There are a number of artists that can captivate an entire genre with just one song as they propel themselves into the spotlight. After his tracks “Laserbeam” and “HAPPY SONG”, Ray Volpe has grown to be a name everyone in EDM knows due to the resounding hype this track created. As he continues to fuel all of the dubstep rages, Ray Volpe is back again with his latest heater of a track “EAT SLEEP RAGE” off of his forthcoming and highly anticipated EP “VOLPETRON ASCENDS”. As a tribute to his metal and hard rock roots, “EAT SLEEP RAGE” is a dubstep song unlike any heard before, featuring thrashing guitar riffs, bone-crunching bass, and neck-breaking heavy drops that will have crowds all over headbanging.

There is no doubt that Ray Volpe has created yet another EDM banger that will be circulating around the festival circuits this year and be dropped and remixed by tons of artists. Its infectious yet ominous sound, captivates audiences left and right, leaving fans wanting even more from this electronic giant. If this is only the first track off of Ray Volpe’s upcoming EP from Monstercat Uncaged, who knows what other madness is going to be in store down the line? We had the chance to sit down and talk with Ray Volpe about his recent success, upcoming music and more in our exclusive Q+A section down below. Make sure to check out this absolute heater of a track because trust us, this one is a certified bop!

Diving Deep w/ Ray Volpe

1. You have taken the bass scene by storm and ascended to the tops of the ranks with your latest tracks “Laserbeam” and “HAPPY SONG”. What has this rise into the spotlight been like for you as an artist?

It’s been surreal. There’s a lot to unpack with it, to be honest. Firstly, I’ve been so grateful for all of the new attention and new love shown by so many. I’ve been making music for 13 years, I never expected to have a “hit” song, I always thought I’d be an artist that just slowly climbs the ladder step by step. I do believe I am still, but “Laserbeam” just helped me jump ahead a few steps on that ladder. Now we’re back to climbing. It’s crazy, all the opportunities that I’ve been exposed to and how much I’ve been able to achieve since everything happened. I’ve gotten to play a ton of amazing festivals I always dreamed of, and never thought would come true. Selling out shows was not something I was used to before this all happened. It’s so crazy to be able to go and play in Tokyo or Budapest and come back and play shows here in the States. It just blows my mind. There is another side to everything, though. I have definitely been more anxious than I’ve ever been. I have always dealt with anxiety and depression my entire life. The quick growth has led to spikes in that. It’s a lot of pressure, a lot to live up to when moving forward. Once you have the ball in your court, the last thing you want to do is fumble it. Making sure we’re constantly making the correct steps with every new thing we do, it’s definitely overwhelming. I am trying to make sure everything is perfect at all times, no matter how much it may be to my detriment. I’ll lose money and sleep over that to ensure things are to a certain standard, it’s really bad. General feelings of feeling overwhelmed and also a lot of imposter syndrome starts to hit at times too. Sometimes I feel like I forget how to make music entirely. Then a festival comes up and the day of the show I end up throwing together my best ideas. “HAPPY SONG” actually happened this way. So yeah, it’s give and take. I’m happier than ever, but also more stressed than ever. I’m eternally grateful for every single person that’s streamed a song or bought a jersey or stopped by at a show. It’s made everything possible for me. I can’t believe I’m here honestly.

2. “EAT SLEEP RAGE” is the second track you have released off your highly anticipated VOLPETRON ASCENDS EP. What elements and inspirations went into making this track? How will it fit in with the rest of the EP once it is released in its entirety?

