Dutch powerhouse Oliver Heldens teams up with fellow dance music artist MorganJ on a genre-defying release, “Ma Luv” that is available to stream/download now via Heldeep Records.
Oliver Heldens & MorganJ – Ma Luv
Opening with emphatic lyrics, “Ma Luv” is a deep future-house single that merges raspy vocals with a bolstering techno-infused beat. Showcasing the collaborative ability of tastemaking artist Oliver Heldens with talented Italian DJ/producer MorganJ, the release soars with rollicking grooves and a distinct club-focused sound.
This track marks Heldens’ latest 2021 offering after putting out two previous releases “Never Look Back” and his blazing dancefloor instrumental “Zapdos.”
The artist is expected to perform his biggest London show to date with an all-day event at Printworks on September 25. To register to receive pre-sale access to tickets, fans can sign-up at the following link. Fans will also be able to see Heldens at Melkweg during Amsterdam Dance Event on October 13.
Within a span of a year, Oliver Heldens has dropped 26 original releases and remixes under his own name HI-LO moniker, making him Beatport’s best-selling artist of 2020. He also became the most played artist on 1001tracklist.com and one of the Top 450 streamed names on Spotify. For additional information on Oliver Heldens, please visit his official website.
Acclaimed electronic music act Oliver Heldens announces a massive all-day event at Printworks London on September 25, 2021.
Oliver Heldens – Printworks London
Marking his biggest London show to date, Oliver Heldens will be putting on an explosive performance with fellow Hedeep Records artists and a packed set full of his own exclusive track drops. The artist will be performing in Printworks’ cavernous Press Halls main area, which will be his first show in London since he sold out the venue in 2019.
Because this will be his first return to London since the pandemic, tickets are expected to sell out quickly. Fans can sign-up to receive access to purchase tickets to Oliver Heldens at Printworks London at the following link.
To coincide with this announcement, Oliver Heldens also revealed that he will be hosting a headline show at Amsterdam’s legendary Melkweg on October 13 during Amsterdam Dance Event.
This news follows the release of two tracks where he showcased his darker techno alias HI-LO. The first was a collaboration with Reinier Zonneveld on ¨Saw Of Olympus” and the second was with Will Clarke on ‘Check.¨ Within a span of a year, the artist has dropped 26 original releases and remixes under his two monikers, making him Beatport’s best-selling artist of 2020. He also became the most played artist on 1001tracklists and one of the Top 450 most-streamed names on Spotify. For additional information on Oliver Heldens, please visit his official website.
Roland Clark teams up with Trish O. on a brand-new dancefloor heater “This Is Techno,” which is available to stream/download via Heldeep Records.
Delivering in all aspects of the form, “This Is Techno” is a bona fide dancefloor masterpiece cleverly crafted to live up to its name. Kicking off with an enticing vocal, the track ventures into the underground with emphatic basslines and an intoxicating fast-paced rhythm. The adrenaline-inducing release showcases Roland Clark’s familiar-sounding vocals at its forefront that will lure listeners into any dancefloor nearby.
Roland Clark & Trish O. – This is Techno
Roland Clark is an American house music DJ, producer, songwriter, and vocalist with over 650,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alone. He was featured on two Fatboy Slim songs, “Star 69” and “Song for Shelter” both of which sample part of Clark’s song “I Get Deep.” The track was also sampled by Katy Perry on her release, “Swish Swish.” He has collaborated with the likes of Armand Van Helden and enlisted his writing and vocal talents for the likes of Todd Terry, Duke Dumont, and Katy Perry. Known for an impressive catalog of hit releases such as “Children” and “The First Time Free,” “This is Techno” marks the first collaboration with Trish O.
Trish O. has performed at some of the world’s most-revered venues including Ministry of Sound, Egg Club, and Pacha.
Founded in 2014 by superstar talent Oliver Heldens, Heldeep Records has created a new platform to showcase a range of budding and esteemed talent. Featuring respected mainstay acts that include ALOK, Chocolate Puma, & Dada Life, the label has been welcomed to host stages at some of the lead festivals in the world including Tomorrowland, Mysteryland, Electric Forest, Spring Awakening Music Festival, and South West Four.
Dutch electronic music duo Firebeatz announce the release of a new, energetic single, “Show The Way” which is currently available to stream/download via Heldeep.
