Get to know the artists performing at the Dusk Music Festival 2019 from Nov. 9 – 10.
Kaskade
Chicago-born Kaskade, aka Ryan Raddon, is a Grammy Award-nominated electronic dance music artist who is pushing the boundaries of music while remaining loyal to who he is.
He first fell in love with the underground house music scene while still in high school and began to spin his own beats on a turntable with a couple of old records throughout college. Now, as the first EDM artist to sell out both the Staples Center and the Barclays Center, he has paved the way for other artists in the industry.
He has produced numerous full albums, many of which have graced the top of the charts. He has performed at Coachella and the Electric Daisy Carnival and has established himself as a resident DJ at the Kaos Nightclub and Dayclub in Las Vegas.
Kaskade’s 2012 “Freaks of Nature Tour” was cited by Billboard Magazine to be “the only successful national stadium tour undertaken by a solo electronic music artist,” and Rolling Stone Magazine declared that “Kaskade represents an intensely positive side of dance music culture.”
His recent album, Automatic, landed a spot on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Chart at No. 2, took No. 15 on the U.S. Digital Chart and had over 50 million streams on Spotify.
Kaskade is currently on his Redux Tour, traveling to multiple cities in the U.S. He will be performing at the Dusk Music Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9.
A R I Z O N A
Nate Esquite (guitarist), David Labuguen (keys) and Zachary Hannah (lead vocals) are the members of the contemporary electronic indie pop band A R I Z O N A.
According to an article by Baeble Music, the band met in Boston and created a studio while they were attending Berklee College of Music and Emerson College.
In 2017, they released their debut album, titled GALLERY, which has been streamed over half a billion times. The album includes “Oceans Away”, which is one of their most popular singles.
A R I Z O N A is known for doing things differently, from their music to their band name.
In an interview with Hollywood Life, they mentioned that they named the band A R I Z O N A during a FaceTime call.
Labuguen was wearing a hat that read “Arizona,” and he pointed at the name and suggested it as the band’s name. The other members didn’t think he was serious, but they decided to keep the name and add spaces between the letters for a hipster effect. According to them, it didn’t matter what they named the band because they believed that no one would listen to their music.
However, with only a couple of years in the music business, A R I Z O N A has made a name for themselves.
Their alternative electronic style has gained them a strong following. They’ve toured with Panic! at the Disco and most recently made their Coachella debut before starting their North American tour, “Find Someone.”
Currently, A R I Z O N A has over 3.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify and has a new album titled ASYLUM that released Oct. 11 earlier this year.
A R I Z O N A will be performing at the Dusk Music Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9.
RELATED: A R I Z O N A talks their sophomore album with KAMP student radio
Fitz and The Tantrums
Combining Indie pop with retro-soul and ‘80s new wave, Fitz and The Tantrums have been in the scene for about a decade and they still seem to captivate their audience with their distinctive style.
In 2008, lead vocalist Michael Fitzpatrick, 49, purchased an old electric organ that ignited his love for songwriting. He was working solo on a neo-soul project that he had originally called the Tantrums.
However, after realizing he needed more people to join, he contacted his old college friend and saxophonist James King. In a domino-like effect, King brought along Noelle Scaggs (vocals), John Wicks (drums), Joseph Karnes (bass guitar) and Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboard).
A year after their formation, the band Fitz and The Tantrums released an EP titled Songs for a Break Up, Vol. 1 and were getting ready to perform their first festival show at South by Southwest.
The group signed to Dangerbird Records, an independent label that is also home to artists like Silversun Pickups and Minus the Bear.
Fitz and the Tantrums’ second studio album, More Than Just a Dream, hit the charts in 2014 with the lead single “Out of My League” reaching the number one spot on the Billboard Top Alternative Songs Chart.
However, they are most noted for their hit 2016 single “HandClap,” which has been featured by American Idol, The Oscars and NFL football games. The single went viral with a million streams on Spotify its first week out, according to the band’s Facebook page.
