Welcome to the August section of our best tracks of the year 2021 rundown — read the full list here

Gropina’s upcoming EP opens with the delightfully uplifting ‘Microcosmo’. Ambient pads, natural field recordings and flute melodies flutter over a driving 606 rhythm to create five minutes of pure bliss. Buy it here

Marie Davidson & L’OEil Nu mark their next step with this dreamy shoegaze-y number. With Davidson’s charming French vocals and plenty of reverb-heavy guitar action, it’s a real treat for fans of Broadcast, Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine. Buy it here

Since 2016’s ‘Skiptracing’, fans have wondered where Mild High Club have been. With no major solo releases since, a new project ‘Going Going Gone’ has been announced for September 17. With incredibly sharp writing, melodies, and a mix that adds to the track’s character, the years gone have only been spent refining the jangly rock that Mild High Club are known for. Buy it here

James Blake’s ‘Life Is Not The Same’ is an emotionally-charged riot. With a rousing vocal performance and production by Take A Daytrip, Joji and Khushi working alongside Blake, the new track ushers in a new era of music from the artist, tackling difficult subject matter with a deft touch. Buy it here

In the grand old tradition of Rihanna, The Weeknd, P!nk, Robert Palmer and Roxy Music — comparing love to drugs has become a guaranteed formula for a satisfying earworm. But for US rapper, DJ and producer UNIIQU3’s lead single from an as of yet untitled Local Action project — the subtext goes beyond innuendo. “You want me, come take a dose of this drug, stop microdosing my love” she pleads over an electrifying house hook, reminiscent of mid-noughties Jersey floorfillers, transforming into the sassy, sensuous “you wanna get a dose of me, you wanna feel the bliss when you’re close to me.” We’re in for the whole tab with this one. Buy it here

God how we’ve missed South London legend Katy B. Produced by the Grammy-winning P2J, ‘Under My Skin’ tells of the struggle of heartbreak, impossibly attempting to overcome feelings for someone you are no longer connected with: “Don't you know just what you've done to me. Took it all, left me hungry.” Though contrary to the subject — the melody is light and positive, with an awareness that light is at the end of the tunnel and her feelings are only temporary. Synths intertwine delicately beneath Katy’s voice, with mid-tempo percussion keeping the beat rolling, adapting it from a track simply about heartbreak, to an optimistic, dancefloor-ready bop. Stream it here

A magical offering from Zambia-based producer SHE Spells Doom on the always excellent All Centre. Dousing blissful melodic patterns and subtle percussive flourishes in reverb, it feels like entering a dreamstate or journeying to a blissful parallel dimension. Buy it here

Cruising down a San Franciscan highway through sunset lit hills in a roof-down convertible might be the only appropriate way to listen to Space Ghost’s latest single, ‘Emotional Healer’ - a flirtatious classic house track lead by charming vocals and down-tempo 4/4s. Buy it here

Dubstep groundbreakers Sicaria Sound are at it again, this month dropping a double-side two-track record with standout piece ‘Quondam’ taking a firm head spot. Recognising their North African heritage through their sound, the duo lace this track with low-end bass thrillers and harsh, uninterrupted kicks. Buy it here

One of the most beautiful tracks you’ll hear all year: soft piano notes and uncomplicated percussion leave space for Cleo Sol’s enchanting voice to draw you in, dancing around vulnerability and boldness and tugging at heartstrings all the way.