Having kept themselves busy in the interim period crafting a slew of new singles, delivering standout remixes for the likes of deadmau5, Groove Armada and Above & Beyond and touring week in week out, all of this feeds into their new record, a visceral and electric culmination of five years hard work finally to be unleashed upon the world. Spanning tempos and moods ‘Out Of Sight’ is the sound of a duo reveling in music without boundaries.

Across the eleven tracks on the album, a combination of new productions and unique collaborations are brought together to create the full picture of ‘Out Of Sight’. The selection of solo productions on offer runs the gamut of sounds available on the album in all its diversity. Whether it’s the futuristic computer funk of ‘Dream Box’, the yearning ‘Apocalypse’ or old-skool jungle core of ‘Spirit’, each track affords a new angle through which to appreciate J Majik and Wickaman’s productions. Launched by its shimmering chords and searching vocal samples, ‘Fight It’ evolves into a rolling fusion of jungle-inflected breaks and a rounded, elastic bassline, while ‘Blazin’ brings those characteristics into sharp focus, bringing a harder edge.

The duo link up with singer Kate Loveridge on a number of tracks that thread through the album, from the soulful flavor of album opener ‘Right Now’ to the rock-inflected drama of ‘Believe’ via hot-stepper ‘Lift Me Up’. Meanwhile Dee Freer lends her rich vocals to the title track, a towering dubstep anthem, and Keri Greenaway features on the rave euphoria of ‘Memories’. The duo also team up with like-minded producer Sudden Def on ‘Mike TV’, a snarling beast of a tune.

In 2013 the landscape of electronic music is very different to when they released their debut album in 2008, and J Majik & Wickaman have risen to the challenge. ‘Out Of Sight’ showcases two veterans at the top of their game, channeling their production experience into the sound of tomorrow.

Tracklist:
01. Right Now ft. Kate Loveridge
02. Spirit ft. Kate Loveridge
03. Out Of Sight ft. Dee Freer
04. Memories ft. Keri Greenaway
05. Lift Me Up ft. Kate Loveridge
06. Dream Box
07. Mike TV w/ Sudden Def
08. Believe ft. Kate Loveridge
09. Fight It
10. Blazin
11. Apocalypse

Released June 17th.

J Majik & Wickaman – Out Of Sight - Fast Forward and Rewind - A blog about electronic music

Overtracked – Ocean Drive - Fast Forward and Rewind - A blog about electronic music

Tracklist:
01. Intro
02. Vida Ft Randy van Velde – A28 (Dub Mix)
03. Vida & Coldplay – I Got The Paradisa (Vida Mash-Up)
04. Nicky Romero Ft John Christian & Nilson – Still The Same Man (Original Mix)
05. Hardwell Ft. Showtek – How We Do w. Garmiana – Now That We Found Love
06. D-velro – Carolina (Original Mix)
07. I Don’t Like The Duckface Code (D-velro Mash-up) [Free Track Of The Month]
08. D-velro Ft Ethan Chase – AH (Original Mix) [Free Track Of The Month]
09. Promised Land – Destroyer (Original Mix)
10. World In Our Walhalla Circuit (D-velro Mash-Up)
11. Ethan Chase – Funk (Original Mix) [Exclusive]
12. Tom Ven – ID (Instrumental) [Exclusive]
13. D-velro – Ennoir (Jesse Draak & Ryan Fierret Remix)
14. Rihanna Ft Mikkey Ekko – Stay (D-velro Bootleg)
15. Garmiani & Salvator Ganacci – The City Is Mine (Original Mix)
16. Vinioci Ft Josefin – Follow Me (Original Mix) [Exclusive]
17. Veni – Evidence (Original Mix) [Demo Drop Track Of The Month]

D-velro Airlines: Flight #001 (Podcast) - Fast Forward and Rewind - A blog about electronic music

Now after the stunning Merk on Philly Blunt, the London based duo make the transition to V Recordings for the innovative Reset EP. Featuring the slick sounds of Reset, the infectious groove of Sea Slug as well as the atmospheric Sour Diesel and rough Debris, the Reset EP represents another sophisticated release from Need for Mirrors and the V camp.

Released June 17th.

Need For Mirrors – Reset EP - Fast Forward and Rewind - A blog about electronic music

D-Region is the founder of the Canadian independent label Furious Records and has worked with respected music groups Universal/EMI, Moonshine, ZYX, Moist and Toronto’s Nice and Smooth in his 12 years in the DnB scene. In his career, D-Region has landed four singles on Beatport’s coveted Top 10 sales chart (drum n bass) and dozens of tracks on the Beatport Top 100. His single “The Terminator’s Theme” debuted at number 1 on Beatport when it was released in 2005. DJ Code hails from London and has been on a steady accent through the ranks with his long running show on Kool FM. His past releases on Emotif including “Brainstorm” & “Rudeboy Rebellion” with fellow producer Sketch were absolutely massive. It’s good to see him back!

Out now on Beatport.

