Forgive our haste, but the truth is, it's now August and despite the restrictions that continue to exist, tourist season is in full swing. That's not a complaint, it's been a long-time coming! So less chit-chat from us, and instead we head right into the music.
In a normal season, round about now we would be championing the biggest tracks from the clubs. In their absence, we think this selection would be getting rinsed if they could. There's some whoopers coming up.
Swedish House Mafia | It Gets Better | Republic Records | 15 July
It's been almost a decade since we last had new Swedish House Mafia material. Well, that was until earlier last month, when the trio dropped several new tracks within days of each other. It Gets Better was the first to land, before Lifetime, a collab with Ty Dolla $ign.
Darker than their earlier records, check out the Orwellian promo video above.
Love or hate them, there could only be one track to kick-start our July releases. Steve Angello, Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso are back to rule the world! Can we detect an incoming tour?
Ben Hemsley | Bebé Música | Stress Records | 9 July
Want to feel your age? 2021 marks 25 years since the release of seminal Ibiza cut Offshore by Chicane. We have a suspicion that our next entry was inspired by that era of music, if not by the individual track itself.
Hailing from the North-East of England, Ben Hemsley blends yesteryear nostalgia with fresh melodies on Trance-inducing Bebé Música on Stress Records. We love the floaty vocals and pumping kicks. Euphoric and, dare we say, timeless?
Want more Trance? Check-out Paul van Dyk's Café Del Mar remixes.
Cici | Go Trip | Warehouse Music | 16 July
Creator of cosmic energy, one of our favourite DJs Cici has just released her first solo EP. The Dublin-born DJ is a regular on Ibiza, as a resident for Kim Booth's boutique party Cosmic Pineapple. More recently, she's also popped up at O Beach playing for WILDCHILD.
Her Extraneous EP on Mella Dee's Warehouse Music displays her affinity for all things psychedelic. With its percussion-led groove, our pick of the four tracks is Go Trip. Trippy!
Cici's recent podcast for RA is definitely worth listening to, but not for the faint-of-heart.
Jax Jones feat Jem Cooke | Crystallise | WUGD | 2 July
There's some things we can't get enough of, and Jem Cooke's voice is one of them. Here she is appearing as a featured vocalist on Jax Jones' Crystallise. Taken from the Deep Joys EP, its part of a new direction for the producer of You Don't Know Me-fame on his new label, WUGD.
We think it has an air of When Love Takes Over about it. That is, until Jax's audacious bassline drops in!
Saffron Stone | Into The Future | 7 Pot Primo | 23 July
Here we have an acid bubbler for one of the busiest DJs and producers working in the Tech House division. Saffron Stone gives us a glimpse Into The Future with the first outing on her own label, 7 Pot Primo. The track was written with her aunty, which we think is pretty cool!
Booka Shade | Infused Reality | Blaufield Music | 16 July
Even by their own exceptional standards, Booka Shade have been on a hot streak as of late. We could have charted them several times in the past few months, but we can overlook them no longer with Infused Reality.
The vocal sample alongside the synthwork, combined with the acidline gives us a warm fuzzy feeling inside. This has landed right in time for the return of festivals.
AFFKT | Bloom | Mobilee | 30 July
AFFKT has just released gorgeous and wide-ranging album The Big Picture on Mobilee.
There's lots of stand-out tracks on the deeply personal LP, but we've highlighted Bloom which was inspired by the Spanish producer's childhood. The melody is loosely-based on a record that his mother used to play on repeat, Eye In The Sky by The Alan Parson Project.
Lyric Hood | Praise Up | M-Plant | 30 July
For the past seven years, Lyric Hood has had the best possible musical education that anybody could hope for under the wing of her legendary father, Robert. Now she appears ready to take on the world by herself, as she steps out on M-Plant for her third solo EP.
Continuing the mission she started as one-half of Floorplan, Lyric's Praise Up sheds a young producer coming of age. Her Dad will be proud.
Sam Paganini | Bianca | JAM | 30 July
Italian Techno powerhouse Sam Paganini displays a softer side on our next selection.
Bianca is named after his seven-month old daughter and was written soon after she was born. The celestial chords and silky broken beat, coupled with the anguished vocal give it an innocent glow. It's the first single taken from Paganini's forthcoming album, Light + Shadow.
Make sure you watch his impressive live show if you haven't already.
Nina Kraviz | Skyscrapers | Nina Kraviz Music | 16 July
We started on a biggie and that is how we end too.
DJing, producing, A&R, modelling, erm, dentistry and now singing too - is there anything Lady Kraviz can't do? Nina has taken some flack for her singing in the past, but she's used to the haters by now. This Electro Pop song is quirky enough for devout Kraviz fans to indulge over.
She'll get back to her day job of playing pummelling Techno at Pyramid's Closing Party (we hope!)
That's all from us this month, we'll be back at the start of September with our favourite releases from the last 30-odd days.
In the mean time, make sure you get your ears around our latest album of the month, Red Alert by Maxinne.
And don't forget to hit subscribe on our Spotify channel. Happy tune hunting!
