The best albums and EPs of the year 2023 so far - February - Music - Mixmag

MPU103 ‘IXT027’ (Ilian Tape)

MPU103’s latest addition to the mighty Ilian Tape catalogue is blissful listening. With resonant synth tones, downtempo beats and emotionally impactful atmospheres, it’s one that will get Boards Of Canada fans salivating.

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Skrillex ‘Quest For Fire’ / ‘Don’t Get Too Close’ (OWSLA)

We’re old enough to remember when Skrillex was public enemy number one in the underground — truly, he was hated, used as a barometer for everything wrong with the scene’s commercialisation. But as a notoriously nice fella, it’s nice to see Sonny and his sunny disposition win over the doubters. It’s been a huge month for Skrilly, becoming dance music’s very own Three Amigos with best buds Fred again.. and Four Tet, selling out NYC’s Madison Square Garden, and casually dropping his second album of the week during the set. Both of the LPs bangs: the first ‘Quest For Fire’ focuses on heavy beats primed to shake a soundsystem, while the follow-up ‘Don’t Get Too Close’ shows his vulnerable side with a string of emo rap.

Kelela ‘Raven’ (Warp)

“Where’s Kelela?” a fandom called out to the void after barren few years without music. Last September, she finally called back, starting an album rollout campaign that culminated with this magnificent ‘Raven’ this month. Serving up 15 club-inspired cuts, sequenced to together like a DJ set, it’s an intricately woven dialogue between the styles of dance music Kelela is embedded within.

Ehua ‘Clouds’ (3024)

Never one to be constrained by tempo or form, this four-tracker from Italian-Ivorian producer Ehua is a wide-spanning exploration of all things percussion. Touching on her myriad of inspirations, from UK bass, to dubstep, to ancient Armenian flutes — 'Clouds' fluctuates effortlessly between eerie low-end and raucous high-energy rhythm. Highlights include first track 'Piume', a masterful mixture of frenetic drum pads and delicate wooden blocks, and 'Vola' with its stuttering, shuffling stabs and keening bassline.

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Otodojo ‘Amphibious/Aural Spirits’ (The Bunker New York)

For their bumper 14-track debut on Bunker NY’s eponymous imprint, Detroit-based producer Otodojo digs into a myriad of inspirations and references; from the natural world to Japanese folklore - particularly, the slithering, scaly, remote world of amphibians. Utilising pulsating basslines, decadent deep synths and ever-wobbly jungle, 'Amphibious/Aural Spirits' seesaws and meanders through form - piling on elements to the point of peak intensity before stripping back completely, constructing and reconstructing itself. By the time you have reached the eerie, cyberpunk-like finale 'Frog Swimming In The Rain' you will be completely lost within this record... but the track's delicate percussion and soft synths are a guiding force.

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Toumba ‘Petals’ (Hessle Audio)

For his debut on Hessle Audio, Jordanian producer Toumba highlights the sounds of Levantine club music, across an introspective-yet-playful four-tracks — employing a cacophony of rock solid breaks, intricate sampling and atmospheric, hearty basslines. Where this record comes to life is in its divergent and scattered percussion; in 'Hazzeh' Toumba trickles shuffling pads amid soft synths, while on 'Petals' he employs slamming kicks and fizzling chords. If you haven't given this one a listen yet, add it to the top of your to do list.

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Ikonika x 45DiBoss ‘Supernova’ (Night Slugs)

In pole position at the forefront of producing boundary-shifting club music, London’s Ikonika teams up with vocalist 45DiBoss for the one and only Night Slugs. The pair are instantly in sync from the rousing opener ‘Nock Nock’, fusing dancehall type rhythms with elements of glitch and hyperpop. With dancefloor destroyers sitting next to emotional tear jerkers (‘Nuclear’) – it’s music designed for the 22nd century.

