We’ve all had that feeling when you discover a new favorite artist, but it’s rare that the artist lives just a couple blocks away from you. Nowadays, tuning into the local radio or shuffling through Spotify can get you a lot of music, but only through its popularity; Columbus-based mobile app Cannon.fm was developed to instead bring you music by location.

Thousands of artists are producing amazing music in your own neighborhood, yet it may take years before they boost up their audience to be recognized on the radio or major websites. Cannon.fm officially launched on June 22 by founders Mat Marcum and Ryan Cox to first help draw attention to the local music scene in Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Since then, the app has expanded to Washington, DC and is expected to reach dozens more cities in the U.S. by early 2013.

“Lush 140″ by Nordiq based in Columbus, Ohio.

Cannon.fm is free and doesn’t require a login for listeners. Within seconds, it asks for your location and begins filtering its 2,000+ song library to bring you artists near your area. User’s are then able to browse the music through stations which include “Scene Preview” that shuffles through music from the specified region or you can browse by genre within Columbus’ station to get an idea of how the app is planning to organize local music for each city in the U.S.

Additionally, Cannon.fm allows you to not only discover and listen to artists, but learn about them as well. A biography profile, lyrics, photos, and show listings are available for each artist. If you find a song you like, you can use the app to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, and even give a “sign of the horns” which behaves similar to Facebook’s Like button.

“Ordinary Objects” by Dance for the Dying based in Washington D.C.

The music available on Cannon.fm is entirely sourced by the artists themselves free of charge. Once uploaded to Cannon.fm’s website, artists can manage information on their profile and even follow analytics for their content to see who’s listening to their work.

Cannon.fm is currently only an iOS app but is expected to reach Droid users by March 2013. The app is planning to additionally provide its local music feed onto your desktop as a music player and to give listeners the ability to create playlists, follow their favorite musicians, as well as purchase music, merchandise, and upcoming concert tickets. Founder’s Mat and Ryan say they’re hoping the app can soon accomodate the work of other types of local artists such as comedians, talk radio hosts, and poets.

“Welcome To My City” by So-Well based in Columbus, Ohio

Download and learn more about Cannon.fm by visiting their website, Facebook or Twitter.

Calling all music producers!  Want to be involved in something huge? Moombahton has become one of the fastest growing and most highly demanded genres within the EDM world, so here’s your chance to really become involved within this music evolution.  Moombahsoul pioneers Sabo & David Heartbreak will be releasing Moombahsoul Remixes: Volume 1 & 2 featuring tracks from themselves as well as other notable Moombahton producers.  And so now, they are looking to help share your work.

This 108 bpm subgenre is covered with R&B samples, soul, and hip hop, with one main objective: to bring EDM and urban crowds together, all on one dance-floor.  Heartbreak has a popular Moombahsoul Vol 1-3 EP series, which features Moombahton ambassadors Nadastrom, Munchi, & Sabo.  Like other remixes, it would have been difficult to clear the samples used amongst it’s release, so Heartbreak put it out for free.  Sabo and Mad Decent asked Heartbreak for a track for their Moombahton Remixes EP and that’s when Sabo introduced him to Legitmix. Legitmix frees remixers from traditional music clearance concerns by enabling them to sell a “Legitmix file.  Legitmix also makes it easier for consumers who don’t own these tracks to purchase them.  This is a way that both remixers and the artist’s sample get credited and paid.  Sabo states, “It’s not just about remixers getting to sell their work or even that the artists we build on get credited and paid.  It’s that everyone wins and sample-based producers don’t have to hide.  The music we’re making is music of the future.  So why not use technology of the future to release our work?”

So, what’s in it for you and your Moombahsoul masterpiece? Not only will Mixmag, Vamos Promo, and Biz 3 publicizes your work, but it will be featured on the Moombahsoul Remixes:Volume 1 & 2 EPs and winners get to keep 70% of the sale of the Legitmix file of their remix.

