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The UK duo behind The Black Ghosts, Theo Keating and Simon William Lord, started their collaboration over the Internet. They initially began exchanging and creating music over the web and didn’t meet in person until half of their self-titled album "Black Ghosts" was written.

Keating and Lord pull inspiration from their respective backgrounds—Keating is a popular house DJ and used to be part of electronica hip hop band TheWiseguys, while Lord was a member of now dysfunct electronic rock band Simian—and that combination is evident in their track “Any Way You Choose To Give It.”  The song's industrial sound plays off static vocals for an eerie HipTronik blend.  Be sure to check out more of The Black Ghosts' increasingly popular Fake Blood remixes.

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Jumpstart your week with a dancefloor smash from mash-up/remix duo The White Panda, also known as Procrast and DJ Griffi. Along with a mixtape and live college performances, the Chicago and LA-based pair regularly release their mash-ups and make them available for download. Take this mash-up of T.I.'s 2005 hip hop single "What You Know" and electronic band Passion Pit's 2009 track "Little Secrets." The White Panda's "What You Know About Little Secrets" is a fusion of hip hop and electronica -- exactly what HipTronik is all about.

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"Night Life" is a new track by the relatively unknown, cleverly-named group The Arka Teks. The well-paced song offers catchy lyrics against the backdrop of a night at a raging club. It's a great effort by The Arka Teks' Nick Fowler and Tyler Lombard, an up-and-coming Canadian electro duo, but it lacks that special something. Even then, the track has amazing potential and we'd love to hear it remixed. Special thanks to HipTronik.com reader Khoa for the recommendation; keep sending them in folks!

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As far as model HipTronik mixes go, “Pursuit of Happiness” hits the nail on the head. Kid Cudi’s hip hop swagger is a surprising compliment to MGMT and Ratatat’s fusion electro. The diverse elements between Cleveland-born Kid Cudi, New York-based Ratatat, and MGMT -- best known for the hit song “Kids” -- make for a magnetic track. But when you throw Steve Aoki into the lineup, remix chemistry abounds. “Pursuit of Happiness” speaks for itself, highlighting the artists’ best features in this electrifying mix.

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KPop boy band BEAST is releasing their second mini-album tomorrow and the first single off "Shock of the New Era" already has its own music video. Like most other HipTronik tracks coming out of Korea right now, "Shock" has a fair mix of autotune and natural vocals with a rising and dropping tempo. But let's not forget the choreography, which is as sick as the video's delirium-inducing eye candy. BEAST is flaring up the Korean charts right now and show no signs of slowing down on their road into the "New Era."

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The Bloody Beetroots stand out in the world of HipTronik with their slick remixes and seamless flows. “I Am Not Drunk” revamps the Benny Benassi version, which is no easy task considering the song is already a quality product coming from the 10th most popular DJ in the world, according to The DJ List. “I Am Not Drunk” is an edgy HipTronik mix that warps the original into a characteristically Bloody Beetroots’ track.

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Another week, another Monday, another mashup.  This week we're bringing you a mashup by LA-based DJ Paul V, remixing old and new together with Phillie rapper Amanda Blank's "Might Like You Better" and vocals from 2003 Bad Cabbage track "You're Rude," all brought together with a hot electronic beat from electro house DJ deadma5's collaboration with Rob Swire, entitled "Ghosts n Stuff."

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Theophilus London’s debut single “Humdrum Town” is all about contrast—mixing rap with fluid vocals backed by an electronic beat. The Brooklyn native is known for his eccentric rhyme style and his ability to play on different genres. He manages a fine blend of tracks by Whitney Houston, Kraftwerk and Amadou & Mariam on his self-released mix tapes JAM! and This Charming Mixtape. The song is a low-key dance track, which, by HipTronik standards, is anything but humdrum.

Click here to read Part 1.

HipTronik: What is the evolution of your sound? You’ve all been a group for eight months, but has there been a change that’s taken place?

E: I’d say so. When Eroc first started writing the music he was coming from a Cut Copy/Depeche Mode kind of world. Now I think we’ve moved into the electronica/Top 40 stuff, especially with the remixes we’ve done for Interscope artists like P. Diddy, Lady Gaga, Mary J. Blige.

I think that’s a really unique part of what our band does. We have this whole production side, we work with other artists and we remix songs and I think that’s one of the things that helps separate us. WE like to collaborate and work in general.

It’s inspired us to take the sound a little bit less indie and a little more pop … We’re not the kind of band that feels like we need to stick in one genre and we’re open to moving and changing depending on popularity…

It’s exciting to be with a group a people who are open to creating what feels right. That’s something that Namebrand talks about. He’ll say, “I just want to go and do music and not think about what it’s supposed to be.” I’m excited to see what comes out next.

HipTronik: Which one of the remixes is your favorite?

E: Lady Gaga's “Telephone.” I think it’s been doing really well on YouTube and it’s a great example of super famous great artists with our two singers in there … It just works. People have been playing it in the club a lot. It’s really fun to be at a dance club and hear our remix come on and see how people react to it ... That’s always exciting. And that’s when I feel like we’re doing the right thing.

HipTronik: That is really exciting. Now, about the genre in general: our site is called HipTronik, which is a blend of electronica and hip hop. How do you guys feel about the Hiptronik genre? Where do you see it going? How do you guys fit in?

E: We’re the most ideal band for this genre. I think that’s exactly what we’re doing. Some of come from a strong hip hop background. Some of us are really into electronic music. So the blending of the two just seems really natural for us.

We’re happy that it has a home and there are other people doing it … I think the genre has a lot of potential as it continues to grow, as long as it doesn’t get soft or watered down so that it’ll stay interesting for the kids that are at the head of the genre.

HipTronik: So, do you…

E: Do I have other band members? I swear I do. [laughs]

HipTronik: Here’s a fun question for you: What’s on your playlist currently?

E: [Checks computer playlist] Well, we have the "Electronightz" mix tape. Top-of-the-line here. We listen to Ke$ha, A-Trak, Steve Aoki and Far East Movement. I think in general, people who do music for a living really want to stay on top of what’s working and what people like.

And I think the bands we perform with are the bands we want to listen to. We saw Shiny Toy Guns at the Heat Festival; I really like that. I thought it was a cool blend of rock/goth edge with something similar to what we’re doing. Ke$ha’s so much fun; we love her.

HipTronik: Yeah, she is.

E: Also, I think it’s super awesome to have Lady Gaga in the world. Everyone in every genre is like, “Yay!” we have someone who is eccentric and trying to change things. It kind of works for everything and it’s been a real honor to do some of her remixes. Who doesn’t want to party with Lady Gaga?

HipTronik: True. Do you guys have any live events coming up?

E: Yes. We’re going to rock the South by South Music Festival, we’re playing with Schwayze and Mike Posner at the Phoenix in Austin, and then we’re going to the Winter Music Conference in Miami, which is an amazing party.

HipTronik: Have you been before?

E: I have. The rock band (Something for Rockets) Rami and I were in played there. And then I believe we’re going to the East Coast to play at the University of Massachusetts and the University of Connecticut to play with LMFAO so that’s going to be so much fun. We’ve also been doing this residency at Hyde, which is more of a DJ set rather than a full show.

I’d also like to give a shout out to the L.A. Leakers. They are DJs at Power 106 and they’re hosting our mix tape. They’re great guys and they’re really pushing us musically and having us try new stuff. They help us see what works for radio and what works live. They have a good sense as far as music that sounds good. I’m psyched that they took us on for the mix tape and have helped guide us through this process.

HipTronik: Is there any artist in particular you’d like to collaborate with in the future?

E: We’d like to do an actual track with Lady Gaga. I think Timbaland is always doing interesting stuff as far as production so it’d be really cool to work with him. We’d love to team up with Steve Aoki. He’s always pushing the genre forward, as far as being a real presence. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with Jay-Z or Kanye West? Or even Daft Punk. To write with those guys would be amazing.

HipTronik: Outside of music, do you have any individual projects you guys are working on that you’d like to share with us?

