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There’s no denying that Flume had a phenomenal run in 2016. The Australian producer dropped one of the year’s most impactful records with Skin (which wound up on our list of the ten best EDM albums of 2016), followed up by a solid companion EP and a number of impressive festival appearances.

Flume is getting the year off to a strong start as he takes to Instagram this week to drop a teaser of some new music. In the brief clip, we can hear upbeat rhythms, deep bass tones and a soaring synth melody before the video cuts out abruptly. The whole preview is only a few seconds long, but it’s still enough to get the blood pumping for a number of fans.

The influential musician has previously stated that he already knows what direction his next album will take, revealing that now that his vocal record is out of the way he intends to focus on sample based music, as well as collaborating with other producers. Considering the lengthy delay between the release of Flume‘s first and second LP, we have little expectation of a full blown effort in 2017, but the teaser bodes well that we may get some new material later on in the year.

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A video posted by Flume (@flumemusic) on Jan 11, 2017 at 6:44pm PST

Michigan’s Electric Forest is preparing for a massive outing in 2017. The festival announced its lineup last month, revealing a roster filled to the brim with enticing acts like Bassnectar, Nero, DJ Snake, Above & Beyond, ODESZA and many more. ing the already stacked lineup as headliners are none other than Flume and Dillon Francis, two names sure to draw in the crowds. Festival goers will no doubt be pleased to see the two DJs added to the program for what is sure to be an unforgettable event.

The edition of Electric Forest will represent the first time the festival will be spread across two weekends. The first weekend will take place from June 22-25, while the second will run from June 29-July 2. Dillon Francis is set to play both weekends, while Flume will only appear over the second weekend.

Boasting an impressive lineup and one of the more unique festival settings, Electric Forest‘s 2017 outing is shaping up be their biggest event to date. You can check out the trailer above for more information, and head here to purchase tickets.

It’s no secret that Harley Streten, better known by his alias Flume, is one of the most respected producers in dance music right now. His sophomore album Skin was released to critical and commercial acclaim earlier in the year and wound up as the number two pick on our list of the 10 Best EDM Albums of 2016. In a new interview, the Australian musician has opened up about the creation of Skin, touching on a range of topics including the album’s guest artists and the pressure to avoid the sophomore slump.

In the interview, Flume touches on how some of the biggest collaborations on the record came to fruition, including the Vic Mensa pair up on “Lose It.”

It was in my hometown of Sydney. He was playing a festival, and I was a fan of what he was up to. I hit him up, and we go in the studio together, and he played some of his ideas he was working on and I played him some of my stuff. There was a particular idea of mine that I was working on that he was really excited about, and that became “Lose It.”

Streten also speaks about his unlikely t effort with Beck on the album’s closer “Tiny Cities,” revealing his working process with the alternative icon.

I was in L.A., and we were looking for people to work with, and my manager knew Beck was someone I was into. One day I got a call from my manager and he was like, “Hey, do you want to go to Beck’s house today">already knows what direction his third studio effort will take, and as of now, it’s safe to say that the future is bright for our favorite Aussie producer.

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At the beginning of the month, Flume stopped by Australian radio station Triple J to drop a special live performance backed by a host of vocalists including rapper Vince Staples, Kai, Kučka, Vera Blue and Ngaiire. While there, he impressed with a cover of the 1990s classic “My Boo” by Ghost Town DJs. Now, following up on that, the producer has offered up an official release of the track.

Flume introduces his take on “My Boo” with the kind of wonky synth work we’ve come to expect from him, shortly ed by a chorus of female backing vocals. Off kilter drums pound out an organic rhythm as Vince Staple delivers some deadpan rap verses, with splashy chords and whining leads dishing up enticing melodies throughout.

Flume’s “My Boo” cover ranks as a fresh rendition of the R&B flavored original, with the Aussie producer working his signature sounds into the source material to splendid results. Check it out for yourself up in the player above and if you dig it, be sure to grab your own copy of Flume‘s cover of “My Boo” here.

2015 represented a turning point in dance music that saw the album format enjoying a renaissance, with a number of notable producers like Nero, Disclosure, Jack Ü and countless others releasing impactful records that helped shape the year in music. 2016 continued this trend with a particularly good selection of dance records, with big names like Eric Prydz, deau5, Justice, Steve Angello, DJ Snake and Kygo all releasing full length efforts over the last twelve months.

This year also saw dance music maturing in a number of ways, while the cross pollination between pop and EDM reached new heights (see: The Chainsmokers). Many of the biggest dance albums of the year went on to spawn hit singles that took the radio by storm, like DJ Snake’s “Let Me Love You” and Flume’s “Never Be Like You,” further cementing the fact that our once underground scene has reached the top.

Part of what defined the dance music offerings of the last year was the fact that a lot of promising acts were releasing their debut albums to great critical success. The best records in 2016 dropped the glitz and glam of mainstage EDM in favor of a more refined approach, offering up forward thinking productions with unique sonic elements and a flare for the unexpected. We’ve definitely come a long way since the EDM boom of five years ago, and the eclectic works heard throughout the year reflect that.

It’s been an epic twelve months for dance music to say the least, so it was no small task to decide on the year’s ten best outings. However, we’ve persevered in order to zero in on only the best LPs released throughout the year, and the following list will serve as your guide through the ten best EDM albums of 2016.

Hot off the heels of his new four track Skin Companion EP, Flume is back on our minds thanks to a new stint on Triple J’s Like A Version series. During the program, the future bass producer offered up two live performances, playing his single “Never Be Like You” from Skin and delivering a cover of the R&B classic “My Boo” by Ghost Town DJs.

Starting with “Never Be Like You,” Flume offers up a stripped down rendition, sung by Kai with backup vocalists Kučka, Vera Blue and Ngaiire. As the song’s familiar vocal hooks echo through the speakers, we can hear the Australian producer unleashing waves of ethereal synths for a drums free version of “Never Be Like You.”

For his cover of Ghost Town DJs’ “My Boo,” Flume dishes up his signature brand of clanking rhythms set against synth chord flourishes, with rapper Vince Staples taking over the lead vocal duties, backed by Vera Blue, Ngaiire and Kučka.

The performances offer up a different side to Flume than we get on his productions, and fans will be pleased to hear the alternate version of “Never Be Like You,” while the cover of “My Boo” is a fitting rework from the Aussie music maker.

Shortly after the release of his critically acclaimed sophomore album Skin earlier in the year, Flume announced that he would be issuing a follow up EP dubbed the Skin Companion. Now, the album has finally dropped, comprised of four outtakes from the Skin sessions that were first heard on the teaser ahead of its release. While the EP is only available on vinyl, each of the four tracks have surfaced online for streaming.

As expected, the new EP serves as a worthy follow up to Skin, brimming with four excellent tracks with that classic Flume vibe. “Trust” is a music box meets trap excursion, driven by gentle melodies, bouncy rhythms and cascading vocals, and “V” follows with crashing drum patterns, delay drenched synths, and warbly vocal samples.

“Heater” was one of the tracks fans were left wishing for when it ultimately didn’t show up on Skin, and fans will be excited to finally hear the full version here. Last we have “Quirk,” a somber number with echoed falsetto vocals, skittering percussion and oceanic bass, bringing the collection to a close on a high note.

Flume‘s ever captivating production approach is on full display with the Skin Companion, and we’re beyond happy to have new material so soon after the producer’s last full-length effort.

Following up on a hugely successful year that saw his sophomore album Skin released to universal acclaim, Flume won big at the Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards this week. The forward thinking producer took home a total of eight honors at the award ceremony, which is no small achievement to say the least.

The producer cleaned house with eight trophies at the ceremony, earning wins in the following categories: album of the year, best male artist, producer of the year, engineer of the year, best dance release, best pop release, best independent release and best cover art.

Flume used the win as an opportunity to preach to a greater cause, once again protesting Sydney’s controversial lockout laws during his acceptance speech. The producer had previously lent one of his songs to an ad for the Keep Sydney Open campaign, and urged politicians to change the laws in order to foster artistic growth.

To our policy-makers and our politicians, please keep Sydney open so that the young artists of the next generation can have the same opportunities that I had.

With a staggering number of honors to his name, it goes without saying that Flume was the clear winner at the ARIAs. Skin will definitely go down as a defining record of 2016, and we’re glad to see Harley being recognized for his work.

