Tag: house music

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Audio Key Architects Share a Deep House Banger

Audio Key Architects (A.K.A) is a Paris-based sibling production and DJ duo. Driven by a deep and abiding passion for electronic music and techno, their collaborative project is guided by a share vision of sharing what they love to create and listen to — with the world. 

Last month, I wrote about the Parisian sibling duo’s second single “Ellipse.” Beginning with a Flamenco-like introduction, “Ellipse” quickly morphed into a deep house/techno banger featuring a soulful, wailing vocal sample, bursts of vocodered vocals, glistening synth oscillations and skittering beats paired with the duo’s uncannily cinematic sense of melody.

Their latest single “Fenrir” sees the French electronic music duo crafting a hard hitting, aggressive techno banger built around tribal percussion, layers of glistening synth arpeggios and a relentless motorik groove. The result is a song that wouldn’t sound out of place at this weekend’s Electric Zoo — while bringing JOVM mainstays LutchamaK and Bubba Brothers to mind.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Bubba Brothers Share a Thumping, Club Friendly Banger

Over the past couple of years, I’ve managed to spill quite a bit of virtual ink covering Portuguese DJ and production duo Bubba Brothers — Eliseo Correia and Justino Santos — and during that period, the duo, which formed back in 2015, have been remarkably prolific, regularly releasing banger after banger after banger . . .

2023 has been a rather busy year for the JOVM mainstays. Earlier this year, they released the Visions EP, an effort that featured:

  • “Black Beach,” which saw the JOVM mainstays pairing deep house with Balearic house, built around glistening synth arpeggio-driven melodies, skittering beats, twinkling percussion and euphoria-inducing hooks. The song as the duo explain was inspired by and written on Iceland’s famous Black Beach — but somehow manages to evoke swelling summer nights and sweaty clubs. 

  • “Bobby’s Dream” a club rocking, deep house banger built around skittering tweeter and woofer rattling thump, a sampled Rastafarian meditation, glistening synths and enormous hooks. The end result is a woozy and dream-like song act will get asses out of their seats and onto the floor. 

Earlier this year, the duo followed the Visions EP with “Meaning” a percussive, banger built around propulsive polyrhythm paired with glistening synth arpeggios, a soulful vocal sample and their unerring knack for euphoric hooks.

The JOVM’s latest single “Wasabi” is a bit of deep house, seemingly indebted to Larry Levan and others, built around chunky synth arpeggio blocks, tweeter and woofer rattling, propulsive beats, the duo’s remarkably unerring knack for euphoric hooks — and for the second time in their history, lyrics sung by the duo. Remember, dear reader, “house music all night long . . .”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: JOVM Mainstays H2SO4 Return with a Slick Club Banger

Over the past 12-15 minutes or so, I’ve spilled quite a bit of virtual ink covering British electronic outfit and JOVM mainstays H2SO4. Last year was among the busiest years for the British outfit as they released a batch of slickly produced club bangers.

They began the year with “Outsiders (BassBears Mix),” a sleek, Balearic house-like banger built around glistening synth arpeggios, tweeter and woofer rattling beats, enormous bass drops and euphoria-inducing hooks paired with sultrily delivered vocal sample fed through a bit of distortion. This one sounds as though it would rock clubs at Ibiza on any given night.

Continuing a rather prolific period for the British outfit, their latest single “Following The Line,” a slick yet accessible deep house banger that wouldn’t sound out of place at Avant Gardner or Ibiza while subtly channeling Tweekend-era The Crystal Method and Come With Us-era The Chemical Brothers.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Alex Paris Shares an Infectious and Summery Bop

Alex Paris is a Houston-born singer/songwriter. He located to Los Angeles for college and upon his graduation, he began releasing material independently last year.

The Houston-born singer/songwriter recently relocated to Brooklyn. And since moving to Brooklyn, he has been inspired by the city’s house, tech house and deep house scenes.

Paris’ latest single “Feel” is a fun, summery bop that’s simultaneously lounge and dance floor friendly: The Houston-born, Brooklyn-based artist’s plaintive delivery ethereally floats over a sleek production featuring glistening synth arpeggios and thumping beats.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Paris’ Audio Key Architects Share a Sleek and Melodic Banger

Audio Key Architects (A.K.A) is a Paris-based sibling production and DJ duo. Driven by a deep and abiding passion for electronic music and techno, their collaborative project is guided by a share vision of sharing what they love to create and listen to — with the world.

Their second single “Ellipse” begins with a Flamenco-like introduction before quickly morphing into a deep house/techno banger featuring a soulful wailing vocal sample, a burst of vocodered vocals, glistening synth oscillations and skittering beats paired with the duo’s uncannily cinematic sense of melody. The result is a song that reminds me a bit of Snap!‘s “Rhythm is a Dancer” and JOVM mainstay LutchamaK — within an expansive song structure.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Berlin’s Max Blücher Shares a Sleek and Cinematic Banger

Hanover-born, Berlin-based electronic music producer and artist Max Blücher has quickly developed a reputation within the global electronic music scene for using his deep understanding of melodic techno and progressive house to boldly push the boundaries of electric music while simultaneously attempting to create music that’s innovative and emotionally resonate.

