We recap some 2024 artist highlights for the traditional end of year DEF blog.
Fever Ray
With the previous year’s critical acclaim for Radical Romantics still ringing in ears, Fever Ray commenced 2024 with a bang in the shape of a new music video for fan favourite ‘Shiver.’ Released quite appropriately on Valentine’s Day, the Martin Falck-directed video features Fever Ray’s Main character as well as International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation pro bodybuilder Irene Andersen. The video clip which you can watch below was accompanied by a short text from Fever Ray and Falck explaining the creative direction.
“We fantasized about what might have happened to these two skeletons. Were they so in love they had their mouths and noses too close to each other, or couldn’t stop kissing so they died of carbon monoxide poisoning? Or did a dinosaur kill them, and they died in fear holding each other? Was it a volcano, and they were protecting themselves from the lava burning their flesh? Maybe they weren’t in love at all; perhaps they were lifelong enemies facing their final struggle strangling each other? We felt there was a beautiful story there about the struggles of falling in love and the vulnerability you might feel being “examined” by your love interest who wants to make sure you really are the one they can trust and form a relationship with, that will last for eternity.”
The release of the “Shiver” music video came with a remix of the track from Fever Ray tour director Minna and 2024 also saw further Radical Romantics Remixes from Tiga (Kandy) and Innervisions duo Âme (What They Call Us). The enduring charms of “Shiver” were evident in the track’s inclusion on Pitchfork’s Best Songs of the 2020s list, with the website stating the track ‘pulses with life.’ Campaign coverage continued throughout 2024 with Fever Ray having notable cover features in print editions of Electronic Sound, The Independent, Gay Times and Wussy Mag.
Critical recognition for Fever Ray in their Swedish homeland came in the shape of being awarded the Lyricist of the Year at the 2024 Grammis in May and a nomination for the Golden Mic Best Live Act at the P3 Guld Awards in December.
Fever Ray and band also continued to tour their live show, There’s No Place I’d Rather Be in 2024, with a series of European city dates in February and March featuring support from Planningtorock, Uroish and LSDXOXO. A review of the Vega show in Copenhagen from The Ransom Note called it “a fantasy setting complete with a cast of key fairytale characters.”
March also saw Fever Ray announce they would be embarking on a series of June shows in Australia which was followed by a summer run of European festivals. The Fever Ray Instagram is a good place to get a flavour of how the live show looks and sounds.
M83
In March, M83 announced the first in a series of remixes from his celebrated 2023 album, Fantasy, with Berlin-based Peruvian Ninja Tune artist Sofia Kourtesis and Italian producer Kelbin both reworking the title track. These were followed by remixes of “Earth To Sea” from French producer Villeneuve and M83 keyboardist Kaela in April with a full package of reworks landing in June as part of a Fantasy (Deluxe) release. The aforementioned remixes were included alongside the original album as well as further reworks from Maps, Jeremiah Chiu, BRUIT ≤, Rachika Nayer and The Soft Moon. The latter’s reimagining of Ocean’s Niagara was the final composition Luis Vasquez recorded under the name before his unfortunate passing in January.
In April, Seattle-based online radio station KEXP released a studio session from M83 and full band that was originally recorded during their US tour in October 2023. The 42 minute session features a number of M83 favourites before ending with an interview with Anthony. The performance surpassed 750k views on YouTube so far and can be watched below
moby
A typically busy calendar year for moby in 2024 and then some. The past twelve months have seen him release a new album along with several associated dj mixes, celebrate a landmark anniversary of one of his most-loved long-players with a sold out European tour, collaborate with several high profile electronic musicians, produce a first feature film, further establish his podcast and surpass the 1million followers mark on Instagram.
The aforementioned new album was “always centered at night,” which collated all the music previously released under the always centered at night banner along with all new collaborations with Lady Blackbird, the sadly-departed Benjamin Zephaniah, Choklate, India Carney and Danaé Wellington. Announced in March, the album was accompanied not only by the single ‘dark days’ feat. Lady Blackbird – watch the video below – but the news moby would be embarking on a greatest hits tour of Europe in September to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his album Play. Additionally, all profits from the tour would be donated to European animal rights organisations. Taking in shows at arenas in Manchester, London, Antwerp, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Paris and Lausanne, the tour swiftly sold out.
Speaking of the above collaboration with Lady Blackbird, moby said: “I first heard Lady Blackbird sing a few years ago, and I fell in love with her voice. I moved heaven and earth to try and work with her.” A production breakdown video from moby which delved into the making of the song can be watched here.