Firebeatz – Show The Way
Opening with an enticing vocal, “Show The Way” is an infectious club-ready release with a hard-hitting house beat. Featuring shimmering soundscapes with anticipatory builds, the track’s intoxicating energy “shows listeners’ the way” how to move and shake. This track follows the success of Firebeatz’s recent releases “Lift Me Up” with Oliver Heldens and “Helicopter” with Martin Garrix.
Jurre van Doeselaar and Tim Benjamin Smulders make up the Dutch DJ/production electronic music duo Firebeatz. After being awarded three gold albums, and three placements in the DJ Mag Top 100, the duo has earned their place at the forefront of the dance music industry. They have collaborated with the likes of Oliver Heldens, Calvin Harris, Tiësto, and Martin Garrix while providing official remixes for countless pop superstars like Rihanna, Pitbull, Justin Timberlake, Pink, Snoop Dogg, and Sean Paul. They can be seen performing at some of the most renowned venues and festivals in the world including Tomorrowland, EDC, Ultra Music Festival, Creamfields, and others. For additional information on Firebeatz, please visit their official website.
Acclaimed DJ/producer Oliver Heldens delivers a blazing dance floor instrumental, “Zapdos” which is available to stream/download via Heldeep Records.
Oliver Heldens – Zapdos
Showcasing the artist’s sonic diversity, “Zapdos” is an electrifying dance floor-ready release inspired by the original legendary Pokémon. With an aim to create the feel of the rising mythical creature phoenix, the track incorporates trailblazing percussive elements amidst brooding bass. The release’s arcade-laden hook irresistibly stimulates the senses toward sheer aural bliss.
“Zapdos” marks Oliver Heldens’ second release of 2020 and follows the release “Never Look Back” which went on to amass millions of streams in a matter of weeks. Coming off an impressive 2020, Heldens released 25 stellar tracks under his own name and HI-LO alias and was crowned the highest and best-selling artist on Beatport. He became the most supported artist on 1001tracklists, reached the DJ Mag Top 10 for the third year in a row, and remained as Spotify’s Top 450 most-streamed artists in the world.
To coincide with this announcement, Heldens also revealed that he will be hosting a headline show during Amsterdam Dance Event on October 13, 2021, at the legendary venue Melkweg. For additional information on Oliver Heldens, please visit his official website or social channels.
Dance music artist Funkin Matt announced the release of a hard-hitting techno track, “Joi” which is currently available to stream/download via Heldeep Records.
Funkin Matt – Joi
Opening with a fierce vocal leading into an anticipatory drop, “Joi” is a throbbing techno heater curated to ignite dancefloors worldwide. With haunting melodies accompanied by rugged bass, the record’s vibrating beat is like a call beckoning to be danced to. With deep, dark undertones, the single becomes the perfect fix for listeners who need a heavy dose of underground . “Joi” marks Funkin Matt’s third Heldeep release following “White House” and “Somebody” showcasing his diverse musical style.
Mats Ronander, known artistically as Funkin Matt, is a Norwegian record producer, remixer, and DJ who has accumulated over 800,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Since his first hit in 2007, “Bouncing Harbor Remix,” the artist has become a huge part of the house music scene delivering s slew of hit releases including “Somebody” which he worked on with Oliver Heldens. He is best known for his remix with Gregor Salto of Mariah Carey’s “You’re Mine (Eternal),” which reached number one on Billboard’s Dance Club Chart in 2014. For additional information on Funkin Matt, please visit his official Facebook Page.
Electronic music duo Glass Petals release an infectious new single, “Heartbeat” which is available to stream/download via Heldeep Records.
Glass Petals – Heartbeat
Kicking off with a four-on-the-floor rhythm, “Heartbeat” is a disco-infused house single that radiates with uplifting energy. With alluring vocals to add a level of mystery to the release, the track outpours with excitement making it the perfect record to transform any mood. Its pleasing chord progressions and grooving melody make it a dancefloor heater of epic proportion.
“We love playing full tracks and never rushing into the next record, it’s a marathon, not a sprint!”
Glass Petals
Glass Petals is an electronic music duo made of renowned dance music producers Felix Cartal and Jonny Jover. With a motto that hails, “club music only” the duo has been taking the dance music industry by storm with some of the industry’s most coveted tunes. “Heartbeat” adds to the duo’s growing discography, which includes the illustrious tracks “Nightcap” and “Simulation.” Both releases combined have gone on to earn nearly 2 million streams on Spotify alone. Since their formation, the duo has managed to earn over 35,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. For additional information on Glass Petals, please visit their official Facebook Page.
With hopes that 2021 will be the year that the world “goes back to normal,” the live entertainment sector has already begun rolling out its announcements. Shambhala 2021 announced its dates for next year’s edition, BPM Festival Costa Rica announced its 2021 lineup, and Relentless Beats announced a new destination event in Cancun. There were even announcements made for the 2022 festivals Summer Sound and Envision. Be sure to also keep an eye out for the upcoming virtual reality (VR) experiences from Sensorium Galaxy and HYDEOUT which are scheduled to debut in January 2021
We had the immense pleasure of sitting down with two revered acts this month. Plastik Funk discussed the launch of his recent Plastik Funk x WorkiT fashion collection, and Bear Grillz discussed the highly-anticipated review of his sophomore LP, Friends: The Album. To check-out the exclusive interviews, please click here.
Finally, the closure of the year would not be complete without stunning dance music releases. Some of the best dance music tracks of December 2020 include cuts from Spinnin’ Records, Hexagon, and Musical Freedom. December’s “Track Of The Month” comes from Vintage Culture with “It Is What It Is” featuring Elise LeGrow off Defected Records, which can be heard below.
December 2020 – Track Of The Month
Vintage Culture – It Is What It Is (feat. Elise LeGrow) [Defected Records]
Please see below for the complete list of the best dance music tracks from December 2020 performed by some of the most esteemed artists and labels in the dance music industry.
That rounds out the best dance music tracks of December 2020. Be sure to check back each month with more of the best dance music tracks from the industry.
Oliver Heldens announced the release of “Freedom For My People” with American-Zimbabwean vocalist Shunguzdo which is currently available to stream/download via OH2.
Oliver Heldens x Shungudzo – Freedom For My People
Finalizing 2020 on a positive note, “Freedom For My People” is a mesmerizing house record based on an acapella poem by Shunguzdo that she wrote back in March when the COVID-19 lockdown began. Saving his most rousing track for last to close out the year, Oliver Heldens was inspired to create the release around Shunguzdo’s inspiring words in her poem with additional pieces of writing to round out the work. Featuring beautiful vocal harmonies coupled with powerful lyrics, “Freedom For My People” is layered with piano chords, strings, and house rhythms coupled with atmospheric melodies. This marks the second collaboration between Oliver Heldens and Sunguzdo. Their first hit “Fire In My Soul” accumulated 100 million streams proving what a powerful combination they make.
Oliver Heldens has made the most out of this challenging year by releasing a remarkable twenty-two original tracks and remixes under his own name and his HI-LO alias. Just some of his triumphant singles included, “Turn Me On” feat. Vula, which garnered over 200 million Spotify streams, “Details” featuring Boy Matthews,” “Break This Habit” featuring Kiko Bun, and “Set Me Free” featuring MAX. The artist also went on to remix tracks for Justin Timberlake & SZA on “The Other Side” and for Katy Perry on “Daisies.”
Back in November, the artist announced the launch of OH2Records for more commercially-focused releases, allowing Heldeep Recordings to continue to get back to its house music roots.
2020 saw Oliver Heldens performing at some of the most-watched Livestreams including sets for Formula One, Tomorrowland, Digital Mirage, EDC, DJ Mag, and his own Heldens Everywhere experience. His Heldeep Radio show passed 300 episodes, reaching over 100M people a month in over 75 countries, and he was named 1001 Tracklist’s most supported producer, while also becoming the best-selling dance artist on Beatport. For additional information on Oliver Heldens, please visit his official website.
BLR announced the release of a brand-new track titled, “Limbo,” which is currently available to stream/download via Heldeep Records.
BLR – Limbo
“Limbo,” which showcases a new side to the renowned producer’s range in ability, delivers a more resounding, dark yet harmonious dance-floor ready sound. Establishing his versatility, the track confirms the artist’s many facets of musical style.
Featuring a hard-hitting drop, the track wastes no time as a vibrant synth builds up to a percussive melody. Its deviant bass refrain rapidly cuts through the track which is coupled with a lively synth layered with the percussions. With the hook leading the course throughout its entirety, its cutting-edge sound and heavy basslines will be immediately embraced by fans.
