The deep house subgenre is growing more diverse by the day as artists are learning to experiment with new influences and sounds. However, it's not the most accessible genre for non–listeners, as it can come across as too “clubby” or electronic. In reality, there’s a wide range of sounds within deep house, and it’s a matter of determining which artists’ sounds appeal to each listener. One thing that often differentiates deep house from standard house music is the “beats per minute” and bass level, as deep house songs typically possess—as you might have guessed—deeper bass. Oftentimes, deep house is even further divided into two subdivisions, “future house” and “tropical house.” In both cases, the songs themselves range from 110–124 BPM. From dark and unforgiving club beats to uplifting remixes, there’s something in deep house for everyone. For those unacquainted with deep house’s best tracks, here are a few recent standouts to get you into the genre.
"Raingurl" – Yaeji
Yaeji’s “Raingurl” somehow perfectly captures the atmosphere of being in a crowd of people you don’t fully know after one too many drinks, but you’re also totally content to ride it out. From a catchy and memorable hook to a frantic bass beat, Yaeji is able to constantly toe the line between pop, house, and rap. Many of the best deep house tracks aren’t overwhelming on lyrics, but rather, the lyrics themselves complement the ethereal or striking production of the track. In the case of “Raingurl,” the former is much more apparent, with Yaeji’s voice surrounded by a simple (but enchanting) bassline.
"Notorious" – Malaa
“Notorious” is a perfect track for one of those jam–packed house clubs: easily recognizable and fast–paced. With a near–flawless sample of The Notorious B.I.G., Malaa seamlessly blends the Brooklyn MC’s iconic voice into a dark, imposing deep house beat. Malaa’s identity is kept a secret, but many believe it to be the duo of electronic house DJs Tchami and DJ Snake. Regardless of the producer, "Notorious" is an excellent deep house track that will keep you coming back again and again.
"You Know You Like It" (Remix) – Tchami
Arguably the song that got yours truly into deep house, Tchami’s remix of AlunaGeorge’s “You Know You Like It” is nothing short of a deep house masterpiece—one of those songs where despite how great the original is, the remix somehow blows it out of the water. Building up the pace and tone of the beat alongside AlunaGeorge’s beautiful voice, Tchami ramps up the energy of the song to an all–time peak before kicking in the bass at AlunaGeorge's “I just want to have some fun.” The deep house beat following the “drop” makes it near–impossible not to dance, as the electronic sounds come at the listener fast and hard. If there’s one deep house remix you need to jump–start a party, it’s this one.
"Jumanji" (Remix) – Shift K3Y
Despite sounding very different from most other deep house songs, Shift K3Y’s remix of B Young’s song “Jumanji” is a great deep house track. Using a frenetic, ever–shifting background, Shift K3Y produces an excellent house background to carry B Young’s voice. Many deep house songs—even remixes—minimize the amount of vocals used on the track, but Shift K3Y’s remix doesn’t shy away from using vocals to complement the melodic bass.
"No One" – Golden Features
Another deep house song with more of an atmospheric buildup than a hard–hitting one, Golden Features’ “No One,” featuring Thelma Plum, adopts a much darker character as soon as the electronic bass truly kicks in. “No One” also seems to be made for the dance floor, with an ominous and forbidding house beat. As Plum sings, “We just like to dance, makes us feel fine/Please just close your eyes and take you down, down, down”, the tone darkens as the energy picks up and the deep house sound shines through.
If you're looking for more deep house, check out our playlist below!
