From restored motels to a mattress factory

Jain made her name in Miami restoring 1950s motels along Biscayne Boulevard in Miami’s MiMo district, including the Vagabond Hotel, which she and her partners bought for $1.9 million in 2012. The Hialeah site came later. Terra’s David Martin and Michael Simkins bought the factory at 4800 Northwest 37th Avenue in 2018, the city council rezoned it for transit-oriented development, and Jain initially planned to work on the project with Martin. In 2021, the pair sold it to her for $10.5 million.

Instead of taking an acquisition loan, Jain brought in investors, including the owners of Club Space. David Sinopoli, Davide Danese and Jose Coloma Cano, friends of Jain’s, had been hunting for somewhere to throw large-scale events without constant neighborhood complaints.

“They said to me, ‘We need to find a place where we can make noise,'” Jain said. “Clubs have closed on the beaches, Wynwood, next to Space, so it was a really interesting challenge.”

Keeping the bones

Jain kept and reinforced the original walls, preserved the steel structures, hauled debris away by the shipping container and brought in 100 mature trees rescued from tree farms.

“Most people would have walked onto this property and wanted to knock everything down,” she said. “I saw the value in what was there.”

The paperwork mattered as much as the building. Hialeah officials knew Jain from her motel restorations, and she secured a 24-hour liquor license plus approvals that let the site host recurring music festivals without a new public hearing for every event. She told The Real Deal those approvals became as valuable as the property itself, since festivals book talent a year out and promoters won’t commit millions to artists, staging and production without predictable permits.

Insomniac signs on

Factory Town hosted its first pop-up events at the end of 2021, and by March 2022 Get Lost was taking over the entire lot for its 15th anniversary during Miami Music Week. In 2023, Insomniac signed a 10-year lease on the property worth more than $22 million, with two 10-year extension options, according to court documents cited by The Real Deal.

That partnership went to court in 2025, when Insomniac sued Sinopoli, Danese and Coloma Cano, alleging they concealed their ownership interest in the Factory Town real estate while negotiating the lease. The operators countersued, and the two sides reached a confidential settlement on June 30, with Insomniac keeping its commitment to the venue. Jain stayed out of the crossfire.

Five stages of house and techno

Much of the venue’s calendar runs as mini festivals around Miami’s big weeks, from Formula One weekend to Hocus Pocus at Halloween. During Miami Music Week, Factory Town has run five stages a night for five straight nights every year since 2024. The European house and techno brands that fit Miami’s taste keep coming back. elrow has thrown a party at every Miami Music Week there since 2024, and CircoLoco has hosted Factory Basel nights in 2024, 2025 and again this December. Jamie Jones brought Paradise in 2024 and 2026, Marco Carola‘s Music On ran from 2023 through 2025, and Drumcode has held a Miami Music Week slot three years running.

Beyond dance music

The calendar has stretched past dance music, too. FKA twigs brought her Body High live performance there in March with Eartheater. In September, Snow Strippers played with Bleood among the guests on the 19th, and Turnstile followed the next night with Mall Grab, Cold World and Collateral. III Points presented the FKA twigs and Snow Strippers shows, and its III Joints offshoot has taken over the grounds each April for the last two years, with Helado Negro on the 2025 bill.

What’s next

This year, for the first time, Factory Town hosted events prior to Hocus Pocus, featuring Sara Landry, Eli Brown, Fisher, Armin van Buuren and more. Later this year, Factory Basel runs December 2 to 6 during Art Basel, with Chris Lake, Solomun, PAWSA and The Martinez Brothers leading nearly 20 label and artist stage programs.

Hialeah’s slogan is “La Ciudad que Progresa,” the City of Progress. The officials who wanted Jain to bring a preservation project there ended up with a factory where the line forms before sunset and the dancing goes past dawn.

Iconic Factory Town Sets

Watch popular sets recorded at Factory Town below.

Omar+ – Planet X, Miami Music Week 2026

Disco Lines – Factory Town 2026

John Summit – Live at Factory Town

BLOND:ISH – Halloween 2025

ROSSI. – Hocus Pocus 2023

Adam Ten – Link Miami Rebels DJ set

Paco Osuna B2B Nicole Moudaber – Hocus Pocus 2023

Soul Clap – Hocus Pocus 2023

Source: The Real Deal

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The timing lines up with Refuge’s first anniversary, which the venue celebrated last month with a 72-hour finale that ran straight through a Nor’easter without missing a beat. For PURGATORY, the East Williamsburg space is leaning into that same no-shortcuts approach — four days of programming across house, techno, and UK garage, with sets running through the main room and courtyard during day, night, and sunrise slots.

