History has a remarkable way of repeating itself, and this week music fans all across the spectrum were graced with news that is sure to bring about some great summer tracks, reminiscent of a time before EDM exploded into the American music scene.

Kanye West, the undisputed king of sampling, dropped his third studio album, Graduation circa September of 2007 featuring sampled music on tracks like Good Life and Champion. Then there was Stronger. Mr. West’s wildly popular radio anthem that still finds its way to the airwaves today, in 2007 was an incredible foreshadowing of music’s future direction. Kanye brought the genre bending Daft Punk sound we all love to the mainstream for his Grammy Award winning album sampling “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”, so it is only apropos now that the two enormous musical entities officially join forces.

With Random Access Memories‘ release looming just around the corner, we learn now that the most highly anticipated album of the year is not all Daft Punk has been working on. Last week, the Louis Vitton Don, sent the twitter-sphere into pandemonium with an enigmatic announcement simply referencing “June 18th”. This week, Kanye confirmed that not only will his fourth studio album hit stores on that day, but also some of the contributing collaborators on the upcoming rap album. Daft Punk and Kanye West are officially confirmed as collaborating on one of the tracks on Kanye’s sure to be summer knockout. With the meticulous, perfectionist work ethic synonymous with that of Daft Punk’s upcoming album and Kanye’s ostentatious, outspoken creative output, this collaboration could certainly turn out to be one of Kanye’s masterpieces.

Other contributing artists include TNGHT, Skrillex, and those Odd Future fellas who cause so much hype. Needless to say, this forthcoming studio stint is shaping up to fuel the impending tidal wave of new summer music that we all want, and desperately need. Here at BDL, we are certainly stoked about Daft Punk’s soulful revival of dance music, but can’t wait to hear them dip their toes into the realm of hip-hop as well.

Check out this video of Daft Punk’s cameo at Kanye West’s 2008 Grammy Awards performance

Festival season is well underway. Coachella ’13 has come and gone, ear drums are still rattling from Ultra’s successful two weekend expansion, and lineups from various different parts of the country continue to surface each day. Festivals in New York, Baltimore, Tennessee, and almost everywhere else boast big acts, various styles and genres, and are all sure to be a fantastic time. And then there is HARD Summer. 

Jaws all over the country dropped in awe this week as the incredibly clandestine, highly anticipated lineup met the public eye on Tuesday. Downtown Los Angeles‘ pride and joy, this year’s HARD Summer festival might actually be the best lineup announcement of the summer festival season. Yes, I said best. Held at LA Historic Park on August 3rd and 4th, the two night festival will be host some some of the best up-and-coming names in dance music, along with headliners that are sure to deliver what everyone has been anxiously awaiting; uncut, unabridged, face melting fun. Headliners will include Skrillex and Boys Noize’ techno inspired, electro infused side project Dog Blood, Knife Party, Justice, the funky synthpop duo Empire of the Sun, Duck Sauce’s return to the festival circuit, and even the great shaman master of bass music himself- Bassnectar. Yes, those are only the headlining acts. This year’s HARD Summer will also feature crowd crushing, stage rocking performances by Zedd, Dillon Francis, Flux Pavillion, 2 Chainz, Tommy Trash Flosstradamus, Paper Diamond, Baauer, Oliver, Keys N’ Krates and so many more.

Although stages have not been officially announced yet, Gary Richards, the techno talented DJ and mastermind behind HARDfest’s monumental success and expansion has officially announced an homage to Ed Banger’s 10th Anniversary. The Ed Banger tent will feature names such as Busy P, Brodinski and Breakbot, just to name a few.

HARD Summer’s lineup, in a bold statement, might actually be the best lineup announcement of the season. Here’s why.

