Dance
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The first day of the Electric Zoo Festival on New York’s Randall’s Island was abruptly canceled hours before it was set to start, organizers announced Friday (Sept. 1) on X (formerly Twitter).
In the statement, organizers cited “global supply chain issues” as the cause of the cancellation and promised to reopen Saturday. Acts scheduled to play Friday include Kx5, Galantis, The Chainsmokers, Excision and many more.
“Despite our tireless efforts and round-the-clock commitment, we have made the painful decision to cancel the first day of Electric Zoo,” organizers wrote. “This year has presented unparalleled challenges for everyone. The global supply chain disruptions have impacted industries worldwide, and, sadly, our beloved festival has not been immune. These unexpected delays have prevented us from completing the construction of the main stage in time for Day 1.”
Fans who bought tickets for Friday will receive a refund. Fans with multiday tickets “will receive credit for one of the days” to be applied to a future event. The festival will now open at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and “we look forward to uniting with all of you to celebrate life and music, and dance through the sunset with the iconic backdrop of the New York skyline, right in the heart of New York City,” organizers wrote.
“While words cannot fully express the depth of our remorse about Day 1, please know that this decision was not made lightly,” organizers wrote. “We ask for your forgiveness and understanding during this challenging time. We are profoundly sorry for all the inconvenience and disappointment this will cause.”
Dear Electric Zoo Family,It is with a broken heart that we deeply regret to inform you that, despite our tireless efforts and round-the-clock commitment, we have made the painful decision to cancel the first day of Electric Zoo.This year has presented unparalleled challenges… pic.twitter.com/m5tunuANZY— Electric Zoo Festival (@ElectricZooNY) September 1, 2023
The festival’s social media pages announced the news just after 11:30 a.m. ET Friday, hours before doors for the event were set to open at 3 p.m.
Made Events, launched by Long Island City husband-wife team Mike Bindra and Laura De Palm and creators of the long-running Electric Zoo festival, was sold to an investment group that owns the Avant Gardner nightclub and venue in Brooklyn in July 2022 for $15 million.
In 2014, Made Event was acquired by Bob Sillerman‘s electronic dance music conglomerate SFX, which filed for bankruptcy in 2016 and eventually landed in the hands of senior creditor Andrew Axelrod. SFX was rebranded as LiveStyle by former chief executive Randy Phillips, who managed the festival properties for Axelrod and led efforts to sell off SFX’s assets to new buyers. Made Event was the last U.S. festival property held by LiveStyle to be sold.
Karol G and Tiësto are facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over their song “Don’t Be Shy,” filed by a Cuban-American songwriter who says their track features elements that are “practically identical” to his earlier tune.
In a complaint filed Tuesday in Puerto Rico federal court, lawyers for songwriter Rene Lorente claim that Karol G and Tiësto’s 2021 dance-pop hit infringed his 2000 song “Algo Diferente” by using a melody that “sounds identical.”
“It doesn’t take an expert or musician, to carefully listen to the melody/sounds of each, to recognize that one was copied from the other,” Lorente’s lawyers wrote in their complaint. “In this case, defendants’ ‘Don’t be Shy’ is a blatant violation of plaintiff’s copyrighted ‘Algo Diferente’.”
Karol G, who is currently sitting atop Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart with her “Qlona,” teamed up with Tiësto to release “Don’t Be Shy” in August 2021. The song, which hit No. 4 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, was the Columbian star’s first released in English.
But in his lawsuit, Lorente claims Karol G and Tiësto’s song “misappropriated his beloved copyrighted work” – a tune released in May 2000 that currently has 3,647 total streams on Spotify. A version of “Algo Diferente” on YouTube, uploaded just nine days ago by CD Baby, has been streamed 6,423 times.
According to Lorente’s lawyers, a comparison of the two songs shows that they are “substantially similar” – the requirement to prove copyright infringement.
“Expert analysis of musical arrangement fragment of the copyrighted and infringing works, show exact rhythm, note arrangement, same intervals, harmony, with the only change being limited perhaps to the pitch, within 8 musical bars, repeated throughout infringing work,” Lorente’s lawyers wrote in his lawsuit. “However, for a lay listener and a jury, this combination of musical notes sounds identical.”
The lawsuit is seeking a whopping $52 million dollars, but attorneys who file lawsuits can claim any damages total they want. Even if Lorente’s lawsuit was successful – and that is not a given – such demands are typically not good indicators for what a judge or jury might ultimately award.
Reps for Karol G and Tiësto did not return requests for comment on Thursday.