The first music of 2024 from moby actually arrived in late February, a collaboration with Anfisa Letyago entitled You & Me which was released with the UK label Defected Records. A video for the track can be seen here, with Defected subsequently releasing numerous remixes over the course of 2024 from the likes of SG Lewis, Deetron, Girls of The Internet and KC Lights as well as reworks by moby and Anfisa themselves. This marked the first in a series of collaborative single projects this year, notably a Chris Stussy version of “Go” that went viral after the German DJ and producer’s Boiler Room appearance and a new version of “Extreme Ways” with Armin van Buuren. Released in November, it was first announced in grand fashion after Armin opened his Ultra Miami performance in March with the track. See below! The enduring charms of the original track were demonstrated by the reaction to an Instagram video from moby in February that broke down the various instrumental parts. As of this writing the video has been liked by 846k Instagram users and viewed nearly 20million times.
The “always centered at night” album would land in June, preceded in May by the single “Where Is Your Pride?” with Benjamin Zephaniah, representing the last piece of music the British poet worked on before passing away in December 2023 aged 65. The official music video is here. Speaking on the track, moby explains: “As a vegan activist, and as a wise and compassionate man, Benjamin inspired me for many years. I hope that ‘where is your pride?’ honours his legacy and also draws people’s attention to his life, work, and principles.” Further music videos from the album came in the shape of a stop motion affair for the track “feelings come undone” (watch below) and the Choklate collaboration “sweet moon.” Among the reviews for the album, Clash noted it “finds the producer gazing once more to the future, grappling with new ideas.”
Subsequent to the album’s release, moby signalled the true scope of the “always centered at night” project with two DJ mixes, titled ‘3rd Street dj mix’ and ‘quiet home: remixes dj mix’ respectively, which featured moby mixing together his own and third party remixes of album material. This was followed by a 58 track always centered at night – remixes album that landed in early December featuring every remix from the album project.
In the lead up to the “Play 25” tour, moby announced he would be doing two intimate shows at the Masonic Lodge in Los Angeles, discussing the album and its legacy as well as performing tracks with a live band. These shows would later be published as part of the mobypod podcast series. Both are available to watch on YouTube – part one here and part two here. The tour itself saw Lady Blackbird join all shows as special guest for all dates with Louder Sound describing the opening Manchester show as a “cheeky, gorgeous and ultimately triumphant celebration of dance music” whereas The Arts Desk highlighted “Extreme Ways” as the moment the London O2 show “suddenly and completely elevates.” For those who were unable to attend one of the “Play 25” shows, French broadcasters ARTE have your back as they recorded moby’s performance at Sportspaleis in Antwerp and it’s available to watch via their YouTube channel below.
It was not just “Play” that achieved a notable landmark in 2024, as moby’s underground rave classic ‘Feeling So Real’ celebrated its 30th anniversary this year too. Moby marked this occasion in October on the track’s original release date with his own updated 2024 take as well as commissioning versions from Ukrainian producer and DJ Miss Monique and German producer and DJ Nicolas Julian. Diving into the original track on his podcast, moby pod, moby dedicated an entire episode to “feeling so real” and the wider realm of rave culture that it came out of. It’s worth watching alone for the origin of the name Dexy’s Midnight Runners as well as moby teaching co-host Lindsay some of the original rave dance moves.
Over the course of 2024, moby pod has covered many subjects (the Dalai Lama, dj history, the “always centered at night” album) and featured many special guests, from Hollywood actors Joe Manganiello and Ed Begley, Jr to Gentle Barn founder Ellie Laks and author Liz Moody. Armin van Buuren was one of the most recent guests, joining moby, Lindsay and Bagel to discuss the aforementioned “Extreme Ways” collaboration as well as his upbringing in the Netherlands, the mental health challenges he faced due to the pressures of global fame, and the efforts he made to find balance in his life. Watch below.
In addition to all of the above, in May moby announced that his production company, Little Walnut, were working on Tecie, their first scripted feature film. Revealed initially in industry trade bible Variety, Tecie is a “Gen-Z romance set in the Los Angeles animal rights and activism scene.” Mark Webber serves as director with a screenplay from Moby, who will also compose an original score. No release date is set for Tecie as yet.
To round out 2024, moby recorded a DJ mix featuring music he has released over the past 12 months. Released as part of the final moby pod of 2024, the mix can also be heard on moby’s SoundCloud.
