XS BULLY is an artist who is proud of her Slovakian and Spanish heritage. Both of which flow through much of her music repertoire, taking inspiration from both Latin and Eastern European dance floors. Also the founder of London’s Latin American queer event series, Next Collective, she now makes her debut on ADHESIVE RECORDS—a new label run by NLI, focusing on the underground at its best.

XS BULLY’s single ’SISTEMA ERÓTICO 666’ will be released on the 29th January and available HERE.

XS BULLY, tell us where you are from and how you became a producer?

I’m originally from Madrid, but I grew up between Madrid and Bardejov, a small town in Slovakia. Music has always been around me — it’s something I’ve used as a form of expression for as long as I can remember.

I started making music quite young. When I was around 12 or 13, I got an audio interface as a Christmas present and just started messing around with it, without really knowing what I was doing. At first, I was making more acoustic and vocal-based stuff, but the process itself already felt very natural.

I’d always liked electronic music, but it wasn’t until I was a bit older — around 15 or 16, when I started going out and discovering club culture — that everything clicked. Electronic music made me feel something way more physical and intense. That’s when I realised this was what I wanted to focus on. It wasn’t a sudden decision, more something that happened organically over time.

Half Slovakian, half Spanish and based in London. That’s quite a mix! Can you tell us how these places have shaped the sound you make and play?

Where I grew up definitely influenced how my sound developed, especially in terms of exposure. In Spain, when I first started going out, I was surrounded by high-energy club music — hard techno, intense sounds, fast rhythms — and that really shaped how I understand the dancefloor.

That said, I’ve never been interested in sticking to one genre or one place. What’s influenced me the most is the people and the scenes I’ve been welcomed to. I’ve been out at clubs and parties in lots of different cities, and being constantly surrounded by music and exchanging ideas with people from different backgrounds has had a huge impact on how my sound evolved.

London in particular opened a lot of doors. It’s such a multicultural city that connecting with Latin communities and club spaces felt very natural, especially with Spanish being my native language. Through shared spaces, friendships, and dancefloors, Latin electronic music became a strong influence in my work. For me, it’s less about representing a place and more about reflecting the environments and communities I’m part of.

Tell us more about Nexo Collective and how you are involved?

Nexo is a queer-led collective closely connected to Latin electronic sounds and club culture. At least here in London, those sounds are very tied to queer spaces, and that connection is really important to us.

Nexo started together with two close collaborators, Kapo and Santzz, because we felt something was missing. We were looking for a specific kind of space — both musically and socially — and when we realised it didn’t really exist in the way we wanted, we decided to create it ourselves.

The idea was always to build a safe space for the community, but also to give visibility and opportunities to artists who don’t always fit into mainstream club circuits. It’s still very much a project in development — we’re figuring out where it’s going as we go. The main thing is that we’re creating these spaces for fun and for the people involved, and that process itself is what drives us.

I’m mainly involved as a curator, but I’m very hands-on in shaping the identity, energy, and direction of the project. It’s deeply connected to how I make music and how I understand club culture.

Your new single is due this month, on ADHESIVE RECORDS. A new label, how did you find out about the brand and artist (NLI) behind it?

I connected with NLI and Joel, the founders of ADHESIVE RECORDS, in a very natural way. We met at the birthday party of a mutual friend, Mathias, and that night I was also playing there. Like it usually happens when people who make music meet, we just started talking — about production, projects, ideas.

We stayed in touch, and a few months later they told me they were starting ADHESIVE and asked if I’d like to release a track with them. I’m always open to creative collaborations, especially when they feel genuine and aligned. This one came together very organically, which made it feel right from the start.

‘SISTEMA EROTICA 666’ taps into your style that combines techno with Colombian guaracha, what was the inspiration behind the track?

For me, hard Latin club already includes all of this. It’s electronic music that draws from Latin rhythms and structures, and this track lives fully within that space. While I do enjoy and take inspiration from genres like Colombian guaracha, ‘SISTEMA ERÓTICO 666’ isn’t built around one specific reference.