This was definitely supposed to be the more “anthem” based rager of a tune. The original demo dates back to like August last year. I wanted something people could chant from the top of their lungs, but I wanted them to believe the words they were saying. I think the entire bass community as a whole can agree that we’re all here to eat, sleep, & rage. We spend hours driving or flying to festivals and shows to see artists and escape from reality through dancing and head banging and having the best time. This song emphasizes that. I went guitar heavy for this, but less in a front facing way and more of a compliment to the vocal. I was really feeling something that felt heavy in energy, and the little metal riff with the little fear strings surrounding it throughout (if you can even hear those it’s quite faint honestly haha) I think it really tells that story nicely. I had a lot of fun making this one, I actually sampled my fans for it. If you listen you’ll hear a crowd chanting “EAT, SLEEP, RAGE!” which is from two of my shows – Supernatural in Denver & Get Freaky in Salt Lake City. I was having them chant it before starting the song for a short period of time. I think I played it for the first time at Lost Lands. I’ve stopped doing it but can hear fans chanting it at some shows, it’s a crazy feeling since the track isn’t even out yet (as of writing this at least!). As for how it sits among the rest of the EP, that’s a good question. I think it helps continue the theme of this looming danger of Volpetron’s ascension. Every song on here feels “big” – and it’s done intentionally. Whether it’s big swelling intros or big late drops/fakeouts or big chant moments, it’s big. I did that to showcase the scale of the story we’ve been building around Volpetron. He’s bigger than Earth now, he’s celestial. He’s ready to take over the entire universe. The entirety of the EP just feels like it’s hitting you in the face with craziness until the last song where things finally calm down.

3. You have a number of huge up-and-coming festival sets such as Lost Lands and more. What do you do to prepare for bigger sets such as these? What do fans have to look forward to from these upcoming festival sets?

I spend an unhealthy amount of time working on them hahaha. I work on them until the last possible second. I love creating an experience for it, they’re not just songs that match key/tempo. The songs need to complement each other, the edits need to be clever, not just popular pre-drop and surprise drops. I mean, there’s a lot of that, but it’s made with very certain intent. The doubles make sense, the edits make sense, nothing feels random or thrown together. I try my best to put every ounce of myself into the sets, making sure they flow well from heavy to melodic, not have too much downtime but also don’t overdo it with heaviness back to back to back to back without stopping. It’s a long and tedious process for me. It really is a craft, I take it more seriously than producing music these days honestly. Everyone coming to sets will absolutely have new music ASIDE from this EP that they can hear only at the sets, and some amazing new visuals that my team and I have been working on to make sure they get something sick that they can appreciate and remember. My goal is to have people leave feeling that they appreciated the set and can see the love that goes into it, because I love this and I love them and I want to give that as much as I can.

4. You are proud to be straight edge and advocate for better mental health practices. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fans or other artists who are trying to practice being straight edge and take care of themselves while still being involved in the EDM scene?

Mainly that it’s possible, and you can do it. It’s way easier said than done, and it’s hard to take first steps when needed, but that’s where family, friends, and a support system comes into place. I go to therapy weekly, as I have for a long time. It’s been so important to overcoming a lot of past trauma I’ve dealt with in my life, some in childhood and some in adulthood. It’s helped me so much to realize who I am, why I am, and how I am. I also recommend walking daily and journaling. Even if it’s small, it’s nice to just let something out about your day. Therapy can be expensive, especially if you don’t have insurance, so I definitely recommend doing those two things if therapy isn’t an option for you. There are hotlines and some free online groups you can find if you need people to relate to. I wish there were more methods readily available. If you feel you’re struggling, and feel like you don’t have many options, I’d also suggest maybe taking a look at eating habits, sleeping habits, friend circles, etc. Things that seem random like that can be extremely taxing. Having a routine as simple as making your bed every morning can be one small step in the right direction. If you live in a messy room, you will feel messy, you know what I mean? Small things to clean up around you (figuratively or literally, up to you haha) will help you in the long run, at least in my experience. As for being straight edge, admittedly It’s been easy for me as I’ve always just been very disinterested in alcohol and drugs, but I understand in this industry it’s something you can be exposed to quite easily. I’ve noticed that most people I’ve come across have been actually incredibly supportive of it. I’ve run into peer pressure maybe a handful of times in the seven years I’ve been touring. It’s super rare, most people don’t really care. So if someone is ever worried about the thoughts of others, it’s the last thing on their mind, I promise. Also, with the amount of traveling we do (artists and fans alike, y’all put in HOURS in cars and planes to come see us!!!) it’s important to be taking care of yourself. I’m not someone that can speak to or give advice on weaning off of things or cutting things out, as I never have taken any drugs nor have I ever been drunk, so I’m not really able to speak much on that.

