28 Albums in 2018’s Second Half that Missed Your Ears

With the book closed on 2018, let’s look back at the albums you may have missed in the second half of the year.

Despite the numerous festivals, night club events, and crazy experiences that crammed our year, we still find love for the artist album during our road trips and flights around the world. The staff know no boundary to genre either – we are an eclectic bunch after all. So let’s re-establish the baseline of this particular feature and why we willingly dive into twenty-five albums from the back half of 2018!

Brief history: In 2017 we introduced a feature on artist albums you missed. We picked it up again halfway through this year giving you thirteen albums to listen to. Now we feel we can close out 2018 looking at the albums we missed from 2018’s final six months. This list focuses on albums released since June this year as a follow up to our first half piece.

To begin, we exclude albums we covered in other posts like: Richard Durand’s The Air We Breathe, G-Jones’ The Ineffable Truth , Getter’s Visceral, The Crystal Method’s The Trip Home , Golden Feature’s Sect , Steve Allen’s Uplift , Eelke Klein’s Moments of Clarity, CloZee’s Invasion, Andrew Bayer’s In My Last Life, or Pluko’s debut with sixteen . Likewise, the Top Albums of the year don’t make the cut since we just posted about them. Finally, no dedicated remix albums or compilations get included, as we really want to hone in on original pieces from the hands of the artists!

JULY 2018

Estiva – Spectacle I

Technically released in the final throes of June, Estiva’s Spectacle I missed the collective consciousness until July rolled on. The album, Estiva’s debut album released on Armada Music, offers fans his joyous reinvention and newfound confidence in returning to the fold of the trance genre. Spectacle I offers listeners a glimpse into musicians making the decision to make music for their own wellbeing. It reminds me of how Solarstone captivated his fan base with both .—- (One) and ..— (Two) by making music for his enjoyment. The one issue with the album is the lack of a mixed flow. Aside from that tumble the fourteen tracks are quality throughout, offering plenty of experiences: emotional vulnerability in “The One,” the bouncing melodies of “Bloom,” and “Quickdraw” – a tech-infused drive to the top of the hill. There was some controversy about the track “Alive” having a very similar sound to some older Pryda tracks, namely Prydz’s mega-hit “Shadows,” but those discussions only spark the question regarding how good imitation can make the art.

Find Spectacle I on your favorite platform.

Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons – Heart of Sky

The return of Damian Lazarus on the album front was immense. Heart of Sky reintroduces his artist collective, The Ancient Moons, after their 2015 debut with Message From The Other Side. Heart Of Sky is just as mind-bending and deep as the first album and offers listeners the blissful simplicity of a sonic journey. While it is centered in techno and house, those with a willingness to take the chance will find an adventure that makes the head sway and an hour disappear. Opening track “All I Need to Get High,” major single “Five Moons” ft. Chela, and “Fly Away” are all standouts tracks. If you dig sonic journeys in house, tech house, and techno with a dash of jazz and soul, you will dig this. CRSSD Family… WHERE YOU AT!?!

Grab Heart Of Sky on the platform of your choice.

Protoculture – Versiform Part One

At nine tracks, Versiform (Part One) appears as a shorter dance music album. At just over 36 minutes, you’d be right that the album is rather short. What it may not have duration as a perk, it makes up with splendid aural landscapes. Following his own production prowess, Protoculture blends the moods of producers like Eric Prydz, Above & Beyond, and Driftmoon while retaining his own sound. The trance is alive as Protoculture blends a fairly cinematic mood throughout the album. It does not tell a story so much as it offers a glimpse into who Protoculture becomes through his music. Taking a three-track snippet: “Pale Blue Dot” (an ode to Carl Sagen’s famous speech), “Sanctuary” and “The Descent” – the later two reek of Above & Beyond vibes.

Versiform Part One is available on the platform of your choice!

