Kwengface vs Joy Orbison vs Overmono - "Freedom 2" (3:30)
Kwengface - "Freedom" (3:19)
Review: These tracks have received some huge hype just from the plays they have been getting from DJs luckily enough to have them. Now they finally get a vinyl pressing so the rest of us can join in the fun. First up is a three way collab between a trio of well-regarded artists in the UK drill rapper Kwengface, master bass producer Joy O and techno's Overmono. 'Freedom 2' has cut-throat rhymes and two-step garage influences with low-end subs which will destroy the club. The original version features on the flip with a less club-ready and more drill-centric sound.
Review: Repress alert! Wednesday: Hyperdub announce a new three track release from enigmatic producer Burial - his first solo work in four years. Thursday: Said records arrive on Juno doorstep. How's that for service (and secrecy)! The news came just a matter of days after the producer's collaboration with Radiohead front man Thom Yorke and Four Tet arrived on record shelves across the UK and promptly sold out amidst a frenzy of hype. There are three new tracks on offer here, namely "Street Halo", "NYC" and "Stolen Dog". First up "Street Halo" showcases the classic Burial sound; subterranean bass gurgles, trademark clicking beats and barely-there vocal snatches. A sweet childlike vocal pervades the sonic mist on "NYC" while "Stolen Dog" closes out with ethereal vocal harmonies buried deep beneath vinyl crackle. Stunning.
Review: Definitely one of the most haunting and quite possibly one of the most seminal cuts Mala has ever made, the show-stopping 'Changes' enjoys a long overdue re-press. Whether you were around when it first dropped in 2007 and never caught the wax, or you've since discovered it from many different samples such as XXXTENTACION's 'Look At Me' or The Game's 'Holy Water', this is an iconic piece of 140 music that transcends genres and generations. A contemporary classic, nothing less.
Review: The Bait label headed up by Beatrice M looks to Conzi for a fresh new 12" that builds on the label's superb early momentum. It delves deep into timeless 140 bpm sounds with opener 'AU2' layering up the percussion over fathom-deep beats and aquatic dub pads. It's a heady one for late night rolling and 'Drakar' then brings more bright melodies but similar icy beats and organic perc. An N:in remix of 'AU2' makes things more skittish and kinetic and broken, then and Ambit remix sets down with low-end pressure. These are fresh sounds that bring new direction to classic dubstep.
Ready 4 War (feat Sharky Major, Armour & Stormin) (4:40)
Street Fighter (instrumental) (2:42)
Go (instrumental) (4:28)
Ho (instrumental) (4:06)
String Ho (instrumental) (2:44)
Ting Ting (instrumental) (2:06)
Wheel (instrumental) (3:51)
Review: Grime might now be one of the biggest sounds in the UK music scene, but it arguably might never have been without the much earlier work of scene forefather Dizzee Rascal. The Londoner broke through just after the turn of the millennium and onto the international stage with his in-your-face bars, mashed-up dance sounds and big samples. Quite possibly his best work is Boy In Da Corner, the stunning Mercury Prize winning long player on XL that is now 20 years young. It gets a special reissue for the occasion with all the big ones like 'Fix Up, Look Sharp' present and correct, as well as a load of fine instrumentals.
Review: The Vivid label is yet another one from Burnski who also runs Constant Blanc and Instinct. He is s single handed garage hit making machine and he knows how to tap into the next gen, too. Here he calls upon Peaky Beats for a naughty and nasty three track affair that has retro feels but contemporary style. 'Can't Stop' opens up with a 2-step shuffle and steely hits, then 'Get Ready' gets more free and melodic with some boxing little melodic patterns and oscillating bass. Last of all is the most menacing and dark - 'Wildcat' flips into a dub wise swagger mid-way through that is going to blow up the clubs.
