Momentous

Sofi Tukker

SOFI TUKKER is a GRAMMY-nominated electronic duo made up of best friends Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern. After meeting at Brown University, they formed a band
instead of following their original solo paths—Sophie back to Brazil, Tucker into DJing. Their debut single “Drinkee” and album Treehouse were both GRAMMY-nominated, launching a career rooted in global, joyful dance music with deep Brazilian influences.

They’ve released four studio albums (Treehouse, WET TENNIS, BREAD, butter) and hit singles like “Best Friend” and “Purple Hat,” amassing billions of streams and Platinum records across five continents. Known for their explosive, genre-blending live shows, they’ve headlined Red
Rocks, Forest Hills Stadium, and played nearly every major festival from Coachella to Tomorrowland.

Channel Tres

Channel Tres emerged from Compton’s musical scene as a purveyor of innovation, pushing the traditional spirit of West Coast rap into unexplored territories. He’s toured globally, from major festivals to sold-out arenas. For Channel, music is about reconnecting with his own history, whether it’s in his lyrics, or through the influences and musical history that he uncovers in his production. His last EP i can’t go outside debuted in Spotify’s Top 10 US Album Debuts with features from Tyler, The Creator and Tinashe. With his forthcoming debut album Head Rush, he opens his most exciting musical chapter to date. For Channel Tres, the decision to finally drop an LP is a deeply personal one. “There were things about my story that I didn’t know how to express, musically or lyrically,” he says. But after a sometimes trying period of growth, he’s finally ready to articulate this chapter of his life: “I would say my artistry has grown to a place where I’m comfortable sharing this much at one time.” Head Rush is a richly layered record, but one that feels totally intuitive, without a trace of doubt or self-consciousness.

The Faint

Do you remember a time when the synthesized sounds of the ’80s were a regular part of the modern musical landscape? The members of The Faint do, because they were there when it started to happen. In fact, you could even say they’re one of the main reasons it happened at all. The Faint, founded in Omaha in the mid- ‘90s, have always created against the grain, disinterested in making anything except what their own inspiration drives them to make. Each album since their 1998 debut Media has shifted and evolved that desire. Some albums, like 1999’s Blank-Wave Arcade, came from urgent, short recording processes, while others, like 2004’s Wet From Birth, were more carefully constructed. For 2001’s Danse Macabre, they set their sights a bit further afield, attempting to conjure the energy of bumping Berlin dance floors from nearly 5,000 miles away in eastern Nebraska. The musicians themselves are the constant, together embracing a style that is truly unlike every other band out there.

Hiroko Yamamura

Classic Chicago ride or die style DJ/producer influenced by The Warehouse, technology, and straight up techno, it’s no wonder she has been named one of Chicago’s top 10 DJ’s by XLR8R magazine. Technology and exploration are at the roots of Hiroko’s core. Equally enthralled by the beat and the machines generating them, her sound is an homage to every circuit, resistor, patch cord and application that brings voice and inspiration to her work. Her gothic and industrial roots are evident in her music, as well as her punk rock DIY drive. Taking inspiration from classic science fiction and dark anime, Hiroko’s studio can often be confused for a booth at a comic convention.

Currently calling labels such as Trax Records, Impact Mechanics, Slap Jaxx and Klectik as home, she just recently returned from a long hiatus from music. Her previous projects under the Bio-Booster and as a member of Monologic have not ceased, however they have taken a back seat to a more focused techno vision. As a midwest rave staple, Hiroko has toured the globe spreading the sounds of Chicago including gigs at the famed Detroit Movement Festival as well as regular Berlin and Ibiza shows. She actively contributes jacking Chicago techno with an edge all its own, along with her like-minded colleagues and collaborators including Heartthrob, Seth Troxler, Hyperactive, Angel Alanis, Kate Simko and the Submerge. Find out why XLR8R named her one of Chicago’s top 10 DJs