“Witching Hour,” the German electronic music producer and artist’s latest single pairs Giorgio Moroder-like synth arpeggios, skittering hi hat, and a Kraftwerk-like motorik pulse with organic instrumentation to craft a song that’s both cinematic and dance floor friendly.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Atlanta’s Bardis Shares a Swaggering Banger

Bardis is an emerging Atlanta-based electronic music producer. His latest single “Don’t Call It A Comeback” is a sickly produced, bombastic club banger that features enormous hooks, tweeter and woofer rattling thump, swelling and glistening synth arpeggios and a swaggering, chopped up vocal sample.

Sonically, “Don’t Call It A Comeback” brings Snap‘s “Rhythm Is A Dancer” and JOVM mainstay LutchamaK to mind.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Dylan Rafael Teams up with Roland Clark on Euphoric “I Believe”

23 year-old, New York-based electronic music producer, DJ and JOVM mainstay Dylan Rafael discovered his passion for DJ’ing when he turned 12. When he turned 20, he started to learn how to produce his own original material, which led him to playing at clubs like Lavo and nebula, and opening slots for Ship Wrek, Dzeko, Gordo and others. 

The young and rising New York-based producer began the year with “Cham Cham,” a Balearic-tinged house banger with elements of tribal house and Larry Levan-like house featuring skittering tweeter and woofer rattling beats and subtle Middle Eastern instrumentation paired with euphoria-inducing hooks.

His latest single “I Believe” is a upbeat banger built around twinkling and percussive synth arpeggios, skittering beats, euphoria inducing hooks paired with enormous drops and Roland Clark‘s booming delivery inviting the listener to come to the welcoming and loving church of house music. And I think we should all join them, and then dance and sweat our troubles and fears away.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: JOVM Mainstay DFNSE Teams Up With Mae Rojas on an Uplifting House Banger

Rising Paris-based electronic music producer DFNSE specializes in a sound and approach that sees him seamlessly meshing elements of French touch, funk and pop.

Before releasing his debut EP, 2015’s Pandorium, an effort inspired by the SoundCloud Future House scene, he participated in a number of attention grabbing producer battles alongside emerging artists like BlackDoe, Ikaz Boi, and Varnish La Piscine. Back in 2016, the rising Parisian producer released material through a handful of electronic labels including Darker Than Wax, Souletiquettte and Nowadays Records, who released a single on their Oceans compilation, as well as the  Moonrock EP, which features one of his biggest songs to date, “Show You.”

Last September saw the release of the Symphony Road EP, which featured “Getaway,”a breezy, 80s-inspired summertime bop featuring Australian vocalist AKA Lui’s plaintive falsetto paired with twinkling keys, a strutting bass line, some Nile Rodgers-inspired funk guitar, an irresistible, two-step inducing groove and an infectious hook. And while being a clear club banger, the song is an escapist fantasy, evoking summers full of seemingly carefulness, warm days and nights, hanging out at beach and rooftop are and clubs — and of vacations to tropical climes.

“No Limit,” the Paris-based JOVM mainstay’s latest single is a classic, upbeat and uplifting Larry Levan-like house banger built around twinkling keys, skittering hi-hats, glistening synths paired with Mae Rojas‘ soulful, swaggering delivery singing lyrics that advocate freedom and self-acceptance. It’s the anthem you didn’t know you needed — until now.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: London’s Finesse Shares a Summery Club Banger

Finesse is an emerging London-based electronic music producer and artist, who has a passion for creating energetic, uplifting EDM and house with a melodic vibe that can simultaneously help you chill out — and make you dance.

His debut single “So Alone” is a summery club friendly banger built around a deep house-inspired production featuring glistening synth arpeggios, tweeter and woofer rattling thump and a soulful vocal sample paired with an incredibly catchy hook. The result is a song that strikes me as sounding like a mix of Between Two Selves-era Octo Octa, Larry Levan, and 90s dance pop.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Portuguese DJ and production duo Bubba Brothers — Eliseo Correia and Justino Santos — formed back in 2015. Over the past few years, I’ve managed to spill quite a bit of virtual ink covering the Portuguese JOVM mainstays. And during that period they’ve been remarkably prolific, releasing an increasing number of club friendly bangers.

Earlier this year, the duo released the Visions EP, an effort that featured two tracks I’ve written about:

  • “Black Beach,” which saw the JOVM mainstays pairing deep house with Balearic house, built around glistening synth arpeggio-driven melodies, skittering beats, twinkling percussion and euphoria-inducing hooks. The song as the duo explain was inspired by and written on Iceland’s famous Black Beach — but somehow manages to evoke swelling summer nights and sweaty clubs. 
  • “Bobby’s Dream” a club rocking, deep house banger built around skittering tweeter and woofer rattling thump, a sampled Rastafarian meditation, glistening synths and enormous hooks. The end result is a woozy and dream-like song act will get asses out of their seats and onto the floor.

