A true force to be reckoned with as a DJ and producer, Nicole Moudaber rise through the ranks of the DJ elite has been swift, purposeful and striking.
Propelled by her flawlessly executed, sleazy, edgy house and tough, soulful techno sound, she picked up no less than Carl Cox and Steve Lawler as early fans.
Carl snapped up her early tracks for INTEC and Steve featured her music on VIVa & iVAV.
Since then she supplied killer tracks for labels like 8Sided
Dice, Kling Klong, Monique Musique and Waveform Recordings, while
remixing names including Santos, Martin Eyer, Mauro Picotto and Fergie.
Pretty much a perfect start to an artist career that began relatively recently.
Hitting New York after a youth spent in Africa and the Middle East,
Nicole initially explored her passion for electronic music as a
promoter, bringing the NYC style parties she loved to Beirut for the first time, then booking huge acts for her Soundworx nights at London's legendary Turnmills club and running Southeast Recordings.
But it was the decision to dive in and start to DJ and make music
herself that was proven the most important.
Once she unleashed her
creativity, everything simply went boom.
Carl Cox identified her as exactly the kind of fresh talent he wanted
to playing at his weekly nights at Space in Ibiza, where Nicole has
since DJed regularly alongside him for the last 3 seasons.
Requests for guest mixes on both Carl and John Digweed's internationally syndicated radio shows followed, as did the endorsement of Pete Tong, who named Nicole a rising star on BBC Radio 1's Essential Selection.
Her tracks picked up the support of yet more DJ royalty like Richie Hawtin, Adam Beyer, Loco Dice and Danny Tenaglia,
who was so impressed when he DJed with Nicole that the two of them have
been working together both in the studio and on throwing an incredible
outdoor party at Ushuaia in Ibiza.
With further residencies in Ibiza – the place she now calls home - and Cologne, plus recent high profile gigs at Ministry of Sound and the
SW4 festival in London plus the Dance.Here.Now Festival in New York, her
reputation for groovy main room mastery has really taken hold.
Meanwhile plans for a launching a label of her own, plus a mix and
tour for the hugely influential Global Underground series are all under
way.
Wednesday 2 December 2015
Tuesday 1 December 2015
DJ Sadiq Gill - Knife Party
Knife Party
were the single biggest breakthrough headline act of 2012, having
rocketed from an unknown entity, to one of the most renowned dance acts
in the world with a barely a moment to catch their breath. With just a
few releases to their name to date, the duo’s list of achievements is
phenomenal. They have racked up over 500,000 downloads of their first EP
‘100% No Modern Talking’ and seen their second EP, ‘Rage Valley’
achieve top 10 in the UK, USA, Canada and
Australia iTunes charts and debut at No.1 and No.2 in both the Beatport
and Trackitdown dubstep charts. They have over 800,000 Facebook fans,
have had 7 million plays of ‘Internet Friends’ on YouTube alone, and
have headlined shows and festivals to tens of thousands of fans the
world over. Remixing Porter Robinson, Labrinth and Nero to name a few, Knife Party also collaborated with Swedish House Mafia
on the phenomenal 2012 worldwide smash ‘Antidote’. From curating their
own Earstorm stage at Future Music Festival, to playing the main stage
at Ultra in Miami, touring their Haunted House show to sold out Arenas
in the US, to festival sets across the globe this Summer, the Knife Party
movement is both viral and global and this will come as no surprise to
anyone that has witnessed their performances or heard the music!
Monday 30 November 2015
DJ Sadiq Gill - Above and Beyond
Connection.
If one word sums up the phenomenon of Above & Beyond then that is surely it. Whether it’s the thousands of A&B fans singing their lyrics back at them at gigs from Beirut to Brixton, or the millions that tune in for their weekly Group Therapy radio show, connection – real human connection – is at the heart of all things that define Above & Beyond.
Much like acts like The Smiths or Joy Division before them, Above & Beyond find themselves embedded at the heart of their fans’ lives. Some walk down the wedding aisle to their songs, others ink their bodies with their lyrics, often a proud couple will choose to get engaged at one of their gigs. All that pledge their loyalty to them are moved in a way that goes beyond most electronic music out there.
Above & Beyond is Jono Grant, Tony Mcguinness and Paavo Siljamaki and their story is one of constant movement. From their early days as hotly tipped producers to their current global standing, Jono, Tony and Paavo have remained as down-to-earth and determined as ever – always focused on the next goal. Over their 13-year history, this dedication has continually paid off.
The only dance act in history to win Essential Mix Of The Year twice (in 2004 and 2011), the London-based trio have remixed greats like Radiohead and Madonna, played to one million people on Barra Beach in Rio de Janeiro (New Year’s Eve in 2007) and even had their track “Buzz” chosen to soundtrack the launch of Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo in the Mojave desert. And as these landmarks rack up the non-stop pulse of their global touring keeps them connected to their growing international fanbase. Each week brings another crowd, another country and often another continent, while their weekly Group Therapy radio show now reaches over 30 million people worldwide.
A band first and foremost, Above & Beyond are songwriters as much as they are DJs and their second album “Group Therapy” has taken their sound to new heights. The follow-up to 2006’s widely acclaimed debut “Tri-State”, the album draws on musical reference points as diverse as French cosmic pop heroes Air, American singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley and soundtrack master Hans Zimmer. “We are always looking to explore new territory but try to operate in our own way rather than just trying to follow trends,” explains Jono. The combined result on “Group Therapy” was unmistakably Above & Beyond – a cohesive album that was described by Mixmag as “the artist album of the year”.
At the heart of the album’s allure, of course, were songs of loves lost, confused and found. “Songs have an impact which is quite unparalleled in art,” believes Tony. “Poetry can be powerful, great literature is another great informer and educator, but few of us can remember any significant words from the great books or poems we read. But something amazing happens when you put words to music.”
Featuring two BBC Radio 1 playlisted singles (“Sun & Moon” and “Thing Called Love”) and a Sirius BPM Chart #1, the album’s many songs have connected in a way that so few dance tracks – vocal or otherwise – ever manage. “Since releasing our Group Therapy Album in 2011, it’s brought us even closer to our audience around the world,” explains Paavo. “The one thing I didn’t expect to happen on the scale it has, is how people from around the world have shared their stories with us as they go through amazingly positive or incredibly difficult times in their lives. It’s really touched us all and feels like a driving force for new creativity.”
Since the release of Group Therapy, the intense atmosphere at Above & Beyond’s increasingly ambitious live performances has redrawn the parameters of the DJ set. While so many superstar DJs place themselves at the centre of the show, Above & Beyond’s focus is always on getting closer to their crowd and making them part of the action. Whether that is by bringing fans up on stage to press the play button on their CDJs or communicating with the fans via their visual screens, the effect is to make everyone in the room feel like they are part of an experience that is at once epic, immersive and interactive.
“Some time ago we realised that on the best nights we have it’s always a three way thing: us, the music and the people, and we see improving the communication between all three as helping a good party turn incredible“ explains Paavo. “The soundsystem, lights and visuals are all there to help people connect to the music, with each other and with us, better. A Group Therapy experience, ideally, is positive, uniting and life-affirming for all involved.”
Having celebrated TATW milestones in Moscow, Miami and Beirut, 2012 saw Above & Beyond call time on Trance Around The World, as they launched their new radio show Group Therapy at a spectacular live broadcast event at Jayamahal Palace in Bangalore, India. Evolving from the foundation built by TATW, Group Therapy is broadcast weekly to 30 million people worldwide, and features guest mixes from the biggest names in electronic music. This year Above & Beyond celebrate the 50th instalment of Group Therapy Radio with their biggest ever UK show at the historic home of broadcasting, Alexandra Palace.
In the summer of 2013 Jono, Tony & Paavo launched another bold musical project, Above & Beyond Acoustic. Rewriting a selection of their back catalogue for a 15 piece ensemble, complete with a full string section, a harp and even a broom, they sold out three intimate shows at the impressive Porchester Hall in London, and in October 2013 will bring Above & Beyond Acoustic to Los Angeles.
Throughout this process, Above & Beyond have continued to release forward-thinking instrumental club music – such as their own tech-fused rollercoaster “Walter White” – on their renowned Anjunabeats label. An essential part of their story, the label is now in its 13th year and has helped to nurture artists like the London-based innovator Mat Zo, the eclectic genius Andrew Bayer and Russian star Arty. Independently spirited but run with ambitious vision, the label has grown like a family.“Dance music tends to be very short term, but we aim to release records that will leave a lasting impression on people and are listened to in years to come” explains Jono. “We try to operate in our own way rather than trying to follow trends.”
