By |

Adam Blanchard, also known by his stage name smol, is a Canadian electronic producer out of Calgary who’s really starting to stir up some noise in the bass scene. With his genre-bending cinematic style, smol captivates his listeners through sound and vibrations, creating a sonic experience like no other. The Calgary producer is also proving to be one of the hardest working DJs in the game, dropping new music almost every week while running his own label called DoYu. From his Obsessions EP released with Headbang Society to his latest single, Touching reality featuring Fresh BVCKED, smol is on pace to becoming bass music’s next big thing.

The Daily Frequency reached out to smol to discuss his new EP, his passions, and much more!

Read the full interview below!

First off, congratulations on your new EP Obsessions!  How has it been working with Headbang Society?

Thank you! Working with Headbang Society has been a wonderful experience so far, and I am really excited to move into the future with them and make it down to the US when virus things settle down. The team is really engaged and motivated by the love of music and bass music culture. They’ve been very kind to support my genre-bending ways and provide a platform to share my unique music.

How old were you when you started creating music? Was this a lane you always envisioned yourself going through?

I was 5 when I became obsessed with piano and music in general because my grandmother enrolled me in lessons and encouraged artistic expression as a way to pacify my intense curiosity and very high energy. Within a few years, I was already playing classical piano at a university level and knew I wanted to tour and perform. Over the course of my life, I fell away from my pursuit of a music career due to external pressures. After a full decade of pursuing music via the party in my 20’s, I realized I had spent the bulk of my time celebrating but not actually accomplishing much beyond my corporate leadership role in the grocery retail industry. As I approached my 30’s, I had a life-changing experience that led to me to create both smol and my label/community initiative we call DoYu. In creating both, I aimed to facilitate growth for both myself and others through the idea that embracing your true self and living a full life would bring on and sustain perpetual joy.

I wasn’t going to let anything or anyone else hold me back. I was feeling unsupported by my friends, family, and peers, so I created my own support network and started finding other ambitious people who just wanted to be themselves and express that through art, friendship, and community. Now that I am fully in this lane, there is nothing that could make me believe I am supposed to do  or be anything else.

Your sound has such a cinematic feel in a sense where each song really takes the listener on a journey. Is this something you really focus on with your productions?

Thank you for taking notice! I am trying to replicate an experience I’ve had many times over the past two decades while experiencing our simulation from a heightened state of awareness. I hear rhythm, playful sonic expression, and life in the atmosphere and throughout my surroundings. From animals singing, to the flow of the wind through the trees, to the rumbling of thunder and slightly predictable rate of water dripping from an eavestrough. Our world is constantly producing a sonic story, and I aspire to replicate its chaotic ways in my own music. I have been diving into psychoacoustics since coming onto the idea a few years ago from a friend but have always subconsciously taken note. If any of the listeners out there appreciate this focus in my music, I invite you to check out my everyday listening project, ‘nwmi,’ which is grounded in the pursuit of taking the listener to a different space through listening.

Walk us through your creative process in the studio. Do you have any routines to get you in that creative state, or do you just go with the flow and find inspiration as it comes?

I always have piles of projects that I am working on with friends and family, and I aspire to do everything in my life with an artistic perfection behind it. My cooking, skateboarding, family life, hula hooping, label, and everything in between is what drives my inspiration. I don’t really believe in motivating myself daily, but do manage and engage in evolving task sheets to keep myself on track and break down big goals into small, executable directives. I think accomplishing all these goals, reviewing them, and creating more does lead to inspiration, though, so perhaps this is a foundational process that I have.

I really believe staying inspired is the key, and what it takes to facilitate that for yourself will be different for everyone and evolve over time. The framework I live within for a healthy life includes eating beautiful, healthy food, staying active, practicing introspection, taking time to rest and chill out, sustaining the mindset of trying to become better at life activities perpetually.


Like everyone, I experience procrastination and stress. However, my resolve and perception of both have evolved over the years. When I am stalling out, I just start with one thing, no matter how big my list is. When the next stair on my journey is too high to climb, I simply ask a friend or family to help lower it. I might be a smart person, but I would be a fool to think I know everything. This is why choosing who and what you subscribe to is important. There is not one person in my network that would be unwilling to help me and vice versa.

If you are just building a network of support, remember this formula for success. Give, give, give, then take.

Who would you say are your biggest influences?

My grandmother, Minnie. Yes, she is very, very smol with a massive heart and all the patience in the world for my explosively curious, energetic ways. She showed me how to cook, how to garden, how to treat and communicate with animals, how to play instruments of all kinds, how to paint and draw, how to work on being a better human. She is the GOAT, and I love her and thank her dearly for the influence she’s had on me.

Math. I was blessed with a math brain and see everything as a set of data that can be tracked, analyzed, and manipulated to produce new, predictable results. I live in the land of facts and use math to affect and benefit my choice-making ability. This goes for both music and life in general. Even in skateboarding, I take into account the physics of what’s happening in order to position my feet and body to nail a new trick.

Music-wise it would be impossible to explain this quickly because I’ve explored so many genres over my 28 years of being music-conscious. But here are the most loved humans in my life right now that encourage me to pursue the best in me every day. My fiance Jenny and our daughter/collaborator, Keura. My best mons, TOFA and INNOCENT, and of course Riley SkyMillz, who is also my label partner at DoYu.

You just released a new EP, and you’re already announcing new music. Can fans expect more releases as the year goes on?

Fans can expect an extreme amount of music for this studio this year over multiple projects, including smol, nwmi, and our label DoYu Digital.

You can continue to expect biweekly self-releases of flips, beat tapes, sound packs, remix stems, and more on both smol and nwmi. There will also be label releases every month, but I guess let’s spill the beans here a bit and tell you who. I am extremely stoked to have worked out a release with Fresh Bvked (who is also on HBS with me) on Wavecraft Collective for May, and then a pseudo-riddim track with Camnah of Spicy Bois on Hybrid Trap the following month.

Other labels I aspire to release with this year are Sleeveless, Break & Enter Society, Wormhole Music Group, and Gravits – let’s see where 2021 goes….

It’s clear that music isn’t your only passion. As a skater and self-proclaimed foodie, how important is it to have interests outside of music? Do you believe having other lanes to put your energy into, such as skateboarding and cooking, helps your creativity when you are in the studio?

In my eyes, they are all essential to one another. The cooking, skating, creating thing is a beautiful cycle of activities that each feed a different part of my body, mind, or soul. It is important that everyone implements a passionate pursuit of something or some things and realize the synergies between these quests that they dedicate their time to in order to reach the goal of their pursuit. Basically, be present in the journey and build your awareness so you can intercept more opportunities and be fully present in all of the moments of your storyline. I feel the closer we get to maximizing our personal human experience, the more creative we become… but no matter what, it does come in waves, so you always have to be ready to harness it when it arrives.

Aside from electronic music, what genres would you say influence your sound the most?

I’m basically looking at every genre and asking, why do people like this so much? Or, why don’t I like this? What is the best thing about this, why and how can I take that back to my own writing? Sometimes the results of my self-questioning are paradoxical in nature. It could be a hit tune with the worst mix down you’ve ever heard, and it can be hard to make sense of that. I’ve learned to look for the advantage within the disadvantage. There is an exploit to each genre, an exploit to each social platform we use, an exploit at the supermarket where you can eat the best food and pay the least.

To intercept both the obvious and hidden opportunities, we must remain aware. This requires staying open to new ideas and evolving concepts to truly embrace their power and transfer maximum influence into our own writing.

