Kavinsky R.I.P. & HARD Summer
Week of July 27 to August 3, 2026
Kavinsky Dies at 50
French producer Vincent Belorgey, better known as Kavinsky, has died at the age of 50. He was found dead at his home in Paris on July 28. Kavinsky became widely known for the track “Nightcall,” which opened the 2011 film Drive and helped define a wave of cinematic electronic music. Tributes arrived quickly from David Guetta, Justice’s Gaspard Augé, and many others across the scene who cited his influence on both underground and mainstream electronic music.
David Guetta to Receive Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
David Guetta has been selected to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as part of the Class of 2027. The honor places him alongside other major recording artists and recognizes his role in bringing dance music to a global mainstream audience over more than two decades. Guetta continues to be one of the most commercially successful figures in electronic music.
Sources:
https://www.billboard.com/lists/hollywood-walk-of-fame-star-recipients-full-list/
HARD Summer 2026 Wraps in Los Angeles
HARD Summer returned to Hollywood Park in Los Angeles on August 1 and 2 with a wide-ranging lineup that mixed techno, house, bass, and crossover acts. Notable names included Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, Mau P, DJ Snake, Knock2 b2b Zedd, Sammy Virji, Vintage Culture, and many others. The event remains one of the major summer dance music gatherings on the West Coast.
Source:
HOUSE Music Updates
Swedish House Mafia Return with New Single
Swedish House Mafia have released a new single titled “Happiness Is So Sad” featuring Lykke Li. The track pairs melancholic piano and atmospheric production with Lykke Li’s vocals. Fred again.. and PARISI were involved in the production, and Max Martin is also credited. It marks a notable new release from the group after a quieter period.
Sources:
Fred again.. and LATIN MAFIA Drop New Mixtape
Fred again.. and Mexican group LATIN MAFIA have released a collaborative mixtape called “9 months & 50 hours.” The project was created and fully livestreamed over roughly 50 hours from a studio in Mexico City, giving fans a real-time look at the recording process before the finished work was released.
Sources:
https://djmag.com/news/listen-fred-again-and-latin-mafias-9-months-50-hours-mixtape
Amelie Lens and Angèle Announce New Collaboration
Belgian techno artist Amelie Lens has announced a collaborative single with singer Angèle titled “run.” The track is scheduled for release on August 7 and will be the only collaboration on Lens’s upcoming debut album AURA, due in September. Lens has said she specifically wanted Angèle’s voice on the song.
Source:
https://djmag.com/news/amelie-lens-and-angele-announce-collaborative-single-run
TECHNO Updates
Charlotte de Witte at HARD Summer
Belgian techno artist Charlotte de Witte was part of the HARD Summer 2026 lineup at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles. She continues a busy run of major festival and headline appearances this summer across both Europe and North America.
Sources:
Nico Stojan Passes Away
Berlin DJ and longtime Bar 25 resident Nico Stojan has died. The news was confirmed by friends and family on July 26. Stojan was a respected figure in the city’s electronic music community and co-founded the Ouïe label with Acid Pauli. He also released music on labels including Upon.You, Highgrade, and Get Physical. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support his family.
Sources:
https://djmag.com/news/nico-stojan-german-dj-and-bar-25-resident-has-died
Fabric Announces 27th Birthday Marathon
London club fabric has announced plans for its 27th birthday celebrations. The program includes a 30-hour marathon event featuring artists such as Ricardo Villalobos and others drawn from the deeper end of the techno and house spectrum.
Dave Angel Reveals First Album in 13 Years
UK techno veteran Dave Angel has announced his first album in 13 years. Titled A Time And Place, the record is scheduled for release in September and marks a significant return for the long-running artist.
U.S. Updates
Charivari Returns to Detroit
Detroit’s Charivari festival returns August 13 to 16 with events at TV Lounge and Tangent Gallery. The multi-day gathering features a multi-generational lineup that includes DJ Bone, Eddie Fowlkes, DJ Spen, LADYMONIX and others connected to the city’s house and techno history.
WEST COAST
Las Vegas
The clubs and dayclubs on the Strip kept a full electronic music schedule this week.
For current and upcoming events, check:
Los Angeles / Southern California
HARD Summer was the big story of the weekend in the region.
For ongoing club, warehouse, and festival listings across LA and San Diego, a strong resource is:
San Francisco Bay Area
Free techno events continued in Union Square, and the city saw a strong run of day parties and open-deck sessions.
The best ongoing calendar for Bay Area electronic events is:
Portland
For current electronic and dance events in Portland, check the Oregon listings on 19hz and local venue calendars such as Holocene and The Den.
Seattle
For Seattle-area electronic events, a long-running local resource is:
https://www.emeraldcityedm.com/upcoming-edm-events-calendar/
LOOKING AHEAD
August 6 to 9: UNTOLD Festival in Romania
August 7: Amelie Lens and Angèle release “run”
August 13 to 16: Charivari in Detroit
Thanks for reading. Keep it locked to Robtronik.FM.
