It looks like 2018 already has Claude VonStroke feeling extra generous. After releasing a handful of Dirtybird Campout West sets to his forever thirsty fanbase, the Dirtybird don is starting the year off with yet another gift: the full hour-long set of his bassy, trip-hop alter ego Barclay Crenshaw (which happens to be his real name). 

Barclay Crenshaw took command of the Bass Lodge stage late into a dry October night in Bradley, California to offer up some psychedelic bangers to a crowd looking to step away from the onslaught of house music for just a second. Few people outside the Dirtybird hive know that Claude can spin hip-hop and experimental bass music nearly as well as he can spin house. Barclay was dropping a wide variety of tunes ranging from Biz Markie to G Jones. 

At the time, Dirtybird signed duo Walker & Royce were playing the main Birdhouse stage, drawing most of the festival in their direction as they debuted their new album Self Help, which landed on our list of best electronic albums of 2017. It would be a difficult decision for those attendees who were hoping to catch both sets. Today, however, with the release of Barclay’s set, fans everywhere can pretend that they were at both places at once. 

Listen to Barclay Crenshaw’s full set from Dirtybird Campout West below, which he’s uploaded to SoundCloud. Enjoy!

Barclay Crenshaw - Dirtybird Campout West Set

Rich Chigga... is now known as Brian. The Indonesian rapper found viral fame through his song "Dat $tick" and different rappers' reactions to the song's music video. He followed up this song with a spree of impressive songs and has just shared the news of his artist name change as he preps for the release of his debut album Amen due Feb. 2.

Yes I now go by “Brian”. I have been planning to do this forever and I’m so happy to finally do it. I was naive & I made a mistake. new year, new beginning, happy new years™️

— Brian (@iambrianimanuel) January 1, 2018

The 18-year-old's real name is Brian Imanuel, and he's said multiple times in the past he doesn't like the name Rich Chigga, so this change of direction isn't a total surprise. He started off doing comedy videos on YouTube before releasing music, and is looking to be taken seriously as an artist. Along with this news of his name change, Brian has also shared a chill new track "See Me." As with most of his production, he captures a dreamy vibe with shimmering keys and trap percussion with his deep voice diving into some introspective lyrics reflecting on his rise so far. Stay tuned for the album and enjoy!

Brian - See Me

Coachella has delivered their full 2018 lineup! Always one of the biggest events of the year, Coachella has brought another massive lineup. This year weekend one will be April 13-15 and weekend 2 will be April 20-22.

Coachella's 2018 headliners include Eminem, Beyonce, and The Weeknd with a lot of our favorites joining the bill including ODESZA, SZA, Vince Staples, Tyler, the Creator, alt-J, Post Malone, Portugal. the Man, Louis The Child, Illenium, Miguel, Alison Wonderland, 6LACK, REZZ, Chromeo, Marian Hill, BROCKHAMPTON, San Holo, Snakehips, Petit Biscuit, Tash Sultana, Alina Baraz, Tom Misch, Whethan and many more. As always, the lineup brings something for everyone as they have an impressive mix of genres on each day. What do you think of the lineup this year? Enjoy!

For TSIS favorite SNAILS, 2017 was undoubtedly his craziest yet. The vomitstep trailblazer proved he was a force to be reckoned with over the course of the year, dropping a standout debut album The Shell (which earned a well-deserved spot as one of our favorites of 2017), going on a massive tour and pioneering his own sold-out, one day Red Rocks festival, Sluggtopia.

Today we’re excited to announce that TSIS will be presenting Sluggtopia for its sophomore return in 2018. The first installment of the one day festival was one of the heaviest shows Red Rocks has ever seen and we couldn't be more excited for round two.

This year’s event will take place on Oct. 5 and will once again be held at the always-exciting Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Keep an eye out in the coming months for the lineup – last year’s included NGHTMRE, JOYRYDE, MUST D!E b2b LAXX, Boogie T and Squinto, to give you an idea of how stacked this year’s will be. For now, check out the wild recap video from Sluggtopia 2017 below and his insane recent SNAILEDIT! mix filled with unreleased music. Enjoy!

