Blog - EDM

ICON Collective, a pillar of electronic music production education based in Los Angeles, has officially shut down. The school announced its permanent closure on May 29th, citing financial difficulties as the reason behind the abrupt move.

ICON had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on August 6th, 2024 in an effort to restructure and preserve operations before ultimately deciding to close. 

"It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that we share the news that ICON Collective will be permanently closed as of May 29," wrote co-founder David Alexander Valencia in a statement posted to the school's website. "ICON has faced financial circumstances that require a prompt closure to protect the refunds and tuition payments potentially due to students."

Although the school's website remains active, its official Instagram account has gone offline. A notice on the door of its Downtown Burbank campus now directs students to an online portal for information on academic records, tuition recovery and guidance. The stakes are especially high for international students, who have just 15 days to either transfer to a new school or leave the country.

In a lengthy statement, which you can read in full below, ICON co-founder David Alexander Valencia revealed he'd been funding the school's operations since 2022 and had refrained from taking a salary since. The recent decision by the US State Department to halt visa interviews with foreign citizens, which he called "devastating," was essentially a death knell.

"This created an immediate and significant impact on our projected enrollment so severe that it made it impossible to continue operations without putting refund obligations and student interests at risk," Valencia wrote. "That was a gamble I was not willing to take."

"I made the decision to close ICON not out of defeat, but out of responsibility," he added. "Continuing to operate without the ability to meet commitments to students would have caused greater harm. This path, though heartbreaking, was the only way to ensure a responsible wind-down."

Launched in 2005 by Valencia and Christopher Wright, ICON was developed to offer a more artist-centric approach to music education. The school in 2017 earned national accreditation before opening a facility in 2020, serving students both in-person and online. Known for its hands-on learning environment and community-oriented culture, the school became a trusted destination for aspiring DJs and electronic music producers.

Over the years, ICON helped launch the careers of many high-profile electronic artists, including NGHTMRE, SLANDER, Kayzo, Sullivan King, Kompany, Pauline Herr and the late i_o, among others. Several have taken to social media to bemoan the school's shutdown.

"Icon Collective changed EVERYTHING for us.. today is a very sad day for the music community in losing such a priceless resource," SLANDER wrote on X. "We want to thank everyone at the Collective for all the blood, sweat, and tears they put into MAKING DREAMS HAPPEN."

"RIP Icon Collective," Kompany wrote. "That school changed the course of my life and career. Forever grateful."

Former student James Choi, who performs and produces music under the alias SKYFVLL, says the school was instrumental in shaping his career.

"I was lost in my artist project before ICON," Choi tells EDM.com. "But after attending, I finally felt a sense of direction that no YouTube tutorial or Reddit thread would’ve shown. I’m still really close with my classmates, whether it’s working on collabs or going on songwriting trips, and I’m really grateful for the community that ICON gave me. It’s at ICON where I truly learned what it meant to be an artist and to be unique as one. Hands down the best decision I made in my life."

You can read Valencia's full statement below. More information about ICON's closure can be found on the school's website.

Dear ICON Students,

As the owner of ICON Collective. I want to speak to you directly and personally about the school’s sudden closure, and offer some transparency and context during what I know is a confusing and emotional moment.

First, I want to say how deeply sorry I am. I know this news came as a shock, and you deserve to understand how and why this happened.

ICON filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in November of last year not to shut down as in CH 7, but to restructure and preserve the school. At the time, I was fighting a legal battle to gain full ownership after the former owner stepped away from supporting operations. I sold everything and liquidated my life savings to make that possible, because I truly believed in the mission and the community we’ve built here.

For the past two years, I’ve been funding operations out of my own pocket and haven’t taken a salary since 2022. Instead, I invested my life savings back into ICON, to give ICON a chance to thrive. When I officially gained ownership in February 2025, I immediately began working with strategic partners to take ICON to its full potential in the new campus.

But this past week, an unexpected and devastating development occurred: the U.S. State Department halted visa interviews for international students. This created an immediate and significant impact on our projected enrollment so severe that it made it impossible to continue operations without putting refund obligations and student interests at risk. That was a gamble I was not willing to take.

I made the decision to close ICON not out of defeat, but out of responsibility. Continuing to operate without the ability to meet commitments to students would have caused greater harm. This path, though heartbreaking, was the only way to ensure a responsible wind-down.

