The best tracks of the year 2022 so far

Welcome to Mixmag's guide to the best tracks of 2022 so far.

Each month we’ll be bringing you rolling updates with recommendations of the best electronic music released around the world. Expect house, techno, club, UK garage, jungle, drum 'n' bass, ambient, rap, R&B and plenty more as we take stock of the finest sounds to bless your ears with.

Read on for reviews and links to stream and buy the music. We hope you enjoy.

The beauty of Sofia Kourtesis' love letter to her native Peru, ‘Estación Esperanza', is that on every listen you manage to uncover something you've never heard before. From soft drums intricately weaved between bird calls to that well-timed hit of the theremin about four minutes in, the track goes beyond being a "dance track" - despite being so full of rhythm you'll find it impossible no to sway along - and creates a complex soundscape that transports you to a time and a place. A track that will leave you nostalgic for something you've never experienced before.

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Dropped as the lead single from debut Finn's 2 B REAL EP 'Vanity Project', 'VANITY' is a track, as Iceboy Violet describes "dedicated to the Vain and the people who held me down along the way." The lyrics are sultry, with Violet recalling a flirty conversation between themselves and an unknown man: “He said you're looking like a snack, I said you're looking like my dinner, then he sucked his teeth, I felt my blood run thinner”. The nature of the words is juxtaposed by both the eerie trap drums and the frantic way Violet delivers them, pushing, urging, warning rather than simply retelling - in such a manner that will leave the hairs standing up on your arms long after your first listen.

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Delivering four minutes of sonic dopamine, London duo Two Shell's 'home' is undeniably going to be that track we're gunning to hear on the dancefloor in the coming months. Combining frantic bass drums with happy hardcore-esque chipmunk vocals and those deep, velvety synths reminiscent of the likes of Overmono or Bicep, 'home' is as fast-paced and eager as it is heartfelt. A lovely, freeing tribute to UK dance music right now.

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Courtesy has commanded the decks with her punchy mix of trance, jungle and techno for years now, but the upcoming EP 'Night Journeys' marks the first time the Greenland-born, Denmark-raised artist has released music. First single 'Night Journeys II' is a seven-minute journey across warm ambient synths, flowing bleeps and a soothing, prayer-like vocal - traversing the middle ground between soft trance and shimmery pop.

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The trend of Gen Z artists remixing 00s bangers for a contemporary audience continues to succeed. On ‘Pump 101’, Digga D links up with Liverpool’s StillBrickin for a new take on a G Unit classic. The beat, originally produced by D12’s Mr. Porter and heavily sampled here by AaronOrAge, still sounds fresh, and while the two MCs don’t bring the bars as masterfully as 50 and co, it’s a fun and addictive track that shows off Digga D’s versatility as a rapper.

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M.I.C continues to mark himself out as one of the most incisive voices in UK rap. His self-deprecating moniker (Master of Inane Conversation) belies the depth of thought embedded into his cutting bars. On ‘Naoki Urasawa Could Have Written This Shit’, he takes a wry and scathing look at topics spanning politics, capitalism and performative activism above a tension-fuelled beat from Nammy Wams.

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The first taster of David Kochs forthcoming debut album ‘Warming Unit’ is a no-holds-barred house anthem that sets surging melodies loose, with impactful vocal samples helping it along the way to anthemic status. It’s no surprise that Dixon and Âme have been rinsing this.

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No prizes for guessing the club this track is named after. Disorientating, weighty and suspenseful, it’s a fitting homage to fabric and the hypnotic experience of getting swept up in the hype of its main room. The standout track from Burnski and Robert James’ new EP as North Phase on Seven Hills, it will have you fantasising about hearing it through that system.

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From Jamaica to Jordan, Toumba blends dancehall influence with his own Middle Eastern heritage on ‘lr7eb’, setting Arabic percussion sounds to a pacey tempo and submerging the complex rhythms among weighty bass, lurching synths and gasping vocal snippets. A guaranteed club-wrecker.

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Kim Anh’s new label CAN U NOT TALK is off to a flyer with the ‘After Dark’ EP. The title-track combines Kim’s captivating vocals with a dark, rolling beat, The American artist is a fixture in the US’ queer underground club scene, and this track channels the hot and heavy atmosphere of a lawless dancefloor to a tee.

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UK-born producer Commodo returns this month with a teaser track from the forthcoming record ‘Deft 1s’ - ‘Living Bones’ takes influence from ‘90s punk instrumentals to create a grunge track in a new electronic sphere. By using bass guitar as a vehicle for this colossal bassline, the 140 track settles somewhere between dusty punk and even darker dubstep, culminating in the perfect mashup for 140 heads and rock lovers alike.

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This month, a very welcome remix of PinkPantheress’ ‘All my friends know’ from her 2021-released mixtape ‘to hell with it’ landed on Parlophone Records. Pushing together two of electronic music’s hottest properties, Anz upturns the floaty, dreamlike track and forces ‘All my friends know’ into a new rave-ready mould. “Listening to the lyrics, I wanted to make the track a tale of two halves - wistful and dreamy, but also a bit carefree and dark side,” Anz said on the rework. The ecstatic track falls alongside other remixes from the likes of LSDXOXO, Flume, Nia Archives, and Sam Gellaitry.