The Portuguese JOVM mainstays’ latest single “Meaning” is a percussive, club friendly banger built around propulsive polyrhythm paired with glistening synth arpeggios, a soulful vocal sample and their unerring knack for euphoric hooks.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Navy Yard’s Euphoric Remix of Brandy’s “Best Friend”

Navy Yard is an emerging New York-based house music/garage duo. The duo’s latest single is a remix of Brandy‘s 1995 hit “Best Friend,” which places the R&B/pop star’s imitable vocal within an uptempo, Larry Levan-like production featuring glistening synth arpeggios, skittering beats, tweeter and woofer rattling thump paired with the duo’s uncanny ability to craft a euphoria-inducing hook.

The result is a song that turns the swaggering and soulful ode to friendship and loyalty into an anthemic declaration meant to be shouted along with your bestie.

Video by William Ruben Helms

Lyric Video: Indonesia’s Rinni Wulandari Shares a Fun and Infectious Banger

Rinni Wulandari is a Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia-born R&B and pop artist. Wulandari grew up in a musical family: her mother was a vocalist and her father was a bassist and her two older sisters and brother are also in the music industry. So for the Indonesian pop artist, it was natural — and maybe perhaps fated — for her to be involved in music.

As a child, Wulandari used to sing for any kind of school events, including talent shoes and singing contests. As a high schooler, she was the frontperson of a band with a cousin, who was a dummer. She also auditioned for Indonesian Idol back in 2007, when she had turned 17, and became the youngest participant to ever win at the time.

In 2014, Wulandari came up with a new image for herself and transformed from pop singer to R&B singer. Since then she’s released four successful albums in her native Indonesia — 2014’s Independent Part 1, 2017’s I Am Independent and Independent Part 2, 2021’s Skins.

The Indonesian R&B and pop artist’s latest single “switch,” is the first bit of new material from Wulandari since the release of 2021’s critically applauded Skins. The song’s origins can be traced back to Wulandari struggling with insomnia during her pregnancy. Her spouse, producer and DJ Jevin Julian quickly recognized that her insomnia made her unproductive, and encouraged her to transform her sleepless nights to an opportunity to create new music.

“switch” pairs the Indonesian artist’s sultry delivery with a sleek house music-inspired production featuring glistening synth arpeggios and skittering tweeter and woofer rattling beats paired with euphoric hooks. Wulandari explains that “switch” delivers a powerful message to today’s youth, urging them to cherish their carefree moments, a time when responsibilities are minimal and freedom is abundant — and life is unburdened by responsibilities, obligations and commitments. The song was inspired by Wulandari’s nostalgia for own her youth, hanging out with friends and not stressed out over everything. But underlying all of that is a song that’s just a fun, night out at the club kind of banger.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Bubba Brothers Shares Woozy “Bobby’s Dream”

Portuguese DJ and production duo Bubba Brothers — Eliseo Correia and Justino Santos — formed back in 2015. Over the past couple of years, I’ve managed to spill quite a bit of virtual ink covering the Portuguese JOVM mainstays, and during that period they have developed and maintained a reputation for being remarkably prolific, releasing a growing collection of club friendly bangers.

Building upon their growing reputation for being prolific, the duo released the Visions EP earlier this year. The EP featured “Black Beach,” a track that saw the duo pairing deep house with Balearic house and built around glistening synth arpeggio-driven melodies, skittering beats, twinkling percussion and euphoria-inducing hooks. The song as the duo explain was inspired by and written on Iceland’s famous Black Beach — but somehow manages to evoke swelling summer nights and sweaty clubs.

Visions EP‘s latest single “Bobby’s Dream” continues the duo’s remarkable run of club rocking, deep house bangers. Built around skittering tweeter and woofer rattling thump, a sampled Rastafarian meditation, glistening synths and enormous hooks, “Bobby’s Dream” is a woozy and dream-like banger.

The accompanying video continues for “Bobby’s Dream,” the Portuguese JOVM mainstays’ ongoing collaboration with Eduardo Raposo. Much like “Black Beach,” the video for “Bobby’s Dream” is shot in a cinematic and breathtakingly gorgeous black and white, and follows a young man attempting to fall asleep and having a surreal and incredibly vivid dream.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: RHYS Shares Cinematic Banger “Venus”

RHYS is an acclaimed Texas-based producer, who has developed a reputation for a boundary pushing take on electronic music that features elements of deep house, melodic house, industrial house and ambient dub among others.

The Texan producer’s latest single “Venus” is a meticulous and seemingly effortlessly crafted banger built around a glistening synth melody that weaves its way through oscillating synths and a hypnotic groove paired with skittering and propulsive beats and an expansive song structure. The end result is a song that’s cinematic yet club friendly in a way that reminds me of Between Two Selves-era Octo Octa.