Review: This is a four-track sampler taken from parts one and two of the One Hundred and Fifty Steps VEP series which is all about exploring the rise of 150 bpm dubstep, a sound that characterised by fast basslines, broken rhythms and heavy halftime pulses. From VEP pt. 1, L.A.'s Carre delivers pacey wobblers and then Berlin's Formella debuts with playful breaks and more wobbly bass on 'Dripstep'. VEP pt. 2 features Leipzig's Old Man Crane with their intricate, syncopated style shinning through on 'Grey' and Valencia's Andrae Durden then shows class with a Kryptic Minds-inspired low-end powerhouse.
Review: Sub Basics is back on his own fledgling label Temple of Sound - but under a new alias. As Tommy Basics he leads into a fresh house sound but still serves it up with plenty of his textbook bass-heavy low ends. 'Latitude' is a bubbly groover with dusty drums and fleshy basslines that get you moving and warmed up. 'Longitude' is even deeper, with smeared dub chords and woody percussive hits peppering the laid-back and inviting groove. Two stylish sounds from this versatile producer.
Review: We've been waiting for this one for what feels like an eternity. Since his self-titled debut in 2012 Flume has gone from beat-digger's delight to global sensation who has influenced producers in all walks of sounds from hip-hop to D&B. Mercifully Skin delivers and exceeds expectations: from the gritty wonks of "Wall Fuck" and "16.3" to the airwave-ready songwriting of "Never Be Like You" and "Say It" by way of the introspective, fathomless electronic textures of tracks such as "When Everything Was New" and "Like Water", Harley has taken care to explore his widest influences and references points while treading the balance between retaining his signature but not repeating himself.
Visited By Astronauts (SHERELLE Had A Groove remix) (4:32)
Echo Paths - Ebb & Flow (6:25)
Review: Matt Cutler has made many great records as Lone, with recent album Always Inside Your Head being particularly impressive. This similarly laudable EP offers fresh, alternative takes on album tracks. The headline attraction is arguably SHERELLE's B-side opening take on 'Visited By Astronauts', a wonderfully dancefloor-centric fusion of pulsing ambient chords, bittersweet lead lines and skewed D&B beats. Predictably, Cutler hits the spot on each of his three reworks too. The 'Mouth of God Part 2' version of 'Nautical Aerials' is a rush-inducing slab of colourful breakbeat dreaminess - sunrise-ready for sure - while the 'One Thirty Mix' of 'InLove2' adds ambient techno style acid motifs and stirring pads to an extra-percussive house beat. Throw in a terrifically meditative ambient mix of 'Echo Paths' and you have a great all-round EP.
Review: The mysterious UK duo Two Shell continue to disrupt techno conservatism with their woozy, unpredictable brew. This time on Mainframe Audio. Non-linear, disarming yet soft-focus and awash with different textures and instruments, we're eased and teased between hypnotic, lo-fi flavours... the percussive insistence and dubby ripples of 'Memory', the intergalactic big beat of 'Mainframe' and stuttering cosmic moombah of 'Ghosts' are just three of the provocative and intriguing highlights. Iconic.
Review: Heavyweight heroes Kode9 and Burial are no stranger to working together having done so to great success on FABRICLIVE 100 back in 2018. They don't actually collaborate on this one, though, instead serving up one side each of a new 12" for Fabric. As experimental artists with a penchant for drawn from the UK hardcore continuum you roughly know what to expect - fresh rhythms, emotive sounds designs, compelling rhythms. The 140g 12" comes in both limited edition and standard black vinyl versions, and both have bespoke 3D design with the fabric logo printed on reverse board heavyweight card.
Review: Long dormant has laid the tried but true practice of dubstep and garage artists sampling classic horror movie dialogue, pre-drop. We're thoroughly happy to hear that new Peaky Beats sublabel Brainjuice have gone and resurrected this zombie for us. This four-tracker from the label hears label heads Peaky and Vel carefully and creatively work in as-yet unknown samples to the stew; some kind of Frankensteinish exclamation on the dubstep A1 laments the feeding of a monster "human brains", while the breakstep A2 'Bacon Dance' hears more timestretched, dystopian vocals amid wobbles. 'Don't' leans more into the kind of melodic dubstep that likes to sample R&B acapellas, and is the most refreshing of the lot.