Olof Dreijer
Olof continued where he left off in 2023, with a swathe of new music released over the course of the year. This was first revealed in a cover feature with Crack Magazine that landed in January, as Olof went in-depth with writer Jon Twells on his entire career to date as well as discuss future music plans.
In February, Olof announced a new EP entitled Coral, which would see release in March via the UK label ad 93. The title track was released to coincide with this announcement and Olof had the following to say about it: “With the track ‘Coral,’ I wanted to make something that feels hopeful, a melody that you feel in the gut, something physical, and with funny and cute elements in the rhythm, things I wanted more of in dance music.” An official video for “Coral” shot with friends and family in Brazil is available to watch below.
Upon the EPs full release in March, Olof shared a nice post that detailed the production process for the three tracks whilst a review from Resident Advisor focused on how Coral introduces a “more ambient side” of Dreijer. Nic Tasker, founder of ad 93, invited Olof onto his long-running NTS show to celebrate the release; the 2 hour mix features “feel good music, a lot of axé from brasil and melodic, fun and emotional music from here and there.” You can listen to it here.
The track “Coral” would end the year nestled in Pitchfork’s end of year lists, ranked in both the best tracks and the best electronic music of 2024, with contributor H.D. Angel qualifying its selection by focusing on the way the “track’s ebb-and-flow engages all your senses until you want to just float away.”
In April, Olof’s remix of Björk and Rosalía track “Oral” dropped via the Icelandic musician’s label One Little Indian. Speaking of the track and Olof, Björk stated the following: “I have been dj-ing his songs and remixes last couple of years nonstop so incredible to find mine and Rosalía voices in that exact same environment ! the honour is all mine.”
June saw Olof announce the Brujas EP with Diva Cruz via Amsterdam label Dekmantel Records. The three tracks on the EP expanding on the hybrid live show the pair had been performing together since last year and the result of several years collaborating. Dekmantel said the EP “channels their love of fierce percussion, fiery vocals, global influences, cutting-edge production, and anti-establishment messages.” The title track dropped to coincide with the news and a video for it can be seen here. A Behind The Record feature with Olof and Diva is available to read on the Dekmantel website.
Olof’s profile as a DJ continued to build over the course of 2024, heading to the US for shows in March and June, stopping off at The Lot Radio before playing Ladyland Festival on the latter leg. You can watch that one hour session here. In late November, Olof took his first trip to New Zealand and Australia for a series of festival and club shows, supporting Jamie xx on several dates. In between this, Olof’s gig schedule was filled with club shows and festival appearances, among them hybrid percussion sets with Diva Cruz at Sonar Festival and Dekmantel, as well as DJ sets at a Blawan and Pariah curated stage at Draaimolen Festival in Tilburg, a Hessle Audio showcase at Turin’s Club2Club and Manchester’s HOMOBLOC. Olof’s DJ set from Draaimolen was recorded and later published on the festival’s Soundcloud and can be heard here.
In August, Resident Advisor profiled Olof as part of their ongoing feature series, The Art Of Production, with writer Ryan Keeling visiting the Stockholm studio he works out of for an in-depth look at his working processes. The site also released a series of short videos that visually showcase some of the methods that are explored in the feature. You can watch one with Olof discussing his unique analogue synthesizer melodies above.
Planningtorock
Planningtorock’s 2024 was focused on a campaign for the track “Get Your Fcking Laws Off My Body,” a song with an ever-more important message in the current climate. An initial version of the song was produced and self-released by Planingtorock in June 2022 as their response to the previous UK government’s proposed bill to ban the so-called conversion therapy which still excluded trans people. It was written to help support the ‘ban conversion therapy including trans people’ campaign.
May saw “Get Your Fcking Laws Off My Body” released properly via Listen Generously and Chateau Records, with The Guardian later co-opting the track into a supposed “return of electro-house, pop’s trashiest, brattiest sound” in the aftermath of Brat Summer. Planningtorock warmed up for the singled with a launch party at Peckham Audio featuring DJ sets from Lewis G Burton, Wax Wings, Xzan and Planningtorock. Dazed profiled the event in a feature here and an official music video for the track featuring footage from the party can be viewed below. Planningtorock shared a video on their Instagram explaining the reasons for releasing the track which you can watch here.