HARD cannot be compared in the same realm as EDC or Ultra. The two festivals are both amazing experiences in their own right but the problem with lineups such as EDC’s or Ultra’s, is that they tend to lack the excitement and anticipation that should be a staple to the festival experience. There is none of that bubbly anxiety associated with them anymore, diminishing what I believe to be a pivotal part of attending your favorite festivals. Avicii will always be on those lineups; yes, don’t worry Tiesto will play too. We have all become accustomed to what we should expect from those festivals. But HARD has held onto that one magical element, the element of surprise. The diversity of this summer lineup is a true testament to the fact that it really is all about the music, and the best part about it is, it was a huge curve ball. There is an act for everyone at HARD, and it is not just those names you hear everyday in tandem with EDM. This lineup strikes me as being about stepping out of the usual, moving away from the norm. HARD Summer this year will be a melting pot of rap and electro house, it will be where french techno meets trap music, and where funk rubs shoulders with dubstep. The multiplicity in HARD’s assortment will not be overshadowed by furry boots and carnival rides, it will be all about the music and the mixed bag selection for everyone to enjoy. Thats why.

I think it goes without saying that here at BDL, we are still drooling over this exciting announcement and we can’t wait to see you in Smog City DTLA this summer!

Buy your tickets to HARD Summer HERE

And be sure to peep Gary and his band of bass-faced pooches in the video trailer for HARD Summer 2013

Just when we thought its viral tsunami wave of main stream media action was coming to a quiet close, Baauer’s infectious anthem, Harlem Shake continues to kick. Although the hit still generates the insatiable desire to dance, everywhere from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to the Sahara Tent this past weekend, the hype behind Baauer’s dancefloor juggernaut has begun to subside (finally).

Well… Cazzette had something to say about that. The Swedish producer-duo dropped their rendition of Bauuer’s title track today, breathing new life into the song, and actually gracing us with one of the best dubstep tracks thus far in 2013. In a year that seems to be dominated by the rise of trap music, Cazzette definitely rose to the occasion in accentuating the original version’s sample with heavy, ominous synths in their dubstep bootleg.

Heres the best part. Its a FREE DOWNLOAD. Give it a try, you might find that you still have a little Harlem Shake left in you too.

“Shes up all night to this song, I’m up all night to get some, shes up all night for good fun, I’m up all night to get lucky…” Cue the goosebumps. Like clockwork, we all felt the same giddy tickle when Daft Punk graced us this weekend with more juiciness and fueled even more anticipation starting at Coachella, and continuing on SNL.

Southern California’s pride and joy, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, has now seen its first of two weekends come and it is already on its way out. The desert festival hosted an eclectic line up featuring sounds and faces both widely revered and some of the best up-and-comers in music this weekend. The first weekend of this year’s festival brought back the atmosphere of sheer delight, bliss, and jubilation, which the Empire Polo Grounds are notorious for hosting each year. Coachella and festival season are well underway, and this past weekend, music fans were given another call to celebrate.

Music fans, basting under the California sun in Indio, and fans at home tuning into Saturday Night Live this past weekend were treated to yet another teaser from Daft Punk’s forthcoming album Random Access Memories. The Original Dons of Dance Music seem to have the entire world captivated as their immensely hyped return to making music continues on. All of pop culture wants a piece of…dare I say it… one of the most highly anticipated albums of all time. 

Daft Punk and the enigmatic aura of mystery, which clouds the Dynamic Duo’s entire facade, have been teasing music fans for months now with their rise back to the surface of the realm of entertainment. This particular teaser features everyone’s favorite androids along side guitar guru, Nile Rogers, and hip hop producer and R&B crooner, Pharell Williams, in a funk packed minute long teaser for the single, Get Lucky. Pharell’s smooth vocals, accentuated by the funky, groove-laced music of Nile, Tomas, and Guy circulated to the world beginning with cell phone videos from Coachella and then later on Saturday Night Live. Daft Punk has been slowly releasing everything from 15 seconds of musical soundbites, to 8 minute episodes detailing collaborations off of the their soulful comeback album.

Correction. “Comeback,” was the wrong word. Daft Punk, since their sudden disappearance from the lime light in 2007, have not stopped ruling dance music. Their absence only allowed for their legacy to continue to thrive, to heights many people never saw coming. Their influence on most music producers today can be seen as DJs constantly pay homage to the french pioneers. Now they are back to simply claim what has never really stopped being their’s. 

