Skrillex, Randomer, Blawan & MC Dricka ‘Thistle’ (OWSLA/Atlantic)
You can really hear the individual impact from each member on this mighty collaboration. The vocal sample has shades of Randomer’s chopped approach on cuts like his monstrous ‘Stupid Things I Do’ from 2014; the shredded, metallic textures are trademark Blawan; and the Brazilian funk raps from MC Dricka are unmistakable. There aren’t many artists besides Skrillex that could bring a crew like this together. His influence flows through the track as master orchestrator, with the production ramping up to overdrive while sounding crisp as hell.
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Conducta ‘Low Can U Go’ ft. Blvk H3ro (Up Ya Archives)
As you might have gathered from him shutting down Kiwi Rekords back in 2024, Conducta has been feeling frustrated at being pigeonholed by the NUKG sound he helped turn into a phenomenon, feeling like he has more to explore and offer. His new EP dives into faster, edgier sonics, inspired by jungle and UK breakbeat but constrained by neither. The opening track is a killer example, with the pacey breaks rolling in tandem with shiny chords, unstable synths and heads-down bass, giving it a distinct feel. It’s more about rave delirium than feel-good sonics, boosted by a vocal feature from Jamaica’s Blvk H3ro.
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altrice ‘goodbye! later on!’ (Select Discs)
Arizona-hailing altrice’s approach has always sounded sun-soaked, though being raised in the oppressive heat of the Sonoran Desert, this has often been in a strung-out sense. His latest single shows an ability to tap into balmier territory, more aligned with the Balearic sunset-inspired greats. Full of dynamism with infectious vocal chops and punchy drums, it sounds like it’s high on pharma-grade Vitamin D.
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Billy Jack ‘B.L.U. 1’ (Welt Discos)
Billy Jack lands back on Welt Discos with an absolutely naughty blend of house and garage. Pulling together the ecstatic 4/4 pulse and melodic flourishes of the former and the rowdy bass grit of the latter, the Adonis resident sculpts peak-time excellence.
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Jacques Greene ‘What You Say’ (ft. umru) ( LUCKYME®)
Jacques Greene describes his studio sessions with umru as though it’s alchemy they’re cooking up. Music materialises “out of thin air” and the results exist like “a lightning bolt [of inspiration] on my hard drive”. Listening to ‘What You Say’, you can see why. It’s brimming with ecstatic tones melding into experimental textures, hitting a rare sweetspot between accessible and off-kilter that’s electric to experience.
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Ikonika ‘Breakmeoff’ (Club Djembe)
Ital Tek ‘Memory Leak’ (Planet Mu)
In the grungy, low-slung new single ‘Memory Leak’ from Ital Tek, there’s an ominous feeling that he creates through moody guitar riffs and dense synth pads, and the use of his own processed vocals to layer that brooding atmosphere. He says it was one of the “hardest nuts to crack on the new album," which is out via Mike Paradinas’ Planet Mu.
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Hekt & Smerz ‘Forever’ (Numbers)
Overmono 'Lockup' (XL Recordings)
With their trademark blend of cry-in-the-club breaks and synths, Overmono established themselves in the first half of this decade as UK dance music’s favourite two guys. And so, on their latest single ‘Lockup’, it's interesting to see them exploring a new sonic direction by paying tribute to another beloved bloke duo. Maintaining their signature rave-inspired pitched up vocals and seismic synths, the pair weave in the kind of buoyant percussion, rhythm-heavy electro and a searing, to-the-bone bassline that would have the Daft Punk robots reaching up to their helmets in a salute. Get you two guys who can do both.
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Jorja Smith ‘What’s Done Is Done’ (FAMM)
Continuing on her UK funky summer crusade, Jorja Smith’s latest single is a bat signal to cast off your North Face, empty your local corner shop of its BuzzBallz stock, and get in front of the soundsystem with your mates. UKG breaks meets UK funky rhythm on ‘What’s Done Is Done’, underpinned by Smith’s trademark lovelorn-meets-addictively-catchy lyrics. Try and listen to this without sticking your sunnies on, running outside and exalting “aaHhhaaaahHHhaaaaHHaaahh” to the heavens. We dare you.
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DJ Lag 'NOPS’ (TraTraTrax)
Gqom King DJ Lag works through an electrifying roster of slapping bass, enfolding synths and scattered percussion on his contribution to new compilation ‘Mzansi Bass curated by Shannen SP’ on TraTraTrax. Having been compiled with the mission of showcasing the varied South African underground sonic landscape, DJ Lag’s contribution feels like a love letter to Durban, bursting with intensity, percussive knocks and whistles. Bliss.
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