Two years back Mark Sherry had his humanity questioned. Nobody – least of all he – could have known it’d trip off his first artist album. Clicking a captcha to ‘confirm’ his ‘humanity’ was an innocuous, seemingly fleeting moment. Everything that followed that, well, markedly less so. Over the following minutes, hours, days & weeks he returned to the question with ever-increasing interest.

“In hindsight, says the Scottish producer, it was a bit of a lightning bolt moment. It got me thinking, ‘wow, we’ve actually reached the point in civilisation where we have to identify ourselves as a person, not a machine, and – to of all things – a machine!’ If someone told me when I was 10, I’d have to do that, it would’ve truly blown my mind. Really, as I see it now, in this life any eventuality’s possible.”

As an album began to crystallise around the ‘Confirm Humanity’ question, its significance appeared to take on numerous other forms, not least social, cultural & existential ones. To Mark, it moved from being a seed to a metaphor and onto a motif – eventually developing into a refrain for life in the modern world.

Throughout its studio development, Mark sourced a litany of elements that chimed with ‘Confirm Reality’s central theme. Some overt, some nuanced and others Easter egged and for the sharpest ears only, within its fabric they make for an album which transmits both music & meaning. Through tracks like ‘The End Is The Beginning’, ‘Triquetra’, ‘Method To My Madness’ and ‘I’m Not A Robot’, Mark even poses some questions of his own.

In this debut album quest, Mark’s been flanked by a cadre of co-producers from his Outburst Records universe and beyond. Richard Durand, David Forbes, Tempo Giusto, Vlind, Mallorca Lee and others joined him in the studio, ultimately assisting in the serving of 18 desk-fresh tracks. It also involved the remixing of legends like Tiësto and the vocal talents of Marcella Woods, Christina Novelli & others, sitting thought-provoking songs amongst its floor roasting instrumentals.

Confronting the question others dare not? Judge for yourself. ‘Confirm Reality’ unflinchingly holds the clubbing mirror up to our 21st century times from May 17!

“The future as we know it is over” speculates the introductory crawl for ‘The End Is The Beginning’ and with it Mark and long-time studio sparring partner Mallorca Lee deliver the fiercest of precedents for the album. From there, well you know better than to expect any breathers from Captain Outburst! In solo mode comes the vociferous statement of ‘I’m Not A Robot’, whilst ‘Method To My Madness’ shakes the system further – posing provocative questions of its own. “What are people gonna think in another 4 years?” ask Mark & Tiempo Giusto on ‘Celestial Body’, whilst ‘Chopperchunk 2.0’ (alongside the UK’s Joey V) charges up the batteries for some pitch, warp & distorted tech-tenaciousness.

The LP’s vanguard singles (‘Confirm Humanity’ and the Christina Novelli-sung ‘Lighting Fires’) bookend the vociferous ‘Triquetra’. For those not acquainted with Netflix’s Dark series, ‘Triquetra’ (“the point where past, present & future meet in the middle”) takes its cues from an end-to-end gamut of tech-trance’s history. Framed by hunting horns and marching beats, Mark also reserves LP space for an epic, truly night-seizing escalation of Tiësto classic ‘Carpe Noctum’. The rolling groove & uplifting feel of ‘Luminosity Curve’ preface further vocal clusters on the album. Clare Stagg brings her beguilingly folk-edged inflection to ‘Poison Apple’, whilst legendary trance singer Marcella Woods touches new emotional heights on ‘Can’t Live Without Your Love’.

As the album begins its third and final act, ‘Confirm Humanity’s sonic stance toughens palpably again. In floor-striking form, ‘Yerba Del Diablo’ reunites Mark with fellow countryman (and trance legend) David Forbes. ‘Follow Me’ meanwhile sees him collaborating with original creators Spacefrog & Derb to revisit the underground German classic. In similar fashion – under his and Scot Project’s Gentech alias – ‘Feel My Love’ ups the quirk ante, while the Ross Ferguson-sung/Vlind-coproduced ‘Alone’ adds a final vocally elevating kiss-off to the LP.

