wAFF makes a triumphant return to Hot Creations after a seven-year hiatus with his three-track, groove-driven ‘Slapfunk EP’. Since his first outing back in 2012, wAFF has been an integral part of the Hot Creations family, remixing various releases and dropping a total of four EPs - the last being ‘Sick Pleasure’ in 2016, which still stands today as a highlight in the label’s extensive catalogue. Marking a long-awaited return to Jamie Jones and Lee Foss’ beloved imprint after seven years, with material via renowned labels such as Solid Grooves, Cocoon, Desolat and his very own NATURE imprint over that period further establishing him as a leading name, he arrives fresh from his third Paradise show of the season ready to ignite dancefloors with a trio of irresistible beats on ‘Slapfunk’. Title track ‘Slapfunk’ opens the release with shifting stabs, warping bass patterns and fizzing lead synths, steadily progressing into a menacing club-focused workout. Continuing his signature style, ‘Questions’ showcases a blend of pulsating beats synchronised with a warped vocal topline that enhances the allure. Finally, ‘Next Game’ delivers a punchy trip loaded with subtle minimal-leaning influences, combining chopped vocal snippets with slick, stripped-back percussion. More

wAFF returns to his Nature imprint as he kicks off 2023 with his latest four-track EP, ‘District’. A renowned name and personality within the global house music landscape, with releases via the likes of Hot Creations, Cocoon, Desolat and Solid Grooves, wAFF’s journey has stepped up a level after becoming a label owner following the launch of his own imprint, Nature. Founded in November 2021 with the release of his ‘Colours’ EP, the label boss returns for the third instalment on the blossoming imprint as he celebrates a year since its launch with a new EP. Combining a wealth of UK influences alongside subtle global nods across the package, early December brings four new productions to the label as he unveils his powerful and impactful ‘District’ EP. Title track ‘District’ is a hard-hitting opener as the Nature boss combines sharp metallic production with hazy melodies and resonant vocal snippets, while ‘Locked In’ offers a more paired-back, rolling effort as slick drums and glossy pads combine. Next, ‘Sicko’ steps things up once again with squelching acid lines and rumbling sub- bass, before closing via the organic drums and playful sonics of ‘Rozzo’. More

wAFF takes charge of the second release on his new Nature label with four stylish new cuts. First up is Mesmerized feat. Shyam P, a slinky seven minute deep rolling tune with subtle synth craft and airy hi hats. A vocal adds an extra hypnotic layer and then SummerZ is another seductive sound with warm chords smeared over a killer groove. It's got a summery vibe but will also pump the party. To The Floor then cuts loose on nice boom bap drums, with vocal and chord stabs adding detail and its easy to see this one making its mark in the club. Slut Drop closes out with an infectious and rubbery bassline and rich chord work. It's heartfelt and full of soul. This is a fresh sound as ever from wAFF. More

nfluential house and techno titan wAFF is branching out with his own new label, Nature. As well as donating a portion of profits to animal charities, the label will become a platform for music that in some ways heals us, just like nature itself. The innovative DJ and producer kicks it off with his own new three tracker, Colours.The stylish Colours is a taught, driving house track with slinky hi hats and rubbery drums. The monstrous bassline bobbles away down low and is sure to lock in any crowd. Django is another inventive groove, with lush claps and a knotted bassline that drives the track along beneath infectious percussion and silky smooth synths. Switchin is the most raw of the lot with its busy leads, razor sharp tech house drums and glitchy effects. Add in some turbocharged chords and you have a sleazy and standout banger. These are three vital tunes that start off this label in fantastic fashion. More

