Printed Edition
The international conference season gets underway this month as a proportion of the industry makes its way over to Miami towards the end of March. There’s plenty of parties, networking, culture and sunshine to be had — although the number of people away all January, and the late February weather in the UK, suggest that some corners of our scene don’t need a Miami getaway to see them through the winter months anymore.
Miami does seem to have rediscovered its mojo in the last couple of years, though. And now, with Ultra buying WMC, the conference side looks like it’s leaping up a level or three. Ultra’s muscle as a festival promoter has enabled them to call on big names like Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren, Richie Hawtin and Nicole Moudaber to speak on panels, and there’s a new site for Ultra Music Festival to explore too. After he made one of the biggest records in recent years (‘Losing It’), we’ve got Fisher (above) on our cover this issue (p28). Then there’s the small matter of our pool party on the 27th March at the Surfcomber, which we preview in our Miami section beginning on page 40. Can’t wait to have my world turned upside-down!
Elsewhere in this issue we profile Amsterdam’s impeccable Rush Hour label and shop (p67); look at what effect bloody Brexit is gonna have on UK clubland (p72); catch up with Batty Bass lady Hannah Holland as things come full circle for her (p76); and ask if vinyl-only labels are necessarily elitist these days (p80).
There’s tonnes more to read in the mag, as usual. Hope you enjoy it.
CARL LOBEN
Editor