Within the world of music, melding the genres and styles between artists of different genres can be a difficult task. With different sound designs, inspirations, and elements, combining sounds can result in chaos or perfect harmony which can be hard to predict at the beginning of a collaboration. Two artists have joined genres and forces to bring forth an absolute heater of a new track, “Arcadia” which combines the genres and sounds of two heavy-hitting bass projects, propelling each project into the ED spotlight, Bith Ace Aura and Pixel Terror have catapulted themselves to the forefront of the bass music scene, making there mark through their music, community, and projects unlike many we have seen previously. With Pixel Terror’s melodic-driven sound design and Ace Aura’s signature melodic riddim-based style, fusing these two artists together has created a heavier bass track featuring deep bass, and color bass sounds forming the perfect blend of both sound designs. 

“The sounds of Ace Aura and Pixel Terror go together like Sonic and Knuckles. With “Arcadia” being one of our most requested collabs, it was only a matter of time before we joined forces, and soon the highly-anticipated arcade anthem was spawned. This won’t be the last of its kind from me, but will certainly hold the crowd over while I venture into newer, more unknown territory.” -Pixel Terror 

“I had been a big fan of Pixel Terror’s style and actually opened for them for my first ever DJ gig! I sent them a retro video game-inspired track idea a couple years later that I thought they’d fit well on, and that became ‘Arcadia!’” – Ace Aura

Overall, this track is a tribute to both projects’ sounds, encapsulating the melodic flows of both while highlighting each project’s individuality and unique style. With its dynamic flows, infectious energy and heightened melodic flow, “Arcadia” is on track to be the festival banger of the summer, soon to be rinsed out far and wide at festivals all over the country. We had the extreme pleasure of sitting down with both of these artists to get the inside scoop on this track and their project and what we can be looking forward to from both! Make sure to check out “Arcadia” and our exclusive Q&A below!

Diving Deep w/ Pixel Terror & Ace Aura

1. What inspirations did you have in mind when you teamed up for this collaboration? Was there a clear direction for this track or did it take some time to figure out how everyone wanted the track to go?

“I think people inherently think of colorful, retro-themed music when they put the two names Pixel Terror and Ace Aura together, so it came together very naturally with inspired sounds similar to Pegboard Nerds, Chime, and Virtual Riot. Ultimately, we knew it had to be dubstep and it had to smack.” -Pixel Terror

“It definitely was a pretty immediate mutual understanding. The video game-esque style is what most people would assume a Pixel Terror & Ace Aura collab would sound like, plus the initial idea for the track already leaned heavily in that direction.” -Ace Aura

2. This is your first collaboration together as Pixel Terror and Ace Aura. What was your favorite part about collaborating to bring forth this heater of a track?

“To be honest, I love Ace’s work, and exchanging nods and techniques here was an honor. I think both of our stylings were able to shine here together on this song equally and the musical baby we spawned came to fruition splendidly.” -Pixel Terror

“I think for me it was the surprise of hearing what PT had done with the original idea I sent. They added and changed things that I had no idea would add to the track as much as they did (namely the vocal chops and second drop). The track sounds so much like both of us and blends so well!” – Ace Aura

3. What does this track mean to both of your projects individually? What can listeners expect as they listen to it regardless if it’s their 1st or 100th time?

“I think Arcadia tells an epic story while still very much providing the listener with unique layers, catchy melodies, and a heap of replay potential. As much fun and entertainment value the song possesses, we obviously wanted to create something with high live performance value as well and after testing it at a number of shows and festivals, we can confirm it does check all the boxes.” -Pixel Terror

“I really hope the listeners hear the “fun” in the track. There wasn’t any agenda of wanting to hit a certain demographic or cater to any trends, just having fun experimenting and making something uniquely ours!” -Ace Aura

4. Both of your projects have lots of exciting festivals and live shows coming up. What do you do to prepare for bigger sets such as these? What can fans expect from these upcoming live sets?

“I want to let everyone know for the record, the classic sound of Pixel Terror is going nowhere, however, I am experimenting with a lot of new things and really enjoying incorporating more of my own personal musical history into my music. This includes more live instruments as well as my own vocals on a larger number of my songs, and an air of punk rock and metal-core being incorporated into the sound of Pixel Terror. Bringing a more intriguing live presentation to my show is something I’ve always had the dream of fulfilling so you can expect to see more at a Pixel Terror live show in the future.” -Pixel Terror 

“I’ve been working on a TON of new music behind the scenes that I love to throw in my live sets – both “classic Ace Aura” sounding stuff and some more experimental stuff. I definitely try to cater my sets toward my own sound and musical taste in an effort to kind of showcase that piece of myself through my art. It’s mostly dubstep with some hardware and other trance-y stuff thrown in.” -Ace Aura