Driftmoon – Invictus

If ever there was a “rock opera” in trance, one would cite both Ferry Corsten’s Blueprint and Driftmoon’s Invictus. Both albums tell a story throughout, weaving a tapestry of sounds the hone the ears of the audience on the emotions presented in each moment. Driftmoon’s second album – a double disc affair – beautifully tells a tale of tragedy, and feels almost like it’s a movie instead of an electronic music album. I will not spoil what story unfolds because it lays the backbone of the beauty underlying the album. Driftmoon’s sophomore album shows how electronic music can be more than simply club music we’ve all become accustomed too. There is no shortage of collaborators on this journey either – the eighteen tracks feature thirteen different parties that logged time with Driftmoon. If you are really looking for something bigger than just an album of bangers, check into Invictus because the story of Vihaan and Isha is well worth experiencing.

Drift into the story of Invictus by on your favorite platform.

AUGUST 2018

The Digital Blonde – Neon

Ever want to enjoy a synth-wave/retro 1980’s homage with modern sensibility and production techniques? Neon may be right up your alley then! The Digital Blonde is one of the unsung heroes of the trance scene with over twenty years of experience. Neon, his fourth album and second in two years, is an exploration of beautiful science-fiction and 1980’s arcade modus operandi wrapped in the subtlety of modern-day trance. Since the album plays out more like a soundtrack you won’t find a track-for-track listening experience. Fan of Jean-Michael Jarre and Vangelis will find plenty to enjoy in the striped back elements of the album; The Digital Blonde does them proud. If there is one nail in the coffin though for this album it would likely be the lack of mainstream appeal that plagues the talented producer. The Digital Blonde is a staple of John 00 Fleming’s labels, where he is afforded the opportunity to stretch his creative juices fully. At nearly two hours in total, the album is a long affair as well. Favorites to for sure listen to include: “Nostramo,” “Space,” and “Through The Void.” Prepare for the journey, it’s a grand ride.

Drive down nostalgic lanes with Neon on Spotify.

Example – Bangers & Ballads

Resident singer/producer turned music star Example follows up in 2018 with another album, aptly titled Bangers & Ballads. Self-released means this album is without any of the baggage of major labels pushing him to do this or that. Bangers & Ballads offers Example the platform to simply release what his heart wants to. Opening with “SIT DOWN GARY!!!” offers some old school swagger ala the 1990s rave scene, and the album’s nine-track format ensures that fans get into his groove. Swagger is in full effect on “All U Need”, which features Karen Harding on the duet; a perfect alignment with 90’s R&B displaying Example’s rapping abilities wonderfully. “Sick & Twisted” and “Back for More” offer fun avenues to stroll down. The final track of the album is a beautifully simple place and worth a listen for how touching the lyrics are. If you need the infusion of breakbeats and house together, go down this 30-minute journey with Example.

Get down with Example by banging this link for the album on your platform of choice.

R3HAB – The Wave

Two years and two albums from Dutch house producer R3hab! The latest is sixteen tracks of sweet sonic bliss in a package that spans roughly forty minutes. Opening with ambient trap on “Eyes Closed,” R3hab greets listeners with a mold broken and ready to crack the modern tastemakers norm. The Wave represents the changing landscape of dance music – part pop, part future bass, part electro; effortlessly blending styles to show how artists drive the commercially successful mainstages all around the world. The album showcases beautiful production elements: live pianos, softly strummed guitars on “Radio Silence”, ethnic sounding Asian strings on “Cherry Blossom.” It exudes how the scene’s prolific producers are trending towards new experiences through their craft. Ask me what struck me overall about the album; I would echo that album shatters the collective chaos and energy of the scene’s past six years. It slows the tempo down to offer fans the chance to breathe, listen, and yet remains danceable in the beauty of the moment. Is this what R3hab means by the album’s title; are we cresting on The Wave of what’s next? Time will tell, but R3hab’s 2018 album is worth taking the moment to enjoy.

The Wave awaits your ears to take the journey on Spotify.