5. Other than the VOLPETRON ASCENDS EP, what else do you and your team have planned that fans have to look forward to?

There’s a lot. We’re planning to announce a new tour incredibly soon that spans across the USA, Canada, and Europe. It has tons of festival appearances and headline shows that I can not wait to play. I’m doing some bigger rooms that I’m SCARED to do but will absolutely be incredible to finally play. So many bucket list items are being crossed off right now which is so wild, it doesn’t feel real still. Aside from that, we have something special planned towards the end of the year that I know fans have been really wanting, I’m really excited about that. I almost have the next 12 months figured out already, which is CRAZY. It’s filled with things that are so exciting and I feel like everyone is going to be just as excited as me. I remember two years ago I didn’t even know what was going to happen in six months. It feels so silly because I can’t say anything specific haha. A huge full circle moment is in the works that I can’t even believe is happening. I can’t wait to share it all, and I can’t wait to see everyone out at these shows. Meeting y’all is the best part of this and talking to you and hearing your stories. It’s what I live for. It’s going to be amazing.

Pushing the boundaries or “periphery” of sound is what every EDM artist strives to do through their project. Whether it be through new releases or curated live shows, each artist endeavors the push the envelope with their project and explore new and uncharted territories as they rise into the spotlight and long after. This is exactly what Paul Conversano, who is better known to the world as bass wizard RAVENSCOON, has already begun to do with the announcement of his debut headlining Periphery Tour, which will be taking place all over the US starting August 31st. With its goal to be a fully immersive through both live music and atmosphere, RAVENSCOON is gearing up to break the boundaries of what listeners already know from his project and introduce a whole new world. 

“I’m elated to present my Periphery tour with robust, talented, and diverse support from almost two dozen acts from dubstep to wave. My most comprehensive vision yet, this tour promises to captivate and inspire – and showcase a vast amount of emotional bass music.”

The Periphery Tour is not just special due to its curation, but fans will get an exclusive preview of RAVENSCOON’s forthcoming and highly anticipated Periphery album which will be rolling out in cascading EPs over the upcoming months. In case fans need any more reason than this to make sure to be at one of these stops, the Periphery Tour has a massive support lineup unlike any other we have seen to this date featuring a wide variety of artists from other genres ranging all the way from dubstep to wave music. With artists such as Skeler, EAZYBAKED, smith., and DRINKURWATER, as well as regional support for Mistah Dill, flozone, Dream Signal and more, there immense amount of talent this tour is bringing is unlike any we’ve seen previously. PRe-sale tickets go on-sale today so make sure you get the chance to snag one from the link below before general ticket sales being tomorrow! WE cannot wait to see what RAVENSCOON has in store for this monumental headlining tour this fall!

In today’s world of electronic music, artists are constantly banding together to combine their forces and talent to bring forth new and exciting bass music for all to enjoy. Today, two of the hottest name in up-and-coming bass artists, BroMosapien and GRGLY, have teamed up to bring some absolute heat to our Wednesday with their latest track, “Elephant Warfare”. Playing on the absolute power of the elephant, this track curates a powerful punch with its blasting basslines that charge the whole tune with an infectious energy that fans have come to love from both of these heavy hitters. With plans to collaborate in the future there definitely is a lot more heat in store for fans in the future from both of the bass wizards! Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling “Elephant Warfare”, a certified bop!

“This track is the epitome of halftime madness. When making this tune, we went into the studio with the intent of blending halftime & glitch hop, and absolutely turning it on its head. You can expect many more collaborations like this from us in the future…”

Diving Deep w/ BroMosapien and GRGLY

1. “Elephant Warfare” is the first collaboration between both of you, what inspirations did you both have for this track? Was it easy getting into a writing flow together?

3. What does this track mean to each of you individually? What do you hope listeners take from it?

4. What is next for both of your projects? Do you have anything up and coming that fans can look forward to?