5. What’s next for both of your projects? What do you and your teams have planned that fans can look forward to?

“After this song, a vast majority of the new music I’m preparing to release will be the more rock-leaning anthology that I think will tell an even more epic new tale of the Pixel Terror saga, and certainly a more personal one. If you liked Blindside with Kayzo, Medusa or Collapse, I think you will enjoy what’s in store. There are a few fun remixes in the pipeline, as well as a very, very big collab in the works that should see the light of day this year. I’m absolutely beaming about what’s to come and I hope you are as well.” – Pixel Terror

“I have so much new music that I’m so excited to eventually release to the world! I’m also wrapping up my Crystal Coalition tour this week with a final date in Denver on June 22nd, so if you’re in the area definitely stop by for the finale!” -Ace Aura

Many artists’ music inspirations come from daily struggles, personal events, and day-to-day happenings that they then translate into a variety of different soundscapes. The best music whether it be EDM or any other genre plays on specific emotions, whether it be that of the writer or a message that all who listen can understand and relate to. Many artists strive to translate their messages or those of the world around them which can serve to be a difficult and complex task.

This, however, is not a challenging task for Denver-based bass queen Lizzy Jane. She is back and better than ever, releasing hit after hit, entrancing fans left and right with her infectious musical energy and deep messages incorporated into her soundwaves. This time around she has teamed up with heavy hitter, CRaymak to bring forth the summer banger of the year, “We’ll Be Fine”. This banger of a track serves as a continuous inspiration for fans, spreading the message of perseverance and tenacity in the face of all adversities both big and small.

“I wrote this song about moving on from something I told myself I could never let go of. It took me time, but I knew I would be fine on the other side. Don’t be afraid to take one step back to run up the next flight of stairs”

With this release in her repertoire, Lizzy Jane continues to climb her way into the bass music spotlight, bringing fire to her project with her releases and live sets. Most notably her latest live set at Foam Wonderland in her home state of Denver Colorado. With headlining shows in North Carolina, and her two-day debut at Red Rocks Amphitheater alongside EDM giant, Gryffn, Lizzy Jane is blasting off into the public eye left and right, making her name known throughout the EDM community. With her positive energy and down right dirty bass beats, there is nothing Lizzy Jane cannot do with her music!

This week in the Mile High City, EDM giant and fan favorite, Illenium is gearing up to make history, throwing the largest show ever to take place in the state of Colorado. Taking place at the Empower Field at Mile High, Trilogy: Colorado is one night featuring 13 unique artists both within and outside of EDM, magnificent displays of pyro and lasers, and the largest LED screen to ever be used in the state of CO. Not only will there be many performances from a huge array of artists, but Illenium himself will be playing 3 unique sets throughout the night, giving light to the concept of his show “trilogy”.

As Illenium kicked off his tour May 27th, he continues to bring a new and fresh take to the project so many fans have fallen in love with. “The show creates the baseline world that my music lives in,” Illenium told Billboard. “If you watch it five times, you’ll notice new things each time and will see how deep it is.” Continuing his tour through Trilogy: Colorado and at multiple stops after, he made a point to make his stops at outdoor venues, aside from his performances at Electric Forest and Veld Music Festival, which was a deliberate choice in order to make sure he had the room to add every element of his project into these shows. 

“Amphitheaters usually fit our big goals and dreams; we have a lot of custom pieces that require a large stage,”ILLENIUM’s manager Sean Flynn added.“Whereas a lot of the time when we come up with some crazy production that fits some huge stage and we have to work around a smaller stage, amphitheaters already fit what we want to do.”

With support from artists such as I Prevail, William Black, Svdden Death, Said the Sky, All Time Low, and more Trilogy: Colorado is gearing up to be a night to remember. With the extra elements of pyro, lasers, flames, and more to give it a “heavy metal” feel, the Trilogy tour is making history left and right, launching the Illenium project into a new era that is pushing the boundaries of sound and art. Make sure to look over the set times down below for all of the madness in store June 17th! Tickets for Trilogy: Colorado and the rest of the Trilogy tour are still on sale now! Check the link below to snag yours and be part of history alongside the Illenium project!

Click Here for Trilogy: Colorado Tickets and More Information

In the world of music, lush environments, and soundscapes create the feelings listeners get when they play certain songs, the sound design taking them on a journey into a whole new dimension. The best producers can create whole new worlds using their intriguing melodies, lush soundscapes, and defining beats, helping aid this journey into sound. One particular artist who has been rising above others in formulating these immersive voyages through production has been none other than Wakaan artist, Sully, who has continued to paint pictures with his music with each and every one of his releases. Whether it is a heavy-hitting deep drop or a floating tune, each one of Sully’s releases paints an audio-visual picture for each and every listners, and the same can be said with his latest EP, Submersed.

