ARTBAT, Armin van Buuren, Eli & Fur, Juheun, Vessbroz, and Viv Castle delivered house and techno heaters during the week of February 5!
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and there’s nothing better than sharing music with the one you love. Whether you plan on cuddling under the covers or hitting the town, you can set the mood with the latest house and techno arrivals. If you’re single, that’s great too! Just turn the volume up and treat yourself to some sonic self-care.
But music releases aren’t the only thing twitterpating the masses…
Last week was full of great news, including lineup drops from Beyond Wonderland Chicago, Sonus Festival, the Get Lost Mexico City edition, and Anjunadeep Explorations phase two. We also got to chat with Walker & Royce and were elated to see He.She.They. plump up their North American tour. What’s more? Ultra Music Festival nabbed the Sustainability Team Award and the legendary Printworks announced they may be back in 2026!
If that has you feeling flush with excitement, just wait until you wrap your ears around the following house and techno releases. If you haven’t already, make sure you check out the new albums from Innellea and Nils Hoffmann and continue for our favorite tracks of the week. The selection highlights ARTBAT and Armin van Buuren, Eli & Fur with Punctual and Richard Judge, Juheun, Vessbroz, and Viv Castle.
Read along for more information on five fresh tracks that dropped last week, and listen to more house and techno curations on EDM Identity’s Subterranean Sounds, House Heaters, Melodic Marvels, and Dancefloor Decadence Spotify playlists!
House and Techno IDchart 003 – February 5-11, 2024
ARTBAT, Armin van Buuren – Take Off
What happens when you combine UPPERGROUND‘s ARTBAT with Armin van Buuren, the king of trance? You get “Take Off,” a melodic techno masterpiece that’ll shoot you straight to the moon. What goes up must come down, though, and the trio transmuted that concept to sound using a strong cascading tone pattern. Prepare for your world to come unglued at the bridge, before the fundamental vocal rockets you back to space.
ARTBAT opened up about the collaboration and said, “It’s been enjoyable to explore and push the boundaries of both our sounds and it’s an honor to have worked alongside such a groundbreaker in his lane.” Armin returned the sentiment, noting, “ARTBAT’s exceptional performance at last year’s A State of Trance festival sparked immense inspiration in me. This collaboration feels like it’s been a long time coming, and I’m thrilled it’s now seeing the light of day.”
Eli & Fur, Punctual, Richard Judge – Halo
The collaborations continue to come in hot with “Halo.” This track called on the expertise of five artists: NYX Music founders Eli & Fur, English electronic music duo and songwriters Punctual, and Richard Judge, who is a singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist.
The track kicks off with haunting vocals and as the background tone swells, listeners are met with a pronounced ping-pong effect. From here it’s all fun and games as a soft tech house hi-hat dazzles the senses. If you want to catch this track on the big speakers, you may have the chance when Eli & Fur step behind the decks at Coachella!
Juheun – Empty Space
We’re going to take a break from collaborations for just a moment and let techno tastemaker Juheun take the floor. The desert-dweller’s latest studio endeavor culminated in the arrival of the Phantom EP on Christian Smith‘s Tronic imprint. But while the title track — and its accompanying remix by Hertz — sucked us straight to the dancefloor, the B-side had us foaming at the mouth for more.
“Empty Space” is a touch more subtle than “Phantom,” but that’s what makes it so damn effective. Between the low-octave bubbling pump and the bright hi-hats decorated with a caffeinated clap, there won’t be a body stuck to the bar. Instead, they’ll be swaying to the dark rhythm front and center, head tossed back and eyes closed as the vocal seeps into the cells.
Vessbroz – Ass Made In USA
This next one tones down the intensity but dials up the hilarity. “Ass Made In USA” was dreamt up and delivered by brothers and community activists Armia and Arsham, better known as the Vessbroz. Based in the Netherlands, they call Spinnin’ Records home, and it just so happens to be the landing spot for their latest release.
While the spicy bassline keeps feet shuffling and the booty twerking, it’s the zany vocal details that keep us coming back for more. “Ass Made In USA” doesn’t take itself too seriously and tracks like this one help to breathe life into a waning dancefloor. Now if we could just get the guys to come over to the States and play this on the big speakers, all would be right with the world.
Viv Castle – Found You
Our final selection comes from Atlanta-based house music specialist, Viv Castle. “Found You” arrived just a month after we went mental for “This Is Your Brain,” and this go-round has him moving over from IN / ROTATION to climb the charts with V55records.
His latest track is tricked out with a ferocious Latin flavor, featuring a festive combination of horn and percussion. With just one play it’ll get party people swinging from the rafters. Want to be a part of the action? Viv Castle will be at the Westside Motor Lounge in A-Town on March 16 for hvy., and chances are high that he’ll take this one for a spin!
