Blog - EDM

A year after its release, CHINA EDM, Vol. 1 is still making waves in China's electronic music landscape—and apparently earning its creator some lofty titles along the way.

The compilation, spearheaded by producer ZHANGYE and released through Cyanhill Music in November 2024, brought together established Chinese electronic artists like EDM.com Class of 2023 duo BEAUZ alongside emerging talent. The project's stated goal was ambitious: unite China's electronic music scene and give it a global platform.

The numbers suggest it worked, at least domestically. Eight of the album's nine tracks hit QQ Music's electronic charts in the first week, with five cracking the top 10. The compilation also earned recognition at the 2024 TME Wave Music Awards, scoring a nomination for Best Electronic Album while its track "Rather Lie" won Best Electronic Song.

A graduate of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, ZHANGYE has carved out a formidable career as a DJ and producer through his own viral originals as well as collaborations with Bassjackers and Ummet Ozcan, among others. Now, he is fielding feverish interest from artists wanting spots on the inevitable CHINA EDM, Vol. 2.

When it comes to the impact of the series, the basic premise is straightforward: showcase homegrown electronic talent to international audiences. Whether CHINA EDM can actually break through to global audiences remains to be seen, but its domestic success has certainly generated buzz around a Vol. 2 release rumored for this year.

In the meantime, you can listen to the debut installation below.

Adam Beyer is proof that consistency is key in the world of electronic music.

Whether it be his hard-hitting techno productions or a more subdued house beat, Beyer's ability to bounce between genres is a key reason for his longevity in the scene. Look no further than the virtuosic producer's latest album as proof of his staying power.

A project that's two decades overdue, Explorer Vol. 1 is a collection that perfectly summarizes the contributions of one of the most prolific DJs and producers to come out of Sweden. The album's 16 tracks are the first in a series that aims to showcase all of Beyer's varied sounds. 

Explorer Vol. 1 drops just as Beyer is gearing up for the upcoming 30th anniversary of his influential record label, Drumcode. The revered imprint, which has attracted a legion of loyal fans worldwide since launching back in 1996, also serves as a sort of looking glass into Beyer's storied career.

"Where did the time go?" asks Beyer as he sits down with EDM.com to discuss Drumcode's anniversary. "When you're 20 and you start a label, you don't think about it being a 30-year-old label and being able to see your life from the other side."

The beloved imprint has retained its popularity throughout the decades, serving as a platform for artists such as Alan Fitzpatrick, Charlotte de Witte, Nicole Moudaber, Victor Ruiz and UMEK, among others. Drumcode's forthcoming commemoration also coincides with Beyer's big 5-0, cementing him firmly amongst the small number of DJs who continue to stand behind the decks well into their later years. 

"No one really knew back then how long this would last," Beyer recalls when asked if his middle-aged peers would continue to DJ and produce as they mature. "There are a few that are out there past 60, and they're still doing it. They're breaking ground into things never done before, and that's inspirational."

For Beyer, his passion for music is what fuels his ability to advance his craft. Additionally, a renewed focus on his overall health and wellness also plays a key role in the longevity of his career. 

"There's a lot more focus within the DJ community on health, working out more and drinking less," he says. "Everyone used to party back then, and now not so much. I firmly believe you can go to 65, as long as you can stand up and have your hearing."

As one of today's most in-demand techno producers, Beyer also grapples with a busy tour schedule, putting him at odds with his family life. The grueling expectations of touring DJs are the most difficult elements to consider.

"I'd be lying if I said I haven't missed a lot of their upbringing," Beyer laments while speaking about his children. "I've been out a lot, I come and I go, and that's probably the toughest aspect of it."

One unfortunate example of the constant push-and-pull between Beyer's professional and personal lives came about last month after his daughter, Uma, was struck by a car in Ibiza. After suffering severe head trauma, she has quickly recovered, but not before shifting Beyer's perspective on the matter.

"It's pretty incredible how fast she's recovered after what happened and how she got away as well as she did," Beyer says. "When it happened, I canceled two weekends because I was in the hospital with her. Going forward, I'm gonna have to go back to work. We live in Ibiza, we have overheads, we have staff, and I cannot just take tons of time off."

Beyer has been living on the storied Spanish party island for eight years. Calling it the exact opposite of Sweden, he says he's been able to enjoy the more mellow vibes Ibiza has to offer, particularly in the non-tourist months.

"I love it here off-season more than on-season," says Beyer. "I think a lot of people think of Ibiza as a party island only. But it's more than that. It's an island with people living here year-round with normal lives, and we're privileged to live here."

Having resided on the White Isle for nearly a decade, Beyer can attest to its rapidly changing club culture.

