Dive into springtime with these recently released tunes. Likely heard on Ibiza dancefloors, these tracks bring together some of the finest electronic music in one place.
In no particular order, here are the hot new releases that tickled our fancy this past month ready to launch us into another scorching summer. Get those headphones on, turn the volume up and enjoy.
Adriatique | Voices From The Dawn | Afterlife Records | 9 March
Swiss duo Adriatique continue their new adventure on Afterlife Recordings with this third release. Once again the Adrians demonstrate their production skills. Part of two-track single Ray, Voices From The Dawn brings about gushes of zest with rippling beats over dusky undertones, a melodic house and techno treat.
Guy Gerber | What To Do | RUMORS | 2 March
Released on his own imprint RUMORS, label boss Guy Gerber once again shows just how talented a producer he is with the deep otherworldly What To Do. This downtempo electronica title track is yet another example of his profoundly eclectic and melodic production style. With cymbals, sporadic percussive beats and groovy vocals scattered throughout, the emotive and transporting dancefloor slugger leaves its mark.
Boxia | Ethereal Education | Drumcode | 12 March
Last year we saw Boxia at Do Not Sleep in Ibiza after having his productions supported by Adam Beyer, Maya Jane Coles and Eats Everything. Part of four-track EP, the title track Ethereal Education is a melodic journey reminiscent of the classic dance tunes of the past 20 years of Boxia's career. The closing piece of the EP, this tune turns engaging vocal cuts and chords into a sophisticated techno piece, showing that Boxia is just as talented producing techno as playing it.
Butch | Countach (Kölsch Remix) | Cocoon Recordings | 12 March
This special track by leading German tech house DJ and producer Butch remixed by Kölsch marks the 150th release of Cocoon Recordings. Named after a Lamborghini, Countach is a hypnotic melodic house and techno trip with nuances of trance emerging in the remastering. Bringing emotion to the dance floor, the track works on multiple levels in both the original and remixed take.
Bicep | Opal (Four Tet Remix) | Ninja Tune | 7 March
The alternative and celebrated producer Four Tet remixes Opal from the debut album of Belfast duo Bicep released at the end of last summer. Giving the original delicate adjustments, the reworking floats through sound making the tune even more reflective and emotive. Extending the running time, Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet adds texture to the overlays and tads of melodies in his own distinctive style.
Art Department | 721 (Queen St) | No.19 Music | 30 March
Dive into the depth of the night here. Jonny White returns under his Art Department alias after a three-year hiatus with this first solo EP Sour Jazz. One of the three productions, techno gem 721 (Queen St) brings a captivating bouncy drum line and a twinge of old-school relish. With skilful chords, drums and sax lines, this tasty track transcends genres and time.
Charlotte de Witte | Heart of Mine | Suara | 5 March
This arresting big room techno tune by Charlotte de Witte once again ticks all the boxes as a dance floor banger. The thunderous bass drum and growling sub-bass lead into the haunting vocals and suspenseful synths, making Heart of Mine a hypnotic tune that grows in intensity and keeps energy levels high.
Jon Hopkins | Emerald Rush | Domino | 7 March
The classically trained pianist and producer Jon Hopkins delivers an engaging ambient techno piece. Emerald Rush combines nuanced atmospherics with powerful twisted synths and precise percussive punches in this techno storming. Both thrashing and reassuring, it is also meditative and entrancing. The piece comes from his fifth solo album Singularity which explores the contrast between nature and civilisation and is due out in early May.
Gregor Tresher | Neon (Butch Remix) | GTO Recordings| 5 March
Championed by Sven Väth for ages after its original release date in 2006, the legendary Neon now returns to the dance floor in the hands of German DJ and producer Butch. Having firmly established Gregor Thresher as a fine progressive techno producer, this epic cut gains a housey feel from the reworked melodies, turning it into a grand remix that brings the recently remastered classic tune back to life.
Claude VonStroke & EPROM | Grenade | Dirtybird | 16 March
Dark and bassy, this hard-hitting techno banger aptly named Grenade sees the American house and techno producer Claude VonStroke team up with Dirtybird veteran EPROM. The spanking bassline turns it into pure in-your-face underground techno. With harsh undertones and growing synths, this crushing and forceful tune is a weapon of mass satisfaction perfect for a proper dance floor hammering.
Peggy Gou | Han Jan | Ninja Tune | 2 March
The South Korean native and Berlin-based producer Peggy Gou brings us Han Jan, one of the highlights of her upcoming EP Once. As a DJ, she infuses Chicago house, electro and Detroit techno, with bits of tribal and acid, into her unique dancefloor sound. Here she salutes 90s electro music and 80s synth pop for this downtempo electronica sprinkling bits of monotone rap in Korean in her own voice ahead of the more melodious vocal refrain, 'You gotta do it right, enjoy your night.' The Berlin-based DJ and producer will be going b2b with Jackmaster at IMS Dalt Vila in May.
Fur Coat | Immersion | Watergate Records | 26 February
Released at the end of February, this one slipped through the cracks so here goes Immersion by Venezuelan duo Fur Coat on Watergate Records. This techno cut sees the Barcelona-based duo back with the follow-up to 2016 EP Interstellar. Suggestive of a sci-fi film once again, the track opens with quick-fire percussion ahead of the rising organ line. With flickers of deep dark atmospherics, it marches straight into the whopping space of techno.