Renowned producer Leon Bolier, also known by his artist name BLR has accumulated over 10 million Spotify streams with his first-ever BLR release titled, “Nungwi.” The Dutch DJ/producer continues to push boundaries with his experimental, club sound. Garnering over 100 million YouTube views with the hit track “Taj,” the artist has also released a 15-track debut album in 2019 titled, “Odyssee.” He has been supported by the likes of Tiesto and Armin van Buuren and can be seen performing at some of the most renowned music festivals in the world including Tomorrowland and Mysteryland. For additional information, please visit the artist’s Facebook Page.
Founded by internationally renowned music artist, Oliver Heldens, Heldeep Records serves as a platform to feature new and up-and-coming artist’s music. Since 2014, Heldeep Records has grown from a subtle imprint into a full-blown industry desired music label. Featuring mainstay acts that include ALOK, Chocolate Puma, & Dada Life, the label has hosted stages at some of the most desirable festivals including Tomorrowland, Mysteryland, Electric Forest, Spring Awakening Music Festival, and South West Four. For additional information on Heldeep Records, please visit its official website.
EDM-duo BOILERS announce the release of a remake of the worldwide sensation, “Kiss Me” which is currently available via OH2 Recordshere.
BOILERS – Kiss Me
The remake, which opens with the track’s original vocals, is accompanied by guitar riffs that showcase the duo’s ability to produce heart-pounding work. “Kiss Me” creates room for vibrant energy that merges perfectly with the vocal samples of its original. BOILERS use innovative production techniques throughout the track by manipulating frequencies, enveloping listeners with pulsating synths, and adding build-ups of groovy accompaniments. “Kiss Me” marks the second release off Olivers Heldens’s brand-new imprint OH2, which caters to more commercial releases and streaming platforms. OH2 rests within the family of Heldeep Records.
“After releasing my own ‘Set Me Free’ on OH₂ Records last week, I knew the second track had to have huge potential to set the tone for all upcoming releases on my new label. I have a lot of faith in this track by BOILERS and I can’t wait for the world to hear it.”
OliverHeldens
“Kiss Me” gained worldwide attention in 1999 when it reached second in the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed in the top 100 for 33 weeks. It landed in the number one singles chart in Australia and Canada and peaked at number two in the United States. It was used in June 1999 as the closing theme for the BBC One broadcast of Prince Edward’s royal wedding. It is arguably one of the greatest hits of all time.
Anders and Andreas are the dance music producers that make-up the duo BOILERS. Despite living on opposite ends of Denmark and never having met before in person, they have been working together through Zoom meetings during COVID-19 lockdown.
Oliver Heldens announced the launch of a commercial dance music label OH2 with the release of a new collaborative track with Party Pupils titled, “Set Me Free” available here.
Oliver Heldens who is known to encompass a range of guises and styles decided to launch OH2 within the Heldeep family, to cater to the more commercial leaning, streaming-focused productions. The label’s first release, “Set Me Free” is a collaboration between Heldens and Party Pupils and features the luscious vocals of MAX.
With a sweet synth chord kicking the track off, MAX’s soulful vocals set the tone with a glorious refrain that explodes. “Set Me Free” is a true masterclass in pure dance-pop perfection with plenty of distinctive Heldens energy in its engine.
“With Heldeep I’ve always been very focused on expanding the horizons of more club-oriented sounds. Since launching the label a little over 5 years ago we’ve had so many highlights and become a very versatile label in that space, which I’m really pleased about. A typical example of this in 2020 was our success with Moguai & Kai Tracid’s ‘DT64’, which became a big hit in the Techno world, something I didn’t expect to accomplish with the Heldeep label when I started it in 2015.
However, I haven’t really been able to focus on the more Dance/Pop side of things with Heldeep (with the exception of a couple of my own tracks) so my team and I decided to expand the Heldeep Label group and launch ‘OH2 Records’ which will focus on the more melodic and Dance/Pop leaning music.
‘Set Me Free’ feels like the perfect record to me to kickstart OH2 – It just has this nicely balanced blend of Dance/Pop, Disco, and Future House elements.
