AQUTIE and Floyd Lavine unite on percussion-led single "Bender"

New York DJ, producer, and PELE PELE founder AQUTIE has joined forces with South African-born, Berlin-based artist Floyd Lavine for " Bender ," out now via Klub Record .

Rooted in Afro house, "Bender" is a driving, percussion-led club track built around rolling drums, a deep bassline, and hypnotic vocal refrains. AQUTIE and Floyd Lavine layer organic rhythms with atmospheric synths and subtle electronic flourishes, letting the groove build and evolve with a fluid, infectious energy. The result lands warm, expansive, and deeply rhythmic, a track designed to pull dancers in and keep them moving.

The collaboration brings together two artists whose work is shaped by the exchange between African electronic music and global club culture. AQUTIE's music draws from her upbringing between Harlem and South Africa, channeling Afro house, AfroTech, amapiano, and gqom through the raw energy of New York nightlife. Floyd Lavine approaches the record from his own distinctive position within contemporary African electronic music, pairing deep-rooted rhythmic instincts with the experimental edge of Berlin's club landscape.

"Bender" follows a landmark period for AQUTIE. Earlier this year, she launched PELE PELE , her independent label and cultural platform dedicated to amplifying forward-thinking sounds and ideas from across the African diaspora. In July, she also released LATESTATE , her collaborative EP with fellow New Yorker L3Ni and a love letter to the energy, attitude, and after-hours spirit of their home city.

Floyd Lavine has established himself as a singular voice within international electronic music, with releases across influential labels including Innervisions , Sapiens , and Ninja Tune . His expansive approach has led to remix work for artists ranging from Kerri Chandler to Coldcutt, while his touring schedule has taken him to respected dancefloors including Panorama Bar and Hï Ibiza.

Bringing their individual worlds into sharp alignment, "Bender" captures AQUTIE and Floyd Lavine at their most direct and dancefloor-focused, percussive, hypnotic, and built to bend the room around it.

Brooklyn-bred, Los Angeles-based techno enthusiast covering music, artists, events, culture and news in the dance / electronic music and queer culture spaces