Festival season continues to dominate the summer with the likes of Lattitude, Longitude, LoveBox, Open’er and British Summer Time Festival thrilling crowds come rain and shine. As always, there’s been an overload of exciting new releases such as Hudson Mohawke’s ‘Chimes‘, Haim ft A$ap Ferg ‘My Song 5′, Alesso’s massive ‘Tear The Roof Up‘, Jamie T’s comeback single ‘Don’t You Find‘, and the undisputed track of the moment Tiga’s ‘Bugatti‘.
Exciting artist collaborations were cropping up all over the place from Madonna & Diplo, to Calvin Harris & John Newman, Rita Ora and Iggy Azalea, and Kiesza & Diplo. There’s plenty of new music on the horizon, from Jessie Aware announcing her September tour and new album ‘Tough Love’, Foo Fighters and their 8th studio album, comeback gigs from Jamie T, Banks tour in November, Bombay Bicycle club in December and a new Kanye album in September. Speaking of Kanye, how can we forget his 20-minute fashion fueled rant at Wireless when he filled in for Drake…actually, thats something I would like to forget. Coldplay’s ‘Ghost Stories’ became the best selling album of 2014 so far, while Ed Sheeran topped the 1Xtra Power List for the most influential artist in contemporary black and urban music. Last but not least, the MTV VMA nominations were released with Beyonce, Iggy Azalea and Eminem leading the pack. Now in August, we look forward to Reading & Leeds, Notting Hill Carnival and SW4 to name a few. Check out my July Selections below with almost 2 hours for your listening pleasure.
1) Usher – Good Kisser (Disclosure remix)
Everything Disclosure touch turns to gold, and their latest remix of Usher’s ‘Good Kisser‘ is no exception. The remix serves as the follow up to their reworked version of Pharell’s ‘Frontin‘ ft Jay Z, which made last month’s favourites. Working their infectious signature style, the brotherly duo infuse their effortless house vibes and slick production into a once mellow track, ramping it up into a sexy dancefloor filler with plenty of soul. With festival season in full swing, be sure to catch the boys performing at Reading & Leeds , Notting Hill Carnival, Corona Sunsets and Unknown festival. Disclosure’s remix of ‘Good Kisser‘ is available now.
2) Royal Blood – Figure It Out
Brighton duo Royal Blood, aka Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher, continue on their incredibly successful path, with each new release bigger than the last. Their new single ‘Figure It Out‘ serves as follow up to the monstrous ‘Come On Over‘ and ‘Out Of The Black‘, all of which have made it into my monthly selections. The single premiered with Zane Lowe as his ‘Hottest Record’ and showcases their explosive energy with some killer riffs, edgy vocals and crashing drums that build and build. With such an impressive track record of singles already, their highly anticipated self-titled debut album is set for release August 25th, while ‘Figure It Out‘ is available now. . You can catch Royal Blood at Reading and Leeds and T In The Park, before embarking on a US tour.
3) Florrie – Little White Lies
Uk singer/songwriter and drummer Florrie (Florence Arnold), has unveiled her new single ‘Little White Lies‘. Having worked as a session drummer for Xenomania, self released 3 EP’s including her latest sirens EP, Florrie showcases an electro-pop gem in the form of ‘Little White Lies‘. The euphoric single delivers a burst of energy, as Florries vocals shimmer amidst infectious rhythms, crashing drums and sparkling synths. Currently working towards her debut album, ‘Little White Lies‘ is set for release August 17th via Xenomania/Sony Music. Upcoming dates for Florrie include BBC Introducing stage at T in the Park.
4) Saint Raymond – I Want You
19-year-old Callum Burrows, aka Saint Raymond, has debuted his new single ‘I Want You‘, produced by Jacknife Lee (Snow Patrol, Two Door Cinema Club, Taylor Swift). The single follows the release of his previous EP’s ‘Escapade‘ and ‘Ghosts‘. ‘I Want You‘ serves up the perfect summer single with its upbeat feel-good vibes, afro style beats and infectious looped vocals. With a highly anticipated debut album set to drop at the end of this year, ‘I Want You’ is set for release August 24th via Asylum Records. The single has since been given the remix treatment from Bipolar Sunshine and Alt J. Upcoming dates for Saint Raymond include T in the Park, Reading & Leeds and supporting Ed sheeran on tour
5) Sigma ft Paloma Faith – Changing
Tìme for some epic drum n bass in the form of UK duo Cameron Edwards and Joe Lenzie, aka Sigma http://www.sigmahq.com. Their new single ‘Changing‘, enlists the powerhouse vocals of Paloma faith to deliver a euphoric track accompanied by a full orchestra, giving it that extra ooof! Having received its premiere as a ‘Special Delivery’ with Annie Mac, ‘Changing‘ certainly lives up to the hype of their previous no 1 single ‘Bound 2‘. With a release date set for September 14th, pre-order your copy now. Upcoming dates for Sigma include Reading & Leeds, Ministry Of Sound and the Warehouse Project.
