Best Local Electronic Act

In the last year, Anthony Rotella, aka MAYHEM, accomplished more than seems humanly possible. Between long bouts of European touring, the Atlanta-based DJ and producer collaborated with Atlanta trap star Waka Flocka Flame and classic crunk mastermind Mr. Collipark to release the song “Bust” for Porn Hub Records. He also remixed Barely Alive’s “Scoop” alongside EDM icon Antiserum and set dance floors ablaze with his remix of Rich Homie Quan’s “Type of Way.” In the midst of it all he played more than 30 North American dates on the massive Seven Deadly Sins Tour. We could run down a laundry list checking off the dozens of other EDM, trap, drum-and-bass, and hip-hop artists he’s shared the stage with, collaborated with, and remixed in 2016. But there just isn’t enough room in this short blurb to do the man’s track record justice. Just check him out the next time he plays another hometown gig, if it isn’t sold out. www.soundcloud.com/mayhem. less...

Atlanta electronic wunderkind Distal, aka Michael Rathbun, touches on dozens of styles and genres without losing sight of his own sonic identity. Distal’s debut full-length, Civilization, issued by Tectonic, the celebrated dubstep label operated by the Bristol-based legend and producer Pinch, received praise from both fans and critics of the global post-dubstep and bass music communities. Distal’s prolific and genre-jumping sound includes nods to future bass, juke, and acid music. No other producer from the city’s thriving electronic scene comes close to Distal’s ever-rising quality and quantity of sounds. www.soundcloud.com/distal. less...

To say that Hayden Kramer, aka Atlanta electronic marvel heRobust, is prolific would be an understatement. Over the last year, Kramer has mastered various electronic styles, be it wobbly runs of glitch-hop, experimental trap, or dropped out post-dubstep. Most heRobust releases and song titles come packaged in tongue-in-cheek puns and glittery references such as “ghostBUSTED,” his remix that half-satirizes, half-celebrates the Ghostbusters theme. www.herobust.bandcamp.com. less...

No one has done more to foster a sense of community within the electro-rock scene than SONEN. The group’s monthly Laserbeam Kitty nights at the Highland Inn Ballroom not only give a platform to such burgeoning dance-pop peers as Attention System, Judi Chicago and Sealions, they also attract a much larger crowd than any of these bands could on their own. The secret lies in making each show a can’t-miss event, complete with DJs, photo ops, and live visual artists. The whole thing comes to a head when Sonen’s barreling techno/industrial stomp causes everyone in the room to vamp out on the dance floor. www.sonenmusic.com less...

As a signifier, “electronic music” can encompass everything from Tangerine Dream to Skinny Puppy. LYONNAIS (pronounced LAY-oh-nay) falls somewhere within the nebulous, gray area between drone, avant-garde and indie rock, as the local foursome gives rise to long, sustained tones and slurred notes that tussle and fade into cinematic hues and abstract intentions. The sound is willfully vague, littered with sonic nooks that open up to reveal all sorts of hidden sound dimensions. www.myspace.com/teamlyonnais. less...

DAMON “HABERSHAM” FONOONI is typical of Atlanta’s electronic community: loved and appreciated abroad, but mostly ignored at home. As a DJ and producer who has created and licensed tracks to some of the world’s top electronic labels, including Bedrock and Global Underground, Habersham often tours abroad. Here, however, he rarely nets a major gig, playing instead at small nightclubs and cafes. Some may assert that Habersham gets little love in the “A” because his progressive house style is out of fashion. But open-minded music lovers will find much to appreciate in his tracks. His recent Outside the Box EP, issued on U.K. label Audio Therapy, is as sinuous and affecting as any local release this year.

www.myspace.com/habergoose

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