Listen to the two songs below and compare for yourself:
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American singer, songwriter and dance producer Porter Robinson, from North Carolina, is a huge fan of Galileo Galilei, a rock band that hails from Japan’s Hokkaido region, and the tremendous influence they’ve had on his own expressive approach is well-known. Porter recently performed at Tokyo’s Toyosu PIT, one of the shows of his first Japanese tour in five years, and as soon as the curtain fell, he was finally able to meet Galileo Galilei and play with them for the very first time. The atmosphere in the studio, as they bounced ideas off each other, was intense, brimming with mutual affection and respect.
In the studio, Porter and the four members of Galileo Galilei were deep in discussion in the control room. Going into the studio session, Galileo Galilei had prepared a track and sent it to Porter. Porter had put his own spin on the track, and brought the results with him. The five of them were listening to the music and talking about what direction to take the song. The theme of the session was “Circle Game,” one of Galileo Galilei’s most famous songs, released in 2013 as the theme song for the movie Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day. Porter adores the song. His track uses elements of “Circle Game,” but mashes it up with the essence of another of Galileo Galilei’s famous songs, “Aoi Shiori” (which was also the opening theme for the Anohana television anime series). The choice of the song provides a taste of the esteem Porter has for Galileo Galilei.
The five musicians kept on talking about Porter’s track. Guitarist and vocalist Yuuki Ozaki was deeply stirred by what Porter had come up with. Ideas flew back and forth — “what about adding some piano in here?” “I think maybe we could get rid of the outro,” “what should we do about the bass line?” The song changed, little by little, with each suggestion, remaking the song in real time. The process wasn’t one of everyone coming together to cover a song, but more like Porter had become a member of the band, and they were all creating a new song together. To be honest, when I first heard they’d be working together, I imagined a more laid-back, easy session. An artist was coming to Japan for the first time in years, meeting a band of which he was a huge fan for the first time ever. He’d probably join them in playing some of their standout songs — and that alone would still be a tremendously fulfilling experience. But Porter and the band had developed a powerful friendship over the years, online and through their music. The bond between them was far too strong for a mundane jam session like that.
After careful preparation, they began to play. The full-band sound of Galileo Galilei overlapped with Porter’s piano intro, and the song progressively became more involved and colorful. Yuuki’s delicate vocals intertwined with Fumito’s chorus and were joined by Porter’s singing, altered with effects. While the original “Circle Game” had a somewhat innocent and straightforward feel, over time, Porter’s additions transformed it into something more dynamic and emotional. Perhaps “transformed” is the wrong word — it felt like it had been that way from the start. The “Aoi Shiori” phrases that could be heard toward the end of the song, and the vocal samples from Porter’s own “Something Comforting” and “Trying to Feel Alive” were a testament to the powerful bonds between Porter and Galileo Galilei, and to Galileo Galilei’s musical history.
After finishing their first take, the five talked about their performances. Porter, an embarrassed expression on his face, blurted “I messed up.” Finding himself finally together with this band of which he was such a fan, he shouted, “I’m so nervous!” The studio burst into laughter. According to Porter’s tour manager, this was Porter’s first time taking part in a studio session with a band. Although he has performed with a live band onstage, playing in the confined space of a studio puts you under a different kind of pressure.
After awhile, they started into their second take. The mood was more relaxed than the first take — you could even feel the change in mood through the control-room speakers. Perhaps it was Porter’s previous exclamation that had broken up the tension in the studio. Whatever the case, it was a wonderful performance. “Circle Game” was written over a decade ago, but this fresh, modern spin made it feel new again.
After the second take, Porter drew out his smartphone and started taking selfies. He says that the session felt like being in a dream, so he wanted to capture the scene for posterity. This experience, which Porter had long dreamed of, had become a reality, and as the musicians melded their parts, the mood in the room changed. The five were communicating in a way that only musicians can. They began their third take. With each take, the sound became more lively and relaxed. Although they were playing the same song, arranged in the same way, the way the musicians felt completely changed the tone of the song. Just as I was reflecting on this, the session came to an end. All five of them beamed with satisfaction.
On behalf of Billboard Japan, writer Tomohiro Ogawa spoke to Porter Robinson and the four members of Galileo Galilei following the session.
How did it feel performing together here today?
Porter: During the second take, there was a point where I was about to cry. Just looking at Yuuki, it brought back memories of when I saw the “Aoi Shiori” music video a decade ago. It was really like a dream come true.