The track is much more about repetition, percussion, and groove than melody. I was interested in building tension through rhythm and letting the sound grow slowly, in a very physical way. Percussion plays a central role, with fast, almost bubbling or dembow-like elements, but always framed within a club and techno-oriented mindset.

It came from a period when I was going out a lot to techno parties — long tracks, heavy repetition, strong percussion. I usually start from an idea, but I don’t like to force it. I let the track evolve on its own. In that sense, it’s a reflection of the spaces, sounds, and energy that were around me at the time.

2025 was marked as your breakout year, what helped this become such a pivotal year for you?

2025 felt pivotal because things started to align naturally. I became more confident in my sound and stopped trying to fit into expectations. At the same time, the scene I’m part of really embraced what I was doing — releases, performances, and community projects all started feeding into each other.

It didn’t feel like a sudden breakthrough, more like momentum building over time. Being surrounded by the right people, staying consistent, and trusting my instincts made a big difference.

What is next for you?

Right now, my main focus is on production and continuing to develop my sound. I’m spending a lot of time exploring ideas and directions without rushing anything.

There are several projects in the works, but I prefer not to say too much before they’re ready. I like to let things speak for themselves. What I can say is that there are exciting things coming — both personally and through Nexo, where we’re continuing to build new projects and spaces for the community.

Creating safe spaces, supporting my people, and growing together is central to everything I do. I’m here for the long run.

Follow XSBULLY on SoundCloud and Instagram.

TOXIMAMI is a Berlin based DJ, vocalist and songwriter. Her recent releases on Urban Universal and Nervous Records showcase the groovy techno, hard house and catchy vocals she plays in her sets too. A key artist of the Teletech events around the world, she is also one part of DJ Duo HARD CANDY alongside DJ Cringey.

You describe your visual identity as bold, feminine and expressive. Can you tell us how you express this and why it’s important to you?

I’m a baddie and I let people know. Being confident and feminine doesn’t mean you have to fit a single image – you can be bold, playful, and hardworking all at once. Expressing myself honestly is what feels real to me. Part of that is creating a space where everyone feels welcome to show up as they are, without needing to fit a label or meet expectations.

Ahead of your HARD CANDY performance at XXL in Manchester, we watched your recent HOR Berlin stream. What can we expect from this weekend’s set? How do you prepare for your shows and your track selections?

Before a show, I spend time digging for tracks that match the energy I want to bring, but I always leave room to experiment. I often include tracks I’ve never played before and see how they work in the set – it keeps things exciting for me and for the crowd. Of course, there are also tracks I love to play again and again because they just work and bring so much fun. I like to switch things up depending on the party and the vibe – It’s all about feeling the energy and keeping the set alive. It’s never perfect, but that’s what I like about it.

Your last solo release was on Nervous Records and followed by HARD CANDY’s collab with Odymel for ‘Fitness’. What’s next for you for the rest of 2025 release wise? Do you have any labels that are your targets for releases?

I don’t have anything specific planned right now. I’m working on a lot of music, but it needs to feel right before I release it. I want to find the right homes for my projects — they mean a lot to me, and I don’t want to just throw them out.

How do you explain your music style to someone who has never heard you?

I blend a lot of styles — like club, hard groove, hard house, Latin core & trancey techno. It’s sexy, bouncy, raw, and real. It’s whatever I’m feeling in the moment. I love switching things up depending on the vibe! I love that trancey, shaky vibe that makes you move your booty no matter what.

Finally, you’ve been part of the Teletech brand for a while, and will be playing their XXL Manchester event this weekend. What do you think the special recipe is for the success of the brand and their events?

Teletech has such a family feel. The backstage, the crowd — everyone is connected. The warehouse parties are huge and wild, but they also keep the club events where everything feels more intimate. That mix is what makes it special.

Follow TOXIMAMI on Instagram and SoundCloud.

Follow HARD CANDY on Instagram and SoundCloud.

