EDM news
MDLBeast’s XP Announces Conference Program!
Music professionals and fans from across the region can purchase their tickets for MDLBEAST’s music conference, XP. The three-day event with a conference & nightlife aspect will take place in Riyadh from 13th – 15th December and is set to become the most forward-thinking gathering of music leaders in the region.
Tickets for the ‘Day Xperience’, which includes access to the conference for all three days, are available for 1,950 SAR and increase to 3,450 SAR for the ‘Full Xperience’ ticket, offering three-day conference access plus entry to the evening parties and events. A ‘Lite Xperience’ ticket is available for 150 SAR and includes access for one day between the hours of 4pm to midnight. For guests attending the evening events only, the ‘Night Xperience’ ticket costs 750 SAR for one night, increasing to 1,750 SAR for all three nights.
XP is set to welcome leading international and regional music industry executives, policy makers, artists and creatives to participate in workshops, panel discussions and roundtables as they come together in building the future for the region’s music industry.
XP programme director, Nada Alhelabi commented, “It’s fair to say that we are entering the most exciting time for the music industry in the Middle East, ever. The opportunity is enormous, the potential is being unlocked, and what we need is a moment for the industry to come together to seize this chance with both hands, XP is that moment’’.
She added, “We have built a very special program around the four key pillars; talent, the scene, policy, and social impact. We’re going to cover every corner of the industry with real outcomes and actions which will have a genuine and positive impact in the regional music industry.”
Programming for XP will come under four pillars: Talent and Development; Inspire and Promote; Data, Policy & Advocacy; and Social Purpose – with each pillar containing carefully curated panel discussions and networking opportunities.
Topics under Talent and Development will range from ‘Amplifying Music Futures – What does this new generation of creatives need to thrive?’, where the focus will be on laying down the ingredients for success in the industry. Another topic of discussion is titled ‘It’s a real job, mama’, which will look at how, currently, careers in the creative industries are limited for many young people in the region, and what can be done to change it.
Inspire and Promote topics will range from ‘Supercharging Music Tourism – Creating a sustainable new economy in KSA’ which will explore the changing landscape of the sharing economy, and the companies striving to make access to events and entertainment easier. A fishbowl session titled ‘How music can put a city on the global map’ will outline best practices in placemaking for music venues and festival sites.
‘Empowering Women in Music’ will be a hot topic under Data, Policy and Advocacy, as XP explores the advantages of female representation and having a diverse workforce. Another discussion under the same umbrella will be ‘The social and economic impact of the music industry on society’, which looks at the significant ROI music has on cities across the world. Social Impact programming will look at subjects which extend the positive reach of music culture into communities. This takes many forms with ‘Green events, green planet’, one example event which willshowcase the innovative power and progressive thinking within the events industry.
Ramadan Alharatani, CEO of MDLBEAST, says: “XP is a truly ground-breaking opportunity to contribute to building a new music and creative ecosystem that will offer benefits for all. The Middle East and Africa music market, which accounted for around US$170 million in the year 2018, is expected to grow to more than US$650 million in 20271. This is the scale of the opportunity and the reason why XP exists, to build the infrastructure to support and accelerate that growth.”
To ensure this, the XP programming has been carefully curated to cover the most important topics we are faced with today and I’m delighted to welcome some of the brightest and most exciting minds to join us in inspiring the next generation of music industry professional.”
Tickets are available to purchase from: https://xptickets.mdlbeast.com/
EDM Music
Unheard Music unveils its second release, ‘Your Retreat’, from Malandra Jr. & pizzaaftersex
Unheard Music is back with its second release, ‘Your Retreat’, a collaborative house anthem from Malandra Jr. and pizzaaftersex.
Unheard Music continues its journey of artistic freedom and underground expression with its second label release. Italian producer Malandra Jr. joins forces with Unheard label head pizzaaftersex to present ‘Your Retreat’, a track that captures the label’s commitment to music that is uncompromising, experimental, and charged with underground energy.
Carefully crafted around a rolling house groove and uplifting melodies, ‘Your Retreat’ is designed to connect with listeners and energise dancefloors from intimate club rooms to open-air festival sessions. Musumeci and Kirik expand the release with remixes that bring distinct perspectives, with Musumeci adding his signature Italo Indie Dance touch and Kirik injecting raw drive and club-focused intensity, creating a versatile package for DJs across a variety of different styles and settings.
Beyond the release, ‘Your Retreat’ reflects the ethos of Unheard Music. Launched by Far&High, pizzaaftersex, and Mona Chrome last year, the label was born from the belief that dance music should be more than trends, algorithms, or safe formulas. Unheard Music provides a platform for artists to experiment freely, break boundaries, and be heard in ways that feel raw, honest, and true to their vision.
pizzaaftersex comments:
“For me, this is a very special piece of work. The release turned out to be dual – there is an incredibly strong mood that Malandra brought into the track, there are amazing remixes by Musumeci & Kirik, and there is also my original vision of the track, which dissolved within the interpretations of other artists. It is an incredible experience to live through this process, to accept it, and to fall in love with what it became. This is an extremely positive experience, and I hope everyone will be able to feel all the shades of our new release on Unheard Music.”