Party Pupils and I have been wanting to do something together for a while because we thought it would be really interesting to combine our styles, and we’re super happy how this turned out. Also a big shout out to MAX who really nailed the vocals on this one! I hope you also like it :)”
Oliver Heldens
Party Pupils have been on Oliver Heldens’ radar for quite a while. Since they went viral in 201 with their covers of Outkast’s “Ms. Jackson” and Ginuwine’s “Pony.” Their debut album Neon From Now has become one of the most standout dance albums of 2020.
COVID-19 continues to pose a threat throughout the world as the UK recently instated new curfew restrictions throughout its regions. The virus also has wreaked havoc upon live entertainment as it was reported this month that concert revenue was down 64% but is anticipated to bounce back by 2024.
With that being said, 2021 has some promising events in store for the industry including Electric Zoo Cancun, which recently announced its full lineup, EDC Portugal which will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Insomniac’s Electric Daisy Carnival, and ADE which also announced dates for 2021 and is expected to host its conference virtually next month.
September 2020 has seen some of the best dance music releases of the year. Just last week Tiesto hosted a virtual dance party at the historic venue, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, where he announced the release of his new single, “The Business” which has also become our stand-out track of the month. Please check out the new single below, which is out now via Atlantic Records.
Who can believe the summer is actually coming to a close? It has been one for the history books as live music has come to a halt, artists are scrambling to be heard anyway that they can.
Claude VonStroke announced the launch of Dirtybird Live TV and live-streaming has become the new norm. August saw live-streams from Burning Man 2020 where fans from across the globe could watch the man burn for free, Disclosure announced the release of their new album, ENERGY, and Florian Picasso honored his late great-grandfather Pablo Picasso.
Life Stream, a live streaming event from Exit festival announced its lineup, which is scheduled to take place in Europe in September, which is something to add to the calendar.
In terms of live events, EDC Las Vegas announced its postponement to May 2021, and Electric Zoo Cancun announced its headliners for April 2021.
As always, music continues to be released. August saw a plethora of summer vocals and sounds, many of them being very familiar to dance music aficionados. Among the most prominent came from Toolroom Records with KC Lights’ “Girl” which has become our track of the month. Please enjoy the track below.
On Aug. 28, Oliver Heldens announced the release of an end-of-summer single titled, “Break This Habit” which is currently available now, here.
Oliver Heldens – Break This Habit
The track, which features London reggae singer Kiko Bun’s soaring vocals, screams “summer” with its tropical house sound while further taking on a deeper, dramatic tone.
Payback Records in collaboration with BigBeat / Atlantic Records will release the record in partnership with Heldeep, Heldens’s recording label. All proceeds of the record will benefit organizations of those affected by COVID-19 as well as others struggling with addiction. The organizations will focus on procuring and delivering basic necessities to frontline health care workers as well as supporting Shatterproof, Caron, and Safe Project, three charities tackling America’s addiction epidemic.
“Oliver is an incredibly talented artist, dance music trailblazer, and hitmaker and it’s a pleasure to be working with him and Heldeep on this release. We appreciate his enthusiastic support of Payback’s charitable initiatives, including front-line COVID relief, as well as organizations helping families struggling with addiction.”
– David Solomon, Founder of Payback Records
“’Break This Habit’ came together very organically and quite effortlessly during a music writing trip in Ibiza in 2018. I invited Kiko, JinJin, James Newman, and Mark Ralph and when I showed them the beat/sketch I made, we immediately had a vibe going on. While the production has some African and tribal influences and sounds pretty summery and uplifting, the vocals/lyrics are actually quite dark, and I really like this contrast. The vocals also have a bit of a Reggae touch to it, thanks to Kiko, and all these things fused together to bring you a very refreshing song. As we’re living in such a weird period right now with the pandemic shaking up the world and the theme of the lyrics focused around struggling with certain habits and balancing the good with the bad, I thought it made a lot of sense to team up with Payback Records to support their great charitable initiatives. I hope we’ll be able to raise a lot of money with this song to help families struggling with addiction and help people affected by COVID-19, and of course, I hope you’ll enjoy the song as much as I do. :)”
– Oliver Heldens
Heldens has been hailed as being at the forefront of the COVID-19 quarantine. His live-stream performance at The Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam raised over $70,000 for the Equal Justice Initiative and Color Of Change in collaboration with Digital Mirage.
