Ramxes – Jungle

Ramxes is a Houston-based electronic artist. Jungle is a tune from his latest album "Deep Crimson" out on "Italians Do It Better". It's full of eerie synth textures, intrictate percussion influenced by Latin and African music and weird battlecries. "This track was a spur of the moment track. I had just gotten the Behringer D and wanted to test it out. I was doing some sound design, and experimentation, and came up with the bass line first. Then the pads followed, and everything else came after," says the artist. That's why the track seems to be driven by the bass. The bass grooves and sounds change throughout the song, taking you on a movie-like journey. "This track was influenced by watching The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Furry, and by trying to capture a moving or warrior like tone", says Ramxes.

niecesandnephews – It Won't Be So Bad, This Happens All The Time

niecesandnephews is the moniker of Mario Gutierrez, a producer-songwriter from Bedstuy neighbouhood in Brooklyn. He states his goal in music is "to make people feel connected". It Won't Be So Bad, This Happens All The Time is his another (successful) attempt to do so. This constantly evolving calm texture composed of just three elements is a reminder that life goes on, bringing good things eventually, no matter what happens now.

Mario Gutierrez: "It Won't Be So Bad, This Happens All The Time was made a day after work. I was dealing with a relationship that was falling apart and I was feeling the weight of how we seemingly get too excited about things and somehow, time and time again, they fall apart for no reason. Almost silly how we forget that these things happen over and over again. But we need to remember that we will and are going to be OK! The track in itself is 3 main elements total and is in that reflection period of feeling this thing die with spurts of remembering why we are leaving. This tune was one of those beautiful sparks where it was written in its entirety in one evening. When finished I remember 'waking up' of sorts. I hope this tune brings you healing and peace to all issues that seem to happen time and time again in our lives."

ENiGMA Dubz – Haven

This track from a respected UK producer ENiGMA Dubz is not exactly downtempo, but it fits the mood of this selection perfectly. James Vine, aka ENiGMA Dubz, has been making electronic music for more than a decade, earning support from such big names as Laidback Luke and Chase & Status. Haven is his first venture into the world of breakbeat. It's a highly atmospheric track, bringing to mind Bicep's excellent latest album. It's perfect for listening to on long walks, lonely train rides and after sleepless nights of raving.

James Vine: "Breakbeat is a genre that has continued to rumble away in the underground over the years, but there's no doubt it's at the forefront of electronic music at the moment. 'Haven' is my first exploration into this world, with a powerful yet often blissful sound that fits perfectly into the ENiGMA Dubz universe, so it felt very natural delving into this vibe.

With this track I wanted it to be driven, yet also chilled too, something that can be enjoyed on a system, on a home setup or on the move.

I love artists like Bicep, Moderat and Bonobo's recent venture into that sound - with elements of electronica and world music. As always, I wanted to have a present bottom end in the track but this time it's more progressive, taking you on a journey and adding subtle elements along the way. The pads and atmosphere layers are the kind of style I'd go for when producing other vibsey music like my future garage style, or downtempo, but this time the breakbeat percussion adds an extra layer of energy and grittiness, which I really love.

It was important to me to have some kind of classic sampled style breaks in the percussion, with a slight vocal cut running throughout, giving it a retro kind of feel, yet the counteracting floating layers of more world inspired sounds that totally transform it into something more current.

This one is a real melodic trip and I thoroughly enjoyed writing in this style. I hope you dig it too!"

Matti Charlton – I Would Do It All For You (Synthwave Instrumental)

This intrumental track is Matti Charlton's yet another venture into the world of synthwave.

This piece made entirely in Propellerhead Reason is a gracious calming tune that will soothe your spirits in the middle of a hard day of work. If you loved it, check out the more experimental original version of the track and the synthwave-meets-disco dancefloor filler A Rocket Ship To The Moon (LUXXURY Remix) in its instrumental and vocal renditions.

Apart from synthwave, the prolific multifaceted artist has delved into rock, disco and even funeral music. You can listen to some of their work in our previous post about Matti.