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. Quantum Collapse – Kumaras 4 [Apnea Records]
Eduardo De La Calle explores the more introspective, experimental side of his repertoire on “Kumaras 4.” It’s a warm, melodic IDM journey that rewards multiple listens.
2. Dubfire – Deadbug (Nadia Struiwigh Remix) [Sci+Tec]
Dutch hardware enthusiast Nadia Struiwigh turns “Deadbug” by Dubfire into a gritty, cinematic soundscape that treads a three-way tightrope between drum and bass, electronica, and techno.
3. BrandNewTrumpets – To You [Diffrent Music]
“To You” is a welcome return to Diffrent Music for BrandNewTrumpets. The rapidly rising star takes her sound into more cosmic, atmospheric territory while retaining the precise drum programming and heavy low end that characterize her music.
4. Qant – Blackest Night [KAVAL13]
Qant evokes the early days of dubstep, when it was basically a deeper and darker take on UK garage. Shuffling beats, dusty chords, and rugged bass stabs make “Blackest Night” mandatory listening for dubstep purists.
5. Regal86 – Kollekt [Self-Released]
Just one tune from an absolutely mammoth, 100-track release of previously unreleased music, “Kollekt” is subtle, lush breakbeat from Mexico’s Regal86.
6. Nebuchadnezzar – I dont think so [Self-Released]
Chaotic, up-tempo, and expansive bass music that manages to make minimalism sound brutal. Nebuchadnezzar completely throws convention out the window with “I dont think so” to brilliant effect.
7. Esc & Mineral – The Red Death [Straight Up Breakbeat]
Esc & Mineral balance heavy bass and breaks with heady, spacious pads to create an intricate, meditative jungle track with just the right amount of grit.
8. Møntero – Metal Flex [Illegal Alien Records]
Absolutely gnarly sounds drive “Metal Flex” by Møntero forward, with desiccated sine waves and glitchy bleeps weaving in and out of a grimy bass line and punchy drums.
9. Joakuim – Profondeur [Planet Rhythm]
Usually active in the drum and bass and jungle scene, Joakuim takes his flair for intricate arrangement, warm atmospheres, and rolling bass, and applies it to low-slung dub techno.
10. Lamin Fofana – Toco SOS [Self-Released]
“Toco SOS” is a slowly unfurling, percussive journey from Lamin Fofana that reaches a jubilant climax with forlorn vocal chants, bubbling synth sequences, and interesting field recordings.
11. JK Flesh – PI11.1 [Pi Electronics]
Justin K. Broadrick continues his adventures into electronic music with “PI11.1,” a distorted, scratchy rhythm that pays tribute to his roots in industrial and metal music while spiraling even further down the rabbit hole of abstract sound design and synthesis.
12. Göcke & Anniverse – ACGTU (Luigi Tozzi Remix) [Aedi Records]
The already hypnotic “ACGTU” gets a remix from Luigi Tozzi. The Italian maestro turns it into a psychedelic, ambient techno trip that’s equally effective late at night on a big sound system as it is playing through headphones at the afters.
13. Mark Williams – Subliminal Fragment [N&N Records]
Legendary hardgroove producer Mark Williams is on a roll lately, returning from an eight-year hiatus to drop rolling, percussive grooves like he never even left. “Subliminal Fragment” is quintessential Williams: funky, tough and full of clever sample manipulation.
14. Jeff Mills – Methane Bubbles [Axis]
“Methane Bubbles” is the kind of jazzy, cosmic, soulful house music with a touch of techno flair that only Jeff Mills knows how to make.
15. Minimalphunk Featuring Juliane – unless sweet [Area Code 221]
A beautiful leftfield electronica piece, “unless sweet” was originally commissioned for a performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which unfortunately never went ahead. The track ended up on an obscure chillout compilation released at the turn of the millennium. Minimalphunk has recently uncovered the track, uploading it to his Bandcamp for a new generation to experience.
