CHARLOTTE DE WITTE ‘AZADI’ EP FEAT. NAVA - FARSI MEETS TECHNO AS SYMBOL OF HOPE AND FREEDOM

ALL PROCEEDS GOING TO WOMEN’S RIGHTS ORGANISATION FEMENA

“These tracks are, in their own way, a small act of resistance. A reminder that people who are silenced, displaced or oppressed still have stories to tell and that those stories deserve to be heard.” de Witte

Charlotte de Witte’s new EP ‘Azadi’ feat. NAVA is where techno meets Farsi, where organic art meets AI, where music meets technology, becoming a focus of resistance, hope and freedom. The three-tracker aims to be just that - the title track ‘Azadi’ (‘freedom’ in Farsi) especially is already igniting her sets. Together with ‘Omid’ (‘hope’) and ‘Tales of the Desert’, the EP drops November 5th on KNTXT. All the proceeds from the EP will go to Femena who support Women Human Rights Defenders & feminist organizations & movements in MENA & Asia.
 
‘A dear friend shared a story from NAVA, a product of artificial intelligence, created by a London-based artist of Iranian origin, Farbod Mehr. I was captivated by the message she was spreading: an expression of hope that sacrifice will lead to a better future. I reached out and the result is three new original tracks. Where a voice is given to those who deserve to be heard.’
 
de Witte is creatively on fire with a blizzard of innovative and audacious projects and achievements; ‘Azadi’ is her latest, with AI singer NAVA, created by UK-based, Iranian-born artist Farbod Mehr. Her face crafted fromclassical Iranian art, her lyrics and music reimagining Iranian folk tradition, NAVA is now an online star, even appearing in hologram form, and her songs have reached millions of listeners.
 
Says Charlotte, “Music transcends borders, languages and beliefs. It can carry stories that might otherwise remain unheard. It can remind us that even in the darkest moments, we are not alone. NAVA represents Iranian women banned from public performance. Unlike others, NAVA cannot get arrested for using her voice. These tracks are, in their own way, a small act of resistance. A reminder that people who are silenced, displaced or oppressed still have stories to tell and that those stories deserve to be heard.”

"There's an old Persian verse at the heart of Azadi: 'Within despair lies so much hope; the darkest night must end in dawn.' NAVA exists to revive Persian heritage, carrying its music, art and words to a new generation. Working with Charlotte gave that heritage a pulse. Azadi is that old hope, reborn for today." - Farbod Mehr
 
‘Azadi’: the heartfelt title track’s techno beat, fast percussion with spacey FX, and dark, assertive, acid-rich theme showcase NAVA’s echoing, soaring, melodic voice in the breakdowns. On ‘Omid’, urgent, jittery bass & beats, futuristic stabs, a high two-note riff like a call to arms, features NAVA’s deep, echoing and layered spoken vocal in Farsi. ‘Tales of the Desert’ is all breakdown, with spikes of intermittent sound - mysterious, melodic synth and slow chords, hissing brushes, slow bursts of acid with high, tuneful vocal notes.

All EP proceeds go to Femena who advance women’s rights and gender equality in Iran and throughout the SWANA region. They support women human rights defenders and feminist movements, advance peace, solidarity, and South-South cooperation, particularly in contexts of repression, conflict and crisis. Learn more at: https://femena.net/.

Farbod Mehr is a London-based artist and founder of AI-native visual content & character production studio V Generate. Trained in architecture at Central Saint Martins, his work (held by Christie's, Sotheby's, Bonhams and the Aga Khan Museum) spans geometry, Persian heritage and digital art. He is also a co-author, alongside Google Research and Google DeepMind, of a NeurIPS Creative AI paper on evaluating generative AI for culturally situated creativity.
 
The release follows the news that de Witte just been voted No 6th overall in DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs (a jump of 3 places since last year) & World’s #1 Techno DJ for the 7th time.

‘Azadi’ EP is out November 5th on KNTXT. Get it HERE.
 
