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IDM (intelligent dance music) is characterized by its complex rhythms, intricate melodies, and experimental sound design, often blending elements of ambient, techno, and electronica. This style of music challenges conventional song structures and expectations, making it an exciting electronic playground for songwriters and producers to play in. In this tutorial, we’ll explore key characteristics of IDM music and learn how to create an intelligent dance music track from scratch using Native Instruments plugins and instruments. Jump to these sections: What is IDM music? Notable IDM tracks How to make an IDM track Start with drums Create atmospheric pads Add a guitar Write a bass line Compose a melody Follow along with this tutorial...

Flavor of the Month is your plug for the hottest new DJ edits, remixes, and bootlegs – handpicked by the ROAD Podcast crew. These DJcity exclusives are guaranteed to turn heads and level up your set. Sign up to preview the tracks for free. New users: Unlock full download access for just $10. July 2025’s #FOTM picks include: Lomiiel – PA QUE LO BAILES – Luis R Hype Intro Arlene MC – MamaZota KAROL G – Un Gatito Me Llamó – Gael Borrego Club Edit Fantomel & KATE LINN – Dame Un Grrr – DJ Serg Remix Young Miko – WASSUP Follow the R.O.A.D. Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. The post 🍦R.O.A.D. Podcast – Flavor Of The Month (July 2025) appeared first on DJcity News - Music and news for DJs and producers.

LUM’s workflow starts long before the studio. Field recordings are a constant part of his life – captured in markets, jungles, ceremonies, and anywhere else sound hits with intention. Maschine+ gives those sounds a structure to live in without stripping them of their raw qualities. In this conversation, Lum breaks down how those recordings become the backbone of his grooves, why he avoids overprocessing, and how tools like transient slicing and the audio module help him move quickly without leaving the moment, a precinct topic on his mind as he puts the finishing touches on his upcoming Los Tigres del Futuro album with Guti and other once in a one-time live performance of Homo Infinitus April 2026. Jump to these sections: How LUM...

As a producer, you will have probably heard about how important compression is to a mix. It is known to tame sounds and reduce the dynamic range to fit audio comfortably into a track. That is true, and important to understand. But compression can also be a creative tool for shaping tone and texture. It can be used to create harmonic-rich sounds and add a subtle warmth to your tracks. Using compression techniques with plugins from the 360 Essentials subscription can help you add an analog-style saturation to your tracks and enhance the harmonic quality of your mix. Let’s explore five ways to use compression that go beyond utility and tap into character-driven sound design. Jump to these sections: What is compression? How does...

Notable tracks that were added to DJcity this week. View them all here. Download the tracks below. (* indicates DJcity Exclusive) Justin Bieber – DAISIES Burna Boy – Dem Dey FLO & KAYTRANADA – The Mood Quevedo – TUCHAT Drake – What Did I Miss – MarkCutz Love Me Intro * DJ Snake & J Balvin – Noventa – Da Phonk Club Edit * Moliy & Silent Addy (ft. Skillibeng & Shenseea) – Shake It To The Max (FLY) Remix – Trayze Remix * Lil Uzi Vert – XO TOUR Llif3 – DJ tomoya Jersey Remix James Brown (ft. The J.B.’s) – The Boss – SILAS (UK) Remix Rihanna – Umbrella – Glazur & XM Remix DJcity’s weekly picks are selected by Sir Marcus. To receive them via email, click here. The post 🚨🚨 Fresh Fire From Bieber, Kaytranada, Drake, DJ Snake, Burna Boy...

International touring DJ, producer and founder of Mixmash Records, Laidback Luke, was appearing at a festival close to the DJcity UK lab last week. So Mojaxx took the opportunity to invite him round to talk about his current Reloop Mixtour Pro setup, and also have Luke give his thoughts about, and memories of, some classic DJ kit from years gone by. Check out Mojaxx’s chat with Laidback Luke on DJcity TV. The post Laidback Luke Talks Vintage DJ Gear! appeared first on DJcity News - Music and news for DJs and producers.