Refuge has built its reputation on a dancefloor-first setup: 500 capacity, no VIP sections, no bottle service, and sound as the priority. That extends to its custom four-point REX analogue sound system, co-engineered with Al Fierstein, which will be running throughout the marathon.

The lineup also carries some added weight this time around. Soul Clap will share the bill with DJ E-Cology on Friday night — a pairing that marks the final time Eli Goldstein and Charles Levine will perform together following their announcement last month ending their 25-year run as a duo. Levine continues under the Soul Clap name going forward, while Goldstein steps into his solo E-Cology project. Friday’s set will be the last chance to catch them on a stage together as the act fans have known for over two decades.

PURGATORY Schedule

The marathon kicks off Thursday night, October 29, with a B2B session between UK garage and house selector salute and Detroit techno veteran Stacey Pullen. Friday, October 30 brings soulful house and disco from Jayda G and Suze Ijo, alongside the Soul Clap and E-Cology set.

Halloween night itself is split into two sessions. Saturday daytime features resident Victor Calderone with Audiofly’s Anthony Middleton, while Nicole Moudaber takes over after dark. The marathon winds down into Sunday with a sunrise set from Berlin’s Mira, followed by a closing daytime session from Serge Devant and Vanjee.

Full lineup breakdown:

Thursday, October 29 (Night): salute B2B Stacey Pullen
Friday, October 30 (Night): Jayda G, Soul Clap + DJ E-Cology, Suze Ijo
Saturday, October 31 (All Day): Victor Calderone, Anthony Middleton
Saturday, October 31 (Night): Nicole Moudaber
Sunday, November 1 (Sunrise): Mira
Sunday, November 1 (Day): Serge Devant, Vanjee

Refuge NYC was co-founded by promoter John DiMatteo and sound engineer Craig “Shorty” Bernabeu, with the venue modeled after legacy nightlife spaces like Paradise Garage, The Sound Factory, and Space Ibiza. Tickets for the shows are available here.

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GORDO, the Nicaraguan-American DJ and producer formerly known as Carnage, has spent the past few years rebuilding his sound and reputation around house and tech-house rather than the festival trap and bass material that made his name under the old alias. The rebrand has paid off — he landed a Grammy nomination for his production work on Diplo’s self-titled album, racked up streaming numbers with tracks like ‘Hombres y Mujeres’ and ‘Sideways’, and produced on Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind. That trajectory made the TARAKA residency one of the more closely watched bookings on Pacha’s 2026 calendar.

Each Tuesday brought a rotating cast of support alongside GORDO’s own extended sets. The season closed out on September 29 with Roger Sanchez joining GORDO alongside Gala and Abril Love, wrapping a lineup that also touched on names like Nicole Moudaber, Shimza and Patrick Topping across the six weeks. The spread of styles — from Moudaber’s techno-leaning sets to Vintage Culture’s more melodic house approach — gave the residency a different flavor week to week while keeping GORDO as the connective thread.

The booking also continued Pacha’s push since its 2025 renovation, which added a reworked sound system built around a d&b audiotechnik setup running on a Dante digital network, along with a VIP Garden and suspended VIP+ mezzanine overlooking the DJ booth. The club has leaned on its renovated space and sustainability credentials — it holds LEED Platinum certification and runs on renewable energy — as part of its pitch to headliners and the DJ Mag Top 100 Clubs list it appeared on again in 2026.

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Hekate Takeover

Nothing speaks more about Sara’s commitment to supporting other female artists than her lineups. Serum’s show was no different. On Thursday, three iconic Techno female artists enchanted attendees, prepping us all for the rest of the weekend’s festivities. The night began with none other than NYC underground artist Kyruh. The DJ took us on a hypnotic journey of abstract sounds and textures. Then, Chicago’s finest, Hiroko Yamamura, continued the momentum with cutting- edge basslines and acidic rumbles.

As the room filled with intensity and heat, In the Mood‘s label head, Nicole Moudaber, brought her signature percussive rhythms, mixed in with depth and resonance. When you think the night couldn’t get any better, Moudaber and Landry came together for the very first time for an immaculate b2b. Threading through the realms of Proper, Hypnotic, and Hard Techno, the two women embraced each other’s signature sounds while creating a brand-new sonic experience.