Following his most recent and highly-anticipated track “Scuba”, Sully brings on his latest EP, featuring 5 tracks in totality. This EP definitely encompasses a vast amount of different genres all while retaining its deep oceanic themes throughout each individual track. Starting Submersed off with a bang, is a collaboration between Sully and his close friend and producer Iora entitled “Shades of Black”. Followed closely behind is Sully’s newest heavy-hitting dancefloor hit, “Seasons” which is sure to be rinsed out far and wide this festival season. Following next with an iconic presentation of Sully’s signature bass lines is “Static”, and finally “Shot Callin'” the latest collaboration with this surging producer and lively duo Smoaklands that is not to be missed. This EP will have listeners encapsulated in the journey that has been cast through each of these tracks, brining listeners to the dancefloor left and right. 

“Submersed represents a sonic journey of frequencies. As you listen through the tracks, we start with the deepest and lush frequencies in tracks like ‘Shades of Black’ & ‘Seasons’ and gradually we get to explore more explosive frequencies in heavier songs like ‘Static’ & ‘Shot Callin.’ Both of these styles are met with ‘Scuba’ right in the middle of the tracklist to keep the balance.”

Continuing to make waves throughout the bass scene and gearing up for the rest of 2023, Sully continuously brings infectiously high energy to each of his live festival sets around the country. With upcoming sets at Lost Lands, Champagne & Friends, and more there is no limit to the heat that this artist is going to be bringing to each stop he makes throughout the US this festival season.

We got the chance to talk with Sully about his latest release and what everyone has to look forward to below in our exclude Q&A below. Make sure to check out that and his exclusive Patreon below for more insight, exclusives, and a breakdown of his latest track ‘Scuba’ in honor of today’s release!

Diving Deep w/ Sully

1. What were your inspirations when you sat down to write the Submersed EP? Did you know the exact direction you wanted the EP to go at the very beginning or did you find it as you were putting the tracks together?

The Submersed EP definitely came together naturally without me realizing there was a theme to it. My team and I were putting together a tracklist for demos that could be contenders for my album and there were originally around 18-20 tracks which we felt was too many. We then sat down and tried to piece together 5 songs that felt like they fit together yet eluded a diverse body of work – the 5 tracks that you hear on the Submersed EP.

2. This EP and the previous EP release, ‘Scuba’, have had tons of subterranean soundscapes and water themes. Is the Submerse & Scuba EPs a new expiration into a different sound after your Hardwire and Encrypted EPs?

I would say it’s an extension of my sound pallet for sure – some things will sound completely new but others will feel familiar in this body of work. The tracklist order represents the listener gradually rising to the surface as the energy increases throughout the EP.  I start the EP off with “Shades of Black” featuring my friends IORA and vocalist Jessy Covets. This song is rich in melody and texture and we wanted to leave listeners feeling drowning in emotion – as if you are at the ocean floor. We then move onto “Seasons” ft. Misdom which is still very emotional and deep but we feel a slight boost in energy as if we begin swimming to the surface. “Scuba” is the third track and the beginning to the explosive frequencies that we will hear in the last two tracks “Static” and “Shot Callin” w/ Smoakland.

3. With your project, you have definitely taken a lot of time to help young producers whether it be through producer workshops at festivals, your Patreon or just talking with those who are looking to follow in your footsteps as a producer. Why is this an important aspect of your project? How can those looking to learn to produce use these workshops or your Patreon to further their knowledge of production?

It’s important to me to help others because I look back when I was first starting and I really wish I had that mentor guiding me along the way in the beginning stages of my production journey. It’s so important. In fact, IORA is one of my mentees from the last year and a half. It was awesome to see a track come together between the two of us. So proud of all he’s accomplished both in the DAW and mentally over the last 18 months.

I think the idea of using workshops and Patreon to your advantage is to be a sponge, absorb the information, and then put your own twist/experimentation on the skill you are learning. If you are digesting a technique from Skrillex, how can you take that technique and run with it to make it your own?

4. The Sully project has been seen on lineups far and wide at festivals and live shows such as Lost Lands and Champagne and Friends. What are you doing to prepare for sets such as these? What can fans look forward to from your upcoming live sets?

I set prep based on where I am in the lineup, what day, who’s playing before and after me, etc. I think my job is to be original and curate a vibe for the audience. That’s what they are paying to hear in my opinion. The most important factor is being original. Fans can always expect my sets to be extremely diverse in tempo, genre, and pacing. I go all over the place and prepare well to make sure it feels cohesive.

5. What is next for the Sully project? What do you and your team have planned for your project in the near future? 

I don’t want to give away too much – but it’s album time and I’ll see you this fall 🙂