Review: Thousand Yard Stare marks re:ni's third 12" release and her debut on the RE:LAX label which is also the name of the club night she co-runs with Laksa. Following previous releases by Harba, Jurango and Laksa himself, the EP continues the label's exploration of high-tempo club music that blends the hardcore continuum's energy with precise sound design and technical craftsmanship. The title references the dissociative state caused by trauma and explores how music expresses emotions beyond words. Sonically, the EP follows a signature bass-driven, vocal-led style in the 140-150 BPM range. It bangs, for sure.
Review: Yaleesa Hall wastes no time setting the tone on this Timedance release, delivering a weighty fusion of UKG, electro and sub-heavy pressure. Opener 'Halfway Gone' lurches forward with a heady mix of swung percussion and cavernous bass, its tension building like a slow-motion collision. 'Light Headed' dials up the energy, its restless breakbeat patterns and distorted low-end hitting with unrelenting force. On the flip, 'Voices' leans into dubbed-out textures, letting ghostly vocal snippets drift through the haze as tightly coiled rhythms keep the pulse locked. Closer 'Still Here' brings the release full circle, with fractured beats and rumbling sub-bass weaving together in a hypnotic finale. It's a bold statement from Yaleesa Hallione that feels tailor-made for dancefloors that thrive on weight and space in equal measure.
Review: After the massive impact of Vex'd in the breakthrough years of dubstep, it was big news when Jamie Teasdale chose to swerve in his own direction and emerge as Kuedo. Released in 2011, Severant was a bold statement of intent which didn't wholly shirk what had come before, but placed emphasis on the kind of romantic synthesis you'd readily associate with Vangelis and saw trap and other influences sneaking into the mix. In hindsight, Severant is typical of the times we live in, drawing on a glut of influences and presenting its own idiosyncratic vision, but above all that the emotion and intent of Teasdale's ideas make it an enduring, captivating listen.
Review: Scottish label Redstone Press carries on its scintillating run of recent form with Pseudopolis stepping up to tenderise the dance floor. The expressive 'High For Life' kicks off with the sort of bulky beats that demand a physical reaction while 'Euphoria Inc' is a deeper rhythm with blasts of bass, steely metallic drum sounds and broken, prickly beats. 'Haze Runner' is a rinsing jungle work out that will get the gun fingers out and closer 'High For Life' (Bassbin 23 remix) then sips down into another earth quaking rhythm with dusty breaks and lively bass work all tapping into a rich history of UK music.
Review: Loraine James is the latest going talent to make a bold statement on Hyperdub. Her new album reflects the sounds of the London she grew up in while also exploring issues around identity and queerness. Grime, UK drill, electronica and jazz all colour the album and can be as abrasive and confrontational as it can sweet and soothing. Our picks are "London Ting/Dark As Fuck": a caustic brew of distorted drums and frazzled synths with angst ridden vocals and "For You & I" which is a soothing beauty despite its hyperdriven loops. A personal and expressive album that also acts as a fine snapshot of London as it sounds right now.
Review: Given the hype that surrounded the release of the first Moderat set back in 2009, we can surely expect more of the same for this second outing from Apparat and Modeselektor. Those familiar with the first album's woozy blend of IDM, Thom Yorke indebted vocal dreaminess, porchlight techno and post-dubstep rhythms will immediately feel right at home. Online reviews have focused largely on II's atmospheric warmth, and the way in which the Berlin-based trio seems to have refined their sound. Both are valid critiques; certainly, there's a maturity and musical complexity to the album that betters much of their previous works. It's not much of a dancefloor set, but that's entirely the point; this is locked-in headphone listening for the wide-eyed generation.
Review: Pangaea and Leonce's collaboration feels like a natural evolution of their respective sounds. 'Dusted' takes the more energetic route, drawing from UKG's signature drum patterns and crisp, chopped-up vocals. There's a weightlessness to it that feels characteristic of Pangaea's style, with the track riding that fine line between chaos and precision. It's rapid but controlled, capturing the essence of the UKG sound without resorting to tired cliches. On the other hand, 'Stuck' leans into a more understated vibe, pulling from the foundation of 90s US club music. It's relaxed, more patient in its progression, with a warm, spacious quality that contrasts nicely with the jitteriness of 'Dusted.' The contrast between the two tracks showcases the range of both artists: while they're clearly rooted in different scenes, they've found a way to merge their influences in a way that feels both fresh and familiar.
