continues to ride out the waves EDM despite the scene’s ever-fluctuating tides. From its humble beginnings in 2004 with a mere group 125 people, Groove Cruise has expanded into the world’s largest floating dance music festival. 2018 will mark founder Jason Beukema’s 13th dance-music-themed excursion, where he’ll be removing the boundaries between performer and attendee in the festival’s biggest fashion yet — complete with championing the buoyant sounds today’s EDM with artists like , , , , , and many more fronting the bill. Ahead Groove Cruise setting its new course for the Bahamian islands CocoCay and Nassau aboard the Royal Caribbean, Dancing Astronaut’s touched base with some the rising “captains” EDM and let them steer us in the directions their past, recent, and future excursions.
Belgian-born and Berlin-based producer , known for his crude, lewd, and dark vibrations is one tech house’s veritable heaveyweights.
Rinsed in a plethora sounds, from melodic underground house to booty-shaking’ techno, Kill Frenzy’s tunes please an array audiences and DJs worldwide. As he gained a following and began to flourish artistically, he ficially signed to in 2012. Fans the flock might know him by his infamous Dirtybird releases like “Make That Booty Clap,” “No Panties,” or “Gorilla,” though his filthy and funky discography contains considerable more depth. Considering Kill Frenzy’s dexterity, and his ability to bridge the gap between genres, cliques, and crews, it’s small wonder he’s garnered extensive playtime in sets by superstars like and .
Kill Frenzy is fresh f a tour the US and Australia. Fortunately, we had the chance to touch base with him ahead his performance at Groove Cruise and chatted about being a European transplant in the tech house scene, the resurgence techno, and more.
Many say that techno has made a huge resurgence. It is going from underground to more a mainstream role in the electronic community. What are your thoughts on this?
“It already is the biggest thing at the moment. This cycle has been repeated in many genres that gain momentum with a lot people. First It starts out very original and pure. It attracts more and more people, this fuels creativity very much I think but then shortly after you start seeing watered down and formulaic versions appear which is where it crosses over to a more mainstream crowd and becomes almost like a feedback loop where watered versions fuel more watered down versions until people lose interest. That said I do think that techno seems to have a stronger core fanbase that calls out bullshit so I think it won’t go full on mainstream like electro house did. Almost intrinsically techno doesn’t like to play along.”
As a European transplant- we all must know: Best/Worst thing about living in America?
“The best thing about living in America is the optimism and motivation people here It’s inspiring. Starting new ventures seem to be encouraged. Financially things seem less restricted so I think you can make more money here quick compared to Europe but you can also lose it quicker. The life standard for me is a bit better in Europe and things moves a bit slower and less career focussed. Also I can still not figure out what people’s opinions are on my music. In Europe if I show somebody a new track they will just tell you if they like it or not.”
Who are your musical influences?
“Dance mania, Databass records”
What can we expect from you in 2018?
“I have a new EP coming out on Waze and Odyssey’s label W&O Street tracks that includes a crazy collab I did with Chambray.”
Who have you most enjoyed collaborating with?
“I have great memories working on tracks with , and .”
Groove Cruise sets sail from Miami January 26 and sails through January 29 to CocoCay and Nassau in the Bahamas. Tickets, lineup, and more information are available .
Photos courtesy Kill Frenzy