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Mason 'Exceeder' album cover featuring a wrestler in a mask and cape

When Mason first released ‘Exceeder’ in 2005 it was a B-side. But its fuzzy bassline and gated trancey notes garnered a legion of fans, and it became a key building block in the pre-EDM electro-house scene. 17 years later, he shares its story

“You might go to the same restaurant many times, but do you always order the same dish?” grins Iason Chronis, the artist most commonly known...

A press shot of Flume in a striped jumper, holding a bunch of white flowers against an orange backdrop

Caught between the demands of being an internationally-renowned performer and his desire for a quiet life, Australian producer Flume found balance upon returning to his homeland. Amongst nature, and with a restored sense of wellbeing, he completed his most ambitious album to date, 'Palaces'. Megan Venzin learns its story

Flume fills arenas, smashes stage props with sledgehammers, and builds booming soundscapes with the high-tech gear that fills his ever-expanding studio. Harley Edward Streten, on...

Sarangua Embroidery feature header artwork featuring two products

This month, business owner, textile artist, designer and painter, Sara, speaks with DJ Mag about her creative company Sarangua Embroidery

As a British-Mongolian business owner, with a huge love for pop culture, London-based designer Sara says that her vision has always been “to provide a...

Selections: Bou

In this series, Selections, we invite DJs, producers and label heads to dig into their digital crates and share the contents of their collections. This week, breakout d&b DJ and producer Bou spotlights recent favourites and highlights from the 'DNB 4 PEACE' compilation

To say Bou is in high demand right now would be an understatement. Recent years have seen the Manchester DJ and producer become one of...

J Dilla press shot

J Dilla changed music with his unique production style and wonky beat patterns. Ahead of an expansive new book on his life and art, Marke Bieschke talks to author Dan Charnas about the enigmatic artist’s impact 

D is for Detroit. D is for Dilla. D is for ‘Donuts’, the legendary 31-track collection that James Dewitt Yancey — aka Jay Dee, aka...

Stay True Sounds logo on a pink background

South Africa’s biggest independent label is taking house music to new heights and changing the lives of local artists in the process. Alongside a mix of tracks from its catalogue, founder Kid Fonque speaks to Kitty Amor about the rise and rise of Stay True Sounds

Over the past six years, three words have come to dominate any conversation about South African electronic music: Stay True Sounds. Recognised as the biggest...

Batu press shot surrounded by purple flowers

Timedance label boss, innovative producer and a boundary-pushing DJ, Batu was on an upward trajectory — but the pandemic made him question his motivations and examine his history. With his debut album ‘Opal’ marking a bold new chapter in his sound, he talks to Chal Ravens about burnout, reinvention, heritage and contributing to the Bristol scene that nurtured him

On a cool night in upstate New York in September 2019, the floorboards of a wooden hut at Camp Kennybrook are shuddering with bass. Somewhere...

Luxe press shot in an American Football jersey

Get acquainted with Luxe, the London-based DJ/producer exploring the hybridity of club music to develop her own sound

Wielding slippery garage grooves, ruffneck breaks and the endless horizon of a good trance pad is tough to pull off in one set, let alone...

GLOR1A stands in a blue suit in front of the album artworks of releases she has chosen

In this series, Selections, we invite DJs, producers and label heads to dig into their digital crates and share the contents of their collections. This week, GLOR1A picks futurist rhythms, amapiano/funky fusions, heart-touching beats, hard dance and more

GLOR1A is a multidisciplinary artist with multifaceted tastes. In her music, she explores theories and concepts surrounding Black futurism, sci-fi and technology with a striking...

Self-releasing your music in 2022: which distributor is right for you?

When starting out in the industry, musicians and producers have what can often seem like an insurmountable number of new skills to learn outside of making music. With seemingly countless distributors offering widely varying features and products, choosing how to get your music on streaming services can be confusing. This guide seeks to demystify one of the most confusing aspects of releasing music

Digital distribution is the process of releasing your music to various digital streaming platforms (DSPs) and services. In the past, distributors would take care of...

