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Weekly Roundup I (EDX, Armin van Buuren and more!)

June 3, 20217 min read

Let’s be straightforward, shall we? In this fast-moving world, nobody’s got time. Information relayed short and sweet is most welcomed among Internet dwellers. I am aware that our reviews appear in midst of the multiple heart-stealing animal pictures or something more eye-catchy (ughm!). Plus as we discussed just a few weeks back, listening and writer’s block are the most formidable enemies for us reviewers. This makes it difficult to cover more from the expansive list of music from every Friday (or prior), with singular written pieces gobbling much of our times to write, correct and publish.

Weekly Roundup is an easy-to-read assortment of brand-new, steaming electronic music that you, the reader, should give a try. Of course it will be tailored to accommodate my tastes, mind you, but don’t worry, there will be a variety in this platter. So let’s dive into the latest and greatest of Dance music without much ado!

The last Friday saw top-names such as Armin van Buuren, Cristoph, EDX and other talented acts come into play with interesting new singles to listen.

EDX – Take Me Home (ft. Jess Ball)
74/100

Swiss based Deep House pioneer EDX has come up with a sequel for his summer’s hit of 2019, “Neptune”. This time around, he brings out the big brassy and soaring synths instead of a pulsating low-end, still adhering to Progressive domain of House music for this one. Vocalist Jess Ball reprises her role for this one as well, and does a great work while at it.

I do miss the dreamy and somewhat ethereal tone from the earlier one, as this sticks to an even more minimal attitude. Working with chiming plucks and the mentioned low-end synths, the combination is catchy to decent standards.

Jonas Blue, LÉON – Hear Me Say
76/100

What is warmer season without its equal output of pistachio ice-cream flavoured Deep House tracks… well.. here is one if you were searching. Jonas Blue, known heavily for his reputed album “Blue” that comprised of several chart-seizing works, has come up with a summer-drenched Piano heavy track, featuring an alluring vocal presence from Swedish songstress LÉON.

This is your standard ear-candy-electronic-pop song, and done so without compromising any quality. Working with an upbeat major-based chord progression, the hook serves fetching vocal chops with simpler bassline akin to most UK-styled Garage/Deep House productions.

Cristoph, Yotto, Sansa – Out Of Reach
82/100

Eric Prydz’s latest imprint under his alternative moniker “PRYDA Presents” has been making a name lately in the underground sector with significant names eagerly joining the nascent roster. This time around we have two hotshots, Cristoph and Yotto alongside vocalist Sansa for “Out Of Reach”.

Uplifting, driving… serene. The atmosphere is well-struck, with a melancholic and rising riffs accompanying subtle strings and a rumbling tight low-end. Nothing is overdone, so there’s the calmer introspective moments in the breakdown, coupled with elevating and evolving drop sequences. Great warmer!

Armin van Buuren – Battlefield
81/100

I remember an interview the mentioned veteran did with DJ Mag some years ago, where he was asked what other genre is he equally invested in. Techno was his answer, and “Battlefield” shows for it. Armind label-head picks up thudding club-kicks and squelching but not overpowering acid patterns this time, amidst other components necessary. It did remind me fondly of earlier strictly Progressive and melody-rich Trance creations from his earlier years. There’s obviously a powerful arp operating, and thus it doesn’t rely on any other leading elements to grab the limelight here. Oh, also a beautifully complementing voice awaits here, making it worth the while.

Rave Republic, Kevin Krissen, Fablers, Matt Weiss – Can I Be The One
78/100

Been some time since I penned about festival Big Room type records for a while, so thought why not talk about one right here? All up and coming names here, as you saw. Strangely the title “Can I Be The One” reminded me of the similarly named nostalgic evergreen from Avicii and Nicky Romero.

Okay, onto the point. If looking for a dose of energy-fueled and harmonic Progressive House belter, this is your stop. I recognized Fablers out of the bunch, as the Italian producer has releases in Revealed Recs. In a few words, there’s a sweet vocal that leads up to an anthemic drop section. Great cadence, although I didn’t entirely follow the lead-melody, and on the first listen expected a few notes to be different. But that’s just me. Fine addition in TurnItUp Muzik, a haven for new talents in the festival music scene.

Seth Troxler – Lumartes
86/100

Remember being a complete jerk in GTA games? Well no problems there, but their creator Rockstar Games just made a pact with the Ibizan record company Circoloco for publishing crème de la crème of Electronica, surmising exotic genres in House and Techno. A fine compensation for GTA VI, I suppose, as the American game-developing heavyweight has always shown an eclectic selection in music.

Seth Troxler has inaugurated the first official release with an acid-heavy instrumental, including a funky groove and excerpts of Spanish dialogue from what seems a greasy villain (apologies for such “accurate” descriptions). Anywho, the frolicking latino percussion and the sound-selection balance done here is excellent, absorbing entirety of attention during the seven minutes performance, keeping a laid-back yet snappy demeanour.

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