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: Musique Pour La Danse proudly presents 8 Coffins, an essential collection of original tracks by the British duo Dougie Wardrop (of Conscious Sounds fame), and Nigel Lake as Jungle Neck, unearthed from the original masters laid down in the mid 90s. Eight raw tracks span four sides, two tracks each, authentically laying out a quick octave of bodybagging heaters. '8 Coffins' prophesies this (high) octane sequence of hits, ticking the first target off its list with a jungle cut bordering on a muted dub version, with offbeat bubbles and lowpassed vocals sounding as if the melody was being sung behind an ebony, mist-shrouded room divider. 'Kingdom Rise' moves further in this dub/jungle techno direction, working in lasery descensions into a take on Lennie De Ice, while the singular rollage of 'Bodyguard' ups the clarity while matching a sample-spread vox jab to the bass sequence. The inverse record equally dazzles, with its far-Eastern koto against mecha-jungle on 'No Wicked', and rapid snare delays against frank flutes on 'Latin Flute'.
Review: Nookie's The Rest Is History Part One is a highly sought-after boxset that is now getting pressed up to several different 12"s, starting with this one on nice blue wax. Nookie is a storied artist who has long been a key part of the rave scene from the very early days of hardcore right up to more modern drum & bass worlds. Across these four cuts and one Cloud 9 Remix, we're treated to a selection of his best early work from a time before genres were so clearly delineated, which means you get a real melange of everything from breaks to rave, hardcore to techno, acid and plenty in between, all with a healthy dose of the old skool sound.
Review: Mako returns with Oeuvre - Part 2, his latest record on Metalheadz, continuing the legacy of his acclaimed 2020 album Oeuvre. This 16-track collection showcases Mako's intricate production skills and deep connection to the drum and bass scene. His music remains a standout in an age where individuality often gets lost in the noise. The album features notable collaborations with long-time partners Fields, Hydro, Villem, and Mikal, alongside a special posthumous contribution from the late Marcus Intalex, adding depth and richness to the project. Tracks like 'Suspension' pays a sleek tribute to techstep, embodying Mako's versatility. "Come Closer' injects pure energy, a dancefloor anthem that has garnered praise from Goldie himself. Oeuvre Part 2 isn't just about the high-octane; it also explores reflective moments, with 'Overshare' weaving graceful melodies. This release reaffirms Mako's place as a masterful producer within the Metalheadz family.
Review: Xylitol is the alias of producer and DJ Catherine Backhouse, also known as DJ Bunnhyhausen. Building on her slowly snowballing status as a co-host of the radio show Slav To The Rhythm, which focuses on vintage central and eastern European pop and electronica - as well as co-writing a book on Yugoslavian pop culture - Backhouse's debut album 'Anemonies' is the essential musical component for aiding the task of stomaching her many multifarious outings. Taking as her cue the art of illustrating molluscs, anemones, cnidaria and other aquatic creatures, Xylitol uses Anemone as an album-form outlet for the exploration of fizzing, extrambient jungle missives; tissued, papillary hardcore. The name Xylitol is an indication of what's in store for you here: impeccably reasoned intellibreaks, and piqued, pitched-up samples, both of which invoke childhood pelagic fantasy; virtual underwater verde. The whole record is an odyssean island hop, and we thoroughly recommend it.
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: Return To Disorder welcomes Evighet Records label head Marco Bruno for some brilliantly controlled sonic chaos on this new electro exploration. His Sharp Focus EP brings together ambient, breaks and techno to snappy electro rhythms of the sort that he has already showcased in style on labels such as Blueprint Records and Machine. This one opens with the sleek, future-facing and speedy sounds of 'Storyteller' before 'Values Over Ego' gets more textured and raw with knick-snapping hits and prying synth lines making for real turbulence. 'Twist Of Fate' is a jungle workout that ducks and dives on warped bass and 'Karmic Pattern' is a slow but textural and intense closer with rueful chords.
Review: Electronica artist and producer Alix Perez shares his latest long player, Entanglements. Building on a now long career's worth of extra-poured-over drum & bass beatscapes - mainly operating in the liquid, atmospheric and modern ends of the genre - Entanglements riffs on the selfsame formula: going deeper and deeper into the sonic possibilities yieldable from the two-stepping, sloshing sound he's known best for. From the jump, we're met with a title track that melds lumbering, industrial rhythms with more effortless, blossomy serenities, pegged by a mumbly piano, filtery vocal and licky snare. The ensuing tracks duck and weave through continually entangled emotions, moving away from liquid's basic attachment to "emotion" and into a set of more greyscale, mottled, overdetermined, dubious feelings, such as 'R2R' (which echoes ragga and dub) and 'Dark Pulse' (which amps up the elastic, rubber-band bass to the toothiest degree, producing an equally aggressive and tearful track).
