EVOLUTION OF SANDSTORM | DARUDE

There are certain songs that you remember where you were when you first heard them and then there are others that are linked to numerous moments and they become a major part of the soundtrack of our lives!

Sandstorm is that song for us. We remember hearing it when it first came out when we were in college, we have heard it at fashion, sports, and tech trade shows, many a night at Limelight (back when it was a club here in NY), we heard this song and even other top DJ's play and have remixed this song. When you think of songs in EDM, Toni-Ville Henrik Virtanen aka as Darude is pivotal in anthems that get us moving. With this iconic song being out for 25 years with over half a billion Spotify streams, we wanted to talk with Darude about the impact of this song, how it was created, and what it means to him.

Currently, Darude is on the STORM 25 Tour where he plays this song along with other tracks that we can vibe to. We also talk with him about how he got into this industry, his creative process, and upcoming projects.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the song that you heard that made you fall in love with dance music?

DARUDE: So around 1982, I was maybe seven or eight years old, my cousin played me Oxygène the album by French composer Jean-Michel Jarre. I think it was the piece Oxygène Pt.4 especially which really got me hooked onto electronic sounds. It’s maybe not what we’d consider straight-up “dance music” like you hear today but it was almost certainly a precursor for genres like Trance with the beautiful melodies and careful use of synths and phasers to create that ambient, uplifting sound.

Faithless and Scooter were also early loves of mine, but really growing up I listened to a whole melting pot of sounds from Punk to 80s Hair Metal, which still influences my music today.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a DJ?

D: I never set out to be a DJ as such, I was a producer and live artist and I still consider myself a producer first. Then, when Sandstorm blew up, I started to get these incredible booking requests and had to pick up the art of DJing pretty quickly as although the live sets are great, travelling with all of the gear needed is not as practical.

AM: How do you define the Darude sound?

D: I’m not one for strict genre labels, I’d say my sound is energetic, emotive, electronic dance music created with the dancefloor in mind. Ask me again in a few years, even months, it might differ slightly, but that’s the beauty of being an artist, you’re always honing and evolving your craft.

AM: What is your creative process when you're making music and where do you start?

D: Inspiration for a full track or even just the melody can strike anywhere really. My approach hasn’t really changed too much over the years, I still love tinkering. Sometimes I start from the drums, I start from drum-works that are energetic and make me want to move, but really, I just love just playing with different sounds, adding a delay, adding a reverb and if I hear something in it, I just see where I can take it next.

My purpose-built studio at home in Finland is aptly called Serendipity Studio because it’s where happy accidents often happen. Ideas just crash into one another and it’s in my skillset to recognise those ideas that I see potential in developing into, hopefully, a hit record or a solid dancefloor number.

AM: I was in college when I first heard Sandstorm. How did this song come about and what do you think it is about it that it continues to be a song that draws people in?

D: It’s the million-dollar question! What’s so interesting about Sandstorm is not only does it resonate with so many people, but it goes way beyond just dance music fans.

A lot of sports teams, from college football to ice hockey, listen to Sandstorm to get hyped for a big match. It’s huge in the gaming world too, and then it’s got this whole other life as an online meme.

When it came to actually producing Sandstorm, the first thing people often think about is the lead sound, the “dududu” if you will, and that I’d already started working on in around 1997.

So, the Sandstorm riff stayed on my hard drive for a couple years, then in summer of ’99 I just happened to open the file again. I liked the melody, and at the time I was using Cubase VST 24 which had a plugin called Quadrafuzz and once I distorted the sound with it, it became what now is known as the Sandstorm lead.

After that, it only took a day or so for me to build the chords around the main melody, then a few sessions maybe over a week to develop it into a full track. It got played by a few local DJs in Finnish clubs, then JS16, Jaakko Salovaara, now a close friend, took me under his wing and that time had just launched his own record company, 16 Inch Records. He asked if I wanted to be his first artist, we refined Sandstorm in his studio with his better gear and knowledge into the final version you hear now.

It was then time to put it out into the world, and the rest as they say is history.

AM: Did you think that Sandstorm would have the staying power that it has had for 25 years, with over half a billion Spotify streams and a number of DJs from Martin Garrix, Tiësto, Hardwell, David Guetta, and more who enjoy playing this song?

D: I never could have predicted the insane global phenomenon that Sandstorm would become. To be honest, if someone told me at the time “hey this track is going to reach millions of people, launch your music career, feature in the USB of the world’s biggest DJs, and still be huge in twenty-five years” I think the pressure would have been too much and it never would have made it out of my head, let alone the studio.

That’s the beauty of that track I suppose it came about so organically. Another thing to remember is at the time of Sandstorm being released, the internet was still relatively new and social media didn’t exist so the concept of something going “viral” on that scale wasn’t even a passing thought in my mind. I was just hyped if my buddies down my local club were into it.

AM: Why did you want to launch a record label?

D: I launched my record label Vibing Out for a few reasons. One, I wanted a platform to release my own music where I had full creative freedom and could keep full rights and control as much as I can.

Secondly, and my biggest motivator behind the label, is to help platform other producers and artists who I see great potential in. We all remember that first foot-up into the industry and if this label can provide that to others, then it’s a success in my eyes.

The name Vibing Out actually stems from my weekly live-stream show on Twitch which I’ve been hosting for a few years now. It’s the buzzword of the moment but we really have created a nice little community on there and I wanted that same togetherness spirit to carry on into the label.

