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Ultra Europe Unveils the Official Aftermovie for Its 2025 Edition

By
Marco Di
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ULTRA Europe 2025 has just unveiled the Official Aftermovie for its 2025 event, recapping the magic of the festival’s wildly successful 11th anniversary edition.

This year’s ULTRA Europe Aftermovie leads viewers through an immersive narrative that evolves from a personal journey into the center of the ULTRA community. It opens far from the Main Stage, in idyllic nature, where the film’s protagonist begins her transition into the world of ULTRA Europe.

Once she steps onto the festival grounds, her story merges with the euphoric shared experience of tens of thousands of Ultranauts. Explosive crowd moments, hands in the air, synchronized jumps, ecstatic shouts and relentless waves of energy, form a visual strategy that positions the audience as the film’s true driving force.

The camera also unveils Split through the eyes of first-time Ultranauts, capturing the city’s striking blend of history, culture, and vibrant urban rhythm leading toward Park Mladeži. In this fusion of ancient backdrop and modern spectacle, a distinct creative dynamic emerges, portraying a city that over the past eleven years has grown in parallel with the festival.

That rising energy is reflected in the film’s pacing, culminating in a sequence that encapsulates the essence of ULTRA Europe’s impact on its host city. “We watch this city grow and grow and it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world.”

Images of ULTRA Europe 2025’s esteemed headliners are spliced throughout the aftermovie, including breathtaking shots of superstar acts like Armin Van Buuren, Carl Cox, John Summit, Solomun, Gryffin, Hardwell, Martin Garrix, Tiësto, Afrojack, Alesso, Adam Beyer b2b Mau P, Amelie Lens, Vini Vici, and more.

Produced once again by the ULTRA Worldwide renowned Final Kid Films team, the aftermovie is built around the idea of ULTRA Europe as a bridge between two timelines – Split’s centuries-old heritage and the festival’s cutting-edge production.

Sweeping aerial shots of the city lay the emotional and visual foundation, highlighting its history, while the high-intensity festival sequences drive the narrative forward from intimate moments to collective euphoria.

The dragon animation then serves as a symbolic connector, enhancing the visual storytelling while subtly referencing Split’s globally recognized cinematic identity. The end result is a movie that seamlessly blends documentary-like textures with fantastical elements, folding ancient history, modern dance music culture, and ULTRA Europe spectacle into one cohesive creative vision.

Tickets are on sale now for ULTRA Europe 2026, which is set to take place July 10 – 12, 2026 at Park Mladežl in Split, Croatia. Following the massive success of the 2025 event, which drew over 150,000 Ultranauts from more than 140 countries to witness the biggest names in dance music, ULTRA Europe is ready to embrace its new chapter with countless more unforgettable moments.

Watch the official aftermovie below.

Awakenings Upclose Reveals Stellar Lineup for its Anticipated 2026 Edition

By
Metodi Gogovski
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Awakenings Upclose 2025

After its first two strong editions, Upclose returns in 2026 with another weekend shaped entirely around the dance floor. On May 16 and 17, Spaarnwoude-Park becomes the stage for dancers who seek depth, intensity and the more progressive corners of techno.

Upclose, created by Awakenings as a direct ode to club culture, stays true to its essence. Warm, sweaty, intense, and focused on the collective energy between dancers and artists on the dance floor. No distance and no separation, only movement and connection. Building on the momentum of previous years, the 2026 edition digs even deeper into the niche, forward-leaning side of the genre.

Expect a line-up that doesn’t chase the obvious, instead spotlighting artists and obscure sounds that speak directly to dedicated dance floor culture. This line-up is not for everyone, but that’s exactly the point.

This year’s line-up brings together artists who each approach techno with a distinctive edge. Some are well established, others are treasured names within the underground. Expect rare live performances, unexpected back-to-back sessions and artists stepping into new territory.

Colin Benders x Dasha Rush (live), The Tunegirl (live) and UFO95 (live) form the core of this year’s hardware-driven and analog-focused performances, each exploring their own dimension of hypnotic, high-intensity live techno. This year’s live programme also features rare appearances of both Planetary Assault Systems and LSD.