"To see places like [UNVRS] be able to open is good for Ibiza," Beyer says of the latest megaclub to open on the Balearic island. "I hear a lot of people say that it's not like the old Ibiza and that it was better back then, but you have to embrace change. There's only one Ibiza in the world with a foundation of club culture that goes further than just dance music and opening a new club."

Sam Neill

As for Explorer Vol. 1, Beyer admitted the idea for the new project came after he created an album during the pandemic, only to scrap it altogether.

"I decided not to release it because it was just too much for my audience to process," Beyer admits. "It was an introspective listening album. Even though I did not go through with it, I had unfinished tracks that I thought were good, and the idea to do an album was still there."

When asked about its central thesis, Beyer expressed that his objective was to try and encapsulate his sound in a single body of work.

"I kind of wanted my album to reflect the fact that I have different genres from house to tech house to techno, but they all fit within that Drumcode sound," he exolains. "It felt like the right time to compile them and create the first of an exploration of all my different styles."

Half of the cuts found in Explorer Vol. 1 are collaborations with the likes of HNTR, Kyozo, Chris Avantgarde and EDM.com Class of 2025 inductee Layton Giordiani. Beyer touched on those partnerships, alluding to creative alliances that formed organically and advanced the ethos of the album.

"I don't like to force things in life, I believe in my gut when it comes to my label and artist chemistry," said Beyer. "Those collabs are quite coincidental; it was more like people showing up or me contacting someone and having an idea and going through with it."

Although the album may have just been released, Beyer says he's already looking ahead to next year as he enters the fourth decade of Drumcode. 

"There will be some sort of big party, kind of a festival experience next year for all the Drumcode heads," he revealed.

The milestone celebration, alongside his upcoming 50th birthday, has Beyer optimistic about the future of not only his label and career, but also for his well-being.

"Drumcode has given me a very amazing life where I've been able to travel the world and live my passion," Beyer says. "I've sacrificed a lot, but I've been very privileged to live my passion. I'm not done yet but I'm definitely starting to see the horizon again."

Instagram: instagram.com/realadambeyer
X: x.com/realadambeyer
TikTok: tiktok.com/@adamdrumcodebeyer
Facebook: facebook.com/realadambeyer
Spotify: tinyurl.com/56xrkjv6

A new survey of 1,000 programmers found that those who listen to electronic dance music while coding report higher rates of promotions and salary increases than their peers who prefer other genres.

The research was conducted by Liquid Web, a web hosting and cloud services company with over 500,000 sites under management. It examines the relationship between musical preferences and professional advancement among software developers, and suggests that EDM may provide unique benefits for workers in the tech industry.

According to the study, 56% of developers who listen to EDM while working received a pay increase in the recent period surveyed, a rate that exceeded those who preferred pop and other mainstream genres during their coding sessions. Additionally, 23% of EDM enthusiasts reported receiving a promotion within the past year, outpacing colleagues who favored classical music or country.

Respondents said they most often listen to rock (42%), hip-hop (37%) and pop (37%), with 21% choosing EDM as their favorite genre to code to. The survey identified Skrillex, David Guetta and the late Avicii as the most popular electronic artists among developers.

It's important to note that while the study establishes a connection between EDM listening habits and professional success metrics, it does not prove causation. It remains unclear whether the music itself contributes to improved performance, or whether developers who gravitate toward the genre share other characteristics that make them more likely to advance in their careers.

You can read Liquid Web's full study here.

Some of EDM's biggest "what if" moments come to light years after the fact, and Hardwell just unearthed a big one.

During the second weekend of Tomorrowland 2025, the Dutch DJ sat down with Tomorrowland One World Radio host Adam K, where the conversation turned to tracks he would potentially remix if given the chance.

"I'm going to say an answer you would never expect," Hardwell teased before delivering a stunning new revelation. "In the first place, people don't know 'Bromance' was a collab between Tim and myself," he revealed, referring to the late Avicii.

Released in 2010 and later reissued with vocals as "Seek Bromance," the track would became one of Avicii’s earliest breakthrough hits. Its vibrant, euphoric synths were unique for the time and positioned him at the forefront of a budding progressive house movement.

However, as Hardwell explained, the producers' mutual aspirations to collaborate never fully materialized. He was immersed in other projects at the time, less than two years before his own breakout success with 2012's "Spaceman."

Hardwell's comments came as Tomorrowland debuted on its festival grounds in Belgium a 144‑square‑meter audiovisual memorial honoring Avicii, who tragically died by suicide in 2018 at age 28. The installation marked 10 years since the legendary DJ's final Mainstage performance.

Watch the clip from Hardwell's interview below.

X: x.com/hardwell
Instagram: instagram.com/hardwell
TikTok: tiktok.com/@hardwell
Facebook: facebook.com/djhardwell
Spotify: spoti.fi/3s1xcJD

The 2025 lineup of North Coast Music Festival is brimming with elite talent, but one act feels destined to own the moment: RL Grime.

