Tag Archives: Los Angeles

When you hear the words “Raw Hardstyle”, E-Force is a name that certainly comes to mind. This legendary Dutch Hardstyle producer has taken his career past many milestones, including a solo album, bookings on some of the biggest festivals in Europe, and en extensive personalized merchandise line. E-Force is one of the true pioneers of Raw Hardstyle, even landing the prestigious award of having the top Hardstyle track in the Q-dance Hardstyle Top 100 in 2014. We spoke with him about his plans for 2018 and beyond!

THD: Thanks for speaking to us! Many of our readers are already familiar with E-Force.

E-Force: Hey guys, thanks for taking time to do this interview with me!

THD: Can you tell us how you have evolved over the years, and what the difference is between the old E-Force, and the new?

E-Force: That’s a good first question, haha! I think there has been a big growth in music quality the last years. I’m always trying to keep the “E-Force roots” in my music, but always trying to evolve that. I also moved my studio to the Scantraxx office, into Wildstylez’ old studio. It has amazing acoustics. Before that, I just had a studio in one of the rooms in my house – my productions definitely improved in the new one . My management and the people working at Scantraxx are of course also there, so the whole vibe in the studio and the office is good inspiration for me.

THD: What do you think is needed for Hard Music to take off in America? How would you like to contribute?

E-Force: I expected that it would be bigger now than it actually is. In 2012 everyone expected that I think. Unfortunately it didn’t work out the way everyone hoped for, but I hope I can contribute in it. I think it’s important that all artists apply for a VISA, although it’s really difficult to get one. I hope all artists who have the option to go there also go for it, so we can build the scene bigger together!

THD: Where do you think it will go from here?  You touched on some different elements of Hard Music, such as Schranz and Hardcore in the new style you have created. Can you tell us more about this? 

E-Force: Like I said, I’m always trying to evolve my sound with my roots sounds combines. Especially on my album I had the chance to do everything I like, a bit more euphoric, but also things like Schranz and Hardcore indeed. When you’re just doing single releases it’s a bit difficult to do this, but on an album you can go for “the edge”.

THD: Can you tell us a bit about your new line of merchandise? How does it stand out?

E-Force: My merchandise was a part of the album campaign, and it turned out amazing. It’s really nice to have a new branding style, and to translate that in an album artwork, but also in merchandise. As you all know we’ve launched the new icon logo about one year ago, and this icon was the main focus on the merchandise. All merchandise was sold out very fast, and on events I see people walking around with a lot and that’s really cool to see!

THD: Could you please tell us about the 2017 edit of “Seven”?

E-Force: This is just an edit I made for fun. I still love to play Seven every time, because the response on the track always stays very good. I made this edit to play at Rebirth festival for the first time, where I was doing a special live set. The response on the edit was crazy. I prefer to play this new 2017 edit now instead of the original mix.

THD: We heard you had quite the private party at Cloud 9 Studios. Could you tell us about this event, and what Cloud 9 Studios is?

E-Force: You heard that correctly ☺ Cloud 9 Music is my music publisher, and they have a very cool studio inside their office. You really don’t expect that when you see the office from outside haha. It’s a very small club for like 150 people, and Cloud 9 offered me the opportunity to use this club for a small, invite only, party. It was such a cool night, because all my dedicated fans were there and it’s nice to be in a small area, so you also have the chance to speak with the fans one on one.

THD: What is the plan for 2018? Any big stuff inbound? Thanks for talking to us – we really appreciate it!

E-Force: Expect a lot of new stuff coming your way! Working my ass off in the studio now, and really trying to my music to a new level again, and experimenting / searching for new cool elements. Thanks for your time, and see you in 2018 during my first USA gigs!

Check out Hardstyle.com’s E-Force Store here!

Interviews

Ron D Core Interview

September 23, 2017 3MiloE

Captured in this film is an interview with Ron D Core, a hero from the underground hardcore scene. Ron is a DJ, and is known for being a pioneer in the early years of electronic music. This interview gives insight into his personal experiences as a DJ and insight into his style of music. You’ll learn how he gained his notoriety, what some of his musical influences are, and some of his accomplishments as an artist and DJ.

Articles, Events, Reviews

Winterfresh Music Festival 2016 Event Review

December 16, 2016 Brandon Caballero

Saturday, December 3 was the return of Fresh Entertainment’s winter-themed festival to Los Angeles – Winterfresh Music Festival. The night promised to host a variety of styles in separate rooms throughout the venue, from hard dance, house, trance, dubstep and drum and bass -all of which I fully intended to check out at the beginning of the night- but, like a Siren luring unexpecting sailors to their doom, the Hardstyle Arena stage sucked me in at the be-ginning of the night and I remained until the end of the show.