Nakon što je novo izdanje najavljeno singlom “Zwei Kilo Zucker”, stiže i treći album benda koji donosi šest novih pjesama, a sve otvara “Halo”. “Svijet je završio na lošem afteru. Na Baretov poziv došli smo ga spasiti.”, poručuje ABOP prilikom objave novog izdanja “Masters of Afters”.

Uz “Zwei Kilo Zucker” kojim je bend dao uvid u novi materijal i njihovu intenzivnu, plesnu i ritmičnu glazbu, slijede i “Masters of Afters”, “Crater”, “Dust in My Brain”, “Keops”, a album zatvara “The End”.

Nagrađivani bend sinonim je za spajanje elektroničke glazbe i instrumentalne izvebe. ABOP je na regionalnoj sceni u ovih 15 godina stvorio status kulta, benda kojeg “moraš vidjeti uživo”, negdje na pola puta između electronice i krautrocka. Njihovi nastupi od početka karijere popraćeni su spektakularnim vizualima s potpisom nekih od ponajboljih domaćih vizualnih umjetnika. Njihova diskografija prožeta je utjecajima acid housea, techna, electra, goa trancea, krautrocka i drugih žanrova elektroničke glazbe.

Nakon rasprodana prva dva izdanja: “ABOP” i “Delta” bend se otisnuo na brojne regionalne i europske nastupe, te festivale poput EXIT, OZORA, i Dimensions. Rasprodali su i brojne koncerte na domaćem terenu, među ostalim i one u zagrebačkom klubu Boogaloo i splitskoj Kocki.

Glazbu i aranžman na novom albumu potpisuju bubnjari Ivan Levačić i Ivan Vodopijec, basist Erol Zejnilović i Ivan Božanić i Bogumil Kulaga na synthesizerima, mix i produkciju Igor Ivanković.

Album “Masters of Afters” objavljen je za LAA, dostupan je na svim streaming servisima, a možete ga poslušati u nastavku.

Nagrađivani bend ABOP, koji je sinonim za spajanje elektroničke glazbe i instrumentalne izvedbe, singlom “Zwei Kilo Zucker” uvodi u novi zvuk koji će se naći na budućem materijalu. Intenzivna, plesna i ritmična glazba benda uhvaćena je i u pratećem videospotu čiju režiju potpisuje TLLOA (The Last Lord of Atlantis), dok su za kostimografiju zadužene Lidija Lovrić i Ana Marin.

Povodom njihovog novog singla dečki iz ABOP-a poručuju: “Uživajte u šećeru odgovorno.”

ABOP je na regionalnoj sceni u ovih 15 godina stvorio status kulta, benda kojeg “moraš vidjeti uživo”, negdje na pola puta između electronice i krautrocka. Njihovi nastupi od početka karijere popraćeni su spektakularnim vizualima s potpisom nekih od ponajboljih domaćih vizualnih umjetnika. Njihova diskografija prožeta je utjecajima acid housea, techna, electra, goa trancea, krautrocka i drugih žanrova elektroničke glazbe.

Nakon rasprodana prva dva albuma, “ABOP” i “Delta”, bend se otisnuo na brojne regionalne i europske nastupe, te festivale poput EXIT, OZORA, i Dimensions. Rasprodali su i brojne koncerte na domaćem terenu, među ostalim i one u zagrebačkom klubu Boogaloo i splitskoj Kocki.

Glazbu i aranžman potpisuju bubnjari Ivan Levačić i Ivan Vodopijec, basist Erol Zejnilović i Ivan Božanić i Bogumil Kulaga na synthesizerima, mix i produkciju Igor Ivanković.

Novi singl “Zwei Kilo Zucker” skinut je s njihovog nadolazećeg trećeg albuma “Masters of Afters” koji će biti objavljen 19. studenog, a dostupan je na svim streaming servisima.

Leo Biro, koji stoji iza produkcijske vizije, i OMNIOUS, autor vokala, teksta i dijela produkcije, zajedno su stvorili traku “Eiffel Tower” koja prenosi sirovu, zaraznu i potpuno autentičnu vibru trenutka.

Inspirirana stvarnim događajem koji se dogodio na jednom legendarnom afteru, pjesma donosi pozitivnu, ludu i oslobađajuću energiju, utjelovljujući zajedničku kreativnu sinergiju dvojca.