Review: DJRum's career has blossomed in recent times, in no small part thanks to his mind-mangling and frequently thrill-a-minute DJ sets. Unusually given his prolific work-rate earlier in his career, the much-admired producer has not released much new music of late; in fact, this mini-album for Fabric offshoot Houndstooth marks his first 100% fresh release for five years. It's predictably impressive, with highlights including the twisted TB-303 trickery, bombastic sub-bass and polyrhythmic post-dubstep UK bass beats of 'Codex', the high-octane modular techno insanity of 'Crawl', the spaced-out and dubbed-out, Autechre-ish IDM weirdness of 'Frekm (Part 1)', and the deconstructed breakbeats, psychoactive electronics and metallic effects of 'Frekm (Part 2)'.
Review: Throw the gauntlet: Fast Castle makes a welcome return here with Gent1e $oul's new Shoals"=-EP which is a superbly deep dive into some new and previously uncharted bass worlds. All five cuts are versatile and vital offerings starting with the in your face aggression of opener 'Dark Age' with its hefty low-end wobbles. 'Bad Neighbor' has some stepper energy with big waves of sub-bass washing over you and 'Dusty Acer' then pays tribute to the artist's "dear but aging AoE2 gaming machine". Deep dubstep fans will find plenty of love on 'Illumination' with plenty of mystic ambiance to get lost in and 'Shoals' draws things to a close with half-stepping 160bpm power.
Review: Just when you thought you had Al Bleek and Damon Drama's Non Plus sorted, they go and make a sharp diversion and take you somewhere completely different. The destination? LOL. And no, that's not a joke. A teaser for their forthcoming album Me Me, the tracklist reads a little like an Alice In Wonderland list of instructions or perhaps a seductive dance; "Squeeze Me" kicks off with sinuous R&B style vocals and enticing synths with a slow, lolhloping half step rhythm, which inevitably drags you in deep like a tidal current of sound, while "Face Me" follows a languid 4/4 drum pattern drenched in late night synths. "Dare Me", up next, mirrors the sonic palette with shimmering, spaced out atmospherics and more glorious, syrup sweet lyrics. Visceral and rather enthralling, it bears the hallmarks of nocturnal dance music with throbbing b-line and infectious, enveloping synth-work, but with an underlying pop/R&B sensibility that shines through the darkness. Crackly, droning atmospherics sit beneath ice cold bleeps on finale "White Noise". A far cry from much of the recent Non Plus output for sure, but a remarkable release nonetheless which we urge you to get your teeth into.
Review: James Blake's debut album is undoubtedly one of 2011's most keenly awaited releases, and its arrival via his own (major label funded) Atlas imprint ensures their is no lull in momentum for a producer who enjoyed a watershed 2010 with releases on Hessle Audio and R&S. The results here differ wildly from his previous sonic excursions - gone are the shimmering R&B soaked melodies of "CMYK" and the sheer experimentalism of the Klavierwerke EP, which saw the young Londoner depart from the confines of the dancefloor and enter a realm where there was only a passing reference to rhythm-based music. Instead we are treated to Blake's own yearning, raw voice, delicate pianos and an underlying sense of melancholy. Ubiquitous single "Limit To Your love" and the crackly sonic terrain evoked on "The Wilhelm Scream" are among the most immediately pleasing moments, but there is much to explore here. It's a fascinating opus and surely the catalyst to a long and fruitful career at the top.
Review: Restricted to a devilishly numbered 666 copies worldwide, this vinyl edition of Modeselektor's inaugural volume in the Modeselektion series is the one final tease before the full finished product drops on CD next week. Presented on crystal clear vinyl, this double pack features eight exclusive excursions into electronic excellence from some of the world's finest proponents. The brushed minimalist Burialism's of Apparat's "King Of Clubs" sets a standard that is maintained throughout. Dabrye's Tad Mullinix & Daniel Meteo adopt a cavernous bass approach to stripped back head nodders on "The Good Star" which is complemented by the short but sweetly demented hip-hop of Siriusmo's "Das Geheimnis". Housemeister breaks loose from the confines of BNR with the kaleidoscopic "Kristalle" which drops a multiplicity of lucid synths over ever mutating electro throbs. Equally "The Assistant Manager" demonstrates Feadz's talent when removed from the day glow environs of Ed Banger. Further tracks from Mala, Ikonika and Cylob lend this release an inimitable aura of must haveness.
Review: Following on from the monstrous rib-shaking beast from Czech Republic's very own ANS, another future dub creator makes for his debut 12" on Studio Rockers.
