From last year’s release of Lox to the recently given away re-edit of Les Djinns, Sieg Motmans, professionally known as Siege, has built his somewhat small yet promising foundations with a consistent support from a pioneer of the airwaves – Pete Tong. Modelling his signature sound with a personal take on synth-driven Progressive House without touching on the boundaries of cheesiness, this Belgium-bred youthful has proven to hold enough production proficiency to become an essential asset to the evolution of electronic dance music shortly. For his debut on Armada Music’s Zouk Recordings division then, ‘Roads’ and it’s great deal of synth-filled melodic leads, thrilling drum combinations and a set of chunky bottom layers were all seen getting a premiere spin on Pete Tong’s Essential Selection last night for the promise of another hopeful thrust on the global charts on behalf of Siege, now with Armin van Buuren’s world renowned record label onboard.

‘Roads’ is released February 13th via Zouk Recordings.

Siege – Roads

/Anton

High flying British club export Michael Woods, once known better under the infamous Trance moniker of ‘Warrior’, needs little introduction in the realms of Electronic Dance Music. Championed by an initial residency for hometown nightspot Ministry of Sound and a further signing to Mau5trap for ‘Dynamik’ and Chris Lake collaboration ‘No Sleep’, his prominence on the global club circuit has been relentless.

But under the guise of his Diffused Music imprint, this on the wing asset has made his hard-stomping output a truly home set affair and the follow up to ‘Full Access’ for Calvin Harris’s Fly Eye follows a tradition of vivacious bangers . Dealing in swooping melodies and a sturdy backbone of eccentric beats we now associate with Woods, this is another well-oiled banger to the promising European powerhouse of Progressive House anthems.

‘Airborne’ is released February 10th via Diffused Music.

Michael Woods – Airborne

Words by Dan Carter

Bonafide House legend, master of the soulful club classic. Whatever cliché you choose to lead with, there is little denying the legendary grandeur maintained by the original Chicago master and his undefeated knack for well-oiled club cuts. As the decades have passed, Frankie’s renowned presence on the decks and across the airwaves have led us to believe that like a fine wine, this is one House asset who has grown better with age.

Returning to Nocturnal Groove alongside studio partner Eric Kupper as Director’s Cut, Frankie Knuckles and co. call on the vocal assets of B. Slade to cut one of the most positively charged House anthems of the past 20-years. Dealing in infectious vocal stylings and a strong fusion of dynamic disco grooves and solid House beats, Parisian mix master Sami Dee drives something intrinsically positive into this next instalation for The Shapeshifters’ heroic House imprint from the man who has dictated Dancefloor etiquete for more than 30-years.

‘Get Over U’ is due to release February 22nd.

Frankie Knuckles pres. Director’s Cut feat. B. Slade – Get Over U (Sami Dee Edit)

Words by Dan Carter

If 2011 taught us one thing, it was that Sander van Doorn was an artist on fire, ready and willing to push every boundary within Electronic Dance Music imaginable. From his humble Trance roots to seminal peak time anthem ‘Love is Darkness’, the air of progression surrounding the phenomenal Dutch master was epitomised by outright Miami music week favourite ‘Koko’, while his highly anticipated second artist album ‘Eleve11’ marked a collective of his most accomplished studio output to date alongside the likes of Sidney Samson, Nadia Ali and Laidback Luke.

Already firmly established as the master of catchy club leads and momentous hands in the air moments, ‘Chasin’ marks an all out anthem of well-tailored leads and dynamic beats, placing the avant-garde master of larger-than-life club outings back at the forefront of his genre once again for Doorn Records. With promise of a second instalment of his renowned ‘Dusk Till Doorn’ compilation of the way for 2012, this latest instalment into his already fatal collection of Progresive gems sets the standard of his output to an all-time-high for the New Year.

‘Chasin’ is due to be released February 27th via Doorn Records.

Words by Dan Carter

Amid the untimely coupling of Trance and House music, many have found their demise. At the victorious sector of this newfound union stands Progressive Trance visionary Jochen Miller and Armin Van Buuren approved Dutch stronghold Rank 1, three Dutch assets who have proven undeniably conversant in refuelling the Netherlands Trance legacy with back-to-back stormers.

