Current progressive house movements

[Unjungle]

I love the old northern exposures, GU and Renaissance, stuff from heroes like Hernan Cattaneo, the Balance label etc. But I wondered lately if the prog scene is still on fire or not.

God bless I found Alex O‘Rion two years ago, I guess he is one of the leaders right now of a new era beyond Guy J, Nick Warren or Hernan. For me he was the meaningful intersection in my personal research beside Forerunner‘s Pure Progressive Mix Comp.

Later on I found plenty of new artists out there! Australians like GMJ & Matter, Mike Rish or Argentinean guys Mike Griego or Sebastian Sellares who stand for the deep and lush progressive sound I did miss for so so long.

I recommend GMJ & Matter‘s Mixed & Compiled, O‘Rion‘s 2024 album debut „Nostalgia“ and the Super Progressive Blog.

Any other relevant sources or characteristic mixes? Your favourite prog artists atm? Your thinkings about the current prog scene in general?

 

[Recharge]

South America and Argentina in particular are surprising treasure chest trophy. I am very bad with names, but there is a lot of emerging artists from there. If you have time do a free download search on SoundCloud for the last month for example and search for the prog house tracks. It's a bit tedious, but I've based a monthly mix from what I find there. It's mostly remixes, but still some really underrated hidden gems. Here is the playlist I found/played for August and September, I missed last month, being sick. As you can see a ton of artists from there. I will make a playlist for this month in a week or so too.

(1) Betical, Arper - Back On 74 (Rework)
(2) Bloodhound Gang - The Bad Touch (Lipa Tazzioli Unofficial Remix)
(3) RÜFÜS DÜ SOL - Like An Animal (Facundo Navarro Unofficial Remix)
(4) The Cure - Lovesong (Analog Jungs Unofficial Remix)
(5) Hernan Cattaneo - Tranquilo (Juan Barrera Remix)
(6) Gui Boratto - No Turning Back (B.I.R.DD (Ar) & After Burn Tribute Remix)
(7) HS82 - Buggin (FAHGU Unnoficial Remix)
(8) DJ Recharge - May I Have This Dance
(9) Tonedepth & Soultan - Moments (Low Contrast Unofficial Remix)
(10) Sasha - Xpander (Elias Erium Bootleg)
(11) Hernan Cattaneo - Tranquilo (Gonzalo Aranda Unofficial Remix)
(12) Momery - Who are you (GRKAS REMIX)
(13) Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness (Hot Since 82's Rub)
(14) Everything But The Girl - Wrong (Sabrina Rivas Unofficial Remix)
(15) Enrai - Awlaan
(16) Radiohead - Street Spirit ft. Lena Hall (Chris Barag Unofficial Remix)
(17) MRAK - The World Is Yours feat. braev (Somnium Remix)
(18) RÜFÜS DÜ SOL - Lately (Westend Edit)
(19) The Prodigy - No Good (Afterclap Remix)
(20) Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy (Andy Chamberlain Unofficial Breaks Remix)

(1) Fatboy Slim - Sunset (Bird of Prey) (Ander Hogin Edit)
(2)Tears For Fears - Shout (Vagner Silveira Unofficial Remix)
(3) David Guetta - Love Don't Let Me Go (Facu Davila Remix Edit)
(4) Sade - No Ordinary Love (BURCAK's Deep Afro Re-Interpretation)
(5) The Smiths - How Soon Is Now (Luciano Pelliza Unofficial Remix)
(6) a-ha - Take me on (AxeLara Rework)
(7) TWD - Look at the flowers Scene (Rob Hilgen Edit)
(8) BENT - Always (St.Ego Unofficial Remix)
(9) The Alan Parsons Project - Sirius (Matiso Remix)
(10) Jordy Medina & Sing - Orion (Remix)
(11) Mel Bell - Late Night (Original Mix)
(12) Matteo Orsi - Per Non Perderci Mai Più (Manlio Polzani Remix)
(13) Cutting Crew - I Just Died In Your Arms (Diego Druck Remix)
(14) Sweet Dispositon (ALLERTZ REMIX) (Extended Edit)
(15) Marm0 & Wholiana - CÃnica
(16) WhoMadeWho - Hi & Low (Ibañezz Remix)
(17) Anyma - After Love (HVY Afrohouse Remix)
(18) RY X - To Know (Fran Bux Private Rework) 2
(19) Unseen., Black Box, Mesh (SA) - Renslienn (Good Vibration Edit)
(20) Modjo - Chillin' (Keeld Refresh Edit)

To be honest the mixes are some of my best work as a DJ so if you are interested, they are free downloads too so you can take them on the road to listen offline.

https://soundcloud.com/lq5vxcb1rzbn%2Fpure-progressive-sessions-ep037-august-soundcloud-selection-free-download
https://soundcloud.com/lq5vxcb1rzbn%2Fpure-progressive-sessions-ep039-september-soundcloud-selection-free-download

 

[HTY]

Your thinkings about the current prog scene in general?

It's a very splintered genre and I feel frustrated and cynical as hell about all of it.

The progressive stuff coming out of the known Trance labels is the most lifeless and robotic electronic music possibly ever made in history. It's like it has deliberately chosen not to have any warmth, any groove and any rawness. Those three things are what defined the genre at its greatest point. This is true whether we are talking about the melodic stuff or the deeper stuff.

The prog world you mentioned ala Bedrock, Hernan, Guy J is like the next step up, but still so far from what we had. Some groove and some nicer sounds creep in but its still nothing far off the possible quality available. This is not bad music, its just mid in every way, bar rarer instances. I've listened to many mixes from these artists and it's just underwhelming. No edge, no magic. It's as safe as it comes, and its not changed its sound for 15 years. To offer something positive, I do think the style has nice wins. For example Satoshi Fumi - Ion Tail from last year, was great in this style.

Then you have the bandcamp underground self proclaimed 'prog' that is shared a lot on this forum. Adam Pitts, Lisene, Spray, Bliss Inc etc all get kind of lumped in this 'prog' label, but to me it's a big stretch to call it as such. The arrangements don't actually offer any progression or build ups. There is no 'progression' over time with the tracks. It's not progressive music. It's basically harder or faster house beats with some trancey synths or acid. The only reason this scene has the momentum it does is because the producer here at least figured out how to make amazing sound design. They actually have warmth and interesting FX, synths and atmospheres. It can in instances also have rawness.

What that leaves us then is three scenes (we'll ignore progressive tech and the super melodic stuff) which all fall short for different reasons, and we are then forced to search desperately each year for rare moments amongst them for a handful of tracks worth remembering for more than 6 months.