London based frequency tweaker Bionics steps up to the table with three bassbin quaking excursions. First up 'Dubcore' busts out the speakers commanding
mind and body from the off, robot vocals get warped and meddled into the mix as twisted synthesizers are pushed to the limits. As the bass rears its ugly head,
old skool jungle soaked snares weave their way in. Next up the infectious groove of 'Feist' comes along, pounding drums and vox stabs mesh in and out as
haunting pads heighten the intensity! Completing the outing with the low slung vibes of 'Kafka' Bionics shows his true versatility in sound design.
Review: Hyperdub kick off the vinyl side to their ten-year celebrations with this weighty four-tracker from some of the leading lights from the label's story. Mala is in a strident mood with "Expected, Level 10" carrying through that extra touch of melody from the Mala In Cuba LP. DVA cuts loose with the leftfield scattershot groove of "Technical Difficulties", reveling in tonal experimentation and jagged rhythmic flair to a stunning end. Still locked into the sci-fi trap tangent that characterised Severant, Kuedo turns out the haunting "Mtzpn" and Helix pops up for a remix of Kode9's "Xingfu Lu" that strips down to bare essentials with a little starlit soul rubbed into the framework.
Review: Khaliphonic represents a rich seam alongside sister label ZamZam Sounds, carrying forth vital modern iterations of dubwise music from switched on artists the world over. As such, compilations like these are a perfect primer on who's out there doing great things, whether it's Bristol duo Titus 12 & MTF, Japan's Undefined or West Coast veterans Systemwide. There are plenty of ideas and styles explored here, from melancholic synth steppas to trad-school echo chamber immersion, but the constant is a staggering high quality. If a label should be a trusted stamp of authority, then Khaliphonic have their role nailed. Essential sonics for any dub-minded explorer.
Review: Chad Dubz's Foundation Audio label outta Bristol remains a leading light in the bass, sound system and dubstep scene. This time out it is Kroomen and Somah who pair up for some mysterious late-night transmissions designed to rattle the walls. 'Kaba Rhythm' manages to be both light and airy yet dark and heavy all at once, with some Eastern melodies leading you ever deeper into the shadows. 'Sub 37' is all lurching kicks and skittish perc with twisted metallic textures and 'Heavy Smoke' is a slow and purposeful rhythm that takes its time to lure you in. It's golden-era dubstep that is as atmospheric as it is inviting.
Review: You can't have missed the hype surrounding Stormzy's new full-length - it's one of the most hotly-anticipated albums of the year. The question is: has it delivered on the promise? Yes - and then some. The grime superstar recorded the set on location with an extended group of trusted collaborators - Ms Banks, Sampha, Black Sherif, Debbie, Jacob Collier and NAO included - and the results are more sonically beautiful and soulful than much of his previous output. The distinctive flows are still there, though the subjects covered are often more personal and thoughtful than some may have expected, but Stormzy sings as much as he raps, and the accompany beats - often laden in strings, jazzy guitar flourishes and warming electric piano - are informed as much by R&B and hip-hop as the grizzled, sub-heavy East London vibes of grime.
Review: Long dormant has laid the tried but true practice of dubstep and garage artists sampling classic horror movie dialogue, pre-drop. We're thoroughly happy to hear that new Peaky Beats sublabel Brainjuice have gone and resurrected this zombie for us. This four-tracker from the label hears label heads Peaky and Vel carefully and creatively work in as-yet unknown samples to the stew; some kind of Frankensteinish exclamation on the dubstep A1 laments the feeding of a monster "human brains", while the breakstep A2 'Bacon Dance' hears more timestretched, dystopian vocals amid wobbles. 'Don't' leans more into the kind of melodic dubstep that likes to sample R&B acapellas, and is the most refreshing of the lot.
Review: Bengal Sound is a rising star in the Bristol bass scene and now he makes another mighty fine statement with this two tracker on Wych, the increasingly essential label run by K-LONE. This one comes after his various standout tunes from self-released cassettes fusing dusty old Bollywood samples to red hot club bangers. 'Solace' is the opener and is heavy on the rubbing and cavernous bass with icy leads and on the flip is 'On My Mind' which is just as atmospheric.