If you could make a song with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

I’ve been very inspired by Kaytranada’s writing for the past decade. I would love to see what his creative process is and how he develops that insanely catchy vibe in all his music.

Lastly, if you could say one thing to your fans, what would it be?

Thank you for reading this, thank you for your support and interest in my music and creations. I really appreciate all the back and forth on the DMs and encourage anyone who wants to talk to me to simply reach out on any platform and start talking. It’s been a lonely hibernation through covid for us all, and I am so grateful for this community of wonderful humans that help make life brighter.

By |

Grant Hergenroeder, who goes by the name HYPERDAZE, just dropped an incredible, conscious expanding LP titled Mind. The 13 track project is the first studio album by the Maryland-based producer who takes his listeners on a journey inwards as he explores the deepest realms of the mind through sound. Mind is an album you’d expect from a seasoned vet, let alone a new producer, but HYPERDAZE makes it look easy. While it’s clear he draws inspiration from artists such as Flume, his sound is undoubtedly unique as he combines luscious emotional soundscapes with eccentric bass creating an unforgettable listening experience. It’s also impossible to box HYPERDAZE into one category as Mind is as much of an exploration through genres as it is consciousness.

The Daily Frequency had the opportunity to sit down with HYPERDAZE to discuss Mind, his plans for the future, and a whole lot more!

Check out the full interview below!

Congratulations on your new album, Mind! It’s such an impressive project, and I really love the concept. What drew you to explore the inner workings of the mind, such as dealing with love, loss, and triumph?

Thank you! I’m really happy you connected with it. I put a lot of time and effort into the project, so hearing things like this mean so much to me.

I had the idea for the concept in August when I was starting classes again. Being away from others gave me a lot of time to think and reflect in general. The main push for the idea was that I wanted to connect my most meaningful experiences with others. The title “Mind” stems from this concept.

Many upcoming producers release a single here and there, but you, on the other hand, were able to put together a full-length album. How does it feel to release such a massive record so early in your career?

I’m really happy. I view music purely as a way to share experiences and emotions – writing an album allows for so much more of this, I feel. The HYPERDAZE project has been evolving over the past year, but I thought it really needed a cohesive piece of work to set its direction – this album does that.

I love your sound. You’re able to hit on many different genres while still sounding original, which is no easy task. What’s your secret?

I really admire the way Flume was able to craft “Skin” and tried to apply some of his techniques. For example, when I wrote these tracks, I was constantly thinking about progression (within each song and from song to song). I tried to scale the energy level of each track (1-10) and have it flow (gradually build/fall). The way I see it is that when complex things get broken down into simpler problems, really cool things can happen.

You’ve been getting huge support from some big names in the scene. Alison Wonderland even played out your track Mind on her radio show. How does it feel to get recognition from some of the best artists/DJs in the game?

I feel very honored. I remember randomly doing a google search of myself and seeing that Alison’s radio show played had it and just feeling so happy. A lot of these artists and DJ’s are people I’ve looked up to for a very long time and words can’t express how crazy it feels.

Who would you say are your biggest influences?

Flume and What So Not. Those two will always be my biggest inspirations.

Take us through your day in the studio. Do you have a specific routine, or is each day different?

I’d say each day is pretty different. I love getting out and about and writing in weird places. For example, I made “Scorch” on an airplane.

Take us back. How did you get into producing, and what drew you to electronic music in the first place?

When I was 14, I downloaded FL Studio and started making beats. I remember picking it up pretty quickly and searching everywhere for sounds and plugins (I actually destroyed a laptop doing this because of viruses). The hobby eventually grew into a passion, and now I’m constantly writing music.

Are there any genres outside of the electronic realm that have had a significant influence on your sound? 

I grew up around a lot of rock music – definitely some influence there. Not a huge fan of the heavier stuff but more so bands like M83, Fun, Kings of Leon, MGMT, 311, and Arctic Monkeys. I have a lot of great memories attached to that genre of music, so I’d consider it a big influence.

What can fans expect from you as the year goes on?

I have a lot planned that I don’t want to talk too much about yet. I can say I really love high-tempo stuff at the moment. A lot more is coming, and I’m really excited.

Lastly, where you do you see yourself in 5 years?

Writing music, exploring life, and continuing to grow the HYPERDAZE project.

By |

It is no secret that EDM was hit the hardest when Bonnaroo announced the 2021 official lineup. While about 60 percent of the original 2020 lineup stayed intact, some notable acts were removed without replacement, especially in the electronic realm. We lost Ganja White Night, Flume, Bassnectar (for numerous reasons), Rezz, Bonnie X Clyde, and tones and I. However, aside from not one headlining act, the electronic undercard runs deep. It may not look like it at first glance, but the more you go through the lineup, the more EDM heavy hitters you will find.

To be clear there are many reasons why EDM may not seem as strong as it did in previous years. As we all know, Covid hit live music especially hard. It’s not that Bonnaroo’s EDM scene is fizzing out but that it is just a strange year overall for the festival circuit. September is flooded with festivals trying to make a comeback, and each fest is fighting for a spot for each artist. On Labor Day Weekend alone, there are five major festivals, including Bonnaroo taking Place. Being that 4 of them are exclusively curated for EDM makes it even harder for Bonnaroo to book all the artists they would have wanted.

The good news for EDM and Bonnaroo fans is that despite everything, Bonnaroo was still able to book 35 electronic artists with a wide range of styles that know how to throw the fuck down. Bonnaroo’s EDM stage, The Other, has also been revamped with better production and lights for the best possible experience. Also, for the first time in Bonnaroo’s history, The Other will be going all night long, so look for secret sets and surprise b2bs. Mix that in with the Where in the Woods stage, and you have a ravers paradise!

Scroll through for your complete EDM guide to Bonnaroo!

2021 Bonnaroo Lineup

Thursday

Dabin

Genre – Future Bass, Melodic Dubstep

If you love Illenium you will love Dabin, and not just because he’s the guitarist in Illenium’s Awake band. Dabin has been making a name for himself in the electronic scene with his electrifying live show, and euphoric melodic dubstep. Definitely a must-see act on Thursday night!

The Funk Hunters

Genre- Electronic, Dubstep, Soul, Disco, Funk

If a jam band went electronic The Funk Hunters would most definitely be it. Members Nick Middleton and Duncan Smith mix everything from dubstep to soul, and rock n roll creating a one of a kind future funk sound!

He$h

Genre- Dubstep, Bass, Hip-hop

To be Frank, He$h throws the fuck down. With a perfect mixture of southern hip-hop and heavy wubs, He$h is someone you headbangers won’t want to miss!

Spock

Genre – Dubstep, Bass, Hip-Hop

As one of rap star Pouya’s favorite producers Spock is another hard-hitting dubstep DJ with a hip-hop heavy sound. Expect his set to be dirty, grungy, and full of energy!

Mize

Genre- Experimental Bass

One of Wakaan’s brightest prodigies, Mize has been pushing the boundaries of bass music with his hypnotizing tripped-out sound. Be prepared for a spiritual experience once Mize takes the stage!

Taska Black

Genre- Melodic Bass, Future Bass, Trap

Taska Black is quickly rising to dance music stardom with his top-notch production and genre-defying sound. Expect his set to be full of warm melodies and festival anthems.

Zía

Genre- Dubstep

Zía has been making noise in the bass scene catching the attention of labels like Bassrush, Deadbeats, and Gravedance. Inspired by her love of metal and dubstep the Philly producer will have one of the heaviest high energy sets on Thursday!

