Super selections and wonderful words by our favourite four-to-the-floor expert, The Insider.

FLAMINGO PIER / WOVEN TOGETHER

Flamingo Pier’s Woven Together is a confident, radiant leap forward for the New Zealand born, London forged trio. Long considered one of the southern hemisphere’s most joyful dance acts, the group sharpen their identity here, distilling a decade of evolution into a warm, groove-led album that feels both expansive and deeply personal. Their history in London’s warehouse underground is still present, the rhythmic drive, the melodic clarity, the sense of intimacy within widescreen dance music, but the album adds a renewed purpose. The trio’s journey across Soundway and Razor-N-Tape releases have shaped a sound that’s pd without losing its organic charm. The singles map out its breadth: Cool Nights with its sleek Italo shimmer, No Excuses, a piano-driven call to live fully, Glowdown, a golden hour slow burn and Be The Same, with nods to Outkast and Timbaland. Each track is distinct yet unmistakably Flamingo Pier. Ultimately, Woven Together celebrates connection between people, places and influences pointing the trio toward a relaxed sound that glows from within. 

KRIV EDITS VOL.2 / RAZOR-N-TAPE

Almost 15 years after his first appearance on Razor-N-Tape, label cofounder JKriv returns with a 4-track selection that shows just how refined his edit craft has become. This new EP isn’t simply a look back at his rework roots, it’s a reminder of how effortlessly he can flip familiar material into dancefloor gold. I Feel Amor, is the kind of peak time cut that instantly lifts a room. JKriv reshapes a disco staple with muscular drums, swirling synths and a Spanish vocal hook that feels both cheeky and irresistible. It’s bold, bright and built for maximum crowd release. Love Dub shifts gears into deeper territory, stripping things down to a rolling house groove. The bassline hits with weight, while scattered vocal fragments and subtle synth touches keep the track moving with purpose. Cuando Bailo digs into one hit wonder nostalgia, transforming it into a playful club tool with just the right amount of camp left intact. Closing the EP, Dance Sexy dives into late night moodiness, reworking an obscure cover into a hypnotic, neon lit groove driven by pulsing bass and funky synth stabs. Across all four tracks, JKriv proves why his edits remain so loved. They are fun, functional and full of personality.

SIM FOSSIL / DREAM CHIMNEY

Sim Fossil returns to Dream Chimney with Side Order, a 3-track EP that signals a clear shift towards a more direct, dance floor focused sound. Where his debut Tidal Figures drifted through dreamy, aquatic atmospheres, this new release feels grounded, rhythmic and built for DJs who like their sets warm, percussive and slightly left of centre. The release is relaxed but undeniably propulsive, driven by plush synth pads and understated vocals touches that glide over a steady, confident groove. Elsewhen stays at the same tempo but deepens the mood. Thick bass pressure, flickers of acid and Balearic-leaning samples give it a hypnotic, nocturnal pull, a slow burner that rewards patience and feels tailor made for late night transitions. Closing cut, Green Hours, pushes the energy upward. With lively drum programming, classic synth warmth and chopped vocals. Across all 3 tracks, Side Order shows Sim Fossil refining his palette while expanding his range. It’s a compact, thoughtful release with plenty of dancefloor charm.

DJ ALONE AGAIN /  ORBITAL CONSTRUCTS / WOLF MUSIC

WOLF Music’s latest EP introduces DJ Alone Again to the catalogue, and his arrival feels immediately assured. The New York based producer brings a sound shaped by deep house heritage, underground grit and a melodic sensibility that sets him apart. His background spans releases on YORE, House Salad Music, Dobro, Fantin Zoo and Dealt With Records. The new EP opens with Freedom Of House, a warm, rolling tribute to the NYC–Chicago lineage. Hypnotic chords, skippy percussion and a spoken word reflection on self expression give the track a glowing centre. It’s understated but deeply affecting. State Of Flux follows with a more contemplative tone where vibraphone melodies, subtle strings and a steady rhythmic pulse create a late night drift that feels both spacious and tightly constructed. On the flip, Horizontal Patterns leans into a groove with a simple but addictive vocal hook that locks dancers in place. The closer, In Your Orbit, floats into dreamhouse territory, carried by airy flute lines and soft vocal phrases that lift the track into something weightless yet grounded. It’s a beautifully coherent EP thoughtful, soulful and quietly timeless.

