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Jammer, Skepta, Powazs – Slingshot | The Song of the Month December 2023

Buy / Stream Jammer, Skepta, Powazs – Slingshot on Bandcamp

Label- Más Tiempo – London

Grime powerhouses Jammer & Skepta collaborate to debut their new label Más Tiempo. The label will start a new journey into the world of house and techno, while maintaining their grime influence. Repetitive, choppy lyrics and relentless baseline remind listeners this isn’t your typical house release. I’m looking forward to more genre bending creations from this newly created label.

Axone / X_1 – Coming From Above | The Song of the Month November 2023

Buy / Stream Axone / X_1 – Come From Above on Bandcamp

Label- Beat X Changers – Paris

Even though I’m selecting Coming From Above as the song of the month for November, this write up is really about the whole album, On A Bird Scale from talented listener and French producer Axone / X_1. The album opens with the track, Forgotten Bird Species, where chirps become an instrument. Those chirps transition into horns on the second song, My Brass Sounds Bright (Thru The Deep Night), which evokes a film noir vibe, a private eye taking a long drag of his cigarette in a dark alley. Coming From Above masterfully builds anticipation both musically and lyrically by looping the haunting lyric “trouble coming” before breaking open those lyrics and the energy of the track. This album is a story, a poem, a love letter to your ears.

Jonathan Kaspar – Come Close | The Song of the Month October 2023

Buy / Stream Jonathan Kaspar – Come Close on Bandcamp

Label- Maeve – Berlin

Jonathan Kaspar is a master at setting the mood, slowly and intentionally layering elements of each song to crescendo. Come Close immediately puts listeners in a particular state of mind with an ominous bass line, followed by the haunting repetitive vocal for which the track is named. Twangy, minor notes and occasional grumbles accompany the stripped down peak of the track, staying true to its dark and minimal form. This entire EP is an audible delight. The Can’t Stop EP, named for the featured single, features a remix from Mano Le Tough. While Can’t Stop is over 11 minutes long, it is worth the wait for the ultra fuzzy, electro payoff.

Lauren Flax, Pale Blue – Fix Everything | The Song of the Month September 2023

Buy / Stream Lauren Flax, Pale Blue – Fix Everything on Bandcamp

Label- 2MR – Brooklyn

The marriage between Brooklyn DJ Lauren Flax, and Liz Wright, half of Pale Blue, is a harmonious and symbiotic relationship that elevates both artists. Wright’s moody vocals melt perfectly between intermittent and delightful acid and break beats. Enjoy the entirety of the EP from this dynamic duo, titled Liz and Lauren (do yourself a favor and read Bandcamp’s interpretation of the vocals via the links above). Here’s a quote from the excellent write up, “Lead single ‘Fix Everything’ can be read both as an indictment of the trappings of marriage (“will this ring / fix everything”) or, […] a rousing call to action, applicable to issues ranging from the degradation of the environment to the attack on LGBTQ+ rights in America.”

CRAZED (BR) – Certo pelo Certo | The Song of the Month August 2023

Buy / Stream CRAZED (BR) – Certo pelo Certo on Bandcamp

Label- FU.ME – Milan

While there isn’t much information online about CRAZED (BR), his moniker is indicative that his home country Brazil is important to his identity. To me, that Brazilian identity comes through in his music, much like Grayscale Rainbows favorite RHR (check out my post on RHR on within The Best Techno of 2022 write up). The first piece of music from CRAZED (BR) that tickled my fancy was his 2021 Techno edit of Too Short’s anthemic Blow the Whistle titled 808 do Vapo. Then in 2022, the raw, aggressive feel of his EP Nos Conformes furthered my interest in the little known producer. On Certo pelo Certo, CRAZED (BR) wastes no time setting a dark tone, looping the lyric “I am the darkness” through the beginning of the track before thumping your ear drums with a hard hitting bass line and fuzzy synths fit for a grungy basement. Enjoy the darkness.

Max Cooper – Swapped | The Song of the Month July 2023

Buy / Stream Max Cooper – Swapped on Bandcamp

Label- Mesh – London

While Max Cooper obviously doesn’t qualify in the category of underground or emerging artists I prefer to feature on Grayscale Rainbows, his recent releases are too good to ignore. A master of his craft, Max Cooper’s ability to fluctuate between ambient and the industrial rave sounds featured on Swapped never ceases to amaze me. Another recent release, Vertebrae / Forgotten Places, is further evidence of Cooper’s ability to turn on the energy and push the boundaries of comfortable listening. Keep your eyes peeled for his new album, Motif, coming in October, which will feature both songs I covered here.

