August: 10 big tunes you need to hear this month

1 Bicep

'Aura' (Ninja Tune)

At the end of June, Bicep announced details of their self-titled debut album with this searing main room anthem which is custom-built for DC10 and Printworks floors alike. Bicep are now a huge proposition, but crucially they’ve lost none of their bite.

2 Deniz Kurtel

'The Fifth House' (Trevino remix) (Crosstown Rebels)

A fantastic release with a tragic side note attached as Marcus Kaye (AKA Trevino) died shortly after completing this remix. Crosstown Rebels is donating all money raised by this release to the charity of his mum and girlfriend’s choosing. R.I.P.

3 Frankey & Sandrino

'Virgo' (Sum Over Histories)

If you’re an Innervisions fan, you’ll have heard Frankey & Sandrino before: their dreamy 2015 instrumental ‘Acamar’ was huge, and earlier this year, their remix of Oxia’s ‘Domino’ also delivered. And now the moody, meditative ‘Virgo’ continues the tripped-out trajectory.

4 Thick Dick

'Welcome To The Jungle' (Andrea Oliva remix) (Sondos)

The original of ‘Welcome…’ has been revived by both Andrea Oliva and La Fleur of late, so it’s no surprise that Oliva’s update of the 2002 tribal vocal from E-Smoove is so good. Andrea’s remix is also premiered on Mixmag.net.

5 Denney vs Mekon

'What’s Going On' (FFRR)

When Pete Tong, Annie Mac and Danny Howard all get behind a record (as they did previously with, say, Kölsch), you know that it’s about to explode. This blistering, hip house club anthem (which updates the 2001 Wall Of Sound original, a minor Roxanne Shanté classic) pushes all the right summer buttons.

6 Mallard

'Aquitaine' (606 Lake Mix) (Rhythm Section)

Admittedly, we’re suckers for any record which samples a north American loon (see also Sueño Latino and 808 State’s ‘Pacific State’) but this stately EP release from Mallard (continuing the bird theme) is a must-hear. Mallard is 20 years old.

7 Sasha

'Trigonometry' (Watergate)

This nine-minute instrumental is a master-class of build, melody and release, and marks Sasha’s first appearance on Berlin’s Watergate imprint. There are two tracks on offer, the first being the bruising but still brilliant ‘GameOvr’.

8 Roger Taylor

‘2 Sharp Pencils (Get Bad)’ (Anna Wall & Corbi remix) (Music For Freaks)

Yes, you read that right. Queen drummer appears in Big Tunes and it’s not 1977, ’87 or ’97. But Anna Wall has managed to license the 1984 original and brought it bang up to date with the help of Corbi; there’s an equally on point ‘Punk Funk Version’ from Mr Hit It N Quit It, Jamie 326.

9 HAAi

'Be Good' (Coconut Beats)

“The fear sets in and then it’s back to the beginning…” Yes, ‘Be Good’ from Phonox resident HAAi is proof that vocals in dance music don’t always have to resort to cliché, and HAAi has provided both the production and the vocal here. Both distinctive, dramatic sides deliver: she’s a major new talent.

10 Parcels

'Overnight' (Kitsuné Musique & Daft Trax)

Of course, we couldn’t not mention the first major new Daft Punk production this side of The Weeknd, and this great song (which could almost have come from the R.A.M. sessions) already sounds like a lost Phoenix classic… only this quintet are from Berlin, via Byron Bay.