Elderbrook, SG Lewis, Rebūke, Mha Iri, and Jake Shore delivered house and techno heaters during the week of April 8!
Coachella weekend one is written in history, and ravers are abuzz with what went down. On the positive, acts like Michael Bibi and Anti Up pulled out all the stops while Grimes‘ performance and Benga‘s cancellation made for speed bumps. As the scene prepares for weekend two’s wild ride, let’s get grounded with a few fresh house and techno tunes!
Two feel-good collabs are first on deck, linking Elderbrook with George FitzGerald and SG Lewis to DJ Seinfeld. Then, Rebūke and Mha Iri slide in with a double dose of techno before we wrap the party with a future-forward house throwback from Jake Shore and Henry Fong.
As always, we’d love for you to stick around when you’re done enjoying the music.
Interesting reading material includes our interview with Space Yacht founders Henry Lu and LondonBridge, forthcoming plans for Temple SF, and how French legislation is recognizing nightclubs. We also have recaps of We’re All Mad Here at AREA15 and Martin Garrix at Brooklyn Navy Yard if you’re curious.
Begging for more beats? We got the good stuff including Reelow‘s latest album, an exclusive mix from Noizu, and Factory 93‘s MODULE 5.
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 012 – April 8-14, 2024
Elderbrook, George FitzGerald – Glad I Found You
What happens when Elderbrook, the famed Mine Recordings boss, brushes elbows with underground pop-electronic master George FitzGerald? We get “Glad I Found You,” a tune as charming as a daydream with a message as real as the human experience.
On completion, FitzGerald revealed that they “put the finishing touches on the production while I was in the mountains in Japan.” It’s no wonder the final product — which started as an idea on a train and nurtured in a studio in Cheltenham — would overflow with raw emotion, beauty, and strength.
What makes this release extra special is that it marks Elderbrook’s first release of 2024 and it must have been incredible for the Eldergang to hear it live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre this past Friday. If you didn’t make it to the show, have no fear because the Grammy winner is currently on tour, making stops in Las Vegas, Washington DC, San Diego, Brooklyn, and more.
SG Lewis, DJ Seinfeld – Simple Times
Our next selection — by Forever Days Pioneer SG Lewis and Ninja Tune staple DJ Seinfeld — holds similar energy to the previous offering while entering classic house territory with a contemplative groove. They call it “Simple Times,” but the full-body movement it inspires is nothing short of complex.
The track is filled with warm sonics that encourage the club to get off their phones and mix and mingle, as buttery vocals reach out to every last wallflower. Soon, the entire room is under its spell, winding and grinding, intoxicated by a poetic message of love and rave culture.
deadmau5 – Not Exactly (Rebūke Remix)
Since we’re talking simple times, it’s time to travel back to 2007 to relive one of deadmau5‘s most beloved tracks. “Not Exactly” was the second release on mau5trap after “Faxing Berlin” and can be found on the boss’ third studio album, Random Album Title.
Since its arrival, its gritty progressive stylings received a plethora of remix treatments from Peter Gelderblom, Trick & Kubic, Talla 2XLC, and others. Last Friday, Rebūke threw his creation into the pile, dropping jaws to the floor with an upgraded techno chug, tone distortion, majestic rise, and signature rattle.
What’s deadmau5 up to these days? He’s about to kick off retro5pective: 20 years of deadmau5 (which he playfully updated to 25 years after doing the math). The first show is on April 27 at the Hollywood Bowl in LA before he takes over The Brooklyn Mirage for two shows in May and Red Rocks Amphitheatre in November. Grab your tickets to be part of history!
Mha Iri – Bombay
You can’t talk techno without bringing up Drumcode, and Mha Iri is an artist that has been settling in to stay since arriving on the label via Drumcode Presents: Elevate. Four tracks in, “Bombay” is arguably her best one yet, with “The Unexpected” a close contender.
The bassline on her latest track serves up a powerful punch, as hollow beeps, vibrating tones, and crashing hi-hats do the rest. For extra oomph, she tosses in acid stabs, claps, and a catchy vocal. Before you know it, you’re throwing yourself into the sea of bodies lurching on the dancefloor.
While you’re in there, go on a side quest led by the sounds of Bombay‘s B-side, “Existence.”
Jake Shore, Henry Fong – Take Control
It’s time to wind down with one for Gen X and the elder millennials. Back in the early ’90s, there wasn’t a roller skating rink around that wasn’t playing “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” by C+C Music Factory. Today, those fun and free times return with the help of Jake Shore and Henry Fong.
“Take Control” keeps the original’s core female vocals intact and elevates the distinctive instrumentals that made it so damn catchy. The only thing that’s missing is the rap section, but they make up for it with unrelenting energy. Excuse me while I work on my running man.