Here’s how Mixmag.com would like for you to enter:

1. Make a soulful moombahton track sampling any big hip-hop/soul/R&B sample taken from iTunes (no mashups please).

2. Go to www.legitmix.com, click ‘submit your remix’ at the top and follow the step-by-step instructions.

3. Tag your work ‘Moombahsoul Remixes’ and price it at 50 cents.

4. Heartbreak and Sabo will choose from the remixes with the most page views, so make sure to promote your work using the Legitmix social media tools.

5. If you want to submit a track you’ve already made, make sure it’s not available for free download. It’s fine to leave a preview up on Soundcloud to promote your work, but replace the Soundcloud download button with a ‘buy’ button that links to your Legitmix page.

The deadline to enter is November 21st 2012. Usual Mixmag Terms and Conditions apply.

For contest details and how-to screencasts, visit www.legitmix.com/moombahsoul.

Our good friends over at 88 have released some juicy details about this year’s Forward Festival programming. It’s been confirmed that the five day DC mini-festival, now in its fifth year, will host two label showcases — Jus Ed’s Underground Quality and SF-based Frite Nite — as well as a back-to-back DJ set from Detroit legend Rick Wade and his former label mate Dan Bell. Festival goers will also be treated to the bass heavy sounds of Distal and what should be a very special Jeff Mills hybrid Live/DJ/AV performance at U Street Music Hall. As has been the case in previous years, the festival will also include various workshops, art installations and auxiliary events. For more details check out the full announcement here.

Festival passes are currently $90 – the price will be going up soon so grab yours today if you haven’t already.

ForwardDC.com

And stay up to date on all thing Forward on Facebook and Twitter.

Two close friends by the names of Carlos Hufshlag and Patrick Braun both grew up in Cologne, Germany. At a young age, they discovered their interest in electronic dance music which sparked them to begin producing late last year under the outfit Hufschlag & Braun. Throughout 2011, they’ve been compiling a soothing collection of tech house and deep house while toning their young but impressive skill set. Despite their relative lack of experience or stance in the industry, they’ve already performed at a number of German music festivals and are being compared to the cosmic techno work of COMA and key musical figure in Cologne, Michael Mayer. In addition, they are “regarded as one of the most promising newcomers in electronic dance music coming out of Cologne in years.”

As they round out their first year working together, I don’t think any of their tracks could be labeled as elementary. The two have certainly been learning and acting at a productive pace that gives me great anticipation for whats to come. Hufschlag & Braun are planning to make their official debut this coming April with an EP titled Train to Cologne on France’s Popcorn Records. Take a listen to some of their tracks below and connect with them on Facebook or Soundcloud for news on the upcoming release.

Hufschlag & Braun – Train to Cologne

Hufschlag & Braun – We Don’t Give Up The Boyz

Since I discovered Junior Boys, I’ve been in awe after each release of theirs. This duo from Ontario have always given emphasis on groovy bass and soft vocals within their electro-pop tracks, which inks their unique signature in music production. After 2 years since their last release, I’m psyched to hear that they’re back – except this time not so junior. Announced last month, they will be releasing their fourth record titled It’s All True on June 14 via Domino Records. They debuted this news last month with a track preview and, as of this week, they gave in again to put up second preview “Banana Ripple,” which has had me hooked for hours. This 9-minute track is forwarding a plush sexy vibe into electro music once again as it flows a mix of synthesized instrumental breakdowns, bouncy bass lines, and softly echoed vocals; all drenched with a feel-good danceable rhythm that seems to all go by too quick. “Banana Ripple” will be released as a single on May 30th alongside a remix from The Field.

If you can solidify your mind after it melts from hearing this track, I recommend taking the opportunity to see them perform live on June 16th at Black Cat in Washington DC. If you’ll be elsewhere in the next couple of months, check out the rest of their tour dates to see if they’re coming to a venue near you.

Junior Boys – Banana Ripple