Over the years, Good Times Ahead (fka GTA), the brainchild of Julio Mejia and Matt Toth, has built up crazy credibility for never giving in to genre constraints.
It’s been a wild ride for these beat-making virtuosos, but it’s an entirely new era for the Miami-based duo. Dropping their former three-letter pseudonym was just the first phase of a full-fledged rebrand, as the boys gear up for the launch of their very own Good Times / Bad Times label, a new endeavor that aims to bridge the gap between the dance music and Latin club communities.
“We wanted to create Good Times / Bad Times because we feel like we have a good understanding of what the dance world needs from cool Latin producers/artists,” says Good Times Ahead. “A lot of our peers end up playing the stuff we find, and we want to give those artists a place to release music, as well as the main outlet to release our own music.”
The newly minted imprint arrives on the back of their ‘Good Times Bad Times at HARD Summer’ mixtape they hit us with in August, which saw them recruiting a crew of likeminded friends (this is where we name drop Diplo, Flosstradamus, What So Not, and more), the boys are flipping the first part of the aforementioned title into a full-blown imprint.
For the label’s inaugural release, Good Times Ahead is dipping below the border to tap two treasures from the Latin community. Noizekid is one of the reigning names from the global bass scene, known for fusing his Mexican roots with rump-shaking rhythms and endless attitude. Meanwhile, Columbian sensation Juan Por Dios has been heating up with a growing catalog marked by sultry songwriting and hip-shaking guitar playing. It’s within this transcontinental cross-section lies “Malvada,” a fiery single that goes off with each of their respective flavors marinating into a moombah-laced melting pot.
“These next sounds, shows, and events will continue to build on what we stand for the most, which is to create a space where all can feel welcome, accepted and free to express their version of Good Times with that big, positive energy that you’ve come to expect from us,” they recently said addressing their fans via social media. “There’s a lot we’ve been working on and that we can finally share with you all. Adelanté.”
The Spanish speakers in the building would translate that closing word as “ahead,” signaling to the open-ended and exciting opportunities this new endeavor will bring for Good Times Ahead. More big moves are on the horizon.