Review: Lighting up the dance! Toronto / Tallinn tag-team Dima Disk come correct with their most comprehensive and substantial body of work to date. A sprawling web of heavy breaks and even heavy atmospheres, there's an old Botchit & Scarper style eeriness and tension here but brought slap bang up to the modern age. Digging into elements of prog, techno and trance just as much as it nods towards hardcore and jungle, highlights include the relentless bounce of '2kSamba' and the dreamy beatless finale 'Betty'. Ooh.
Review: Batu has long been in a class of one when it comes to crafting meticulously hi finely rhythms and sounds. He now steps out to launch his own new label A Long Strange Dream, with a five track EP that runs the stylistic gamut from ambient to raw and futurist techno. Churning bass and hefty hits one up 'Traverse' which rides on a menacing bassline and is action packed from front to back. 'In Tongues' is a thumping technoid banger and 'For Spirits' is a wild rhythmic work out with disrupted low ends and groaning synths. 'Through The Glass' is the Beatles closer that allows you to catch your breath.
One Way Ticket To The Midwest (Emo) (feat Corey Mastrangelo)
Cards With The Grandparents
While They Were Singing (feat Marina Herlop)
Try For Me (feat Eden Samara)
Tired Of Me
Speechless (feat George Riley)
Disjointed (Feeling Like A Kid Again)
I'm Trying To Love Myself
Saying Goodbye (feat Contour)
Scepticism With Joy (feat Mouse On The Keys - bonus track)
Review: Loraine James continues to trust her instincts and serve us some of the most honest and original music within the leftfield electronic sphere right now. Having recently paid tribute to the work of Julius Eastman on Build Something Beautiful For Me, now she retunes to Hyperdub with the record she claims the teenage version of her would have made. The label text makes explicit reference to the likes of DNTEL and Telefon Tel Aviv as well as math rock, but James is also way out in her own zone metabolising such influences into unique expression. There are some wonderful guest spots from the likes of RiTchie, Marina Herlop and Eden Samara, while James herself centres her voice for some of the album's most poignant moments. Gentle Confrontation is another outstanding chapter in James' ever-intriguing story.
Review: Dutch titan Orlando Voorn was always a European with a musical sound that linked us to Detroit and Chicago. As well as house and techno he can also do searing electro bangers too as this Outerworld EP on Trust shows. It's potent tackle for peak times, with 'Shockwave' a collision of drums and percussion and wild spraying synths, then 'Outerworld' taking on a ghetto flex with more kinetic drum funk. 'Reverse Psychology' then slows it down to a more atmospheric and spaced-out vibe and 'Space Trap' is an experimental broken beat that is the best track on the EP.
Review: Certified 'badmen of 2022', Atlanta's Nikki Nair links and London's DJ ADHD link up once again for four furious breakbeat jams. As you'd expect, it's naughtiness from the off as they pair guide us through a whole maze of bass and series of shells. Highlights include the rampant garage thrust and flex of 'Whaa', the wonky grit and rumbles of the EP's title track 'Golden Monkey' and the bashy dystopian radar ripples and eastern string stabs of 'No Pulse'. You'd have to have no pulse to not be feeling this. Go for gold.
Gavsborg - "Did Not Make This For Jah_9" (feat Shanique Marie) (4:33)
Review: Techno arriving on 7" is not an all too common sight, but why not? This release from the fledgling Dispari out of Germany suggests it works well. Cloud Management and Gavsborg take one side each, starting with the former. Their 'Tempentary Dance' pairs thudding and broken kick drum patterns with dreamy and rising synth sequences and spoken words. It's brilliantly beguiling. The flip then finds Gavsborg offering 'Did Not Make This For Jah_9' (feat Shanique Marie) which is dark and moody, dubbed out and dystopian deep techno.
Review: It's not often we pass on much trappy EDM to listeners at Juno, but Eprom is a special case, having made a name for himself for pushing the glossy post-dubstep trap style that made many artists like him famous. At the same time, Barclay Crenshaw (Claude VonStroke) is another name in the EDM world whose direction isn't quite the same as Eprom's, but nevertheless shares a space with the former artist for having also remixed Yung Skrrt's wilfully trashy hit 'McDonalds' of late. As both artists have dropped their respective cuts in many a DJ set all over the world, Skrrt's label DIRTYBIRD have now orchestrated a meeting of the two minds - not least to mention this juicy vinyl compilation of the two remixes.