With the message of the track ringing out over radio, social media and streaming services, Planningtorock would soon announce their debut live performance at Glastonbury Festival as part of London Trans Pride and The Chateau’s Shangri-La takeover. Check this recap post on the Planningtorock Instagram for an idea of how that went down!
In July it was announced that Planningtorock had remixed Bronski Beat classic “Smalltown Boy” as part of the band’s 40th Anniversary of their album The Age of Consent. Speaking of the track, Planningtorock said: “I was 12 years old when I first heard this song, and it had a massive impact on me as a young gay queer trans person. And it’s still just as relevant today.” This is one of only two remixes from Planningtorock in 2024, the other being a ‘planningtokeeptotheinnocenceofsound’ rework of Ionnalee track ‘innocence of sound’ that dropped in April.
Planningtorock would later participate in The Age of Consent 40, an event in October celebrating the aforementioned Bronski Beat album at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. Initially announced as one show, popular demand would see it extended to two very special performances featuring Planningtorock, Bishi, Tom Rassmussen, Tawiah, Luca Manning, Tony Njoku and The Pink Singers. A recap video here offers a little bit of the magic experienced across the two performances.
In September, Planningtorock was among the 726 trans and non-binary people whose faces have been cast for Teresa Margolles’ Mil Veces un Instante installation on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, London. Speaking to Wallpaper, Margolles said: ‘This collective sculpture, which brings together the faces of 726 people living in the United Kingdom and Mexico, stands not only as a display of resilience and humanity from the trans plus/non-binary community but also as a reminder of the murders and disappearances that still occur, especially in Latin America.’ The installation can be viewed below.
The last quarter of the year saw Planningtorock unveil a series of remixes of “Get your fking Laws off my Body” starting with London production unit FAFF in October. Announcing these remixes, Planningtorock said the following: “It’s been almost half a year since ‘Get your fking Laws off my Body’ came out and it’s been incredible to hear it DJ’d, celebrated and used to empower through the year. To continue this important and fundamental message that all our bodies have the right to their autonomy we have three beautiful remixes coming out. Each remix creates a new way to say ‘Get your fking Laws off my Body’ keeping the message fresh in our minds and us all dancing.”
Further remixes from BOY FRIENDS and rising star NARCISS followed, and the campaign ended with a party in Hackney Wick in collaboration with T-BOYS and The Chateau on December 13th. A photo gallery of that night can be found here. To coincide with the party, Planningtorock released Get your fking Laws off my Body – The Remixes, a bandcamp-only EP featuring remixes of the original 2022 version from EmilyThee, Isaac Nouveau, Baby Weight, MultiVictoria, Shauna, Live on Acid and Tyler Matthew Oyer. All proceeds from the buy-what-you-want release would go towards London Trans Pride.
Rex The Dog
February saw Kompakt release another remix of Rex The Dog’s 2023 smash “Change This Pain For Ecstasy” courtesy of a “thrilling old school rave spin” from New York producer and DJ Eli Escobar. Rex The Dog would later do a Zoom Masterclass track breakdown of ‘Change This Pain For Ecstasy’ as an exclusive for his Patreon subscribers. The platform remains the best outlet to keep up to date with Rex The Dog, with regular video updates on his studio and art process – the most recent one can be seen here
In August, Rex The Dog announced a new collaboration with Airwolf Paradise, reworking his 1994 production ‘Son of A Gun’ under the JX name. A DIY music video from Airwolf Paradise for the track can be seen here. Further new music from Rex The Dog followed in September with “Laika” arriving as the lead track on Kompakt’s latest TOTAL compilation. “Laika” originated from one of the Synth Club live streams Rex The Dog did during lockdown, was experimenting with a talking (and bleeping) calculator, the Sharp EL-620, as used on Pet Shop Boys ‘Two Divided By Zero.’ As 2024 leaned into the winter, some new unreleased music from Rex the Dog made its way into the sets of Keinemusik, some footage of this was shared by Rex here.
Now part of Jackmode Agency, Rex The Dog’s DJ and Live Modular schedule in 2024 took in an August bank holiday performance in Säule at Bergain/Panorama Bar – obligatory post show photo above – as well as an Autumn tour of the USA. An appearance at CRSSD Festival, performing a live modular set, was perhaps the highlight of this tour – watch a video here.