Check out the short for Get Lucky here, and get ready for Random Access Memories May 21st.

As the spring season quickly fades into summer, sweltering hot days are spent trying to keep cool with a beer, or working at that perfect tan. Students are preparing for final exams and projects, some are even beginning to feel the clutches of droll, mind numbing summer school looming just a few weeks ahead. Well… that certainly is not the case in Arizona, and if it is, not a single person looked worried this past weekend. Wolfgang Gartner found his way to the desert this past weekend and the party did not stop for a second.

Joey Youngman, better known by his electro banging, crowd crushing alias Wolfgang Gartner, brought his talents to the southwest this past weekend playing two shows. One in Scottsdale at Wild Knight Club, and the second- a famous Arizona pool party in Tucson.

As soon as His Majesty, King of Electro-House took to the decks at last weekend’s pool party extravaganza, the insurmountable energy, dancing, and crowd wide splash fights did not stop for a split second. Masses of galvanized students and fans crowded Casino Del Sol’s pool, but not to cool off casually or tan in the sun with a fruity cocktail. The University of Arizona’s massive hoard of electro-enthused party people didn’t seem too concerned with menacing final projects or essays in the weeks ahead. As soon as Wolfgang took the reins at the 1′s and 2′s the scorching, packed pool party’s energy exploded exponentially, Wolfgang’s hard hitting electro house beats and complex mixing techniques serving as the catalyst to everyone simply losing their minds under the scalding sun. Splash waves came flying from every direction, the pool was packed to the brim, and cabanas swayed to the beats as people raised cell phones, drinks and even other people in the air as everyone toasted to Mr. Garnter.

Wolfgang was the perfect soundtrack for a bumping, sweaty pool party but for long time fans of Wolfgang, he delivered exactly what everyone wanted. Track such as Love and War, Bounce, and Anaconda riled the crowd, but classics like Illmerica and Space Junk were show stoppers. When the ears of trained electro house fans heard Space Junk coming up on one of Wolfgang’s decks, pandemonium broke loose. That is everyone’s jam. His set was primarily comprised of 128 bpm electro house, although he did manage to lace his set with groovy patches of funk, dubstep and even some hip hop. Everything from Skrillex collaborations to Fatman Scoop to amazing vocally focused tracks like Overdose blared out to the slippery soaking college crowd, and they loved every single minute of it.

This particular show struck a chord somewhere inside me. It had a bit of sentimental value. Surrounded by all of my friends, I was fortunate enough to behold Wolfgang’s hallowed return to Tucson. The first DJ I ever saw, the man who single handedly fed me my first bites of the EDM pie was back to show me more, and I think i speak for all in attendance when i say Wolfgang Gartner always delivers a show worth paying for. His mixing style, his ability to move between tempos and genres, his vibe and his stage presence make him one of the most elite DJ’s out there and an influence to so many young producers in the game now.

Check out Wolfgang’s newest release on Ultra Records,  Overdose ft. Medina HERE

It was a big week for the west coast music scene. Followed by a memorable, larger-than-life Miami Music Week celebration still fresh in our minds, super producer and party throwing guru Gary Richards had something big to say about the party that will ensue on the west coast this summer. Gary Richards, also known for his heavy techno laced funkadelic sets as Destructo,  is the mastermind behind HARDfest, and the traveling concert tour’s immense growth and success over the last few years. HARD’s notorious track record for throwing some of the countries greatest bangers  like Day of the Dead, Holy Ship!, and of course HARD Summer only gets better from here. This week Richards along with the rest of his Los Angeles based HARD squad dropped not one, but two, huge announcements.

HARD announced earlier this week the lineup for its highly anticipated extension to the countrywide events tour. RED ROCKS. Colorado’s unparalleled, iconic concert venue, found just outside of Denver has hosted the likes of Pretty Lights to The Grateful Dead, Zeds Dead to Jimi Hendrix. Well, thanks to HARD, Diplo, Flosstradamus, Disclosure, and even Gary Richards himself will hit the decks as Destruco and join the ranks as well. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, this will.