Plus, I’m not here for following trends. Good music is good music. So, as long as your track is something we can all “vibe out” to on the dancefloor then I’m all ears.

AM: You have toured all over the world and have played at phenomenal festivals and currently you are on the STORM 25 World Tour! What was the vision behind doing this tour?

D: The tour was originally planned for the twentieth anniversary, however, as with most tours scheduled around 2020, this didn’t happen for obvious reasons.

So, for the twenty-fifth anniversary we had to go big. The tour itself it really is about bringing people together, it’s my thanks to everyone who has partied with me and listened to my music over the last two and a half decades.

It’s about not just celebrating Sandstorm, but the whole Before The Storm album and years of Darude which have followed. I’ve released five studio albums in total now, so it’s been really fun digging through my catalogue and reworking some tracks into exclusive brand new STORM 25 remixes you’ll only hear on this tour.

I’m also going back to my roots in a way as for select shows I’m performing live sets, reimagining my tracks in real time. A lot of work has gone into these with additional synths, controllers and extra visual production too. Custom visuals, lasers, it’s a full spectacle and hopefully a great night for everyone who comes along.

AM: One of your dates will be here in NYC at Webster Hall! What can we expect from this show?

D: I am so excited to return to New York and Webster Hall specifically. In the early 00’s I played the exact venue a couple of times, and it always was a really unforgettable show that just captured the hype around Sandstorm and the first album at that time, so it’s a personal full circle moment to come back and perform almost twenty-five years later. I know I'll have some long-time friends and industry associates coming as well, it’ll be a night to remember!

AM: On Aug 31st, you will be on the Finnish leg of this tour and there will be a Sandstorm Run - tell us about this 6K event!

D: Yes! I’m super stoked for the Sandstorm run. The music video for Sandstorm is loved by fans almost as much as the track itself so we wanted to do something fun to honour this.

With the Finnish STORM 25 show coming up too, we had the idea to create a route around the city which passes by iconic landmarks from the video. The cathedral steps are probably the most famous of them all.

It’s all about having fun though, so if you’re not a hardcore runner don’t be put off, you can walk the route too. There are going to be photo stops along the way, I’ll be waving you all across the finish line to the tune of Sandstorm and I want to see everyone in their best Y2K outfits! Which is all the trend now I hear!

So far, the reception has been amazing. We’ve had people signing up from as far away as the US and Mexico which is crazy to me. Who knows, maybe this will be the first of many Sandstorm runs to come…

AM: We read that last month, on multiple Finnish radio stations Sandstorm was played at the same time! What does it mean to you about the impact that this song has had?

D: I mean, it’s a feeling that is just impossible to put into words. It still blows my mind to this day how far and wide that track resonates. It’s so cool seeing the younger generations dig it too.

Especially, when I see amazing moments like the Finnish radio stations, schools and public stations dropping Sandstorm in unison, I’m in awe of the real superpower Sandstorm has in bringing people together. That humbles me every time.

AM: Since you're in the thick of touring, how do you take care of yourself on the road? Are there any activities/sports you follow to keep up your physical and mental health?

D: I’ve been touring for twenty-five years now so I am used to it in a way, and how I tour today definitely looks a lot different to the early days. I’ve done the heavy partying (plenty of it!) so these days it’s important to me to get a good night’s sleep to keep up the stamina and maybe an energy bar or soda if needed.

As for my downtime, I’m super into skateboarding. It’s a hobby I started as a kid, and I picked it up again later in life. So, whenever I’m on tour I always pack my board and check out the local skateparks in whatever city I’m in if I’ve got a couple of hours to myself.

Physically, skating helps to loosen up any stiff backs from a long-haul flight that’s for sure! It’s invigorating for the brain too, I love the drive of working at a new skill, a new trick or move, and seeing my progression. Of course, there are a few bumps and bruises along the way but that’s part of the thrill.

AM: Beyond this tour, are there any upcoming tracks that we should keep an eye out for?

D: Definitely! Between shows, I’m straight into the studio. Right now, I can’t give too much away. Not to be that guy, but what I can say, is that big things are coming for sure!

AM: What do you want your legacy to be known as you have won multiple awards, participated in great partnerships, and more!

D: As nice as they are, for me, it’s never been about the whole awards and accolades thing.

What makes me feel most proud is when I get a DM from a follower saying how one of my songs made them feel a certain way, or soundtracked a particular moment in their life.

Similarly, when people come to my shows and leave with life-long memories. It’s always awesome to bump into fans and they still recall parties from maybe ten, fifteen, even twenty years ago, how they felt, the music they heard, and new friends they made on the dancefloor. That’s what it’s all about.

IG @darude

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Front/Back Cover Nana Simelius | PG 16 - 27 + PG 30 for 9PLAYLIST Rachel Gold | PG 28 + 29 Tomas Fotoo |

Read the JUN ISSUE #114 of Athleisure Mag and see EVOLUTION OF SANDSTORM | Darude in mag.

OWNING HIS SPACE | HARDWELL

When we think about some of our favorite DJ's over the past decade, Hardwell is one we enjoy seeing when he was at our favorite venues!

In this age of being committed to taking the time we need, self-care and mental health, Hardwell took 3 years off to take a break, fugure himself out as an artist and came back to the scene with a new album REBELS NEVER DIE, a tour of the same name and of course he launched it at Ultra Music Festival earlier this year!

We wanted to get to know more about his process, about the importance of his hometown in Breda, Netherlands, how he is approaching touring and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with music?

HARDWELL: I discovered music super early, I actually started playing piano when I was 4 years old, but my love for DJing began when I was 12.

AM: What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to be a DJ?

H: I knew early on that it was a passion of mine. I started out playing hip hop when I was 12, before discovering electronic music when I was 13/14, which then became this huge part of my life and thankfully still is today.

AM: You’re from Breda which is a small city, but it has birthed a number of artists from yourself, Tiësto and even Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker! What is the music scene like in Breda?

H: It’s crazy right! A small city with this deep musical history. We actually have a very small scene, so it’s not what people often think it will be. But because its small everyone knows each other and this is perhaps why it helps Breda artists to grow.

AM: How would you define your sound?

H: This new Hardwell REBELS NEVER DIE sound is me. It’s the raw, uncut version of who I am as an artist. It draws on all my influences from the moment I got into electronic dance music right through to what I am all about today. It is everything from big room to trance to electro to techno. I needed to free myself up from big labelled as one type of sound, so I could infuse everything into one sound, which is what fans are experiencing now.

AM: In terms of creating new music, what’s your process?

H: I feel most at home in my own studio. It’s a space that is custom built to fit my specific needs. I bring a lot of inspiration from life, travelling and the atmosphere of our scene into my creative process. But equally I don’t fixate on following the same process each time. It was why I took some time out because I need to recharge and free up my creativity to come back with something completely new and fresh.

AM: You’ve done some amazing collaborations, what do you look for when it comes to partnering with someone else to create music?

H: What makes the magic happen is that connection. When you work with a singer or another producer and there’s a creative connection where you’re vibing off the same ideas, that is usually a very positive sign. I like to connect with other artists who are open to trying new directions, freeing up the structure of a song and then seeing what will come out the other end.

AM: I’ve been a fan for years and have enjoyed your music, you’ve been a 2X #1 DJ, you’ve headlined many major festivals and you have travelled extensively and then in 2018, you decided to take an indefinite hiatus. Even though that was back in 2018, at that time it was a shock as mental health wasn’t really talked about and in the way that it is now. In the time that you took that step back, what did you learn about yourself?

H: Absolutely, I learned that it is ok to take time off. As an artist you always fear that if you don’t make that next show or release another song, your career will start to diminish, and it could be over before you know it. But the reality is that’s not the case. Everyone needs time off. From sports to medicine to education to even family life, everybody needs a break, but as artists we often to put pressure on ourselves to keep going, say “yes” to everything put in front of us. Taking a break, working on yourself for a while and coming back refreshed with new creative ideas is only ever going to be a positive decision.

AM: A portion of your hiatus also took place during COVID where everyone had lockdowns and we were all put in a place and a time where we re-evaluated how we went about work, the importance of connections and who we wanted to emerge as. Although you were already on that journey, what was that time period like for you?

H: Well, not much was different for me because, I was kind of already in my own lockdown, by not touring, being at home and then working in my studio. But I could see it was impacting so many of my friends and family, plus colleagues in the scene. That was hard to watch, but I’m thankful now that life has resumed for us all.

AM: At what point did you realize that you wanted to work on and release REBELS NEVER DIE?

H: The album didn't come until much later into my ‘sabbatical’ because I first needed to find myself again as an artist and then once I fell down that rabbit hole, and journeyed around what I was looking for, then the idea of REBELS NEVER DIE started to become a reality.

AM: How was creating music for this record different then when you have created previous albums/songs?

H: Before I started turning ideas into tracks, I decided to start from scratch. So I didn’t go back to a lot of the synth etc I was using previously. I needed a new canvas to work from, a new feel to the production. I also had released any pressure on myself which was a huge weight from my shoulders during the process because I was free to express myself this new sound.

AM: Tell me about REBELS NEVER DIE and what are you excited about this album?

H: The album excites me because it’s a new chapter in my journey. It’s an expression of where I am as an artist today. It has roots into my history with electronic music, but it projects a wide palette of my style to the fans. This Hardwell 2.0 version is a shift of perspective and sound, something which is best experience during the live performances of REBELS NEVER DIE.

AM: The decision to come back on the road and tour must have been one where you had to think about how you could do this in a way where you still felt comfortable. How do you approach touring now and deciding how many dates/cities that you want to include in your schedule?

H: I decided that this time around I will reduce the touring to a smaller number of shows. I think in 2022 I’ll have done about 50 flights in total, which is a much more manageable amount. I want to be back performing and connecting with the fans, but I also need that time in the studio to be creative, spend time with friends and family. It is all about balance.

AM: You played Ultra Music Festival with only unreleased music – such a bold move! Why did you want to take that approach and were you nervous about how it would be received?

H: I was incredibly nervous before that come back! I don’t usually get nervous, of course you get the pre-stage nervous out of excitement, but it’s part of the experience, it’s good to have some nervous. But this was a lot different because I had been away for a long time, I was also coming back with a new sound and new stage show. but after the first song, and feeling that love from the crowd, it all started to click into place.

AM: You’ve been navigating your world tour since Ultra what do you do the day that you have a show coming up. Are there any routines that you do that prepare you for a show and/or are there things that you do once you’ve left the stage that are a must for you?

H: Not really. I like to relax as much as possible to get ready for the show. Spend time with my team and just get myself into the zone of what’s about to go down with the show. I’m always working on new edits and ideas fo the show, so that keeps me focused in the build-up.

AM: What do you want your legacy to be seen as in terms of the mark that you have made in the music industry?

H: Just somone who put his heart and soul into making music he believed in.

IG @hardwell

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Hardwell

Read the DEC ISSUE #84 of Athleisure Mag and see OWNING HIS SPACE | Hardwell in mag.

NEW YEAR, N3W YOU

Read the DEC ISSUE #84 of Athleisure Mag and see NEW YEAR, N3W YOU in mag.

9DRIP | HARDWELL

Read the DEC ISSUE #84 of Athleisure Mag and see 9DRIP | Hardwell in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG #84 | DEC ISSUE

In this month’s issue, our cover story is WTA Grand Slam US Open 2017 Champion, Sloane Stephens. With the tennis season about to start next month, we talk about how she is preparing for the Australian Open, how she embraces self-care, what it’s like to juggle traveling and working and her passion for wellness. We also chat with EDM DJ/Producer, Hardwell as we talk about his passion for music, taking a break from the industry and coming back from his hiatus with his latest album, REBELS NEVER DIE. The Bachelorette, Michelle Young talked with us about being on the show, how she navigated her season and what she has been up to as she embarks on her latest chapter and uses her platform to educate and inspire others. With the holiday season in full swing, we’re all looking for ways to make it easier to spend time with our friends and family. Marianna Hewitt, style influencer and Co-Founder of Summer Fridays talks with us about what she has coming up with this coveted beauty brand, how she takes on the holiday season and her must-haves. Although we’re used to watching FIFA’s World Cup during the summer, it was nice to have it throughout the holiday season as we cheered on our favorite players and countries! FC Dallas’ Sebastian Lletget took some time to give us some predictions on who he was interested in seeing take it all, he also talked about his upcoming season as he prepares during the offseason and how he enjoys the holiday season! We always love going to well planned and executed party whether it’s a wedding, launch or other kind of gathering. For years, we have been fans of Celebrity party planner, Mindy Weiss. We talk about how she approaches her events, the importance of a signature cocktail and for those that may be taking on their own planning – she has some tips that you’ll find helpful as well!

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM DJ/Producer Ownboss as well as Sloane Stephens. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from Marianna Hewitt and Sebastian Lletget. Our 9DRIP comes from Sloane Stephens and Hardwell. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from professional Volleyball player Gabby Reece and CEO/President of [SOLIDCORE] Bryan Myers. In this month, we have a special feature that runs in this month as well as in our Jan issue known as NEW YEAR, N3W YOU. It lets our favorite celebs to share THE GOOD things that took place this year, THE ADD for items that they were not able to tackle this year and are focusing on doing for next and THE BUZZ – things that they can share that we can keep our eye out for. This month’s responses comes from Co-Founder of Une Femme Wines, Jen Pelka, EDM DJ/Producer Like Mike of Dmitri Vegas and Like Mike, EDM DJ/Producer Hardwell, Founder of Boxing WAGS and Co-Founder of D’Telli Fragrances Telli Swift, Creative Director of SEQUIN, Tara Malkovich and TV Personality and author Chef David Rose. 

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares a drool worthy meal experience at 8282. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Soho Grand and Body Space Fitness. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the DEC ISSUE #84 of Athleisure Mag.

9PLAYLIST | HARDWELL

Read the MAY ISSUE #77 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Hardwell in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #77 MAY 2022

In this month’s issue, our cover story is with international superstar EDM DJ/Producer duo Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike. We talk about their love for music, how they got into the industry, their creative process and upcoming projects that span Dimitri appearing in Jurassic World: Dominion and the latest collab with Mike in his BLACK BANANAS X GREEN ROOM. We catch up with Emmy Award winning comedian, actor, animation voice actor and host of his podcast – May I Elaborate? JB Smoove. We talk about how he got into the industry, how he honed his craft via improv, being on SNL for 3 seasons, the upcoming 12th season of Curb Your Enthusiasm and more! Apple TV+’s Physical will drop it’s 2nd season next month. We talk to 2 of its stars, Rose Byrne and Dierdre Friel about what we can expect. STARZ’s P-Valley is also back for its 2 second season and we caught up 4 of the castmembers (Elarica Johnson, Parker Sawyers, Shannon Thornton and J. Alphonse Nicholson) to talk about how they got into the industry, catching us up on season 1, what we can expect for season 2 and additional projects coming up. Mark Indelicato is back for season 2 of HBO’s Hacks and Prime Video’s With Love. We talk about the impact of the success of his character in Ugly Betty, his process to approaching his roles, his shows and more. We also talk with swimsuit model and Netflix’s Grace and Frankie star, Brooklyn Decker. We talk about how she transitioned from modeling to acting, the final season of this iconic comedy and more.

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM DJ/Producer Hardwell as well as Lost Frequencies. Our 9DRIP comes from our cover, Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike and Curb Your Enthusiasm’s JB Smoove. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from WTA tennis star Ajla Tomljanovic and celebrity hair stylist, Andrew Fitzsimons. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from EDM duo SOFI TUKKER.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares Indian restaurant, aRoqa in NYC’s Chelsea. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Pikes Hotel in Ibiza and Pause Studio in LA. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the MAY ISSUE #77 here.