Like just about everything they turn their attentions to, it is a labour of love as well as a collaboration of the trio’s energies. De La Soul weren’t wrong. Three really is the magic number: and in Above & Beyond’s case the magic is spreading faster than ever before.
--
More info: http://thedjlist.com/djs/ABOVE_&_BEYOND/bio/
If one word sums up the phenomenon of Above & Beyond then that is surely it. Whether it’s the thousands of A&B fans singing their lyrics back at them at gigs from Beirut to Brixton, or the millions that tune in for their weekly Group Therapy radio show, connection – real human connection – is at the heart of all things that define Above & Beyond.
Much like acts like The Smiths or Joy Division before them, Above & Beyond find themselves embedded at the heart of their fans’ lives. Some walk down the wedding aisle to their songs, others ink their bodies with their lyrics, often a proud couple will choose to get engaged at one of their gigs. All that pledge their loyalty to them are moved in a way that goes beyond most electronic music out there.
Above & Beyond is Jono Grant, Tony Mcguinness and Paavo Siljamaki and their story is one of constant movement. From their early days as hotly tipped producers to their current global standing, Jono, Tony and Paavo have remained as down-to-earth and determined as ever – always focused on the next goal. Over their 13-year history, this dedication has continually paid off.
The only dance act in history to win Essential Mix Of The Year twice (in 2004 and 2011), the London-based trio have remixed greats like Radiohead and Madonna, played to one million people on Barra Beach in Rio de Janeiro (New Year’s Eve in 2007) and even had their track “Buzz” chosen to soundtrack the launch of Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo in the Mojave desert. And as these landmarks rack up the non-stop pulse of their global touring keeps them connected to their growing international fanbase. Each week brings another crowd, another country and often another continent, while their weekly Group Therapy radio show now reaches over 30 million people worldwide.
A band first and foremost, Above & Beyond are songwriters as much as they are DJs and their second album “Group Therapy” has taken their sound to new heights. The follow-up to 2006’s widely acclaimed debut “Tri-State”, the album draws on musical reference points as diverse as French cosmic pop heroes Air, American singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley and soundtrack master Hans Zimmer. “We are always looking to explore new territory but try to operate in our own way rather than just trying to follow trends,” explains Jono. The combined result on “Group Therapy” was unmistakably Above & Beyond – a cohesive album that was described by Mixmag as “the artist album of the year”.
At the heart of the album’s allure, of course, were songs of loves lost, confused and found. “Songs have an impact which is quite unparalleled in art,” believes Tony. “Poetry can be powerful, great literature is another great informer and educator, but few of us can remember any significant words from the great books or poems we read. But something amazing happens when you put words to music.”
Featuring two BBC Radio 1 playlisted singles (“Sun & Moon” and “Thing Called Love”) and a Sirius BPM Chart #1, the album’s many songs have connected in a way that so few dance tracks – vocal or otherwise – ever manage. “Since releasing our Group Therapy Album in 2011, it’s brought us even closer to our audience around the world,” explains Paavo. “The one thing I didn’t expect to happen on the scale it has, is how people from around the world have shared their stories with us as they go through amazingly positive or incredibly difficult times in their lives. It’s really touched us all and feels like a driving force for new creativity.”
Since the release of Group Therapy, the intense atmosphere at Above & Beyond’s increasingly ambitious live performances has redrawn the parameters of the DJ set. While so many superstar DJs place themselves at the centre of the show, Above & Beyond’s focus is always on getting closer to their crowd and making them part of the action. Whether that is by bringing fans up on stage to press the play button on their CDJs or communicating with the fans via their visual screens, the effect is to make everyone in the room feel like they are part of an experience that is at once epic, immersive and interactive.
“Some time ago we realised that on the best nights we have it’s always a three way thing: us, the music and the people, and we see improving the communication between all three as helping a good party turn incredible“ explains Paavo. “The soundsystem, lights and visuals are all there to help people connect to the music, with each other and with us, better. A Group Therapy experience, ideally, is positive, uniting and life-affirming for all involved.”
Having celebrated TATW milestones in Moscow, Miami and Beirut, 2012 saw Above & Beyond call time on Trance Around The World, as they launched their new radio show Group Therapy at a spectacular live broadcast event at Jayamahal Palace in Bangalore, India. Evolving from the foundation built by TATW, Group Therapy is broadcast weekly to 30 million people worldwide, and features guest mixes from the biggest names in electronic music. This year Above & Beyond celebrate the 50th instalment of Group Therapy Radio with their biggest ever UK show at the historic home of broadcasting, Alexandra Palace.
In the summer of 2013 Jono, Tony & Paavo launched another bold musical project, Above & Beyond Acoustic. Rewriting a selection of their back catalogue for a 15 piece ensemble, complete with a full string section, a harp and even a broom, they sold out three intimate shows at the impressive Porchester Hall in London, and in October 2013 will bring Above & Beyond Acoustic to Los Angeles.
Throughout this process, Above & Beyond have continued to release forward-thinking instrumental club music – such as their own tech-fused rollercoaster “Walter White” – on their renowned Anjunabeats label. An essential part of their story, the label is now in its 13th year and has helped to nurture artists like the London-based innovator Mat Zo, the eclectic genius Andrew Bayer and Russian star Arty. Independently spirited but run with ambitious vision, the label has grown like a family.“Dance music tends to be very short term, but we aim to release records that will leave a lasting impression on people and are listened to in years to come” explains Jono. “We try to operate in our own way rather than trying to follow trends.”
Like just about everything they turn their attentions to, it is a labour of love as well as a collaboration of the trio’s energies. De La Soul weren’t wrong. Three really is the magic number: and in Above & Beyond’s case the magic is spreading faster than ever before.
--
More info: http://thedjlist.com/djs/ABOVE_&_BEYOND/bio/
Wednesday 14 October 2015
DJ Sadiq Gill - Proud Cabaret City
Just as you used to be in a 1920s speakeasy, at
Proud Cabaret you're entertained while you dine. A lively mix of
cabaret, jazz and burlesque are performed while you tuck into a very
British menu which includes choices like fish and chips and Dover sole.
Everything about this late night City destination reminds you of a
bygone era when ladies smoked cigarettes on a lengthy holder and wore
flapper dresses while gentlemen dressed like members of the mob. Even
the staff serve dishes while sporting the regalia of the era. No fear of
prohibition here though, instead there's a full and varied wine list as
well as sophisticated cocktails called things like 'Ginger Rogers'
(tequila, pineapple, ginger) and 'Lady Luck' (gin, pineau des charentes
and orange bitters). Depending on which night you go you will be treated
to cabaret, jazz and burlesque with live bands and DJ sets continuing
the party long into the evening. Proud Cabaret joins Proud Chelsea and Proud Camden, along with another Proud Cabaret venue in Camden, as part of the Alex Proud stable and is available for private hire.
Thursday 10 September 2015
DJ Sadiq Gill - Carl Cox
Professional DJ since his early teens. A musical ambassador and a veteran of acid house and a champion of techno – you name it, Carl’s been there and done it, never losing sight of his passions – playing music, breaking tunes and celebrating life.
It was at the age of 15 that Carl was given a set of turntables and began working as a mobile DJ. Disco was the first music that captivated him but by the early 80s Cox had moved on to playing the same music as other young London DJs – rare groove, New York hip-hop and electro. He was perfectly placed to hear Chicago house music in its earliest forms, and when the epic ‘Acid Trax’ by Phuture (a.k.a. DJ Pierre) came out in early ‘87. “It was then that I thought, ’This is it,’ says Carl. “I would do my parties, and I’d play old rare groove and hip hop and soul and I would say ‘Right you’ve got to hear this Phuture track’ and people would just stop. It’s funny because all the people who thought I had freaked out then are the people who are making the music now."
As a founder of the sound, Carl rode the exploding British rave scene. He played the opening night of Danny Rampling’s legendary Shoom, co-promoted The Project with Paul Oakenfold, held a residency at the Zap Club in Brighton and at the Sunrise rave in 1988, hooked up a third turntable for his dawn-breaking set, got 15,000 kids back on their feet, and established a personal rep for three-deck wizardry.
The next step was to make music, and Carl’s 1991 debut single for Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto label, ‘I Want You,’ gave him a top 30 hit and a Top of the Pops appearance. Two more singles also made the charts. But Carl was a reluctant pop star and as the masses moved onto fluffy house and trance, and the hardcore created jungle, Cox retreated into the club world that had nurtured him and instead embraced the underground sounds of techno. “Techno drives home somewhere,” he says of his core music. “It takes you to an element of surprise, not knowing where you’re going. It’s scary but wonderful at the same time.”
Carl’s classic releases include his 1995 mix CD, ‘F.A.C.T,’ which became a techno benchmark, selling over 250,000 copies, and the 1996 EP ‘Two Paintings and a Drum,’ which again broke the British top 30. Alongside Carl’s ‘Ultimate Music Management’ company, which counted Josh Wink and Laurent Garnier among 27 clients, there was the Ultimatum record label, for which Carl recorded his third top 30 UK single, ‘Sensual Sophis-ti-cat.’ In 2005, Carl’s third album, ‘The Second Sign’ caused a stir across Europe and reached number 3 in Spain’s national chart. Also gaining critical acclaim was speaker freaker ‘Dirty Bass,’ a collaboration with Christian Smith, and the funky ‘Give Me Your Love’, both released on 23rd Century Records, an outlet for his own burgeoning production output.
Carl formed his own label, Intec Records, in 1999, scoring a series of underground hits and enjoying eight years at the forefront of electronic music. After its closure in 2006, Carl was still inundated with new music, finally deciding to re-launch the label as Intec Digital at the start of 2010. It’s been a triumphant return, thanks to exclusives from some of the biggest names in techno. “The label couldn’t be going better,” says Carl. “It’s great to be back at the helm discovering underground DJs.”
Intec Digital was also the home for Carl’s 6th studio album, ‘All Roads Lead To the Dancefloor,’ released to critical acclaim in late 2011 on state-of-the-art, self-updating USB technology. The USB offered far more than a conventional album, showcasing a range of styles across its 20+ tracks whilst also giving fans access to everything from interviews & behind the scenes footage, to tutorial, tips & tricks with Carl, and much more.
2013 saw the re-launch of Carl’s seminal Pure Intec series, 9 years after the hugely successful original ‘Pure Intec.’ The release also coincided with the launch of a new series of Intec club nights where Carl played to a sold out XOYO in East London, dates followed in Amsterdam for ADE, and London’s fabric, where he returns again in April 2014.
“Jon and I thought it was time,” says Carl. “We’d been working hard the last few years to get Intec back to the forefront of Techno. We have a great roster, with very talented DJs that deserve recognition. This is our way of celebrating the label’s success, showcasing some of our artists, and of course putting out some amazing tracks.”
Carl’s legendary Ibiza residency also continues to break boundaries. Celebrating an astounding 13 consecutive years at Space this summer, Carl and Safehouse Management have built their weekly residency into one of the Island’s most popular nights. Marking a change in direction from traditional Ibiza parties, Carl and his Space Revolution has always been acclaimed for its adventurous and forward-thinking line-ups, musical direction and state of the art production. This, along with Carl’s highly involved and passionate role as promoter, programmer and host, is why each year has seen a growth and progression from the last, both in terms of quality and size. “We have a successful night because we just batten down the hatches and stick to what we do best, which is give value for money,” explains Carl. “People come back to us, as they’re big believers in our brand. Also Space is a great club, they’ve spent a lot of money on it, and it’s just getting better and better.”
This summer sees Carl embark on his longest ever Ibiza season, with an extended 14-week run, kicking off on 24th June. Accompanying the extra date is redesigned logo and adaptable slogan, set to evolve throughout the summer, with the first set of nights branded ‘Music is Revolution.’ “It’s unbelievable this is my 13th year,” says Carl. “I really didn’t think we would get past 5 years so I am totally overwhelmed by the night’s success. To be expanding is truly a great sign of the night’s popularity and demand and also allows us to bring even more talent to the island. We are currently putting the finishing touches to this season’s line-up and it’s looking to be one of the biggest yet.”
Stay tuned for full details, plus more on a brand new residency for Carl, this time in Las Vegas – at the sin city’s mega-club LIGHT at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. For the first time ever Carl will be playing a series of Vegas dates throughout the year, which he thinks could be one of the biggest challenges he’s had in some time – “Techno music isn’t the most important thing in Vegas, it’s not the reason people go there. But I like a challenge. It’s an exciting time for dance music in the States right now. I’m not planning on changing a thing, I’m going in playing what I want to play and I’m confident I’ll win them over.” Full Light residency details coming soon.
All this and still Carl’s ‘Global’ radio show is still breaking records, now reaching over 16-million weekly listeners worldwide and syndicated across over 60 terrestrial FM, Satellite and DAB stations throughout 35 countries, making him one of the most important broadcasters on the planet, and the most followed DJ on Mixcloud.
Tuesday 28 July 2015
DJ Sadiq Gill - Tommy Trash
Head banging, unmistakable locks at large and fist in the air, Tommy Trash
is not your stereotypical dance music icon. Armed with an arsenal of
his own carefully created anthems, he has rejected the clean-shaven
no-nonsense image of many a peer. Tommy’s work hard play hard antics
have carved him a unique position in a scene in desperate need of
rebels. Outside his party-hard stage presence, the Grammy and VMA
nominated producer’s approach to mind-blowing music remains as
heartfelt as they come. With Platinum records around the world, singles
on labels ranging from Axtone to Fool’s Gold, from Refune to Mau5trap,
and from Spinnin’ to Owsla and Boys Noize,
every new installment of his diverse, floor-filling productions lay
testament to the pride the Aussie takes in his blazing, musical legacy.
It’s no wonder that the likes of Rolling Stone and MTV have marked him out as ‘One To Watch’.
From the most prestigious nightspots around the globe and the ever-expanding global festivals that he so seamlessly conquers to the grimiest warehouse parties, there’s no stage too grand or miniscule for him to tailor his adrenaline-fueled sets to. In line with his successive industry triumphs, the road ahead looks set to comfortably accommodate the rare energy and characteristics that Tommy continues to bring to dance music.
From the most prestigious nightspots around the globe and the ever-expanding global festivals that he so seamlessly conquers to the grimiest warehouse parties, there’s no stage too grand or miniscule for him to tailor his adrenaline-fueled sets to. In line with his successive industry triumphs, the road ahead looks set to comfortably accommodate the rare energy and characteristics that Tommy continues to bring to dance music.
Tuesday 7 July 2015
DJ Sadiq Gill - Hardwell
Music maturity came swiftly for the now seasoned-veteran Robbert van de Corput, better known as Hardwell.
At the age of 25, the young Dutch titan capped off a 10 year journey
when he was crowned World’s No.1 DJ in the 2013 DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Poll
cementing his position as the electronic scenes newest superstar DJ and
becoming the youngest ever winner of the coveted Top 100 DJs award.
Having already created a legacy that would put most of his counterparts
to shame this award-winning DJ, producer, musician, label manager, lover
of all things music has not only helped shape the current state of EDM, but has left an everlasting imprint on it.
Like his great mentor Tiësto, Hardwell proudly hails from Breda, a city tucked deep within the Netherlands. Having first established his name at the tender age of 14, Hardwell has since elevated his clubland standing to impressive, dizzying heights. His serving of big room bangers over the past year has seen a bundle of anthems sweep charts and dancefloors worldwide. Label boss of Revealed Recordings and having landed 6 consecutive #1’s on Beatport, his studio output has never been more prolific or more on point. Records such as his anthemic hit ‘Spaceman’, ‘Three Triangles (Losing My Religion)’, ‘Countdown’, ‘Jumper’, alongside the hard-hitting track, ‘Apollo’ and his scorching collaboration with Dyro and Lights/">Bright Lights, ‘Never Say Goodbye’ became some of the most played tracks this summer 2013.
Through his refreshing sound that is characterized by complex drum ensembles, daring synths, and emotive chords, Hardwell has created the ultimate recipe for “Big Room House”. His productions are received with such great praise and acclaim; it seems his shelf life is endless. As his reputation grows amongst the world’s partygoers, so does his status. First entering the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Poll at #24 in 2011, Hardwell rose to #6 in the 2012 edition of the poll, before being crowned World #1 DJ in the 2013 poll – seeing off fierce competition from the likes of Avicii and Armin Van Buuren and following in footsteps of electronic icons Tiësto and David Guetta.
The “fresh and open-minded” approach he has taken with his label Revealed Recordings has led to the imprint gaining international Momentum and having produced a cluster of hits since its inception back in 2013, as well as giving rise to a new generation of artists that included Dyro, Dannic, Julian Calor and Kill The Buzz. Another success in the labels armoury is its celebrated compilation series ‘Hardwell Presents Revealed’ which offers listeners a true box ready taste into the current trends at the heart of the labels musical output.
