New releases last eight weeks: Deep Dubstep

Review: Basel-based experimental labels Amenthia Recordings and A Walking Contradiction join forces for their first collaborative release here in the form of the Flash Crash/Hack Crash EP. Both labels are known for pushing boundaries within their close-knit creative circles and this one features Agonis' heavy stepper and Konduku's whirlpool of low frequencies on the Amenthia side, while Lemont continues the low-end, tripped-out vibe. Varuna represents A Walking Contradiction and delivers swampy, slow-motion sounds in their signature style. This release embodies both labels' commitment to daring, unconventional electronic sounds.

Review: DDD makes a landmark signing here with the legendary dubstep artist Caspa who is undeniably one of the genre's most influential figures from right back in the early days. CASPA's Inner Space EP finds the main man back in top form with his signature sound of ice-cold beats, deep, pulsating basslines, and forward-thinking sound design all making a massive impact. The four-track project makes for an immersive journey through 140 BPM and manages to blend introspection with hard-hitting energy. It is impactful yet refined music that solidifies his legacy while pushing the boundaries of dubstep into new and freshly futuristic territories.

Review: Denver's DMVU returns to DDD with the scorching Bruk EP, featuring heavy 808s and some wildly wonky grooves in between the menacing breakbeat interludes. DMVU's mastery lies in blending old and new and he delivers a meticulously crafted yet cohesive sound that is both physical and mental. The title track, 'Bruk,' kicks off with a thunderous drop that is guaranteed to shake speakers worldwide and introduces eerie atmospheres and warped percussive textures. 'Original Champion' combines quirky dubstep with medieval and 80s synthwave influences, while 'Suspect' delivers a powerful punch. The EP closes with 'Playback,' bridging dub reggae's roots with techy, metallic stabs.

Review: East London MC Jus Rival teams up with Camden's Joe Fire here for a hard-hitting new track 'G.M.S (Gun Man Sound).' Following their previous collaboration on 'Dangerous Settings,' the duo builds on their undeniable chemistry for another explosive release with some serious low-end heft. Produced by grime heavyweight Spooky Bizzle, the brass-laced instrumental provides the perfect backdrop for both MCs to shine and Jus Rival opens with a catchy hook and sharp bars, while Joe Fire takes over with a playful, yet commanding verse. Accompanied by a slick visual directed by Honey JD,tihs one is defined by its dynamic delivery and relentless energy.

Review: Mariachiara Troianiello is the creative mind behind Katatonic Silentio and here she continues to explore spatial and sound design while also blending diverse forms of dub and instinctively weaving stories through her music. Her tracks and live sets are known for their meditative quality, with each transition serving a deeper, intentional purpose. That plays out here on her new EP Axis of Light, on which Troianiello presents five pieces where the drops and transitions flow seamlessly and gradually reveal hidden layers and meanings as the journey unfolds.

Review: The synergy and kindred spirit unapologetic energy between System and Rupture galvanises once again Rupture co-founder Mantra makes her debut on V.I.V.E.K's label with 'Schemes & Dreams'. Two years in the making, Mantra joins the dots between the two London crews with four spacious, groove-heavy 140 jams. Percussive, hypnotic and soulful, it's Mantra at her deepest as she takes us to places we don't often hear among the Amens at 4am. Highlights include the swampy, gloopy harmonic haze of 'Book Of Nightmares' and the dissarming Detroitian pads on the EP title track. Stunning.

Review: Dubstep longtimer Rednote presents his very first LP, also marking a first for the New Zealand label Iron Shirt. The story goes that only after a fecund period touring the Leeds underground scene, followed by a period of respite clawed out during lockdown, did Rednote catch the breath in which to hone his craft in LP form. With a title like Sanctum, we catch glimpses of the producer in a sanctified enclave, away from the deathly intrusions and bustles of the relatively Babylonian scene, all too easily seen to be a haven for musical responsibility shirking. There's something ever so ineffable or subtle about Rednote's sound, a sound that is mostly seen on display here. It persists in the drums and atmospheric tensions as a softened but no less hard-hitting mise-en-scene; the emphasis isn't on just bassweight or incitements to dance, but more on realising the otherwise unwrought possibility of crafting highly visual scenes - shady back-alleys, unscrupulous markets, nighttime wastes - out of the dubstep form.

Review: Sub Basics returns to Modern Hypnosis with the Rhino EP which features four finely crafted tracks that blend dub, techno, and house influences into something fresh. The EP kicks off with 'Roll Up', a shimmering broken beat track with cosmic dub undertones that sets a deep celestial vibe at just 115 BPM. The title track, 'Rhino', is just as captivating and is a cheeky progressive dub techno piece with dynamic dub-stabs creating diverse grooves that will energise dance floors no end. On the flip side, 'Haze' and 'Fluctuate' showcase hypnotic dub techno mastery once more with 'Fluctuate' in particular incorporating lush dub elements. Sub Basics delivers another standout release for collectors and selectors alike here.

Review: Sub Basics' album Sentient Machines was a doozy that many DJs have been keen to see pulled apart and served up on 12" and now Sub Basics has obliged on his own Temple of Sound label. This new and heavily limited 12" features four cuts from it. 'Internet Explorer' is a silky deep techno workout with lithe rhythms and watery dub undercurrents, while 'Configuration' has heavier drums and eerie synth wisps that bring cosmic ambience to the fore. 'Firewall' then rides on tumbling broken kick patterns that keep you moving and 'Integer' (feat Pugilist) is all about the oscillating low ends and moody pads.

Review: ZamZam Sounds present the latest release from esteemed dubstep illusionist V.I.V.E.K.. The label are quick to note him, amongst a select few others in the OG dubstep pantheon, as one of a few apostolic names to shine an especially novel light on the scene, notably perhaps due to his hosting of the much-loved System club night series. Now building on the accrual of over 20 years' worth of dubstep experience, comes 'Illusions', which self-admittedly goes to the "bedrock of soundsystem music" to deliver a power-stepper of galactic proportions. The title track gleams with exceptional understanding of the dubstep genome, its expositional 16 bars echoing early Deep Medi in not immediately privileging huge snares or snaggletooth mid-basses, but rather miring the listener deeply and accessibly into a simple kick pattern and mesmeric droplet synth, proving dubstep's malleability. The raw version amps this up even further, adding a master sonic blacksmith's ear to the snares and hats, and bringing crazed, quicksilvery tail modulations to the drum design as though the DAW were a floor-fired crucible.