Yuuki Ozaki: That makes me so happy to hear. For us, too, it was like being in a dream. I didn’t feel nervous, it was more like I was walking on air, my head in the clouds. I’m so happy to hear it felt the same for you, too.
Kazuki Ozaki: I’ve always been a fan of Porter’s, and since I first learned about him, I’ve been imitating him, buying all kinds of equipment (laughs). It was a really wonderful day for me.
Fumito Iwai: Today really reaffirmed the power of music for me. This was all new for Galileo Galilei — connecting with an artist from another country, on a song that spanned the years, and creating something so wonderful. It was like we’d opened a new door, or got a glimpse of a new world.
Yuuki: It was a really stimulating experience.
Iwai: I almost lost it. We’re currently working on new music, but I feel like we’ll be able to use this experience in our new music, and in our live performances, too. It was like I got a peek at uncharted territory, something that’s clearly going to have an influence on our future musical activities.
Masaki Okazaki: For me, too, it was walking on air (laughs). I’ve watched videos of Porter’s live performances, and I’ve been really influenced by his music. I never expected to have this opportunity, and it still doesn’t really feel real. But there’s no doubt that this is going to be a precious memory I carry with me throughout my life.
Watching your session, it felt like “Circle Game” was reborn — or like it was given new life. The addition of Porter made you feel like a different band. It was like the five of you had already been playing together for a decade.
Porter: I’m glad you think so. I’ve been listening to them for such a long time, but I never imagined that they were inspired by what I was doing. I had no idea until today.
Yuuki: Today, the way we were playing together and exchanging ideas — it didn’t feel like our first time playing together.
Iwai: Yeah, I felt like there were a lot of similarities between us.
Yuuki: I really felt like we had the same feel, the same kind of tone, which came through in every little gesture and every musical expression. It was really moving, and it filled me with so much joy. Also, we all really love Porter’s music, and he’s been a constant influence on warbear, BBHF, and Galileo Galilei. To be honest, I imitate him a lot. Today’s session provided me with a better understanding of what draws me to Porter Robinson as a musician, and I think it was a wonderful chance to compare notes. When we started today, he asked us so many questions. He asked why Galileo Galilei broke up and why we’ve reformed. I think that’s because he wanted to get a proper sense of what the band feels like now. He makes music from the heart, and that really came across today. I found it very moving.
Porter: One of the things I truly believe is that in your life, every few years, you’ll come across something that changes your perspectives forever. It could be a movie, it could be a band, it could be travel, it could be a change of environment. For me, those moments are indescribably precious. That’s why I want to express my profound gratitude to them, for being such tremendous inspirations, providing me with such joy, and creating music that completely changed my perspectives. I hope that we can continue to work together in the future.
–This article by Tomohiro Ogawa first appeared on Billboard Japan
This week in dance music: The Chainsmokers broke the record for the highest ever attendance at a show (18,798 people) at the L.A. State Historic Park, we spoke with the Founder of Burning Man’s Mayan Warrior art car, which burned down this past April, Diplo announced the death of his mother and Alesso collab’d with BTS’ Jung Kook.
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And of course, there’s new music too. These are the best new dance tracks of the week.
ARTBAT, “Coming Home”
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The Label: Warner Music Group
The Spiel: John Martin (of “Don’t Your Worry Child” fame) lends the same intensely anthemic mood to the latest from Ukrainian duo ARTBAT. Released in conjunction with Independence Day Of Ukraine, which the country celebrated yesterday (August 24) — and which obviously takes on deep meaning given the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia — the song obliquely addresses the war, with lyrics about coming home to your mother, your brother, your sister and your lover. “We’ll walk in the streets like we used to do,” sings Martin, “there will be something new to believe in.” On the track the Kyiv-based duo expertly balance progressive and mainstage sounds, even adding a children’s choir for maximum poignancy.
The Artists Say: “This is a very personal record for both ourselves and John,” ARTBAT wrote on Instagram, “and we’ve written this with our homeland in the forefront of our minds, with a message of hope and positivity for all.”
The Vibe: Tearjerker.
John Summit With MKLA, “Fade Out”
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The Label: Off the Grid/Darkroom Records
The Spiel: The commercial trance resurgence launched earlier this year by Calvin Harris extends today with John Summit’s “Fade Out.” A collaboration with silky-voiced Toronto-based singer MKLA, the track is urgent, sophisticated and as earworm-ey (in a good way) as the rest of most recent Summit’s output — namely “Escape” with Hayla and his edit of Kaskade and deadmau5’s “I Remember.”
