Browsing Tag

dance

Darth Athena took us into the depths of techno’s shadow with ‘Black Mojo’

Posted on 25 January 2024

Dark Athena’s tempestuous latest release, Black Mojo, plunges into the depths of techno’s shadow. With its monochromatic palette, this piece from the Atlanta-based producer is a bold foray into the heart of darkwave electronica, where precision and chaos dance in a delicate balance.

Darth Athena, the architect behind this auditory odyssey, weaves a tapestry of sound that reflects his eclectic musical upbringing. From the pulsating beats of EDM to the haunting echoes of darkwave and the rhythmic complexity of jazz and R&B, Black Mojo is the culmination of a lifetime spent in the company of diverse genres.

The track’s progression is a masterclass in tension and release. Each beat is meticulously crafted, ebbing and flowing with a rhythm that seems to sync with your heartbeat. For seven minutes, you are lost in a world where time bends to the will of the music. The laser-like strobes and sci-fi motifs add a layer of dynamism, yet it’s the relentless, hypnotic beats that anchor you in Darth Athena’s universe.

Black Mojo will do more than just fill dancefloors; it will command them. It’s a siren song for the night, calling out to those who find solace in the pulsating heart of techno. As the final beat fades, you’re left with an insatiable hunger for more – a testament to the enduring power of Darth Athena’s musical alchemy.

Black Mojo was officially released on January 19; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Desire oscillates through MXY’s latest hypnotic house anthem, Since I Met You

Posted on 16 December 2023
https://soundcloud.com/mxymusic/since-i-met-you

MXY, a trailblazing artist hailing from Bradford, UK, has once again demonstrated her unparalleled prowess in blending genres with her latest hypnotic house single Since I Met You. The track is a masterclass in musical alchemy, seamlessly fusing MXY’s innovative house and garage influences with the sultry undertones of contemporary R&B. It’s a potent testament to her evolution as an artist, producer, and songwriter since she began her journey at the tender age of fourteen.

Since I Met You is imbued with an intense, fervent desire that is almost tangible. MXY’s skill in crafting a fiery anthem is evident as the song oscillates, capturing the transformative power of desire. This transformation is not just lyrical but also musical, as the track delves deep into the core of our emotional spectrum.

The true genius of the track lies in its ability to ensnare the listener’s rhythmic pulses as captivatingly as it compels you to surrender your emotions and kneel at the altar of the progressions. The vocal lines are a force, ensuring that you feel the gravity of the emotion conveyed. Each note pulls you deeper, immersing you in an impeccably polished transcendence that is both uplifting and introspective.

MXY’s background, collaborating with industry stalwarts like Chad Dexter and Elliot James, shines through in the production quality of Since I Met You. As she continues to evolve and expand her horizons, there’s a palpable sense of anticipation for what she will bring in her debut album.

MXY’s debut album will drop on February 1st, 2024; stream the title single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lana Oniel reached the pinnacle of cerebral electro-pop with her darkly ensnaring sophomore single, hypothalamus

Posted on 14 November 2023

After finding her fire in the City of Angels, Lana Oniel put the devil on her shoulder to release her darkly ensnaring sophomore single, hypothalamus, which reaches the pinnacle of cerebral electro-pop.

The moodily spectral release seductively defies the pop mould with a vocal delivery which finds a way to stylise histrionic eccentricity and a beat that consistently switches, never allowing you to feel complacent in the aesthetic. hypothalamus wasn’t orchestrated to entice you into comfort; Oniel efficaciously used her early years in musical theatre to confront her rapidly growing audience with an earworm which makes no bones about using its claws to sink into your synapses.

If you can imagine meeting Lady Gaga in a dark and nefarious dream soundtracked by Melleefresh and Chelsea Wolfe, you’ll get an idea of what awaits when you delve into this perfect follow-up to Oniel’s debut, Hard Just to Be.

