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: Basic Rhythm indeed nails plenty of foundational elements on this wild two-track jungle outing on Artikal. A-side jam 'Corner Crew' has tough breakbeats and a synth loop that sounds like it is getting batted backwards and forwards on a ping pong table while drilling bass keeps things moving. On the reverse is 'Driller' (with Friske) which is another intense barrage of steely metallic styles and rugged jungle breaks with warehouse grit and grime and the distant sound of automation as well as filtered vocal sounds. It's dark, dirty, and ready to blow up your spot.
Review: Billian hails from Bosnia and Herzegovina and is and film and game music sound composer currently working on the Scorn game and his first film, Fugitive. He has also found the time to craft this new full length on the Vision (drum & Bass) label land it comes on nice green and blue marbled vinyl. He draws heavily on his work making sounds for films and manages to cook up an array of evocative soundscapes that play out like a mental movie. The likes of 'Uncanny Valley' are kinetic, tightly woven affairs alive with static, and 'Different Eyes' has a more serene feel with swirling pads and distant melodies hinting at a brighter future. Great stuff.
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: Silent Force go deep with their latest 12" from London's Dissect. There's a spacious Photekian charm to 'Otonashi' with each drum hit rumbling and shimmering with clarity. Watch out for those pads, too. Massive Attack fans definitely won't miss them. Meanwhile on the B we get even deeper with the dubby, halftime vibes of 'Mind Reading'. Listen as the drum hits space out even further and marvel at yet another lush paddy chord sequence waft into the mix. For the heads. Be thankful for everything you've got.
DJ Ande - "Tina" (12Bit Jungle Out There remix) (5:17)
Review: Last spotted on Karma busting badass karate moves, DJ Ande returns with an all-out junglistic explosion. It kicks off with foundation royalty, too - the inimitable Dead Dred who ignites the EP with a ruthless bull charge into the Amen unknown with his remix of 'Tina' which complements the original vibe for vibe. Elsewhere Dubious gets mucked in with the stuttering, slurring drums of 'Iron Lung' and we're signed out with the woozy hardcore feels of the 12Bit remix. What a set.
DJ KOS - "Warehouse Crew" (Ellis Dee remix) (4:35)
DJ KOS - "Warehouse Crew" (5:47)
DJ Ande - "Trip Home" (5:51)
DJ Terrace - "Top Gun" (5:17)
Review: .Reissue alert. Karma's killer VA 008 EP from 2023 gets a marbled beige reboot and its sounding even more rush-coated and euphoric than it did before. If that's possible. Kicking off with rave royalty Ellis Dee on the remix, those iconic vocal cries (which most would recognise from Bizarre Inc), DJ Kos brings up the rear with a springy hardcore original. Flip for some VA vibes as DJ Ande goes Omni Trio on 'Trip Home' and DJ Terrace prepares us for take off with 'Top Gun'. Feel the need...
Review: The revered DJ Stephano delivers his signature unconventional style on this blistering new outing for Kiteforce and manages to skilfully blend and bend genres while maintaining a razor-sharp focus on fierce and innovative jungle beats. He is already well known for his unique use of samples and experimental formats, and again here Stephano manages to pay homage to old school jungle but also adds his own fresh twist. The result is Love, an EP packed with creative energy as well as plenty of clout for jungle heads old and new.
Review: OG rave producer DJ Terrace was half of the Hyper Crew with DJ Roughcut way back in the early 90s and it's clear he's never lost his touch as he continues to develop make his comeback moves on Kniteforce. As you'd expect, this whole EP is loaded with unruly breakbeat charm with big smiley samples. Highlights include the oceanic breaks and the pitched up vocal swing of 'Final Goodbye' and the snarling, hoover-blazed finale 'Toxic Rider' but the whole EP bangs like it's 30 years old if it's a day. Bumping.
Review: Flipping fine fixtures right here from man like triple F right here on the double B. Keeping that Blueskin timeless hardcore edge to proceedings, the opening cut 'The Dream' sets a somnambulant scene with breathy pads and layered hypnotic percussion. 'Future Affecting The Present' continues that classic feel but with a really immersive sci-fi twist in a similar way to Krome & Time. Those in need of a harder rave hit will enjoy the hurly burly breakbeat energy of 'Eternal Seekings' while 'The Benefactor' concludes things slowly, softly and cosmically. Triple AAA for FFF.
Review: Back once again, it's Ill Behaviour with yet another two pantherine jungle steamers to top up their eponymous series of black labels. With purring associative moods of a melanistic leopard on wax, 'Side A' crafts knockout jungle from mutedly distant, longing r&b samples and rampant drum snaffles, wafting a prowly energy not too far from the voracious ravishing of prey. 'Side B' goes speedier jungle techno, proving that this is no alley cat; the piano breakdown is particularly impressive, weaving successfully controlled, empirically tested vocal science chops around a well-controlled mallet melody line, one we could only too easily assume was played in by a feline philanderer.
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: Serendipitous that a duo comprising two artists named Justice and Mercy should come together. With the 'Concrete Jungle' EP first emerging in 1992, under the name 'Mixed Concrete' on the pioneering White House Records label, this is no less one of those records whose ongoing reputation by and large matches its quality. It's no surprise that it should be so lauded; we expert listeners can really tell the extra care and attention poured into it, with which it continually anoints itself. Lead track 'Soothe My Soul' is especially great, having been made infamous, for the way in which its otherwise run-of-the-mill breaks-chuggage opening finds itself dashed into oblivion by a momentous breakdown, of howling pitched-up vocals and legato stringed, bowed caelum. Such a heavenly breakdown is an essential feature of the breakbeat / rave uplifter form, in many cases otherwise unfairly passed over. Then the polysynths and backing peals of 'Doin' What You're Doin'' command an almost equal sheen, with the track featuring the clearest-as-day instance of a "hey hey!" jungle sample as we've ever heard. The closer 'Experience' is just as divine, seeming to transcend its initial breakdance sample-looper with yet another quarter-noted, dove-winged eclat elapsing over time.
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: 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: 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: 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: 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.
Review: Oh gosh! Massive Urban Takeover anthem business right here, reissued for the first time in decades. Originally released in 1998, Mulder was a major league Bristol name on this side of the drum & bass jungle sound at the time. Big basslines, fun samples, chunky grooves that will chop your lovely little face off. 'Can I Count It Off' hits with a furious message or five (ahem) while 'Don't Give A Damn' asks you to hit it and tells you to get up many times. Ah sampling was such an innocent sport back then! Timeless party blinders.
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: 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: Things don't get more old school than an Iliad, right? But would you expect levels any shallower from the label that originally brought us Source Direct 30 years ago? Of course not. And now into their third volume of this deep, atmospheric series, the vibe, tone and spirit are fully set and getting better with every dispatch. For this particular trio, Andy makes deliberate space for those outplanetary breaks, the overwhelming blasts of jazz and oceanic waves of pads and chords. From the tumbling toms and car chase shimmers of 'Beyond Measure' to the more sci-fi, streamlined spirit of 'Listen With Intelligence', this is another timeless and ultimately beautiful addition to the series.
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: 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: Original No U-Turn crew! Ruffkut's 'I Can't Take It' originally landed as one of the earliest releases on Tim Reaper's Future Retro. Deep, spacious and laced with the type of shimmering hypnotic dubby vocal you might expect to rattle your soul at Rupture at 4am, it enjoys two crucial remixes; Deep Jungle bossman Harmony whips up the breaks and gives it more of an icy edge but the Reaperman goes full-on militant with his energy. Back to 93!
Review: Immortal Ventures is a magnificently well-rounded new album from Torn on the mighty Samurai Music. All 13 of the cuts are fantastically well crafted and mix up a range of moods from broody and mediative to deep and hypnotic. 'Knowledge' kicks off with dark and unsettling ambience and 'Reckless' then melts the mind with deft percussive loops over groaning sounds of a depraved underworld. There is more cinematic atmosphere to 'Invisible Turmoil' with its creepy sense of open space and 'Inner Battle' is a kinetic jungle cut with thunderous energy and dystopian eeriness. This is the sort of music that works as well away from the club as it does in it.
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.
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: 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: A cheeky new haul of waspish, sampleholic drum & bass from Vibez 93, the jungle producer-outfit whose exact articulation as an artistic identity, we can never quite place. But this is one of the exact reasons we've warmed to his craft, aside of course from the sparsely calculating yet vasodilatory ecstasy emissive from their music. 'Never Say Never' coolly samples the eponymous Brandy song - a morbid fixation of the jungle and 2-step garage scenes, to name but one - to the point of hardly even needing to quantize it to the breaks-grid, and yet it still works. 'Believe' complicates matters with boxier breakbeat blisters and emphatic "mashup!" jeers, while 'Touch' makes a subtler series of contacts, tacitly stroking both lobes with no less aggro beat clutches and high-reg plucksynths. We end on 'My Luv', another cool reprieve from the fatally unrelenting grind of breaksweight.
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.
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