Best Tracks of 2012: 25-1

Year End Coverage

* Best Albums of 2012

* Best EPs of 2012

* Best Labels of 2012

* Best Breakthrough Artists of 2012

* Best Tracks of 2012 - 101-76
* Best Tracks of 2012 - 75-51
* Best Tracks of 2012 - 50-26
* Best Tracks of 2012 - 25-1

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After two weeks of rounding up the year, here are White Noise’s very favourite tracks of 2012. It was murder to try and arrange these great tracks into some semblance of an order, but whether you agree or disagree with the countdown, you’re sure to find a lot of music to love here, so check it out!

25 – T. Williams – Think Of You

Fusing dance music and pop sensibilities rarely comes up with an end result that pleases either fanbase. But on that rare occasion, such as this anthemic closer to Williams’ great Pain & Love EP, everything falls into place perfectly. It’s impossible to tire of Tendai’s sensuous vocals and the snappy 2step beat pattern. Calling this one ‘catchy’ would be both an understatement and the highest possible compliment. EP Review.

24 – Objekt – Cactus

Objekt said that “Cactus was never really meant to be taken seriously; it's just an irreverent bit of fun taking the piss out of wobble dubstep.” However seriously he intended it to be, the havoc this impressively detailed tune wreaked on dancefloors at the beginning of the year was the stuff of legend, and the track still sounds as great today as it did on first release. EP Review.

23 – Elgato – Luv Zombie

With only two releases to his name, both on tastemaking label Hessle Audio, Elgato’s leftfield bass excursions, defying genre tropes, have always been something to look forward to. With an earworm vocal loop and nervy atmospherics, Luv Zombie drops in its latter half into an intensely vibey number that moves the mind as much as the body.

22 – Lorca – Love Like This

The Church boys who’ve been running a great night at Corsica Studios in London entered the label game with this white label refix of Faith Evans refix from up-and-comer Lorca. Mashing those instantly recognisable vocals with Nuyorican Soul’s soaring strings, this killer House cut got more play than almost any other track at White Noise HQ this year.

21 – Jam City - …Now We Relate

The Night Slugs genius made the top of our Best Albums list, but it was on Classical Club Mixes, the dance edition of some of his album’s more propulsive cut that we found his best tune. A tune of truly epic proportions, the perfect drop just before the 5-minute mark is something that has to be heard to be believed.

20 – Joy Orbison, Pearson Sound & Boddika – Faint

This unexpected post-everything tune from an unholy trio of producers was as strange as it was brilliant. A genius vocal sample and dangerously spare percussion made this one blow up dancefloors all the way up to the mind-bending static that closes out the track.

19 – Hackman – Forgotten Notes

UK producer Ben Hackman had a fairly quiet one in 2012, but it didn’t stop him releasing this slow-mo Bass masterpiece. Great sampling and lush chords established a powerful groove as emotive as any other dance release this year.

18 – DJ Q – Brandy & Coke

DJ Q is one hell of a versatile producer, and it was hard to pick from his bassline excursions and junglist cuts. But this Brandy-sampling Garage track was unbearably fresh, as deftly produced as it was catchy. (Audio is the VIP edit, which is basically the same. Free download)

17 – GoldFFinch – Funky Steppa

One of White Noise’s favourite 2012 dicoveries was this Belgian duo, who knack for weaving unusual sounds into their deftly-produced Bass numbers resulted in this total smasher, where sirens and vocal loops played second fiddle to a superb pitch-shifting woodblock rhythm. EP Review.

16 – Julio Bashmore – Au Seve

For the second year in a row, Bristolian Bashmore’s love of bouncing basslines and catchy vocals created one of the year’s most ubiquitous dance hits. This track’s no-nonsense approach just goes to show how effective the genre can be in its simplest form.

15 – Huxley – Let It Go

Huxley’s love of big House sounds was a perfect fit in 2012, and this monster single’s unstoppable bassline and infectious vocal had us grooving right up into the new year. EP Review.

14 – Omar S Presents Aaron ‘Fit’ Siegel – Tonite (Detroit Mix) feat. L’Renee

Omar S and his FXHE label were unstoppable this year. Nowhere was this more apparent than on this powerful classic House number. Addictive piano and sax samples kept this one riding a wave of happy dancers throughout the year.

13 – Pearson Sound – Untitled

It’s been a quiet year for David Kennedy, one of the UK’s freshest producers. But that didn’t stop him from putting out this nervy slice of excellence. Twitching percussion and a showstopping descending melody made this tune stand out from the competition.

12 – Tom Demac – Critical Distance Pt. 2

Demac showed wobble done very right on this monstrous House roller. Primal cries and a loping 4/4 establishes a strong groove under that overpowering, floor-destroying bassline.

11 – Moodymann – Why Do U Feel

One of the House scene’s true legends delivered the goods on this fragmented dance track. Both modern and timeless, the souful vulnerability of this raw cut shone out over rough beats and slick vocal cuts. EP Review.