I understand this brings uncertainty for you. Please know that we are working to ensure students receive clear guidance on refunds, transcripts, and teach-out options. Updates will be posted on this page so check back regularly. It's going to take a few days to provide the State with all your info including the refunds due to you so they can process your accounts. We will update a timeline in the FAQ below as we complete the process. You have up to 4 years to claim your refunds if one is due. For students that paid for ICON Rising or simply sent deposits for future starts, we will contact you shortly to provide your refund directly.

ICON was never just a school, it was, and always will be, a collective of artists, creatives, and heroes. That spirit lives on in all of us. The collective isn’t defined by walls or buildings, it’s defined by the passion we’ve shared and the community we’ve created. I’m incredibly proud of what we built together, and I thank you for carrying that legacy forward in your own work and journey.

I hope this added transparency reassures you that we are doing everything in our power to honor our financial responsibilities to you and to ensure this process is handled with integrity and care.

Thank you for being part of this journey. It has meant everything to me and the family I call ICON Collective.

Pendulum are officially back in album mode.

The iconic electronic-rock outfit announced this week that their long-awaited fourth album, INERTIA, will drop on August 22nd, marking their first full-length release in 15 years. They also revealed the album's tracklist.

The news is accompanied by the release of "Save The Cat," the album's blistering lead single. In classic Pendulum fashion, the track delivers a high-octane fusion of drum & bass, metal and emotionally charged vocals from frontman Rob Swire, whose scream-laced performance is backed by thunderous drums and cinematic synths.

Swire said the the track was written "during a period of self-questioning and frustration" following two breakups.

"It’s the sound of Pendulum finding themselves again, and me figuring myself out to a certain extent," he said in a press release. "Breakups do that—they strip things down and show you who you are. I’m just trying not to become the guy who needs to go through one just to make a record."

A feline-themed jolt of nostalgia and aggression, "Save The Cat" previews what INERTIA promises to be: a return to Pendulum's roots with a modern, sharpened edge. The album, their first since 2010's Immersion, will feature a number of high-profile collaborations, including tracks with Bullet For My Valentine, AWOLNATION, Hybrid Minds and Joey Valance & Brae.

Revered for their explosive live shows and groundbreaking fusion of drum & bass and rock, Pendulum are once again proving that few acts can match their intensity and influence across electronic music's evolving landscape.

"I was basically testing how far we could push Pendulum," Swire added. "Seeing what we could get away with. I always looked at The Prodigy as the benchmark. They started out as pure rave—breakbeat, hardcore—but they evolved. They became their own sound."

Due out August 22nd via Mushroom Music, INERTIA will feature 16 tracks. You can pre-save the album here and check out the full tracklist below.

1. Driver
2. Come Alive
3. Save The Cat
4. Archangel
5. Nothing For Free
6. Cannibal (ft. Wargasm)
7. Constellations
8. Halo (ft. Bullet For My Valentine)
9. ‘Louder Than Words (ft. Hybrid Minds)
10. Napalm (ft. Joey Valence & Brae)
11. The endless Gaze
12. Guiding Lights (ft. AWOLNATION)
13. Colourfast
14. Silent Spinner
15. Mercy Killing (ft. Scarlxrd)
16. Cartagena

X: x.com/pendulum
Instagram: instagram.com/pendulum
TikTok: tiktok.com/@pendulumofficial
Facebook: facebook.com/pendulum
Spotify: spoti.fi/3cxHXAH

GRiZ and Wooli have joined forces for the first time to release a new collaboration, "Chaos Theory." The bone-rattling dubstep track blends GRiZ’s signature funk-fueled energy with Wooli's heavy-hitting bass, delivering a cinematic and explosive collaboration fans had been clamoring for.

"Chaos Theory" features a custom voiceover from voice actor Boris Hiestand, known for his work in Assassin’s Creed and as the voice of Sigma in Overwatch, adding a dramatic flair that amplifies the track's intensity. GRiZ and Wooli waste no time, opening with an electrifying guitar riff that quickly gives way to the former's signature saxophone riffs, setting the stage as Hiestand declares, "Let’s begin."

From there, the track unfolds like part movie trailer, part video game cutscene. GRiZ and Wooli detonate the first drop, a wobbly burst of energy that doubles as a bass-fueled thrill ride. As the arrangement progresses, GRiZ reins in the chaos with funkadelic flourishes that tie the experience together before it all culminates with Hiestand’s final line and a defiant laugh, sealing the dramatic arc that is "Chaos Theory."