Propped up by a momentous vocal offering from Belgian singer-songwriter Sarah Bettens, the trio’s perfectly orchestrated melodic play and rigid drums mark something of a breakthrough for the genre in terms of its viscosity from start to finish. If this impressive collaborative effort from three of Holland’s hottest Electronic assets is anything to go by then the Dutch are still in firm control of those essential euphoric moments.

‘Wild and Perfect Day’ is released February 6th via High Contrast Recordings.

Words by Dan Carter

You don’t need us to remind you that Sweden is looking pretty paramount as far as its contributions to global Dance music are concerned. Maybe it was something in the water, but even the kids are giving its fair share of bonafide legends a run for their money. One of the grittier contenders, Linus Eklöw, has incessantly fought any predispositions that it was all tame-Euro House with a consistent wave of heavy-handed Electro grooves to suit every walk of the industry.

But the mechanically superior stylings of Stockholm’s Electro orientated master prove on ultimate form for the formatively sharp ‘Devastate’. As precise and melodically scattered as the seminal offerings that made his name, Style Of Eye’s transitions from euphoric lead work to aptly devastating drops marks exactly why there has been so much hype surrounding this contemporary Swedish Electro-stud. It isn’t rocket science, but his latest concentrated dose of aggressively sound club fuel is sure to make a lasting impression on the more timid European exports currently cluttering the Beatport charts and international airwaves alike with the aftermath of a fatal shot to the crotch.

Words by Dan Carter

As one half of the Saved Records legacy alongside brother reputable Space favourite/sibling Nic Fanciulli, Mark Fanciulli has already added some positive notches to the familial legacy. With numerous global appearances for the likes of Ministry of Sound, Pacha and SET Miami, his firm grip on House music’s deeper realms has made promising noise for the rising producer.

For his debut release on Saved, the younger of the Maidstone maestros turns his hand to kick-start the new year with a solid injection of Deep House grooves for the imprint that has encapsulated the spirit and integrity of his genre. With a dual consistency of ethnic leads and detached vocals, the younger Fanciulli sibling proves that distinct House cuts are something of a family affair, paving positive implications for label and groove-monger alike.

‘Sacrifice’ is released February 27th via Saved Records.

Mark Fanciulli – Sacrifice

Words by Dan Carter

Accumulating a dignified arsenal of club-worthy moment makers across his vast studio legacy, Ryan Raddon has proven himself an all-American triumph. Now synonymous with emotional Progressive House anthems and finely tuned vocal spots, 2011’s ‘Fire and Ice’ marked the fierce producer’s most thorough collection of gems to date. On the other side of the world, Melbourne newcomers Aden Forte and Josh Soon have been making similar swells of positivity for their respective scene off the back of their Axtone debut alongside Ivan Gough ‘In My Mind’, setting aside any feats that the Aussie scene was starting to lull against the force of their European peers.

In a tip to the popular highlight of ‘Fire and Ice’, Feenixpawl don their tactful studio etiquette to further prove the strong grasp now associated with this rising duo. Embracing the resonance of the originals melodic keys alongside Skylar Grey’s divine vocal stylings, the summit of this worthy remodel comes with a forceful blast of diverse energy that separates this promising Aussie stronghold from the crowd with the utmost success. Despite the cult following now boasted by Kaskade’s global legacy, this unoffensive remix is sure to prove as satisfying to the ears of long-time aficionados and newly inaugurated fans of his landmark full-length offering.

The remixes of ‘Room For Happiness’ are out February 7th.

Kaskade feat. Skylar Grey – Room For Happiness (Feenixpawl Remix)

Words by Dan Carter

Mixmash Records have never been an imprint of inaudible qualities. Assembling the likes of heavyweight French House veterans Arno Cost and Norman Doray alongside visionary imprint founder turned mainstream monger Laidback Luke, the labels latest endeavour calls upon the titanic artist’s knack for belligerent floor fillers for a triple threat outing for European Dance Music.