Planetary Assault Systems is one of Luke Slater‘s most iconic solo projects, while LSD sees him join forces with Function and Steve Bicknell for a powerful collaborative performance celebrating its 10-year anniversary, across separate shows.

Upclose Festival 2026 Lineup
Upclose 2026 Lineup

Several artists reveal a different side of themselves through dedicated house sets. Blasha & Allatt return with a warm and rolling house session. Crowd favorites Freddy K, Rene Wise and Alarico will not perform once, but twice over the weekend, each adding a special second appearance to their initial set.

Freddy K offers a rare house-focused set next to his harder appearance, and Rene Wise explores a deeper, groove-led sound in addition to his signature techno performance. Alarico also debuts a surprising twist through his Kenji Hina house set, presenting a lighter, soulful expression of his artistry.

Ciara Cuvé, the alias of Clara Cuvé, brings a bouncy, rhythmic and groove-forward performance that reveals a different creative dimension than her well-known high-BPM persona. DJ Boring x Odymel and Main Phase add a colorful, UK-inspired edge to the weekend, expanding the more playful, leftfield spectrum of the festival. BIIANCO introduces a fresh, emotive and hybrid form of club music that further widens Upclose‘s musical landscape.

Across the weekend, international names meet exclusive collaborations and strong local voices. Ignez x Rødhåd bring their hybrid live formation to the festival, blending atmospheric depth with sharpened minimal rhythm. Collabs 3000, the legendary partnership between Chris Liebing and Speedy J, return with their high-impact, experimentally driven techno performance.

Awakenings Upclose
Upclose

Freddy K x Marrøn merge Italian and Dutch energies into a relentless, groove-driven session. The Hayes Collective featuring Cravo, Nørbak, Temudo and Vil step into an F2F formation shaped by precision and tension, while ROD x Sterac honour the roots of Detroit techno through a set crafted for today’s club floor.

Ryan Elliott brings Detroit heritage into a contemporary context, deepening the connection between the genre’s past and present. Shed vs Head High introduces a rare concept performance where René Pawlowitz pits two of his defining aliases against each other in a high-impact, tension-filled DJ format.

Longtime contributors to the Dutch underground stand beside newer voices shaping its future. Amsterdam club kids’ favorites JEANS x Woody ’92 x Spekki Webu embody the spirit of the local underground scene.

Naone, Odymel, Emvae, Moxes and the Undivulged Collective – Beau Didier, Flits, Isaiah and Lasse presenting an F2F set – represent the rising wave of emerging Dutch talent, each bringing fresh interpretations of groove, hypnosis and movement.

Twiena adds another strong voice within the contemporary Dutch club landscape, while Ogazón, emerging from the German underground, brings her refined and immersive approach to techno to the programme.

 

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Colin Benders, appearing alongside Dasha Rush, contributes a distinctly innovative, modular dimension, and Joris Voorn presents a special vinyl only techno set, celebrating the purist craft through his own distinctive approach.

The presence of all the local artists and a wave of emerging talent reaffirm how strong the local scene remains.

Upclose remains rooted in community. Not only does it give the stage to international trailblazers, it also gathers collectives and key figures from local scenes, creating a balance between broader influences and local authenticity.

The festival’s intimate scale keeps everything close and connected. The floor becomes a place where dancers move with full intention and where artists feed directly off that energy. Stage design, a crowd known for its taste and presence and a shared focus on pure club culture define the experience.

Feedback from previous editions has reinforced the festival’s purpose. Upclose offers a space dedicated to the progressive and uncompromising ends of techno. In 2026, that focus becomes even sharper, deepening the link between music, movement and the collective experience that defines the festival.

On May 16 and 17, 2026, Spaarnwoude-Park becomes the centre of forward-leaning techno. Upclose is more than a festival. It is a meeting place for those who live for the floor, a celebration of community and a home for sounds that thrive outside the mainstream.

