Back catalogue: Drum And Bass

Review: No matter your particular preference in the deep house world, this various artists' outing from Q1E2 Recordings is sure to have something for you. Mike Riveria & Marco Ohboy, for example, tap into an early sound on 'Euphoria' with its big, brash piano stabs and whistles, while A Soft Mist Production keeps it all cuddly and deep with languid chords draped over gentle drums on 'Upside Down Rainbows.' DatSIM brings in some space-tech vibes for a deft rhythm and neon infused sound on 'Influx' and The Rabbit Hole's 'Tail Groove' has a mad double bass sound jumping about beneath frantic jungle breaks.

Review: Does drum and bass get any better than this? Two of the finest names in the genre club together for "Run Away", met in the middle by the man like Fox who puts his vocal stylings into the mix. Rolling out smooth, it's that lulling bassline and softly-spoken chorus that takes the edge off punchy drums and signature Intalex-style strings from the pad section. Fans have been waiting for a release on this for some time now - finally, it's ownable. Showing that they can still deliver tastier goods for the dancefloor, "Something Heavy" is a funk-fuelled hips-mover with Fox sending out his raggamuffin sounds over down and dirty bass. You've heard it in the dance, now get it on repeat.

Review: Furthur Electronix's first two Furthur Journeys Into compilations tune plenty of heads and shift plenty of copies. The third one keeps the quality levels high with more explorations around the periphery of underground electronics. Chris Coco opens with a soothing synth sound before Jake Slazenger brings crystalline synths and abstract modulations to the mid-tempo '168B.' There is more pace and twisted acid energy to Global Goon's untitled contribution and then old school jungle comes to the fore on the super stylish and atmospheric Gavin Masih cut. Monika Subrtova's 'Alata' is a serene and widescreen ambient synthscape that brings things to a suitably poignant close.

Review: On a mission to "make d&b great again", Finland's Straight Up Breakbeat pass through once more with the second of three EPs formed to showcase modern junglism. Kicking off, 'Mystery Machines' sees Glastonbury's Dead Mans Chest slam down some deadly amen choppage reinforced by haunting vocal FX and paranoid drones. Aeon Four & FFF's 'Look Inside' is a jungle-tekno roller, served with chunky hardcore style amens and a side of warm old-skool pads. Keeping the mid-90s vibe alive, the tripped out 'Green Fields Forever ' from Fanu - which drops hot on the heels of his greatly received remaster of Source Direct's 'Stars' - delivers airtight amen trickery, weaving synth washes and blissful dubby basslines. Esc & Mineral round things off with 'Photosynthesis', a pensive stepper highlighting cut-up breaks waltzing with cheeky synth nudges and a wide, rugged bassline. If the pioneers had buried some beefed-up tracks in a time-capsule to inspire future generations, they would probably sound a lot like 'States of Art II'.

Review: The dream team Dogger & Mindstate return to TNQ wax with this hearty package of soulful, hip-hop-influenced D&B flavours that was originally unleashed digitally last summer. Representing both their pathways into this music, from north to south, the duo recruit the likes of London's Verbz and Manchester's Sleazy F Baby to vocal and narrate their delicate, subtle but ultimately heavyweight rhythms. From the deep jazz of 'Different Roads' to the symphonic dynamics of 'From The Concrete', this is one of the hardest hitting and emotional records Dogger and Mindstate have made so far.

Review: It's time to sweat it out once more with the latest from the label of that name absolutely going for the big time with some classic vocal stabs defining the rip-snorting opener. And that is the extended mix of Luude & Bru C's 'TMO (Turn Me On)' (feat Kevin Lyttle) which is a big drum & bass anthem with ragga vocals, unrelenting and steel plated drum funk and naughty bass. A slightly more sweet and soulful Borai & Denham Audio remix also features as do Luude & Mattafix's anthem and festival friendly jungle anthem 'Big City Life' and similarly epic and accessible 'Oh My' with Issey Cross and some blissed out keys from one of Moby's classics.

Review: After its recent appearance on Hospital Records' 25th anniversary compilation, Makoto's superb D&B cover of Al Hudson & The Soul Partners' 1978 disco classic, 'Spread Love', has been released as a single. It's well worth picking up, specifically for the A-side 'Full Length Mix', which ekes out the life-affirming, mood enhancing pleasure by another minute or so. It's a terrific version - as is the original mix, which you can find on the flip - and features British soul man Pete Simpson, backed by a big group of backing singers, belting out the loved-up lyrics atop swooping disco strings, warm synth sounds, booming bass and skittish D&B beats. Bonus cut 'Contact' is worth a listen to, featuring as it does floaty ambient intros, aggressive post-jungle beats, wavy vocal samples and some seriously bowel-bothering sub-bass.

Review: It's about time... Fresh off the heat of his Trevino album, Marcus returns to the D&B source with a full-fat foursome on his label's spotless Four:Fit series. Each cut a 24 carat diamond, shining in its own special way: "Mixed Bag" is a DRS-polished soulful addition to the ever-growing halftime annals, both "Step Forward" and "Stingray" are brittle two-step heads-down headbutts while "Jupiter" is an amen-rattled jungle shake-up. Timeless, deep and spacious; Marcus never fails.

Review: Gone but absolutely not forgotten, Marcus Intalex still feels present in the drum & bass scene, such is his massive legacy. Given how much original copies still fetch, it feels right for his very first solo 12" on Soul:r to get a fresh airing and put paid to the sharks. 'Zumbar' leads the way on this two-tracker, carrying some of those ascendant Rhodes notes and dusty brass stabs that made for a new angle on soulful D&B. Sharper than liquid, and a touch fatter than the Full Cycle crew, Intalex struck on something special here. The same goes on the flip with 'Temperance', which leans in on the synths for an amen powered peak time rusher that hasn't aged a bit.

Review: Destination Japan: Metricmania pays homage to the motherland with this EP named after one of the country's biggest national parks. As with previous explorations, the vibes are far-reaching, star-gazing and steeped in jazzy motifs. Highlights include the woozy vapour trails and loose off-grid breaks of the title track 'Daisetsuzan', the Detroitian marching jam '33.a- Vero' and the tightly-coiled spring energy and jittering drums of 'Www.arai'.

Review: With previous releases on Tombolo, Natural Sciences and cassette label Gin & Jazz XX, Mutant Joe is back with a new one this week on Los Angeles-based Evar Records. Since his arrival on the scene back in 2019, the Aussie producer's output has spanned diverse genres. There's four tracks featured on Wrong Way Out; he builds on earlier work with underground trap artists on opener 'Bangin On', the ketamine-laced electro of 'Static Effect' had us equally impressed as did the gnarly jungle deconstructions of 'Eyes Without A Face' and the brooding beat contortions of 'The Living Dead'.

Review: Mike Paradinas is a veteran producer and owner of Planet Mu but he keeps on serving up thrilling new sounds. Grush is his latest, a new album packed with energetic tracks that he hopes reclaim the "dance" element of IDM. Inspired by the melodic dance music of the genre's early pioneers, Grush blends sweetly nostalgic melodies with dynamic, road-tested rhythms. Many tracks were developed during times on the road and from the spiralling notes of 'Hyper Daddy' to the aquatic acid footwork of the title track, Grush traces Paradinas' musical journey with signature style and invention. With influences from early Black Dog to Drexciyan funk, it's a vibrant, live-inspired record that works in a wide range of contexts from the club to the sofa.