6) Danny Brown – Smokin and drinkin (Jack Beats remix)
With the release of Danny Browns album ‘Old‘ last year, Brown cleverly infused hip hop and dance worlds so effortlessly with his unique rap skills and beats from the likes of A-track and JMIKE. With standout tracks being ‘Dip‘ and ‘Smokin and Drinkin‘, the latter of which has been remixed by UK duo Jack Beats and features on Browns latest EP. The Jack Beats remix delivers a much darker, underground vibe, with interjections of sharp bass stabs, electro flourishes and Browns unique vocal samples mixed seamlessly throughout. Other remixes to feature on the EP come from Boys Noize, DJ Sliink and TroyBoi. ‘Smokin & Drinkin‘ EP is out now on Fool’s Gold Records.
7) Route 94 – Misunderstood
Following the success of the massive no 1 single ‘My Love‘, Route 94 has unveiled his latest EP ‘Misunderstood‘. The four track EP is set for release via Leftroom records, and showcases Route 94’s slick production skills. Lead single ‘Misunderstood‘ has received great support from the likes of Annie Mac and Skream and delivers a hypnotising effect with its infectious looped melodies and rollings drops. Upcoming dates for Route 94 include Creamfields and Brownstock. The ‘Misunderstood‘ EP is available August 18th.
8) Gorgon city – Unmissable ft Zac Abel
Gorgon City unveiled their new single ‘Unmissable‘ ft the vocals of Zac Abel. The single is taken from their forthcoming album ‘Sirens‘ and serves as the follow up to ‘Ready for your Love‘ ft MNEK and ‘Here for You’ ft Laura Welsh. With an obvious talent for picking their lead vocalists, Zac Abel confidently delivers an infectious hook amidst the duos slick production. Co-written by Jimmy Napes (Disclosure’s ‘Latch‘ and Clean Bandit’s ‘Rather Be’), ‘Unmissable‘ is sure to follow the same path. ‘Sirens‘ is due October 6th via Black Butter/ Virgin EMI, while ‘Unmissable‘ is available September 24th. Pre-order your copy now.
9) Spank rock – gully (Brodinski remix)
French producer/dj and Bromance Records founder Brodinski, has reworked US rapper Spank Rock’s single ‘Gully’. While the original was produced by Boys Noize and Kid Kamillion, Brodinski’s remix infuses his trademark techno vibes throughout, giving it some dark and filthy undertones. Mix that with a throttling bass line, and this is exactly the type of track you’d expect to hear at a warehouse rave. Brodinski’s ‘Gully’ remix is available now. Upcoming dates include Leeds Festival.
10) David Guetta – Lovers On The Sun ft Sam Martin (Showtek remix)
Dutch brotherly duo Showtek, who brought us ‘Booyah’ and ‘Bad’, have remixed David Guetta’s latest chart topping single ‘Lovers On The sun’ ft Sam Martin. The duo retain Martin’s vocals throughout, but infuse their typical dutch house vibes and go full out techno rave with each explosive drop. Their remix is available now and you can catch Showtek tear up dancefloors this summer with their electrifying dutch house vibes as they perform at Weekend Festival Site, Creamfields and Electric Zoo Festival.
11) Saint Motel – My Type
Los Angeles quartet Saint Motel, unveiled their new single ‘My Type’. The group, made up of A/J jackson (lead vocals/ guitar), Aaron Sharp (lead guitar), Dak (bass) and George Erwin (drums), have already had great success in the US with their 2012 album ‘Voyeur’. ‘My Type’ delivers an infectiously upbeat single and presents a collision of genres from its Caribbean style rhythms and percussion, to its jazz style use of horns – yet at the same time it has a distinctly retro indie feel to it. Having already supported the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Imagine Dragons, upcoming dates for Saint Motel include The Haunt in Brighton and 100 club in London. ‘My Type’ is available for release now via Parlophone Records August 15th.
12) Oliver Heldens – Koala
19-year old Dutch producer/dj Oliver Heldens, has released his latest single ‘Koala’. The single serves as the follow up to the incredibly successful instrumental version of ‘Gecko’, as well as the no 1 single of Gecko (Overdrive) ft UK vocalist Becky hill. With Heldens signature deep house vibes, rolling synths and infectious melody, ‘Koala’ displays progressive house at its finest. ‘Koala’ is set for release August 4th via Spinnin’ Records. Having already performed at Tommorrowland, upcoming dates include Creamfields and Electric Zoo.
13) Sivu Miracle – ‘Strangers In the Night’
James Page, aka Sivu, has unveiled his stunning cover of Frank Sinatra’s ‘Strangers In The Night’, taken from his latest EP– ‘Miracle (Human Error). The 4 track EP was released July 28th via Atlantic Records and produced by Charlie Andrew (Alt J – Awesome Wave, Nick Mulvey, Rae Morris) and serves as the followup to the ‘Can’t Stop Now’ EP. Sivu, who brought us beautiful tracks such as ‘Better Man Than He’ and ‘Over and Over’, once again works his musical talent on the Sinatra classic; a song covered many times but one that Sivu breathes new life into. Sivus delicate approach delivers a dreamy, string filled cover, with effortless and emotive vocals.