Tickets available HERE.

Echonomist returns to HABITAT with the powerful five-track EP ‘Dominator’

By
Marco Di
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Following his debut appearance on HABITAT in 2024 with his standout ‘My Eyes Are Failing’ remix, Echonomist returns to serve up his ‘Dominator’ EP – a five-track release that captures the Greek artist’s unmistakable tension, groove, and analogue character, paired with high-caliber remixes from Fango and Toto Chiavetta.

With previous releases on Innervisions, Exit Strategy, TAU, and Kompakt, Echonomist has steadily built a reputation for fusing raw emotion with forward-leaning sound design.

His prolific output and effortless ability to experiment with various styles have long made him a respected figure within the global electronic landscape. Now, with his ‘Dominator’ EP, he brings that creative force back to Mind Against’s imprint in commanding form.

Opening with the title track, ‘Dominator’ immediately sets the tone: bustling energy, driving drums, and siren-like synths cut through a deep, Detroit-leaning atmosphere. ‘Modulator’ follows with a pulsing, oscillating bassline and rattling percussive breaks that coil around warped vocals.

On ‘Use Your Illusions’, the pace becomes chuggier as he combines raw industrial drums with a thudding kick, dubby chords, and fizzing synths.

Echonomist Dominator EP
Echonomist – Dominator EP HABITAT

The package is then elevated by two heavyweight reinterpretations, with Fango’s remix of ‘Dominator’ pushing the cut into a more intense, pressure-driven space, upping the ante with amplified rhythmic density.

To close, Toto Chiavetta delivers an electro-laden rework, sculpting the track into a dense, atmospheric journey that prioritizes ever-evolving groove and textural depth.

Listen to the EP below.

Adriatique Team Up with Yubik and Vincent Vossen on “Never Alone”

By
Metodi Gogovski
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Driven by a desire to evolve rather than repeat himself, Yubik continues to shape a sound that is raw, danceable, and emotionally charged, a signature he brings into “Never Alone”, where he teams up with the ever-renowned Adriatique and emotional genre-blender Vincent Vossen for a three-way production that unites their distinct creative identities.

Out on Adriatique’s X Recordings the quintessential, peak-time Melodic House and Techno track is precision-engineered for maximum impact and emotional resonance. Its soundscape is intentionally built on pulsing rhythms and soaring, intricate synth work.

Yubik, who has consistently impressed with significant releases on major labels and continues to evolve through impactful records on Afterlife, Siamese, and beyond, leads the creative charge on “Never Alone.” His refined, emotionally charged direction anchors the collaboration.

Adriatique Yubik Vincent Vossen Never Alone
Adriatique, Yubik, Vincent Vossen – Never Alone

Joining him are Adriatique, known globally for their groundbreaking releases on Diynamic and Afterlife and their acclaimed Siamese imprint. With a history of delivering definitive BBC Radio 1 Essential Mixes, their involvement ensures that the record is already white-hot amongst the core DJ community.

Vincent Vossen completes the trio, weaving in his distinctive, genre-blending emotional production style.

Listen to the track below.

ULTRA Worldwide announces inaugural ULTRA New Zealand event

By
Marco Di
-

ULTRA Worldwide has just announced the inaugural ULTRA New Zealand, which will take place at Wellington Waterfront in Wellington on Friday, April 10, 2026.

In celebration of this historic debut edition, ULTRA New Zealand will transform the country’s capital into a multi-stage experience featuring world-class electronic music talent.

ULTRA New Zealand will be held at an idyllic waterfront location, promising to channel the signature spirit of ULTRA‘s flagship Miami festival and deliver a landmark moment for both ULTRA Worldwide and New Zealand’s live music landscape.