SNAILS 2017 Sluggtopia Recap

SNAILS - SNAILEDIT! Mix Vol. 5

Independent record label Monstercat, a Canadian imprint that’s helped shape the careers of musicians like Bassnectar, Seven Lions, Marshmello, Kayzo, Robotaki, DROELOE and more, kicked off 2018 with a massive announcement this week. In an unprecedented move that recognizes how diverse electronic music has become in the label’s six years, Monstercat will split into two distinct brands, Monstercat: Instinct and Monstercat: Uncaged, in 2018.

According to Monstercat CEO Mike Darlington, Monstercat: Instinct “represents an important development in the tastes and interests of the Monstercat family… Instinct will develop the unique stories of our artists worldwide.” From the teaser video linked below, it appears that this side of the label will explore the more laidback, melodic subgenres of electronic music. Artists Didrick and Owl City are confirmed for releasing music with Instinct in 2018.

On the other side of the spectrum, Monstercat: Uncaged will continue the vision that Monstercat was created with back in 2011. “The combination of live events, bass music, and gaming laid the groundwork for our deep love of electronic music. Uncaged allows us to heighten the focus on these core elements to create a compelling experience for our community,” Darlington said. The Uncaged teaser video, also linked below, drives that idea home. Artists Gent & Jawns and Darren Styles are confirmed to join Uncaged in 2018.

As one of the most powerful forces in dance music, Monstercat is certain to do big things with both Instinct and Uncaged. We can’t wait to see where these two imprints take things in 2018; for now, check out the teaser videos below. Enjoy!

Monstercat: Instinct

Monstercat: Uncaged

The new year has come hard and fast for music streaming giant Spotify. The company has been slammed with a potential $1.6 billion lawsuit from Wixen Music Publishing claiming that Spotify has violated Wixen’s copyright on more than 10,000 songs - including tracks from rock legends Tom Petty, Neil Young, and Stevie Nicks.

This lawsuit comes alongside breaking news that the streaming company has secretly filed to finally put Spotify shares on the New York Stock Exchange. As big fans of Spotify's model placing a high value on music discovery to give new artists a platform to build fans, we're hoping these claims don't have an affect on Spotify's exciting plans to go public. 

Spotify is one of the largest music streaming services worldwide, boasting 60 million paying users and more than 140 million total users. Wixen’s lawsuit argues that Spotify paid the music labels for licensing rights but not the music publishers or songwriters due to "insufficient efforts to collect the required musical composition information." These claims are alleged at this point, and a court ruling has not been made either way. Spotify has not made comments about the bold accusations. 

A representative from Wixen explained:

"All we’re asking for is for [Spotify] to reasonably compensate our clients by sharing a minuscule amount of the revenue they take in with the creators of the product they sell. Music fans should be able to enjoy Spotify, knowing that their favorite artists are being treated fairly."

Fortune magazine has pegged Spotify at being worth $16 to $20 billion, which would make it the most valuable standalone music streaming service in the world. It’s unclear how much the lawsuit will actually affect Spotify's valuation, and until more information is revealed we're unsure how this will impact the streaming platform.

Kendrick Lamar and SZA have reunited! The Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates are both coming hot off their biggest years  to date and have just shared their new collaboration "All The Stars". Along with this song comes the news that Kendrick is producing and curating the soundtrack for marvel’s new Black Panther movie with this song as the lead single. 

After Kendrick dropped our favorite album of the year with DAMN. and SZA put out her best work to date on CTRL and had a massive breakout year, the two have joined forces once again. You can never know what direction Kendrick is going to take whether it be classic hip-hop, jazz fusion hip-hop or a more commercial sound. “All The Stars” is one of the more commercial songs we’ve heard Kendrick on and he shows he can do it all alongside SZA’s angelic vocals. Stay tuned for more off the soundtrack and enjoy! 

Kendrick Lamar & SZA - All The Stars

Kendrick Lamar can do it all. For his latest endeavor, he’s going to be curating and producing the soundtrack for Marvel’s upcoming Black Panther film alongside his Top Dawg Entertainment label head Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith. For the first track off the soundtrack, Kendrick has linked up with fellow TDE member SZA on “All The Stars,” which is below. 

