Prepare to unleash your inner dog as the dynamic DJ duo, CHKLZ, and the cutting-edge label, Synesthesia, are back with a bang! Their latest single, “Two Sexy,” featuring the vocals of Slick Floyd, is set to take the electronic music scene by storm on October 25th, 2023.
Hailing from the vibrant musical landscape of Scottsdale, Arizona, Synesthesia has been steadily building a powerhouse catalog of releases since its inception in 2021. With a growing catalog of over 50 originals and remixes, CHKLZ is set to make their first original release to the label with “Two Sexy!”
CHKLZ (chuck-les) is not your average DJ/Production/Live Music Duo. Their mantra of “CHKLZ IS FOR EVERYONE” is what brings these two’s music to life. With their unique crafted Bubblegum House brand, their live performances deliver nothing but all around good vibes and energy. Recently named Best Dance Artist by the Phoenix New Times, you can expect nothing less than a truly immersive and unforgettable experience when CHKLZ takes the stage. They are known for their live percussion/drums, original visuals, and a level of crowd participation that is off the charts. The unique percussion/drums is prevalent in “Two Sexy” as well as a deep bass and bounce that makes the title of the song very fitting.
Photo credit: Christopher Chance Scott
CHKLZ has been making waves on the festival circuit, with performances at renowned events such as Friendzy Fest in Canada, Goldrush, Decadence, Gem and Jam, and June Jam since 2022. Their music has also graced the speakers of festivals like Shambhala, Wicked Woods, and Future Forest, just to name a few. They’ve got even more international and Arizona festival dates lined up for 2023, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.
So mark your calendars for October 25, 2023, as “Two Sexy” is about to drop, promising a dancefloor anthem that’s nothing short of electrifying. This is one sure to get your heart beating and your body moving. Get ready to get Two Sexy on the dance floor!
Be sure to follow CHKLZ using any of the links below.
Spracto unleashed another tech house tune, “Bass Turnt,” marking his sophomore single release with Wirlix Records. Residing in San Francisco, a city he recognized as a hotspot where “tech house is definitely having a moment,” Spracto has been steadily refining his production skills. Fresh from the success of his premiere single, “Main Bitch,” he set his sights on broadening his repertoire by adding “Bass Turnt” to his discography.
Reflecting on the creative process, Spracto shared, “I wanted to make a dancefloor banger. I thought a lot about how it would sound in a club and sound systems that are bass-heavy. ‘One of a kind’ by Tita Lau was my reference track. It has such a great, driving low end. I took this idea of having a heavy-hitting low end with a simple lead and ran with it.” This track is a testament to Spracto’s evolving sound, infusing an element of joy and lightheartedness into a powerhouse track fit for any club environment.
Spracto fans will have two chances to catch him in action in San Francisco this month. Today, October 20, he will be part of Wax Motif’s stacked lineup at 1015 Folsom, and next Friday, October 27, he will be performing at Bergerac with RSVP available through his Linktree. Spracto also hinted, “October 27th, I’ve got my next bootleg coming out, and it’s a fun one.” To keep up with all the latest news from Spracto, connect through his social links below.
These last few weeks have been a bittersweet celebration for the GRiZ family. Ever since the dreaded announcement that he would be stepping back from live performances, the community surrounding GRiZ’s project has been buzzing to see him perform just one more time. Ursa Major, the 3-day festival GRiZ curated up in Flagstaff, AZ in September 2023 was one of his final performances, and tickets to this intimate event sold out in minutes! Then yesterday, on October 5, GRiZ played his final sets of the year in his hometown of Denver, Colorado. However, before we all said goodbye, GRiZ had one more surprise in store.
GRiZ marked the start of his hiatus with a surprise album release, Ouroboros! This album is a mix of old-school GRiZ funk and happy soothing tunes. Each of the eight tracks brings out varying emotions and leaves feelings of gratitude for GRiZ’s contributions to the music community. As he rides off into the sunset of his well-earned time away from public performances, it is comforting to have this gift as we look forward eagerly to his return.
