Category: house music

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: LutchamaK Shares Brooding “Outside Observer”

French JOVM mainstay LutchamaK returns with the four-track Hybrid EP. Released today through Chicago-based Urban Kickz Recordings Special Series, the French JOVM mainstay’s latest EP sees him continuing to bounce around several different styles and genres of electronic music, all while showcasing an uncanny ability to make it all cohesive. 

So far, I’ve written about two of the EP’s singles:

  • EP title track “Hybrid,” a slick synthesis of joyous Larry Levan-like house, and glitchy, industrial-leaning Detroit and Berlin-like techno that slaps hard.

  • “Innsæi,” a swaggering banger that recalls Tour de France-era Kraftwerk and John Carpenter soundtracks paired with some glitchy, retro-futuristic synths.

“Outside Observer” is a brooding and subtly menacing bit of house featuring skittering, tweeter and woofer rattling hook, atmospheric bass synths, glitchy oscillations and a spoken word vocal sample. While reminding listeners of the JOVM mainstays uncanny knack for sleek productions paired with razor sharp hooks, “Outside Observer” continues a run of remarkably cinematic yet club friendly material.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: LutchamaK Shares Swaggering “Innsæi”

French JOVM mainstay LutchamaK returns with the four-track Hybrid EP. Released today through Chicago-based Urban Kickz Recordings Special Series, the French JOVM mainstay’s latest EP sees him continuing to bounce around several different styles and genres of electronic music, all while showcasing an uncanny ability to make it all cohesive. 

You might recall that I recently released about EP title track “Hybrid,” a slick synthesis of joyous Larry Levan-like house, and glitchy, industrial-leaning Detroit and Berlin-like techno that slaps hard. The EP’s latest single “Innsæi” is a swaggering banger that recalls Tour de France-era Kraftwerk and John Carpenter soundtracks paired with some glitchy, retro-futuristic synths. But interestingly, “Innsæi” may be the most cinematic track of the JOVM mainstay’s growing catalog.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: LutchamaK Returns with Sleek “Hybrid”

French JOVM mainstay LutchamaK returns with the four-track Hybrid EP. Released today through Chicago-based Urban Kickz Recordings Special Series, the French JOVM mainstay’s latest EP sees him continuing to bounce around several different styles and genres of electronic music, all while showcasing an uncanny ability to make it all cohesive.

The EP’s latest single, EP title track “Hybrid” is a slick synthesis of joyous. Larry Levan-like house, and glitchy, industrial-leaning Detroit and Berlin-like techno that slaps hard.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Chatom Shares a Sleek and Futuristic Banger

Chaton is an emerging electronic music artist, whose debut single “From the Future” is a melodic bit of hard-hitting deep house that may remind listeners 

a bit of Tour de France-era Kraftwerk and JOVM mainstay LutchamaK.

Fittingly “From the Future” is inspired by futurism, the aspirations to create technologies to enable a better life for all.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Sunglow Teams Up with Rachael Brianna on Rapid-Fire “figure 8s”

Daniel B. Lynch is a Savannah, GA-born, Chicago-based DIY electronic artist, best known as Sunglow. Lynch can trace the origins of his career in electronic/computer music back to when he was 12. Starting off with experimental, electronic songs, then gradually transitioning to weirdo pop, Lynch’s relocation to Chicago marked a return to his experimental roots.

His collaborations with Furious Hooves Records and Company Businesses Inc™ have led to some rather innovative sonic explorations, which have led to defining his unique “hypo-pop” style.

Lynch’s latest album, the recently released Chocolate, Strawberry, and Pistachio, a collaborative album that sees the Savannah-born, Chicago-based producer and artist working with a series of vocalists. The recently released album’s latest single “figure 8s” feat. Rachael Brianna is a rapid-fire bop anchored around squiggling and squawking electronics, twinkling synth arpeggios and skittering beats serving as a playful and sugary bed for Rachael Brianna’s sarcastic delivery. The song seems to say, when shit has gone dark, might as well make fun on of it.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Stimulus Teams Up with Swim Good and Taylor Bense on Deep House Banger “swiTCH”

STIMULUS is a rising Brooklyn-born, Berlin-based artist, DJ and event curator. His latest single “swiTCH” is a collaboration with Malik Work, Greg Paulus, Taylor Bense and Swim Good. Anchored around a lush club friendly production featuring woozily atmospheric synths, a supple bass line, skittering beats and soulful horn stabs paired with clever bars about the weird dynamics between social media and digital life and one’s real lived-in life. Sonically speaking “swiTCH” sounds a bit like a synthesis of Stereo MCs and C+C Music Factory with Larry Levan — but with a modern, self-assured swagger.

“The song is produced by jazz musicians who regularly sat in with Malik and I’s jazz/hip hop band The Real Show,” STIMULUS explains. “They eventually became well known as dance music producers and DJs (No Regular Play) on Wolf + Lamb Records and Kitsune.

“We wanted to combine parts of Brooklyn and Berlin in a way that made sense for both cities.

The lyrics talk about the difference between real life (irl) and its digital representation on social media platforms that’s extremely influenced by algorithms. We want to remind people to trust themselves and each other more than they trust algorithms. We also want to remind people it’s ok to keep parts of your life private and/or off of digital platforms.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: ADRIANNA Shares Earthshaking Banger “Never Never Land”

ADRIANNA is a British-based electronic music producer, DJ and singer/songwriter, who is known for electrifying live performances and a dynamic and captivating production style that sees her seamlessly blending hard-hitting beats with powerhouse vocals while actively pushing sonic boundaries.

Last year’s “Wild Electric” showcased her signature style of pulsating rhythms and energetic melodies, which led to it charting on the Beatport Hype Charts, as well as widespread support from fans and DJs alike globally. Acid house pioneers 808 State remixed “Wild Electric,” along with a series of other renowned producers and acts.

Adding to a big year, ADRIANA made the rounds of the global festival and party circuit, playing headlining sets at Creamfields and Blue Marin Ibiza, as well as playing opening slots for Patrick Topping and Alan Fitzpatrick.

She also hosts a monthly, globally syndicated radio show, where she curates a mix of the latest tech house and techno tracks. Airing on the second Saturday of every month, the show offers listeners a taste of her unique sound and musical vision.

The rising British-based producer, singer/songwriter and DJ’s latest single “Never Never Land” is a club and festival banger, anchored around earth rattling 808 thump, skittering hi-hats, glistening synth arpeggios paired with her insouciant delivery. Sonically, “Never Never Land” brings to mind a synthesis of old school deep house, Marie Davidson and others with a world dominating swagger.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Janzen Shares a Lush, Club Friendly Banger

Janzen is an electronic producer and artist, who has developed a reputation for crafting an upbeat and vibrant fusion of techno and electronic dance music paired with catchy lyrics that’s inspired from both underground rhythms and mainstream trends.

The rising electronic music producer and artist’s latest single “Just a Kiss” is a slickly produced and lush Ibiza-meets-French touch banger, inspired by Martin Garrix and Armin van Buuren, featuring glistening synth oscillations, tweeter and woofer rattling thump paired with a sultry and longing vocal, describing a life-changing kiss with a lover — or love interest — that they’ve been desiring.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Mexico CIty’s Granito Shares a Hypnotic, Trance-Inducing Banger

Granito is a 33 year-old, Mexico City-based electronic music producer, who specializes in a minimalist, trance-inducing take on dark, underground house music. His minimalist production approach is groove/dance first, melody last, as he explains that he feels as though he’s defending minimalist electronic music in a culture where vocal-led music controls the mainstream.

The Mexican producer is currently putting the finishing touches on the material which will comprise his 16-track full-length debut slated for release later this year. In the meantime, Granito’s latest single “Pluto” is a hypnotic banger that sounds a bit like a synthesis of Kraftwerk, A Nation of Millions Can’t Hold Us Back and Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Black-era Public Enemy and industrial techno as bursts of glistening and arpeggiated synth stabs cut through wailing, ambient drone and skittering beats.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: LutchamaK shares a Glitchy, Club Banger

French electronic music producer and JOVM mainstay LutchamaK begins 2025 with the Want U Back EP. Released through Brique Rogue, the five-song EP features an eclectic assortment of material with the JOVM mainstay bouncing around American Techno, Break Acid, Tech House and 80s Italo disco. 

Earlier this week, I wrote about Want U Back single “Stack 104,” a track that saw the French JOVM mainstay meshing elements of glitchy house with old school breakbeats and meaning synths to create a song that’s swaggering yet deeply soulful.

The EP’s second and latest single “Hibiscus,” continues in a similar vein — glitchy house but anchored around skittering, tweeter and woofer rattling thump and bursts of vocoder’d, radio fuzz-like vocal samples. It’s a big, club banger meant to get your ass moving.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: LutchamaK Shares Glitchy “Stack 104”

French electronic music producer and JOVM mainstay LutchamaK begins 2025 with the Want U Back EP. Released through Brique Rogue, the five-song EP features an eclectic assortment of material with the JOVM mainstay bouncing around American Techno, Break Acid, Tech House and 80s Italo disco.

Want U Back‘s latest single “Stack 104” sees the French JOVM mainstay meshing elements of glitchy house with old school breakbeats and menacing synths to create a song that’s swaggering yet soulful.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Single: coiro and ALSO ASTIR Team Up on Lush “Don’t Let Go”

coiro is a São Paulo-born and-based electronic music artist, who’s dreamy deep house-meets-techno sound creates a calming ambiance that simultaneously engages and mobilizes listeners by stirring up emotions in a similar fashion to that of nature. For the Brazilian electronic music producer, he uses his music to escape the tumult and density of his homeland’s largest city.

ASTIR is an evocative artist who specializes in a sound that’s ethereal, raw and envelope the listener in a world of introspection and atmospheric beauty, one that seems him thriving on the delicate balance between minimalism and emotional intensity. Thematically, his work focuses on inner turmoil, personal growth and the search for connection in an often-fragmented world. ALSO ASTIR is a sort of side project that sees the artist creating a more expansive and experimental approach to electronic music that sees him exploring broader, more dynamic soundscapes, characterized by intricate synth layers. bold production choices and delicate melodies. The result is a sound that feels deeply personal and cinematic.

Since its inception ALSO ASTIR has collaborated with a collection of acclaimed artists including Adriatique, Yotto, AVIRA, Nuage and BAILE and has released material through Armada Music, Anjuna, Enhanced Music, Get The Sound and X Recordings that have amassed over 16 million streams across DSPs. Adding to a growing profile, “Forget,” a collaboration with Yotto and AVIRA has reached Shazam charts globally, resonating with audiences at festivals and elsewhere. Additionally, he was named Shazam’s Breakthrough Electronic Artist of 2025.

The two rising electronic music producers and artists recently teamed up on “Don’t Let Go” a woozily lush and percussive banger featuring glistening synth oscillations, chiming percussion and skittering beats paired with vocals that are delicate and yearning. The result is a track that’s sensual and cinematic while reminding me a bit of Octo Octa‘s Between Two Selves.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Anish Kumar and Hagop Tchaparian Team Up on Percussive and Vibey “Kino” EP

Anish Kumar is an eclectic DJ and producer known for blending the musical influences of his South Asian heritage with an intriguing array of electronic styles.

Hagop Tchaparian is a British-Armenian producer, whose full-length debut, 2022’s Bolts featured ten songs of deeply personal rhythm-driven music that meshed techno with field recordings of his travels through Armenian and Mediterranean culture.

The two individually acclaimed, electronic music producers teamed up on the two-track EP KINO, which was mixed by Pearson Sound and was released through the pair’s KINO imprint, after they road-tested the material at various warehouse venues and festivals. “Part 1,” and “Part 2” are dense, percussive batches of woozy house that at points feels soulful, meditative and irresistibly dance floor and festival friendly.

“A couple years ago I was shown Hagop’s debut single ‘GL’. I remember having my mind blown and thinking to myself ‘Jesus, I didn’t even realise you were allowed to do this,'” Anish Kumar says in press notes. “It’s so tense, so instantly gratifying and unashamedly bold. We texted some ideas back and forth for a while and soon got to meet in person at an insanely rammed show in Brixton – Four Tet, Skrillex & Fred Again. were playing. I was surprised and excited to see that Hagop had bounced a version of one of the ideas on his phone. It was like ‘oh man, he actually wants to do this. I’m gassed.'” From there we continued to work on the tracks whenever & wherever our paths seemed to intersect, whether it be in Dalston or San Francisco. We started to test them out around festival season, at our first back to back together at Glastonbury and then at a packed Airbase stage at Lost Village. It was nerve-wracking to take on these slots but doing it together made it feel epic. Playing out the tracks allowed us to know where to make changes in mix & arrangement. Coming off the back of Lost Village we finished the tracks and were very fortunate to have the tracks mixed by Pearson Sound. It was around then that Kieran (Four Tet) started playing Part I (the first track) out and gave us his valuable feedback on the mix, which was relayed to Pearson Sound for some final adjustment. We both independently got to witness Kieran drop the track at massive warehouse venues – Hagop at Portola in San Francisco and myself at Drumsheds in London. We both were texting each other whilst losing our minds about how incredible it was to hear the tracks in that scale of a venue, it had a real cinematic quality. The sense of awe and vastness transpired into the release and gave it its imprint: KINO.

“It started as a chance text exchange via a mutual acquaintance and we first met properly in a packed Brixton rave. This first conversation couldn’t have been in a better context and amid the bass and bodies, it was clear that Anish was different,” Hagop Tchaparian recalls. “What sets him apart is a rare combination: humble/thoughtful with deep musical knowledge paired with genuine openness to new ideas, all underpinned by the technical ability to bring these visions to life. His distinctive style permeates everything he touches, from production choices to visual aesthetics. Our collaboration evolved organically, and a natural exchange of ideas began. It was exciting to start to collaborate but also laid back and comfortable to such an extent that I totally lost track of who had created which parts of the tracks we were making together, demonstrating that we were completely on the same wavelength. The collaboration morphed into Anish and I playing back to back at some festivals that were really fun and vibey even emotional at times. We had some special moments and were also able to give our tracks their first proper public airing. The project took shape through late-night conversations – in pubs, during long drives after shows, and even while wandering through the Science Museum and even when I invited him back to my house and he ate all my bread. As momentum built, others began picking up on the tracks, and having them mixed by Pearson Sound felt like the final piece falling into place. The project evolved into something neither of us expected and seeing the reaction when it was played at Drumsheds and Portola festival almost felt like it wasn’t our track.”

There’s a limited run of white label vinyl which will be available in selected record stores and online.