In a year where events are fairly null and void due to shutdowns,, it makes sense that event companies are turning to releasing music more than ever before. Artists are looking to release more, after all, and promoters know a lot of artists. Quite a few companies like Bassrush, Liquicity and Korsakov already had offshoot labels that are now getting a lot of love this year while others are either forming or working on forming new labels. NOX Events, a relatively new company out of the Netherlands, is the most recent, with their new multi-genre label, LUX.
Having just started throwing gigs in 2017, NOX have already garnered a large rave following, in their first two years of operation having become a destination rave for partiers throughout Europe. As they feature multiple genres at their events (European festies are often split down genre lines), NOX appeals to ravers who want to see D&B, bassline and bass house all in the same night.
The aptly named Genesis EP, which drops tomorrow, starts the LUX story with the same diversity that has made NOX such a quick success. The sampler EP features liquid D&B, dancefloor, neurofunk and bassline house all in the space of four tracks. It starts off, surprisingly, with a chill throwback liquid jam by Austrian duo DubApe and Vertex and ends even more surprisingly with a debut bassline/bass house track by new artist Coldline called “Bacon.” Between those two high-quality bookends are a heavy, steppy neuro track by another relative newcomer Koarse and our premiere track “Solar” by another duo, Alora. 
Alora are also the duo behind LUX, as NOX resident DJ Madster and company head Twan. Their first release as a duo was late last year on the ProgRAM 100, with two subesquent singles on Rampage Records before they embarked on launching the LUX imprint. Thus far their style seems to be characterized by dancefloor vibes and fun, vintage synth sounds but in “Solar” and likely with the freedom of self-release, they’ve defnitely stepped it up.
The vintage vibes in “Solar” come both in the form of early, somewhat trancy rave vibes and actual 80s vintage synth sounds. The main synth doesn’t kick in until after the first drop but it will definitely give GenXers and hipsters alike a great shot of 80s synth pop and new wave, a’la A’ha. Definitely dancefloor, “Solar” is an interesting melding of synth and party timelines with a clean, sharp kick beat and ambient beach sounds that are likely the track’s namesake.
It’s a brave experiment starting a record label that covers not just multiple D&B subgenres but multiple EDM genres, but really why not? It’s worked for Monstercat, Wakaan and a handful of others. With clean engineering, good A&R and a multi-genre events brand behind them, the light could certainly shine on LUX in a big way in 2021.
Genesis drops tomorrow, December 18 on LUX. Pre-order/save here.
