The plethora of incredible music being written, produced and released in 2020 remains as vast as ever before, and while going to see live music may be temporarily off the cards, it could be argued that the LP is one of the greatest ways for artists to engage with their fans, and offer a window into their creative minds. 

The cancellation of tours and events has been devastating, however it has allowed artists to spend more time than ever honing their craft in the studio. As we increase our album output at Defected, we wanted to look at some of the dance LPs that we’ve loved to listen to, and that we are looking forward to in the coming months…

Roisin Murphy – Roisin Machine [Skint]

Coming as Roisin Murphy’s fifth album, Roisin Machine saw her collaborate with Sheffield producer Richard Barratt. Fusing the worlds of disco, house, pop and beyond across the ten tracks, standout singles like ‘Murphy’s Law’ and ‘Something More’, the latter of which was co-written by Horse Meat Disco collaborator Amy Douglas, showcase her striking vocals, with the album as a whole flawlessly executed in all aspects. Bookended with monologues from Roisin, this body of work is as moving as it is memorable, and destined to be a future classic.

Groove Armada – Edge of the Horizon [BMG]

DJ and production duo Groove Armada continue to be at the forefront of electronic music with a career spanning over two decades, with Edge of the Horizon coming as the first LP from the pair in 10 years. Using the extended length of the album to flex their musical muscles, standout single ‘Lover 4 Now’ (featuring legendary producer Todd Edwards and written poolside at Pikes Ibiza) is soaked in upbeat sunshine, but the album also features the more mellow, soulful side of Groove Armada’s sound, as seen in cuts like ‘I Can Only Miss You’ and ‘What Cha Gonna Do with Your Love’. Another album release from 2020 not to be missed.

CamelPhat – Dark Matter [RCA]

CamelPhat have recently announced they will be releasing their debut album Dark Matter on 30 October, with a host of A-List collaborators including Jake Bugg, Noel Gallagher, Foals’ Yannis Philippakis and ‘Cola’ co-creator Elderbrook. Revealing a sneak peak of what is to come with their new single ‘Witching Hour’ featuring Will Easton, this preview is the sign of very exciting things to come on the LP. 

Speaking to NME the pair teased the new album, “We’ve got a lot of different BPMs on there — it’s not all dance music ... There’s 90 BPM records, there’s breakbeat records, and then obviously we have our club bangers as well. But we just wanted to do something a little bit different.”

Bicep – Isles [Ninja Tune]

The anticipated follow up to their 2017 eponymous album debut, Isles is the culmination of two years work from Belfast-born duo Bicep. Described in the PR as having a “massive sonic palette,” there is no doubt this LP will be one of the standout releases of 2021.

 “Atlas was our attempt at summing up some of the euphoric moments we experienced on that tour across those two years. It feels like those moments are very far away for all of us right now, but we hope this serves as some form of distraction amidst all this chaos". - Bicep

Bicep have unveiled new two-track EP ‘Apricots’ as a preview of what we can expect on Isles:

Solomun - TBA on NINL/BMG

With over a decade having passed since his last album release, Solomun recently teased fans with the announcement of a forthcoming LP in 2021. Four singles will precede the album, the first of which is out today (16 October) titled ‘Home’. A melodic and otherworldly masterpiece full of intricate nuances that balance out a bold bassline, ‘Home’ is sure to leave Solomun fans satisfied. A titan of the scene, Solomun's LP will be awaited with much anticipation...

"I had plenty of opportunities to play it and for me it has withstood the test of time. It was evident that this had to be the first single for the album." - Solomun