KRAAK & SMAAK / VELVET SEAS REMIXED / BOOGIE ANGST

Across two decades, Kraak & Smaak have carved out a singular space where analogue warmth, disco lineage and electronic soul meet. Their journey from Leiden to global stages has been steady and quietly influential, and Velvet Seas Remixed feels like a celebration of that legacy, not by looking back, but by letting a diverse group of producers reinterpret the trio’s 2025 album through their own creative lenses. The collection opens with Kosta G, who breezes into the material with a West Coast glow that softens the edges of the original. Yuksek follows by injecting bright percussion and a springy bassline, reshaping the track into something playful, tropical and built for movement. Diogo Strausz brings Brazilian colour, wrapping orchestral lifts in congas and circling synths that radiate sun drenched charm. Anoraak shifts the things into deeper territory, stretching lighter moments into darker, more spacious grooves while keeping Butter Bath’s vocal steady at the centre. Ray Mang’s extended take on the title track leans into dubby percussion and gives Izo FitzRoy’s voice room to rise. Harvey Sutherland strips Real Love down to its rhythmic bones, while Stirmouth and Sound Support close the set with dusty soul, punchy drums and rubbery basslines that nod to Italo, early house and classic disco. It’s a vibrant, globe spanning reimagining unified by feel, varied in approach, and unmistakably Kraak & Smaak.

MEGATRONIC / THERE’S TRUTH IN GOSPEL REMIXED / RAZOR-N-TAPE

Razor-N-Tape return to Megatronic’s There’s Truth In Gospel with a remix EP that reshapes the original’s emotional core into a set of tracks built squarely for the dancefloor. Rather than simply updating the material, the label brings in a group of producers who each bring their own rhythmic language. The result is a collection that feels varied, energetic and deeply connected to club culture. Jamie 3:26 and JAMIIE take the lead with two contrasting versions of In Our Soul. The former leans into warmth and depth, pulling out the track’s soulful edges and letting them ride over a classic, rolling groove while the latter heads in the opposite direction. Karizma’s rework of All I See is a standout moment. He strips the arrangement back to its essentials, letting Fawziyya Heart’s vocal sit boldly on top of stomping drums and looping harmonic fragments that build tension with every bar. Mexican duo Sotomayor close the circle with a dub-leaning Afro Latin interpretation of Mother, adding rhythmic colour and a sense of movement that feels celebratory and raw. Together, these remixes take Megatronic’s personal, gospel-rooted project and translate it into a set of club ready reflections that are respectful, inventive and full of life.

RED AXES / RED BOX / 20:20 VISION

Red Axes arrive on 20:20 Vision with Red Box, the first instalment in a planned trilogy of EPs. Niv Arzi and Dori Sadovnik have spent more than a decade carving out their own lane in electronic music, refusing to sit still stylistically. Their catalogue swings freely between disco, indie, techno, house, electrofunk and dub, always threaded with a psychedelic edge and a sense of fearless experimentation. Releases on Permanent Vacation, Crosstown Rebels, Dark Entries, Phantasy Sound and Fabric have showcased that versatility, and 20:20 Vision now adds its name to that list. The title track sets the tone with a spaced out, bleep and bass trip that nods to early electronic history while firing off live snares, jackin’ hats and tape delay chaos. Eko follows with a deeper, moodier pull. On the flip, 20:20 Vision cofounder Random Factor strips the tune down to its core, letting synth layers and melancholic melodies breathe. The EP closes with FTS, a jagged, granulated vocal workout driven by chopped breakbeats and a surprisingly catchy electropop streak. It’s a sharp, unpredictable opening chapter on 20:20 that is unmistakably Red Axes.

JULIAN RECA / ALHELI / STAR CREATURE

Julian Reca’s musical path has always been shaped by deep roots and wide curiosity. He first emerged in Barcelona’s soul and R&B circles, digging for rare 45s and absorbing the rhythmic language of African American music. Over time, that foundation has expanded into a style that moves freely between Balearic house, Italo disco and experimental electronics, a blend that feels warm, melodic and quietly adventurous. With Alhelí, Reca teams up with Ludviq for a 12″ that leans into hypnotic, left of centre dance music while drawing directly from his Andalusian heritage. Flamenco pop and rumba disco icons Las Deblas bring a vivid cultural thread to the project, their presence adding warmth and lineage to its spaced out grooves. The remix lineup widens the spectrum further with Ric Piccolo’s cosmic flair and Marcello Giordani’s Italo Deviance offering vintage sheen. Peter Matson of Underground System injects rhythmic bite on his stab. All in all, it’s versatile, suntouched EP built for the most open minded dancefloors.

