Ultra SA 2026 - Artist Line Up

Big news for all ultranauts dropped yesterday with Ultra SA giving us the full artist line-up for this years event taking place on the 25th of April in Johannesburg and the 26th of April in Cape Town. Unlike previous years where we had a phased artist announcement, this year they decided to just drop the entire line-up which in my opinion is better rather than playing the waiting game to see if your fav's are coming. 

The international mainstage headliners did not disappoint with sets from Afrojack playing back-to-back with R3hab, Axwell, DJ Snake whom all have played in the country before but making his debut and being the main headline act is John Summit. We're a big fan of what John has been doing and we can guarantee you he will be bringing that energy to the SA crowds come April. 

Resistance stage is back with Dennis Ferrer and SA's very on Shimza who's been creating "fire" on dance floors across the world headling that. Loads of support artists for the event is made up with some of the best local acts, such as Dean Fuel, Aidin Caye, Liquideep, Timo ODV, DJ Kent, Baby Whitz and many more. Tickets are still availabe at www.ultrasouthafrica.com 

Monday Choon: BLR x Amber Revival - Love Me Endless

 

Infusing limitless vocal charm into his 2024 masterpiece, BLR transforms ‘Endless’ into a spellbinding vocal rendition. With Amber Revival’s breathtaking vocals commanding the spotlight, ‘Love Me Endless’ captivates listeners and lingers in the soul indefinitely.

Monday Choon: TH;EN - Rakata

 

If you watched Tiesto's mammoth 4 hour DJ set in New York City last week, you may have caught this track which he played early on. It's by Simulate's  rising star TH;EN who has return to the label with his ‘Rakata’ EP. Already having received amazing support and reactions around the world, A-side ‘Rakata’ promises to be a special moment in the Simulate timeline. Rakata features a powerful Spanish vocal along with dynamic synths to give the track a high-energy and driving groove, perfect for the dancefloor. Liverpool based DJ and Producer Massano, dropped the track at the Resistance stage at Ultra Tokyo and it's continuing to be a proper festival jam since. It was officially released 2 weeks ago and we have it featured on the blog today. 

Anjunadeep Open Air South Africa 2025

 

Following two successful shows in March this year in both Johannesburg and Cape Town, the oragnisers of the first ever Anjunadeep Open Air show on the African continent have decided to go again in 2025. The announcement was made not too long after the shows this year and echos what deep house means to us here in South Africa. After attending the Cape Town event which in its own right was spectacular to say the least, we were begging for more and the people down at Anjuna HQ did not disappoint when they released the official line-up for the 2025 shows. First up see's British female duo Eli & Fur comprising Eliza Noble and Jennifer Skillman, hailing from London, England. Eli & Fur have been working together since they were in their teens, they write and play their own tracks, which creates a sound that is "distinctly electronic, mixing house and dance beats". SONA see's his introduction to the line-up and many don't know this but he is the son of SA's very own global superstar Black Coffee, following in his fathers footsteps has achieved massive success in his first 12 months of producing music. The Anjuna team decided to throw in some Amapiono & Afrotech into the mix with the addition of Stofella, the former Miss SA contestant has found solace in music and has created quite a name for herself in the industry thus far. The biggest headline act though has to be Dutch DJ duo Tinlicker,  the electronic music group from Utrecht comprising Micha Heyboer and Jordi van Achthoven. Formed in 2012, they have released music on labels such as Anjunadeep, mau5trap, Astralwerks, and Armada. They have played festivals including Mysteryland, Creamfields, Tomorrowland, Ultra and are now making their way to SA to play for us in 2025!

Tickets have already gone on sale for both shows, so if you still haven't gotten yours, the question is why the hell not? Prices start at R350 for General access and are available on Howler. 

Anjunadeep Open Air - South Africa

Anjunadeep, the renowned UK label is slated to make its South African debut with two incredible events scheduled for this coming March. The first, Ajunadeep Open Air Johannesburg will take place at The River Cabin in Cedar, Johannesburg, on Friday, March 29th, 2024. Followed by Ajunadeep Open Air Cape Town on Saturday, March 30th, 2024, kicking off at The Ostrich in Cape Town.

