Sam Binga operates at the intersection of several of dance music’s most active strains. Over the past decade, the Bristol artist has connected forward-facing club sounds from around the world with a distinctly UK soundsystem-informed approach.
Photo credit: Sam Binga – Facebook
The selection arrives alongside his appearance at Dirtybird Campout x Northern Nights, held from July 17th to 19th at Cook’s Valley Campground in Northern California. The collaborative festival returned with programming across the Main Stage, River Stage, Bird Bath Stage, Grove Stage, and late-night Bunker, combining music, camping, outdoor activities, and community-led stages among the Redwoods and Eel River.
For his Top 10, Sam Binga moves through techno, grime, dub, UK garage, house, hip-hop, and soundsystem music, with a recurring focus on rhythm, emotional tension, and what he describes as “melancholy euphoria.”
1. Ob Ignitt – Oh Jabba
“To me, this sounds like a classic pinball machine discovering the pain and beauty of the universe. It is moody and tugs at the heartstrings, but still has this relentless drive. Perfection from the D.”
2. Mr. Mitch – Phantom Prophet
“Grime’s ghosts in the machine, slowed down and transmitted through broken pirate-radio wires. No drums, no future, just compelling minimalism to sink into.”
3. Schatrax – Mispent Years
“Wobbly Reese bass, unstable melodies and an undefined sense of regret and longing. It is like that quote about being unsure whether to dance or cry.”
4. Oni Ayhun and Olof Dreijer – OAR003-B
“I first heard Doc Scott play this during one of his techno sets at a festival in Sardinia, and it has stuck with me ever since. I am a big believer in the idea of ‘melancholy euphoria,’ and this is a great example of the concept.”
5. DJ Krush – Bypath
“I love short songs, but I might have to make an edit of this that simply loops for nine minutes. Like the best DJ Krush tracks, it combines outrageously chunky drums, a murky yet evocative melodic loop and not much else. I could sink into it like a warm bath.”
6. King Tubby – Human Rights Dub
“King Tubby is the teacher. Everything you need to know about club music, arrangement and sonic character can be found through immersion in his work.”
7. Nu-Birth – Anytime
“Again, it is that blend of drums that make you skank and a bassline that locks firmly into the groove, while everything else feels soaked in the most bittersweet heartache imaginable. One of the all-time classics to come out of the UK, let alone UK garage.”
8. The Fauns – 4AM
“All my favourite Pixies songs are the ones where, instead of ending, they settle into a loop and stay there until you become completely absorbed in the groove. This scratches a similar itch in my brain.”
9. Hoop-E and Tony Present Soul Interactive – Da Warrior
“Some of my favourite house drums ever put to tape. The chunk on them! It is also one of the few house tracks to incorporate dub and dancehall elements without sounding like a cornball pastiche. Hipp-E is a genuine West Coast warrior too, so salute.”
10. Richie Brains – SK8 M8
“This year marked a decade since the Richie Brains project came into the world: an anonymous ‘supergroup’ that somehow completely avoided ego clashes and pettiness. This one came out on 7-inch and was essentially me and my good friend Fracture playing with big chords, even bigger arpeggios and a DJ Screw-inspired ‘pitch that shit down’ aesthetic. Good times.”
Follow Sam Binga: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
