Despite the ravages of the pandemic, 2021 has served up some truly brilliant dance and electronic music. Here’s a list of some of the Attack’s staff’s favourite music of 2021 so far. Featuring house, techno, breaks, balearic and more – and we’ll also be doing a full round-up at the end of the year!
Ken Ishii ‘Upkick’
Straight-up no frills acid house banger from Ken Ishii, featuring beats, a simple acid line and not much else.
Oscar Mulero ‘Gradiente de Voltaje’
Killer raw, stripped back techno jam from Mulero’s three-track ‘Tormenta’ EP on the excellent Pole Group label.
Sara Landry ‘Rebirth’
Hi octane, rave-influenced peak-time techno from Landry, taken from her highly usable three tracker on Techno Germany.
Rose Bonica ‘Disengage’
Future Bounce Ltd
This cutting edge industrial-tinged techno from South African producer Bonica’s dropped in January, giving us a rousing start to the year.
Overmono ‘Echo Rush’
XL Recordings
This quality two-tracker from duo Overmono dropped in April. Lead track ‘Pieces of Eight’ is a percussion-heavy dreamy banger, but we went with the gentle pads, carefully programmed synths and crisp beats of ‘Echo Rush’.
Forest Drive West ‘New Day’
‘New Day’ is taken from Forest Drive West’s fire four track ‘Dualism’ EP and features eight-and-a-half-minutes of tom-led breakbeats and luscious pads.
Viggo Dyst ‘Everything Else Is Secondary’ (1-800 Girls Remix)
1-800 Girls’ remix of Viggo Dyst’s ‘Everything Else Is Secondary’ takes the warm shimmering pads of the original and locks them in with futurist UKG beats and a nicely twisted breakdown.
Jamie Jones ‘Laser Lass’
Highly effective dance floor tech house from Jamie Jones, taken from the excellent four track ‘Monday Dreamin’ Green’ EP which also includes tracks from a frankly stellar line up: Moodymann, DJ Tennis, tINI and Mano Le Tough.
Silverlining ‘Contracultura’
High quality tech breaks / deep house epic from Silverlining, taken from his superb ‘Simulacra’ album from earlier this year, ‘Contracultura’ is a genuine journey of a track, taking the listener through a series of perfectly programmed machine-funk sections over its twelve minutes.
Jimpster & Matt Masters ‘Dub Come Down’
It’s been another great year for Jimpster and he’s got a twenty year retrospective out at the moment too. This funk-fuelled, heavy-b-line collaboration with Matt Masters from earlier this year shows why he’s still at the very top of his game.
Flaze ‘Brigade’
Proper heads-down underground deep house stalker on Belgium’s Entropôt Records.
Terry Francis featuring Caroline Geys ‘Where Are All Of Us’
A potential underground anthem here in the shape of UK don Terry Francis’ collaboration with vocalist Caroline Geys.
Weekender ‘Detroit / Chicago’
One half of Salt City Orchestra, producer Si Brad made a welcome return this year with this tasty two-headeed house jam on Miami’s Dutchie imprint.
Lorainne James feat. Eden Samara ‘Running Like That’
Beautiful futurist R’n’B taken from James’ superb ‘Reflection’ album and featuring the gorgeous vocals of Eden Samara.
Madlib ‘Road Of The Lonely Ones’
Taken from his Four Tet produced album ‘Sound Ancestors’, ‘Road of the Lonely Ones’ sounds like a lost breakbeat soul classic.
Andres Y Xavi & Rolo McGinty ‘Walking In The Sun’ Remixes
Sun-kissed remix package of Xavi’s dreamy ‘Walking In The Sun’ from his much anticipated forthcoming Sounds From The Secret Bar’ album. James Bright’s version adds a smooth acid line and layers of percussion to great effect.
JIM ‘Falling That You Know’
A Nu project from Nu Disco champion Ron Basejam’s alter-ego JIM, ‘Falling That You Know’ EP is a gorgeous acoustic four tracker, perfect for summer sundown vibes. We picked this cover of The Cult’s ‘Phoenix’ but the whole EP is beautiful.