Channel Tres Features on Flight Facilities’ Latest Classic, ‘Lights Up’

Channel Tres Features on Flight Facilities’ Latest Classic, ‘Lights Up’

Today, Australian producer duo Flight Facilities return to their beloved fanbase, delivering a new single immersed in a feeling of West-Coast cool imparted by collaborator Channel Tres. Released on Future Classic/Glassnote Records, ‘Lights Up’ marks the band’s first release of 2021 with a direct flight to Channel Tres’ own Compton California.

The track marks a highly anticipated return to North America for the duo as well, who will be gracing the stage for three nights at Downtown Los Angeles’ Banc of California stadium alongside electronic giants RÜFÜS DU SOL this November. 50,000 additional tickets were added to keep up with demand after the first show sold out in mere minutes.

‘Lights Up’ is the first track to be released in over a year from the live-electronic selectors, who have been working together for over a decade, creating timeless, genre-defying classics drenched in a sense of nostalgia. ‘Lights Up’ is a continuation of this philosophy, aided by Channel Tres’ propensity for crossing genres and drawing inspiration from eras like 90s Detroit house and West-Coast hip-hop. The result is a track that belongs to these moments in time as much as it represents what’s next for the global dance sound, a confluence of feeling and style.

“We’ve always loved the sound of the early Detroit House scene that crossed over with the Paradise Garage era. Combined with our love for Channel’s voice, it seemed like a perfect fit. His voice has a magical ability to make songs that are made for strutting. We felt it was important to keep enough of our sound and influence in the track, to avoid it sounding too derivative, so we wanted to include some 90’s and 00’s elements to give the song its own character.”

Flight Facilities

While forthcoming performances at the Banc of California and New Zealand’s Snow Machine Festival point to exciting projects ahead, the guys have kept their productions flowing, most recently dropping a disco-forward remix of ‘Vintage‘ for New York bassist Blu DeTiger, delivering a brand new 1962-72 Decades mix, and launching their very own app – Flight Deck. The free IOS and Android compatible app, built to celebrate 10 years of Flight Facilities magic, is a one stop shop that houses a treasure trove of unreleased Flight Facilities tracks, bootleg cuts, mixtapes and more.

Initially gaining recognition in 2010 for singles like “Crave You” ft. Giselle Rosselli and “Foreign Language”, Flight Facilities has since been a constant industry driving force, which included releasing their debut and only full-length album to date Down to Earth in 2014. The LP went on to achieve gold certification and garner three ARIA nominations, with widespread appreciation for their feel-good, dance floor ready tunes. The band followed the album with a multi-year run of singles which included “Need You” ft. NÏKA, “Arty Boy” ft Emma Louise, “Stranded” ft. Broods, Reggie Watts, Broods & Saro, “All Your Love” ft Dustin Tebbutt, and “Better Than Ever” ft Aloe Blacc.

Channel Tres has been steadily continuing on his unstoppable trajectory, having most recently released his I Can’t Go Outside EP, an introspective mixtape which boasted a sexy blend of classic house and West Coast rap and featured collaborations with the likes of Tinashe and Tyler the Creator. He also featured on further major hits including “Impact” with SG Lewis and Robyn, and “Recap”, a collaboration alongside Kito and VanJess.

‘Lights Up’ is an eagerly awaited homecoming for Flight Facilities, who remain two of the most recognizable forces in the globally facing Australian electronic music scene that took hold in the early 2000s. As they prepare to once again position themselves center stage alongside budding superstars like Channel Tres, it is clear that the duo are ready to build upon the catchy and comforting sounds that remain at the core of the Flight Facilities journey.

Paraleven Makes Next Big Label Debut on RÜFÜS DU SOL’s Rose Avenue

Paraleven Makes Next Big Label Debut on RÜFÜS DU SOL’s Rose Avenue

RÜFÜS DU SOL have built their imprint Rose Avenue around one core principle: to shine the light on artists who push the envelope of dance music’s emotive shades. Today they welcome rising talent Paraleven into their fold with a spacey single, “Lucid,” infused with the vocals of Nathan Ball.