10 – Andrew Ashong – Flowers

Proof that Theo Parrish is as good at recognising talent as embodying it, his release (and production) of Andrew Ashong’s Flowers created one of the year’s most addictive slow-house jams. Chilled vibes and great acoustic instrumentation made this one of the year’s defining sunrise jams.

9 – Head High – Rave (Dirt Mix)

No one disputes Shed’s legendary status within the Berlin Techno scene. But it still somehow came as a surprise when he put out two of the year’s very best tunes on a single 12”, with the gritty B-side’s crunchy percussion just taking the edge.

8 – Nitetime – Teddy’s Jam

This dusty House number stood out for us by trading as much in melancholy as in feelgood vibes. The moody synthwork and basslines felt like House that had lost its sheen, wearied by the weight of the genre’s past. Add the phenomenal late entry of those descending piano chords, and you’ve got one of the year’s very best tunes. EP Review.

7 – Bicep & Ejeca – You

Though the Bicep duo have earned acclaim for their 90s throwback stylings, this single with Ejeca on Aus had us a lot more excited here at White Noise. Phenomenal vocal sampling and cinematic synthwork drove this propulsive bass number to instant-classic status. EP Review.

6 – Blawan – Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage

This nasty Techno roller created one of the UK club circuit’s strangest sing-alongs to date. The inspired vocal (copped from The Fugees) was only the icing on the top of a raw beat pattern and billowing horror-movie effects.

5 – Todd Terje – Inspector Norse

Last year saw Nowegian disco connoisseur Terje returning to the scene with a vengeance with his Ragysh EP. In 2012 he blew that 4-tracker out of the water with Inspector Norse, an unstoppably feel-good synth bounce that built up to one hell of a climax.

4 – Anthony Naples – Mad Disrespect

The highest position for a newcomer on our list, this shuffling House number suited every occasion. Mellow enough for chilling out but punchy enough to kill on the dancefloor, this cut felt utterly timeless.

3 – Joy Orbison – Ellipsis

Another year, another phenomenal club anthem from Joy Orbison. This tune seemed almost like a mission statement for the young producer, never doing less than his ‘own thing’, Joy O rejects trendy genre stylings and goes right for the jugular. A dusty house roller with a winning vocal sample is more than good enough, but that piano loop made this one of the unfathomably brilliant producer’s very best.

2 – Burial – Ashtray Wasp

William Bevan bookended the year with a magnificent pair of releases that signalled a true return to the scene. The evolution of his sound towards unconventional sonic structures could have been an unwise move, but we've learned to always put our trust in Burial. With the closer to the superb Kindred EP, Bevan created one of his best songs to date. With a new eye for cinema and drama, Ashtray Wasp led the listener by the hand through a fractured sonic landscape whose desolation was only equalled by its beauty. EP Review.

1 – Andrés – New For U

Forgive us for not being original with our number one choice. With a heart-melting string sample, former Slum Village DJ Andrés ruled 2012 with this stunning single. Effortlessly fusing Disco, Soul and House into a tune as life-affirming as it was bittersweet, New For U was an inescapable summer success story from a man who formerly toiled as one of House music’s great unsung heroes. 

Total Redraw: Dance Edition

Remixes that really shake things up

To continue from Monday’s part 1, White Noise now presents some of the best dance remixes from recent times that have been lurking in our music vaults. Again, special attention is paid to remixes that really change the original, and a lot of these are tracks from the non-dance world that have been given a special rework by a top producer.

Tracklist:

Storm Queen – Look Right Through (MK Don’t Talk To Me Dub)

Classixx – Into The Valley feat. Karl Dixon (Julio Bashmore Remix)

Groove Theory – Tell Me (George Fitzgerald Refix)

Florence & The Machine – You’ve Got The Love (Jamie xx Remix)

The Weeknd – What You Need (Prison Garde 808 Edit)

Radiohead – Lotus Flower (Jacques Greene Remix)

The xx – Crystalised (Dark Sky Remix)

Hard Drive – Deep Inside (Pearson Sound Refix)

Amerie – One Thing (French Fries Remix)

Zed Bias – Neighbourhood (El-B Remix)

The Drop – Looking To The Sky (DjRum Remix)

Fat Freddy’s Drop – Cay’s Crays (Digital Mystikz Remix)

Bo Saris – She’s On Fire (Maya Jane Coles Remix)

TRG – Broken Heart (Martyn’s DMC Remix)

Modular Pursuits – No Boundaries (Daphni Remix)

Mosca – Tilt Shift (Julio Bashmore Remix)

Late Nite Tuff Guy – A Deal With God

Boards of Canada – Olson (Midland Re-edit)

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Special thanks to my friend Tom for helping me compile this playlist. Check out his superb mixes on Soundcloud.

