EDM Spotlight Series 001

While we don't have the time or resources to interview everyone that we'd like to, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the talent we've come across over the past few months. The criteria to get onto this list is simply to have great music and under 1,000 monthly Spotify listeners at the time of writing. So be sure to go and stream their music!

Considering how long it took to come across and select these names, we don't know how often this series will return. But if you find someone (under 1,000 listeners) and want to send it our way, our inbox is always open on Instagram and by email. 

Julien Fade
We will kick off this series with our latest interviewee, Julien Fade! He caught our attention for his bootleg of "Congo" by Gloria Estefan. We immediately caught onto the STMPD and Magnificence influence in the track, but he really took it and ran with it. Despite just a few homegrown DJ gigs, the bootleg has a remarkable sense of pacing that DJs dream about. His latest originals feature some unfortunately overused vocal samples, but the ideas are there and once he branches into original or heavily modified vocals, he will be unstoppable. "Firestarter" was also a fantastic track that played into the flute trend we noted on our Instagram page. 

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Paul Jane
After going down a rabbit hole of reposts, we stumbled across the first track from Paul Jane entitled "The Universe." The name sadly comes from a stale sample pack vocal, but that's definitely not what caught our ear. It was the Loopers-style drop that was so full of energy while carrying a solid melody that solidified Paul Jane as a name to remember going into the rest of 2019 and beyond. The bassline, dynamism, and overall production value comes second only to the STMPD artists themselves. It's impossible not to pump your fist when the drop rolls around. After following his Instagram and watching his stories, it seems that he'll be more than a one hit-wonder and we are all here for what's next. 

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Elyas
I think it's a testament to a producer's talent if they can make a fan out of someone with only two bootlegs on their Soundcloud page. It's clear that Elyas has set his sights high and is probably preparing something incredible for his first non-remix release. But looking over what he has, it's readily apparent that he is filled to the brim with talent. Both remixes are expertly produced with a very forward-thinking sound reminiscent of TV Noise.  While another artist like ZNZBR just took the percussion kit and ran with it, Elyas took the care to inject his own sound into the formula and I feel that will serve him well in the years to come. 

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Savage Kids
Checking through their discography, it's clear that Savage Kids have earned their name. With a variety of vicious trap and bass house,  their music is sure to please fans of the harder side of EDM.  Seeing as my personal bias tips more towards house tempos, I was drawn in by their latest remix of "Break Law."  The end result sounds like what would happen if Malaa and TV Noise collaborated on a drop.  Their sound choices are sharp and unique, leading to some very memorable tracks in their ever-growing discography. 

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Georvity
​We were fortunate enough to come across Georvity while reviewing Quartzo's Miami Sampler earlier this year. When looking for new artists to follow, we always love hearing a signature sound. Having one of those is so important in order to stand out on playlists and DJ sets. Georvity's sound is distinctly groove and Fonk-inspired, but the sort of hollow and cleanness is so effective in creating that sense of bounce. Not only that, but he has shown that he is able to adapt that sound in other collaborations with talent like Naems who added a bit of big room energy to the mix. One older track that also caught our attention was "Transcendence" which had a call and response with his groove sound and paired it with dark progressive. His breakdown melodies in all of his tracks are also top notch. Given his latest remix of Billie Eilish, it's clear he's still exploring his personal sound, but we hope that he continues to build off of the fantastic signature he has established.  

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DRIIIFT
During the heyday of big room, a lot of new producers struggled to stand out in an incredibly crowded field. However, now that the dust has settled, survivors have started to emerge. These are the ones who stuck with their passion despite labels turning away from the genre and on to the next thing. What sets these producers apart is that most of them have a clear idea of what they're trying to accomplish and that seems to perfectly represent DRIIIFT. His clean productions matched with an astonishing amount of energy makes for tracks that have earned the support of legends like Laidback Luke. Nowhere is DRIIIFT's drive more clear than this DJ mix he put out on YouTube almost entirely comprised of exclusives and originals.  His style blends Dirty Dutch with a bit of Quintino and Afrojack thrown in for good measure.  For those remaining fans of festival music or ex-fans looking for a forward-thinking nostalgia trip, DRIIIFT is the account to hit up. 

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Antheros
From the outside, it's always hard to tell the difference between someone who is a hard worker and someone who is simply gifted. Either way, the end result is that they make their work look effortless and that's the impression I get when I hear something new from Chilean producer, Antheros.  A friend of the website introduced us to Anthero's music with his remix of "Sushi" which marked the return of his haitus from production. When it comes to EDM, so many producers lack a story, so hearing some sort of intrigue, and that someone was excited to see Antheros return made us excited by association. The music blew us away with fresh sounds,  cutting-edge trends, and perfectly packaged for playlists and dancefloors everywhere. His style seems worthy of an Axtone release alongside Magnificence and AYOR.  From his past, he's also worked with a few friends of QR including Pessto and recently with Sunday Noise on Sativ Records. Having been privileged to hear some of his upcoming work, I can assure you that Antheros is here to make his mark. 

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THRML
Lastly, I wanted to close out this segment with some good old big room. THRML is a big room trance producer who seems to be inspired by NWYR, SaberZ, OUTRAGE, and TBR.  THRML has done a good job by releasing a combination of originals and festival mixes that are easy for DJs to support.  While his sound choice isn't always the most original, he takes the time to make sure what he's putting out isn't overly derivative and contributing to the problem that turned people off the genre to begin with. When reading through our various emails, it's always a pleasure to see what THRML has cooked up or put his spin on. It's a shame that the big room market has gone back into niche status because in another time, THRML could have risen through the ranks as quickly as G-Sus when he was active. Nevertheless, it's great to see someone putting their heart and soul into the music they want to create. Hopefully he will find his place among the last remnants of festival labels like Reaching Altitude, Revealed Recordings, or inHarmony. 

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Chris W. Lao

Writer, DJ, and Student.