GRiZ has reassured his community on social media that this is not a formal retirement, just simply a break for him to be able to step back, appreciate where he is in life, and take time to be there for his family, friends, and himself. The EDM community will be patiently waiting for his return but until then, always remember…
The pioneering producer and retro-electro-loving songwriter Yung Bae is back on the scene with his long-awaited follow-up album Groove Continental: Side B. He’s collaborated with another impressive list of musicians on this album from Nile Rodgers and Mayer Hawthorne to COIN, Barney Bones, and more! Side B is stacked with nine unique songs that defy any single genre’s definition while still feeling soulful and nostalgic with Yung Bae’s signature stylings.
“Control” featuring John The Blind is one song that immediately stood out on a first listen through the album with those spiffy horns and catchy vocals. The horns make a return on the yearning album finale that asks the eternal question, “Does Anybody Love Me?” Then there’s the visual side of the album, with four of the tracks having videos on Yung Bae’s YouTube, including “Fight My Demons” with Barney Bones and Leven Kali which accompanied the album’s release at midnight on October 6.
Another exciting part of Yung Bae’s release weekend is his day/night, full-venue takeover at Brooklyn’s lauded club, Elsewhere. This Saturday, October 7, he’ll play a pair of 2-hour sets — one an evening affair to close out the afternoon rooftop party and then a club set into the morning in the main hall.
He finishes the month with shows out in California next week before appearances at Live Out Festival in Monterrey, Mexico and Suwannee Hulaween in Florida. To keep up with the rest of his 2023 tour dates and new video releases, connect with his social links below.
Last week on September 29, Florida native PLS&TY self-released “Listen to My Heart,” another tasty tech house single. 2023 has been full of new music from PLS&TY, starting the year with an 8-track EP 3 Days, 2 Nights, and following that up with three more singles.His newest tune, “Listen to My Heart,” is his third release over the last two months joining “Your Love” and “One More Song.”
In his own words, “‘Listen to My Heart’ is a tech-house-focused single, fusing hard-hitting basslines and piano melodies with soulful vocals,” PLS&TY shared. “It’s a song straight for club play, and a highlight within my live shows.” This track feels right at home among PLS&TY’s discography, showcasing his style with piano instrumentals, funky melodies, and an uplifting progressive feel.
For those who want to catch PLS&TY in action, he has a pair of shows lined up for the first weekend of November. On Friday, November 3 he will play at the Flash rooftop in Washington D.C., and on Saturday, November 4 in New York City at Elsewhere (my personal favorite venue in Brooklyn) with Ekonovah and Niko The Kid in support for both shows. Make sure to get all the latest from PLS&TY by connecting through his social media links below.
Last Friday, September 29, TRYPBOX and Goshfather dropped their collaboration, “In A Ferrari,” on Backroom Records. It’s a North meets South California fusion, as the SoCal-based DJ/producer duo TRYPBOX teamed up with the disco house vibes of Goshfather from San Francisco.
The new single showcases Goshfather’s vocals, blending catchy hooks with groovy basslines. TRYPBOX fuses classic house elements with modern production techniques to bring out the best of both artists.
“We are proud to welcome TRYPBOX and Goshfather to the Backroom Records family,” shared Cameron Neuendorff, CEO of Backroom Records. “I have been watching both of these artists for a while so it’s been a great experience working with them and being able to deliver this track under our label.”
Goshfather has been busy in 2023 with “In A Ferrari” marking a successful Week 40 on his quest to release one song for each week of the year. He will also be playing at Breakaway San Francisco next weekend, October 13 – 14. Down in LA, TRYPBOX will be providing support for Good Rzn at Kiss Kiss Bang Bang on October 20. To keep up with the latest from these two talented EDM producers, use the handy links below.
American hard dance producer Death Code, formerly known as Skellism, is ready to show everyone what this project is about with his latest release. Death Code has been busy over the last year since announcing his shift to the hard dance genre. He’s released four other tracks, opened for hardstyle legend The Prophet, did a B2B with Dead X, and performed at Basscon’s Wasteland. He also signed with Theracords Labs, a Dutch hard dance label founded by DJ Thera.
Death Code’s debut EP, Beyond Cipher, spans four tracks with a run time of around 15 minutes, but in that time, he showcases a range of hard dance styles. According to Death Code, “Beyond Cipher is a high-octane experience that pushes boundaries, ignites emotions, and defies genres, leaving you exhilarated and craving for the adrenaline-infused journey once more.”
