Featuring members who hail from Czechia and Germany, Trendos and Viralli is a EDM production and DJ team, who manage to be restlessly prolific, releasing several songs a month. Their latest single “Blood Rave” is a woozily hypnotic, euphoria-inducing banger featuring tweeter and woofer rattling thump, glistening synth stabs and enormous hooks and drops.
Sonically channeling The Prodigy and deep, underground house, “Blood Rave” is the late night, seemingly drug-induced anthem for dancing the night away — and hopefully forgetting your troubles for a bit.
Since exploding into the scene back in 2017, the acclaimed Kinshasa-based collective KOKOKO! have captivated audiences globally with a striking, forward-thinking, dance floor friendly sound. The Congolese outfit’s full-length debut, Fongola was released to widespread critical acclaim with DJ Mag writing that it was “quite unlike anything else you’ll hear,” and The Guardian calling the collective a “commanding new voice.”
Thematically and aesthetically, the acclaimed Congolese outfit has had a long-held, fiercely activist and political slant. The Democratic Republic of Congo continues to experience serious human rights violations, including mass killings within the context of armed conflict and inter-communal violence, as well as crackdown on dissent and ill-treatment of detainees. People residing in regions affected by a variety of armed conflict are deeply impacted amid mass displacement and other deepening humanitarian crises. Additionally, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s wealth of natural resources are routinely exploited by large, multi-national tech companies and other conglomerates, which helps to fuel even more conflict in the region.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, political protest using words carries a risk of imprisonment, so dissidents and performers often work with their bodies and sounds to express and signal their critiques and commentary. The acclaimed Congolese outfit’s highly anticipated sophomore album BUTU is slated for a July 5, 2024 release through Transgressive Records. The album reportedly sees the collective continuing to pair a resistant, punk-like energy and attitude, informed by the attitude and thoughts of a new generation of Congolese artists and young people with their attention grabbing block party alchemy, but pushed to new, global heights.
Kinshasa’s after-dark buzz was one of the major inspirations behind BUTU, which means “the night” in Lingala, and the album dives deep into the heart of the chaotic, throbbing city, celebrating and championing the joyful and creative spirit of its inhabits. Continuing their ongoing collaboration with Belgian producer Xavier Thomas, a.k.a. Débruit, the forthcoming album reportedly sees the collective led by Makara Bianko channeling a more electronic-driven, upbeat sound while replicating the frenetic feel of their hometown’s dynamic nightlife: equipment is pushed to its limits through saturated and distorted speakers and the sonic push-and-pull of nighttime sounds.
The band employs field recordings, recorded from the city’s nighttime sounds and “ready-made percussion” like detergent bottles,. the collective fed those sounds through distortion to get closer to those nighttime sounds. “Compared to Fongola, this album is intentionally way more intense, because it’s quite upbeat and quite full-on,”Xavier Thomas says. The album’s material also pulls from much wider influences and span across West Africa and South Africa, influenced by Bianko’s global travel, which introduced him to new types of alternative electronic music and punk.
Last month, I wrote about “Mokili” a house music inspired banger featuring glistening synth arpeggios, relentlessly skittering hi-hats and tweeter and woofer rattling thump serving as a slickly produced bed for Bianko’s crooning and impassioned shouts. Continuing a remarkable run of club friendly material with an in-your-face punk attitude and ethos, “Mokili” captures the frenetic and sweaty energy of their hometown and its nightlife scene with an uncanny, novelistic realism. But along with that, the song is a forceful and joyous reminder that Africa is the present and the future. (If y’all didn’t know, by 2050 close to a quarter of the entire world will be African.)
“’Mokili’ is about moving the world so much that it’s going to tip over sort of,” the acclaimed Congolese collective explains. “This track was a track we were used to trying live in a more improvised way, we never got the chance to record till recently where we added the right touch for the studio. It was the last addition to our album BUTU and became the first single, so it’s really fresh. It has obviously influences from Kinshasa but also Kwaito and 90’s dance music.”