‘Confirm Humanity’ – the album – is out to stream/purchase May 17. Click this link (https://blackhole.choons.at/confirmhumanityalbum) to confirm your own humanity!
Watch ‘Confirm Humanity’s album trailer here (https://bit.ly/2W6LNGQ).

Confirm Humanity by Mark Sherry – tracklist:

01. The End Is The Beginning (with Mallorca Lee)
02. Chopperchunk 2.0 (with Joey V)
03. I’m Not A Robot
04. Celestial Body (with Tempo Giusto)
05. Method To My Madness
06. Tiësto – Carpe Noctum (Mark Sherry Remix) 
07. Lighting Fires (with Christina Novelli)
08. Triquetra
09. Confirm Humanity
10. Luminosity Curve
11. Cosmic Dawn (with Richard Durand)
12. Can’t Live Without Your Love (with Marcella Woods)
13. Poison Apple (with Clare Stagg)
14. Yerba Del Diablo (with David Forbes)
15. Follow Me (meets Space Frog & Derb)
16. Gentech – Feel My Love
17. Alone (with Vlind featuring Ross Ferguson)
18. Arcadia

marksherry.net
facebook.com/marksherry
twitter.com/marksherry
soundcloud.com/marksherry

blackholerecordings.com
soundcloud.com/blackholerecordings
facebook.com/blackholerecordings

twitter.com/BlackHoleRec

Fresh from inking a deal with Amsterdam-based record label Armada Music, Australian-born artist Bella Hunter is on the cusp of something truly special. Looking to revolutionize the house music realm with her own trademark style and sound, she began her new, exciting journey today with the release of her debut solo single: ‘Deja Vu’.

 

Listen to Bella Hunter – Deja Vu

A deep house aficionado, L.A.-based Bella Hunter is a songstress and style icon defined by her gypsy spirit and understanding of interconnectivity through creation. ‘Deja Vu’ is her statement piece – a song that highlights her ability to create without boundaries. Her acute sense of rhythm and sonic artistry is on full display throughout her new singles as she weaves her own rich vocals into a plush bed of instrumentals and irresistible house vibes, setting the stage for her to establish herself as one of the go-to artists within the house music sphere.

 

Bella Hunter: “’Deja Vu’ was created in a dreamlike state while thinking about an insane summer, and being in love with someone who always leaves you longing and waiting for more. The whole song is like smudging the lines between memories and reality, because obviously your imagination runs totally wild when you’re daydreaming about someone and getting repeatedly rejected when they’re busy. But there is also a resoluteness in the track, about holding firm to what your heart tells you. It’s deliberately playful, happy, bursting with light, full of fierce love and highly flirtatious, and kind of impatient and super real. I’m honestly so proud of this track.”

A classically trained artist, Bella discovered her love for songwriting and electronic music very early. Her last single ‘Waves’, co-written with Erick Morillo, was a globally celebrated house anthem heavily rotated on Sirius XM BPM, and the duo is currently pinned to release another galvanizing track to initiate summertime. Blossoming at the intersection of underground dance music and commercial hits, Bella Hunter is soon to set the electronic music industry on fire.

Vibrant and upbeat, De Hofnar’s ‘Restart’ radiates positivism like no other. Empowered by Nathan Nicholson’s unique vocals and joyful melodies, this tune is the silver lining to every cloud.

listen HERE

De Hofnar: “Nathan and I met each other in Amsterdam for a creative studio session in the Armada Studios. We shared a lot of music and immediately had the right connection for a collaboration. I scrolled through some beats I was working at that moment and Nathan was super surprised to hear this project with a more discoish feel. He showed me some small lyrics he wrote the other day about restarting your life after a breakup. He told more about the personal background story and we found out that I had experienced the same thing. We dove right back into the project to merge these 2 ideas into 1 unique track, after 1 day “Restart” was born.“

 

Nathan Nicholson: “This song is about moving on and looking to the future, that with every end there’s a new beginning and a chance at starting over. It was really great to work with De Hofnar over at Armada HQ in Amsterdam, especially on something so upbeat and joyful – it sounds like the summer!”

