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Results for: Giving Up the Day Job

Keith McIvor and Jonnie Wilkes

Keith McIvor and Jonnie Wilkes, aka Optimo (Espacio), have helped define Glasgow’s musical landscape for over two decades with their eclectic and dynamic dancefloor selections. As 2022 marks Optimo’s milestone 25th anniversary, a tour of their home city reveals the ethos behind their inimitable sound

A love of dancing runs deep in Glasgow. And no one better embodies the city’s enduring passion for getting together on the dancefloor than Keith...

Reinier Zonneveld: live and direct

Before headlining international festivals with his immense live techno sets, Reinier Zonneveld cut his teeth on the Dutch underground rave circuit. Megan Venzin catches up with the artist to learn about his approach to performance, and why his fans can always expect the unexpected

It’s been a while since Reinier Zonneveld had to outsmart the cops. Nowadays, when the Dutch producer arrives at an event, it’s because he’s guaranteed...

11 emerging artists you need to hear this February

The latest and greatest DJs and producers rising to the top this month. From stomping techno and jazzy breaks to experimental reggaetón and melodic house, here's February 2022's list of upcoming talent you should be keeping track of

South-East London DJ and vocalist Ell Murphy has been making waves with her multi-genre mixes and releases. Behind the decks, she combines both disciplines to...

Frank de Wulf

DJ Weekly podcast from Belgium techno legend Frank de Wulf.

On Cue is our flagship mix series, celebrating the pivotal DJs and producers whose influence has shaped the world of electronic music, both in their...

London-born DJ and producer Ross, better known as Rossko, had his first brush with authentic, UK rave sounds younger than most. He was 11 years...

Stefan Kozalla is many things to many people: co-owner of an acclaimed label, production enigma and true free spirit. DJ Mag caught up with him...

It makes sense that DJ Mag has landed in Barcelona to meet DJ Koze. It’s a city where the abstract and traditional happily co-exist, where...

Independent record labels are thriving by adapting to new models and branching out into management, distribution, publishing and clothing. DJ Mag finds out more...

If there’s any sector in dance music that has had to be genuinely run ‘for the love’ and ferociously adapt to survive the music industry’s...

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...

Ultra Naté’s house anthem ‘Free’ went from club anthem to international pop hit in the late 1990s. Broken by Louie Vega at the 1997 WMC...

It's precisely 9am in Baltimore. Ultra Naté — her real name — is raring to go. “It's not super-early,” says the super-professional 53 year old...

Photo of Bad Snacks wearing a pink and blue jumper against a pink background

In life’s messier moments, it’s only natural to seek out a place of comfort. On her new ‘Home Music’ EP, the violinist and producer known as Bad Snacks tells the story of how she regained a sense of belonging through soaring instrumentals and a soothing spin on upbeat house

There’s something inherently comforting about the “This Is Fine” meme. You know the one, where the dog is smiling numbly into the abyss, enjoying his...

12 emerging artists you need to hear: November 2022

The latest and greatest DJs and producers rising to the top this month. From crystalline house and propulsive techno to experimental ambient and club-tuned pop here's November 2022's list of upcoming talent you should be keeping track of

House music as shimmering and crystalline as a diamond, but suffused with endless warmth? That’s the domain of London DJ and producer Flaurese. His 2020...

Congo Natty

On his upcoming 25-track opus ‘Ancestorz’ — which he describes as his life's work — long-serving jungle soldier Congo Natty unites many voices from across the diaspora, joining dots through the history of Black music and celebrating the new jungle generation. In a series of in-depth interviews for DJ Mag, he talks to Dave Jenkins about love, revolution, unity, and reclaiming his place in the history books

“This isn’t an interview, brother, this is an outerview!” Congo Natty declares. He draws on his spliff, holding DJ Mag’s gaze with intensity. Even through...

Diggers & Muir make album with mysterious writer John Twelve Hawks

John Digweed, the Bedrock head honcho, and production partner Nick Muir have just made a collaborative album with mysterious sci-fi writer John Twelve Hawks.

Twelve...

Balearic trance

Ibiza played a central role in spreading a new take on trance around the turn of the millennium — a more soothing vein of the sound that captures the mood of a Mediterranean sunset. As clubs in Ibiza are opening again for the first time since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, DJ Mag dives into the roots of a genre that was inspired and shaped by the island’s unique appeal: Balearic trance

Long before turning into a global clubbing destination, Ibiza appealed to crowds looking for spiritual growth — with those from the hippie movement settling in...

We meet the Leeds man in London to talk about hardcore history, subliminal messages and breaking free of genre constrictions — and much more...

Reinvention is a tough gig. But if you get it right, a whole new life is possible. No one in dance music's managed this more...