Dubstep Recommendations August 2013

Review: Deep Medi Musik's Commodo has remained defiantly anonymous, with little information out there despite the three critically lauded releases for Mala's label in recent years. Resurfacing once more for a timely Deep Medi transmission, the producer is giving nothing more away here on the three track Space Cash 12" which brandishes some brilliantly ghoulish cover art courtesy of Tom J Newell. The title track sets the tone, commencing like some lost 60s spy thriller before degraded drums swagger drunkenly into focus and call a heaving bassline into action, whilst the vicious "Straight Reptilian" sees Commodo operate on the down stroke, creating an aggressive monster that's filled with a dizzying level of rhythmic detail in full flow. "Wish" retains the degraded feel of its predecessors, ricocheting a recycled soul hook around stuttering half step programming with a sense of unpredictability that never gets tired.

Review: Kahn & Neek return to local hub Peng Sound for some self titled double plated dubplate action under their steppahs project Gorgon Sound, housed in a rather lovely stamped gatefold sleeve. Although primarily known for their incendiary grime bangers on their own Bandulu imprint, and the dancehall sounds of last year's Backchat single, Kahn & Neek's steppahs-influenced Gorgon Sound project is a chance for them to expand on Bristol's rich legacy of dub, reggae, and soundsystem culture. Since the pair decided to begin the project in 2010, Gorgon Sound has since evolved into a full dubplate DJ operation, with a show made up of entirely their own material. Last year saw the Gorgon Sound project see its first vinyl release, in the form of "Find Jah Way", which featured on the debut released from Bristol's Peng Sound; this double 12" release presents a more expansive take on their steppahs sound, featuring four cuts of West Country bassweight with guest vocalist spots from Brazil's Junior Dread and Bristol's Guy Calhoun.

Review: Following two rounds of heavy hitting platters from label bosses Kahn and Neek, the third Bandulu plate sees them step out of the spotlight and invite a new set of artists into the fold. 003 in the canon is an essential purchase for the presence of Gemmy's mythical swaggering West Country basement anthem "Roll On Tips And Toes" in fully remastered form and the Bristol grime veteran is complemented by three equally crucial cuts from the city's new school. Oaty lines up alongside Gemmy with "Untitled" a vicious 8-bar anthem in the making, whilst face down Boofy and Breen duke it out for prominence with the latter's "Hooded Up" a particularly rugged concoction of recycled strings and gut punching drums. Screen printed, signed and numbered by Joshua Hughes-Games. Limited to 500.

Review: The first new material since his self-titled album in September 2012, Kenzo goes all-in on this immense Tempa four-tracker. "Cause & Effect" is a slurring, slo-mo psychedelic workout with eerie, ominous pads and anvil-like beats. "Ricochet" lives up to its name with a tight ping-pong polyrhythm that quickly builds momentum before taking a deep, steady breath on the halfsteps. "Enter Valarak" is the darkest cut of the pack thanks to swaggering dragon tempo that blows smoke out of its clogged bass nostrils. "Bloodlines" completes the set with tight weaves of percussion, off-kilter loops and trippy dubbed out jungle bleeps. Tracing dubstep's bloodlines back to its soundsystem roots, Kenzo truly deserves the 'classicist' title the press have recently given him.

Review: Originally released last month, demand is high for this brutal bass double up from this Bristol partnership. "Chevy" takes grime to its furthest, most turbo-charged extremities. Steppy, snappy and full of switches, it's a breakbeat monster that continually serves up surprises, including some fantastically dramatic vocal samples. "Thief In The Law" takes the halfstep template and gives it a trippy reboot. Moaning mid-range bass tones and yet more distinctive samples are the order of the day, allowing your floor to truly lose themselves. Quintessential West Country heaviness.