Fusing trap music's bite with epic scope, the influential artist's production and sound design stand alone 13 years after the trailblazing "Trap On Acid." But he also remains one of the electronic music scene's most gifted selectors, consistently proving that curation remains just as vital as creation. Look no further than his prized Halloween mixes, which became cultural touchstones.

Grime stands tall in a lineup of high-profile headliners heading to Chicago for North Coast's momentous 15th anniversary this year, including Zedd, Excision, REZZ, Chris Lake, Zeds Dead, Seven Lions and EDM.com Class of 2024 artist Of The Trees. Adding to the anniversary excitement, electronic music pioneer deadmau5 will return to North Coast for the first time since 2017 to perform a rare drum & bass set.

We teamed up with North Coast to present an exclusive playlist of RL Grime's go-to bangers ahead of this year's festival, which returns over Labor Day Weekend following the extraordinary 2024 edition. Fans will find electrifying tracks from the likes of Nitepunk, PEEKABOO, Ninajirachi, BICEP, Overmono and more.

Check out the playlist below, curated by RL Grime and powered by EDM.com and North Coast. You can purchase tickets to this year's festival at SeatGeek Stadium here.

X: x.com/northcoastfest
Instagram: instagram.com/northcoastfest
TikTok: tiktok.com/@northcoastfest
Facebook: facebook.com/northcoastfest

When Liquid Stranger launched Wakaan in 2015, it felt like a radical experiment. But what began as a niche haven for experimental dubstep, hybrid trap and genre-agnostic bass has since grown into one of the most influential forces in electronic music.

Now, 10 years and hundreds of releases later, the label is taking a moment to reflect.

"Today marks Wakaan's 10 year anniversary," the label wrote in a statement to fans on social media. "Thank you for following us on this weird and wonderful ride. Without each and every one of you, this would simply not be possible."

Along the way, Wakaan championed some of bass music’s most audacious sound designers early in their careers. PEEKABOO and G-REX’s seismic single “Babatunde” became a festival staple after its 2018 release, while Rusko's Sauce EP marked a celebrated return from a dubstep pioneer to kick off the present decade.

Along the way, the label has also served as the launchpad for artists such as LSDREAM, LUZCID, EDM.com Class of 2021 artist Luci and countless others who have reshaped the genre's ever-evolving contours. Liquid Stranger himself has also been a prolific contributor, dropping fan-favorite projects like 2017's Weird & Wonderful EP as well as high-profile collaborations such as "Jungle Juice" with Ganja White Night.

“Thank you to all the artists who have trusted us to release their art and work on their project," Wakaan wrote. "It has been an incredible privilege to do this as long as we have and do not take a single day for granted. We get to work with friends, be creative, and do the thing we love – music."

The message also acknowledged the trailblazing electronic music labels that inspired Wakaan’s rise, including Never Say Die, Disciple, Monstercat and Circus Records. Now with 10 years of boundary-pushing bass to its name, Wakaan is making it clear the journey is far from over.

“While it’s been a fantastic 10 years of Wakaan, we are excited to see what the future looks like," the label added. "Cheers to another decade!”

X: x.com/WAKAANofficial
Instagram: instagram.com/wakaanofficial
TikTok: tiktok.com/@wakaanofficial
Facebook: facebook.com/WAKAANofficial

After operating as one of the most coveted unreleased tracks in his DJ sets, LYNY has dropped his long-awaited trap banger "Section."

The track hits hard from the start, built around trap's most reliable elements: filthy bass, slithering synths and an attitude that suggests LYNY has little to prove as he surges through electronic music's ranks as one of the scene's most promising producers.

The beat structure follows familiar trap patterns, but LYNY elevates it through his signature down-and-dirty production. The low end dominates, creating space where most would overproduce and add unnecessary flourishes.

LYNY's masterstroke here is a vocal sample of Benny Benassi's timeless "Satisfaction," which he cleverly distorts and interpolates through his drops. The original's pharmaceutical euphoria gets twisted into something darker in the hands of this promising producer.

You can listen to "Section" below and find the new release on streaming platforms here.

X: x.com/lynyofficial
Instagram: instagram.com/lynyofficial
Facebook: facebook.com/lynyyyy
Spotify: tinyurl.com/ywfebmtr

If dreams are windows to the soul, then this year's Secret Dreams festival blew the hinges wide open.

Though the skies opened up, spirits remained high. Festival-goers flowed through rain and rhythm alike, swept away by mind-melting sets from Pretty Lights, Tipper, Of The Trees and many more.

Powered by the crisp clarity of Funktion-One sound, each stage across Ohio's Legend Valley curated its own distinct atmosphere. Top-tier audiovisual production complimented the multi-genre lineup, with bass and jam frequencies keeping us grooving throughout the weekend.

