STVN LEON DROPS PLAYFUL BASS HOUSE ANTHEM, "JUST FOR THE KIDS," VIA INSOMNIAC'S DISCOVERY PROJECT

The Chicago-based producer delivers a punchy debut on Insomniac’s sublabel as the winning submission for Academy LA’s Discovery Project competition.

Chicago-based producer STVN Leon debuts on Insomniac’s Discovery Project label on September 12th with his new single, “Just For The Kids.”

“Just For The Kids” is a beefy bass house single anchored to a playful, light-hearted vocal hook. The groove is energetic and enriched with classic flavor, with thumping

basslines and slick breakbeat drums flowing into funky guitar riffs, vibrant organ chord progressions, knocking kicks, and growling stabs. The track was the winning submission for the Discovery Project DJ / producer competition as part of the ‘Clubs’ edition, which was hosted for Academy LA. Selected by guest judge AC Slater, the win earned him an opening slot for AC Slater during his headline set on July 4th, as well as this release on the label.

STVN Leon touches on the ethos behind his music, sharing, “I just want to create timeless music that people can relate to.”

Emerging from Chicago’s rich house legacy, STVN Leon is making a name for himself via his blend of driving, weighty rhythms and modern, melody-laced hooks. In addition to his recent opening slot for AC Slater, he has been building more momentum with recent festival appearances at this year’s North Coast Music Festival and ARC Music Festival. With more high profile plays on the horizon, STVN Leon continues to carve out his place as one of house music’s promising new names.

STVN Leon brings the underground spirit to light with “Just For The Kids,” striking a perfect balance between classic house grooves and contemporary, bass-driven production.

STVN LEON is a Chicago-born DJ and producer, deeply influenced by the city that gave birth to house music. With a sound that blends modern house with melodic elements, he creates hard-hitting drums, infectious grooves, and energetic rhythms

that resonate on dance floors and around the world. Known for high-energy sets and a keen ability to read the crowd, STVN brings the underground sound to life in every performance.

Having played major clubs and festivals, STVN LEON has built a reputation for delivering unforgettable live experiences. With over 350,000 streams across all platforms and growing support from industry giants, STVN continues to make waves in the house music scene. Committed to creating timeless, forward-thinking music, he is on a mission to redefine the future of house music while staying rooted in Chicago's legacy. With multiple releases on high profile labels, and collaborations confirmed for 2025, STVN shows no sign of slowing down as he builds his legacy and diverse catalog.

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VARI AND CORTR JOIN FORCES TO ENGINEER BRAIN-SEARING HARDWAVE SINGLE "MIND" ON GUD VIBRATIONS

TULSA-BASED LOW-END ARCHITECT VARI COMBINES STRENGTHS WITH NEW ZEALAND-BRED RISING STAR CORTR ON THEIR NEW SINGLE FOR NGHTMRE AND SLANDER’S LABEL, TAKING THE SHAPE OF THEIR SKULL-CRACKING HARDWAVE COLLAB.

American producer VARI and New Zealand-born, Vancouver-based artist CORTR join forces on “MIND,” a blistering trap single arriving September 12 via NGHTMRE and SLANDER’s Gud Vibrations imprint. The pair fuse their distinct styles into a track engineered for peak-time impact. 

Built from CORTR’s initial idea and refined in-tandem with VARI for more than a year, “MIND” opens with climbing arpeggios and cinematic atmospheres before vocal chops ricochet from airy whispers to pitched-down growls. The tension erupts into a skull-rattling drop of crunchy basslines, jagged synths, and squelchy fills, surging toward a bouncy 4x4 climax that threads trap aggression, wave textures, and rave-inspired chaos. 

Speaking to the seamless process working together, yet the painstakingly careful procedure of fine-tuning the track into what it is today, VARI says, “‘MIND’ is a track that began as a very straightforward ‘banger,’ and over the course of +1 years morphed into a combination of multiple ideas and styles into the final track we have today. Working with CORTR was extremely smooth and our musical ideas felt right at home together. Very excited to finally get it out, and I can’t think of a better home for it than Gud Vibrations.”