On Twitter, Summit’s label Off the Grid noted that “Fade Out” will be “our last single as off the grid records,” indicating a name change is coming after Summit and Off the Grid faced recent legal issues in regards to a California-based event promoter also called Off the Grid. It’s an apt way to fade out, indeed.
The Artist Says: “Been working on this one for a while.. it’s a trance inspired tune hope u guys like,” Summit wrote on Twitter.
The Vibe: 4 a.m. on the dance floor.
Mochakk, “Jealous”
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The Label: CircoLoco Records
The Spiel: Brazilian producer Mochakk has been steadily rising this year, an upswing that gets a major boost today with his latest, the wonderfully unhinged “Jealous.” The late Loleatta Holloway does a lot of the heavy lifting here, with the producer heavily sampling the singer’s 1977 song “Dreamin,” weaving her insanely powerful vocals with his bounce-ey, funky house production that’s fun, fresh and accessible and — as evidenced by this moment from his Coachella set this past April — simply just slaps.
The Artist Says: “If you asked Pedro from 2 years ago if he believed he would be announcing his very own release with [CircoLoco Records] and [Rockstar Games] in 2023, he would definitely tell you to cut the bulls–t! This track has probably been my most anticipated release so far, with the most support pre-release and I’m so stoked to say it’s finally coming out.”
The Vibe: No bulls–t.
ISOxo & Ninajirachi, “SHYPOP”
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The Label: 88Rising Records
The Spiel: Emerging San Diego producer ISOxo throws the kitchen sink at it on his latest, “SHYPOP,” melding drum & bass and hyperpop and hints of mainstage and hardstyle into a very high BPM production that’s simultaneously hectic and spare. Vocals come from Australian fav Ninajirachi, who sings, “I want to be smarter, but I don’t know where to start. I want to say things from the heart, but my words come out so wrong, I stumble.” While the sound is far out, the sentiment is widely relatable. The track comes from ISOxo’s forthcoming debut album, kidsgonemad!.
The Artist Says: “Creating SHYPOP came from a sentimental place that’s been driving the meaning behind some of my music. It touches on the insecurities I’ve felt both as an artist and in life, wanting to push myself to be better.”
The Vibe: Machinistic, deeply human, totally fun.
Nosaj Thing, Jacques Greene & Ouri, “Too Close”
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The Label: LUCKYME
The Spiel: L.A. favorite Nosaj Thing links with Toronto mainstay Jacques Greene and Montreal-based producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Ouri. Together they deliver something as sophisticated and vibey as you’d expect, with “Too Close,” melding D&B and deep house into a mood at once mellow and urgent.
The Vibe: Pretty, with a hint of heartbreak.
Jung Kook is showing ARMY what devotion is. The BTS member added another layer of collaboration to his new hit song “Seven” by dropping a dance-heavy remix with Swedish DJ and producer Alesso on Friday (Aug. 25). The latest version of the song that features Latto adds waves of synth bass and rhythmic variation that […]
Diplo‘s mother has died. The producer shared the news Thursday (Aug. 24) on social media, writing that his mother “was a devout supporter of my music … she followed me and every project and I always made her a double xxl shirt of my new album. she was restricted to a chair and oxygen tank […]
Many things at Burning Man are meant to burn down to the ground. The Mayan Warrior was not one of them.
One of Burning Man’s flashiest and most famous art cars, the Mexico-City based rig had become a nexus of spectacle, vibes and electronic music since debuting on the playa in 2012.
Over the years the car had in tandem become a prestige play for DJs turning out to Burning Man, hosting artists including DJ Tennis, Jan Blomqvist, Damian Lazarus, Bedouin, Carlita, Francesca Lombardo and the Mexico-based talent it focused on promoting. It even had its own theme song.
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Then, this past April 3, it went up in flames. The truck that formed the base of the car (an International 4400) was en route from Guadalajara to Punta Mita, Mexico for a fundraising event, when a back tire caught on fire — a function, organizers say, of the weight of the vehicle, combined with the rough road and the heat of the day.
The fire immediately spread to the rest of the rig, incinerating the many amps, computer consoles and other sundry pieces of equipment that helped make the thing such an attraction. Ten minutes later, it was all gone.
The driver, the only person with the vehicle at the time, was unharmed. While the truck itself was insured, the onboard equipment team had collected over the last decade was not, resulting in millions of dollars worth of losses.
The first person to get the phone call was Mayan Warrior’s Founder, Pablo González Vargas.
“It was sad, but also liberating in a way,” he says, “because it’s a passion that started growing until we were almost, like, a little bit slaves to it.”