In true Paraleven fashion, “Lucid” tugs at the heartstrings with dulcet harmonics. Subdued synths, stringed pads, and a warm bassline interlock with one another to create maximum emotional impact while serving as a complementary foundation for Nathan Ball’s breathy vocal work and touching lyrics. Underpinning it all is a distinctive percussion section, making “Lucid” equally appealing for dancefloor and at-home listening.

“Nathan was a pleasure to work with. I am a huge fan of all of his work and to have this record come to life with his vocals was a real treat for me. This song was written with an abstract “late night” feel, focusing on loneliness – and thoughts that run through one’s head in solitude. The beauty of this song lies in the back and forth of vocal focus and synth driven sections – without being heavily reliant on one or the other to drive the track. My favorite line is “If there was another place to hide from the world today, would you follow me there” – something I feel we can all relate to at one point or another.” — Paraleven

Paraleven has racked up well over a decade of production experience. As a solo act, Paraleven found his calling in the progressive house arena, where he was promptly picked up by Lane 8, signed to This Never Happened, and tapped as main support for the icon’s namesake sold out label tour. It wouldn’t be long before RÜFÜS DU SOL noticed his knack for arrangement, thus beginning what’s shaping up to be a long and fruitful relationship between the two acts.

“When Paraleven sent over the track I was immediately transported to that late night feeling, a melancholic solitude of sorts. I wanted to replicate that feeling in the lyrics and the melody, so they explore the desire to escape the monotony of everyday life with the only person you’d want to be there with you”—Nathan Bell

With arrival on Rose Avenue, Paraleven joins a robust slate of talent which includes the likes of Cassian, Township Rebellion, Colyn and Lastlings. Be sure to keep watch on the label as it prepares to unveil its ambitious latter half of 2021.

Steve Darko Announces Debut LP on DIRTYBIRD with a Double-Sided ‘Descending’

Steve Darko Announces Debut LP on DIRTYBIRD with a Double-Sided ‘Descending’

Today, Steve Darko has announced his debut artist album,‘Midnight Swim’ with the double-sided ‘Descending’ single—out now on DIRTYBIRD. The full length effort features fourteen tracks, each building upon the ingenuity and cutting edge sound design that attracted the label to the budding talent just a few years ago.

Darko’s journey to defy expectation begins immediately in both singles out today, “Descending” and “Red.” The former stirs tension with its high reaching pitch before “Descending” into a menacing hook marked with heavy percussion. It fits easily into the darkest depths of the producer’s catalog, a welcomed departure from the producer to watch. Meanwhile, “Red” pays homage to the halcyon days of acid house while maintaining a modernized arrangement. Rising Floridian star and fellow DIRTYBIRD mentee Nala added a futuristic touch to the finished product with her vocal talents. These sonics stand in direct contrast to “Descending,” pointing to just how dynamic and multifaceted a record ‘Midnight Swim’ will be.

The album is not just a platform for sonic exploration to Steve Darko—it’s ultimately a tale of balance in life, of dark and light. Even its title captures those moments of levity amid a pitch black backdrop. Written largely during a time of global uncertainty and forced lockdowns, ‘Midnight Swim’ in itself was a way for Darko to find his own freedom and catharsis despite grim surrounding circumstances. The project is a manifestation of balance in his personal life; though his work as a full time developer with music production software leader iZotope brings him fulfillment, he holds an equal passion in creating and playing out his art to the world. ‘Midnight Swim’ was thus an exercise in perseverance, and of reconciling these two driving forces.

The album also speaks to the power of collaboration, an art Darko has always embraced as an artist. He employs a multitude of guest artists for the affair, including Claude VonStroke, VNSSA, Rachel Alix, and of course, Nala, to name a few. Nearly half of the LP contains guest writers, which work to push Darko further outside his comfort zone. Each collaborator played a unique role in bringing his vision to fruition, helping to shape the eclectic and wide reaching nature of the record.

