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The most interesting dnb songs of the last 5 years? Part 1

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The other day in a production group chat this request was made and i thought it would make a good post.
We were asked:
“Can anyone please help me with a bit of inspiration? 🙂
I’m getting back into dnb production after a busy few years of life; I’ve upskilled technically but my main issue is that I’ve been living under a rock and I’m a bit behind the times musically. What has everyone found to be some of the most interesting dnb songs of the last 5 years?”
Although initially I thought it was going to be difficult to narrow down my choices to 3 tracks I didn’t spend too long deliberating after I found 3 that really stood out by virtue of not being essentially “riff based loops”. There’s thousands of decent neuro-funk bangers but they’ll all pretty similar in terms of structure & sound design.
The 3 tracks I chose are unorthodox, complex & influential.

Note: I did tailor my choices towards dance floor melodic/production rather than full experimental tracks. The next part will be more exprimental.

Did I miss any obvious contenders?

Criteria:

– Tunes from 2020-2025 only.
– A tune that was at the time of release was very creative, unusual, different, leftfield, perhaps even quirky.
– Perhaps it’s a once-interesting song which got copied to the point that everyone has moved on–but you recognise that it was influential, and started a trend (please share these).
– Share a bit of stoke and hear what you found interesting about a tune, too
– limit your answer to your top 3 songs

Nights by Sully (March 2024)
This tune was quite different for Sully even by his own standards as a pretty innovate producer. He doesn’t normally work with vocalists and this break (drums) sound played/sequenced rather than sampled/sliced. There’s also a Rhodes solo which sounds somewhat jammed/improvised. But the edits and production are typically Sully-esque i.e. off the scale innovative and surgically dope.
Check the b side Nights (Not Just A Dub Mix) for a more classic Sully treatment.

Luna Eclipse (Alix Perez Remix) – Visages & Strategy (December 2023)
A galloping, morphing, whiplash of a trip. The swung break has relentless momentum with fills phrased over several bars. I’m not often impressed with MCs but the microphone control here is exceptional.

i think i feel… by Buunshin (November 2024)
The least DJ track here starts out like a dinky emo nursery rhyme then drops like a chase scene with that Nordic/icelandic cold fairy vibe that takes you to a far away place. The rhythm is carried by a syncopated distorted kick which bounces like a ball rebounding in small space. There’s only 1 short drop which morphs into an epic bridge/climax of symphonic proportions making this a very unorthodox track to mix – perhaps it’s meant to be combined with the VIP or just rolled out in full ala Doc Scott style?

I decided to add another track which really needs to be watched while listening. Photek had a massive influence on the evolution of dnb. This new work is a crucial addition to his legacy – perhaps the beginning of a new chapter?
The Forge by Photek (March 2025)

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