Alvaro's Best of 2018

Best of 2018 | Alvaro Hernandez’s Picks

Best Remix

Primitive Trust, “Little Love (Floorplan Remix)”

When I first heard Floorplan’s Essential Mix back in May of 2017, I was immediately entranced by the more soulful stylings of Detroit techno don Robert Hood. After heavily listening to the back catalogue featuring productions crafted alongside his daughter Lyric, I caught wind of their remix for Will Saul and Tee Mango’s Primitive Trust release. An absolute behemoth of a remix, perfect for capturing the attention of the dancefloor and sending them into the rush of the bassline and echo of the vocals.

Best LP/EP

Detroit Swindle, High Life

From the mysterious aura of “Ketama Gold” to the infectious grooves of “Cut U Loose,” Lars Dales and Maarten Smeets aka Detroit Swindle checked off all the boxes to make High Life an instant classic and a quality showcase of the duo’s incredible talent to become one with the groove.

Best New Artist

Rebūke

As stated on his Soundcloud biography, “[Rebuke] means ‘to intend to correct a fault’ which appealed to me. I was getting bored with all the same old tech house I was hearing. I thought It was time to do something about that.” With an arsenal of releases on Toolroom, Saved, and most recently Hot Creations, the Irish producer has taken it upon himself to cleanse our ears and refresh the dance floor with the sounds of the old school. 2019 looks to be the year Rebuke will take control of the dance torch and ignite a new wave of music that will have clubland wanting more.

Track of the Year

Nick Holder, “Talk To Me”

A major figure in the underground house scene, Toronto’s Nick Holder instantly had me hooked with this song. A suave jazz guitar, clean and crisp four-on-the-floor rhythm, and vocal sample ready for any dance floor. Without a doubt, a must-have for any DJ who wants to add a dash of classic house goodness to the mix.

 

Artist of the Year

DJ Seinfeld

2018 was a major year for Armand Jakobsson, whose Lo-Fi house productions under the DJ Seinfeld moniker catapulted him into the ears of the internet and DJ booths around the world. But although the filters and emotions of his album Time Spent Away From U brought him recognition in the underground, the decision to move forward with his sounds and expand beyond the Lo-Fi box is what earned him an even wider audience. From crafting a mix for the DJ-Kicks series to throwing down at The Warehouse Project, this year showed us what DJ Seinfeld is all about.

Label of the Year

Better Listen Records

Martín Miguel’s Better Listen Records was a perfect example of a label focused on delivering quality content and attention to detail with every release. From the sound to the artwork, the dedication to push the vibes of disco and house from the District to the world was heavily present throughout their works this year.