According to Fitzpatrick in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, there was a lot of pressure in trying to best that single. However, their latest album, All the Feels, was said to have been released with a lot of effort this year on Sept. 20. The band also recently performed two tracks off of the new album at Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Dusk Music Festival attendees this year can see Fitz and the Tantrums play their music live on Saturday, Nov. 9.
shallou
Maryland-born, indie-electric artist Joe Boston, also known as shallou, has over two million monthly listeners on Spotify.
In an interview with Music is Our Weapon, shallou explains how he never really excelled at any instrument in particular while growing up. It was when he discovered that he could create any music using a laptop that a world of possibilities opened up.
Using his knowledge gained from studying music and his confidence built from previous songs, shallou was proud to release his song “After” and fully reveal his voice.
shallou was then placed in the spotlight with the release of his debut EP All Becomes Okay. Tracks such as “Lie” and “Begin” landed on multiple No. 1 spots on SiriusXM charts, as well onto the Billboard Dance charts. In 2018, shallou released Souls, a new EP that expanded upon his debut, while also taking his moody style in new directions and collaborating with others.
“I was open to collaborating, to being in the room with someone else and bringing other people’s talents into what I was doing … diversifying my sound while still keeping it my own,” shallou wrote.
shallou is also an advocate for fighting climate change. He encourages listeners to donate to the Environmental Defense Fund, an organization with the mission to “preserve the natural systems on which all life depends.” Not only does 100% of donations through the website are given to the EDF, donors also receive a copy of his All Becomes Okay EP as a token of gratitude.
shallou is wrapping up his year at the Dusk Music Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9.
RELATED: GET TO KNOW THE 2018 LINEUP
Wax Motif
Danny Chien, a.k.a. Wax Motif, is an Austrailian-born DJ and producer in Los Angeles known for his G-House sound.
According to his media platforms, Chien is a highly sought-after musician with support and acclaim from a host of other artists including but not limited to Diplo, A-Trak, Knife Party, Deadmau5 and Tommy Trash. His unique style draws influence from a range of genres, including rhythm and blues, disco and U.K. bass.
Chien has collaborated with scores of artists, releasing tracks on Diplo’s “Mad Decent,” A-Trak’s “Fool’s Gold” and Steve Aoki’s “Dim Mak Records,” as well as creating remixes for YG, Kid Ink, Chromeo, Deadmau5 and Warren G.
According to his Facebook page, producing the same sound is not Chien’s interest. In terms of music, Chien is always looking for a new challenge.
His latest collaborative dance single, “Divided Souls” with Diddy, dropped in August from his new label of the same name. In an interview with Billboard, he discussed why he chose to name the label after the track.
“I feel like it says something about people in general, but also about myself and my music,” Chien said. “I like rap — most people know that — and I like house music. I think a lot of people don’t see them in the same sphere, but I also think a lot of people like different genres now. There isn’t a kid out there that doesn’t like some DJ and Migos or whatever. The crossover is pretty strong, so it’s a reflection of that, not really feeling like it’s from one side of the coin or the other.”
Wax Motif will perform at the Dusk Music Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9.
What So Not
What So Not debuted in 2011, as a collaborative project between artists Chris Emerson aka Emoh Instead, and his partner Harley Edward Streten aka Flume, according to What So Not’s All Music biography.
Together, the two Australian DJs released their first EP 7 Dollar Bill and a second, The Quack, in 2013.
Flume left the project in 2015, shortly before What So Not released the EP “Gemini,” featuring singer and songwriter George Maple. What So Not’s most recent collaboration is “20:25” with Flux Pavilion and The Chain Gang of 1974.
According to a 2015 interview with Vice, Emerson was an accountant following his graduation from university, before What So Not. He used to DJ four nights a week with other local DJs at clubs, notably King’s Cross.
Emerson takes inspiration from being on the road, he said in the same interview with Vice. According to Emerson, some of his best work was the product of the “emotional roller coaster” of touring.