Indeed, it cost the Mayan Warrior team — made up of 10 core members year-round and a team of 34 at Burning Man itself — roughly $600,000 to take the car to the playa each year, along with another $300,000 to run the Foundation, which covered its maintenance, storage and other expenses. This tab was covered by the Mayan Warrior’s touring fundraiser events, which brought the car to New York, San Francisco, Austin and beyond, helping cover costs, but also raising eyebrows among those who felt the car had run afoul of Burning Man’s ethos of commercial decommodification.
“We were not in good standing this year,” says González Vargas. “There was backlash from the community of, ‘What are you doing?’ Because people see a picture of people [at a fundraiser] — but to make money in events, we have to surpass 4,000 attendees.”
Gonzalez Vargas adds that the the necessity to make money also put the team in “a never-ending touring situation, so the crew was was tired, and I was tired, and then Burning Man was beginning to say, ‘Hey, you guys are eroding Burning Man principles.’” (He also notes that the Burning Man organization reached out immediately after the fire and were “very supportive.”)
In the wake of the fire, rumors of cartel interference and insurance fraud (“of course not true,” says González Vargas) swirled, while the global Mayan Warrior community mourned the loss. Its absence will certainly be felt at Burning Man 2023, which begins in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert this Sunday, August 27. After that, the team will host one final Mayan Warrior fundraiser this Halloween in Los Angeles.
Here, González Vargas talks about the fire, about how he and the team had perhaps outgrown the project and what they’re planning next.
Maybe the best place to start is to just tell me what happened on the day of the fire.
The car was on its way from Guadalajara, where we had our last fundraiser, to Punta Mita, which is by Puerto Vallarta. Basically an hour before arriving to the destination, the back tire caught on fire. I didn’t know they did that, but later on, I read that the combination of [the rig being] overweight, heat and a rough road — sometimes they catch fire.
In the back of our truck, we have a lot of wood; we have a lot of diesel; we have a lot of propane. So that thing… in a matter of minutes, it was really out of control. We did have fire extinguishers, but they did nothing. The driver luckily got out of the truck, and it just incinerated, in like, 10 minutes.
Oh my god.
The sad part is that we did not have insurance. Of course on Reddit, there’s a lot of people saying that we planned this. Either it was like, a cartel war, or, “Let’s burn it and get the insurance money.” That’s of course not true.
But the reality is that I forgot to to re-pay the insurance after the pandemic — because when the pandemic hit, we were like, “Why are we paying so much money for insurance if everything is just shut down?” I just totally forgot to [put the insurance back on.] The truck base did have insurance, but all the rest of the equipment — zero. So that’s a huge loss for us, because that equipment we have been compounding over 10 years. (Editor’s note: González Vargas adds via email that Mayan Warrior did have liability insurance during all events.)
Mayan Warrior on March 31, 2023
Courtesy of Pablo Gonzalez Vargas
What were you doing when you found out what had happened?
I was arriving to a meditation retreat, to clear my head. I had a lot of questions in my life — my father died a few months earlier, and a lot of things in my life changed. I sold my company. I wanted to clear my head. The day that I arrived to the place, I got the message from the driver with the picture. But I couldn’t see the picture — it was blurry, because they didn’t have any service, because I was in the middle of the desert. Then I called him, and he said, “This is on fire.”
It was very crazy how my intention was to go and clear my head and get things in order in my life, and this thing burns right before.
So what did you do? You’re about to go into this meditation retreat — take me through those first hours of response.
I was about to go back to Mexico City and handle the situation. But I stayed. I said, “I’ll go into this process with this [situation.]” It was kind of sad, but also liberating in a way — because this project, as I told you last time, we do it out of passion. We all do different things in life, like normal work. This is a passion that started growing until we were almost like, a little bit slaves to it — trying to make it work so it was sustainable. I was at a place where I was working on it, instead of enjoying it.
So yeah, I felt liberated. I felt also a blank slate creatively, because the car was 10 years old, so it was a super old design. I didn’t even know what to do with it, in the sense of “should we [keeping doing] it or not?”
The Mayan Warrior at Burning Man
Courtesy of Pablo Gonzalez Vargas
You announced that the car had burned down via Instagram on April 5. What was that day like, in terms of the community response?
I was really surprised, because the response we saw from people is the same feeling I had — a relationship with it as, like, a living being. It gave all of us as a community a lot of good things, good relationships, good moments, a lot of friends all over. It was kind of the hub of the community.
The response of the people was also kind of like as if someone died, not a thing that burned. It was very nice to see the response and what it meant to most of us and to other circles of the community. It was a very emotional week.