“Love Stolen,” the opening track of the EP, is a collaboration with Mexican hard dance producer Equalizer and it sets the tone for the EP. The emo-style vocals over shimmering synths quickly give way to a booming kick drum and higher-pitched glitching synths. The kick is definitely the star of this track, changing in intensity and style a few times throughout. The last drop is a more traditional hardstyle drop complete with screaming synths and a more bouncy kick drum and bass combination.
The second track of the EP, “Runaway,” was released as a single back in August. It is a journey through multiple styles of hard dance. The beginning of the track has more of a Happy Hardcore feel to it until the rawstyle kicks come in about halfway through the first drop. There is even a trap-style hi-hat breakdown before the second drop. The second drop kicks things up a notch with zaag kicks and other hardcore elements. The final drop brings everything full circle with traditional hardstyle kicks, bassline, and synths.
“Echoes,” the third track on the EP, starts out with an ominous melody over a simple kick drum before Devin Barrus’ vocals steal your attention. The synths build in the background before coming in full force with what seems will be a classic hardstyle track. Death Code quickly changes direction with distorted kicks and reverse bass. The middle part of the track really highlights Devin’s vocals, removing everything except the guitar riff and piano. The last drop goes back to the traditional hardstyle drop Death Code teased earlier to close out the song.
The last track, “Fading,” was also released as a single earlier this year. It is more upbeat than the other three tracks, opening with a guitar riff and featuring screamo vocals from G The Shep. Death Code has combined hard dance with rock elements on previous songs and “Fading” takes this to the next level with zaag kicks throughout the drops.
Beyond Cipher is just the beginning for Death Code, and we’re excited to watch him progress as he continues to master all areas of hard dance and beyond. Follow Moon Lnvding’s New Music Heat Friday playlist on Spotify to listen to the other hard dance tracks that dropped this week, and to stream Beyond Cipher or check out everything else Death Code has going on, just use the links below.
To celebrate the fifth anniversary of his chart-topping debut album The Wise & The Wicked, Jauz prepared a dual album project for 2023. The project’s first album, Rise of the Wise, dropped Friday, July 13, and the second album, Wrath of the Wicked, dropped Friday, September 22 on Jauz’s label, Bite This!.
The duality of the dual album concept highlights the evolution of Jauz as a producer. It is a testament to his ability to create successful tunes across a spectrum of EDM genres. While his July album focused more on house music, September’s album features seven heavier bass tracks characterized by dubstep and drum and bass.
“If my last album (Rise of the Wise) was the Yin, this one (Wrath of the Wicked) is the Yang,” Jauz shared. “The whole goal behind both of these albums was to dive into the polar extremes of the sounds I’ve always made and push each direction to the limit. With this album, it was all about creating the most ‘heavy’ version of Jauz I possibly could, which is perfectly represented by The Wicked.”
Two of the seven tracks have already been released over the past few weeks: “Mind Control” and “Dreaming.” The album opens with “Chaos,” a song that is true to its name and brings high-energy dubstep. Moon Lvnding’s pick for our weekly New Music Friday playlist was the drum and bass banger “Bad Boi Sound.” The album concludes with “Save U Now,” featuring emotional vocals and heartfelt basslines, putting a touching conclusion to the second part of the dual album project.
Accompanying the full release of Wrath of the Wicked, Jauz will begin his Wise/Wicked Tour in selected cities in Fall 2023. Notably, Jauz will be playing two different shows in most of the cities, featuring various venues for his separate Wise and Wicked shows. Discussing the upcoming tour, Jauz said, “I’m really excited for everyone to finally get to hear all these tracks I’ve been working on for so long and also finally get to play them out live, because a lot of them I’ve been keeping a secret for a while.”
The tour got started this past Saturday, September 23 in Boston with an early Wise boat party before playing Big Night Live for a late Wicked show. Other cities scheduled to get a double dip of Jauz playing Wise and Wicked shows this fall include New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Nashville. The dual album and dual tour concept is an exciting proposition, and we at Moon Lvnding are excited to see Jauz’s ongoing success as he embraces the duality of his music production. We plan on providing coverage of Jauz’s tour stop here in Brooklyn, so check back in a few weeks to learn more about the Wise Vs. Wicked 2023 Tour and use the handy links below to keep up with all the latest news from Jauz.
Wax Motif is back on tour in North America, and his 2023 House of Wax Tour is bigger and better than ever before. Sharing the same name as his tour and his DJ radio show, his debut album, House of Wax, has already amassed over 33 million streams since its release in 2022. Wax is off to a hot start in 2023, dropping new tunes on Repopulate Mars and Nervous Records, with a few more planned for Fall 2023.
The House of Wax Tour started in Texas in mid-August before working its way through the East Coast and Canada. Moon Lvnding was able to catch up with Wax Motif at his biggest-ever headline show in New York City at a 100-year-old historic landmark building, The Knockdown Center. We spoke about a wide range of topics such as his most anticipated tour stops including an appearance at Club Space Miami tonight, September 8; his upcoming song releases, including “In My Hands” with Camden Cox which dropped September 1; the journey to make it in the US as an international artist; and of course, Tribeca Bagels.
Sam Wolloch: “In My Hands” drops September 1, and we heard the Zhu collab tonight. Any other IDs with other artists that might drop this year?
Wax Motif: The only other one I know really, I think I’m going to drop is me and Zhu have a second collab that nobody’s really heard. It’s me, Zhu, and Camden Cox, an amazing vocalist. Shoutout to Camden! Zhu is going to drop the first collab on his album, and then I’m going to drop the second collab as my own single. There’s also a few other things, me and Tchami are working on something that I’m really happy about.
SW: So things went so well with “In My Hands” that you brought Camden Cox back for a second track?
WM: The thing is, she’s a beast. She’s written a ton of stuff. She was one of the writers for “Where You Are” with John Summit. With her, because I’m a producer, we can churn it out real quick. With us, it’s make the idea first, and work out what to do with it later.
Shaelyn McCormack: While we’re talking about tracks, what’s another track of yours that deserves a 20-minute version?
WM: Oh that’s hard, because it’s all about the 20-minute version of “Divided Souls.” For my own songs, I don’t know. I think “Divided Souls” could go for 40 minutes, so let’s add another 20 on to there.
SM: Who are some other artists on your wish list you’d like to collaborate with?
WM: There are so many. For me, the reason to collab with someone is because they are totally out of your lane. So Skrillex, Fred Again.. are pretty obvious. But there’s also some weirder ones, like DJ Seinfeld is really cool. Solomun would be cool, Camelphat, I really love Camelphat. I would love to do something with MK, I think that’s really close to happening.
Actually, I don’t like collabing with people I don’t know, so I always try to have a friendship first. So at the end of the day, I just want to collaborate with my friends. Collaboration should feel like genuine friendships, not like a business thing.
SM: What about remixes?
WM: It’s also why I don’t do remixes anymore. After “Fly Kicks” I got offered every remix on the planet, but it doesn’t feel genuine to me. I did “Fly Kicks” out of the love for doing it. Most remixes you’ll hear from me now, I’m not even getting paid to do it because I want to do it. You got to love what you are putting out, and if I don’t love it, I won’t put it out. It took me a long time to learn that, because I was putting out whatever because I need to pay my rent, I need to get by. But the minute I didn’t need to rely on that for my life, let me put in the art, the passion, and what I believe in.
SW: What was it like starting as an international artist and coming to the US and moving to Los Angeles?
WM: It is extremely difficult because anything you’ve accomplished overseas doesn’t matter when you come to America. It’s like you weren’t in the NBA… If you look at most of the artists out of Australia, like Dom Dolla, Fisher, Timmy Trumpet, we’re all older. None of us are 21-year-olds. We had to have a whole career in Australia to get to a point where we’re big enough for American agents to pick us up and get us an American visa. It’s a huge disadvantage. That’s why you see a ton of young Americans on the scene, and then most internationals are generally older because they’ve had to prove their worth in their own country to then get the opportunity to come here and rebuild it again. It’s been a long journey, but I don’t regret it. Once you’ve done all the hard work and proven your worth, it’s really hard to take that away from you after that.
SW: What about a festival bucket list? Are there some festivals you want to jump in on?
WM: I’ve achieved almost all the ones I want to do, the last one is Coachella. I did Tomorrowland this year, I’ve done Ultra, I’ve done EDC Las Vegas. Obviously, there’s the ones in Europe, like Creamfields and stuff I haven’t touched, but the one I really care about is Coachella, so hopefully we do Coachella next year.
SW: Any cities you are excited about playing for the first time on tour?