During a recent live gig, RL Grime dropped a new mashup of Flume’s “Never Be Like You” with Kai and his own “Aurora,” delivering a forward thinking piece of pure trap bliss. Thankfully, a fan at the performance captured a clip of the tune’s live debut, and it’s now available on YouTube for your streaming pleasure.

The mashup utilizes Kai’s pitch manipulated acapella from “Never Be Like You,” stripped from the production and set against RL Grime’s stunning “Aurora” backdrop. The result is nothing short of magical, as booming 808’s and rapid fire hi-hats carve out festival ready rhythms layered under ethereal synth melodies.

The video only presents a brief preview of the mashup, but we definitely like what we hear. The two singles pair nicely and Kai’s vocals add something special to the already strong production from “Aurora.”

We’re not sure the new Flume mashup will ever get an official release, but the live clip is enough to hold fans over while we wait for more material from RL Grime. We’re still holding out on an official release for his collaboration with Skrillex and What So Not, while details about his album have been scant. We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

After breaking a year long silence back in May with the release of “Tears,” Clean Bandit have returned with a new remix of Flume’s “Say It” featuring Tove Lo from his sophomore album, Skin. “Say It” served as one of the more memorable pop collaborations on Skin, and Clean Bandit are the perfect group to remix the tune with their expert blending of dance music and mainstream hooks.

Where the original single opted for a head nodding future bass rhythm, Clean Bandit choose to pick up the pace with their remix and deliver some upbeat house grooves. The tune opens with Tove Lo’s familiar vocal hooks set against a stark backdrop complete with finger snaps and a slow rolling chord progression. Offbeat tropical bass plucks soon enter the mix alongside shuffled drum patterns as catchy bell melodies collide between the intricate rhythms.

Clean Bandit keep things subdued in order to maintain focus on the topline hooks, crafting a simple dance backdrop for Tove Lo’s voice to flourish against. They keep the production open and airy while still delivering enough energy for the clubs, and their “Say It” remix ranks as a worthy follow up to the original single.

After making fans wait four years for a new album after the release of his self-titled debut, Aussie producer Flume finally delivered his follow up LP, Skin, earlier in the year, offering up a sprawling collection of pop collabs and future bass tracks. Among the best vocal collaborations on the album was Flume’s t effort with Tove Lo. “Say It” quickly became one of the top EDM tracks of the year, with its crashing rhythms, seductive synths and bittersweet vocal delivery from the Swedish pop singer, and today the song is back on our mind as it receives an official music video.

The video for “Say It” features a simple but visually striking concept, as an astronaut like figure performs a series of gravity defying acrobatics against the surface of a skyscraper. As the figure repels against the glassy, window like surface and flips throughout the air, a second character adorned in a polygonal diamond suit enters the frame and s them. They then continue to spiral through the air throughout the rest of the clip, creating a disorienting but eye catching visual tie-in for the song, though how it relates to the music itself is anyone’s guess.

In addition to releasing the new “Say It” clip, Flume‘s music was set to another video earlier in the week as he granted his song “Heater” for use in a protest campaign against Sydney’s lockout laws. That song is set to be featured on the Skin Companion EP, which is due out in November.

Flume is ramping up his political edge as he teams up with the Keep Sydney Open campaign to deliver a new track in protest of the Australian city’s Lockout laws. As a Sydney native, Flume has been openly critical about the lockout laws, which opponents say foster a negative environment for artists and venues. Keep Sydney Open will be hosting their second rally on October 9 to voice criticism of the law, and have released a promotional video featuring a new song from Flume that outlines the arguments against curfews imposed on the local entertainment industry.

The video is set to a backdrop of Flume’s song “Heater,” which is set to be featured on the forthcoming Skin Companion EP. Fans have previously heard the tune on the Skin teaser mix that was made available for streaming in the months leading up to the album’s actual release date.

Flume has gone on to become one of Australia’s most notable cultural exports, becoming a hugely influential figure in dance music around the world. While we’re always excited to hear new music from the producer, his use of the song to protest the controversial law is an honorable move and we hope he can use his influence to incite change in his home city.