For Club Use Only is your one-stop guide to the best underground dance music from across the world. Each month, The Astral Plane’s Gabe Meier forecasts the next wave of sounds due to break through into the mainstream.
We’ve been spoiled with the sheer amount of full-lengths over the past month, ranging from the unconventional structures and full throttle rhythms of Elysia Crampton’s self-titled LP to Sami Baha’s long-awaited debut album (who saw that DJ Nate collaboration coming?) and on to brilliantly idiosyncratic mixtapes from Duppy Gun Productions and Moro. Meanwhile, Imaabs self-released his Discretización, an intensely rewarding volume that has had us teetering on the edge since it was released. The summer months should be just as fruitful, but we can savor this moment of gloom while it lasts.
Mc 7Belo E Mc Kitinho
‘Acordaram O Megatron (Dj Carlinhos Da S.R)’
We’ve been obsessed with some of baile funk’s more odd ball trends of late and Mc 7Belo and Mc Kitinho’s ‘Acordaram O Megatron’ hits all the right notes, drawing on brostep trends of 2010 while maintaining a sparse, off-kilter structure. It’s definitely over the top, but what else are you looking for from Brazil’s finest?
HAJ300
‘Malware 2master’
HAJ300’s latest matches scratchy hardcore techno with a big room sensibility, securing the two together with a sonorous vocal probing the listener’s motivations in life. The rare hardcore vocal that maintains a sense of cool throughout.
Siete Catorce
‘Susurro’
Athens’ Hypermedium label recently partnered with Mexicali’s Siete Catorce and the results are predictably excellent: full of heaving sub bass and pleasing wooden percussion. ‘Susurro’ is the surprising outlier of the pack, a braggadocios effort primed for play from DJs across the club music spectrum.
SWISHA
‘Big Pictures, No Numbers’
Juke Bounce Werk’s SWISHA has shown remarkable dexterity when working across a number of fast paced, peak time-ready genres, but ‘Big Pictures, No Numbers’, a highlight from his DIGITAL SPACE EP, shows that he’s just as capable when working in a cerebral mode. It’s another track that belongs in big rooms, whether Top 100 DJs are paying attention or not.
Eddie Hill
‘Pre Function’ (Prod. by Uninamise)
You may remember Eddie Hill from his standout performance on Epic B’s ‘Be With Me’. The New York MC has joined with another FDM producer to great effect. Produced by Uninamise, ‘Pre Function’ shows that New York’s new wave is as adept at working with vocalists as they are at flipping the latest rap tracks into stripped-back bangers.
Jasmine Infiniti
‘Evil Pimp x Ha 02x (queen of hell blend)’
Jasmine Infiniti’s flip of Evil Pimp’s ‘Demons Takin’ Over Me’ brings Memphis rap and ballroom together in a menacing union.
TYGAPAW
‘WHITNEY WID DI OUTTA SIGHT CUNT JUICE (TYGAPAW EDIT)’
Here, TYGAPAW flips Whitney Houston’s ‘It’s Not Right But It’s Ok’ with Suga Shane’s equally anthemic ‘Outta Sight Cunt Juice’ to devastating effect.
BSNYEA
‘Crzy Vib3 Anthem’
It’s tough to make scratching sound cool in 2018, but BSNYEA’s ‘Crzy Vib3 Anthem’ hits all the right notes, bringing contemporary dancefloor energy to classic New York sounds.
Cardi B
‘MONEY BAG (UNIIQU3 REMIX)’
It’s all about the tresillo bounce in the second half of UNiiQU3’s predictably great remix of Cardi B’s ‘Money Bag’. It’s easy to imagine this version sitting comfortably on Invasion of Privacy itself.
Gucci Mane
‘Freaky girl x Icognita (DEBIT Tribal Remix)’
DEBIT has only gifted us with one minute of this raucous blend, but it’s easy to see a dancefloor going off to this classic Gucci Mane hook.
Gabe Meier runs The Astral Plane. Find him on Twitter.
Read next: DEBIT marries ambient and Latin club on her debut album Animus