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MXZI & Deno Unite NCS and Mixtape Madness on “FAVELA”
In an era where internet culture can elevate songs to global audiences overnight, few collaborations represent the intersection of different music worlds quite like “FAVELA,” the record bringing together producer MXZI and UK artist Deno.
Released in November 2025, the track arrived through an unprecedented partnership between two powerful music platforms: NoCopyrightSounds (NCS) and Mixtape Madness.
A Rare Meeting of Two Music Giants
Both platforms involved in the release bring enormous audiences.
NoCopyrightSounds, founded in 2011, has become one of the most influential electronic music outlets on YouTube, boasting over 34 million subscribers and more than 12 billion total video views.
The label built its reputation by releasing copyright-free electronic music that creators can use in videos, making it one of the most widely used music sources across YouTube, Twitch, and gaming culture.
Meanwhile Mixtape Madness has established itself as one of the UK’s most influential rap platforms, with its YouTube channel attracting around 1.8 million subscribers and producing viral freestyle series like Next Up and Mad About Bars.
While both brands dominate their own lanes NCS in electronic music and Mixtape Madness in UK rap collaborations between the two remain rare. That made “FAVELA” stand out immediately.
The track marked a joint release between the two brands, merging their audiences and creating a bridge between phonk-driven electronic production and melodic UK rap vocals.
MXZI at the Center of the Collaboration
At the heart of the record is “dominic balog” (known as MXZI), whose rise over the past few years has turned him into one of the most streamed producers emerging from the modern Brazilian Phonk movement.
The London-based producer now attracts over 16 million monthly listeners on Spotify, while his catalog has generated billions of streams across platforms. His breakout “Montagem” series including tracks like Montagem Xonada and Montagem Tomada has collectively accumulated hundreds of millions of plays.
Those numbers have positioned MXZI as one of the producers shaping the high-energy montagem-style wave of phonk, a sound built for viral edits.
The collaboration with Deno represents another expansion of his influence.
Rather than staying within purely electronic circles, MXZI stepped directly into the UK rap scene bringing his production style into a space traditionally dominated by grime, afroswing, and melodic drill.
The Deno Factor
For Deno Michael Mebrahtu, the collaboration added another chapter to an already successful career.
Born in Brixton, London, the British-Eritrean singer and rapper first gained attention through viral freestyles posted online before collaborating with major UK artists.
His breakout single “Advice” with Cadet became a major UK hit, reaching No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart and earning BPI Gold certification.
Over the years, Deno has accumulated hundreds of millions of streams, with his catalog surpassing 586 million total Spotify plays and attracting a global fanbase.
A Song Built for the Internet Era
Like much of MXZI’s catalog, “FAVELA” was built with the creator and short-form content in mind..
The track runs just over two minutes, maintains a fast 130 BPM, and features tightly structured drops designed to work seamlessly in montage edits and short-form content. This structure has become a defining characteristic of the modern phonk wave music.
With NCS’s creator-driven distribution model and Mixtape Madness’s deep connection to UK rap audiences, the collaboration effectively placed the track in front of millions of listeners across multiple communities at once.
MXZI, Deno – FAVELA | Funk | NCS x Mixtape Madness – Copyright Free Music
A Symbol of MXZI’s Growing Influence
The release of “FAVELA” highlights MXZI’s expanding influence across different corners of the music industry.
Few producers move seamlessly between electronic music platforms and established UK rap outlets but MXZI’s viral reach has positioned him as a bridge between those worlds.
For MXZI, bringing together powerhouse names in this unprecedented collaboration demonstrates the growing influence he now carries within the industry.
FOLLOW MXZI:
Instagram: @mxziofc
TikTok: @mxziofc
Official YouTube: @MXZIOFC
YouTube Music: MXZI Artist Page
FOLLOW DENO:
Instagram: @denodriz
TikTok: @denodriz
X (Twitter): @denodriz
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MGMT’s ‘Kids’ celebrates 18 years since its release, with the song remaining one of the group’s most recognised tracks worldwide
Eighteen years after its single release, ‘Kids’ remains one of the songs most closely associated with MGMT, even though its story began years earlier. Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser first recorded versions of the track while they were still students, before it later became part of Oracular Spectacular and reached a much wider audience in 2008. Since then, ‘Kids’ has gone from chart success and a Grammy nomination to later versions from major electronic artists, giving the song a history that extends well beyond its original release.
From Wesleyan To ‘Oracular Spectacular’
Before the version most listeners know, ‘Kids’ had already been part of MGMT’s catalogue for several years. An early recording appeared on We (Don’t) Care in 2004. Another version followed on the Time to Pretend EP in 2005, while the pair were still students at Wesleyan University.
Those earlier recordings meant ‘Kids’ was already familiar territory for MGMT when they began work on Oracular Spectacular. Ben Goldwasser has spoken about writing the music while they were still at college. Neither of them could have known then how widely people would eventually hear the song. The album later introduced ‘Kids’ to a much larger audience alongside ‘Time to Pretend’ and ‘Electric Feel’.
