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THE EDCSURVIVALGUIDE

Electric Daisy Carnival 2011, Las Vegas Speed way

As June draws near, we're all hearing the buzz of the 3 most commonly said collection of letters: E.D.C. What is EDC? Well for those noobies out there, who are hearing the phrase “EDC” for the first time, let us break it down for you:

irst of all, EDC stands for the festival Electric Daisy Carnival – an electronic

music festival that has grown into a whopping 3-day gathering of beat-

crazy, colorful individuals. Thrown in Las Vegas, Nevada by the Finternationally known event company, Insomniac Events, EDC drew a total

of over 200,000 attendees last year and has grown into THE most anticipated

event in the United States (and soon to be worldwide). Boasting the best in

production, talent, and overall experience, EDC is a not-to-be-missed

revolutionary world where everyone (and their mother) goes to express their

inner energy on levels you could not even begin imagine. And therefore it truly is,

for lack of another creative description – A Carnival.

Thousands of new party-goers attend every year, but since its recent move to

the city of Las Vegas, the trip to attend the festival has grown into much more

of a pilgrimage than ever before; Thus, making it difficult for the average

person to really prepare for the prolonged audio visual experience that EDC

Vegas has to offer. Now don't worry, this won't be anything near a 7-day long

Burning Man-esque tornado, but don't think it will be a piece of cake either.

From one raver (winky face) to another, we are writing this survival guide in

hopes to not only maximize the amazing experience that awaits you, but

also to help prevent any bumps that might happen along the way (truth be

told that even the EDM Magazine crew had our share of car breakdowns,

hunger pains, and epic hangovers last year!). Keep this knowledge in the

back of your mind, and share with your friends!

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:

Now as most of you know, EDC is now held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Therefore, one of the most important things to consider is the travel,

transportation, and lodging/housing aspects of your EDC experience.

Just like any Vegas trip, all ends must be tied when it comes to how you

will be getting there, where you will be staying, and how you're going to

be getting around while you're there. So here are some things to consider before

you make the journey:

irst of all, EDC stands for the festival Electric Daisy Carnival – an electronic

music festival that has grown into a whopping 3-day gathering of beat-

crazy, colorful individuals. Thrown in Las Vegas, Nevada by the Finternationally known event company, Insomniac Events, EDC drew a total

of over 200,000 attendees last year and has grown into THE most anticipated

event in the United States (and soon to be worldwide). Boasting the best in

production, talent, and overall experience, EDC is a not-to-be-missed

revolutionary world where everyone (and their mother) goes to express their

inner energy on levels you could not even begin imagine. And therefore it truly is,

for lack of another creative description – A Carnival.

Thousands of new party-goers attend every year, but since its recent move to

the city of Las Vegas, the trip to attend the festival has grown into much more

of a pilgrimage than ever before; Thus, making it difficult for the average

person to really prepare for the prolonged audio visual experience that EDC

Vegas has to offer. Now don't worry, this won't be anything near a 7-day long

Burning Man-esque tornado, but don't think it will be a piece of cake either.

From one raver (winky face) to another, we are writing this survival guide in

hopes to not only maximize the amazing experience that awaits you, but

also to help prevent any bumps that might happen along the way (truth be

told that even the EDM Magazine crew had our share of car breakdowns,

hunger pains, and epic hangovers last year!). Keep this knowledge in the

back of your mind, and share with your friends!

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:

Now as most of you know, EDC is now held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Therefore, one of the most important things to consider is the travel,

transportation, and lodging/housing aspects of your EDC experience.

Just like any Vegas trip, all ends must be tied when it comes to how you

will be getting there, where you will be staying, and how you're going to

be getting around while you're there. So here are some things to consider before

you make the journey:

Electric Daisy Carnival 2011, Main Stage Setup

Afrojack at Electric Daisy Carnival 2011

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How will you be getting to Vegas?There are several options and levels of transportation, and obviously they all range depending on price.

Shuttle Transportation: Fortunately there are some

shuttle companies that offer EDC transportation

packages. This makes traveling a little more stress

free, and is a slightly cheaper alternative to

flying. Normally the shuttle packages also include a

ride to the venue, but know your shuttle schedules!

The last thing you need is to be left behind after

the party is over – trust me this DID happen to some

people last year!

Flight Transportation: If you're “ballin' outta control” and have the luxury to catch a quick flight over to Vegas, this saves the hassle of worrying about gas, car trouble, and long hours of driving; But don't forget that you will need to now factor in that you will not have a car to drive around in during your stay. Prepare ahead of time and reserve a rental car (this is preferred!), consider shuttle options to the festival, or expect to bring some extra money for numerous cab rides (although this can get immensely expensive as the venue is fairly far from the main area of the Las Vegas strip). Ask friends who are driving there if you can carpool to the festival as well! Don't forget to consider you will also need a ride to, and from the airport.

Flight Transportation: If you're “ballin' outta control” and have the luxury to catch a quick flight over to Vegas, this saves the hassle of worrying about gas, car trouble, and long hours of driving; But don't forget that you will need to now factor in that you will not have a car to drive around in during your stay. Prepare ahead of time and reserve a rental car (this is preferred!), consider shuttle options to the festival, or expect to bring some extra money for numerous cab rides (although this can get immensely expensive as the venue is fairly far from the main area of the Las Vegas strip). Ask friends who are driving there if you can carpool to the festival as well! Don't forget to consider you will also need a ride to, and from the airport.