Review: Mako's third album on Metalheadz, 'Oeuvre - Part 2', arrives as a natural extension of his previous work, marking four years since the release of the critically-acclaimed 'Oeuvre'. Known for his precision and commitment to the craft, Mako's latest offering explores a range of moods and styles while maintaining his signature depth and detail. The album features contributions from familiar names in the Metalheadz family, including Fields, Hydro, Villem and Mikal, adding their distinct touches to an already cohesive project. It also includes a poignant collaboration with the late Marcus Intalex, a tribute to a friendship and musical partnership that lives on through these tracks. Each piece of the 12-track collection tells its own story, from the deep, introspective 'True Expression' to the outright dancefloor juggernaut 'Direct Source', long supported by label head Goldie. Elsewhere, 'Suspension' throws a nod to the classic techstep sound, while 'Feed You' incorporates haunting vocals that linger long after the track fades. Mako's ability to fuse emotion with intricate production has always set him apart, and 'Oeuvre - Part 2' is no different. It's a masterful mix of influences and personal reflection, cementing Mako's place at the forefront of the drum & bass scene.
Review: Fittingly, Tape Pack's 'World Unknown' hears the breakout junglist weave a short haul of looming sonic looms for the Loom label. Unfortunately, as is often the case with much midnight jungle of this kind, we don't hear the call of the mythical loon (not loom) bird on this release, but we can forgive the oversight, for want of a similar letter. Beginning with a short teasing of talent with the titular 'World Unknown', we then move into the ferric amen-fuzzes of 'Desolation Sound'- which to our ears sound richer than desolate, with its interspersed timbale and furtive vocal moans - and the technical fluidities and syntonic sound-bursts of 'Cascades', where breakbeat debris and meltwater pelt our shoulders at the foot of the trickle-down (sound) system. Finally, the impressively glacial freezings-over of 'Galatea' augurs a promising return to a sonic ice age; the refractive, cryo-preservative breakdown is especially striking in this regard.
Review: Vibez 93's Flights Booked EP brings a fresh take on drum & bass with a blend of melodic rhythms and distinct vocal styles. The title track, 'Flights Booked,' opens the EP with a downtempo groove that carries a futuristic vibe, enhanced by a unique hip hop lyrical flow that sets it apart from typical drum & bass tracks. 'All I Need' follows with an energetic burst, maintaining the EP's momentum and showcasing Vibez 93's knack for dynamic beats and engaging melodies. On Side-2, 'Blue Dream' stands out with its rhythm and blues vocal flow layered over crisp drum & bass production. The smooth vocal performance contrasts with the energetic rhythms, creating a great party track, before the EP closes with 'Selfish,' continuing the exploration of diverse soundscapes while staying rooted in the drum & bass tradition.
Review: Ruti's 'Lungs' was only released last month, establishing much initiatory clout for the up-and-coming singer-songwriter. Now, fresh on its heels, comes this quick-off-the-mark new remix set from genre veteran Calibre. Stretching Ruti's original r&b-pop cut to an expansive stasis, Calibre's version shines a crisp spotlight on Ruti's frank voice, on which she sings of the bittersweet melancholies of the heights of achievement - "can't get any higher - blinded by desire". The dub remix lays down a subtle variation, eschewing the string breakdown for a more extensive rollage.
Review: Long time underground UK stalwart Zed Bias dropped this - one of his many seminal cuts - back in 1999. Now, the dark garage classic 'Neighbourhood' gets reissued alongside some remixes. In its original form, it has an alluring vocal charm with unsettling chords over a grinding bassline and sharp percussion. The El B remix brings fleshier low ends and more swagger and shuffle while the vocals remain in place to blow up your spot. To close out the EP, Dawn Raid remixes with a high-energy jungle sound full of old-school signifiers. A proper EP for proper dance floors.