WM: I don’t think any of the cities are my first time, but all of them are my biggest venues. So I’m going into all these cities doing a show that’s bigger than anything I’ve done in any of these cities. Obviously New York tonight was amazing, LA which is my city, and another one is Denver – Mission Ballroom. I would love to play Red Rocks one day, so this is a precursor to that.
And also Space Miami. I’ve never headlined Space Miami, I’ve played there as support, but never as the headline so I feel like this is my chance to do the 4, 5, 6-hour set that everybody talks about. For Miami, I’m going to do something totally different to everything I’ve done on the tour, which is going to be crazy!
SW: Let’s talk about your tour merch. Why’d you choose to make a soccer kit and who’s idea was the New York Knicks House of Wax logo for this stop in NYC?
WM: I spent my whole life growing up playing soccer, so soccer was just obvious to me. I own like 20 soccer jerseys, Brazil, Barcelona home and away, Arsenal, so of all the jerseys, the first one I wanted to do was soccer.
And the Knicks idea, that was mine! I have Knicks Patrick Ewing jersey, I’m such a big Melo fan, and nothing screams New York more to me than the blue-orange combo. Notorious B.I.G. is one of my favorite artists of all time, I have this hat that’s Knicks and B.I.G. together, and I’ve had it for 10 years. I sent a picture of the hat, of B.I.G. and [the New York Knicks] triangle, and then they readapted it. I wanted something that didn’t say New York but still said New York…and this color combo and the logo is it.
Credit: Shaelyn McCormack // @shaelien111
SM: We know you are LA-based, but what is one place that you love to visit when you are in New York City?
WM: Tribeca Bagels. Shoutout to Tribeca Bagels, I love you! I love everyone at Tribeca Bagels.
SW: So what’s your order there?
WM: Chicken cutlet sandwich every time! I asked them to book the hotel next to Tribeca Bagels, which is the Hilton, so I could eat at Tribeca Bagels breakfast, lunch, and dinner… And I’m not the only person who goes there. Rihanna goes there, ASAP Rocky, J. Balvin, everyone. That joint is the sh*t. After this, I’m going there!
SW: Any last messages for your fans?
WM: I love that I have the opportunity to be here and I don’t take it for granted. I’m here only because of my fans. They’re the people who put me in this position. They’re the people who buy my music, who stream my music, buy my merch, buy the tickets. I am actually friends with so many of them now. 5 or 6 of them tonight just started as fans and now we’re friends. That is the Wax Gang. I hate calling them fans, because I know them at a deeper level. They feel like my family.
Credit: Sam Wolloch // @samwolloch
For what it’s worth, Wax Motif truly made us feel like family while conducting this interview and having us back in the artist area. I’ve never felt more welcomed by an artist in all my life, and getting to speak with the other members of the Wax Gang in the green room, their experiences were similar.
The House of Wax 2023 North America Tour still has over 10 stops remaining including Club Space Miami tonight, September 8, and his hometown show at The Shrine in LA on October 7. For all the headbangers out there, don’t forget that Wax Motif will bring his G-house beats to Lost Lands on Day 3. Moon Lvnding will be on the scene in Legend Valley and is looking forward to seeing the House of Wax in prehistoric times. To keep up with everything going on with Wax Motif, use the handy links below.
After a few successful remix releases this year, the sister duo Kinder has blessed us with a new single — “Lightyears” out now via Warner Music. The Ghanaian-Australian siblings teamed up with UK producer BCBC to showcase their club roots on this bouncy track. The fast tempo incorporated into “Lightyears” takes us on an energetic ride, reminding us to be present and let go of worry while vibing to this danceable tune.
“To us, it’s just about being in the present and having gratitude for that moment,” Kinder shares. “Not future tripping and just taking things one day at a time. BCBC’s production is immediate and fun, we love how it just doesn’t hold back, he has really gone for it, kind of symbolic of the song’s meaning, don’t hold back or think about tomorrow — just experience it and go all in.”
Kinder has provided support for EDM heavy hitters Marshmello, RL Grime, NGHTMRE, and Alison Wonderland, while also featuring on some of Australia’s biggest festivals. Now, sisters Briony and Savannah are ready to make their mark on the international scene with their Kinder project. Considering how fun and engaging this tune is, we can only hope Kinder continues to produce exciting music for us to enjoy at festivals and clubs around the world.
