EDM Music
Giolì and Assia Release New Single ‘Playing Chess’ From Their Forthcoming Album ‘Fire, Hell, and Holy Water’!
Today, Italian multi instrumentalists, singer/songwriters, DJs and label owner duo Giolì and Assia release the new single “Playing Chess” from their forthcoming third studio album, ‘Fire, Hell and Holy Water.’
Following the release of recent singles “Fire Hell and Holy Water,” “Silence,” and “I’ll Be Fine,” the 4th single, “Playing Chess,” brings us closer to the LP, set for release on September 9th on Ultra Records. The single is a piece of Depeche Mode-style electronica that was initially inspired by Florence & the Machine’s track ‘Shake It Out.’ One of the most energetic singles on the album, ‘Playing Chess’ is led by Gioli’s uptempo drums and complemented by her captivating piano chords and Assia’s vocals. The push-pull effect of the instrumentation reflects on the contrastingly intense and introspective nature of the record, all while showcasing the couples’ unending love for one another.
“The lyrics revolve around the metaphor that we are nothing but pawns on a chessboard; part of a game, of a mechanism that is none other than the society in which we live today, which alienates us away from our more human and true form,” Giolì and Assia said in reference to the creative process behind writing the single. “The only escape from this game is the night; only in the night we reveal our true selves, only during the night we can be free, ‘but when it’s dark I know our souls are true, yeah when it’s dark I see the light in your eyes, but when it’s sunshine, you hide,” they added.
Hailing from Palermo, Italy, Giolì and Assia have captured the hearts of fans around the world with their sublime and ethereal soundscapes. The duo create genreless sounds that are entirely their own from start to finish without any outside collaboration. Giolì, a masterful pianist who has been honing her craft since the age of 8, plays the piano, cello, drums, guitar, and handpan, with Assia commanding lead vocals and guitar across the album.
Giolì & Assia will continue touring around the world into the Summer & Fall, returning to North America in September with their biggest headline shows to date at LA’s The Novo and Brooklyn Steel. The duo also have festival slots at Czech festival Colours of Ostrava, Austria’s FM4 Frequency Festival, Chicago’s ARC Music Festival, Las Vegas’s Life is Beautiful, San Francisco’s Portola, and more.
Alongside the single release today, Giolì & Assia have unveiled the live performance video of “Playing Chess” taken from their boundary-pushing video series “#DiesisLive”. The videos have been a cornerstone of development and creative expression for Giolì & Assia as artists, carving out their own aesthetic niche and garnering the band millions of views for each production from across the globe. Started in April 2019, the high-octane productions invite viewers to watch intimate Giolì & Assia live performances filmed in remote and jaw dropping locations. These have included a volcano in the Aeolian Islands, the Andromeda Theater in the Province of Agrigento, Isola Delle Femmine in the duo’s hometown of Palermo, the breathtaking Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon in Iceland, and most recently the Krysviksberg Cliffs in Iceland.
Set for release September 9th on Ultra Records, ‘Fire, Hell and Holy Water’ is the band’s biggest body of work to date, a 16-track labor of love. Named after a well known local Sicilian saying, the record documents their turbulent and intense highs and lows as a couple, and the health problems and untimely losses of relatives during the pandemic. Referencing a plethora of major sonic influences, the pair cite London Grammar, Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Labyrinth’s Euphoria score, U2 and Ludovico Eunaudi as just a few of the many formative inspirations on their landmark forthcoming album.
Around the album launch and tour dates, Giolì & Assia recently launched a contest to win a golden custom G&A handpan, vinyl test pressing, merch capsule, 2 tickets to a headline show, meet & greet and more. Enter to win via the link here.
STBAN and Billy Ronca release ‘Yamekite’ via FLAMENCA Records / Toolroom Records, a rolling Latin electronica track built for Ibiza terraces and club dancefloors.
Fresh from the success of his Javi Torres and Alba Dreid collab ‘Habibi’, FLAMENCA Records boss STBAN continues to build the hype with latest single ‘Yamekite’, out today via distributor Toolroom Records.
This time out, the label head shares the stage with reggaeton and Latin rap star Billy Ronca. Born in Brazil, raised across Europe and now based in the heart of Puerto Rico working with reggaeton icons Baby Rasta y Gringo, Ronca has steadily built his reputation as a singer and writer to watch out for. Teaming up with STBAN in the studio, the result is another hit in the growing FLAMENCA catalogue.
“This song is about self-love and awareness,” Ronca explained. “Sometimes we’re the ones who put people on pedestals they never deserved, and when that happens, it’s up to us to bring them back down. It’s a reminder to protect your energy, choose good vibes, and not waste time on people or situations that don’t add value to your life. Life is short, everything is temporary, and we shouldn’t get stuck in negativity.
“The line “era pa’ siempre que me tuviste” reflects a contradiction that tells a deeper story — two people living the same relationship with completely different intentions. For one, it felt like forever; for the other, it was just a moment.
“Even though the lyrics are simple, the message goes deeper: it’s about self-respect, emotional clarity, and knowing when to let go.”
Ronca’s sun drenched vocals and fluid rap are a perfect foil for STBAN’s steadily building production. Gentle guitars strum across rolling percussion, Latin brass shimmering and sizzling in the background as STBAN gradually turns the energy up. It’s a gorgeous slice of hot Latin electronica perfectly timed for the opening of the European summer season.
“We’ve just been in Ibiza and the reaction to the track was amazing,” the FLAMENCA Records label boss said. “It’s the perfect track to get the terrace session going or dial the heat up on the club dance floor. Another great addition to our FLAMENCA Records discography.”
STBAN & Billy Ronca ‘Yamekite’ is released May 8th on FLAMENCA Records via Toolroom Records.
DHALI and dagi release ‘Ibiza, Circoloco’ via 23 Hours, a groove-heavy club track born from a TikTok that went viral and sparked over 50 unofficial remixes.
German DJ/Producer DHALI today releases ‘Ibiza, Circoloco’ with dagi, via independent German music label 23 HOURS. The record captures the golden-hour energy of one of Ibiza’s most storied dancefloors.
Evolving organically through the momentum of online communities, DHALI and dagi bring one of the most exciting viral-to-club moments of the moment into its final form. It started with a TikTok filmed on a jog – dagi singing an unproduced topline over no beat, just a melody and the now trending vocal. The clip amassed millions of views, over 50 unofficial remixes followed, hundreds of creations, and the demand for an official release became impossible to ignore.
DHALI, who counts over 40 million cumulative streams, is known for his unique blend of Afro-house, Latin house, and melodic house. DHALI translates the energy of the original moment into a full, club-ready production. Deep, groove-heavy, and anchored by a bassline destined for the summer festival season ahead. dagi’s vocals brings warmth and melody to the top end, giving the track a sun-drenched quality with major dancefloor weight.
The momentum also caught the attention of the international club scene. Jamie Jones, one of the most influential House DJs in the world and a longtime resident of the legendary Circoloco parties in Ibiza, became aware of the track and engaged with the growing hype surrounding it.
Despite being one of Germany’s biggest creators, nothing in dagi’s world has moved quite like this. With both her and DHALI sharing a genuine love for Ibiza and the culture of the island, ‘Ibiza, Circoloco’ feels less like a community celebration of the White Isle and the music and lifestyle that defines it.
Ibiza, Circoloco represents a new form of music creation. Not strategically manufactured, but born from a spontaneous moment, picked up by the community, continuously evolved, and ultimately transformed into an official release.
New EDM Friday May 8 brings new music from Calvin Harris, The Chainsmokers, Armin van Buuren, and more.
New EDM Friday May 8 brings a strong mix of major releases, new records, and artist projects spanning house, trance, bass, and crossover electronic music. From Calvin Harris and Jazzy to The Chainsmokers, Armin van Buuren and Andrew Bayer to and Wax Motif, these are the tracks you should not miss on this week’s New EDM Friday.
Calvin Harris, Jazzy – Satisfy
Calvin Harris is back with Satisfy, teaming up with Irish vocalist Jazzy for a piano house release that fits naturally into his summer run. The track had already been teased through Calvin Harris’ channels before its May 8 release, giving fans an early listen to its repeated vocal hook and bright piano lead. For Jazzy, the collaboration follows her rise through UK and Irish dance music, where her voice has become linked with records such as Giving Me and Somedays. With Calvin Harris leading the production and Jazzy carrying the vocal, Satisfy adds a major-name house release to this week’s list.
The Chainsmokers – Love Is Kind
The Chainsmokers return with Love Is Kind, a five-track collaborative EP with Oaks, the artist project of Swedish singer-songwriter Winona Oak. The release includes Echo, Already Know, Five Past Three, Love Is Kind, and Wild, bringing the duo back together after their 2018 collaboration Hope. The Chainsmokers shared that Echo led into more sessions with Oaks, eventually turning one song into a full project after a period where they felt creatively stuck in the studio. Across the EP, Oaks’ voice carries the more vulnerable parts of the writing, while The Chainsmokers keep the production close to the emotional dance-pop sound that has defined some of their biggest releases.
Armin van Buuren & Andrew Bayer – Serendipity
Armin van Buuren and Andrew Bayer collaborated on Serendipity, released through Armind as part of a two-track single with Need You By My Side. The release brings together two names with long histories in progressive trance, with Armin van Buuren continuing his A State of Trance run and Andrew Bayer adding the polished melodic detail he is known for through years of work with Anjunabeats. Serendipity also appears around the release window of A State of Trance 2026, giving the track a clear place within Armin van Buuren’s wider trance rollout this week.
Wax Motif – House of Wax II
Wax Motif releases House of Wax II, his sophomore album, with a tracklist that brings in Ty Dolla $ign, ZHU, Jozzy, Maeta, MC Lan, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Camden Cox, Sarah De Warren, 24hrs, Juos, GTA, and Colorsick. The album includes records such as You Forget, Bad & U Know It, Sync Button, Bota, Run It Up, What U Want, and Sun Goes Down, giving the project a wider collaborator list than his 2022 debut House of Wax. The release also arrives alongside the House of Wax II North American headline tour, which starts May 15 in Las Vegas and includes stops at EDC Las Vegas, Beyond Wonderland Chicago, Brooklyn, Toronto, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, and more. After building the first House of Wax past 33 million streams, Wax Motif uses the follow-up to connect his house production with hip-hop, R&B, Brazilian funk, and Latin influences through a full album format instead of a single-release run.
SkyDisc ft. RIENK – Coming Down
SkyDisc releases Coming Down with Dutch vocalist and producer RIENK on RIOT Records, with the track also set for the label’s Uprising: Vol. 10 compilation. The record was written in memory of SkyDisc’s duo partner, mentor, and best friend, who passed away in 2022, giving the release a personal story behind its drum & bass production. SkyDisc, a Bosnia-born, Texas-based producer and DJ, brings more than 14 years behind the decks and over six years in production, while RIENK adds the vocal side after releases and collaborations connected to Monstercat, UKF, Liquicity, and Deadbeats. With its emotional writing and bass-driven production, Coming Down gives this week’s list one of its most personal drum & bass releases.
VAVO & Thomas Edwards – Don’t Leave
VAVO follows his recent viral moment in Japan with Don’t Leave, a new single with Thomas Edwards released through KESS Records. The track arrives after VAVO’s Lose You Tonight with Dan Caplen built a fully organic TikTok dance trend in Japan, leading to thousands of creations, millions of views, and a climb to No. 51 on the Japan Top 200 Shazam chart. Don’t Leave continues the emotional direction VAVO has been bringing into his recent originals, with early teasers already getting a strong reaction online before release. For VAVO, the single gives that growing audience a direct follow-up while keeping the focus on vocal-led dance music with clear replay value.
ero808 & Coka Cobra – Don’t Look Down
ero808 and Coka Cobra make their Deadbeats debut with Don’t Look Down, a late-night release built around minimal percussion, hypnotic basslines, and chopped vocals. The collaboration pairs ero808’s house, bass, hip-hop, and Latin influences with Coka Cobra’s darker club production, giving the record a stripped-back feel that focuses on tension instead of obvious drop moments. For ero808, the single follows a catalog that has reached hundreds of millions of streams and includes collaborations with Kyle Watson, Solardo, Pitbull, AYYBO, and NXSTY. For Coka Cobra, it continues the path he has been building since signing with Tchami’s Confession in 2020, with past performances alongside Valentino Khan, Malaa, and Whipped Cream, plus festival appearances including Shambhala.
GROSSOMODDO & Montaigne – WAQI
GROSSOMODDO continue their run on HUGEL’s Make The Girls Dance Records with WAQI, a new release alongside Montaigne. The track follows the duo’s earlier activity on the label, including Andalucía with HUGEL and Hadid with HUGEL and Sphynx, keeping GROSSOMODDO closely tied to the Afro house output coming from Make The Girls Dance Records. Beatport lists WAQI (Extended Mix) under Afro House / Afro Latin, with a 123 BPM tempo and a May 8, 2026 release date, giving the record a clear placement within this week’s house releases. For GROSSOMODDO, the collaboration adds another label release to a catalog that has been growing through streaming traction, social media support, and repeated ties to HUGEL’s label.
Honorable mentions:
AFROJACK – Take Over Control (feat. Eva Simons) [Nitefreak Remix]
Agents Of Time, FORS – Oblivion
Arcando, Andromedik – Hold Me In Heaven
Autograf, SLVR, WYNNE – Nobody Knows
B Jones, MIDI Kittyy – Universe [Trust The Plan]
Chuckie, Juany Bravo, KYDUAN – DAMN GIRL
Claptone – Wanderer (Album)
Curbi – Shake That
Felicia – My System (Blasterjaxx Remix)
Ferreck Dawn – Say What You Mean
GATTÜSO, Grace Kinstler – OZONE
Gryffin, AVELLO, Sasha Alex Sloan – Without You
KAAZE & Roland Clark – WTF
Kaskade & Layton Giordani & Natalie Jane – Meet Again
KILIMANJARO, The Joy, Bloody Civilian – I Don’t Want To Go
Lee Foss, BUJA (BR), Franksy – Cult Of Bass
Mike Candys – Ay Papi
MOGUAI x Stupid Goldfish – Shimmy Shake
Monki – Drum Beats Go Like
Nico Morano, MeWhy – Onana
Phuture Noize – Recover Me
PNAU, EARTHGANG, sadMONTH – Nirvana
Prospa, Murda Beatz – Baby
Purple Disco Machine – Disco Cherry
R3HAB – More than enough…
Steve Aoki, Farruko & Greeicy – YAPAQUE
Sultan + Shepard, Shallou – Twilight
Tchami, Poobear – Cry For Me
Timmy Trumpet & Frank Walker ft. John Martin – All My Life
Tungevaag, Alida – Love Will Never Die
W&W, AXMO – Jump To The Stars
Zeds Dead, ARDN & Boi-1da – We Came To Bleed
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