The release builds on GRiZ’s surprise GEMiNI EP and the reveal of his new music festival, Seven Stars, effectively crystallizing his return to the electronic music scene after a two-year hiatus. For Wooli, the track adds to a string of high-profile collaborations and upcoming performances at major festivals, including sets at Shambhala, Bass Canyon, Elements and Seven Stars.

You can listen to "Chaos Theory" below.

X: x.com/griz
Instagram: instagram.com/griz
TikTok: tiktok.com/@mynameisgriz
Facebook: facebook.com/mynameisgriz
Spotify: spoti.fi/3hEXfjz

X: x.com/woolimusic
Instagram: instagram.com/woolimusic
TikTok: tiktok.com/@woolimusic
Facebook: facebook.com/woolimusic
Spotify: tinyurl.com/3dhp5rms

The tastemakers behind Solid Grooves' rise from underground hero to house music royalty are back to celebrate a landmark moment for the UK imprint: 100 releases.

Marking the milestone are Solid Grooves' co-founders, Michael Bibi and PAWSA, alongside a slew of promising producers delivering 10 new DJ weapons that capture both the spirit of the label's beginnings and the momentum driving it forward.

Few record labels have left a mark on global dancefloors quite like Solid Grooves, a scene-shaping force that has continuously carved out the future of tech house music since its inception in 2015. A decade later, the imprint says it's "celebrating 100 releases with the artists who shaped it."

The most anticipated songs from the new Summer Sampler 2025 collection are Bibi's "Lil Freaky" and PAWSA's "Rendezvous," each of which showcases the minimalistic and undeniably magnetic energy of Solid Grooves. Other standouts include Dennis Cruz's "Monochrome" and Ben Sterling's "Don Lee," where infectious grooves ooze from deep basslines while punchy percussion drives home the label's signature sound.

In other Solid Grooves news, it's now poised for a sold-out Los Angeles show on October 12th featuring a massive b3b set from Bibi, PAWSA and Cruz. The label is also taking over Ibiza's storied DC-10 club throughout the summer for "Solid Grooves Casino" every Thursday from June through October.

You can listen to Solid Grooves' Summer Sampler 2025 below.

Instagram: instagram.com/solidgroovesuk
X: x.com/solidgrooves
SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/solidgrooves-records

There's something deeply satisfying about rediscovering something you'd completely forgotten you owned, like finding a $20 bill in last winter's coat pocket or realizing that embarrassing MySpace post from 2006 actually contained some decent poetry. For Above & Beyond's Paavo Siljamäki, that moment came when bandmate Tony McGuinness breathed new life into a forgotten instrumental demo that had been gathering digital dust for nearly a decade.

"Start A Fire," the latest single from Above & Beyond's upcoming album Bigger Than All Of Us, began as what Siljamäki calls a "deep instrumental cut" from his personal archives. McGuinness says he had an epiphany one day that the music would be perfect for a forgotten lyric he'd written in a notebook some years ago: "There's enough of you in me to start a fire."

The song finally clicked during a trip to the scenic Gorge Amphitheatre, where its verses came together and formed what "ended up being one of our favorites," McGuinness said. The iconic dance music trio then reunited with the ever-reliable Richard Bedford, the voice behind a number of their most prized tracks, like "Sun & Moon" and "Thing Called Love."

Bedford's vocals are equal parts ache and ecstasy, delivering McGuinness' lyrical anchor with the kind of romantic sincerity you'd expect from such a timeless collaborative pact. And with Above & Beyond's heady house production at the bedrock, the track is energetic but just sentimental enough to stare out of a rideshare window like you're in a breakup montage.

You can listen to "Start a Fire" below and find the new single on streaming platforms here. Above & Beyond's first album in seven years, Bigger Than All Of Us, is scheduled to release July 18th via their own Anjunabeats label.

Instagram: instagram.com/aboveandbeyond
X: x.com/aboveandbeyond
TikTok: tiktok.com/@aboveandbeyondofficial
Facebook: facebook.com/aboveandbeyond
Spotify: spoti.fi/3fHhX1z

Instagram: instagram.com/richardbedfordmusic
X: x.com/richardbedford
Facebook: facebook.com/richardbedfordmusic
Spotify: tinyurl.com/2ydysvkp

Oliver Heldens and Julia Church have released a new single, "Ruins," out now via the iconic Ministry of Sound.

The new collaboration starts right away with Church’s haunting vocal front and center. Immediately setting a reflective tone, her voice comes in featherlike, almost bare, buoyed by soft chords underneath.

