Dubstep Recommendations September 2013

Review: The second release on Madd's own Roots & Future imprint and it's just as deep, rich and forward-thinking as the debut in April. "Homeland" sees the Hungarian brewing up a bubbling digidub dynamic, allowing vocalist Marina P to lay down some sweet, alluring vocals. Fans of Madd's darker side should head for "Follow Dub" where smouldering subs groan insistently, a soft skank tinkles back and forth and some great percussion shimmers over the top to mesmerising effect. You'd be Madd not to pick up on this...

Review: A truly heavyweight collab affair, Kryptic Minds and Sleeper have unleashed each other's beast with both of these cuts. "Axis Shift" is an uncompromising techno-minded behemoth, all double kicks and industrial growls. "Solarized Formation" is heavier again thanks its pneumatic stuttering rhythm and harrowed groans buried deep in the mix. Powerful stuff, and available on grey marbled vinyl... this is a very special release.

Review: Dropping a searing double pack of 10" badness ahead of the forthcoming Angels & Devils album, The Bug is back in business with some apocalyptic gutter bass of the highest order. "Freakshow" matches the leering delivery of Danny Brown with the sinister croon of King Midas Sound's Kiki Hitomi over a horn-laden trap swagger to devastating effect. "Louder" pits Flowdan in the depths of a nauseating half-step march, while "Dirty" takes the London MC into a barrage of equally nerve-jangling drum rattles and alarm-clanging stabs. Long-time Bug collaborator Daddy Freddy rolls up his sleeves for "Kill Them", anchoring the dread stomp with a fearsome growl as anthemic as it is nihilistic.

Review: Oyvind Morken might not be that well known outside of his hometown of Oslo, but this debut release for Full Pupp is testament to the Norwegian city's ever bustling scene. Described by the label as 'Oslo's ultimate DJ,' Morken's also been running the under rated Lunarflicks label alongside DJ Strangefruit of Mungolian Jetset fame and Fjordfunk's Kango since 2008, issuing material from Diskjokke, Hardway Bros and Skatebard. Such a sense of curation demonstrates Morken knows his onions and it's clearly rubbed off on his production style. The 3 cuts here fit snugly into the Full Pupp canon, betraying a cheeky mastery of analogue hardware that veers through New Beat, classic house and flatulent disco.

Review: Running rampant with a tub-thumping horror film drum pattern, this is dark drama on a cinematic scale. Taking in techno references along the way, the superbly-titled "Persistent Dread" thuds and thunders with carnal focus. For added darkness flip for "Signal Motion" where the riddim takes a more developed, polyrhythmic twist and sheet metal screams moan quietly in the fills. Ipman is on top of his game with these two cuts; essential for all dub and tech heads.

Review: Four of MUD's brightest darkstars collide right here for an EP that has no delusions of "Grandeur" whatsoever. NDread ignites this slow-burning fire with a slinky, slo-mo halfstepper that's peppered with a beefy bass melody that never loses paces. Demon & Chapta's "Fate" follows. Spitting a spikier riddim, there's a playful balance of deep and pure darkness thanks to echoing amens on the fills and some ace warp-factor fine-tuning to the bass. Demon then teams up with Occult for the final heaving hurrah "Motive". Wafting with dreamy synth washes, we're thrown deep into a metallic sea of alien bass groans, complete with mild eastern twangs. Yet another consistent package from dubstep's deepest quarters.