Krewella's 'Play Harder' Remix EP Features Plenty Of Friends

Chicago EDM group Krewella has been around for the better part of half a decade, which means they have plenty of friends in the business. That comes in handy, it turns out, when putting together a remix EP like "Play Harder" (out Dec. 10).

"A lot of the remixers are friends that we know personally and reached out to," the group composed of Jahan Yousaf, Yasmine Yousaf and Kris "Rain Man" Trindl said in an email to The Huffington Post. "We are blessed to know so many talented producers."

KillaGraham, Chuckie and Dirtyphonics are among the names on the release, which focuses on remixes of "Alive" and "Killin' It" but also includes a free new song, "Come & Get It" (download the track on Krewella's Facebook page). The remixes run the gamut, from a well-tailored banger of a rework by EDM pop act Cash Cash and New York DJ and producer Kalkutta to a vocal mix of "Killin' It" that features Dutch house producer Chuckie.

Calling in friends and confidants is a smart move for Krewella, who embrace a certain DIY approach to music -- and the consumption of it. "We're going to keep putting our music out for free, but if we sell certain records, we encourage our fans to grab our music in any way possible," the group wrote before adding, "*cough cough zippyshare.*" (Zippyshare is a file sharing website that's especially popular among EDM fans.)

Like Skrillex, who toured the country as the frontman of emo band From First to Last, and Zedd, a classically trained pianist, Krewella is another thorn in the side of critics who claim EDM is dominated by one-dimensional DJ's. And perhaps that makes their success -- the band's first EP, "Play Hard," topped Beatport, dance music's biggest retailer -- even sweeter. "We came up more from the alternative rock and metal scenes in Chicago," the group told HuffPost. "There's no doubt that our city has birthed some of the most influential dance music though, and we're proud to represent such an amazing place. Much respect to the legends that have come out of Chicago."