Monday Choon: Hardwell & W&W - Bangkok

 

It’s been a while since I last featured a proper hardstyle-influenced track on the blog, and who better to bring it back than two of the biggest names in the game, W&W and Hardwell. Their new collaboration, “Bangkok,” is exactly what you’d expect from these kings of the harder side of electronic music big, energetic and built for the main stage. The track brings together W&W’s signature high-energy sound with Hardwell’s unmistakable festival style, delivering a powerful production that hits hard from start to finish. If you’re a fan of the harder sounds, this is definitely one to turn up loud.

Monday Choon: ARTBAT & Benny Benassi - Love Is Gonna Save Us

 

Ukrainian production DJ duo ARTBAT have been lighting up stages worldwide at festivals with their unique style which I can only describe as trance, techno with a sprinkling of hardstyle. Their set this past weekend at Ultra Miami was incredible and as soon as its available to watch on YouTube, I highly recommend giving it a watch. For this weeks featured track, they team up with Italian DJ maestro Benny Benassi who brought us the timeless classic "Satisfaction" for the track "Love Is Gonna Save Us". Its a great collaboration between new and old and I think that is what makes this track standout from previous ARTBAT productions. I love the track and I hope you do too. 

Monday Choon: Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding - Miracle (Hardwell Remix)

 

When Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding team up, they don't make music, they make magic. Their latest collaboration titled "Miracle" is proof of that. Released a few weeks ago the track has already started sky rocketing up the charts and getting rave reviews. This past weekend they performed the track live to a massive Coachella crowd, but it wasn't the original but rather the Hardwell Remix. Robbert has taken this track and elevated it to the trance sound we know and love from him, yet still retaining the core tune of the track. It's perfectly done and definitely one that's going to be headlining the summer festivals in Europe and the USA. 

Ultra South Africa 2023

After 3 years the Ultra Music Festival returned to South African shores to mesmerize and thrill local electronic dance community. Cape Town and Johannesburg were treated to some of the best in international and local artists over Friday and Saturday with an unconfirmed record crowd for the Johannesburg leg. While there were many despondent comments after the final line-up was released, with the lack of headliner acts for the main stage especially, the ones who were named did not disappoint!

Local acts such as Kyle Cassim, Gold Fish and Grammy award winning artist Zakes Bantwini got the masses going on the main stage before the international acts took over. Gold Fish who have toured the world with their mixture of electric and live sounds, signed with Armin van Buuren's record label Armada have been entertaining crowds world over, and their set in Johannesburg was nothing short of world class. 

Next up, that crazy Australian Fisher took to the stage with what can only be described as electric energetic performance that had the crowd jumping on their feet.  Dutch DJ Oliver Heldens got the groove on with his future house style deep melodic sounds before Swedish maestro Alesso played probably the best set of the night for me, kicking up classics like his remix of Pressure by Starkillers before ending his set with the iconic "If I loose myself Tonight" with One Republic which had the entire crowd singing in harmony. Ending the night on the mainstage was another Aussie, Timmy Trumpet. His hardstyle big room music took the crowd over 150 bpm as it was a rather raucous end to the night. 

Resistance stage as always did not disappoint with Dane DJ Kolsch and Adam Bayer sending the crowds into pure ecstasy with their sets. I was a bit disappointed with the lighting and stage design for Resistance as I felt it was cut down a lot compared to the 2020 show. Being in an indoor venue there was so much more that could have been done in terms of lighting. Overall though, Ultra SA 2023 proved to be one for the record books with massive crowds, excellent organization and plenty of stalls for beverages, food and top up kiosks for the cashless wristbands. I'm glad to hear that the festival will be back next year on the weekend of March 1st, with shows confirmed for Cape Town and Johannesburg. 

One sad thing to come out from the festival was the passing of Costa Titch who sadly passed away after collapsing on the Smirnoff Stage midset. Condolences go out to his family, friends and fans. 

Monday Choon: Skrillex, Starrah & Four Tet - Butterflies

 

Skrillex is back but its not the Skrillex we're used to know as his sound has completely changed, to be honest not quite sure what his new sound is any way as the tracks he is releasing all have different vibes. Today's featured track featured Starrah and Four Tet however lends its self more onto the electronic dance side, so many are guessing this is the direction he has taken. It already has been played on most of the major Dance Music shows and DJ podcasts and has gathered quite an interest. The sounds are new and refreshing compared to the old hardstyle, dubstep stuff we were used to from Skrillex. The song has an amazing flow and the vocals really elevate it and make the song quite catchy. The bassline line is strong and the undertones balance out the track perfectly, if this really is the type of sound Skrillex is heading to, we going to be getting some awesome new music from him. 

Monday Choon: Joel Corry x RAYE - David Guetta - BED - [David Guetta Festival Mix]

 

While the original Joel Corry's track Bed is doing wonders on the charts, we feel like we needed something a bit more up-tempo for the Monday and step in David Guetta with his Festival Remix. As usual the French DJ just elevates the sounds with his own unique style, with most of Europe slowly starting to open up, we're going to be getting more of these festival type mixes coming out. Most of the major festivals have already started confirming dates for later this year so you can bet artists will be working much more on new music for then. For now we can enjoy these tracks while at home or in the car. Turn up the volume for this one because its a banger!

Monday Choon: Bassjackers - Snatch

It's been a while since we had some hard style featured on the blog, what better way to get it than with the Bassjackers. Coming off tours at Tomorrowland and Untold Festivals, the Dutch DJ duo consisting of Marlon Flohr and Ralph van Hilst have released this new banger which featured scenes from  their tours in Asia as well as Tomorrowland. The song is very true to their style with a great back track and melody with drops of epic proportions. A perfect banger for the European summer.

Monday Choon: Markus Schulz feat. Nikki Flores - We Are The Light

German DJ Markus Schulz is no stranger to our segment, while his hard style trance music is not everyone's cup of tea he has certainly earned himself legendary status in the EDM world and credit to him, most of his recent work involves collaborations that make his music a more general appeal but while still sticking to his roots. I first watched Markus at the Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange project in Cape Town almost a decade ago and fell in love with is work, his weekly show, Global DJ Broadcast has an ever growing fan base worldwide. He's one of the DJ's I'd like to see tour SA again soon maybe with Ultra Music Festival, so lets hold thumbs something can happen. Today we feature his latest work with Nikki Flores, titled We Are The Light. Another example of his colabs which he's been doing and hopefully attracts more to his work.

Monday Choon: NWYR - Dragon

After featuring their debut single Voltage not so long ago, the talented duo NWYR have dropped their second single, Dragon. It's been played both at Ultra Miami and at Tomorrowland during their ASOT set. It's one of the many tracks we've been waiting for them to release and now that's its out, we can enjoy it. While W&W have been quiet on their hardstyle music, we're definitely loving whats coming out of the studio's under this alias. Keep it up guys!