There are 3,912 comments on that Instagram post. I read them all, and they’re almost entirely supportive and respectful and sad. It must have at least felt affirming in the sense that the empathy was there.
True, because you have haters on one side. That’s what you really get on normal days. Some people are angry about the cartel thing, or from the angle of “this business and they’re printing money” without understanding what it takes behind the scenes. Which is kind of s–tty.
So the positive response was nice to see, because it’s been so many years of hard work and sacrifices — financially, in time and in our work. It was basically taking three months of the year and doing almost nothing other than this. People don’t understand what it takes to do stuff at Burning Man in general, so so it was reaffirming and nice to see that people actually cared and were supportive.
What was the what’s the size of the core team?
Year-round, the core team is 10. Then when we go to the Burn, we’re at like, 34.
When those 10 people first found out, what was that like?
Very emotional. I cried, because I was very grateful, because this thing gave me so much in my life. And I think the response [among the group] was very similar. Burning Man is a big part of our lives, and when you’re building something at Burning Man, it creates an identity, and that identity becomes a little bit of your identity. So many people on the core team, their identity is very intertwined with Mayan. So this dying is also a part of you. Part of your identity is also kind of dying.
Pablo González Vargas
Courtesy of Pablo Gonzalez Vargas
The sense I’ve gotten from what you’ve announced is that there’s a new concept or art car coming from your crew. Can you tell me about that, what you guys are working on now?
We want to go to Burning Man first, because everything started at Burning Man. We got inspired at Burning Man, so I think that has to happen. We need to feel inspired to do whatever we’re going to do. I think the beautiful cycle of Burning Man is to inspire and to be inspired. That’s the most beautiful thing that happens there.
So we want to go and feel it and see what the next step is, because there are some things we don’t like about the project, and some things we do.
What don’t you like about it?
The amount of work it takes, for one. Also music-wise, electronic music has its own energies that are sometimes not great. When we started this, I was 32. It’s very different, 32 and 45, in terms of what you’re searching for. So are we going to re-do this in the same formula? Do we like it? We have to decide.
One thing I know is that we are never going to stop doing things at Burning Man. That’s for sure. The project will continue at Burning Man. The question is how, and in what genre and in what form? It could be mobile. It could be stationary. What type of music? Maybe it’s more live shows? Maybe we need to dial down the DJ thing, because also that’s affecting the Burning Man demographic in a big way.
I think I know what you mean, but tell me exactly what you mean.
To make the point, I’m going to go to an extreme — which is like, the Afterlife demographic. Which is a young crowd with phones, and it’s less about having a good time and having an experience and more a show than a party. So if go the DJ route, we’re pulling that energy.
I’ve seen the Burn morph more into that in our little space of music. It’s a big city, but in music listeners or music seekers, the demographic has changed over the last six years.
Definitely.
The gradient went more Afterlife, without going fully after Afterlife — but I personally don’t like that. I think live shows are something we might pursue. But it has a complexity, because they’re way more expensive. A DJ is just them and their USB. But if you bring a band, it’s way more difficult.
So we’re trying to figure that out. And also if it’s the same [Mayan Warrior] name, or not. There’s a lot of questions and we want to understand at Burning Man [this year] — What are we vibing? What is the next step?
The Mayan Warrior at Burning Man
Courtesy of Pablo Gonzalez Vargas
In terms of the cultural shift you’re talking about, certain realms of Burning Man have definitely gotten more Instagrammy, more DJ-centric, more mainstage-ish. It’s changed the vibe out there. Did you feel any sort of way about being involved in that shift and in ways catalyzing it?
For sure. There’s no way we’re not involved … we have contributed to that cultural shift, and we need to be aware of that. I think that’s also something to think about. If we keep doing it, how can we — not reverse it — but steer it and do something more into the experience side, and less about an image situation, with talking about Instagram? I would want that.
Financially there is also an issue, for sure. Doing the art car is one of the most irresponsible things I’ve done in my life, financially.
Say more.
I was still renting most of the years [I’ve had the car], because I couldn’t buy an apartment. It basically all went to the art car during the first half of its life. Just because I loved it, and I didn’t care about anything else, and doing a camp and bringing a lot of stuff to the desert costs a lot of money. So I don’t know if I want to do that again. I don’t know if it’s a wise thing to do. Maybe we need to scale down.
In terms of your camp at Burning Man this year, is just a smaller crew? Something pretty basic?
Nothing. Just me, my RV, my bike, my fiancée and that’s it.
