DJ Lag & Sinjin Hawke 'Raptor' (Black Major x Ice Drop)
The latest single from DJ Lag's upcoming debut album 'Meeting with the King', 'Raptor' feels like a declaration of intent as to what we can expect from the gqom pioneer in 2022, and maybe even the future of the genre as a whole. Collaborating with Canadian producer Sinjin Hawke, the track opens with a blaring orchestral horn before breaking down into pounding kick drums and intense pitched up vocals that ring out across the beat. An instant classic.
FKA Twigs ft The Weeknd 'Tears In The Club' (Young)
Dedicated to those morose moments on the dancefloor, 'Tears In The Club' sees FKA twigs sing softly above a punchy drum beat about encountering a former lover in the club: "Tears in the club 'cause your love's got me fucked up." Joined by The Weeknd, the track marries together heavy percussion, atmospheric synths and a punchy bassline to create a beautifully woe-filled, high-tempo club beat.
SZA ‘ I Hate U’ (RCA)
SZA's 'I Hate U' is the latest offering from the R&B sensation. It's been popular on TikTok after first being released as a demo on SoundCloud and following its rising popularity, SZA has finally officially released the track on all major streaming platforms. It delivers, as SZA always does, and provides some intense highs and some soulful lows. Laced with ethereal vocals, deep synths and pop-like drum patterns, this track accurately encapsulates the feeling of post-breakup confusion experienced by many. It is unknown whether this single will feature on any upcoming project or album by SZA.
Opus 'Sneaky' (White Peach)
Stepping away from White Peach’s uncompromisingly murky dubstep releases, Opus brings a fresh two-tracker this month in the form of ‘Sneaky / Snidey’. The five-minute opening track, which came alongside the much darker ‘Snidey’, offers everything from old skool garage sounds accompanied by soulful vocals to a couple of seedy dubstep breakdowns.
Buy it here
Modeselektor & Flohio 'MAD' (Monkeytown)
Flohio is a name you’ve probably heard a lot over this past year. Giving her all to a new wave of rap fans, the South London-born artist has a knack for breakneck bars. Ahead of her first LP, Flohio joined forces with Berlin’s Modeselektor to produce ‘MAD’ - an unwieldy industrial rap-electronic mashup climbing up to a ferocious climax.
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Imad, Samia ‘Makan’ (Evil Eye)
Starting with a mellow piano riff, gentle beat and soft vocals, this latest track ‘Makan’ by Imad featuring Samia follows his melodic techno style, with a deeply personal touch. The story behind this beautiful electronic single is based on fleeing his home in Beirut, Lebanon, after the explosion in 2020. He says: “This song narrates the story about being forced to leave home for a better life, and being torn apart from the feeling of having to leave or stay - something Samia and I have had to endure, and a lot of people from Lebanon.” The song was released on his label Evil Eye with apparently more to come.
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Axel Boman ‘Don’t Breathe Yet’ (AVA. Records)
With what seems to start with a variety of abstract noises, thesoundscape of ‘Don’t Breathe Yet’ slowly morphs into a funky tune that’s bound to get at least your foot tapping. Axel Boman is the Swedish DJ whose playful house music has always been grove-focused. This eight-minute cut takes the listener on a psychedelic safari of sound.
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Ell Murphy & Soundboy Cookie 'Make It' (Shall Not Fade)
‘Make It’, Ell Murphy and Soundboy Cookie’s latest collaborative release, finds a downtempo home in Shall Not Fade’s 24-track compilation this month. Celebrating the imprint’s sixth birthday, this milestone release provided us with a raw, wistful garage track featuring falsetto vocals from Shall Not Fade regular Ell Murphy.
Buy it here