Moreover, his record label Revealed Recordings has also grown to become a dominant force as a globetrotting tour brand in its own right named ‘Hardwell presents Revealed’, having staged events in America, Greece, Switzerland, Austria and Netherlands.
In March of 2011, Hardwell launched his very own radio show and podcast, Hardwell On Air, which is broadcasted on more than 35 international radio stations, including Holland’s top dance station, SLAM!FM, Sirius XM in the US, and Radio FG in France and Belgium. Additionally, the podcast has a solid spot in the iTunes Top 10 Podcasts in more than 40 countries.
As a producer his ratio of releases to hits is extraordinary. In 2011 his collaboration single with Tiësto – ‘Zero 76’ was one of the biggest club tracks of that year and to date the music video has received over 14 million views on YouTube. The single went #1 in the Beatport and #1 in the US iTunes chart. That same year his solo record ‘Cobra’ went to #1 in the dance charts in Holland and Top 10 on Beatport.
2012 saw even more success with his remixes of Rihanna�s track ‘Where Have You Been’ and The Wanted�s ‘Chasing the Sun’ both reaching #1 on Billboard’s Dance Chart. His collaboration remix with Dannic for UK pop star Example�s, ‘Say Nothing’, received a #1 spot in the Cool Cut Chart, while Tiësto and Hardwell’s remix for ‘Young Blood’, by the indie rock band The Naked And Famous, became the festival circuit’s summer anthem.
Hardwell also collaborated alongside Showtek to produce the track ‘How We Do’, with the music video premiering on MTV US. However, Hardwell’s biggest track of 2012 was the solo-original known as ‘Spaceman’, which is regarded by media critics and peers alike as one of the EDM scenes biggest timeless anthems. ‘Spaceman’ was released in over 25 countries worldwide, scored a #1 place in the Beatport chart and to date has clocked in more than 15 million views on YouTube.
At the tail end of 2012 Hardwell released the hard-hitting organic track, ‘Apollo’, featuring Amba Shepherd. Much like its predecessor, ‘Apollo’ would propel Hardwell’s name into the spotlight and ignite a global phenomenon around his infectious releases and DJ sets. Such was the foray around his name at this time that dance music icon Pete Tong invited Hardwell to make his debut on the hallowed decks of BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix in November 2012, where Hardwell’s prowess was so distinctively displayed.
Having featured for the first time on the mainstage of Ultra Music Festival only one year prior (2012), Hardwell’s position as a mainstage stealing DJ was affirmed in 2013 when he returned to the renowned Miami event. Armed with a body of fresh and unheard music, most notably is landmark hit single ‘Never Say Goodbye’, his performance at the 2013 Miami Ultra Music Festival would go on to become the thing of legends. Clocking up a staggering 6 million views in just 8 weeks, Hardwell’s set broke all records for the most watched Ultra live broadcast during UMF with over 80,000 people watching his set via the feed. During his set, Hardwell’s Twitter account was using 20% of Twitter’s overall bandwidth with his name was trending worldwide with such intensity that it caused Twitter to temporarily shut down his account – yes, he broke Twitter!
Following on from his 2012 Tomorrowland set, which to date has received over 18 millions views on YouTube and was dubbed by many as a contender for the best set of the year, Hardwell returned to the mainstage of Tomorrowland in 2013 where he played yet another inimitable set that took a frenzied Tomorrowland audience on a ride of a lifetime. This time the liveset amassed in excess of 1 million views in just a few days and has currently been viewed over 12 million times on YouTube; the inexorable rate at which his DJ sets are viewed by fans around the world has made him the single most in demand liveset artist in the electronic scene today.
A true festival–straddling superstar his sets have conquered arena’s at the most prestigious and crowd-pleasing of parties in the world such as Ultra Music Festival Miami, Electronic Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, Electric Zoo, Creamfields, UMF Europe, Coachella, EDC London, Future Music Festival, TomorrowWorld, Global Gathering, Mysteryland, Dance Valley and various Sensations, including Amsterdam’s. At each and every show his fans litter the crowd awash in banners, flags and t-shirts’ bearing his name. A gesture Hardwell still finds touching, stating; “the commitment and effort the fans put into the shows with their signs and energy on the dancefloor is incredible. I’ll never be able to thank them enough.”
As a DJ his global headliner status has led to endless sold-out shows around the world at venues from Ministry Of Sound in London to Green Valley in Brazil. Debuting in Ibiza in 2010 when he was personally invited by Tiësto to perform with him at his now legendary Club Life event at Privilege. Hardwell’s 2013 Ibiza excursion saw him grow into one of the biggest headline acts on the island with roadblock shows at Ushuaia, Pacha, Space, Cream @ Amnesia, plus Cream’s Radio 1 live event @ Privilege, and led to him winning the ‘Electro House DJ Award’ at the 2013 DJ Awards in Ibiza.
However, it is perhaps his impact in the North American scene that has been the most impressive. Kicking of 2013 with a nationwide Revealed Presents Canadian Bus Tour, Hardwell, joined by support DJs Dyro and Dannic, took in country’s finest clubs from New City Gas in Montreal to The Guvernment in Toronto and left a colossal marker of musical intent. His exclusive residency at Hakkasan Las Vegas with his ‘Go Hardwell Or Go Home’ event series has cemented his position as one of the forerunning DJ stars in the US club scene, generating much acclaim from the worlds media and clubbers alike. This was also followed with a nationwide ‘Go Hardwell Or Go Home’ tour that took in venues across America.
In April 2013 Hardwell launched his most ambitious project to date when he unveiled his I Am Hardwell world tour concept at Amsterdam’s Heineken Music Hall to a 6000 capacity crowd. A spectacle of unprecedented musical vision and production detail, the entire show was broadcast live on a HD feed to 100,000’s of fans around the world and placed a solid marker to the immense popularity of Hardwell’s position within the dance community. After the successful kick off of his I Am Hardwell World Tour in Amsterdam last April, Hardwell is now on the road with worldwide travels for this new tour new concept. The first phase of the tour saw sold-out shows in Jakarta, Singapore, Bangalore, Mumbai, Lisbon, London, with further shows coming in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Mexico City, Tel Aviv, Guatemala City, Manchester, Sao Paulo, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney coming up, I Am Hardwell is set to become one of the must see shows of 2013/2014.
In October 2013, during Amsterdam Dance Event, Hardwell held the world premiere of his ‘I Am Hardwell’ documentary in Amsterdam’s oldest and most famous cinema, Tuschinski. The documentary provides a captivating inside-look on Hardwell’s rise. With the motto – "If you can dream it, you can do it”. The film is now being shown in selected cinemas around the world.
But it is his relationship with his fans which sets him apart from his peers. Through his popular Q&A series on YouTube Hardwell’s personal side is displayed, where he answers the most begging of questions his fans have to offer. As said by Hardwell himself, “With the opportunities of social media today, it’s super easy to be in direct contact with your fans, however it’s impossible to respond to each and everyone through Twitter or Facebook. That’s why I came up with this idea, to give my fans the opportunity to ask me their questions and to have the chance to answer them in a fun and engaging way!” And talking of social media his meteoric rise up into the higher echelons of the dance community has seen his fan base swell in recent months. With over 2.2 million likes on Facebook, more than 900k on Twitter and in excess of 120 million hits on his YouTube channel, Hardwell is also rapidly solidifying his place as one of the electronic scenes most ‘clicked on’ artists.
The rise of Hardwell as a young boy from the city of Breda into a ripened international super-heavyweight has become an inspiring tale for all. Coming full circle from a dream to reality of wanting to become the ‘#1 DJ in the World’, we can be assured that the Hardwell name, face, and brand is a force that will drive electronic dance music for years to come….
Like his great mentor Tiësto, Hardwell proudly hails from Breda, a city tucked deep within the Netherlands. Having first established his name at the tender age of 14, Hardwell has since elevated his clubland standing to impressive, dizzying heights. His serving of big room bangers over the past year has seen a bundle of anthems sweep charts and dancefloors worldwide. Label boss of Revealed Recordings and having landed 6 consecutive #1’s on Beatport, his studio output has never been more prolific or more on point. Records such as his anthemic hit ‘Spaceman’, ‘Three Triangles (Losing My Religion)’, ‘Countdown’, ‘Jumper’, alongside the hard-hitting track, ‘Apollo’ and his scorching collaboration with Dyro and Lights/">Bright Lights, ‘Never Say Goodbye’ became some of the most played tracks this summer 2013.