The day had been marked on my calendar since the announcement of Partyraiser’s return to LA and DJ Thera’s US debut at the end of Hardstyle Arena: Raw and Disorder, and my Facebook timeline seemed to be teasing me and building my anticipation for this show. The complete lineup for the Hardstyle Arena stage featured
artists Non Toxic , Eni, Alex Kidd (who unfortunately was unable to perform due to visa issues), DJ Thera, Partyraiser, Lady Dammage, and was to be hosted by the legendary MC Ruffian. I was excited for potential of the night ahead – 2 US premier arists and especially uptempo hardcore!

I walked into the venue and I caught up with some friends from AZ I hadn’t seen in awhile, grabbed a drink at the bar, and then proceeded to the Hardstyle Arena stage where I caught the end of Non Toxic’s set. I looked around and noticed the room had been converted into a winter wonderland to enhance the winter theme of the night. There were snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, large snow covered trees on the stage, Christmas lights, and Fresh had even thought to add a custom Winterfresh Snapchat filter! When Non Toxic finished with their final track my friend DJ Eni took to the decks. I had just interviewed Eni before the show, so I was excited for his performance and was really entertained by his track selection of reverse bass and oldschool to get the crowd warmed up! Approximately halfway through his set, Eni brought up a special guest, DJ Hauyon, and together they premiered their DJ team, the Druglordz, and even premiered their first collab – Dominator (Druglordz Reverse Bass remix).

Following Eni/Druglordz’s performance, MC Ruffian stepped up to the crowd and introduced DJ Thera for his US debut. Chances are if you’ve been a fan of hardstyle or hardcore for awhile you have heard Ruffian’s voice; he was the legendary voice of Qlimax until 2015 and can be heard in countless aftermovies and livesets from shows overseas. Ruffian’s familiar tone of voice paired with the cadence of his speech were instantly recognizable and I was exciting to hear him right in my hometown. Before Thera could perform his first track however, there was a special pause in the action- a marriage proposal! One of the dancers was called to the front of the stage, and the crowd created an opening. Her boyfriend stepped up to her and a banner unfolded behind him asking if she would marry him, she said yes! It was a very special moment in their lives and it was touching to be apart of it.

It was then time for DJ Thera to take the spotlight. Anyone familiar with DJ Thera’s music, or his Theracords label knew that his set would feature a variety of classics as well as raw hardstyle. It was exciting to see him perform and I thought he represented himself and his style well for his US premiere. A few of the tracks that he performed included MYST – Man Bear Pig, The Sexual Thrill, and of course the Winterfresh Anthem ft. MC Ruffian.

By the end of Thera’s set people getting wild, the laser production was on point, drinks were flowing, and looking around I could tell people were having a great time. I also had a feeling that everyone there had prepared themselves to go harder for DJ Partyraiser, and I knew moshpits were inevitable. Partyraiser’s high energy DJ style took the crowd to the next level, and his set include one of his most acclaimed tracks – Sound Becomes One with Destructive Tendencies, as well as his new track with F. Noise under their alias Scaphase – Enter the Snakepit (Snakepit 2016 anthem), but one of the most unique reactions from the crowd that I got to witness during his set was when he dropped F*ck It by Lunakorpz and American uptempo/terror DJ Tim Shopp. I was so proud of not only the recognition of the crowd to Tim’s track, but at the conscious effort of Partyraiser to play it and give a subtle nod to American hardcore during is set.

Finally to end the night, it was the US Premier of Lady Dammage, and I will say I don’t think anyone was prepared for what she had in store for us! Hardcore, uptempo and terror were all the menu and Lady Dammage serve it up relentlessly! I never thought I would get to see Lady Dammage perform, much less in the US! I don’t know if some partygoers even knew what hit them, and for anyone who may have missed it, check out her track with Broken Minds Thunder God (240bpm edit!!), and Fear Me Bitches that she played that night.

In closing, I would just like to say that this night was incredible! Fresh’s attention to detail and the quality of their events should put Fresh events on anyone’s “must attend” wishlist. Ruffian added an element to the party by interacting with the crowd’s energy, and along with the lasers, sound quality, and the banging lineup, I know Thera, Partyraiser and Lady Dammage will confirm that California knows how to party! I really enjoyed myself very much and I look forward to their next event, which will be sooner than you think- Fresh has just announced of the resurrection of another one their retired themes, Fresh Days… stay tuned for more info to come!

