Browsing Category

House

Michael Kanyongolo followed his muse instead of the herd in his alt-dance track, Justice

Posted on 7 September 2024

Brooklyn-based electronic music producer Michael Kanyongolo obliterated the EDM mould with his 3-track release, MK, featuring the seminal single, Justice.

In a track that pulses with an electro heart, Kanyongolo injects licks of funk delivered by rolling bass guitars to deepen the groove, creating progressive rhythms that play with complex time signatures, flirting with the Avant-Garde.

As the track unfolds, the heavy, dark, and reverberant phasers cloak the mix with an ominous, almost cinematic feel. The sound design isn’t just on another level; it’s in an entirely different orbit. Kanyongolo’s interstellar mix is one you can get endlessly lost in as the interplay between the layers brings ever-deepening textural depth and scintillation.

The auditory slice of ingenuity established Kanyongolo as an artist you can always expect the unexpected from. His inspiration from electronic icons like Daft Punk and Justice is clear, but it’s his signature synthesis of adventurous production techniques that make him worthy of a space on your radar.

Stream Justice on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tom Jung decoded festival vibes in his EDM anthem, Everybody Feels the Love

Posted on 18 August 2024

In his latest aural embodiment of transcendence, Everybody Feels the Love, the DJ and producer, Tom Jung harnessed the heat of festival season, allowing the warmth of unity to permeate his peerless EDM production.

The unmatchable feeling of getting your body beat and rushes of serotonin and euphoria surrounded by people sharing in a singular experience reverberates through the trance-y take on progressive house, allowing the release to unravel as a parable of the sanctity of emotion-driven electronica and the paragon of it.

The way Jung manipulates sound with nuance to spark a profound emotional response establishes him as one of the most promising up-and-coming producers in the industry. The anticipation as the ethereally enveloped instrumental layers inch towards climax will leave you entranced until the bass-swathed house beats amplify the euphonic ecstasy resulting in a danceable remedy, capable of exhilarating and moving even the most steadfast listeners.

Don’t be surprised if in a few years keeping your finger on the EDM pulse revolves around revelling within the pulsative utopias orchestrated under Jung’s prodigal volition.

Add Everybody Feels the Love to your Spotify playlists and follow Tom Jung on TikTok to keep up to date with the visionary’s latest releases.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bad Avocado is ripe for the picking for your summer playlists in their house anthem, Aguacate NewsHour Special (All of the Memories)

Posted on 31 July 2024

Feel the pulse of summer’s heartbeat with the latest single, Aguacate NewsHour Special (All of the Memories), by the enigmatically irreplicable artist and producer, Bad Avocado. From the first note, you’re at the mercy of the independent house artist’s grooves and consumed by the confrontation of pure elation, which proves that Bad Avocado is set to defy their nature and remain eternally fresh.

Aguacate NewsHour Special (All of the Memories) is ripe for the picking for your summer playlists. The seraphic soundscape envelops through the rushes of lush reverb that wrap around the echoes of nostalgia, allowing the instrumentals to capture the sense of yearning for ephemeral memories which bleeds from the harmonised ethereal vocal lines.

The tactile sense of sun-kissed bliss reverberates to the forefront of the flawless anthem which attests to Bad Avocado’s songwriting and production chops. As the track crescendos, each moment of escalation is finely tuned, leading to hedonic breaks that burst with intensity. It’s in these moments that the track holds its breath, before plunging into a sonic rapture that’s textured with complexity and clarity.

Aguacate NewsHour Special (All of the Memories) dropped on June 24; stream the track on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Electro-House Goes Pop in Secret Wish’s EP Melody of the Music Man

Posted on 1 July 2024
Secret Wish

Secret Wish’s hotly anticipated EP, Melody of the Music Man, kicks off with the unfetteredly feel-good 7th Heaven Radio Edit before blasting into the 7th Heaven Club Mix, then progresses into the DJ Combo & Rayman Rave, Duumix, DIM3NSION, and Stelios remixes; offering nine different ways to experience the euphoric waves of electro house as they progressively crash on the shores of airwaves and dancefloors worldwide.

The opening iteration of Melody of the Music Man starts with a simple AVICII-esque piano melody before erupting into a disco-grooved EDM anthem for the ages, not just the summer; the appeal of an EDM anthem in this evocatively and melodically liberating vein could never come close to temporal.

The track reaches the epitome of sun-drenched rhapsodic bliss through layers of transcendentally augmented instrumental layers; the beats bring just as much enraptured ecstasy as the synths as they endlessly ascend throughout the progressive house mix that stands as a testament to the Belgian duo’s ability to craft infectious dance-pop anthems with global appeal.

Their music consistently tops charts across Europe and Asia, demonstrating their ability to transcend borders with crowd-pleasing anthems while injecting high-octane energy into productions hooked with a timelessly finessed pop sensibility. It’s safe to assume that Melody of the Music Man will be sitting scintillatingly pretty at the top of the charts before long.

Stream the Melody of the Music Man EP in full on all major platforms via this link from July 1st.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Embers’ Breakbeats are as Hard-Hitting as Her Bite in ‘Teeth’

Posted on 2 June 2024

By anchoring the transcendent house elements with the forcefully resonant undertones of the bass that reverberate through the entrancing breakbeat production against techno beats and vocal pop hooks, Embers’ started a fire that will never go out with her latest single, Teeth.

Sensually sonorous in one breath and rhythmically liberating in the next, every progression is a revelation in stylistic motion in Teeth, which attests to the London-based singer-songwriter and producer’s triple-threat talent that is making waves in the UK electronica scene and tearing attention away from the likes of Sylvan Esso, Lapsley, and Maggie Rogers.

While the instrumentals deliver an expansive brand of alchemy, Embers brings the intimacy with her ever-ascending vocal lines, making Teeth fitting for late-night sessions of reflection, your after-party playlists, and whenever you need reminding of the transformative power of sound orchestrated by a visionary who knows exactly to stir the soul with melody.

Teeth was officially released on May 24; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

From Surgeon to Synths: CORM!! Unleashed Electrifying Ecstasy with ‘Lose My Mind’

Posted on 3 May 2024

If you tune into one up-and-coming EDM producer this year, make it CORM!! His latest hit, Lose My Mind, which will euphonise the airwaves with exhilaration is set to drop on May 3; when it does, the impact will be colossal.

The anticipation for the first drop builds right from the intro of lush reverb and female vocals, which break through the arcane atmosphere to directly deliver a sensuously melancholic vignette of heartbreak.

The emotional underpinnings may be heavy, but the ecstasy within the electrifyingly layered and heavy bass-bolstered progressions carries them effortlessly allowing pain and vulnerability to transmute into a synthesised storm of vindication which proves that even if you do lose your mind, you can still come to life on the dancefloor.

When CORM!! isn’t proving his mettle as the architect of visceral EDM floor-fillers, he’s going by the name Dr Jason Cormier, donning a white coat and living up to his legacy as a world-renowned neurosurgeon. Inspired by the likes of Skrillex, Diplo, and Tiesto, CORM!! has a varied discography, ranging from dubstep, trap, future house, big room and pop; hit play on Lose My Mind, and you’ll meet a hybridic earworm that won’t just bed down, it will arrest your rhythmic pulses.

For the full CORM!! experience stream the official music video for Lose My Mind on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

FCF’s U AND I is a dynamically exhilarant dancefloor catalyst

Posted on 21 April 2024

“U AND I” by FCF is a revolutionary dancefloor catalyst that ignited the sphere of alt-electronica and added intense anticipation around the producer’s upcoming LP.

The track launches with a tender progressive house pop prelude, where deep reverberating basslines and soulfully intoxicating vocal lines set the stage for the impending infectious aural oblivion to come. As the mix escalates, it transitions into a hypersonic entrancing hit that promises not just to bring listeners to the brink of euphoria but to climax with them through an exhilarating fusion of psytrance electronic layers and Spanish guitars. But don’t think the peak is reached here; before long, FCF introduces adrenalizing rap bars that evoke raw tribal energy, seamlessly interwoven with reprising female vocal harmonies. This blend is not just innovative; it’s evolutionary; while some artists are content with constructing floor fillers, FCF went one step further by dropping a track that could start a riot on even the most subdued dancefloor.

FCF, hailing from Lisbon and inspired by artists like Rosália and Travis Scott, has a proven track record of breaking boundaries in electronic music. His eclectic influence—ranging from techno and house to hip-hop and reggaeton—allows him to craft tracks that challenge the conventional frameworks of music production.

“U AND I” exemplifies FCF’s unparalleled ability to fuse fire, fervour, soul, and rhythmic magnetism into a coherent whole that resonates across diverse audiences.

U AND I was officially released on March 2nd; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

ToleX unveiled a fiery reckoning with their hell-hath-no-fury poetic epiphany of an EDM release, Cry Baby

Posted on 14 April 2024

ToleX’s EDM-Chill Step hybrid, Cry Baby, dropped on April Fool’s Day to prove they’re nobody’s fool in the searing indictment of post-breakup epiphanies. Even with the catharsis of the Chill-Step aesthetics, it hits with the force of a hurricane.

From the opening artillery of lyrics, ToleX sets the stage for a raw, unfiltered dive into the emotional abyss left in the wake of lost love. The poetic justice in the lines “It shouldn’t have to be until I leave to make you love me”, and “It shouldn’t have to be the memories that makes you miss me,” doesn’t just create a haunting reminder of love taken for granted; the introspection filters the enraging phenomenon through a brand-new lens.

But Cry Baby is more than a mere lament; it’s a battle cry wrapped in a rhythm. The female vocals, draped over ToleX’s fiery beats, serve as a siren song, luring listeners into a whirlpool of raw emotion and unapologetic truth-telling, resulting in a sonic uprising against the all-too-common narrative of love appreciated too late.

ToleX doesn’t just push boundaries; they incinerate them, offering a track that’s as much a balm for the scorned as it is a wake-up call for the complacent. Cry Baby is a musical inferno, burning away the clichés of heartbreak songs to reveal a core of fierce honesty and emotional depth. This isn’t just another break-up anthem; it’s a revolutionary redefinition of what it means to turn heartache into art.

Stream the single on all major platforms including Amazon Music and YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

We Architects Synthesised the Sound of Summer with their Progressive House Pop Hit, Light Blue Skies

Posted on 3 April 2024

If your climate isn’t giving you the feel of summer, tune into the sound of it with the seminal progressive house pop single, Light Blue Skies by the cousin duo, We Architects, who have become infamous since their 2014 debut for their infusions of contemporary pop and tropical beach vibes. The stellar production will whisk you away on a holiday you never knew you were going on.

After racking up almost a million streams on Spotify alone, this single which oscillates with serotonin and soul, has become a staple of many who love the anticipation of sun-soaked hedonism and the core memories that follow sticky sweet escapades in the sun.

We Architects gave the progressions superlative intuition by knowing exactly where to take you to ensure you’re always led to euphoria. The rapture in the polished instrumentals juxtaposes the vocal lines which carry a melancholic sting while vibrantly celebrating the sanctity of summer, making them a perfect addition to the emotion-rich production which reaches the epitome of infectious stridency.

Stream Light Blue Skies on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Put Material Reality in the Rearview Mirror with Zac Zhan’s Alt-Pop Ear Unicorn, Fantasy Fantasy

Posted on 27 February 2024

Zac Zhan is in his euphoric element in Fantasy Fantasy, a track that defies convention and carries you to a new realm by taking you on a vibrational voyage that you’ll want to embark on time after time. If you want to be transported beyond the confines of the ordinary and the chaos of reality, hit play on the mesmerising blend of dance-pop, alt-pop, house and hip-hop, which pulsates with infectiously kinetic energy.

The artist and producer meticulously crafted Fantasy Fantasy from its lyrically intimate inception to its exhilarant production climax. It’s a hyper-pop masterpiece that not only showcases Zac’s vibrant approach to music but also cements his commitment to providing a haven for an ever-expanding fanbase.

The track’s 8bit-esque instrumentals weave a captivating fantasyscape, engulfing the listener from the outset. Zac’s vocals, both electrifying and eccentric, enhance the track’s wildly exhilarating aura with a sense of playful, unbridled enthusiasm. For those who find solace in the sounds of Charli XCX, Grimes, or Carly Rae Jepsen, Zac Zhan’s Fantasy Fantasy is a must-listen and a vibrant echo of freedom in the realm of hyper-pop.

Zac Zhan said:  

“To create Fantasy Fantasy, I embarked on a deeply personal and introspective journey, one that mirrors the complexities of the human condition and the perennial quest for solace in a world brimming with chaos. The lyrics, steeped in vivid imagery and raw emotion express a universal longing for escape, a utopia amidst the trials of life.

I wanted to invite listeners to envision a world where they are the architects of their happiness. It’s a call to embrace the beauty of creation and the freedom that comes from releasing the burdens of the past.”

Fantasy Fantasy was officially released on January 18th; stream the single on Spotify.

Stay up to date with all the latest releases from Zac Zhan via Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast