This week in dance music: A new collection of rare disco and funk music from the former USSR is released via Ostinato Records, Charli XCX has a new project, the DJ Awards announced they are returning after a four-year hiatus with an October ceremony in Ibiza and a huge pool of candidates, Kaytranada, Ravyn Lenae and Channel Tres appeared in The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Clean Bandit and Zara Larsson's “Symphony” spent a second week at No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
And, on a particularly busy release day, here are the best new dance acts of the week.
Fred again… Ten Days
Before Fred kicks off his North American tour again, he's shared his fourth studio album, ten days. A sequel to his Grammy Award Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 23, 2022)the new LP is similarly subtle, featuring “ten songs for ten days,” as he writes on Instagram. Fred shines in his ability to make his music feel infinitely emotional, both larger than life and intimate – where a song played to a stadium-sized crowd touches everyone on a personal level, as if it was made just for them. Where songs like “Fear Less” and “Just Saw You” offer a gentle but powerful slow-burn, others like “Places to Be” and “Glow” – seven and a half minutes of joy with old friends Skrillex and Four Tet, along with British producer Duskus — are more outwardly energetic, a quick transition to euphoria.
“There have been a lot of big crazy moments over the last year, but basically they're all about really small quiet moments,” writes Fred. “Some of it is like the most intensely happy things I've ever felt, and some of it is the other side of things. And some days I don't want to talk about loads, as I'm not the only person, it was an important day for what was meaningful.' — KRYSTAL RODRIGUEZ
Nero, The Unknown
EDM era titans Nero return with their first album in nine years, Into the Unknowna 13-track show that the trio still has. Through an amalgamation of jungle, drum 'n' bass, UKG, bass and other genres, the album's sleek, pristine production explores themes of apocalypse, global disconnection, the growing influence of technology and nothing less than the progress of humanity itself, a big message for a big, powerful project. It comes nine years after their last album Among the II WordsInto The Unknown completes a trilogy that began with the group's 2011 debut Welcome Realityand longtime fans will surely recognize the epic sound and style (and Alana Watson's unmistakable voice) that first brought Nero to the fore. — KATIE BAIN
The Chainsmokers with Kim Petras, “Don't Lie”
There's something absolutely compelling about The Chainsmokers' new collaboration with Kim Petras, 'Don't Like', with the duo firing off a slinky, infectious production that trades big drops for a calmer but very effective garage-y IDM vibe. Petra pulls her weight here as well, with her breathy vocals giving a classic Kylie vibe to the song's melody. And the video, for a delightfully messy desert party (starring The Chains behind the decks and Petras as the dancefloor's miniskirted star), is just plain fun. — KB
Aluna & Aqutie, “Ghostin“
Derived from the deluxe version of Aqutie's The coolest in town The EP, “Ghostin” has the feel of the city itself, with a siren blaring over a scintillating beat that conjures up an atmosphere of subway tunnels and dark alleyways. The vocals here are from Aluna, who also releases the project on her label Noir Fever, with the two artists recently participating in the label's first writing camp at Empire's San Francisco headquarters. Combination with Aluna, New York-based Aqutie advised that “When two queens connect honey and combinations communicate, unstoppable.” Meanwhile, Noir Fever's next showcase will feature artists like Aluna and Coco & Breezy next month in Brooklyn.
Ninajirachi & MGNA Crrrta, EDM girl
Australian producer Ninajirachi releases her full-length album EDM Girl (disc 1)a 10-track package on which she takes the electronic music of the 2000s and 2010s that influenced her and puts it through her own crisp, ephemeral, yet quirky and also filter affected by hyperpop. To that end, the standout “Angel Music” is the female equivalent of 2024 Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites-era Skrillex, with Ninajirachi taking the gritty vibe of that era, revamping it and making it her own. — KB
Alan Walker, Joe Jonas & Julia Michaels, “Thick of It All”
Sometimes you just want to lose yourself in a big, loud, happy, tearful anthem — which Joe Jonas, Julia Michaels and Norwegian electronic giant Alan Walker deliver expertly on “Thick of it All.” Walker tops the pop-forward song along with a light drum 'n' bass influence, a foundation for Jonas and Michaels to paint universally relatable lyrics like “One, there's no one to blame/ Two hearts they don't break the same way/ I know we're in the thick of it all,” which swells to a climax of beautiful harmonies. The song is out now on Monstercat. — KB
Microfilm, Future protection
Portland electronic music duo Microfilm reach a major milestone with the release of their tenth studio album Chimera. Packing 11 songs into just over half an hour, it's an exploration of what the pair call “mutant pop”, trekking through frenetic soundscapes that touch on styles such as footwork, electro and techno. “The push was to make a compilation of tracks something like 'George Michael on Warp Records' or 'Modeselektor producing the Pet Shop Boys,'” says member Matt Keppel. On songs like “Quaaludes”, “Collabz” and “Shade”, brash beats meet prismatic melodies and vocals like bubblegum pop thrown into a blender, while “Rabbitholez” shimmers with the ominous atmosphere of a full Halloween moon. ChimeraLots of textures and layers make it crazy in the best way. — KR
Yunè Pinku, “Half Alive”
In the lead up to her Scarlet Lamb EP, yunè pinku shares her latest single “Half Alive”. It's a bittersweet affair, where dense breakbeats cast a shadow over the lightness of the dreamy synths above. pinku's falsetto floats even higher. her reflections on experiences with anxiety and depression convey a deep sadness. THE Bulletin board Rising 2023 dance artist expands her sonic universe on this project, with her previous offering “Believe” leaning towards something more alternative-indie. Scarlet Lamb is set to drop on October 4th via Method 808. Following its release, pinku will join Caribou on a North American tour, which includes stops in LA, Brooklyn and Toronto. — KR
Mat Zo, “Disco Boy”
Skinny jeans, EDC in Los Angeles, the infancy of EDM and all things neon: Mat Zo's latest single is an instant gateway to the late 2000s in all their glory. Marking the return of the London-based producer to deadmau5's mau5trap label, “Disco Boy” is a raucous shapeshifter of a track, moving from frayed electro-house to a glittering disco with Animorphs ease. The groove is gritty and head banging, culminating in a bouncy build that threatens to suck your soul and leave you spinning into the night. (And, if you hear it three times in a row, Cobrasnake appears to take your picture.) — KR
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