Troy Gunner - Headlights EP

It's been a while since we've heard from Bath's Troy Gunner, but he's been hard at work on his latest three track EP 'Headlights' on fledgling London label The Crescent, after a departure from Manchester's Mindset.
We've talked about Troy's unique sound before and in 'Headlights' it's still hectic and complex, but perhaps more accessible than it's ever been before due to the movement of future garage artists out from the experimental fringes of music into the almost-yet-still-underground mainstream.
The title track comprises a familiarly fractured UKG beat, but with the snatched vocal samples and  intelligent percussion arrangement reminding the listener of kind of producing talent at work here. Troy is clearly at the top of his game, as meticulous in his approach of plunging the depths of music as ever. However the downtempo nature of all 3 tracks combined with a more minimal 'less is more approach' than previous offerings means that the tracks flow together almost seamlessly, creating a far less intrusive and cerebral experience for the listener.  Not to say that the EP is lacking depth and it certainly isn't afraid to explore and tread the fine musical line between euphoria and melancholy, its just that for better or worse the kind of introspective and subconscious layers offered in previous releases like 'Fools Gold' aren't there. Nevertheless on the club side of things there's plenty of weighty half time kicks and sub bass on offer to keep underground DJs more than happy, particularly in 'Elixir' which is becoming a bit of a favourite here at the HotBox.
The Headlights EP will be released on 12” and digital on July 23rd, so check the preview below and keep your eyes pealed for the full release....
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Yung Life - Yung Life LP

Four-piece indie/pop band Yung Life of Knoxville, TN made their debut last summer with the new-wave focused 'Youth's Hours',  the most heavily featured single of which was the lo-fi roller 'I Be Scared'.
Almost a year later, Yung Life are now celebrating the release of their self-titled 10 track sophomore LP.
The 'Yung Life' LP represents another solid effort by the band and growing production standard and maturity through the continued progression (rather than departure) of the band's synth led, mellow indie sounds. Fans of bands such as The Horrors, Wildcat! Wildcat! and Miami Horror will feel right at home here with the band's post-punk, indie pop melodies and accessible lyrics.
Overall Yung Life's self-titled effort is a highly accomplished release, with energetic stand out tracks like the 'Isn't This', 'Holy' and 'Hiding Girl' conveying the kind of 80s influences and indie/pop vibes that a surely a sign of great future success to come.
The LP is currently available for FREE download or 'pay what you want' on their Bandcamp, so preview below and head on over to grab it for FREE.
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Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe (Synthetic Epiphany Remix)

Not a hot minute since the release of his 'Survive' EP and Synthetic Epiphany has already dropped two new bootlegs both with a distinct old school UK Garage flavour.
Synthetic Epiphany has taken Carly Rae Jepsen's  'Call Me Maybe' and in classic garage style has taken a mediocre track and turned it into a proper bassy banger. Fond memories are bound to flood back for old school 90s ravers who will recognise these classic 2step vibes. Honorable mention goes out to Synthetic Epiphany's remix of Little Dragon's 'Little Man', another pop song turned vibey 2step  shuffler which is bound to start tearing up a fair few dancefloors on the underground soon.
Both tracks are available for FREE here and here so grab them now and show some love on Soundcloud.
Big Up the Old School!


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The Other Tribe v. Kidnap Kid - Don't Need No Melody


'There's always room for a bit of bongo' - that's the motto we follow at The HotBox and it seems as though Kidnap Kid does too with his rework of the Bristol band The Other Tribe's 'Dont Need No Melody'. Expect house/garage rhythms across funky tropical vibes in the sweet remix, it's that Bristol sound and it's available for FREE download here

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Chill Bump - Hidden Strings EP