Istodobno s pjesmom objavljen je i glazbeni video u režiji Kreše Jovića, sniman u Leovom stanu. Koncept i realizacija rezultat su zajedničke suradnje OMNIOUS-a, Lea i Kreše, uz kreativnu pomoć Antonele Pripuz. Video dočarava spontanu, zabavnu i neobuzdanu atmosferu pjesme.

“Eiffel Tower” označava prvi službeni autorski projekt i za OMNIOUS-a i za Lea Bira. Dvojac već radi na novim materijalima koji će se otkrivati u nadolazećim mjesecima.

We caught up with Mer Hajbarati, one of the organisers, to hear what’s in store for round two.
Mer Hajbarati is one of the two founders and owners of the Verknipt brand, a visionary who started promoting parties in high school and is now regarded as one of the most influential figures in the global hard techno scene. He is the driving force behind the transformation of the Dutch-born Verknipt into a global powerhouse of events, music releases, and nextlevel experiences from club parties to festival spectacles.

Verknipt Croatia is their first holiday festival, so the debut edition gave them, as organizers, a real insight into what they can offer the audience once they step out of indoor venues and club halls — as well as how much beauty and a full-on experience the Croatian coastline has to offer.

Compared to the first edition of the Verknipt Festival in Croatia last year, what can visitors expect from this year’s festival?

This year’s edition builds on the success of our debut with an even stronger production, improved logistics, and a more immersive festival experience overall. Visitors can expect a tighter flow between stages, enhanced sound and lighting, and a more refined site layout designed to maximise both comfort and energy. We filled in the gaps between the sets with sports activities and entertainment-games programming to keep the momentum going and enrich the overall atmosphere. We’ve taken all the feedback from last year seriously and worked hard to elevate every aspect of the event.

What are the new features or highlights?

One of the key additions this year is a brand-new stage hosted at Papaya Club, ranked among DJ Mag’s Top 100 clubs in the world. This stage will spotlight emerging talent and experimental sounds, adding more depth and variety to the musical experience. We’re also introducing exclusive features through the official festival app, including the full timetable, interactive site map, and a chat function for visitors. We’ve doubled down on boat parties—going from 3 last year to 8 this year—and expanded our merch collection to offer more styles and items than ever before.

Lineup finalised, who would you highlight as a must-see for the audience?

Yes, the lineup is now fully confirmed, featuring 50 artists across three days. Alongside Verknipt regulars and crowd favourites, we’re excited to welcome several high-profile international acts making their Verknipt Croatia debut. Without spoiling too much, we can highlight artists like SHLØMO, Adriån Mills, Novah, 6EJOU, Alignment, Coudy, Fantasm, Winson, Basswell, Negative, and Anxhela as must-see sets, each bringing a unique sound and energy that embodies the Verknipt vibe.

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How are ticket sales going, and where are most visitors expected to come from? Were there any surprising countries from which people bought tickets?

Ticket sales are going exceptionally well—we’re currently on 50% higher attendance compared to last year. While most of our visitors are coming from across Europe, especially the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and the Balkan region, we’ve also seen a surprising and exciting rise in international interest. Fans from countries like Brazil, South Korea, Australia, and South Africa are joining us, which highlights how far the Verknipt brand is expanding globally.

What message do the organisers have for the visitors and those who are still undecided about getting their ticket?

If you’re still in doubt, we can only say: don’t miss out!
Verknipt Croatia is more than just a festival, it’s a full-on destination experience combining dancing, beach fun and side programming—entertainment in a way that few events do. With five stacked days of cutting-edge techno and hard dance, a stunning seaside location, and an international crowd full of energy, it’s shaping up to be a holiday to remember.

Are there any incentives or discounts offered for regional audiences attending the festival?

Yes, we’ve introduced special discounted tickets for residents of Croatia and neighbouring countries Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and so on, to make the festival more accessible for the local scene. It’s important for us to stay connected to the regional audience, and this is just one of the ways we’re fostering that connection. More info on those tickets can be found directly via our website or ticketing partner platforms.