Hope you enjoyed the remix roundup, I’ll leave you with a taster of one last track; a forthcoming release from Lorca mixing up FaithEvans and Nuyorican Soul – Enjoy!

June / July Roundup and Release Sheets

Before our huge roundup of the last two months in music, I’d like to take a moment to introduce a new feature. You’ll notice a new tab at the top of the screen titled ‘Release Sheets’. This is a new collaboration between White Noise and the Bass Music Release Sheets tumblr, and it will be constantly updated with all the biggest dance releases week by week, so make sure you check it out regularly to ensure you’re caught up. On to the music.

This is it. The big one. As I was away for the end of June, here White Noise presents a mammoth playlist of two massive months of dance music, all in one tidy package. Each of these tracks is a real stunner, covering pretty much every genre, so be sure to give this playlist some serious time. Enjoy.

Tracklist:

Bicep & Ejeca – You

Jacques Greene – Prism

Koreless – Lost In Tokyo

Joy Orbison – Ellipsis

Leon Vynehall – Gold Language

Anthony Naples – Mad Disrespect

Nitetime – All The People

Trevor Deep Jr – Keep On!

Flashmob – Need In Me

Mosca – Eva Mendes

Julio Bashmore – Au Seve

Wheez-ie – Remember The Score

TNGHT – Higher Grond

Eats Everything – Jagged Edge

Boddika, Joy Orbison and Pearson Sound – Faint

Helix – Honig

Akkord – Persistence

Kuedo – Work, Live & Sleep In Collapsing Space

Fracture – Get Busy

DJ Rum – The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn (Undercoat Pt 2)

Face & Heel – No Stars

John Roberts – Paper Frames

Pablo Nouvelle – Be True To Me

The xx - Angels

Mix: I'll See You After The Function

A very special surprise for you all today, a massive mix from our resident DJ G More, and it really couldn't be better. The mix focuses mainly on the housey side of things and it includes more White Noise favourites than you can  count, so sit back (or get on up) and enjoy!

 

Tracklist:

Metro - Brownstone Express 

Jimmy Edgar - This One's For The Children 

Christophe - The Scene 

Late Nite Tuff Guy - A Deal With God 

Krystal Klear - From The Start 

Storm Queen - It Goes On (Dub) 

Omar - Feeling You (Henrik Schwarz Remix) 

Kato - Booty Dance (Nicholas Raw Interpretation) 

Brawther - Do It Yourself (Alternative Mix) 

NY Stomp - The NY House Trak 

Simpson - Till You Were Dead 

Dominic Martin - Homage New Jersey 

Si'Ke DJs - Safe House 

FCL - More Than Seven 

Huxley - Let It Go 

Maurice Donovan - Call My Name 

Omar S Presents Aaron "Fit" Siegel feat. L'Renee - Tonite (Detroit Mix) 

Late Nite Tuff Guy - I Get Deeper 

Christophe - The Force (Julio Bashmore Piano Mix) 

Behling - Last Chance 

Krystal Klear - We're Wrong 

Equation - I'll Say A Prayer 4 U 

Johnny Osbourne - We Need Love

25 Best Dance Singles of 2011

Best of 2011

EPs

Singles

Albums

It’s been an incredible year for dance music. While Bass music finally formed a concrete identity, a few keen artists continued to take House and Techno in new and exciting directions. Here are my very favourite tracks of the year across a variety of genres, each one sure to get bodies moving on any dancefloor. Although I’ve put these in a loose order, when the tracks are this good they’re all fantastic.

P.S – I’ve embedded a Youtube playlist of all the tracks at the top of the page in case you’d prefer to listen to the whole lot continuously.

25 - Braille - Breakup

Both Braille and Machinedrum have had busy years independently as well as with their collaboration project Sepalcure, but this track on Braille's A Meaning EP really stood out for me. Here Praveen Sharma harks back to classic House stylings with a very contemporary twist, combining great vocal snatches and clean beats with an uneasy synthline and lovely soft keys.

If you like this, check out the rest of Braille's A Meaning EP.

24 - Objekt – CLK Recovery

It’s been a breakthrough year for Berlin-based TJ Hertz, and nowhere is this more evident than on his second white label single. This is Techno at its most exciting and boundary-pushing, with deep mechanical beats and a rich soundfield guaranteed to bring that Berlin sound wherever you go.

If you like this, check out the monstrous B-side Unglued.

23 - Storm Queen – It Goes On (Vox)

The most recent entry on this list is from House stalwart Morgan Geist, of Metro Area fame. It didn’t seem likely he could follow up his last solo outing, but It Goes On pulls it off with style, building slowly and assuredly with superbly catchy vocals, eventually erupting into a stripped and euphoric breakdown before settling into some great and unexpected deviant sounds towards the close that ensure this tune can be played again and again.

If you like this, check out any of Morgan Geist or Carl Craig’s recent output.

