Essential Listening: The best new music releases in May 2024

The best new music releases in May 2024.

Skiddle Staff

Date published: 13th May 2024

New music, new music, new music! Take some time out of your busy day and join us in appreciating some of the best new tunes that dropped this past week.

Shermanology, Thom Yorke, Sloppy Jane ft Phoebe Bridgers, The Alchemist with Big Hit and Hit-Boy, Rachel Chinouriri, WILLOW, Mozey and Jman, Culture Shock, Charlotte Plank, Jodie Harsh, Hot Since 82 ft Ron Carroll, O., and more have made some of the best new music in May 2024 so far.

Check out the best new music releases in May 2024, follow the playlists to stay updated, and secure tickets to see our featured artists live below.

Essential Listening: House and Techno

We Groovin - Shermanology

Dutch DJ duo Shermanology took Jamie Jones and Jazzy’s ‘We Groovin’ and put their own spin on it, and we’re loving it.

While both tracks are excellent, Shermanology’s remix emphasises the percussion and takes out the dreamy keys to create a more driven, club-ready banger.

Increasing the BPM just a tad and stripping the keys, we’ve now got this remix for the club, and the original that’s perfect for drinking in the summer sun.

Get tickets to see Shermanology live here:

ABODE on the Rock (Shermanology, Darius Syrossian, and more) | Thursday 20th - Monday 24th June 2024 | Gozo Island in Victoria, Malta

Buy tickets:

Essential Listening: Indie and Alternative

Micro - O.

Made up of only drums and a baritone saxophone, weird instrumental band O. is back with another feast for the ears.

Taken from their forthcoming, and very accurately named, album WeirdOs, which is scheduled for release on the 21st of June, ‘Micro’ is another track of theirs that makes you wonder “how?” The track, despite containing only two instruments is full-bodied, brooding, a tad menacing, and fascinating.

Sounding like a distorted bass or electric guitar, the sax makes some truly mind-bending sounds. Add the mad drums to that, and you’ve got some delicious organised chaos.

Get tickets to see O. live here:

Manchester Psych Fest (O., Temples, and more) | Saturday 31st Aug - Sunday 1st Sep 2024 | multiple venues in Manchester

Buy tickets:

Essential Listening: Drum & Bass and Jungle

POW - AC13 & Eksman

Not long after blowing crowds away at DnB Allstars Festival in Portugal, AC13 drops this bagner on us.

‘POW’, which was also made Tracn of the Week on Radio 1, sees multi-award-winning MC Eksman giving it some next-level energy.

Released on the Crucast label and already smashing it while climbing DnB charts, the lads have dropped a tune we reckon we’ll all be hearing at raves and festivals for a little while. And we’ll love every second.

Get tickets to see AC13 live here:

Wall of Bass [Electrikal Sound System] | Sunday 26thMay 2024 | The Steel Yard in London

This event has been cancelled
Sadly due to unforeseen circumstances, we are having to cancel our Electrikal WOB London show.

Airdnb: AC13, Kara, Mynx, Pinks | Friday 31st May 2024 | Volks Club in Brighton

Buy tickets:

Essential Listening: Hip-Hop and Jazz

Foreclosure - The Alchemist, Big Hit, Hit-Boy

Beloved and legendary hip-hop producers The Alchemist and Hit-Boy have come through with a horror beat with the latter’s father Big Hit flowing over it. The track is the first teaser for the album Black & Whites, a collaborative album from all three artists.

This eerie track throws it back to the old-school sound with acoustic drums and scratching. Lyrically, the track focuses on a breakup as well as being surrounded by snakes, and how Big Hit was caught by the police and subsequently spent 15 years in prison.

Another stunner from two of the biggest producers in the game, it’s an instant add to the playlist.

Get tickets to see The Alchemist live here:

Jazz Cafe Festival (The Alchemist, Earl Sweatshirt, and more) | Sunday 15th September 2024 | Burgess Park in London

Buy tickets:

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

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.