“Marvel Studios’ Black Panther is amazing, from its cast to its director. The magnitude of this film showcases a great marriage of art and culture. I’m truly honored to contribute my knowledge of producing sound and writing music alongside Ryan and Marvel’s vision.” - Kendrick Lamar 

There’s yet to be more information about the album’s tracklist but if Kdot and TDE are behind it, we know we’re in for a treat. Stay tuned for more off the project duo Feb. 9 ahead of the movie’s premiere date of Feb 16. A Google preorder for the album show's it has 14 tracks. This marks the first time Marvel will have original music specifically for their films, and they sure are doing it right getting Kdot on board. Enjoy! 

Kendrick Lamar & SZA - All The Stars

Since making his TSIS debut last March, K?D has continued to impress us with his numerous incredible singles, collabs and powerful remixes of none other than The Weeknd and The Chainsmokers. Having grown tremendously in such a small amount of time, it seems this year is shaping up to just as sucessful for the quickly-rising producer, as he’s just released his first original single of 2018 - “Glass”.

This latest offering seems to embody all the power and excitement the new year brings with it. Characterized by the lush synths, vibrant arpeggios, explosive percussion and glitched-out sound design we’ve come to expect from K?D, “Glass” offers a playful yet compelling recall to his growth over the past 12 months. We can’t wait to see how K?D will push the boundaries of his music over the course of 2018. Check out “Glass” below and enjoy!

K?D - Glass

Louis Futon is a wizard at flipping samples other songs into entirely new tracks with his “beat challenges.” This time around he’s upped the challenge even more and decided to make a new song while in the car on the way up to Tahoe’s SnowGlobe festival over New Years. 

For this newest edition of the beat challenge, Louis is joined by his collaborators Ariel Shumpet on Trumpet and Armani Blanco with the bars. While each of his videos are impressive, this one is especially great since he throws it all together on the fly and in a car instead of with a full studio and it still sounds great. Check out the video below and enjoy!

Donald Glover is a busy, busy man. He somehow juggles his music and film career flawlessly, with major success in each. He’s now given us some exciting news as not only will he be performing at the Grammys for the first time as Childish Gambino, but his award winning show Atlanta will be returning shortly as well. 

The Grammys will take place Sunday, Jan. 28 and will feature performances from Childish Gambino, Lady Gaga, P!nk, and more. Live performances from Childish Gambino have been rare since his return with his incredible soul/funk album Awaken, My Love last year for which he’s been nominated for four Grammy awards. He’s not stopping there as he’ll also be launching season two of Atlanta on March 1. With season 1 winning two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes, all eyes will be on Donald during these upcoming months. Enjoy!

The wait for an A$AP Rocky project is almost done! He’s taken to Instagram to share snippets of new music and it’s sounding next level. The Harlem rapper last released an album in May 2015 with At. Long. Last ASAP.  A few times last year Rocky said that we would for sure hear a new album from him by the end of 2017…

Now that it’s 2018 it feels inevitable his full album is just around the corner, especially since he’s wiped his Instagram launching new branding based around "testing" looking like some crash test dummy or nuclear testing logo. He just teased 3 song snippets on his Instagram story that have us more excited as ever for new music from as we can already tell these new songs are going to go hard. He teased another song a couple weeks ago that also is just what we want to hear from Rocky. He previously stated he’s experimenting with new sounds on this LP, but he’s yet to share any other details about his new music. Stay tune for more to come soon and enjoy!

 

Mhm #asaprocky #flackojodyeseason #RIP

A post shared by @ asaprockyinfo on Jan 5, 2018 at 1:45pm PST

 

🚧 #asaprocky #ALREADYFIRE

A post shared by @ asaprockyinfo on Jan 4, 2018 at 4:35pm PST

 

🚦 #asaprocky #greenlightready #onlyatest

A post shared by @ asaprockyinfo on Jan 4, 2018 at 4:36pm PST

Lane 8 strikes again with another awe-inspiring single “Coming Back To You” featuring vocalist J.F. July. The single is to be included on his fourthcoming album Little By Little, alongside previously released singles “Atlas” and “No Captain”. Lane 8 has built a reputation around a progressive sound with relaxed house roots, a vibe he certainty captured in his latest “Coming Back To You.”

