Kowton 'TFB' / All Caps / Released April 29th
Let’s start the list with an aural hammering of the best kind. Although the Karenn (Blawan and Pariah) remix of this banger is getting more attention, atypically it's the original which is the heavier of the two and in my opinion supreme.
Amirali 'Melancholia' (Deetron Main Mix) / Crosstown Rebels / Released April 15th
Wistful beginnings morph into an a capella breakdown midway which drops into a very clean, very cool synth riff which compliments the vocals perfectly and kicks the song into a different gear. Basically everything Deetron touches turns to gold.
Footprintz 'Uncertain Change' / Visionquest / Released April 15th
Dreamy synth-pop for perfect sunny afternoon vibes. A deep echoey synth shoots me straight back to the 80s (nappies, baby mush... those were the days my friend). Check out the Maceo Plex remix for something a little heavier.
James Blake 'Retrograde' / Atlas / April 8th
It’s not exactly club friendly, but this track from James Blake’s quality new album Overgrown is electronica at its best. Blake’s flutey vocals perfectly compliment a relentless and powerful synth drone. Remixers have already pounced (Finnebassen's done so reasonably well), but hands off I say; this song is pretty much perfect.
Justin Jay 'Static EP' / Dirtybird / Released April 15th
Two nicely contrasting tracks on this EP: The gritty Static gets you stomping just as surely as the clear and glassy Waves sends you floating. This is Jay's fourth release on the celebrated Dirtybird imprint, fast work for someone not even at drinking age in his home of California.
Edu Imbernon and Los Suruba 'Fayer' / Culprit / Released April 24th
Beautiful, epic, atmospheric… this is a slow burner that will send you off into yourself for 5 minutes or more. A collaboration between two Spaniards which will certainly be leaking onto the balearic airwaves this summer.
Daft Punk feat. Pharrell 'Get Lucky' / Columbia Records / Released April 19th
Breaking the news to absolutely no one, anywhere, I’m here to tell you Daft Punk has released a new single! Pharell’s soggy vocals water down the impact of what is otherwise a disco-tastic summer anthem that, for better or worse, no one will escape.
Sonic Emporium 'Ciao!' / Join Our Club / Released April 8th
Some straight up techno with whiffs of Detroit and a trippy film clip to boot. Ciao! comes from Sonic Emporium’s Qui Siamo EP, made in collaboration with Clarke Sawkill; an animated number that I can picture really going off at peak time.
Eli and Furs 'Nightmares' (Hackman remix) / XLR8R free download / Released April 15th
Slow, deep house strut of a bass line with silvery ethereal vocals worthy of a trance breakdown. I'm torn between original and this Hackman remix, but Hackman wins out with his warm, lush synths running parallel with the bass line.
Donell Jones 'U Know What's Up' (Joy Orbison remix) / Self released April 24th
This cheeky little remix did the rounds last summer and is finally available for download this month - for free! Classic rNb vocals from betters days, coupled with that trademark Joy Orbison percussive skip that makes it impossible not to dance.
