Coming to you live and direct from the Headbang Society premiere vault, Tampa navie producer HEXED has taken the bass scene by storm with his newest release “Check” that we have the pleasure of bringing to you today. Combining a bouncy, uptempo beat with heavy, low bass sounds, this track packs a punch with the wubs that we all know and love alongside catchy hip hop lyrics that are sure to have us all dancing along. This artist has absolutely captivated listeners and this tune he’s adding to his repertoire fits perfectly with the number of other heaters on his discography. Definitely don’t sleep on this one because we are sure to hear it played out time and time again. Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling the absolute stomper of a track “Check”, a certified bop.

What’s one cool fact about yourself/or your project that not many fans know about?

My current project HEXED is actually my second project. I rebranded after only a few releases on my first brand, which was my last name. I realized I was making music that did not represent who I am and I decided to distance personal life from my music. This helped me create a space to do whatever I want without any judgement from my peers.

If you could go back in time and start over given what you have learned in your career so far, what changes and approach would have done differently?

I would go back and solidify all of my branding elements before I started releasing any music. I had a general idea of what I wanted to do, but as I progressed, I realized many components were not as thought out as I intended. Things like color palette, brand values and symbols are all examples of things I had to reconsider as I went to create consistency.

It seems like there is never a shortage of new and talented upcoming artists flowing out of the sunshine state nowadays, bringing forth some absolutely amazing music time and time again. Tampa artist, PLSMA, has been taking the scene by storm, pumping out some absolutely insane tracks and he is back at it again to bring us a heater of a debut EP, “Airwaves”, showcasing his unique dubstep style which is not one you should miss.  Today we have the pleasure of premiering “The Graves” the first tune off this five track stomper. This is the perfect homage to PLSMA’s heavy hitting drops and nasty wubby beats that continuously leaves us wanting more. We are sure that this one is going to be rinsed out all festival season long! Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling “The Graves”, a certified bop.

1. What has been the biggest difference you’ve noticed when first starting off as an artist vs now after experience playing events , doing releases etc?

There are several noticeable changes when evolving from fan to artist but just recently I was thinking of the back end power. Positions that handle tasks like site operations, spotify promo, and even day-to-day attention to multiple projects are often seen as non-existent to your every day raver. Once stepping into the business of music, I soon developed an appreciation for the ones keeping our peers safe and making everything possible for these projects to succeed and grow.

2. What has been your favorite memory this far having been part of the EDM scene prior to successfully launching off as a reputable bass artist?

One memory I’ll never forget was back at Sunset Music Festival in the year 2015. My friends and I were about a year or 2 into the rave scene and I was sporting at least 11 merch items sold on Flosstradamus’ website at the time. I was sure to buy vip for this festival so i wouldnt miss a minute of their set due to the elevated platforms. Turns out my group knew every one of their songs and we collectively broke the vip rail, throwing us into the crowd where at least 20 other edm fans were there to pick us up and make sure we were ok. The all around respect for others in this scene kept me here. The adrenaline of those years fueled this addiction for writing music. Fast forward to this year; I’m honored to be performing on the same stage as this memory and look forward to seeing yall on Saturday May 28th 4-5pm at SMF in Tampa!

Calling all EDM and car enthusiasts! As we begin gearing up for the absolute insanity that is GRIDLIFE Midwest Festival out in South Haven MI, we couldn’t help but bring you another exclusive look at the incredible talent this lineup has to offer. Michigan native dubstep artist and vocalist, AUDIA, takes the stage Saturday night alongside artists such as Blanke and Joyride, to bring some ridiculously nasty beats for her first set at a major festival. Today, we have brought you a little sneak peak of the madness that she brings to the table, combining some crazy riddim tunes and hard dubstep drops into one stomper of a mix that will have you headbanging the whole trip to GRIDLIFE. This set and festival as a whole is not one to miss, bringing you a multi genre lineup as well as world class race car events combined into one stellar weekend. Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling AUDIA’s Road to GRIDLIFE Midwest Festival Mix, a certified bop.

1. What are you most excited about at GRIDLIFE Midwest festival personally?

I’m thrilled to be playing my first major festival and excited to join many of my friends and some of my favorite producers at GRIDLIFE Midwest. I just released a couple of tracks with KTRL on Circus Records this spring, marking my debut on a major label. GRIDLIFE will be our first chance to perform them live on stage together at the same event. I’m also excited to ride in a race car for the first time!