Friday

Tipper

Genre- Ambient, Trip-hop, Downtempo

Even if you are not a huge EDM fan don’t sleep on Tipper! Recognized for his visuals almost as much as his music, Tipper will take you on a spiritual journey!

Big Wild

Genre- Electronic, Indie-pop

Bringing back 80s nostalgia with a modern-day EDM twist, Big Wild knows how to throw a party. Don’t be surprised if he throws down one of the most fun sets at Bonnaroo!

TroyBoi

Genre- House, Trap

Things will get weird in a good way once Troyboi hits The Other! Expect dirty trap mixed with bouncy electro-house beats!

Svdden Death

Genre- Dubstep, Bass

If there is going to be any moshing at The Other it’s going to be during SVDDEN DEATH’s set! If you love heavy wubs and metal inspired dubstep don’t miss his epic bass-heavy show!

Lucii

Genre-Dubstep, Melodic Bass

Bringing those intergalactic vibes to Bonnaroo, Lucii will bring you on a wild ride through outer space with trippy bass and other worldly wubs!

Lp Giobbi

Genre- House

Since her emergence into the dance scene in 2018 Lp Giobbi has been quickly rising to become EDM’s next big star. Known for her feel-good house and deep bass her set is sure to light the dance floor on fire!

Atliens

Genre- Bass, Dubstep, Trap

Not much is known about the masked extraterrestrial duo except for the fact that they go hard with filthy wubs and earthshaking bass!

Mija

Genre- House, Bass house

Already Bonnaroo Famous, Mija broke into the electronic scene with a surprise 6 a.m b2b with Skrillex at Bonnaroo in 2014. This time she’s back to throw down on The Other as one of EDM’s most electrifying house DJs!

Detox Unit

Genre- Experimental Bass, Dubstep

A heavier version of Tipper, Detox Unit will not only stimulate your senses but will have you getting down to filthy bass!

Tripp St.

Genre- Experimental Bass, Glitch Hop

Another unknown Artist, Tripp St is rumored to be the alias of a big-time DJ/Producer, possibly even Liquid Stranger. Mysteriously coming out of nowhere Tripp St. has been taking the electronic scene by storm. Definitely, a must-see act at Bonnaroo if you love trippy experimental bass!

NotLö

Genre- Experimental Bass, Dubstep

NotLö will take you on a sonic adventure with her dark, low- end bass and celestial sound!

Saturday

Seven Lions

Genre- Melodic dubstep, Trance, Future Bass, Electro

One of the most versatile artists in all of EDM, Seven Lions will have you headbanging, crying, singing, and falling in love all in one set!

Sylvan Esso

Genre- Electronic, Synth Pop

Not necessarily classified as EDM but Sylvan Esso is definitely heavily influenced by electronic soundscapes. The fact that they are playing the super jam makes their set even more of a must-see!

Subtronics

Genre- Riddim, Dubstep, Bass

Subtronics will surely turn Bonnaroo into a frenzy with his hard-hitting face-melting dubstep and riddim! One of the hardest working producers in bass music this is a set you won’t want to miss. Just be cautious while head banging, you don’t want to break your neck!

Yaeji

Genre- House

Inspired by Korean indie rock, 90s hip-hop, and electronica, Yaeji has created a form of house music that is simply out of this world! With mellow vocals switching back and forth from English to Korean, and lo-fi house beats Yaeji’s set will be a party like no other!

Ekali

Genre- Future bass, Future House, Trap

Playing everything from aggressive bangers to beautiful downtempo anthems Ekali’s set will have you lost in your feels while getting down at the same time!

Wooli

Genre- Dubstep, Future Bass

If you combined Excision with Illenium you would get Wooli! The perfect balance of heavy dubstep with euphoric future bass!

Dr. Fresch

Genre- House, Bass House

Whatever you do not sleep on Dr. Fresch! If anyone is coming with the heat and the weed it’s going to be this Canadian house legend who will absolutely set the dance floor ablaze!

William Black

Genre- Future Bass

Don’t be alarmed if you shed a tear during his emotionally heavy performance! With a knack for uplifting melodies and emotional soundscapes, William Black will having you hugging your friends and maybe even strangers mid-set!

Level up

Genre- Riddim, Dubstep

Don’t let her small size fool you! Level Up has a massive presence on stage and will rattle the earth below The Other with some of the hardest bass-driven dubstep there is!

DJ Mel

Genre- House

A Bonnaroo favorite, DJ Mel always finds his way onto the Bonnaroo lineup! Also, as an electronic music vet DJ Mel’s sets are always a good ass time!

Lick

Genre- House, Bass House

Known for his high-energy, heavy-hitting house, Lick has gained support from the likes of Jauz, and Zeds Dead. Be prepared to jump and move your body once Lick takes the stage!

Sunday

Deadmau5

Genre- Progressive House, Electro House

A true EDM legend Deadma5 will be rocking Bonnaroo for the first time since 2015! Definitely a set you don’t want to miss!

Boombox Cartel

Genre- Trap, Dubstep, Future Bass

Boombox Cartel just has a way of perfectly blending hip-hop elements with his bass-driven electronic sound! His sets are high energy, heavy, and uniquely creative! Another must-see Sunday act!

Peekaboo

Genre- Experimental Bass, Dubstep

Known for his wobbly dubstep Peekaboo thrives at mixing funky grooves with heavy wubs!

LSDREAM

Genre- Dubstep, Experimental Bass

There is a high probability you will leave LSDream’s set with a new outlook on life! He will surely to take you on an extraterrestrial journey through the void but,we won’t say much more about his show! It’s better you wittness the greatness first hand. Without a doubt a must see act!

Luzcid

Genre- Experimental Bass, Dubstep

Another Wakaan prodigy Luzcid will rattle your soul with heavy bass and spiritual soundscapes!

Elderbrook

Genre- House, Electro

Performing a live show rather than a DJ set Elderbrook plays the keyboard, sings, and mixes as his feel-good demeanor will have you movin’ and groovin’!

Check out our Bonnaroo Apple Music Playlist!

By |

John Williams, who goes by the name JWILLI is a rising DJ and producer coming out of Chicago who can’t be boxed into one specific genre. Finding inspiration from a multitude of avenues the 26-year-old producer takes pride in the versatility of his sound and it shows. From massive remixes to original songs JWILLI creates everything from emotional melodic bass to hard-hitting dubstep and is quickly becoming one of EDM’S most promising new artists.

The Daily Frequency had the chance to sit down with JWILLI and discuss his official remix with Abel Grey, his inspirations, and more!

Check out the full interview below!

When did you decide music was something you wanted to pursue? Was this a lane you always envisioned yourself going through?

I think I’ve known most of my life that I would do something with music. I’ve been writing songs since I was a little kid when I wanted to be a rock star, I wanted to be the next Fall Out Boy or ADTR. I started learning guitar early on and picked up trumpet with the school band around the same time. And once I started that classical training I was dead set on becoming a music teacher or professor. That’s actually what I was studying when I first started college, music education. Up until that point, I was learning more and more traditional instruments, I never at all thought that I would be pursuing electronic music. But once I was exposed to it, it became obvious to me that I wanted to chase it. I started to DJ at bars and private events throughout college, and once I learned more about production and developed my skills a bit, I decided I was going to really dedicate myself and my life to music.

What’s your creative process when in the studio? Do you have any routines to get you in that creative state or do you just go with the flow and find inspiration as it comes?