Review: Unlike Esperanto - the somewhat abortive, yet very real attempt to synthesise a universal language out of PIE and Latin roots - the classic drum & bass production outfit Universal Project has other ideas. To put it another way: rather than stooping to lowly attempts at attaining universal harmony through an actual invented language, this artist prefers the somatic language that is wicked techstep and/or drumfunk of the tonkest variety. Quoting not Zamenhoff nor Kant but Bob Marley in the liner notes of this one, "music is the one that is the hero. It is the universal language, and we carry a certain message." We open with Jubei's remix of 'Bleach' and 'Funk'd Up', both of which cram mega-echo'd rugger shouts and niggling sawbasses between essential jump-up pumps; meanwhile, Zero T's remix of 'Glock' and 'Zero DB' both err more minimal but are no less heavy, with the latter especially recalling the oversaturated drumwork of the legend Dillinja not least.
Review: Whether you know OneDa's unique witty twang, empowering messages and contemporary style from her work with Sam Binga, Vibe Chemistry or Virus Syndicate, or her recent solo singles 'Power Slaps' and 'Pussy Power', one thing is certain... You won't forget her. Sharp, sassy, slippery like Missy, and armed with a powerful nose for toplines and chorus, here she navigates a full Grandprix of her range and style, tearing up the tracks and showcasing everything she's about. From the deep bubbling dnb of cuts like 'The Western Way' and 'Superwoman' to the smouldering slower jams like 'Let Me In' and 'Major Pay', this is a proper debut album with all the bites and bangs you'd expect from such a real straight-talking and inspiring MC.
Review: It's the anthem that just won't quit. Having celebrated a decade of Gold Dust with a whole stack of remixes earlier this year - even though the tune is actually closer to 12 or 13 years old - the Bad Company founder-turned-popstar DJ Fresh now serves up this special gold vinyl edition for Record Store Day. Complete with the VIP and instrumental (which are still arguably the best versions out there) it's yet another way you can get blasted with one of the most iconic and euphoric hooks in modern drum & bass. You can't get enough of this style.
Dillinja - "Grimey" (Need For Mirrors remix) (5:19)
Alibi - "Rave Digger VIP" (4:54)
Nazca Linez - "Acid Fashion" (Serum remix) (4:59)
Krust - "Not Necessarily A Man (L-Side VIP)" (4:32)
Break - "Something Like This" (5:16)
Level 2 - "Bite The Bone VIP" (4:38)
Alibi - "Middlemen" (feat A-Audio) (5:12)
Paul T & Edward Oberon - "Badboy" (3:27)
Voltage - "Lion Of Judah" (3:49)
Need For Mirrors - "Pagans" (L-Side remix) (5:01)
Urbandawn X Alibi - "Misfit" (4:38)
Bladerunner - "Yea Man" (4:08)
Alibi - "Majesty" (4:31)
L-Side & MC Fats - "Love In The Heart" (3:49)
L-Side & Command Strange - "Angry Tune" (3:55)
Chimpo - "Fever" (4:06)
Need For Mirrors - "Lambo VIP" (5:55)
Cloud Lord - "Ghost Train" (5:14)
Level 2 & L-Side - "Offline" (4:33)
Think Tonk - "Tom & Heavy VIP" (4:15)
Sl8r/Metrodome/Salo - "Not The Same" (5:45)
Acuna - "Played With Me" (3:46)
Review: The iconic and influential V Recordings celebrates 30 years of groundbreaking drum & bass with this new and limited-edition 30 Years of V album which features 22 fresh tracks that honour its legacy while also hinting at the future to come. This special release comes in a collectable 5x12" vinyl hard case box with a spot varnish finish and full-colour sleeves for each record. The tracks offer up plenty of new music from the current V family as wells as some fresh remixes of recent hits and classic tracks, which means the project really reflects the label's long-standing MO and shows why it has such enduring relevance. An absolute must-have for heads old and new.
Review: The Wagram label loves putting together a good compilation and that's what they do here with a focus on drum & bass. In particular and early on, they opt for a rather sweet and soulful sound, a deep take on the green with liquid grooves and warm, glowing pads next to angelic vocals. Plenty of the names you would expect appear from Goldie with a stone-cold classic to Nookie and Kid Loco. There are more edgy jungle vibes later on from Soulja, steppers from Roni Size & Reprazent and raga styles from Congo Natty Presents Conquering Lion.
