This week in dance music: Grimes canceled an appearance at D.C. World Pride, citing “family issues,” we spoke to the CEO of Epidemic Sound about a new remix series, we caught up with Mau P at Coachella, where he told us about the pressure of being a new generation dance star, saying that “I love everyone that listens to my music so much, and they put me up front, so I better live up to it.”
Meanwhile, Fred again.. was announced as one of the headliners for Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival, Rezz relocated her show to SummerStage in Central Park amid the ongoing opening delay at Brooklyn Mirage and Jamie xx’s classic In Colour turned 10.
Also, Dutch star Alan Walker told us about an app he’s about to launch that’s intended to create an immersive world for fans and cut through the online noise and algorithmic interference that often prevents artists from reaching fans. Walker and his manager Gunnar Greve told us that they hope their project will help the industry evolve “in a way that puts fans and artists at the center. Not just as tools for big corporations.”
But wait, there’s more: We shared exclusive photos of John Summit, Subtronics, Shygirl and more performing at Lightning in a Bottle 2025; we hung out in the studio with Anyma and discussed his Sphere residency and new album The End of Genesys; and we talked with producer Bianca Oblivion, our Billboard Dance Rookie of the Month for May 2025.
And last but never least, these are the best new dance tracks of the week.
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Sammy Virji & Skepta, “Cops & Robbers”
White hot producer Sammy Virji links with U.K. legend Skepta for “Cops & Robbers,” which bridges their signature styles (garage and grime, respectively) to winning ends. Laced with lilting strings, the song’s breezy quality is balanced with the heft of Skepta’s vocals, which are self referential as he states “a little bad boy from Tottenham/ Dots, I was shottin’, playin’ cops and robbers/Now, whips I’m coppin’ and champagne poppin’ ’em/ Hands in the air like who’s got a problem?” Not us, certainly.
“Cops & Robbers” is out on Astralwerks. Listen to it here.
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Interplanetary Criminal “Slow Burner”
Manchester’s Interplanetary Criminal keeps his not insignificant momentum going with “Slow Burner,” a counterintuitive title for this pepped up, piano studded UK garage heater. The producer born Zach Bruce himself calls the track both a “love letter” and a “proper hold your people close in the rave type beat,” and indeed the song whips up a whole lot of good feelings with its warm production and lyrics that declare “you should know you made my day/and I lost my woes when you came my way,” with vocals by Jamaican artist Original Koffee.
“Slow Burner” is out via Room Two Recordings. Listen to it here.
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Keinemusik, Boys Noize & Vinson, “Crazy For It”
The power pairing of Keinemusik and Boys Noize delivers the steamy, sort of spooky but more than anything quite sexy “Crazy For It,” which evokes Kelis’ “Milkshake” via impassioned vocals from New York City-based artist Vinson, who steal the show as he demands, “if you want it, you’ve gotta go crazy for it.” In fact you might not actually be able to help yourself from doing so as this one slow burns and builds into making-out-on-the-dancefloor-mode over four spacious minutes. The song was made between Berlin and Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La Studio in Malibu, Calif. and delivered a peak moment during Keinemusik’s Saturday night closing set in the Sahara Tent at Coachella 2025.
“Crazy For It” is out on Keinemusik. Listen to it here.
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Blond:ish, Moby & Kiko Franco, “Natural Blues”
Blond:ish and Brazilian producer Kiko Franco give an Afro house treatment to Moby’s Y2K classic “Natural Blues,” dialing up the BPM, adding layers of percussion and altogether creating a warm, emotive update that’s fresh and never reductive. Moby himself has declared it the “song of the summer,” a happy result after he reached out to Blond:ish personally and asked if she wanted to cover one of his songs. The song comes in two lengths, a two-minute 35 second version and five-plus minute extended edit, and while both are great, the latter one really goes.
“Natural Blues” is out on Defected Records. Listen to the extended edit here.
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Aaron Hibell, “s.o.s.”
English producer Aaron Hibell releases his first single of 2025 with “s.o.s.” Coming from his debut album due out this fall, the song gives chest thumping power rock vocals over a slick, cinematic progressive track. The song was three years in the making, and Hibell says everything about its DNA “was so instinctual and I think that’s why it has resonated so much. The rest of the song however was a big challenge in figuring out how we get the energy right throughout the track in order to set up this amazing moment we had created. That’s what took the time. But I’m so happy with the final result, it’s exactly how I had always imagined in my head now.”
“s.o.s.” is out on Astralwerks. Listen to it here.
