Features
August: Six artists you need to check out this month
Summer listening
Erika de Casier
Erika de Casier is a musical chameleon, punctuating nocturnal jams and r’n’b tales with g-funk beats and wordplay on debut album ‘Essentials’. She co-produced it with fellow Dane DJ Sports, who she also worked with on 2017’s dreamy garage cut ‘Drive’. The album sounds like a cross between Smerz and Sade, its zinging sound as refreshing as lemon sorbet. Lead single ‘Good Time’ is the most sensual jam of 2019, subdued synths flickering seductively below the refrain: “I’m trying to have a good time with you.”
The ‘Essentials’ LP is out now
[Photo: Peter Dupont]
13XL
13XL’s music sounds like punk-fuelled trap made on the mightiest of comedowns – in a good way. Xena Hussain and World Unknown’s Scott Bowley spin warped melodies, 808 kicks and moody vocal harmonies into anthems. And their reputation is rocketing. They’ve won a legion of fans in South London’s secret party scene, played international fashion weeks and signed to Moves Recordings. Their first proper release, ‘Show You the Whole World and Show You How Well It Spins’, explores the immigrant experience in Britain.
13XL’s debut EP drops on August 15
[Photo: Nathan Sam Long]
Gafacci
Accra-based Gafacci’s breakout track ‘I Like Your Girlfriend’ showed a maverick touch in fusing grime with afro-house. His global focus is evident from his collaborations, which have included Irish producer Famous Eno and London’s Mina. But as much as his ambitions are world-=facing, Gafacci is also keen to celebrate his home country’s talent, and guest spots on his summertime jam of an EP ‘TASH NBM’ include r’n’b artist Amaarae and guitarist Kyekyeku. It’s a skillfully restrained but emotive piece of work.
The ‘TASH BNM’ EP is out now via Clam Clam
[Photo: Valerie Siba]
Thomaas Banks
Psychemagik’s Thomas Coveney is best known for dancefloor euphoria, but his Thomaas Banks alias looks at the club through a different lens. Banks’ early releases are murky, veering between moody melancholia and apocalyptic frenzy at the chugging pace of a video game protagonist strolling through a nuclear meltdown. On ‘Necare Diskõ’, on his label SINAHTI, he maintains his downtempo march through crashing hats and gurgling acid. TYVYT|IYTYI and Hymns are on remix duties.
The ‘Necare Diskõ’ EP is out mid-September on SINAHTI
Tora Vinter
No-one can call Tora Vinter an overnight sensation. Her music had its club debut via Moodymann in 2006, and three years later a 12” and an invitation to remix Fever Ray followed. It wasn’t until last year that we heard the follow-up ‘BROR06’ EP. ‘Sheherazade’ is eight minutes of patient, emotional electro, and has been treated to an ambient rebrand by Johanna Knutson on remix EP ‘BROR09’. It also features Studio Barnhus’ Shakarchi & Straneus, and Tora Vinter reinterpreting a track by label boss DJ Lily.
‘BROR09’ is out on Bror Records
nAbi
What do you get when you fuse Middle Eastern and Mediterranean sounds with modern dance, hip hop and bass house? Tel Aviv-based beat-makers Ori Rousso and Matan Spenser have the answer. As nAbi, the duo are bringing a new dimension to dancefloors, mixing traditional Jewish Yemenite sounds with Hebrew and Arabic vocals layered on club-ready beats. They cite Green Velvet and FlyLo as influences, mirroring the latter’s interest in narrative by creating fictional characters to drive their tracks.
‘Kapara’ feat Magi is out now
[Photo: Shlomy x Morchi]
