https://youtu.be/96oDgSEpcrQ?si=oLLp9KjXCE8A4Fr2 Overview Born Carlos Sosa in 1969, DJ Sneak emerged as one of the key figures in the second wave of influential Chicago house producers. Though not native to the Windy City, Sneak's musical journey began in the early 1980s when his family moved from Puerto Rico to Chicago. Unable to understand English, Sneak found solace [...]
Though arguably most prominent in the ’90s, free parties and illegal raves have never gone away. Despite the increased surveillance from authorities, passionate DJs and sound systems continue to throw events in a similar way that they always have, looking to create a sense of community and an alternative to the commodified dance mainstream. [...]
If you’re writing music for nightclub DJs, there is a formula you need to employ if you want them to play your tracks to a dance-floor. Here’s how to set up your tracks for success. Dropping science The term ‘Dance Music’ can relate to anything from Techno to EDM, House Music to Drum n’ [...]
The hotly-tipped Brazilian DJ/producer and label head gives us the low down on his invigorating Afro House tribute to Brazil's indigenous peoples. Hey Maz, congratulations on your Beatport #1! Have you had a chance to celebrate? Hey Beatport fam, thank you so much! I want to thank you all for the support on the track; [...]
The oracle that still answers to the human name “Brian Eno” has made a lot of good calls in his career, but none so prescient as his reaction when he first heard Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.” “This is it!” he exclaimed to David Bowie. “Look no further!” They were in [...]
When the South Bronx dance-punk outfit ESG released their Martin Hannett-produced debut EP in 1981, they had no idea how pivotal their stripped-back, funk-fueled sound would be on the evolution of hip-hop and house music: ‘UFO’ has been sampled over 500 times; ‘Moody’ was a staple in Larry Levan’s Paradise Garage sets. Four decades [...]
After four-plus decades of DJing and with a incredible list of releases — much of it produced with longtime partner Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez as Masters At Work — the pioneering Louie Vega would seem to have little to prove. Yet he’s working harder than ever, with the same energy he had as a young [...]
While live shows remain the biggest source of income for most DJs surveyed, 85 per cent would rather spend their time making music. Nearly half of DJs find that securing gigs has become more challenging and less lucrative in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the 2024 IMS Business Report. The annual [...]
Uncle Waffles' international success represents an exhilarating era for southern African music. As her groundbreaking career continues its ascent, the Eswatini DJ, producer and performer speaks to Natty Kasambala about the ancestral power of log drums, the universal language of dancing, and touching grass It’s impossible to think of amapiano on the global stage without [...]
“We’ve had enough time for the whole ‘All the boats rise’ argument to see they don’t all rise.” Did you know that Trent Reznor helped to build Apple’s music streaming service? The Nine Inch Nails frontman once worked as an executive for Beats and later at Apple, and it most certainly opened his eyes to the difficulties that face artists [...]
