Eelke Kleijn isn't your average, run-of-the-mill electronic producer, he's truly a composer. Having studied piano since the age of 12, his production is ripe with lush instrumentation whether it be husky tech or melodic deep house. Embraced by the likes of Pete Tong and Fatboy Slim, just to name a few, the Rotterdam native has released original records and remixes on Global Underground, Ultra, Toolroom, EMI, Spinnin', Eskimo and more (including his imprint Outside The Box), with acts ranging from Nadia Ali to Benny Benassi and John Legend all being officially reworked by the musical wizard.
To say that Scottish producers Illyus Brown and Ivan Barrientos are riding high with a wave of momentum would be a definite understatement. Better known as Illyus & Barrientos, the pair's production have blossomed from Glasgow's ever vibrant electronic scene to an international playing field. Having released records like "Do What You Wanna", along with EPs such as Stranded EP and Need Me, their CV includes remixes of Gorgon City's "Go All Night" featuring Jennifer Hudson, Lovebirds' "Want You In My Soul", Alex Adair's "Make Me Feel Better", "Joshi Mami's "I Need Your Love" and more. Signed to Kevin McKay's Glasgow Underground label, Illyus & Barrientos have drawn support from industry heavyweights Annie Mac, Danny Howard and dance music taste maker Pete Tong, who recently aired their After Hours mix for BBC Radio 1. With projects in the works for Defected Records and Red Bull Records, as well as a stream of shows this year, Illyus & Barrientos' tide is only going to continue to rise.
Girls, fashion, fun and sun can be attributed to the music of Italian group The C.I.P. Consisting of Michele Scheveger and Simone Cavalli, their songs are like soundscapes to month long parties on a beach filled with beautiful people and hedonistic escapades.
Formed in 2013, the duo quickly caught the attention of the press with their radiant sound of 80s pop, nu-disco and electro, not to mention winning an MTV Music Award for Best New Generation Electro.
There are people who loosely get pinned with the 'legend' title and then there are those who truly deserve such status. To call DJ, producer and radio presenter Graeme Park a legend would be an understatement. As one of the pioneers of house music in the UK, Park's musical CV is extensive, which includes his tenure at the iconic Haçienda in Manchester, 20 years on radio, having played countless gigs around the globe, and remixes for acts such as The Brand New Heavies, New Order, Inner City and loads more. For many, he has provided the soundtrack to the some of the best moments of their lives.
A 'style don' and an innovator are a couple of descriptions that have been attributed to Smiso Zwane better known as Okmalumkoolkat. The emcee, DJ and designer helped to capture global attention to the modern, ascending sounds and vibrant lifestyles that were blossoming throughout South African cities such as Johannesburg and Durban.
Over the past couple of years Bucharest, Romania has been a hot bed of cutting edge electronic acts. Temple Invisible are a part of the new wave of maverick artists who are blurring the lines of genre, mixing a stew of musical influences to create a particular sound of dark electronica. Consisting of Irina Bucescu, Costas Ivanov and Daniel Olteanu, their track "Disappearance" was an introduction of the trio to the world with the song hauntingly springing elements of trip-hop, industrial and goth. Their recently unveiled tracks "Collide" and "Sudden Acts" incorporated post-punk, as well as synth-wave, adding guitars amidst the dreamy vocals of Irina Bucescu to spawn a nocturnal, yet sensual feel.
It's rare to see many music groups or bands stay together after creating something special - creative differences often ensue or egos simply barricade future endeavors. It's even more rare to witness musical giants who have already established a successful career come together as a power unit with the intent on simply making the best music that they can. Junior Giscombe, Don-E, Omar, Noel McKoy and Leee John are practically UK royalty, having sold millions of records globally. So when all five artists, who have contributed immensely to the soul and R&B scenes not only in England but internationally, decided to form a one of a kind collaboration project call The British Collective, there was undoubtedly something monumental about to take place.
If one were to take notes on the expansive career of Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber, specifically their work as Tosca, what would be transparent is the refinement, taste and continued progression that their music has reflected. Part of a wave of producers who helped to spearhead in an electronic movement throughout the 90s that took on various titles such as acid jazz, trip-hop and in the 2000s, future jazz, Tosca's sound could be appropriately called simply...timeless, forward-thinking music, opposed to any infliction of tags. It is that process of transcending any one label that has kept the two musicians consistently relevant for two decades.
Street soul, a combination of Hip-Hop, soul and R&B, is the sound being created by the Netherlands-based duo Lucid. Formed in 2012 and comprised of vocalists Janice and Juliet, the sexy Dutch duo originally met in university while both studying media before switching to music and each getting accepted into the Herman Brood Academie in Utrecht. After a trip to the U.S. that same year, Lucid went full force with their career, returning to America in 2013 to perform live at various venues and forming collaborations. In the works to release their debut album "Poisoned Pawns", Juliet and Janice dropped a video for the hypnotic song "Stranger To Me" earlier this year, followed by their recent video "Celebration", which documents the ladies' recent voyage in Brussels. The LP will straddle the sounds of Hip-Hop, soul, R&B and trap. With sultry vocals backed by rich, soulful production, Lucid are a pair of talented beauties that you should definitely get to know.
Irish-born and currently based in Brighton, I.AM.L's debut single "Lionheart" is a triumphant ode to her late grandmother Kitty. Backed by epic tribal drums, her shining voice rings out like a passionate deliverance coming down from the heights. Produced by Tim Larcombe (Lana Del Rey, Saint Etienne, Sugababes etc.), the monumental song is the herald of a future classic. With the record already earning critical praises, I.AM.L has firmly risen like the phoenix from the ashes presenting the world a timeless work of art, and this is only the beginning.
