Best Albums

September 2023

- Principe
  Various (Principe) - DJs Di Guetto
  
  The definitive document of Lisbon's mid-'00s kuduro and batida scene, reissued on vinyl.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- fabric Records
  Saoirse - fabric presents Saoirse
  
  A masterclass in low-slung and functional dance music in its purest form.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- Domino
  Tirzah - trip9love...???
  
  Using almost solely piano and a single drum beat, Tirzah comes up with enchanting love songs that feel both monumental and intimate.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- Polydor
  James Blake - Playing Robots Into Heaven
  
  The heart-on-sleeve singer-songwriter finally melts into the savvy club producer on the best full-length of his career.
  
  Listen:
  Spotify / Apple Music
- Balmat
  Minor Science - Absent Friends Vol. III
  
  A masterpiece of non-dance dance music full of possibilities and left turns.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- Peak Oil
  Purelink - Signs
  
  Stunning ambient grounded in discrete texture and graceful rhythm.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- Ninja Tune
  yuele - softscars
  
  The Ninja Tune artist embraces '90s alt-rock and pop punk for an album of big feelings and even bigger sounds.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- Gum Studio
  dazegxd & gum.mp3 - Girls Love Jungle
  
  Retrofuturustic jungle that mixes rhythmic flair and soulful hooks.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- TEMET Music
  Simo Cell - Cuspide Des Sirenes
  
  Through the lens of a fantasy RPG, Simo Cell gets a bit more personal (and serious) on his debut album.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- FATi Records
  RAMZi - Feu Follets
  
  Exploring '90s sounds like ambient jungle and trip-hop, RAMZi's latest album is heavy on the kick drums with the whimsy still intact.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp

Best EPs

September 2023

- Shall Not Fade
  Cinthie - Bossa And Swing
  
  Shall Not Fade celebrates 100 releases with a victory lap from Berlin's queen of house.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- JFS Records
  Jonny From Space - Heat Wave
  
  The slower, sludgier and altogether stranger side of the Miami underground from one of its key figures, plus a collaboration with Nick Leon.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- La Nota Del Diablo
  Christian AB - Red Tears
  
  Dark, elegant and funky house and techno on Quest's label.
  
  Listen:
  Soundcloud
- Peach Discs
  Shanti Celeste & Hodge - Bounce
  
  An enviable team-up results in a wistful late-summer anthem with hooks that stick.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- Nous'klaer Audio
  Tammo Hesselink - Beam
  
  An exemplary Nous'klaer release that presents exquisite techno broken to perfection, like a cross between Livity Sound and Delsin.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- Delsin
  Machine Woman - When Elegance Becomes Violence
  
  On Machine Woman's most accomplished record to date, bass and bleeping synths build to crescendos of emotional catharsis.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- Voam
  Verraco - Escandaloo
  
  Verraco's debut EP on Voam is outrageous in the best way: zany, velcro-ripping, careening-off-the-rails techno.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- Love On The Rocks
  E-Talking - The Cosmic Egg
  
  Big trance energy on a curveball release from half of Nummer.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- Smalltown Supersound
  pmxper - pmxper
  
  A lovely but unsettling ambient collaboration between Buttechno and Perila.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify
- Smalltown Supersound
  Barker - Unfixed
  
  Barker flips his signature no-kick-drums trick on its head.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp

Best Mixes

September 2023

- Pretty Privilege
  FILTH Invites: Episode 69
  
  Pretty Privilege, the founder of microrave, is a Montreal scene staple. On this mix for Filth Inc, she puts together an hour of playful, elastic electro and techno, including a cheeky Kim Petras edit.
- Florist
  Outsidecast 51
  
  Canadian-in-Berlin producer Florist is pretty quiet on the internet these days, but every once in a while he shares a new mix. This one focuses on late-night strains of techno and house with plenty of evocative melodies and slinky drum machine grooves.
- 1OO1O
  All Night Long @ YuYu
  
  This five-hour set from 1OO1O was recorded live at YuYu in Mexico City, celebrating the release of Guadalajara artist Daniel Ceballos's July record, DISCOLATINO.
- Paurro
  CARTA A MI MADRE
  
  This slow, patient and frequently beautiful mix was made in the memory of Paurro's late mother. "It has pieces of her life in it to remind her that the pain was only in the end but her life story is not that," she said. "It was full of joy, love, laughs, dance and music."
- Shaleen
  HATE Podcast 351
  
  Berlin DJ Shaleen's HATE mix features heady techno from the likes of Mike Parker, Sterac, Truncate and Inland, with steady rhythms offset by deep, psychedelic moments.
- Anz
  Spring/Summer Dubs 2023
  
  After a break in 2022, Anz's Spring/Summer Dubs mix series returned earlier this month, presenting 75 more minutes of vibrant club tunes.
- Djoser
  Truancy Volume 317
  
  Washington, DC artist Djoser's latest mix for Truants clocks in at 90 minutes, starting out with immersive, tunneling club tracks and progressing into sparkling jungle and dubstep.
- Richie Hawtin
  Live At Time Warp 2023
  
  Richie Hawtin shared ten of his favourite recent live recordings, including this ripping closing set from Time Warp 2023. It's modern Hawtin at his best: powerful, intricate and precise.
- DJ Spit
  Crack Mix 521
  
  According to DJ Spit, his Crack Mix is all about "futuristic energy and laid-back breaky rhythms to make your seasonal adventures even more memorable."
- Joy
  Operator September 8th 2023
  
  Sao Paulo DJ Joy has played with all the hottest crews in her hometown. Her talent and tasteÃ¢â‚¬â€which spans trance, breaks, electro and beaming houseÃ¢â‚¬â€speak for themselves on this mix for Rotterdam's Operator Radio.