Anjunadeep promises to weave the label's emblematic, melodic soundscapes and unparalleled production values with the rich tapestry of South Africa's local talent, all set against the backdrop of two breathtaking open-air venues in the beautiful cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town. 

Known for its unbelievable lineups and unique sound, Ajunadeeps's debut in South Africa will be no exception. The shows will feature international headliners Ben Bohmer, James Grant. Jody Wisternoff and Nicky Elisabeth supported by the outstanding homegrown talents of Da Capo, FKAMash, Kareyndasoul, Buhle and Cornelius SA to make this a truly unforgettable experience amidst the natural beauty of South Africa. 

Ajunadeep

London based, independent record label Anjunadeep was set up in 2005 by Above & Beyond. In its early years the imprint existed as a sub-label to parent imprint, Ajunabeats. Initially releasing deep trance and progressive house, Ajunadeep has since evolved its output to offer only the very finest in deep house as well as progressive and melodic techno.

James Grant, brother of Above & Beyond’s Jono Grant heads up A&R for the label and mixes the annual compilation series, currently alongside Jody Wisternoff. The label hosts a weekly radio show ‘The Anjunadeep Edition’, featuring guest mixes from artists on the roster.

A transformative force in electronic music, championing talents like Ben Bohmer, Dusky, Lane 8, Yotto, Cubicolor, and Eli & Fur amongst many others, Ajunadeep's storied history is punctuated with sold-out parties at iconic locations across the globe. Anjunadeep: Explorations, the label's very own boutique festival in Dhërmi, Albania, The Gorge Amphitheatre, and Anjuna Beach in Goa are just a few of the breathtaking venues to have witnessed the singular Anjunadeep magic. 

 With its South African debut on the horizon, the label is set to expand its legacy by captivating yet another corner of the globe. Anjunadeep's foray into South Africa is a testament to its global influence and commitment to fostering a universal love for deep, emotive electronic music. 

Johannesburg and Cape Town, get ready to dance under the African skies with Anjunadeep's unforgettable vibe!

Monday Choon: Genesi - Acid (All Night Long)

 

Italian trio MEDUZA this year launched their alias Genesi which produces deep house electronic beats, a step away from their dance genre on their main platform. So far they've released three tracks with the lastest being our featured track today. "Acid" was dropped at their show in Brooklyn Mirage and later played at their set at Tomorrowland. It's an amazing high tempo techno deep house track that has gotten traction as much as their previous two releases. Track was released two weeks ago on Aeterna Records and is available on all streaming platforms, so turn up the volume and enjoy!

Monday Choon: Tiësto, Mathame - Feel Your Ghost

Tiesto teams up with Italian duo Mathame for his latest release, "Feel Your Ghost", what I love about the Dutch legends work of the past decade is that he isn't scared to experiment like this and more often than not it turns out to be a work of art. While Tiesto has been producing a lot more deep house sounds of late, this track has that old school techno feel with a great energy that just builds up with the vocals and keeps that energy space set for the track. While the beats and synths are the main focus of the track, the vocals for me really make it what it is, even with that catchy bassline every time you hear the vocals kick in, it gives you shivers. 

Monday Choon: Sonny Fodera, KOLIDOSCOPES, Sinead Harnett - Nah (KREAM Remix)

Norwegian DJ and record producer duo Kream can't seem to put a foot wrong this year it seems, Markus Slettlebakken and Daniel Slettebakken have been putting out some outstanding work in 2021 and with the production of their Liqui Lab sets, its only done them more good in getting their names out there. Today on the blog we have one of their remixes of the popular Sonny Fodera track which features Kolidoscpes and Sinead Harnett, "Nah". The track has been played on may of their sets as well as featured on Sonny's in the recent months, the remix which was released a few days after the orginal has gained more popularity than the original and with good reasoning. The up-tempo sound and vibe gets the BPM going and it has that distinct sound of Kream that we've come to know and love while still keeping the track very much to the original.