E: Eroc, the DJ, he has his own producing team called Dariffs. Rami has a solo project called Rami Dearest.

HipTronik: Is it pretty different?

E: Yeah. It’s real different.

HipTronik: And what about yourself?

E: I have another band called Kashmere, which is a singer-songwriter project. It has a totally different vibe, kind of like Bon Iver. Namebrand has his own music that is kind of like “Namebrand the rapper.” More straight hip hop, not really dance or electronic, but rap.

And with all of these projects, you have to do them on the side to get the inspiration when we come together. I think the key to a good song is when it’s able to cross into multiple genres and not just sound good in one genre. So when we work with our other bands and we’re playing a different style, we can include that style into the Electrolightz.

HipTronik: So even though you guys have your own stuff going on, E-lightz is your main focus?

E: Yeah. It’s kind of like our home. It seems to be the thing that everyone is responding to and we’re just really psyched about it. It’s fun to hang out with this group. We have a great time together. And I think we have the other things on the side because it inspires us and pushes us to create more.

HipTronik: Is that what it’s like when you guys get together? Everyone’s pulling things from different places and bringing them together?

E: Absolutely. Like I was saying earlier, we didn’t all know each other. We knew Eric (Eroc) in the beginning so we’re all very different personalities. We have different styles and come from different places of music, but for some reason it all works.

And it’s all working in the genre. The kind of group where you’d be like, “Hold on. These guys are all friends?” But you see us on stage and you’re like, “ Whoa. This works out amazingly.”

HipTronik: So that must make you guys really unique in that field then because of how different you are all.

E: I think so. Especially since we listen to music outside of the Hiptronik genre. So the stuff that we’re pulling from will help push the genre. We’re going to be the kind of group that you can look to.

HipTronik: Do you guys have any goals for yourselves and the band in the future? What would you like to accomplish? What are you working towards?

E: We’re working towards being a group that’s consistently traveling and playing parties and shows on the road. Being successful with a hit record—I think that’s the goal of any musician who takes the business seriously. We all want to quit our day jobs and we all want to play music for a living.

But I think in the short term we’re excited about having our video completed. That’s coming out soon. [We’re] putting out an EP of original music in the late spring/early summer and playing all the shows that we have now. I really believe this group has the kind of drive that can get us a hit record and can get us to be on the road permanently.

HipTronik: That sounds really good.

E: But right now, we’re holding down L.A. We love it here.

HipTronik: So do we. Finally, is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?

E: When we say E-lightz, you say E-lightz! [laughs]

Also, we’ve had a lot of instant support from fans, which is why I think the band has worked so hard for the past eight months. This project, I think, for all of us is the one that everyone seemed to immediately respond to. If anything, we’d like to say thanks for the people who stuck their neck out and believed in us. We love it. We love the fans.

HipTronik: We’re really excited about what you guys are doing.  Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us.

Electrolightz Myspace

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Electrolightz Facebook

With the release of their new mix tape, HipTronik group Electrolightz gives the world a taste of their unique sound. In a phone conference gone awry – only one of the four members were able to call in, and the call was dropped halfway through the interview – Electrolightz drummer Barry Romance gave us the scoop on the group's history, their plans for the future, and the confusion they cause for their live crowds.

HipTronik: Would you like to introduce yourselves to HipTronik?

Electrolightz: This is Barry Romance, electronic drummer of the Electrolightz. With me as always are Namebrand, Rami Dearest and Eroc. Of course, right now they’re not with me, but in spirit they are.

HipTronik: How did you guys start out? We read on your Myspace that you all hit it off during a studio session one day, but what brought you guys together as a group?

E: I would say it’s because of Eroc. He had this idea in his heart and started writing these songs based on some tough times he went through. He did all the music himself, but he realized that he needed his friends for their creative input. He asked Rami to come in to sing and then he asked Namebrand to drop some raps and immediately it came to a whole new place.

They said, “We need to start playing this stuff live. We need a band.” so they called me up because I bring the heat like that. It’s a great collaborative effort from a bunch of different musicians that come from really different worlds. Everyone’s bringing their own thing to the table.

