INTERVIEW: Hardwell (2013)

The big Dutch EDM producers pretty much fall into two categories ? trance or dirty.? Hardwell stands out as one who blurs the lines, combining the aggressive electro of the Dirty Dutch with the pretty, melodic feel of the trancers.??We spoke during Amsterdam Dance Event on the day of his massive Revealed label party – which ended up being one of the highlights on the entire week.

RS: Are you excited about your big event tonight?
Hardwell: I am really excited, it is the biggest Revealed night that we have had so far. 1,600 tickets sold out in 1 week, the hype has been buzzing on Twitter and Facebook for a month now. I expect a really good party tonight.

Continue reading INTERVIEW: Hardwell (2013)

INTERVIEW: Krewella (2013)

Krewella is one of the biggest buzzing EDM acts of 2012.? Formed in 2007 with two sisters (Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf) and producer Rain Man, their track “Killin It” became a meme of its own, gaining major attention from DJs and music lovers all around the world.? Their EP “Play Hard” and recently-released remix EP ‘Play Harder” show the depth of their musical tastes, covering the full spectrum of dance genres.? ? Although they are gigging constantly, they are looking forward to taking a break to complete the work for their forthcoming debut artist album. ? I spoke to them when they played in Nashville, right before New Year’s Eve 2012.

Ron Slomowicz: So, where did the name ?Rain Man? come from?
Rain Man: I was doing a hip-hop beat competition in Chicago a couple years ago, and one of the judges asked me my name and when I told him, he said ?no you?re not that, you are rain man because you will have money raining down on you one day.? He was one of my biggest inspirations and mentor for a while and it has stuck.

RS: Speaking of names, where did the name Krewella come from?
Jahan: We came up with it about 4-5 years ago; it was actually before Yasmine was even in the group and while we were trying out other girls. I thought of it when we were writing down lyrics, we were thinking of darker, evil, sexy, feminine lyrics and the name popped in my head and I didn?t even question it. I thought it was the perfect name for a group that would have heavy masculine beats and feminine vocals.

Continue reading INTERVIEW: Krewella (2013)

SONG OF THE DAY: Knife Party – “Centipede”

SONG OF THE DAY: Knife Party – “Centipede”
While dubstep is often the butt of many jokes, there are several fresh and exciting tracks being made in the genre. Knife Party, anoff shoot of Pendulum, has achieved much success with club tracks like “Internet Friends” and “Rage Valley,” as well as their collaboration with Swedish House Mafia, “Antidote.”? On “Centipede,” electro noises are effected and repeated to simulate the scurrying of the legs of centipede, over a dubstep beat. If you close your eyes, you can totally hear the legs scurrying to the beat for the centipede to attack its prey. The hallucinogenic ’50s film noir-inspired video is quite exceptional and worth checking out, with its seeming nod to Hadouken’s recent bug-inspired “Parasite” video.

Continue reading SONG OF THE DAY: Knife Party – “Centipede”