Through his refreshing sound that is characterized by complex drum ensembles, daring synths, and emotive chords, Hardwell has created the ultimate recipe for “Big Room House”. His productions are received with such great praise and acclaim; it seems his shelf life is endless. As his reputation grows amongst the world’s partygoers, so does his status. First entering the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Poll at #24 in 2011, Hardwell rose to #6 in the 2012 edition of the poll, before being crowned World #1 DJ in the 2013 poll – seeing off fierce competition from the likes of Avicii and Armin Van Buuren and following in footsteps of electronic icons Tiësto and David Guetta.
The “fresh and open-minded” approach he has taken with his label Revealed Recordings has led to the imprint gaining international Momentum and having produced a cluster of hits since its inception back in 2013, as well as giving rise to a new generation of artists that included Dyro, Dannic, Julian Calor and Kill The Buzz. Another success in the labels armoury is its celebrated compilation series ‘Hardwell Presents Revealed’ which offers listeners a true box ready taste into the current trends at the heart of the labels musical output.
Moreover, his record label Revealed Recordings has also grown to become a dominant force as a globetrotting tour brand in its own right named ‘Hardwell presents Revealed’, having staged events in America, Greece, Switzerland, Austria and Netherlands.
In March of 2011, Hardwell launched his very own radio show and podcast, Hardwell On Air, which is broadcasted on more than 35 international radio stations, including Holland’s top dance station, SLAM!FM, Sirius XM in the US, and Radio FG in France and Belgium. Additionally, the podcast has a solid spot in the iTunes Top 10 Podcasts in more than 40 countries.
As a producer his ratio of releases to hits is extraordinary. In 2011 his collaboration single with Tiësto – ‘Zero 76’ was one of the biggest club tracks of that year and to date the music video has received over 14 million views on YouTube. The single went #1 in the Beatport and #1 in the US iTunes chart. That same year his solo record ‘Cobra’ went to #1 in the dance charts in Holland and Top 10 on Beatport.
2012 saw even more success with his remixes of Rihanna�s track ‘Where Have You Been’ and The Wanted�s ‘Chasing the Sun’ both reaching #1 on Billboard’s Dance Chart. His collaboration remix with Dannic for UK pop star Example�s, ‘Say Nothing’, received a #1 spot in the Cool Cut Chart, while Tiësto and Hardwell’s remix for ‘Young Blood’, by the indie rock band The Naked And Famous, became the festival circuit’s summer anthem.
Hardwell also collaborated alongside Showtek to produce the track ‘How We Do’, with the music video premiering on MTV US. However, Hardwell’s biggest track of 2012 was the solo-original known as ‘Spaceman’, which is regarded by media critics and peers alike as one of the EDM scenes biggest timeless anthems. ‘Spaceman’ was released in over 25 countries worldwide, scored a #1 place in the Beatport chart and to date has clocked in more than 15 million views on YouTube.
At the tail end of 2012 Hardwell released the hard-hitting organic track, ‘Apollo’, featuring Amba Shepherd. Much like its predecessor, ‘Apollo’ would propel Hardwell’s name into the spotlight and ignite a global phenomenon around his infectious releases and DJ sets. Such was the foray around his name at this time that dance music icon Pete Tong invited Hardwell to make his debut on the hallowed decks of BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix in November 2012, where Hardwell’s prowess was so distinctively displayed.
Having featured for the first time on the mainstage of Ultra Music Festival only one year prior (2012), Hardwell’s position as a mainstage stealing DJ was affirmed in 2013 when he returned to the renowned Miami event. Armed with a body of fresh and unheard music, most notably is landmark hit single ‘Never Say Goodbye’, his performance at the 2013 Miami Ultra Music Festival would go on to become the thing of legends. Clocking up a staggering 6 million views in just 8 weeks, Hardwell’s set broke all records for the most watched Ultra live broadcast during UMF with over 80,000 people watching his set via the feed. During his set, Hardwell’s Twitter account was using 20% of Twitter’s overall bandwidth with his name was trending worldwide with such intensity that it caused Twitter to temporarily shut down his account – yes, he broke Twitter!
Following on from his 2012 Tomorrowland set, which to date has received over 18 millions views on YouTube and was dubbed by many as a contender for the best set of the year, Hardwell returned to the mainstage of Tomorrowland in 2013 where he played yet another inimitable set that took a frenzied Tomorrowland audience on a ride of a lifetime. This time the liveset amassed in excess of 1 million views in just a few days and has currently been viewed over 12 million times on YouTube; the inexorable rate at which his DJ sets are viewed by fans around the world has made him the single most in demand liveset artist in the electronic scene today.
A true festival–straddling superstar his sets have conquered arena’s at the most prestigious and crowd-pleasing of parties in the world such as Ultra Music Festival Miami, Electronic Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, Electric Zoo, Creamfields, UMF Europe, Coachella, EDC London, Future Music Festival, TomorrowWorld, Global Gathering, Mysteryland, Dance Valley and various Sensations, including Amsterdam’s. At each and every show his fans litter the crowd awash in banners, flags and t-shirts’ bearing his name. A gesture Hardwell still finds touching, stating; “the commitment and effort the fans put into the shows with their signs and energy on the dancefloor is incredible. I’ll never be able to thank them enough.”
As a DJ his global headliner status has led to endless sold-out shows around the world at venues from Ministry Of Sound in London to Green Valley in Brazil. Debuting in Ibiza in 2010 when he was personally invited by Tiësto to perform with him at his now legendary Club Life event at Privilege. Hardwell’s 2013 Ibiza excursion saw him grow into one of the biggest headline acts on the island with roadblock shows at Ushuaia, Pacha, Space, Cream @ Amnesia, plus Cream’s Radio 1 live event @ Privilege, and led to him winning the ‘Electro House DJ Award’ at the 2013 DJ Awards in Ibiza.
However, it is perhaps his impact in the North American scene that has been the most impressive. Kicking of 2013 with a nationwide Revealed Presents Canadian Bus Tour, Hardwell, joined by support DJs Dyro and Dannic, took in country’s finest clubs from New City Gas in Montreal to The Guvernment in Toronto and left a colossal marker of musical intent. His exclusive residency at Hakkasan Las Vegas with his ‘Go Hardwell Or Go Home’ event series has cemented his position as one of the forerunning DJ stars in the US club scene, generating much acclaim from the worlds media and clubbers alike. This was also followed with a nationwide ‘Go Hardwell Or Go Home’ tour that took in venues across America.
In April 2013 Hardwell launched his most ambitious project to date when he unveiled his I Am Hardwell world tour concept at Amsterdam’s Heineken Music Hall to a 6000 capacity crowd. A spectacle of unprecedented musical vision and production detail, the entire show was broadcast live on a HD feed to 100,000’s of fans around the world and placed a solid marker to the immense popularity of Hardwell’s position within the dance community. After the successful kick off of his I Am Hardwell World Tour in Amsterdam last April, Hardwell is now on the road with worldwide travels for this new tour new concept. The first phase of the tour saw sold-out shows in Jakarta, Singapore, Bangalore, Mumbai, Lisbon, London, with further shows coming in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Mexico City, Tel Aviv, Guatemala City, Manchester, Sao Paulo, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney coming up, I Am Hardwell is set to become one of the must see shows of 2013/2014.
In October 2013, during Amsterdam Dance Event, Hardwell held the world premiere of his ‘I Am Hardwell’ documentary in Amsterdam’s oldest and most famous cinema, Tuschinski. The documentary provides a captivating inside-look on Hardwell’s rise. With the motto – "If you can dream it, you can do it”. The film is now being shown in selected cinemas around the world.
But it is his relationship with his fans which sets him apart from his peers. Through his popular Q&A series on YouTube Hardwell’s personal side is displayed, where he answers the most begging of questions his fans have to offer. As said by Hardwell himself, “With the opportunities of social media today, it’s super easy to be in direct contact with your fans, however it’s impossible to respond to each and everyone through Twitter or Facebook. That’s why I came up with this idea, to give my fans the opportunity to ask me their questions and to have the chance to answer them in a fun and engaging way!” And talking of social media his meteoric rise up into the higher echelons of the dance community has seen his fan base swell in recent months. With over 2.2 million likes on Facebook, more than 900k on Twitter and in excess of 120 million hits on his YouTube channel, Hardwell is also rapidly solidifying his place as one of the electronic scenes most ‘clicked on’ artists.