A post shared by Electric Hawk (@electric_hawk)

One of the highlights was a mesmerizing four-hour set from Pretty Lights, Horizon Sprinter and the Prismatic Fleet. The enigmatic performance title piqued fans' curiosity leading up to the festival, and it certainly did not disappoint.

Pretty Lights' Derek Smith opened the set solo before gradually bringing out each band member. The unique approach to this show spotlighted each member's individual contributions before merging into full-force synergy. Fans raved over the high-energy setlist, with highlights including a "Finally Moving" bass edit swirled with "Forever Lost," "Shakedown Street" and more.

A post shared by Secret Dreams Festival (@secretdreamsfest)

Secret Dreams also offered some of the final opportunities to catch Tipper ahead of his upcoming retirement. The legendary vinyl-scratching maestro, affectionately dubbed "Angry Dave" by fans for the intensity of his Secret Dreams performances, delivered two electrifying performances that left us in complete awe.

Elsewhere at Secret Dreams, Ternion Sound, Truth and Of The Trees took full advantage of the festival's pristine sound system, which delivered impeccably tuned audio that showcased the music's textures and depth.

As the nights stretched into early morning hours, the Debussy stage hosted surprise sets from Yheti, Mickman, Ooga b2b Copycatt and more. The projection-mapped bus acted as Secret Dreams' official renegade, combining forces with Sound Haven for a weekend-long bass takeover within the camping grounds.

Beyond the music, Secret Dreams fostered a deep sense of community across the sprawling campgrounds and stages, with a variety of workshops, art installations and live mural painting.

Already dreaming about next year? Stay up to date with Secret Dreams on Instagram for updates on their 2026 edition.

Instagram: instagram.com/secretdreamsfest
TikTok: tiktok.com/@secretdreamsfest
Facebook: facebook.com/secretdreamsfest
X: x.com/SecretDreamsOH

Insomniac Events has dropped anchor on the 2025 lineup of its floating festival, EDSea.

This year's lineup feature Disclosure, Sara Landry, ISOxo, Alok, Malaa, Jamie Jones and EDM.com Class of 2025 artists Layton Giordani and ALLEYCVT, among many other electronic music stars.

The five-night Caribbean voyage, running November 1-6, will again transform the massive Norwegian Joy cruise ship into eight distinct venues designed to keep passengers dancing from bow to stern. The flagship kineticOCEAN stage anchors the main pool deck, while neonSPLASH delivers sunrise sets. Indoor venues like cosmicCORAL and the art-adorned raveCAVE ensure the party flows seamlessly from deck to deck.

When ravers need to dock their dancing shoes, the ship offers an impressive fleet of amenities. 11 dining venues serve cuisine from around the globe, while dual-level go-kart tracks and waterslides provide high-octane alternatives to the music. Elsewhere on the ship, nostalgic arcade and spa facilities offer calmer waters for those seeking respite.

The sail includes an overnight beach party in Belizean paradise before returning to port. While cabins are currently sold out, additional accommodations may surface through Insomniac's First Available Program as the departure date approaches, giving hopeful passengers a chance to climb aboard this musical vessel.

Check out the full EDSea 2025 lineup below.

Insomniac Events

X: x.com/edc_sea
Instagram: instagram.com/edc_sea
Facebook: facebook.com/ElectricDaisySea

We Belong Here, one of the nation's hottest electronic music event brands, is taking over New York in a big way this fall.

After a successful Central Park debut last year, the Miami-based collective is expanding in 2025 for its first-ever festival in Brooklyn, running October 3–5 at the scenic Greenpoint Waterfront. Set against sweeping skyline views and autumn sunsets, We Belong Here: Brooklyn promises a more intimate, elevated experience than your typical rave-in-a-warehouse.

The newly announced Brooklyn lineup taps into the collective's techno and deep house roots, blending melodic mastery and energizing grooves with headlining sets from Carl Cox, Elderbrook and GORDO. Elsewhere on the lineup are performances from SIDEPIECE, Prospa, Franky Wah and more that aim straight for the soul, not to mention a can't-miss DJ set from MGMT.

Known for transforming sun-drenched locales into euphoric sonic playgrounds, We Belong Here has built its reputation on sleek production, immersive environments and an ethos focused on connection and shared experiences. Expect waterfront views and a crowd more interested in deep grooves than fist-pumping drops.

EDM.com has teamed up with We Belong Here for a special VIP ticket giveaway ahead of the festival in Brooklyn. Read on to discover how to enter.

• 2x VIP tickets

1. Like the post below on Instagram
2. Follow @webelonghere.world and @edm
3. Tag a rave partner in the comment section (each tag = another entry!)⁠

X: x.com/web3longh
TikTok: tiktok.com/@webelonghere.world
Instagram: instagram.com/webelonghere.world
Facebook: bit.ly/3ZZRunZ