Modern queer dance music pioneer Andy Butler returns in celebration of Pride with the announcement of a new, dancefloor-focused Hercules & Love Affair EP titled Danseur. The project arrives alongside its lead single “I Get High,” launching a two-part rollout that will unfold across seven tracks and continue with Danseur PT 1 on July 14 and Danseur PT 2 on September 10, all released via Stratasonic Records.
Built as a collection of intimate, community-driven narratives, Danseur explores stories from across the LGBTQ+ experience, weaving together themes of identity, love, loss, and liberation. The EP also carries a distinct tribute to New York’s queer club history, including a reinterpretation of Book of Love’s “Boy,” honoring the legacy of the iconic BoyBar scene.
Across its tracklist, the project moves through a series of emotionally charged vignettes—from the life-changing moment of coming out in “My Journey,” to the bittersweet arc of “The Eyes of Love,” which follows two men whose honeymoon is shadowed by the realities of the HIV crisis. The narrative is deeply personal, drawing inspiration from Andy Butler’s own lived experiences. Elsewhere, “Night On the Town” tells the story of two women in love in the 1960s, living openly against the backdrop of a less accepting era. One of the EP’s most poignant moments arrives with “Pirouette,” dedicated to the late SOPHIE and longtime collaborator Aerea Negrot, both of whom passed within months of each other.
Leading the rollout, “I Get High” channels Hi-NRG new wave energy through a sound palette inspired by pioneers such as Patrick Cowley, Giorgio Moroder, and Lime. Propulsive and euphoric, the track reflects the emotional core of the project while setting its sonic tone.
“The song is about what I consider one of the last frontiers of LGBT rights,” says Andy Butler, “which is to embrace and encourage the romantic partners of trans and nonbinary people to come out, and leave the lie of shame behind. We need more real connection, not less, in this world.”
Danseur continues the long-running creative evolution of Hercules & Love Affair, a project that has spent nearly two decades exploring queer identity, intimacy, and the emotional depth of house music. Since its breakthrough with the 2008 classic “Blind” featuring ANOHNI, the project has remained a vital force in shaping contemporary dance culture.
The new EP was created alongside collaborators Elín Ey of Hips & Lips and Quinn Whalley of Paranoid London, extending the creative chemistry first established on last year’s Someone Else Is Calling. The project also features Faris Badwan of The Horrors, further deepening its cross-genre and collaborative spirit.
Throughout its history, Hercules & Love Affair has earned the respect of house music pioneers, with past work remixed by legends including Frankie Knuckles and Larry Heard. Across its evolution, the project has remained rooted in Butler’s mission to use dance music as a vessel for storytelling, emotional expression, and queer visibility.
“I Get High” is out June 3, Danseur PT 1 arrives June 18, and Danseur PT 2 follows on August 21 via Stratasonic Records.
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