Essential Listening: The best new music releases in January 2024 (w2)

There’s nothing like the feeling of discovering your new favourite tune. Or your new favourite artist. Listening to their tunes over and over, desperately waiting for the opportunity to catch them live. If that’s relatable, Essential Listening was made for you. And since we all love it so much, we hate to waste time. Let’s get right into it. 

Here, we’ve got more of the best new music of January 2024 including new tracks from The Blinders, Sigma, Todd Terry, Tame One with many featured artists including Aesop Rock, Illyus & Barrientos, TS7, NewDad, Benny the Butcher, Courting, BIIA, MGMT, Jamie XX, Paul Woolford, and more. 

Check out the best new music releases in January 2024 so far below and find tickets to see our featured artists in the flesh. 

 

Essential Listening: House and Techno

Lazuli - Mha Iri 

UK-based techno producer and DJ Mha Iri dropped her three-track EP, Lazuli, a few days ago and we wanted to shine a light on the title track. Known for her tough basslines and dark synths, Mha Iri has made a name for herself in the underground, resulting in releases on Drumcode and Filth On Acid. 

Her new track features an omnipresent kick drum and intergalactic synths, and feels super spacey and dark with a simple, contrasting moment of calm. From utter chaos to calm with choir-like reverbed vocals (likely her own, by the way) and heavenly strings, Mha Iri has created a stunning piece of art that you could imagine in a tense movie. 

 

Get tickets to see Mha Iri live here:

 

Drumcode London (ft Mha Iri and more) | Saturday 9th March 2024 | Drumsheds in London

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Tribe #001 (ft Mha Iri and more) | Saturday 23rd March 2024 | Williamson Tunnels in Liverpool

Buy tickets:

 

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Essential Listening: Indie and Alternative

 

Pressure Pad - Folly Group

Taken from the band’s debut album Down There!, released on the 12th of January, ‘Pressure Pad’ is a bit of an erratic track with a slightly uncomfortable energy in the verses that reminds us of ‘Reptilia’ by The Strokes. Blowing up and filling out in sound during the chorus, it’s a moment that captivates you. Similarly, in the post-chorus later in, the sound is full and all-consuming but with a fuzzy droning before breaking that wall of sound again. 

Clearly somewhat inspired by 00s indie but with a unique twist that makes it Folly Group’s own, the band have done an excellent job at carving their own lane while throwing in some sounds that’ll get indie kids’ attention. 

 

Get tickets to see Folly Group live here:

 

Folly Group | Thursday 14th March 2024 | YES Pink Room in Manchester

Buy tickets:

 

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Essential Listening: Drum & Bass and Jungle

Supersonic - Basstripper remix

Belgian jump-up producer Basstripper has taken Friction’s ‘Supersonic’ and remixed it, giving us a darker, crunchier, but more melodic version of the banger. 

Starting off so eerie it feels like we’re in a zombie apocalypse film, the track begins to build with that froggy kind of bass, you know the kind we're talking about. Crunchy synths dominate this one with that typical moment of isolated melody before the percussion and bass join in with some mad sci-fi noises. 

 

Get tickets to see Basstripper live here:

 

DnB Allstars x Bedlam: w/ Bou, Wilkinson, Andy C, Mozey, Basstripper & more | Friday 26th January 2024 | Y Plas in Cardiff

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Sota State Of The Art Tour (ft Basstripper) | Friday 1st March 2024 | XOYO in London

Buy tickets:

 

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Essential Listening: Hip-Hop and Jazz

 

Days Hours Minutes - Confucius MC & Pitch 92 feat. Jehst

‘Days Hours Minutes’ is the third taste of Stop Signs, the upcoming collaborative album from Confucius MC and Pitch 92, due for release in February. There’ll be 12 vocal tracks on the album as well as instrumentals for each, with features from King Kashmere, Renelle 893, and, of course, Jehst. 

‘Days Hours Minutes’ is heavenly but raw at the same time. Featuring two of the UK's most respected rappers and a producer that compliments them perfectly, this one is naturally a banger, and we can’t wait for the full album to drop. 

 

Get tickets to see Jehst live here:

 

Jehst @ The Jazz Cafe | Wednesday 28th February 2024 | The Jazz Cafe in London

Buy tickets:

 

Jehst Live | Sunday 10th March 2024 | Band On The Wall in Manchester

Buy tickets:

 

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Follow our Essential Listening playlists featured above to discover the best new tracks released each week, as curated by the Skiddle team.

 

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Check out our What's On Guide to discover more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

 

 

  

 

 

Header image credit: Basstripper / Facebook.com