22 - Ital – Culture Clubs

2011 has been a great year for the 100% Silk stable, an offshoot of leftfield indie label Not Not Fun, and no one has been releasing for the label with quite as much style as Ital. This unique dance cut revolves around several stripped but intoxicating elements; a shifting percussive click, woozy pitchbent synths and tumbling tropical melodies. It’s a hypnotic and drugged-out tune, and nothing else sounds quite like it.

If you like this, check out any of 100% Silk’s releases from this year, particularly Ital’s other work or the new-Disco stylings of Octo Octa.

21 - Teeth – Shawty

Who knew a spoken Beyoncé sample would become so ubiquitous this year? On this unsettling and sexy cut, a repeated vocal line from pop song Videophone is twisted to ghostly effect over percussion drenched in knife-edge tension and ethereal rising synths.

If you like this, check out FaltyDL’s excellent percussive remix of this tune.

20 - Eats Everything – Entrance Song

Eats Everything came out of nowhere this year to craft one of the best House tunes of the year. Slowly building over that warping vocal line, warm keys and neat claps give way at the drop to a massive bouncing beat that’s sure to get anyone on the dancefloor.

If you like this, check out the producer’s recent self-titled single.

19 - Huxley – Shower Scene

Sadly still going without a vinyl release, Huxley’s magnificent Shower Scene really has everything you could possibly want from a dance track. The stunning tune includes not one but two expertly applied vocal lines, a deep growling bassline and enough cunning micro-edits to keep the most ADHD-addled minds riveted throughout.

If you like this, check out recent tunes from Ethyl and Detroit Swindle, particularly the latter’s The Wraparound.

18 - Rustie – Ultra Thizz

Rustie followed no one but himself with his trailblazing approach to production this year. The most exuberant and ecstatic cut from his brilliant Glass Swords album is Ultra Thizz, which was released as a single in the Autumn. Irresistible chipmunk vocals are twinned with shifting handclaps and one of the most ballsy and colourful drops heard this decade, never mind this year.

If you like this, check out the rest of Rustie’s superb Glass Swords album.

17 - New York Transit Authority – Off The Traxx

Although released on a joint-single with White Noise favourite Redlight, under this new moniker Mensah dropped one of the most menacing and well-crafted slices of dance this side of Sicko Cell. Along with a suitable vocal line, lyrically bizarre but threatening in intonation, we hear dissonant effects applied liberally to make the track veer towards the unsettling, but it never falls short of  being a sure-fire hit on the dancefloor.

If you like this, check out Pearson Sound / Maurice Donovan’s output this year.

16 - SCB – Loss

The first of what was perhaps an inevitable pair of entries in the list for Hotflush label-head Paul Rose, Loss from his techno-based SCB guise was without a doubt one of the big DJ favourites this year. Rather than building to a drop this track introduces itself with all the elements already present; a gnawing vocal line that won’t leave your head, an occasional tumbling bassline punctuating the space and a lush synth wash. It all came together as an undeniable masterwork, cementing Scuba as potentially the year’s most exciting and varied producer.

If you like this, check out anything released by Scuba / SCB this year. Seriously, this guy has been on fire.

15 - Kahn – Like We Used To

Emerging from the nebulous Bristol post-dubstep scene, Kahn put out a couple of low-key but superb releases this year, and this was my favourite. Woozy synth washes introduce a pitch-perfect choppy vocal line, before a big bassline enters to form a tune that feels like it never quite settles down, but uses this fact to a clear advantage. The icing on the cake is the Zomby-esque introduction of an untreated synthline midway through the tune, proving that Kahn is a producer who really knows what he’s doing.

If you like this, check out Kahn’s excellent release from later this year, Illy / Tehran.

14 - Jamie xx – Far Nearer

Although this release was only one of many reasons for Jamie xx’s rise to prominence this year, alongside some great DJ sets and his album remixing Gil Scott Heron, it’s also a song that will very easily settle into its own little niche in your heart (yuck, I know). It’s hard to create a dancefloor knockout that tugs at the heartstrings, but here it’s pulled off with style, and it sounds effortless. The combination of those warm steel drums and a deep bass-driven dance tune is masterful, and those emotive vocal lines are just the icing on the cake. More than anything what stands out here is Jamie xx’s masterful sense of space in his tracks, displayed with style on The xx’s debut album and shown here again to remarkable effect.

If you like this, check out The xx’s debut album, or similarly emotive dance tunes released this year by the likes of Hackman in Close or Mano Le Tough with In My Arms.

13 - Deadboy – Wish U Were Here

Surprisingly absent from a lot of other site’s year-end lists, I’m unsure how White Noise favourite Deadboy managed to slip through the gaps this year with his excellent Here release. This fantastic lead single features a great vocal line set into a massive overall sound, with big synths duelling disco-tinged beats to great effect.

If you like this, check out Deadboy’s stellar back-catalogue, especially singles U Cheated and If U Want Me, as well as his soulful and melancholy classic Heartbreaker (along with Julio Bashmore’s stunning remixes released this year).

12 - Pearson Sound – Deep Inside Refix

David Kennedy hasn’t let up in 2011, and his various outings as Pearson Sound and Maurice Donovan continue to prove he is one of the Dance world’s very brightest stars. Nowhere is this clearer than on his rework of Hardrive’s 1993 anthem Deep Inside, where a cloying vocal line repeats across finely textured percussion and subtly overlaid synths.

If you like this, check out Kennedy’s fantastic classic House offerings as Maurice Donovan this year, such as Babeh and Call My Name.

11 - Martyn – Masks

This year Martyn made a clear shift towards House from his DnB / Dubstep origins, but his superb Ghost People LP proved that his skill wasn’t constrained to a single genre. This was most evident on lead single Masks, where a spectacular disaffected vocal punctuates a great swung rhythm, with a rich field of perfectly tuned synths adding up to a stunning dance cut that occupied a lot of space in some of the best DJ sets I’ve heard this year.

If you like this, check out the rest of Martyn’s fantastic Ghost People LP.

10 - Burial – Street Halo

Burial’s much-anticipated return to production was one of the most welcome returns of the year, and the Street Halo EP had another surprise up its sleeve in the form of his first true solo Dance production this side of his genre-defining masterpiece Untrue in 2006. Street Halo has all the classic signs of a Burial tune, dusty percussive clicks, ghostly vocal samples and ethereal synths, but added a massive gravelly bass throb that proved the producer could still get bodies moving when he wanted to.

If you like this, check out any of Burial’s superb releases, either his Garage-centric self-titled debut LP or masterful dubstep long-player Untrue. Also watch out for his Kindred EP out next month.

9 - Pangaea – Hex

Kicking off as fiery 2step with a thoroughly menacing synthline, Hessle label-head Pangaea’s biggest single of the year could at first sit easily alongside recent offerings from Sully or the rest of the dark UK Garage crowd. But when that downright-threatening reggae vocal line is brought into the mix, Hex becomes another beast entirely, and one of the strongest dance releases of the year.

If you like this, check out Sully’s Carrier LP from earlier this year.

8 - Unknown – Sicko Cell

The most surprising thing about this year’s most talked-about tune is just how strange it is. Eschewing most recognisable genre tropes; here Joy O the unknown producer combines sparse percussive elements with the ubiquitous cocaine-touting vocal line and that massive crunchy synthline to bizarre but intoxicating effect. It gets odder as you listen deeper; the ‘I’m so addicted’ vocal line is out of time, the near-inaudible noise that sounds like a cloth wiping glass in the song’s bulk, it’s all very unsettling. But in a lot of ways, it doesn’t really matter. The song works, and it’s massive.

If you like this, check out the work of similarly-minded UK producer Joy O.

7 - Classixx  - Into the Valley (Julio Bashmore Remix)

This tune came out of nowhere, apparently commissioned by Mountain Dew, but nothing could stop Bashmore’s massive remix from getting a lot of playtime this year. This tune is pure euphoria, combining old and new sounds; vintage-style House vocals twinned with bright contemporary synths and beats to intoxicating result.

If you like this, check out Julio Bashmore’s fantastic Everybody Needs a Theme Tune EP.

6 - Hackman – Close

Another tune that seems to have slipped from most year-end lists, this gorgeous single was one of my most played of the year. Beginning with warm and bouncy steel drums, the tune soon drops into a snarling bass throb, with an achingly emotive vocal line applied to stellar effect.

If you like this, check out Hackman’s recent Agree to Disagree 12” and watch out for his album out early next year.

5 - Jacques Greene- Another Girl

The best of a sparkling catalogue of releases from the Canadian producer this year, Another Girl is for me the most impressive examples of all the best qualities of today’s Bass scene. An eye for subtlety rather than big drops, airy vibes, and spliced RnB samples (here courtesy of Ciara) resulted in the perfect Bass tune. This is probably my most played track of the year, and I’m still not bored.

If you like this, check out Greene’s GREENE01 white label release which dropped in August.

4 - Blawan – Getting Me Down

One of the year’s first big releases is still one if it’s best. Blawan’s shown a staggering variety of styles are well and truly under his belt this year, but this genreless tune was a cut above the rest. Sharp percussion held up the track, which was topped off by a bassy growl and that vocal line, which is absolutely impossible to get out of your head.

If you like this, check out Blawan’s latest Peaches EP or his recent collaboration with Pariah as Karenn for his new tougher Techno sound.

3 - Scuba – Adrenalin

What is without a doubt one of the year’s most decadent tunes is also one of its finest. Scuba finally came out of the shell of his cerebral post-Dubstep work to produce the sublime Adrenalin EP, and the title track is an absolute monster. Taking influences from the unlikely world of Trance, this lush tune revels in vintage synths, a euphoric vocal line and includes a breakdown so long and finely wrought, you’ll be begging for the drop by the time it finally hits.

If you like this, check out the rest of Scuba’s Adrenalin EP or his great singles Loss and Mace as SCB.

2 - Mosca – Bax

It was hard to choose between this and Done Me Wrong on Mosca’s masterly double A-side out over the summer. Bax just edged it out, with an intoxicating synthline taking prime positions amongst a host of great vocal snippets, sharp percussion and a deep, growling bass. 2011 was truly the year that Mosca did no wrong, and out of all of this year’s dance releases, this 12” will be one of the most valuable any DJ could’ve bought this year.

If you like this, check out the amazing A-side Done Me Wrong, along with Mosca’s superb Wavey EP.

1 - Julio Bashmore – Battle For Middle You

Was number one really ever going to be anything else? Bristol-based producer Julio Bashmore defined this year’s sound before it had even really begun with his fantastic Everybody Needs a Theme Tune EP, and prime cut Battle For Middle You was the standout of the bunch. Every aspect of this track screams classic, from the unique synth effects and expert pacing to one of the heaviest, dirtiest drops I’ve ever heard in a club. I expect it’s a drop that I’ll hear time and time again as 2012 rolls on, and deservedly so. No one rocked the dancefloors like Bashmore this year.

If you like this, check out the rest of the Everybody Needs a Theme Tune EP, as well as his excellent remix work for the likes of Classixx and Deadboy.

October Dance Roundup

We’re now entering the dark depths of winter, and so what kind of blogger would I be if I didn’t try my hardest to supply you all with tunes to keep you dancing through those cold nights? I’ve collected together twenty one of my favourite dance tunes from the last month or so, downloadable as a playlist from mediafire here, so let’s get going.

Classixx - Into the Valley feat. Karl Dixon (Julio Bashmore Remix)

First off is a clear contender for track of the year in Julio Bashmore’s euphoric remix of Classixx’s Into The Valley, running classic Chicago house stylings through a thoroughly modern filter with everything you could possibly want from a dancefloor stunner; ecstatic keys, emotive vocals, and one of the most irresistible grooves around.

Maurice Donovan - Call My Name

Keeping up the retro feel is Maurice Donovan’s (aka Ramadanman / Pearson Sound) throwback cut Call My Name, in which a cloying vocal line is stretched around a straight and bouncy house track that has all the right elements in all the right places.

Coat of Arms - Is This Something

Coat Of Arms’ low-key release Is This Something is probably my most played track of the month, a gorgeous piece of bouncy bass with a Faith Evans sample twisted almost beyond recognition that can pretty much be mixed with anything to sound brilliant.

Mercury - You Lift Me Up

Still holding onto those upbeat vibes we have Mercury’s September release You Lift Me Up, where diva-licious vocals are styled and chopped with classic garage trimmings and some gorgeous bassy synth-work. This is an absolute banger.

Visions of Trees – Novocaine (Melé Vocal Mix)

Next is a lovely vocal mix of Visions of Trees’ endlessly surprising Novocaine, where a great vocal line is twinned with stomping bass in a track full of great micro-edits and details in order to keep it well-paced and engaging right the way to the close.

A1 Bassline - Falsehood

A1 Bassline’s releases have been fire recently, and the recent Buoyancy / Falsehood is no exception. The A-side’s bassy glory is well worth a listen, but for me this darker B-side stole the show. Here great percussion vies for attention with choppy footwork vocals, before dropping into one of the best builds I’ve heard all year.

DJ Godfather – Make That M.F.

Moving on to other genres, this piece of dirty ghetto techno has had me moving all month long. Joining the ranks of the likes of DJ Assault, DJ Sluggo and Maurice Joshua, here Percolator-style bounces supplement knife-sharp handclaps under that commanding vocal line.

Boddika – Acid Battery

One of the more remarkable tracks on Scuba’s excellent DJ Kicks this month, Boddika’s cold new acid take relies on treated synths, skittering percussion and paranoid searing synths to fantastic effect.

Distal – Mamanimal

I kind of put this track in because I’m still unsure whether I like it or not, but it’s definitely worth a listen. Clipped from this month’s Frite Nite Surreal Estate collection, this mutating track settles from a stuttering bass number with precise and textured percussion into an uneasy synthline, before abandoning all of this completely for two minutes of an epic synth build and powerful beats. Has to be heard to be believed.

Brenmar – Temperature Rising

First pick of this month’s bassier numbers goes to Brenmar’s gorgeous and sexy release from his newest Let’s Pretend EP. A fantastic vocal line glides smoothly over light percussion and deep bass stabs, while a constantly shifting synth-field always keeps the song firing at all cylinders. This is one not to miss.

Jack Dixon – Clear

Another gorgeous cut from up and coming Jack Dixon, this is a light and airy cut with distinctive bass stylings. A nice vocal line echoes off into a warm and bouncy track that has the real potential to get dancefloors moving.

Sepalcure – I’m Alright

Coming out as the B-side to their forthcoming single Pencil Pimp from the NY duo’s self-titled debut out this month, this is a great sign of what’s to come. Really laid back, the vocals court light synth-work showing Sepalcure’s trademark skill and bass know-how.

Jack Dixon – Coconuts (Disclosure Remix)

Another Jack Dixon cut, this time remixed by White Noise favourite Disclosure, this has had a lot of playtime on my laptop in the last few weeks. Disclosure take Dixon’s slow and sexy tune and draw those vocals and beats out as far as they will go, crafting a fantastic tune in its own right.

Arkist – 23 Summers

(Not on youtube but included in the download)

The always on-point Arkist crafts a sinuous groove across bouncing synths and vocals that are just out of earshot, showing his consistent ability to put a warm and funky twist and contemporary dance music.

Addison Groove – An We Drop

Another track culled from Scuba’s DJ Kicks release, this is quite a restrained cut for the normally intense producer, but it’s recognisably Addison Groove in the acid-house stabs that rule the latter half of this great tune.

Gugu – Rollin

Following this year’s Afro-Cuban EP with a release on DVA’s recent Some Things Never Strange EP, Gugu stole the show for me with Rollin. Deceptively simple, the bounciest of basslines rules under sharp beats and a great vocal loop.

Kahn – Tehran

The B-side to Kahn’s last Illy single, Tehran sounds totally unique, with distinctive Eastern trappings running over the top of a pulsing dance tune. Definitely one of the best tunes of the month.

Najem Sworb – Severance

(Not on youtube but included in the download)

French producer Najem Sworb’s last single was one of the best I’ve heard in a long while, and this A side more than proves why. Through what is essentially techno he creates a busy and rich soundfield, layering mutating synthlines over a head-bobbing beat and irregular percussion.

Floating Points – Danger

Floating Points’ last experimental 7” won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but it certainly held my attention. This is micro-dance at its smallest, beats sounding like rips in the musical fabric interrupted by a tiny swirling synthline that makes for quite a cerebral listen. You might find it hard to fit this into a mix, but its definitely worth a listen.

Mosca – The Way We Were

The first track from Mosca’s free 5000 Followers EP (released to celebrate a Twitter landmark), this is a track of unusual quality for a free release. The word here is groovy, and Mosca ties soothing vocals over warm keys and tops it all off with a Wu-Tang skit. What more could you ask for?

Nicolas Jaar – Don’t Break My Love

Fresh off the press, Jaar’s free EP (available to download as of this week) shows Jaar is still on form, and he’s looking in more interesting directions than ever with his sound. What is largely an experimental percussion piece unfolds at its own hypnotic pace, with organic sounds complimenting each other gorgeously. It all finishes with an intoxicating loop that you’ll wish went on for much longer.

Feature: Guest Mix

The second of many guest mixes by White Noise's very own resident DJ, Gully Moreland. This is a gorgeous blend of House, Garage and Bass and includes some of my very favourite tracks at the moment, featuring a good few that will come out in next week's October roundup. So kick back and enjoy!

Tracklist:

Braille - A Meaning
Julio Bashmore - Battle For Middle You
Eats Everything - Entrance Song
Huxley - Shower Scene
Classixx feat. Karl Dixon - Into The Valley (Julio Bashmore Remix)
SCB - Loss
Coat of Arms - Is This Something

The whole mix is downloadable from Soundcloud, and you can look forward to some exciting things happening for both G-More and White Noise very soon.

Dance and Electronic Roundup September – The Past

I’ve been away and moving to Paris so I’ve been neglecting the blog recently, but there have been all sorts of fantastic tunes coming out over summer and I’ve put together my highlights for all you guys here in a handy little playlist. It’s so big that I thought it’d be better in two parts; these are the best tunes I've been hearing from earlier in the year.

Download the whole playlist in mp3 format here.



Julio Bashmore – Battle For Middle You

Bashmore seems to be always on-point, whether in his remixes, co-productions or solo work, and his Everybody Needs A Theme Tune EP earlier this year proved he’s a force to be reckoned with. This is the standout of the EP, with a slow-build beat and wobbling synth giving way to a shady, bassy groove. I challenge anyone not to love it.

Hackman – Close

Now we’re going back in time somewhat to some tracks I never got a chance to mention on here. First up is undoubtedly a frontrunner in my favourite tracks of the year, Hackman’s tropical take on dubstep gives way to a deep groove and a genuinely heart-wrenching vocal sample. A track that is well-crafted and guaranteed to get people dancing, all while having a sincere emotional effect on the listener is a rare and wonderful thing.

Blawan – Getting Me Down

I know this is a very late nod to such a wonderful track, and Blawan’s new release should really be the focus of attention, but I couldn’t let the year pass without sharing this with whoever hasn’t yet heard it. A simple and rich beat is fused with some of the straight-up best vocal sampling I’ve ever heard, chopped and screwed whilst holding onto one of the best hooks of the year. You’ll find yourself attempting to sing this long after it’s over.

Sully – 2 Hearts

Although not released as a single, the second cut from Sully’s new Carrier LP easily deserves a 12” to itself. Sully continues where he left off on his last single The Loot, mining the darkest corners of 2-step with creeping synths, garage sounds and a frightened sampled scream that will stay in your head long after the track is over.

Koreless – MTI

Heading back to lighter pastures with one of my favourite discoveries of the summer, Glasgow’s young bass master Koreless. The subtlety and attention to his details in his tracks makes almost every one a winner for me, and it was hard to choose this B-side over the great single 4D that the 12” comes with, but this is the winner for me. A hiss-laden ambient wash introduces the track over a beautiful sample and ubiquitous bassy bleeps. Koreless shows himself a master of the micro-edit in how the vocal sample is laced through the track, bringing his trademark smoothness to the potentially rough business of cutting up vocals so fine.

Juk Juk – Winter Turn Spring

This newcomer on Four Tet’s Text label came out of nowhere to produce one of the best tracks this August. Backmasked vocals cast a ghostly shadow over the clean and punchy beat, the softness of which is later undermined by a dark dubby snarl. All the layers comes together to create a track that is subtly and beautifully edited as well as sounding genuinely unique.

Omar S – Solely Supported

The first track from Omar S’ great recent LP, this is also one of the best. Throwback sounds are put back together in new ways, creating a simple but great track that’ll carve a sinuous groove to your ears.

Prison Garde – L’Automne

Canada is just on fire at the moment. Prison Garde gave away a free LP, Systeme Hermes, that I didn’t have time to review over the summer, but for anyone who hasn’t heard it this track should persuade you. His focus on simple and clean retro synths, married to sliding percussion and a keen sense of timing and restraint works impressively on this track, presumably instincts born from so many years at the front of Canada’s club scene.

Willy Joy – A Woman Like Me (Dillon Francis Remix)

A classic slice of the odd subgenre moombahton that’s been emerging for some time, this is a straight-up slice of dancefloor fodder, combining a crazy-forceful beat with a clean vocal sample and a really nice groove.

Lukid – Dragon Stout

(This track isn't on youtube, but the mp3 is included on the playlist downloadable above)

This is definitely where things get a little strange. Lukid’s woozy output is enough to make anyone outside the constrains of sobriety a little seasick at the least, and on his most recent Spitting Bile EP he continues to make some of the weirdest dance music out there with flare. Discordant digital synths crunch together into a stuttering beat accompanied by a rich soundfield of really bizarre sounds. This track may not be for everyone, but I’m loving it and you definitely can’t say there’s anything else out there like this.

Jam City – Barely A Trak

Although no recent Night Slugs activity means I don’t have anything new to share (I’m sure we’re all excited about L-Vis 1990s debut though, right), but I want to give a nod to Jam City’s bizarre and wonderful construction from the Waterworx EP. As the title states, there’s so little here that this is hardly a song, but its sparse components somehow manage to pull it off. The vocal line sounds suitably strange in a soundfield of loping beats and rising synthy oddness, before traffic and pedestrian noise engulfs the whole lot briefly. Has to be heard to be believed.

Jason Fine - Jack Yo Bodda (Feat AOS)

This track almost sounds like it came out ten years ago, but it’s yet further proof that our dance ancestors got it so right. A simple 4/4 underlies a great vocal sample and brilliantly woozy synthlines, creating a simple but punchy dance tune that could get anyone moving.

4UCKY – 1984 (I Want More)

I don’t really know anything about this guy, but I’ve definitely had this song on a lot over the summer. As the title indicates, it’s pure 80s throwback, with a driving beat and cheap bell sounds propelling sleazy vocals across the track. Then it all breaks down into a crunchy untreated synthline and, well, I just can’t really get enough.

Synkro & Indigo – Guidance

If that last track was moving away from dance genres, this track almost goes further. Drum and Bass is really not my thing, but Exit Records really put out a winner on this 12”. The cinematic and relaxed groove of liquid DnB can do things the straighter tracks can't achieve. Half-rooted in atmospheric ambient, a sharp beat skitters across the surface of this track and creates a dreamy, epic sound that goes down a treat. If you like this, the B-side Reflections is equally great.

Tycho – Hours

Last call here goes to my favourite ambient beatsmith on the scene, Tycho, who has a very exciting new album due out soon. Past is Prologue was the very definition of a grower, and the first track from his new album Dive sounds like exactly what the doctor ordered; more of the same unique sound, but a little pacier, a little more refined. Let it take you away.