Welcome back to On Our Radar, Beatportal’s monthly roundup of the DJs and producers we can’t get enough of.
Check out the On Our Radar Beatport Chart to find tracks from the artists below, along with additional tunes that have caught our attention this month.
AZZECCA
When Chicago-based Azzecca released her “Other Side” EP on Higher Ground it catapulted her name into the stratosphere. It hit over 200k+ streams in the first month alone and won support from Danny Howard and Sarah Story, as well as representation from 285 Mgmt alongside TSHA, Chaos in the CBD, Scuba and many more global names. She just released “Ego Death” on REALM Records and remixed Tibasko’s “Still Rushing” on Another Rhythm, and there’s so much more to come from the founder and curator of Chicago’s infamous Dirty Disco party. She has upcoming shows at Halcyon San Francisco, Electric Forest, EDC Las Vegas, Hard Summer, as well as tons more of her signature dark house music in the pipeline. So don’t take your eyes off Azzecca. She’s about to change the entire game.
GHSTGHSTGHST
Belfast-born, east London-based GHSTGHSTGHST is championing a rave-inspired, jungle-based and trance-influenced sound – a balancing act best demonstrated through his scorching recent singles “Beatdown,” “Spread Love” and “Maria Wants Hugs.” The former bass music producer, who remains enigmatic by only revealing his face during the rave, has already won support from Jaguar (BBC Radio 1 Dance) Sarah Story (BBC Radio 1) Danny Howard (BBC Radio 1), Ben Malone (Kiss FM), Emerald (Rinse FM) and spins from Hannah Laing, Airwolf Paradise, Emerald, Mincy and Viviana Casanova. He’s about to win a whole lot more fans with his new single “A Levels” on Another Rhythm, a classic rave tune rooted in ‘90s nostalgia that acts as an ode to Black culture both inside and outside the club.
TONY Y NOT
2023 is Tony y Not’s year. The German-born and Brooklyn-based artist’s clean rhythms, funky build-ups, dark synths and acidy drops have made her an instant favourite amongst house heads around the world. In March she released a guest mix with Keinemusik and a track on Riotvan’s compilation alongside Shubostar and DC Salas. Her Your Exile In My Mind EP comes out in April, featuring remixes from Peter Invasion & Grebor Habicht, Zombies in Miami and Jorkes, and she has a ton of international tour dates lined up including Public Records NYC with DJ Seinfeld, SXM Festival with Apollonia, Black Coffee, Dubfire, and dozens more. She’s also a big advocate for mental health, and recently launched a Safe Spaces podcast to shine a light on the topic within dance music.
E-UNITY
On April 21st Parisian producer and DJ E-Unity releases his long-awaited debut album BBB<3 on Simo Cell’s TEMƎT imprint. Following EPs and singles on Oscilla Sound, Intramuros and FTD, E-Unity’s long been a firm favourite in Paris’s post-genre underground. The album reflects the artist’s vast range of influences, from hyper-pop to Latin music to post-dubstep, while heading in the opposite direction to the rest of club music. It’s an album made for deep listening, full of intricate elements that transcend the 4:4 formula while harnessing the energy of breaks, bass and dub. The result is an LP that will cement E-Unity as one of dance music’s most forward-thinking and non-conforming artists.
WILLO
On March 24th, Sydney-based DJ & producer WILLO shared her new single “FEEL LUCKY,” a club-ready extravaganza with a warbling baseline designed to make your insides vibrate. She stays true to her house roots with nostalgic vocal samples, made for contemplative dance floor moments. WILLO felt drawn to DJing after a move from California to Sydney in 2015, and soon developed a compelling and recognisable sound. This, paired with her unparalleled energy behind the decks, soon landed her a residency a Sydney’s iconic Chinese Laundry club, which led to gigs supporting Patrick Topping, Weiss, Melé, Mija, Nora En Pure and Santé. Her productions have been just as well-received as her DJ skills, with two releases on eclectic in 2022 and 3 on Future Classic so far this year. With her nostalgic-house style alongside her club-ready beats, it’s fair to say WILLO is this year’s rising star in house music.
&FRIENDS
After his hit record “Ode Ireti” ft. El-Jay and Oluwadamvic saw unprecedented, viral success, receiving massive radio and touring support from top names in the space, like Black Coffee, Diplo, &ME, Keinemusik, Michael Bibi, Themba, Pablo Fierro, and Francis Mercier, &friends followed up with another dynamic original release, “Love Is The Way” ft. Oluwadamvic, that has already seen striking success on his very own imprint, Hidden Hands. The brainchild of New York-based Sean Thomas, the project aims to draw inspiration from global cultures by embracing traditions and culture while building community. Thomas is a storyteller at heart, and aims to share narratives through his music. That ethos shines through his recent releases on Hidden Hands, with remixes, features and collaborations that cross borders and cultivate community. In April, he released “Dangerous” with Dr Feel and Phina Asa (which has also been treated to a remix by Samuel Cosmic), showcasing his ability to connect the 4:4 sounds of club music with the cadence and momentum of soulful Afro house.
Learn more about our previous On Our Radar artists from this year:
March 2023: Anna Kost, Sensu, Zaida Zane, Luxe, Mha Iri, Pretty Girl
February 2023: Black Forces, RaeCola, Salome Le Chat, Close Counters, Angel D’Lite, Lawrence Hart
January 2023: Drumskull, Dasco, Calussa, Jenn Getz & Alfie, Eli Fola, Uncle Knows