DIRTYBIRD’s core ethos has always been about pushing innovative music from the brightest stars of tomorrow—an ethos the brand has reinvigorated heavily in recent years. In providing Steve Darko full support to create the album he envisioned for himself, the resulting patchwork of genres, styles, and instrumentation drives in their staunch commitment to this philosophy. In return, ‘Midnight Swim’ is Darko’s way of pushing both himself and his label family into the next chapter.

Ardalan’s ‘Mr. Good’ LP out now on DIRTYBIRD Records

Ardalan’s ‘Mr. Good’ LP out now on DIRTYBIRD Records

Today marks the LP debut of Ardalan on DIRTYBIRD Records. “Mr. Good” is the reminiscent tale of the producer’s unique youth and the common struggles of being human. 

Originally from Iran, Ardalan moved to San Francisco solo as a young teenager, where he was quickly introduced to the rave community. Having lived in such vastly different environments, Ardy has developed a unique sound that channels the melancholic melodies of Iranian music and futuristic compositions of modern dance music. 

The vintage sound of analog synths unite with futuristic spacey elements, sending us into a sonic time warp. Listen to ‘Mr. Good’ in full here

Ardalan also drew inspiration from the moral compass, and the constant effort to find the virtuous path. When asked about the title-track, Ardy had this to say: “‘Mr. Good’ is about a story of self-acceptance. In some cases, we strive to be the perfect person. Yet, we never learn to be ourselves. We and society are forced to wear a mask to hide our true traits and flaws, which are the very reasons that push us to be a better person in this world.” 

The artist is currently on a 36-stop tour across North America, making stops at Santa Fe’s Meow Wolf, Los Angeles’ Sound, Chicago’s Spybar and more. See if he’s visiting your city here

Turkish twins Lunar Plane make Desert Hearts Black debut with Phantom EP

Turkish twins Lunar Plane make Desert Hearts Black debut with Phantom EP

Desert Hearts Black has returned with the hard-hitting release of Phantom, a two-track record from Turkish twins Lunar Plane. The EP is an ode to the depths of melodic techno, proving the duo’s acute sense of sound that dominates dance floors around the world. 

Dark, booming bass lines form a thrusting structure that stirs an extraterrestrial essence throughout the EP. A slow-burning progression and shadowy synths take hold of the title-track, while ‘The Lighthouse’ is an echanting melangé of industrial soundscapes and otherwordly inflections. 

Listen to Phantom here

While Lunar Plane has conquered the academic realm of America as Yale Univeristy graduates, the set of identical twins has embarked on a journey to claim their territory in the music space. Not long after the brothers’ production partnership began in 2014, Lunar Plane earned heavy support in the DJ community, including Solomun, Tale of Us, Steyoyoke and Stil Vor Talent. 


Since the recent inception of Desert Hearts’ sub-label Desert Hearts Black, the brainchild of Marbs and Evan Casey, the imprint has already formed a solid discography and artist catalogue. Phantom comes only a couple months after their first release Torus, which claimed the #1 spot on Beatport’s Overall Chart upon its release.

Justin Jay drops funk-fueled EP Future Feels on Desert Hearts

Justin Jay drops funk-fueled EP Future Feels on Desert Hearts

Justin Jay just dropped Future Feels, a two-track trip of sonic exploration. Released on Desert Hearts, this record is the Southern Californian’s debut on the label. 

‘Future Feels’ is a romantic union of funkadelic and melodic influences. Starting off with soft vocals and twinkling synths, Jay elevates the track to groovy heights with trippy synths and juicy bass lines. 

Jay’s musings of the future are realized on ‘Rave Tools’ through a vortex of meaty synths, chunky samples and thick basslines. The EP is an overall reflection of his playfulness as an artist and the bright energy he emanates in his performances. 

Listen to Future Feels EP here.

