Five Acts to Catch at Pulse Events’ Great Heat Festival in New York

Get ready for a one of a kind experience at Pulse Events’ Great Heat Festival taking place at Avant Gardner in Brooklyn on July 25-26, 2025. This event, drawing inspiration from the traditional Chinese calendar’s twelfth solar term marks the most intense and radiant days of summer. Taking place at both the Great Hall and Kings Hall, a stellar lineup of artists have been specially curated to bring on the heat this weekend. Tickets for the festival are still available for purchase here. Here are five artists you won’t want to miss at the festival.

SLANDER

The American DJ duo, consisting of Derek Andersen and Scott Land, is renowned for their unique, emotional, melodic bass music sound. Grammy-nominated and with two RIAA Gold Certifications, SLANDER has graced stages at global festivals like EDC, Lollapalooza, Tomorrowland, and Ultra. Their critically acclaimed debut LP, “THRIVE,” released in 2022, showcases their diverse sound blending melodic bass, techno, and alternative elements. Known for hits like ‘Love Is Gone’ and collaborations with artists such as ILLENIUM SLANDER’s sets are sure to be a powerful journey of sound and emotion. Their recent collaboration with San Holo called ‘Broken Hearted’ has been a crowd favorite track all summer long. Slotted as the headliner on the first day of the festival, this duo alone is enough of a reason to make it out for this date. Their shows are known for their insane usage of pyro so you can expect they’re bringing “Great Heat”.

RayRay

RayRay, a vibrant DJ and producer from Taipei, Taiwan, has established herself as a unique force in dance music. Her career took off after winning the Red Bull Thre3style competition and through collaborations with major artists like Skrillex, Yellow Claw, and Steve Aoki, showcasing her versatility in the bass music scene.

On stage, RayRay delivers an unforgettable experience, combining her pristine DJ skills with live vocals on her original tracks. Her dynamic performances led her to become a leading artist on Yellow Claw’s Barong Family imprint since 2019. Now in high demand, RayRay tours globally, bringing her sound to top festivals such as Glastonbury, ADE, Tomorrowland, EDC, and Sunburn, as well as renowned clubs worldwide. Her performances are always high energy and you can see her unleash a fusion of hip-hop, bass, tech house, trap, and drumstep in her performances.

OMM

OMM is a local NYC artist deeply rooted in the entertainment world, having started as a professional dancer at age three. He graced prestigious stages, including numerous appearances on American and Indian national television, notably the Season 11 finale of Fox 5’s So You Think You Can Dance. His passion was ignited by his older brother, Arvin, who tragically passed away at 21. Arvin, who raised and taught O.M.M. to dance, greatly influenced his early life and career. When he’s not producing or performing, he’s running one of the hottest nightlife promotion companies in NYC, founded by his brother.

Following this profound loss, OMM channeled his grief and experiences into music production. In just a few years, he forged connections with major labels, DJs, and artists across various genres. His music has already garnered 200-300k local streams, excluding radio plays. His versatility as an artist, stemming from his background in dance and choreography, allows him to fluidly blend genres and connect with diverse audiences propelled by a groovy house sound. His most recent release ‘Rush’ features a bumping house bassline with a sultry female vocal and is a good indicator of groovy house vibes you’ll want to experience yourself at his performance at the Kings Hall on day 2.

Malaa

The enigmatic French electronic dance music DJ and producer, Malaa, is known for his signature balaclava-clad persona and bass house sound. Signed to Tchami’s Confession label, Malaa broke onto the scene with his single ‘Notorious’ and is famous for his “Who Is Malaa?” continuous mixes. Part of the Pardon My French collective with DJ Snake, Mercer, and Tchami, Malaa’s performances are a high-energy blend of ghetto house, future house, and bass house, guaranteed to keep the crowd moving. If you’re a fan of beats in the overall house genre, this is a not miss set on day 2.

William Black

William Black is a Denver-based producer who has skyrocketed to the top of the melodic bass space, harnessing a distinct sound that connects deeply with listeners. His music is characterized by emotional narratives and uplifting anthems, often addressing themes of depression, addiction, love, and loss. His 2018 debut EP, Universe, topped the iTunes Dance Charts, and his 2019 album, Pages, charted on both iTunes and Billboard Dance. Having collaborated with EDM heavyweights like ILLENIUM and SLANDER, William Black’s sets are known for their heartfelt storytelling and dynamic drops, creating an immersive and powerful experience. His most recent release ‘Nightmare’ with Fairlane, and Amidy is a must listen, and you can bet it will have your heartstrings throbbing as you listen to it live on day 2.