Sharing his excitement around debuting on a label he holds a deep admiration for, CORTR shares: “From first hearing SLANDER and NGHTMRE’s music 11 years ago, and now releasing this absolute anthem on their label, it’s a full circle moment.”

Since 2020, VARI has carved a unique lane within Gud Vibrations, with releases like “MOVELIKE” and “SPLINTER” gaining media support while his DJ sets have landed on stages at EDC Las Vegas, Starbase Festival, and Avalon Hollywood. Beyond the label, he has released on Sable Valley and Insomniac’s BREAK ROOM, with support from RL Grime, Illenium, Alison Wonderland, Joyryde, and more. 

CORTR brings a different lineage to the collaboration, blending his love for alternative rock with bass music. His tracks have received spins on BBC Radio 1, Sirius XM, iHeartRadio, and George FM, while tastemakers such as Illenium, RL Grime, Alison Wonderland, and Steve Aoki have championed his music. Career highlights include performances at Rhythm & Vines and Vancouver shows, his single “Bleeding” charting No. 3 on NZ iTunes, and his remix of Bring Me The Horizon’s “Can You Feel My Heart” surpassing 4.2 million streams on Trap Nation’s YouTube channel.

Together on “MIND,” VARI and CORTR deliver a cohesive statement of raw energy and intricate design. The single embodies Gud Vibrations’ ethos: merging personal influences with bass music’s evolving future, primed to ignite underground dancefloors and festival main stages alike.

US-based DJ & producer VARI has been combining the most interesting components from wave, trap, dubstep, and industrial bass with his glitch-heavy sound design, amounting to a refreshing, innovative take on bass music. His unique sound has garnered support from heavy-hitters such as Illenium, Alison Wonderland, RL Grime, NGHTMRE, SLANDER, and Joyryde. Hot off of his most recent releases on Gud Vibrations, Sable Valley, and Insomniac's newest imprint BREAK ROOM, VARI is poised to continue breaking into the scene as a fresh and experimental act in the bass music world.

Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand and now based in Vancouver BC, CORTR has solidified himself as one of the most exciting emerging artists in the bass music scene. Combining his childhood love of alternative rock with his passion for electronic music, his high energy emotionally fuelled sound continues to propel him forward. Making his international debut in Vancouver in 2024, CORTR has played shows and festivals across New Zealand including multiple headline shows, performances at Rhythm & Vines, and numerous shows with international artists. His music has been played by the likes of Steve Aoki, Alison Wonderland, Illenium, Slander, NGHTMRE, RL Grime and more with airtime on BBC Radio 1, Sirius XM, iHeartRadio, Evolution Radio and frequent appearances on leading New Zealand station George FM. With multiple record label releases under his belt across Dim Mak, Quality Goods Records and Tribal Trap, CORTR has also been the subject of numerous blog write ups by Run The Trap, Urban List, FUXWITHIT and more. Showing no signs of slowing down, his single “Bleeding” topped NZ Itunes charts at #3 and his remix of Bring Me The Horizon’s “Can You Feel My Heart” has accrued over 4.2 million streams on it’s Trap Nation Youtube upload. You can find CORTR making appearances in some of Spotify's biggest playlists: Bass Arcade, New Music Friday Cratediggers and New Dance Beats, as he pushes forward with new music. Partnered with Converse All Stars & Jagermeister NZ.

DAVID FORBES PAYS HOMAGE TO DREAMSTATE'S EDC LAS VEGAS STAGE WITH NEW SINGLE, "QUANTUM VALLEY"

The Scottish producer channels the energy of the Dreamstate-hosted stage at EDC Las Vegas via his newest techno-trance hybrid single.

Scottish powerhouse David Forbes makes his third appearance on Dreamstate Records on September 12th with his newest single, “Quantum Valley,”

inspired by his experience performing at Electric Daisy Carnival.

