I. Achievements of Sustained Effort
* The significance of David Guetta's historical 20th No. 1 on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart. * The unusual nature of achieving a new single-year record in 2025 with his fourth chart-topper.II. The Introspection of Sound
* Analyzing Seven Lions' choice to prioritize creative self-exploration. * The mythology contained within the new album, *Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars*.III. Origins and Collaborations
* Hercules & Love Affair’s unexpected revival in Belgium and the synthesis with Hips & Lips. * The organic evolution of Westend's Kick & Bass Records from private mentorship to a 600-person community hub.IV. Ephemeral Moments and Enduring Power
* The intensity and brevity of Fred again..'s 10/10/10 tour structure. * The successful, delayed arrival of HAAi’s 100-minute set.• The quiet power of a long-loved classic Fatboy Slim’s official mashup release. ***
Achievements of Sustained Effort
The numbers, stark and uncompromising, told a story of enduring dedication this week.
David Guetta, a name synonymous with electronic dance music for decades, reached a peculiar zenith. With "Gone, Gone Gone"—a collaboration featuring Teddy Swims and Tones and I—Guetta did not merely achieve another success; he codified history. That track marked his 20th No. 1 on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart, an unprecedented count in the chart's lineage. This is not simply momentary popularity.
It is the steady, quiet accumulation of cultural impact across disparate eras of the genre. More confounding still, "Gone, Gone Gone" was his fourth No. 1 in 2025 alone, cementing a new single-year record for the chart. A sustained, intensifying rhythm of success.
The Introspection of Sound
In a field often dictated by public metrics and relentless touring schedules, American producer Jeffrey Montalvo, known as Seven Lions, spoke of a necessary retreat: "This Feels Like a Selfish Time Creatively For Me." It is an honest admission, an acknowledgment that true growth sometimes demands a focused, internal energy, separate from external expectation.
His new album, *Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars*, released via his own Ophelia Records, suggests this deep, mythic internal exploration. It hints at landscapes not meant for immediate, casual consumption, but for careful listening—a garden of complex, beautiful conflicts. To choose the intricate structure of personal sonic architecture over predictable commercial ease—that is a choice of character.
Origins and Collaborations
How strange the pathways of inspiration are.
Andy Butler of Hercules & Love Affair found his groove, his love of the persistent, driving beat, reignited by a simple relocation to Belgium. This geographic shift led to the *Someone Else Is Calling* EP, a collaboration with Elín Ey's project, Hips & Lips. The genesis of the project was wholly unexpected; Butler was producing Hips & Lips on an indie/country/rock project when the decision was made to shift focus entirely to the club.
The resulting four tracks maintain all the trademark moody sensualism that is the H&LA calling card, infused with an extra layer of attitude from the distinct vocals. This ability to redirect creative force, pulling a collaborative sound back into the familiar, yet elevated, darkness of the dance floor, is unique.
Elsewhere, community coalesced from necessity.
The tech house producer Westend founded Kick & Bass Records, born entirely out of the one-on-one production lessons he offered during the lockdown years. What began as individual instruction for aspiring artists evolved organically into a robust online home. Now housing over 600 emerging tech house and house producers—a collective exchanging advice, music, and genuine camaraderie—the initiative has reached its next step: a record label releasing music from within that very hub.
The first offering, ALP’s driving tech-house rager “Raw,” is proof that robust support structures can be built from isolated moments of teaching.
Ephemeral Moments and Enduring Power
Then there is the ephemeral nature of the live moment, contingent upon unreliable scheduling and airport delays. Fred again..’s concentrated burst—ten shows, ten tracks, ten cities—culminated in a "hyphy" set in San Francisco, anchored by his new collaborative track, “Solo,” with South London rapper Blanco. A fleeting, highly specific energy, experienced by a select few, but documented quickly for the rest.
Meanwhile, HAAi nearly missed her moment at September's Making Time festival due to a flight delay; yet, she delivered 100 minutes of triumphant bangers, now shared for wider consumption. The anxiety of travel giving way to intense release.
The greatest endurance, however, belongs to the classics. Fatboy Slim officially released his longstanding, deeply loved mashup of The Rolling Stones' “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction” and his own seminal hit, “The Rockafeller Skank.” A simple, joyful collision of foundational samples, finally made official.
And looking ahead, the promise of renewal: Electric Forest 2026 announced a lineup including Illenium, Kaskade, Sammy Virji, ISOxo, and The String Cheese Incident—a woodland congregation ready to gather again in Michigan in June. Waiting for the long, warm nights.
This week in dance music: The king David Guetta became the first artist in history to clock 20 No. 1s on Dance/Mix Show Airplay, with “Gone, Gone ...Other references and insights: Check here