Röyksopp
January saw Röyksopp announce the next phase of their discography reissue programme, focussing on 2014’s The Inevitable End. In their own words, The Inevitable End is “an album that is a very important moment in RYXP history for several reasons. It marked the end of the traditional album format for senor b + senor b, paving the way for the Lost Tapes era and the expansive Profound Mysteries universe. The Inevitable End also signalled a move towards darker subject matter, with emphasis on the lyrical content. This candid approach feels both very personal, sincere and conclusive.”
Another ten-year milestone was recognised in March with the announcement Do It Again, their mini-album with Robyn, would also see a 2024 reissue on white marble vinyl. “Conceived as the accumulation and embodiment of the synergy between Robyn and ourselves, Do It Again was intended to be an expression where accidental pop & art reign side by side.”
Outside of these reissues, the majority of 2024 saw Röyksopp focus on building their True Electric brand across a series of DJ and live performances at select clubs and festivals. In amidst appearances at iconic venues such as KOKO in London and Het Sieraad in Amsterdam, perhaps the most notable show was a debut live performance in China for the Aranya Xiami Music and Arts Festival in Beijing.
November saw Röyksopp announce initial plans for 2025 in the shape of a TRUE ELECTRIC DJ tour that starts in February with several Australian shows as well as dates in London, Berlin and Amsterdam. Röyksopp describe the TRUE ELECTRIC DJ concept as an “immersive DJ-set, where irresistible harmonies and hypnotic soundscapes meet unrelenting, blistering beats!”
Svein and Torbjørn were recognised for their body of work in their Norwegian homeland with the Autumn announcement Röyksopp were to be inducted into Rockheim’s long-running Hall of Fame alongside Bel Canto and Bjørn Eidsvåg. A varied programme of events for the induction culminated in Svein and Torbjørn hosting an intimate discussion of all things Röyksopp at Rockheim to a sold out audience. The unique edition of “Melody AM” with an original print by Banksy was amongst theRöyksopp related artefacts at the museum’s Rockheim Hall of Fame exhibition.
However the best was saved until early December with the unveiling of Nebulous Nights (An Ambient Excursion into Profound Mysteries), a 2-hour plus ambient re-interpretation of their album «Profound Mysteries». Released without fanfare, the 30-track opus was accompanied by a full-length animated visualiser created in collaboration between Röyksopp and Greedy Goons. Watch below:
A statement from Svein and Torbjørn on the album reads as follows:
Analogue, raw and immersive. This is «Nebulous Nights» – an ambient re-interpretation of our album «Profound Mysteries». Recorded live, this after-hours session is filled to the brim with nods and tributes, as well as references back to different parts of Röyksopp lore. All neatly wrapped in an esoteric blanket – coated with analogue warmth, and many a chunky nugget for the keen and avid listener to find.
Outside the pure listening pleasure, «Nebulous Nights» seeks to underline the importance of critical thinking and curious pondering. To foster a mindset that allows for exploration and personal growth, by not limiting one’s imagination and inquiry to a particular worldview or framework.
Encapsulated beautifully in this quote by Albert Einstein: “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”
We recommend headphones for full immersion.
Best,
Señors B + B
Susanne Sundfør
In 2023, Susanne wrote some music for the short film, ‘For People In Trouble,’ starring Emma D’Arcy and Archie Madekwe. In January 2024, the film’s director, Alex Lawther,
made a music video for one of the songs, ‘Alex sketch three,’ using footage from the short which was published on Susanne’s YouTube channel. Watch it here
January also saw Susanne announce some intimate live shows in Norwegian churches with British musician Kit Downes. Susanne described these performances as “new and old songs from my catalogue, and the music will be performed with vocals and organ exclusively. These shows are a continuation of my effort the last couple of years to bring the audience and musicians closer together again after screens and the digitalization of the live music scene have created unhealthy disturbances and distances between us.” Among her other live performances in 2024, the highlight would probably be the two sold out shows at Oslo Spektrum in September.
April saw Susanne and full band performing ‘leikara ljóð’ from 2023 album blômi live on the final episode of Norwegian Television show Lindmo. The performance is available to watch on Susanne’s YouTube channel. Later that same month, Susanne would celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the acclaimed album with a very special music video for ‘leikara ljóð’ directed by Margreth Olin, consisting of footage recorded at Ravndalen Live, Kristiansand, July 13, 2023.
In late November, Susanne released a cover of Nordic festive hymn “Dejlig er jorden,” the single’s accompanying artwork was painted by Susanne. As Christmas approached, Norwegian TV station NRK broadcasted a performance of the song by Susanne and band on the show Kvelden før Kvelden. Watch that below: