20 Nov 2014 
Posted by Cassi Catsaros
“The Aussies piloting the hardstyle scene”
By: Cassi Catsaros
When we think of hardstyle, and particularly the artists taking the lead within the genre, we usually think of 2 metre tall Dutch guys with unbelievably sexy accents, beautiful faces and a sheer talent of sitting behind their computers with a carefree attitude and producing hit after hit.
With all due respect to clogs, legal marijuana and ridiculously great tasting cheese (and boys), I thought that it was time that I took a look around my own backyard to represent and honour the green and gold!
Speaking of green and gold, this next piece is indeed about the pioneers that fly their Aussie flag high, representing our land down under in the world of hardstyle.
So watch out Dutchies, as I introduce you all (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER) to the leading men that make us proud of our “bogan accents” and even prouder to stand up and randomly belt out the national anthem.
1. Code Black
Corey Soljan, AKA Code Black has earned his well deserved title as one of the most versatile and talented producers that the world of hardstyle has to offer. Originally beginning his career within the duo “Bioweapon,” he made the risky decision to leave Australia and move to The Netherlands to focus on his music career.
Let me tell you, his success definitely overpowered the risk of moving to the other side of the world…
Although Bioweapon split in 2011, Corey’s musical career was never compromised, as he embarked on his solo journey as “Code Black.” After releasing his initial dance floor smashing hits “Red Planet,” and “Can’t Hold Me Back,” The demand for Corey skyrocketed as he worked his way up to playing at the most prestigious events such as Qlimax, Tomorrowland, HardBass and Decibel.
Carrying the honour of creating the Defqon.1 Australia anthem “Unleash The Beast,” the year of 2014 has already proven to be huge for this Aussie born talent – and guess what? 2015 is most likely going to be double as impressive! Between killer collabs and his own studio sessions, Corey’s schedule has been packed to the brim!
Along with the creation of the outstanding Defqon.1 anthem, this previous year has seen Code Black releasing an array of tracks consisting of heart melting melodies such as “Starting Over,” a collaboration with Atmozfears and who could forget about “Pandora,” one of the most spine shivering and supernatural inspired tracks to rock the world of hard dance.
The future of this Aussie talent is certainly looking as bright as his melodies, so keep up the fantastic work Corey! Australia is anxiously awaiting your return this September so we can Unleash the Beast!
2. Audiofreq
When I think of artists that succeed at pushing the boundaries of a certain genre, one particular Aussie always pops into my mind. Sam Gonzalez, better known as Audiofreq is well renowned for his versatile and unique approach to hardstyle, his distinct powerhouse sound and infectious passion towards music has thrown him to the very top of talent within the hardstyle world.
His solo career lifted off after his split from the duo “Bioweapon,” which saw Sam perfecting his sound, exciting and surprising crowds all over the world.
Sam is not only known for his unbreakable dedication to the scene, late nights in the studio with the company of countless cups of coffee but he has also quickly gained support from pioneers such as Kutski, Headhunterz and TNT (Technoboy and Tuneboy), which he collaborated with this year to create tracks “Breakout” and “Yerba Diabolika”.
This young Aussie is truly breaking down the superficial barriers of hardstyle as he has also collaborated with eminent experimentalist Geck-e, hitting the spot on ‘experimental’ mark with their track “Mutate”.
His most recent album “Audioception,” released at the end of 2013 was an album consisting of extreme versatility, exceptional quality and a timeless sound that will never cease to amaze all listeners. His releases in 2014 such as “Warcry” and “Riot” on Hard With Style have also hit some pretty impressive heights, as Audiofreq stays true to his experimental yet extremely energetic sound. Sam’s innovative approach towards hardstyle is one that many aspiring producers around the world look up to and definitely one that keeps us on the dance floor!
The future is definitely looking “freqy” (in a good way) for this Aussie talent, as we look forward to being blown away by his future productions!
3. Toneshifterz
The next Aussie powerhouse act I would like to introduce is Toneshifterz. Every hardstyle fan would have definitely heard the heart capturing melodies as well as some “R.A.W power” coming out of Elie Abwi’s Sydney studio. And for those non-hardstyle listeners who haven’t already been infected by his faultless sound, you have probably heard the name floating around on line-ups for various events such as Defqon.1 (Australia and The Netherlands), Supernova under 18’s, Bass Control, District 7 and Q-Dance presents Frontliner.
Toneshifterz, formerly known as a duo, recently decided to part ways at the end of 2013, with Elie continuing on with the act and let me tell you, he has definitely failed to disappoint us! Also recently signed with pioneer Brennan Heart’s label “WE R,” Toneshifterz has delivered a shitload of kick-ass tracks such as that demonstrate his elaborate knack for producing.
Elie has had the honour of representing Australia in his European tour in 2014 which saw him standing amongst crowds at festivals such as Mysteryland, 7th Sunday and The Qontinent, in which he created the anthem for! Most recently, Toneshifterz has been representing the harder styles at various “traditional non-hardstyle” clubs such as Chinese Laundry in Sydney (known for it’s usual drum & bass and techno nights). Step-by-step, Toneshifterz is truly opening up the doors of hardstyle to the rest of the Australia as he his name has become quite popular amongst Australia and also the rest of the world.
The passion and energy that Elie brings to the decks time after time is impeccable. If you’ve been living underneath a rock all of your life and haven’t heard his music, I suggest that you check him out!
4. Outbreak
“STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND SHOW ME YOUR BASS FACE!” Is one line that has been going viral around the world of the harder styles, summing up this next Aussie talent perfectly.
John-Paul (JP) Pirello, AKA Outbreak, has set extremely high standards for the world of hardstyle as he steps outside of the box, and steps into the world of combining forces between both raw and melodic, utilising elements from both distinct styles and creating one hell of an earthquake. He has also become a well renowned artist in terms of his down-to-Earth attitude and great connection with his fanbase!
JP was also formerly known as “Nitrouz,” his former act is responsible an array of explosive tracks such as “City Bitch,” and “Can’t Hold Me Back,” a collaboration with Aussie colleague Code Black.
After many countless days and nights in the studio, perfecting the experimental edge that JP never fails to deliver, the identity and birth of the act Outbreak was revealed to the public eye at Tomorrowland festival 2013. From that day on, JP has gone from strength to strength, undoubtedly smashing out tracks that have been unstoppable on dance floors around the globe. 2013 and 2014 has seen this young Aussie’s career soar as he has infected thousands of fans with his incredibly captivating sound.
Along with fellow Aussies Code Black and Toneshifterz, Outbreak is also signed to Brennan Heart’s label “WE R,” which just goes to show that the green and gold are definitely capable of tearing down the barriers of the harder styles.
So everybody, get your bass faces ready for OUTBREAK.
5. The Strangerz
Chris Hughes and Hansel Almeida are not only notorious for blowing our minds with unbelievably filthy and energetic beats at the early hours of the morning at Masif Saturdays and various hardstyle events across Australia, but they have also gained much deserved respect for their raw and daring edge to production.
Since their journey began in 2010, The Strangerz have been a steady growing act, setting the bar incredibly high for raw-style exported from the land down under. The boys have become a greatly respected act in the Australian scene, representing the raw side of hardstyle at the most prestegious Australian events such as Headhunterz presents: Hard With Style in Sydney and Q-Dance presents: Frontliner, in which they made a very special remix of Frontliner’s track “External Life,” which is hands down one of my favourite tracks of the moment.
The Strangerz also have an exciting agenda for the remainder of 2014, they have most recently played at HSU presents: Knockout and this coming weekend they are hosting their own Focus Night at Masif Saturdays, so be sure to head down and check these guys out! On top of that, Hansel and Chris are busy in the studio gathering and creating material for their two highly anticipated sets at Defqon.1 Australia in September.