HipTronik: So you guys were all friends before you actually became group members?

E: We were all friends with Eric. I didn’t know Namebrand and Namebrand didn’t know Rami or me, but we all knew Eric. He brought us all into the studio separately and then we started hearing each other’s stuff and decided we had to get together. We met through Eric in this organic kind of way.

HipTronik: How did you come up with the name Electrolightz? Is there any story behind it?

E: I think that’s a question for Eroc because I don’t know the answer, but you will hear us saying  “E-lightz” instead of Electrolightz. At our concert we’ll say “E-liiiggghhhttzz” and a lot of people don’t know what we’re saying. So just to clarify: that’s short for Electrolightz.

HipTronik: As far as your concerts go, we’ve heard you say a live show is “like a dance party.” What elements do you add to give it that feel?

E: We feed off of the crowd just like anyone else. We’ve been playing a lot of festivals; we toured with LMFAO and we just did the Heat Festival with Steve Aoki and A-Trak.  So we work from what we see.

Seeing what groups like LMFAO and Far East Movement bring to their show makes us want to bring more of a dance party kind of feel. We didn’t want to just have a DJ at our shows because having the live keyboards and drums gives the show a different feel that the audience picks up on.

We, in turn, get amped off the crowd—dancing together with the live instruments. It makes the live show special and people remember the songs … It’s more organic and not quite as stiff.

HipTronik: You performed with LMFAO in Las Vegas and Los Angeles?

E: It was really fun. There was Schwayze, the Paradiso Girls, Far East Movement and Space Cowboy. For the Vegas show, those people went bananas! I’d never seen anything like it. It was crazy.

HipTronik: So you had a good time performing with LMFAO?

E: Oh. Terrible time. They were extremely boring and had terrible attitudes. [laughs] No, we really had a great time. It was inspiring to see how far they’ve taken their music and how they’ve made their own scene around it.

They did a similar thing – playing nightclubs in Hollywood where you get up there with a DJ and a mic and you rock the spot. The show is a real escape for fans who want to have a good time, and they are definitely bringing that. It was great to be a part of it.

HipTronik: How would you describe your music? What is the Electrolightz’ sound?

E: I would say our influences are Depeche Mode, Cut Copy, A-Trak and LMFAO, for sure. And I’d say our music has changed. Basically we had nine original songs and we just did this mix tape that I’m sure you guys’ have right?

HipTronik: Yes we do. We made it available for people to download off the HipTronik website.

**At this point, our connection went bad and the call was dropped.  Fortunately, we were able to recover and continue on with the interview.

HipTronik: Sorry, we couldn’t hear you.

E: No one was hurt.

HipTronik: No musicians or interviewers were hurt in the process of this call. So we were talking about your music, right?

E: Oh, right. I would say the “Electrolightz presents Electronightz” mix tape is a really good representation of how our band started and the direction that it’s going right now. This mix tape is a great mix because it has stuff that’s more emotional, but it also has stuff that’s more fun, which I think is important for a record that people would want to hold on to for more than a season.

HipTronik: It sounds like you definitely have a range in your sound. It’s not just one note and you like to show your diversity as a group.

E: Right. I would also say that musically we like to stay in this electronica/hip hop genre. I would say emotionally it’s not quite as flat as you might expect from a dance group.

We’re not afraid to expose ourselves and show who we are and the stuff that we’re going through. We’re not too cool to put that in our music and I think people respond to that. Everybody’s got to deal with s*** and we’re just trying to say that it’s all good.

HipTronik: Going back to your mix tape. You recently had a release party, right?

E: Huge release.

HipTronik: How do you guys feel about having it out?

E: It’s really nice to finally have something we can give people. We’ve been a group for around eight month now and we only had a couple of unfinished tracks. But now we have a finished product to show people what we’ve been working on.

The release party was a big success for us also. It represented us really well and anyone who was at the party knows it’s a great send-off, like we’re going at this for real now. The mix tape is a real celebration of the beginning of the group.

Click here to read Part 2.

Electrolightz Myspace

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