From hard-hitting drum & bass to fusion indie dance productions, we have listed six tracks from artists based in India and New Zealand who caught our attention in 2024 and thus positioned their music and live performances as ones to look out for in 2025.
SLESS – ‘Half-Life’
Auckland’s DnB enthusiast Daniel Slessor, who goes by SLESS, etched out this banger ‘Half-Life’ in May 2024, only three years after beginning his journey behind the DJ booth. In his short but buzzing career thus far, SLESS has worked with labels such as Dark Machine Records and Device Records, while also supporting the likes of The Prototypes, Ruth Royal, and Lee Mvtthews.
Layering a twang of melodic drum & bass in his productions, SLESS’s ‘Half-Life’ stretches out with delicious upbeat vocal samples, roaring bass lines, and pulsing electro shards. Its drop has a nearly forty-five-second build, leading to rattling bass stabs and polished synth-esque elements. Since its release, SLESS has further expanded his discography by dropping ‘Euphoria,’ which received an endorsement from DnB goliaths Sub Focus and Dimension.
Find Sless on: Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify
Five YearsFromNow – Lost In You (feat. Neró)
Hyderabad trio Five YearsFromNow’s music ledger puffs out stellar EDM concoctions swirled in with potions of DnB, dubstep, progressive house, and electro-house music. In June 2024, the group unleashed ‘Lost In You,’ a slamming dance mix blended masterfully with fierce bass relays, rhythmic drum marks, and mesmerizing electronic production—worthy to shake up dance floors anywhere.
Vocal duties co-chaired by Kai Gurung and featuring artist vocalist Nupur aka Neró not only elevate the tune but also add flair, intensity, and depth to the composition, both passionately carrying out each lyric. ‘Lost In You’ surely makes an argument for one of the most underrated EDM tracks of 2024. Post this release, Five YearsFromNow whipped up an introspective single titled ‘Kya Hua.’
Find Five YearsFromNow on: Instagram | Spotify
BRIGSY ft. Tiana Husdon – ‘Sides Of You’
Kiwi festival frequenter and producer known to invade venues across New Zealand with viscous production and performances, Maxwell Brighouse aka BRIGSY, carved out yet another stellar drum & bass release with ‘Sides Of You.’ On this outing, BRIGSY reels in the prowess of singer Tiana Hudson, whose crisp vocal textures fit seamlessly over the rapid melody.
Commencing with melancholic key patterns and Tiana’s angelic voice, BRIGSY quickly drives forward a high-octane DnB theme with looping synth patterns while keeping the key structures constant.
Talking about the single BRIGSY shared via social media, “Tiana Hudson absolutely smashed these vocals, I’m super happy with how it’s turned out. We made it through 16 different versions before landing on this one, so I’m glad we finally made it!”
Find BRIGSY on: Instagram | Spotify
Avantika – ‘Seeker (Nachda)’
Singer/producer Avantika’s DJ session guides crowds through a melange of sonics ranging from Middle Eastern, Latin, tribal, and Afro beats, dunked in her roots of Indian classical music. On her debut single ‘Seeker (Nachda),’ released in October 2024, the proficient artist delivers a sublime blend of Indian classical music paired with EDM, aided by Ghazal singer Fareed Ahmad Khan.
Enveloping the medley are techy and gritty specks, smudged with melodic techno details, heady bass action, and seasoning of picky guitar chords. Avantika also exudes rich velvety vocals, matched by Fareed crooning to the beat. “‘Seeker (Nachda)’ is like a conversation with myself—a reminder to embrace the joy, freedom, and excitement in every moment, no matter where life takes me,” expressed Avantika about the release via social media.
Find Avantika on: Instagram | Spotify
Elipsa – ‘Miracle’
A staple of the New Zealand DnB scene, Molly Foster aka Elipsa took her first steps onto the scene at Chiccoreli’s Liquid Lowdown sessions, steadily waddling her way to a bevy of music festivals and producing a branch of virulent DnB mixes. Featured on our list of Top Drum & Bass Artists of 2022, March 2024 saw the vocalist and producer return to UKF to drop a soul-reinvigorating drum & bass anthem titled ‘Miracle.’
Constructed with stretched-out bass injects and flicking synth structures, this energetic 174 bpm drum and bass harbors Elipsa’s satiny vocals and candid lyricism. Elipsa dubbed ‘Miracle’ as “a big reminder to you all that you’re more powerful than you know.”
Find Elipsa on: Instagram | Spotify
Alboe – ‘Jaadu’
New Delhi-based house music producer Alboe certainly seeds ‘A Litte Bit Of Everything’ in his productions, skillfully marring electronica with Indian classical elements. A listening session of his ‘Enroute 24’ album will surface the artist pushing the electronic dance envelope by winching in a medley of classic instruments like the tabla, harmonium, and santoor and Sargam.
Track seven, ‘Jaadu,’ is jolted with a funky bassline, rousing string sections courtesy of the santoor, frenzied tabla segments, and dancy keyboard sections all producing a well-structured dance mix. About this track, Alboe conveyed via social media, “Jaadu tries to capture the spark that ignites passion, excitement and hard work. The retro track tries to capture an ever-burning dream.”
Find Alboe on: Instagram | Spotify
You May Also Like:
TFword’s Drum & Bass Tracks Of The Year
New Initiatives in a Live Music Setting You Should Know About
House Music Documentaries You Should Watch in 2024