D-Region & Code – Hustle From Born / Live Your Life - Fast Forward and Rewind - A blog about electronic music

Since 2010, the duo previously known as Xample & Lomax have developed an infallible reputation in drum & bass and beyond. With Radio 1 playlist credits and remix work on some of the biggest names in the game (Example, Rudimental, Ed Sheeran, Chase & Status and Wolfgang Gartner to name a few) the Bristol-based partnership has showcased versatility, excitement and the perfect amount of unpredictability on each and every release.

Future Perfect showcases this broad, bold party palette in way they’ve never expressed before, and it’s evident from the opening seconds of the album. Toe-to-toe with white hot MC Scrufizzer, “Do You Feel Me” snaps and shakes with the energy and attitude akin to The Prodigy.

The duo’s dynamic approach to underground, bottom-end heavy styles is showcased throughout. From the booty-shaking modern-day badboy anthem “Be There” to the bashy, Jakes featured “Warrior,” Future Perfect shows Loadstar at their most uncompromising, breath-taking and dramatic.

Other examples of this heavyweight behaviour can be found amidst the soaring bass and rave-pitched vocal lick of “Scorpio,” the juxtaposition of shivering pianos and screaming bass of “Don’t Wanna Be Alone” and the super-slamming drumstep agro-stomp of the Hadouken! collaboration “BOA.” And that’s before we get to the peaktime, lighters-up euphoria of the Takura Tendayi fronted “Refuse To Love.”

“Losing You” comes armed with a mournful vocal that bites down hard on a hype-powered dubstep arrangement, while “Sliders” adds a little rock spirit into the equation thanks to a distorted, nagging riff and sweat-inducing drum work. Elsewhere we find the breezy, rolling vocal soul of “Drowning,” the technicolour EDM glitchery of the instant arm-raiser “Give It To Me” and the harrowing slow bass drama of “Eat My Tears.” Then there’s the emphatic, soul-searching finale “Distance.”

Available on 15-track CD or a special 22 track deluxe digital package, Future Perfect is one of the biggest, most exciting bass music albums scheduled for release this year.

The future is bright. The future is perfect. The future is Loadstar!

Released May 26th.

Loadstar – Future Perfect LP - Fast Forward and Rewind - A blog about electronic music

The Rapture have been on an exceptional journey over the past fifteen years, seeing them spearhead the post-punk revival in the early 2000s and then upturning it to create dance punk; whilst all along creating expressive and ingenious songs. They are a band that excels show after show and whose DJ sets are proving as popular as their live performances.

Now ‘Sail Away’, the lead track from The Rapture’s poignant and perfectly crafted 2011 album ‘In The Grace Of Your Love’, receives the remix-treatment from the accomplished Digitalism, bringing it further into the dance arena and ready to create those stand out moments at this summer’s festivals.

Travelling across Europe in June for what is sure to be another momentous tour, Digitalism are taking the world by storm with their stunning DJ sets and production prowess.
Following their amazing remix of Bloc Party’s ‘Truth’, Digitalism provide what is sure to be a classic with their remix of The Rapture’s ‘Sail Away’.

Released June 3rd.

The Rapture – Sail Away (Digitalism Remix) - Fast Forward and Rewind - A blog about electronic music

Can you guys introduce yourselves to us and give us a little backstory?

Drew is from Maine and was found in a lobster trap as a baby, that’s pretty much all we know about that. Alex is from New York and is the result of a successful C-section. We both met through Chat Roulette and the rest is history.

Your top 3 favourite tracks of the moment are?

- The Weekend – Crew Love
- Disclosure – You & Me ft. Eliza Doolittle (Baauer Remix)
- MERCER – Supreme

What are your biggest guilty pleasures?
Cheeseburgers, excessive drinking, youjizz, all saints…


You guys must have some hidden talents. Can you share those with us?

Hmmm… Hidden talents, well Drew is good at making anyone feel like they aren’t good enough for him and Alex is excellent at passive aggression. Drew is also the hair whisperer, his hair calls out to women in the night. Alex also has a cool cigarette trick.

What do you guys do when you’re not making music/performing? Do you have ‘normal’ jobs?

Alex used to work at an Art Gallery for a couple years but not any longer. Now we pretty much are always working on the music career in some capacity. Not to sound like twats, but if we aren’t doing that Alex is usually being whipped by his GF, or we are at the gym, or eating or drinking…

Which movie represents your musical careers best?

TOP GUN, except Goose doesn’t die… or maybe when Ice and Maverick team up…

What are the coolest things in your houses?

Drew’s house is a dump, so maybe his couch cause its new or his clothing steamer… Alex has a cool painting by Aaron Young, or a bottle of Mezcal with the worm in it, shit no, we already drank that last night… basically both our apartments and its contents aren’t worth speaking about…

When producing music, do you each have individual tasks in the studio?

Umm it would be hard to break it down like that, we both have our strengths, Drew is an excellent musician and his talents grow exponentially with each production, his music theory is unreal, and Alex has a great ear for what will go over well and gets song structure and really enjoys the creative side of it all… Alex is also the group sexter, never seen detail like he puts down…

Let’s do a little creativity test: I want you to come up with a brand new part of The Chainsmokers merchandise that will blow people’s minds.

Okay here it is, lighters that play chainsmoker music when you use them and also give you life advice like, ‘you look beautiful today’… or or we could do wigs of drews hair…

Who is leading in the #TeamAlex / #TeamDrew battle? Can you both come up with one sentence that will help us decide between you two?
It’s tough to say, we both have our battle wins, but the war is far from over…

#TeamAlex cause Drew used to have his belly button pierces…
#TeamDrew is clearly, cause Alex wears uggs in public, it’s been an uphill battle for him.

What are your proudest moments as artists so far?

Probably having 3 #1 HypeM songs in a row… that and having some of our biggest music idols give us props on our music so far

What can we expect from you in the next couple of months? World domination?
Well of course we have some new music, but our main focus of late has been original material… we thoroughly enjoy doing remixes but its time to show the world some of our own stuff, we just want it to be perfect. A lot of ppl don’t realize this but most our remixes are entirely original productions, but we want to go the Calvin/Martin route and sing on our tracks, write them and produce them… and then yes world mother fucking domination… or at least another 0 on our fee.

And also we are working on a really original party concept based off our #teamchainsmokers competition that hopefully will come together in the fall but its going to be a serious war if you catch our drift

Oh and ladies yoga pants, always be yoga pants/or shorts…

You can follow The Chainsmokers on Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud and YouTube.

Interview: The Chainsmokers - Fast Forward and Rewind - A blog about electronic music

In 2010, as part of the celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Paul van Dyk staged the We Are One event. It featured artists as musically and stylistically diverse as Armin van Buuren and Underworld, through to avant-garde performers like the Las Vegas-celebrated Blueman Group. With it, Van Dyk brought his ever-loyal fanbase another inventive, hyper-imaginative, unforgettable experience – one that has since moved into the annals of dance music legend.

Three years on, Paul has set in motion a return for We Are One. Moving from arena to festival grade, 2013 will see the event take place in the striking, history-rich setting of Berlin’s Zitadelle Spandau. Inside its ancient bastion walls, Paul will play his first Berlin-stationed, outdoor, open-air event since Loveparade.

“2010’s We Are One was an extraordinary night in my life. From the moment I left Berlin’s O2 Arena, after its climax, I’ve wanted nothing more than to do it all over again. For that reason it gives me great happiness to be able to bring you news that 3 years on from that momentous night, the second We Are One will be staged. I look forward not only to welcoming you to Berlin’s astonishing Zitadelle Spandau on the 6th of July, but also introducing you personally to music from Politics 3” – Paul van Dyk

Back on the 31st of December 2012, Paul gave his strongest hint yet that the coming year would herald a return for the illustrious ‘Politics of Dancing’ series. Electronic music forums around the world lit up at the news and speculation as to exactly what it would entail has been rife ever since. July’s We Are One festival will be the very first time and place anyone in the world hears the music PvD & Co. have been crafting for its third chapter. Playing alongside Paul throughout the day and night, will be a host of the world’s most gifted electronic sound designers.

Some 9 months after their launch, Nick Bracegirdle’s ensemble outfit, Chicane Live, have been holding arena audiences all over the world in their thrall. On July 6th they will be taking to the We Are One stage with a captivating live performance that will include the debut of Paul & Chicane’s first studio recording together.

The night’s line-up will also include Saharan-hot sounds of Aly & Fila, who will bring their Egyptrance sound to the Zitadelle. Also taking to the stage will be hot new VANDIT signings, SHato & Paul Rockseek, Holland’s First State, and German duo Stoneface & Terminal. The We Are One 2013 anthem will come courtesy of PvD and Canadian tough-trance powerhouse Arnej, who’ll also be playing the show, alongside many more, yet-to-be-announced artists and acts.

Early bird tickets for We Are One have just gone on sale. The doors will open on July 6th at 3pm, with the event start an hour later. Those purchasing the limited number of VIP tickets will gain admission to both the We Are One Festival as well as its exclusive after party (more info on which TBA).

As with 2010’s We Are One, this festival will represent a union of freethinking, Live-show-loving people in the thriving electronic music capital of Berlin. Come and join Paul in his fortress of sound as he premieres Politics of Dancing 3’s musical direction! This will be the event of Summer 2013 – a concert of sound & light people will be talking about for months to come. Make sure you’re at Spandau by securing your ticket now through the weareonefestival.com web-space.

Paul Van Dyk Presents: We Are One Festival - Fast Forward and Rewind - A blog about electronic music

About The Only:
In the past 12 months they have:
- Mixed the highest selling dance compilation in Australia – Ministry of Sound The Annual 2013
- Recorded their first ARIA Club Chart #1 ‘Looking Back’
- Signed a record deal with Ministry of Sound
- Played countless shows across the country

Robert DeLong – Global Concepts (The Only Bootleg) - Fast Forward and Rewind - A blog about electronic music