There’s giving the people what they want, and then there is surprise-dropping a pay-as-you-want album on the first day of the year. Enter Skee Mask. The third instalment of the Munich-born Ilian Tape affiliate’s self-released album series, Skee unveiled a “batch” of tracks created between 2016 and 2020; typically dynamic, ‘C’ carries us from squelchy percussion and soft synths all the way through to turbo-charged hats and naughty basslines — and back again. The disparate vibes, tempos and genre nods found within the record give probably the best insight into the way Skee Mask’s mind works to date — allowing us to settle within delicate ambient one minute, before jumping to racuous kicks at breakneck speed without ever compromising on listenability. No one else can dish out five minutes of atmospheric waves seen in ‘Blok’ alongside the clubland catchiness of ‘One For Vertigo’ and it still feel harmonious… but here we are.

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Despite its melodic focus, Otik’s debut album ‘Cosmosis’ still manages to exert all those jagged textures and soul-affirming club energy that the emotional breakbeat maestro has become renowned for. While the record retains affecting synths and groove-laden percussion throughout its 11 tracks, it still feels experimental — as Otik masterfully utilises off-kilter bass, jittering hats and rowdy rave nods throughout to keep us on our toes. Don’t be surprised if cuts from this album become the weapon of choice for every club DJ wanting to lock crowds into the zone.

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Hailing from Cardiff, DJ and producer Douvelle19 has been receiving love for his tracks which have recently been played in sets by the likes of Joy Orbison and Ben UFO. His nostalgic yet youthful sound is a delicate but purposeful blend of UKG, deep house and pop. Stand-out track ‘Skin to Skin’ (feat. Kaisha) is a sweaty, sexy, melodic club tune, delivering soft vocals over light percussions, reminiscent of Disclosure in their early days. Following after is ‘Swimming’, with a light start that gives way to a creative chopping garage beat with clean fx over more soulful vocals. ‘Shook’ featuring Manga Saint Hilare is a distinctly British track, with a moody melody and deeper bass than the previous tracks. Finally, slow down and dim the lights for ‘Green Light’ with its soothing grooving sound.

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Kenyan musician Blinky Bill’s experimental sound draws from hip hop, jazz and funk. ‘We Cut Keys 2’ is the Nairobi-based artist’s first release in five years and features 16 tracks of eclectic sounds that the artist has become known for. Expect hip hop, electronic and jazzy sounds, with features from Fuse ODG and Goldlink. ‘Constant K’ sees Blinky Bill experiment with a catchy, grooving amapiano-esque beat and ‘Compare’ leans into jazz with funky trumpets, and hypnotic drums under the command of Goldlink’s distinct voice. ‘We Cut Keys 2’ celebrates the beloved genres inspired by African musical heritage.

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Following his 2021 release ‘Sd-1,’ Toronto-based producer Loukeman gained a cult-like following, receiving praise from the likes of Vegyn and Jacques Greene. With a sound that’s familiar yet strange, Loukeman is doing his own thing. ‘Sd-2’ feels futuristic and develops confidently from ‘Sd-1’. Featuring nostalgic synths on ‘Take’, chopped R&B vocals on ‘Snoopy,’ and bouncing, boosted bass on ‘Winzzz’, ‘Sd-2’ is an emotive, electric audio landscape that’ll have you tripping over tracks as Loukeman leads the way. Starting strong with dreamy acoustic guitar and distorted vocals covering ‘Baby You’re a Star’, a journey of electric sounds follows, before the album finishes with ‘JUMP’, a cohesive ending deploying oscillating guitar to soothe you into a psychedelic haze.

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Listen! Unknown T has dropped his hard-hitting new album ‘Blood Diamond’ and it is shining a light on how drill has developed. Known for his explosive and compelling verses, T has delivered 17 tracks that are packed with emotion, story-telling and a range of features. Mega fans will remember T’s tweet asking why he doesn’t feature on Carner’s ‘Homerton’, but he’s made the connection now with Loyle Carner on ‘Hocus Pocus’. The pair have blended their undoubtedly different styles of UK rap to create a mellowed-out drill hybrid. On the other hand, tracks such as ‘Wisdom & Smoke’ and ‘Duppy’ provide that quintessential drill sound with its deep bellowing beat. ‘Blood Diamond’ as a whole reflects Unknown T’s ability to adapt to the ever-changing environment of UK rap by honing in on his greatest aspects - his lyrics - with some more modern beats we may not have seen the artist previously have used.

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In a profession of love to Western Canada’s thriving bass scene, Vancouver duo Siadic inaugurate the launch of NAGA with a new eight-track record, ‘Metro’. It’s packed with shadowy after-hours club cuts in the 140 zone and topped off with a high-tempo remix of the title-track from Victoria’s Scree Running. Glitchy sonic arrangements and fluttering pads cross over on this release, showcasing a true testament to the evolving sound of British Columbia’s underground - one part euphoria, one part screwface.

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From an all-new Rinse FM residency to his (semi-permanent) home on UK label All Centre, Holloway is everywhere at the moment. Kicking off with his first release of 2023, the London producer drops a double threat with his club pumping two-tracker ‘Beans / Trinco’. On ‘Beans’, Holloway provides some garage influence on a dark, nostalgic beat, before spiralling into the low-end flip side, ‘Trinco’, where he imparts some bassline sensibility over a frenzied 4/4.

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London producer Delano looks to the future with his latest release on Erbium Records, a six-track EP reminiscent of Two Shell and the recent bass-heavy stylings of CloudCore. Delano calls in Keep Hush’s scg and Erbium label mate Debba to take on remix duties of the garage-tinted lead single ‘Close 2 U’ alongside four original tracks, weaving through future rave, acid and breaks alongside a face-melting title track. “I’m always on the hunt for old records, but for this project I wanted to do the opposite,” Delano explains. “I’ve tried to create sounds that spark ideas of what the clubs of the future could sound like”.

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‘Everybody Can’t Go’ marks Benny The Butcher’s debut album on Def Jam. With this pivotal move, we see Benny call in the big shots of the game such as Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne to truly make a splash with this release. With productions from The Alchemist, Hit-Boy and Corbett, it feels like we’re being wined and dined as each track is finger lickin’ tasty. ‘Big Dog’ plays with a sample-heavy beat, with the rolling loop loud and clear, while Benny chants “I guess that’s how it feels to be a big dog” over and over again. Later on the album, Benny picks up the pace with the likes of ‘Buffalo Kitchen Club’ featuring upcoming artist Armani Caesar and ‘How To Rap’ which is one of few feature-less tracks on the album. This song has Benny boasting of his success up to today, and on this evidence, he’s right to.

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Released just in time for New Year’s Eve, this rowdy compilation fired us into 2024 on wave of nightcore euphoria that we’ve been riding ever since, saving us from the bleak midwinter. As any nightcore compilation should be, it’s ridiculous and loads of fun, serving up raucous, pitched-up bangers, including edits of the likes of M.I.A, Miley Cyrus and Ayesha Erotica. An artist called Spongebob Squarewave turning the spiritual song ‘Kumbaya’ into a fizzing dose of mania sums the LP up.

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‘Suave’ is a steamy club record designed to heat up a dancefloor, bringing together throbbing bass, palpitating rhythms and lustful vocals to stimulate the club. A murky remix from Club Romantico boss Florentino caps the EP off with a robust finale.

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Donato Dozzy is the master of breath-taking, entrancing techno that you can get lost in for days and his latest album ‘Magda’ delivers proves his crown isn’t slipping anytime soon. Themed as a tribute to family and the Adriatic Sea, it’s a deep, gorgeous and emotional float through glistening, textural techno.

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