BUTU‘s second and latest single “Salaka Bien” is a euphoric, trance-inducing banger anchored around percussion created on heavy ceramic pots and pans, glistening house music synth stabs and skittering beats that helps to emphasize Bianko’s punchy and swaggering delivery singing lyrics full of winking sexual innuendo. If this track doesn’t fire you up and get you moving, you’re probably dead — literally and figuratively.
“It’s a bass line driven track, with a lot of influences, like punk funk meeting old house stabs with a trance feeling!” The acclaimed Congolese collective explain. “When we play it live there are moments of overwhelming feeling building till it explodes and people let go totally. Do it, do it good, do it till you break it”.
Lemons Always Zest is a mysterious and emerging, 24 year-old New York-based bedroom producer. Inspired by the city’s queer rave scene, the mysterious and emerging New York based producer creates dance music as part of a ritual of processing difficult emotions on the dance floor.
Last August, Lemons Always Zest released “Can’t be the End,” as well as an unofficial remix to Britney Spears’ 2007 hit “Break the Ice.” Building upon a growing profile, the New York-based producer released the five-track EP L.A.Z 1, which featured lead single “don’t lie to me” earlier this month.
Earlier this week, I wrote about “i need more,” a euphoric, deep house-like instrumental, club banger anchored by skittering beats and glistening synth arpeggios that seemed to subtly channel Larry Levan and Octo Octa. “This song grapples with being entranced in euphoria while realizing that this feeling is fleeting,” the New York- based producer explains. “Inspired by long disco instrumentals that felt relentless in their pursuit of pleasure, it starts & ends abruptly to entice the listener before pulling the rug out from under. The ending was inspired by Tinashe’s ‘Gravity,’ with the beat switch further digging the listener into a hole they can’t escape from.”
The EP’s latest single “mycorrhizal” part 1″ is a late night club banger built around skittering beats, industrial clang and clatter, glistening and optimistic synth melodies paired with a euphoric hook. It’s a retro-futuristic take on house music that feels and sounds warmly familiar yet woozy.
Starting his career as one of the first DJ YouTubers in his native France, Xyhon is a rising French influencer, DJ and producer. His first YouTube videos focused on his two passions — music and history: His most successful videos discussed the development of acid house in England during the 1990s, house music in Chicago during the 80s and Berlin techno during the 90s.
Although he has been DJ’ing since he was 17, he started producing when he was 21. releasing his debut EP, 2020’s Deep Trouse, a mix of deep house, house, tech house, tech and psych trance sounds. Since then he has been busy releasing five EPs, a full-length album.
But since 2013, the French producer has released a one-hour mix every month — mostly of deep house and techno tracks. All of his work is inspired by traveling — especially to Nepal, Scotland and Morocco, which often results in new musical and auditory ideas.
His latest mixtape “Performance Techno Mix” is an hour-long mix of 103 hard hitting, club thumping techno tracks meshed with vocal samples from 90s smash hits and techno classics from the 90s. Dance the night away — and your troubles, too.
Lemons Always Zest is a mysterious and emerging, 24 year-old New York-based bedroom producer. Inspired by the city’s queer rave scene, the mysterious and emerging New York based producer creates dance music as part of a ritual of processing difficult emotions on the dance floor.
Last August, Lemons Always Zest released “Can’t be the End,” as well as an unofficial remix to Britney Spears’ 2007 hit “Break the Ice.” Building upon a growing profile, the New York-based producer released the five-track EP L.A.Z 1, which featured lead single “don’t lie to me” earlier this month.
The EP’s latest single “i need more” is a euphoric, deep house-like, instrumental club banger anchored by skittering beats and glistening synth arpeggios that seems to subtly channel Larry Levan and Octo Octa.
“This song grapples with being entranced in euphoria while realizing that this feeling is fleeting,” the New York- based producer explains. “Inspired by long disco instrumentals that felt relentless in their pursuit of pleasure, it starts & ends abruptly to entice the listener before pulling the rug out from under. The ending was inspired by Tinashe’s ‘Gravity,’ with the beat switch further digging the listener into a hole they can’t escape from.”