Richards is on fire. He didn’t stop there and tossed EDM another huge bone. HARD’s biggest event, the hugely popular HARD Summer hosted in downtown LA in August just got a little funkier this year. HARD announced shortly after the Red Rocks line up dropped that the two day summer festival would also be hosting an Ed Banger Records 10th Anniversary tent. French techno with a steamy side of funky and a heaping scoop of groovy gravy to go with that. The Ed Banger tent at this years Hard Summer will feature names like Breakbot, Busy P, and electro house duo Justice. The rest of the HARD Summer lineup has not dropped yet, but needless to say we here at BDL are hanging on the edge of our seats.

As the summer winds down this August, prepare for an amazing way to cap off your summer break with two more parties that are sure to keep your head spinning well into the first few weeks of the school year. Good luck paying attention in next semester’s lectures with Justice’s DVNO buzzing and bouncing around in your brain, good luck with writing essays and reports in August when all you can do is think about what Express Yourself sounded like at Red Rocks.

Get pumped. HARD will be killing this summer’s festival scene, we cant wait. Check out HARD’s website, buy tickets for Red Rocks and HARD Summer HERE

As Justin Timberlake’s chart-topping single “My Suit & Tie” continues to send the nation into a swag frenzy with the help of Jay-Z & Producer Timbaland, it was only a matter of time before Electronic producers attempted to solidify the hype and mystique of this upbeat R&B slow jam with a multitude of unique remixes.  The man himself Dillon Francis put’s his signature touch on this track, but this time bringing an arsenal of fresh synths as for his newest Trap production since “Bootleg Fireworks” (download HERE) highlighted by his bouncing melodic synths complimented by JT’s sensual lyrics and vocal pitch.  17-year old up-and comer Chris Hurst out of Florida also serves us a relaxing down-tempo remix as well with Jump Smokers also releasing a club mix as well.  We’ll keep you updated on more remix releases as this track continues to impress not only millions upon millions of fans, but artists and producers in all genres of music!

Justin Timberlake- Suit & Tie (Dillon Francis Remix)

Justin Timberlake- Suit & Tie (Chris Hurst Remix)

Justin Timberlake- Suit & Tie (Jump Smokers Club Mix)

The 18-year old electro house/pop superstar from France known as Madeon has come a long way since winning a remix contest for Pendelum’s “Island” in 2010 with amazingly harmonic and feel-good progressive tracks “The City” and “Finale”.  This teenage mastermind completely goes ape sh*t during this 33 minute high-octane mini-mix featuring FORTY-SIX bangers.  Hard not to put this exclusive mix on repeat; Enjoy!

This video still gives us the chills…

Swedish House Mafia, are truly ending on a high note. As this weekend comes to a close, so does the legacy of the super- group trio from Sweden, and the goosebumps are just as real, the hair on everyone’s neck still standing straight up. I allowed my eyes to wander to the skies for just a brief moment Saturday night. I tilted my head back and my voice was joined by the voices of every single galvanized, adorning fan in attendance. “Who’s gonna save the world tonight?”, we all belted. The unity was almost palpable as the lyrics rang throughout bustling downtown Los Angeles Saturday night. The world’s favorite Swedes had what seemed to be all of Los Angeles fixated on their larger-than-life aura for two incredible hours of music and a bittersweet, whole hearted goodbye done in impeccably grand fashion. Everything Saturday night was touched by a sense of grandeur, everything about Masquerade Motel was more than memorable, it was legendary.

Last week’s Black Tie Rave in New York brought tuxedos, this weekend’s set of shows was bedazzled by masquerade-esque themed attire, which most fans obliged by showing up in. Outfits were planned meticulously, hoards of fans poured into Los Angeles State Historic Park, sets by Zedd and Alesso roused the masses, and the historic farewell was underway. Then the clock struck 10pm, and everyone could feel their hearts drop just slightly. Axwell kicked off the festivities as Greyhound crashed into everyone’s central nervous system and the adrenaline didn’t stop for a single moment from then on. Lasers, lights, smoke, fire and flashes accentuated each note as Leave the World Behind brought Los Angeles that heart breaking reminder that the world was inching ever closer to a day without The Mafia.

