SIMBASŌL LINKS UP WITH TIMO MAAS FOR OPEN ARMS VIA SHANTI MANSION!

New school star Simbasōl links up with Techno titan Timo Maas for spine-tingling new release ‘Open Arms’ on Shanti Mansion.

Simbasōl is a Montreal based electronic music producer, DJ, and performer whose sound fuses melodic house and techno with earth-driven grooves, expansive synthscapes, and soulful percussive rhythms. Since 2020, he has made his mark with standout performances across Montreal and the US, with his debut EP climbing to #1 on Beatport within just a week of release.

In 2025, Simbasōl is building unstoppable momentum. With multiple singles already out this year, including a brand-new EP 'White Flags' and a wave of upcoming projects on forward-thinking labels such as Kinetika, Shanti Radio, Gardens of Babylon, Redolent, and Melody Lab, he is carving his own path in electronic music.

Raised with a music induced lifestyle by his devoted dancing parents, Simbasōl was moving to music before he could walk. Growing up around campfires with djembes and harmonicas, he absorbed a music-fueled lifestyle that continues to inspire his mission today: to turn dance floors into spaces of freedom, emotion, and connection.

Meanwhile, German legend Timo Maas has been at the forefront of the underground scene for 40-plus years as a DJ, and more than 30 years as a producer, with countless classics to his name. But more importantly he keeps evolving and remains an in demand collaborator with fast rising names like SimbaSōl. 

“Open Arms” is a soul-stirring and uplifting track with a gorgeous falsetto to bring hope and beauty. The chunky drums march below with a sprinkling percussion and smeared chords all rising up like the sun of a new day. It's pure, rousing and full of the sort of inescapable emotion that unites crowds and taps into universal feelings of pain and hope.

“Open Arms” brings new kinds of feelings to electronic music and leaves a lasting impression.

Simbasol socials:

https://www.instagram.com/simbasol_sounds/ 

https://soundcloud.com/simbasol 

https://www.facebook.com/simbasolsounds/ 

Timo Mass socials:

https://www.instagram.com/timo.maas/ 

https://soundcloud.com/timo-maas 

https://www.facebook.com/timomaasfans/ 

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.

Connect with STVN Leon

Spotify | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud

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.