Anki – Bloom

Enhanced Recordings has had its ups and downs over the years, but truly did something special with Anki’s long-play Bloom. A follow-up to this British producer’s debut album last year, titled Circadian, Bloom sees the talent graduate into the bigger scene. The album is a diverse amalgamation of styles and refreshes the concept of electronic music in the long-play format. Fans of Grabbitz will likely find elements of the album stunning – like the electronic-rock feel of “My Head” or “Stride.” There are moments where Anki clearly has a Porter Robinson influenced sound; exhibit A: the chords in “Above.” The teenage anthems like “Just A Game” scream for me to sing along, borrowing the two-step tempo of older punk rock songs to get me grooving. More than anything, the album is a departure from expectation; it is a romp on the ever-evolving soundscape that is electronic music as it finds new ways to grab ears around the world. Bloom excites the passion within, and I am ready to hear more from this producer in the coming years. For now, I’ll keep jamming to this album.

Anki presents Bloom for your listening desires on whatever platform you choose!

SEPTEMBER 2018

Danny Byrd – Atomic Funk

Ten years ago, Danny Byrd descended into the drum and bass community with his debut album with Supersized. Three albums later, and bam, Danny returns with his fourth album – Atomic Funk. The Hospital Records veteran rewards fans with fifteen tracks in total and gives a little more leeway to his creative style. The album opens with a track that would make the passerby think you are listening to a live set from some festivals with MC GQ’s performance on “Salute.” The experimental elements of the album rely on structural nuisances such as the oddly delivered vocals on “Holy Star” or the rhythmic synthesizers that pad the middle in “Starting It Over.” Is Atomic Funk as powerful as Danny’s earlier efforts? Perhaps not, but the market continues to evolve and Danny does his best to remain invent and keep you grooving.

Danny Byrd’s got you covered by posting Atomic Funk all over your platforms so take your choice!

David Guetta – 7

David Guetta remains one of the most divisive talents in dance music. On one hand, he has been crafting experiences for years and making major music since 2002, on the other hand, his appearances at major festivals have become meme-worthy. That said, David’s seventh artist album aptly titled 7 offers a glimpse towards his creative future. The double-album consists of a pop-oriented first disc and an alias-driven second disc focused on underground house music. If you love the pop side of David, you’ll hear plenty of easy to sing along with tracks on the first half of the album with radio hits like “Don’t Leave Me Alone” featuring Anne-Marie, “Flames” featuring Sia, and the rather strange conversion of Andrea Bocelli & Sara Brightman’s duet “Time To Say Goodbye” here instead featuring Nicki Minaj, Jason Derule, and Willy William as “Goodbye.”

David evokes interesting twists for his fans on this album; the collaboration “Drive” with Black Coffee grabs headlines as an example. The true twist is the second disc revealing David’s alias Jack Black, offering modern fans a glimpse of David’s house roots. The moment “Reach For Me” hits the ears you’ll transport to the David Guetta that made a name in Ibiza and rocked Sensation before the mainstage EDM craze occurred. Whether you love it or not, there are some really fun house tunes here; take “Grenade,” “Inferno,” “Overtone,” and of course the new mix of David’s classic “Just A Little More Love” for a spin please! Nice switch David!

Mix it up for the 7th time by listening to David’s latest album.

Orbital – Monsters Exist

Taking the cake for oldest group on this list is the brother-duo turned band Orbital. Part of the electronic movement of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Orbital went through quite the sections of dance music history. Known for their improvisation during shows, a rarity in the dance music industry, Orbital explores new horizons with Monsters Exist this year. Overall, their ninth album represents what they do well and offers plenty if you grab the deluxe edition (a seventeen-track affair). The album cracked DJ Mag’s Top 50 Albums of 2018, which is curated by the staff and not a popular vote like some of their other products. Mixmag also gives the album a shout out on their Top 50 selection this year. The album is a tinkering affair, with plenty for listeners not wandering after the next big drop. If you prefer a creepier variety and some tension in your electronic music, hop on this ride. “The Raid” offers a solid focus on live instrumentation, “P.H.U.K” is a poly-synthesizer’s dream, and “Kaiju” is frantic yet really happy. Spin it for a while and see if you found a new door to travel down.