Goldie B – Something Nu | The Bonus Song of the Month June 2023

Buy / Stream Goldie B – Something Nu on Bandcamp

Label- Omakase- Marseille

Nu Area, the debut EP from Goldie B was so good at the end of June, I had to feature it as a bonus song of the month. On Something Nu, the EP’s opening track, don’t be fooled by the slow intro featuring Goldie B’s velvety soft vocals. As the track passes the 3 minute mark, Goldie B deftly glitches her vocals, marking the beginning of the break beats which build throughout the rest of the song. Kriss Kool and Can’t Nobody Stop Me, the other standouts from the EP, epitomize the cross genre blending of sounds I love to feature on Grayscale Rainbows. Try not to dance, I dare you.

Hauswife – Motion | The Song of the Month June 2023

Stream Hauswife – Motion on Spotify

Hauswife – Melbourne

Hauswife, who, according to her Resident Advisor profile, “is a resident DJ at some of the best clubs and bars in Melbourne” impresses with her latest release Motion. Motion demonstrates Hauswife’s impressive vocal range and adept ear for layering, harmonizing & tweaking her vocals, Those vocals are laid over this big, energetic & unique track. While her music is categorized as lofi house, her catalog breaks down any barriers of a genre. On Misplaced, Hauswife expands beyond the more harmonic, soulful mealodies on Motion and into more of an upbeat frenzy that begins immediately and ends with a bang. From the frenetic energy of Misplaced, the pensive & calming energy of Overcast aptly matches the mood of an overcast afternoon.

Kino Todo, Miluhska – 2004 | The Song of the Month May 2023

Buy / Stream Kino Todo, Miluhska – 2004 on Beatport

Label- Pop Tomorrow – Tel Aviv

I discovered Kino Todo as most did, through his standout first single Gidafi Na, which also received an edit from fellow Israeli DJs Red Axes. Kino Todo’s release Space Sum was released mid-pandemic, with a supprting remix from DJ Tennis. But after a couple wonderfully rugged records, it appears Kino Todo refuses to be pigeonholed as a producer for the dance floor only. On 2004, the collaboration between Kino Todo and Miluhska proves infectious, as Miluhska’s vocals instantly pull you in and the fast paced track keeps your feet tapping. The future is bright for both young up-and-coming artists. I’m blown away by the beauty of this track.

Mogwaa – Driven (Mr. Ho Remix) | The Song of the Month April 2023

Buy / Stream Mogwaa – Driven (Mr. Ho Remix)

Label – Gudu Records – Berlin

South Korean producer Mogwaaa delights with his latest EP, Drifted. His bright, upbeat, summery tones feel as if they’re pulling us out of winter and into the late night summer breeze on an open air dance floor. Make sure to check out Rushing.and the original version of Driven.

Mr. Ho adds a different energy to the release with his remix of Driven, taking us out of the open air and into the warehouse. Pitched down, simplified, fast, repetitive but intricate, and infused with a touch of acid.

Nonsensical – Breathing Session | The Song of the Month March 2023

Buy / Stream Nonsensical – Breathing Session on Bandcamp

Label – O’Clock – Porto

The debut release from Nonsensical is so well conceived that it’s hard to believe it’s an artist debut at all. While it is in fact a debut release, maybe it’s more fair to say it’s a rebut reimagined. Quoting from the label O’Clock’s Instagram post announcing the release, “Nonsensical is a side project from Backbone […] the artist presents himself for the first time with an EP that links the listener to a day dreaming narrative.” While the entire Momentum EP is well worth a listen, the track Breathing Session artfully combines crescendoing hard driving techno that dissolves into an ambient ending.

Guber – Fermagtem | The Song of the Month | February 2023

Buy / Stream Guber – Fermagtem on Bandcamp

Guber – Paris

With 238 monthly listeners on Spotify at the time of this post, Guber’s self-released blend of bass music and fast paced techno won’t remain a hidden gem for long. On Fermagtem, the looping vocal melodies and catchy lyric are quickly accompanied by a heavy rolling bassline. The bass is taken away just long enough for you to catch your breath before this moody dance floor belter satisfies.

Bonus Guber: Check out the 2022 EP Wrong Ibiza (Wrong Ibiza – Bass Mix is my recommendation). On Wrong Ibiza, Guber’s lyrics make the astute observation that, “there will come a time in your life when you will ask yourself a series of questions. Am I happy with who I am? Am I happy with the people around me?”

Oceanic – KxT | The Song of the Month | January 2023

Buy / Stream KxT on Bandcamp

Label – Nous’klaer Audio – Rotterdam

This fast paced but slow developing track dives into the deep end and never surfaces. There’s just something about the drums patterned on top of one another that pulls you down immediately and doesn’t let go. Oceanic’s debut album, Choral Feeling, is worth a front to back listen. Be cautioned that the rest of the album’s mood is significantly lighter, which to me made KxT a clear standout.