Whether you’re a casual listener, a hardcore music nerd, or somewhere in between, the sheer volume of new music released on a daily basis means some gems will invariably pass you by. Crate Digging is a monthly roundup of top-tier tunes 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. Insolate – The Day Will Come (Deniro Remix) [Arkham Audio]
Deniro‘s remix of “The Day Will Come” retains the hypnotic, staccato bass line and percussive rhythms of Insolate‘s original, while adding warmth and soul with lush, filtered pads. Eyes-closed, heads-down business for the early hours of the morning.
2. Dan Piu – Whispers Of Goodbye [Deep Inspiration Show Records]
Sounding like something unearthed from a batch of lost Detroit techno demos, “Whispers Of Goodbye” is actually the latest cut from Zurich-based Dan Piu. Blending sparkling synth sequences, charming chords, and tight, subtle drums, it’s a fine nod to the roots of the genre.
3. Unklevon – Science Club [Boysnoize Records]
Unklevon offsets crisp, robotic drums with gritty synths and a deep, eerie vocal on “Science Club.” The result is dark, four-to-the-floor electro from the dystopian future.
4. Sun People – Runaway [Candy Mountain]
Multi-genre maverick Sun People returns with another mutated hybrid of electro, techno, dub and footwork. “Runaway” is centered around a mechanical, syncopated groove comprised of chirpy percussion, quirky effects, and a gnarly bass line, occasionally joined by urgent synth stabs and off-kilter chords.
5. Aposematism – Stepper [Backpocket Slammers]
Organic meets synthetic in “Stepper,” a heady, minimal, half-time trip. Aposematism takes the drum and bass staples of dubbed-out vocal samples and a rolling low end and combines them with glitchy, heavily effected nature sounds and razor-sharp techno drums.
6. Bruecke – Sketch [W133]
Bruecke utilises subtle sounds for the basis of “Sketch” but combines these elements into a powerful finished product that infuses percussive, broken beat techno with dub sensibilities.
7. Orlando Voorn – Needs [Self-Released]
“Needs” is an energetic, irreverent deep house jam from Dutch mainstay Orlando Voorn. Chopped-up vocals, looped pianos, echoed samples from old soul records, and rugged percussion sounds play off one another in a call-and-response style. They’re all slightly off the grid to give the track a wonky, organic feel.
8. Blâme – Delicious [Délices du Midi]
Low-slung, stripped-down rhythms from Blâme appear on the latest Délices du Midi compilation. “Delicious” only needs well-programmed drums, deep sub bass, and some trippy effects to create an inescapable groove.
9. Elsa – Peanut Dust [Common Ancestors]
Exploring the more psychedelic side of bass music, Elsa utilizes trippy soundscapes, wiggly percussion, and a thick bass line on “Peanut Dust” to merge the playful with the heady.
10. Japp Beats – Rhythm Blaster [Planet Rhythm]
Sometimes all you need is an aggressive bass line, some hardcore rave stabs, and a catchy vocal hook. Unashamedly dance floor-focused, “Rhythm Blaster” from Japp Beats is an electro-breaks jam written for big sound systems and sweaty dance floors.
