After a string of notable releases on Lobster Theremin, Deep Sea Frequency and Renascence as well as remixes for RAMP Recordings, Anti Skate and Midnight Themes, Valencian producer Pépe has become well known for his blissful creations spanning across house, electro and breakbeat. Having only been pushing music out for the last two years, Pépe has racked up a selection of stellar bookings including supporting DJ Seinfeld on his DJ-Kicks tour, playing at Find Me In The Dark at Corsica Studios and further dates across Europe. Kicking off the year with a cracking EP on Manchester’s Loose Fit Records, Pépe brings us two euphoric rave records ‘Light (High As You Can)’ and ‘Trouble Glider’. In line with this theme, the inimitable producer selects 10 tracks fitting for those emotional dancefloor moments.
The 2 – We Is 1
Although the lyrics are built from samples, I really think this track was put together with some sort of ulterior message/story behind it. These vocals about “being one” sung in a child-like voice combined with a nice bassline and breaks really have a powerful feeling to it.
O’flynn – Eleven
I think if machines ever became sentient, this is the kind of music they would make when sad. O’Flynn masterfully delivers a pulsating, broken, all over the place beat of clangy noises on top of these detuned synths that barely form a melody, but a very poignant one at that. Once the bass kicks in, you’re floored.
Perception & Mad Mike – Windchime
Two techno originals with a track that proves techno was never about being hard, or scary, but about conveying emotions in dance-friendly music. A simple melody of chimes and marimbas, with its bittersweet feel, really touching people at the end of a long dance.
Maximum Style & JB Rose – Admit To Love
Nothing like a jungle power-ballad to get people really emotional at 6 am. The lyrics of this song sing like a friend or a lover reaching out for you when you start losing it a bit after too many sleepless hours. Add the speed and raw power of the jungle, and you get an instant weeper.
Dj Sprinkles Presents K-S.H.E. – Down Home Kami-Sakunobe
Emotions aren’t always simply happy, euphoric, or nostalgic. DJ Sprinkles champions a philosophy of us engaging with pessimistic and defeatist emotions in the dance floor. giving dance music a level of depth that not many DJs and producers dare go. The fiddles and dissonant piano chords in this give such a haunting feeling of dread…
Omar S – Here’s Your Trance, Now Dance!!
I can just envision Omar S’ attitude to making this song: “You want to get emotional in the club? Go cry motherf***ers!” It’s beautiful but so groovy.
Octo Octa – Beam Me Up (To The Goddess Mix)
Beautiful songs become more beautiful when the meaning behind them is disclosed; “written in the weeks immediately before and after a special time the girls spent together in February of 2018, when Maya (Octo Octa) went to heaven and Eris Drew accessed the realm of the Mother beat from a port deep inside.” Mystical, ethereal, and beautiful.
Loudeast – Lights Off! (Underneath Remix)
Had to include this track by fellow Valencian Nacho Marco in the playlist. It’s always felt to me like time slows down when I play this. It’s so amazing how a loop can be so entrancing for 10 minutes and you never want it to finish.
Ross From Friends – Season 3
Ross is one of the very few artists to have given sense to the whole “Lo-Fi” movement. The crunch and haze in his tracks always felt like a distant memory, the sampled vocals echo songs you barely remember and the melodies are always so bittersweet. Sad in the club squad.
Frankie Knuckles – The Whistle Song
A classic is a classic, no way better than to finish a set or pepper in between higher energy music than using this track. It’s engraved in many peoples memories through countless versions and samples. But nothing like the original, and it’s incredible bassline and melody to get people smiling in the club. RIP Frankie, one of the best to ever do it.
‘Loose Fit 003’ by Pépe is out now on Loose Fit Records – buy here.