The renowned singer-songwriter holds the arrangement together, bringing her signature emotional purity. There's a tortured vulnerability in her lyrics, but she delivers them with control and clarity.

Meanwhile, Heldens builds the beat in gently. His percussion is tight and minimal, supported by a steady drum groove that never overpowers the mix. The synths are warm but restrained, giving the track a sense of movement without cluttering the space.

All said and done, "Ruins" plays to both artists’ strengths to deliver a melodic house stunner that feels personal, polished and poignant.

You can listen to "Ruins" below and find the new single on streaming platforms here.

X: x.com/oliverheldens
Instagram: instagram.com/oliverheldens
TikTok: tiktok.com/@oliverheldens
Facebook: facebook.com/oliverheldens
Spotify: spoti.fi/3bbHLGI

Instagram: instagram.com/juliachurch
TikTok: tiktok.com/@juliachurchmusic
Facebook: facebook.com/juliachurchmusic
Spotify: tinyurl.com/yc7xf3mv

Three artists, one legendary studio and a simple premise about desire have produced "Crazy For It," a new single from Keinemusik and Boys Noize.

Recorded partially at Rick Rubin's iconic Shangri-La studio in Malibu, the collaboration channels the same transformative energy that has blessed countless albums within those walls.

"Crazy For It" officially hit streaming platforms today over a year after Keinemusik debuted it in their set at the fabled Egyptian Pyramids of Giza, a performance that was ultimately named by EDM.com as one of 2024's best. Vinson, who provides the track's soul-stirring vocals, then joined the group at Coachella in April 2025 to perform it live for the first time.

With its lush, minimalist production and percussive flourishes, "Crazy For It" leans heavily into Keinemusik's signature territory. Considering the industrial techno of Boys Noize, it's a fascinating crossover. He contributes his technical wizardry in measured doses, proving that electronic music's most compelling moments emerge when disparate worlds collide.

Meanwhile, Vinson's vocal refrain ("If you want it, you gotta go crazy for it") moonlights as hypnosis. It's the kind of hook that works as both a club anthem and deeper meditation on what we're willing to sacrifice for our obsessions.

You can listen to "Crazy For It" below.

X: x.com/keinemusik
Instagram: instagram.com/keinemusikcrue
TikTok: tiktok.com/@keinemusikcru
Facebook: facebook.com/keinemusik
Spotify: tinyurl.com/3bh4yfcd

X: x.com/boysnoize
Instagram: instagram.com/boysnoize
TikTok: tiktok.com/@boysnoize
Facebook: facebook.com/boysnoize
Spotify: spoti.fi/3349nqE

Anyma collapses the boundary between consciousness and code in his third album, The End Of Genesys, channeling transhumanist motifs and cinematic intensity through an ambitious collection of 15 tracks.

A dark horse in this year's Grammy conversation, The End Of Genesys distills years of thematic exploration into one cohesive body of work rooted in identity, transformation and the ever-fragile line between humans and machines.

The album completes a trilogy from the Italian techno superstar, whose recent Vegas Sphere residency established him as the record-breaking venue's first-ever electronic headliner.

"The End Of Genesys is deeply personal to me and marks a turning point in the story I’ve been building for a long time," Anyma said in a press release. "It’s about coexistence and the evolving relationship between humanity, technology and consciousness. I’ve poured everything into creating this narrative both sonically and visually. I’m grateful to have worked with all the artists featured on the album and I’m excited to finally share this with the world."

c/o Anyma

"Lucente" opens the album in a haze of ambient textures before "Voices In My Head" picks up the pace, its eerie looping vocal drawing us further into a hypnotic beat co-produced with Argy and Son of Son. "Hypnotized" offers a clearer break in tone as Ellie Goulding's familiar voice leads a precise, restrained arrangement that favors space over spectacle.

The flow of The End Of Genesys is deliberate, though rarely predictable. Anyma teams up with Grimes for "Taratata," a chaotic and shape-shifting track full of fractured textures and rhythmic snaps that keep the ground moving. Then there's "Neverland (From Japan)," a fan-favorite from the DJ's blockbuster Sphere concerts that delivers a particularly high-energy, edgy moment in the album.

On the tension-fueled "Fortuna," Sevdaliza’s vocals slip between tight percussion and sublime synths before "Atmosphere" follows with rolling energy that never relents. "Work," a collaboration with hip-hop breakout Yeat, then breaks the pattern completely with gritty, industrial production in one of the album's most striking shifts.

