Soltan is also our Guest DJ for Firepower’s Lock and Load Mix Series. We know you guys have been waiting eagerly for this one. So read up on the life of Soltan and like, share, and repost his mix below!
For bass music to survive, artists need to constantly innovate with sound design. Your EP Jadugar seems to do just that! How do you keep your sound fresh and innovative in a musical landscape that is often content to recycle and rehash old sounds and ideas?
Well I simply get bored when I stay safe and use the same kinds of sounds over and over again so I’m always looking to innovate and change things up. I also put a lot of my time into sound design, and I’m not so concerned with what I THINK people what to hear. It’s more about what gets me excited because your fans can feel it when you really put your 100% into your music. The last thing is growing up around a mix of Middle Eastern sounds from countries like Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkey and also India has been a huge influence on my sound.
What are some of the toughest challenges you face as a producer in Iran that other producers may take for granted?
A huge hardship for me has been that I’m physically isolated and also the lack of opportunity here for pursuing music production. There really isn’t a bass scene in Iran let alone dance clubs. I’ve never been to a bass show or “rave” so everything that I’ve been influenced by in the bass world is through the internet. It’s crazy seeing these people play your music on tour and at festivals and not knowing what that experience is like you know? I hope that someday I can have this “physical connection” with other music lovers like me.
What is the bass music or EDM scene like in Iran right now?
As I mentioned, there isn’t really a bass scene and dance culture in general is not exactly looked favorably upon. That’s not to say at all that there aren’t people here who enjoy dance music because there are… they just can’t be too about it.
If you were to host a party, and you were the chef, what would you serve and why?
Koobideh, which is a kind of kabob. Along with some rice, tadiq, and gojeh (tomato) 
What is the most important thing in life?
The most important for me is the safety and happiness of my family. After that, I would say doing what I love and putting my all into my music.
]]>Art always finds a way to speak for those whose voices are oppressed. The Jadugar EP is Soltan yelling at the top of his lungs, and his music reveals a hidden genius that would have remained hidden if it weren’t for the perfect pairing of Bass music and Internet technology. Soltan’s music also reveals a kid just like us—hopeful in same ways we are, afraid of the same things we are, trying to get busy in same ways we do. When the Iranian Government isn’t strangling bandwith or straight-up controlling access to it, Soltan produces filthy bass music. When most of us are ready to quit because of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Soltan keeps his head down, producing intricate soundscapes with the hope of one day sending his sonic messages out to the world. Troy Beetles, the Firepower Records Boss whose ears all music released on the label must pass, was immediately mesmerized by how unique and innovative Soltan is. The decision was swift and immediate; it was the most impressed Troy has been with an artist in quite some time. His story is inspiring, too, and speaks to the transcendent power of music to cross cultural, political, religious, and geographic borders. We are all united through the power of dance. Plus the EP goes effing Hard AF!
Starting the EP is “Bang Bazzar”, a collaboration with Firepower Footsoldier, Spag Heddy, and features the vocal wizadry of Gravity. The traditional Persian influences permeate the tune and offer a fresh take on bass. After the revolution in Iran, artistic expression took a bit of a hit, but now we are witnessing the untapped wells of artistry that bubbled under the surface just waiting for a chance to pop.
Soltan is also an extremely astute and capable student of modern bass music sound design. His synth work is brilliant, unmatched by much of the producers out there today. “Balkan’s Hammer” uses the traditional Persian musical influences, but forges it through the crucible of Dubstep production. “Jadu”, then, takes a more western approach, featuring all the vocal hype you’d see in the Hip Hop world. But Soltan compresses the track into a feast of plentitude, offering up a seemingly infinite variety of sounds. The track reveals itself a little more with every listen.
Rounding out the EP is “Live On Rewind” featuring Jai Matt. Here is the festival ballad any DJ should keep in their arsenal. With soaring vocals and a sinister drop, the track is perfect for the mid set sing-along. It’s a gorgeous way to cap an impressive EP and shows the insane range Soltan possesses.