Lau.ra

Having cut her teeth as part of the alternative rock group Ultraísta, and as solo artist FEMME, Lau.ra is now making waves as a dance music DJ and producer. With her tracks getting regular play on radio, and with gigs in Ibiza and elsewhere internationally on the agenda, she shares her journey from rock to rave with Niamh O’Connor

When DJ Mag speaks to Laura Bettinson, it’s a few weeks before her ‘Volume 1 - The Mixtape’ record drops on London-based label Needwant. “I...

Julmud stands in a field of yellow flowers, in front of a mountain and blue sky, holding the hood of his blue sweater over his eyes

Ramallah-based rapper and producer Julmud serves up sounds from the Palestinian underground and beyond in his Fresh Kicks mix, and speaks to Theo Kotz about the local scene and his debut album, 'Tuqoos | طُقُوس'

“I removed the frets from the guitar and started fucking with it because I was bored of the scale — like, the Western scale —...

Collage of photos taken by Bill Bernstein

Bill Bernstein dedicated three years of his life to capturing the essence of the ‘70s New York disco scene. Here, Simon Doherty talks to him about some of his most iconic photographs, including images of Studio 54, Larry Levan, Odyssey Disco Club Dancefloor — made famous by Saturday Night Fever in 1977 — and more

The year was 1977. The disco scene was peaking, bringing with it unprecedented levels of euphoria. A specific set of sociological conditions (post-Stonewall riot, post-onset...

12 emerging artists you need to hear this May

The latest and greatest DJs and producers rising to the top this month. From deep Afro-house and trance-infused techno to atmospheric jungle and beyond, here's May 2022's list of upcoming talent you should be keeping track of

A rising star among deep and Afro-house lovers, vocalist and producer Miči’s Instagram feed reads like a blow-by-blow account of her story so far. The...

DRS performing live

With a career spanning 30 years, more than 400 tracks to his name and a history hosting the biggest stages, DRS recently embarked on a new, ground-breaking chapter with his headline live show tour: The Man Who Fell To Earth. Jake Hirst hears the story behind a project representing something much greater than music for DRS

A Thursday night drum & bass gig in Bristol is standard these days, considering its reputation as a home for d&b. But this event is...

Compilation of the Month: Various Artists ‘Nervous Horizon Vol. 4’

East London’s Nervous Horizon label crystallises its sonic signature on its fourth compilation, mutating dancehall rhythms into a post-industrial, experimental space

The name Nervous Horizon has begun to chime with contemporary life, implying a sense of foreboding for something that’s currently just out of view. Look...

On Cue: Perel

NYC/Berlin-based DJ, producer and vocalist Perel records a mix of wavy nu disco, thumping house and Italo for the On Cue series, and speaks to Katherine Rodgers about regaining her confidence after a debilitating label experience, and her bold and irreverent new album, ‘Jesus Was An Alien’

With her bright, exuberant personality and predilection for infectious dance music polished to a pop sheen, you’d be forgiven for thinking of German DJ and...

Osunlade: spiritual state of mind

Producer of soul greats, maker of classic house records, ordained Yoruba priest and avid live streamer, Osunlade has lived a remarkable life so far. He tells Ria Hylton how remaining independent has been vital to his creativity and career

Nomads. They roam new lands, find fresh pasture and feed their flock. Osunlade — an ordained Yoruba priest — has something of the shepherd about...

How the global boom of African music is resonating with electronic artists in the diaspora

It’s an exciting time to be both a new and old fan of African music, but how does it feel for African artists raised and working in the diaspora? As producers and consumers, these artists have a unique vantage point on this cultural shift. Jessica Kariisa speaks to Nazar, Hagan, Juba and Chief Boima and asks: what does music from “back home” mean today?

In the early 2000s, there was a small, unassuming stall on the second floor balcony of Kampala’s Bugolobi market. Stocked with computers, scanners and other...

Fresh Kicks 175: Thea HD

NTS resident and The Leaf Label A&R Thea HD records mix of glitchy minimal techno, abstract beats and percussive deep house for the Fresh Kicks series, and chats to Eoin Murray about the importance of variety and her lifelong love of percussion

Listen to Leeds-based DJ and The Leaf Label A&R Thea HD’s monthly show on NTS, and you’ll hear everything from country to krautrock: ‘70s soul...