This week on @RoadPodcast, the crew sits down with legendary music marketer, DJ, and founder of @promotion1983, Brad LeBeau, for an unfiltered conversation on the evolution of dance music, the hustle behind hit records, and the personal cost of chasing legacy in the industry. With his company “PRO MOTION” celebrating 42 years at the forefront of record promotion, Brad reflects on the moments that defined his journey. Brad opens up about his early DJ days, sharing how his father’s advice shaped his outlook (4:42), and how substance use became a short-lived fix for performance anxiety (08:33). He reflects on his time at Discoteca magazine and witnessing the birth of disco in America (21:01), before diving into his first major solo...

Most techno producers build pressure through rhythm and repetition. Alignment adds another layer – emotion. His new Mystical Energy EP on Charlotte de Witte’s KNTXT label is packed with high-intensity club tools, but underneath the trance synths and pounding kicks, there’s a deeper sentimentality. That tension comes from melody, and for Alignment, melody often starts with Noire. Known for his signature mix of hard techno and 90s-inspired euphoria, Alignment has become one of KNTXT’s most consistent voices. On this release, he pulls from a hybrid toolkit – Kontakt, Noire, and others among them – to add nuance without slowing down the momentum. Whether he’s using Noire’s felt version to build emotional tension or layering precise MIDI...

Fejká’s latest album Azur didn’t come from a studio locked off in isolation. It came from the Canary Islands – specifically the rooftops, hikes, and open skies that shaped his sessio’ns. That connection to the environment runs through everything he talks about here, especially his approach to designing instruments in Kontakt. He’s not pulling up presets to decorate a track. Instead, he takes the longer route by building patches from scratch, shaping their tone, and saving them as signature sounds that carry across his productions and live set using Kontakt as the massively hit records to channel the sounds of the world around him into massively hit records. The full album is now available, released through his new label, Coexist. It’s...

corto.alto’s new single “31.Bleep (01)” captures the subtle side of groove – the way a kick pattern or bass shift can pull you deeper into a track without announcing itself. Built around instinct and micro-adjustments, it reflects the same mindset that’s shaped his path from the jazz conservatory to the underground beat scene. Komplete has been a quiet but steady part of that evolution. Even with a background rooted in live performance, corto.alto leans on Kontakt libraries, Massive, and NI synths to sketch quickly, build harmonic layers, and lock in ideas before they get overthought. It’s not about replacing players – it’s about keeping momentum without losing feel, blending real-world musicianship with the fast, intuitive tools...

Wooli has delivered an epic remix of ILLENIUM’s emotive hit ‘In My Arms’ featuring HAYLA. The New York and LA-based producer and DJ added his signature jolting flair to the remix, superlatively sprinkling in elements of dubstep and riddim into the single. The remix holds the emotional resonance from the original, while Wooli twists and turns it into a Wooli classic. The original, which was released on 16 May 2025, has already amassed over 5 million Spotify streams and counting. It features singer-songwriter HAYLA who has worked with the likes of John Summit, MEDUZA and Kevin de Vries. Wooli’s industry break took place in 2016, with remixes like ‘Gettin’ That’ and his collaboration with Jantsen titled ‘DayDream’. He’s also worked...

As you begin to produce more and more music, you’ll find that your mixing needs to improve so that the music delivers the impact you want. Mixing and mastering are skills that are developed over time through trial and error. Though it can be tricky to get a professional sound in a home studio, we have some tips to help your mixes sound more cohesive before entering the mastering phase. Jump to these sections: What does it mean to have a cohesive mix? Try mixing at a low volume Add EQ and compression in mono, then pan your tracks Use Density to “glue” the mix together Make sure reverbs and delays are working for you, not against you Listen for inconsistencies on different monitoring systems Follow along with this tutorial with a...

R3HAB dropped his electrifying single ‘Rise or Fall’ on June 13, 2025, as part of the FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves video game soundtrack. The Dutch-Moroccan producer, known for his genre-defying versatility, has cemented his status as a global EDM titan with hits like “All Around the World” and high-profile collabs with names like Calvin Harris and Zayn Malik. His festival-dominating sets at Tomorrowland, Ultra Music Festival, and EDC have made him a mainstay in dance music. This release sees him join heavyweights like Salvatore Ganacci, Alok, Alan Walker, and Steve Aoki on a 19-track soundtrack that blends gaming intensity with club-ready energy. The track itself is a bold fusion of R3HAB’s signature melodic techno and...

Today, July 4, 2025, Katy B delivers her new single ‘Avalanche’ through Rinse, further solidifying her legacy in UK dance music. Born in Peckham, South London, the BRIT School alum made waves with her 2011 debut On a Mission, featuring chart-topping tracks like ‘Katy on a Mission’ and ‘Lights On’. Her 2014 album Little Red clinched the UK number one spot, and 2016’s Honey highlighted her versatility across genres. Recently, Katy B owned Glastonbury’s The Levels and Shangri-La Stage, proving her enduring pull in both festival and underground scenes, with a career marked by MOBO nominations and a Mercury Prize nod. Crafted with emerging producer Silva Bumpa, ‘Avalanche’ is a dynamic blend of UK garage and bassline, radiating summery...

This week on @RoadPodcast, the crew chops it up with UK DJ and producer @snipsmusic, founder of London’s legendary “Living Proof” party. Snips breaks down how he got his name (01:41), his early love for house music, and the influence of UK genres like Lovers Rock, Jungle, and Drum & Bass. He shares wild stories from the London scene — including the time they accidentally booked a fake MF DOOM — and reflects on the rise and fall of “Living Proof” (12:30). The crew delves into the evolution of UK hip-hop, the legacy of @timwestwoodtv, and iconic UK shows featuring @jayz and @bustarhymes (24:10). Snips also discusses the beauty of vinyl culture (34:01) and the politics of equipment snobbery — from USB sticks to Serato (52:19). Things heat...

It’s the holy grail of music production: a clear, crisp mix with every element picked out in high definition. How do you get there? The answer isn’t simple. Every track is a unique mixture of sounds, meaning every mix throws up its own challenges. And often, your creative goals – more instruments, bolder arrangements, crazier sounds – can make that high definition mix even harder to achieve. Don’t worry, though: there are some basic strategies you can learn to improve track definition and clarity using mixing effects. These strategies will help you to think about your mix in its key dimensions such as frequency, width, and depth; to identify the issues that are harming clarity; and to solve them using simple techniques. We’ll run...

Curious about how to make music? This beginner-friendly guide walks you through the essentials, from songwriting and music theory basics to building a home studio, mixing and mastering, and even distributing and promoting your releases. You’ll learn, step-by-step, how to create your own songs. Jump to these sections: Learn how to write a song Understand music theory Build a home studio Learn how to mix music Learn how to polish your tracks Understand music distribution Promote your music Follow along with this tutorial using Komplete Start, a free collection of professional instruments, sounds, samples, and more to create your music. Get Komplete Start free 1. Learn how to write a song Writing music starts with a good idea. A...

At Native Instruments, we are always looking for new ways to empower artists everywhere with the tools and knowledge they need to create their sound. Today, we’re announcing a groundbreaking partnership with GRAMMY Award-winning artist Tems, launching the Leading Vibe Initiative and welcoming her to the Native Instruments Artist Board. This collaboration is more than just a partnership – it’s an important step forward in nurturing diverse talent and building a more inclusive future for music creators across Africa. Leading Vibe Initiative: Empowering the next generation This visionary program, spearheaded by Tems, will equip emerging women in music across Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa with the essential tools, training...

The Elite is Reloop’s flagship mixer, but Mojaxx never reviewed it back when it was released in 2019. Partly that was down to logistical reasons, but also, he wasn’t sure he would really like it, as it relied on Serato’s software FX, which were, at the time, pretty dreadful. But those FX have had a revamp now, so he decided it was time to give the Elite a second look. Find out if it would win him over in 2025. Check out Mojaxx’s review of the Elite mixer from Reloop on DJcity TV. The post Did A Software Update Make this Reloop Mixer Actually ELITE? appeared first on DJcity News - Music and news for DJs and producers.

Some producers layer twenty synths to get their low end right. Others make one sound carry the weight. For Broken Hill, Monark is the tool that does exactly that. His new single “Brain Delay” – a collaboration with Soraya on Maccabi House – centers around a bass line that hits with intent. It’s gritty, hypnotic, and fluid without being overworked, and the core of that sound was shaped inside Native Instruments’ Monark. No endless routing chains, no twenty-layer stacks. Just one synth doing the heavy lifting. Broken Hill’s background helps explain the discipline. As a full-time audio engineer and a rising producer based in California, he’s used to making ideas land quickly and clearly. In this interview, he shares how Monark helps...