I was disappointed (and simultaneously glad to notice we share similar sentiments) to see the latest First Floor newsletter discuss the idea of the return of sincerity in dance music, as now you’ll think I’m just copying Shawn Reynaldo’s take. I even had this great quote ready from the Japanese best-seller Butter to kick things off. In the book, the gourmet cook turned killer Manako Kajii puts it like this: “I wouldn’t like to waste my time on anyone except those who know the real thing when they see it.” A bit gatekeepy and snobbish, isn’t it? She’s talking about food, mind, but food and music go hand in hand as, in both cases, it all comes down to taste.
Quotes aside, 2024 has been the year when “the scene” slowly started to get real again, or at least that tolerance for self-indulgent narcissism and the social media circus has ostensibly decreased. It’s probably just a reaction to the fatigue caused by the post-2020 inflation of the anything-goes mentality, and admittedly it’s more of a subjective observation than something measurable. But reading RA’s recent Art of DJing feature dedicated to Djrum’s mastery, and seeing all the love it received, got me thinking that maybe artistry and humility are about to have their moment in dance music culture again. Even the same publication’s in-depth portrait of Skee Mask revolves around the importance of artistic integrity and values that have arguably been scorned as conservative in recent memory.
This doesn’t imply we’re about to see a resurgence of white dudes on the front covers of dance music magazines. It’s more about the prospect that contemporary artists who put their music before their social media presence might be getting their dues in the press (or what remains of it), even though they are unwilling to submit to the algorithm and do editorials for fashion brands. Personality-driven DJ influencers have been in the spotlight for much of the early 2020s, but just maybe actual talent will soon regain its position as a more reliable marker of quality.
I hardly noticed any palpable trends this year, bar Brat mania on which more than enough thinkpieces have been published already. RA’s post-summer evaluation to me felt like a contrived attempt at concocting “trends” from things that have been around since forever, but were just not newsworthy. Like “Waft”, that is the underground tech house scene, which has been the most popular movement on the Slovenian underground since the mid-10s at least. Or house, Latincore and complex bangers. Haven’t they been a thing for most of the past half decade? Though admittedly, throwback progressive house and trance did gain momentum after 2023 and continued their rise in popularity via labels like Kalahari Oyster Cult, Punctuality, X-Kalay, Animalia and others.
As others have observed, it was easy to notice a newfound appreciation for dub-infused and loopy/percussive/hard groove-adjacent techno aesthetics from the turn of the millennium, which also resonated with me. I finally grasped why many rave veterans I know who experienced the late 90s/early 00s scene always talk about this era with fond memories. Techno reached its most euphoric phase in that period, and it’s nice to see producers such as Dylan Fogarty, Deetron and Leod tapping into these sounds. While on the psychedelic end of techno, artists like Konduku and Polygionia delivered some of the greatest productions of the year.
The neo-industrial/hard techno machine marched on mercilessly and witnessed an influx of new ravers who dance like NPCs. But with news of icons like Paula Temple retiring from touring due to her “incompatibility” with the direction hard techno is heading towards (“a world of influencer performers”), it’s obvious that the tide is turning. Mainstream techno’s cheeky counterpart, the trashy, uptempo Eurodance-via-trance-and-pop sound championed by the likes of Marlon Hoffstadt gained even more traction (most Slovenian students now relate to this sound more than any form of techno!). Even my Insta feed somehow largely consisted of videos of unknown DJs playing these “unpretentious” sample-heavy tracks that will be considered pure trash in a few months or so.
Mutant bass/techno (or hipster bass as Sorry Records’ Nick Boyd put it) arguably reached its pinnacle in popularity. The remix of the biggest crossover track of the year, Joy Orbison’s ‘Flight FM’, even soundtracked the drop of the new Chelsea kit. I’ve noticed how these mutant sounds have also become more present on the local scene among younger DJs who discarded hardly passable edits for “more serious” selections. And while there was little to no press on the contemporary UKG/speed garage scene, artists such as Interplanetary Criminal, Silva Bumpa, Main Phase, Soul Mass Transit System, Y U QT and Prozak regularly churned out certified bangers.
The list below isn’t strictly focused on productions with superb sound design, and clear-cut festival hits, but tracks for repeated listens. It’s rather a traditionalist take on “club music” with little to no experimental stuff, and mainly includes my favourite techno, house, tech house, bass, baile funk, kuduro, bubbling and other tracks in no particular order. Honourable mentions go to Djrum’s remix of Objekt’s classic and the above-mentioned ‘Flight FM’ which have been highlighted elsewhere – as well as Pearson Sound’s ‘Hornet’, Ploy’s high-tech house and Skee Mask’s masterpieces from the ISS010 EP, which I’ve covered in my earlier columns.
All in all it’s been a great year for “big tunes”, and ultimately this is just the tip of the iceberg. Be sure to also check out the EPs, albums and compilations these tunes can be found on as there are many more goodies waiting for you down the wormhole.
Introspekt‘Singamo Bootleg’MARICAS
One of the finest “edits” of the year blending the seductive vocals of Dominican rapper Tokischa with UKG syncopations and groovy percussion. Serious booty-shaking business!
Konduku‘Rupsje’Amanthia
Disorientating kosmische techno of epic proportions that could nicely fit one of the boss fight scenes in the Elden Ring videogame.
aya & Ecko Bazz‘Essente!’YCO
A ferocious club curveball marked by weirdly convulsive grooves, alluringly oversaturated synths and the Ugandan rapper’s commanding flow.
Airdrop‘⑈’CloudCore
The CloudCore community have put out some amazing music, but this is arguably one of their most exciting yet, a peak-time big room banger with a roaring main synthline and an expected trancey vibe shift half way in.
Buttechno‘Trancer’Kalahari Oyster Cult
A kind of slowed-down tribute to old school psy trance with that signature Buttechno sound design that may cause hallucinations on the dancefloor.
Doctor Jeep‘Mecha’TraTraTrax
The US producer might be one of the most played of the year, no surprise considering how effective his baile funk/dembow-inspired monster tracks are when it comes to moving large bass-loving audiences around the globe.
YusshAlbum1Wisdom Teeth
Yushh’s immersive atmospherics and shimmering melodies paired with uptempo four-to-the-floor kicks result in a soothing tension-releaser for the wee hours.
RHR & Rxfx‘FLEXIONA’Nice & Deadly
The rising Brazilian producers joined forces for this devastating DJ tool with loopy vocal chops and gargantuan baile funk riddims that will spice up any percussion-heavy set.
De Schuurman & Dj Chuckie‘Gangster Sht’Nyege Nyege Tapes
No nonsense bubbling banger by two bubbling masters representing two generations of Holland’s Afro-diasporic club scene.
Harba‘Waggle’re:lax
One of those rare crossover UK techno belters that can function perfectly both in big rooms and smoke-filled 100 cap basements.
Polygonia‘Shen Wai Shenfa’Midgar
The Munich artist deservedly experienced a breakthrough this year, becoming a household name of trippy techno, and this percussion-driven, low slung roller is solid proof of her remarkable knack for hallucinatory sonics.
Deetron presents Soulmate‘Drone’Ilian Tape
Deetron’s Soulmate project channels the euphoric drive of loopy tribal techno and expands on its potential with a high-end sound image to great effect.
LWS‘Gum Seleks’TraTraTrax
The young Edinburgh talent released many jaw-dropping tunes recently, but this one stands out as his most mind-bending outing so far and might even grab the title for most impressive synthline of 2024.
CCL‘The Plot Thickens’ (ft. D. Tiffany)!K7
I never realised how much I needed dreamy, psychedelic, ASMR-infused UKG in my life until I heard this tune. Dark, sexy and playful in the best imaginable way.
Objekt‘Chicken Garaage’Kapsela
A perfect marriage between turn-of-the-millennium nu-skool breaks and garage influences immersed in trippy atmospherics that float weightlessly around your head. I vividly remember the sensation of first hearing it live at Butik Festival 2024.
De Grandi‘Bravo Taïg Khris’Brothers From Different Mothers
I’ve only got one thing to say – deadly pressure. The French producer arguably cooked one of the heftiest basslines of the year, but also went all in with his mind-expanding production tricks.
Peder Mannerfelt‘Flash My Flip Phone’Peder Mannerfelt Produktion
If only more producers would dare making such frisky hits. I’m sincerely surprised this tune hasn’t become even more huge considering it’s, hands down, the coolest techno banger of 2024.
Hassan Abou Alam‘Basha’ ft. Ziad Zaza, Ismail Nosrat & Aly BNerve Collect
I hope to see the Cairo producer get even more recognition in 2025 as he’s no doubt a visionary force in contemporary cutting-edge club music, with his wonderful tune ‘Basha’ representing one of this year’s unparalleled highlights.
Little Simz‘Mood Swings’Forever Living Originals
The massive 808 pulses, hefty percussion and Little Simz’ hypnotising delivery make for one hell of a pop club tune.
Mosca‘The Rope Begins To Fray’Self-Released
The odd one out on this list, this adventurous, constantly evolving nu-disco tune, whose tempo steadily speeds up from 100 to 120 bpm, would bring a smile to the late David Mancuso’s face.
Rhyw‘Drool’Fever AM
As vapid as the adjective has become, Rhyw regularly makes maximalist dance music that pushes the envelope so hard one might actually describe it as futuristic, or at least novel and daring.
Metrist‘Acka’local action
Similarly, Metrist outdoes himself every time he drops a new tune, and ‘Acka’ might just be his own ‘Flight FM’ catered for forward-thinking crowds that demand “complex bangers”.
Al Wootton‘Midnight Paseo’TRULE
The soundtrack of a transformative spiritual experience deep in a mysterious forest by the unparalleled dub (techno) wizard – the best in the game right now.
DJ JM‘Barrakuda’Nervous Horizon
An inventive and steamy techno-via-EBM roller that grants you loud reactions from the crowd, signed by one of the best-kept secrets of the Lithuanian and wider Baltic scenes.
Coffintexts‘ I Like The Way Shes Moving’Club Romantico
I have come across this signature Miami banger in so many DJ sets that it’s safe to describe it as a proper hit track that seduces you with its captivating echoey vocals.
Nídia & Valentina‘Mata’Latency
The perfect mix of organic percussion by my favourite drummer right now and the mellow melodics and wonky synths of the African-Portuguese producer makes ‘Mata’ a masterclass in electroacoustic club music.
DJ Anderson do Paraíso‘Quarentena Cheio De Odio’Nyege Nyege Tapes
Stripped-down Gothic baile funk is the kind of “minimal” I hope will make waves in 2025. A tune that takes you up the fictional Nung River.
Abadir & Nahash‘Tenterlé تنترليه’SVBKVLT
155 bpm darbuka madness by the Egyptian-Canadian alliance of ABADIR and Nahash which forces you to dance as if your life depends on it.
Shanti Celeste‘Ice Cream Dream Boy’Method 808
Celeste has long established herself as the boss of soulful tech house, and her proggy, retro-flavoured, balmy festival favourite ‘Ice Cream Dream Boy’ proves that yet again.
Mr. Ho‘000 Baby (Om Unit Remix)’Klasse Wrecks
Striking a fine balance between nostalgic tekno jungle pads, ragga vocals, retro 808s and crispy breaks, this is a personal favourite – my very own madeleines for remembering everything that happened in 2024.