Tracklist:
A1: Charlotte de Witte feat. NAVA – Azadi
A2: Charlotte de Witte feat. NAVA – Omid
B1: Charlotte de Witte feat. NAVA – Tales of the Desert

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TORCHA, SKXLLFLOWER AND LIMMZ UNLEASH DARK AND HEAVYWEIGHT NEW SINGLE “GRAFT” VIA DEADBEATS

THE TORONTO-BASED PRODUCER JOINS TECHNICAL FORCES WITH SKXLLFLOWER AND SHOWCASING VOCALS FROM LIMMZ FOR A MENACING NEW BASS MUSIC STATEMENT 

THE RELEASE ARRIVES DURING THE LAST HALF OF DEADBEATS’ 10TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR

Toronto-based DJ and producer Torcha makes his Deadbeats debut alongside skxllflower and Limmz with their new collaboration “Graft,” a dark and heavyweight cut available across all digital streaming platforms on October 23rd.

Arriving via Zeds Dead’s flagship label during its landmark 10th anniversary year, the single taps directly into the darker edge of modern dubstep while introducing another emerging voice to the Deadbeats ecosystem.

From its opening moments, “Graft” establishes an atmosphere built for maximum impact. Heavy basslines and punishing low-end pressure collide with Limmz’s gritty vocal delivery, creating a track that balances raw aggression with a tightly controlled tension. The result is a release designed for maximum impact - built to erupt across festival stages, hit with full force on sound systems, and fuel late-night atmospheres.

For Torcha, “Graft” offers a focused introduction to the dynamic sound he has been developing from his home base in Toronto. Rooted in the darker side of dubstep, his production approach leans into heavy bass design, ominous textures, and a willingness to push a track toward its most intense moments. The collaboration with skxllflower expands that foundation, bringing two complementary production perspectives together while leaving room for Limmz to deliver the vocal presence that gives the track its UK grit.

The release arrives during a landmark year for Deadbeats, as the label celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 2016 by Zeds Dead, Deadbeats has spent the past decade building a distinct identity around bass music’s most forward-thinking and boundary-pushing voices, while developing a global community through its releases, events, and live experiences.

The anniversary year has been highlighted by the seventh installment of the label’s annual We Are Deadbeats compilation. Released in August, We Are Deadbeats Vol. 7 brings together 17 tracks spanning deep dubstep, 140, halftime, trip-hop, experimental bass, and hip-hop-influenced production, continuing a series that has become an annual snapshot of the wider bass landscape and a platform for both established artists and emerging producers.

Within that landscape, “Graft” feels distinctly at home. Torcha, skxllflower, and Limmz lean fully into the darker side of dubstep, delivering a track centered on weight, tension, and impact while continuing Deadbeats’ tradition of giving artists room to explore the heavier and more unconventional edges of bass music.

For Torcha, the release marks an important step into a label ecosystem that has helped shape the modern bass landscape for a decade. His Toronto roots and darker production sensibilities make “Graft” a natural fit for a label whose catalog has consistently embraced artists pushing bass music forward without being confined to a single sound.

As Deadbeats enters its second decade, “Graft” arrives as a fitting addition to its near-end 2026 catalog - a heavyweight collaboration that reflects the label’s continued commitment to platform emerging and established talent.

"It's an honour to release this song I wrote while on tour this year, it's been going off live and we think Deadbeats is the perfect home for it!” – Torcha

MXGPU RETURN TO DISCOTEXAS WITH NEW SINGLE ‘LAGGED OUT’

Following their sold-out Live Under Lisbon event and the release of their ‘Live Over Porto’ set from Primavera Sound, the Portuguese duo deliver a fast, minimal, peak-time cut ahead of their upcoming Gardens of Babylon appearance at ADE.

MXGPU, the collaborative project of Portuguese artists Moullinex and GPU Panic, return to their home label Discotexas today with their new single, ‘Lagged Out’. A high-energy melodic house track built for the intensity of the dancefloor, the release follows September's ‘All The Love’ as the duo continue to expand the sonic world of their debut album, Sudden Light, through a sound increasingly shaped by their immersive live performances.