Review: Bobo is Mr. Burns's beloved teddy bear but it is unlikely that the same bear is also a dab hand at crafting weighty bass music. Although born in Sweden, this Bobo is now based in Manchester and this is his debut album on Erbium. It's a work that draws on all forms of electronic sound from bass to dubstep as well as ambient, house and electro. The resulting melting pot is a triumph of both dance floor clout and home listening richness. 'Beyond This Realm' is tinged with old school rave energy, 'Rebellion' is eerie and empty bass music and 'Nowhere' is a deep jungle excursion with cuddly bass pillows.
Review: Dubstep and garage pushers Hotflush make a surefooted return, welcoming Perth producer Odd Occasion to their roster with an al dente next-gen garage cookoff. This 'Jukebox' offers six choices to the discerning listener, though you'd be hard-pressed to find a pub owner who'll take them on in toto - unless the landlords happen to be real heads, that is! All's well that this is a machine with niche appeal, with its formal calculations and dark contusions tempting fans of all things bass-led. Though the record begins on a volatile yet minimal note, the A3 'Simple' takes a glassy dubstep turn, virtifying the mix with hollow sound design and a stealthy grime vocal sample. The B-side betrays a sacrifice of genre focus, with 'Salt' bringing brutal trade zone techno via experimental trap sound design, and 'Tape' progressing through tender zithers, which help uptick the mix to reach a snappy folktronic finish.
Review: Blawan is not only the most notable electronic producer to have ever come out of Barnsley (as far as we know, anyway_ but is also one of techno's most relentless innovators. He's done it all from heft, swinging bass to the most caustic and experimental techno. For this one on XL he aims at the club once more. 'Fires' is our pick - an unrelenting, tightly stacked rhythm with alluring vocal hooks swirling up top and weird synth sounds adding even more unusualness.
Review: French producer Kaval reinvents UK funky on this intricately constructed four-tracker. The opener is an energetic blend of syncopated percussion and shuffling rhythms that builds momentum with a tight, layered arrangement. The second cut introduces an off-kilter melodic touch, balancing dynamic grooves with a more playful sensibility. The flip explores a much darker, sonic territory, leaning into moody atmospherics and spacious drum patterns. Closing the record, the final track layers hypnotic loops over driving basslines, offering a satisfying finale that exemplifies Kaval's ability to push the boundaries of UK funky while retaining its rhythmic essence.
Review: Dreamlogicc and SW are two standouts in the outlier world of leftfield house music, and they find a perfect home on the equally out-there label that is Kimochi. This is the first time they have been on the same bit of wax (though both have been here many times as solo artists) and hopefully, it won't be the last. There is plenty of unusual rhythm work here with wonky grooves that are enriched with a world of superbly futuristic sound designs. All of these hard to define cuts are serious curveballs that bring a great element of WTF to any set, so do not sleep and add them to your arsenal ASAP.
Review: Le Motel, le hotel, les Holiday Inns. Wherever you choose to stay after your raving trip, be sure to pack this wonderful collection from the innovative Belgian craftsman Le Motel. Delivered by the ever-impressive Yuku collective, the whole EP flexes the spectrum in terms of tempos and influences. From the deep ploughman techno swing of 'Raving Crew' to the electroid funk and percussive fire of 'Helix' via the cumbia-inspired and turns of the minimal head-bender '429 Too Many Requests', this is an exceptional journey into the more esoteric side of breaks and club music. Essential.
Review: Ghost Phone has always been an intriguing label with a great aesthetic that pairs casper the friendly ghost with second-wave Nokia mobile phones, suggesting it is inspired by the late 90s and early 00s. The sounds testify to that too - often drawing n the UK hardcore continuum, bass and garage with their skeletal rhythms and shimmering pads. Pitched-up r&b vocals on "Want U' make it a real standout while opener 'Hologram' is more about shifting tones and eerie moods. 'So Gone' brings dusty jungle breaks as heard second-hand down the phone and 'Darkness Finds Home With U' closes out with yet another idiosyncratic yet familiar sound.