Our parents always warned us about “stranger-danger,” and let me tell you, the tracks that have been flying out of Chris and Hansel’s studio in the year of 2014 have definitely been dangerous (in a good way).
The exciting news has continued for The Strangerz this year as they have recently signed with powerhouse label A2 records, releasing two relentless, ground-shaking tracks “Nightwatchers” and “Fire and Blood,” featuring Tawar.
The future looks promising for these two local heroes, so get set for more raw power screeching out of the land down under!
6. Delete
Industrial roughness, grit and an unbelievable frequency of force perfectly illustrates the powerful sounds of this next Australian hardstyle heavyweight. Ryan Biggs, AKA Delete has been fucking crowds in all the right places with his filthily engineered sound that keeps us crawling back for more.
Originating from Newcastle, Australia, Delete is definitely one of the country’s most treasured exports to The Netherlands. Ryan has shown a timeless approach to the genre, creating raw masterpieces that fly beyond the decayed commercial sound by teleporting listeners into a parallel universe of brutal and industrialised kicks, dark screeches and futuristic elements. Delete’s tracks demonstrate a highly sophisticated and perfected sound that violently burst down the barriers of the rawstyle scene, succeeding time and time again to deliver an original spark that commercial rawstyle tends to lack.
Tracks such as “Ghetto,” “Dismissed,” and “Level” are hidden gems that everybody should have in their workout playlists and if you haven’t yet been infected by the sounds of Delete, I suggest that you waste no more time!
2014 has been an absolutely colossal year for this young Aussie, who is a part of Theracords, one of the most respected and versatile music labels in the world of hard-dance. Delete has demolished crowds, turning them upside down with his punching sound at various events such as Defqon.1 The Netherlands, (alongside raw beauty Deetox) Intents Festival, WiSH Outdoor and Xxlerator Outdoor.
World, get your power armour prepared for Delete to infect your minds!
7. Dillytek
Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and free, Aaron T and Aaron G are just musically unique, with endless energy, Our land abounds in Dillytek’s gifts, of music rich and rare. In history’s page, Dillytek on stage, Advance Australia Fair.
So ah… I think we have a new Australian national anthem, with a little Dillytek flavour!
Aaron Grace and Aaron Tilse (I still cannot get over the fact that both of their names are Aaron) AKA Dillytek, have gone to some amazing lengths of creativity and energy in recent times, representing the Australian scene with the flag majestically running high in the air!
In aim to represent the land down under, these boys deservingly burst into the scene, releasing tracks under ‘Dutch Master Works’ and working their way up to support artists such as D Block & S-Te-Fan at their Sydney show in 2013 and also tearing apart the Mainstage at Defqon. 1 Australia, 2013.
Dillytek’s musical career is currently skyrocketing; all the way to Holland to be precise, where they have most recently unleashed their dangerously fresh melodies at Defqon.1, alongside Toneshifterz.
2014 has evidently already shook up the lives of both Aaron’s, with their wildest dreams becoming a reality when the “melodyman” himself, Frontliner, took the boys under his wing in his recent Australian tour, teaming up to create the chart-topping masterpiece “Elevate.”
If this collaboration from heaven wasn’t enough to excite us all and put the boys flying high on the hardstyle radar, Frontliner was so impressed by Dillytek’s capabilities and ability in the studio that he just HAD to invite the boys to join his label “Keep it Up Music,” with their first release “Feeling” already infecting listeners around the world. In Dillytek’s recent adventure to The Netherlands, the boys have been upping their ‘selfie’ game in the studio with next generation superstars Noisecult and also Frontliner (collab round 2 maybe?).
By the looks of the melodically mind-blowing tracks that have been evoking listeners around the globe, it is safe to say that the future is looking extremely exciting for Dillytek!