Review: Everybody's favourite drum & bass disorienter Aural Imbalance (Simon Huxtable) swats the sonic spirit level out our hands with 'Coded Frequency', dizzying our sense of poise on the dancefloor with four cosmic jungle numbers. You'd think the likes of 'Deep Sea' and 'Echoes In Time' would quell the soul, but to our ears they'd seem to combine stress and relief in equal measure, their crack combo of histamine breaks and zoneout pads seeming to portray the experience of having one's spacesuit tether snapped, thus confronting the aural astronaut with the voidal cosmos: do you thrash against its cold oblivion, knowing you're going to float endlessly, or do you accept the situation? Just when we think we've settled on the latter, Huxtable reintroduces a 'Sense Of Space' on the B1, opening up the breaks texture to a farther distant vanishing point, whilst the closing 'Regolith' hears us rejoice, having landed on civilisational (yet alien) soils with the celebratory rattles and stasises of 'Regolith'.
Review: Hong-Kong-born, Bristol-based Gyrofield aka Kiana Li is as diverse as they are prolific. They have proven that with a great NTS series and a great line of DIY electronic productions that explore glitch, dubstep, drum & bass and ambient techno. 'These Heavens' is a 12" on XL that builds on that early work across some fittingly refreshing and experimental sounds that go right for the heart of the dancefloor. 'Vega' is an electric opener, 'Occam's Razor' fizzes with dystopian energy and 'Lagrange' is a soulful, melody-laced stepper while 'Cold Cases' shuts down with a cacophony of percussive noise and busted synth lines.
Review: They hit the limit... The limit hit back! Everything about this EP is awesome: firstly, the partnership of two of drum & bass's most on-point production teams. Secondly, "Mouthbreather" has been on all god-fearing neurofunkologist's wishlist for several years and it doesn't disappoint. Thirdly, "Dead Limit" one of the grizzliest, unruly tunes you'll hear all year. Fourthly, "Inverse" is the ultimate definition of elastic D&B funk. Fifthly, "Omnivore" contains some of the strangest, captivating sound design ever processed for the dance. Sixthly, the artwork is bang on point too. Trust us; this hits hard!
Review: After some wicked EPs by Yosh, Etch and Tom Jarmey, here is some proper underground UK flavour courtesy of Burnski's Vivid imprint - a new sub label of Constant Sound. The latest one this week is by the enigmatic Tamoshi. On the A side, we have the snarling minimalist roller called 'The System' which is quite reminiscent of early DJ Krust. Over on the flip, hear a convincingly old school junglist stepper, the fittingly titled 'Darkside' that goes all the way back to '95. One for the heads.
Submorphics - "Daydreaming" (feat Big Brooklyn Red - Echo Brown remix) (4:34)
Zero T & Unitsouled - "Slightest Moment" (feat KSR - remix) (4:53)
Lenzman - "Walk On By" (Satl remix) (4:55)
Redeyes - "Untitled Soul" (4:10)
FD - "Top2Bottom VIP" (6:27)
Review: The North Quarter label serves up nine exclusive tracks on this superb double LP which is the culmination of many years friendship of Lenzman & Dan Stezo. The former lays down the seamless flow while the latter delivers perfectly introspective lyrics in a heart aching falsetto and all the tunes are solely from The Northern Quarter associates. The liquid drum & bass grooves are soulful and soaring, with plaintive pianos draped over the silky sequences. It's a warm and emotive listen for days at home as well as once dance floors open up again. Favourites include Zero T & Unitsouled's frictionless 'Slightest Moment' and FD's deep diving closer 'Top2Bottom VIP.'
Review: Since he first landed on our radar via Vivid a few years back, Yosh has dished out enough high grade garage and breakbeat gear to fuel the scene on his own. Not only a prolific producer, he's also got a razor sharp flair which edges him in front of a crowded scene, and now he's back to Vivid to show us exactly what he's about with a 12-track double-pack, his biggest release to date. In one sense you should know exactly what to expect - elevated steppers and deft rollers, but the fundamental appeal of Yosh is all those ear-snagging traits which make his tracks sparkle, and you never know what they're going to be until the needle's tracking in that groove. Now you can enjoy that sensation 12 times over - a good deal if ever we saw one.
Review: Nothing beats a good old bit of jungle, and this surely is a good old bit of jungle from the Dutch label Vibes 93. Here we have four classic samples dropped into big tunes and pressed on turquoise vinyl to pump any party. 'I Need Your Lovin'' (dirty '97 mix) has a killer vocal that will never fail, then 'Sweet Love' douses you in rolling drums and heartfelt piano chords as well as another old school soul vocal. It's Muniz's '5 On It' that lends the next tune is deep baseline and catchy hook, before closer 'No Diggity' reworks the hip hop classic into a high energy roller complete with the OG keys.