Over the past handful of years of this site’s almost 14-year history, I’ve spilled quite a bit of virtual ink covering Portuguese DJ and production outfit and JOVM mainstays Bubba Brothers — the duo of Eliseu Correia and Justino Santos — and the during that period, the duo have been remarkably prolific, regular releasing banger after banger after banger after banger.
The duo begin 2024 with the Diva EP. As the duo explain the EP is more than a mere collection of tracks, “it’s an audible expression of love and remembrance dedicated to the memory of Nikki, who was more than a companion; she was the soul and diva of the household.”
I recently wrote about EP title track, “Diva,” a sleek, slickly produced deep house banger featuring layers of rolling and propulsive percussion, a sultry vocal sample paired with tweeter and woofer rattling thump that continues a remarkable run of euphoric bangers.
The EP’s latest single “Music Is My Drug” is a euphoric, deep house banger that effortlessly meshes Larry Levan-like house with tribal house in a way that sounds as though it would be heard at a club in Ibiza, as well as Berghain.
Over the past handful of years of this site’s almost 14-year history, I’ve spilled quite a bit of virtual ink covering Portuguese DJ and production outfit and JOVM mainstays Bubba Brothers — Eliseu Correia and Justino Santos — and the during that period, the duo have been remarkably prolific, regular releasing banger after banger after banger after banger.
The duo begin 2024 with the Diva EP. As the duo explain the EP is more than a mere collection of tracks, “it’s an audible expression of love and remembrance dedicated to the memory of Nikki, who was more than a companion; she was the soul and diva of the household.”
The EP’s latest single, EP title track “Diva” is a sleek, slickly produced deep house banger that channels Larry Levan, Octo Octa and fellow JOVM mainstay LutchamaK featuring layers of rolling and propulsive percussion, a sultry vocal sample paired with tweeter and woofer rattling thump that continues a remarkable run of euphoric bangers.
Wildly prolific French electronic music producer and JOVM mainstay LutchamaK has had a busy 2024:
The JOVM mainstay began the year with a two-track release through Techno Parade titled Job Done, which featured “Job Done,” a glitchy and swaggering bit of techno meets footwork featuring machine gun-like skittering beats, glistening synth arpeggios paired with tweeter and woofer rattling thump. It’s an accessible and euphoric club banger meant to be played loudly and meant to encourage you to dance and sweat.
He followed that up with Flip the Funk, a four-track EP, which was digitally released through British electronic label Biotech Recordings and featured EP track “Pride,” a lush and soulful bit of deep house-meets-techno that reminded me of house music nights on WBLS back in the day.
Earlier this month, the prolific JOVM mainstay released “Acid Drift” through Rue des Trois Rois Records. The track is a slick and seamless synthesis of tribal house, deep house, drum ‘n bass that’s simultaneously club and lounge friendly while still slapping hard.
Ravdawg is a mysterious and emerging Chicago based electronic music producer and DJ, who generally specializes in tech house and bass. Over the past handful of weeks, the Chicago-based producer and DJ has released a handful of tracks, that included:
“Your Body,” a deep house banger, built around glistening synths oscillations, a fluttering flute, skittering hi-hats, tweeter and woofer rattling beats paired with a pitched-up, soulful vocal sample that manages to remind me a bit of Octo Octa and others.
The Chicago-based producer’s latest single “Believe in Me” is a euphoric and club friendly bit of house music built around skittering hi hats, glistening synth arpeggios, tweeter and woofer rattling thump, and a pitched and chopped up vocal sample. It’s a track that reminds me of sweaty summer nights on the dance floor.
Ravdawg is a mysterious and emerging Chicago based electronic music producer and DJ, who generally specializes in tech house and bass. Over the past handful of weeks, the Chicago-based producer and DJ has released a handful of tracks, including the Larry Levan-like “U Know U Know,” which I wrote about earlier this month.
Their latest single “Your Body” is a deep house banger, built around glistening synths oscillations, a fluttering flute, skittering hi-hats, tweeter and woofer rattling beats paired with a pitched-up, soulful vocal sample that manages to remind me a bit of Octo Octa and others.
