Joseph Rath sat down to discuss Hard Haven, artist management, and his alter ego, CUTDWN. He also dropped off an exclusive listen to his tune, “Azid Reign.”
Hard Haven is a brand-new firm based in the United States that focuses on artist management and booking in the harder styles. For years, plenty of artists have laid the groundwork for the success of American Hard Dance, and it’s finally time to capitalize on the rising demand for this style and sound. Joseph Rath, the founder of Hard Haven, wants to capture this market sector by showcasing unique artists who will surely be the future stars of the American scene.
Combining his experience in the music industry, Joseph Rath has created a home for six artists in the realm of the harder styles with his latest project, Hard Haven. Artists like DEATH CODE, HELLBOUND!, DRAKK, and more have been enlisted to represent a greater movement as hard music continues sweeping the nation. But great artists are only the beginning because Hard Haven aims to develop brands, build a loyal fanbase, and increase every member’s value in the industry.
Additionally, Joseph put himself in the thick of the scene with an alter ego known as CUTDWN, which has blossomed into a beautifully chaotic project. As we continue into the latter half of 2024, he is preparing to release the Carnage Merchant EP on GRIT Records – a huge stamp of approval from Criminal Mayhem and the European hard techno scene.
Luckily, fans won’t have to wait long to get their hands on the reverse bass, drifting screeches, and acid basslines on the EP. CUTDWN stopped by to drop a nuke with the exclusive premiere of “Azid Reign” and discuss his thoughts on Hard Haven, American Hard Dance, and much more. Snag a ticket to his next show with Hard Dance NYC on DICE, and read on to dive into the mind of Joseph Rath!
Before we dive into Hard Haven, let’s talk briefly about you. How did you first get involved in the music industry, and what led you to have two management firms?
My involvement with the music scene started because of the ladies of Dubstep FBI, Chrissy, and Yesi. We started Millennial Momentum by consulting for small and medium-sized businesses. We did website design, marketing plans, financial work, etc. The ladies were the ones who wanted to get into music consulting, artist management, and brand development. Without them, I probably would not have entered the music realm!
As mentioned, you’re part of two different management firms, Millennial Momentum and Hard Haven. What makes the two different, and why are they separate?
Millennial Momentum was our original project. Now, we have a split roster of hard dance and bass artists. We also do consulting work for brand development, website design, and EPK designs. Pretty much anything an artist, label, or firm needs to develop, we do it. With Hard Haven, I focus on hard techno and capture that market as the US manager and firm. The ladies have Dubstep FBI, so we all have our preferred music genre firm to push in our vision. Millennial Momentum is the collective powerhouse of all our expertise in one!
Can you provide more insight into your experience with artist management and how you will implement it to advance Hard Haven within the hard dance scene?
I’ve been doing artist management for four years now. To me, artist management is pretty easy. It’s another business and another product to sell. My financial and strategic business background makes it very simple to break down the pipeline for the development and growth of each of my artists. I work with talented artists, so I don’t have to worry about the music aspect. All we need to do is play the game of social media to build the brand and increase the retention of loyal fans and the ticket value of each artist.
What is Hard Haven’s mission statement? To follow up, what are you building towards in the music industry with this new firm?
“To make real beats that burn heat in each fan.” Every one of my artists at Hard Haven produces their music. We also make sure to have respect from other artists and fans in our respective markets. The end goal for Hard Haven is to have an all-encompassing firm for hard techno and to host our stage takeover series at festivals and events like how the ladies of Dubstep FBI just did at Rampage Open Air in Belgium.
Currently, Hard Haven represents six rising stars in dance music. What is your thought process behind scouting talent you believe will be integral to the firm?
They need to make their own music, have a stockpile of unreleased records, and treat their project like they would die for it. The music should be fun, but there should also be enough desire for success that they fight and grind for it every day. It’s hard managing artists who don’t even have passion for their work. If that’s how they are, I can’t help them. Luckily, everyone I have worked with thus far is an absolute machine and expert in their crafts.
Speaking of artists on the firm, Hard Haven represents one of your alter egos, CUTDWN. How did this project come to life?
Oh, CUTDWN. My little cosplay project of a wanna-be producer and DJ. It’s hilarious. It came from thinking, “Well, if I learn how to produce and perform, I’ll know what it’s truly like for my artists, and I’ll be able to manage more efficiently.” A year and some change later, here we are. The CUTDWN project has grown way faster than I expected.
In just over a year, CUTDWN has provided the scene with plenty of guest mixes, banging performances, and great releases. Now, you’re set to release Carnage Merchant on GRIT Records. How are you feeling heading into one of the biggest accomplishments in the CUTDWN project so far?
It’s crazy to think it’s a reality already, you know? Some DJs take years to debut an EP. I told myself that if I had an artist project, I would release an EP within the first year to have a foundation to stand on. My performances are at least 50% of my music, and the rest is from my artists or close producer friends.
I am super grateful for Riccardo, aka Criminal Mayhem, who owns GRIT Records. He has given me an insane amount of insight and he mixes and masters my tracks because he has extensive experience with sound design and production. I’m happy with my music, and I know it’s fire because my artist friends are already playing my tracks live on the big stages worldwide!
With 2024 already halfway over and Hard Haven kicking off in full force, what does the near future look like for your roster of hard dance artists?
We have shows planned all around. The biggest is the USA debut for ANGEL CANNON at Escape Halloween in October. This kid is a weapon, and I’m happy to get him in front of a proper crowd. DRAKK had his “PHAT BASS” release come out recently, and it absolutely slaughtered through the scene. It’s definitely the 2024 anthem. HELLBOUND! has released two EPs this year – one on AGONY and one on DSR Digital.
INIGMA is living in Barcelona and is rapidly growing his label, SNRG. He has released an excessive amount of music this year already, too. And, of course, DEATH CODE played EDC Las Vegas and Intents Festival in the Netherlands – two massive performances! We’ve hit a lot of peaks, and we’re going to do even more in the coming months and years!
Follow CUTDWN:
Instagram | SoundCloud | Spotify