The album's titular track, "The End Of Genesys," serves as its centerpiece, threading key themes through layered synths and a visceral rhythm. "Entropy" is another highlight, bringing together Anyma, REZZ and fknsyd for a pressurized moment. The latter's languid vocals float with a ghostly cadence while REZZ adds her signature distortion.

Another surefire standout is "Human Now," the most emotionally charged track on the album. Stentorian vocals from Empire of the Sun's Luke Steele introduce a warm clarity the record hadn't breached until now, adding a sense of melodic grandeur that moonlights as the apex of Anyma's merging of humanity and technology.

Framed as both a conclusion and a turning point, The End Of Genesys brings that narrative full circle while delivering Anyma's most impactful work to date. The deluxe version of the album will be released "later this year," per the press release.

You can listen to the new album below and find it on streaming platforms here.

X: x.com/anyma_eva
Instagram: instagram.com/anyma
TikTok: tiktok.com/@anyma
Facebook: facebook.com/anyma.ofc
Spotify: tinyurl.com/2p976k79

UK garage breakout Sammy Virji has found his perfect partner-in-crime with Skepta, joining forces with the grime icon for a new collaboration, "Cops & Robbers."

It's only fitting that a track called "Cops & Robbers" has emerged from the collision of UKG and grime, two genres that have spent decades dodging cultural gatekeepers and mainstream approval. Equal parts fluidity and ferocity, its magic lies in how naturally these worlds converge in the hands of two virtuosic artists.

When Skepta nostalgically spits about his days as "a little bad boy from Tottenham" over Virji's propulsive drums, it feels less like crossover opportunism and more like an inevitable meeting of kindred spirits. It's the kind of collaboration that makes you wonder why it took this long to happen—and grateful that it finally did.

You can listen to "Cops & Robbers" below and find the new single on streaming platforms here.

Instagram: instagram.com/sammyvirji
X: x.com/sammy_virji
TikTok: tiktok.com/@sammyvirji
Facebook: facebook.com/sammyvirjiuk
Spotify: bit.ly/42W7b3d

Instagram: instagram.com/skepta
X: x.com/skepta
TikTok: tiktok.com/@skeptatv
Facebook: facebook.com/skeptaofficial
Spotify: tinyurl.com/22zxxmd8

Remember when your biggest summer decision was choosing between Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network? Well Ibiza's 2025 season has its own impossible choices, and a lot of them are happening at Chinois, the intimate club that's quietly assembling one of the island's best roster of DJ residencies.

Programming a season at Chinois, which is known as "the club of Ibiza," resembles a chess game where each residency moves strategically across the board, building toward something greater than the sum of its parts. That's the magic of this venue nestled within the stunning Ibiza Gran Hotel, which caters to the music lovers who understand that direction matters more than destination.

Mario Pinta

Masked electronic music icon Claptone is bringing his internationally acclaimed event brand, "The Masquerade," to Chinois on Saturdays, taking over from May 24th through October 4th. The Sunday slot belongs to Bedouin's beloved SAGA series from June 29th to September 28th, because nothing says "weekend recovery" quite like organic house music that makes you feel like you're floating through a Balearic dream.

Tuesdays get sporadic but strategic visits from the cult London party series Appetite, which will take over on six carefully curated dates. TRIP, the phantasmal party concept from veteran Ibiza promoter Johannes Goller, takes over Wednesdays from June 25th through October 15th with bonus Saturday shows in late-October—because who says Ibiza needs seasonal boundaries?

Thursdays at Chinois will feature a pair of deeply influential DJs. Chicago-born dance music dynamo Honey Dijon will present her blissed-out "Honey F#cking Dijon" series from June 5th to July 24th before pioneering house music artist Kerri Chandler takes over with his "KAOZ Theory" residency from July 31st to October 9th.

Another beautiful relay race will take place on Fridays. Francis Mercier's sublime Sòley residency will run June 13th to August 1st before handing the baton to South African Afro-house luminary Shimza, who will DJ from August 8th to August 29th before passing to Turkish dance music superstar Mahmut Orhan for the home-stretch from September 19th to October 10th.

You can purchase tickets to these events and more via the official Chinois website.

Instagram: instagram.com/chinoisibiza
Facebook: facebook.com/clubchinoisibiza
TikTok: tiktok.com/@chinoisibiza