Features
June: Six artists you need to check out this month
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Powder
Tokyo’s Moko Shibata spends her days doing an office job, with music production confined to just a couple of hours at night. But as Powder she’s explored various strands of house with releases on ESP Institute, Born Free Records and The Trilogy Tapes. While they all differ greatly in style and tone, her personality burns brightly on each of them. An impressive live performer and DJ, she plays Dimensions and Flow Festival this summer.
‘H’ is out now on Cocktail d’Amore
Rejjie Snow
Rejjie Snow (real name Alexander Anyaegbunam) grew up in Dublin and moved to Atlanta aged 17 on a soccer scholarship, but quickly traded his boots for the mic. His 2013 mixtape ‘Rejovich’ showcased a knack for surreal wordplay and a laid-back flow reminiscent of Earl Sweatshirt; now aged 23, he’s toured with Action Bronson and Kendrick Lamar. His debut LP ‘Dear Annie’ drops this year, as does the Joey Bada$$-featuring mixtape ‘The Moon And You’.
‘The Moon And You’ is out now
v1984
As v1984, Christopher Ramos crafts colourful soundscapes dripping with emotional resonance. The Cleveland-based producer (of Korean and Filipino descent) brings elements of his classical music training to the cutting-edge, hip hop-indebted experimental club cuts he creates. Kuedo is among his admirers: it was v1984 who inspired the revered producer to co-found the Knives imprint which locked in his second EP ‘Pansori’ for release this May.
‘Pansori’ is out now via Knives
Kevin Knapp
San Francisco’s Kevin Knapp has contributed his vocal talents to dancefloor anthems such as Audiojack’s ‘Stay Glued’. This year, he released the ‘Find Me’ EP on Rebellion – a package so strong that Pete Tong played both sides of the record on his Radio 1 show. His and Audiojack’s ‘Vibrate’ was one of Hot Creations’ biggest-selling tracks last year, and he’s got another release lined up on the label.
The ‘Find Me’ EP is out now on Rebellion
Andres Campo
At 34, Spanish techno DJ Andres Campo is no freshman. But as resident at both Elrow and Florida 135, you wouldn’t want him to be. Years of residential graft mean he knows precisely how to sculpt a vibe that kicks dynamically wherever he is in the world. This deft techno science is evident in his raw productions, which have been supported by Beyer, Hawtin and Cox. Two key releases will drop this summer on Ramiro Lopez and Arjun Vagale’s Odd and Nicole Moudaber’s MOOD.
Hear more at Soundcloud.com/andrescampo
Noga Erez
Noga Erez’s music is as much a product of her surroundings as her withdrawal from them. Growing up in Tel Aviv, the 27-year-old found sanctuary in music after throwing away her TV and ignoring the constant stream of news. But reality is impossible to block out forever, and Erez is now facing it with her gutsy electronic pop. Inspired by MIA, FKA Twigs and the vocal cadences of Migos, forthcoming debut LP ‘Off The Radar’ is an explosive call for political accountability.
‘Off The Radar’ is out now
[Photo Credits: Connor Elder, Tonje Thilesen]