IT'S ELECTRIC

We headed to Randall's Island here in NYC to attend Electric Zoo Evolved which had 40+ hours of EDM DJs, 4 stages, an array of food and beverage options and more. Our Labor Day Weekend was jam packed with a number of sets from some of our faves that included Kaskade, Oliver Heldens, Diplo, Good Times Ahead and more. We also checked out acts that we were less familiar with. In the midst of getting in on the good vibes, we sat down with 5 acclaimed EDM DJs to catch up with them on what they're working on, hearing about their sound and more.

We caught up with DJ/Producer SayMyName who is also this month's cover. Known as the Godfather of Hard Trap, when it comes to style - he definitely has it. We found out about his style of music, his latest collaboration with Riot Ten and what he does when he's outside of the stage and studio.

ATHLEISURE MAG: So you are known as the Godfather of Hard Trap. What is that and what is it about this genre of music that you love so much?

SAYMYNAME: Ok so Hard Trap is a genre that I started in 2012. It’s basically a fusion between Hard Style and Trap or like Hip Hop and it’s the best of both worlds. My favorite part about Hard Trap is basically the energy and uniqueness of the sound that it brings to every set no matter whether it’s a festival or a club – it stands up.

AM: Does it change for you whether you’re in a massive venue like here at Electric Zoo or if you’re in an intimate club? How does that work for you in terms of vibe?

SMN: The vibe or the energy is always there. Whether it’s a 100 or 10,000 – like there’s always this raw energy that matches the music. I don’t like to go to a smaller room and change the setup because I still want to see that same energy.

AM: So you just collaborated with Riot Ten with Glocks which is pretty exciting. How did that come about and how excited are you to finally release this?

SMN: Oh I’m excited it’s finally out. Riot Ten and I, we go back and this is something that we have talked about for a minute. He’s done the harder music like more of the Dubstep stuff and just basically using the Dubstep and the Hard Trap and just giving something that our fan base wanted. I’m excited that we got to do it.

AM: We love the new magenta color. How do you love the fact that you can express yourself with your hair color?

SMN: I love that it’s like varied on the season or my mood. So I have done blue, red, orange and now I’m on magenta. I feel like when I go in I just say, “ok I’m going to do yellow.” I think that the louder and the brighter the color, it’s just a bigger representation of the style and that energy. When you see that color and you’re on stage – it’s just in your face!

AM: What other collaborations do you have going on that we should keep an eye out for?

SMN: Right now, I just finished a collaboration with Afrojack. So we’re working on a release for that so keep an eye out for that. R3HAB and I, Timmy Trumpet – there has been a lot of music that I have been working on during the summer so I’m just taking some time off.

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

AM: You’re a busy guy and you have been at a lot of festivals this season. How do you keep yourself relaxed and focused on what’s happening?

SMN: For me, it’s all about balance. When I’m not on the road, I’m in the gym when I’m not in the studio. I feel that the gym it’s not like I’m coming down because I’m working out, but it’s about really staying healthy physically and mentally. It keeps the creative flow going and the energy. Festival season – the festivals that I have played this year, it’s been insane.

AM: We’re excited to see you perform tomorrow!

SMN: I’m so excited! It’s my first Electric Zoo and this has been a bucket list festival. I think I caught a Hardwell festival clip in 2012 or 2013 and I was like, “what is this Electric Zoo – it’s crazy!”

AM: As someone who travels so much, what are 3 items that are in your carry on to feel like you’re at home and centered?

SMN: I feel like with my carry on, that’s a good question. This is going to sound super cliché, but my laptop. I can take my music with me on it when I want to work from the road. I have books on my phone. I think that the books and the music that I have on my phone keeps the connection between everything. Then just essential hygiene products – my skincare routine is a big one.

AM: You need to be fresh!

SMN: I’m trying, I’m trying – I have to stay on top of that.

IG @SayMyNameMusic

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

We sat down with 2019 Grammy Nominated DJ/Producer EDX moments before he hit the stage. He had just arrived after performing in Montreal to kick off Labor Day Weekend and was in NYC just long enough to play a set at Electric Zoo. We talked about being #1 on Spotify's Dance Rising Charts, musicality and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You’ve been known as a genius for all the amazing music production you've done. What is the symbiosis between musicality and production to you in terms of making the great sound that you do?

EDX: Well you know, I think that there first, there is always a good song, a nice chord progression and if it’s a vocal song, there is a meaningful vocal. Then you add to it your signature sound and like the high end production. I think that you can have the best production possible if the musicality is there. It’s very hard to touch people when that’s not there. I’m always focusing on touching people with my music and when I have been doing this for so many years, the quality today shouldn’t even be an issue anymore.

AM: So STAY is on the Dance Rising Charts on Spotify. How excited are you about that?

EDX: It’s awesome because it has actually been the #1 track on Dance Rising. That’s something that is so special each time. It’s like making you a Sir for music – every once in awhile when this happens! For me, I’m just a kid living in Switzerland in a neighborhood next to Zurich and just exposed to music and trying to reach the world. This achievement is like a big achievement in my point of view because you actually reach so many people all over the world with this and it’s a good opportunity to be on that Dance Rising once in awhile.

AM: What are your 3 favorite remixes that you have done?

EDX: Haha it’s a hard question! I think that I have done more than 50 or 100 remixes. I don’t know and I’m still counting. It’s hard to pick just 3. I like the remix to the Janelle Monae (‘Make Me Feel’) record because it was just a cool song and I liked the whole vibe from it in the original. All the others are like in themselves, are something special because they all have this collaboration with some other songwriter, singer, artist and being able to get influenced by the original version and to add your own vibe to it to make it your own. It’s something that’s a blessing if you get this opportunity and it’s hard to just pick my favorite ones. But the Janelle Monae remix from last year has really given me the challenge that I wanted once in awhile.

