IDRIS, Frigid Armadillo, Nitefreak, Nes Mburu 'Maithori' on Sound International

Francis Mercier knows an Afro House gem when he hears one. On 5 Aug, he placed IDRIS, Frigid Armadillo and Nitefreak's 'Maithori' (Extended) at 11th of 20 in his Baianá (Boa Noite) chart, a selection that has become a seasonal marker for those who look to him for the sounds that will define Lisbon and Berlin in August.

The record, which came out on Sound International on 18 Jul 2025, sits at 120 BPM and lands in a sweet spot between the deep and the danceable. It comes from a remarkable run of releases for IDRIS, who has been active since 27 November 2006 and counts 26 releases to his name, mostly on Defected (10) and Armada Music Albums (six), with his most recent previous credit being 'Defected XXV' on Defected (25 October 2024). Here he links with Frigid Armadillo and Nitefreak, whose own star has been rising fast in the Afro House scene.

It is a subtle, hypnotic record, all rolling percussion and warm bass with a vocal that drifts in and out of focus, and it is easy to see why it has become a fixture in Mercier's sets. For those who have been following his chart since it first appeared on 5 Aug, it is the kind of record that rewards repeat listens.