I don’t mean to be glib, but that sounds maybe refreshing for you.
For sure.
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
We’re grateful, and we want to still contribute to Burning Man. And we care. We owe a lot to that place, and we want to do it right. We want to do something beautiful, and we hope we can.
Hurricane who? L.A. may have been bracing for Hurricane Hilary, but it was The Chainsmokers who brought the action Saturday, as the DJ duo kicked off the inaugural edition of their “The Party Never Ends” show.
The Chainsmokers’ Artist-in-Residence Program Will Cover a Year of Rent for an Emerging Artist…
08/21/2023
Billed as a “day-long celebration of inclusivity, collaboration and just plain f–ing fun,” Saturday’s show brought out 18,798 people to Los Angeles State Historic Park, breaking the venue’s all-time attendance record. The incoming storm held off for the night, as the crowd partied to The Chainsmokers’ biggest hits under open skies and fireworks.
Michael Kirschbaum/eightelevenmedia.com
The Chainsmokers were joined by Two Friends — who brought out Bebe Rexha for their Loud Luxury collab “If Only” — along with opening acts ARMNHMR, NOTD and DJ Press Play.
The Chainsmokers took to the stage as the sun went down, joined by surprise guests Maluma, Shenseea, 347Aidan and Carlie Hanson, who all performed their recent collaborations with the dance music duo. As their two-hour set came to an end, the guys debuted their new track “Summertime Friends” for the first time live. The song is expected to be featured on The Chainsmokers’ upcoming fifth studio album, the follow-up to last year’s So Far So Good.
For The Chainsmokers — Alex Pall and Drew Taggart — Saturday’s show was a chance to finally curate their own festival-style experience for their fans. While the guys will play upward of 200 shows around the world this year, Pall and Taggart say “The Party Never Ends” allows them to bring their music — and their friends — all in one place.
In an Instagram post, the duo called Saturday’s show, “Our most special show we’ve ever done,” adding, “We hope to do this every year with you all.”
Pall and Taggart head to Colorado next, bringing “The Party Never Ends” to Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Sept. 2 (find tickets here).
It’s a busy fall for the group, who also just launched an “artist in residence” program to help cover a year of rent and studio time for an emerging musician in New York City.
This week in dance music: We premiered exclusive Northern Nights 2023 sets from Big Gigantic, Megan Hamilton and Forester, and celebrated 20 years of the Dance Mix Show/Airplay chart. Friendship 2024 dropped a lineup featuring Skrilex, Chris Lake and many more, while Loud Luxury, Two Friends and Bebe Rexha ascended to the peak of Dance Mix Show/Airplay.
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And yes, we’ve got new music, too. These are the best new dance tracks of the week.
PEEKABOO, Skrllex, G-Rex & Flowdan, “BADDERS”
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The Label: OWSLA/Atlantic Records
The Spiel: PEEKABOO has been one of the best bass music producers in the scene for awhile, and today his profile gets another well deserved lift via “BADDERS,” a collaboration with Skrillex, Flowdan and G-Rex. The track brings a constellations of artists back together, as PEEKABOO collaborated on “Hydrate” from Skrillex’s Quest for Fire, and Flowdan of course delivered vocals for QFR’s “Rumble.”
Introduced to the mix here is PEEKABOO’s longtime friend, the producer G-Rex. Together they deliver a dark, wobbly production that’s the result of some kismet, with Flowdan having heard it during a studio session and coming up with lyrics and Skrillex later getting in touch with PEEKABOO to put his own touch on it. The efficacy of this group effort was demonstrated when the group played it seven times in a row during a recent b2b in London.
The Artist Says: “G-Rex, one of my best friends, was going through some personal hardships, so I invited him to Detroit,” says PEEKABOO. “I thought we could channel that emotion into our music, and that’s when we created ‘Badders.’ Working with Flowdan was an incredible experience; he’s such a wizard at creating lyrics… The same goes for Skrillex; he genuinely cares about music.”
The Vibe: Not bad at all.
Michaël Brun, Anne-Marie & Becky G, “Coming Your Way”
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The Label: BAYO MIZIK
The Spiel: Consistently great Haitian producer Michaël Brun delivers what’s likely to be one of the biggest songs of his career thus far via “Coming Your Way,” a collaboration with power-lunged British singer Anne-Marie and global sensation Becky G. The song is slinky to the max, with Brun putting the track on slow burn, then layering up horns, percussion and a hot-to-the-touch verse from Becky G. The song comes on the heels of Brun’s FAMI Summer EP, which featured collaborations with J Balvin, Anthony Ramos, Kes, King Promise and more.