Paying homage to the iconic Dreamstate stage at EDC Las Vegas, the aptly titled “Quantum Valley” is a scorching techno-powered slammer, highlighting his ability to forge peak-time tracks with world-class quality. A

goosebump-inducing narration sits at the heart of the breakdown, speaking poetically about the power of quantumVALLEY amid riveting rising arps. The beauty is juxtaposed expertly by the booming, unwavering drive featured on opposite ends of the track. Thunderous kicks, frenetic synth leads, and wailing synth flashes are layered in such a way to get the adrenaline rushing. And yet, the glands are put into overtime as Forbes adds gurgling acid licks and lightning-fast answering phrases into the fold.

Describing the lasting impression he walked away with after his debut

performance at EDC, David Forbes points to the reason he wrote the single, saying, “There're some festivals where you need to write a track dedicated to it; EDC Las Vegas was one of them.”

David Forbes is a prolific producer and all-around studio whiz. With extensive experience as an audio engineer on top of being an international sensation in electronic music, the UK sensation is known for his seamless fusion of techno,

hard dance, and trance. This release follows his two previous label outings, “Air Raid” and “1994,” garnering radio support from heavyweights including MaRLo, Andrew Rayel, Allen Watts, T78, Jason Ross, JES, Alex M.O.R.P.H., Maarten de Jong, John Askew, Ronski Speed, and Judge Jules. On the live front, Forbes has graced notable stages across the world, including Dreamstate

SoCal, EDC Las Vegas, Beyond Wonderland, Euphoria Festival, Nature 1, and The Reading & Leeds festival. Looking ahead, he has upcoming gigs at Ministry of Sound London, BlackFriars Bar, and Basing House.

David Forbes captures the essence of Dreamstate’s dedicated stage at EDC Las Vegas via “Quantum Valley,” a track that channels a perfect balance of power, precision, nostalgia, and euphoria.

More About David Forbes

With an illustrious musical career spanning nearly two decades and a production discography that would make any A-list electronic music producer proud, David Forbes stands as one of the UK's most respected and versatile artists of our time.David's journey in the world of electronic music began during its formative years, granting him unparalleled experience and industry insight that few can match. He has mastered a diverse range of styles, making him a go-to producer

for some of the most Established Artits & esteemed labels in the electronic music scene.

David's work has graced labels such as WAO138, Subculture, Armind, Outburst Records, ITWT, Statement, Anjuna Beats, Vandit, Spinnin, Reset, Oxygen,

Perfecto, Liquid, Doorn, Ferry Corsten's Flashover Recordings, Captivating Sounds, and many more. His productions have found their way onto legendary compilations curated by the likes of Paul Van Dyk, Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Sander Van Doorn, Markus Schulz, Above & Beyond, Gareth Emery, and the iconic Tiesto - who featured 'Answers' on his legendary 'Tiesto in

Concert' DVD, David being the only UK artist featured.

David's performances have graced stages in Ibiza, Holland, Brazil, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Austria, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Mexico, and prestigious festivals such as EDC Mexico, Beyond Wonderland, Euphoria Festival, Poland’s Sunrise Festival, Dreamstate, and Germany's Nature 1 Festival - sharing the stage with

Deadmau5. He has also appeared at The Reading & Leeds Festival, Homelands, Coloursfest, Ministry of Sound (Singapore & London), Full on Ferry, Colours, Inside Out, and multiple Tiesto shows in Scotland, including his iconic SECC world tour. Impressively, David has completed 15 interstate tours of Australia,

On the label front, David's own Aria Digital & Midimal labels have continued to flourish, with the former celebrating its 150th release. These labels provide a perfect platform for David's latest collaborations and offer an opportunity for budding talents in the electronic music scene.

Over the past 30 years, it's rare to find a DJ who hasn't included a David Forbes production, or one of his many aliases, in their sets. With almost two decades of experience in both production and DJing, David Forbes stands as a testament to the perfect modern-day electronic artist, and his legacy continues to reverberate through the world of electronic music.

Connect With David Forbes

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