First Spin: The Week’s Best New Dance Tracks From Honey Dijon, SNBRN, Purple Disco Machine & More
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This week in dance music: We recapped 17 things that happened at last weekend’s Portola festival in San Francisco; Ultra Music Festival released the first phsae of its 2023 lineup; the Avicii estate sold 75% of the late producer’s recordings and publishing catalog to Pophouse; Circus Records released the first posthumous track from bass producer Cookie Monsta; David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” hit No. 1 on Dance/Electronic Songs, Calvin Harris released the video for “Obsessed”; we spoke with the new owner of Defected Records; and we broke down the top tracks and artists from Mysteryland 2022.
And new music? We got that, too. Let’s dig in.
More from Billboard
Honey Dijon & Channel Tres feat. Sadie Walker, “Show Me Some Love”
After teasing us with singles for what feels like forever, Honey Dijon has finally revealed the details of her forthcoming album, Black Girl Magic, which is set to be released on Nov. 18 via Classic Music Company. With the news, Dijon has shared what a statement reveals is the final preview of the LP: “Show Me Some Love,” a collaboration with Channel Tres. Dijon’s jacking-house energy and Channel’s low-key vibe meet in the middle for an alluring track that struts and slinks across the dance floor with its smooth bass line and hypnotic synth oscillations. “Tell me how I don’t miss,” Channel suggests in his deep baritone. “Tell me that you can’t handle it.”
In addition to Channel Tres, Dijon has built up a collaboration-filled suite for Black Girl Magic, with Eve, Pabllo Vittar, Mike Dunn, Hadiya George and more set to feature. — KRYSTAL RODRIGUEZ
SNBRN, “Old Days”
Is it just us, or is everyone feeling extra nostalgic in the post-quarantine world? It’s easy to see the past through rose-colored glasses when the news is bad and your world is forever changed by the pandemic blues, but there is still a lot of hope to be felt and good times to be had, and certainly lots of new music to make you dance.
SNBRN’s sophomore LP The Old Days sounds like a pandemic silver lining. Full of emotional funk and undeniable groove, the 19-track effort captures the producer’s descent into lockdown reflection, turning his own inward thoughts and uncovered memories into a thrilling journey of sound. The project definitely looks back with fondness for things that were before, but it’s also a message to look ahead wherever the road takes you.
“The writing process became self healing, working with family members and close friends,” SNBRN says in a statement. “The Old Days plays into those thoughts we have of a better time, an old relationship, lost loved ones and just dwelling on the past. I had to remind myself to keep going and create the next chapter of my life. The story is never over. I hope there’s a little something for everyone in this album, and that it can help others as much as it’s helped myself.” – KAT BEIN
Eagles & Butterflies, “Retropolis”
UK producer Eagles & Butterflies, the man behind one of our favorite tracks of 2019, returns with the slick, futuristic “Retropolis.” A propulsive jam soaked in synth and moving at warp speed, the track sounds like something from the Blade Runner soundtrack, a simultaneously vintage and futuristic Italo disco thrill ride capturing that galvanizing slightly hectic feel of a big night out in a packed club.
“‘Retropolis’ for me is the past meets the future,” Eagles & Butterflies says. “I love influences and technology from the past and making music that sounds like it could be from for a time yet to arrive.”
The track is the debut from the producer’s forthcoming EP, out October 14 via Gerd Janson’s Running Back label, with a second installment of the EP being prepped for an early 2023 release. — KATIE BAIN
Shygirl, “Shlut”
Shygirl has certainly cemented her place as one of the most evocative alt-pop princesses of the modern dance floor. She’s never turned away from a devilish beat, and her latest sex-positive bop melts mean and delicate energies into one strong and salacious single. She’s whisper-singing “I wish I were you just to get a piece of me,” then turning a bit soft, admitting that she just can’t stand the thought of her lover leaving. We’re here for a queen that can hold space for both her own baddie-ness and her feelings. Also, the music video directed by Diana Kunst is a real black-and-white slice of sensual art. – K. Bein
Tensnake, “Coma Cat (Purple Disco Machine Re-Work)”
Few dance tracks wholly embody summer like Tensnake’s “Coma Cat.” For over a decade, the dance floor classic has gripped us with its immediately recognizable and transporting vibraphone melody. Though the summer season has just barely exited, Purple Disco Machine is keeping the spirit alive with an official “Coma Cat” re-work. An unreleased fan favorite for over three years, the remix adds disco heft to the original’s airiness via a foundation of grinding bass, chunky drums, glowing synth keys, and the kind of wind tunnel build-and-release that festival dreams are made of. — K.R.
Carlita, “Bon Trip”
After playing what felt like 30 sets at Burning Man around this time last month (including b2bs with DJ Tennis and Diplo), Turkish-Italian producer Carlita is releasing her Bon Trip EP. Inspired by Scandinavian disco producers like Todd Terje and Lindstrøm, the title track does indeed sound like a happy voyage both inwards and across the dance floor. Released via Tennis’ Life and Death label, the Bon Trip EP also features the heavier and similarly hypnotic “Run Run Run,” along with top-shelf remixes of both tracks.
“I conceived this EP during the pandemic as I wanted to create positive energy for myself, I dreamt of parties that I wanted to play, iconic venues, I dreamt of people being able to dance together carelessly again,” Carlita says. “I have been putting the finishing touches throughout the summer while touring nonstop to realize summer of 2022 was the ‘bon trip.’ With Bon Trip, I stepped out of my comfort zone to create this psychedelic and uplifting package.” — K. Bain