Ravdawg is a mysterious and emerging Chicago based electronic music producer and DJ, who generally specializes in tech house and bass. Their latest single “U Know U Know” is a slickly produced and swaggering bit of Larry Levan-like house music built around glistening synth arpeggios and skittering beats paired with a soulful vocal sample.
Best known for being the frontperson of Chicago-based post-industrial rock outfit i: Scintilla, Brittany Bindrim has stepped out into the spotlight as a solo artist with her forthcoming Matt McJunkins-produced full-length solo debut, Velella Velella, an effort that sees her adopting a dark, electro pop-based sound.
While sonically Velella Velella‘s material reportedly ranges between ethereal ballads and gritty dance floor friendly bangers that also showcases the evolution and versality of Bindrim’s work. Thematically, the material touches on themes of self-discovery, empathy, apathy, disillusionment and growth, rooted in unapologetically vulnerable lyrics. “The songwriting process for every song on the album was a little different, but I didn’t try to force ideas or overthink things,” Bindrim says. “Each song developed very naturally and instinctively.”
Velella Velella‘s latest single, “Fever Dreams” is a slickly produced synthesis of electro pop and industrial electronica featuring buzzing bass synths, glistening synth-driven melodies, skittering beats and some subtle industrial clang and clatter serving as a lush yet woozy bed for Bindrim’s ethereal and expressive delivery and catchy hooks. The result is a song that to my ears reminds me of I Am Snow Angel and Goldfrapp with a bit of Kate Bush.
Ken “Hiwatt” Marshall recently remixed “Fever Dreams” for the “Fever Dreams” singles package. The Hiwatt remix turns “Fever Dreams” into a trance-inducing, club rocking techno track with a subtle speeding up of the original’s tempo paired with harder hitting beats, a dreamy and hazy bridge, along bursts of with throbbing guitars and an industrial clang and clatter-driven coda.
Formwandla is a rising Brazilian-born, German-based electronic producer. Late last year, he released “Te encontrar,” a collaboration with Rio de Janeiro-based singer/songwriter Isabela Silvino, which was also his second song featured lyrics sung in his native Brazilian Portuguese.
“Te encontrar” was a radio friendly yet club rocking production with glistening synth arpeggios, a relentless motorik groove paired with Silvino’s melancholy and yearning delivery. To my ears, “Te encontrar” managed to sound like a sleek, hook-driven synthesis of The Weeknd and Euro pop rooted in the sort of heartache familiar to Portuguese fado.
“I had a certain feeling of longing and melancholy in my head and I wanted Isabela to simply put her feeling into words and melody,” the Brazilian-born, German-based electronic producer and artist explains. “She had very few fixed instructions from me so that she could develop freely. The result is an exciting interplay of European-influenced dance pop and Brazilian emotions.”
The Brazilian-born, German-based producer begins 2024 with a remix of “Te Encontrar.” Dubbed “Brazilian Bass Remix,” the remix pairs Isabella Silvano’s melancholy and yearning delivery with an even clubbier, deep house-meets Euro dance-inspired production featuring glistening synths and synth oscillations and thumping beats and enormous bass drops. The remix reveals that Silvano’s vocal can work with just about any style of electronic music.
Throughout this site’s almost 14 year history, there have been only a handful of artists I’ve written about as much as the wildly prolific French electronic music producer and JOVM mainstay LutchamaK.
The JOVM mainstay began the year with a two-track release through Techno Parade titled Job Done, which featured his “Job Done,” a glitchy and swaggering bit of techno meets footwork featuring machine gun-like skittering beats, glistening synth arpeggios paired with tweeter and woofer rattling thump. It’s an accessible and euphoric club banger meant to be played loudly and meant to encourage you to dance and sweat.
LutchamaK closed out the month with Flip the Funk, a four-track EP, which was digitally released through British electronic label Biotech Recordings. That EP’s latest track “Pride” is a lush and soulful bit of deep house-meets-techno that reminds me of house music nights on WBLS back in the day.