Monday Choon: Antoine Delvig - Techno 99

We getting the week going with some dirty bass courtesy French DJ Antoine Delvig. The Electronic House DJ and producer has just released this banger on Tiesto's Musical Freedom records titled "Techno 99" and it's an absolute killer. Mixing his styles of deep house along with electro, incorporating that dirty bass sound, in a mish mash that blends and works so beautifully, there isn't much not to love about this track and its the perfect song to get the adrenalin going at the start of the week. So turn up the volume and enjoy!

Monday Choon: Kylie Minogue - Magic (Purple Disco Machine Remix)

Kylie Minogue is like the gift that keeps on giving and not sure if she's discovered the fountain of youth because this lady never seems to age! She's about to release her new album and one of the tracks "Magic" has been giving a remix treatment from Purple Disco Machine. The original track is a master piece as it is, with Kylie's infamous 80's disco style but this has just been elevated by Tino Piontek to bring the track in line with a deep house feeling and upping the BPM but still keeping the essence of that 80's disco feel. It's a five star track for me, seeing that I am a big Kylie fan as well as PDM fan too, I'd love to see if they will add any other remixes from her album. 

 

Monday Choon: ManyFew - Get Close

They're blood brothers by relation but also best friends, Jacob and Victor Andersson of Sweden, better known by their stage nae "ManyFew" say they're on a mission to deliver feel-good and dance ready creations to the world. Well guys, we have no problems with that mission and will support you 100% should they all be like today's featured track, "Get Close". The track was released this weekend on Spinnin Records and it is a cracker, it's a mixture of uplifting blend of house and disco which integrates well to the dance music scene. The Swedish duo have been featured on a number of big name artist podcasts as well as played under the Ministry of Sound label, so they've got some experience under the belt and if the beats keep dropping like this one, it will be under big name Swedish dance music name to lookout for in the future. 

Defected Virtual Festival 4.0

With all public events and canceled worldwide, artists and record labels are coming together to provide some great online entertainment. One of them who initiated this great movement was Defected Records, hosting the first Virtual Festival 4 weeks ago, today see's the 4th instalment of this festival and features live sets from DJ's from their houses as well as some pre-recorded sets which were taken from previous events. Today's line-up includes Dom Dolla, DJ SPen, Ferreck Dawn, Gorgon City, Simon Dunmore b2b Dinmore Brothers and South Africa's very own Themba! That's Euphonik if anyone didn't know his deep house alias. The virtual festival also serves as a fundraiser as Defected are collecting money to donate to the various charities and orgnizations fighting the COVID19 pandemic. 

The festival starts at 3pm SA time so tune in, turn up the volume and enjoy!

Monday Choon: Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano and YAX.X feat. SABRI - PRAY

With the circumstances we find ourselves currently, we cant do much but to stay at home and pray, hence the song choice for today's track. It's a new release by Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano along with Yax.X featuring Sabri on the vocals. Pray is a house track that's bound to get that foot tapping along to the addictive and catch underlying bass tone that kicks in from the beginning of the track. It's one of the mellow deep house tracks that is easy to listen to but has a bit of kick in it to get your body grooving. What more can we ask for on this Monday, turn up the volume and bass, there is some great build-ups and drops on this one. 

Monday Choon: Diplo & Sidepiece - On My Mind

Definitely one of the most highly respected and in demand DJ to collaborate with is Diplo. The man can adjust to any form of electronic music and produce gold. He's teamed up with the likes of Tiesto, Skrillex and so many others in the industry, of recent he's slowed the tempo down and is killing the deep house scene. Today's track is one of those, where he teams up with LA based producer Sidepiece for a cracker of a track "on my mind". It's been out for about a month now and really been taken a liking by most DJ's as its being featured on many sets and we can look forward to hearing it more often. 

