2023 was definitely the year of “stutter house”, a sub-genre of UK house that, thanks to the monumental success of Fred Again.. has been everywhere, from streaming and radio to festival and dance floors.
What exactly is “stutter house”? Also known as Tremolo House or Flutter House, to some is a new dance music genre, to other just a clever production and performance technique, based on the use of syncopated and stuttering vocal tracks, with the stutter effect also extending on synths. (Stuttering in Italian is “balbettare”).
Nothing really new, as the “tremolo effect” is largely used also as a pedal effect for electric guitars, and I do have indie rock / shoegazing records with extensive use of the effect, such as in My Bloody Valentine’s productions of the early 1990s. The stutter effect has also been used in dance music since the 90’s on early Daft Punks’ productions, and at the beginning of 2000, for example by Booka Shade, and definitely by The Field. Most recently, in 2017, Bicep released a massive tune that was all about stuttering, and so did Gorgon City in 2019.
But for the definitive coronation of the the stutter sound we have to wait until 2020 for the unstoppable rise of Fred Again… and his trademark stutter sound that, carefully wrapped in a killer blend of UK house and breakbeat, has dominated charts, festivals, dance floors and even my DJ sets. And also inspired a new generation of producers.
On December 29, for my birthday – that I spent home with covid – I decided to pay tribute to the “stutter sound” with a dedicated mix, so I went “full Laurent Garnier” on a “Deep Search” for the stutter sound, discovering dozens of new amazing tracks and producers. This mix is the result. Enjoy!
One note – if you follow me, then you probably know that I’m kind of obsessed with numerology. So, since it was my 57th birthday, I mixed 57 tracks, for a total play time of 3h14m40s – because, you know, 3+14+40=57. But this is my personal trip, you just press play and dance!
More info and download link for this mix at my website https://www.burningmax.com
Happy new dancing year!
DJSET PLAYLIST
Fred again.. & Baby Keem – leavemealone
Disclosure – Higher Than Ever Before (Atrip Remix)
Ravver – Sapphire
Atrip – Fussy
Duskus – Black Blue Red Green
it’s murph – Food for the Soul
Pistashio – Dusk
Nasaya – Ciel (Mona Yim Remix)
Shndō – HARIKĒN
Lavern & Francis Lai – La leçon particulière
Fred again.. & The Blessed Madonna – Marea (We’ve Lost Dancing)
Bacavi – Take What You Can
Atrip – Shake
Suchi – Birdy Bell
Pistashio – Without You
OTR & Devault – Apart Of Me
Bicep – Glue
Lumine – ID (If there’s one thing)
Sonny Fodera & MK – Asking (feat. Clementine Douglas) [Joshwa Remix]
Jaded – Show My Love (Icarus Remix)
Icarus – Dominoes (Extended)
Fred again.. – Danielle (smile on my face)
Fred again.., Skrillex & Four Tet – Baby again..
John Summit, Mathame & Camden Cox – Hungover
Tom Santa – We Don’t Ever Stop
Debba – Thinking of U
Jasper Tygner – Need You (Extended Edit)
Matthias Springer – Thinking Outsourced
Booka Shade – Night Falls
Gorgon City – Should’ve Known
Murlo – Calcium
Jersey – Talk Tonight
jigitz & OTR – first time (OTR Remix)
RSCL, it’s murph & Twin Diplomacy – Lost (feat. Jack August)
Fred again.. & Swedish House Mafia – Turn On The Lights again.. (feat. Future) [Solomun Remix]
Booka Shade – Regenerate
Disco Lines & Rain Radio – I See Colors
RSCL, Repiet & Julia Kleijn – Echo
VisionV – Lonely (feat. PHEA)
Ploy – Finally
Origami Human – Empty Feeling
The Field – Over the Ice
Disco Lines, Ship Wrek & Daya – Peace of Mind
Barry Can’t Swim – Deadbeat Gospel (feat. somedeadbeat)
BEAUZ, ellis & Sarah de Warren – IRL
Booka Shade – Confide (Contour 1)
Silk – Quiver
Rommii – what we had was real
Surf Mesa – Manzanita
Gudfella – Language
Fred again.. – Jungle (Rico Nasty Remix)
BUNT. & Nate Traveller – Clouds
Ca$tle – Back
Pistashio – Bloom
Gorgon City – Roped In
Origami Human – Empty Feeling (VIP Edit)
The Field – No. No… (John Tejada Mix)
