Weekly Roundup LI (ADE is coming…)

The month of ADE has arrived relatively quickly (isn’t that always?), and DJs aren’t just busy with the upcoming gigs and after-parties. An abundance of records came out on the first Friday of this month, and won’t LI(E) to you, those are worth checking out. So let’s get into this edition, shall we?

ACRAZE – Believe (ft. Goodboys)
80/100

After scoring Tik Tok’s favorite Tech House anthem, ACRAZE has yet another catchy tune to provide. While “Do It To It” was a swanky house production, “Believe” takes a U-turn and settles for a soothing, melodic/deep house timbre. Partnering with “Piece of Your Heart” stars Goodboys for vocals, the track goes for a striding bassline, fashioned in a trendy MEDUZA-inspired sound with opening arp riffs and solemn piano chords.

For some reason or other, the melody and vocals sounded familiar to me, although further investigation didn’t lead me to any conclusive proof that there was any sampling/cover involved on this one. Nonetheless, it’s a solid post-summer deep house record to put on repeat.

Timmy Trumpet, Rave Republic & Arrow – Ole Ole
65/100

Summoning the fervent vibe that remains in the popular hit of “Hot Hot Hot” from Arrow, Timmy Trumpet and the Rave Republic decided to channel that into a faster-paced big room tune for the modern dancefloors.

After giving a brief listen to the original, a Caribbean-funk song that acclaimed much recognition due to its flashy drums and brass instruments, this rendition felt… lifeless. Yes, the effort of translating such a cadent instrumental into a modern dance record is there, but in a direction that I didn’t prefer. The starting captures the optimism, although the hollow supersaw synths and sluggish kickdrums aren’t enough. The second half, although, picks up the pace in Timmy Trumpet fashion and is more enjoyable.

Shogun – Cielo
83/100

Known for trailblazing hits such as “Skyfire” and as recent as “Gasoline“, American producer Shogun is an established name in the trance world. Continuing to showcase his proficiency in this euphoric kind of music, “Cielo” brings back the cutting, sharp progressive trance-flavored synths (reminiscent of Enhanced Recordings) with distinct ethnic vocal and featherweight, hypnotic melodic riffs. The intro begins with the standard, but driven electro bassline sprinting towards the breakdown, which brings in an atmospheric sequence to the potent, climactic outlet in the final drop.

Olly James x Skylights ft. Kris Kiss – East To The West
78/100

Finding their new conjunction point at the flourishing Rave Culture imprint, collaborators Olly James, Skylights, and Kriss Kiss devised a club incendiary that will delight most big room fans. “East To The West” includes combines the classic elements: robust supersaws, and offbeat and aggressive riffs with an energizing vocal feature from the esteemed performer Kriss Kiss. And with genre specialists such as Olly James and Skylights being involved in the project directly leads to a polished, fiery record that befits the said label.

AAOM, Cari J – Morning Ray
82/100

From the folks who presented the enigmatic, lush, and enchantingly minimal “Merci”, AAOM and vocalist Cari J paired for another sequel performance. This time, it comes in the form of “Morning Ray”. Blending the boundaries of leftfield and house, contrasting but well-chosen rhythms interpose with each other to create an intriguing offer. The track starts with a breakbeat pattern with squelching synths, and obscure vocals. After a while, the beat transforms to a four-on-four base with shuffling drum accompaniments, only to return back to the earlier groove. Despite its abstract attitude, the various cogs helping this track function don’t conflict, captivating the ears.

TV Noise – Turn It Up
84/100

Leave it to TV Noise for the eccentric, equally fun-packed house records. The alias has returned to their usual residence of STMPD Records with “Turn It Up”, which returns to their bass/ghetto house hallmark after the melodic experiment that was “Feeling of Falling“. Loaded with glitching synths, snappy FXs, and percussions with distorted vocal shouts: every bit of that TV Noise signature that has made them a mainstay at Garrix’s reputed label.

Viperactive – Bleed
85/100

Arizona-based Viperactive ventured into Disciple Round Table with his “Uncaged” EP, and amongst the other vicious contents on the compilation there is “Bleed”. One can expect an ingenious composite of arcade-influenced leads, bit by bluntly contorted dubstep synths ranging from wobbles and striking stabs. This headstrong mixture is a surprisingly pleasant deal for fans of the genre, especially coming from an uprising alias.

Psyko Punkz – Slapen is Afgelast
77/100

“Slapen is Afgelast”, which roughly translates to “Sleep is Cancelled“, is a slamming record originating from the Netherlands with amusing Dutch lyricism and centering around raw hardstyle, the kind that moves crowds to an absolute frenzy. Teasing, aggressive, and switching, a series of drops hit one after the other to cancel out any sleep from the equation. The music video, which is how I first experienced the record, is embedded with second-hand embarrassments and overall an entertaining pairing to the rambunctious music.

Bonus
Sammi Constantine – Lemonade
82/100

This bonus track is a real gem, trust me. The singer Sammi Constantine has crafted a lovely tune, “Lemonade“, which amazed me with a vibrant bassline and a voice rich in personality. The base meets Sammi’s vocal with an explosive synergy, then it explodes into a passionate and emotional riff. That’s not our typical underground EDM, but the most beautiful surprises are always coming from unexpected genres…