Snakehips 'Forever (pt II)' / Hoffman West / 10th March
UK duo Snakehips brings a splash of summer and golden days hip hop to all its productions, and the consistent quality output has the music industry sitting up and taking notice. If you like this, you've got a relatively brief but fantastic discography to plunder, these guys are on the way up.
Groovyman 'Desire' / So Sure Music / 16th March
Desire is the middle track in a great little EP from Serbian beatsmaker Groovyman. It's a slow one, but definitely dance floor ready - something about the southward sliding vocals of the chorus, slightly off-beat with the crisp synth jabs, is surprinsingly enticing to my dancing feet and shoulders. Modern deep house vibes, without the yawn.
Traffic Signs (Steve Bug) and Jake The Rapper 'Cookie Jar' / Traffic Signs / 16th March
This video tells you everything you need to know.
Leftfield 'Universal Everything' / Infectious Music / 25th March (if you pre-order album)
Ok so it's not technically released as such... but the point is new music from Leftfield is out in the universe and I'll be pickled if I don't spread the word. Forget Swords, Leftfield (once a duo, now Neil Barnes flies solo) is back with the heavy stuff. It's a steady and relentless build and would slice your face off live. Exactly what I was hoping for and I'm now totally foaming for the album.
Orkidea 'Revolution Industrielle' / Blackhole Recordings / 2nd March
To all appearances a love-child between a peak-time trance track and a battle montage of an 80s sci-fi, and in reality a cover of the monster Jean Michelle Jarre release, Revolution Industrielle has 'epic' in its genes. Despite the digitised vocal, which blows, Orkidea has done a great job bringing this track to life again, creating an inspiring soundscape of trancey builds ups and 80s soaring synthesizers. Easy to get lost in this one - enjoy the timelapse clip.
Seekae 'The Worry' (Henrik Schwarz remix) / Future Classic / 27th March
Straya represent! Sydney-siders Seekae get the remix treatment from European dance heavyweight Henrik Schwarz. Schwarz has a knack for choosing the perfect songs to re-imagine and he's nailed it again with this lighter version of The Worry, the broken pedal providing a lilting but forward pushing anchor to an already solid track.
The New Sins 'Lights Down' / Defected / 30th March
Straight to the dance floor, we have a repetetive yet addictive number from fresh meat to the Defected fold, New Sins. The Waze & Odyssey remix is getting a lot of hype but its the original that's doing it for me; dark, percussive and sexy, this belongs 'in a club, with the lights down' and nowhere else.
Flash Atkins 'Levenshulme Orphanage for Boys' (Richard Seaborne mix) / Paper Recordings / 19th March
Solid output from Flash Atkins, who has been lovingly described as “a drunkard, drug user and general wrong'un” and in light of the super hero garb I'm prepared to go along with that. It's the Seaborne touch that really brings the groove however, the remix positively skipping along with smooth organs, tight percussion and a friendly acid gurgle.
Skepta 'Nasty' / free download / 26th March
A good old fashioned rap rivalry has been percolating between UK Grimesters Skepta amd Devilman, and it's resulted in some excellent listening. Skepta throws it down over a Wiley instrumental as nasty as the title suggests, though it's not the bass line Skepta's referring to. See when Americans have a rap rivalry it ends in dead artists, when the British do it, some severe words are exchanged within the appropriate context. "Keep my name out your nasty mouth," is the strong conclusion. Check out Devilman's response here.
Rascal 'Elhae's Joint' / Jakarta Records / 16th March
And now, to relax. Such groove! Much feels! Ultimate saxophone session. German producer Rascal is only 19 and already schooling us in the art of sweet music and chill times. Now pass Elhae's and kick back...
WORDS | Jordan Smith
