“He wants to go on testing more bombs” warns a woman’s voice in the midst of Pépe’s inaugural release on new label Orchidæ. It was founded as a “new platform for music furthering explorations in the ‘Hardcore Continuum’”, AKA an outlet for dancefloor artillery, with this debut cut merging chopped breaks, screwface bassweight, bright melodies that surge to ecstasy, and that playfully deployed sample that recontextualises a war alert to a clubland promise.

Originally titled ‘The Bomb’ with matching artwork, Pépe amended these before release, stating that “despite being both a play on the spirit of anarchy and protest as well as the obvious dance-floor-bomb nature of the piece, it would be frivolous and naive to make light of anything resembling the topic of war” in light of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, also announcing that cut of both his and his manager’s proceeds would be donated to medical aid in Palestine.

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PC Music may be in the final throes of its era of releasing new music, but they ain’t done yet, and this month’s new drop from GRRL epitomises what has made it such a beloved imprint over the past decade. It’s deliciously hyperactive, a certified club-wrecker, and packaged alongside some insane visuals (see below) from Jonathan Zawada that elevate the release to an overwhelming audio-visual headfuck. Going out with a bang(er).

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It’s not Christmas yet but KAVARI came bearing gifts this month. This variation of ‘Attachment Style’ from her 2022 EP ‘’Suture’ had only been shared with friends and Aphex Twin previously, but was put up for free download by the Scottish producer towards the end of November. It’s a chaotic, experimental club cut that fires into delirium upon a flurry of breaks, twisted noise and disturbing vocals declaring “the more you scream, the more he likes it.” Guaranteed to fuck up the dance. The 100 downloads allowed by KAVARI’s free SoundCloud account are long gone, but as she advises, “ask around, dig the internet, you'll find it ;)“.

Master of mutant bass and techno constructions Rhyw delivers again with his latest four-track EP on Fever AM, the label he co-runs with Mor Elian. Standout track ‘Spritz’ showcases his rare ability to make precision-engineered music that sounds totally unhinged. There’s a controlled sense of momentum in the drumwork peppering the background, while the most prominent element in the track sounds like the collapsing bassweight version of turning a moo box upside down.

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Bluetoof’s lead single from his forthcoming ‘Newt Licker’ EP is inspired by a crazy trip back from Morocco with grandad, where their flight home was halted by an undeclared sea bass in their carry-on bag. This chaotic energy is carried into the track by a flurry of percussive hits, switching between breaks and tribal drum samples, including some taken from his great grandma’s hand drum, before two are combined for the track’s crescendo. The Infa Red label boss’ layered rhythms are matched with slick low-end pressure and dubbed-out, pitched-down vocals, the first time Bluetoof has used his own voice on a track. The single brings together elements of his finest works to date, pairing impressive breakbeat work akin to ‘Orb Ponderer’ with the frenetic nature of ‘Inverted’, released on the fabric ‘SELECTS II’ compilation earlier this year. All in all, this is a clear indication of a producer hitting their stride.

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The A-Side from SP:MC’s latest release on his Declassified imprint, ‘It’s Over Now’, is a delicious 2-step garage number which leans on the same “can’t deny I let ya…” sample that Joy Orbison used to decorate ‘Tentative Bidding’. The difference between the two is that the former celebrates more of the original vocal, with the underlying percussion, sub and melodic stabs acting as the perfect backing track. With SP:MC’s current hit rate, Declassified is reaching buy-on-sight territory.

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Skeptic’s funky twist of Dabke, the genre commonly accompanied by traditional line dances native to Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, is an absolute heater. Already a recipient of Ben UFO’s certification at the DJ’s recent KOKO gig, the young Southampton-based DJ and producer’s take on Ahla Dabke includes a heavyweight log drum bassline that causes dancefloor damage. With 100% of earnings going towards charities and humanitarian aid supporting the people of Palestine, this one’s for the heads and the hearts.

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San Francisco's Only Now & Pteron provide a gritty finale to Club Moniker’s third compilation, ‘MONIKER003’. Their joint contribution, ‘Soma Ghosts’, is a high-octane, experimental club cut providing a head-rattling end to the four-tracker, blurring the lines between heavy and deconstructed bass stylings polished off with a swift, pacey climax.

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This month, Logic1000 delivered the lead single from her forthcoming debut album, ‘Mother’, landing next March on Therapy/Because Music. ‘Self To Blame’ is a classic slice of Logic1000, an expertly produced house cut with an effortless, feel-good sound that puts a slight garage spin on Kayla Blackmon’s sleek vocals.

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Calling their next project their “boldest deflection yet”, Ivy Lab land on Future Classic with a valorous attempt to break the boundaries of genre and sound, stepping off their 20/20 Recordings imprint with a new four-track release. The lead single, ‘Backshifting’, marks a pivotal point for the duo’s developing sound - a masterclass in chunky breaks and vocal chops.

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After releasing her much-anticipated album ‘With a Hammer’ earlier this year, Yaeji returns for a final track of the year. Reflecting on older work, Yaeji pulls lyrics from her previous music and merges them with some new lines, preaching the difficulty of self-love and the chaos of balancing emotions. The body of the track adds a bubbly undertone which flips between a bellowing bassline, switching up the mood.

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This treasure sat incomplete for many years deep within Björk’s archive, but now, with some fresh production work from Sega Bodega and vocals from Rosalía, it arrives in full form. A theatrical track built for an operatic live performance, it’s truly mesmerising. Combining harmonies, strings, echoes and a strong drum beat - this track is best listened to with headphones strapped on and eyes closed tight. On top of its almighty sound, all money made from the song goes to the AEGIS non-profit organisation to combat open-pen fish farming in Iceland. This is one powerful track in both senses, musically and politically.

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After diverging on their double album of solo efforts last year, Mount Kimbie are not only reunited but now grown into a fully-fledged band, with Andrea Balency-Béarn and Marc Pel officially joining Dom Maker and Kai Campos in the group. The debut track of this era ‘Dumb Guitar’ sounds like a hark back to their 2017 album ‘Love What Survives’. Fuzzy yet catchy female and male vocals tie the track together, complemented by ambient synths, indie-rock guitar strums, echoey effects and a solid drum that drags you along for the ride.

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There’s veritable treasure trove of gems available on Baalti’s ‘Better Together Remixes’, including a deliciously buoyant rework of ‘Spilling’ from SUCHI, and the blissed out ‘Staying In Touch’ sunrise mix from Tom VR — but we’re completely entranced by Farsight’s glittering reimagining of the pair’s breakbeat wobbler ‘Buttons’. Subtly weaving through delicate bleeps and bloops, this rework gives the original a softer, gauzy edge that contrasts beautifully with those spine tingling basslines.

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Having been hot in-demand since it was dropped during the alt-duo’s Boiler Room set in Los Angeles earlier this year, 100 Gecs’ remix of Basement Jaxx’ 2001 banger ‘Where’s Your Head At’ has been eagerly awaited by both die-hard fans and curious observers. Inserting some dubstep-esque syncopated percussion, and a keening, compressed bassline — the pair give the already-raucous classic a punk edge.

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Blending a deep, winding bassline with some rowdy high-tempo drums, the title-track from rising producer Zaltsman’s latest EP feels designed to satisfy all of your dancefloor cravings. Weaving a frenetic sample of Charli XCX’s ‘Focus’ through some seriously supercharged percussion, the track still manages to find the space for a spine-tingling breakdown around the midway point. Gun fingers at the ready.

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