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.

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To many, Ben Pearce’s name is synonymous with ‘What I Might Do’, his oddly anthemic deep-house debut that dominated club floors across the world in 2012. Whilst this is an easy correlation to make (the track went platinum in Europe, reached #7 in the UK charts and was the most Shazamed tracked of 2013 in the UK), those who have followed him since the beginning can testify that he is so much more than that.

Ben is very much an underground DJ first-and-foremost, aided in no small part by his vast musical knowledge and the ability to play across a wide range of musical genres. His skills behind the decks have not gone un-noticed, as shown by high-profile sets alongside the likes of Simian Mobile Disco, Tensnake and Claptone. 

On the rise, Ben was named DJ Mag's Best Breakthrough Producer in 2013 and in the following year further proved that he's deserving of the coveted award. Becoming increasingly known for his remixing abilities as well as his own original productions, remixing for Le Youth, Kwabs and Tender Games all in 2014. He collaborated with Black Orange Juice ‘Predictable’ for MTA, a soulfully smooth single that equally showcases lyrical flair and production talent, as well as release the underground club infused 'Lego' EP on his own label. 

The latter end of 2014 saw Ben launch of his new disco inspired project The Sextape Series. Which incorporates a number of free mix tapes, cheeky edits and a sequence of Sextape inspired parties. These specific nights see Ben playing extended funk-infused sets across a range of characterful, intimate venues in the UK. 

Through 2015, Ben has continued to tour around the globe, starting the year in Australia before embarking on a tour of North America in March. Starting in Miami where Ben played a special Sextape Series set, the tour also took in dates in Montreal, Texas and Mexico City. Having appeared for the brand last year, Ben was given a recurring residency for ANTS at Ushuaia and additionally appeared for We Love… and Magna Carta at Sankeys Ibiza. Not to mention the inaugural Creamfields Festival in Ibiza at Ushuaia. Away from the White Isle, Ben played at the first ever Lost Village Festival as well as Parklife, We Are FSTVL and the Ruis Festival in the Netherlands.

Revered for his classic disco sets, the legendary Giorgio Moroder also enlisted Ben to play a special set at the launch party for his new album at Shoreditch House in May - an event that also served as a fundraiser for Bridges for Music. 

Alongside a hectic touring schedule, Ben has also provided remixes for the likes of IYES and Hayden James on ‘Something About You’ in 2015, as well as standout collaborative record ’Nothing Ever Hurts' with Shadowchild and featuring vocalist Laurel - a track that reinforced Ben’s penchant for blending astute melody with peak-time bass.

Ben also successfully runs his own label imprint Purp & Soul which has celebrated its 12th release with regular artist showcases and releases. After a massive couple of years, Ben has shown that he’s not one to rest on his laurels and 2015 is sure to further Ben Pearce’s status as one of the top DJs and producers in the industry.

Delboyyy is following