 In a search for The Sound of Tomorrow alongside industry giants Tomorrowland and Pepsi MAX®, Dutch dance music pioneer Fedde Le Grand delivers the official track to The Sound of Tomorrow 2019, ‘Like We Do’ – out now via Darklight Recordings. 

Listen to Fedde Le Grand – Like We Do

With the bassline bringing the energy from the very first beat, Fedde Le Grand calls upon an edgier style of dance music for this groove-inducing anthem. Blending an electronic vocal piece with expertly built layers of vibrant synths and pulsating percussion, ‘Like We Do’ is crafted with the Main Stage in mind and is ready to take on the festival season full force. 

Showcasing Fedde’s daring production prowess and his deeply rooted love for the dance floor, this addition to his catalogue will be the track that The Sound of Tomorrow 2019 finalists will have the chance to remix. The initial wave of contestants delivered a carefully curated mix, and the top ten mixes were selected, gaining their creators a place in a DJ Bootcamp in Ibiza. Receiving expert mixing tips and advice from Fedde during the two-day masterclass, three finalists were selected. One of the three finalists will now get the chance to put their own spin on ‘Like We Do’ and play a coveted set at Tomorrowland 2019. The winner will be determined by public voting online announced at the festival. The lucky competition winner will have their remix released via Fedde’s own imprint Darklight Recordings at the end of the competition. 

Stay up to date with Fedde Le Grand and his search for ‘The Sound of Tomorrow’ by following his socials as well as news about upcoming music and tour dates.

When a house music icon such as Steve Lawler turns his hand to a classic House track from another production legend, groove mania is sure to be coming your way. Emerging with a top-quality remix of Harry Romero’s ‘Tania’, the British producer, DJ, founder of the VIVa MUSiC label and five-time DJ Awards winner once again spotlights his ability to shape a track of the ’99 generation into a record that rocks clubs and pleases fans today.

 

Listen to Harry Romero – Tania (Steve Lawler Remix)

Peppered with exemplary grooves and piercing hi-hats, Steve Lawler’s floor-ready remix of Harry Romero’s all-time house classic ‘Tania’ is tailor made for the underground. Hitting the nail on the head in terms of vibe and its ability to make people move, this compositional twist stakes its claim as an instant crowd favorite and was heard at all the right parties in Miami. And at one classic MMW event, both Loco Dice and Luciano hazed and phased the track to the delight of Harry, who was standing by the stage.

 

Steve Lawler: “Of course, being asked to remix one of the house classics of all time is never an easy one to answer. After all, how do you ever better something that cannot be bettered? But knowing Harry and having huge respect for him, I took on this challenge. From day one in the studio, I knew what I had to do; I wanted to keep the original essence of this classic, but modernize it for the new generation. This was a very enjoyable remix to do, as for every hour I spent on this, I was practically dancing in the studio. In my opinion, Harry Romero is one of the best producers house music has been lucky enough to call one of their own. Thank you for trusting me with your prized possession.”

 

Harry Romero: “Steve has been a buddy of mine for many years. I love his style of playing and production, so he was on the top of my list to remix one of my biggest tracks. There’s no messing around in his remix as it devastates the dance floors and sounds massive. I am proud to have him be a part of something that has been so big for me. Now we can present ‘Tania’ to a new generation.“

Regarded as highly by his industry peers as he is by his huge global base of musically educated fans, Steve Lawler has been defying generic boundaries since he began his career organizing the infamous motorway raves back in the early ‘90s underneath the M42 motorway. Whilst earning himself a reputation for breaking new talent as the founder and main man of the VIVa MUSiC empire, he remixed high-profile artists such as Jamelia, Dido and Justin Timberlake, recorded a track for blockbuster movie ‘The Skeleton Key’, and tours extensively all year ‘round, gracing Ibiza clubs and festivals such as Lovebox, Eastern Electronics, Creamfields and Parklife in the U.K., Hideout in Croatia and Lost And Found in Malta. Steve Lawler’s incredible career was also documented in an 80-minute film: ‘The Art Of The DJ’, directed by Piers Sanderson.