Corona Sunsets Cape Town - Artist Line-Up

The Corona Sunsets Festival team have their game plan set out this year, with them announcing dates for these years countrywide Festivals last week. In it's fifth year running the Corona Sunsets Festivals kicks-off in the picturesque Cape before making its way to Durban later in the year and thereafter Johannesburg. Starting it off where it all began on the beautiful coast line of the Western Cape, Corona Sunsets 2020 returns to the Bungalow for another epic event with some big name international and local artists. Grab a cold Corona and party the night away to the sounds of international headline acts, Gorgon City, Purple Disco Machine and South Africa's very own global superstar DJ, Black Coffee. Supporting this stellar international line-up is local artists such as Shimza, DJ Maphorisa, Goodluck, Dean Fuel, Bantwanas, Abby Nurock, Strange Loving and Pierre Johnson. 

Don't miss out on that epic sunset moment, as you and thousands of others watch the sun set over the Atlantic, and set the mood for the night. Tickets are still on sale, with Phase 1 tickets priced at R350 available, there after Phase 2 tickets priced at R450 and Phase 3 at R550. For those looking for a big more exclusivity, VIP Table bookings are available for R15,000. This consists 10x VIP table tickets, R10,000 premium bottle service, hosted in the The Bungalow with the best view of the festival, bottle service, private bathrooms and easy access in and out of area. 

Don't miss out on this epic event, get your tickets now from the website: corona.howler.co.za

Monday Choon: Meduza, Becky Hill, Goodboys - Lose Control

Italian producer trio Meduza have created quite a name for themselves this year, mainly with their hit track "Piece of your heart" shooting to the top of many charts around the world. Their follow up track which was released in early October "Lose Control" has the potential to do the same if not better it. Hence we decided to feature it today on the blog, it features the vocals of Becky Hill and help of the Goodboys, the video embedded is from their live performance at the Worx in London from two weeks ago. 

Monday Choon: Win And Woo feat. Sara Skinner - Here U R (Fatum Remix)

Chicago based DJ duo Win And Woo get the spotlight this week with their latest offering featuring the vocals of Sara Skinner, the track titled "Here U R" got given to Fatum to remix and boy has he turned a good track into an even better one. The original is more low tempo, deep house track, Fatum added his special trance magic to it, increased the bpm, added more tempo and elevated the track to the uplifting standards we're used to. It's a proper cracker so turn up the volume and let it play, the track is available to download and stream via the various channels via Armada Music. 

Corona SunSets Festival Durban - Artist Line Up

Corona SunSets Festival returns for the second year in a row to the Shongweni Polo Club on the 28th of September this year. With early bird tickets selling out, a limited number of Phase 1 tickets have gone on sale, and with the artist line-up being announced last week, you can bet those Phase 1 tickets won't last very long!

Among the line-up include headliners Felix Jaehn of Germany, who's popular blend of tropical sounds and house music proved to be crowd pleasers all over the globe, most noted for his hit track "Ain't noboday". Joining him is Belgium deep house DJ, The Magician who will have you mesmerized with this future house beats and nu-disco style. Making up the rest is a list of local greats, whom include Micasa, Floyd Lavine, Tresor, Timo ODV, Sun-El, Holly Rey, Crazy White Boy, Benny Maverick, Strange Loving and more! It's bound to be another spectacular show that you do not want to miss. Tickets are available now from Howler.

Corona SunSets Festival 2019

Corona is back once again to celebrate the sunset in 2019, after a sell out show in Cape Town this past April, Corona sets its sights on both Durban and Johannesburg next. With both shows already selling out their early bird tickets, its no surprise that these will be as epic if not better than the previous years. A limited number of phase 1 tickets have gone on sale for both shows and if the sales of the early bird tickets are anything to go buy, you bet get yours now! Tickets available via their website. corona.howler.co.za

Monday Choon: Ferreck Dawn, Robosonic & Nikki Ambers - In My Arms

There's no denying the switch in trend to deep house these days with more and more people taking interest in the genre. From music festivals, to parties to live podcasts, the deep house scene is an ever growing one and it's popularity is only going to get bigger. With this in mind, today's featured track is one that has been played at most deep house sessions around the world and is a collaboration between Dutch producer Ferreck Dawn and German mainstay Robosonic featuring the vocals of Nikki Ambers. The song itself was road-tested by many in the Defected camp in early 2018 and became an earworm for most people. Well now it's finally been released and we have the official music video for you.