That’s a lot of names on one track, and somehow nobody’s stepping on anybody’s toes. Monstercat keeps a steady pipeline of this glossy, festival-ready liquid DnB, and “Cool For Me” is a clean example of the formula done right. The vocal is sweet without being saccharine, the kind of hook that gets stuck in your head on the walk to work whether you invited it or not. Underneath, the drums roll with that effortless Monstercat polish where every hit lands exactly where your body expects it. I sometimes give the label grief for being a little too clean, a little too algorithm-friendly, but tunes like this remind me why the formula sells. It just feels good. The breakdown gives you a second to breathe before the second half opens back up, and the whole thing is over before it can wear out its welcome. Pop accessibility and real rave energy don’t always shake hands, but here they do. Easy add to a summer playlist that you’ll forget came from a four-way collab.
January
Chrome Daydream
Chrome stars, jelly hearts and holographic colour. A nod to the glossy, optimistic graphics of the early web.