2. What can people expect from your set at the festival?

When attending the AUDIA set at GRIDLIFE, people can expect a powerful, high-energy dubstep odyssey infused with unreleased music. Most of the AUDIA tracks I have in store will feature my own original vocals and are designed using the sounds of engines, servos, metal impacts, and much more.

3. What is it like playing in front of large crowds? What emotions run through your head during bigger sets such as this?

Playing original music in front of a live crowd and watching them go wild is perhaps the most fulfilling feeling a producer can experience. Watching a crowd’s reaction to your own music is the final step in the process.

I’ve found that I produce music that is designed for events like this, which has pushed me to make more impactful music. I wanted to focus on how my music would contribute to the overall experience and create a meaningful message. It was meant to be shared and perceived, much like a movie, and I think that’s the most fulfilling part of playing a set; to watch something you created out of nothing take flight and become something beautiful, powerful, and awe-inspiring. It becomes the soundtrack to someone’s moments of confidence, finding inner power, or simply having a good time. 

After events such as GRIDLIFE, it’s common for me to become galvanized into creating more music for future shows to further the live experience. I’m sure GRIDLIFE will leave me more inspired than ever before.

As festival season 2022 gets into full swing all around the world, it is always exciting to see new and innovative ideas within the festival world. GRIDLIFE Midwest Festival located in South Haven, Michigan is doing just that, combining all we know and love about EDM with the thrill and adrenaline of motorsports. Featuring artists such as Kaskade, Blanke and others while being fully immersed in some of the best car culture of the midwest. Our mix we get the pleasure of premiering for you today is coming straight from two of GRIDLIFE’s featured artists FWLR and JELO who are set to throw a nasty B2B set. This mix features amazing bass and house vibes, as well as some of their very own music that you definitely don’t want to miss out on. Whether you are an electronic fan or a car fiend, find the best of both worlds this June! Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling FWLR & JELO’s exclusive mix, a certified bop.

What are you most excited about at GRIDLIFE Midwest Festival personally?

As both a music producer and a car tuner/builder/racer, my life consists of equal parts music and equal parts motorsports. It is no exaggeration when I say this festival is by definition the perfect weekend in my books. I am so excited to be surrounded by car and music culture alike.

What can people expect from your set at the festival?

JELO and I will be packing some heat and we aren’t afraid to dig into the ambiguous when we play. We have been producing bangers together since 2015 so we have a chemistry that is unmatched. We are really looking forward to banging out some new tunes on stage at GRIDLIFE.

What is it like playing in front of larger crowds? What emotions run through your head during bigger sets such as this?

I have played in bands for my entire adult life and there’s nothing quite as special as connecting with a large crowd. When the vibe is shared the energy becomes a feedback loop between the performer and the audience. It really is an overwhelming feeling of connection and community above all else.

As the weekend nears and festival seasons bring its madness, all of us are on the hunt for some absolute bangers to fuel our playlists, car rides and road trips. For those of us into the heavy and nasty, look no further than Careless Castle’s newest EP, “Grimoire of Nightlife”. This two track collection definitely is jammed packed with that soul crushing, headbanging sound that we all know and love. “Dancefloor”, our premiere track today, doesn’t fall short of this, bringing the classic  hard hitting Riddim sound, complete with bone-clenching bass and mind warping melodies. This is one that should be on your radar for festival season folks because it’s sure to be popping up at sets all over. Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling “Dancefloor” and the rest of the “Grimoire of Nightlife” EP, a certified bop.

“Everyone has been welcomed in front of the Castle, and the congregation starts to gather in at the drawbridge, preparing for the opening celebration in the first room. The ‘Grimoire of Nightlife EP’ is a riveting experience, full of mind bending melodies, bone-crushing basses, and metallic tones straight from the castle’s dungeon!”

What would you tell your younger self today knowing where you’re at now and what it took to get there?

I would have told myself that it’s not a competition and there are a lot of ups and downs during the process, but ultimately staying true to what your goals are and what you want to do in general with music is super important. Don’t think about what others are doing, and make what you enjoy making. None of this is a race. Keep grinding, and try not to overthink what you’re doing.

If there was an artist you had the chance to collaborate with, who would it be and why?

If I could collaborate with any artist – man thats tough. I’d probably pick Biggie smalls, Kid Cudi, or Lil John to have the best lyrics in my opinion, on one of my songs. In terms of collaborating with another producer in the scene I’d love to work with lots of people that have become close to me as a friend or people I enjoy listening too. Just to name two, I really love what ISOxo & Space Laces are doing.