Tag: house music

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: ZODIAC Shares Lush and Summery “Horizon”

Formed back in 2023, the rising London-based production and DJ trio ZODIAC — Joe Doyle, Will McMullin and Ellis Moss — quickly signed to [PIAS] Électronique, the label home of artists like Tinlicker, Eli & Fur and Innellea. Each member of ZODIC brings a distinct sound and vision to the project, blending their talents to create a captivating electronic-driven soundscape that’s both evocative and immersive.

The London trio’s debut single “Blink,” featuring The Boxer Rebellion‘s Nathan Nicholson received support across the global electronic music scene, earning endorsements from Joris Voorn, Above & Beyond, Sister Bliss and Alfa Romero.. Adding to a growing profile in the global electronic music scene, the London-based trio have had opening slots for Armin Van Buuren, Korolova and a growing list of others.

The trio’s highly-anticipated debut EP Constellations I was released last week. While showcasing deep, driven and rhythmically rich melodies, the EP marks a new chapter for the group — the first batch of new material following the addition of Ellis Moss, an already established name in the electronic music scene.. The EP’s first single “Horizon” is a club banger anchored around glistening synth oscillation, a relentless motorik-like groove paired with tweeter and woofer rattling thump. The production serves as a lush and hook-driven bed for a soulful, pop belter vocal sample. Ultimately, it may be one of the more Ibiza/summery songs I’ve listened to and covered in the past few months.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Helang Shares Swaggering, Club Banger “Firehot”

Helang is a Chinese American producer and DJ, who specializes in crafting an eclectic. club friendly sound that blends elements of house and techno with ethereal soundscapes and driving, dynamic grooves. Throughout a series of releases through HE.SHE.THEY., HILOMATIK and Set About, before she launched her own label Dauntless Records, the Chinese-American producer and DJ had developed a reputation for being an outspoken artist, who always stands her ground — and for a sound that’s an authentic and deeply artistic expression of herself, in which she never shies away from pushing back against conventions.

She has played sets at The Brooklyn Mirage and Kappa Futur Festival and others. Building upon a growing profile in the electronic music scene, she has shared stages with Adam Beyer, Charlotte De Witte, Eric Prydz, Amelie Lens, Nicole Moudaber, CamelPhat and a growing list of luminaries. Additionally, she has received features in Billboard, DJ Mag, Forbes, Mixmag, Beatportal and 6am group.

Her latest single “Firehot” is a bombastic club banger that sees Helang pairing wall and ceiling rattling thump, glistening and wobbling synth stabs and a sultrily yearning vocal sample with euphoria inducing hooks and massive drops. Sonically recalling JOVM mainstay LutchamaK and Between Two Selves-era Octo Octa, the song sees Helang boldly challenging gender roles and norms in a way that feels mischievous.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: French Producer HOJII Shares Summery ” Báilalo”

HOJII is a mysterious and emerging, French electronic music producer. His latest single “Báilalo,” is a summery, hook-driven blend of Latin house and reggaeton, anchored around skittering beats, a chopped up vocal sample, a looping and arpeggiated synth melody and a bombastic horn line. Inspired by the club music of 2000s era Latin clubs, “Báilalo” sees the French producer specifically crafting a song meant to get you to get on that dance floor and move your body. But it you’re old enough, it’ll remind you of sweaty night’s at BOB’s,. The Canal Room and Webster Hall.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New VIdeo: Tame Impala Shares Euphoric and Trippy “End Of Summer”

Tame Impala’s latest single “End Of Summer” is the first bit of new material from the acclaimed Aussie multi-instrumentalist, producer, and singer/songwriter Kevin Parker since 2020’s The Slow Rush — and is the first release on his new label home Columbia Records.

“End Of Summer” sees the Tame Impala mastermind pushing his acclaimed project into a completely new direction as the euphoric track channels acid house, deep house while still remaining trippy and mind-bending.

“End Of Summer” is accompanied by a narrative visual directed and edited by multi-disciplinary artist Julian Klincewicz that follows Parker in the creation of the song, while on an abandoned train car and wandering through the streets of a city in a fashion that kind of reminds me of Purple Rain.

Throwback by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy 71st Birthday, Larry Levan!

William Ruben Helms celebrates the 71st anniversary of the birth of house music pioneer, Larry Levan.

singer/songwriters by William Ruben Helms
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News/Announcements: FME Announces 2025 Venue Showcase Lineups

FME announces the venue showcase lineups for the 2025 edition.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Boris Métreaux Shares Lush “Nena”

Boris Métraux is a Swiss-born, Playa Venao, Panama-based electronic music producer, whose sound and approach sees him drawing from and blending ambient music, tribal house, jazz, electronica and house music.

Back in 2023, Métraux delved into the study of plant frequency waves. These explorations led him to incorporate the cosmic and mind-bending sounds of plants in his music, adding an ethereal dimension to his work.

Métreaux’s latest single “Nena” is a slick blend of Afro house rhythms, twinkling keys and skittering beats serving as a lush bed for soulful vocals. The result is a song that showcases the Swiss-born, Panamanian-based artist’s ability to craft summery, club and lounge friendly material and a remarkably catchy hook.