 

As one of House music’s most prolific and consistent flagbearers, Harry Romero has played a pivotal role in shaping the scene since he started out in the mid-‘90s. Continually looking to expand his musical range because of his diverse musical upbringing, he has produced legendary tracks such as ‘Cro Magnon’, ‘Erectus’, ‘Tania’, ‘Night @ The Black’ and ‘Mas Pito’ (as MongoBonix), and even hit the U.K. Singles chart close to the turn of the millennium. All things considered, there’s no doubt that Harry Romero is one of the finest and most accomplished producers in electronic music, and with a summer ahead of killer releases and remixes, the best is yet to come.

Produce a track that’s as fond a homage to one of the most revered pioneers of electronic music as is modern-day achievable? Check. On release get approving nods/noises on the track from said pioneer? Check. Have pioneer subsequently develop such a love for the track that he ultimately wants to remix it? Annnnd check!

Safe to say that Brian ‘BT’ Transeau & Christian Burns found themselves in Dream Factory’s Wish Fulfilment zone when Vince Clarke’s (of Erasure, Depeche Mode, Yazoo & The Assembly fame) team dropped them a note. The tune that’d resonated was ‘The Alarm’ – the lead track from the first EP by All Hail The Silence (Transeau/Burns). The question asked was: ‘can Vince do an official remix’?

Vince’s outreach came at a timely juncture, just as ‘The Alarm’ had sparked renewed interest through its inclusion on the pair’s Jan ’19 released debut studio album, ‘‡’.

Naturally following A.H.T.S. prescribed studio operandi (using analogue-only synthesizers and without computer sequencing assistance, echoing techniques Clarke himself originally advanced), Vince set to work.

Hooked around Roland-ish synths & pads and the emotional highs of its chord progressions, he has given ‘The Alarm’ an almost impossibly cool remapping. Fashioning a neo-classic analogue style, he brilliantly picks out the pathos of Christian’s verses and accentuates the nascent optimism of his chorus. A small piece of electronic music history made, you can stream/purchase the Vince Clarke retrofuturistic take on All Hail The Silence’s ‘The Alarm’ here. (https://ahts.choons.at/thealarmrmx)

Tracklist:

01. The Alarm (Vince Clarke Remix)

facebook.com/allhailthesilence

twitter.com/thesilence

instagram.com/allhailthesilence/

soundcloud.com/all-hail-the-silence

blackholerecordings.com
facebook.com/blackholerecordings
twitter.com/BlackHoleRec
soundcloud.com/blackholerecordings

Morgan Page and Pex L releasing a ‘Gone My Way (KhoMha Remix)’. This booming tune got flavoured with the Colombian touch of none other than KhoMha. No one is able to resist to dance when listening to this remix..! 

Listen Here

Despite his young age, Federico Gardenghi has already cemented his place in the Techno scene, and he’s beyond eager to build out and substantialize his career even further. Today, the remarkably talented Italian youngster started a new chapter by releasing his debut record, ‘Loco’, which immediately entered Music Week’s Cool Cuts chart at #20. 

Listen to Federico Gardenghi – Loco

Federico Gardenghi is nothing short of a groove master when he takes the decks, and it seeps through to his productions as well. With killer beats that keep spiraling out of control, his debut record on Armada Subjekt oozes club-rocking potential. The title of this groove-infested track says it all: ‘Loco’ is percussion-driven madness made for the dance floor, released on the exact day the boy wonder turns fifteen years old. 

Federico Gardenghi: “When I took my first steps into music, it was already a dream of mine to release my own track, especially on Armada Music. Now, here I am, with my first track ‘Loco’ out on the label today. It’s a dream come true for me and I can’t for you all to listen to it! 

Federico Gardenghi, who recently shared the stage with the likes of Adam Beyer, Amelie Lens, Chris Liebing, Richie Hawtin and Stephan Bodzin at HYTE NYE at Funkhaus, Berlin, inevitably caught the dance music bug by reading international magazines and watching DJ videos with his parents. Inspired by the likes of Armin van Buurenand Carl Cox, he set out to devise his own approach to selecting and playing out underground music, and he’s been making waves at a very young age ever since with performances at European Music Festival in Milan, alongside Carl Cox in Ibiza, and more. 

Listen to ‘Loco’ on Soundcloud: http://bit.ly/308hUF3