I just started a remix for the new single of Loud Luxury. Which was just sent recently to Sirius XM before the release for their playlist at BPM so it is coming out in 2 weeks. It ended up being an effective remix and I was very excited to tease it and play it out like right now.

AM: We love your remix with Kaskade for ‘Angel on My Shoulder’.

EDX: Oh yes, that was a good one.

AM: Labor Day Weekend has been very busy for you. You were in Montreal on Fri, you are here today in NYC at Electric Zoo and tomorrow you will be in Dallas, how do you keep all that energy going and feeding all of these people your music?

EDX: Well, it’s like a very rewarding industry that we are in. Being able to play out your own music in front of so many people that give you such great feedback each time. It’s actually cool. I’m actually flying out tonight to Dallas because I’m playing tonight and tomorrow I will be out back to Europe!

IG @EDXmusic

PHOTO COURTESY | aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

Talking with the NJ based trio, Cash Cash, we defintiely got their vibe of just giving a great show that is filled with an array of genres that are just about having a good time. We sat down with them right before their show to find out about what they've been working on, how they work with one another and some of the tools of their trade.

ATHLEISURE MAG: So how do you define the Cash Cash sound?

CASH CASH: We’re a mix of a lot of different things. We’re kind of like a buffet. You get everything with us. You get chicken, beef, vegetables, carbs, salad, dessert – we do it all. We work with Hip Hop artists, we work with pop artists, rock artists, alternative artists. We love it all and we’re always mixing electronic music with different feels and styles of music. Even with just instruments or singers.

AM: How does that work to have 3 of you working together in terms of being on stage or in the studio? How do you deal with those dynamics?

CC: We run a majority rules kind of thing. So if 2 people agree on something, then that’s how it goes. If one person cries enough and pleads their case …

AM: Oh nice so the minority vote can come forward and win!

CC: Yeah if they can convince us yeah – haha the minority vote could win that’s funny!

AM: So the song with P!nk, ‘Can We Pretend’ – it’s amazing! How did it come about and how excited were you for that?

CC: Really excited. We did a remix for her in the last month of 2017 and the remix did really well. She was happy with it, the team was happy with it and we have been trying to send her songs for a long time and finally she sent us the acapella and we were like, “this is great, we can do something with this.” So we built a song around that and it came together that way. It was great to finally make that happen because artists are so busy these days. She’s out doing world tours and we’re in the club every night. It was great to finally make it happen.

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

AM: With you guys having so much club time, how do you take time for yourself?

CC: It’s minimal I guess! We’re used to it though. We’ve been doing this for awhile so we’re used to the up and go lifestyle. We’ve been going and you get time off when you get to come home and we love traveling to see the world. It’s always cool to go to new places and then to be able to go back and return.

AM: When you guys are recording, what are your 3 favorite pieces of equipment that you love to use?

CC: Probably the computers – it’s like a love hate thing. Because you think it sucks sometimes, but you couldn’t make music without it. You could have a tape machine, but the computer is better. I feel that it switches – you’ll love a certain synth or something and then you’ll get sick of it, move on and then you’ll look at the wall and there’s your acoustic guitar and you’re like – this is the best!

IG @CashCash

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

Around Athleisure Mag's office, we've been playing DRIP by Boombox Cartel, Dillon Francis featuring Desiigner on loop since it dropped a few days ago. During Electric Zoo, we took some time to hang out with the man himself to find out how he experiments with his sound to make distinctive music while continuing to express himself with his collabs as well as his clothing brand.

ATHLEISURE MAG: How do you define the Boombox Cartel sound?

BOOMBOX CARTEL: I define it as breaking the rules and doing everything wrong. Stuff that’s not supposed to be done and trying to make it work. I try to come up with original ideas and there is a lot of research and development.

AM: What's that like?

BC: Putting a lot of time in the studio and making a lot of weird demos. It’s like evil scientist vibes, but I think that that’s what it is. Then just staying true to the underground and staying true to where we all came from.

AM: How do you get inspired and where does that come from?

BC: Well just influences from when I was a kid. Indie bands, synth rock bands to like Hip Hop to Trap, to Houston stuff to just a big mix. I lived in Monterrey, Mexico for half of my life. I was born in Laredo, Texas in South Texas and I went to music school in Minneapolis. So it’s just kind of like gathering cultures and gathering styles and sounds and just putting it all together.

AM: We’re loving DRIP with you, Dillon Francis and featuring Desiigner from an Athleisure Mag perspective, amazing song to workout to! How did that come about?

BC: Thank you so much and that’s what we wanted! Dillon is one of the most happiest human beings that I know. He’s always really enthusiastic and we tried to make something that meets in the middle. Something euphoric, something happy, something bright, something really colorful and that’s what came to be. And also, with Desiigner, he’s one of the most down to Earth rappers. I work with so many rappers and I think that Desiigner is the only rapper that I can say he is like a genuinely good person that is down to work and to do it for the people. He was there and we were in the studio until 7am like coming up with ideas – smoking weed and my whole house smelled like weed for the next week.

AM: But it was worth it!

BC: But it was worth it! We made a really positive and happy song and we’re all happy to put it out.