ULTRA New Zealand will solidify ULTRA Worldwide‘s reputation for bringing some of the most iconic names in dance music history to countries around the globe. Across 2025 events such as ULTRA Europe, ULTRA Japan, ULTRA Buenos Aires, ULTRA South Africa, ULTRA Australia, and many more, ULTRA Worldwide stages hosted superstar acts such as Calvin Harris, DJ Snake, Gryffin, Hardwell, Martin Garrix, SLANDER, Adam Beyer, Tiësto, Afrojack, Alesso, Armin Van Buuren, Carl Cox, John Summit, Solomun, Steve Angello, Axwell, Anyma, Black Coffee, I Hate Models, ISOxo, Boris Brejcha, Miss Monique, Oliver Heldens, ARTBAT, Knock2, and more.

ULTRA New Zealand 2026 festival
ULTRA New Zealand 2026

ULTRA Worldwide‘s arrival on the Wellington Waterfront brings a sense of grand spectacle to the capital – an event launch that will create an unprecedented atmosphere for New Zealand.

Set against the harbor’s sweeping backdrop, ULTRA New Zealand will be an electronic music playground that elevates Wellington City onto the global stage of dance music culture.

ULTRA New Zealand is part of the ULTRA Worldwide family, which continues to cement its status as the world’s most international music festival brand. Boasting active events on all six inhabited continents, including the flagship Ultra Music Festival in Miami, the global festival brand is heralded for delivering an unparalleled combination of top-tier electronic talent, cutting-edge technology and large-scale productions.

Tickets available HERE.

Fedde Le Grand Reloads a Classic with Explosive ‘Back & Forth’ Remix from Tony Romera

By
Andry Bosk
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Fedde Le Grand enlists Tony Romera for a turbocharged update of his defining hit ‘Back & Forth’.

A cornerstone of Fedde’s catalogue, ‘Back & Forth’ remains a timeless house classic – beloved for its infectious vocal, swaggering groove, and its long-standing presence on festival stages worldwide.

Now, the next generation steps up, as Tony Romera injects his signature raw energy, sharp percussion and club-focused power into a remix built for peak-time chaos.

Romera’s rework pays tribute to the original’s unmistakable identity while pushing it forward through a modern lens. This new cut is guaranteed to ignite global dancefloors, as the remix marks a meeting of two artists who have consistently shaped – and reshaped – the sound of contemporary house music.

A defining figure in dance music for over two decades, Fedde Le Grand remains one of the industry’s most influential forces. From global hits like ‘Put Your Hands Up For Detroit’, ‘Let Me Think About It’, and ‘Back & Forth’, to remixing icons including Madonna, Coldplay, Rihanna, and Michael Jackson, his impact sprawls across dance culture.

He has topped charts, filled stadiums, and inspired generations of club goers, all while continuing to innovate through his Darklight Sessions radio show, touring schedule, and steady flow of club-ready productions.

Bursting onto the scene at just 20 years old, Tony Romera has spent the last decade carving out a reputation as one of dance music’s most exciting modern talents. With releases on Black Book, OWSLA, Monstercat, Toolroom, Insomniac and more, plus remixes for Calvin Harris, Diplo, Madeon, Kungs and Petit Biscuit, Romera’s creative range is vast and ever-evolving.

His breakout ‘Raw’ remix hit #1 on Beatport and cemented him as a producer’s producer, earning support from the likes of Chris Lake, DJ Snake, Fatboy Slim and Skrillex. On stage, he’s graced Tomorrowland, EDC Las Vegas, Parc des Princes, and clubs across every continent.

Now, these two forces collide, Fedde’s legacy and Romera’s forward momentum, delivering a remix that bridges eras, scenes and generations of club culture.

Listen to the track below.

RSCL unleashes euphoric new single ‘Lighter’ on Tomorrowland Music

By
Marco Di
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RSCL

Dutch DJ and producer RSCL returns to what drives him most: creating music that feels alive and made for the dancefloor. The result is ‘Lighter’, a track bursting with catchy lyrics, infectious beats, and energetic dance influences, as memorable on the radio as it is under the club lights.

Following an exhilarating American tour with stops in Hamilton, Montréal, Vancouver, Boston, Penn State, Nashville, and Washington D.C., and a memorable European debut at Ushuaïa Ibiza, RSCL is back in the studio.