Naturally, the Hekate matriarch closed out the night with a mix of older Hekate crowd-pleasers and deeper, more niche grooves. Saving the ultimate impact for last, Landry shut it down with a mix of her newest singles such as ‘Interesting‘ and ‘Angel Dust’ to some wild and hard Psytrance.

Eternalism

After a five- month hiatus from her last Eternalism show at Terminal V in Scotland, Landry brought her Eternalism audiovisual concept to the main stage at Arc Music Festival on September 4th, 2026. Presented with a customized stage made specifically for the show, Eternalism is one of Landry’s most ambitious concepts to date. Merging her signature sounds with dark and feminine optics, the producer showcases her multisensory artistry. She will finish out Labor Day Weekend this Sunday at Insomniac’s Factory Town in Miami. Supporting acts include Fumi, Mischluft, HHunter, Serafina, and Supergloss.

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Danny is releasing his next single, ‘Welcome 2 Miami‘, on one of the most respected labels in the underground: Nicole Moudaber‘s MOOD Records. The track is a certified weapon. The best part is the story behind the collaboration. Initially, the vocals were AI, and Nicole said absolutely not, so she recorded the vocals herself!

‘Welcome 2 Miami’: The Sonic Vibe

Avila isn’t watering down his sound for the underground here, nor is he compromising the energy that makes his sets bounce. The track hits a perfect middle ground. It’s got a heavy, thick kick drum and a driving bassline that feels tailor-made for a dark room or a massive stage at 2AM. It carries that rolling techno percussion MOOD is known for, layered with a hypnotic vocal and just enough peak-time energy to cause absolute chaos when it drops.

Getting a stamp of approval from the “Queen of Techno” herself is a massive deal. For Moudaber to bring Avila into the MOOD family proves that his shift into darker techno isn’t just a one-off or small shift in his direction, and he’s doing it right, as the heavyweights are backing him up.

Stream it below!

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Coming off his Adam Beyer collab ‘Techno Trance’ earlier this month, Armin van Buuren doubles down with ‘House Party,’ a taut techno-trance bruiser that marries Nicole Moudaber’s sharp, genre smashing high end with a relentless, festival ready groove. Moudaber’s snap and grit carve through the mix, while Armin keeps the arrangement gloriously uncomplicated; a blunt, anthemic approach that fuels peak-time euphoria and has kept him a dancefloor staple for decades.

Both artists are currently on sprawling world tours that lean heavily into Europe and South America. Nicole Moudaber heads to Elrow Peru and will appear at Amsterdam Dance Event next month, while Armin van Buuren wraps the summer with dates in Ibiza before headlining Tomorrowland Brasil. With both playing major festival stages and club nights, ‘House Party’ is sure to become a peak-time banger in their sets all year long.

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Visionary Hosts & Keynotes

This year’s summit will be co-hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong and Saudi-UK DJ and cultural force Nooriyah, both passionate advocates for the creative explosion happening across the Middle East and North Africa.

Featured keynote talent includes global DJ/producer HUGEL, Lebanese-British techno titan Nicole Moudaber, and genre-blurring duo Bedouin, alongside regional tastemakers like Egypt’s Misty, Lebanese favorite Rolbac, and nightlife leader Elie Saba (AddMind). Tech and industry insight will come from Sofia Ilyas (Beatport), Samer Jamal (Meta), and Jade (Factory People).

Nooriyah added: “The SWANA region is one of the most inspiring places in electronic music right now, full of creativity and growth. This summit provides a platform to celebrate incredible artists, amplify the voices of the region, and create meaningful connections that will help shape the future of our culture across SWANA and beyond.”

Summit Themes & Cultural Focus

IMS Dubai 2025 will tackle urgent topics shaping the future of music, including:

• AI in music production
• Market focus on Lebanon
• Homegrown festivals & grassroots infrastructure
• Diaspora identity in global scenes
• The ‘habibification’ of house music
• Women in music leadership
• Fashion x music crossover

The summit will also debut the MENA Women in Music mentorship powered by Little Pink Book, expanding access and visibility for female creatives across the region. This initiative underscores IMS’s mission to push for more equity and inclusion within the electronic music space not just in the West, but globally.

A second room focused on Finance & Technology will explore Web3, gaming, AI tools, investments, and music production, all curated in partnership with Beatport Connect. These sessions aim to connect emerging creators with infrastructure-level insights to navigate music’s digital transformation.