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

AM: It’s a hot song. We can’t say how many times we’ve had it on loop.

BC: Thank you so much!

AM: So your FC custom jerseys – those are really cool! Where did that come from?

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

BC: That came from living in Monterrey, Mexico and just going to soccer games every week. I see a lot of baseball jerseys in the EDM community and there’s isn’t enough love for the soccer community. Soccer is just as big or I think bigger! So just playing soccer, every show I go to I ask for a soccer ball and collect a university ball or something like that. I’m a huge fan. So working on those from scratch with a friend in Downtown LA – right now we’re working on a brand partnership with a big company. We did it all from scratch. One of my good friends Colby, helped us out. He has a beautiful warehouse – cut and sew, he created the patches from scratch and they will be back in stock this next week!

AM: Exciting – eventually you can have a whole line!

BC: We have some shorts coming up, socks, the whole kit for the kids.

AM: What are 3 things that you do being so busy and spreading yourself in so many places – to just get back to you?

BC: Yeah, I grew up in Texas with my dad grilling twice a week. So me and my homies barbecue twice a week – or at least once a week. I have a Harley Davidson back at home and I take it out on the 1 highway to go get some fried shrimp and then I come back home and just head to the studio.

IG @BoomBoxCartel

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

One of our favorite remixes is 'Red Lips' by Good Times Ahead as it's been earcandy on our playlist for nearly a decade. So sitting down with this duo talking about a number of exciting changes taking place in the group was a lot of fun. In addition to hearing about their new label, their rebrand and what they've been up to this year, we also found out about where we should be eating the next time we're in Miami.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You guys have had a lot of going on lately – you have the rebrand of your name and your own label. Can you tell us about this?

GOOD TIMES AHEAD: The label is called Good Times/Bad Times and I think that one of our favorite things about having our own label is being able to put out our own music whenever we want. It’s kind of like the main reason. At the same time, it’s also a good platform for us to showcase the Latin influence we have in our music and a lot of the people that we play in our sets and just showcasing that to everyone. Kind of bringing a new thing to the game.

AM: When it came to introducing us to some of his favorite music, our Co-Founder Paul, introduced us to your music. We covered the Fold Festival and we saw you there as well. What is it about your free of genre music and just really bringing together good music?

GTA: For us, it’s mostly just about the energy that music has and the type of energy that makes you feel the way that you do. That’s why whenever we play music, any music that we play either hand selecting it or making it – it, has a certain kind of energy to it. It’s kind of what lets people just have fun as it’s such a fun sound to it. That’s pretty much what attracts us to music in general. It’s about having a good energy about it.

AM: Once again you guys have been super busy with so many festivals. How many have you done just this summer alone?

GTA: This summer probably like 4, but that’s light for us. We still played a lot of festivals and shows, but this year, we took it a little easier because we were focusing on finishing up so much music. 2 or 3 weeks ago we put out our album. We had the record label launch and the whole rebranding of everything. We have been working a lot behind the scenes and just taking this year kind of slow to just work on that. We’ve been doing this now for 8 or 9 years so it’s kind of nice to have a little easy period.

AM: You guys also have a clothing line as well – tell us about that.

GTA: Oh yeah, so it’s kind of something that we dabbled in a little bit. I’m personally a fan of fashion and that kind of thing and street brands. Shout out to Jay of Triple 7 – he hooked us up with so much knowledge on just how to make your own label and your own kind of style. We just kind of wanted to bring that to the festivals that we went to and the parties that we go to and it’s been cool. It’s kind of the same thing that we do with our music. We kind of let the clothes speak for themselves – they’re just really cool and really good quality. They’re good to wear and you can wear them at a festival or just to go out in. It’s kind of in line with our same kind of style as well.

AM: What are you working on right now in terms of collabs?

GTA: We’re definitely doing a lot of stuff as far as on our own with our own label and stuff. We have a lot of collabs. We’ve been playing this one thing we did with this group called Fight Club which they’re actually from here. We have a couple of other ones too. A lot of club music a lot of Latin music. We have been working with a lot of Latin artists. We've had some writing camps last year and this year in Mexico and playing in Brazil and stuff. We’re working with a lot of up and coming people and it’s really exciting especially now that we’re about to launch the label. All of that was for the label and now it’s about being able to put it out and being able to show everyone.

AM: What are 3 restaurants that you guys love eating at in Miami?

GTA: In Miami? Crab Man 305 that’s our number 1! Shout out to Crab Man 305. We’ll also say that there are many many Cuban restaurants, but Sergio’s is a very good restaurant - it’s classic Miami. And then I’d say that obviously Joe’s Stone Crab is a good one – it’s a fancy one but one to go to!

IG @GoodTimesAhead

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

This past Electric Zoo not only included DJ/producer NGHTMRE performing, but he had a stage for the artists on his label Gud Vibrations which he cofounded with SLANDER. We talked with him about his sound, the responsibilities of running his labels, his current tour and of course being at this year's EZoo.

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

ATHLEISURE MAG: How do you define the NGHTMRE sound?

NGHTMRE: I like to just call it bass music. I try to incorporate and tempos and various styles of electronic music in my records and live shows. It’s a mixture of melodic and heavy. I focus on keeping everything high-energy!

AM: In addition to working on your music, you’re also the Co-Founder of your own label along with SLANDER. How is it juggling those responsibilities and needs?

