October: Six artists you need to check out this month

After uploading a string of impressive freestyles online, Nigerian teen Rema was snapped up by Mavin Records, run by afrobeats champion Don Jazzy. His debut self-titled, four-track EP came out in March and hit No 1 on the Nigerian Apple Music album charts, and his ‘Rema Freestyle’ EP came out in June. On ‘American Love’ his emotive delivery recalls Lil Uzi Vert, while ‘Iron Man’ showcases his incredible vocal range.

The ‘Bad Commando’ EP is out now via Mavin Records

Winner of the 2018 Oram Award recognising emerging talent in the field of music and sound, North London native Loraine James draws on r’n’b, math rock and free jazz when crafting her unique and invigorating brand of electronica. Akin to Burial, her music has a spectral quality and is strung together by eerie, mutated samples that tap into listeners’ cultural memory. Now signed to Hyperdub, James’ debut release on the imprint explores the complexities of a queer relationship in London.

‘For You And I’ is out now on Hyperdub

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vōx (the Latin word for ‘voice’, but pronounced ‘wokes’) is an LA-based, Minnesota-born singer, songwriter and producer and Red Bull Music Academy graduate. Her hauntingly intimate and bewitching pop productions are dark, layered and carefully crafted, perhaps inspired by hip hop and r’n’b favourites such as Frank Ocean and Kanye West (both of whom she’s covered). She expores personal experiences via visuals, shows and songs, most notably EP title track ‘I Am Not A God’.

vōx’s ‘I Am Not A God’ EP is out now

[Photo: Katy Shayne]

The terms ‘experimental’ and ‘club music’ appear together quite a lot, but rarely with more justification than in describing Daniel Ruane. The Mancunian producer makes tracks that challenge what a DJ can get away with, what punters can dance to, and what a sub-woofer can withstand. ‘Nest’, a highlight of his recent EP on Failed Units, drops beats into scattered shapes resembling dubstep and gabber while steadily raising the bass pressure to boiling point.

The ‘Dawn of the Failed Units Pt 1’ EP is out now

[Photo: Lamclark Media]

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Active in the Shanghai music scene for over a decade, Wu Shanmin started out in experimental rock group Duck Fight Goose before delving into the world of post-club music with solo project 33EMYBW. Her output has a jagged, high-energy style she describes as ‘arthropod dance’, an exploration of how nature and technology connect. She’ll premiere new album ‘Arthropods’ at this year’s Unsound festival with programmed realities and cutting-edge game graphics.

33EMYBW's 'Arthropods' album is out on October 11

Hailing from Alberta, Kloves was selected to attend a Richie Hawtin masterclass in 2017, and seems to have taken Hawtin’s work ethic to heart with the sheer number of projects they have on the boil at the moment. Having opened for the techno legend himself in San Francisco, Kloves’ recent ‘Parabel’ EP was nominated for an electronic music prize at Calgary’s YYC Music Awards 2019. Recent album ‘Freaks’ on Kloves’ own Obskur Music outlet is all about heavy industrial beats and sharp acid lines.

‘Freaks’ is out now on Obskur Music

[Photo: Michael Benz]

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