The rise of Hardwell as a young boy from the city of Breda into a ripened international super-heavyweight has become an inspiring tale for all. Coming full circle from a dream to reality of wanting to become the ‘#1 DJ in the World’, we can be assured that the Hardwell name, face, and brand is a force that will drive electronic dance music for years to come….
Monday 6 July 2015
DJ Sadiq Gill - NERVO
Starting out in the mid-2000’s, Australian sisters Mim and Liv Nervo made their name by writing smash singles for artists like Ke$ha and Kylie Minogue, remixing superstars like Katy Perry and Thirty Seconds to Mars, and joining forces with David Guetta to co-write his Grammy-winning “When Love Takes Over.” They quickly built upon that experience by releasing music under their own name, NERVO, alongside some of the biggest producers today including Afrojack, Steve Aoki and Nicky Romero, while tearing through arenas across North America on the Britney Spears/Nicki Minaj Femme Fatale tour. Now, one of the most sought after acts in dance music, NERVO, can be found balancing their rigorous worldwide touring schedule while working on their debut album that soaks deadly-catchy melody into the loud, dirty beats that set apart their brand of progressive and electro-house.
When not in the studio Mim and Liv can most likely be found spinning at clubs, parties, and festivals all around the world, with their travels including stops at Lollapalooza, Electric Daisy, Ultra and Tomorrowland where they notably celebrated their first Beatport #1 song, “The Way We See The World” (the official Tomorrowland 2011 anthem, co-written and co-produced with Afrojack, Dimitri Vegas, and Like Mike). Their club addiction manifested itself in their first Winter Music Conference party this past year (a Delano Hotel event that featured NERVO along with R3HAB, Adrian Lux,Sneaky Sound System, Hook N Sling, and Quintino) as well as two major residencies in 2012: one at the Wynn Hotel Group in the newly anointed EDMmecca of Las Vegas, the other at Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel.
“We’re pop writers and we’re club addicts,” notes Mim. To that end, their latest single “You’re Gonna Love Again” layers heartache-curing lyrics over in-your-face beats and a synth-drenched sound that slays. It’s the follow up to their debut single “We’re All No One” released in 2011, which saw the Australian sisters teaming up with the aforementioned Steve Aoki and Afrojack to top charts all over the world.
As they balance DJ-ing with songwriting/producing and making their own music—and also serving as hosts of NERVO Nation, their monthly show on SiriusXM’s BPM channel—the globe-trotting duo considers spinning essential to honing in on the perfect sound. “Since we’re not spending all our time in the studio anymore, we get to play our records when we DJ and instantly see how the crowd reacts,” says Mim. “We’re always educating ourselves with that feedback. And those moments when people have their hands in the air and they’re loving the tunes—it’s one of the best rushes you can experience. It means everything to us.”
Sunday 5 July 2015
DJ Sadiq Gill - Calvin Harris
“What I’m into at the moment”, says Calvin Harris, “is the idea of stadium dance. Playing football stadiums with massive riffs, big hands-in-the-air rave anthems. The whole ‘minimal’ thing has passed, for me.”
A bold ambition, but such boldness is justifiable, coming from a man who ascended from the bedroom to the big time in the blink of an eye. At least, that’s how it appeared from the outside, back there in 2007.
He may have barely turned 23 when he first hit the charts, but Calvin Harris had been making music, legend has it, since the age of 15 on an old Amiga computer in the Scottish town of Dumfries, when he wasn’t stacking shelves at the local Marks & Spencer.
“It seems like I came from nowhere” Harris admits, “but it didn’t feel like that for me. I had a successful record after having lots of unsuccessful records…”
These early recordings, for the benefit of trainspotters, include the single “Da Bongos”/“Brighter Days” under the name Stouffer on the Prima Facie label in 2002, and a track called “Let Me Know” with singer Ayah (on the Unambombers’ Electric Soul 2 compilation) in 2004.
It was when Harris hit upon what would become his trademark sound – irresistibly infectious dance-pop tunes built from juicy staccato synths and squelchy electro basslines – that he caught the public imagination, first with breakthrough anthem “Acceptable In The 80s” (given a release in March 2007 by Sony, who had clocked his growing popularity on Myspace), then the even bigger follow-up “The Girls”, and then his non-stop houseparty of a debut album, I Created Disco.
And that’s where the Trouble began. If only he’d slipped a modest ‘Some’ between the third and fourth words of the album’s title, he may have deflected some of the haters. Instead, Calvin’s attempt to bring a little playfulness and wit to the dance music scene was misunderstood as arrogance, and his tall tales of womanising with females of every shape and race and living the high life in Las Vegas were taken literally, despite the fact that they were written in his Scottish shelf-stacking days.
“A lot of people thought I was cocky, but it was just a bunch of songs that were entirely fictional. With songs like ‘The Girls‘, I think people thought I was trying to profess that I was actually doing those things. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case…”
Of course, once Calvin’s career took off, those lyrics became self-fulfilling prophecies. Up to a point. “I’ve never been to Las Vegas! I’ve performed in Miami, that’s as close as I’ve got.
The songs were made before I had a record deal. I never thought ‘These songs are going to propel me into this stratosphere, by making a song about this…’”
Plenty of people, of course, did get I Created Disco. Over 100,000 in the UK alone, in fact (earning it a gold disc). Among his growing legion of admirers were Dragonette, who recorded a slyly affectionate cover of “The Girls” (“The Boys”), not to mention the scores of imitators who wanted that Calvin Harris sound.
The smart way to get it, of course, was to go straight to the man himself, which is exactly what a certain Antipodean pop goddess did. When Calvin Harris got the call to meet up with Kylie Minogue with a view to a collaboration, he decided to calm his nerves with booze.
“That’s when I was in my Jack Daniels phase. I only had a couple. It didn’t work. It just made me a little bit drunk, but equally nervous. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.”
Two of the Calvin-produced tracks, “Heart Beat Rock” and the single “In My Arms“, made it onto Kylie’s album X. Tantalisingly, several other songs from the sessions remain unreleased. “For a while,” Calvin admits, “I was going to use some of them on my album, but I decided it was probably more trouble than it’s worth. I haven’t reused any of it. It’s old to me now.”
Other artists seeking Calvin’s console wizardry have included Example, The Mitchell Brothers and Sophie Ellis Bextor, as well as “something I’m not allowed to say,” Harris cryptically adds, “…but it’s really good.”
One Calvin-produced track, however, cannot go unmentioned. “Dizzee texted me”, he recalls, “saying he’d done this a capella over someone else’s music, but his verse was too good for their music, so could he do it with me instead?” He laughs at the memory of the Rascal’s cheek. “So I spent a long time on it, to make sure it lived up to his expectations. I sent him the track, and he called me at 2 in the morning to say it was amazing, so I knew it was good.”
Good enough to top the charts for four consecutive weeks and become one of the biggest selling singles of 2008, not to mention Calvin’s first No.1 record. “Dance Wiv Me” came in the middle of a year when he began to write the as-yet- untitled successor to I Created Disco. “My second album was supposed to come out in 2008, but I realised I had about a week to do it. So I decided not to do anything.” Rather than rush things, Harris locked himself away, “in the dark in a small purple room for the best part of a year and a half. He has, he says, written over 100 songs for the as-yet-untitled successor to I Created Disco. “Not the words – words are not my strongpoint. Music is. Music comes naturally. And I’m not a natural singer, so I spend a lot of time working out what I can get away with singing over it, without getting into the autotune thing.”
He even considered abdicating vocal duties entirely. “I don’t want to be the front man for much longer. I’d rather be a Armada/">Groove Armada or a Basement Jaxx, but I
don’t know if that’s an unattainable dream now. I thought about using guest vocalists on all of it, but after sending various tracks to various people I realised people in general are an absolute nightmare, and – usually – if you want something doing properly, you’ve got to do it yourself.” Which, as we’ll shortly hear, is exactly what he did.
Another way in which Calvin has been keeping busy, in breaks from the little purple room, has been by DJing. Harris has been spinning tunes in Hong Kong, Australia, Milan, Belgium, “any countries where we couldn’t take a six-piece band“. It’s proven a valuable experience.
“It’s nice to be exposed to dance music, to hear what’s going off in clubs these days.
It has changed his approach to recording. “Now I’ve decided the new one’s going to be a big commercial dance record. By which I mean it’s going to sound commercial, not that I’m expecting it to sell loads of copies.”
