10 More Tropical Prodigies for 2016

In my previous post I listed 10 (and another 10) tropical prodigies that could become the next Kygo this year. This post considers 10 more of them, who are just a bit more below the surface, but nevertheless very promising. In the category up to 10k SoundCloud followers, I present you: 10 more tropical house producers that should make it really big in 2016.

Hibell

The first entry on this list only came on the scene last summer and has been polishing his style since then into a really energetic tropical/melodic house sound with progressive buildups that just makes it impossible to not start moving to the music. Aaron Hibell (yes he did just take his surname as his artist name, but why not?) from Newton Solney, UK has already been racking up over 2 million plays in such a short time. So far they are remixes, but if he manages to make a smooth transition to originals, you’ll here him everywhere in no time. Want to know more? Check out this interview.

Mavro

Just like the previous post, this one includes a Canadian. Not just because Canadians are nice people, but some of them really know how to make good music. Tropical and melodic house, in this case. Hailing from Toronto, Rafaele Massarelli caught my eye about 10 months ago with remixes that actually improved the feeling and atmosphere of the original tracks. Vocal chops, guitar hooks, everything is in its perfect place to create ultimate chillness. It’s unfortunate that his latest remix of Mario’s classic Let Me Love You seems to have been taken off SoundCloud, but he’s currently working on his first original and it sounds really promising. Will this be his breakthrough year?

Basé

Annnd we’re back in Bergen! About time we called it the tropical house capital of the world, isn’t it? Trust me though, the only tropical thing about it is that the daily amount of rain could be compared to a tropical rainforest in monsoon season. Howeber, Sebastian Dugstad precisely knows how to make you feel like you’re lying on that white beach sipping from a coconut. Blending Kygo-style melody lines with perfectly placed saxophone slices, this guy’s remix game is on point. Can he follow in the footsteps of his towny and bring the same level of originals? We’ll find out soon enough!

Saxity & Koni

As their own bio says, German duo Saxity has been performing live since 2012 already. It was only little over a year ago that the guitarist and saxophonist started putting out their own tracks on SoundCloud, bringing both high level originals and remixes from the start. Half is Stan Sax or Konstantin Flegelskamp, the other half is Sebastian Dittrich, also known as Koni and a valid entry to this list on his own, as he has been giving us awesome remixes over the last half year. For their latest original, they found just the right Caribbean vocals to go with Stan’s sax. The amount of energy, happiness and originality in their tunes could easily lead to a big breakthrough this year. I for one would love to experience them live!

Ryan Lofty

We’re moving down under with our next tropical prodigee. And then back north west again, because Aussie Ryan Lofty has actually moved to Las Vegas. Emerging as a high quality tropical house producer only last summer, it’s not just his hairstyle that draws a comparison with fellow countryman and ‘inventor’ of tropical house Thomas Jack. Ryan might soon follow in his footsteps, as he is currently busy working on his debut album. It’s not often that a fresh guy on the scene puts out so many good original songs in such a short time. Keep an eye out, for this guy is bringing the tropics near you!

Eklo

Another Canadian! Yup, the farther a country is away from the actual tropics, the more tropical prodigies it puts out. I’m sure a scientific study would prove this hypothesis. Too bad my thesis is a couple of years behind me. Actually Adam Wayne already saw his track You And Me released by Spinnin’s subsidiary Source, so he might be a step ahead of some others in this list. On top of that, his original Let’s Go Home is closing a million plays on SoundCloud, while his co-production with Jawster just won’t leave your mind after listening. But I’m going to share with you a different track, his latest remix making the best use of Galantis’ dreamy vocals:

Jawster

Did someone say Jawster? Ah, that was me. How coincidental that he’s up next. This Parisian turned Andy Grammer’s country pop track Honey I’m Good into a tropical house anthem that automatically lifts your feet of the floor. Over 2 million SoundCloud plays might prove me wrong, but it’s actually not even his best track in my (not so humble) opinion. The moment he released A Land So Far with Julien H’s super dreamy vocals, I fell in love. This is just 4,5 minutes of traveling in some fantasy country where the sun shines over the fields and birds are chirping around your head as you drive past the coast. Someone who can produce this kind of tracks is ready for an audience of millions.

Hella

Did you know that in Bergen, kids grow up eating pineapple and drinking coconut milk? Then, by the time they reach their 18th year, they are blindfolded and dropped somewhere in the Norwegian mountains with just a troll cave as a companion. Only when they have created the perfect tropical house tune they are allowed to return back home without shaming their parents. At least that would explain the crazy amount of epic tropical tunes originating from this city. Eivind Hella is another one with a great future ahead. Wether it's floating flutes or bouncing piano’s, this guy exactly knows what a track needs to become even better.

Panski

Time to throw an American in here! I just realised it’s the first in the two lists. Maybe just like progressive and electro house did a few years back, tropical house still has to make the big trip over the ocean. So far they seem to mostly be importing Dutchies and Norwegians. When it does blow up however, this guy is going to be at the forefront. I found Michael Kopanski’s tracks about 1,5 year ago when he just started releasing. I have to be honest, I wasn’t completely blown away by then. But he’s been making a steady progression ever since and I already included his collab with Mak City in the Tropical Edits of Epic ‘80s Classics post. In his latest remixes he found a perfect blend of country/hoedown and tropical house, something that is indeed as difficult as it sounds.

Bunt

German duo Bunt is actually the strange duck in the ice hole here. That’s a literally translated Dutch saying by the way. You should use it as well. Anyway, what I mean is this: if I’d written this post last year, the two students would’ve been in here as well. During the second half of 2014 they published four tropical folk house tracks that returned them over 3,7 million SoundCloud plays, including my favourite in an older blog post. They then started working on their album, which should have been released about a year later, but it’s still silent. I am assuming though that when it’s finally out, these jungs are going to blow your mind. I'll try to survive until then.

Others

Again, getting my original list down to 10 was a painful activity that involved lots of listening and comparing. These 10 guys could’ve made it too, had it been a different day:

Sander W. Nysveen Anaa Godlips Proga MrCØ Rami Ludomir Antis Renko

If this post also reaches over 500 readers, I’ll write a third that dives even deeper below the tropical surface! Did I miss anyone? Or do you have suggestions of very well hidden prodigies? Let me know!