I will admit that I haven’t checked in with TOKiMONSTA in a while, but her new stuff is sounding way too fresh. Her most recent release The Force EP, features Kool Keith on the title track, and a variety of remixes including this stellar one from A. Chal. His rework dramatically slows down the verse and adds some deep bass, taking it a long way from the pretty straightforward hip-hop original. Stream it along with the original track below, and snag the EP here.

Our friends at Ceremony recently let us know about their latest release from Braxton/Palmer, “Creeper, Pt. 1″ (yes, there is a Part 2) which is accompanied by this appropriately creepy artwork. This dark meditative dance track is laced with a touch of R&B due to a subtle TLC sample (from “Creep” – get it??). It is way too easy to have this on repeat, and soon you will realize you’ve been in a trance for hours, neglecting food water and sleep all for the beat. This is a good thing. The single is officially out today, so get on it.

The beauties at Cascine have wowed us again (surprise) with their latest release from Airbird & Napolian, In The Zone, featuring guest vocals from Erika Spring. There are sun-drenched half-whispered vocals, as is to be expected, but they are met halfway with some deeply funky bass lines, leaving them almost unintelligible. Just as I find myself fully immersed in the tracks hazy beauty, it abruptly ends, leaving me yearning for more. I am left pressing play over and over while daydreaming of white sand beaches and rooftop parties. Summer is around the corner my friends.

Pictures Music can do no wrong. This time they’re bringing us OLUGBENGA – previously known for playing bass in Metronomy – who is now striking out into electronic production on his own. Hafiza [Innocence] is a dense and instantly arresting track. It gains momentum with the addition of vocals, and manages to allow for moments of calm without ever losing the groove. It’s set for release, both digital and vinyl, on May 20th, more information can be found here.

We first heard “She Shines” in the jaw-dropping Boiler Room set that Letherette produced for us in March, and I was more than surprised to find it on the b-side of their D&T single later that month. This has been my favorite track so far this year, generating soulful summery vibes that can simmer for months on end. Buy it on iTunes, Amazon, or Bleep.

After the success of their debut LP, She Was Coloured In, Solar Bears have taken their highly emotive and cinematic production style in a similar direction while expanding on the scope of their work. Their new release, Supermigration, shows us Solar Bears’ uncanny knack for transforming expertly crafted compositions through a rich spectrum of production techniques and stylistic decision making. While you can see the self-awareness and thoroughness in their approach revealed through their own album commentary, it is hard not to instantly recognize the depth of musical understanding this duo exhibits through their work.

Much like their first LP, Supermigration plays like a soundtrack to a film, flowing seamlessly from start to finish over a wide variety of emotional peaks and troughs. From the pastoral waves of “You and Me” to the arpeggiated cascades of “Cosmic Runner” and “Komplex”, Solar Bears gives us a splendid range of low-high intensity, while tracks like “Love is All” and “Rising High” showcase some absolutely gorgeous synth arrangements. “Alpha People” and “Our Future is Underground” offer vocal features while punctuating the instrumental pieces, and the album is held in place with a serene intro and fitting conclusion in “Rainbow Collision.” While each track offers something different to the listener, the album functions superbly as a whole piece, with an overall arrangement that compliments each song’s unique vibe.

While not created for the hasty listener, Solar Bears‘ latest work is to be enjoyed one sip at a time: as each track unfolds, you will find yourself growing more attached to their compounding layers and affixed to the delicate subtleties in their sound. At a time when many producers are struggling to keep up in electronic music’s maximalist arms race, John Kowalski and Rian Trench of Solar Bears once again remind us of the power of space, simplicity, and highly intentional design in music. Such is the case in Supermigration, a genre spanning, 12-track collection of material that demonstrates their top-tier sophistication and craftsmanship as electronic music producers. You can purchase the album right now by clicking here.

Smax dropped off his Tribe EP before heading to New York for the RBMA, and it continues to explore the ambient textures and pulsating rhythms that have come to define his Karachi scene. You can download the entire EP for free by clicking here, and catch him live at Public Assembly in Brooklyn this Saturday with Andy Stott, Objekt, and Octo Octa.

Smax – City

Rarely do I find myself raving about a compilation, there are usually too many tracks, and it’s hard to love them all. Luckily Astro Nautico has delivered one of the finest compilations I’ve heard in a while with their Atlantics Volume 3. They really put it better than we ever could:

One year ago from today on April 20th, 2012, we released Atlantics Vol. 2 – a sprawling collection of tracks by talented friends and artists from around the world. This year, we asked a completely different group of fresh faces to contribute, and the result is something special.

Not quite as ambitious in scope as the previous installment (although pretty damn close) Volume 3 is a more concise and understated compilation, but no less engaging by any means.

Spanning genres as disparate as hi-fi footwork and grainy new wave, it is another diverse and soulful collection of tunes that is sure to have something for everyone. Hopefully in addition to recognizing familiar names, you are also able to discover new talent, as showcasing the underground is something we continually strive to accomplish.

This 32-track compilation is chock full of jams and available completely 100% for FREE through their bandcamp.

Vague-a-bonde asked us to remix the lead single on her fantastic sophomore EP, 222, before moving to Montreal this April. You can catch her live at the Resto-bar out there this Friday, and purchase the EP on iTunes here.

There are an unbelievable amount of stellar electronic releases slated for 2013, and one of my most anticipated is definitely Mount Kimbie’s Cold Spring Fault Less Youth. So far they’ve only given us a few small tastes, “Blood and Form” as well as the free download, “Made to Stray”, which today has this quite psychedelic video to accompany it. The album is out May 27th and then they are gracing those of us in the states with a tour (wahoo). Dates here.