Beatport and Ballantine’s Team Up for New US Livestream Series

Beatport has teamed up with Ballantine’s Scotch whisky as a part of their True Music platform to present a series of livestreams that will focus on some of the most influential and up-and-coming artists, collectives, and spaces in three major US cities: New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. Revered for highlighting local music scenes in cities across the world, the series marks Ballantine Scotch whisky and their True Music platform’s US debut as they travel to focus on these three major hubs of dance music in America.

For Beatport’s first adventure with Ballantine’s, we travel to New York City on May 13th for a rooftop livestream in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenpoint, offering incredible views of the city for a five-hour session from four of the city’s most revered selectors: Julia Govor, Kim Ann Foxman, Mike Servito, and Justin Cudmore.

All four artists lay at the heart of New York City’s large and eclectic underground scene, heading up various parties and labels that have become beacons of late-night sounds and dance floor majesty. Both Justin Cudmore and Mike Servito are revered regulars at one of the city’s most infamous techno gatherings, The Bunker NY. Since the ‘00s, Kim Ann Foxman has made a name for herself as one of NYC’s most reliable and versatile players, and Julia Govor has continued to successfully introduce new strains of intuitive techno to the city through her up-and-coming Jujuka imprint. All in all, these four artists are slated to present a perfect snapshot of what drives the dance floor in the city that never sleeps.

Julia Govor

Originally from Abkhazia, Georgia, Julia Govor’s storied DJ career first started in Moscow and exploded when she moved to NYC in 2013. Since then, she has gone from strength to strength producing and DJing, becoming one of The Big Apple’s most called upon techno selectors. She has performed to massive crowds all over the world and has collaborated with industry titans like Nina Kraviz, Richie Hawtin, and Jeff Mills. 2021 saw the arrival of her latest EP, Winter Mute, which she released via her fresh Jujuka label — an imprint that specializes in bringing compelling, unsung techno artists to the forefront of the scene.

Kim Ann Foxman

The Hawaii-born, Brooklyn-based DJ, producer, singer, and Firehouse Recordings owner is a highly sought-after DJ. She’s equally likely to be found playing to intimate audiences as to huge festival crowds, and her distinct style has garnered a cult-like following around the world.

Mike Servito

Residing in Brooklyn by way of Detroit, Mike Servito’s unique approach to production and expert skill in the DJ booth has made him into one of NYC’s most standout acts. As a resident of The Bunker NY, he’s garnered a reputation for taking the dancefloor on a journey through various forms of techno and house, using the vinyl medium with unparalleled ability.

Justin Cudmore

Known for his acidic sound, Brooklyn-based Justin Cudmore is an in-demand DJ who has graced venues such as Smartbar, U Street Hall, Panorama Bar, IsBurning, Razzmatazz, DC-10, and more. With releases on labels like Honey Soundsystem, The Bunker New York, Phonica White, Interdimensional Transmissions, and his own Major Records imprint, Cudmore is an up-and-comer that NYC dance music enthusiasts know and love.

Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more exciting shows from Beatport and Ballantine’s Scotch whisky this Summer!

Ballantine’s True Music aims to represent, support and promote inclusive music culture and over the past seven years, has championed local music communities and cultures globally, from Spain to Poland and South Africa to Brazil, giving a stage to diverse talent. Supporting over 300 artists across 50 events in 16 countries, Ballantine’s True Music has been an ally to underrepresented groups, working to ensure fairer representation on line-ups with 46% of artists featured being POC, 33% being women and 12% being LGBTQ+. Ballantine’s acknowledges there is work to be done to improve representation and increase equity, both across True Music and the wider music culture landscape and is committed to continuing to support this.