Review: Wisdom Tooth co-founder Facta has always brought plenty of colour to his blends of house, bass and club music. Both rhythmically inventive and dancefloor-ready, his work is also always full of playfulness and emotion. So is the Sun is another EP that follows in that fine tradition with opener 'A X I S' laying down bumping drums and warming sub-bass under crisp hits and whimsical neon pads. 'Innsbruck' is another sugary sweet blend of thudding, rubbery drums and naive melodies that truly captivate. Add in two more charming club cuts and you have a superb return from this ever-green talent.
Review: SPD makes a striking debut on Sneaker Social Club with a four-track EP designed for powerful systems and refined style. Will Sheppard has long established himself on labels like Keysound, EC2A, and Roska Kicks + Snares and here he channels UK bassweight while infusing it with a futuristic edge. First cut 'Genbu' features stripped-back, snaking sequences that keep dancers moving while 'Systema' delivers a bleep-speckled roller with a firm grip on deep, snarling bass. 'Willman' introduces a choppier groove that shows Sheppard's patient approach before leading into the emotionally rich 'OK'.
Review: Say a big hello to the new Modez label here while getting lost in the hard hitting first release from Modelle. It's a bold barrage of bass, Baille funk and dubstep across six sizzling cuts. 'Pursuit' opens up with lithe broken beats wired up with electricity and percussive hits. 'Dum Dumb' is built on a distorted low end with hard-ass raps and brutal drum breaks, 'Razor Rex' arrests the attention with its pulsing bass and bleeping modular synth sequences while 'Petrie's Rage' is a hyper-speed cosmic banger. 'Jeff On God' (feat Parkinson White) shuts down with more low end energy and this time jungle breaks provide the power source.
A Dam Will Always Divide (Lew E Asks The Dust remix) (7:55)
Review: This remix EP invites Young Marco, Minor Science, Ineffekt and Tornado Wallace to offer up their own reworks of Avalon Emerson's recent works. First up is 'Karaoke Song' (Ineffekt's Two Day version) which is shuffling, dense and club-inspired rhythms, then comes Young Marco's rework of 'Entombed In Ice' which is lit up with bright and bubbly arps, while Minor Science keeps it dusty and mid-tempo but heavy with his rework and Lew E closes out with a psychedelic trance-techno flip of 'A Dam Will Always Divide.'
Review: Adam Curtain makes a fantastic debut here on the Alien Communications label as he collides come classic bleep-laden and highly danceable electron grooves with plenty of hefty basslines. 'Slipped Disc' quacks off with some ice cold atmospheres and electro-inspired rhythms, 'Whistling Wizard' is another ice-cold blend of crisp rhythms and tiny hits with sci-fi motifs and whirring machine details. 'DRM' then brings a winky and hiccuping rhythm with some superbly stark hits and 'I Want, Want' is a stripped back rhythm with dry synths and rasping sounds that are abstract yet infectious.
Review: Brussels' Sagat is making ever more of a name for himself with his bass-heavy sounds and wonky perspective on rhythm. This time out he blends great harmony, trippy designs and innovative groove patterns on an EP for the fledgling Private Stress. '8 Legs' is a roaming percussive rattler, 'Floor Structure' taps into classic bass and dub and 'Yeah Tomorrow' brings more light and airy melody over a skiing and broken beat low end that makes you want to rise to your toes. 'DN2' shuts down with a menacing atmosphere and eerie pads.
Review: The Time Is Now label single-handed ushered in a new era of garage if you ask us. That was a few years ago but the label continues to lead from the fort here with a new EP from Samurai Breaks & Napes who make their label debut in explosive fashion. They are skilled studio talents who are nudging at the boundaries of the current UK bass sound and here they hybridise bassline, jungle and garage. You won't easily be able to fit these into one stylistic box but they will do damage on the floor, from the ghetto restlessness of the opener to the manic melodies of 'Correct Technique' and onto the turbocharged 'FrogMob'. Thrilling stuff.
Review: Frequent Jeremy Greenspan and Morgan Geist collaborator Jessy Lanza was hailed as a future star on the release of her 2013 debut album, Pull My Hair Back. That album projected her as some kind of New York freestyle chanteuse dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, backed by an all-electronic band fascinated with the potential of future R&B and left-of-centre synth-pop. This belated follow-up, which was once again produced in cahoots with Jeremy Greenspan, is even better. Colourful, vibrant and attractive, the ten songs are truthful to their '80s NYC inspirations, but smartly avoid the pitfalls of such blatant retro-futurism. In other words, it's a superb collection of future R&B and pop gems.
Review: A melting pot of UK garage, house and bass, DJ Swagger's latest release on Berlin-based label, 777, is a fascinating exploration in structure and chaos. Opening track, 'Thanks Felix', moves at lightspeed - a thrilling race through a gritty arrangement of blunted kicks, shifting in and out of focus, moving between order and disorder. 'Fingerclut' emerges with an instantly more house-facing feel - a satisfyingly hypnotic groove spirals in a circle motion, featuring a cyclonic gathering of subtle flecks of percussive variation over the course of the track. Offering a spliced, glitched-out take on contemporary bass, 'Final Bout' journeys through moments of airy weightlessness before being thrown back into the growling, driving bass section of the track. The perfect tension builder, 'Full Cycle', is an ingenious tease of a track, skillfully building up to, you guessed it, even more build.
Review: Minimal murkery wrapped up in untitled mystery, 'A/B' sees French experimentalist Orree lay down two beguiling pieces of stripped-back bass brutalism. 'A' hits like a twisted instrumental grime cut that's been through the washing machine too many times. Rippled, clean and totally out of shape. 'B' has also been through the same process but then also marinated in high levels of diesel for a sleazier, oily and intoxicating experience. Limited so don't sleep.
Review: Brand new Italian label Reflue launches with a remarkable five-track odyssey from co-owner Viola. A heady analog portrait of inner city intensity that ranges from electro to drum & bass - and blurring every possibly boundary in between - Viola's 'Sunburnt' takes us from the most visceral, physical body music ('Il Tek') to the most abstract, far-out head-tickling snapshots ('Yard II') with equal levels of style and sleaze, grittiness and prettiness. A bold opening statement.
Review: Sneaker Social regulars Alan Johnson return to the label with more unclassifiable gems. All flexing that bewitching, beaty brew of percussion, smoking 808s, shattered beats and crafty sampling, each cut hits with a direct physical groove. From the System-level dubsteppy title track to the more organic haze and swoons of the finale 'People Of The World', the UK duo have once again weaved a fine line between so many genres without committing to any. Tonnes of love..
Mila Stands In A Meadow For The First Time Eating Strawberries (2:49)
Review: Drew Lustman's longstanding FaltyDL moniker makes a welcome return with a debut full length record for the eminent Central Processing Unit label. In The Wake Of Wolves deconstructs Lustman's usual rough dance sound for a less predictable album-length breakdown, retaining his usual arid textures while playing up the more sound-designed and maximalist ends of his craft. In the pithy words of CPU: "This could pass for Four Tet or even Hannah Diamond at points, the steady build of pulsing synths and looped vocals recalling a more mysterious version of the PC Music sound." Whether you totally agree, you'd have to agree FaltyDL has at least taken on something of their contemporary future-pop/digisonic aesthetic and incorporated it into his own; this is most evident on the glassy pirouettes and gladiate complexities of 'Minds Protection', or the tenebrous post-punk descensions of 'New Friends', or many maximized IDM trap-doors and toolroom hard-clips of 'Workout'.
Review: Francine Perry and Jens L Thomsen's sixth studio album has arrived. All At Once; a breath-taking collection of sounds and stories that at once hurls you deep into a dance you didn't know existed and the most chilled, calming states of mind you didn't know you could reach. From the moment the opening percussive house odyssey 'Bird' takes flight to the final woozy stumbles and slurs of the closer 'Ser', the pair roll out idea after idea, each one as disarming as the next. Along the way we're treated to faraway contemporary breaks ('N176'), uncompromising techno ('Glory Dust') and a range of ambient treats that break up the intensity such as 'Catford Snow' and 'Millenium Green'. Arranged and articulated with thought and clarity, we guarantee you'll have a whale of time with this.
Review: Brother Aten debuts on Bruk with a minimalist masterpiece featuring the detached vocals of Ze R. This tidy 10" is influenced by cult sci-fi and early 80s no wave so naturally presents a stark, synthetic soundscape devoid of excess. The title reflects its mood: Aten's mechanical mantras are crafted with precision on outboard instruments and explore gritty, futuristic worlds. On 'Unavailable,' resonant drones create a platform for Ze R.'s initial deadpan delivery which reveals deeper humanity as the track unfurls through crisp drums. The brief yet impactful two-parter, 'Fragmented Dystopia' is a taste of Aten's cyberpunk vision while Ze R.'s words oscillate between structure and chaos.
Review: The latest EP by noise and industrial maverick Oxymosoon delves into the intricate interplay of ego, vulnerability and self-reflection. This genre-defying release combines haunting electronic textures with evocative melodies and poignant lyrics to create a sonic narrative that challenges conventional perceptions of self-identity. Each track flows seamlessly while blending ambient atmospheres with bold beats and experimental soundscapes. Oxymosoon's signature style shines through with compelling production and emotional depth all drawing you ever deeper into an introspective journey that explores the beauty and complexity of the human psyche.
Review: Dogpatrol returns to Sneaker Social Club with four more tracks of gritty, genre-bending rave damage. Despite hailing from Offenbach in Germany, his sound blends UK influences like breakbeat hardcore, dubstep and garage and that results in a mutant style that's uniquely his own. '1200kcal' features jagged UKG drums and cosmic bass arps while 'Baby Flame 'channels warehouse electro with a heavy synth splat. 'Ya Playin Yaself' delivers a dubstep roller with playful keys and 'Offgenbach HBF Riddim' adds a breakbeat twist with echoes of The Blapps Posse. Dogpatrol's irreverent, misfit approach to rave shines again here.
Review: The artist himself admits that The Glory Days EP marks a new era for Alan Johnson after a decade of sporadic releases. Building on last year's Stillness EP, this release features entirely new music which has been made over the past two years as the creative process has been refined and moved towards a simpler storytelling approach. Assembled for the YUKU label, the EP showcases a shift in sound that blends past influences with new experimentation and danceable, glossy playfulness. Divided into two distinct moods, it reflects both a nod to a chaotic past and a glimpse into the future with earthed low ends and kinetic rhythms run through with fizzy electronics and menacing moods.
Review: The Unknown-Untitled gang is back with an eighth mysterious outing from the self-titled production outfit behind the label, whoever that may be. Again this is a limited edition 12" and again it is pure fire. 'rack 1' sounds like techno from a distinctly UK perspective, if you ask us - the bass drills deep, the synths fizz like static and chopped up vocal fragments bring the hype. The rest of the EP is a varied one that takes in clanging loop pieces, industrial tinged workouts like 'Track 3' and futuristic rhythmic explorations such as the tense, textured sounds of 'Track 5'.
Review: Ubsism is back with more sonic adventures that explore hybrid and aquatic sounds and blend shifting atmospheres, spiraling variations and adventurous rhythms. Inspired by the ocean's deepest zones, this dawn dance album invites listeners into a world of sonic immersion with its pulsating dub basslines, ethereal pads and high-energy grooves. Hadale creates an otherworldly experience here as he oscillates between tranquility and intensity. The EP's unique approach offers a journey through deep, immersive soundscapes that mean it is perfect for both reflective listening and the dance floor alike. It's a bold and fluid work.
Review: From San Fran to London, US beat-sculptor Farsight follows the likes of Rnbws and Oldfield with this debut on the burgeoning underground imprint Dead Beat. And what a debut! Picking up where cuts like 'Triangulation' and 'Renegade' left us last year, the full EP ranges from abstract, deconstructed club vibes ('Sorry Mate!') to the more robust and venomous electroid spikes of 'Runneth Over' and the bright and bashy bumps of 'Empty Agent'. Complete with a series of links with kindred beat-splicing spirit Eradicate, this is an unmissable full flex across the beat spectrum. Essential.
Review: Bristol's Hodge is one of those producers with a signature style no matter the genre he makes. He's an adept studio craftsman who designs sounds in a way few others do and he shows that again here with this fresh 12" on the mighty Timedance. 'Voice Crash' opens up with clanking great hits over minimalist beat frameworks that are always on the move, and you will be too. '151' is a more manic and dense arrangement with malfunctioning loops, knackered synth mutations and whirring effects all making for something fairly mind-blowing. Last of all is 'Fussyhead', a percolating and potent rhythm underpinned with lashings of UK bass.
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