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Techno heads, mark your calendars—Verknipt Croatia is back for round two!

Razgovarali smo s Merom Hajbaratijem, jednim od organizatora, kako bismo saznali što nas očekuje u drugom izdanju. Mer Hajbarati jedan je od dvojice osnivača i vlasnika brenda Verknipt – vizionar koji je počeo organizirati partije još u srednjoj školi, a danas ga se smatra jednim od najutjecajnijih ljudi na globalnoj hard techno sceni. On je pokretačka snaga transformacije nizozemskog Verknipta u globalnog lidera događanja, glazbenih izdanja i vrhunskih iskustava – od klupskih partija do festivalskih spektakala.

Verknipt Croatia je njihov prvi holiday festival, a premijerno izdanje pružilo im je dragocjen uvid u to što publici mogu ponuditi izvan zatvorenih prostora klubova — kao i koliko ljepote i cjelovitog iskustva nudi hrvatska obala.

U usporedbi s prvim izdanjem festivala Verknipt u Hrvatskoj prošle godine, što posjetitelji mogu očekivati ove godine?

Ovogodišnje izdanje nadograđuje uspjeh našeg debija s još snažnijom produkcijom, poboljšanom logistikom i općenito uronjenijim festivalskim iskustvom. Posjetitelji mogu očekivati bolji protok između pozornica, unaprijeđen zvuk i rasvjetu te profinjenije raspoređeno festivalsko područje koje maksimizira udobnost i energiju. Dodali smo sportske aktivnosti i zabavne igre između setova kako bismo održali tempo i dodatno obogatili atmosferu. Ozbiljno smo shvatili sve povratne informacije od prošle godine i naporno radili na unapređenju svakog aspekta događaja.

Koje su novosti i istaknuti sadržaji ove godine?

Jedna od ključnih novosti ove godine je potpuno nova pozornica u Papaya Clubu, koji se nalazi među 100 najboljih klubova svijeta prema DJ Magu. Na toj će se pozornici predstaviti novi talenti i eksperimentalni zvukovi, čime dodatno produbljujemo i proširujemo glazbeno iskustvo. Također uvodimo ekskluzivne funkcije putem službene festivalske aplikacije, uključujući cjelokupni raspored, interaktivnu kartu lokacije i chat za posjetitelje. Udvostručili smo broj boat partyja — s prošlogodišnja 3 na ovogodišnjih 8 i proširili kolekciju merch proizvoda, s više stilova i artikala nego ikad prije.

Lineup je finaliziran, koga biste izdvojili kao must-see?

Da, lineup je potpuno potvrđen i uključuje 50 izvođača tijekom tri dana. Uz Verknipt rezidente i omiljene izvođače publike, s oduševljenjem najavljujemo i dolazak nekoliko međunarodnih imena koja će po prvi put nastupiti na Verknipt Croatia festivalu. Bez da otkrivamo previše, možemo izdvojiti izvođače poput SHLØMO, Adriån Mills, Novah, 6EJOU, Alignment, Coudy, Fantasm, Winson, Basswell, Negative i Anxhela kao must-see nastupe, jer svaki od njih donosi jedinstveni zvuk i energiju koja utjelovljuje Verknipt vibru.

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Kako ide prodaja ulaznica i iz kojih zemalja dolazi većina posjetitelja? Ima li iznenađenja među zemljama kupaca?

Prodaja ulaznica ide iznimno dobro — već smo premašili prošlogodišnju posjećenost za 50%. Većina naših posjetitelja dolazi iz Europe, posebno iz Nizozemske, Njemačke, Ujedinjenog Kraljevstva i balkanske regije, ali također bilježimo uzbudljiv i neočekivan porast interesa izvan Europe. Imamo fanove koji dolaze iz Brazila, Južne Koreje, Australije i Južne Afrike, što potvrđuje koliko se Verknipt brend globalno širi.

Što biste poručili onima koji su još neodlučni oko dolaska na festival?