The tracklisting for “Jadugar” is:
- Soltan & Spag Heddy – “Bang Bazzar” Feat. Gravity
- Soltan – “Balkan’s Hammer”
- Soltan – “Jadu”
- Soltan – “Live On Rewind” Feat. Jai Matt
For more information on Soltan:
https://twitter.com/soltanofficial
https://www.facebook.com/SoltanOfficial
https://www.instagram.com/soltan.official/
For More information on Firepower Records:
https://soundcloud.com/firepowerrecs
https://www.facebook.com/FirepowerRecs
https://twitter.com/firepowerrecs
www.youtube.com/user/FirepowerRecs
For Press Inquiries, contact:
Lee Underwood
Publicity Manager I Firepower Records I Twitter: @leeFPRecs
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Los Angeles (April 18th, 2016) Firepower Records is proud to announce the next release of our Shellshock Compilation, Kamikaze, and we’re getting early reports that it’s already setting flammable material ablaze thousands of miles away. The release of our yearly Shellshock Compilation also gives us a chance to reach out to you, our extended Firepower Fam, and celebrate the fact that you are what make us so strong.
Since its humble inception in March of 2012 by Troy Beetles— Datsik by his nom de guerre—Firepower Records has evolved into a bass music behemoth, releasing heavyweight producers like Datsik, Protohype, Getter, Barely Alive, Truth, Bear Grillz, Mayhem, Antiserum, Fox Stevenson, Must Die, PhaseOne, Terravita, ETC! ETC! and Trolley Snatcha and featuring Hip Hop and Rock royalty like Snoop Dog, Trinidad James, KRS-One, DJ Paul KOM of Three-6 Mafia and Travis Barker of Blink 182. The Firepower Family currently claims 65 artists and counting and on May 13th, the label will showcase the best and most badass it has to offer. As a show of overwhelming support, some of dance music’s heaviest hitters have signed on by offering tracks exclusively for the ShellShock Kamaikaze release. The tracklist reads like a bass music “best-of” list. If Bass Music had a fantasy league, this would be a winning line-up.
But Firepower is more than a disjointed and disconnected series of artists and tracks. We like to consider ourselves more of a Family and the ShellShock Kamikaze release as more of a family reunion. Firepower Records is a label and an internationally respected dance music brand, but it would be nothing without the like-minded artists, friends, neighbors, and fans that hold it all together and keep it alive.
There’s no finer example of the familial nature of the bass music world than the first collaboration on the Compilation. Datsik and 12th Planet come together with a dub infused “Party In The Sewer” featuring Elan, and it’s massive. A one-man wub factory, Datsik smashes the track with his signature wobbles, while 12th planet puts his creative beat creation and swampy sound techniques to work. Next, returning family member Bear Grillz throws down with “Nap Gurlz”. The disco hook pumps your impulse to dance and the drops will snap your neck if you’re not prepared. A quick word though–this track is in no way associated with the good people of Nap Girls, and if you’re interested in who they are, check them out! Protohype and Stratus put in work with “Let’s Do This”, and as expected the two artists march us through a spectrum of sound structures so diverse you lose your mind trying to keep track. Soltan continues to impress us with his creative vision. With “Turn Up” he takes Bass Music to the edges of the known universe and then hits lightspeed. Soltan is easily one of the new visionaries, and we should all be watching him closely.
EH!DE and Funk4mation peel the roof off with “Come Back”, and the Bass living under the basement of this track is scary and mad. EH!DE’s been crushing it recently, but it goes without saying that this has been the year of Zack The Lad. His release Black Sheep began the Firepower Records release calendar in 2016 and we just can’t get enough. It has been said that Datsik only has a few artists loaded into his personal iPod, and one of those artists is Zack The Lad. Here, he offers us “Won’t Stop”, and his production skill is immediately superior.
Spag Heddy is back with “Hugs and Stuff”, and we couldn’t be more stoked. A definite fan favorite, Spag Heddy has released nothing but fire. The opening wraps the listener with sonic sunshine and then slams your ass to ground. That must be the “Stuff” in the title. Init, Goldplate, and Hami all put in on “Greens”, and with all three of these stellar talents maximizing potential, the result is an epic facemelter. If there’s any way to guarantee the crowds will run a mosh pit on you, hammer this track through the sound system.