What So Not’s only full album, Not All the Beautiful Things, was three years in the making and was finally released in early 2018, featuring many artists like Skrillex, Toto, San Holo, Daniel Johns and Dyro. Following its release, What So Not embarked on a 150-show tour through 45 countries.
Emerson told Dusk that he is still riding that high in 2019 and that this year is about seeing the world.
What So Not will perform at the Dusk Music Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Whethan
Chicago-born Ethan Snoreck is the man behind the music put out by electronic producer DJ Whethan. At just 20 years old, Whethan has already compiled a catalog of chart-topping collaborations, including ones with Charli XCX on “Love Gang,” Dua Lipa on “High” and Broods on “Be Like You.”
The L.A.-based DJ has gained a massive following, racking up 4.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify and 275 million streams worldwide.
Snoreck got his start as a producer on SoundCloud, where he first received attention from fans and other artists. Whethan’s career has escalated since, becoming a breakout artist to co-headline a European tour alongside his friend Louis The Child. Whethan has also been able to garner attention at music festivals such as Coachella’s DoLab and Billboard’s Hot 100 Music Festival.
In November 2018, fans saw the release of his anticipated debut EP, Life of a Wallflower Vol. 1. The assemblage of songs features electronic bands HONNE, Oh Wonder and Broods as well as artists Mascolo and Bipolar Sunshine. The EP is nothing short of his usual, well-known sound that presents funky beats and original production. With Life of a Wallflower Vol. 1, he continues his streak of cool dance music and superb collaborations.
Whethan will perform at the Dusk Music Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Rezz
Beneath a black hat, her ponytail whipping back and forth on stage, LED lights blaze brightly over the eyes of Isabelle Rezazadeh, more famously known as Rezz, as she mesmerizes fans with her trippy VR goggles and hypnotic beats.
Rezz, age 24, is a Canadian-born, self-taught DJ and music producer. Her relationship with the EDM scene began as a teenager, when she would sneak out to Toronto nightclubs, according to her biography on All Music.
She began learning the basics of music production from online tutorials and first posted her music online at the age of 16. She gained a following on Soundcloud, which included EDM giants Skrillex and Deadmau5.
She released her first EP, Insurrection, in 2015 under Skrillex’s label, OWSLA’s Nest Imprint. The album was critically applauded by media critics, and Rezz earned positive descriptions, such as “Queen of the Dark Techno Scene” from MTV and “prodigy” from EDM.com, according to Rezz’s Dusk bio.
Rezz is now signed onto Deadmau5’s label, mau5trap. She has gone on to produce two full-length albums. Her debut album, Mass Manipulation, was released in 2017 and her sophomore album, Certain Kind of Magic, was released in 2018.
Rezz is considered one of the top EDM artists in the industry, her latest album peaking at the No. 12 spot on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Album chart.
Her music has been described as “unique” by MTV, and she was dubbed the “Female Gesaffelstein” by Vice. Rezz herself has called her music “hypnotic” in an interview with Billboard, in which she discusses how sharp beats, bass heavy compositions, crowd interaction and her spinning LED goggles come together to make her style memorable.
Her fans have lovingly adopted the nickname “Space Mom,” according to YourEDM, as she has a large fanbase now that she has two albums under her belt and two famous EDM artists backing her music.
Rezz will perform at the Dusk Music Festival on Sunday, Nov. 10.
Two Door Cinema Club
Two Door Cinema Club is living the cinematic life every grassroots garage band dreams of.
Formed in 2007, the founding members of the band — Alex Trimble, Sam Halliday and Kevin Baird — met in their Northern Ireland high school and skipped university to focus on their music, according to their All Music biography. Huge film fans, they named themselves after the Tudor Private Cinema in their hometown of Bangor, Ireland.
Their EDM, alternative and indie guitar-punk concoction has been compared to bands like Phoenix and The Postal Service.
Besides their own music, the band has also made remixes of songs by big names like Lady Gaga, Young the Giant and Phoenix Chew Lips.