RSCL Lighter
RSCL – Lighter

After hitting #10 on the Billboard Dance Chart with ‘Echo‘, RSCL is ready to push his sound even further with his new release, ‘Lighter‘, out now via Tomorrowland‘s world-renowned record label Tomorrowland Music.

With countless releases and performances across Europe, RSCL has crafted a signature sound that sets him apart. His music is best described as a blend of funky basslines, the iconic M1 sound, stutter elements, and catchy vocals.

He first introduced his distinctive stutter sound with “Lost“, which has now surpassed 140 million streams on Spotify. The track also received major support from Hardwell, head of Gemstone Records, and was named SiriusXM’s BPM Breaker in early 2023.

Listen to the track below.

N1NJA joins forces with Nana Atta for their powerful Afro Tech single “Umusa”

By
Alex Gelevski
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London artist N1NJA, recently spotlighted by Beatport as an emerging artist on their radar, joins forces with acclaimed South African vocalist Nana Atta for their powerful new Afro Tech single “Umusa,” out on Get Physical.

“Umusa,” meaning grace, is the product of a rare moment of universal symbiosis. N1NJA had long admired Nana Atta’s voice, and when Grammy-winning artist Zakes Bantwini introduced them, the chemistry was immediate.

They began collaborating remotely, but their bond deepened months later when they finally met in South Africa through N1NJA’s work with IMS and Beatport.

N1NJA Nana Atta Umusa
N1NJA x Nana Atta – Umusa

“The moment Nana walked in, there was an instant sense of sisterhood,” N1NJA recalls.

“She had just returned from a spiritual mission in her local village, and she radiated a very peaceful yet deeply protective energy.”

During that visit, Nana Atta gravitated towards one particular sketch on N1NJA’s laptop, an untitled piece that would later become Umusa.

Press play and the track opens with emotionally charged synth lines, carrying a sense of urgency yet filled with hope. Delicate, shimmering snares dance over the bassline, grounding the emotion as Nana Atta’s unmistakable voice soars in equal parts lament, passion and power. She sings in Zulu:

Sathenjiswa umusa nothando, ngeke kuhlale kunjena
Noma kwehlela nokwenyuka, ngeke kuhlale kunjena
(We were promised grace and love – it won’t always be this way.
Through the ups and downs, things will always get better.)

In a moment of extraordinary synchronicity, the very next day, the duo performed Umusa live at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg – the historic site where Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi were once imprisoned, during the IMS Connect event hosted by Beatport. Two women, performing a song about resilience and transformation, at a place forever marked by struggle and liberation.

Exactly one year after the stars first aligned, “Umusa” arrives as more than a release – it is a message and a testament to resilience, resistance and renewal, landing fresh in the wake of both artists stepping into a new chapter with the launch of their own labels.

Let ‘Umusa’ remind you of what we rise from, and what we rise toward. Listen and purchase the track below!

Ganja White Night announces Cloud City Music Festival

By
Metodi Gogovski
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cc: Brittany Teuber

Belgian bass visionaries Ganja White Night announce their most ambitious project yet with the debut of Cloud City Music Festival, a two-day, multi-stage event taking over Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre on April 17–18, 2026.

Marking the duo’s largest headline shows of their career, Cloud City represents the next evolution of their groundbreaking Wobble universe and their deep-rooted connection to Colorado’s bass community.

Cloud City arrives at a pivotal moment in Ganja White Night’s legacy. Over the past decade, Denver has become their market – home to many of their most historic performances, including sold-out shows at the 1st Bank, Mission Ballroom, and multiple years of Decadence Colorado, as well as four monumental Red Rocks performances in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Their 2021 debut of Wobble Rocks, a three-night Red Rocks run that sold out months in advance, cemented the duo as one of Colorado’s most beloved acts and set the foundation for the large-format events that followed.

 

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A post shared by Ganja White Night (@ganjawhitenight)

Inspired by their long-standing love for Red Rocks and the city of Denver – and energized by fan feedback and the recent success of large-format takeovers like Excision’s – Ganja White Night wanted to build something new for 2026.