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Kassem Mosse ‘workshop 32’ (Workshop)

It feels like Kassem Mosse releases are rarer and rarer these days, compared to the German house maestro’s most prolific era in the early 2010s. But he’s back with his first solo release in six years, and back on WorkshopLowtec’s label that he has a long history with, where his low-slung style has always felt at home. With 10 tracks across two records, it represents a development in his music since those early works – sharper, but ever-captivating, moving through deconstructed toe-tappers, to enchanting four-to-the-floor percussive workouts.

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Blackploid ‘Enter Universe’ (Central Processing Unit)

Having become one of Central Processing Unit’s regular contributors of late, the latest collaboration between Blackploid and the German label presents the producer’s first full length LP. It’s a 12-track exploration of the boundaries of electro – from the bleepy ‘Planetary Nebula’, to the face-melting ‘Wormhole’, to the outer-space closer ‘Space Curve’ – there’s a track built for all times of the night and every dimension.

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Yushh ‘Look Mum No Hands’ (Wisdom Teeth)

Bristol bass bastion Yushh lands on Facta and K-LONE’s Wisdom Teeth this month with a stunning four-tracker, ‘Look Mum No Hands’. On the record’s title-track, the producer pulls together elements of downtempo and IDM before ramping up the pace to an icy 160 BPM at the midway mark. On the flip, both ‘Close Fall’ and ‘Self Couscous’ explore Yushh’s experimental edge through glitched-out club flavours.

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Tom Jarmey ‘Wing Theory Part III’ (Wing Theory)

Almost a year since the release of his Wing Theory project, London’s Tom Jarmey drops its third instalment and shares four new tracks made for both the dancefloor and “home listening”. From front to back, ‘Wing Theory Part III’ celebrates the experimental edge to Jarmey’s sonic ground, playfully weaving in atmospheric synths and reversed electric guitar samples under some serious brooding basslines.

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Sarayu ‘Intelligent Jump Rope Music’ (Boiled Wonderland)

Bangkok’s Sarayu masterfully pieces together four new cuts for Boiled Wonderland this month. ‘Intelligent Jump Rope Music’ explores darker club sounds through murky breaks and acid-infused basslines culminating in an enormous remix of the record’s title track from Locked Groove, adding the last piece of the puzzle to this collection of club weapons.

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Sideshow ‘2MM DON'T JUST STAND THERE!’ (10k)

This sample-heavy album from Sideshow brings back the nostalgia of ‘90s hip hop with twists of the modern day, including the sound of Facetime ringing to Super Mario. Sideshow does what he does best by keeping things playful. Made up from 14 uniquely crafted tracks, each song takes you along a different - mostly drug-centered - story. ‘2MM DON'T JUST STAND THERE!’ is the ultimate vibe of a warm Sunday evening, especially with the jazz piano of ‘S.H.O.W. ENT’. Other tracks such as ‘NOWHERE 2 HIDE’ and ‘MR COULDN’T HURT A FLY’ sees Sideshow balance a fair space between rap and the samples to highlight lyrics clearer and rhythms louder. Slow is sometimes the way to go.

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Jasper Tygner ‘Real Time’ (Jasper Tygner)

After dropping ‘Deny It’ last year, we were all left hoping for more dramatical and spellbound tracks from Jasper Tygner. He has delivered. This four-track EP is a concise catelogue that fits both the environments of your commute to work and a sweaty nightclub. Introducing us to two new singles - 'FLLL' and 'Strangers Around’ - both bring some classic melodic synths that allow you to dissociate yourself from everyday life.

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Sha Ru ‘Match My Sway’ (Woozy)

Duo Sha Ru has released a hugely dynamic EP that pulls inspiration from the likes of poetry, dubstep and more. ‘Temporary Iteraction’ has plays with fast and slow rhythms, building into a crashing techno soundscape. Walton’s remix of their track ‘Not Fluctating’ sees a bold transition of heavy bass that truly gets your blood flowing. Pushing forth a message of support to Ukraine, Sha Ru had previously spent time together in the Eastern European country, exploring the electronic music community and wished to express this with this EP. This Woozy release is in support of Ukraine, with all artists from the album going towards the Kyiv Angels and Repair Together charities.

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