Fred again.. and Anderson .Paak finally collide on one of the most natural pairings of the year, while Romy steps further out of The xx's shadow with her heaviest solo cut yet. This week's dance releases span cracked-sample house, sun-dazed grooves, and straight-ahead club weapons—here's what belongs in your queue.
The Big Release: Fred again.., Anderson .Paak & Chika — "places to be"
Fred again.. has built an entire aesthetic around eavesdropping: field recordings of strangers, voice notes from friends, the sound of real life colliding with club architecture. "places to be" doesn't abandon that formula—it amplifies it. The track loops a conversational sample until it feels like wallpaper, then lets Anderson .Paak's live drums crash straight through the grid. Chika's verse grounds the whole thing in forward motion. The result feels less like a feature and more like three artists actually sharing space, which is rarer in dance music than it should be. It's the strongest hint yet that Fred's next project may be his most collaborative yet.
Disclosure — "My High"
If Disclosure's recent run has occasionally felt airbrushed, "My High" loosens the collar. The Lawrence brothers strip back the layers for something closer to their Settle era: a sun-dazed groove built on skipping percussion and a vocal that sounds like it was recorded through an open window. The track won't rewrite their legacy, but it proves they still know how to sound effortless.
Romy — "Goodnight"
Romy's solo material keeps getting heavier. "Goodnight" trades the gauzy intimacy of The xx for something more cinematic: industrial drums, a bassline that throbs rather than pulses, and a vocal performance that haunts rather than whispers. It's the most confident she's sounded as a solo artist, and it raises the stakes for whatever full-length project she's quietly assembling.
Will Sparks & MK — "Hold Up"
Sometimes you just need a track that does exactly what it promises. "Hold Up" is a lean, high-energy electro-house cut with a hook designed for 2 AM repetition. MK's recent run of festival-ready collaborations continues, and Will Sparks' Melbourne bounce pedigree keeps the low end restless. Play it loud.
Listen now: Add these tracks—and the rest of this week's best new dance music—to our running playlist. Next Friday, we're watching for new material from Bonobo and a rumored Four Tet single. Check back then.
