NEW MUSIC: Shift K3y - Touch

If the sudden success of Clean Bandit's "Rather Be" in the UK is anything to go by, then "Touch", the mindblowingly catchy new single by previously musically ambiguous producer Shift K3Y, could well be the next step in a full on garage takeover in 2014. 

The garage revival has been gradually working its way through the dance underground's deep house obsession of 2013, but most of it has been afraid to place a toe firmly in the late 90s/early 00s nostalgia pool, the majority opting to follow in Disclosure's footsteps and offer flavours of garage without recalling too much of this shamelessly cheesy period in music. 

Why "Touch" works is that it brings back everything that was good about garage in the first place, including the features that Disclosure et al have been too credible to - the sugary sweet male vocal, gloriously sung by the producer himself (a fact which makes me very happy indeed), a 130+ bpm, and a set of simplistic, hollow yet instantly memorable lyrics, which accompany a melody so catchy that their vacuousness can be forgiven, celebrated even. 

If Clean Bandit turned back the clock to the sunkissed post-garage/chilled-house days of 2002/3, Shift K3y has bravely turned the hands even further back to 1999, channelling the spirit of Artful Dodger. Need another reason why this is so great? This was a time when unknown producers and acts would top the charts out of the blue, purely because of a shamelessly catchy tune, so please let's see "Touch" become the second breakthrough #1 of the year and let's see some hard work pay off.

FOR FANS OF: Artful Dodger, Kove, DEVolution

- Joe Copplestone, 3.2.14

Party Tracks of the Week!

Felon - Isla
#House #Dance

Another underground house gem. Somewhere between the blissful balearica of Tensnake and the sleek deep house of Disclosure, London DJ Felon's magnificent "Isla" lies waiting to be discovered.



Zinc - Only For Tonight (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix)
#House #Dance

Since his flawless debut record, TEED has been making a name for himself as not just an incredible songwriter and artist, but as a genius remixer. In contrast to the grimey garage of the original, TEED Takes Zinc's "Only For Tonight" and transports it from an underground club in Peckham to a beach in Ibiza.



San Cisco - Fred Astaire (Joywave Remix)
#Electro #Bass

A completely unexpected take of the chirpy Aussie-indie band's last single. Taking "Fred Astaire" from twee to tremendous, The "Tongues" electropoppers tease us with some bubbly Bondax synths before dropping in an almighty gritbomb bassline drenched in apocalyptic choirs and synths. Outstanding.

Party Tracks of the Week!

M.I.A. - Bring The Noize
#Matangi #Bass #Electro

With artists like Azealia Banks, Natalia Kills and Wynter Gordon all trying their hand at gritty electro recently, M.I.A.'s triumphant return is the only one that is truly fierce, thrilling and with an effortless dancefloor pull that can't be tamed.



Kidnap Kid - So Close feat. Sinead Harnett (Club Mix)
#House #Bass

As beautiful as it is, there was always a dance anthem spirit in the original "So Close" that is finally unleashed with this rework, with a new ricocheting bassline and thicker beat doing wonders for the track's dancefloor appeal.



Sophie - Bipp
#Wonky #Bass #Techno

There was something slightly unhinged and unusual about Sophie's dance anthem "Nothing More To Say", but "Bipp" is full on mental institution. Taking the eerie pop sound of Grimes, giving it some Glasgow Wonky touches a-la TNGHT and then giving it some Robyn euro-80s sheen. And it's bloody addictive.

Party Tracks of the Week!

Disclosure - Voices (feat. Sasha Keable)
#House #Garage #Settle

What with Settle delightfully managing the near impossible task of being an almost entirely perfect full-length dance record, highlight "Voices" is yet another luxurious garage house anthem in the vein of "You & Me" and "White Noise", a benchmark in funky basslines and earworm vocal hooks courtesy of the silkily voiced Sasha.



Disclosure - Defeated No More (feat. Ed Macfarlane)
#House #FriendlyFires #Settle

Something else a little experimental but brilliant from the Disclosure boys. Friendly Fires' Ed Macfarlane's performance on the slightly slower and lustrous "Defeated No More" is so distinct that the track feels like a full blown Friendly Fires collaboration. It's warm pulsating pads and tropical, soulful vibe meshes with the dance duo's deep house basslines and crisp beats like a match made in Ibiza heaven. For god's sake people, buy Settle!



