Best New Releases from April 2016
by Irina Kotik
April is shaping up to be a huge month for the underground electronic music scene with stunning releases by Roman Flügel, Bicep, Frankey & Sandrino, Christian Löffler, DJ Koze, Sefton, Denis Horvat, Lake People, Ryan Davis and The Drifter. We selected top 10 new releases for you to hear and enjoy. Tracks are listed in no particular order.
DJ Tennis
‘Divisions’ (Roman Flügel remix)
Life And Death
“You know it’s true, you know it’s true...life goes on, life goes on...forever with you….” DJ Tennis ‘Divisions’ (Roman Flügel remix) was arguably one of the most anticipated tracks of the past six months bringing its listeners on a goosebumps-inducing journey through realms of hauntingly seductive vocals, chillingly gorgeous arrangements and endless dance floor ecstasy.
Isaac Tichauer
‘Higher Level' (Feel My Bicep Remix)
Loft Records
The powerhouse of music artistry, the Northern Irish duo Bicep, are back again with another imperious dancefloor gem. Slightly reminiscent of last year's stylish hit 'Just', this impressive remix was a key-track in many DJ's sets at the DGTL festival. With a lush grooves, and a mesmerizing melody woven together with hypnotic vocals, it's sure to be a massive success.
Ost & Kjex
'Down River feat. Hanne Kolstø (Christian Löffler Remix)'
Diynamic Music
Solomun’s Diynamic imprint drops its latest melodic release, 'Freedom Wig Remixe’ EP by Norwegian duo Ost & Kjex, featuring beautifully crafted remixes from label boss Solomun, Rampa, Christian Löffler and Johannes Brecht. The master of deeply moving melodic productions German producer Christian Löffler layered delicate celestial synth patterns with a driving percussion and airy vocal harmonies to make this stunning version of the Ost & Kjex's ‘Down River’ into a cosmic, heartfelt electronic lullaby.
Roman Flügel
'9 Years (DJ Koze remix)'
Pampa Records
Hamburg-based producer DJ Koze and Marcus Fink’s Pampa Records dropped their first ever compilation album on April 29. The finely crafted 19-track compilation features a new tracks by Roman Flügel, Axel Boman, Isolèe, Lawrence, Gold Panda, Jamie XX, Matthew Herber and many more, over two discs.
This 10 minutes magnificent remix of Roman Flügel’s ‘9 Years’ will hit you with a dreamy and etherial undertones woven in subtle, beautifully hypnotic soundscapes. Here is what DJ Koze had to say about this breathtakingly stunning remix: “As I listened to this beauty I felt a deep wish to make a version for the club in a decent and humble way. Just adding a beat and stretching the arrangement to 10 minutes. Only god knows how the significant snare drum of my favorite Mood II Swing Classics made it into my version. We asked these old heroes for permission and a new child was born.”
Hyenah
'The Idea (Frankey & Sandrino remix)'
Freerange Records
Exceptional work has once again been delivered by outstanding producers Frankey & Sandrino, who have taken on the remix duties for the track ‘The Idea’. This elegantly haunting track produced by another incredibly talented producer Hyenah is a bright example of a powerful deep house tune with strong melodic content. It is definitely a remarkable version with a strong percussion line and distinctive spoken-word vocals by South African poet and vocalist Lazarusman that takes it's listeners somewhere far and away.
Denis Horvat
'In Hertz'
Exit Strategy
Denmark’s rising techno maestro Denis Horvat is about to embellish Exit Strategy imprint's catalogue with a new forward thinking, effective and muscular ‘Hertz’ EP. The title track is a beautiful dark journey induced through a sophisticated powerful techno-dance grooves, simple synth patterns, and hints of an elegant echoing piano melody amongst ominous soundscapes.
Lake People
’You Take Another Place With You’
Permanent Vacation
German electronic producer Martin Enke, a.k.a Lake People returns to Permanent Vacation with a new gorgeously cinematic three-tracker EP entitled “Every Place You Go”, which according to Permanent Vacation should be described as ‘Cinematic soundscapes and hypnotic ambience meet razor sharp beats that will keep you on the right track'. B-side of the EP, ’You Take Another Place With You’, is a beautifully crafted dazzlingly cinematic composition filled with a deep moving sound combining melancholy with a mysteriously haunting atmosphere.
Sefton
’The Road Not Taken’
Ellum
Maceo Plex’s ever-reliable powerhouse imprint Ellum brings “Futuristic Bladerunner style techno” from a brand new artist by the name of Sefton. The mysteriously titled two-tracker “The Road Not Taken" is an excellent introduction to an artist to watch. The eponymous title track twists with a formidable attitude, dark and sinister synth bred melodies, punchy claps and rumbling bassline.
ZK Bucket
'Let Your Body Control the Beat' (The Drifter Remx)
Zaun Records
The sublimely talented and charismatic Irish producer The Drifter is rolling hot into 2016 with an utterly gorgeous, anthemic remix of ZK Bucket 's "Let Your Body Control the Beat" released on Zaun Records. The melodic progression unfurls delicately and is wrought with minimalistic suspense adding psychedelic dimensions to the sounds.
Ryan Davis
‘Brun'
Anjunadeep
Berlin-based producer Ryan Davis has been releasing stunningly gorgeous melodic techno and electronica via Bedrock, Traum, and his own Klangwelt label for over 10 years. Following from the last year’s “Anjunadeep 07” compilation, he is back with a new deeply emotive five track ‘From Within’ EP. ‘Blunt’ is an incredibly harmonious dance-floor voyage through landscapes of warm airy pads, spectral synths and superbly elegant, soaked in emotion melody, all fueled by a driving baseline.