We've been waiting on French duo Chill Bump's third EP and after the excellent first two efforts, it's safe to say our expectations for 'Hidden Strings' were high. Fortunately those expectations have been met, perhaps even surpassed by Bankal and Miscellaneous' latest release.
Bankal's beats are, as always, well on form, with complex and unique use of samples and original material to create perfect audio backgrounds to Miscellaneous' words, it's very hard to pick a stand out track in this regard, but the mellow final track, '5 Minute Breather', is fast becoming one of our favourite hip-hop beats of all time.
On the lyrical front the story is much the same. Miscellaneous' vocal energy is sublime, yet aggressive when he needs it to be. His flow remains unquestionably tight and his highly charged lyrics, discussing everything from politics, to creativity, to the condition of the modern man, serve to truly cement each tracks' status as a valuable work of art. Again, choosing a stand out track isn't easy, but in this case we've chosen the politically charged opener 'Life Has Value', in which Miscellaneous' aggressive delivery and revealing observations surmise perhaps his finest lyrical peak to date. 
As with previous releases this EP is available for FREE via BandCamp, so listen below and head on over to grab it. This is yet another exciting release in a string of commendable Hip-Hop efforts by Chill Bump, so grab the other releases if you haven't already and show some love on their Facebook. There's big things in store for these guys in the future and we can't wait to see what's next. 

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NeonFaith - Escape


“Escape” is the first official single from the band NeonFaith. Based in Queens, New York, the band's particular blend of mellow guitar and synth leads comes across extremely well in 'Escape', with finishing touches in the form of a heavy electronic drumbeat and soothing female vocals.
As debut tracks go, this chilled out beauty is right up there with the best and well worth downloading for FREE via Soundcloud. While you're there, show NeonFaith some love for the FREE download.....
NeonFaith have an EP on the way, so keep an eye out, we can't wait to here more from these talented newcomers.

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Synthetic Epiphany - Survive EP

We've been waiting along time for this and now it's finally here. Ever since Synthetic Epiphany aka Marcus Levy-Chance started releasing his material via Soundcloud, this EP release has been eagerly anticipated, not that this is by any means his full release, but it may be his most accomplished and seasoned to date....and one that we have certainly been waiting for.
The 'Survive' EP is the culmination of that waiting, a collection of highly atmospheric and emotional tracks, arranged around 2step and half time rhythms. You might call it chillstep, burialstep or even future garage, either way this is easily some of the most beautiful and intelligent music that you'll hear this year. Each track is sonically unique in it's own delivery and message, yet they are able seamlessly blend together creating ambient and dreamlike soundscapes...this certainly the kind of EP you'll want to close your eyes to and experience all at once. The stand out track in this regard is 'Breathe' (170bpm edit), whose drum and bass energy sets it apart from the otherwise downtempo feel of the EP, however not in a jarring sense, but rather distinguishing the track as the climatic release of the energy that steadily builds throughout the EP.
The whole EP is available for FREE via Bandcamp as part of Synthetic Epiphany's 'Pay what you want' ethos, but don't make the mistake of taking this as his way of gauging the value of his music, rather this is an EP for everyone, those that can afford and those that can't. Nevertheless 'Survive' is  excellent release and a must download for electronic music fans, listen below and see for yourself.

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Kimbra - Settle Down (Polaris At Noon Remix)

Kimbra has been featuring in just about every indie release over the last few months and looks to be going from strength to strengths. In terms of her own offerings, 'Settle Down' is easily one of the most accessible songs on her new album, 'Vow' and being largely acapella, is absolutely prime for a bit of remixing. Enter Californian producer Polaris at Noon, who's synthy remix leans the track towards the kind of indie electro/pop fits perfectly with Kimbra's vocal stylings, even if the track starts to evolve a little moombahton edge towards the end.
Polaris at Noon are giving the track away for FREE, so check the track below and grab the download here
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Luvian - My Life


After seven days of summer r&r, we're back with plenty of new music for your sexy ears, so let's jump right into it!
We've covered Luvian before and his particular brand of 'future bass'. He's since got back in touch to share his latest single 'My Life', a sweet and melodic 2step roller from the Brighton producer. The track doesn't stray too far from Luvian's familiar downtempo production style. Chilled out vibes aside, there's  still plenty of emphasis on those lower frequencies with know and love, with plentiful deep bass flowing through the track.
There's no download yet, but Luvian will be dropping his EP sometime soon, so in the meantime he's definitely one to watch.

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Clu - Evening Ever



The current genre defying 'future bass' scene encapsulates a broad range of ever younger artists making deep and intelligent bass leaning music. Dublin's Clu aka Sean Cooley is one such artist who already has a strong following on the internet. His track 'Evening Ever' may be one of many with it's 2step rhythm and pitched vocals, but as with many a 'future garage' track, it's the meticulous arrangement of both percussion and melody that really sets the track apart, as well as communicating the concepts of musical depth and intelligence over to the listener.
'Evening Ever' is available for FREE here, as are a great many of Clu's other productions. Head on over to Soundcloud to check them out and show some love.

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Jodie Connor & Busta Rhymes - Take You There (ENiGMA Dubz Mix)



ENiGMA Dubz is one of the few dubstep producers out there who's keeping the genre together and even with his remix of Jodie Connor's 'Take You There', he's managed to create some depth in what before was just a generic shameless pop track.
Yes, it's pop-step and yes, it's no where near some of ENiGMA's better productions, but the track is nonetheless well produced, with a rich decent bassline and on top of that it's FREE to download, so what's not to like? Check it below.....
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Oby Nine - Weightless EP


Limburg's Oby Nine aka Jasper Spobeck takes his musical inspiration from the most far reaching corners and depths of his mind. His first EP 'Illusive Adventure' came as the product of a drug trip on magical mushrooms and now his second release 'Weightless' EP draws on his experiences whilst flying and feeling weightless within extremely lucid dreams.
Whether or not you are a fan of mind altering psychedelic drugs and dreams that blur the lines of fiction and reality, the depth of experience and passion that has gone into 'Weightless' is undoubtable.
While the majority of the tracks certainly hold and 'experimental' edge to them, they remain nonetheless accesible to casual listener, with the structure and overall tone of the tracks resembling the audio equivalent of something in between The Beatles and Gorillaz. 
As the EP progresses, it takes the listener on a journey, inspired not just by lucid dreams but musical samples harking back toward previous decades of musical meditation upon the unconscious mind. Whether it's Jimmy Hendrix's 'Crosstown Traffic' (To Be Weightless) or The Beatles 'Come Together' (Got To Be Free), Oby Nine certainly pays homage to those that have come before him in his quest to understand the depths of his mind as well as the narcotics that can help him get there.
Moreover, as the EP progresses, so in turn do the more recent stylistic and musical influences start to drift closer to the surface. The EP quickly moves beyond the simple 80s style synths of 'Got To Be Free' towards the low frequency focus and dubstep rhythms of 'Float On', and beyond to 2step garage vibes of 'On Sound Waves'. Altogether the seamless progression of Oby Nine's varied tracks doesn't just serve to open the EP in terms of accessibility to fans of different genres, but also to enhance the 'journeying' aspect of the EP. The listener moves along with the music, with the over arching downtempo quality of the EP encouraging the listener to relax, close their eyes and journey inward into their sub-conscious, entering Oby Nine's audio soundscape and ultimately joining in his shared vision of a lucid dream experience.
At the end of the day then, the audio experience offered by Oby Nine, is a highly rewarding one, though requiring a bit of effort and submission on the part of the listener. However, since the album is available for FREE, there's really nothing to lose.
Check out the player below and decide for yourself and in the meantime, head on over to Soundcloud to show Oby Nine some love and check out his other EP 'Illusive Adventure'.

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Δkkord - Persistence / Nexus [002]


Regular readers will know we've been following Δkkord for some time now. Ever since Δkkord [001] we've been wanting more and now with [002] we've finally got it. Expect big bass and ambient sounds galore with the twitchy 2step vibes and dark vocal samples of 'Persistence' drifting seamlessly into the more four to the floor deep house beats of 'Nexus'. Both tracks are mellow, but meticulously arranged, the kind of music that takes multiple listens to really appreciate. 'Persistence / Nexus [002]' will be released on Monday 11th June. Heavyweight white 10" vinyls will also be available for one week only exclusively through Eastern Bloc Records in Manchester and through Boomkat, so get those preorders in.
In the meantime, dim the lights and enjoy the preview below..
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Chill Bump - Chillin' With The Bump

French hip-hop duo Chill Bump's third EP is almost ready and will be available from June18th via Bandcamp. In the meantime, the guys have been hard at work on their latest single, the laid back 'Chillin' With The Bump' and its accompanying video, sharing Benoît Dogniez's vision of the group's first residence to the sound 'Chillin' With The Bump'.
Check the track and video below, as always it's a FREE download
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LiquidFusiion - FREE Compilation


In the YouTube player below is a glimpse of ENiGMA Dubz & Tuff Culture's 'Nex', an absolute beauty of a liquid DnB track and one of many available for FREE as part of LiquidFusiion's FREE  compilation release, featuring the likes of Rameses B, Ollie Macfarlane, Emily Underhill, ENiGMA Dubz & Tuff Culture, Module Module, Mario M, Fiction, Demure, Exist Strategy & Canoo, Deep Focus, Owsey, StratosFear ft. A Problem Like Maria, Bustre ft. Myth, Kaiben, Decimator, Cally D, EvenS, Synthetic Epiphany, Wolftek, boyChild and Fracx! 
The 21 track album really is packed with some of most unique recent liquid drum & bass, dubstep, garage and electronic releases of this year, crossing genre lines and blending vibes all in the name of that liquid 'feel'. Head over to LiquidFusiion's Facebook to download the entire compilation for FREE 
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Luvian - Only You


More and more artists are starting to blur the rigid boundaries of musical genres these days and Brighton's Luvian is one of such producers. There's a school of thought that argues that we don't need genres, and that such pigeonholing is restricting music. Nevertheless, for ease's sake I still feel compelled to describe Luvian's 'Only You' as following a kind of house rhythm, although with a very chilled out, almost coastal vibe with garage fixtures...regardless, this track is definitely one for the upcoming summer evenings and showcases a great deal of Luvian's percussive complexity and deep production style.
Although there's no word as of yet on the release of 'Only You', check out the track below as well as the rest of Luvian's Soundcloud for more excellent productions including a FREE remix of FREnchfire's 'Prime' available here.
Let's hope to be hearing more from Luvian soon.

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Dee Brown - Sleep Walking Diaries


We're always in the market for decent hip-hop here at The HotBox, so when Atlanta's Dee Brown sent over his track 'Sleep Walking Diaries' he immediately grabbed our attention. We were admittedly a little skeptical, the signature Atlanta 'chopped and screwed' style isn't normally our flavour, however Dee Brown isn't your normal Atlanta rapper.
Tight flows, rapid word play and soulful beats; this ain't 'chopped and screwed hip-pop', Dee Brown spits 100% pure emotional hip-hop. It's refreshing, it's new, and most of all raw.....reminiscent of artists all the way from Blu to LeftBoy and ChillBump.
Check out 'Sleep Walking Diaries' as well as his other singles below, all of which are available for FREE via Soundcloud. This guy is going places, no doubts about that.
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Morning High - When Yr Alone


Morning High's production rate is just astonishing, with a new tune coming almost every couple of days now.  The Atlanta native has just added another track to his ever growing collection of FREE releases with 'When Yr Alone', a downtempo post-dubstep track that's easy on the shuffles and deep on the bassline.
Morning High is celebrating reaching over 300 subscribers so grab the FREE download and then head on over to Soundcloud to see if we can't get that to 1000 subscribers
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Classixx - Into the Valley (Julio Bashmore Remix)


Keeping the house/garage tip going here with an oldie, Julio Bashmore's remix of Classixx 'Into The Valley'. Not only is this tune well worth a repost just for it's straight chilled vibes, but i've just caught a new live FREE download link via Green Label Sound, the New York label behind a few RAC and Star Slinger releases but to name a few.

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AlunaGeorge - You Know You Like It (Bondax Remix)

Lancaster duo Bondax have released another sweet little jam, pacing up AlunaGeorge's  'You Know You Like It' to more of a sneaker shufflin', pitched out vocal groover.
This track demands attention and is well worth grabbing for FREE here.
Bondax are all over the net lately and are surely on the fast track to big things. WANT MORE? Then follow The HotBox on Facebook and Twitter
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Ellie Goulding - High For This (Weeknd Cover)

Even though we all secretly love a bit of Ellie Goulding, she's not normally the type of person we'd feature on the HotBox, well not unless it's yet another remix. However, this time Ellie is doing the remixing with her own take on The Weeknd's 'High For This'.
She gives it her own 'pop'-edge which is surprisingly charming and well worth checking out, especially since it's available for FREE here.
Check this cool little homage to canada's finest below.....

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