LAUNCH NEW ‘DESERT HEARTS’ UNIFIED ARTIST PROJECT, A COLLABORATION BETWEEN FOUNDERS MIKEY LION, MARBS, & LEE REYNOLDS
ANNOUNCE NEW LABEL DEAL WITH EMPIRE
Desert Hearts have stepped into a new era. The Southern California-born collective today release California, a two-track EP that marks founders Mikey Lion, Marbs, and Lee Reynolds formally uniting as a production trio and touring act under the Desert Hearts name. Long known as a label, festival, and global community, the group now brings that same collaborative framework into a singular artist identity.
Featuring “California” and “Dancing Feet,” two cuts that distill the intersecting house and techno sounds of Mikey Lion, Marbs, and Lee Reyonds, the EP captures a dynamic that has been central to Desert Hearts since the beginning. Their “One Stage, One Vibe” festival format, built around uninterrupted programming and extended sets, has always emphasized continuity, with artists shaping the direction of a party together across non-stop weekenders. What emerges is a unified sound shaped in step with a loyal and ever-growing community.
From its early days in Southern California’s Mojave Desert, Desert Hearts has grown into hundreds of events, international touring, and a vast catalog of releases. What began as a renegade gathering of friends has expanded into a worldwide family, where the line between artist and attendee dissolves, and the dancefloor becomes a shared experience. Releasing music under the Desert Hearts name brings that spirit full circle, channeling the collective energy of the community into a singular sonic identity.
The EP also marks the beginning of a new partnership with EMPIRE Dance, expanding the reach of a project that has largely developed on its own terms. At a moment of continued growth, the release of California establishes a clearer throughline between Desert Hearts’ identity on the dancefloor and in recorded form.
Desert Hearts’ new California EP, produced by Mikey Lion, Marbs, and Lee Reynolds, is out now.
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