This month has been hectic with brand new releases as artists get ready to show off their music for the summer festival season. Here are 7 albums released recently that you should check out:
Read MoreEaster Sunday is an important date to mark for all EDM fans in the Montreal area. The reason is Bal en Blanc, the epic all night party that has been going strong for the past 21 years. This year marked a big change for the event as they moved venues to the Bell Centre, which united the entire crowd onto one massive stage instead of the multiple stages at Palais Des Congres. Easter is usually a time for religious contemplation, but on Sunday in Montreal it has become a pilgrimage to the Bell Centre for thousands of fans.
This year's Bal En Blanc theme was the love boat and apart from the throngs of attendees wearing all white, there were a fair number of people adorned in sailor outfits that added a fun diversity within the crowd. Security was tight at the Bell Centre, which was reminiscent of the Resolution event that happened at the same venue a few years ago. With that said, the lines were quick and efficient and soon enough everyone was in the building to enjoy the show.
Alesso was the first headliner to take the stage at midnight and played many of his productions that gained him such fame in such a short time. He previewed his latest release "Cool", and even threw in Ultra favourites like "Deep Down Low" by Valentino Khan.
David Guetta was next and he hit his set out of the park. Between speaking French and English interchangeably with the crowd, a lot of interaction from the big stage, and overall flow of the set brought the Bell Centre to a frenzy. While the floor area was rammed with fans, it was in the stands that people had room to dance, and there were plenty on their feet for the duration of David Guetta's set. Highlights of the set included Vinai's remix of "What I Did For Love", and when Guetta played "Titanium", he had the entire Bell Centre singing Sia's vocals.
Dash Berlin always brings out an energetic performance wherever he plays and at the Bal en Blanc he brought it once again. His set is filled with specialized visuals and voice overs for the Montreal crowd, a nice touch that gets the crowd going. Playing a mix of his new stuff and old, Dash gave fans a taste of his new style. But at the end of his set, he played his 4 am mix of "Till The Sky Falls Down", a classic track that never gets old.
W&W was next up at 4:30 am and they managed to inject fresh energy into the crowd thanks to their killer introduction tied to their hit "Big Foot". The duo were animated behind the decks, always looking to get the crowd involved any chance they could. Known for their innovative mashups, W&W weren't shy to show them off in front of the Montreal crowd.
Bal en Blanc (BeB) was well attended this year as attendees packed the dancefloor while there was plenty of dancing happening in the stands. This year's move to the Bell Centre and uniting the party to one big stage had its risks, but Playground pulled it off successfully by bringing together a lineup that kept the essence of BeB alive. Look out for Bal en Blanc to return to Montreal in 2016 as they have already announced the next date for the 22nd edition. Are you going?
Source: RUDGR's FB Page
Like most of you, I was transfixed to the live Ultra stream all last weekend. Intently watching who's hot, who's not, is something of a hobby of mine as I'm always on the lookout to see who's moving music forward. In search of the new and unexpected is what Ultra is all about. Now is an important time in the electronic dance music world as each DJ set is a window into what you'll expect to hear from them for the rest of the year.
This year's Ultra Music Festival was a real treat to watch thanks to a few surprises. Here are a few of them:
1. Axwell /\ Ingrosso playing "Deep Down Low" by Valentino Khan
Did Axwell /\ Ingrosso actually play an OWSLA track at their headlining set at Ultra? You bet they did. It was an unexpected moment that set up a very strong second half of their performance.
Starts at the 19:19 mark:
2. D-Jastic - "Up to No Good" (MAKJ Booty Remix) mashup with Wiwek & Gregor Salto - "On Your Mark" played by Alesso
Wiwek & Gregor Salto's "On Your Mark" has been a popular track to mashup, seeing play in recent sets by Major Lazer and DJ Snake. Alesso used this track to great effect at Ultra by combining it with MAKJ's Booty Remix of "Up To No Good". Even though "On Your Mark" was released a year ago, it's still got a lot of life left.
Starts at the 16 minute mark:
3. The new Martin Garrix x Ed Sheeran track will be a future hit
Martin Garrix premiered a ton of tracks at Ultra this year including new collabs with Avicii, David Guetta, and more. But nothing compared to the brand new track with Ed Sheeran called "Rewind Repeat It". DJs working with pop vocalists is not always a recipe for instant success, and sometimes the results can fall flat. Fortunately for Martin Garrix, 'Rewind Repeat It" sounds light and fresh, just in time for the summer season.
Starts around the 13 minute mark:
4. Darude's "Sandstorm" gets love by Dash Berlin and W&W.
This year's Ultra Music Festival was streamed exclusively on Twitch for the first time. Twitch is known as a stream service for gaming, and within that world Darude's classic track "Sandstorm" is worshipped. Someone must have told W&W and Dash Berlin because when they each played that classic track, the Twitch chat went nuts.
Starts at the 49:50 mark:
5. No overlap!
The final point may not be an individual track but rather a positive commentary on all the DJs I watched this weekend. As opposed to other major festivals, this year's Ultra had a surprising lack of overplayed tracks. We all know that last summer the temptation to play "Animals" and "Bounce Generation" was too high and as a result many sets sounded very similar. But throughout the 3 day live stream, it was a relief to hear mostly brand new tracks without DJs stepping on each other to play the latest Beatport #1.
Another day, another slew of live sets uploaded on Youtube for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy these Ultra Music Festival live sets by Steve Aoki, Alesso, Fedde Le Grand, and Jack U:
Steve Aoki
Alesso
Fedde Le Grand
Jack U
Bonus: It's not available in video, but Zeds Dead uploaded their full set on Soundcloud:
Update: Eric Prydz just posted his set
The 21st edition of Bal En Blanc (BeB) will take place on Sunday, April 5th at the historic Bell Centre. With their lineup recently finalized featuring a slew of superstar names, this year's event is a must-see. Even though this edition of BeB is on one stage, the lineup still holds true to the spirit of all past BeB's as they invited a strong mix of mainstream, trance, and underground artists that dominate their respective genres.
Alesso is no stranger to the big room scene and recently secured radio success with his hit "Heroes" featuring the vocals of Tove Lo. With 1 million tracks sold of "Heroes" alone in the U.S., Alesso is primed for a huge 2015. David Guetta is making yet another BeB appearance but this time he's ready to unleash fresh tunes from his new album released late last year.
Trance is alive and well at this year's BeB with Dash Berlin, W&W, and Markus Schulz headlining. But one of the most anticipated sets of the night will most certainly be the back-to-back set with Aly & Fila and John O'Callaghan. Expect a journey between melodic sing-a-longs and 138 BPM craziness for that one.
The night will close out with a special closing back-to-back set with Danny Tenaglia and Nicole Moudaber. This combination of two of the biggest names within the underground scene will bring the Stereo crowd to the Bell Centre while everyone will get a strong dose of the deeper house and techno vibes that will emanate from the stage in the early morning hours.
Tickets are still available but they are selling fast so if you want to go to this year's massive Bal En Blanc, you can grab general admission tickets for $149+ or bleacher only seats for $59+ - Click below to buy now:
