MUSIC

Felix Jaehn's "Close Your Eyes" Is an Anthem Everyone Needs to Hear

The song is a satisfying result of Jaehn's creative evolution and offers words of encouragement to his supporters to stay positive, keep calm, and keep going.

Felix Jaehn

Felix Jaehn has a habit of crafting catchy tropical house tracks, but on "Close Your Eyes," the sentiment is much deeper than that of his big hits.

Written specifically for his fans, Jaehn uses "Close Your Eyes" as an opportunity to address mental health, and at the end of the song, he can be heard asking his fans, "How are you doing? I hope you're well." This track is the last of the year from Jaehn and the latest in a slew of releases to dissect and spread awareness on mental health issues. Jaehn, who co-wrote the track alongside Miss Li, is in the middle of a creative journey.

Recently, he's dedicated himself to co-writing all of his music and having a more direct hand in all aspects of his creative identity. "Close Your Eyes" is a direct and satisfying result of that evolution, serving as words of encouragement to his supporters to stay positive, keep calm, and keep going.

Felix Jaehn, VIZE - Close Your Eyes (Official) ft. Miss Liwww.youtube.com

The song, like all of Jaehn's biggest tracks, is a certified earworm, with an infectious hook courtesy of Miss Li and an undulating bass courtesy of German duo Vize. The track inspires hope in its listeners and will undeniably be on repeat at New Year's Eve parties.

Check out Felix Jaehn on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

MUSIC

R3hab Teams Up with ZAYN and Jungleboi on "Flames"

A dazzling blend of electro-pop and gospel flavors.

R3hab, ZAYN, Jungleboi

R3hab, ZAYN, Jungleboi

Dutch-Moroccan DJ and producer R3hab, a.k.a Fadil El Ghoul, and Jungleboi ran into each other in London, in 2017.

Combining their talents, the two artists began working on a new song, "Flames," featuring an elegant piano, gentle electro rhythmic pulses, and a fat bassline, all topped by ZAYN's sumptuous voice.

R3HAB & ZAYN & Jungleboi - Flames (Lyric Video)youtu.be

R3hab made big waves in 2017 with the release of his debut album, Trouble, amassing 500 million streams worldwide, followed by his sophomore effort, The Wave, collecting 250 million streams on Spotify. In 2019, he released "All Around the World," featuring A Touch of Class. The song hit gold and platinum in eight countries.

"Flames" reveals complex layers and intense emotional lyrics: "Well, well / You better run from me / You better hit the road / You better up and leave / Don't get too close."

Follow R3hab Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | Twitter

MUSIC

VASSY Causes "Trouble," and Pushes The Limits Of Pop Music

The singer talks her new single "Trouble," and paving her own path

Dolly Ave

In EDM music, VASSY is one of the most established vocalists in the genre.

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MUSIC

EDX Talks "Off The Grid" and His Steady Evolution

The Deep House veteran is still the #1 Swiss artist on Spotify.

After more than two decades in Electronic Music, Grammy-nominated producer Maurizio Colella is still finding ways to challenge himself creatively.

"I have this amazing opportunity to travel the world and explore so many different cultures," EDX told Popdust. "I mean, in terms of getting inspired, that is really helpful." The 42-year-old Deep House veteran is currently the #1 Swiss artist on Spotify and has been called, among other things, a musical genius. "It's important to evolve slowly," The DJ said of his longevity. "My career has been like a roller coaster that has been continuously going up, and in my world consistency and efficiency are hard to come by with art. I'm just a simple musician with a dream…[and] to be unique is the most important thing in this whole journey."

The producer's new single, "Off The Grid," which was just released and features Amba Shephard, speaks more on this journey. "It's about getting away from it all, and getting in touch with your soul," Shephard said of the track. "Getting back to life is everything." With two new singles out and more to come, Maurizio Colella is just trying to stay focused. "There's no musical trend right now," EDX added, "The music, for now, is going back to the club, so it's a perfect time to experiment and evolve my sound."

EDX is on his "Off The Grid" tour now. Check out the tour dates below.

Friday, April 19 – Lavo Nightclub, New York, NY

Saturday, April 20 – RYSE Nightclub, St Louis, MO

Sunday, April 21 – Shephard's Beach, Clearwater, FL

Thursday, April 25 – Prohibition, Winnipeg Manitoba, CA

Friday, April 26 – Audio, San Francisco, CA

Saturday, April 27 – 45 East, Portland, OR

Thursday, May 02 – Six Club, Guadalajara, MX

Friday, May 03 – Prysm Nightclub, Chicago, IL

Saturday, May 04 – Temple Nightclub, Denver, CO

Sunday, May 05 – Stereo Live, Houston, TX

Friday, May 24 – Academy, Los Angeles, CA

Friday, May 31 – Premier Nightclub, Atlantic City, NJ

Saturday, June 1 – Ravine, Atlanta, GA


Mackenzie Cummings-Grady is a creative writer who resides in the Brooklyn area. Mackenzie's work has previously appeared in The Boston Globe, Billboard, and Metropolis Magazine. Follow him on Twitter @mjcummingsgrady.


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With support from RÜFÜS DU SOL's Rose Avenue record label, Australian producer Cassian released his latest single today, an electro-infused pop record titled " Same Things." The single, which features LA up-and-comer Gabrielle Current, combines the soul of American Indie with the unique electronic production that Cassian is known for. The DJ's first single off the Rose Avenue label, "Lafayette," was supported by Nora En Pure, Hayden James and RÜFÜS in their 2018 MIXMAG cover mix. Praised by What So Not, Hayden James and Alex Metric, Cassian is an upcoming act that has only grown in popularity since his debut.

The producer had a heavy hand in crafting RÜFÜS's SOLACE, as well as their sophomore record Bloom. He also supported the trio on all three of their sold out shows in LA's Shrine Expo Hall. Cassian will also be joining RÜFÜS on their forthcoming Australian tour dates.


Mackenzie Cummings-Grady is a creative writer who resides in the Brooklyn area. Mackenzie's work has previously appeared in The Boston Globe, Billboard, and Metropolis Magazine. Follow him on Twitter @mjcummingsgrady.


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MUSIC

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW | Nora En Pure

Rising talent coming back to Avant Gardner with her Sirius XM "Purified Radio"

Press photo

If you don't know about Nora En Pure, a talented South African-Swiss DJ and deep house producer, you should.

She's been slowly exploding for the past couple years, reaching No. 42 on 1001 Tracklists's Top 101 Producers of 2017 and having her release "Trailblazer" reach Beatport's Progressive House Top 10 at the start of 2018. Producing deep house beats since 2011, Nora really came into her own with the 2013 single "Come With Me," which has 19 million views on YouTube. Other top tracks on Spotify include "Tears in Your Eyes" and "On the Beach," with over 10 million streams each.

When she's not performing or recording, Nora En Pure hosts her own weekly segment on Sirius XM's Chill channel called "Purified Radio." Chill plays downtempo electronic music and is described as music "that takes you away to a relaxing poolside or chic hotel." Her segment plays a wide range of music from Indie dance to nu-disco and deep house.

We loved catching up with the upcoming star ahead of her Saturday show at the Avant Gardner in Brooklyn, NY. Here's what she had to say to some of our questions:

EDM Sauce

What does music mean to you? What impact has it made on your life?

Obviously, it has made quite a big impact on my life. I have always loved music, but electronic music came later in my life. Besides nature and African wildlife, music is my other big passion that I can always dive into and distract myself.

Coming from Switzerland & South Africa, how has your background influenced your style of music?

I think especially South Africa, and missing its vast natural beauty, has influenced my music. I love the wilderness and have always tried to take the listener to another sphere and scenery. My travels inspire my music most, I guess.

What is your all-time favorite city to play in?

Hard to say only one! Generally, North America is amazing and Prague, Melbourne, Johannesburg are all in the top 10 cities, too.

What do you love most about New York? Do you remember one stand-out moment from playing here?

Some years back I had a really great time at Mysteryland, and just recently I loved playing Panorama Festival. But I had also really great club moments here at Output or Webster Hall! Now coming back with Purified to Avant Gardner I am sure I will make a lot of new amazing memories.


Your Purified events label seems to be really expanding and your lineups are full of incredible artists. How do you see the brand developing over the next year?

I plan to keep the events special and limited to a few selected cities around the world. Musically, I want to keep it diverse and bring quality club music from groovy to melodic acts along the style of the Purified radio show. And with the Purified Records label that will be launched soon I want to complete the brand and underline the musical direction.

What is your dream location for a Purified event, and who would be in the line-up?

Theoretically, I would love to locate them somewhere in nature where usually no events are held—something completely new and unknown for the guests with either spectacular views, or in the middle of forests and jungles that fit the music. But yeah, that's a little utopic, at least for now! I am already very happy with how the line-ups are now.

What is the best part of your job? Is there anything you'd change?

The best part is probably that no day is like the other, and to be able to do creative work as your job is a huge privilege. If I could change something, it would be to have my family or friends traveling with me—as one does get a bit lonely at times on tour, and misses out on gatherings at home that usually take place on weekends when I'm abroad.

What has been your best performance to date?

One of my favorite sets musically was the three-hour daybreak session at this year's Tomorrowland. It is a real journey, which I always try to achieve, and this one came out pretty timeless and elegant. Otherwise, Coachella last year was a real highlight for me, as well as Ultra in Miami this year.

Is there one piece of advice you would give to your 18-year-old self?

To be more direct, more focused on goals, and pursue them harder. I feel like when you're young, you don't really know what you want—or maybe you do, but think it's way too far to reach and you narrow the horizon to more "normal" options. Nowadays, I feel everything is possible!

Is there anything you would like to say to your New York fans ahead of Purified NYC at Avant Gardner?

Only that I can't wait and I'm extremely grateful and honored to have such a great and loyal following in this special city. Playing New York has always had a special meaning to me. I'm really proud to bring the Purified label and my music to this city on Saturday.

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