May 2025:
Albums
VariousPlanet Mu 30
The influential UK label marks 30 years with a typically eclectic, forward-facing trip through footwork, IDM and experimental. Zoning in on new unheard music from its 2025 band of musical freaks, Planet Mu 30 is loaded with the kind of leftfield experimentation that established its reputation. Expect heaters from RP Boo, Traxman, Jlin and more.
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Erika de CasierLifetime
The alt-R&B artist's fourth album crystallises her tastemaking without ever sacrificing style for substance. Written and produced entirely on her own, Lifetime is a confidently self-referential record that goes with her own flow, settling into sensual downtempo that somehow manages to sound both effortless and studied.
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Kara-Lis CoverdaleFrom Where You Came
Kara-Lis Coverdale's first album in eight years draws heavily from programmatic music, a classical style that gained traction in the Baroque period. Each song shares dozens of small stories, filled with enough peaks and troughs to fill out a beat sheet for the next season of The White Lotus.
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PinkPantheressFancy That
Fancy That is a cheeky romp through UK dance pop history, sipping from everything on the Y2K singles charts—from the digital glut of Spiceworld to the trance vortexes of Frankfurt producer Spicelab. Colours get dialled up to maximum saturation as PinkPantheress splashes into full-hearted, unguarded pop for the first time.
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Model/ActrizPirouette
Casting aside their previously hard-edged bravado, New York band Model/Actriz embrace vulnerability with confidence and a newfound lightness on Pirouette. They've dubbed it a dance pop album, manually aping drum machines and introducing earworm hooks. The LP still has the band's no wave dissonance and twisted bacchanalian throb, but some seriously operatic vocal moments demonstrate a real willingness to take the armour off.
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SurgeonShell~Wave
What does techno mean to a 30-year-plus stalwart of the sound? For Surgeon, it's a spiritual collaboration between humans and technology, past and future. Shell~Wave bottles his personal experiences with his machines and delivers it to listeners with the improvisation of a free jazz musician.
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VariousRoad Fever: New Generation Carnival Riddims From St. Lucia And Dominica
This compilation is an invaluable snapshot of two rising genres—St. Lucia's Dennery segment and Dominica's bouyon—dissected to a clinical degree. Road Fever is a testament to the Caribbean's continuous innovation, ingenuity and celebration of its ever-evolving musical culture.
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Shanti CelesteRomance
"Can we get closer?" So asks Shanti Celeste over a shimmery bassline on "Unwind." On her second album, the British-Chilean producer puts her vocals front and centre for the first time, fusing garage, R&B and her signature house with a disarming sense of intimacy, both on and off the dance floor.
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OSSXWORLD KEEPS TURNING
Prolific New Jersey trio OSSX are keenly attuned to the needs of the dance floor. Their debut album wholeheartedly bolsters this reputation, spreading their signature East Coast club sound—hollering vocals, shuttling snares—over samples of '90s hits that almost seem too obvious (look out for Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner," Cheryl Lynn's "Got to Be Real"). But in OSSX's hands, pop and R&B become club tools that any smart DJ will keep in their kit.
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Chaos In The CBDA Deeper Life
From the bossa nova swing of "Mountain Mover" to the slinky downtempo of "Barefoot On The Tarmac," A Deeper Life is breezy, crisply produced music to loosen your collar to.
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SmerzBig city life
On Big city life, Smerz finds a cohesive sound that elevates their place in the Norwegian experimental scene. By leaning into guitars, hook-driven R&B and low-slung electro, they've strengthened their storytelling chops (as on the string-led "Feisty" and the romance of "You got time and I got money") while keeping their loveable knack for weirdness.
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J. AlbertReturn To Sender
New York producer J. Albert returns with his first proper album in years. The focus? Stoner ambient and dub techno. "Warped Mirror" offers glimpses of his lo-fi house past with deep house chords and brittle dub architecture. "22" cuts through the vibey feel, descending into an industrial ambient abyss where synths snap and hiss like high-voltage power lines. One to sink into.
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Ron TrentLift Off
Ron Trent's first album since 2022 builds on the smooth, jazzy house that he's so loved for. Centreing bright synth lines and cruising funk tempos, Lift Off slowly dials up the energy levels, all while maintaining the Chicago legend's signature sultry cool.
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Anthony NaplesScanners
There's plenty to marvel at on Anthony Naples' sixth album, Scanners. "Lifetimes" has an R&B feel to its gilded chords and an East Coast shuffle to its booming drums. "Bounce" is slick, tunnelling techno. "Somebody"'s stuttering, detuned piano notes slip intricately in and out of a punchy four-to-the-floor beat. The rhythms are tight and addictive from the start, the melodies keeping you tethered to the endless groove.
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Colombian Drone Mafia, Gibrana CervantesMemoria
TraTraTrax cofounder Nyksan is next up on ambient sub-label, Ambie—Tón. Under a new alias, Colombian Drone Mafia, the Bogotá producer works with Mexican violinist Gibrana Cervantes to create 3D worlds. Ambient waves recede into clattering noise; nocturnal insect chirps are countered by the hum of a traffic jam. Even in the darkest passages, there's a suspended sense of hope.
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StereolabInstant Holograms On Metal Film
16 years after Stereolab went on hiatus, the avant-pop band make a triumphant return. The hooks are grander, the beats are louder and their typically progressive lyrics are sharper than ever. "Melodie Is A Wound" includes a screeching horn solo over jazzy production, while "Electrified Teenybop!" is tantalisingly climactic, built on rollicking synths and percussion. Welcome back, indeed.
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Thom Yorke, Mark PritchardTall Tales
Mark Pritchard and Thom Yorke's lockdown album truly reflects the period it was created in. Even when the LP is upbeat, there's a sense of foreboding. Many of the tracks have a vintage clank that recalls Cabaret Voltaire or even Throbbing Gristle at their most accessible; others float in an ambient haze. These are songs for anxious times.
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May 2025:
EPs
TraceyTracey
Who is Tracey? Arguably one of the most exciting new duos of 2025. Across just four tracks, their self-titled EP covers so much sonic territory that you're left wondering who is behind all this brilliance—and when the album will drop. One minute they're deep in grimey dub with MC Riko Dan ("Sex Life"), the next they're serving up anguished indie a la Bar Italia ("Take Care"). The style experiments arrive in flashes. We only wish there were more.
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BADSISTACUTEBOYZ
On this fiery EP, BADSISTA infuses grooves into his percussion-driven electronic music. "BBCITA LET'S TAKE A RIDE" has the playful bounce of Latin house; "PSYCODELIA" is big-room techno complete with dramatic build-up and drop. For a moment, he even pulls us away from peak time with the glittering IDM opening of "SPDRIP."
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Gigi FMVirgo Space Acid
Nestled in between the precise grooves of Gigi FM's intense techno is an organic New Age feel, delivered via an intricate tapestry of warped, minuscule sounds. Virgo Space Acid distills her hypnotic rhythms to their bare essentials, focusing on delicious loops and driving acid synths.
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VerracoBasic Maneuvers
Verraco knows how to twist momentous grooves into his high-speed club music. Tribal, hardgroove and raptor house all have a place in this energetic melange. But the Medellín producer is equally skilled in emphasising intricate details. His latest EP, Basic Maneuvers, shows this range. The title track races through sweaty Latin club music, while "Total" is industrial dub peppered with swirls of metallic clanks and what sounds like the shuffling rhythms of baile funk, slowed all the way down.
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MoinBelly Up
With curious lyrics like, "I guess this day… couldn't be this day… I guess it couldn't be the day," Moin's music might not be narrative-led, but it's certainly adept at setting the mood. And the vibe of their new EP is the same laid-back chic that flourishes in experimental venues and late-night cafés: spoken word, reversed instrumentation and gritty, nocturnal synths.
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GIDEÖN, Rush DavisThe Two Houses EP
Two Houses is a homage to two iconic ballroom houses: House of LaBeija and House of Xtravaganza. Most notably, the vocals, coming from Rush Davis, commemorate the late trans luminaries that defined that scene in the late 20th century. Every track on this 12-inch lands with a punch, as garage house shuffles, whomping basslines and glamorous strings create irresistible dynamics beneath Davis's poetic ruminations.
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May 2025:
Mixes
Malibu, Oklou
United in Flames
If Denmark is the current home of esoteric pop queens, then France is emerging as a worthy contender for the crown. Here, electronic darlings Malibu and Oklou link up to present ephemeral fragments of forgotten pop hits. With samples ranging from bambinodj to TikTok videos, the mix offers a glimpse into the pair's colourful minds.
HUNEE
Live at Dekmantel Selectors 2021 (Beach Stage Closing)
"A wildly exuberant moment in the oddest of timelines." This recording from one of Hunee's first gigs after lockdown captures three hours of uninhibited joy. Opening with roaring saxophones, the set blends everything from thumping disco to the deep house stylings of Isolee, Carl Craig and Jump Source. Oh, and just wait for the Talking Heads bootleg.
CCL
Sustain-Release Year Ten
CCL is a DJ's DJ—and this live recording from Sustain-Release proves it. A spoken word sample, dubwise textures and heaps of bass lay the foundation for ample genre hopping. It's sludgy, mystical and slightly emo—think James K and The Durutti Column—so it's no surprise that many reported tears on the dance floor.
Introspekt
Spaces In Between: 100% Production Mix
Dubstep may have been born in the UK, but this session from Introspekt could convince you that the US is currently where it's at. In this hour-long mix, the New York-based producer nails the genre's signature swing and bassy whomp—an excellent preview of her highly anticipated debut album for Tempa.
Hervé
Nous'klaer Radio 40
Rotterdam label Nous'klaer Audio is a proper family affair, united by a shared love of windswept melodies. Its mix series is no different, with the latest edition welcoming fellow Rotterdammer and Club RAUM resident Hervé. The two-hour, vinyl-only mix is a real treat, showcasing the depth of his collection, from expansive house to underwater acid and electro.
Cousin
Kiosk Radio x The Lot Radio at Horst Festival 2025
A wave of Australian talent has broken through since the pandemic, bringing with it a scuttling, psychedelic sound inspired by the country's signature bush doofs. Sydney-based DJ and producer Cousin is one of the movement's standout names. This 90-minute recording, fresh from the 2025 edition of Horst, captures him leaning into the more stripped-back side of that sound, with low-slung, trippy minimalism that recalls RPR (plus the odd batida curveball).
Ekkel
ED0042
Ekkel doesn't record many mixes, but when he does, he goes all out. As cofounder of Norway's Ute crew, he champions the kind of contemporary psychedelic trance that lights up everywhere from Bassiani to Australian bush parties. Recorded live at Everybody Trance x XTF in Lyon earlier this year, this set starts with a steady stream of trippers before diving into squelchy territory with a subtlety often missing in the genre.
Softburn
Objet Personnel
Düsseldorf-based DJ and Heavy Rotation member softburn offers swirling ambient and blissful beats that feel like a head massage. Swapping low-end pressure for fuzzy downtempo, this exceptional Callshop Radio show is perfect for fending off the Sunday scaries.