Essential Listening: The best new music releases in September 2023 (week 4)

The best new music of September 2023 with playlists for DnB, house, indie, hip-hop, jungle, and techno.

Skiddle Staff

Date published: 25th Sep 2023

We’ve had some fantastic new music in September 2023. We’ve got new albums from James Blake, Yeule, Romy, Mitski, and more. But the month isn’t quite over just yet…

The final Essential Listening update this month features new tracks from Doja Cat, Holly Humberstone, EARTHGANG, Todd Terry, Faye Webster, Document One, REAPER, Bakar, The National ft Phoebe Bridgers, and even a newly released track from De La Soul for the 30th anniversary of their Buhloone Mindstate album.

Check out the best new music releases in September 2023, follow the playlists, and secure tickets to see the featured artists below.

Essential Listening: House and Techno

Feelings - Melon Bomb

International house DJ collective, Melon Bomb, is united by a passion for music and the desire to put on immersive events that are the epitome of Ibiza’s spirit.

Having thrown parties at the island’s biggest party spots including Pacha, Ushuaia, Hi, Space Ibiza, Pikes Hotel, and even Tanit Beach, the collective has only released a handful of tracks as Melon Bomb. On the 22nd, they dropped the two-track EP Feelings.

The title track, with its old-school keys and full-bodied bass, sounds like euphoria. Bright enough to soundtrack summer but thumping enough to pack out dancefloors in the club. The acid sounds at the end of the track just give it that something special that makes it their own.

Get tickets to see Melon Bomb live here:

Stardust - Liverpool (w Dimitri From Paris) | Saturday 21st October 2023 | The Dome At Grand Central Hall in Liverpool

Buy tickets:

FH Presents..Melon Bomb (Glitterbox) | Friday 17th November 2023 | Bootleg Social in Blackpool

Buy tickets:

Essential Listening: Indie and Alternative

Indigo - Of Mice & Men

Definitely one of, if not the, heaviest track added to this playlist, Of Mice & Men’s Indigo is taken from the band’s upcoming album Tether, due on 6th October.

A shift from their earlier metalcore sound, Indigo has a more melodic sound, leaning towards alternative metal. Soft, dreamy verses are sandwiched between anthemic, cathartic choruses with intriguing vocal scales at the back.

An atmospheric track with clean vocals and guitar chugs, the track is about, “questioning why the sky would choose to be blue if it had the choice to be anything else - blue also meaning sad,” said vocalist and bassist Aaron Pauley in an interview.

Get tickets to see Of Mice & Men live here:

Of Mice & Men | Thursday 30th November 2023 | Rebellion in Manchester

Buy tickets:

Essential Listening: Drum & Bass and Jungle

Cats - Flava D

Love jungle? Love cats? We’ve got your favourite song of the year here…

A reggae-laden track with bright horns and some beefy drops, Hospital Records’ Flava D has given us the purfect (we are so sorry) track for kicking back and hanging out with our cats.

Offering something pretty different, Flava’s incorporation of spiky reggae guitar before the wobbly bass kicks in, all while the vocal loop continues, “All I care about is stroking my cats,” creates a track that… well, there really aren’t that many out there quite like this one.

As stunning as the first drop is, we’re really here for that second spacey one.

Get tickets to see Flava D live here:

Westfest 2023 - The Home of Rave | Saturday 28 October 2023 | The Bath And West Showground in Shepton Mallet

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Crucast Takeover ft Darkzy, Window Kid, Flava D, Zero & more! | Friday 17th November 2023 | Tank Nightclub in Sheffield

Buy tickets:

Essential Listening: Hip-Hop and Jazz

Love Life - Doja Cat

Doja Cat’s new album, Scarlet, has arrived. And while there are one or two pop cuts on there, there are also some strong jazzy hip-hop tracks including this one and Balut.

Love Life is all about gratitude - to her fans, her boyfriend, and good vibes. With a super chill instrumental and laidback vocal delivery, similar to Balut in those ways, Love Life is simple but accomplishes what it needs to do well.

Stripped-back and honest, this is perhaps one of her most personal tracks and sees her step into a lane she seems incredibly comfortable in. And she should. Doja’s pop tracks are brilliant but she’s seriously shining on these jazz rap tracks, seeming more comfortable

Love hip-hop? You might like…

Butcher Brown | Monday 6th November 2023 | The Forge Arts Venue in London

Buy tickets:

Bigger Than Hiphop 2 | Friday 13th October 2023 | Invisible Wind Factory in Liverpool

Buy tickets:

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.