“The inspiration came from a healing moment — the track tells a story of resilience and inner strength, echoing through tribal percussion and atmospheric synths,” Métreaux explains.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Delaware’s Bad Robot Returns with Club Banging “Offline”

Micheal Ricker is a Delaware-based electronic music producer and artist best known as Bad Robot. And over the course of the past year so, the Delaware-based artist has been wildly prolific, releasing a handful of attention grabbing bangers.

Ricker’s latest single “Offline” is a straightforward, crowd-pleasing, club banger reminiscent of Tweekend-era Crystal Method anchored oscillating synths and skittering beats that reveals the JOVM mainstays unerring knack for catchy hooks and enormous drops.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Gan Shares Flirty and Summery “Infinity”

Gan is a rising, French Mediterranean-born, New York-based electronic music producer and artist, who has received attention for bending modern beats and production informed by the New York scene with his French and Mediterranean heritage.

The rising New York-based producer’s latest single is a slick and flirty take on Jaymes Young‘s “Infinity” that turns the smash-hit into the sort of summery, house/Afrohouse take on the song that could simultaneously rock grown and sexy lounges, rooftop parties and the club.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: San DIego’s Franhaus Shares Breezy and Nostalgia-Inducing “No Puedo Ser”

San Diego-based electronic music producer, singer/songwriter and DJ Franhaus, who specializes in creating what he believes is a new wave of Latin music that combines lived-in, earnest lyrics written and sung in Spanish with slick, dance floor friendly melodic, deeply emotional house.

The San Diego-based artist’s latest single “No Puedo Ser” is a breezy, nostalgia-inducing tune anchored around glistening synths, tweeter and woofer rattling thump, skittering beats and bursts of squiggling guitar. The Ibiza-meets-Tame Impala-like production serves as a lush bed for Franhaus’ yearning delivery while showcasing an artist, who can craft a catchy hook.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Poppastep Shares Ebullient “Jumping For Joy”

Born Herman Hines, DJ Hines, a.k.a. Poppastep can trace the origins of his lengthy career to his childhood: Hines grew up in an intensely musical family. His mother was a soloist and his godfather was a pianist and organist at Staten Island’s St. Phillips Baptist Church. Several other family members played the latest soul music of the Civil Rights era, which led to a young Hines getting into disco, dance music, salsoul, the Philadelphia sound and more.

Hines started off as a drummer, playing in church, alongside his mother and godmother. His first official gig was at the Capital Lounge with his mother’s best friend, Harlem-based jazz legend Irene Reid, when he was just 12. That same year, he started spending summers in Wyandanch, NY, where he hung out with DJ Pleasure, who taught him how to mix on the beat.

Those summers in Wyandanch and his eclectic music taste allowed him to stand out in a crowded field. He was the first DJ to program hip-hop on a college station, Seton Hall‘s WSOU, where he was an instrumental in introducing hip-hop to New Jersey audiences. While at WSOU, he helped break Force MDs — yes, Force MDs. If you’re an old head, you know.

As a DJ, Hines is considered a legend in Staten Island: He made a name for himself as the only local DJ to perform with Grandmaster Flash and the Funky Four Plus One at the Ritz Roller Rink. He also played with The Cold Crush Brothers at St. George Theater — and was the first Staten Island-based DJ to play Harlem World alongside DJ AJ and Jeckle and Hyde.

As the New Jersey house scene began to get attention globally, he added house music to his sets. Around this time, he began transitioning to production under the moniker Poppastep.

As Poppastep, Hines has made a name for himself in the underground for a sound that meshes elements of funk, soul and hip-hop that he has dubbed “Shaolin Hip-Hop Funk.” His Poppastep debut single “In This Together,” led to being named Artist of the Week in Belgium.

His latest single “Jumping For Joy” is a much-needed bit of ebullient, two-step-inducing, infectious joy that sees the Staten Islander crafting a slick, hook-driven production that meshes elements of classic, Larry Levan house with Soul II Soul-meets-Sounds of Blackness-like gospel. Listening to the track brought back memories of WBLS’s live broadcasts from The Shadow and other clubs across town.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: DJ Piscine Shares Summery “Born Again”

Maximillian De Vos, is a Brussels-based producer and DJ, best known as DJ Piscine. He’s a founding member of the Belgian DJ collective echte ra — and is also one half of The Haze.

De Vos’ latest DJ Piscine EP, Pray, Pt. 1 is slated for a June 27, 2025 release through SWIM Records. The EP reportedly sees the Belgian producer crafting a radiant fusion of club energy and emotional depth. The EP’s first single “Born Again” is a swaggering and slickly produced banger, featuring a big, coquettish pop starlet vocal paired with glistening Euro-house synths and rousingly anthemic hooks and choruses.

Although it’s a chilly Memorial Day Weekend here in New York, “Born Again” is a summery, Ibizia-styled banger with a playfully mischievous bit of 00s nostalgia.