Articles, Events, Reviews

Hard Electronic: 25 Year of Industrial Strength Records, Los Angeles Event Review

December 6, 2016 Brandon Caballero

Anyone trying to coordinate going to a show with friends knows it isn’t always easy, and this night was no exception. After much anticipation, my friends and I were finally on our way after quite a bit of drama- One friend of mine, Matt, had just spent the last 6hrs in traffic driving to my house all the way from San Diego, while my other friend, Tyler, had a mini-emergency losing his wallet (with his ID) earlier in the day, only to find it again about 20mins before coming to my house, and lastly, my friend Angel wanted us to pick him up on the way to the venue. But at last, the emotional rollercoaster of just wanting to get to the show so we could go party was over, and it was time to go! I had been looking forward to this show for months and my anticipation had built to the point where I was bursting with excitement! The night ahead promised some of the leading names in hardcore, and was to celebrate 25 Years of the Industrial Strength Records label.

Hard Electronic: 25 Year of Industrial Strength Records lineup featured artists Deadly Buda, Cik, Fiend, Rob Gee, Lenny Dee, Tymon, Unexist, The Sickest Squad and Art of Fighters. After passing through security and catching up with some friends, I walked onto the dance floor and prepared myself for the acts I had been looking forward to for months now. I was especially was excited that night to see Art of Fighters, Unexist, The Sickest Squad, Rob Gee and Lenny Dee… it was shortly after seeing the timeslots that I discovered Lenny Dee was not on the lineup. I later found out that Lenny had injured himself and his doctor did not recommend him to fly and risk further injury.

Lenny made the following statement on Facebook to his fans:

“My love goes out to the LA crew for making it happen. Respect. West Coast Kicking Ass!!! Get ready for Hard Electronic 2.0 coming in 2017. There is no stopping what can’t be stopped…”

We wish for your speedy recovery Lenny, but once I learned of your injury I knew that the night must go on as you had intended it to!

At this point, the much-awaited US appearance of Art of Fighters took to the stage. Throughout the crowded room you could see fans waving Art of Fighters and Hardcore Italia flags, and the signature Art of Fighters hardcore sound filled the room with catchy melodies and defiant lyrics. Art of Fighters set included classic tracks including ‘Nirvana of Noise’, and eventually ended with ‘Oh My Sun.’

Art of Fighters at Hard Electronic: 25 Year of Industrial Strength Records, Los Angeles

Following Art of Fighters was Unexist, who changed the atmosphere in the room from the melodies of Art of Fighters, to a much more brutal sound. If Art of Fighters set could be described as ‘energizing’, then Unexist’s set would be described as ‘aggressive.’ One such track that he played that exemplifies this aggressiveness was ‘Devil’s Son”.

As Unexist’s set ended The Sickest Squad took to the stage to bring their own unique brand of Frenchcore (they aptly nicknamed Sickcore) to the party. For me personally, I was just as excited for The Sickest Squad as much as I was for a Frenchcore act to perform, as US doesn’t get much Frenchcore. For those unfamiliar with Frenchcore, the sound is an entirely unique variation of the hardcore sound. Tracks often feature samples of odd instruments not normally heard in electronic music playing symphonic melodies, as well as chanting or rambling of lyrics, and the bass vibrates similar to how reverse bass is for Hardstyle. The Sickest Squad’s set included their classic ‘Boomshakalaka’, as well as their new track with Dr. Peacock ‘Frenchcore Family’ (Vive La Frenchcore 2016 Anthem).

Appropriately slated to close out the night with a dose of Gabber was American legend Rob Gee. Rob started his set by recognizing the Industrial Strength Label for achieving the 25-year milestone, and we all took a moment to pay respect to Lenny Dee who, even though he couldn’t be there with us in person, was certainly there in spirit. Rob opened with one of his classic gabber tracks, ‘Pollywaggachuggabonka’ and ‘Coming At You Strong’, before working in some of his newer tracks ‘Dark Universe’ and ‘Caramba!’ into his set, all while entertaining the crowd with his animated, high energy personality.

Throughout the night I was excited to see so many familiar faces, but one thing that I noticed was a definite, mature presence in the crowd as well. 25 Years of Industrial Strength Records meant that some of these people had been listing to hardcore more years than others at the party had been alive! That night I spoke to several who recounted their memories of their first shows in the 90’s held in warehouses, about their early Industrial Strength and Thunderdome vinyls, and it was interesting to hear their perspective of how the scene had grown and changed over the years. Trauma has a great ability to blend the past and the present in their shows in a really enjoyable way, and I have always respected and appreciated the origins of this scene. Ultimately, I would say the 25 years of the Industrial Strength Records was a massive success entertaining both new and old alike, and I look forward to more hardcore in the future!