Hypothalamus was officially released on November 2nd. Stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

DJ Homeboy & Kay Law brought hedonistic hypnotism to the dancefloor with their hit, 2 in 1

Posted on 7 November 2023

DJ Homeboy and Kay Law brought rhythmic hypnotism to the dancefloor with their collaboration on the high vibe, big beat hit, 2 in 1, which reimagines the 90s Europop sound as one that oscillates with an unapologetically infectious brand of hedonism that draws you right into the heat of the wanton lust.

The snappy backbeat and Afrobeat nuances keep the energy electrifying through the progressions which get catchier with every repeat listen for the way they bolster the earwormy vocal delivery from the Nigerian British singer-songwriter who can often be found genre-bending to contort her distinctively impassioned sonic signature.

We can’t wait to see the boundaries that Kay Law is set to break in 2024 and beyond after her hits have received plaudits and airplay from BBC Introducing in Summer 2022. Watch this space to see the major waves she brings down on the UK pop scene she’s destined to reign over.

2 in 1 was officially released on October 27; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JANAYAH & Marcus Wiles brought euphoria to the dancefloor with their liberating EDM anthem, NOTHING TO LOSE

Posted on 6 November 2023

With their tantamount talent, the debut single, NOTHING TO LOSE, from the emerging vocalist and lyricist JANAYAH and EDM producer Marcus Wiles, who are both enrolled in the prestigious BRIT School in London studying music and production, respectively, is a radio-ready affirmation that whether they’re honing their collaborative chemistry or going solo, they’ll both have an illustrious career ahead of them.

The way the tension and emotion-fraught stabs of piano keys under JANAYAH’s stridently pitch-perfect vocals lead up to a mind-bendingly liberating drum n bass-drenched EDM crescendo signed, sealed, and delivered a promising future for the duo.

Their reverence for EDM and ability to emanate the same meticulous song-crafting flair as the likes of Calvin Harris, 3LAU, ChrisLake, Joel Corry, David Guetta, and Tiesto, will leave you on a knife edge as sharp as the hooks.

Once the monolithic momentum grips you, you’ll be at the mercy of the powerhouse duo. We can’t wait to hear the sophomore release after getting to grips with the transcendent debut, which could easily be considered the strongest EDM debut in 2023.

NOTHING TO LOSE is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Melancholia spills into the cosmos with Sub Caesar’s melodically progressive tech house cocktail Into the Oblast (When Will You Be Home) ft Brunetti

Posted on 4 November 2023

Some EDM anthems drop, others make a collision that will make an ever-lasting impression; Sub Caesar’s latest orchestration, Into the Oblast (When Will You Be Home) ft Brunetti, is luxe enough in meaningful momentum to scorch the airwaves on its arrival.

The dark and melancholic anthem, which is drenched in enough yearning and desperation for security and sanctity that it spills pensiveness into the cosmos, pulls together with a cohesion that makes it impossible not to surrender to the mellifluous instrumental layering and the searing soul in Brunetti’s glassy vocal lines. If her timbre sounds familiar, you may have heard her in her tracks featured on Netflix shows, including Selling Sunset, Love is Blind, and The Circle.

By exploring the most elemental trappings of melodic house & techno and progressive house, Sub Caesar produced an evocatively energising Tour De Force, which should necessitate the removal of the ‘sub’ affix from his moniker.

The independent Dutch producer, Sub Caesar, said:

“The inspiration for this track came from one of these heart-breaking clips of soldiers returning home, hugging their children. Amongst all the terrible news and images of war and war victims, his clip touched me deeply. A strong emotion is a good basis for music! The word ‘Oblast’ means region or province in Ukraine. In this track, it stands for any harm a loved one could be in while also being far away from home and the anxiety and special kind of longing that this causes. Having said that, yes, you can hear the actual Kiev air siren in there, pitched down a semitone to match the musical scale.”

Into the Oblast will officially be released on November 3rd; hear it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Klary runs hedonistically hot in her EDM house anthem, Feel You

Posted on 29 October 2023

There’s only room for one supreme in London’s EDM scene; Klary dominated that space with the drop of her EDM house anthem, Feel You. Forget making a dancefloor move; Feel You is the kind of track that will inspire dancefloor inhabitants to MAKE the move.

With her siren-timbered vocal lines dripping luxe demure decadence over the ensnaring dark bass-drenched beats in the production, which pulls together meticulously well, knowing just when to intersect the euphoric swells and enticing drops, becoming anything less than infatuated with this track isn’t an option.

Since 2009, The Germany-born, Italy-raised artist has proven her determination to become one of the hottest names in the EDM scene. After a plethora of collaborative projects, she came into her own as a solo artist with the release of her debut single, Love Again, in 2021. For her latest release which lyrically and rhythmically locks into temptation and sin, she collaborated with the East-London producer and DJ Romello, who composed and penned the release, to a Grammy-worthy standard.

Feel You shook up the airwaves on October 20; use it to inject some fire into your Spotify playlists.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Georgina White gave us a shot of Europop euphoria with her empowering anthem, Not Your Baby

Posted on 24 October 2023

Reminding us that it has been 24 years since the launch of Don’t Call Me Baby by the Australian house duo Madison Avenue, Georgina White’s latest floor-filling Tour De Force, Not Your Baby, is a groove-embellished anthem that strikes hammer blows of nostalgia with every bass-drenched beat in the exhilarant Europop hit.

With a little bit of disco and tropic funk flavours to drip vibrance into the tonal palette, Not Your Baby simultaneously feeds empowerment and euphoria as Georgina White powerfully projects the liberating lyrics which are the ultimate cure to breakup scorn. It is the perfect testament to the fact that there’s nothing sweeter than emotional freedom after letting go of the hands that have held you down.

Not Your Baby, produced by John Carr, is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: The Bermuda House Icon Korie Minors is Infectiously Euphoric in His Latest Hit, The Way We Used to Be, ft. JaySoulO

Posted on 20 October 2023

For his latest polished to the nth degree progressive Afro-house production, The Way We Used to Be, the Bermuda-born, internationally-raised DJ and producer Korie Minors collaborated with JaySoulO to deliver the ultimate hit of tropic indie pop reminiscence.

There are few things as bitter-sweet as taking a retrospective view of someone you never wanted to leave in the rearview mirror. The smooth crescendos in The Way We Used to Be, which runs with a flood of tenderly hued euphoria in the pulsating basslines and indie guitar hooks, will efficaciously take the edge off as the sun-bleached melodicism proves that even when love is lost, that’s no excuse to let optimism fade into obscurity. If you want to supplement your EDM playlists with sonic serotonin, you know where to turn.

Korie Minors said: 

“For The Way We Used to Be, I wanted to create something that exudes cross-over radio-ready appeal while never letting go of what makes my sound unique; the incorporation of my house influences and infusion of guitar melodies and afro percussion into a solid song structure enabled me to fulfil that goal.

The single communicates that sometimes you have to let relationships go for you to grow, regardless of how much it may hurt to make that decision and leave someone behind.”

Korie Minors started his DJ career in the UK while studying architecture, when taking his academic work to Istanbul and Hong Kong, he also shared his gift of making crowds move. In 2015, he became a full-time DJ in Bermuda and was voted Bermuda’s best DJ in 2019. When COVID put the brakes on his DJ career, he started to hone his production skills, which has seen him working with internationally revered artists and filmmakers and affiliated with brands, including Bacardi and Louis Vuitton.

The Way We Used to Be was officially released on September 22; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get moving with Johnjames Bruce’s acoustic post-punk hit, Dance

Posted on 8 October 2023

After cutting his teeth as a bass player in the punk outfit The Irrelevants, the Lancashire-hailing rhythm-maker, Johnjames Bruce, found his voice as a solo acoustic artist and started to release his own indie-folk punk music in 2018.

His latest single, Dance, carries the raucous and cutting spirit of post-punk; heavy distortion was surplus to requirement with the swagger of the acoustic guitars, the snarl in the vocals and the snappy percussive backbeat.

If you’re a fan of Pleasure Heads, Youth Sector, and The Walkmen and like your punk hits raw, intimate and uniquely authentic, Johnjames Bruce’s discography will be your new favourite discovery.

Dance was officially released on September 29; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast