Featuring Polyamor’s Mika Heggemann
Artist of the moment Florian Picasso returns to FLUID on with Pretty Lies, a four-track EP that moves between trance, acid, speed house and hard dance while continuing the producer’s shift towards a more high-impact, club-focused sound.
Following the release of lead single ‘Dior’ earlier this year, the EP builds on the fast-paced, melodic direction Florian has been leaning into across recent releases. Across all four tracks, Pretty Lies balances euphoric hooks with heavier percussion and rave-driven energy, designed with both festival stages and club spaces in mind.
Over the years, Florian Picasso has steadily evolved beyond the progressive house sound he first became associated with, developing a style that pulls from multiple corners of dance music while still maintaining a strong crossover edge. The French-Vietnamese producer has released on labels including Spinnin’ Records and Protocol Recordings and received support from artists such as Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren and Nicky Romero.
The EP’s lead single, "Pretty Lies," is a high-octane collaboration featuring Polyamor co-founder Mika Heggemann. This bouncy anthem masterfully fuses euphoric trance melodies with razor-sharp acid synths and heavy-hitting kicks. Engineered with a "crossover" DNA, it strikes the perfect balance between mainstage festival energy and radio-ready accessibility. With Mika’s massive global reach and Florian’s signature production, this is a peak-time weapon designed for maximum playlist retention.
“Dior”, a high-energy speed house cut that blends trance-driven momentum with playful vocal hooks and the unmistakable bounce of the iconic Korg M1 bassline. Built with both club impact and wider crossover appeal in mind, the track channels fast-paced intensity through slick, forward-thinking production.
"Exctasy" is a high-tension tribute to the golden era of 2000s trance. Built around a slow-burning, cinematic build-up and a brooding, low-register male spoken word, the track captures the hypnotic energy of Armin van Buuren’s early classics mixed with the relentless drive of Basshunter. It’s a nostalgic yet modern peak-time weapon designed to lock a dancefloor into a trance-like state before delivering a massive, euphoric release.
The EP’s ambitious finale, "Wonderland" is a genre-bending masterclass in modern Trance and Hard Dance. The track features a syncopated, off-beat bassline reminiscent of Latin Core, anchored by a searing, signature Acid lead synth. In a bold pivot, the breakdown introduces jungle-inspired drum breaks layered over timeless, classic house piano chords. A true "sonic journey," this closing track is a definitive sum-up of dance music’s past, present, and future, engineered for the most adventurous festival sets.
Tracklist:
1) Florian Picasso & Mika Heggemann - Pretty Lies
2) Dior
3) Exctasy
4) Wonderland