It’s been a while since AFK rolled out a release with Firepower Records, and we’re glad to have him back. “Death Gun” showcases the frenetic and yet focused musical mind of AFK. The synth takes us all over the sonic map, and we love it. We also love Drum and Bass, and what’s bass music without a little heavy Drum and Bass? Leave that to MineSweepa. “No Face” takes bass very seriously. The shift to Drum and Bass is perfectly placed in the track and by the time it hits, you’ve separated your mind from its corporeal lodgings. Rounding out the EP is Twine. They do nothing but amazing work, and it’s clear by the complexity of their productions. “Dayjahvuh” is another reminder that Bass Music is nowhere near finished evolving. The beat structure, with its diversity of fills and intricate sound designs, is both groovy and heavy.
The collection of talent contained in the Shellshock Kamikaze Compilation represents the best of what bass music has to offer and we’re happy to be sharing it with you.
The tracklist for Shellshock Kamikaze is:
- Datsik & 12th Planet – “Party In The Sewer” (feat. Elan)
- Bear Grillz – “Gurlz”
- Protohype & Stratus – “Let’s Do This”
- Soltan – “Turn Up”
- EH!DE & Funk4Mation – “Come Back”
- Zack The Lad – “Won’t Stop”
- Spag Heddy – “Hugs And Stuff”
- Init, Goldplate & Hami – “Greens”
- AFK – “Death Gun”
- MineSweepa – “No Face”
- Twine – “Dayjahvuh”
For More Information on Firepower Records
https://soundcloud.com/firepowerrecs
https://www.facebook.com/FirepowerRecs
https://twitter.com/firepowerrecs
www.youtube.com/user/FirepowerRecs
For Press Inquiries, contact:
Lee Underwood
Publicity Manager I Firepower Records
]]>Los Angeles (March 2nd, 2016) – Firepower Records is thrilled to announce that Datsik’s forthcoming Darkstar EP will drop March 25th, 2016, and, fair warning, it’s on fire with the force that lit the stars. This is a massive and ambitious piece of work from the Firepower Records label boss himself, and the EP features some the music industry’s elites, including Travis Barker, Trinidad James, Liinks, and the inimitable wordplay wizardry of Armanni Reign. Datsik also showcases the skill of newcomer Soltan, and he’s back with a collaboration from the bass music phenom Zack the Lad, whose Black Sheep release on Firepower Records earlier this year set an impressive tone that will be nearly impossible to match. Nearly. Darkstar is heavy, and it’s the kind of work that merits the crown Datsik has deservedly acquired. This coming on the heels of a massive year where he revealed his Ephwurd project with Bais Haus, which has already netted multiple chart topping heaters and solidified his place at the top of the dance music game.
The release also coincides with the launch of Datsik’s 17 date Spring Loaded Tour starting March 22nd in Missoula, Montana. As direct support for the tour, OOKAY will be the perfect addition to DATSIK’s already bass-heavy sets, known to hype the crowd to unparalleled levels when on stage in front of thousands of fans. From humble beginnings, San Diego-based producer OOKAY (pronounced “Okay”) exploded onto the electronic dance music scene and left a permanent mark resembling his now iconic bandana. With a rapidly growing fan base, due in part to his hilarious Twitter persona, OOKAY has proven that age isn’t a factor and has quickly become one of the young leaders in the league of superstar Trap producers. The tour also features direct support from the talented Drezo.
Darkstar explodes with “Tantrum”, and Rap’s golden boy, Trinidad James, drives the track right into the center of the insanity with his energy-intense vocalism. The track features Datsik’s signature wobbles and murderous synth sections over the top of a classic drumstep beat structure. It feeds nicely into “Let ‘em Know” featuring Armanni Reign whose skill on the mic is indisputable. His crowd-hype abilities consistently measure out at the wizard level, but it’s Datsik’s production prowess that takes the track interstellar. A gut-rumbling sub bass under girds the track and supports big synth combinations that ultimately form into a supernova of sound. It’s a mind-splitter, plain and simple.