MANY SHADES OF HOUSE VOL 2 COMPILED BY LEA LISA / FAVORITE RECORDINGS

Many Shades Of House Vol. 2 finds Lea Lisa stepping into the curator’s role with a steady hand and a deep sense of musical history. Rather than presenting house music as a fixed idea, she treats it as a living archive, one shaped by decades of digging, late night sets, and the emotional residue left behind on discerning dancefloors. Her selections move with intention, tracing the genre’s breadth from bright, groove forward cuts to shadowy, introspective corners where melody and mood take precedence. What stands out is the way the compilation feels lived in. These aren’t just tracks pulled for their impact, they’re pieces that have travelled with her, carrying memories of rooms, crowds and moments where everything aligned. That personal connection gives the collection its depth. You can hear the trust she places in the music and in its ability to uplift, to ground, to open space for reflection. Like the first volume, this chapter embraces house music’s wide spectrum without forcing it into a single narrative. It honours the producers who shaped these sounds, the dancers who kept them alive, and the selectors who continue to pass them forward. Vol. 2 isn’t just a snapshot of the genre, it’s a reminder of the community and continuity that define it.

MEDLAR / CELESTIAL BODIES / DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR

Medlar has spent the past decade quietly shaping his own lane in the electronic underground, building a catalogue that favours warmth, groove and a certain human touch that’s hard to imitate. His music has always slipped between styles – deep house, offcentre disco, brokenbeat swing, jazzy electronics – but what ties it together is the way it feels lived in rather than engineered. This new EP is another example of that instinctive approach. Solar opens the record with a loose, glowing shuffle. South African vocalist mtsjungles brings a striking presence, rising through warm keys and a gently rolling rhythm that gives the track its sense of space. JKriv’s remix pushes the energy upward, swapping introspection for bright, classic house colours. Organ stabs, shimmering strings and crisp percussion give the track a buoyant lift, while the vocal is pared back to let the groove drive. Destino shifts into sunlit Balearic house, guided by spoken reflections from For Mankind and a retro-tinged piano line. Rigel closes the EP with a deeper, late night pulse where Moog lines, subtle acid flickers and a rolling rhythm that nods to ’90s foundations while still feeling fresh. A warm, confident release from an artist who knows exactly where his strengths lie.

THIRTY YEARS OF FREERANGE  VOLUME FOUR

Freerange marks its 30th year not with nostalgia, but with a forward moving showcase of what has always made the label matter. It’s a label with depth, craft and a commitment to house music’s emotional core. 30 Years Of Freerange gathers 30 exclusive tracks across 5 EPs, each one a snapshot of the label’s extended family. Volume 4 feels particularly emblematic, a blend of trusted names and new creative pairings that highlights just how broad the Freerange palette has become. Dam Swindle set the tone with I Met Her Last Summer, a warm, slow burning house cut that glows from the inside out. Its disco-leaning chords and patient arrangement give it that rare quality of feeling instantly familiar while still revealing new corners with each listen. Rocco Rodamaal and Oliver Night follow with Body & Soul, a deep, heartfelt piece built around Rocco’s melodic instincts and a vocal that radiates uplift. Andy Ash’s Bailey leans into rolling drums and filtered hooks, a subtle but addictive groove that quietly locks dancers in place. Black Loops shifts the energy with Body Frequencies, all swng, grit and low end pressure, a reminder of his knack for blending classic house textures with modern punch. L.D.F. and Trinidadian Deep take things into spiritual, percussive territory on African Dream, weaving Afrohouse rhythms with rich synth work. Greg Paulus and Krol close the EP with Waitin’, a late night hybrid of trumpet, vocals and raw house pulse that refuses to sit in any one genre. It’s a vibrant, varied chapter, a testament to Freerange’s longevity and its refusal to stand still.

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