Friday Dance Music Guide: The Week’s Best New Tracks From Horsegiirl, Ahadadream & Nikki Nair & More
This week in dance music: The 2025 festival forecast got clearer with lineup announcements from SXM Festival and CRSSD, Grimes requested help contacting Quentin Tarantino (“I just think having a conversation with him will make me better,” she said), we spoke with dance pioneer Jellybean Benitez, The Blessed Madonna shared her thoughts on the presidential election, Sega Bodega called out Lil Nas X for imitating his single art, Wynn Nightlife announced its first ever country/dance hybrid club show happening next month at XS and John Summit and his manager Holt Harmon spoke about touring and more at Billboard’s Live Music Summit in Los Angeles.
And yes, there’s music. These are the best new tracks of the week.
HorsegiirL, “Take It Offff”
Berlin’s horsegiirL is prepping her gallop into 2025 with the announcement of the forthcoming v.i.p – very important pony EP coming January 24 via ThreeSixZero. Ahead of that, the masked, anonymous and very buzzy producer us sharing the project’s second single, “take it offff,” a breezy swirl of a love song (“Take my body/ take my love/ take my money/ take it offff,” she sings) that’s laced with the thudding kickdrum of the artist’s techno origins — and which comes with a chic video that leans into the animalistic instincts of the dancefloor, in the most literal way.
Salute & Jessie Ware, “Heaven in Your Arms”
Next-gen dance star Salute pairs with all-time disco queen Jessie Ware for the pair’s first collab, the bright, soulful “Heaven in Your Arms.” On it, Salute creates a warmly sophisticated and totally catchy garage production, upon which Ware sings her heart out about finding heaven in your arms. Out on Ninja Tune, the track is Salute’s first release since their July debut album, True Magic. “I’ve been a fan of Salute for a while and caught their set in Sonar this summer,” Ware says. “From that point I was determined to work with them. Salute sent me a load of tracks and this beat stood out. I wanted to make something optimistic and romantic. It reminds me of the garage I used to dance to in my teens but of course with salute’s unique and futuristic sound it feels brand new!
Sammy Virji & Interplanetary Criminal, “Damager”
The U.K. producers get together for the absolutely undeniable (and bludgeoning in the best way) “Damager.” The track’s efficacy comes in equal parts via its hyperspeed UKG production and its guest turn from rapper Apathy, whose announcement “one two three, to the three two one, so hot with the tongue I can melt down the sun” turns up the dial of this one’s happy chaos.
The Acid, “Breed”
A cool ten years after their excellent debut, Liminal, The Acid is back with a new single, “Breed.” The group — U.K. producer Adam Freeland, Los Angeles-based producer and polymath Steve Nalepa and producer/vocalist Ry X — extends the moody wavelength of its previous output, with the shadowy, downtempo “Breed” pulsing to life, then gaining size with waves of ominous synth and layers of percussion. X’s voice still serves as the music’s silky, spooky emotional center, unfurling through the production while also weaving the whole thing together. “Breed” is the first single from a forthcoming album by the trio.
Flight Facilities & Drama, “Dancing On My Own”
Dance music is full of songs about hitting the club with your lover or your friends, but there are fewer tracks about the pleasure of going out solo. Aussie duo Flight Facilities and Chicago pair Drama help fill that void with “Dancing on My Own,” an anthem about the joy of a night out alone. The nearly six-minute track is pure disco, the kind of thing that will help you shake off the jitters and let loose on your lonesome. And are you ever really alone when you’re surrounded by people on the dancefloor? “Anyone who has had a night out on their own, knows the vulnerable feeling of flying solo,” Flight Facilities say in a joint statement. “It’s awkward and uncomfortable at first, but they quickly become the best memories. ‘Dancing on My Own’ is a tribute to our formative experience of embracing solitude with strangers.” The track is out on Defected Records’ Glitterbox Recordings.
Ahadadream & Nikki Nair feat. Razor & PRVNA, “Read My Mind”
U.K. star Ahadadream joins forces with Atlanta’s own Nikki Nair for the undeniable “Read My Mind.” The track takes its time winding up, building through a long, kind of rise before breaking open into stuttering, punchy and ultimately quite hypnotic bass house. “This tune came about super organically when Nikki and I were touring in Japan earlier this year,” says Ahadadream. “On our first day in Osaka, we decided to make some music in the hotel. We played it out in the club that night, and it went off.”
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