The track starts with whimsical synths, a subtle guitar pluck and a cut of the vocal melody. Before you know it, you’re in the middle of a notorious Lane 8 song progression as the track begins to gain energy with a powerful bassline which gets complimented by a 4x4 drum pattern. As the song moves along, J.F. July’s dreamy vocal performance becomes more dominant, pairing with production seamlessly. Lane 8’s album Little By Little is set to drop soon… but until then, this latest should hold you over. Enjoy!

Lane 8 - Coming Back to You

It seems as if deadmau5 has something of epic proportion in store…

A couple of weeks ago, the iconic producer caused a fan frenzy showcasing a small excerpt of an orchestral rendition of his famed track “Strobe”

Now recently, Deadmau5 took to twitter to tease a new project, which he is claiming to be “seriously, the most epic thing I've ever done with my music. Sooon.” When replying to a curious fan, the only information Deadmau5 gave is that it involves “an actual 60 piece orchestra”.

This caused speculation within the mau5 community that he may be referring to the previously teased “Strobe” remake... However, Deadmau5 was quick to put out the fire, replying “It's not actually” to a questioning fan.

Who knows what the mau5 is up to… But one thing is certain, whatever it is, it’s going to be thoroughly impressive. Just like everything else he does. Enjoy?

It's not actually

— Goat lord (@deadmau5) January 3, 2018

Sure, maybe one... an actual 60 piece orchestra. https://t.co/ioevUqCw7j

— Goat lord (@deadmau5) January 3, 2018

Well... so much for free time... literally hauling ass on what's probably going to be, seriously, the most epic thing I've ever done with my music. Sooon. pic.twitter.com/zqISBU6VeZ

— Goat lord (@deadmau5) January 3, 2018

Khalid and StéLouse both had a huge year in 2017, with successful album releases containing some of our favorite singles. Khalid’s tracks continue to receive remixes by producers from across the spectrum. StéLouse has recently delivered one of those remixes with his euphoric future bass flip of Khalid’s tune “Young Dumb & Broke.”

StéLouse has completely reimagined the original track, using Khalid’s vocals while incorporating a range of elements that elevate the mix to another level. Take for instance the cinematic pads and subtle synth arpeggios that back Khalid’s vocals during the chorus. StéLouse flips all this on its head and drops the track with exploding future bass chords, gliding bass, and a vocal lead synth. His bright remix of “Young Dumb & Broke” reinvigorates the original’s nostalgic vibe and makes for a high-energy addition to his sonic repertoire. Check it out below and enjoy!

Khalid - Young Dumb & Broke (SteLouse Remix)

Only a few days into the new year legendary producer Bassnectar has already given his fans a lot to look forward to in 2018. He has recently appeared in headline spots on massive lineups such as Electric Forest and Okeechobe where avid listeners and new fans can plan on enjoying all of the innovative and diverse new music he’s been cranking out. Bassnectar’s latest release, the “Reflective Part 2” EP, was a true exploration of his sound that featured collaborations with artists including G Jones, EPROM, and Dorfex Bos who are never afraid to push electronic music to its limits.

The EP also included a track from Bassnectar’s recently unveiled side project Naux Faux with fellow producer and frequent collaborator Sayr, and today Bassnectar confirmed in a tweet a full Naux Faux EP could drop as early as Valentines Day. If so, bassheads everywhere may fall in love with a trippy, dreamier style of Bassnectar’s unique electronica that sounds a lot like his tracks from the early 2000s. He even hinted it'll be like his 2005 project Mesmerizing the Ultra.

Keep an eye out for more updates on Bassnectar’s exciting new project and enjoy the first Naux Faux track below!

oh yes: the full @NAUXFAUX EP will be coming this year, hopefully just in time for Valentine's Day :) for those of you who like your Ultras to be Mesmerizing :) https://t.co/CoVK1E2uuo

— Bassnectar (@bassnectar) January 6, 2018

Donald Glover’s (Childish Gambino) FX series Atlanta earned a massive following last year following the incredible first season. Now we’re gearing up for season 2 on March 1 and the first trailer has arrived. 