With such bangers as The Days To Come, Breakaway and Natural Disaster leading the way for their respective solo endeavours, ‘Trilogy’ marks a studio offering superior in terms of intrepid energy and spotless stamina. Building with full-bodied chord progressions and high-end synth leads, its vigorously tuned low-end transition to a full-bodied explosion of bass mark a superior notch for this finely tuned trio of enigmatic European House exports. Say what you will about odd numbers, but as far as dynamic club outings and Mixmash Records are concerned, three is still the magic number.

‘Trilogy’ is released on February 20th via Mixmash Records.

Laidback Luke, Arno Cost & Norman Doray – Trilogy

Words by Dan Carter

We have heard a lot of positive noise from Sweden over the past year, but one man has shone the light for its diverse Electronic movement since the days when you could see the Swedish House Mafia for less than €55. Boasting stints alongside Defected and a forthcoming compilation for Toolroom Records, John Dahlback has remained a productive member of the global House movement with back-to-back club floor favourites and a glowing presence on the international club scene. Despite outgrowing his hometown of Stockholm after such bangers as ‘Blink’ and ‘Pyramid’ caught the attention outside, his imprint Mutants has continued to invest in pure and well-executed talent from across the board, making even louder noise for Sweden’s worst-kept musical secret.

Sporting a rising array of synthesised leads, Dahlback’s initial launch into Escape is one of anthemic builds and emotive melody, comfortably placing it amid the realms of 2011’s positively strident influx of stadiumesque floor-fillers. But what goes up, must come down. Luckily, Dahlback returns from his euphoric climb in a concise and driving breakthrough of bulky beats and highly tuned synthesisers to bag the Swedish producer what could be the first peek of a fresh faced component to his driving global appeal.

‘Escape’ is due out on February 6th as a part of his own, forthcoming Toolroom Records compilation.

John Dahlback – Escape

Words by Dan Carter

Once Britain’s best kept secret, Chris Lake has established himself as something of a Progressive House globetrotter. On the back of a well-tuned studio partnership with Marco Lys and his fortified Rising Music imprint, there are few boundaries left unbroken surrounding this duly tipped master of all things peak time. Following on from landmark vocal offering ‘Sundown’, Lake is back with vengeance to make his first prominent mark on the New Year. Accompanied by the chic vocal stylings of renowned songwriter and wife Gita Lake, this latest banger drives deeper into the rich melodic properties of his tough yet elegant sound. Leaving room for the usual peaked moments of outright energy, Gita’s heart-rending voice is a driving entity amid his hefty return. Accompanied by typically fuzz-orientated remodel by Aussie Electro head Tommy Trash, there is little room for improvement for this sturdy offering for Ultra Records. Where the rest of the world is hopping on the European bandwagon, Lake remains propelled towards pastures greener and louder and with ‘Build Up’ leading the way for universal Progressive House without the commercial misdemeanours, there is hope yet for the genre and its widespread appeal.

‘Build Up’ is released February 7th via Ultra Records.

Chris Lake – Build Up
Chris Lake – Build Up (Tommy Trash Edit)

Update: Official samples added

Words by Dan Carter

Joining a very stellar few on the remix duties for one of hottest records off of Ryan Raddon’s quite recent, seventh studio album out, Gregori Klosman continues to show no signs of simmering down. Adding to a host of remixes for the likes of David Guetta, Lady Gaga, Avicii and Erick Morillo among others, a fierce take on the recently voted ”America’s Best DJ” and Skylar Grey is certainly no mediocre start of the new year. With vocals from the arguably most intriguing songstress of electronic music to date alongside a well-oiled instrumental from the dexterous hands of Kaskade at his mercy, this rapidly ascending Frenchman gives the original of ‘Room For Happiness’ a dash of joyful break-down chords and an enthralling electro-house progression to further validate Klosman’s firm grasp on melodic club-bangers.

The remixes of ‘Room For Happiness’ are out February 7th via Ultra Records.

/Anton