While the DJ and producer’s career began in his dorm room, Jay has grown to be a household name across America and a key member of the Dirtybird flock. He is currently on tour to celebrate the third anniversary of Fantastic Voyage. See if he’s playing in your hometown here

Enigmatic Rapper NiVo Drops New Single: and I know

Enigmatic Rapper NiVo Drops New Single: and I know

NYC-based rapper NiVo has today released a new single: and I knowNiVo showcases his knack for melodies on the track, crooning over a playfully refined trap beat. NiVo makes expert use of autotune and reverb, allowing his vocals to take center stage in the mix.

and I know revolves around themes of transparency and communication. NiVo’s noticed how women have started to treat him differently, as his music career evolves. He makes it clear that he’s always going to be straight-up with his intentions and he expects his love interests to do the same.

“And I know is for anyone who has communication issues with a potential partner. It’s meant to just encourage people to stop caring so much and just cut to the point!” 

and I know is NiVo’s second release of September, having released Back In My Back just a few weeks prior. NiVo is part of the NYC/Dubai-based record label and collective Nuit Sans Fin.

Follow NiVo on socials @Nivo1000 to stay up to date with one of hip-hop’s most promising young artists.

Clyde P. Releases ‘The Gnawa March’ EP on Desert Hearts

Clyde P. Releases ‘The Gnawa March’ EP on Desert Hearts

Clyde P is one of France’s most successful new exports, joining Shiba San and other notable acts as a respected global talent.  His Desert Hearts EP, The Gnawa March, is fast-paced and quirky – with a heavy low-end on both of its tracks. It also comes with an equally intense remix of the title track by Darius Syrossian.

FEATURE: Disko – The Concert Subscription App Fans Always Wanted

FEATURE: Disko – The Concert Subscription App Fans Always Wanted

Are you a music head that loves hitting up shows in your city, but can’t keep up with your wallet? It’s a good thing there’s Disko. This concert subscription service custom tailors the best shows in your city based on the artists and genres that you’re already into. The best part is, it keeps the costs associated with regular outings so much lower, which allows you to hit multiple shows monthly without breaking the bank. All you have to do is sign up for the show, get listed, and walk in hassle free.

The app features everything from warehouse parties and club shows to concerts and festivals, and while it’s only available in LA right now, they have plans to open up in other markets very soon.

With Disko, users are able to attend up to 4 shows per month for just $25 monthly or up to 8 concerts each with a +1 for $45 a month. The plus one feature of their higher tier is great for those pack leaders who tend to rally the gang for a night out. After seeing other apps like Jukely fall short from really being able to deliver what concert fans wanted with a subscription app for events, we have high hopes for Disko as they seem to be securing some really awesome events for their users.

You can download Disko from the app store here.

Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a 6 month subscription to Disko.


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Holly Gets Personal With Fans In New Music Video

Holly Gets Personal With Fans In New Music Video

Today is a strong day for Holly, Portuguese producer/DJ, as he unveiled the music video for his new single Encontrar feat. Slow J. The hip/hop artist is building anticipation for his upcoming EP – Avenal 2500 – which will be released on May 17th. The EP is speculated to be a very introspective work, as it can be interpreted from the reflective nature of this new single. Holly decided to team up with his close friend and successful Portuguese rapper Slow J for the production of this personal project.

Holly describes the meaning of the song and working with Slow J with these words:

“’Encontrar’ is an extremely important record for my soul at this point in my life. Every day, I’ve been facing this process of self-betterment and striving to become the best artist and person that I can be rather than fearing that I won’t achieve my goals, which makes me feel like I’m climbing up a never-ending stairway. It makes this record even more special to have the energy of Slow J, since he’s one of my closest friends in music and is also an artist that I look up to immensely.”

The music video was shot in Lisbon and directed/edited by Made in Lx, produced by Sente Isto and features the talented dancer Elohim Atons performing an evocative dance routine. Holly and Slow J also appear in the video, connecting with the audience through imagery.

You can listen to Encontrar feat. Slow J from the link below!