Noisia comprise Dutch producers Thijs, Nik and Martijn. Largely regarded as one of the most distinctive, powerful acts to emerge in bass music, their production techniques are referenced and praised across the entire electronic music scene. Their extensive body of work also includes the game Devil May Cry and the Foreign Beggars collaboration I Am Legion.

New live album Wheels Turn Beneath My Feet II out now! https://finkmusic.net/collections/music

In a dark kitchen in the middle of a sweaty night in Las Vegas, all 6’4” of Dan Reynolds is hunched over a laptop, slapping beats on the table and crooning lyrics into a tiny microphone. Before long, he and the other three members of indie rock band Imagine Dragons would be playing “It’s Time,” that same laptop-demo-turned-supersized-anthem, from the roof of a parking garage to a wave of thousands of screaming fans. This song title to the single from their 2012 debut KidInaKorner/Interscope release “Continued Silence EP” is an all too apt descriptor of the band’s hard-earned success—but it’s also emblematic of the deep-seated anxiety Reynolds and the rest of the band experienced leaving behind any realistic expectation of a normal job to do the thing they love most.

A third-generation Las Vegas native, Reynolds is no stranger to the adage “the house always wins,” choosing to pave his musical career with a near obsessive work ethic and hundreds of unused demos rather than roll the dice with the first songs that sprung from his mouth. It’s no surprise, then, that he was drawn to guitarist Wayne Sermon, another founding member of Imagine Dragons. Having practically grown up in a recording studio and graduated Berklee College of Music, Wayne had been practicing his guitar through meals and other socially inappropriate situations as long as he could remember; he challenged Dan in a way that was both uncomfortable and exactly what they both needed. When they began writing songs together and recognized something special was happening, Wayne called up his Berklee friend Ben McKee, who promptly dropped out of school with only a few credits left, moving across the country to play bass for the band. This sort of reckless/genius behavior is typical for Ben, who has an uncanny penchant for spicy food and a suitcase full of unbelievable road stories. More recently, the band was joined by drummer Daniel Platzman, another Bostonian schoolmate who seems way too nice to be playing rock and roll until you actually see him in action.

Several tours and three self-released EPs later, Imagine Dragons had made a serious name for itself, particularly in the west coast circuit. Although their songs vary from nearly whimsical and light to brooding and powerful, listeners are drawn to the inherent honesty in the music. The only rule of thumb for the band, it seems, is to write from a true place; the result is songs that literally run the spectrum of human emotion. Attend a concert, and it becomes clear that the live performance of deeply personal songs has a real effect on people. And the band itself is not immune, as demonstrated when Dan literally passed out into the drum set during a finale song, sending cymbals and drum stands crashing while the rest of the band played on until the close.

Great songwriting is bound to be noticed eventually. As proof that the harder you work, the luckier you get, one of those people who noticed was Grammy winning producer Alex da Kid (Eminem, Rihanna). Alex and Dan began collaborating on projects, and soon the band had developed a relationship with Alex and his team. The alchemy resulting from Alex’s hip hop sensibilities and Imagine Dragons’ anthemic rock is nothing short of explosive. The byproduct of this creative collision is “Continued Silence,” a six song in-your-face sonic grenade that breaks musical boundaries and yet is strangely relatable by its improbably diverse audience.

Despite it all, on any given day when they aren’t on the road playing shows, you can still find Imagine Dragons huddled away in a rehearsal room somewhere, banging out song after song in search of the next perfect track. Like most things in Vegas, the band is angled at going big or going bust. For the sake of those who love great music, we hope it’s the former.

28-year-old Austin Mahone remains one of the most recognizable stars in pop culture. He has topped the charts for over a decade with more than 38 million followers combined across social media as well as over 5 million monthly listeners across all streaming platforms, and nearly five million YouTube subscribers.

Austin is a global multi-platinum recording artist. He has been recognized with accolades from the MTV Video Music Awards, iHeartRadio Music Awards, MTV European Music Awards, Radio Disney Music Awards, and more.  He has performed on Good Morning America, appeared on the Today Show, Live! With Kelly & Michael, Access Hollywood, E! News, Extra, The Insider, VH1, MTV; graced countless magazine covers across the world, including Teen Vogue, Wonderland, Essential Homme, GQ Italia, 1883 and YRB; as well as garnered high-profile print features in Details, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, Texas Monthly, and the Wall Street Journal.

As a San Antonio, Texas native, Austin grew up listening to and loving country music as a fan of George Strait, Kenny Chesney, and Toby Keith just to name a few. He branched out in his teens, exploring other genres of music and was quickly influenced by Pop and R&B stars like T-Pain, Usher, and Lil Wayne. After gaining enormous popularity from posting videos on YouTube in the early 2010s, Mahone signed a record deal and toured with some of music’s biggest stars including Taylor Swift, Ed Sherran, Jason Derulo and many more.

Although his star rose in the Pop and R&B worlds, Mahone never forgot about his Country beginnings. He cultivated his roots with his latest album, A Lone Star Story, which is a captivating, authentic album that showcases his Texas heritage alongside a blend of Pop, R&B, and Rock inspirations. The 15-song passion project brings together Mahone’s life experiences, diverse influences, and innate musical sensibilities into a cohesive and authentic collection of work.

Today, Austin Mahone is based in Nashville, Tennessee, crafting his unique musical narrative. He continues to perform, write, and produce with some of Music City’s leading musicians. With the success of his recent single releases such as “Sundress”, “Withdrawal”, and “Kuntry”, the young and versatile artist is making a name for himself in the hot landscape of Pop/Country music.

The science documentary series that looks in depth at the most significant ideas, discoveries and trends in science. Available to download weekly on Mondays.

Witness - history as told by the people who were there. Five days a week we will be talking to people who lived through moments of history to bring you a personal perspective on world events.

From Alice Walker to Chinua Achebe, the world's greatest authors discuss their best known novel. This monthly programme, presented by Harriett Gilbert, includes questions from BBC World Service listeners.

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