#31 Feat. Hype in Indie Dance

In steps São Paulo based Renato Cohen who fires up his arsenal of analogue gear and adds to a venerated catalogue with a bright and burly Italo cut. Ripe drums land squarely like a boxers jabs while a barbed bass drives in lockstep with caustic blobs of acid. An anthemic piano line bursts in with expressive flair, rolling through chordal shifts while snare fills maintain a sense of pace and urgency. Pan flutes soar in, subbing in for the piano to rapturous effect. The result is an addictive, giddy meld; a hands up vibe with a bold identity thats guaranteed to stick in the head of even the most imbibed raver across the festival season.

Renato Cohen

#58 Feat. Hype in Indie Dance

Niv Ast is an artist who very much operates out of the box. His work on Correspondant, Optimo, Disco Halal, Watergate Records and Get Physical - as well as his work via his own label Band Apart - is bold, line-blurring club gear making him a perfect candidate for an Exploited Club release. Niv Ast is inspired by the psychedelic waves of acid, the attitude of the punk-rock and the light headed groove of disco. His music is regularly played by DJ Tennis, Jennifer Cardini, Polo & Pan among others. He has performed alongside Tale Of Us, Seth Troxler, Amelie Lens, Blond:ish and many more. Tainted In The Sun kicks things off with a Manchester chorus beaming out over stroppy power chords and a throbbing kick. Progress marches on, gathering colour as it blooms into a synth-driven haze adorned with brass flashes, spiralling sequences and a straight-talking snare. The vibe is heady, infectious and a touch subversive - a slice of euphoric recall for anyone who barely remembers the 90s. Dont Belong follows up with an Indie-Italo hybrid. Tough, muscular drums anchor the groove while a flexible synth line gently pulls things astray. Clever sequencing has the track swelling in layers as a brooding intensity builds up towards a bridge of darting strobes. The refrain drives back in, hooking the listener back in and capping off a boisterous pastiche; one that strums a certain nostalgic chord whilst also presenting something fresh and novel.

Niv Ast