The Artist Says: “I wanted to cap the summer off with one of my favorite songs I’ve ever produced,” says Brun. “‘Coming Your Way’ is a mix of so many genres that have influenced me across the years, from electronic music to Caribbean and Latin sounds. It’s also an honor to have global superstars Anne-Marie and Becky G present on this one. It feels like a global anthem.”
The Vibe: Yes, the makings of a global anthem, but also the feel of a really good house party.
Roosevelt, “Rising”
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The Label: Counter Records/Ninja Tune
The Spiel: Berlin-based producer Roosevelt, who dropped an official remix of Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” last winter, keeps the momentum going with “Rising.” The lush production goes heavy on the lightness, with passing clouds of synths and a zippy build creating a peppy and yes, uplifting, vibe. The track is the second single from Roosevelt’s forthcoming album, Embrace, coming September 22.
The Vibe: Unlimited mimosa brunch effervescence.
Hannah Wants, “Hard To Breathe”
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The Label: Defected Records
The Spiel: It’s Hannah x two here, with British producer Hannah Wants and British vocalist Hannah Boleyn (who’s previously worked with artists including John Summit) teaming up for the deep house cut “Hard to Breathe.” “Don’t worry ‘bout me baby, it only hurts when I breathe,” Boleyn declares over Wants’ club-focused production, which progressively gets more urgent and anticipatory, much like holding your breath.
The Artist Says: “It’s features an insane hook / vocal from Hannah Boleyn and it’s been slappinggg in clubs for me around the world,” Wants wrote on Instagram — alongside a video of the song slappinggg, indeed.
The Vibe: Like taking in oxygen.
Armand van Helden, “I Won’t Stop”
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The Label: Parlophone Records/FFRR
The Spiel: One of Boston’s coolest-ever exports, Armand Van Helden, celebrates the 25th anniversary of his classic “You Don’t Know Me” with a fresh production that brings the same mildly heartbroken but still giddy ’90s energy. A tight, two minute wind-up toy of a track, “I Wont’ Stop” is pure ebullience, bouncing merrily along with sirens blaring, until Van Helden ends it with a hard-hitting build that serves as a reminder that while his work has always been really fun, the reason it’s worked so well for decades is the foundation of grit it’s all built upon.
The Artist Says: “I’d been experimenting with American freestyle music and trying to tap into the sound for a long time, so this record is a mash-up of American freestyle and old, big New York club music from 1993 — that’s what I was trying to spin with this track. It’s a song that is ridiculous and I want people to be lit up and live in the ridiculousness when they hear ‘I Won’t Stop’.”
The Vibe: Lit up and ridiculous in the best way.
Loud Luxury, Two Friends & Bebe Rexha ascend to the summit on the Aug. 19-dated Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart, as “If Only I” rises from No. 3 to No. 1 in its seventh week on the list. They unseat Kylie Minogue, who claimed two weeks atop the list with “Padam Padam,” this week sliding back to No. 2 (down 13% in weekly plays). “If Only I” is the first leader for both Loud Luxury and Two Friends, and the second No. 1 for Rexha.
“If Only I” has been scaling the survey since its July 8 debut at No. 35. Since the July 29-dated list, the song has gained by 17%, 22% and 23% in week-to-week plays, according to Luminate, though gains slow to 4% this week as it reaches the chart’s apex. (The latest chart reflects the tracking week ending Aug. 10 in the U.S.)
All three acts have history on the tally. “If Only I” is the 11th entry for Canadian duo Loud Luxury dating back to 2018’s “Body,” but the first No. 1. It surpasses the previous high of last year’s “These Nights,” which spent two non-consecutive weeks at No. 3 among 20 frames on the list.
It’s also the first leader for Los-Angeles based two-piece Two Friends, bypassing the “Wish You Were Here,” which reached No. 6 last September. Previously, they had charted with “Looking At You” in 2020.
For Rexha, “If Only I” is not only her second No. 1 on the survey, but also her second No. 1 this year. “I’m Good (Blue)” with David Guetta hit No. 1 last October, beginning a non-consecutive 14-week run on top that lasted through the Feb. 18-dated tally.
Rexha has landed 16 titles on the chart altogether, spanning a decade since the Cash Cash collaboration “Take Me Home” rose to No. 2 in November 2013, stuck behind Avicii’s almighty “Wake Me Up,” which was nearing the end of its 10-week reign.
Concurrently, “If Only I” spends a seventh week on the multimetric Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart at No. 30.