Dance The Pain Away: Ten SXSW Acts To Get You Moving

 Too much self-serious indie, lackadaiscal shoegaze, and monotonous rap can grate the nerves after hours of SXSW’ing. The quantity of music alone, can begin to callous over the most avid music fan. This is the moment one needs to administer a healthy dose of electro-funk and just dance the pain away.  These ten DJs and electro acts have the juice to get your body moving and, perhaps, conjure the elusive SXSW magic that makes lifelong memories.

 

 I Know Leopard (AUS)

I Know Leopard continue to establish themselves as one of Australia’s most unique and exciting art pop outfits. The Sydney quartet explode their emotions into a musical kaleidoscope, finding catharsis in the ethereal bliss of pop’s plastic, proggy past. 

 

Pleasure Jams (NYC)

 Pleasure Jams is a Brooklyn-based DJ trio who play disco and house music.  The group has collaborated with DJs such as Juan Maclean, Nancy Whang, Jacques Renault, JKriv, Frits Wentink, Kraak & Smaak and Justin Strauss.

 

Breezah & Lolo (ATX)

Breezah and Lolo are open format DJs with a style firmly rooted in disco, house, and pop, and these roots continue to inspire their DJ sets and mixing style. Known for flavored house beats that are sexy, bass-y, driven, and soulful with nods to indie, hip-hop, nu disco, retro and rock. 

 

Skratch Bastid 

Known for his comfort and versatility in different styles – hip hop, funk, disco, club, rock and just about anything that makes people dance – Skratch Bastid has showcased his skills in over 30 countries. 

  

Das Body (NOR)

Das Body are friends making music that is listenable and undeniably pop, their sound feels like a newly-thrifted favorite T-shirt: comfortably worn, slightly sunfaded, and with a cigarette burn on its sleeve. Das Body is writing pop music without the sentimentality that oversweetens so much currently on radio rotation.

 

Femme (UK)

 Her DIY invention has stemmed not only from necessity – learning how to launch electronic loops live so she didn’t have to drag her keyboard to early pub gigs – but also from a desire to retain total creative control. Several major label overtures have been entertained down the years, but ultimately Bettinson has always preferred to pursue her own artistic vision.

 

Mougli (COL)

Mougli mixes tropical sounds with current electronic trends,and through its music, the represent the diverse cultures that compose Colombia´s multiculturalism. By  using sounds from all over the country and mixing them with modern electronic sounds, they create what they call "Jungle Beat".

 

DCN XTR (THA)

De connextor or simply, DCNXTR, is an electronic act that explores the dichotomy between dream pop and soothing dream-like atmospheric synthetic sounds filled with energy and exquisitely laid melody. 

 

 NeverNude (ATX)

NeverNude has become known for their distinctively dark and melodic low-end techno and house grooves. Their unique take on techno and house music creates a sound that is far from the influx of monotonous “deep house” music. 

 

Mansionair (AUS)

Mansionair is an Australian indie electronic trio formed in 2014.