Swedish House Mafia has built an empire, literally from Miami to Ibiza, all across the globe comprised of fans that live and breathe with unparalleled passion and energy for the show that the Swedes always deliver. Los Angeles State Historic Park, this past weekend was no different. The love and unity was not only atmospheric, it was a tangible part of the historic show. It was as real as every hypnotized fan, it was as real as all the tears shed throughout the crisp, chilly night. Every bit of that love was reciprocated by the Mafia as well. The guys had California’s flag plastered upon the screens surrounding their gargantuan stage set up. As Save the World brought about the last moments of Swedish House Mafia’s legacy, it was clear that the Swedes didn’t want to bring this set to an end either.

Everyone there this weekend knows that the only way to describe what happened is appropriately said by the Swedes themselves. “We came, we raved, we loved“. If this past weekend truly was the last Swedish House Mafia concert, then it was one that will surely be remembered for many, many years to come. Some will never forget it. Swedish House Mafia has been instrumental in bringing EDM to the world’s main stage, and from us here at BassDownload, we thank you Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso, and Axwell, not only for two amazing last shows, but for all that you have done for us individually and EDM across the globe.

Weclome back to our newest weekly post TRAP TUESDAYS.  For our second edition, we have handpicked 10 new TRAP tunes to get y’all through the week until it’s time to get ratchet this weekend.  This week, the tracks we have selected are headlined by Diplo’s remix of PSY’s Gangnam Style featuring none other than hip/hop heavyweights  2 Chainz & Tyga.  We also got our hands on a crazy new edit of  Dog Blood’s recent single, Next Order, by up-and coming Trap producer Party Favor. Bass-veteran Bro Safari also gives us another anthem with The Drop which has been on repeat for the past couple days here at BDL. Lastly we have a slapping new heavy trap single from UFO!, “TROLLING” which is reminiscent of the producers’ Drumstep influences.  As always please “Like” and “Follow” and support all of the artists’ different pages in order to receive more free downloads and other updates!  

PSY- Gangnam Style (feat. 2 Chainz & Tyga)(Diplo Remix)

“Like” Diplo on Facebook HERE

DOGBLOOD- Next Order (Party Favor Edit)

“Like” Party Favor on Facebook HERE

Bro Safari- The Drop

“Like” Bro Safari on Facebook HERE

UFO!- TROLLING

“Like” UFO! on Facebook HERE

Carnage & Borgore- Incredible (Omeguh Bootleg)

“Like” Omeguh on Facebook HERE

Afrojack- Replica (Seratonin Remix)

“Like” Seratonin on Facebook  HERE

ASAP Rocky- Fuckin’ Problems (Willy Joy Remix)

“Like” Willy Joy on Facebook HERE

TRILL.iam- Go Fly

“Like” TRILL.iam on Facebook HERE

Psychic Type- Mt. Goon

“Like” Psychic Type on Facebook HERE

DEBROKA & BoyJamez- Neighborhood Don

Words can’t express how much we have been eagerly anticipating UZ’s Balltrap Muzik Vol. 1 Mixtape featuring Baauer, CRNKN, Salva, Trinidad James, Problem, Casey Veggies & more for quite some time now and it’s finally here!

Here’s the official release via club.livemixtapes.com:

“The mysterious UZ surfaced in 2012 with his amazing Trap Shit series. Immediately gaining attention and praise from tastemakers and top record labels, he dropped records on Mad Decent, OWSLA, BNR, Mau5trap, and SMOG, all within months of his first releases. Though the details of his personal identity are unknown, his productions and style have a life of their own. His sounds are minimal, yet powerful, with a menacing intensity, maturity, and restraint. He is more than a sound, or a mask, and can only be described as one thing: UZ ”

Download this Exclusive Mixtape HERE

For those of you hood-rats who live in the Los Angeles area, UZ will tearing it up at Club Nokia this Thursday.  Grab your tickets and more information HERE! 

Until next Tuesday…