One of MXGPU’s most minimal productions to date, ‘Lagged Out’ pairs a stripped-back approach with relentless forward momentum. Already a fan favourite during the duo’s peak-time sets, the track captures the tension, pace and physical energy at the heart of their hybrid live performances.

Speaking about the release, MXGPU explain:

“One of our most minimal tracks, and also one of the fastest… its DNA is peak time energy, made purposefully for our hybrid sets.”

The single arrives following the release of Live Over Porto, a full-length performance film captured during MXGPU’s appearance at Primavera Sound Porto in June 2026. Filmed in a single take while the duo performed suspended above the festival’s main-stage dancefloor, the recording pushed their distinctive 360° live format into one of its most ambitious settings yet.

With the audience gathered beneath and around their elevated triangular structure, the performance embodied the project’s ongoing exploration of electronic music, architecture and collective experience.

MXGPU Take Electronic Music Underground With ‘Live Under Lisbon’

On October 10, MXGPU brought their vision of immersive electronic performance to an avant-garde setting with Live Under Lisbon, a sold-out event at Hidden Metro Olaias in the Portuguese capital.

Conceived and curated by the duo, the event transformed a hidden part of Lisbon’s metro infrastructure into a temporary club, bringing together more than eight hours of music and performances. The programme featured Adriana Ruas, Isadora (Live), Madd Rod, Sainte Vie (Live) and MXGPU (Live), creating a meeting point for electronic music, performance and the city’s creative community.

Continuing the duo’s interest in taking music beyond traditional club and festival settings, Live Under Lisbon extended their exploration of how architecture and space can reshape the relationship between performers and audiences. From performing above the Tagus River in 2025 to their elevated appearance at Primavera Sound Porto earlier this year, MXGPU have consistently reimagined the spaces in which their music is experienced. The sold-out Lisbon event marked another significant moment for the project, bringing this approach back to their home city.

MXGPU at Gardens of Babylon ADE

MXGPU’s international run continues this Sunday, October 25, as the duo bring their signature 360° live show to Gardens of Babylon’s ‘The Seekers of Light’ showcase in Amsterdam, as part of the official Amsterdam Dance Event programme. Taking place at WestWeelde, the performance is scheduled for 20:30–22:00.

The Gardens of Babylon’s annual ADE showcase brings together electronic music, art, performance and community across an immersive multi-day experience. MXGPU will join the programme with their 360° live performance, bringing their signature triangular structure and audience-surrounding format to the Amsterdam dancefloor.

MXGPU is the collaborative project of Portuguese artists Moullinex (Luís Clara Gomes) and GPU Panic (Guilherme Tomé Ribeiro). Producers, songwriters and performers, the duo explore the intersection of electronic music, technology, performance art and immersive experience, bringing together their distinct creative identities in a shared musical vision rooted in Lisbon, Portugal.

Their collaboration developed through Innerchild, a project that established the creative foundations for their debut album, Sudden Light, released on Discotexas in September 2025. Its deluxe edition expanded the album’s universe with remixes from artists including Xinobi, JOPLYN and Sam Shure, while the duo’s wider catalogue spans releases on Crosstown Rebels, Watergate, Get Physical, TAU and Discotexas.

At the heart of MXGPU is an evolving 360° live experience that dissolves the conventional boundary between artist and audience. Built around their signature triangular structure, their performances combine sound, lighting, visuals and spatial design to create an immersive environment that places the crowd at the centre of the action. The duo have brought this format to audiences across Europe, Asia, North America and South America, with appearances at major events including Primavera Sound, Tomorrowland and Amsterdam Dance Event.

Their music has received support from influential artists including Chris Lake, Damian Lazarus, Jamie Jones, Keinemusik, LP Giobbi, RÜFÜS DU SOL and WhoMadeWho, alongside remix contributions from Patrice Bäumel. Their work has also been featured by Ableton, EARMILK, KCRW, Triple J, SiriusXM Diplo’s Revolution and SoundCloud Sound Advice, with editorial playlist support across Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.