“What am I to build, if my hands are broken, if I’m not the chosen one?” sings Steven McKellar of Civil Twilight on “Story of An Immigrant”, over a lush, dynamic beat that evokes the sounds of his native South Africa while steeped in the band’s everevolving present. The foursome (Steven, his brother and guitarist Andrew, drummer Richard Wouters and Kevin Dailey on keys and guitar) are living proof of what happens when you stop worrying about being the chosen one and make music built on both the roots that grew you and the love that keeps you thriving every day. Civil Twilight’s songs embrace every corner of human emotion, balancing delicate, poetic lyrics with sweeping arrangements that touch all the senses: a phrase to make you think; a rolling drumbeat you can feel in your bones; a guitar vamp as illustrative as a picture; a shimmer of keys whose light can nearly be seen and heard. Produced by Ben H. Allen (Gnarls Barkley, Bombay Bicycle Club, Cut Copy), their third record on Wind-Up is built on this vibrancy, on the permanent dust of a Cape Town youth; on the connection that unites them all as brothers beyond blood and on their new home in America where they pull from the innate, thriving musicianship of Nashville, where they live. When you listen to Civil Twilight, from their self-titled debut, to 2012’s widely lauded Holy Weather to now, it’s easy to understand why the band has topped five million YouTube views and reached historic success with film and television syncs – because it’s music you can’t shake, that translates experience into moments and creates melodies that become imbedded deep under the skin. We’re all immigrants, in some way, and Civil Twilight’s singing our national anthem.

The Freestylers: 28 Years of Bass, Beats & Global Anthems

With a career spanning nearly three decades, the Freestylers—Aston Harvey and Matt Cantor—have made their mark on the electronic dance music scene. From playing the world’s biggest festivals and clubs to appearing on Top of the Pops, they’ve remained at the forefront of the genre without ever standing still.

Origins & Breakthrough

Aston Harvey began as an engineer and producer, working with Rebel MC / Congo Natty and co-producing the jungle classic Spiritual Aura with DJ Rap. Matt Cantor, meanwhile, was part of Strike, co-producing the dance hit U Sure Do. The two met at Fresh Records, bonding over their love of hip-hop, electro, and breakbeats, leading to the birth of the Freestylers.

Their debut album brought them international success, with hits like B-Boy Stance and Ruffneck landing in the UK, Dutch, and German Top 20. A major US record deal followed, leading to a spot on Lenny Kravitz’s American Woman tour and a legendary Glastonbury 1999 performance.

Global Hits & Reinvention

Over the years, they’ve released a string of anthems, from Push Up, a #1 hit in Australia, Holland, and Belgium, to Cracks, which became a dubstep classic with 80+ million streams. They’ve also collaborated with Pendulum and held festival residencies worldwide.

In 2025, they’re set to release their seventh studio album, Enter the Sound—a collaboration with Dub Pistols featuring reggae legends like General Levy and Tippa Irie. With a packed schedule of festivals, remixes, and new music, the Freestylers are still going strong. In the words of LL Cool J: “Don’t call it a comeback—they’ve been here for years!”

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