8. Vazard
Alongside Delete, you will most likely find his partner in crime, Vazard, who is well renowned for his ability to explode speakers with his truly distinctive sound that composes a cross between the much loved aspects of early hardstyle and the punch of modern day rawness.
Melbournian Stewart Edwards is the mastermind behind the act Vazard, who kicked off his career in music in 2008 when he successfully blew the crowd away at the 3D DJ comp in Melbourne. Since the dawn of Vazard, Stewart has worked incredibly hard to perfect his distinct and experimental sound, ready to launch it to the world! In 2010, Vazard founded Spoontech Records, blowing the scene up with the release of “Pure Spoonage” EP alongside close colleague Delete.
The recent productions from Vazard such as “The Debt,” and “The End,” a collaboration with Delete demonstrate such intricately crafted rawness that cleverly combines an array of stylistic elements that are delivered at a level appropriate for both tearing apart the dance floor and private listening.
After successfully blowing the minds of the Dutch audience this year at events such as Loudness, Stewart has also recently bought his A-Game to Defqon.1 Australia in September, which saw him performing alongside his partner in crime Delete.
For those who like it different and for those who like it rough, be sure to keep your ears peeled for Vazard!
– A Special mention: MC D
Carlos Fernandes, AKA MC D has worked incredibly hard over the years, earning his position as one of the most respected Aussies in the hardstyle scene. He is the man behind the mic that keeps us going through those remaining hours of events and festivals where our feet are starting to ache and keeps us entertained week in week out at Masif Saturdays.
No moment is dull when MC D is around, as well as smashing through great amounts of AGWA at Masif Saturdays and dominating the world of Hardstyle, he has a love and passion for all genres of music including Hip Hop, RNB, Trance and House.
MC D demonstrates an amazing capability to excite even the quietest of crowds, transforming party-goers from sitting at the back of the crowd sipping on Bacardi and coke to dancing as if the world is ending, front and centre of the d-floor!
Carlos has built up an exceptionally impressive resume, hosting some of the most anticipated events such as Q-Dance presents: Frontliner, Headhunterz presents Hard with Style, HSU’s 5th birthday featuring: Technoboy, Defqon.1 Australia and most recently, he represented Australia on the QULT stage at Defqon.1 in The Netherlands.
Other than pumping up the crowd and demonstrating such a timeless love and dedication on the microphone, MC D’s vocals have been featured on tracks such as “Highest Ace,” by The Viper and Evil Activities and “I’m Bulletproof,” by Tuneboy (Motherfucker, I’m bulletproof!).
– Something a little different: Hawman
World, get ready for the sound of Subground!
World, also meet the Aussie subground hero, Hawman.
For those who are scratching your heads thinking “what the fuck is subground?” here is a short definition, can be described as “a mix of various music genres which consists of a sub bass on beat mixing influences from multiple electronic dance genres such has hardstyle and hard trance, characterised by a tempo around 130-135 BPM, just like electro tracks.”
Evidently, subground is a pretty risky genre to produce to perfection and Aussie producer Hawman has relentlessly run head first into the genre in attempt to infect the world with his sound.
His hard work is paying off, as Hawman is on his way to becoming one of the most recognised names in the scene, rising to the forefront and gaining support from artists such as Geck-e, Stana and A*S*Y*S and organisations such as Q-Dance and QULT.
Michael Gatt, the Melbournian behind the act has seen himself standing amongst crowds at various events such as Defqon.1 The Netherlands, Headhunterz presents: Hard With Style and Q-Dance presents: Frontliner. He is a firm believer in spreading the experimental sound of subground and I take my hat off to him!
Keep up the great productions Hawman! For those of you who still have no f*cking idea what subground is, be sure to check out Hawman on soundcloud!
So there you have it! These are the proud Aussies who are absolutely killing it in the hardstyle scene in The Netherlands and also worldwide. For new talent out there, stay persistent with your work and although we live 16000+ kilometres away from the CBD of hardstyle, anything is possible!
