This week, we got a tour of Tokyo’s electronic scene from Japanese producer Shingo Nakamura, got an update on the 2021 season in Ibiza, broke down the four emerging artists to keep your eyes on, saw Warner Music Group acquire David Guetta‘s catalog for roughly $100 million, watched Calvin Harris and Tom Grennan debut at No. 6 on Dance/Electronic Songs with their recent banger “By Your Side” and witnessed the surprise cancellation of Tomorrowland 2021.
Beyond all this moving and shaking, we have entirely other kind of moving and shaking, via the best new dance tracks out this week. Let’s dig in.
TSHA, “OnlyL”
Fresh voices are hard to find, but London newcomer TSHA is as bright and unique as they come. The young producer made waves with her 2018 debut and was soon scooped up by Ninja Tune and Counter Records. In October 2019 she graced Billboard Dance‘s emerging artists roundup. And just six months ago, she gifted listeners a blossoming bunch of tracks on the Flowers EP, but she’s already back with a new EP announcement and a lead single that’s perfectly set for summer fun. “OnlyL” is a subtle sunshine serenade, brimming with breezy melodies and hip-jerking electronic rhythms. Vocal duo Nimmo serve hypnotic melodies with a delightful echo-delay hook. It’s as calm and soothing a track as it is invigorating and free, an exciting first taste of the upcoming OnlyL EP, due for release Aug. 27 via Ninja Tune. — KAT BEIN
Nervo, “Basement”
With live events beginning to start back up, it feels natural to want to dive headfirst into as many shows as possible. While festivals offer artists buffet-style on a platter with blinding production and cutting-edge visuals, sometimes you just really crave a good ol’ party in a concrete box where it’s just the DJ, the crowd, the music and a red light. On their Toolroom debut, Nervo celebrate the “Basement” with a feel-good house track that rushes back memories of Ubering downtown with your friends to an inconspicuous venue where you dance the night away and stumble back outside at sunrise. You can almost feel the sweat dripping down the walls, and each “whoa!” in the chorus swells with an uncaged, head-thrown-back euphoria. “Hot on my lips, I can taste it,” Nervo sing, “and I’m about to lose control.” — KRYSTAL RODRIGUEZ
Jax Jones, “Crystalise”
While we love the buoyant dance pop Jax Jones has pumped out during the last few years, the ravier productions he’s currently focused on are resonating just as much if not more. The UK producer’s recently released “Feels” was a full-on house glow-up, while “Crystalise,” out Friday (June 18), hits an emotive, anthemic peak-time vibe that’s balanced out with a stuttering, slightly woozy beat that sounds like pure 3 a.m. Both singles grace Jones’ forthcoming Deep Joy EP, out July 2 via the producer’s new label WUGD, a partnership with manager Dan Stacey — who’s worked with artists including Jones, Duke Dumont, Kah-Lo and more — and Polydor Records. “All the tunes I’ve got coming are shaped by joy not trends,” Jones says in a statement on his shift in direction, “and I feel like you can really hear that in the music.” We can really feel it too. — KATIE BAIN
Skream, “Trees”
Who among us does not miss the rave? You know the ones we mean. Parties where there aren’t any big stages and flashing light, just a horde of bodies dancing. There’s a certain oneness that comes with getting lost among a sea of sweaty beings. That’s the kind of vibe we get listening to Skream’s “Trees,” a nostalgic bit of electro-house romance, out now on the legend’s new label, ifeel.
“’Trees’ is just one of the tracks I had a special feeling about when I started it in 2019,” Skream tells Billboard Dance. “I originally started the track down at my beloved Devon Analogue Studio. By the time I was finished there, it had a few things to be added when I got home, and I sent it to my manager and his exact words were ‘this is special,’ and I must say I agree with him.”
“Trees” is paired with an acid banger remix by Russian beat sniper Maruwa. Both are worth the spins, and look out for more Skream originals coming on ifeel very soon. — K. Bein
12th Planet, “Clairvoyant”
After surprise-dropping the single “Marine Iguana” three weeks back, bass favorite 12th Planet is back with “Clairvoyant.” Finding a fresh, innovative but still fully listenable middle ground between grimy wind-up bass, shimmering future bass and D&B, the track uplifts as much as (and maybe even more so than) it throttles. It’s an altogether lighter sound than heard on the producer’s 2020 Swamplex EP, and we’re fully here for this smart and (slightly) softer output from the longstanding L.A. scene leader.
The track comes from 12th Planet’s new Supernova EP, an independent release also out Friday. There’s also a tour of the same name, with a run of upcoming cross-country Supernova dates launching in August and including sets at EDC Las Vegas and Freaky Deaky, with additional shows to be announced. — KATIE BAIN
Overmono, “BMW Track”https://www.billboard.com/”So U Kno”
Following their Pieces Of 8/ Echo Rush release in April, Overmono (the UK brother-duo of Ed and Tom Russell, aka Tessela and Truss) are back with a new two-tracker, “BMW Track”https://www.billboard.com/”So U Kno,” on their Poly Kicks label. Described in a statement as a tribute to their south east London studio, the tracks bring two distinct flavors. “BMW Track” sounds like attempting to drive through mountains at night across a bumpy terrain of moody breakbeats. Just when you think the floating synth melodies indicate smooth sailing, a subterranean bassline careens you right off a cliff.
Meanwhile, “So U Kno” goes UK garage, complementing rough and rumbling bass with sugary vocals, brain-tickling hi-hats and strobing synths.
“Some will know ‘BMW Track’ from our live shows, it’s been a lynchpin of our set list and we cannot tell you the blood and sweat that went into those drums,” Overmono wrote in a Facebook post. “Remember working on ‘So U Kno’ when we were a few days deep into a studio session. Starting to realize that tunes either take no time at all or f—ing ages, and there’s one of each on this record… vibes were high when this track suddenly came together and in the absence of clubs and festivals we’ve been battering it in the car ever since we finished it…” — K.R.
Source
