Best Albums

August 2023

- LuckyMe
  Nathan Micay - To The God Named Dream
  
  Soaring emotions, breakbeat grandeur and the occasional banjo make for Nathan Micay's best record yet.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- JUICY GANG RECORDS
  DJ MELL G - ISSUES
  
  The JUICY GANG boss channels her mental health troubles into razor-sharp electro.
  
  Listen:
  Apple Music / Spotify
- Hakuna Kulala
  Ziúr - Eyeroll
  
  Ziúr lands on Ugandan label Hakuna Kulala for her fifth and most punk LP to date, joined by Juliana Huxtable, Iceboy Violet and more.
  
  Listen:
  Apple Music / Spotify
- Pinkman
  Ricardo Laine - Asleep In Their Myst
  
  For anyone interested in the industrial side of techno, Asleep In Their Myst is an essential record—monstrous but detailed.
  
  Listen:
  Apple Music / Spotify
- Demon Music Group
  Arthur Baker - Dance Masters: The Classic Dance Remixes
  
  A sprawling retrospective of one of the most important figures in dance music history, who helped define the sound of the '80s.
  
  Listen:
  YouTube
- Fixed Abode
  Iceboy Violet - Not A Dream But A Controlled Explosion
  
  Rapping and producing a full project for the first time, the UK artist blends confrontational hip-hop and club music on this fierce LP.
  
  Listen:
  Apple Music / Spotify
- Ladies Music Pub
  Tyson - Sunsetters / Daybreakers
  
  Working with rRoxymore and Joy Orbison, the London R&B singer's album wraps up trip-hop and soul in a seductive ambience.
  
  Listen:
  Apple Music / Spotify
- Coil Records
  Murlo - Puckle
  
  The Midlands producer continues to grow his Coil Universe, leading us into an Eden of AI-worshipping forest creatures soundtracked by gentle garage and grime.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- ESP Institute
  Benedikt Frey - Fastlane
  
  Fastlane combines the darker ends of the electronic '80s (and early '90s) with contemporary club music on another great record from this dance music Renaissance man.
  
  Listen:
  Spotify

Best EPs

August 2023

- Timedance
  Ploy - For When We Haven't Slept
  
  An electric ode to staying out too late from one of the UK's most consistent club producers.
  
  Listen:
  Apple Music / Spotify
- Holding Hands
  not even noticed - Don't You Dare
  
  Bass, breaks and brawny beauty on Holding Hands' first release of 2023.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- Power House
  Head High - Break Away
  
  This one is almost Balearic by Shed standards, with a killer breakbeat turn on the flipside.
  
  Listen:
  Apple Music / Spotify
- Yu Su - I Want An Earth
  
  Connecting the dots between Krautrock, adult contemporary and downtempo, Yu Su's latest EP features four breathtaking vistas crafted from a wondrous attention to detail.
  
  Listen:
  Apple Music / Spotify
- Big Saldo's Chunkers
  Sally C - Big Saldo's Chunker EP 003
  
  Sally C polishes her trademark hip-house "chunkers" into a more understated and sleek style.
  
  Listen:
  Apple Music / Spotify
- Innovative Leisure Records
  Bambii - Infinity Club
  
  The Toronto DJ exceeds all expectations with a debut EP that nods to the many cultural influences that make her hometown great.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music
- SPE:C
  Carré - Tilted
  
  Post-genre, LFO-wobbling club music from one of the DJ's behind LA's Fast At Work party.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- Spectral Sound
  SUCHI - Birdy Bell
  
  Catchy and expressive club music from a rising star, with a stellar Nick León remix.
  
  Listen:
  Spotify / Apple Music
- Warp Records
  Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760
  
  A compact four-track EP that focuses on Aphex Twin's strengths: wild drum workouts and melancholy melodies.
  
  Listen:
  Apple Music / Spotify
- Club Djembe
  Fiyahdred - Overtime / Wining Train
  
  The UK producer folds UK funky, Afro house and gqom into sexy club anthems.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp
- Mule Musiq
  Soos - Mundo Cute
  
  Dreamy downtempo and dubbed-out house from a key Mexico City artist.
  
  Listen:
  Bandcamp / Apple Music / Spotify

Best Mixes

August 2023

- CHACHI GUERRERO
  Femmedecks 096
  
  Chicago's Chachi Guerrero put this FemmeDecks mix together getting ready for the Great Beyond festival in Minnesota. "Inspired by the rush of the summer heat and my recent musical experiences of the year, I hope this mix expresses how fast life comes at you."
- Juana
  Juana's Kuntemplation
  
  Juana from Washington, DC shows off a style of techno that's as atmospheric as it is physical, like swimming at warp speed through deep waters.
- Severja
  Monument Festival 2023
  
  Midgar boss Severja played this set to open the final day of Monument Festival in the Norwegian countryside. It's a lovely trip through psychedelic techno and bubbly broken beats, featuring tracks from artists like Maara, Tano, Ludwig A.F. and Konduku.
- Raresh
  Live At Dimensions 2022
  
  It's a treat to hear any Raresh set online, especially one from a festival like Dimensions. This recording catches him in pure party mode, full of lush synths, flashy DJing and funky drums.
- 1morning
  HÖR August 15 2023
  
  From hardgroove to house and good old fashioned Detroit-style minimal techno, this 55 minutes should show you why 1morning is one of the coolest, most promising techno DJs in America right now.
- Isa Enes
  RBL goes to Crack Bellmer
  
  Barcelona-based DJ Isa Enes shared a live recording from Berlin's Crack Bellmer—a lovely, sleek, stripped-down set of techno and house in various dubby shades.
- Dee Traits
  Shelflife Sound Mix 005
  
  South African duo Dee Traits infuse the hulking rhythms of gqom with Afro house and amapiano slink and sexiness on this excellent mix for Shelflife Sound.
- Akanbi
  Live At Lente Kabinet Festival 2023
  
  This recording of New York DJ Akanbi at Lente Kabinet in the Netherlands is pure summer: uplifting club music paired with bubbly amapiano and other Afro-diasporic dance sounds, mixed with finesse and seamlessly jumping from mood to mood.
- Katsuya Sano
  CDV 24.07.2023
  
  A recording of veteran DJ Katsuya Sano live at Berlin's much-loved Club der Visionäre, featuring plenty of bleepy disco, trance, electro and more.
- Black Girl/White Girl
  Open-to-Close Jackfest
  
  This recording from Perron in Rotterdam shows Black Girl/White Girl at their best—an open-to-close set of groovy, tightly mixed techno that starts out hard and pretty much stays there.