With his debut album, ‘Something On A High’ set for release Oct 6th, Sivu is set to perform at Wilderness Festival, Reading & Leeds, Bestival and a headline date at Londons Oslo. Miracle (Human Error EP) is available now.
14) Second City ft Ali Love – What Can I do
With the success of his previous no 1 single ‘I Wanna Feel’, American-born UK DJ Secondcity, has unveiled his latest single ‘What Can I Do’ ft the infectious vocals of Ali Love (Hot Natured/Infinity ink). What Can I Do’ premiered with Annie Mac as a ‘Special Delivery’ and effortlessly serves up a summer house track, with Ali’s delectable vocals, energetic house piano chords, and dreamy synths bubbling away throughout giving it a retro disco feel. “What Can I Do” is set for release October 19th via Ministry of Sound Recordings and is available to pre-order from iTunes.
15) Chance The Rapper and The Social Experiment – Wonderful Everyday: Arthur
Chance the Rapper shared a new song called “Wonderful Everyday: Arthur”. The song is his take of the “Arthur” theme, and features guest vocals from Wyclef Jean, Jessie Ware, Elle Varner, Francis and the Lights, Eryn Allen Kane, the O’my’s, Peter Cottontale, Donnie Trumpet, and aided by his wonderful band The Social Experiment. Wonderful Everyday: Arthur delivers a truly intricate piece with overlapping vocals and delicate piano lines, before gradually building to its euphoric close with crashing drums, sassy horns and feel good vibes from his collaborative group of artists. The track serves as a departure from previous tracks from his 2013 Acid Rap mix tape and collaboration with James Black, but just shows how versatile chance The Rapper is. Download your free copy here. Upcoming dates include Lollapalooza, Oshega Festival and Made In America.
16) Rustie ft Danny Brown – Attak
Scottish producer Rustie and Detroit rapper Danny Brown have collaborated on their new single ‘Attak’. Having already collaborated on Danny’s 2013 album ‘Old’, ‘Attak’ is an intense collaboration with Browns rapid and dizzying rap skills amidst Rusties quirky production and frenzied beats; the perfect match. ‘Attak’ is taken from Rustie’s forthcoming album ‘Green Language’ which is set to drop August 26th via Warp Records. This will be the second single taken from the album and follow up to ‘Raptor’. Upcoming dates for rustie include Pukkelpop and Oval space London, while Danny Brown is set to perform at Oshega, Leeds Festival and Made in America.
17) Steve Angello – Wasted Love ft Dougy from The Temper Trap
Since the departure of Swedish House Mafia, Steve Angello has been working on his solo album ‘Wild Youth’, and recently unveiled lead single ‘Wasted Love’ ft Dougy from The Temper Trap. Angello was keen to merge both dance and indie world’s in his latest single, and does just that with his inclusion of both strings and guitars mixed with Angello’s infectious beats, soaring melodies and euphoric feel good vibes. Upcoming dates for Steve Angello include Creamfields and Ibiza. Wasted Love is available to purchase September 28th.
18) Redlight – 9TS
Bristolian producer and Dj Redlight has unveiled his new single ‘9TS’, which pays tribute to the 90s rave culture and asks one important question …. Are you a 9TS Baby? With its wobbling bass line and looped vocal statements of 90s nostalgia such as ‘Biggie smalls’, ‘moschino jeans’, ‘DJ Randall on the ones and twos’, you can’t help but join in the infectious hook and simply ‘party like it’s 1990, baby”. Redlight delivers an ‘old-meets-new’ house track and serves as the follow up to ’36’. Upcoming dates include Creamfields and The Warehouse Project. ‘9TS’ is available September 13th.
19) The Magician – Sunlight ft Years and Years
Even though we’re approaching the end of summer, there’s still time for another feel good summer single. Belgian producer Stephen Fasano, aka The Magician has teamed up with electro pop trio Years and years for his new single ‘Sunlight.’ The perfectly apt title just screams summer with its sunkissed vibes, infectious synths and percussion, with Years and Years frontman Olly Alexander providing bouncy, radiant vocals. ‘Sunlight’ is set for release September 28th via Parlophone Records with an album due later next year.
20) SBTTKT – New Dorp New York ft Ezra Koenig
Aaron Jerome, aka SBTRKT, has unveiled his new single ‘New Dorp New York’, featuring the wonderfully distinct vocals of Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend. The single is set to be taken from his forthcoming new album ‘Wonder Where We Land’ and received its premiere with Annie Mac sitting in for Zane Lowe. Known for his abstract music abilities and collaborations with Jessie Ware and Sampha, SBTRKT delivers another uniquely layered track as a follow up to his ‘Transitions’ EP and Sampha collaboration ‘Temporary View’. ‘New Dorp New York’ is so intricately layered with quirky, futuristic style production, distorted vocals and rhythmic percussion, presenting an absolute beast of a track. ‘Wonder Where We Land’, is set for release Sept 29th. Upcoming dates include Oshega, Reading & Leeds Festival and a headline date at O2 Academy Brixton on October 2nd. Pre-order your copy now.
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