Networking floors will be active across both days, with live DJ sets hosted by Mixmag MENA and Kiss FM, creating a soundtrack for spontaneous connections and creative collisions.

From Daytime Dialogue to Nightlife Takeover

As with last year’s edition, IMS Dubai 2025 seamlessly blends conference content with curated nightlife programming, allowing delegates to experience the city’s booming electronic scene. Official afterparties include:

• Beatport Live at Monkey Bar (Nov 13)
• Events at Ushuaïa Dubai Harbour Experience, Surf Club, Be Beach, Reunion, and the iconic Helipad rooftop venue

With events stretching across November 12–16, the summit evolves into a citywide takeover, with Dubai itself becoming the canvas for creative expression.

Badge Access & Info

• Early Bird Badges: Already sold out
• Discounted Badges Available: For full-time students, under-27s, and persons of determination
• More Info: IMS Dubai Website.

As interest surges, additional speakers, panel topics, and evening programming are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.

The first wave of speakers includes a diverse mix of global and regional leaders (A-Z): Ahmed El Ganzoury (GNK Group), Ahmed Hameed (Soundscapes/Noctuary), Amira Guetif (Sole DXB), Ayman Hariri (VERO), Baloo (MDLBEAST), Cynthia Nasr (Minab Studios), Dimitri Khater (Hide Doha), Emile Hokayem (Aegis Festival), Elie Saba (ADDMIND Hospitality), Fady Nageed (Dazed MENA), Farsa, HUGEL, James Khoury (Hot Axis), Jade (Factory People), Keena, Lara Kays, Mai El Mokadem, Mayssa Karaa (Berklee Abu Dhabi), Megatronic, Misty, Moody Jones (DIRTYBIRD/EMPIRE), Nada Al Elhabi (MDLBEAST Foundation), Nicole Moudaber, Nooriyah, Onur Ates (Mixmag MENA), Pete Tong, Pierre Carnet (MASSIVEMUSIC MENA), Roberta Hickey (Beatport Group), Rolbac, Samer Jamal (Meta), Sofia Ilyas (Beatport Group), Suhel Nafar (EMPIRE), Timmy Mowafi (SceneNoise), Triopolism, Wassim Bou Malham (Factory People), and Yara Temsah (Hot Axis).

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Arc After Dark Lineup

The city breathes House and Techno for five days from August 28 to September 1. Venues include Radius and Cermak Hall, Metro and Smartbar, Serum, Outset, Smoke and Mirrors, Spybar, Concord Music Hall, and Masada. This year, we get boat parties as well at the Anita Dee II. Moreover, this year we will have an official Arc Brunch on Saturday with Jerro as the headliner. And as always, the closing parties on Monday are meant for the true fans that still have plenty left in their tank.

Thursday

The Arc pre-party has been a staple of the weekend for the last few years. This time, the Arc turnt it up a notch while having not one, but five different pre-parties. Artists include Pryda, Cristoph, Eats Everything b2b Mike Dunn, Ghost Theory, Kettama, and Pablo Fierro.

Friday

The weekend begins with soaring beats and pulsating melodies, with a mix of newcomers and Arc veterans. Amelie Lens will join Nicole Moudaber at Radius, while DJ Tennis and Kryptogram unleash their sounds at Smartbar. Moreover, Book Club’s Tinzo + Jojo, Hot Since 82, Interplanetary Criminal, and Malugi all have their respective afters.

Saturday

Saturday will come full throttle with afterparties hosted by Fisher, Richie Hawtin, Riordan, Adam Beyer, Layton Giordani, Boys Noize, Claude Vonstroke, VTSS, and Chloe Caillet. Special mention to vinyl Techno DJ Hector Oaks, one of this year’s wildcards and After Dark exclusive.

Sunday

Day three keeps up the pace with some of the biggest names on the Lineup. On this evening, John Summit, Max Styler, and Ayybo will all be at the mega warehouse Radius. Then, Luciano brings out Ricardo Villalobos at Cermak Hall. Nic Fanciulli takes over Concord Music Hall while Ki/Ki delights us with her acid bounces at Serum. For the first time, Arc After Dark will host its very own Drum and Bass exclusive afterparty with Subfocus.

Finally, Alignment will set Outset on fire, alongside another wildcard of the year, Jenna Shaw, who has been steadily playing at major festivals in the United States, including EDSEA, Electric Forest, and EDCLV.

Arc After Dark passes are sold exclusively to festival passholders. Make sure get onto it! See you soon.