The award-winning series is a favorite of ours as Glover won the Golden Globe award for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy as well as Donald grabbing the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy last year. This time around they’ve shared the name for season 2, which will be titled Atlanta Robbin’ Season. There isn’t much information about the season revealed in the minute-long trailer, but once again the shows displays their incredible ear for music as they soundtracked it with Sonder’s near-perfect song “Too Fast.” 

Donald and his brother Stephen, who is also a writer on the show, explained that they were inspired by Tiny Toons: How I Spent My Summer Vacation. "Tiny Toons Summer Vacation was broken up into a bunch of episodes, but if you watched them all together they were a movie. We took that idea. It’s a whole story, but told in a bunch of little parts," says Glover.

They went further to explain the inspiration behind the title: Atlanta Robbin' Season, which is when a spike of robberies occur in Atlanta during the holiday season. "You might get your package stolen off your front porch. While we were there, my neighbor got her car stolen from her driveway. It’s a very tense and desperate time. Our characters are in a desperate transition from their old lives to where they’re headed now. And robbin' season is a metaphor to where we are now," says Stephen Glover. 

Donald Glover was the show’s executive producer, writer, and lead actor. The show follows the story of Donald (Earnest aka Earn Marks) who works as his cousin's manager for his rap career as Paper Boi. In other news, he’ll also be performing as Childish Gambino at the upcoming Grammy Awards. Stay tuned for more info and enjoy! 

Atlanta Robbin' Season Trailer

🚨 ATLANTA ROBBIN SEASON TRAILER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/0z6WtoCRb7

— UPROXX Hip-Hop (@RealTalkUPROXX) January 8, 2018

Fans of KAYZO have enjoyed a slew of impressive releases from the Los Angeles-based producer in recent months. From his genre-blending bass track “Follow You” to his wild dubstep remix of DJ Snake’s “A Different Way”, KAYZO has consistently blown us away. Now he’s teamed up with Micah Martin for a truly insane song "Overlord" to start off your 2018. 

At different points you might not know if you’re listening to a rock anthem, a dubstep banger, or an experimental bass track. KAYZO’s versatility knows no bounds as he warms up the track with some heavy electric guitar riffs and Micah’s piercing vocals, only to drop into a series of intense, grinding beats that’ll be sure to make a live crowd lose their mind. Just as the chorus seems like it’s winding to a close, KAYZO switches it up once again and goes double-tempo with some rapidly oscillating bass hits that pan from ear to ear.

KAYZO will be touring this winter and spring, starting off today on Holy Ship! Grab tickets here and enjoy!

KAYZO - Overlord (Ft. Micah Martin)

German tech house label This Ain’t Bristol has quickly been gaining momentum over the past year, with releases from artists like Billy Kenny and Maximono showing up in DJ sets everywhere. We are incredibly excited to premiere the newest track from the label “Pop Up” from exciting rising South African producer Kyle Watson.

The track starts out with a multi-layered beat atop the usual house kicks and snares, with a sense of mysteriousness and wonder to where he will take us next. After a relatively small build-up, the drop comes out of nowhere and hits you from many different angles with its aggressive synths. All the moving parts of the song then come together, with an expertly placed, infectious vocal sample that will be repeated in your head all day. 

On top of his impeccable production, Kyle Watson is known for his amazing live sets – and we couldn’t be more excited that he just announced his first US tour so we can experience this for ourselves. Enjoy! 

Kyle Watson - Pop Up 

Just recently we had the pleasure of introducing Steve Davit's solo project with his debut single "Forward." Now the Marian Hill saxophone player is back with another amazing, unique track titled "Coniferous."

As you'd expect from the incredibly talented sax player, there's a lot of sax in this song. He places different horn lines alongside one another in a way that they effortlessly play off each other in a playful and harmonious manor. Davit shows an incredible ear for songwriting as he interlays uplifting melodies and crisp percussion alongside the infectious horns while "Coniferous" builds and changes throughout, never feeling repetitive. There's a lot going on throughout the song, but Davit brings each texture and instrumental piece together in an effortless, cohesive way. We haven't really heard anything else like this and are very excited to hear what he has in store for us down the road. Enjoy!

Steve Davit - Coniferous