It varies a lot, and for a long time, I would just kinda wait for that inspiration to strike, to get into the creative flow. That could be frequent or scarce, and the inspiration could be totally random and abstract, or very defined. But that’s changed, and still changes a lot from project to project. I don’t think being totally at the whim of that creativity showing up is the most efficient thing for an artist that wants to be consistent.

For me, I’ve learned that that creative spark isn’t something I can force but it is something I can facilitate and encourage. Lately, when I want to start something new, I’ve found a working process. I like to start in the morning before I’ve gotten on my phone or listened to anything or spoken to anyone. I’ll open up Ableton, grab water or tea and an edible, and sit down for a couple hours and just go bananas in the DAW. Usually, I start by just jamming on guitar or piano, or digging for some crazy sample, and build on that. More often than not I’ll come out with a working sketch, or sometimes an entire tune. I think for me it works because my ears and mind are totally fresh, and I haven’t really been influenced by anything I’ve heard or done yet that day. It’s just me and that raw creativity in my own little world.

Chicago is widely known as the birthplace of house music. Do you believe your home city has had an impact on your musical taste and direction?

Absolutely, at first, it was a subtle influence but now it’s very pronounced. I grew up in the cornfields a couple of hours south of Chicago, so house wasn’t something I heard much of growing up. But when I first got to college, a lot of students were from the city/the burbs and brought house music with them. I think it’s one of the reasons I started with house when I first taught myself to DJ, it was salient and accessible. And later when I took a college class on Ableton, we were taught the history of electronic production, and even though house wasn’t the genre I really wanted to create at the time, its history and influence on electronic music as a whole was inspiring and undeniable. Fast forward, I’ve now been living in Chicago for almost 3 years and the vast majority of my peers are primarily house producers and DJs. A lot of them have become good friends of mine, some are even mentors to me which I’m extremely grateful for. Those relationships have opened me up to a whole new world of house music – the 4 am sets at Happy’s are vastly different than what makes it to the radio, and knowing the personalities that create house music has given me a better understanding of the genre. I think that’s where the culture comes in too. It’s influenced me to the point where I’ve actually been writing a lot of house music the past couple of months.

Which artists would you say are your biggest inspiration for your sound?

This question always gets me haha. There are seriously so many artists big and small I look to for inspiration. I’d say my top 3 have stayed pretty consistent: Seven Lions, Illenium, and NGHTMRE. I found all of them very early into my discovery of electronic music, but along the way, I’ve been heavily influenced by tons of others. Nurko, Modern Machines, MitiS, Dezza, MK, Au5, Blanke. I also find tons of inspiration from non-EDM artists and try to incorporate some of those elements into my sound.

What genres aside from electronic music do you gravitate towards the most?

I know it’s a bit cliche, but honestly, there isn’t much music I don’t like haha, my Spotify library is a hot mess. I’ve been a lifelong fan of rock, especially punk-pop, metal, and post-hardcore. The vocal melodies, guitar riffs, drums, lyrics, the emotion infused into the music, it’s just so engaging. To name one band, Dance Gavin Dance has this incredible versatility to their sound that I just find deeply inspirational. And I think it’s interesting how a lot of those characteristics translate into electronic music, both literally with the music (try telling me a metal breakdown doesn’t sound similar to dubstep) and culturally (I see lots of people who loved metal in the 2000’s/2010’s coming over to bass music). I also love modern rap, especially melodic sad boi rap with its adoption of 2000’s emo/punk-pop elements. I’d really like to see that specific genre hybrid with electronic music more.

Do you have any inspirations outside of the realm of music?

I find inspiration in as many non-music things in my life as possible. I think it helps bring a more original flavor to my sound than my musical influences because it eliminates the worry of unconsciously copying another style. Being in nature is a big one, it helps me feel grounded and opens up my perspective. Another big one would be my life experiences, relationships and friendships. Just love in general I suppose is one of my biggest inspirations. There’s just such a wealth of emotion to dig into and translate there. Doing that in an honest way, I think, opens up one of the core reasons a lot of people listen to music; to experience and process strong emotions, to feel understood and validated in whatever is going on in their own lives that the music helps them relate too, positive or negative. And sometimes it’s not that deep, like you just want to party or chill out which is great too, but sometimes it’s deep too. Some of my other inspirations are really all over the place – anime, the MCU, living in downtown Chicago, certain video games (read: Bloodborne), space, the human experience. My music peers here in Chicago are also a massive inspiration. I’m always finding new things to inspire me as well. Sometimes it’s as minor as a weird sound that a bottle makes or a random sample I hear in a show or something.

You release a lot of remixes, is there any song, in particular, that was your favorite to work on?

Probably Drunk Me. I had taken about a year where I didn’t produce much of anything; between graduating college, moving to a new city, starting a big boy job, DJing clubs in Chicago and some other life events it just kind of fell to the side. When I started working on it, my life was in a very weird place and I was lacking direction as a person in the aftermath of a toxic relationship and leaving a toxic job. I was spending a lot of time doing things on my own, doing some soul searching, and trying to rebuild myself and my life. R3HAB’s remix came up when I was taking a train back to my hometown and reminded me of the original that I’d heard years earlier and forgotten about. I put on the OG and it just hit home in some really strong ways; the lyrics felt all too similar to what I was experiencing in my personal life, the original was country music which had a nostalgia factor from growing up with it, and Mitchell Tenpenny’s voice and the melody just struck me as beautiful. I started on the remix as soon as the song ended, and did most of the work either on train rides to and from the city, or while back at home where my sister would help me work out the kinks in the tune. It was a very personal process rediscovering my passion for writing music, making this hybrid of the music I’d grown up with vs the music I currently loved, while I was simultaneously trying to figure myself out between the kid I’d grown up as and the person I was becoming. It helped me redevelop my love of and confidence in creating music and artistic expression. I felt like I was unloading a lot of my own emotion into the song just through the process of making it. I was terrified to release it because it was so personal, but when I finally did I got one of the best responses I’ve ever had to my work, and it’s still my most streamed song today.

Going through your catalog it is obvious you have the ability to switch up your style yet still stay genuine to your sound. Is versatility something you really try to focus on?

First of all, thank you, that is a massive compliment to me haha. It’s absolutely something I aim for. A major goal of mine is to be authentic as an artist, and to me, that means chasing all the creative ideas that just pop up in my head. And with such a variety of inspirations, that often means chasing ideas all over the place and in weird directions. It’s satisfying to me as a creative, it encourages that little creative voice in my head to be louder/more confident, and it makes the work feel honest. However, it does often pose a challenge to keep so many different styles and genres cohesive to what I want my artist brand to be. But some of my favorite artists manage to do it really well – Seven Lions and Nitti Gritti immediately come to mind as artists that have managed to fuse tons of genres into their defined sounds and brands. I want to develop a recognizable signature sound, but also want to just kinda make whatever, like a punk-pop EP or a bunch of dubstep plates or something, who knows. It can be difficult figuring out where to draw the line but the endless variety is also my favorite thing about art and creativity.

You have quite a few shows under your belt, especially for a new producer. How did it feel to play with huge artists such as Two Friends and R3hab?

Those were some incredible experiences that taught me a lot very quickly. The R3HAB show was first, and was my first real show outside of a bar/club or private event. At that point, I had been a DJ for a few years and was confident in my ability to perform, but I was still a new producer without much of my own music to share beyond edits. That show helped give me some context about what it was like being on the other side of the stage, and showed me the difference between the DJing world and the producer/DJ world.