Ako još uvijek dvoumite – samo ćemo reći: Verknipt je iskustvo koje ne biste željeli propustiti!
Verknipt Croatia je više od festivala – to je kompletno destinacijsko iskustvo koje spaja ples, zabavu na plaži i popratni sadržaj na način koji rijetko koji događaj nudi. S pet dana punih cutting-edge techna i hard dancea, prekrasnom morskom lokacijom i međunarodnom publikom punom energije – sve govori da će to biti odmor za pamćenje.

Postoje li pogodnosti ili popusti za regionalnu publiku koja dolazi na festival?

Da, uveli smo posebne ulaznice s popustom za stanovnike Hrvatske i susjednih zemalja poput Slovenije, Srbije, Bosne i Hercegovine, Crne Gore i ostalih, kako bismo festival učinili pristupačnijim lokalnoj sceni. Važno nam je ostati povezani s regionalnom publikom, a ovo je jedan od načina na koji to činimo. Više informacija o tim ulaznicama dostupno je putem naše web stranice ili ticketing platformi.

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Techno entuzijasti, označite datume u kalendarima — Verknipt Croatia se vraća u svom drugom izdanju!

Nakon spektakularnog debija prošle godine, Verknipt Croatia Holiday Festival spreman je da podigne ljestvicu festivalskog iskustva na Jadranu još više. Ovogodišnje izdanje, koje se održava od 29. lipnja do 3. srpnja na plaži Zrće u Novalji na otoku Pagu, nadograđuje se na uspjeh debija još jačom produkcijom, poboljšanom logistikom i općenito bogatijim festivalskim iskustvom. Posjetitelji mogu očekivati bolju povezanost između pozornica, poboljšan zvuk i rasvjetu, te profinjeniji raspored prostora koji maksimizira udobnost i energiju. Vrijeme između DJ setova ispunjeno je sportskim aktivnostima i zabavnim igrama kako bi se održala dinamika i dodatno obogatila atmosfera festivala te povezanost među posjetiteljima.

Još snažniji, luđi i bolji line up okuplja najbolje od europske techno i hard dance scene i donosi više od 50 izvođača na nekoliko pažljivo vizualno dojmljivih pozornica, uključujući i potpuno novu lokaciju u legendarnom Papaya Clubu – jednom od Top 100 klubova svijeta prema DJ Magu. Ova će pozornica biti posvećena nadolazećim talentima i eksperimentalnom zvuku, dodajući još veću dubinu i raznolikost glazbenom iskustvu. Izvođači poput SHLØMO, Adriån Mills, Parfait, Novah i 6EJOU jamče setove koji će se prepričavati još mjesecima nakon što padne posljednji beat. Uz Verkniptove stalne izvođače i favorite publike, očekuje se dolazak nekoliko međunarodnih zvijezda koje će prvi put nastupiti na Verknipt Croatia festivalu, no njihova imena organizatori za sada ne otkrivaju.

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Cijena festivalske standardne ulaznice je 119 eura, a cijene za standardne i premium dnevne ulaznice su 44, 54, 64 i 74 eura. Također, moguće je kupiti ulaznice zajedno sa smještajem u kućicama na plaži, apartmanima s bazenima, vilama ili hotelima po najpovoljnijim cijenama na lokaciji. Ulaznice i paketi dostupni su na službenoj stranici festivala OVDJE.

NAGRADNA IGRA

Pripremili smo tri savršene kombinacije nagradnih ulaznica, za koje se nikad nije bilo lakše natjecati.

GLAVNA NAGRADA

– 4 festivalske ulaznice + 4 boat party ulaznice

OSTALE NAGRADE

– 2 festivalske ulaznice
– 2 festivalske ulaznice

Kako se natjecati za ulaznice?

Što ti je činiti, kako se natjecati za ulaznice? Vrlo jednostavno, zaprati Klubikon Instagram profil i u komentaru ispod objave OVDJE tagiraj prijatelje s kojima želiš rejvati na festivalu Verknipt Croatia. Dobitnike objavljujemo u ponedjeljak 9.6. Sretno!

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