The Next Wave of Philly's Dance Music Scene

In the vast world that is dance music in America, most people overlook the contributions that Philadelphia has made. Even after guys like Diplo and Di

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Complex Original

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In the vast world that is dance music in America, most people overlook the contributions that Philadelphia has made. Even after guys like Diplo and Dieselboy honed their sound within the City of Brotherly Love, outside of the Philly area, people don't really represent the scene like they should, for whatever reason. With 2014 right around the corner, we're seeing a number of acts from Philadelphia bubbling underneath, and we wanted to make sure you guys understood that the Philly scene has some strong producers and DJs who, given the opportunity to, will explode all over the EDM scene. Check out the leaders of the next wave of Philly's dance music scene.

Victor Niglio

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Victor has been a marvel on the Philadelphia live circuit for quite sometime. Hailing from Northeast Philadelphia where he still lives, he has played at local Philadelphia venues so many times, and the fans never get tired of his sets. Those beats. Those dance moves. That haircut. He drives the crowds wild with what he and Carnage call "festival trap." He began making waves on a wider circuit with remixes of "Cannonball" (with Carnage), "Ode to Oi," and "Who," all of which are played by some of the biggest names in EDM worldwide.

His newest single "Jiggy" was featured in an Adventure Club mixtape, and his well-known VIP remix of Martin Garrix' "Animals" is on a recent 3LAU mix. As an artist that's also classically trained in piano and guitar, Victor is capable of some next level shit. As a producer, his creations and remixes are mostly superb, and his energy and crowd pleasing capabilities as a DJ are out of this world. He was just featured on an amazing episode of Diplo & Friends, where he played a banging selection of rare and obscure tracks, and he soon has an original track with Borgore, to be featured on Asaf's EP due out late November, Wild Out. Expect big things still to come from this smooth operator. We fucks with him, too.

Swizzymack

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Though Swizzymack has been making ridiculous beats for the past three years, his remix of Heartbreak's "Red Hulk" had all of us scratching our heads. It went in a dozen directions at once, and was over as quick as it started. His fast-paced club records are often under three minutes, yet are incredibly complicated. His push from Dirty South Joe gave him a nod from Mad Decent, his own release on Jeffrees, and his own Diplo & Friends mix.

With all of this attention, he's remained a great person. We noticed as he brought his mother and grandmother as his guests at the Mad Decent Block Party in Philly, and it might have been the highlight of the event to see how proud they were of him. We fuck with people that stay true to their values and stay humble.

G-Buck

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G-Buck is the sleeper in Philly. His ability to create destructive floor stompers is truly unmatched, and the only thing he's missing to get on Victor Niglio's level is a nod and a PR firm. His collaborative records with Architekt as Oddzilla are nuts, but you can tell from his solo work that he is bringing his own flavor to this duo. He's been featured on Diplo & Friends almost a half dozen times in as many weeks. We're waiting to see how long it'll take for someone in a power position to pull him up and let him shine.

Louis Futon

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In just the last three months, the two young men who make up Louis Futon have released two EPs. Both Alright Alright and Hear/Say are complete compositions of quality tunes. I won't say anything about genre except that they produce ambient, down tempo beats layered with all kinds of sounds to define their tracks and tell as story with their music. Their sound can be likened to that of Mitis, who fits in a chillstep/melodic dubstep category. But Futon, as they're affectionately known, makes the avid point on Facebook to profess in all caps that 'genre does not define them.' It is this fact that has taken them to the next level with their music, because they just make whatever they feel like making, whatever sounds good. And it does. Their music has been featured by a number of outlets as of late, and they are definitely picking up steam. Their track, "Dozing," was also featured on Skream & Benga. We can expect to see much more of these dudes.

Architekt

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Architekt is one of the best sound designers in Philly. Hands down. He makes several genres, and does it well. He's a great DJ. A graphic designer. And a true artist. He's also an actual musician, with years of drumming (like... with real drums) under his belt. His aggro synths are huge. Let's see if he can cash in on his skills.

Bombè

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We'll see if Bombé ever gives a fuck about the scene. His downtempo bass music is some of the best coming out of the region, but he's never cared about promoting his own work. He's making beautiful ballads regularly and seems to shy away from the business side of things. His signature sound hasn't changed much in the past few years; it's just gotten refined. And as people are going to inevitability get bored with cookie-cutter dance music, he's the next obvious solution. The funny thing is that it will seem like he came out of nowhere.

Oddzilla

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Made up of two artists already listed here, the combined sound of Architekt and G Buck forms the duo known as Oddzilla. They are yin and yang, from background to skin color. Opposites attract in this situation, or the unlike minds of two individuals clash in imperfect harmony. G Buck's raw, energetic talent and Architekt's meticulous, technical sound make this pair this oddest couple to take to the tables. It works. They have shared the stage with artists like Flosstradamus, BARE, Gent & Jawns, Heroes x Villains, Luminox, and Rell the Soundbender. Recently, David Heartbreak reposted one of their tracks, and DAD just featured a Rell the Soundbender remix of theirs.

Separately, they have their own identities as artists. Architekt has been working on some heavy, metal like sounds that match his background as a drummer, and G Buck is on his way up the rungs as a solo artist as well. The fact remains that as Oddzilla, these two clash and the sound that they make combined is bananas. Seeing them perform live is an experience; their turn up is definitely real.

BHB

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BHB is a name that makes no sense for this list at all, unless you actually know Philly, or know the artist. We actually saw him filming for MTV in Atlanta, which would lead the average observer to think that perhaps he's moved past music. His soundcloud supports your doubts, as most of his records are at least a year old. He's in Manhattan now, his back is against the wall, and he spent quite a bit of time working and playing with a giant name in music this summer. BHB held the city of brotherly love down for years on the decks of every club and warehouse imaginable, and looks to be on the move for 2014.

John Bean

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John Bean's importance in Philly may be overlooked by some. But he's in the middle of curating again for the Future Thugs brand, which is a collective between him, Bombé, and Dr. Ew. Their brand of bass is different than most, and John's return from his jaunt overseas has us curious what the direction of Future Thugs will be.

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