Two Door Cinema Club became more well known in 2010, with their first released album titled Tourist History and singles like “Something Good Can Work” and “Undercover Martyn.” The debut album was selected to win a 2010 Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year.
According to Song Facts, in the same year, Kanye West posted the band’s “I Can Talk” music video on his website and blogged about how much he enjoyed Two Door Cinema Club. Two Door Cinema was the opening act for Phoenix during the band’s U.S. tour, which also occurred in 2010.
Their most recent album, False Alarm, was released in June 2019. They have recorded four albums, three EPs and 17 singles. Of these songs, Two Door Cinema Club has created 15 music videos. The band is currently on tour, with concert destinations throughout the U.K., Ireland, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and some European countries.
Two Door Cinema Club will play at the Dusk Music Festival on Sunday, Nov. 10.
BRONCHO
Tucson will soon bear witness to some Bad Behavior at the Dusk Music Festival when BRONCHO comes to town, preaching about the media’s villains and vices.
Based in Tulsa, Okla., BRONCHO is an indie-rock band that stirs together punk-rock and art school spirit, according to the band’s website.
The band was formed in 2010, according to BRONCHO’s All Music biography, when singer and guitarist Ryan Lindsey held a loose recording session with some friends and made a series of demos. BRONCHO’s sound was fully realized by the members Ben King on guitar, Penny Pitchlynn on bass and Nathan Price on drums.
According to their website, the band’s fourth album, Bad Behavior, which was released last year, “slinks and purrs with a sense of lascivious flirtation” and crushes the commercial expectations of bands. Having drawn inspiration from watching the evening news, the album is drizzled with references to reflect the band’s views on the world’s moral climate.
“Through the writing process I watched a lot of CNN, and man there’s a lot of bad behavior there,” Lindsey said on the band’s website. “Not to mention that there’s a company making money off of people watching their depiction of it all. From an entertainer’s standpoint I get what they’re doing, calling everything ‘breaking news’ and keeping people glued, but taking up that kind of space can’t be good for society. Although it’s pretty fun to watch.”
To hear their music and catch a whiff of Bad Behavior, the band’s website boasts that it’s easy as sticking your head out of the window.
BRONCHO will play at the Dusk Music Festival on Sunday, Nov. 10.
CRAY
Since entering the EDM scene in 2015, Cheney Ray has established herself as a notable artist using her childhood nickname: CRAY. The Arizona-born, Vancouver-raised artist’s career gained momentum from opening the HyperHouse tour in 2016 and touring Japan with Skrillex in 2018. Her recent 2018 single “Fractions” has over 1 million listens on Spotify.
In addition to CRAY’s successful music career, she also runs a Twitch channel, where she started experimenting with DJing. Using the money she received from her Twitch fans, she was able to fund her music career and has since built up an impressive portfolio.
CRAY’s music takes inspiration from multiple genres including classical and swing jazz. She had named musical artists Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra as some of her musical inspirations. As a result, CRAY’s music appeals to fans of various genres including indie, electronics and pop. CRAY also uses her own vocals for songs when producing music.
CRAY will be performing at the Dusk Music Festival on Sunday, Nov. 10.
Dombresky
Quentin Dombres, or better known as Dombresky, is a producer and DJ from Montpellier, France, who has gained popularity in the last couple of years due to his unique style of mixing electronic music with synth pop, rap, jazz and even Latin music into his tracks.
According to an article in DJ Magazine, Dombres has been creating music for a while, but it was in 2015 when he decided to produce music under the name of Dombresky.
“Music is constantly evolving, just like we do,” Dombresky said in the DJ Mag article. “Who you are now isn’t the same person you were 10 years ago, either. My sound reflects that. I’m constantly figuring out what I want my next move to be. It’s a lot of experimenting, shaping, and redefining who I am as a person before I put that energy into what my sound is.”
According to his website, he was inspired to produce music that is “fun and danceable.” Supported by artists like DJ Snake, Diplo, Anna Lunoe and other artists, Dombresky is seen to be walking into the international scene now that he has moved to Los Angeles.
