SHEE

Hailing from Killarney, Co Kerry in Ireland, David Sheeran (aka SHEE) has spent the last five years perfecting his deep house production skills with releases on Ireland’s most prestigious imprints, including Secret Society and House of Disco, and his latest single on Monki’s &Friends is set to send his listenership skyrocketing. “For Friends” is a melodic house masterpiece, full of rewinds, drops and builds, guaranteed to get listeners loose and euphoric. It’s an exhilarating addition to his funky 2020 drop “Am I Just Living” on Choooose Records and his disco-inspired 2017 single “The Player.” SHEE’s versatile production skills and deft DJ sets have seen him play alongside Folamour, Denis Sulta, Mella Dee and Patrick Topping. With a debut album and much more in the pipeline for 2022, don’t take your eyes or ears off this one.

ALIGHTED

The producer, composer and creative technologist McLean Macionis (aka Alighted) explores the intersection of music, engineering and human consciousness. Macionis broke out as a composer for network television series such as ​Top Chef​ and ​Real Housewives, but felt an increasing urge to explore the intricacies and inner workings of music technology. He completed a Master of Fine Arts in Music Technology at CalArts, and went on to head up sound design for The Broad Museum’s interdisciplinary production Gifts of the Spirit. That’s around the time he cooked up Alighted, a moniker under which he can integrate his diverse musical abilities. In December 2021 the artist released his first EP Fold on his own imprint Garden Broom Recordings with two original compositions (“Fold” and “MRY2”) and a remix by UK electronic duo Plaid.

SOULIDAN

Georgian for “from the soul,” Soulidan is a project by Tbilisi artist and Soulidan Records founder Tamaz Tskhakaia. The aim of this project is to evoke a deep sense of contentment and happiness directly from the soul of the artist to that of the listener. Tbilisi’s long been a hub for house and techno, and Soulidan’s at the forefront of this scene. He’s been booked alongside artists like Dam Swindle, Ultra Nate and Dan Sake, he’s made a name for himself via his epic party series, and his track “Alma Do Meu Coracao” was the first by a Georgian artist to top the Soulful House charts on Beatport. Soulidan says  every lyric, note and melody in his productions tells a personal story, and his latest single “Felicidade” on the artist’s own imprint is no exception. 

ARIELLE FREE

Scotland’s Arielle Free’s best known for her explosive house DJ sets, however her first venture into production shows she’s just as deft behind a desk as she is behind the decks. Her new single “Soul Full” with Mortimer featuring Joe Killington, released on D4 DANCE on 14th January, is set to establish the artist as one of Glasgow’s most promising production exports. Arielle’s experience hosting Ministry Of Sound’s Drive Time led to her own show on BBC Radio 1, which led to a whirlwind few years touring the globe with her high-octane house sets. Her debut track is full of funky synths and grooving vocals, a musical manifestation of Arielle’s infectious energy and powerful club presence. If you’re into feel-good flavours, this track’s for you.

KaySoul

Johannesburg’s KaySoul is all set to tear house music a new one with his latest EP Frequency Rays of One Cosmic on Dirt Crew Recordings. KaySoul’s been grafting since 2010, with releases on Tooman, Rogue Decibels, Society 3.0 and upcoming on Shall Not Fade later this year. The EP smacks of good times and explores the intersection of deep house and soul, all with heavy Detroit and Chicago flavour. KaySoul’s production style’s unique in its diversity, yet he’s unafraid to reference his influences and inspirations. This latest EP includes nods to Kerri Chandler and Larry Heard and the soulful sounds of Mr. Fingers. With more releases in the pipeline, there’s no doubt 2022’s gonna be KaySoul’s year.

CARLITA

This classically trained composer and producer evokes the ethereal romanticism of her Turkish and Italian roots, with kaleidoscopic productions that are best categorised by emotion rather than genre. Carlita is influenced by the psychedelic and the obscure, from Turkish Tango to acid rock to minimal electronica. The sound of Led Zeppelin, Depeche Mode and Yoga dominated her formative years, influences which are easily identifiable in her indie dance productions. Carlita’s first mini-album Everybody — coming soon via DJ Tennis’ Life and Death imprint — is a dizzying exploration of eclectic house grooves and deep disco sounds, with her classical background giving the collection an unmistakable polish. Check out the title track “Everybody” and have fun trying to get that groove out your head.