Picks Of The Week (17.08.24

0. Delta Heavy - Midnight Forever [Delta Heavy]

Recommended if you like: Sub Focus, Subsonic, Metrik

You've already seen me spout lots and lots of words about this, so I'll spare you from any more - but in case you missed it, we've got a whole spotlight thread focusing just on this album over here: https://www.reddit.com/1ez9qq3/

1. Various Artists - Various Releases [Various Labels]

Recommended if you like: various different things

Since I was at Nibirii festival this weekend, I didn't really have the time to do any of the usual, in-depth weekly reviews. However, due to me staying in a hotel for once, I had some extra time to kill during the surprisingly long (don't get me started) bus and train travels, so I thought I'd do some quick-fire rounds for some stuff I really enjoyed, and might have reviewed in full if the time allowed for it. So let's go!

Pick 1: Rex Hooligan - I'm Always Dreaming About You [Ridmic]

I've talked a little about Rex, probably the world's nicest Hooligan, a while back already, during one of the many High Tea compilation reviews, but his stuff is always worth a shout-out. Since last year, the Switzerland-based Estonian has been on a real spree of wonderful releases on the likes of NoCopyrightSounds, Simplify, High Tea, and starting with this year, also on Liquicity's sister label Ridmic, which is also where this week's delightfulness ended up on. Speaking of, I'm Always Dreaming About You is just such an enchanting little banger. Lovely vocals, as per usual for Rex, wonderfully uplifting energy, a rather banging drop that I cannot help but rave in my hotel chair to - he really is in a (Hoo)league(an) of his own.

Pick 2: Jacques Maya - Cold Harbour EP 💎 [Fokuz]

Next, the debut release of a name I had not been familiar with at all, UK-based newcomer Jacques Maya! Just based a quick look through his online presence, I can already tell there's quite a backstory to all of it, with everything apparently going back all the way to 2014, but for this short-form format's sakes, the last few years are the important bits. Previously as HIDDEN VISIONS, but since 2023 as Jacques Maya, we have been treated to a bunch of bootlegs of the likes of Kutiman, Ryder & Skepta & Dre Six, and Silva Bumpa & Megan Wroe, most of it DnB, but some of it also going the lower bpm routes. Now, Jacques finally brings his productions to the wider masses, with his three-track-strong Cold Harbour EP on the one and only Fokuz - their 500th release, apparently! The vocals are simply beautifully picked, the various melodic elements are both uniquely sounding and incredibly soul-soothing, everything just flows together super super nicely - liquid lovers, please do check this one out, you won't regret it.

Pick 3: Tom Dune - Home 💎 [Selfreleased]

I know, I know, this one was released in June already, but even though I'm a fan of Tom's, I somehow missed this one until this week - oopsie. I am also most definitely going to talk about him in way more detail when the time is right, but I thought I could maybe use this round-up to already put some eyes and ears onto his insane music, before the big piece. I've stumbled upon it through his various submissions to the Bishu feedback streams, or more specifically one of his competitions, or even more specifically, because my mate Wouter watched it and was like "yo you gotta check this guy out" - and I'm so very glad he did, because holy moly the guy is crazy! Case in point, this newest one of his, Home, which not only sports some magnificently futuristic vibes full of wild vocal processing and chops, but also hits us with a whirlwind of absolutely mad yet still incredibly vibey production - big recommend!

Pick 4: Howlan - On Fire [FUTURE]

On fire indeed. We already had the pleasure of talking about the second-hottest Finnish newcomer around (first being our bois Telm & Wilson, of course), but he just keeps putting out straight fire, forcing my hand to keep bringing him up here! And it's not even like it's just once every now and then either, the serial arsonist released 13 (!) singles since the last time we took a look at him, and that was only In the last year too! While most of his output is self-released, he also recently How-landed his debut release on Don Diablo's FUTURE - this new one being his follow-up. Right away, we've got some lovely piano-synth melodies to keep us company, and soon enough, as the dreamy vocal comes in, we can already tell this one is gonna go crazy. Wonderful melodic phatness cross swords with machine gun fire synths on top of a firestorm of syncopation - and then, just two kicks later, the synths are unleashed in a way that will knock even the most seasoned listener off their socks. Fire!

Pick 5: Radiax - Rising Above [Unchained Recordings]

Another one of those that I should've featured a long time ago already - Radiax! Straight outta Beijing, 杨博文, or Yang Bowen, has been making headturning tune after headturning tune, which not only landed him a regular place on the all-too-underrated Unchained Recordings since 2019 already, he was also quickly picked up by the likes of Hospital, Onyx and Skankandbass - and since last year has even dabbled in some Pop, and, like Unchained often enough, some moody, breaky, footworky stuff. For this newest one, his five-track strong Rising Above EP, he returned with some truly off-the-chain stuff. Amazingly intoxicating vibes on Intoxicated and Rising Above, wonderfully weird, rhythmically mind-bending and just overall bouncy madness on Underwall - even the seemingly straight-forward weighty banger For Your Eyes sports some really cool unique vocals you won't find anywhere else. My personal highlight has got to be Ni Hao though, which already starts off with all sorts of vocal-choppy, heavily distorted and syncopated, rave siren filled fun, but turns from great to absolutely insane with the introduction of the overwhelmingly large, all-consuming wall of synths. Radiaxally different, in all the best ways.

Conclusion

... and that's just my personal picks, there's so much more to discover from our list! Just take a look down below, it really has been a great week for releases. Enjoy!