Essential Listening: New music releases in May 2023 Update

Here are the best new music releases in May 2023 with dedicated playlists for house and techno, drum and bass and jungle, indie and alternative, and hip-hop and jazz.

Skiddle Staff

Date published: 16th May 2023

Now Highest Point Festival 2023 has well and truly come to a close, we can all rejoice that festival season has properly kicked off! The sun has been shining (mostly), and we’ve all been staring out the window longing for pints in beer gardens, and thinking about the mad shenanigans we’ll be up to in random fields sometime soon.

As such, we’ve got loads of summery tracks that were clearly penned for festival crowds to share. Among them, we’ve got new releases from rap legend Killer Mike, adored Scottish DJ Hannah Laing, dream team Joe Armon-Jones & Maxwell Owin, Schak, Christine and the Queens, Obskur, and a bunch of others. Check them out below!

Essential Listening: House and Techno

Good Love - Hannah Laing

Ahead of a huge run of festivals and a stint in Ibiza, Hannah Laing has only gone and dropped a bouncy belter with lyrics you can’t stop yourself from singing along to.

A bit of a throwback number, the synths in this one, as well as the samples, sound borrowed from yesteryear only tarted up for a modern audience, with a focus on rumbling bass.

The Scottish DJ has had a massive year, selling out venue after venue, and this feel-good track with her trademarked energetic approach will only draw in huge crowds for her at FLY Open Air, Tidyland Weekender, NASS, Parklife, In It Together, and the million other fests she's booked for this year.

Get tickets to see Hannah Laing live here:

TRICK Edinburgh (w. Hannah Laing) | Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh | Friday 18th August 2023

Buy tickets:

Groovebox at Binks w/ Hannah Wants, Hannah Laing & more! | Binks Yard in Nottingham | Saturday 19th August 2023

Buy tickets:

Essential Listening: Indie and Alternative

Fear: Life In A Dozen Years - BC Camplight

In the words of indie enthusiast Tom, who collates our indie playlist tracks, “it’s a f*cking chooon.”

With reverbed saxophones over intergalactic soundscapes, multiple layered vocals with mouthwatering harmonies come in before we’re hit with a dose of chuggy, distorted guitars. Getting weird and wonderful, the track seems to touch on just about every neighbouring genre, ensuring you’ve never heard anything like it before.

A bit of a mad one, this is the kind of track you listen to when you’re fed up of everything sounding the same that’ll put you in the passengers seat for its wild journey.

Get tickets to see BC Camplight live here:

BC Camplight (Solo) | DRUMMONDS in WORCESTER | Thursday 25th May 2023

Buy tickets:

BC Camplight | The Black Prince in Northampton | Friday 2nd June 2023

Buy tickets:

Essential Listening: Drum & bass and Jungle

Loca - Vibe Chemistry, Local

Switching it up, Vibe Chemistry and Local kick off the track with a cheery guitar riff before its descent into madness commences.

Insanely different to many drum and bass tunes, Loca is super summerly with exotic influences on the guitars, horns, and whistles. Hopping on the mic, Local couldn’t sound more comfortable, bringing cheeky but warm vibes with lyrics about “a belly full of voddy… I had a couple double’s now I’m hugging everybody.”

Melting basslines still shine through between your typically wild DnB percussion, creating the perfect mid-set festival banger that no one will be stood still during.

Get tickets to see Vibe Chemistry live here:

Skepsis presents... (w. Vibe Chemistry) | XOYO in London | Friday 9th June 2023

Buy tickets:

Motion's Freshers DNB Welcome Rave! | Motion in Bristol | Wednesday 20th September 2023

Buy tickets:

Essential Listening: Hip-hop and Jazz

Grief - Joe Armon-Jones & Maxwell Owin feat. Lex Amor

Three incredible talents link up for a complex, busy track that still maintains a strong, relaxed personality.

On this one, we’ve Joe Armon-Jones and Maxwell Owin, two crucial, skilled musicians, composers, and producers that are, in a way, a real supergroup. Filling out the track is rapper and singer Lex Amor, creating an incredibly detailed, layered track, both lyrically and musically. Super unique, you’re better off just giving this magic a listen yourself - no words can describe its power.

Oh, and if you get a sec, definitely watch the music video for unreal, artsy visuals.

Get tickets to see Joe Armon-Jones live here:

Project 6 Festival (w. Joe Armon-Jones) | Brockwell Park in London | Friday 26th May 2023

Buy tickets:

Make sure to follow our Essential Listening playlists featured above to discover the best new tracks released each week, as curated by the Skiddle team.

Check out our What's On Guide to discover more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.