Gray Area Hosts Exclusive Eight Hour Takeover on Sirius XM
When it comes to the wildly extensive worlds of house and techno online publication and events producer, Gray Area has become a hub for discovery, education, and exposure. As they continue their mission to unite the international house music community and draw lines between its many rich sub-cultures and sub-genres, that mission comes to a new head with, OCHO.
OCHO is eight straight hours of exclusive sets by eight of house and techno’s most sought-after talents. All brought to you by Gray Area and Sirius XM. The day-long takeover is set to take place on October 23, 2021, from 12 pm-8 pm ET on Diplo’s Revolution, with encores of the show to be streamed the next day, October 24. Before you read further, you may want to grab a napkin or towel, because this lineup is about to have you drooling.
Michael Julian, founder of Seers – the dynamic venture behind Gray Area and other projects in the world of electronic music and live events tells Festival Insider, “Sirius XM plays an integral role in building the house music community in North America – which happens to also be Gray Area’s mission – by programming this genre of dance music on Diplo’s Revolution. We are very proud to collaborate on Ocho, a program featuring 8 hours of non-stop exclusive sets representing different sub-genres of house music played by both rising and established international artists, and look forward to other collaborative projects with our friends at Sirius XM to spread the love of house music across North America. Let there be MORE house!”
Joey Sutera, the Head of Live Entertainment. head of Live Entertainment added, "We are committed to unifying house music culture around the world.”
The Lineup
AMÉMÉ
Born and raised in Benin of West Africa, One Tribe NYC label boss, AMÉMÉ, channels his cultural heritage into his music with bold organic orchestration and inspiriting vocal calls. Now based in New York City, AMÉMÉ garnered more traction in the U.S. underground scene with his distinctly tribal sound fitting right at home in festivals like Burning Man.
Blackchild
Italian producer Blackchild is truly a product of his upbringing. Raised on his father’s abundant record collection of old-school hip-hop, R&B, disco, and house music, Blackchild’s tracks masterfully fuse tastefully subtle but timeless samples with kinetic kits in a beautifully minimal energy primed for the dance floor. One listen, and you’ll understand why he’s received instant support from industry leaders like The Martinez Brothers, Kenny Dope, Fisher, and more.
Chelina Manuhutu
When you combine talent and a relentless work ethic, you get an artist like Chelina Manuhutu. The Dutch-born, Ibiza-based producer grew up engrossed in her family of artists and musicians, but went on to pursue a decade of high-level modeling. Eventually, her innate draw to music led to her tenacious and triumphant pursuit as a top-tier DJ whose music is exploding with infectiously fiery energy and head-turning samples. Keep your eyes peeled for a potential performance near you, she’s earned quite a reputation for her tireless international tour schedule.
Diplo
It would’t be a show on Diplo’s Revolution without the channel dad himself. The 67th most listened to artist across all genres in the entire world (according to Spotify) has proven himself to be a master producer and tastemaker over the course of almost two decades. Whether it’s his reggaeton/ afro beats trio, Major Lazer, one of his countless EDM smash hits, or his foot-stomping house work you know Diplo is going to deliver the goods.
Luciano
Swiss-Chilean owner of the fabled Cadenza Records, Luciano, is the personification of unwavering passion. He cut his DJ teeth in the small smoke-filled clubs of Santiago, Chile in the early '90s, honed his craft in the sweaty underground clubs of Europe through the early 2000s, and later went on to play main stages of some of the largest festivals in the world. His patience and self-assuredness are reflected in his famously minimal tech style as he calmly adds layers of synths and percussion throughout enticingly expanded pieces.
Tini Gessler
Thumping kicks, dizzying bass loops, and otherworldly fills are the name of the game for German-born, Spanish-based newcomer, Tini Gessler. A DJ’s DJ, she learned the way the OGs did, spinning vinyl on turntables. Her undeniably hypnotic deep tech idiosyncrasies have now made her one of the hottest current members of the legendary Elrow lineup and a highly sought-after producer in her own right.
Vintage Culture
The name Vintage Culture has rapidly become synonymous with trance-inducing loops, impassioned vocals, and percussive power. His transitions are effortless, his remixes sound completely natural, and he masterfully manipulates the energy throughout a mix. The Brazilian has accrued over 1.5 billion streams, was named #30 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs of 2020, and was nominated as one of the most influential “30 under 30” industry leaders by Forbes.
Will Clarke
The UK’s bearded bad man, Will Clarke, never fails to get a dance floor stomping with his richly orchestrated brand of techno. The abundance of immersive shadowed soul makes Clarke’s music one of the most recognizable sounds in the game. Known for sometimes performing over 100 shows worldwide in a single year, Clarke continuously proves he is a force to be reckoned with.
OCHO airs on Sirius XM Saturday, October 23, 2021. You can tune in here.
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