The sheer volume of new music released on a daily basis means that some gems will invariably go unnoticed, even by the most dedicated enthusiasts. Crate Digging is a monthly roundup of top-tier tracks you might have missed from across the electronic music spectrum.
From obscurities uncovered during trips down Bandcamp rabbit holes to the latest releases from legendary artists, Crate Digging is here to keep your collection up to date.
1. Toumba – Rashash [Nervous Horizon]
Toumba draws on his Jordanian heritage with “Rashash,” a contemporary club banger that blends traditional Arabic percussion with rapid-fire kicks and gnarly drones. Nervous Horizon is the perfect home for this kind of forward-thinking, experimental bass music.
2. Dennis Quin – Temptation [Dennis Quin]
The title track from the Temptation EP sees Dennis Quin returning to his self-titled imprint with a classy slice of uplifting house. A bouncy, ’90s-style bass line and swinging beats lead the way, complemented by fluttering pianos, classic rave stabs, and a catchy vocal sample.
3. Trunkline – Overlaps (Sterac Remix) [Arkham Audio]
Dutch techno legend Steve Rachmad dons his Sterac alias to remix “Overlaps” in his inimitable style. Rachmad strips down the drums and adds dusty dub chord sequences that slowly build and release tension as they wash in and out of the mix.
4. Jeff Mills – The Other Maria [Axis]
“The Other Maria” sees Jeff Mills heading deeper down the rabbit hole of leftfield, experimental techno, adding touches of cinematic sound design to his now signature sci-fi flavor.
5. Sully, Coco Bryce, Dwarde and Tim Reaper – Synergy [Future Retro London]
Four absolute powerhouses of the contemporary jungle scene team up on the aptly-titled “Synergy.” Sully, Coco Bryce, Dwarde, and Tim Reaper each bring their production strengths to a collaboration that is more than the sum of its parts. Roughneck breaks, sub-rattling bass, and trippy synths conjure images of hazy warehouses in the mid 90’s.
6. Radio Slave – Strobe Queen (Kirk Degiorgio Remix) [Rekids]
The already lush and uplifting “Strobe Queen” heads into full-on Balearic territory thanks to Kirk Degiorgio. The tempo gets lowered, and the strings and pianos of Radio Slave‘s original are replaced by reverbed acid licks, soaring pads, twinkling synths, and a warm, fuzzy bassline.
7. JC Laurent – Chemical Clouds [Cielo Records]
JC Laurent gets deep with a heady, minimal and percussive soundscape that draws influences from techno, drum and bass, and ambient. Despite its stripped-down aesthetic, “Chemical Clouds” is a thunderous track that will do serious damage when played through a big sound system.
8. Loleatta Holloway – Crash Goes Love (Jaymie Silk Remix) [Jaymie Silk]
Disco luminary Loleatta Holloway is the latest to get the Jaymie Silk edit treatment. Her powerful, catchy vocals from “Crash Goes Love” get layered over chunky kicks, rolling bass, and chopped-up tribal loops.
9. Sanguine – If You Know [Pure Space]
“If You Know” is a slowly-evolving, spaced-out tribal techno journey in which Sanguine seamlessly combines warm, subtle melodies with precise drum programming and booming low end. One of many highlights from Pure Space’s latest compilation in the Proximity series.
10. Rebecca Goldberg – Automated (Mark Broom Remix) [Phoq U Phonogrammen]
Straight-up hardgroove goodness from one of the pioneers of the sound. Mark Broom adds some thumping TR-909 patterns and rolling sub bass to “Automated” while retaining the hypnotic synth sequences from Rebecca Goldberg‘s original mix, cleverly combining elements of both U.K. and Detroit techno.