Pizzaaftersex is a new name on the electronic scene, with a background as a producer and sound designer. Having achieved success in cinematic music, including a soundtrack credit for a world-renowned international gaming project, he now turns his focus to club and dance music, a space close to him both as a DJ and as a producer.
Malandra Jr. comments:
“This project was born between Italy and Dubai. It comes from deep mutual respect and from a fresh, sparkling melody that immediately pushed me to create something that could make it even lighter and more enjoyable to listen to. At first, I thought of something indie but then house music showed up. I hear summer in it, good vibes. A driving loop that releases into drops full of groove. Don’t look for overthinking here, this is about holding a glass in your hand and enjoying life.”
Malandra Jr. comes from a family steeped in music and art. Raised listening to his father’s saxophone and exploring technology from an early age, he began composing on an Atari and working with DAWs like Cubase before mastering classical piano and studying clarinet at the Academy of Teatro alla Scala. His early electronic releases, including ‘Conquest’ on Cocoon Recordings, captured the attention of DJs and promoters, leading to subsequent releases on labels such as Dfloor, Stil Vor Talent, and R&S. Over the years, Malandra Jr. has performed at major festivals and clubs worldwide, from Tomorrowland to Watergate, delivering DJ sets that are varied, rhythmic, and immersive, blending light and darkness while captivating audiences across the globe.
Unheard Music is planning activities beyond recorded output, with events, podcasts, video mixes, and off-site sessions in unique locations, all curated to form part of the vision to connect people through sound and offer music as culture rather than an algorithm. ‘Your Retreat’ is a clear statement of the label’s philosophy, showcasing the creativity and freedom at the heart of Unheard Music, while reaffirming its commitment to supporting underground expression and artistic exploration.
FLAMENCA Records boss STBAN continues his surge into 2026 with his latest single, the stand-alone flamenco house groover ‘Esperanza’. A traditional Spanish word for “hope”, “esperanza” symbolizes optimism, faith and aspiration for a better future.
It’s fitting, with the world’s energy as it is, that STBAN releases the track alongside an official video that feels both cathartic and hopeful. ‘Esperanza’s’ video follows the journey of its protagonists from heartbreak and loneliness, through radical self acceptance, towards healing and ultimately, through closure of the emotional cycle, a new chapter.
Musically, ‘Esperanza’ continues the label’s push to bring Flamenco House to a global audience. Undulating synth and percussion sections combine to create a relentless rhythm that bubbles under the evocative topline. Beautifully Hispanic, it manages to be both ethereal and club ready at the same time, STBAN’s composition weaving hypnotically across pulsing 4×4 tempo, a driving sense of movement that pulls the listener to the heart of the dance floor.]
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Pardon My French 2026 officially returns this March as DJ Snake relaunches his iconic event series for a global 10-year anniversary tour starting in Miami.
Global icon DJ Snake has officially announced the return of Pardon My French (PMF), his influential event series and cultural collective, marking 10 years since the brand’s first tour launched in 2016. After several years without a full touring run, following its last major era of shows in 2019, PMF returns this March, officially relaunching on March 26, 2026 in Miami, FL at Toe Jam XL during Winter Music Conference. The 2026 run continues on April 18, 2026 in Indio, CA with a major takeover during Weekend Two of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Quasar Stage, before heading to France for two landmark summer events: June 27, 2026 at Matmut Stadium de Gerland in Lyon, France and August 9, 2026 at Les Plages Électroniques in Cannes, France. Together, the four dates mark a full-scale reintroduction of PMF across the U.S. and France, reaffirming its status as one of dance music’s most anticipated live concepts.
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Known for massive production, surprise back-to-back sets, and relentlessly high-energy crowds, PMF positions DJ Snake alongside close collaborators, international heavyweights, and rising talent. The Miami edition will feature appearances from A–Trak, Dillon Francis, TroyBoi, Flowdan, REMK, and Chuwe, with more artists to be announced.
Founded in 2015, Pardon My French was created by DJ Snake to champion French electronic culture on a global stage. Originally formed alongside fellow French artists Tchami, Malaa, and Mercer, the collective united a new generation of French talent and presented it with confidence and edge, with its 2016 debut tour introducing international audiences, particularly in the U.S., to a unified, high-impact French electronic movement. Beyond music, PMF has evolved into a broader lifestyle platform extending into fashion and streetwear, using bold design and selective collaborations to reflect its unapologetic, global, and community-driven ethos.
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