Dexter's Beat Laboratory Vol. 87
Dexter’s Beat Laboratory Vol. 87
Dexter’s Beat Laboratory is a weekly collection of songs from DA managing editor Robyn Dexter. With a taste that can only be described as eclectic — to say nothing of a name that lends itself to punnery — DA is happy to present a selection of tracks personally curated by Dexter for your listening pleasure.
Listen in playlist format here.
Culture Shock continues to cement his name on the drum ‘n’ bass ranks, delivering heater after heater for the past 15 years. His latest installment is “Renaissance,” which makes its debut on Andy C‘s RAM Records. In this newest release, Culture Shock uses mighty female vocals to power the emotive aspect of the song and builds an intense, pounding rhythm around them. “Renaissance” marks the sixth part of his Sequence Series, which he kicked off in 2017.
Parisian house maven Dustycloud continues his reign of dance floor-primed numbers with his newest, “The Way.” Released BIJOU‘s Do Not Duplicate Recordings, “The Way” is one of the first songs Dustycloud made after coming to America last year. “It’s a song about the journey because that’s been the best part, so far,” he notes in the song description. “Most people are afraid to do what they really want in life because there is a big chance they won’t make it, but it’s not about ‘making it.’ It’s about being able to do what you love, every step of ‘The Way.’”
Oliver Nelson and Tobtok have teamed up on multiple occasions, combining their talents to create a perfect blend of pop and house music. They follow up February’s blissful “Yellow” with a new single, “Something ‘Bout the Music.” This one leans more into the house realm than the pop-oriented “Yellow,” using a grooving beat to drive the song’s message home. These two Swedish producers continue to heat up dance floors around the world with funky numbers like this one.
Last week, Jay Cosmic announced a new alias and its forthcoming debut on Monstercat on April 16. What followed was his first release under the name Desert Star, kicking off with “Foreign Land,” a short-but-sweet pop-oriented piece that gives the artist a chance to express himself in a different way. “I kept realizing I was trying to find a middle ground while making music,” he told a fan on Twitter. “By splitting it up, I can make this one thing, and the new alias totally another.”
Tycho embraces 2019 with open arms in his first venture of the year, “Easy.” The easygoing piece is as breezy as the early warm-weather winds that usher in the spring season, sweeping the listener up in dreamy, drifting melodies and a relaxing pattern of percussion. Soft female vocals ebb and flow, too, weaving their way in between subtle guitar plucks. “Easy” gives listeners a first glimpse into the artist’s forthcoming LP, which is sure to be just as heavenly as its initial offering.