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London beatmaker p-rallel teams up with long-time collaborator Kasien this month on an amapiano-influenced cut via Black Butter Records. “You know what’s mad, me and Kasien made that tune in the same studio we met each other in 2016,” the producer reflected on Twitter after the release of ‘Get Down’, a track falling into the world of jazz, house, R&B and dub that p-rallel is known for toeing the line between.

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King Gizzard have made plenty of albums in their time - just a modest 19 so far - but ‘Butterfly 3001’ marks the first electronic release from the typically rock-motivated band. The seven-piece tapped Mall Grab, Flaming Lips, DJ Shadow, and more to take on rework duties with a particularly euphoric choppy breaks remix from Deaton Chris Anthony, who takes the reins on ‘Shanghai’, a previously released track from the Melbourne-based band. “Yes it’s electronic. But so is a fridge. Have you tried to dance to ‘Butterfly'? It’s hard,” said King Gizzard’s Joey Walker on the new remix pack.

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Brighton-based Bklava has brought this classic Jamiroquai track back into the conversation. With previous remixes including NOISY’s ‘Days Go By’ and Hamdi’s ‘Shake’, this latest remix adds a modern twist to ‘Virtual Insanity’. Bklava posted the news with the statement: “Absolutely mind blowing to be asked to do a UKG flip of a huge classic from such an inspirational group!” The Ministry of Sound signed artist adds a deeper bass sound to the original by playing around with the drumbeat, reminiscent of the flawless vocal garage set she performed in The Lab LDN.

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Our recent cover star VTSS has started the year on a high, performing at the first The Lab LDN of 2022 then releasing her EP ‘Projections’ the foloowing day. The single ‘For your safety’ is an up-tempo track that leans into her hardcore techno sound. VTSS says: "The track made in ‘20 captures the moment of a personal breakthrough, after months of anxiety, dying hopes & dreams; my own process of re-interpreting the outside world and re-joining the forever changed society as a person & artist".

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An almighty triple threat, this: our current cover star HAAi teams up with previous cover stars Romy and Fred again.. to produce a bouncy club track. “I started this song on my laptop on a train up to the Scottish Highlands and immediately sent it to Romy and Teneil (HAAi) because it felt super special to me,” said Fred Again.. in a statement. “Romy’s lyrics and voice are just like a hug from a rave angel.” In addition to this huge collaboration the trio celebrated the release with a secret launch party with free entry.

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This complex and layered track, ‘Swarm’ by Justin Jay and Denham Audio, features on Jay’s newest EP ‘Hypnotized’. Bound to get you moving, it deploys ‘Think’ breaks and an atmospheric acid line to form a club-ready tune. A Tim Reaper remix is also available to listen to.

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Denzel Curry’s latest track ‘Walkin’, taken from his forthcoming album ‘Melt My Eyez See Your Future’, combines ‘90s sounding boom-bap beats with the harsher, grittier bars that Denzel is often associated with. This variation in tempo and style makes this song a gripping listening experience and keeps fans wondering what is yet to come in the upcoming album. Heralded for his experimental lyricism and succinct style - Denzel does not disappoint here.

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Heavily sampling mid-00s Europop classic ‘Cry For You’, Charli XCX and Rina Sawayama give the beloved track a 2022 renovation by layering on an irresistible 2-step beat. Charli XCX is really catering to a brand new generation who wouldn’t have grown up with the original ‘Cry For You’ by creating a brand new club friendly tune that is undeniably going to be heard in months to come.

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TikTok stars piri and Tommy Villiers were brave for releasing a track about the beach during the height of winter, but their gamble paid off, as this feel-good track has everyone excited for the longer days and warmer weather. This pop track,which is infused with old skool jungle and drum 'n' bass drum patterns and melodies, follows their highly successful 'soft spot' - which blew up as a chart-topper on TikTok. Embodying the DIY nature of a new generation, this track is bouncy and groovy.

Infused with deep bass, funky synths and a camp attitude, this playful track puts a smile on your face the moment it comes on. Honey Dijon is renowned for her way to make you groove, and she’s started 2022 off with a banger, leaving everyone excited for the festival and events season that is yet to come. There’s a groovy saxophone interlaced throughout the song which carries the beat and makes you want to dance.

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yunè pinku’s new track utilises sounds from ‘90s trance, UKG and experimental synthesis. The Malaysian-Irish artist pays homage to club tracks new and old in this catchy heater which is suitable for a radio mix, a club mix, or your home listening pleasure.

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Raveena is renowned for utilising South Asian sounds in her catchy R&B tracks, which often sound seductive, soulful and smooth. ‘Secret’ is no different, in fact this track, taken from her forthcoming album ‘Asha’s Awakening’, shows how much she has come into herself ever since her 2019 debut album ‘Lucid’. ‘Secret’ sounds more mature, and Raveena’s delicate, melodic vocals are beautifully accompanied by Vince Staples’ rapping.

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This song can resonate with many: it details the convoluted emotional journey that comes with navigating feelings, relationships, crushes and desire while newly coming to terms with your own sexuality or queerness. Lava La Rue’s melodic vocals, partnered with their catchy rap lyrics which transition seamlessly into the flow of the whole song, accurately capture the heightened emotions of navigating these feelings - especially when it’s new. This track situates the West London artist as a centrepiece in the next generation of artists shamelessly singing or rapping about coming of age experiences in an unfiltered way.

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