Gents & Jawns - Holler
#Moombahton #Electro #Bass

Gent & Jawns are making quite a name for themselves in the tropical moombah/trap/bass scene for their grimy noises and face-scrunching drops, and at the drop of "Holler", the dubsteppy throb that ensues oozes with filth and just the right amount of groove to keep things addictive.



Pomrad - Pomslap
#Wonky #80s #NuFunk

More than just slightly bonkers, Pomrad's take on 80s funk has about 15 different sections, each one even more irresistably funky than the next, with slap basslines thwacking against hyperactive synth lines and stuttering pads.

Party Tracks of the Week!

Alison Valentine - Peanut Butter (Moon Boots Remix)
#NuDisco #Dance #FREEDOWNLOAD

An absolutely joyous synthpop/piano house hybrid from the ever reliable Moon Boots, as Alison Valentine's dreamy voice floats around the soundscape.

Savage Skulls & Douster - TRT

#Garage #Bass #House

Hints of 90s rave give way to a thunderous bassline. Savage Skulls' "Bass Kick" EP is a massive testament to modern garage and bass, and "TRT" is its old school heart.

DJ Snake - Bird Machine (feat. Alesia)

#Trap #HipHop #FREEDOWNLOAD

First heard on Flosstradamus' Banned 2 Mixtape, "Bird Machine" is hands down one of the most bizarre tracks to come out of the Trap craze, with one of the most surprising drops ever, a menacing kick chasing after eerie chopped up bird tweets, quite literally. Yet this is, somehow, ridiculously addictive.

Party Tracks of the Week!

> Disclosure feat. AlunaGeorge - White Noise (Hudson Mohawke Remix)

#Trap #Bass

Taking that thunderous chord onslaught HudMo is gleefully infamous for, and matching it to Disclosure's fidgity house bassline makes for a crazy tune with an orgasmic payoff.

> EX$ - Dream Last Night

#House #Dance

The dark south london atmospherics of Burial in the context of a 90s house rave, building slowly before a delicious organ bassline drop.

> Shadow Child - 23

#Garage #2Step #Bass #House

The simplest of 2 step bassline murmers over an old school beat, with a relentless, hypnotic groove that refuses to relinquish its hold.

Roses Gabor - Stars

After her sleek guest spot on SBTRKT's album highlight "Pharoahs", Roses Gabor's latest single, produced by UK dance producer Redlight is much darker, and she takes centre stage despite the punishing, gritty production. Redlight cuts and pastes her voice over a gravelly bass synth and industrial sized beat, but Roses has no problem commanding the track when she steps forward.

FOR FANS OF: Jessie Ware, SBTRKT, Delilah

Destiny's Child - Say My Name (Cyril Hahn Remix)

A novelty, but a gorgeous one. Up and coming producer Cyril Hahn mutates the Destiny's Child's voices into mournful, androgynous croons over a dark, minimal house beat. Cyril Hahn's material consists of all remixes at the time of posting, but they are all worth listening to, check out his tumblr, and especially his remix of Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" as well. They aren't so much remixes as reinterpretations, sucking the swag and attitude out of hip hop and R&B hits, and replacing it with an eerieness, sparseness and sense of melancholy.

FOR FANS OF: Disclosure, The Weeknd, SBTRKT

AlunaGeorge - Your Drums, Your Love

As AlunaGeorge climb their way out of blogosphere up onto the ledge where the Jessie Wares and Delilahs of the UK sit comfortably, it would seem that itsy bitsy voiced Aluna Francis and her meticulous producer George Reid walk the line between the bassy and soulful as good as any of their peers. Whilst she may not have the effortless vocal of a singer like Jessie Ware or the instantly recognizable and arresting tone of Delilah, Francis' voice is light enough to ride Reid's deliciously seductive R&B grooves. "Your Drums Your Love" has a hook as strong and a lumbering bass as addictive as "You Know You Like It" before, and this can only raise expectations for their debut album, due 2013, even higher.

 Your Drums, Your Love by AlunaGeorge