There’s no denying 2020 has been off to a bit of a rocky start, especially the past few weeks. While the world faces unprecedented, varying degrees of lockdowns and quarantines, things are certainly changing on a large scale. While we collectively yearn to be back in the rave, dreaming of festival season and sweaty underground clubs, the one good thing we can hope to come out of this is a surge of creativity, leading to the release of more new music than ever. So even though we can’t have a skank with our mates right now, we can still come together and share the love of new music, which is perhaps is more important now than ever. On that note and without further ado, here are our 15 favorite tracks released this past April.
Listen back to past charts here.
1. H.O.R.I.Z.O.N. – “Motive” (Right Good Records)
Delivering ultimate feel good vibes, this summery, jazzy track has been on repeat since its release at the beginning of the month. Vibrant, boisterous, and bursting with energy, this track is sure to set your spirits high and put a pep in your step – the perfect pick-me-up during these uncertain times.
2. Dimension & Culture Shock – “Don’t Sleep” (Dimension)
An undeniably mighty collaboration, Dimension teams up with Culture Shock on “Don’t Sleep,” the soon to be rave anthem of ravers everywhere. Combining Dimension’s sultry sounds together with Culture Shock’s inimitable groove, the track is about as classic as it gets.
3. Doctor P – “Virtual Reality” (Feint Remix) (Rampage)
We’re a sucker for a good drum & bass remix of anything dubstep, so when we saw Feint was remixing Doctor P’s Rampage anthem “Virtual Reality” we were over the moon! Maintaining the whimsical, 8-bit flavor associated with Doctor P and iconic original melody, Feint infuses a whole new energy into the track and his own signature brand of emotive, empowering DnB for a super fun and original end result.
4. Jack Mirror & Champion – “Oculus” (Viper)
A rather new name to the scene, Jack Mirror certainly turned more than a few heads with his latest release and collaboration with Champion. A cinematic intro pays homage to Hans Zimmer before erupting into a vibrant dancefloor drop; the track is elegant at times and loud and unapologetic at others, executed flawlessly for a memorable result.
5. Hybrid Minds & DRS – “Don’t Ever”(Hybrid Music)
One of drum & bass’ most treasured vocalists, DRS teams up with UK duo Hybrid Minds for an elegant yet powerful liquid number that is even more emotive than one might expect from such a collaboration.
6. 3LAU – “Tokyo” feat. XIRA (Monrroe Remix) (Anjunabeats)
Monrroe steps into remix duties on this one for 3LAU, taking on the vibrant progressive house track and giving it an illustrious drum & bass twist. Transforming the original massively while still maintaining the original vibrancy, Monrroe has outdone himself once again.
7. Friction – “Yesterday” feat. Liam Bailey (Elevate)
Another jazzy, feel good record, Friction teams up with Liam Bailey for the soul-nourishing “Yesterday.” Heartfelt and poignant, the track delivers ultimate summer sing-a-long vibes.
8. Lenzman – “In My Mind” (Break Remix) (The North Quarter)
Two of the most sophisticated and respected names in drum & bass, you already know good things are in store when it involves Break and Lenzman. Adding plenty of his signature funky-yet-murky sound, Break smashes his take on this elegant and soulful number for a truly captivating result.
9. Zombie Cats – “Selva” (Zombie Cats)
One of the most underrated duos in drum & bass at the moment, Zombie Cats have certainly been on a hot streak over the last year – their latest release “Selva” is no exception. Visceral rhythms meet with resounding bass and sharp snares for an undeniably dark and catchy number.
10. Insomniax & Miss Trouble – “Elements” (Viper)
Insomniax enter 2020 in a big way with this techy jungle number featuring the distinct voice of Miss Trouble, who adds a captivating richness to the track. Murky, dark, and twisted, Insomniax continue to pay homage to the genre’s roots with plenty of modern twists and spins for a stunning result.
11. Bensley – “Secrets” (Flite Remix) (RAM)
One of my favorite albums of last year, Bensley’s Muskoka has been on repeat for quite some time, so we were excited to see this remix from US DnB pioneer Flite this month. Taking on the tantalizing “Secrets,” Flite changes the mood of the track entirely, adding a murkiness begging to be played on the underground club circuit.
12. Delta Heavy & Muzz feat. Cammie Robinson – “Higher Ground” (Liquicity)
A mighty collaboration, this track delivers neon dancefloor vibes with an 80s flair that has us craving festival season even more as we imagine crowds singing along to this anthemic banger.
13. PhaseOne & Modestep – “Mayday” (The Upbeats Remix) (Disciple)
Another sensational DnB remix of a dubstep record to drop this month, The Upbeats took on PhaseOne & Modestep’s “Mayday” on Disciple. Armed to the teeth with bass-laden artillery, The Upbeats deliver pure carnage with this one.
14. Netsky – “I See The Future In Your Eyes” (Hospital)
April saw Netsky return to Hospital with his first DnB release in quite some time, met with billowing praise across the scene. A colorful, upbeat number, here’s to hoping there’s DnB on the way from Netsky.
15. Bert H – “In Love Again” feat. Sydney (Pilot)
Another criminally underrated producer, Bert H has been churning out liquid gold since 2014 from his hometown in Moscow, Russia. His latest release on UKF’s Pilot is a lavish number with elegant piano and luxurious vocals, all serving to create an extravagant environment from start to finish.
