Desert Hearts founders Mikey Lion and Marbs have joined forces with SHADED for their new single, “Time To Roll,” out now via Desert Hearts Records.
Built around the loose, freewheeling energy that has defined Desert Hearts for more than a decade, “Time To Roll” brings Mikey Lion, Marbs, and SHADED together for a playful late-night house cut rooted in the spirit of the collective’s legendary dancefloors. Its tongue-in-cheek title offers a knowing nod to the culture that helped shape Desert Hearts and remains deeply embedded in its music, parties, and community.
Rather than overcomplicating the formula, the collaboration leans into the kind of infectious groove that has long been central to the Desert Hearts sound. The result is a record built for after-hours sets and carefree dancefloors, carrying the personality and sense of fun that have become synonymous with the collective.
“Time To Roll” continues a recent run of releases from the wider Desert Hearts crew, following their debut California EP, “HTL,” their collaboration with Life On Planets, “This Is The Place,” and “A Place For Us.” Together, the releases signal a new chapter for Desert Hearts, with the longtime party, label, and community continuing to evolve through a unified artist project.
The latest single also arrives ahead of Microfest, which takes place October 1–5 at the 132-acre Deloro Valley retreat in Northern California. Created as one of the most intimate Desert Hearts gatherings since the movement’s earliest days, the festival returns to the close-knit dancefloors and community-first ethos that helped establish the collective as one of the most enduring forces in American house and techno.
The Microfest lineup brings together an eclectic collection of house and techno artists, including DJ Minx, Stacey Pullen, Danny Daze, Doc Martin, Justin Martin, and DJ Holographic, alongside Desert Hearts residents Mikey Lion, Marbs, and Lee Reynolds.
Spanning five days, Microfest will place the Desert Hearts community back in an intimate setting designed around connection, music, and the free-spirited atmosphere that has remained at the heart of the collective since its beginnings.
With “Time To Roll,” Mikey Lion, Marbs, and SHADED tap directly into that enduring spirit, delivering a playful new addition to the Desert Hearts Records catalog while setting the tone for another gathering built around the culture that started it all. Tickets are extremely limited. Fans can buy tickets here.
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