Dance Geography: The Best of British

Great Britain. Land of the Royal Family, Sunday roast dinners and notoriously poor dental hygiene, this little island is a melting pot of electronic sounds and sub-genres. Home to some of the globe’s most innovative production up-and-comers, spanning styles from Electro to Techno, one look at 2013’s break through acts will reveal that the Brit boys have got it in the bag. This week, we’ve picked the best of a big and fruitful bunch, so prick your ears and ready your Soundcloud search bars, these are the new Brit producers you should be listening to right now.

LeBreton – Techno
This is techno. And it’s serious. Ambivalent isn’t a word that springs to mind when thinking about this genre, like Wasabi, Vegemite or Simon Cowell, you either love it or you hate it. Nevertheless, it’s not hard to appreciate the superb production value present on all of London local LeBreton’s tracks, this is music for late nights, dark rooms and dirty deeds.

Get acquainted: https://soundcloud.com/lebreton/nadisko-autodidakt-nothing-to

Just Kiddin – UK Garage/House
Riding on the tsunami that is the UK Garage phenomenon, Just Kiddin cuts through the cliché cheesy vocals and endless echo effects to bring listeners a slick and refined Garage inspired sound. This ain’t no Disclosure but it’s just as catchy, Just Kiddin expertly fuses the finest of Bass, Garage and House, making their live sets and solo EP’s a treat for eardrums.

Get acquainted: https://soundcloud.com/justkiddin/just-kiddin-the-one

Lone – Electronic/Experimental
Breaking into the scene a few years ago with a sound like no other, you only need to listen to Manchester boy Lone once to know he’s something truly special. With electronic music becoming increasingly homogenised and ‘cookie cutter,’ Lone brings something different, distinctly beautiful and almost indescribable to the vast British electronic landscape. This is music to simply treasure and remember.

Get acquainted: https://soundcloud.com/lone-1/lone-airglow-fires

Matt Fear – Nu Disco/Deep House
At the forefront of an influx of stellar Leeds-based producers, Matt Fear is a purveyor all things deep, driving and dulcet. With Deep House and Nu Disco experiencing a recent Renaissance like no other genre, Fear’s productions expertly deliver a balanced smattering of rib-shaking bass riffs and soothing melodic snippets, making him a must-listen for lovers of the darker side of House.

Get Acquainted: https://soundcloud.com/mattfear/victor-ruiz-vitor-munhoz-so

DEVolution – Electro/House
With a sound characterised by big House bass licks, euphoric synths and a general ‘Everybody put your hands in the air’ vibe, Southhampton duo DEVolution have the phrase ‘feel good’ solidly stamped on their foreheads. Interestingly, one half of the DEVolution duo is Pete Devereux (formerly one half of the Artful Dodger) who has now joined forces with Tom Devos to bring listeners a steady stream of upbeat, syncopated fun.

Get Acquainted: https://soundcloud.com/annie-mac-presents/free-music-monday-devolution

My Nu Leng – Bass
No one should be embarrassed to admit that Bass and Dubstep can be more than a little frightening to the average listener. My Nu Leng produce scary, in-your-face Bass in a truly masterful manner, making this notoriously abrasive sound palatable to even the newest of converts. Our advice? Don’t be under any illusions, as soon as that fatal ‘whomp whomp’ sample kicks in you know you’re in for a commitment; this is music to thrash about to until the wee hours.

Get Acquainted: https://soundcloud.com/mynuleng/sets/contact-ep-forthcoming-black

Edwin Van Cleef – Indie Dance/Electro Pop
Despite being born in darkest Britannia, Van Cleef makes music that smacks of sunshine, sand and suntans. With a sound reminiscent of Indie Electro Pop pioneers The Magician and Aeroplane, Edwin’s sun-soaked, high-voltage remixes and monthly mix tapes have garnered him a cult of loyal fans seeking auditory relief from the UK’s eight month winters!

Get acquainted: https://soundcloud.com/edwinvancleef/edwin-van-cleef-all-i-think

Want more? The best of the rest:

Fehrplay, Coat of Arms, Blende, John Monkman, Clancy, Semiotics, Paleman, Citizen, Kiri, Drums of Death, L’Etranger, PBR Sreetgang, Kreature, Lee Sanderson, Holmes Price and Paul Woolford.

Next Week | Dance Geography: From Russia with Love