Essential Listening: The best new music releases in May 2023 (updated)

After such a sunny bank holiday weekend that you likely filled with listening to great tunes and sipping cold beers, we reckon you’re in need of some new music, ready for the next weekend of tunes.

So we're here to help you find the best new music from May 2023 to add to your summer playlists.

Below you’ll find our playlists containing the best new music in May 2023, with dedicated playlists for house and techno, drum and bass and jungle, indie and alternative, and hip hop and jazz. 

Among those added this week are Chris Stussy, Charlotte De Witte, Swans, J Hus, Maisie Peters, Nyck Caution, Tame Impala, Rockwell, and so many more. Now go discover the best new tracks and secure tickets to see these artists live! 

 

Essential Listening: House and Techno

 

Triple H - Alan Fitzpatrick

Techno legend Alan Fitzpatrick has dropped a dizzying, hallucinatory techno banger as part of Stamp Collection, Vol.3, a compilation album featuring various artists crossing genres including hard techno, rave, hard trance, and more. 

Gritty, somewhat trippy, and wonderfully produced, Fitzpatrick has dropped the perfect track for underground raves where the sweat rolls off you like it's raining. Pure energy and weirdness radiate from the track while maintaining the darkness and thumping kick drums techno is best known for.  

Sure to drop this one at his upcoming events, we can’t wait to see the crowd’s reaction to this one.

 

Get tickets to see Alan Fitzpatrick live here:

 

Hope Works X Tribal // Alan Fitzpatrick, Nick Spencer + more | Friday 3rd November 2023 | Hope Works in Sheffield

Buy tickets:

 

LooseFest | Saturday 5th - Sunday 6th August 2023 | Newcastle Town Moor in Newcastle

 

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Essential Listening: Indie and Alternative

 

Los Angeles City of Death - Swans 

Experimental genre hoppers Swans are back with an eerie, tense track that gets more under your skin as it drones on.

What a cracking name for a track. It constantly builds. Kicking off, it sounds a bit like something off Interpol’s Turn On the Bright Lights. But in continuing to build, adding what sounds like heavy breathing that naturally exhausts you just hearing it and layering more vocals on top of the instrumental, it slowly morphs into something that wouldn’t seem out of place on the soundtrack for a horror movie. 

Between all this, sharp guitars, and a tired lead vocal constantly muttering, “Here he comes, here he comes,” it’s a solid track for those for don’t mind music with a creepy touch. 

 

Get tickets to see Swans live here:

 

Swans | Saturday 12th August 2023 | Albert Hall in Manchester

Buy tickets:

 

Swans | Wednesday 23rd August 2023 | The Adrian Flux Waterfront in Norwich

Buy tickets:

 

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Essential Listening: Drum & bass and Jungle

 

Politics - skantia

Young Newcastle DJ and producer skantia dropped Politics today (30th May), a face-melting drum and bass track that we’re dying to hear in a disused warehouse. 

One of the scene's most promising new talents, skantia began learning how to produce after being a resident at his own local club night. And we’re buzzing he did! Dark, somewhat unsettling, and super hard-hitting, Politics is the product of his wide inspirations including Bicep, Camo & Krooked, Noisia, and more. 

A fair few elements of the track sound borrowed from dark techno influences only moulded to suit DnB. Full of chunky, wavy drops, this is a certified banger and an artist to keep an eye on. 

Listen to this one with headphones to enjoy the sounds fading in and out of each side. 

 

Love drum and bass? You might like...  

 

WAH in the City Festival | Sunday 9th July 2023 | Dockyards in London

Buy tickets:

 

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Essential Listening: Hip-hop and Jazz

 

Is It Just Me? - Black Milk 

Another one you’ll want to listen to with headphones in, this messy, super textured track is the definition of experimental sounds fused with hip hop.

Black Milk returns with a track laced with trippy summer vibes. Synths weave around, making space for a light, clean guitar lick, ambitious bass riffs, and inspired percussion. Giving it that much-needed boost, smooth backing vocals come in for the chorus and following verse. It’s this detail that would make this banger suitable for a tipsy, sunny barbecue or while doing something creative. 

Closing with a squishy guitar solo (you’ll know what we mean when you hear it), it seems Black Milk has returned with a new sound he’s eager to explore. 

 

Love hip-hop? You might like...  

 

Outdoor Old School Hip-Hop Summer Festival | Friday 9th June 2023 | The Tropicana in Weston-Super-Mare

Buy tickets:

 

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Make sure to 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: Dominic Fike / Facebook.com