A name on everyone's lips, charismatic talent wAFF is back onboard Hot Creations curating the ‘Sick Pleasure EP’ with three original cuts that once again showcase his unique style and adept understanding of the dancefloor. Kicking things off with ‘Kidney Punch’, a throbbing bass is perfectly executed under blissful, angelic vocals. Party starter ‘Flipback’ is next up igniting carnival-esque energy. On the flip, the sonic ’Sick Pleasure’ carries the mind away through hypnotic melodies that ride amongst the layers of intricate percussion. A natural born talent, wAFF started producing over ten years ago and has gone on to become one of the most sought after artists of recent times. Not only is he an integral part of the Hot Creations family and resident at Jamie’s Paradise night at DC10 in Ibiza, he’s also releasing on the likes of Moon Harbour, Drumcode and Cocoon. His music has also been getting the nod from key players Adam Beyer, Loco Dice, Joseph Capriati, Marco Carola, Sven Vath and many more. More

The unstoppable wAFF returns to Hot Creations' relentless release schedule displaying once again on Eclipse EP just why he is riding such an incredible wave of hype since the release of his critically acclaimed Rainbows EP on the label earlier this year. With a list of admirers including Luciano, Loco Dice and Sven Vath (who recently included wAFF's Jo Johnson on his 'The Sound Of The 13th Season' compilation), it's safe to say that the 24 year old is most definitely one to watch out for. With conga rhythms and the sounds of nature penetrating the senses it feels as though we have been transported directly to the heart of the Amazon on title track Eclipse. That is until an incredibly sultry bassline enters the foray and drives this one to the point of dance floor destruction wAFF is becoming so renowned for. After the introduction of a groove-inducing vocal lick and a couple of percussive-led breakdowns later, it seems we have ourselves yet another massive hit for the Hot Creations cartel. Things don't let up by any means on the flip; in fact if anything the intensity climbs to a point where people will quite literally be hanging from the walls. With a driving, Chicago style high hat pattern, a low-end that is set to push sound-systems to the max and delayed rolling woodblock shots inducing hypnotic waves of climax, Ibiza feels like the young artist doing what he does best. More

The unrelenting Hot Creations imprint has snapped up sensational talent wAFF and his impressive debut 'Jo Johnson EP'. Bursting with solid house groove, this three-track treasure paves the way for what is set to be a huge year for this rising star.

Still only in his early 20's, UK based producer wAFF has an undeniable talent that far exceeds his years.. Co-founder of long established club night Koala in Hull, wAFF has played host to some of the best names in the industry. His tracks are already being championed by key heavy weights including Jamie Jones, Richy Ahmed and Subb-an in notorious clubs such as DC10 and fabric. With excitement building for this stunning EP, it's only a matter of time before wAFF is recognised as incredibly talented and globally admired.

Fuzzy and raw on the edges, title track 'Jo Johnson' steams in with a heavy rolling bass enhanced with the seriously sharp kick and hushed seductive whispers. Erratic and prominent percussion plays to full effect on the dance floor, creating rapid build and bubbling energy, while added vocals creep in for a real flavour of jacking house. Escalating into a full-fledged affair of Balearic vocal harmony over the tough beats and solid groove, there is no doubt this dance floor bomb will lead the soundtrack to the summer.

Taking it deeper 'Jeyda' beats with a powerful force fusing metallic keys and hypnotic sweeps of melodic chords that add emotion and drama. Keeping wAFF's trademark sharp kick, the track progresses with contrasting alluring whispers and dreamy layers.

Rounding off this highly accomplished EP is the techier of the selection, 'Rainbows'. Soaring spacey synths, subtle shakes, pacey percussive passages and an epic melodic break down make this trippy late night number one to remember. More

German producer Christian Burkhardt teams up with fellow countrymen Chris Wood & Meat for a three-track release on Jamie Jones’ Hottrax this May. Burkhardt has been flying the flag for minimalist electronic music for a decade now, releasing on labels such as Cocoon, Oslo and Pressure Traxx. Likewise, Freebase Records founders Meat + Chris Wood have been purveying deep and minimal cuts individually since the ‘00s, joining forces in 2009 before releasing on labels like Desolat, Housewax and Tiefschwarz’ Souvenir. Between the three of them they’ve continually garnered support from the upper echelons of House and Techno, making regular appearances in the sets of names like Ricardo Villalobos, Sven Väth, Seth Troxler and Jamie Jones. Intricate percussion and a compelling bassline make up the foundation of ‘Closer 2 U’ as an echoing vocal and tense strings operate throughout. Meanwhile, ‘Plain’ is a more downtempo cut in comparison with its dusky atmospherics and distorted spoken word samples that subtly permeate throughout the mix. On the flip, ‘Trumpad’ is deep and dubby whilst integrating trippy synths and mesmerizing effects for a rhythmic conclusion. More

Swiss duo ME & her join the Hottrax roster with a robust release featuring British duo Dense & Pika and Detroit’s DJ Bone on remix duties. With recent appearances on Deeperfect, Natura Viva and Clarisse Records, the rising duo has quickly cemented a reputation as ones to watch since making their production debut back in 2014. Joining them on the release is Dense & Pika, who have been taking the world by storm whilst releasing on leading labels such as Adam Beyer’s Drumcode, Scuba’s Hotflush, not to mention renowned UK imprint Hypercolour. Meanwhile, DJ Bone needs little introduction having paved the way for quality techno for over two decades including running his renowned Subject Detroit imprint. Sturdy kicks and intricate effects drive ‘Wild Rage’ forward before introducing metallic snares and animated melodies. On the other hand, ‘Thunderstruck’ is a dusky production composed of heady stabs and echoing elements that together generate a compelling groove. Dense & Pika’s shuffling remix of ‘Wild Rage’ shines a spotlight on a tantalizing synth as eerie nuances operate throughout, before DJ Bone concludes the package with a trippy and percussive reinterpretation of his own. More

Motion (Newcastle) co-founder and resident Richie Steedman makes his debut on Jamie Jones’ Hottrax imprint with three groove-centered productions this November. A key component in the North of England’s electronic music scene, Steedman has had a deep-rooted passion for house and techno since becoming au fait with a pair of turntables at merely 12 years old. Since then the British DJ launched Newcastle’s Motion event series back in 2010, where he’s a resident alongside fellow Hottrax producer Patrick Topping. He now joins a roster spanning the likes of Yousef, Harry Romero, wAFF, Mat.Joe and more. Echoing chopped vocals, crunchy percussion and a meandering bassline form the basis of ‘Stitcher’ before undulating drums join a medley of squelches, pops and whirrs in ‘Chance It’. Concluding the package, ‘Slip’ incorporates infectious open hi-hats and a stuttering vox for a moody and mesmerising finale. More

San Francisco-based Butane makes his debut on Jamie Jones’ Hottrax with three hypnotizing productions this October. Founder of Alphahouse and Little Helpers, Andrew Rasse aka Butane has been building a solid reputation as a respectable DJ, producer and label owner for over a decade now. When not releasing his low-slung dancefloor focused cuts on his own imprints the multifaceted American has made appearances on SCI+TEC, Crosstown Rebels and Moan. He now appears on Hottrax joining a roster spanning wAFF, Patrick Topping, Mat.Joe, Bunte Bummler, Raumakustik, DMS12 and Jamie himself. A gentle thud initiates ‘Addicted’, making way for a throbbing synth that warps and distorts throughout the mix whilst a fuzzy bassline operates beneath it. ‘Lock and Key’ focuses on intricate percussion whilst dusky atmospherics and a medley of nuances are introduced throughout before ‘Shark Attack’ concludes the package with a rumbling low-end and compelling groove. More

Circus Recordings boss Yousef teams up with renowned New York producer Harry Romero on Jamie Jones’ Hottrax featuring a remix from 8 Sided Dice founder Alan Fitzpatrick. Liverpool’s Yousef has cemented a solid reputation as a reputable DJ-producer who’s released on Cocoon, Desolat, Bpitch Control and Defected, remixed the likes of Chaka Khan, Sven Vath, Moby, Four Tet and Carl Cox, and is also the brain behind distinguished events brand and record label Circus. Meanwhile, Harry Romero has been a force within house music for over two decades, with appearances on Ovum Recordings, Subliminal and Suara, whilst Alan Fitzpatrick has done recent remixes for Prime Numbers, Hot Flush and Hypercolour when not releasing regularly on Drumcode, Cocoon and Dusky’s 17 Steps. Arriving on Hottrax, the artists join a roster spanning Patrick Topping, wAFF, Mat.Joe and Jamie Jones himself. A purring bassline drives ‘I’m Behind You’ forward whilst intricate percussion joins echoing notes to generate a low-slung groove. Recent Fabric mix series inductee Alan Fitzpatrick’s remix then ups the tempo by utilising heady piano melodies and piercing stabs before Yousef concludes the package with a crunchy solo outing titled ‘Tightrope’ that boasts energetic drums and stuttering vocal snippets.

More

Originally from Hannover, Mat.Joe are up next on Hot Trax with a release that is straight up raw techno at it’s best. German production duo delivers two killer new tracks for a great Hottrax double-header. Nonstop Nonsense is a massive barnstormer of a track, that’s been massive for Jamie Jones; it’s a bit of a beast! Dat Cream is a refreshing bass driven rib rattler of a track grabbing you by the scruff of the neck and shaking you senseless. Joining forces to create a formidable duo are best friends Matze and Johannes. After bonding over a mutual love for hip-hop, breakdance and skateboarding they soon started to produce music together. Having previously released on Defected, Snatch!, Gruuv and OFF Recordings among others, this release is their debut on the grittier Hot Trax imprint. More

Following a year hiatus, Hottrax returns to make serious impact with ‘Eno Minimal’ from U.S. native DMS12. Veteran techno producer The Model is also onboard to remix delivering a high energy cut of futuristic electronica. Label boss Jamie Jones rediscovered the original track explaining “I had it in a playlist in 2015 for ages and finally dropped it in my all night long session with Seth Troxler at The Warehouse Project. The place went crazy and Seth asked me “what the f**k is this?" I’ve since played it on some huge stages and it’s insane, no matter where I am it grabs people and slaps them into space.” DMS12 is a DJ and producer from New York. The Model is a DJ and producer from Romania, founder and owner of the label Adult Central. More

Hot Trax is back with its third release ‘9 Weeks’, from first class female producer Davina. Injecting her sexy and seductive French touch she delivers two distinguished tracks aimed firmly at the dance floor holding onto a classic house vibe yet pushing creative boundaries and showcasing her immaculate production skills. The A Side ‘9 Weeks’ is a hooky driving groover of a track. Getting heavy rotation from the Jamie Jones it’s proving mainstay of his sets. This is a surefire crowd pleaser. On the flip and ‘Moskitoes Cries’ gets low-slung a dirty, great little vocal fills and stabs effectively punctuate the heavy rolling rhythms to keep them dancing. Originally from New Caledonia, a French island between Australia and New Zealand, Davina is now resident in Ibiza. A successful DJ and live performing artist as well as being one of the worlds most in demand music technology tutors, she has recently had several releases on Push Push record, but has delivered a great two tracker on HOTTRAX.
More

Jamie Jones launches his new subsidiary label of Hot Creations, HOTTRAX with a three track EP of upfront dance floor business. The label will be dedicated to a more underground dance floor orientated aesthetic, only for the headstrong! This three track features phenomenal ‘Changes’. Jamie has championed it all summer and as soon as you hear it you’ll realize why. It’s a heady hypnotic brew of oscillator-funk and ghetto-groove, arpeggiating synths bubble hypnotically under the rising ebb and flow of the melody as infectious groove drives you on.. the truth is we are all going through changes! On the flip and Jamie jacks the groove on the ‘Road To The Studio’. Incessant chanting and looped vocals are cleverly layered upon each other creating a impending sense of explosive anticipation as the rhythm effortlessly builds to maximum effect. Finally, the irresistibly charming ‘No Rush’ plays upon retro garage feel while the minor keys serve to create a sense eeriness on the floor. A great closure to a superb three track EP, and what a way to kick off the new label in style. Watch out for HOTTRAX releases in 2013..
More