‘Kids’ Became One Of MGMT’s Biggest Songs
As Oracular Spectacular gained a wider audience, ‘Kids’ became one of the album’s biggest singles. It reached No. 16 in the UK and spent 48 weeks inside the Top 100. That made it MGMT’s highest-charting single in the country.
The song also brought MGMT recognition at the 2010 Grammy Awards. It received a nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, while the duo also earned a Best New Artist nomination.
Years after its original chart success, the song also found a place with a new generation of electronic artists. KSHMR and Stefy De Cicco released their version with MKLA in 2020. Tiësto later played his own remix at major festivals, including Tomorrowland, while Bassjackers released another version in 2025.
Those reinterpretations are only one part of the song’s history over the past two decades. ‘Kids’ began in MGMT’s university catalogue before becoming part of Oracular Spectacular and finding an international audience. Eighteen years after its single release, it remains one of the songs most closely associated with MGMT and their early career.
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Swedish House Mafia have cancelled their highly anticipated Ullevi Stadium show in Gothenburg due to severe weather conditions.
Swedish House Mafia have cancelled their highly anticipated Ullevi Stadium show in Gothenburg due to severe weather conditions, with thunderstorms making it unsafe for the event to go ahead. The trio confirmed the news via their Instagram, stating that the safety of their audience, artists, crew, and staff is their highest priority, and that further information will be shared as soon as possible.
The Ullevi show had been one of the most anticipated dates in Swedish House Mafia’s current run, a homecoming performance in their native Sweden at one of the country’s most iconic stadiums. With a capacity of over 40,000, it would have stood as one of the biggest shows in the group’s history, making the cancellation all the more difficult for the thousands of fans who had travelled to Gothenburg for the night.
No rescheduled date has been announced at the time of writing. Ticket holders should monitor Swedish House Mafia’s official channels for updates on refunds and any further information as it becomes available.
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ERAN previews seven unreleased tracks already spinning in sets by Hugel, Solomun, and WhoMadeWho ahead of a big summer.
ERAN took to Instagram this week to preview a collection of upcoming originals still in the pipeline. He gave fans an early listen to music that hasn’t hit any platform yet. The previews span seven tracks. Moreover, the early feedback from the DJ community has been anything but quiet. Hugel, Solomun, and WhoMadeWho are among the names already supporting the unreleased material. This shows a level of pre-release traction. In fact, it signals serious dancefloor weight across the board.
View this post on Instagram
ERAN Previews Unreleased Music
The previewed tracks sit firmly within ERAN’s established lane: Afro house, tribal rhythms, and melodic elements shaped by his Middle Eastern roots. Years of refining his sound between Miami studios and global stages are evident throughout. While full release details remain under wraps, the Instagram preview makes one thing clear a busy summer is coming.
Support From Hugel, Solomun, and WhoMadeWho
Notably, getting unreleased music into the sets of Hugel, Solomun, and WhoMadeWho before a track has even been announced is no small achievement. Since these artists operate across very different corners of electronic music, the support says a lot about the versatility of the material. Hugel brings peak-hour energy, while Solomun represents the deeper late-night underground sound. Meanwhile, WhoMadeWho bridges melodic and indie dance influences. Together, their support points toward a batch of music with genuine crossover appeal.
ERAN’s Rise Across Afro House
Originally born in Israel and now based in Miami, ERAN began his journey into music in New York in 2001. Since then, he has spent more than two decades building a catalogue that crosses Afro house, tribal house, and melodic production. As a result, his signature sound has become heavily shaped by both his heritage and international influences.
His profile shifted significantly in 2023. Most notably, his collaboration with Madonna, Blondish, and Darmon on Sorry reached number one in 76 countries. In addition, the track topped the Beatport chart within days of release. Around the same period, his Afro house track Rej also claimed the number one spot on Beatport, while his Spotify streams pushed well past 30 million.
Over the years, his music has appeared on Insomniac Records, Armada, Spinnin’ Records, and Ultra. At the same time, his own label One Day Forever has continued growing as a platform for Afro, tribal, and melodic sounds. Beyond releases, he has performed at EDC, BPM, and Zamna. Because of this consistency, ERAN has built a reputation as a producer capable of balancing underground credibility with crossover reach without losing either side of his identity.
Latest Release Out Now
While the seven previewed tracks are still building toward release, ERAN also currently has his latest single I Like The Way You Move out now with The Angels (IL) via Go Deeva Light Records.
ERAN has a packed summer schedule on the horizon. Stay connected with his socials below for the latest show announcements and release updates. These will come as the season approaches.
Follow ERAN for more updates:
Instagram: @EranHersh
Spotify: Eran Hersh
BEATPORT: Eran Hersh
SOUNDCLOUD: ERAN
YOUTUBE: @ERANHERSH
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