The show with Two Friends was probably my favorite show I’ve played to date. It was a year after the R3HAB show in the same venue so it was the perfect benchmark to look back and see how much I had grown; I’m happy to say I grew a lot in that time with my sound, brand, and skill set. The show itself was amazing too – we were within 10 tickets of selling out, had massive production that apparently the crew brought off of Zedd’s recent tour, raised a ton of money for charity, and Two Friends threw down a killer set. I had been a fan of theirs throughout college and had already seen them on tour once, so it was insanely cool getting to open for them. Hanging with them before and after the show was a blast, it was 50% goofing around and drinking tequila and 50% of them dishing out veteran wisdom and answering all of our (the opening artists’) questions about their career and just the professional music world in general. They’re busy guys and absolutely did not have to do that but it meant a lot that they took the time to just hang out and help us learn.

The pandemic has disrupted our day-to-day life and hit especially hard in the music industry. As an artist how did you cope with everything going on and remain positive during the lockdown?

It was definitely tough, it was really challenging to stay positive at times, but I did my best to take it as an opportunity. Just a couple months before the pandemic, I had taken some time off of DJing the clubs in Chicago to improve my craft, and also decided I was going to invest in myself as an artist and had started building out a respectable bedroom studio. I remember being worried about how much I would even use it, with summertime Chi just around the corner. But with the pandemic DJing went out the window, so I doubled down on producing, built out a custom production PC, and just completely dove in. I also lost my day job with the pandemic shortly after that, so I finally had all the free time in the world to get better at music.

It was cathartic creating my own music consistently for the first time in years, and honestly, it helped keep me sane. I got more involved in online communities with other producers, and I’ve gotta say it was a game-changer for me. A big one for me is feedback streams; some of my favorite producers have made themselves so accessible with Twitch, Patreon, etc and it is priceless being able to get constructive feedback from some of the best in the game. Every song you’ve heard from me in the past 6 months has gone through at least a handful of those streams, and I firmly believe it helped me step my game up. Because of all these online communities, I’ve met some really incredible artists and made some great friends, and I’m really excited to see how it’ll all translate in person when the industry can open back up again.

As a fan, there are so many aspects of live music that I miss. From the artist’s perspective, what do you miss most about live shows?

I definitely miss hanging out around the venue pre- and post-set, getting to see the other artists play, and meeting people in the crowd. Not to mention the energy in a venue. Every show I’ve played, or even just gone to, I’ve walked away making new friends and fans. Just everyone being so happy and carefree and excited, it’s contagious. Also I just really miss feeling a sub rattle my rib cage and lasers hitting me in the face haha.

What are your favorite festivals you’ve been to as a fan and what was the last one you’ve been to?

Lollapalooza holds a special place in my heart since it’s here in Chicago. It was my first festival (if you don’t count Warped Tour) and it’s where I really fell in love with the live aspect of electronic music over a couple summers. I remember being on the rail for NGHTMRE in 2017 and it was just a mindblowing set, and it heavily influenced the sound of my DJ sets for a while afterwards. My all-time favorite though, and the last fest I went to, is EDCLV 2019. It really cemented the fact that I want to pursue electronic music, it was like pouring gasoline on the fire. I saw some of the craziest sets including my dream lineup in one day (shoutout Skrillex surprise set), and seeing the community come to life at that scale and meeting people from all over the world was an insanely cool and even humbling experience. I bought my ticket for 2020 as soon as I got home and am still holding on to it for whenever festivals resume. To any festival lover or just anyone toying with the idea of going, go.

What can fans expect from you as the year goes on?

Lots of new music, including plenty of collaborations. At the time of this interview, I have just released an official remix for Able Grey. It’s called “Out Of My Mind” and I decided to go back to my future bass roots for it, I’m really excited with how it turned out. I’ll also be incorporating some new genres into my sound, so some house music and more dnb is definitely coming. More melodic bass too. For the time being, you can expect some occasional chill progressive house live streams on Twitch, and a few bigger streams, but fingers crossed there will be show announcements soon as things open up. There are some other more tentative plans as well that I won’t say too much about yet, but I’ll say it looks like there may be an EP and a collective launch with some friends in the near future as well. Maybe even some new JWILLI merch too.

Lastly, if there was one thing you could accomplish in your music career what would it be?

A more specific goal I want to accomplish is playing the festival circuit, with EDCLV and Lollapalooza at the top of my bucket list. But really, I just want to create a large catalog of quality, beautiful music that people can relate to and express themselves with. I have this whole musical universe in my head, and I want to get that out and onto people’s speakers.I want that music to be the kind that helps people feel deeply, whatever that feeling is for them, and I want to share it with as many people as possible. It’s a pretty abstract goal but I think it’s an important one to keep me in the right headspace while I’m creating.

By |

With great pain comes great art. In times of struggle, creativity seems to blossom, especially when it comes to music. In the 60s and 70s, as the world was ridden with racial injustice, political assassinations, police brutality, and an unjust war, rock and roll flourished as bands used the harsh realities imposed on their generation to fuel creativity and push musical boundaries. In the 80s and 90s, as police brutality, poverty, drugs, and violence continued to rage against society, hip-hop and punk became the new rock and roll as bands and artists used these new genres and creative outlets to combat the establishment. In 2020 the coronavirus swept through the globe causing lockdowns and disrupting life as we know it. Mix that with more police brutality, racism, protests, riots, and a divided America can only mean one thing. 2021 will be filled with great music.


What better way to pull ourselves out of these historically absurd times than with the power of music? Our generation craves, peace, love, and unity as we long for change and our own path. When the world looks back on our time they will see a generation that chose love over hate. A generation that pushed for an insurgence in consciousness through the power of music and festivals.

Despite what mainstream media may imply the music of this generation is without a doubt electronic and to say the best has yet to come would be an understatement. We are currently in the midst of a musical revolution. No festivals, tours, or shows means DJs are stuck home honing their craft and sitting on a bunch of unreleased music. Without the pressures and time restraints that come with being a touring DJ, artists have had the opportunity to commit all of their energy to producing and songwriting. Mix in the frustrations and tribulations caused by the lockdown and the state of our world, artists can muster up the inspiration to really push their creative limits.


Now, as the vaccine continues to circulate and festivals and shows seems more likely to happen , artists are beginning to release new music and announce upcoming albums. Here are the top 10 electronic records either rumored or announced we are looking forward to the most!

Kaskade – Reset- Release Date : 3/5/21

Although, only four songs, Kaskade goes back to his roots as his newest EP most resembles his Automatic and Atmosphere projects rather than his previous Redux releases. There is a common message through each track. With all that happened in 2020, Kaskade suggests we need a reset to get back to love and optimism.

Charles the First – Solus- Release Date : 3/5/21

If there is one artist truly pushing the boundaries of what electronic music can be, it would be Charles the First as he ingeniously meshes lo fi down tempo hip-hop with dance and dubstep inspired sounds creating a musical journey like no other.

Porter Robinson- Nurture- Release Date: 4/23/21

Arguably the most anticipated album of the year, Porter is set to release his first LP since his critically acclaimed Worlds album in 2014. Based off the four singles released in the past few months, Nurture has the potential to spark another creative revolution in dance music and will surely be talked about for years to come.

San Holo- BB u ok? – Release date- 5/21/21

San Holo is set to release his most diverse and personal record of his career thus far. Featuring artists such as Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, American Football, Mija and more, BB u ok? will be right up there with the best electronic albums in 2021.

Mersiv- Pretty Dark Loud – Release Date- TBA

After releasing his single Talkin Bout in January, Mersiv announced his debut album is in the works via Instagram in early February. Mersiv has been quickly rising to stardom in the past few years and is set to take the bass scene by storm once this highly anticipated album finally drops.

Illenium- Album title and release date TBA

Along with releasing his massive single Nightlight featuring vocals by Annika Wells, Illenium has teased an album coming sometime in the near future. Known for his heavy hitting, melodic dubstep and his emotional song content, Illenium will have you headbanging into your feels.

Flume- Album title and release date TBA

After releasing a remix of Eiffel 65’s Blue, the legendary Australian producer Flume announced he’s working a new album on George Breakfast’s Bangers & Bants radio show. “I’ve just kind of been sending demos out and trying to get as much music together before the lockdown finishes and hopefully come out of it with something to show for myself,” Flume said in the interview. “And we’ll see what happens, but yeah, I’m hoping to have a record done before the end of the year.”

Lsdream- Album title and release date TBA

After just celebrating the 3-year anniversary of the Lsdream project, trap lord turned spiritual bass shaman Sami Damient has announced his second single High Vibrations will be released as a follow up to the Follow the Vibe single released at the end of 2020. One can only speculate Lsdream has more music on the way.

Ganja White Night- Album title and release date TBA

Although no singles have been released, Ganja White Night recently took to Instagram to announce the postponement of Wobble Rocks, their 3 day concert series at Red Rocks, Colorado for not only safety concerns but to allow them the chance to release new music as they hinted at an upcoming album.

Alison Wonderland – Album title and release date TBA

Even without touring, Alison Wonderland has been hard at work throughout 2020, releasing singles like Bad Things and Anything featuring Valentino Kahn as well as teasing her 3rd Studio album set to release in the spring of 2021. With her producing skills combined with her ability to sing and play musical instruments, the EDM scene will be in for quite a treat once her album drops.

By |

Will Geary, who goes by the name Hi Will is a bass and dubstep producer from Port Jervis, New York, who recently moved out to  Colorado. He’s been hard at work releasing an 11 track ep titled Inverted, along with three singles in 2020. 2021 has the potential to be a break out year for the Colorado producer who just released a brand new banger called Stankface featuring Filth Collins.

The Daily Frequency caught up with Hi Will to discuss how he started making music, DJ’ing, and a whole lot more!

Check out the full interview below!

You made the big jump from New York to Colorado. What has that experience been like?

Moving to Colorado has been a dream of mine since before I could remember. I started skiing when I was four and snowboarding when I was 14 and never experienced a pow day until I moved here. It was a super easy transition for me. A ton of my friends from college also moved here around when I did so I was never really got lonely, and I had a job, and everything lined up before I got here.

How did you get into making music? Has it been something that’s always been apart of your life, or is it something you got into as you got older?

It took me a few starts. My great-grandpa was a pretty famous drummer back in the day, so I really wanted to play drums in school but was assigned trumpet, so I never really took it too seriously and quit band in middle school. I was into punk rock, so I picked up a guitar but again didn’t really make it too far. I grew out of punk music and started listening to hip hop in 9th grade. My first attempt at college didn’t go well, so when I withdrew after a couple weeks, I wanted to start making beats in garage band but was quickly discouraged. This was in 2008, so there weren’t as many resources as there are now to teach yourself. Fast forward to Sumer 2012, I was really into house and dubstep and went to my first music festival, Camp Bisco XI. This was the summer that EDM trap was first starting to emerge. When Skrillex dropped Wild for the night (going in) edit, it was the first time I heard EDM trap music, and it all kind of clicked for me that it was something I wanted to make myself. I blew my entire refund check on a MacBook when I went back to school that fall, got a bootleg version of Ableton, and dove in.

What challenges did you face as a new producer?

I had a bumpy start. I was kind of stubborn and could’ve saved a lot of time if I had a better process back then. A lot of frustrating hours spent in Ableton learning by trial and error. My one friend that was also producing at the time was also anti samples, anti preset, etc., and pushed me towards trying to make everything myself. Then my releases weren’t getting any attention, so I stopped putting music out, and would just fall in and out of Ableton for a couple of years.

When did you decide that music was something you really wanted to pursue?

 I was done with school, living in western NY, and facing a mountain of student loans. I was pursuing being a financial advisor, and the message there was you need to focus 100% on building your business if you want to be successful. I really wasn’t happy and would work all day and come home and produce all night. I don’t know who I was trying to prove wrong, but it was actually pretty motivating for making music, but I was lying to everyone. Lying to prospective clients, trying to act like I was someone I wasn’t so they would trust me to manage their money. Lying to my manager that I was 100% committed to being a financial advisor and lying to myself that I was putting enough effort into producing. I did that for a few years and was finally on my feet enough to fulfill a lifelong dream of moving to Colorado.

Would you say the move to Colorado helped you creatively?

Colorado is a lot more chill than western NY professionally. You can be yourself a lot more at an office job, and its not uncommon to have a career without giving up your interests. When I first moved, I wasn’t sure if I’d have to take a drug test for my new job or not, so the first time I smoked weed in a couple of months, I got awkwardly stoned and came home and wrote probably my darkest song, Terminated. I still had no real idea what I wanted out of producing, but I had years of projects starting to stack up.

Have the restrictions with covid allowed you to focus on your craft?

I can thank the pandemic for giving me a lot of free time alone to get my shit together. I put together a tracklist for Inverted and then wiped my computer’s hard drive. I’ve learned a lot and have been really focusing on my mixing and mastering skills to get an industry-standard sounding product and get my workflow a lot faster where I’m not spending months or years on songs. I’m about to graduate from the AMP program with KMG in Denver, which has helped a lot.

What’s your creative process? Walk us through an average day at the studio.

I still don’t have a one-off creative process to start. It’s usually trying to learn something new, or making a drum loop, or chord progression, or wanting to sample something or make a  “type beat”.  Once I get excited about the direction of a project, I try to not put it down until I sketch something out that I can finish, or at least bounce a snippet from and listen to and decide if its something I want to put more time in on or start something new. A good practice if you get stuck or aren’t feeling very creative is to try to learn something new. Usually, if I try to make a new sound or something, I get inspired for a song by the time I’m done with the tutorial.

You released a lot of music in 2020, including an 11 track ep and three singles. How do you find inspiration day in and day out?

Like I said before, Inverted is basically all my more amateur sounding stuff that I liked enough to put out, and is basically 7 years of work. The three singles I put out this year were basically sketched out, pulling an all-nighter when the inspiration struck.

Your sound seems to be heavily influenced by hip-hop. Who are your favorite rappers at the moment?

Favorite rappers seem to come and go, but Futures has been a favorite for a while, I listened to a lot of da baby and Lil baby last year.

Who are your influences in electronic music?

My biggest influences would have to be early RL Grime, Flosstradamus and Skrillex, pretty lights, and basshead era Bassnectar. Dillon Francis is also a huge influence of mine. I like how he was able to blow up without being confined to a genre, which is the producer id like to be, with some high-energy bangers for playing shows and less aggressive songs that are more universally enjoyable.

Aside from hip-hop and electronic music, what other genres do you resonate with and draw inspiration from?

I listen to a ton of different music. As far as inspiration goes, id have to say I usually get inspired by indie tracks. Video Game by Sufjan Stevens is a good example. I should drop a remix to that, actually, haha.

You spend a lot of your free time outside. Do you believe taking time out of the studio to hike or snowboard benefits your creative process?

It’s always good to take a break, but if anything, it’s detrimental to producing. Snowboarding is probably my #1 distraction, and I feel bad about using my limited free time, not in the studio.

You play vinyl when you DJ. Do you believe that’s becoming a lost art?

I came across an offer I couldn’t refuse when I bought my vinyl set up. It still runs through Serato. It’s just timecoded vinyls. I really like the vinyl set up because, with the spinning records, you actually feel the music moving underneath your fingers. Plus, if you can spin and beat match on technics, you can pretty much use anything. Personally, I’m not a big fan of turntablism. A few tricks in a DJ set can take it up a notch, but other than that, it’s just not a sound I think is desirable. As far as straight vinyl djing, it seems like more of a novelty. Someone can do a lot more with a controller these days, and being limited to the tracks you have on actual records seems like it just limits the DJ for no good reason.

Do you listen to any music on vinyl?

I got my girlfriend an Odesza vinyl for Christmas, and it sounded amazing. I think id like to start an actual vinyl collection and buy some of my favorites. Two that come to mind would be Anderson Paaks Malibu and Post Malones Stoney.

What’s the last show you saw, and who are you most excited to see when live music comes back?

The last show I saw was NGHTMRE at the Amplitude drive-in. It was pretty sick! I don’t really have any tickets for anything coming up, but I just pray we get red rocks back this summer.

You just released your new single featuring Filth Collins; what should fans expect from you as the year goes on?

I have a ton of projects I’m working on. Stankface is my first track with original vocals, and Filth and I work pretty well together, so we’ll be releasing a lot more high energy tracks this year. I have some more melodic tunes coming out with my homie Astro Piano that we just have to wrap up and some hip hop joints. I pretty much have a hip hop instrumental tape I want to drop as well. I have a remix dropping for Subbspaced next month and a few other remixes I might put out on Soundcloud. Most of my fans know me from Inverted, so anyone whose been following me will notice that I stepped my game up and will just keep getting better. So this year, I’m holding myself to a higher standard, a lot of collabs, and just bigger and better records. I hope to play out in Denver a good amount this year, too, if we can get past covid. I’ll be putting out a mix with all originals at some point this year.

By |

It is no secret that female DJs don’t get the recognition they deserve in the music industry. You wouldn’t know it from looking at many festival lineups, but there is a sea of talented female DJs and producers who not only have a massive following but are a driving force behind electronic dance music.  

For National DJ Day, it is only fitting we celebrate our favorite female DJs!

10. Lucii

After breaking into the scene with a massive EP titled Abduction, Lucii has been taken the bass scene by storm. Since then, she has been hard at work releasing music with Champagne Drip and a second ep called Wicked in 2020. Known for her celestial vocals and captivating production skills, this alien will wreak havoc once festival season returns.

9. GG Magree

Known for her versatile high-energy sets, GG Magree sure knows how to throw the fuck down. Mixing everything from hip-hop, to dubstep, to hardstyle GG knows how to get the party bumpin!

8. Clozee

Known for her dreamy psychedelic productions, Clozee is one of the most unique sounds in all of bass music. Drawing inspiration from her world travels and classical instruments, the French producer has established an identity as a pioneer in her genre-bending bass.

7. Mija

Mija’s career exploded after going b2b with Skrillex for a legendary sunrise set on the Kalliope Stage at Bonnaroo in 2014. Known for her genre-bending sounds with roots embedded in house, Mija has a style all her own as she continues to push the boundaries of dance music.

6. Whipped Cream

Coming fresh off her first full-length Lp titled Who Is Whipped Cream, Whipped Cream combines hip-hop, heavy metal, and hard-hitting dubstep to create a heart-thumping, goosebump rising experience.

5. Ducky

Another versatile DJ who can sing, play instruments, and produce, Ducky, mixes melodic pop with hard-hitting dubstep, hardcore, and hardstyle. Known for her massive performances at festivals such as Bonnaroo and EDC Las Vegas Ducky is quickly rising to dance music stardom.

4. Tokimonsta

With one of the most inspiring stories in the industry, Tokimonsta was left unable to read music and communicate following two brain surgeries after being diagnosed with Moyamoya disease in 2015. Instead of giving up, she pushed forward and has become one of the defining sounds in modern dance and beat music. Just one year after her final surgery, she received a Grammy nomination for best dance/electronic album for her 2017 release called Lune Rouge. When live music resumes, expect to see Tokimonsta grace many major festival lineups.

3. Level Up

After studying turntablism under the legendary Rob Swift, this hip-hop battle DJ turned Dubstep enthusiast is set to take over 2021.  With her musical storytelling ability mixed with a knack for heavy-hitting wubs, Level Up is a force to be reckoned with.

2. Rezz

Rezz, also known as the self-proclaimed Space Mom, has been rocking festival crowds for a few years now and is nowhere near slowing down. With an undeniable unique sound, the Canadian producer has been at the forefront of dance music as she combines heavy bass, minimal tech, and dark techno.

1. Alison Wonderland

One of the biggest stars in dance music, Alison can do it all. Not only does she sing, produce, and DJ, but she plays live instruments such as the cello during her sets. Leaving everything she as on the stage, Alison has been lighting the electronic scene on fire. Expect her to be headlining major festivals and sold out tours once live music returns.

By |

Last week British Producer and dubstep pioneer Flux Pavilion announced that he is “no longer a dubstep person” via Twitter, turning his fan base into a frenzy as they questioned what was next for the Bass Cannon DJ.

After ten years of pushing the genre forward with massive bass-heavy hits, Flux no longer feels inspiration or joy when it comes to creating dubstep bangers. However, that does not mean he is quitting music altogether. Instead, he is reinventing himself and announced a new album to be released on Thursday, January 21.

The album titled .Wav is utterly different than anything Flux has previously released yet still stays true to his electronic roots. Based on the album’s singles, Flux seems to be transitioning into a more relaxed style with chill melodies, graceful chord progressions, and angelic harmonies.

It is always refreshing to see an artist on Flux’s level find the motivation to reinvent and challenge themselves creatively. It’s going to be a surreal feeling to hear what Flux has in store for us on Thursday.

.Wav will be available on all streaming platforms.

Flux also announced a live stream event to celebrate the album on February 5th and 6th.

By |

Daniel Butler, a music producer from Memphis Tennessee, who goes by the name Kane has taken full advantage of the halt in the music scene. As tours, festivals, and live music have come to a complete stop, due to the corona virus, Kane has been hard at work in the studio and traveling the world at the same time. With just under two years of music production under his belt he is already establishing a name for himself.

Kane has just released his new single “Cutting you Loose’ featuring singer/songwriter Rachel Leycroft which follows his first single “Where Did You Go” released in July of 2020.

Inspired by artists such as Illenium, Odesza, and RL Grime, Kane is on pace to becoming the next big thing in Future Bass and melodic dubstep.

We caught up with Kane to talk about his travels, music festivals, and more.

Check out the full interview below!

How did you get into music? Has it been something that has always been a big part of your life?

I came from a musical family, so music was always a part of my life. My dad played guitar and sang and my mom was in band and choir in school. I joined band in middle school, ended up going to college for music education, and now I make music full time. It’s easily been a huge part of my life.

What’s your creative process? Do you have a specific routine or is every day different?

It’s always a little different, but I’ve found a routine that allows me to be most creative because I don’t have to think about the minutiae of production. I have a template that I start every project that has everything loaded up so that I don’t have to start from scratch every time. I then usually start with a chord progression because I believe it’s really what makes a song special. After I create a simple drum pattern and make a melody that becomes the main idea of the song. From there, it’s arranging, instrumentation, and finding a vocalist. It’s a fairly simple routine, but it allows me to be the most creative I can be.

You’ve been traveling for some time now. Do you find it harder to focus on music when you’re constantly on the move as opposed to having a permanent studio at home?

Quite the opposite! We stay put anywhere from 1-3 months which is plenty of time for me to dig in and not be distracted like I would be at home. I don’t make music on the days that we are traveling but it doesn’t really set me back at all.

What has been your favorite city/ country you’ve visited on your travels?

Lisbon, Portugal for sure. The vibe there was really vibrant. Everyone seemed to be happy, they were always polite, and the weather is nice there pretty much year round. Edinburgh, Scotland is a close second. 

How do you find inspiration when writing music?

Honestly, a cool chord progression is all I need to get going. I like to take standard chord progressions and make little changes to their structure to make something that sounds both familiar and unique. I also get a lot of inspiration from my favorite artists but also all of the great undiscovered talent that I see on social media all the time. 

Who would you say your non-EDM influences are? 

I actually didn’t even listen to EDM until about 2 years ago, so I have a bunch! Linkin Park was my first favorite band, and I feel like I still draw from their energy sometimes. I also love Kendrick Lamar, Daniel Caesar, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay,  Snarky Puppy, and a ton more. When I say I listen to a bit of everything, I mean it. 

If I were to look at your music library at the moment what would I find?

I have a few different EDM playlists depending on my mood but I also have a running playlist that has a bunch of music from different genres! You’ll find everything from hip hop to film scores on there.

What was the best concert or festival you’ve been to and why?

1000% Odesza’s “A Moment Apart” at Bonnaroo. The performance is literally why I decided to make music. Not only was the music extremely good, but the production value and their attention to detail really made it special. I still get chills going back and watching videos from that tour. 

If you could work with any artist alive or dead who would it be?

There is a TON but if I had to choose it would be Illenium. Not only is he my biggest inspiration for my sound, but he just seems like a chill dude that I think I’d vibe with. 

If you could play any festival or venue what would it be and why?

Bonnaroo. It’s where it all started for me. It may not be as big as EDC Las Vegas, but it’s always going to have a special place in my heart.

You’ve just released your second single “Cutting you Loose” after only producing for less than two years which is pretty remarkable. Any tips for new producers?

Produce. Every. Day. It doesn’t matter how busy you are. Make time EVERY day even if for a few minutes to produce. It’s a tough discipline and can only be done if you put the work in.

Lastly, if you had one message to give to your fans what would it be? 

You guys are amazing and have been mega supportive since day one. I can’t wait to play for you live one day! 

By |

The Universe has a peculiar way of speaking to you, especially when your judgments are closed and your heart and mind are open. When you are tuned into the right frequency, it becomes obvious that there is another force guiding us through this existence. You just have to trust that energy, and once you do, you recognize that the answers are often right in front of you and have been this whole time. Everything that happens in life has a purpose. It may not be what you want, expect, or understand, but as time goes on, you will realize that it was exactly what you needed.
It was the beginning of October, and my friends and I finally copped tickets to a drive-in rave. Not just any show but the Wakaan Halloween takeover in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Liquid Stranger, Champagne Drip, and Mize were set to throw down on top of Montage Mountain. We couldn’t think of a better first show back since the pandemic and were hyped as fuck, to say the least. Not just for the fact that we were going to see Liquid Stranger, or that we were finally going to see live music, but that we could ultimately rage together. We haven’t danced and headbanged through the night since Okeechobee, and we were all itching for an evening of good vibes, good music, and debauchery.
As Halloween approached, Liquid Stranger announced that each night of the three-day takeover would be unique. Night one would be dedicated to throwback jams, night two would be a tripped set, and night three would be full of bangers. Each night was sold out, and we were going to night two.
As much as I love downtempo tripped out music, I was skeptical of the tripped-out theme. It was my first show in 8 months, and I wanted to party. I had all this pent up energy from quarantine that I needed to release. How can I do that during a slow trippy show? But the Universe doesn’t always give you what you want but what you need.
Aside from my reserves, we were ready to be back in our element. We missed the crowd, the atmosphere, and of course, the people. Before we knew it, it was Friday morning, and we were finally on our 2 hour Journey to Montage Mountain Resorts to check in our hotel before the show. The only problem was it was not only freezing but raining. Not the greatest weather for an outdoor show, but the gray clouds wouldn’t stop our shine. After sitting in line for almost two hours, with flashbacks to Bonnaroo 2019, we finally made it in just in time for Mize to hit the stage.
Strangely enough, the sky opened up, and all the clouds disappeared. A full moon lit up the heavens above with Mars in the background. It was still cold, but it was perfect. As the night went on, Mize changed to DMVU, which switched to Champagne Drip, and then finally Liquid Stranger. The entire time I could not take my eyes off the moon. All I kept thinking that this is what humans have been doing for thousands of years. Dancing under the full moon, losing ourselves in the moment.

As Liquid Stranger finished his set, he spoke about his decision to perform a tripped set under the full moon. That he never gets a chance to play the music that he played that night. That every song he played from Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin to Forever Young by Rod Stewart had an impact on his life and his career. He spoke on how the world was going through a transition and that we need to treat each other with love.
It is then I realized that the Universe was speaking to me through Liquid Stranger. The world is going through a transition, but so am I. I realized that the tripped set was exactly what I needed. Instead of giving me a night full of bangers for my first show back, I got music that opens your mind and soothes the soul. I’ve been going to shows for ten years now, and I’ve partied as hard as anyone. I kept having this thought that part of my life is over. Not that I’ll stop going to shows or festivals, but my intentions will change. That I will be motivated by spirituality instead of just getting fucked up. It was as if the Universe was pushing me in a new direction.

Since then, I’ve been meditating, reading, and positively focusing on my goals, and things are suddenly falling into place. I’m starting to get opportunities I’ve never had before, I feel better mentally and physically, and I have a newfound excitement for the future.
I felt this story was important to share as we head into 2020’s winter solstice coming early next week. On December 21, for the first time in 800 years, Saturn and Jupiter will align, creating what’s called the great conjunction allowing the Christmas star to be visible. This extraordinary event is said to be a sign of powerful change and spiritual transformation as we transition to a new age.
The fact that this will happen in 2020 is pretty remarkable considering what’s going on in the world. 2020 isn’t the year we asked for, but it is the year we needed. A year that acted as a wake-up call to say that this way of existence, full of hate, neglect for the earth, carelessness for our health, and need for material pleasures, is not sustainable. Our way of life has been taken from us. We have been forced to stay inside with no restaurants, no bars, no concerts, festivals, weddings, or parties. We can’t go to work, kids can’t go to school, and some of us have lost loved ones. But through all the tragedy, there is a silver lining. 2020 has forced us to find happiness from within and think in different ways. It taught us not to take life for granted because you never know when life will abruptly change. People are finally beginning to wake up. Everyone has grown in someway through quarantine. Whether it’s finding a new hobby, a new passion, or realizing you can survive on much less than you thought.
We’ve seen worldwide protests in the name of peace and equality. Governments are being exposed, the powers are shifting, and the world is learning that love trumps all. As Bob Dylan famously put it, “The times are a changin!” 2020 was not the year we wanted, but the year we needed. We struggled and survived together. New beginnings are ahead of us. It’s time to stop saying fuck 2020 and start being grateful that it happened. 2020 will be known as the year we woke up, and 2021 will not only be our year but a promising start to our greater purpose.