Articles, Daybreaker, Events, Interviews

Vigor Interview: Gabberfest 2016

June 3, 2016 Daybreaker

Hard work, dedication, agility, persistence, potency, or in other words, VIGOR! He is a native of Los Angeles whose history in the early 90’s shines through in his productions; towering rawstyle combined with jumpstyle and US hard house influences present a new sound and experience that is making this artist’s rise through the hard dance scene a swift one!

Representing Los Angeles, CA, and his new home on Nutty Traxx UK, this is our very own, VIGOR!

Vigor will be bringing his own Rawstyle flavor to Gabberfest 2016!

How did you decide on your stage name?
I first started out by the name of DJ Intense. During the early 90s, I was a pioneer in the jumpstyle and US hard house scene. But it was in the late 2000’s, I discovered rawstyle and decided that’s the direction I wanted to take my music, so it was time to be reborn. My sound is vigorous and full of energy, that’s why I decided to change my name to Vigor, to combine my previous sound with today’s modern energy standard.

How did you start producing/DJ’ing?
I used to have a friend back in the days whose brother was a DJ, and from there I just ran with the passion. I wanted to start working right away to save money for my own setup! I started doing work for some audio rental companies, hooking up their systems for events and such. Eventually, it lead to my partnership investing in an event organization called Highlight Entertainment. That’s when I started playing on massive stages at big name venues such as Florentine Gardens. From there, I decided the next step was making my own music. I bought my first studio setup and was introduced to a producer name Mr. Goodbar who was on Up and Down Records. That landed me a release on the local record label Fuze Records based out of Montebello.

How did you get interested in the harder styles?

It started when I first heard the classic Zany sound in 2003. Ever since then, it has grown and mutated and has become more aggressive and I love the infection! I love that this music is challenging compared to other genres; it’s something that takes dedication and passion just to do the simplest things!

What changes have you noticed in your local rave/hard dance scene since you started?
I can honestly say the changes in my local rave scene seem to be about isolation. A lot of producers in America are very isolated; we need to work as a group so our scene can grow and if companies were to partner up (instead of working against each other, we could have bigger organizations/artists possibly visit our country. A lot has changed from the beginning routes in my opinion but the scene is growing every year so I’m hopeful, still!

What do you think about the current state of harder styles in America?
You have different levels and quality: some people have a certain format that they prefer over others and some of that creativity has been lost because of “industry” standards, being told what is good and what is not what; happened to the days when people would put on a track and it would be very different and fresh? I think it was like that during early times because there was no pressure. You can’t even put a track out without some type of criticism, where’s the love of the music? Production quality is a big factor but I think the music and the story is more important. So I think that people should go back to being able to make music for a more party feel then just a generic sound. It’s all about pushing boundaries and I think that’s the reason why some people that attend events have lost interest including some top artists who have switched over onto a different path, they didn’t feel that spark anymore this happens because cookie cutter tracks are not cutting it. Originality and unique styles are overlooked; everybody wants to sound like another person instead of just creating their own vision. Get back to the originality, try something new and different. Stand out!

Is there a message behind your music?
I’m just trying to make music for people to have a good time to. I’m just trying to be different and unique, not following the cookie-cutter ways the industry standard. If it makes my head bob while I’m in the studio, more than likely that will also occur at a live performance. From my past experience, I’m trying to combine some of those elements into my sound for today, trying to keep my roots true. The learning curve is my drive; it’s what keeps me interested and motivated because it is not easy to be a part of this musical revolution unless you have dedication and passion and that’s what I’m all about. Proving to all of those that hard work really does pay off.

What can we expect to hear from Vigor this year at Gabberfest?
I’m planning on a lot of fresh tracks from artists all over the world including collaboration tracks that will be released soon. My goal this year is to push boundaries and hope that everyone enjoys my vision of hardstyle.

Is there anything you want to say that we haven’t asked you about yet? Do you have any upcoming projects or tours to promote, or anything special or shout outs you want to say?

I’ve been waiting to announce this for a while now,

Nutty Traxx UK is the new home for Vigor!

and I figured the Hard Data would be the best way of letting you all know that I just recently got signed to a new record label! I will be releasing music under Nutty Traxx Records based out of the UK. I will also be participating in a label tour that will be hitting the states soon! It’s called the DECADE OF DARKNESS TOUR, celebrating ten years of Nutty Traxx Records! Featuring Vigor and other artists signed to the label. I’m also doing collabs with artists Dishonored, Nutty T, Next level, Adroit, JACKO, Hybrid Code, and previews of these tracks will be online soon!