March: 9 breaks releases you need to hear this month

Sly-One feat TK 'My Name' (Tumble Audio)

Sly-One are one of the hottest names in the scene right now, with everyone from Redlight to Mak & Pasteman rinsing out their latest tunes. Sitting somewhere between Miami bass and contemporary breaks, ‘My Name’ smashes through acid hooks, turbo-charged beats and TK’s fiery vocals. If you’ve not caught their live shows already, make sure you keep an eye out for the cowbell-hammering trio on the festival lineups this summer.

9/10

Taiki Nulight 'Formula 3000' (Night Bass)

UK heavyweights Jack Beats hook up with man-of-the-moment Taiki Nulight for the second part of their ‘Body Work’ series. The bass kicks hard alongside stabby horns and crisp beats, making for a stripped-back approach you wouldn’t associate with these artists.

8/10

Sage Armstrong 'Turn You On' (Dirtybird)

Leading house label Dirtybird flirts with broken beats here, courtesy of Sage Armstrong’s contribution to its ‘New Year’s Special (Volume 2)’ compilation. Rolling 808 beats join a dirty, playful bassline, and they’re then perfectly combined with those instantly recognisable monotone vocals to really hit the spot.

7/10

Mooqee & Beatvandals 'Rock The Discotech' (Bombstrikes)

Thirteen years after their debut release, Bombstrikes label honchos Mooqee and Beatvandals are back with another dancefloor-focused banger. Known in the scene for their midtempo party jams, they increase the pace and take things on a deeper tip, teasing in classic Bucketheads riffs and Big Daddy Kane vocals.

8/10

Basement Freaks 'Electrique' (Jalapeno)

The nu-funk sound had it’s heyday a few years ago, but every now and then a funky breaks banger lands in our inbox that really stands out. Basement Freaks, one of the originators of the scene, delivers a modernised, synth-heavy party-starter on the new ‘Jalapeno Funk’ compilation that ticks all the right boxes.

7/10

Murder He Wrote 'Watch The Tempo' (Kicks & Snares)

Just as the track title suggests, Murder He Wrote’s new cut on Roska’s K&S deviates through varying styles and tempos, twisting and swirling through deep, serene house, dope hip hop flavours and choppy, carnival vibes. Definitely something different to add a bit of versatility to your sets.

8/10

Denham Audio 'Leighton Buzzin' (Artifice)

Denham Audio join the likes of Special Request and Shadow Child by breathing a new lease of life into the 90’s jungle sound. ‘Leighton Buzzin’ is a dark, moody and atmospheric stomper with masterfully crafted nostalgic rhythms that get better and better the more you hear them. Smoky warehouse vibes with real character.

8/10

Barely Royal feat LØ 'Fire In The Dark' (Saucy)

Barely Royal seemed to come out of nowhere last year, and he’s been turning heads ever since. He returns to Saucy for ‘Fire In The Dark’, a stunning, powerful and emotive release featuring LØ’s soul-stirring vocals that really tug at the heartstrings. We can’t wait to hear more from this upcoming new talent.

9/10

SkET 'Hurt Me Bad' (Chicky Boom remix) (Acidulate)

Known for his infectious, jazz-funk fusions, Chicky Boom’s latest has a more club-focused feel this time. Deep, rumbling basslines complement percussive rhythms and reverberant horns that really set the tone on this remix. Releases have been few and far between, but this artist always delivers the goods. We need more.

7/10