Liverpool DJ and producer Bontan has returned to Hot Creations with “Talking Slow,” a new tech house single released October 23 that continues his longstanding relationship with Jamie Jones and the Paradise events. The record follows his 2017 debut on the label with The First Time EP and his 2022 return with “Gold Teeth,” arriving after another active year of international touring, Ibiza performances, and releases across several established house music labels.
This release has a considerable history behind it. Bontan has maintained a connection with Jamie Jones and Hot Creations for nearly a decade, while his appearances at Paradise have made him a familiar name among the artists who regularly perform at the event series.
That relationship continued throughout the 2026 Ibiza season, where Jones incorporated “Talking Slow” into his sets repeatedly before the single became publicly available. It shows how a producer can develop a record within the DJ community itis meant for, letting the music reach club audiences before its official release.
The timing also follows an active period in Bontan’s career, including sold-out North American tour dates, his first Do LaB appearance at Coachella, and the continued development of North Drum, the independent label he launched in 2025.
His recent releases have moved between tech house, Afro-influenced house, and percussion-focused electronic production, while “Talking Slow” returns to a relatively direct club arrangement built around the interaction between drums, bass, and vocals.
Nearly a Decade of Releases With Jamie Jones’ Hot Creations
Bontan’s history with Hot Creations began in April 2017, when he released The First Time EP as catalog number HOTC091. The project contained two original productions, including the title track, which Bontan had spent several months testing and refining during DJ performances before committing to the final release. That process established an early connection between his studio work and the musical direction of Jamie Jones’ label, where records are frequently developed through regular club performances and support from DJs associated with the imprint.
Five years later, Bontan returned with “Gold Teeth” in 2022, continuing his relationship with Hot Creations while expanding his profile through releases and performances elsewhere. The new single, “Talking Slow,” represents his third release on the label and arrives during a period when Hot Creations has been maintaining an active schedule of new music alongside its established relationship with Paradise.
Hot Creations was founded by Jamie Jones and Lee Foss in 2010, initially developing its catalog through house and techno releases connected to the artists performing within their wider club community.
The label subsequently helped introduce artists such as Patrick Topping, Richy Ahmed, and wAFF to international audiences, while its relationship with Paradise provided another way to connect the music with clubgoers.
When I covered Jamie Jones’ “Murder Mystery” for Hot Creations’ fifteenth anniversary, I discussed how the label had maintained its original interest in groove-focused house music while continuing to introduce new producers. Bontan’s latest release reflects that same relationship between established artists and the label’s ongoing catalog. His first appearance came during an earlier period of Hot Creations’ development, while “Talking Slow” arrives with nearly another decade of production and touring experience behind him.t Creations, No Art, and Defected connect individual records with existing audiences and DJ communities.
Paradise, Coachella, And Bontan’s 2026 Touring Schedule
Bontan’s 2026 schedule has included sold-out North American tour dates and a debut performance on Coachella’s Do LaB stage, alongside regular appearances within the Paradise event series. He also returned to Ibiza throughout the summer, performing within the network of artists associated with Jamie Jones’ events.
Our earlier photo review of Paradise in the Park in Los Angeles documented another part of that expansion, when Jamie Jones presented a two-day event featuring artists including Seth Troxler, SG Lewis, and Chloe Caillet. Bontan’s connection to Paradise extends through multiple seasons and international appearances, placing him within an established community of producers who regularly share lineups and support one another’s music.
For Bontan, the latest single adds another entry to a catalog that has developed considerably since The First Time in 2017. His musical interests have expanded through Afro-influenced house, more percussion-oriented records, and independent releases, while “Talking Slow” reconnects him with a label and event community that have supported his work for nearly a decade.
The track is available now through Hot Creations, continuing Bontan’s 2026 release schedule with a vocal-focused tech house production built for extended club sets.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
