Best Albums

February 2021

- Infinite Machine
  Laughing Ears - Blood
  
  Immersive, world-building club music from one of Shanghai's brightest stars.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Soundcloud
- Self-released
  Om Unit - Acid Dub Studies
  
  Dub and acid go together like chocolate and peanut butter on this understated, brilliant and humble LP from the UK shapeshifter.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify / Soundcloud
- Pittsburgh Tracks
  Shawn Rudiman - Flow State
  
  An outpouring of feeling and melody across two hours of ambient techno, cementing Rudiman's status as one of the best producers in the US.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- Madlib Invazion
  Madlib - Sound Ancestors
  
  Meticulously stitched together by Four Tet, this album is an ideal entry into the world of Madlib.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify / Soundcloud
- Club Chai
  V/A - Club Chai Vol. 2
  
  This farewell from the Oakland label and event series is bittersweet, highlighting how far it, and the artists that developed alongside, have come over the past five years.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Soundcloud
- Active Listeners Club
  1000PA - Vacuum Dub
  
  Imposing sound design brings to mind the din of an alien orchestra playing instruments they've never seen before in this bizarre and beautiful release from the experimental duo.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp
- XL Recordings
  Smerz - Believer
  
  An extremely of-the-moment—and extremely well done—mélange of lo-fi house, pop, Eurodance and hip-hop from the sardonic Norwegian duo.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify / Soundcloud
- Self-released
  Hieroglyphic Being - BARGAIN BASEMENT DISCOUNT POSER AMBIENT KNOCK OFF'S VOL 2
  
  Otherworldly drone, ambient and noise from a celebrated nonconformist.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp
- Acting Press
  PLO Man & C3D-E - Public Static V.
  
  Don't be fooled by the cheeky throwback aesthetic—this album by the Acting Press cofounders is modern chillout at its best.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp
- Soda Gong
  Exael - Flowered Knife Shadows
  
  Frantic one minute, soft and serene the next, this rollercoaster ride of a record screams unconventional from the first to the last.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify / Soundcloud

Best Singles

February 2021

- ESP Institute
  Chee Shimizu & miku-mari - Reconstructions
  
  A decade-in-the-making sound collage improvisation with all the grace, humility and wonder of Chee Shimizu's better-known selections as a DJ.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify / Soundcloud
- Floorgasm
  LSDXOXO - Dying For It 2021
  
  Leave it to LSDXOXO to turn a viral video into one of the year's biggest techno tunes so far.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Soundcloud
- First Second Label
  ELLLL - Housebreaker
  
  Dive into this ice bath of breakbeats and haunting ambience.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify / Soundcloud
- Shall Not Fade
  Jaymie Silk - The Legend Of Jack Johnson
  
  Jaymie Silk pays tribute to a hero of Black history with a stirring EP that underlines his own rising talent as well as dance music's Black roots.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify / Soundcloud
- Excedo Records
  Souldynamic - Addiction feat. Rich Medina (Mike Huckaby Remix)
  
  A remix from the late Detroit Renaissance man finds him at his best: pumping, soulful and irresistibly groovy.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Soundcloud
- Self-released
  DJ Swisha - Clout Psychosis
  
  A clever fusion of footwork and techno that feels like a snapshot of New York club music in 2021, complete with tracks like "Nine Dollar Beer In Bushwick."
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify / Soundcloud
- Signature Records
  Calibre & DRS v Mark Ernestus - Bad / Badder
  
  Two essential remixes for the "Basic Channel changed my life" crowd.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- Self-released
  JWords - Sonic Liberation
  
  The latest one from the New Jersey newcomer feels both introspective and bursting with life, like several late-night revelations landing all at once.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Spotify / Soundcloud
- Future Bounce
  Rose Bonica - Send Forgiveness / Disengage
  
  A personal development mantra set to the clattering drum sounds of UK funky, house and techno.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify / Soundcloud
- Muy Muy Limited
  DJs Pareja & Lupe - Nuestra Forma
  
  Serving up psychedelic house with a pop sensibility, the Argentinian duo find fresh inspiration in their muse and vocalist Lupe.
  
  Listen: Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify / Soundcloud

Best Mixes

February 2021

- Teaser
  Coming To South Africa
  
  London DJ Teaser recently accompanied his friend Sef Kombo to his native South Africa, where, among other things, they listened to a lot of local music—much of which is featured in this mix.
- Matisa
  SensuCast 033
  
  Italian DJ Matisa goes from ebullient trance to pitch-black techno and back again, with the occasional post-punk detour.
- Nicolas Lutz
  all night at Phonotheque 10/12/2017
  
  This mind-blowing 11-hour mix was recorded at the beloved Montevideo club Phonotheque in 2017.
- The AM
  HNYPOT 380: The AM's Realms of Techno Mix
  
  Detroit's The AM showcases equal dexterity with lithe electro and wormhole techno on this two-hour mix for Honey Soundsystem.
- Closet Yi
  FeelMyBicep Mixtape 159
  
  Meet Closet Yi, who recorded this mix in her studio above a motorcycle shop in Seoul. The mix features plenty of hard-edged techno and electro, with a focus on women producers.
- Cashu
  PornCast 0108
  
  Downtempo, hip-hop, slowed-down house—the São Paulo lynchpin plays whatever she feels on the latest podcast from Brazilian design firm and streetwear brand Pornograffiti.
- Azu Tiwaline
  Crack Mix 397
  
  Deep, exploratory and hypnotic techno (plus plenty of other sub-genres) mixed with rhythmic wizardry and captivating blending.
- Jurango
  Bleep Mix #161
  
  "Packed full of Afrofuturistic voices, it touches a few different sounds and feelings from the challenging and introspective, as well as a bit of a party," says the new Livity Sound signee.
- Stefan Ringer
  BIS Radio Show #1080
  
  For his guest spot on Tim Sweeney's Beats In Space show, FWM head Stefan Ringer played all his own productions, remixes and collaborations.
- HOOVER1 (Shed)
  Low_End Cast 01
  
  Shed puts together the first-ever mix under his HOOVER1 alias. It spans jungle, drum & bass and breaks, with selections from Coco Bryce, Enei, Sully and more.

RA ON SPOTIFY

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Best Albums

February 2021

Self-released

Self-released

Best Singles

February 2021

Self-released

Self-released

Best Mixes

February 2021

RA ON SPOTIFY