Review: Parade's 'Parade 004' bursts with high-energy, classic breakbeat vibes, perfectly crafted for fans of rave anthems. Side-1 kicks off with 'Austria', a high-octane track that fuses uplifting piano riffs with a driving beat, embodying peak 90s rave energy. It's the kind of track that fills a dancefloor, blending nostalgia with fresh, invigorating production. Side-2 dives deeper with 'Heartbeat' and 'Higher', both loaded with feel-good, jungle-tinged piano lines that bring a pure, euphoric lift. These tracks capture the essence of breakbeat's roots, while infusing it with a modern twist that keeps things exciting. Parade manages to be both a celebration of breakbeat's legacy and a re-energised take for today's dance sceneiideal for anyone looking to relive or discover that classic sound.
Review: Mid 90s atmospheric d&b veterans Pariah have been enjoying something of a re-focus since linking up with Okbron in 2019. The prolific archival label has since invited them back again in 2021 and now they return for round three, and while we don't have the exact provenance of the tracks in question on this record, it hardly matters when the quality is so high. 'Lexicon (Final Mix)' is an aqueous beauty of a track, dealing in sweeping vistas of pads and a light-touch, rolling beat with that classic Pariah finish to it. 'Winds Of Pleasure' is a breezy affair with gossamer-light synth lines and a subtly Balearic feel which is just crying out for a drop at a daytime session this summer.
Review: Coco Bryce's Myor does the damage once again with new artist Pepe. Not a lot of information on Pepe is out there yet but these timeless beats give you more than enough to go on for now: 'Angels' writhes and weaves in a stark percussive ocean of ice before building up into a huge emotional wave in a similar way to Sully when he's jangling his foxiest materials. 'Birdfeed' is a little more sprightly and sun-kissed. Dreamier pads, lighter percussion but still bites hard when it needs to. Le phew!
Persian & DJ Texsta - "Well Well Well" (D Ross dubplate mix)) (5:21)
D-56M - "Homage" (feat Decarlo) (5:11)
Persian - "Parvaaneh" (Retwist) (6:53)
Persian - "Questions" (edit 6) (5:01)
Review: D Ross is in fine form on his dubplate mix of the low slung, swaggering and rude as you like "Well Well Well". It's bass lead garage with an infectious appeal that will make whole warehouses march. D-56M's "Homage" then sinks into more murky techno territory, with wiry electronics and sludgy bass taking you into the unknown and then Persian's "Parvaaneh" slows down a notch further, with dubby chords and twitching synths sinking you into a dream state. He closes out this most interesting and varied of EPs with "Questions", a techno track with dusty breakbeats and deeply buried acid that is fresh indeed.
Review: With previous sermons on the likes of Black Acre and Hooversound, Prayer now clasps his hands on burgeoning Irish label Spheres. As always his love for the foundations shines through as we're taken on a whirlwind tour through jungle, hardcore and rave. 'Set Me Free' nods towards that 92/93 era of atmospheric hardcore and jungle which the likes of Jack Smooth was behind. 'Breakthrough' goes a bit deeper into the foundations with its slower tempo and four beat energy while 'Reteoric' closes the EP with pure euphoria. Oh Prayer, ye of plenty faith.
Review: Presha's debut EP RATS gets pulled apart and restructured by a crack squad of drum & bass talents on this fresh new red 12" from Samurai Music. Up first, 'The Spell' (Artilect remix) is a mix of heavy drum breaks and paranoid synth lines snaking about the background. Sam KDC's remix is another dark one with double time drums and drilling bass. The Untouchables remix keep it funky with their lolling loops and icy hi hats and the Last Life remix of 'Vedetta' goes for a textured, industrial vibe to make its mark in a blackened warehouse.
Review: South London d&b brothers Sean and Mark Roberts created Probe-One after growing up on pirate stations, inspiring Sean to buy a deck and mess around himself. It goes that the siblings were frustrated at the drip release of d&b cuts and took the initiative themselves. 'Aether' and 'Expanse' clock in at just over 15 minutes combined, the long and winding ambient buildups giving way to ginormous breaks on 'Aether', or receding into a more atmospheric direction circa the Playstation 1 'IDM' era. The A-Side is for the breakbeat inclined, filled with intensity and volume against its ethereal synth waves. Side B is for the late-night Pulse FM listeners, the gentle percussion of dawn breaking - it's almost relaxing if such a thing were possible.
Review: Contemporary drum & bass bringers Response & Pliskin take a break from their pressurised plus-170 numbers for a dreamy foray into atmospheric breaks and liquid jungle. 'Live Ur Life' is a varied EP, beginning with the opening new age breaks of the title track, upon which we're geysered on high over humid rainforests of sound, while an ascendant vocalist - capable of wingless flight and incorporeality at will - accompanies us on our aloe vera-doused journey. Once we approach our quest's mythical, live-giving source, we're met with 'Virtuous' and 'Over The Hill', two raw yet revelatory Pandora's boxes uncovered somewhere deep in the heart of said jungle, and which both channel a dialectically calming yet ominous sound. Closer 'Hate Is Reality' refuses to deny hate as a fundamental composite of our lives, healthily channelling this extreme affect into a measured but heavy amen riffer.
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