Everyone in the northern hemisphere has surely noticed a shift in temperature these past few weeks. Even the weather in the Balearics, while still largely favourable, has started to slip. Did you see we had a splattering of hail in the last fortnight?
Such meteorological changes are reflected in our listening mood. This month, we've chosen a dozen winter warmers from November's releases to heat you up in the run down to Christmas and the new year.
Turn these up loud.
Armin van Buuren | Let The Music Guide You | A State Of Trance | 22 November
Injecting some gusto into your limbs for trawling the shops (or surfing online) buying Xmas gifts, we're starting this month at 135bpm. Trance fans often feel like they're getting a raw deal, so they will be pleased we're starting with a rare outing for them.
Commemorating 950 episodes of his radio show, ASOT, Dutch master Armin van Buuren returns to the genre. Hï Ibiza's Wednesday night resident has gone more mainstream in recent years, but this new release proves he's still got plenty to offer.
Gorgon City | Roped In | Realm Records | 22 November
Sounding something like the compromise between Eric Prydz and Floating Points, Gorgon City may surprise a few people with their latest release. Coming via their own Realm imprint, it's a world away from the radio-friendly vocal fare we've come to expect from Kye & Matt.
Read our summer 2019 interview with the duo at Café Mambo, where they discuss the development of Realm Records.
Offplan feat Kate Wild | New Beginnings | Champion Records | 22 November
Having experienced success with Emeskay and TVVIN, Pierce brothers Mark and Scott are back working under a new alias. Offplan is a project to explore a more radio-friendly version of house music.
Think along the lines of Meduza and Blonde and for an idea of what to expect. For their debut release under this pseudonym, the Sexy Trash Digital regulars have teamed with vocalist Kate Wild.
CamelPhat feat Jem Cooke | Rabbit Hole | RCA Records | 8 November
CamelPhat have done it again. This time hooking up with former Cristophe and Hot Since 82 collaborator, Jem Cooke. Rabbit Hole is set to be the duo's biggest commercial hit since Cola. We're turning the Twitter beef off and the volume up. The lyrics “deeper down and round we go” are going to end up circulating inside your head. Get used to hearing it.
Franky Wah | Next Life | Shén | 22 November
Bright British talent Franky Wah was brought to our attention after his music featured so prominently in Adriatique's key set at Amnesia, earlier this summer. He's not left our playlist since. Breaks, 2-step, prog - Franky is influenced by a wide range of UK sounds.
Picked up by Ministry Of Sound and nurtured under their guidance, Franky Wah now steps out on his own with new label venture, Shén. The track itself will surely resonate with fans of Bicep. Are those trance-like chords we detect? You betcha.
Next up, is the result of a studio session with Jessie Ware.
Krystal Klear | Entre Nous | Running Back | 15 November
We're not going to lie, we take great joy from Gerd Janson's nu-disco label Running Back. Its output consistently falls into the exceptional bracket. This next entry from the label's latest EP definitely ticks that box.
After the crossover success of Neutron Dance, Krystal Klear is back. Entre Nous certainly shares a lot of that same DNA. Not to be dismissive, but this might just be treading water until Alan Dixon's forthcoming effort drops on the label. Maybe a selection for next month's list?
Skream | Ectogazm | Of Unsound Mind | 29 November
That man Skream seems to have rediscovered his Midas touch. Personally, we thought the gratuitously juvenile Pussy Pop was a far cry from what Oliver Jones is capable of. Thankfully, he's turned it around pretty quickly with this new single on his own record label.
Skream has come a long way from the dawn of dubstep and making tracks on Fruity Loops in his bedroom. Disco, techno, garage and now piano house - is there any sub-genre of dance music he is unable to turn his hand to?
ALISHA | Existence | Nothing Else Matters | 15 November
Receiving the backing of Radio 1's dance music moguls is about as big an endorsement as you're likely to get. Released on Danny Howards' label, but with radio plays from Annie Mac and now Pete Tong to boot, ALISHA has the tech house world at her feet.
Recognise the name? You might. She popped up at Toolroom several times this past summer. The track itself has a bassline that snakes in-and-out of the foreground and borrows a vocal that ponders existential scenarios. “At the edge of infinity...”
Green Velvet | Bigger Than Prince (Darius Syrossian & Jamie Jones Remix) | Circus Recordings | 15 November
Gone are the days when Darius and JJ were pitted against one another in the battle for underground Wednesdays. In the summer we featured their studio collaboration on Defected. Now they share remix duties on another giant house label, Yousef's Circus.
Incredibly, it's been six years since the original remix package dominated dance floors, with this latest batch of reworks breathing new life into the iconic vocal. Walking tall.
Saytek | Modality | Cubism Records | 28 November
After gracing Carl Cox's Awesome Soundwave with his seventh live album Improvisations back in summer, Saytek returns to first love Cubism. Modality is the opening track taken from his mini-album that pays homage to Love Parade founder, Dr Motte.
Modality 04:42 - 10:45
Each passing year, it seems that live electronic music performers get more credence on the island. Venues like HEART and Cova Santa and promoters such as Afterlife are continually pushing the artform's merits. Maybe it's time for a long overdue return to Ibiza for Saytek?
Charlotte de Witte | Meridians (Dub) | KNTXT | 15 November
Only an artist with the momentum of Charlotte de Witte could release two huge EPs on the same day. In only a few releases, the new label owner has asserted the sound of KNTXT. She even managed to snare industry heavyweight, Chris Liebing for a collab.
Meridians is drenched in acid, as has become the young Belgian's calling card.
De Witte of course was a Terrace resident for RESISTANCE last term. Personally, we much preferred her set in the main room which seemed like a much more natural fit to us. Wherever she pops up, we can expect to be seeing lots more of her in 2020.
We'll be back next month with our top releases from the month of December. Until then, enjoy this fine selection.
You can also find a full archive of party playlists from Ibiza 2019 on our Spotify channel.