The first taster of the updated Calvin Harris sound has done precisely that. “I’m Not Alone”, the new album’s lead single, went straight into the charts at the top – this time, he’s second No.1 record. Harris calls it “a big stadium dance tune, somewhere between Snow Patrol, Faithless and Grandaddy”, but it’s at least twice as good as that description makes it sound.
It begins with Calvin himself, fronting the song alone with the words “Can you stay up for the weekend and blame God for looking old?”, his voice naked and untreated. A brave move. “I had no choice,” he explains. “The only way that was going to work was with a really stark beginning. I had to just go for it.”
In contrast to the hard-partying hedonism and exuberance of Harris’ first burst of fame, “I’m Not Alone” allows hitherto-unfamiliar feelings of vulnerability and introspection to creep in: it deals openly with pain and fear, it ponders “If I see a light flashing, could this mean that I’m coming home/If I see an arm waving, does this mean that I’m not alone?”, and confesses that “I can’t do this any more”.
It’s a fascinating case of mixed messages: expressions of self-doubt set against a monumental rave riff. “The whole track’s a light and shade thing,” Calvin explains, “two styles put together. I find it quite hard to write a happy-happy lyric now, for some reason. I don’t know why that is, to be honest with you. Maybe it’s staying in a room for a huge amount of time on your own, and that’s reflected in the lyrics!”
“I’m sure there’ll be loads of dance forums slating it,” he sighs with easy-going indifference, “but that’s how it goes. People who slag me off, most of them are bedroom producers. If I was still one of them – which I am, but I’ve got records out – I’d be happy for me. But they say my bass drums aren’t good enough, or whatever. It’s so tedious…” Some people, alas, are never happy.
A more straightforwardly upbeat track, and a future single, is “Ready For The Weekend”, featuring the formidable lungs of Mary Pearce (prolific backing singer for the likes of Beverly Knight, Lionel Richie and Chaka Khan), handbag house piano riffs, and the girl-friendly chorus “I put on my shoes and I’m ready for the weekend”. Says Calvin: “Everyone puts on shoes during the course of a night out. I’m uniting all shoe-wearers. That’s what I’m doing there. It’s the happiest, most joyful song I’ve done so far. It’s got a diva on it, and I’ve always wanted to do a song with a diva. It’s the ultimate dance music cliché, but done in a slightly different way.”
“Relax”, an album track which begins with a mention of “panic attacks” and lines like “the spinning lights make it hard to react” but shifts into the positive with the couplet “It’s for the taking/All these girls are waiting”, has a similarly mixed mood to “I‘m Not Alone“, and – unusually for Calvin – includes acoustic guitars. “I always envisaged it for the last track,” he reveals. “A sunsetty thing.”
“Worst Day”, another of the already-completed songs, appears to be about dysfunctional relationship (“My first mistake was letting you into my life…“), and has something of a N.E.R.D./Outkast sound, Calvin’s vocals sharing time with rapper Izza Kizza (from Timbaland’s Mosley Music stable). Again, it prominently features acoustic guitars, which is guaranteed to mess with many people’s expectations of a Calvin Harris record.
“That’s definitely the idea,” he confirms. “I wanted to make something I would be proud of: ‘This is as good as I can do’. So I don’t just have that one album to my name that I’m not particularly pleased with.”
If it sounds strange to hear Harris distancing himself from a record as successful as I Created Disco, it’s a symptom of his perfectionism. “The last one was done before I was signed, so I cut corners and didn’t work as hard as I should have done. I’m pleased that I managed to record it in the circumstances in which I did it, but if I were to re-record it, it would sound pretty different now.”
Before finalising the album – which remains a work in progress – Calvin intends to road-test it. “I’m kind of halfway through it, but I want to see how things go down live before I put them on the record, which is new for me. Last time I made the songs, and crossed my fingers and hoped that they sounded good when played out. This time I want to do a big record that sounds great live, as well as at home or in your car.”
Already, this album has a greater musical range than its predecessor. “There’s more of a range of songs to this one. The last album, you heard two or three songs and you’d pretty much heard them all. This one’s more varied, and more interesting all round. The first album is almost like a concept album, channelled all in one direction. On this one I’ve used as many instruments as I can get my hands on.”
When pushed for a description of the overall feel and mood, he opts for “Classic dance music in a modern environment”. He explains: “The thing I like about dance music is you can borrow from all different genres of music, all different instruments, and turn it into a dance track. In the first place, dance music seemed so varied to me, as opposed to being limited by a band with guitars, like you get with indie and whatever. I’m trying to make dance tunes that don’t seem like they are dance tunes, but hopefully work. I’m trying to make something that someone either hasn’t heard for ages, or has never heard before. Hopefully the latter.”
“I’m excited for the rest of the album,” he adds. “I can’t wait for it to come out.” He’s not alone.
Thursday 2 July 2015
DJ Sadiq Gill - London Events This Weekend!
All Bar Wimble One
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 22ND JUNE TO 12TH JULY 2015
All Bar One Wimbledon, 37 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19
Within ear-shot of Centre Court, All Bar One Wimbledon, in Wimbledon town, will be transformed into All Bar Wimble One for the week before and duration ...More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 22ND JUNE TO 12TH JULY 2015
All Bar One Wimbledon, 37 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19
Within ear-shot of Centre Court, All Bar One Wimbledon, in Wimbledon town, will be transformed into All Bar Wimble One for the week before and duration ...More
Pimm's Pop Up for Wimbledon Fortnight
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 29TH JUNE TO 12TH JULY 2015
South Molton Street, South Molton Street, W1K
Great British tipple Pimm's will be transforming South Molton Street into a grassy summertime sanctuary over the two weeks of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. The pop-up ...More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 29TH JUNE TO 12TH JULY 2015
South Molton Street, South Molton Street, W1K
Great British tipple Pimm's will be transforming South Molton Street into a grassy summertime sanctuary over the two weeks of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. The pop-up ...More
Friday Late Spectacular: Play
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: FRIDAY 3RD JULY 2015
Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, NW1
The Wellcome Collection is hosting a play date for adults this Friday will their late night spectacular, Play. Exploring how our understanding of play has changed ...More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: FRIDAY 3RD JULY 2015
Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, NW1
The Wellcome Collection is hosting a play date for adults this Friday will their late night spectacular, Play. Exploring how our understanding of play has changed ...More
Top Gun + Ultimate Power Club Night
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 26TH JUN TO 2ND JUL 2015
Troxy, 490 Commercial Road, Tower Hamlets, London E1
Testosterone-fuelled action adventure charting the fortunes of a cocky air force pilot with the hots for his sassy female instructor....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 26TH JUN TO 2ND JUL 2015
Troxy, 490 Commercial Road, Tower Hamlets, London E1
Testosterone-fuelled action adventure charting the fortunes of a cocky air force pilot with the hots for his sassy female instructor....More
Club Tropicana
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 18TH JUN, 25TH JUN, 2ND JUL, 9TH JUL, 16TH JUL, 23RD JUL AND 30TH JUL 2015 - 5PM
Guanabara, Parker Street, Corner of Drury Lane, Corner of Drury Lane, WC2B
Guests and residents spin Latin, with live act, percussionist Basil and dance demonstrations....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 18TH JUN, 25TH JUN, 2ND JUL, 9TH JUL, 16TH JUL, 23RD JUL AND 30TH JUL 2015 - 5PM
Guanabara, Parker Street, Corner of Drury Lane, Corner of Drury Lane, WC2B
Guests and residents spin Latin, with live act, percussionist Basil and dance demonstrations....More
Thursday at The Roadhouse
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 5.30PM-3AM
The Roadhouse, 35 The Piazza, Covent Garden Market, WC2E
Pop, indie and dance courtesy of DJ Elle Tiyo....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 5.30PM-3AM
The Roadhouse, 35 The Piazza, Covent Garden Market, WC2E
Pop, indie and dance courtesy of DJ Elle Tiyo....More
West End Wendies
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 5TH FEBRUARY TO 26TH NOVEMBER 2015 - 6.30PM-10.30PM
Brasserie Toulouse Lautrec, 140 Newington Butts, SE11
An open stage for performers with hosts that include Jamie Anderson, Champagne Charlie and Paul L Martin....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 5TH FEBRUARY TO 26TH NOVEMBER 2015 - 6.30PM-10.30PM
Brasserie Toulouse Lautrec, 140 Newington Butts, SE11
An open stage for performers with hosts that include Jamie Anderson, Champagne Charlie and Paul L Martin....More
Drag Idol 2015
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 30TH APRIL TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 7PM-11.30PM
Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, SE11
Previous winner Son of a Tutu hosts an evening of drag acts competing for the title, with a judging panel comprising of press, media and the ...More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 30TH APRIL TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 7PM-11.30PM
Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, SE11
Previous winner Son of a Tutu hosts an evening of drag acts competing for the title, with a judging panel comprising of press, media and the ...More
Gospeloke
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 21ST MAY TO 20TH AUGUST 2015 - 7PM-12MIDNIGHT
The Queen Of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, EC2A
...More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 21ST MAY TO 20TH AUGUST 2015 - 7PM-12MIDNIGHT
The Queen Of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, EC2A
...More
Hip Hop Karaoke
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 18TH JUN, 25TH JUN, 2ND JUL, 9TH JUL, 16TH JUL, 23RD JUL AND 30TH JUL 2015 - 7PM-1AM
The Social, 5 Little Portland Street, W1W
Hip hop open mic....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 18TH JUN, 25TH JUN, 2ND JUL, 9TH JUL, 16TH JUL, 23RD JUL AND 30TH JUL 2015 - 7PM-1AM
The Social, 5 Little Portland Street, W1W
Hip hop open mic....More
Little Victor
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 7PM-1AM
The Blues Kitchen, 111-113 Camden High Street, NW1
Little Victor and guest DJs supply vintage rockabilly, with live act The Cyborgs....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 7PM-1AM
The Blues Kitchen, 111-113 Camden High Street, NW1
Little Victor and guest DJs supply vintage rockabilly, with live act The Cyborgs....More
Musical Bingo
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 26TH MARCH TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 7PM-11PM
Concrete, The Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London E1
...More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 26TH MARCH TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 7PM-11PM
Concrete, The Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London E1
...More
Rave Karaoke
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 7PM-12MIDNIGHT
The Old Queen's Head, 44 Essex Road, Islington, London N1
Straight-up karaoke to classic dance anthems....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 7PM-12MIDNIGHT
The Old Queen's Head, 44 Essex Road, Islington, London N1
Straight-up karaoke to classic dance anthems....More
Baby One More Time Club: Oops! We Did It Again Pop Quiz & Club Night
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 7.30PM-2AM
The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A
Retro pop and charts for people born in the 80s....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 7.30PM-2AM
The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A
Retro pop and charts for people born in the 80s....More
Music Collective
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 7.30PM
Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, NW1
A group of musicians aged 16-25 who meet weekly, collaborating with professional artists to write and perform their own material....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 7.30PM
Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, NW1
A group of musicians aged 16-25 who meet weekly, collaborating with professional artists to write and perform their own material....More
Baby One More Time
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 8PM-2AM
The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A
Baby One More Time' is London's latest throwback pop club night. Dance to tunes from 1995-2005....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 8PM-2AM
The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A
Baby One More Time' is London's latest throwback pop club night. Dance to tunes from 1995-2005....More
The Piano Sing-Along Night At L'Escargot's Upstairs Club
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 10TH JUNE TO 24TH SEPTEMBER 2015 - 8.30PM-11.30PM
L'Escargot, 48 Greek Street, Soho, W1D
...More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 10TH JUNE TO 24TH SEPTEMBER 2015 - 8.30PM-11.30PM
L'Escargot, 48 Greek Street, Soho, W1D
...More
Kit Kat Kabaret
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 9TH APRIL TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 9PM
CellarDoor, Zero Aldwych, WC2E
Cabaret and burlesque tunes from DJs....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 9TH APRIL TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 9PM
CellarDoor, Zero Aldwych, WC2E
Cabaret and burlesque tunes from DJs....More
The Pit LDN
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 9PM-2AM
Notting Hill Arts Club, 221 Notting Hill Gate, W11
...More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: THURSDAY 2ND JULY 2015 - 9PM-2AM
Notting Hill Arts Club, 221 Notting Hill Gate, W11
...More
Frontin
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 15TH JANUARY TO 30TH AUGUST 2015 - 10PM
The Barfly Camden, 49 Chalk Farm Road, NW1
LOL Cool J spins R&B, house music and chart hits....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 15TH JANUARY TO 30TH AUGUST 2015 - 10PM
The Barfly Camden, 49 Chalk Farm Road, NW1
LOL Cool J spins R&B, house music and chart hits....More
Queerlyout
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 22ND JANUARY TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 10PM-3AM
Ku Bar, 30 Lisle Street, WC2H
Resident DJs spin house and dance....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 22ND JANUARY TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 10PM-3AM
Ku Bar, 30 Lisle Street, WC2H
Resident DJs spin house and dance....More
Thirsty Thursdays
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 18TH JUN, 25TH JUN, 2ND JUL, 9TH JUL, 16TH JUL, 23RD JUL AND 30TH JUL 2015 - 10PM-3.30AM
Mother Bar, 333 Old Street, EC1V
D&B, house and dance courtesy of JJ, residents and guests....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 18TH JUN, 25TH JUN, 2ND JUL, 9TH JUL, 16TH JUL, 23RD JUL AND 30TH JUL 2015 - 10PM-3.30AM
Mother Bar, 333 Old Street, EC1V
D&B, house and dance courtesy of JJ, residents and guests....More
Thursday At Ku Bar
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 11TH JUNE TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 10PM-3AM
Ku Bar, 30 Lisle Street, WC2H
DJs Charlie and Pablo spin party tunes and dance classics....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 11TH JUNE TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 10PM-3AM
Ku Bar, 30 Lisle Street, WC2H
DJs Charlie and Pablo spin party tunes and dance classics....More
Throwback Thursdays
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 2ND APRIL TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 10.30PM-2AM
Jazz Cafe, 5 Parkway, Camden Town, London NW1
Weekly club night in which DJs Matman and BobaFatt spin party hip hop, house, soul, R&B, reggae, disco and drum'n'bass. No door fee....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 2ND APRIL TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 10.30PM-2AM
Jazz Cafe, 5 Parkway, Camden Town, London NW1
Weekly club night in which DJs Matman and BobaFatt spin party hip hop, house, soul, R&B, reggae, disco and drum'n'bass. No door fee....More
High On Heels
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 5TH FEBRUARY TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 11PM-3AM
Freedom Bar, 66 Wardour Street, Soho, W1F
Resident DJs spin pop, chart, dance and house....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 5TH FEBRUARY TO 27TH AUGUST 2015 - 11PM-3AM
Freedom Bar, 66 Wardour Street, Soho, W1F
Resident DJs spin pop, chart, dance and house....More
Friday at The Old Queens Head
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: FRIDAY 3RD JULY 2015
The Old Queen's Head, 44 Essex Road, Islington, London N1
UK garage from DJ Luck & MC Neat....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: FRIDAY 3RD JULY 2015
The Old Queen's Head, 44 Essex Road, Islington, London N1
UK garage from DJ Luck & MC Neat....More
Loud Noise Presents
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: FRIDAY 3RD JULY 2015
Proud Camden, The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, Camden, Camden Town, London NW1
Hip hop and 90s party tunes courtesy of Joker, Mickey Pearce and Concrete Music....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: FRIDAY 3RD JULY 2015
Proud Camden, The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, Camden, Camden Town, London NW1
Hip hop and 90s party tunes courtesy of Joker, Mickey Pearce and Concrete Music....More
T.N.D.
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 19TH JUN, 26TH JUN, 3RD JUL, 10TH JUL, 17TH JUL, 24TH JUL AND 31ST JUL 2015 - 12MIDNIGHT-6AM
Club Aquarium, 256-260 Old Street, EC1V
Francesco Poggi, CASSIMM and guests spin deep house and techno....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 19TH JUN, 26TH JUN, 3RD JUL, 10TH JUL, 17TH JUL, 24TH JUL AND 31ST JUL 2015 - 12MIDNIGHT-6AM
Club Aquarium, 256-260 Old Street, EC1V
Francesco Poggi, CASSIMM and guests spin deep house and techno....More
Whip It
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 19TH JUN, 26TH JUN, 3RD JUL, 10TH JUL, 17TH JUL, 24TH JUL AND 31ST JUL 2015
The Amersham Arms, 388 New Cross Road, SE14
Guests and residents supply hip hop, indie, electro and rock and roll....More
LONDON > EVENTS > CLUBBING AND NIGHTLIFE DATES: 19TH JUN, 26TH JUN, 3RD JUL, 10TH JUL, 17TH JUL, 24TH JUL AND 31ST JUL 2015
The Amersham Arms, 388 New Cross Road, SE14
Guests and residents supply hip hop, indie, electro and rock and roll....More
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