“No Mind” is as sinister as it gets. The track starts off with a funky headnodic section, but immediately drops into neck brace territory real quick. Soltan comes through with his eerie melodic accompaniment, which scorches over the top of a rolling beat sequence. The track mixes it up with variations on the dubstep theme, but the classic Datsik sound always stays front and center. “No Mind” is followed up with “Get Back”, which reveals Datsik’s appreciation of the obscure. A simple, brain piercing melody provides an off key shift, but the simplicity leaves room for Datsik to focus on the massive bass-and-wub combo that overwhelms the senses and takes the track to light speed.
Rounding out this masterwork are two of the EP’s most beautiful and melodic. Liinks offers her gorgeous vocals for the title track “Darkstar”, and Travis Barker, famous drummer of the punk rock band Blink 182, offers the drum track and an insane drum solo. The result is a hauntingly beautiful yet aggressively energetic track that sounds like it was forged in heat of a collapsing star. “Feel Good” is the result of two massive forces being pulled into each other’s orbits. Datsik has found in Zack the Lad a perfect balance. “Feel Good” is the ultimate euphoric celebration of music as the universal language. Datsik is heavy and wub-centric. Zack the Lad is melodic with a trap-style vibe. In any other circumstance, one style would only crash into the other. But this collaboration has created a harmony so perfect, it might just be the actual sound of Universe.
The tracklist is:
- Datsik – “Tantrum” (Feat. Trinidad James)
- Datsik – “Let ‘em Know” (feat. Armanni Reign)
- Datsik & Soltan – “No Mind”
- Datsik – “Get back”
- Datsik – “Darkstar” (Feat. Travis Barker & Liinks)
- Datsik & Zack The Lad – “Feel Good”
Check out DATSIK on his Spring Loaded Tour in the following cities:
DATE CITY VENUE
Sat 3/12 New Orleans, LA Mardi Gras World* – Buku Music & Arts Festival
Sat 3/19 San Bernardino, CA San Manuel Amphitheater* – Beyond Wonderland
Tue 3/22 Missoula, MT Stage 112 (Drezo support only)
Weds 3/23 Vancouver, BC Celebrities* – Seasons Festival Opening Party
Thur 3/24 Eugene, OR McDonald Theatre
Fri 3/25 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
Sat 3/26 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory
Thur 3/31 Norfolk, VA The Norva
Fri 4/1 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
Sat 4/2 New York City, NY PlayStation Theater
Mon 4/4 Burlington, VT Higher Ground
Tue 4/5 Syracuse, NY Westcott Center
Wed 4/6 Syracuse, NY Westcott Center
Thur 4/7 Buffalo, NY Town Ballroom
Fri 4/8 Wallingford, CT The Dome at Oakdale Theater
Sat 4/9 Richmond, VA The National
Tue 4/12 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
Wed 4/13 Covington, KY Madison Theater
Thur 4/14 Chattanooga, TN Track 29
Fri 4/15 Orlando, FL Venue 578
Sat 4/16 Tampa, FL Amphitheatre Event Facility
Wed 4/20 Indianapolis, IN Old National Centre
Thur 4/21 Nashville, TN Marathon Music Works
Fri 4/22 Detroit, MI Elektricity (Drezo support only)
Sat 4/23 Minneapolis, MN The Skyway Theatre
Fri 5/13 Kansas City, MO Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland – Global Dub Festival*
Sat 5/14 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Global Dub Festival*
* Non Spring Loaded Tour date/separate support/No PK
For more event details and to purchase tickets to the Spring Loaded Tour, click here: www.springloadedtour.com
For more on Datsik:
http://www.facebook.com/djdatsik
http://www.instagram.com/datsik
http://www.soundcloud.com/datsik
For more information on Firepower Records:
Beatport.com/label/firepower/24439
For press inquiries, please contact:
Lee Underwood
Publicity Manager I Firepower Records
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