Some of his well-known tracks are “Utopia” and “Wait,” which was released on Tchami’s Confession label. His newest release this year, “Soul Sacrifice” was said to be an international dance anthem, according to his website.
He recently participated in the worldwide stage at Ultra Music Festival and Coachella.
Dombresky is performing at the Dusk Music Festival on Sunday, Nov. 10.
Goldroom
Los Angeles-based songwriter and producer Josh Legg, better known as Goldroom, creates electronic tunes with an influence of soulful pop. Heard throughout his full-length debut West of the West is his ability to play multiple instruments. Goldroom blends live guitar, bass and percussion with electronic soundscapes.
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Legg first learned to play cello and guitar as a child. With learning to play multiple instruments came his first beginnings of songwriting. As a teen, Legg was introduced to singer-songwriters in the likes of Tom Petty and Curtis Mayfield. However, it was not until Legg studied at the University of Southern California that he discovered electronic artists like Daft Punk that changed his musical journey.
Legg did not begin producing music under the name Goldroom until after his band Nightwaves disbanded. Goldroom then emerged in 2011 with the release of his EP Angeles.
Since then, Goldroom has launched multiple projects that exude his signature breezy melodies. Spotify even describes Legg’s sound as “dreamy, synth-based electronic dance music.”
In “West of the West,” Legg draws inspiration from his past experiences as a longtime sailor cruising around the New England coast. The energy of each song shares parallels with these previous memories.
According to his Facebook page, his goal in creating the album was to “dig really deep and come up with something more honest and meaningful than what you usually see in dance music.”
Goldroom will be performing at the Dusk Music Festival on Sunday, Nov. 10.
Malaa
Aside from being Parisian, not much is known about the man behind the mask. Malaa surfaced in the Parisian EDM scene in 2015, according to his All Music biography. Clad in a balaclava ever since, his face has never been revealed on stage.
Though his identity is mysterious, Malaa’s career speaks for itself. His debut track “Pregnant” dropped in 2015 and, according to Discotech, he has co-signed with DJ Snake and Tchami. His successful singles like “Notorious” established him as an artist to watch out for.
Malaa has also released hit remixes for popular artists like DJ Snake, Sheck Wes, Major Lazer, Post Malone, Skrillex and Diplo.
Malaa will perform at the Dusk Music Festival on Sunday, Nov. 10.
TOKiMONSTA
Jennifer Lee, better known by her stage name TOKiMONSTA, is an American DJ and producer from Los Angeles.
Lee specializes in electronic music and performs in areas around the world in a variety of festivals and concerts. Her hit songs include “Realla” and “Rose’s Thorn.” She has over a million monthly listeners on Spotify, making a significant impact on the music industry.
Lee has collaborated with artists such as Anderson .Paak, Jessie Ware and Kelly Rowland. Her music is described on her website as mixing “modern sensibilities with old-school sounds to make for a heady brew of moonlit music.”
Noted to be the first woman to sign with Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label, Lee debuted with her first album titled “Midnight Menu” in 2010. Since then, she has released five more albums.
After Brainfeeder, Lee joined with record labels Art Union Records and Ultra Music. She now has her own music label, Young Art Records, which she started in 2014. She has produced music from artists Gavin Turek and CRi on her label.
Her recent album Lune Rouge was nominated for a Grammy Award. The album released in 2017 after working on it for about two years. However, while working on the album, Lee found that she was diagnosed with moyamoya disease.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, moyamoya is a rare disease caused by blocked arteries at the base of the brain. The name “moyamoya” means “puff of smoke” in Japanese, which describes the look of the tiny blood vessels tangled together. The disease primarily affects children but can also occur in adults.
“During its [Lune Rouge’s] creation, I faced some of the most difficult and uplifting moments of my life. Seeing myself at the edge of my own mortality and how I chose to move past is a story told in this album,” Lee said on her website.
TOKiMONSTA will perform at the Dusk Music Festival on Sunday, Nov. 10.
All information comes from the artists’ websites unless otherwise specified.
