Back catalogue: Drum And Bass

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: With 'Vibes', Dutch drum & bass/jungle outfit Cat In The Bag temporarily let the feline out of the case, yet they still retain enough integrity, and rein in the shellage, to the extent that the cat is nonetheless seduced back in after a certain time. Such is the art of alley-cat drum & bass, comparable in mood to "rollage"; it's all about a fine balance of hard-hitting impactfulness and careful vibe-restraint, else the mog'll arch its back and dash off elsewise. No wonder the first tune's called 'Level Vibes'; Dial-M and Msymiakos achieve an intricate, intelligent mood of levity, a belief-suspensory dread zone in which level-headedness serves as a proxy for the execution of a skittish agility, as of a cat. Our feline reccy no less reliably scours the 'Frontline'; amens penetrate hard garrisons of bass and atmoss with relentless keratinous claws, proving retractable paw-blades really can break walls. The B-siders, 'Warehouse Dub' and 'Dub Rock', provide more novelty appeal, preferring to build sound(e-)scapes that both build upon and take flight from the warpath.

Review: If you like your drum & bass hardcore then add this one to the basket immediately. It's a banging fifth outing from the Oldschool Shoes crew that comes in the form of a three-way collaboration between Flex Luthor, Msymiakos and Riffz. Opener '777' is brain-fryingly intense with a barrage of rusted drums, snares and drilling baselines all set to explore any set. 'Abyss' keeps the pressure on with more manic drum programming and 'Ripples' then explores more stripped back but no less kinetic patterns. 'Delayed Response' shuts down with thrillingly dark soul.

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: Fresh drop on the Soul R imprint from label boss Marcus Intalex which fully demonstrates his recent endeavours under the Trevino alias haven't dampened his spirit for hard stepping drum and bass productions. It seems like the studio time concentrating on different rhythmic endeavours has benefitted Kaye, as "Sell Your Soul" is quite superb. Delicate strains of jazz-indebted instrumentation make for the perfect introduction, down trodden analogue touches signalling the onset of the drop. The moment those fragile vocals arrive and the rough hewn drums slip into line with the shuddering bass is inspired. To add some contrast, Kaye goes darkside on "Guillotine" with a bass line delivery that few people will be prepared for. Witness the sickness!

Review: Vibez '93 is one of the must-check outposts for the Dutch d&b scene and in four years they've shaped up a mighty catalogue of ruffneck rollers and snare-rush slammers for your raving pleasure. This time around they're making space for Minos & InnaSelf to explore a variety of shades, from Minos' catchy-as-hell solo drop 'Jungle Massive' to the duo's fathoms deep soul cut 'Eclipse'. 'Look Good' takes things into even brighter territory facing diva vocals off against mellow ragga toasting, while 'Emerald' lays down rich synth lines for a truly atmospheric trip.

Review: Manc drum & bass collective MIST (made up of legends the late Marcus Intalex, ST Files and, at one point, Calibre) first released 'Clockwork' and 'Entropy' in 2009; the dual single instantly garnered acclaim for its high-octane rollage and clean drumwork, topping up the reputation of its label Soul:r. Now reissued for the first time, we're once more reminded of the two tracks' enduring impact on the dum & bass scene at large, with a vocal appearance from DRS on 'Clockwork' cementing drum & bass's lineage from and to ragga, as well as the tidbit that 'Entropy' is, a solo detour from Intalex alone.

Review: As if Marcus Intalex and ST Files' M.I.S.T project wasn't quite enough soul power back in the 2000s, along came the eminent Dominick Martin, adding a big 'Cal' at the end. There's a wealth of material from the trio out there, a lot of which hasn't been digitised, and, as you'd expect from such a trio, the tracks haven't dated in the slightest. Both 'Just A Little Herb' and 'Memory Log' still soothe the soul with 170BPM charm. The former celebrates the sticky stuff with shimmering skanks and happy-slapping Amens while the latter takes you on a cruise around the d&b cosmos. Beautiful. What a reissue. Marcus Intalex RIP!

Review: Repertoire presents Modal's debut vinyl release on the label. A four-track barrage of hardened metallic artillery fire, this staccato collection includes fitting collabs with various Metalheadz alumni as well as a fresh London scene faces, bringing a traditionally informed yet equally fresh flummoxing to the fore. 'Thieves' and 'Heads Or Tails' complement each other in an unlikely fashion, the former sounding like the many grappling hooks and rifles extensible from the armour plated chassis of an urban Evangelion gone rogue; the latter contrasts this with serene, inner-city-downbeaten femme vocals over soft air raid sirens and breaks-embedding Reeses. Collaborative onslaughts emerge on the B, with Jaise backing up killer sound design on 'Strangers' and Double O gobsmacking with some classic rufige.

Review: 'Born With It' by Mungo's Hi Fi, featuring Aziza Jaye, Gardna, and Eva Lazarus, is a high-energy anthem blending UK Garage and 90s rave vibes with a powerful dose of Drum n Bass. Aziza Jaye's searing vocals, Gardna's dynamic delivery, and Eva Lazarus's fierce dancehall attitude create an explosive party track. On Side-2 'Back in the Dayz', adds nostalgia with a deft rap over rave-infused breaks, sure to evoke memories of old-school rave scenes. This 2024 12" vinyl, eco-friendly and pressed in Scotland, includes unreleased instrumental versions and a dub mix of 'Back in the Dayz', making it essential for summer festivals, clubs and sound system parties.

Review: Diosis Decibel roll out another techno D&B fusion affair with the bossman Sam C once again at the controls. 'Under The Radar' sets the scene. A pummelling 165BPM 4x4 / breakbeat swagger, it punches holes in every wall of your house before it even comes out of the sleeve. These vibes persist across the 12" as Sam goes deep on the hypnotic 'Electric Flow' and euphoric on 'Eternal' while Italian-in-Romania Madmatik lays down some psy gold on 'Lacrima'. Exceptional.

Review: Back to back mix recorded live in Berlin, October 4th 2019.

Review: When electronic musicians invent new words, you know you're in for an accompanying sonic treat. u-Ziq aka. Mike Paradinas' latest record Grush aims at something between a crush and a grunt - as if to suggest the violent hydraulic floorings of the former and the cave-manic disinhibition of the latter. Sonically, this follows suit with Paradinas' as-ever ascendant, wompy-breaksy sound, which this time comes peppered with additional flavours of black MIDI and generative sound-spurts honed at live shows; the ultimate aim of the album is to replicate the nonstop feel of a live tour, with each track here having been meticulously road-tested and polished for home listening (or not - get out there and dance to the thing, couch potatoes!)