Drop down with the Monsters to check how they exist over here!

Allay – Journey of The Velvet Adorned Nomad

Allay represents another oddity on this list. The downtempo/progressive house album ought to put your mind at ease, and the soft sheen of polish the album showcases offers newcomers to Silk Music an easy mode to understand the beauty of the label’s talent. Enigmatic is the word that associates best with this album. “Soaring Through the Eternal Blue Skies” is a perfect example of that feeling – blissful, sweet, imaginative. The collaboration with The Cynic Project titled “Astral Projection” floats the mind in the soft brilliance of the stars, while “Reveries in Disarray” moves the senses towards effortless perfection [“Is this title an allusion to Westworld?” we ponder]. “Last Speck of Light” offers one of the few vocal arrangements on the album and it really showcases the simplicity of the album while remaining elegantly produced. Enjoy this meditative ambient experience and unwind from the madness of the holiday season.

Allay invites to choose the platform of your choice to hear his new sonic journey.

Lowland – We’ve Been Here Before

Lowland’s first true artist album maintains the beauty of his two artist cover albums reworking trance classics into classical pieces. This album is not strictly classical in any sense though – it’s assuredly electronic. Yet, the underlying mood – cinematic in feeling – permeates throughout the album. There is an exploration of the beyond, the infinite, and it begins with “An Approach.” “Infinite Loudness” follows up with something like Vangelis – a 1980’s darkness that just fits. “Blackbird” offers the first excursion that feels truly trance, but it retains a nostalgia that one cannot help but hear. The undertow to the waves Lowland creates on the album are as stunning as they are meaningful. Polish professionalism reeks on this album, and it exudes from the ethos that Lowland himself stated as, “… it’d be best for ‘We’ve Been Here Before’ to come naturally, without pushing or forcing.” We hear you Lowland – well done; there is no push here, only focused, heartfelt music from a talented soul.

Stream or buy We’ve Been Here Before on the platform of your choosing.

OCTOBER 2018

Jan Blomqvist – Disconnected

The second artist album Jan’s released under Armada Music may shake up expectations for listeners. This is an album that’s more at home in the stereo than at festivals. Disconnected, the follow-up to Remote Control, finds Jan exploring the consciousness of the house and deep house market. Fans of the deeper styles of Lutrell, Cubicolor, or Spencer Brown will love what Jan Blomqvist does here – simple yet precise house with the air of progressive laid on top. “The Space In Between” exemplifies this bubbling with arpeggios and melancholic lyrics. The plucky organic melodies of the synthesizer on “Our Broken Mind Embassy” and the haunting chords and lyrics of “Synth for The Devil” grab the space between the ears and gives vivid visuals created in sound. I had not followed Jan before this album, but I am now. Take the plunge and enjoy!

Don’t disconnect without picking up Jan’s album right here!

Quivver – ReKonstruct

John Graham laid the foundations of the progressive movement in the 1990s with legends Paul Oakenfold, John Digweed, Sasha, and Pete Tong. As a member of Tilt until 2002, John’s efforts honed the formulas of modern trance. With Quivver, John experimented in unique constructions for the dance floor. In 2018’s ReKonstruct Quivver offers the world a new opus. We forgive those initially seeing ReKonstruct as a remix album. The titles may make it appear as such but the root truthfully is John’s effort to showcase his Quivver identity through the reconstructions. Working from the ground up, John presents four new solo original works, two new collaborative works, and seven full reconstructions offering fans insight from someone with decades of industry experience. Techy, dark, gritty, and yet progressive – melding the sound of Plastikman and Sasha; this is Quivver. One song to dip a toe in if you don’t know where to start: D-Formation, Rick Pier O’Neil & Quivver’s “Aside.”

Get excited with Quivver’s ReKonstruct on your streaming platform of choice!

Markus Schulz – We Are The Light

Oh, Markus! Returning on his seventh album under his own name (excluding Dakota) with thirty-one (YES 31) tracks is incredible. With three albums in three years including Dakota, Markus remains a creative force on his double-album affair here. The first disc opens with his Transmission anthem for the 2018 edition – Awakening, and from there, its trance all the way. Flip to the second disc and shed the electronic for the acoustic. Do not halt the sonic journey though. Markus is being Markus throughout – albeit, he’s willfully shedding stereotypes about his sound. “Road Of No Return” uplifts but manages to call back his melodies from the era of Without You Now. “Heaven” offers a glimmer of hope lost in the worst of moments – when you’re down, just turn and see the new. Moments where the album stumbles towards feeling more pop-oriented do occur – ala “Dreamers.” Those piece parts though segment beautifully and segues to the second half with its acoustic renditions of the songs. If you find Markus’ style of trance music your cup of tea or stein of beer, We Are the Light is a fantastic modern voyage.

Travel with Markus beyond the light by getting a copy of the album here.

Coone – Trip to Tomorrow

Hard dance is a genre where albums are always in flux. Those seeking to expand beyond the genre fans flocking to harder festivals like DefQon.1 carry the flag into new avenues. Coone rocks the palpable masses without disrupting the roots of the genre on his new album. His eight-track work, clocked at just barely thirty minutes, offers a great opportunity for those who want to dip the toe into hard dance. Trip To Tomorrow places the welcoming mat down with “Evolution Is Here.” Coone retools Technotronic’s seminal hit “Pump Up The Jam” and mixes in the anthem of DefQon.1 Australia titled “Dedicated To The Core.” Coone touches other familiar genres throughout – like “Superman” with its trap beats during the first verse. Interesting to see how Coone continues to attract new fans to the genre on the harder sounds.

Find your tomorrow with Coone on whichever platform you love!

Alexander Popov – Intention

Alexander returns to the album game with Intention, his second album and after five years, it was worth the wait! One of the albums in contention within the trance circuit for album of the year, Intention is a varied experience. From the opening notes of “Legacy” the album establishes its modus operandi: beautifully orchestrated with big trance beats. The fourteen-track album spans the range of trance sounds, with only one track falling into the realm of commercial trance. “Legacy” recalls the beauty of Armin’s Intense days, while “Intention” hails from the 2018’s psy-trance influence. Some stunning collaborations permeate as well – LTN jumps in on two tracks (“Always Connected” and “Yet to Come”) and Ruben de Ronde joins on “Luna.” “People” evokes the darker side of Alex M.O.R.P.H. while striking the harder edge of Alexander’s style with some techy electro synth work. Intention works from its impeccable production, its catchy riffs, and an ability to capture the zeitgeist of today’s trance fans.

Make it your Intention to grab this album right now!

NOVEMBER 2018

Clean Bandit – What Is Love?

Sophomore slump? Don’t tell Clean Bandit about it. While current membership dropped from four to three, What Is Love? offers plenty to enjoy for fans of their style of electronic pop. Crossing the line to a significant pop influence with the number of collaborators on this long-play (I mean, Sean Paul, Ellie Goulding, Demi Lovato, Charlie XCX, Big Boi, and more), What Is Love? ditches a bit of the classical motifs in favor of catchy lyrics and modern house undertones. With much of the album released as singles prior to its release, there was not a ton that surprises on the album. That said, the dancing mood behind “Solo,” “Rockabye,” and “I Miss You” all offer something the dance music fan will surely enjoy. If you need to answer What Is Love?, you’ll find one answer listening to Clean Bandit’s latest album.

Discover one meaning for love by listening to the album through the platform you desire.

ReOrder – IAMREADY

After plenty of social media hype and airplay from trance’s elite deejays, ReOrder drops his debut album aptly titled I Am Ready. Tripping over the one-hour threshold, I Am Ready is a trance fans album through and through. Opening with a heartfelt piano line and maintaining the emotion throughout. The album mixes the beauty of vocal trance with the melodies of uplifting; “Alive Tonight” tells the story of a heart’s revival, while “Alone” captivates with a single spoken word in the sparse and slower beats-per-minute it utilizes. There are some throwbacks mixed in there – especially on the track “Back in the Days” where a certain Tiësto percussion loop perks up in the production’s mix. ReOrder flexes his trance prowess with “Digital World,” a psy-trance affair that feels right at home in today’s peak trance sounds without falling into any cliché! If all you’ve heard is the divisive “All Comes Back To You” (we love the track for what it is worth), do yourself a favor and branch beyond to find the album in its entirety – it’s a worthy journey to take with ReOrder!

If you are ready, grab your own copy!

Radical Redemption – Command And Conquer

Few artists so embody their style and brand as Radical Redemption. As a member of hardstyle’s Minus Militia, he brings energy and fury every time he steps onto the stage – whether it’s producing or performing. Command and Conquer offers two discs worth of new music from Radical Redemption at the year’s end fueling the hard dance fans into the next year. The muscles Radical Redemption flexes throughout the album are intriguing. Take “The Darkest Moment” as a prime example: the heartening vocal offered contrasts with the energy of the track, and yet the track still feels dark or brooding (note: the sample here is of Katherine Brooks in some candid interviews about film-making.) You’ll find some festival anthems and some heavy distortion (see “Handle This” as an example), but as a whole, with tracks sitting at two to three and a half minutes you likely won’t lose yourself in individual tracks. This contrasts wonderfully with say Phuture Noize’s Black|Mirror Society. Still, if you need to stomp some energy out there would be worse albums to check out, so grab your energy and let it rain in the hardest way!

Command the beats by conquer this link to Spotify!

Robbie Rivera – Twenty

How did you celebrate your twentieth year of life, or career, or marriage or anniversary? If your name is Robbie Rivera, you celebrate twenty years of work with an album titled Twenty. The album celebrates the house legend as only his hands can – honed by experience and ready to take the club circuit by storm. Tracks like “Tribalman” feature a flair of years back before the EDM explosion in America. “The Stars” has the poppy sensations of Madonna’s “Music” – but leaves the pop for more club appeal as well. If you want house, without the pompous presentation that follows it so often today, this is your ticket!

Dance the night away with Twenty right now on Beatport.

Break – Another Way

Exploring the myriad styles of drum & bass on his fourth long play, Bristol producer-DJ Break establishes himself as a trendsetter for what artist albums can be. Influences from jazz, dub, and dance floor focused energy are found throughout the album, and the journey presented on the thirteen tracks captivates the ears. Strong beats permeate all the tracks but selections like “Whisper In My Ear,” “Conversations,” and “The Edge Of Time” showcase the diversity of talents that Break brings to the table when producing. The album is likely one of the hottest in the genre thanks to its beauty throughout. It along with Calibre’s 4AM flew under the radar with the crowded November time frame and both warrant attention. Take the chance and find another way to enjoy this one.

Break another way to this breakbeat album on the platform you love.

DECEMBER 2018

Koan Sound – Polychrome

Quite some time passed since we last heard from Koan Sound. The duo is known in the OSWLA and Inspected Records groups for an inventive approach blending downtempo and chillout with glitch hop, dubstep, and drum and bass went into hiding for three years producing this stunning debut effort. Polychrome is exactly what the doctor ordered – varied efforts that break the model of what dance music albums should be. It feels organic, strong; at times jazzy (reference “Chalk It Out”) while maintaining the swagger of Gramatik, and at other times downright frantic (reference “Chilli Daddy).” “Drift” and “Hydroplane” show off the drum and bass moments, but really, this album shines when just put on and listened to. This sonic journey imparted by the Bristol-based producers is brilliant – its just a shame its release is in December and so close to the holidays many may miss it. Do yourself a favor and dive into this one – the hiatus of three years was worth it!

Diversify your sound for Polychrome on the platform you choose!

Paul van Dyk – Music Rescues Me

After catching up with Paul van Dyk post-Transmission and post-Dreamstate, we’d be remiss not mentioning his December artist album Music Rescues Me. Paul’s legendary status keeps growing with every release on Vandit and ever track he produces. Music Rescues Me continues the trend of solid trance productions from the man that helped usher in trance’s first wave. Paul has yet to shrug off the banner of trance ambassador, and the fruit yielded from his deep roots is apparent. Music Rescues Me is exactly what Paul needs – pure trance with a splash of the synth work beauty that Paul is known for. A number of collaborators join in on this over 90-minute experience – names like Lostly, Alex M.O.R.P.H., Plumb, Steve Dekay, and Jordan Suckley join with Saad Ayub, Alan Wyse, and Chris Bekker. Early tracks “Amanecer,” “Voyager,” and “Solar Snapshot” lay the foundation of melodies that anchor the album. The titular track morphed over the years but today the track casts out as a lighthouse to the rough seas that many endure. “Future Memories,” “Moments With You,” “Made of Stars,” and “Time Traveller” offer possible looks at the positive energy at the horizon of human experience. This album is squarely focused into the trance family but bleeds into the fan base beyond to welcome you. Dip a toe if you have yet to experience a trance album’s journey – this one is a modern masterpiece of the genre with its simplicity and ease as a listening experience.

Get rescued by the sweet sound of PvD’s latest work on iTunes.

Infected Mushroom – Head of NASA and the 2 Amish Boys

For a duo from Israel that has been in the scene since 1996, Infected Mushroom show no sign of going away anytime soon. One of the most eclectic groups out there when it comes to electronic music, Infected Mushroom toe the line of rock band and psytrance act quite effortlessly. For their eleventh artist album, the boys jump onto Monstercat and drop in seven new tracks. The 48-minute journey offers plenty of energy – hypnotic rhythms permeate on “Bliss On Mushrooms,” the frantic running synths of “Head of NASA,” and the well, trippy, of “Chenchen Bravas.” Then there is the almost Heatbeat mixed with BT feel of “Walking On The Moon” – the intro reminds me of chords used in “Rocker Monster” while post first break the mood switch to a BT-esque vocal line. In all, the album offers a rocking good time for the colder months in the north. Get groovy friends!

Roll through this journey on the platform of your choosing!

John Dahlbäck – Find A Home

Blending fifteen tracks in a 45-minute dance music album may be effortless for a seasoned veteran like John Dahlbäck. A mixed bag when it comes to production – he’s done everything from dark techno in the middle 2000s to poppy Swedish house – Dahlbäck’s latest album offers a refreshed look from a talent who spans genres. With Find A Home John continues his foray into poppy Swedish house. Piano laden “Back To Me” shows the beauty that underlies John’s production style with a classic throwback house vibe laid with modern male vocals, while “Catch Me If You Can” offers the right amount of sunshine to brighten the days of the dark winter nights. If you’re in the mood for some warm cheeky house tunes, you’ve got to Find A Home with Mr. Dahlbäck.

Grab the album from its current home on Beatport!

Steve Brian – Wanderlust

Wrapping up our December 2018 list is Steve Brian with Wanderlust. From the get-go, Steve brings in the world vibes with “Yamakhosi” and its ethnic chanting overlaid the bright and sunny production. Perfect for the beach or cruising in the daylight sun “Yamakhosi” offers a glimpse into the bright disposition of the album’s fifteen (seventeen in its deluxe form) tracks. Wanderlust capitalizes on the word it uses as a title – it promotes a strong desire for traveling. Whether the love-soaked “In Your Eyes” drives you to the horizons, the nostalgic appeal of “You Don’t Care” and electronic music’s house roots get you grooving, the wall of sound traps you in “Bed of Roses,” or the ethnic tug of “Kyoto” draws you to new adventures, the album is sure to instill a sense of wanderlust in every listener. Proof is in the pudding! Enhanced Progressive has it firing on all cylinders right now!

No need to wander on your destination when you can pick up the album on the platform of your choice!

Did we miss one of your favorites? Is one on this list you don’t agree with? Comment below or on our social networks to discuss the second half of 2018 albums we may have missed out on!