Review: Black Box are thoroughly rinsing dubstep to find some of the most exciting producers out there at the moment. It's impressive. What's more impressive still is that they can switch from intricate, deeply emotive artists like Author to people like Gantz here, who plays it cool, calm and razor sharp. Crisp and methodical with only a hint of tape hiss mixed in with his hard echoing beats, Gantz clearly comes from the school of "less is more". It works a treat. Thelem's remix adds percussive layers to create his own distinct stamp but the effect is the same - deep dubstep like this needs space to work in. When it's worked as well as this, the effect is stunning.

Review: It's nearly three years since Bristol-based dubstep explorer Phaeleh released his debut album, the decidedly deep and murky Fallen Light. On this second full-length, he switches his attentions to the more accessible, downtempo-influenced end of the genre, matching his ever-present low-end heaviness with intricate melodies, breezy atmospherics, and woozy, trip-hop style female vocals. For the most part, it's a formula that hits the spot, with stand out tracks "Here Comes The Sun" and "Whistling In The Dark" offering a contemporary take on '90s trip-hop. Best of all, though, is the beatless title track, which is little more than a powerfully emotional exercise in sublime piano playing.

Review: Hold tight! The Itinerant Dubs camp resurfaces with Spirit In The Underworld, a second unholy concoction of bassweight pressure for your consumption. Emerging from the West London ether with the three Itinerant Magic 12" last month, this unknown collective of selectors showed they can dip into all ends of bass indebted dancefloor culture yet do it in a manner that shows they have the utmost respect and knowledge of dub, techno, jungle and can brandish it with mutant aplomb. The heavyweight Spirit In The Underworld 12" fins space for one extra Itinerant exploration and rolls deep from the off with the heavy stepping "D-into-core". From here, they veer through the slack jawed grime with "Flipped Out Tango" whilst "Hypnotic Jungle" and the title cut show their skills for frenetic, loose limbed rhythmics.

Review: It's been a year almost to the day since Om Unit's Cosmic Bridge label last issued a release; Danny Scrilla's superb Flash Powder EP for those that forget. They return in style however with this killer 10" double drop from the man Kromestar which comes brandishing some rather fine hand drawn artwork from Meloncholy. Lead cut "On My Mind" swaggers confidently between the 140 and 87 bpm territories and has that certain melancholic edge to it that undoubtedly informed the titled (the vocal sample probably helped in this decision too) On the flip "X Files" is thankfully not Kromestar's attempt at a half time cover of the Mark Snow theme tune for the iconic TV show, instead a superb exposition of murky low end 'ardcore manoeuvres that will get the proper heads practicing their old screw faces.

Review: Regular conspirators Killawat and Ipman step up to the plate for Tempa once more on the appropriately titled Darkplace. Brandishing some artwork that reveals them to fans of cult C4 comedy at its finest, the title track also lifts an eerie vocal sample from Garth Marengi's Dark Place (we think) before veering off into deepest snaking sub bass territory - seriously don't stand too near the bass bins when this one's in full flow. Whilst this is classic Killawat and Ipman material the flip "Sur Place" adopts a more broken techno rhythm that sounds a lot closer to Killawat's recent outings for Osiris. Great plate from the Tempa crew!

Review: Nomine returns to Tempa for another session of unabated darkness. Meaning business from the off, "Nomine's War" rolls with some clever rhythm on the kicks and scorching Reeces that both amount to a cool sense of early D&B. "Anxiety Tone" is much sludgier and more paranoid. Again, there's a great sense of energy in the beat department but it's measured with much more menace. "128.1" closes the deal with more of a classic, traditional dubstep motif. Abyss-level production, slow hypnosis on the percussion and yet more begrudging bass tones. Make "War", not love...

Review: Sleazy Spanish bass jams abound as Alizzz unleashes his latest quad of beats. "Whoa" lives up to its name with vibrant synth squiggles and Numbers-style technicolour riffage. "Champagne" flips the switch for a sexier groove, all ghetto fronting and street soul. "In Chains" ups the drama factor with a fractured arrangement of choppy beats and stark string stabs. "Turquoise" closes the show on a smoother sentimental note. As the colourful title suggests, if you're feeling Joker's purple vibes you'll be all over Alizzz's turquoise vibes too.