#58 Feat. Staff Picks in Indie Dance

With Cos I Said So, Eastern Standard opens a new chapter in its sonic diary. This various artists collection stitches together voices from different corners of the scene — both rising names and seasoned creators — all bound by a shared love for house in its rawest form. The tracks carry the grit of oldschool heritage while bending into sharp, modern shapes, each one road-tested across dance floors from Berlin to beyond. Born out of months of traveling, chance encounters, and late-night exchanges, Cos I Said So feels less like a compilation and more like a living map of the labels journey.

Vilusic, Sonson, Michael Ritter, Felix E, Hamoon, Nima Sarshar, 88Dubs, Reset

#82 Top Releases in Melodic House & Techno

With Remant / What I Need, Munich-based dj and producer Sonson makes his debut on Lossless, delivering two refined, reductionist cuts that embody his precision-focused approach to contemporary house music. Known for his instinctive feel for rhythm and atmosphere, Sonson pares his sound back to its essence — tracks built to move bodies through pure groove and subtle tension. Opening with Remant, the EP sets an immediate tone of restraint and focus. A stripped-down house tool in its purest form, the track rolls forward with unwavering drive — tightly sequenced drums, a tactile low-end pulse, and minimal elements that interlock with precision. Its functional yet deeply human, channeling warmth through rhythm and space, designed for those moments deep within a set when control and flow become one. What I Need shifts gears slightly, combining broken rhythmic structures and syncopated energy. The beat drifts between patterns, creating a sense of off-kilter movement that feels vibrant. Its sparse textures, driving and repetitive vocal sample and fractured swing reveal a more experimental side of Sonsons production, maintaining dance floor tension while pushing beyond the usual 4/4 grid. This EP captures Sonsons continued evolution as a producer — refined, purposeful, and tuned for discerning selectors these cuts fitting seamlessly into the Lossless ethos.

Sonson