How will you be getting to Vegas?There are several options and levels of transportation, and obviously they all range depending on price.

Automobile Transportation: Road trip! Most people

drive themselves over to Vegas, and honestly it is not

such a bad option. You will be driving for several

hours, but the drive will be worth it! Road trips can

be very fun, but try to carpool for extra safety, and

to lessen the cost of gas. The thought of driving your

own car and having your own transportation during your

stay can be very comforting but make SURE your car is

up for it! You will do a lot of driving, so before you

make the drive, do all the essential checkups for your

car: Tires, oil change, etc. Having your car break

down while on your EDC trip is a serious buzzkill, and

you do not want to be stuck with a huge tow fee back

home!

Where will you be staying?Another important factor will be where you will be sleeping, showering, and keeping all your stuff during your stay in Vegas. Again, your options range depending on price, and what your budget is.

Hotel: Of course this is an obvious option, but make sure you make your reservations ahead of time. You don't want to get to Vegas to find out that there are no hotels left, and with 200,000+ attendees, the hotels do fill up fast. Prices of hotels range on their location so choose according to your personal budget, and don't be afraid to share a hotel room with friends! This cuts down on cost, and can be more fun too. Some shuttle packages include a hotel room, which can be extremely convenient!














home!














home!







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SAFETY FIRST:NOTHING is more important than the safety of yourself and your friends, so before you go buck wild at a 3-day long festival, please remember these certain health and safety factors during your stay:

No, you cannot survive all weekend on chips and alcohol.As silly as this sounds, most people are not concerned about where or what they will be eating while they're on their EDC trip - let alone during the festival. Food gives you energy, and you will be doing a lot of walking at EDC so you need to make sure you're eating at LEAST twice a day because you will need the energy. Remember to eat people! There will be plenty of food outlets in Vegas – fast food and restaurants alike. There will also be plenty of food booths on-site at EDC itself!



No, you cannot survive all weekend on chips and alcohol.As silly as this sounds, most people are not concerned about where or what they will be eating while they're on their EDC trip - let alone during the festival. Food gives you energy, and you will be doing a lot of walking at EDC so you need to make sure you're eating at LEAST twice a day because you will need the energy. Remember to eat people! There will be plenty of food outlets in Vegas – fast food and restaurants alike. There will also be plenty of food booths on-site at EDC itself!

Stay Hydrated! EDC is during the summer, and you will be in the middle of Las Vegas, Nevada. With a combination like that, it should be a no brainer that it will be hot as f#@k. In fact, it's so hot during this time of year in Nevada that Insomniac Events has the festival begin at sunset to avoid fatalities caused by overheating/heat exhaustion. Although these precautions have been taken by the event throwers, it doesn't hurt to make sure that you take your own personal precautions. Water is FREE, so invest in the re-usable tin water bottles that Insomniac provides, and make sure you are constantly staying hydrated. It is even hot at night! Wear breathable clothing, plenty of sunscreen, and take advantage of the designated “Cool off rooms” (complete with air conditioners, water, fresh fruit, and H2O misting stations) that Insomniac provides for its attendees to lounge in if they're feeling too hot.

Stay Hydrated! EDC is during the summer, and you will be in the middle of Las Vegas, Nevada. With a combination like that, it should be a no brainer that it will be hot as f#@k. In fact, it's so hot during this time of year in Nevada that Insomniac Events has the festival begin at sunset to avoid fatalities caused by overheating/heat exhaustion. Although these precautions have been taken by the event throwers, it doesn't hurt to make sure that you take your own personal precautions. Water is FREE, so invest in the re-usable tin water bottles that Insomniac provides, and make sure you are constantly staying hydrated. It is even hot at night! Wear breathable clothing, plenty of sunscreen, and take advantage of the designated “Cool off rooms” (complete with air conditioners, water, fresh fruit, and H2O misting stations) that Insomniac provides for its attendees to lounge in if they're feeling too hot.

Vitamins Will Save Your Life – Literally!

Let's face it, EDC is 3 days long. You will be partying, and you will not be getting much sleep. Long story

short, you will get sick. Along with eating and staying hydrated, it is also highly recommended to take

your vitamins (especially if you are prone to getting sick a lot)! Raves/parties are cesspools for all sorts

of bacteria and germs and it's always a good precaution to take plenty of vitamin C before you go out all

night. Wash/sanitize your hands (travel size wet naps anyone?), and try not to share your water with

anyone you don't know (if you have to share, make sure the person “waterfall's” the water into their

mouth instead of touching their lips to your bottle).

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Black & White Clowns Outfits - by Electric LaundryHula Hoop - by PolarHoopsModels: Julia Brodnick & Amber McNeil - by Bad and the Beautiful EntertainmentMake-up: Lola SonPhotographer: Carlos Rodas

Japanese Gardens Outfit, Urban Yellow Outfit, Pretty In Pink Outfit, Tropic Orange Outfit - by Electric Laundry

Models: Julia Brodnick, Sasha Kiyoka, Nyla Alkassawat,Amber McNeil - by Bad and the Beautiful Entertainment

Make-up: Lola SonPhotographer: Carlos Rodas

THE VOICES OF EDM

ook back to your most memorable electronic music experience. Imagine the audience grooving and dancing to the same beat

of your favorite DJ. Recall the electrifying atmosphere, the energy of your friends and the excitement in your heart. Are you

Lthere? Suddenly, the DJ mixes a familiar vocal track into his set. A huge smile spreads across your face with the realization

that you LOVE THIS SONG! The entire crowd starts to sing along to the vocals in unison. Remember the chills you felt singing at the

top of your lungs. For those few minutes, the whole audience is connected, enjoying a moment in time together. We typically give

praise to our favorite producers but the voices behind these amazing vocal tracks are often overlooked and deserve to be

recognized. Electronic Dance Magazine would like to pay tribute to all the talented singers/songwriters of EDM. Below is a list of

incredible artists that helped create some of dance music's greatest anthems. To the singers that we didn't have enough space to

include; from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for sharing your gift to the EDM world.

Words By: Beverly Stoll

23

AUDREY GALLAGHER

Hometown: Magherafelt, IrelandGenre: TranceLabel: Armind, Subculture, Vandit, AVA Recordings, Lange RecordingsSignature vocal tracks: John O'Callaghan – 'Big Sky', Claudia Cacazu – 'Freefalling', TyDi – 'You Walk Away'

Audrey Gallagher was a vocalist for the alternative rock anymore of it outside of just making the song, but all of band, Scheer. After releasing a few hits, the band the sudden people just started to go crazy over it. decided to depart, but going solo worked out in her Eventually I just kept getting more offers to sing on favor. Her warm personality and blissful voice is tracks, and it was all history from there. “discovered by producers Agnelli & Nelson. They quickly joined together, producing a song that became a UK #1 Where do you get your inspiration as far as writing hit: 'Holding on to Nothing.' Soon after, she sang 'Big your music and singing? Sky', produced by John O'Callaghan, voted as “Tune of “I don't find writing songs the easiest process in the the Year” on Armin van Buuren's 'A State of Trance' world for me. Melodies come in an instant, but lyrically radio show. This great talent offers the advice to never it takes a long time for me to get it to where I want it to give up on your dreams and she is grateful of all the be. Inspirations for me could come from a line in a opportunities given in her career. book, a chance meeting with someone, or even an

overheard conversation all the normal everyday things. You were in a band initially before you got into I don't write about myself personally, and I don't write EDM. How did you find your way into this industry, stories. When I write, I keep in mind that it's supposed and how was the transition from being in a band, to to have an emotional connection; So that if you only

speak Spanish it wouldn't matter if you didn't singing for famous electronic music producers? understand the lyrics, you would still feel it.”“Indeed I was in a band with four guys, we had drums,

bass, guitar the whole thing. Then for one reason or another - business generally; we ended up splitting up. What advice would you give to other aspiring Then out of the blue, 2 DJ's/producers heard my voice singers that would like to do what you're doing?on a demo tape, and asked if I'd be interested in “Just keep doing it. I don't know whether its luck, talent, collaborating. I knew nothing about EDM, or even who or a combination of it all, but just never give up. Stick to these guys were, but it clicked and we ended up writing what you know, stick to what you are comfortable with, “Holding On To Nothing”. That was my first introduction but most of all trust yourself one hundred percent - and to electronic music. To be honest, we never thought if you do other people will.”

Current Location: Los Angeles, California, USA Genre: Trance

Label: Anjunabeats, Black Hole RecordingsSignature vocal tracks: Ronski Speed – 'All the Way', The

Thrillseekers – 'Waiting Here for You', Myon & Shane 54 'Helpless'

In 2007, Aruna achieved colossal success with her do a remix contest every month. They contacted me work on 'Waiting Here for You' with The Thrillseekers. and said, "We would like to do a remix contest using Since then, her offers to work with ATB, Filo & Peri, your song". Of course I was in! They let me judge, Roger Shah, Ferry Corsten and Cosmic Gate became which was amazing because I got to pick the winner. All an overwhelming and exciting adventure. One of her of the sudden I started listening to all these entries and greatest dreams was fulfilled as she signed to the there are like three hundred dance remixes of my song! legendary record label, Anjunabeats. The ambitions At the time I had never heard any of my songs with with Aruna did not end; She launched her own podcast, dance beats behind them, and I was like, “Wow this is “The Hot List with Aruna”, and is currently DJing and kind of interesting, and it works”. I picked the winning singing on tour. remix, which was done by an amazing upcoming

producer named Jonathan Van' Adam, and a manager As far as the constant changing of Trance, do you named Stewart Squire heard the remix somehow on

MySpace. He contacted me asking if I would like to feel that it affects your singing in any way? collaborate with some EDM producers, and my EDM “I try not to put labels on what I do, but if other people career began. It all happened at a really good time for are going to do it that's fine. I was doing pop for many, me, because I was getting fed up with pop music to be many years. I bring that into the writing that I do in honest – it's a really hard market to break out in.”Trance, Progressive, or whatever you want to label it. Bottom line is, I just try to write good songs because a

good song will translate whether it's Trance, House, So you are also a DJ, are you producing now too? Rap, Pop, or even Folk.” “Not yet. I have my degree in music synthesis from Berkeley Collage Of Music, which was an amazing

school. I have all the experience on those tools, it's just What inspired you to transition from pop to a matter of kind of updating myself with the more electronic music?current tools, the more current sounds, and the more “I actually was discovered through Myspace by a current tricks. I'm not sure if I'm going to fully delve into manager who represented Demay, Jaren, and a few it anytime to soon because it's a huge can of worms other artists. I entered this international song writing and writing vocals, writing melodies, DJ'ing, and doing competition, and I won first prize in the pop category. my radio show can already get overwhelming.”One of the sponsors in the contest was Sony, and they Aruna

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Hometown: Hebden Bridge, England, U.K.Genre: Trance, ProgressiveLabel: AnjunabeatsSignature vocal tracks: Above & Beyond - 'Sun & Moon', Above & Beyond -'Thing Called Love' Above & Beyond 'Every Little Beat'

Richard Bedford is the voice behind some of Above & Beyond's most acclaimed songs to this day. In this modern age of EDM, the trance vocalist role is no longer considered just for women. Male trance vocalists are in demand and Richard's voice is regarded as one of the best in the industry. Keep an eye out for a solo album from him in the future.

RICHARD BEDFORDHometown: Queens, New York City, U.S.AGenre: Electronica, Trance, HouseLabel: Smile in Bed, Armind, Spinnin', Ultra Records, Island Records, PinkStar, HaremSignature vocal tracks: iiO – 'Rapture', Starkillers & Alex Kenji – 'Pressure', Armin van Buuren – 'Feels so Good'

When thinking of EDM vocalists, one of the first names that come to mind is Nadia Ali. Since her days as a member of iiO, she released a few chart toppers, 'Kiss You' and 'Is it Love?' In 2009, she introduced her solo album 'Embers' and in 2010, her single 'Fantasy' (Morgan Page Remix) is honored with a Grammy nomination. Her latest collaborations with Serge Devant, Armin van Buuren and Sultan & Ned Sheperd are only the beginning for this remarkable singer.

NADIA ALIHometown: New York City, U.S.A Genre: Electronica, Trance, Rock, PopLabel: Black Hole Recordings, Ultra Records, Magik MuzikSignature vocal tracks: Motorcycle – 'As the Rush Comes', Tiesto – 'Everything', BT – 'Every Other Way'

She is the renowned vocal singer whose angelic voice defined a generation of dance music. Her career skyrocketed since the release of Motorcycle's 'As the Rush Comes' and led her to work with dance giants: Kaskade, Richard Durand, Cosmic Gate and Robbie Rivera. Her discography is massive, releasing 3 albums: 'Disconnect', 'Into the Dawn', 'High Glow' including several hit singles and EPs: 'Awaken', 'Closer' and 'Ghost.' She is admired for her voice on Tiesto 'In Search of Sunrise' compilations and his 'Elements of Life' CD.

JES

EMMA HEWITT

Hometown: Geelong, AustraliaGenre: Trance, Progressive, Electronica Label: Armada, Chrysalis Songs UK/BeneluxSignature vocal tracks: Chris Lake – 'Carry Me Away', Cosmic Gate – 'Not Enough Time', Dash Berlin – 'Waiting', Serge Devant – 'Take Me with You'

Emma's debut on Chris Lake's 'Carry Me Away' became an international hit as a dance floor Do you have any advice for anybody who is favorite during the summer of 2007, receiving aspiring to become a vocalist, or a good massive support from DJ veterans, Pete Tong, studio musician? Tiesto and Armin van Buuren. She won a 2010 “Just do the stuff that you love, believe in yourself, songwriting competition where her acoustic talents and keep pushing. if people don't listen to it then were noticed and soon after, earned an all- keep knocking on doors until they eventually have inclusive publishing deal with Chrysalis Songs to.”UK/Benelux. With a solo album still in the works, she is constantly touring the globe and played What's the largest crowd you've performed in major music festivals on the same stage with the front of?likes of LMFAO and Skrillex. “The largest crowd was actually New Years Eve in

Vietnam. There were 300,000 people, as far as What got you into electronic music initially? the eyes could see, it was crazy.”“It all started when I worked with DJ Chris Lake. We wrote a song together, he recorded the demo What can we look forward for 2012?of it, and we ended up releasing it. I was in a rock “I have a new album that I'm coming out with and band at the time, and wasn't looking to go into a lot of live shows as well. I also have a few more dance music at all, but after that everything kind of collaborations coming up that I'm pretty excited took off. In a weird way, it was a very organic about, but I can't quiet talk about them yet.”transition, and here I am.”

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Current Location: Los Angeles, California, U.S.A Genre: Trance, House, ElectronicaLabel: ArmadaSignature vocal tracks: Dash Berlin with Cerf, Mistika & Jaren – 'Man on the Run', Cerf, Mistika & Jaren – 'Beggin' You', Rank 1 with Cert, Mistika & Jaren – 'Witness'

Since 2006, Jaren established herself into one of trance music's most beautiful voices. She formed a trio with husband Matt Cerf and DJ/producer Shawn Mistika, releasing classic hits: 'Light the Skies' and 'Man on the Run,' both nominated at the International Dance Music Awards. Cerf, Mistika & Jaren's success led to her collaboration for John O'Callaghan's 'Surreal' and she wrote the lyrics for Armin van Burren's 'Unforgiveable.' In addition to dance music, she writes and produces songs for folk, chill out and pop music.

JARENHometown: London, England, U.K.Genre: Dubstep, Drum & BassLabel: MTA Records, Interscope, CherrytreeSignature vocal tracks: Nero – 'Promises', Nero – 'Innocence', Nero – 'Guilt', Nero – 'Crush on You'

Alana Watson's energetic voice is a breath of fresh air to the dubstep genre. She is a key element of the group Nero, with her voice that distinguishes their trio in the dance music industry. Alana gained international fame with Nero's 2011 phenomenal hit, 'Promises', and currently reached up to over 12 million views on YouTube. Alana is currently touring with Nero, one of the most entertaining acts to follow today.

ALANA (NERO)Current Location: United States Genre: House, ElectronicaLabel: Ultra RecordsSignature vocal tracks: Kaskade & Deadmau5 – 'Move for Me', Kaskade & Deadmau5 – 'I Remember', Kaskade – 'This is How it Goes'

In Sept 2010, she released her first album produced by Kaskade, 'All This Love,' which was given positive reviews. First singing country music as a teenager, she didn't find her passion until discovering EDM.

HALEY GIBBY

26

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TECHNEWS

Written by: Trevor Yagen

The Perfect SoundEtching

n the VST world there have been plenty of filter modules that help in shaping your loops or Isynths into that perfect sound that fits perfectly

into the mix. Each one has it's own little gimmicks and bag of tricks that sets it apart from the rest and creates it's own value. FXpansion has stepped up to bat in this department with the release of their own “Etch” plugin. Modeled off of their DCAM filter section, this filter claims to be a major force in the filter world. Let's see if it lives up to the test.

The Breakdown applied after. Following that you have the first filter's In ConclusionUpon first glance of the front end of this plugin, you can see settings, which include filter type, which there are four filters The DCAM line has already proven itself tenfold as an that FXpansion has held true to the format of past DCAM to choose from. You have an input gain, mode, FM with industry standard in the VST world, and the newest addition VST's in the graphical layout of the plugin. It's very simple respective input, output gain, pan, frequency and of the Etch plugin backs up everything that FXpansion has and straightforward if you're familiar with Tremor, Geist and resonance settings available. The next module is filter 2 done thus far in making quality instruments for the modern Synth Squad. The panel is laid out into four sections. Along settings which have most of the same settings except that in day electronic musician. The front panel is clean and simple the top you have the global area offering a pull down preset filter two you can set the two filters to be in series or parallel. and is backed with the pristine sound quality that only selection, highpass sidechain, oversample, MIDI learn and Also in Filter 1 you can also link the two filters together to FXpansion can give you. The innovation in forward thinking pull down section to reset the plugin and access the manual lock the 2 filters setting together or at whatever interval their that is displayed in this plugin will definitely open new doors amongst other things. Under that is the second row, which settings are at when you click link. After the second filter in for the modern producer looking to create the freshest end contains the modules that make up the meat of the plugin. the audio path follows a single knob operated compressor product that exhibits only the finest in tone-shaping These include a distortion module, which can be set pre or setting, which can be set up for hard or soft knee. At the end greatness. Be sure to check out the sample and hold post filter, filter 1 and filter 2 with respective settings, of this you have output controls with a level, mix and option feature which gives you the most unpredictable in compressor and output settings. Under that you have to bypass the effect altogether. The envelope on the filter is modulations and helps create something completely new envelope, 2 LFO's for modulation along with an envelope an AHD envelope that can be triggered via MIDI note C#-2. out of your existing material. Above all of that if you scroll follower, sample and hold and an x/y controller. Below these There are 2 LFO's to further modulate the filters, an through the presets you'll find that Etch is also invaluable in settings are buttons used to control internal modulation envelope follower, sample and hold to make some crazy creating that extra bite that your sound needs to cut through routings within the plugin to give the sound more life and random modulation generations and a brilliant x/y controller the mix and shine. With all of the features made available in movement. The first module in the audio path, which is the to create some outlandish texture. The Transmod this plugin, there's surely something for everyone looking distortion, allows you to apply one of the 7 available modulation section is just as intuitive as in the other DCAM for their sound to stand out in the crowd. To download a distortion modes and includes mode and drive settings. You product line, offering simple and straightforward demo or pick up your copy of Etch, go to can apply this distortion before or after the filters to give you modulation organization so that you can easily create the www.fxpansion.comwarmth if applied before the filters or that extra added grit if movement you desire within the filter.

Some Synthesis Backgroundmicrotuning option incorporated here as well. In the patch

A Modern Day Solution browser section everything is very easily navigated as the presets are separated into categories on the left and U-he even The crew down at U-he has given us yet another breakthrough added the nice touch of including a description section on the in their non-methodical approach to VST architecture. The ACE right hand side to explain the sound and any modulations or (stands for any cable everywhere) is an attractive little beast author information in relation to the sound.and right off the bat you can clearly see what's under the hood.

It has that clearly understandable layout that is so wonderful on modular synths, but it also has a fixed signal path and a vast Bottom Linearray of presets onboard to show exactly what the synth is Many synth companies boast to have the most authentic capable of right off the bat. The presets show off the stunning recreations of the legendary synths or synthesis ideas which sound that is produced by the ACE synth, highlighting it's have forged the way for electronic music as we know it, and extreme versatility to create everything from booming bass there have been many units that have faithfully done just that in Back in the early days of synthesis there weren't many options lines to lush pads and all of the bleeps and blorps that you pristine quality. The one thing that catches my eye about the to get really outlandish sounds that stood apart from the rest. would expect to find in a modular synth. ACE synth is it's abilities to break boundaries and limitations by There were analog synths, which offered a decent array of

being able to route anything to anything on the synth, thus modulation options, but most were within the bounds of the Under The Hood widening the creative potential to create even the most synth creator's rules. The only way to really break the rules was

outlandish sounds and textures. Although the synth can be As is clearly laid out on the front panel of the VST, the ACE to fork out the immense amount of cash that was required in quite a bit tolling on your computers CPU, it's sound gives just includes 2 LFO's, 2 oscillators, a sub oscillator, a order to own a modular synth setup. These were synthesizers reason for its hunger. If you're computer can't quite handle it you comprehensive mixer section, 2 VCF's, 2 ADSR envelope set up in a way that each oscillator, LFO, mixer, envelope and all have 2 options: put the synth in a lower quality mode, or take the generators along with full onboard effects including chorus, other sections of the synth were presented independent of each best route and upgrade your computer. Trust me, it's worth it. As phaser and delay effects. There's also a voice stacking option other, leaving the user to decide with patch cables exactly how if everything that the Ace synth has to offer isn't enough to seal available to get unheard of big sounds. In the “tweak” section the signal would flow through the modules. For this reason you the deal in your decision to pick up a copy, maybe the miniscule there are some circuit bending options and envelope tweaks to would run into the problem of having a 30-minute setup just to price tag of $85 might further convince you. Either way you look give the synth some of the more common analog nuances change the synth to get the sound you wanted, as there were no at it, U-he's modular bad boy is definitely an ACE in our book. To found in some modular synths, along with a stacked voice presets on these units. The upside is that you could literally plug pick up a copy or download a demo version, visit www.u-detuning section to spread the sound even further. Also for anything into anything on the synth, making the synth's sound he.com.those who don't want to stick to the standard scales there's a capabilities almost endless.

TECHNEWS

28

you have control of all parameters of the Harmolator, Filter and Volume settings. The X/Y pad affords an immense amount of human input by letting you record your own X/Y motions to the X/Y pad and then play them back when you trigger a note. This allows for some very complex movement and for all you dub heads, wobbles. After recording your movement you can then quantize that movement to the host. There are also a few looping options involved and speed control. You can further

So many times we see the same old cookie-cutter synth control, Ripple, Ripple Width, Harm,, Harm Volume, and your vary it up by assigning a controller (eg mod wheel) to control released which just regurgitates the same concepts and standard Octave, Spread and Sub Oscillator volume. There is the speed of the movement, allowing for real time variation in technology that has been used for decades over and over an onboard analyzer at the bottom center of the Blade with speed. All these modulation options along with a chord and again. Although there is definitely a very strong importance in many different viewing options so the user can see exactly strum generator leaves you with a lot of opportunity to spice up the recreation of the classic analog gear that has forged the what affect each of the Harmolator's parameters has on the your sound.sound we all know and love today, it is very refreshing when a sound. The spread detuning offers a 2 or 3 voice stack setting manufacturer introduces something groundbreaking that and the sub oscillator offers an octave down, -7, -5, +5, +7 In The Endchanges the sound and methodology involved in the creation semitones or an octave up. There's also the option to make the The forward thinking of the Blade is definitely a refreshing of music. When the Blade came across my desktop from Rob sub oscillator equal in tone to the Harmolator. Below that you concept for me. Rob Papen has taken the concept of human Papen, I knew it was definitely a different approach to have a distortion with a plethora of different types of distortion input in modulation to a whole new level with his synthesis. Its front end GUI looks completely different than and an amount and mix knob to dial in just the right amount of implementation of the X/Y pad and all of the features that come anything I've seen before and it seems as though the main distortion into the sound. Next to that you have a filter section with it. For ethereal pad sounds with an immense amount of focus of the synthesizer is an X/Y Pad centered predominantly with all of your standard filter types and controls including Freq movement and wobble sounds with unheard of complexities in in the middle of the unit. Let's dive into the world of Rob Papen Cutoff, Q or resonance, Separation and keytrack for the wobble movement, this is the synth. I'm also a big fan of and his newest creation, the Blade. modulation purposes. The filter also includes a “smooth” working with a quickness, which this synth supports drastically.

option. At the end of the signal path you have your standard I was up and running with the Blade in virtually no time at all, It's What's Inside That Counts amp module to help tailor up the levels of the sound along with and with the tutorial videos made by Rob himself there is Upon first glance I don't see anything that says “oscillator”. This it's own ADSFR envelope. The real attraction in the Blade is it's virtually no learning curve to get started making professional excites me. After further research and review I find the Rob has immense and innovative modulation capabilities. You have sounds right away. You can check out the Blade for yourself at created a “Harmolator” as the sound source. The Harmolator onboard LFO, Envelope and Velocity options all available to www.robpapen.com. They offer a fully functional demo that offers a vast array of timbre types along with controls for the warp the parameters of the Harmolator, but the real innovation lasts for 30 minutes at a time for 30 days, or you can just pick up Harmolator's Base, Range, Sym, Timbre, an Even/Odd lies within the X/Y pad. On both the X and Y-axis independently a copy of the Blade at that website. Happy wobbling!

The In SynthesisCutting Edge

With all of the new technology that is implemented in today's music gear, sometimes it's hard to keep up with all of the functions and parameters in new gear. While the most popular suggestion would be to turn to the manual for answers on how to tackle a plugin or sound device, Steve Foulds offers a more tempting solution. There are 2 plugins that are used more in the production of Electro and Dubstep than any other and stand out at the front as the essentials to get that cutting edge sound. These are the FM8 and Massive synths brought to you by Native Instruments. Although there are a wealth of presets available for these two, if you really want to get your own signature sound it is best to build it from the ground up. Unfortunately these two synths don't adopt a very methodical process to go about programming the sounds and have quite a learning curve. Steve offers a solution to this problem in the form of 2 video tutorial packages that tackle every parameter of both synths. These video tutorials cover everything from basic operation of each synth to advanced programming. The videos contain over 3 hours of information for each synth and you can check them out on his websites. For the video tutorial on the Massive, go to www.massivesynth.com and if you want to check out the FM8 tutorial go to www.fm8tutorials.com. Happy Learning!

School Is In Session

TRACK REVIEWS

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You And I – Fur Coat Feat. Cari GoldenCrosstown Rebels

This is probably going to undermine my “professional” opinion, but I am instantly in love with songs that have drug references in the lyrics. Well, maybe not instantly, but a track definitely grabs my attention more when I hear those references in a song for the first time (gaulk if you will, but I know I'm not the only one). The chorus of this song, “…you and I we are like, cocaine and ketamine, cocaine and ketamine…” an amusing way to reinterpret the age-old opposites attract dilemma. And don't think the party lyrics deter you from the beauty of the song either. Outside of the smoke-like vocals of Cari Golden, the backdrop of the track is a quaint grouping of equivocal percussion, two-keyed bassline, and a panning of white noise. Brace yourself DJs, your dancefloor start singing after the first chorus.

Every Swedish Huose Mafia fan knows this song. The trio has been dropping this energy pusher all over the world in their powerhouse sets. Despite the track's already catchy vibe as an instrumental, producers Sebastian Ingrosso and Alesso have released a vocal edit to re-spark the anthem. I personally feel that any song that can stand on its own without vocals is stronger, because it is not reliant upon lyrics. That being said, the vocals added don't take away from the track as whole. But at the same time, it doesn't add very much to the track either. In my opinion, why mess with a good thing? Plus, I'm getting a slight déjà vu from SHM's “One” re-release with Pharell's vocals two years ago. Sometimes, less is more.

Calling (Lose My Mind)Sebastian Ingrosso, AlessoSize Matters

In a world where every EDM genre and sub-genre are being infiltrated with wobbles, fidgets, and crazy sampling, it's always refreshing to come across releases that stay true to their roots, while still being forward-thinking in their production. “Is Any Men” has that classic warehouse feel that breakbeat songs carry, but more importantly it uses EDM production trends in a smarter way. A wobble bass is used sparingly, as are the trance-like stab strings. Samples are intertwined with the breakbeat, giving the song an almost 3-D dimensional sound. The second build and drop are both random and noteworthy—I enjoyed the producers' play with the snare drum fills. The best part about this song, is its genre, which is known for its adaptability. So my drum & bass, dubstep, house, and trance DJs, try some breaks in your future set.

Is Any MenDestroyersElektroshok Records

Is anyone else starting to notice a lot of trance songs are sounding a lot a like? Ballads after ballads, dramatic pause without cause, emotional breakdowns, seemingly never ending wined ups, I'm starting to question where the quality of the genre is going. “La Tizi” is an unfortunate casualty of an attempted conception of a hit. Even though the structure of this song follows the likes of a lot of artists in DJ Mag's Top 10, I just can't take the simplicity. The unimaginative riff is as predictable as it is annoying. Not only are you subjected to the same 4-note melody for 7 minutes, but you also have to deal with the failed attempts of making that 4-note melody sound 'more epic.' There are infinite possibilities in production software to create new sounds; yet, the ones I hear in these songs are all the same. The synth in this track is a staple in many Ummet Ozcan and Markus Schulz/Dakota productions, so originality is lost on “La Tizi” as well. Producers: let's step up our game!

La TiziRaneem, EmdeeHigh Contrast Nu Breed

A label most known for its innovation in tech house, Dirtybird releases this booty-shaker “String Thing.” Modeled after some tracks from the Dirtybird forefathers, this one packs a moderate amount of heat for something with so few sounds. Coasting on a drum loop, ridiculously low bass, and a keyboard setting that sounds like it was stolen from a Beach Boys song (that instrument is called a Theremin for inquiring minds), “String Thing” needed to do a little more technically to compensate for the lack of layers in the track.

The first track to be lifted from Solarstone's forthcoming 'Pure' long-player sees the producer returning to his trance roots. Newcomer Clare Stagg's vocals have a potent folky inflection to them, which, while possibly not to all tastes, does stand the track out from the pack. Viewed against Solarstone's usually cooler side of trance, 'The Spell's production track is a revelation. Pistoning beats, lush, transposing minor melodies and a rapturous leadline all conspire to put this in the CDJs, peak time of the night.

Through the power of its “hang-off-every-word” lyrics and exceptional vocal delivery, it would be easy to cast Tiffany Johnston's song as the star here. Her beguiling, hypnotizing tone certainly plays a major part in fashioning 'Venom's swirling, chasm-deep attraction. To ignore the part played by the east coast/west coast partnership of Grube & Hovsepian would be a grave injustice though. With the track they have crafted a modern day touchstone to late nineties vocal prog-housers, which while moody and low-slung, still masses atmosphere from start to finish.

String ThingShadow ChildDirtybird

'The Spell'Solarstone Ft. Clare Stagg(Black Hole Recordings)

Grube & Hovsepian Ft. Tiffany Johnston(Coldharbour)

'Venom'

Reviews by: Brittany Gatson & Tim Stark

29

ALBUMS REVIEWS

30

Guess who's back? Orbital has more street cred than anyone on the circuit right now, and rightfully so. Their releases have been staples in electronica and acid house for over a decade (I mean, how many times will I have to hear a remake of “Chime”). “Wonky” is Orbitals first studio album since “Blue Album” in 2004. This release borders on perfection. One of the highlights for me was “New France” featuring Zola Jesus. A great blend of abstract, concrete, with a flair for the ethereal. Apart from its fun name, “Stringy Acid” sounds like a classic Orbital song put in a Moombah generator—fun, upbeat, and tad dramatic. The title track belongs in power-hitting breaks set; Great way to steer the album to a close on an upbeat note. So let's all welcome back the leaders in electronica production. We missed you!

OrbitalWonky

PICK OF THE MONTH

NoisecontrollersE= NC2 The Science of Hardstyle

For years, they have been in the top of the Hardstyle scene with many big hits to their name. Noisecontrollers have a highly international popularity which shows by the fact that they were voted #35 in the DJ Mag Top 100, which essentially makes them the most popular hardstyle duo in the world. With this album, they bring you an unforgettable journey through their best sounds, powerful beats, and compelling melodies. “E=NC2 - The Science of Hardstyle” is a unique form that brings you back to the core of hardstyle. Every track brings its own unique characteristic to the table. This album will definitely be a pinnacle in the libraries of fellow Hard-Dance Enthusiasts. All 21 tracks are very high energy and keep you wanting more till the very end!

Infected MushroomArmy Of Mushrooms

Infected Mushroom has this great organic technical ability in their live act that serves as a foundation for their cohesion as a band, and as producers. “Army Of Mushrooms” is, in a phrase, passive aggressive, and not in the sense that you may think. Some tracks feel very 'in your face,' while at the same time, creating a melodic flow that continues to provide for the journey you are on. One thing you should know, is that each song has about 3 different songs within it, which really attests to the groups' eclectic style and originality. The song you'll put on repeat is “The Pretender” (Foo Fighters cover). Definitely the most genre-ly ambivalent track I've heard this year. Think drum and breaks alt-hard-rock-style. Staying true to the sounds of the Shroom, while adapting to current music trends, makes for a solid piece of work.

Crosstown RebelsMaceo Plex – Frisky/Sex Appeal EP

Maceo Plex is definitely one of those rarities that have producing down to a science. I don't recall ever NOT liking one of his songs, and this release is a great culmination of all of his production assets. “Frisky” is a great example of Maceo's layering genius. A muffled organ, atop a chorus of strings, atop a simple plucking of a guitar, atop his signature funky bassline and effortless vocals coupled with the vibes of spring, and you have an instant hit. “Let yourself go, go crazy,” is what you'll have stuck in your head after you listen to this beauty. “Sex Appeal,” shows off Maceo's skill of making loops not sound monotonous. With randomized effects over each instrument layer, the song shows off Maceo's technical ability as a producer. This Beatport exclusive is the perfect way to welcome Spring and will serve as a satisfying teaser for Crosstown Rebels' future Summer sounds.

Musical FreedomClub Life Volume 2– Miami

“Club Life” is a journey through Tiesto's Miami adventures, with some original mixes, edits, and remixes. Focusing on nightlife, partygoers, and the amazing weather, the album experience is quite eclectic. From a technicality stand, I have to say, “HOLY STAB STRINGS BATMAN!” No disrespect to the legend, but is there depletion in the Trance/House production sound bank? I keep hearing the same “sounds,” and it isn't just him, there are a lot of other offenders. Despite the lull in sound variety, the flow of the album has a great progression in it. With a steady incline forward, the track selection is a conglomeration of the things Tiesto does best, including his remixes of Gotye and Coldplay. Over all, I could deal with less vocals on the mix, but it's still worth checking out.

Morgan PageIn The Air

Pros: Solid production, good balance of anthems, ballads, and filler, commercial appeal. Cons: Commercial appeal, perpetual 128BPM, monotonous sound bank. Morgan Page is one of my favorite producers, not because of what he releases, but rather his consistency. I immediately know when a Morgan Page song comes on, and having that kind of power, is a really great tool to help your brand. However, that signature sound hasn't evolved very much over time. While “In The Air” is beautifully crafted in its technical aspect, the musicality is unimaginative and lacks zest. When I mentioned the perpetual 128 BPM earlier, you probably didn't see an immediate issue. But consider this; how many studio albums do you own have the same exact tempo throughout? Variety is also the spice of music. Fans of Morgan Page will like this album for its authenticity to his sound, but for me, it fell a little short.

Electronic & Dance Music Radio 24/7

Enjoy our free radio channels featuring world renowned Artists, DJs, and

the Hottest exclusive shows!

WWW.ORBITRADIO.FMTHE FUTURE OF DANCE

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HARDCORE HARDSTYLE


DUB STEP DnB

edm magazine may - june 2012

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