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Nicole Moudaber B2B Anfisa Letyago

In a true showcase of the feminine influence on the Techno soundscape, this b2b will give you chills. In the Mood radio host and MoodCollective label lead, Nicole Moudaber, joins the enigmatic N:S:DA label head Anfisa Letyago for an extra special and twisted b2b. Both DJs have already performed together earlier this year at CRSSD Festival in San Diego and Club Space in Miami. Now, it’s our town to dance as the sun comes down at Expansions. This duo is the perfect vibe for the mystical and obscure environment that the Expansions stage provides.

Since both artists played at the festival separately on different years, now it’s time to bring these two powerful sonic queens on the same dancefloor.

Boys Noize B2B VTSS

German House and Techno producer Boys Noize returns to Arc and is bringing none other than the Techno fashionista herself, Polish DJ and producer VTSS. This time, they are bringing their Arc after Dark magic. Back in 2023, both artists played a B2B set together at METRO, the venue above the legendary Smartbar. Their high-energy and punishing beats will have you stomping the ground at the Area 909 stage relentlessly. After years of mixing, their chemistry behind the decks is as powerful as ever, and we get to enjoy it all by ourselves.

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Sub Focus

After half a decade of dancing on the magical grounds of Arc Music Festival, it’s time to broaden horizons. Mainly, switching it up a bit and introducing a new music genre to the event. House and Techno snobs are still lovers, after all. English Drum and Bass DJ and producer Sub Focus joins our list, and oh boy, how excited are we? We will need lots of cardio and stretching for this artist, as he will bring the beats to hyperspeed. This is not the first time Arc incorporates Drum and Bass into this audience, however. Last year, Auris Presents hosted a special Area 909 event at Radius, which included artists such as Klangkuenstler and Dimension.

Claude VonStroke

The Dirtybird founder enjoyed his hiatus while focusing on his bass persona, Barclay Crenshaw. Nonetheless, he couldn’t keep House from returning home, and now he is ready to enchant the Elrow stage with his groovy and funky beats. Coming from an astonishing performance at Lightning in a Bottle in Bakersfield, VonStroke is one of the House Legends that keep this music festival alive.

Honey Dijon B2B Derrick Carter

Two of the most emblematic characters in the underground scene in Chicago come together for a b2b that will not only be special, but also a statement of House Music’s Black and Queer Roots. Trans DJ and activist Honey Dijon will merge with her long-time friend, DJ and producer Derrick Carter, to create the most immaculate vibes at the Expansions stage. Prepare to dance in a sea of bodies covered in the sweat of freedom and liberation through the sounds and beats of the true underground.

The Auris Presents event is finally within its last tier of tickets, and tickets for Pre-Parties and the final day afterparty are available as well, with some having sold out already.

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]]> https://www.edmtunes.com/2025/07/14/nicole-moudaber-illuminates-soundscapes-in-ai-love-you/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nicole-moudaber-illuminates-soundscapes-in-ai-love-you Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:40:29 +0000 https://www.edmtunes.com/?p=385375 Nicole Moudaber has made an exciting comeback with her latest single, ‘AI Love You’. This new release is a high-energy techno banger, featuring a rapid BPM that promises to create an electric atmosphere on dance floors in clubs around the world. Take a moment to listen to the track above. It features a driving rhythm […]

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]]> Nicole Moudaber has made an exciting comeback with her latest single, ‘AI Love You’. This new release is a high-energy techno banger, featuring a rapid BPM that promises to create an electric atmosphere on dance floors in clubs around the world. Take a moment to listen to the track above. It features a driving rhythm and intricate soundscapes, laced with a captivating dark edge that keeps listeners engaged and moving. The production of ‘AI Love You’ showcases Nicole Moudaber’s signature style, blending deep bass lines with haunting melodies that evoke a thrilling sense of urgency.

If anyone is showing interest in following her journey throughout what appears to be an exceptionally busy 2025, click on this link to explore her upcoming live events where you can purchase tickets and experience her unforgettable performances in person. Her wonderful career also continues to magnify with her recently launching her own tech-house label, MoodCollective. Furthermore, click Play on the Spotify link below to stream ‘AI Love You’ from Nicole Moudaber, a track that grabs one’s attention with a magnetizing allure with its very unique rhythms that flow perfectly all around.

The post Nicole Moudaber Illuminates Soundscapes in ‘AI Love You’ appeared first on EDMTunes.

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