Cloud City will open doors at 2:00 PM each day, offering a full-day festival experience featuring 28 artists across two stages, immersive production, live art installations, and engagement with local creators, endemic vendors, and community partners.

It’s a major step forward in their vision: a world built not just around their music, but around the culture, creativity, and people who have shaped the Wobble community.

 

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A post shared by Ganja White Night (@ganjawhitenight)

Created as a fully curated universe grounded in their signature Wobble sound, Cloud City will bring together friends, collaborators, and fan-favorite artists spanning bass, experimental electronic music, and live reggae.

Cloud City is both a milestone and a homecoming – a celebration of the Denver fans who helped propel the duo from underground favorites to globally renowned storytellers, producers, and live performers.

Tickets:
April 17: [LINK] | April 18: [LINK] | Two-Night Series: [LINK]

Full Lineup:

BOOGIE T.
BOOGIE T.RIO
CHAMPAGNE TRIP
CHIEF KAYA
COKI B2B YOUNGSTA
DJ HADD
DON JAMAL
DUB FX
FATHER FUNK
GANJA WHITE NIGHT X 2 + THROWBACK 420 SET
JESSE ROYAL
KNOW GOOD
ODDLY EAZY
PACKET LOSS
RICHARD FINGER
SECRET GUEST
SISTER NANCY
SUBATONIC SOUND SYSTEM + SCREECHY DAN
TOGEKI
TRUTH
VEIL
WRAZ
ZION MARLEY
ZOSKA

EAZYBAKED Close Out a Breakthrough Year With New Album “The Antennae”

By
Marco Di
-

Closing out a breakthrough year of career milestones and unapologetic creative freedom, EAZYBAKED return with their next album, The Antennae – a collection of personal tracks and collaborations that perfectly captures the many dynamic layers of the duo’s project. 

Less a conceptual project and more a moment of reflection, The Antennae serves as a musical collage – stitching together moments, memories, and creative sparks gathered from a year in motion.

The record features their recent standout single “CODED” (with Digital Ethos), a newly reimagined version of “WYAWYS” (with Daggz), and their latest release “BRAKES” (with Snuffy), alongside new downtempo-leaning, headphone-driven pieces that drift between nostalgia and renewal.

The LP also features collaborations with Ooga, RANZ, and TieDye Ky, creating a cohesive year-end collection that reflects the duo’s growing tight-knit community and their artistic evolution over the course of 2025.

Bringing the project full circle, EAZYBAKED ties the album together with their very own hand-drawn collage artwork – filled with sentimental pieces that speak to the project’s ethos – alongside film photography that reinforces its collaborative nature.

EAZYBAKED The Antennae
EAZYBAKED The Antennae album

Arriving on the heels of a standout year that included headline sets at premier U.S. venues including Mission Ballroom, Ramova Theatre, and Realm – and coveted direct support slots for tastemakers Zeds Dead, Subtronics, and Of The Trees – The Antennae lands just before high profile year-end stops at The Shrine, The Armory, and a hometown festival return to Orlando for Eternal NYE.

A marker in EAZYBAKED’s timeline, The Antennae channels the energy of their ongoing story, the friendships that shaped their sound, and the freedom that continues to guide their evolution forward.

Here’s what EAZYBAKED had to say about the album:

“This album came to fruition just a few months ago, which feels wild because our first LP took two years to build. We didn’t set out to make another album – we were planning a collab project at first – but as the year unfolded, we kept writing ideas that all felt like they lived under the same roof.

2025 was the biggest year for EAZYBAKED yet. We played the biggest shows of our careers, released more music than we did last year, learned so much about ourselves, and refined our vision. It only felt right to cap the year with something more meaningful – a second LP that captures everything this year meant to us.

‘The Antennae’ is a recap of our year – a collection of music and moments, a bunch of fat beats, collaborations with our best friends, and a whole lot of love. We’re done overthinking. We just wanted to share this music because now feels like the right time.”

Listen to the album below!

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