Otherside & Blackoak – Maribou State

One of the first posts I wrote on this site was on the release of Kingdoms in Colour. That was way back in 2018 – the last time electronic duo Maribou State released an album. So it is pretty exciting that they are back with a new album, Hallucinating Love, which will be released on 31st January 2025. The process has been a long one in part due to a serious illness suffered by one of the duo. Chris Davids has required brain surgery due to a rare condition called a Chiari malformation. That they are now releasing new music and announcing live dates is great news for the band and their fans.

7 years is a mighty long time in music, but from the sounds of the first two singles it may have been worth the wait. Both Blackoak and Otherside are unmistakably Maribou State, once again featuring Holly Walker’s beautiful vocals. Excitingly, Andreya Triana is a featured artist on a yet to be released track, which feels like another match made in heaven.

Tickets for their Valentine’s Day gig at Ally Pally go on sale this Friday.

Expander – Bonobo

If you cast me out onto a desert island with only one artist loaded onto the iPod, I would choose Bonobo. The depth of his back-catalogue, and the evolutionary arc of his music are, to my mind, unmatched. He added to his library in August with the release of Expander.

With some production help from Chris Lake, he brings together a few elements – vocal and flute samples, a deceptively intricate drum track, some spooky synths, and a rampant baseline – to flutter between the club and the living room.

For a deeper dive into this track, and some gems from the back-catalogue, check out the excellent Tape Notes podcast with John Kennedy.

TN:144 BONOBO

If you could only listen to one artist for the rest of your life, who would you choose? Let us know in the comments.

Dare Myself – Saison & Amy Douglas

We are now deep into Autumn in the UK, but if any track is going to transport you back to sunnier climes then it will be Dare Myself. In fact, it might just transport you back further – it has a really uncomplicated energy that feels ready-made for MTV Dance circa 2007. Pretty infectious. Enjoy.

This track was released in May on Future Disco. I came across it on the excellent Future Disco Radio. They release weekly mixes with guest artists and label boss Sean Brosnan (no, not Pierce’s son).

RADIO

Sad Girl – TSHA

Sad Girl, TSHA’s second album, is out today. In 40 minutes the 12 tracks give you an updated take on the sounds of noughties dance and R&B. Modern sounds infused with nostalgia (or maybe the other way round).

Despite its glossy veneer, the release deals with TSHA’s feelings of loneliness and depression. The artwork is inspired by a nightmare in which she fell through the ice of a frozen lake. But in both the visuals and in the audio, we see and hear a human and an artist coming to terms with herself and her art.

And look, it’s a lot of fun. My two picks are Drive and Sweet Devotion (which sounds v. good in a club by the way).

Brooklyn Heat (Feat. Andreya Triana) – Quantic

I’ve been loving this one for almost a year now, since its release last November. It has a infectious little refrain that will, mark my words, get you going “Wooh! Yeah!”

Andreya Triana is one of my all-time favourite vocalists, and she is smattered all over Quantic’s latest album Dancing While Falling. As Wordplay put it, expect “sunkissed guitar licks, breezy percussion and… luxurious vocals”. Here is the full release.

Enlightenment is now – Gambian Disco Express & 12tree

It might feel like Summer is coming to end. But maybe it doesn’t have to. Maybe Summer was really all the friends you made along the way. Here’s one more friend to make before it’s too late. Sisters and brothers, enlightenment is now.

It’s a groovy stomper if ever I’ve heard one. The track is a collaboration between Robin Twelftree, The Gambia and Bongo Koi. It was recorded at the culmination of a drive in a Mercedes from London to Gunjur, on the banks of the River Gambia. The vocals belong to none other than Joseph N’Gole, a mystic. How about that.

The vinyl release also has a delightful less edited version, which is well worth picking up if that tickles your fancy. You can hear a snippet and pick that up here.

Shout out to Ben Gomori’s Turned On podcast for the tip.

RIP Danielle Moore (Crazy P)

“Oh I’m missing you for all the sun you shine. There’s a colour missing from the rainbow. Given time we will be dancing once again. I’ll be listening to hear your calling”

I wonder if you’ll be with me on this: I’ve been listening to and loving Crazy P for a long while; they’ve given me a lot of amazing moments, most memorably seeing them at Great Suffolk Street Warehouse, Metropolis and Printworks. But I’ve never really taken the time to find out about who they are. And it is only today, with the sudden, tragic death of lead singer and all-round badass front-woman Danielle Moore at the young age of 52 that I’ve read more about her and the group.

There are much better places to read about her life (including here). But I’ll just say that she is a massive loss, and she will be missed for her music, her individuality and her presence. There aren’t many electronic groups or producers out there that infuse the level of emotion they do in their music, while maintaining a powerful groove.

Here are my top 6 tracks, but it could easily have been a longer list. Mark my works, each of them have the power to give you goosebumps. RIP Danielle.

Nothing beats Heartbreaker. An all-time classic with an instantly recognisable and beautifully elongated intro.

Like a Fool has another classic and beautifully shimmery intro and just gets better and better with the vocals.

The build to the second drop in Cruel Mistress is from another planet.

This one is really built around Danielle’s vocals.

Open For Service really gets going 3 minutes in – a kitsch disco-infused set-opener.

Finally, from 2022, Medlar’s Remix of The Witness.