N: It’s great actually. We have a great team helping us and it really allows us to focus on the music rather than having to worry about small details and infrastructure building. It’s only just getting started in our eyes.

AM: You’re back at EZoo and not only are you performing but you have an entire stage with Gud Vibrations artists – how did this come about and how exciting is it to have this going on this going on this year?

N: I think the Gud Vibrations label and brand in general works so well because it came about organically. Me and the Slander boys are great friends and our tastes align so well that we eventually started our own events and parties. We’re extremely grateful for Electric Zoo for inviting us to bring the Gud Vibrations energy to New York.

AM: Gud Vibrations also has its own clothing line – the Bomber Jackets are definitely something cool that we would include in a future shoot – how do you go about deciding what goes into the line and how it feeds the ethos of your label?

N: Gud Vibrations in general is an outlet for us to put out what we think is cool into the world. We don’t have any specific method to deciding what goes out, but if there’s something we particularly love or feel is cool we take our time developing it to make sure it’s exactly how we like it, then share it!

AM: Tell us about The Alchemy Tour.

N: For this tour I’m doing a b2b set with Slander for each show and this is the first time we’ve been able to bring our stage “The Atom” on the road with us! To top it off we’ve been looking up to Seven Lions and The Glitch Mob for years so to be performing alongside them is amazing!

AM: Tell us about collabs and projects that you have dropping within your music as well as things that we should know about regarding the label.

N: Earlier this year I released a record with ASAP Ferg called Redlight! He’s another person I’ve looked up to for a long time so being able to work together and create a full music video together was a special experience. I have a new track with “Zhu” called Man’s First Inhibition that just dropped and is a bit different from my other stuff. I am always collaborating on new music!

PHOTO COURTESY | aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com

AM: You’re constantly on the road going from one gig to the next. Do you have 3 things that you do prior to a gig to get in the right mindset to perform in front of your fans?

N: Nothing usually actually. I spend time in Rekordbox on my computer before each show. Its a software that allows me to plan out and organize my music a bit better so when I’m in stage it’s easier to switch things up.

AM: In addition to traveling, I’m sure you workout, what are 3 workouts that you feel are the core of your fitness routine?

N: I actually only just started doing this recently but I got a personal trailer to help me while I was home for a bit and this is my “on the road” routine.

STRETCHES | Samson Lunge, Worlds Greatest Stretch, Downdog, Frog Stretch and Pigeon | CORE WORK @ 3 Rounds | (Rotation) Russian Twist x30, (Flexion) Leg Raise x30, (Static hold) Plank 30 sec | @ 4 Rounds | Squats x40, SIT UPS x30, Push Up x20 |

IG @NGHTMRE

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 26, 52 + 54 aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com | This editorial contains elements of images, courtesy Dreamstime.com: PG 16 Richochet69, PG 19 Rolffimages, PG 29 Nadezda Mikusova, PG 30 Philip Openshaw, PG 34 Golfxx, PG 36 Steve Ford, PG 41 Alisbab, PG 42 Tatiana Kuklina, PG 46 Alphonse99 + Back Cover Santi Ri |

Read the August Issue of Athleisure Mag and see It’s Electric in mag.

A CHAT WITH HARRISON

The UK 23-year old hybrid DJ, Harrison, is truly a man who can do it all as he can play a DJ set, produce the tracks, write his own songs and perform them all during his live sets! His energy is boundless, which is felt within his shows (and we felt it when we interviewed him at his studio via Skype). Harrison has collaborated with a who's who of an array of DJs which has included David Guetta (and his breakthrough track, 'Ain't A Party' in 2013), Steve Aoki, Dannic, Vinai, Laidback Luke, and Hardwell (which he notes is one of his favorite people to work with). As someone who has exploded into the EDM and progressive house charts, he has performed alongside these greats at a dizzying pace, produced tracks and is now focused on doing his solo projects to further his musical fingerprint. By working with so many notables, he was able to garner visibility to wide fan base that allowed him to excel quickly in notability.

Without a doubt, it is his uniqueness that skyrocketed his success and keeps him as a coveted DJ. This past summer has been a whirlwind of activities that included video releases (such as 'LA Girls') and playing a number of stages in Europe and Asia. With all of his collaborations and travels, he honors the process of being able to step back to ensure that his work receives the time needed to continue to engage his fans. His mastery of various genres of music keeps them guessing on what to expect next while also enjoying what is becoming the Harrison sound. When chatting with him about his influences he had an array of artists that included Sting, Phil Collins, Eminem and more. In addition, when we noted that our Style Director had worked with Nile Rodgers, his face lit up in appreciation of the iconic music producer and guitarist. His respect for the industry and its musical nuances is clear when speaking with him.

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You get the sense that what you see is what you get when you're talking with Harrison. When asked about his personal style via his DJ style, he noted that, "at the end of the day, I like to wear dope shit and it's the same whether I'm on stage or just hanging out." He was so excited that he had to share a recent jacket that he purchased which included zipper detailing and straps. We wanted to know if he had a workout routine that we may need to know about and he laughed as his attention to his brand and craft is so attuned that when he's not on stage, he's in the studio and it's essential that he gives of himself in this way to produce the best music possible.

With the end of the year quickly approaching, we can't wait to see additional music that he is working on between collabs as well as his own and we'll keep an eye out for where we can see him next. We'll keep our fingers crossed that one of those tour dates will find its way to the states and right here in NYC of course!

Pictures courtesy of Harrison

See more from the Sept Issue.