Review: A classic from the mighty Hooj Choons back catalogue, Lustral's 'Everytime' gets a much welcome reissue here, featuring all the mixes from the original version of the release back in 1997. There's Nalin & Kane's sensual and evocative remix which is a true zeitgeist of the progressive house sound in the late '90s - if we've ever heard it. Label co-founder Red Cherry's saucer-eyed and bittersweet sunset breaks makes for an equally memorable remix too, as well as the sunny house vibes of the original mix featured last on the B side.
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: It's never easy keeping up with Vibez 93 and his all-out assault on the D&B scene, from the roughest jungle cuts for the underground through to canny crowdpleasers like this record right here. 'Video' is a no-nonsense flip of India.Arie's 2001 soul classic, with a righteous lyrical message which sits perfectly atop some fresh and funky breakbeats. 'Westchester Circles' meanwhile doffs its cap to Adam F's none-more-iconic 'Circles' and its source material, 'Westchester Lady' by Bob James. No prizes for guessing the reference material on 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine '23', but this is a different version to the Roy Ayers classic which is going to be peak festival fodder this season. Then cap it off with a perfect slice of sunshine rollage in 'Brasilia' and you've got a record primed for tonnes of fun wherever it gets dropped.
Review: Club Glow powerhouse and all-round Bristol bass-bin baiting badman Borai returns to his Higher Level label with three new drops of elevated breakbeat science. As well as his work alongside Denham Audio, L Major and Mani Festo in Club Glow, Borai has been busy landing uptempo slammers on Hardcore Energy, Vivid, E-Beamz and Infiltrate in the past couple of years, and he returns to home turf in peak shape.
The A-side lights up with the dizzying break-juggling ruffness of 'Lights On', a surefire call to squeeze the last juice from the party, while 'Bobbi' opens the B side treading an artful line between deep and depraved as immersive tones face off against taut, driving rhythms. 'Sargasso Sea' smooths the proceedings out good and proper in true B2 style with a pitched-down slice of soul-charged broken beat that smacks where it counts, Borai's established instinct for forward-facing melody shining through in the interplay between 90s keys, diva vocal samples and illustrious pads.
Unglued Vs Pola & Bryson - "Warning" (feat Cimone) (4:06)
Changes (feat Askel & Elere & Javeon) (3:38)
Unglued Vs Solah - "Take Me Under" (3:57)
Unglued Vs Lens - "Crunchy Nutter" (3:22)
Unglued X Waeys - "Music To Smash Your Head Against The Wall To" (4:16)
Dusty 45 (3:32)
Unglued Vs Alibi - "Dubbin Out" (feat Sweetie Irie) (2:27)
Unglued Vs Urbandawn - "Staccato" (3:45)
Unglued Vs Duskee - "Minimalizm" (2:38)
Summer Breezin (feat Paige Eliza) (3:33)
Little Giggler (feat Elsie) (4:56)
Review: A rare full-length jungle LP comes to perhaps one of the few labels that can do it justice - Hospital Records - courtesy of multidimensional sound supplier, Unglued. His second album for the label, What On Earth details Unglued's unique and idiosyncratic take on an otherwise party-starting drum & bass strand. With a no-holds-barred pop sound throughout, which unabashedly takes after motifs UK hardcore and breaks, the Brighton-based producer radiates a supremely positive sonic charge, an ionic versatility. 'Take Me Under' is the grr-ing, juddering pop Reeser, but then there's also a sense of humour evinced in certain titles, like 'Little Giggler' and 'Music To Smash Your Head Against The Wall To'.
Review: By now, almost everyone knows what to expect of the sight of the collective image that is the rave smiley: on sight of its semicircular grin, its jaundiced jowls, and we know we're in for an ecstatic treat. So too does the Suburban Base long-timer known as Mark XTC understand rave music to be un-ownable by a single person; it takes a Hacienda veteran and rave flyer staple to know the true collectivity of the UK hardcore diaspora. XTC's latest EP 'Old School Massive' betrays his many decades' worth of expertise, his borne witness to the musical mass, by pairing two early 90s creations with two further, more recent drum & bass works. Both pairs of tracks work well side-by-side and the titular 'Old Skool Massive' stands out as the revving breakbeat ransom demand, to which we all owe payment in the form of a pinging dance.
Review: If there is a more hyped artist in the world right now than Fred... again we aren't sure who it might be. The lad who grew up close to Brian Eno and has since worked with him in the studio is a global star who has also collaborated with Four Tet and Skrillex, played all over the world, won various awards and dropped several albums now presses up his acclaimed USB to gatefold double vinyl. It is a collection of his early singles that captures his lo-fi, lived-in, diaristic sounds across a range of experimental electronic styles.
Review: As their superb name suggests, The Jazzassins make jazz tinged drum & bass. Never was that more apparent than on this silky new split 12" for Jazzsticks Recordings, which features Paul SG on the other side. His opener 'Kings Town' is a bubbly, reagge-laced rhythm with blasts of rapping bass and tumbling drums that demand you dance. He then offers 'Parts Of Me,' a harder edge stepper with big and icy hi hats. The Jazzassins for their part seduce with 'Evolution' and then get more edgy and artsy with the hopping 'Bawrley.'
Review: Skee Mask, who only recently was found out to be called Bryan Muller, comes through with his second LP to date, making a wonderful follow-up to 2016's Shred. Compro is, ironically, comprised of a much more explorative palette of sounds, with many corners of the album veering off into otherworldly ambient, often through a striking new-age sensibility. The most impressive element of this album is its flow and evolution across its 12 tracks, sounding a lot more like one single-minded thought rather than a collection of disparate dance-not-dance tunes. The quality of the recording is noticeable, too, with tracks like "Rev8617" or "Via Sub Mids" sounding professional, both in vision and style. Through an intricate collage of breaks, samples, polyphonies, and subtle electronic manipulations, Skee Mask has truly mastered his own art, and is giving a new direction to the wider 'UK rave' sound. BIG.
Review: Hospital Records is celebrating 20 years of Logistics' iconic drum & bass track Together with a special repress that pairs it with the underground favorite 'Krusty Bass Rinser' on Side-2. Together remains a standout in the genre, known for its uptempo energy, crisp production, and unforgettable melodic hook. Originally a dancefloor staple, it crossed genre boundaries, appealing not just to liquid drum & bass fans but also to jungle and techno enthusiasts. This repress offers a chance for collectors and new listeners to own a piece of drum & bass history, especially as original copies have become increasingly rare.
The Ballistic Brothers - "Come On" (Simon Templar remix) (6:09)
Omni Trio - "Nu Birth Of Cool" (6:28)
PFM - "One & Only" (6:53)
Skanna - "Find Me" (6:31)
Count Basic - "Speechless Drum & Bass" (6:49)
Hunch - "Visible From Space" (Aquasky remix) (5:53)
Space Link - "Time Zone" (7:09)
Earl Grey - "The Lick" (4:52)
Review: Kruder & Dorfmeister's Conversions mix album takes you right back to 1996, when the Austrian duo were taking inspiration from the UK d&b pioneers and giving the sound their own lounge-y twist. For the first time since the mix was released, it's being presented as a partially mixed double vinyl edition, giving you access to some of the seminal cuts which make the mix such an enduring classic. From the easy lead in of DJ Unknown Face's 'Dat's Cool' to the soulful vocal licks and skittering breaks of Omni Trio's 'Nu Birth Of Cool' on to the cosmic jungle of Space Link's 'Time Zone', it's a masterclass through and through.
Review: Wingz presents Ghost, his debut artist album on Overview Music. Nearly two years in the making, this is Wingz' most complete body of work to date, grasping the form of drum & bass whilst lending sounds to it that buck the trends of its usual palette. Casting vocalists Rider Shafique, Collette Warren and Luke Truth in new and unorthodox beat-zones, Wingz' take on drum & bass borrows from neuro and jump-up, but dares to bastardise the breaks and craft their composite sounds from scratch. All dreamers, the tracks here likewise balance weight and brightness, murk and contrast, supremely well, painting a portrait of an artist with an integrated shadow.
Review: Vibez '93 top up their seemingly ever-flowing V/A series with a fresh one. 'Return Of The Mack' continues their recent spate of hip-hop flips, with Biggie Smalls, Mark Morrison and Sunshine Anderson adorning the various rollages on display here. Given the historical interplay between hip-hop and drum & bass, the fusion is unsurprisingly neat, though '93 lends things an extra energy we're confident few others could summon.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.