AK SPORTS

Cut AK Sports and she’ll bleed rave. Based between London and LA, the radio host, DJ and producer is fast becoming one of the pioneers of the new rave era, propelled by her off-the-wall productions and versatile sets. AK Sports’ debut EP Polarize combined her love for breaks, bass and eclecticism, and her latest EP Rave Again with Mincy is like stepping into a time machine and landing on the set of Human Traffic. The collaborative EP’s no doubt going to set the tone for the new sound of rave, with breaks, bass, warblers and donks creating a bridge between past and future sounds. When she’s not in the studio, you’ll catch AK Sports hosting her monthly show on BALAMII alongside George Fitzgerald, Denham Audio, Coco Bryce, Skream, or bouncing behind booths across the globe while the crowd loose their shit.

SPUTNIK ONE

Dublin’s Sputnik One pairs forward-thinking rhythms with experimental sound design to create driving, tactile compositions that turn dance floors into mosh pits. Sputnik One’s discography’s just hit the four release mark with Love From Above, a four-track EP on Wisdom Teeth full of broken UK techno, psychedelic drums, footwork and ravey post-hardcore. His recent remix of Design Default’s “Eta Aquirids” is a compelling take on bass and club music, demonstrating the artist’s ability to transcend themes and genres to create something totally unique. This essence extends to the DJ booth, with the artist’s distorted, broken bass sounds attracting ever-growing crowds at Europe’s biggest festivals. Listen to one of his mixes for Crack Magazine, DJ Mag, Rinse FM or NTS, and buckle up for a wild ride through bass, techno, jungle and beyond.

LILA TIRANDO A VIOLETA

Straight outta Uruguay’s underground, Lila Tirando a Violeta’s sound is inspired by cyberpunk, anime, pop, club and Latin music. As a result, it’s almost impossible to pin her down, but it’s instantly recognisable nonetheless. The artist’s latest release Desire Path on NAAFI champions lush vaporwave anthems alongside grinding industrial rhythms to create hybrid club tunes. The project served as a form of meditation and healing to help the artist come to terms with a debilitating neurological illness. The release is accompanied by a limited sale of ocarinas, a wind instrument, which were designed in collaboration with Argentinian 3D artist Trinidad Metz. With recent releases on Salviatek, Hyperdub and Houndstooth, Tirando’s artistry’s helped establish Uruguay as a key player in progressive club sounds, and the Desire Path project acts as an evolving vision and extension of the artist’s kaleidoscopic mind.

QRTR

Back in 2021, Brooklyn-based electronic artist Meagan Rodriguez (aka QRTR) returned to Dome of Doom for the release of her sophomore album, infina ad nausea to follow her debut LP Drenched released in March 2020. Rooted in the transfixing world of house, infina ad nausea deviates into drum ‘n bass, ambient, classical, and IDM. The record was produced in several home studios across Brooklyn, and explores the way artistic and personal life collides. “I have a tattoo on my arm that I designed in an effort to visually express the idea. The concept of this album feels a little larger than life to me and difficult to describe and that is exactly what I was trying to encompass sonically,” Rodriguez says. Following this phenomenal LP, which has recently seen remixes from the likes of VNSSA, Digitalism, Paperwater, and more, her recent “Snowfall” single and remix package on Walker & Royce’s Rules Don’t Apply imprint is an absolute triumph. Also, be sure to check out her new collaboration with Coffintexts for Femme Culture x HeForShe’s Vol. 4 compilation, titled “Minha“— thrashing and hair-raising club sounds for all to enjoy!

Crate Classics

GRAMMY-nominated and platinum-certified producers and long-term friends Jamie Rodigan and Aaron Horn make up Crate Classics. The pair are well-known for their genre-bending UKG and dancehall productions and for co-producing Doja Cat’s #1 single “Woman,” but they’re about to become legends in their own right. In March, the pair released “Ghost Mode” on Soulvent Records along with Catching Cairo – a subtle, light drum ’n’ bass track that gives plenty of space to Cairo’s soulful and soothing vocals. The single follows a string of releases in recent months, mostly on the pair’s own Crate Classics label, with their Waves EP standing out as a refreshing and cinematic collection with industrial percussion, choppy piano samples and rapid-fire breakbeats. Their next track, “Pusanna,” is due for release on May 20th, and trust us, it’s a scorcher.

HENRI BERGMANN

This April Henri Bergmann releases her Higher Dimension EP on her own label Automatik with a remix from Fat Cosmoe and Bergmann’s husband, Wennink (pictured above). Henri Bergmann’s fast becoming one of the UK’s pioneers in contemporary electronic music. Having recently signed to Watergate’s roster, her house and techno productions have caught the eye of industry titans Laurent Garnier, Ilario Alicante, Nick Warren, Rodriguez Jr. and more, as well as features in Mixmag, Dancefloor Romancer and Data Transmission. “Musically, we wanted a hard-hitting deep track, with an infectious melodic lead synth line that would compliment a low and rousing vocal,” Bergmann says of the upcoming remix. The first two singles, “Higher Dimension” and “Ordinary People” are out now, with a full remix EP dropping on April 22nd.