Review: Om Unit's Acid Dub Studies album, an inspired fusion of outer-space ambient sounds, deeply psychedelic TB-303 tweakery and outer-space digi-dub riddims, was for our money one of the standout electronic albums of 2021. This surprise sequel more than lives up to the high bar set by its predecessor, with the Bristol-based producer subtly expanding the project's boundaries (see the borderline Balearic brilliance of 'Camo') while delivering more fusions of ambient techno, acid and digi-dub. Highlights are plentiful, with our picks including the slow-motion strut of 'Strange Brew', the intergalactic squelch of 'Pursuit', the warming loveliness of 'To The River' and the borderline tropical melodiousness of 'Liberation'.
Review: French producer Moresounds delivers a simple nine-tracker of rather advanced and pleasing trap beats, upending the idea that any beat as such needs an MC to survive. It's a miracle that this kind of music can emerge from the French countryside. Deep drops and wonky hat triplets abound, nodding to the deep dubstep tropes heard on international labels like Innamind, but retaining the clean production Moresounds is known for.
Review: After the massive impact of Vex'd in the breakthrough years of dubstep, it was big news when Jamie Teasdale chose to swerve in his own direction and emerge as Kuedo. Released in 2011, Severant was a bold statement of intent which didn't wholly shirk what had come before, but placed emphasis on the kind of romantic synthesis you'd readily associate with Vangelis and saw trap and other influences sneaking into the mix. In hindsight, Severant is typical of the times we live in, drawing on a glut of influences and presenting its own idiosyncratic vision, but above all that the emotion and intent of Teasdale's ideas make it an enduring, captivating listen.
Review: Although Rhythm & Sound and Basic Channel man Mark Ernestus has worked with or remixed many different artists over the years, we didn't expect him to join forces with D&B scene stalwarts Calbre and DRS. Yet that's exactly what's on offer here, as the Hardwax founder delivers two typically deep, dubbed-out techno outings crafted from portions of the pair's collaborative cut 'Badman', which is due to feature on Calbre's forthcoming sixteenth studio album, Feeling Normal. Both 'Bad' and 'Badder' are typical of Ernestus' ultra-deep and hypnotic style, with snippets of the duo's original instruments, beats and vocals echoing in and out of a warming, all-encompassing, sub-heavy groove. In a word, it's superb.
Review: Mixed entirely during lockdown in his new Brussels home, prolific British producer Kevin Martin aka The Bug teams up with Berlin-based American Dis Fig, whose haunting yet seductive croon narrates a backdrop of paranoid electronic dub on In Blue. This is an album that captures a persevering sense of malaise and dread, that is so reflective of the times we are living through at present. From the grayscale industrial dub of 'Destroy Me' where Dis Fig's vocals flow hypnotically through layers of time based effects, to the low-slung subterranean sway of 'Levitating', the similarly contorted noise terror of 'Blue & Black' and the bittersweet closing track 'End In Blue' which perfectly encapsulates the "tunnel sound" the pair aimed to capture on this strong release.
Review: Blimey, if this isn't major meeting of musical Midas minds then we don't know what is. Alter Echo, E3 and Headland all collaborating with legendary dub flautist Diggory Kenrick. "Temple Duel" sets the scene in deep underground chambers, untouched by the sun. Reverb space is our only guide and ritual combat is the only way out as we make our way through subsonic 808 bass foundations, a near-industrial mid-range bass guitar groove, stiff snares, stick-fighting percussion and Diggory's torchlight melody. A truly fluid hypnotic narrative that arcs through the dark, if you're looking for an even foggier route flip for "Temple Dub" where the torch is extinguished and you have nothing but your sonic wits to take you home. Only Diggory knows if you make alive or not...
Pretentious Friends (feat Busdriver - Call by Pillowtalk)
Shipwreck (with Thom Yorke)
Evil Twin (vocals by Otto Von Schirach)
German Clap
Berlin (feat Miss Platnum)
Grillwalker
Green Light Go (with PVT - additional synth by Siriusmo)
Humanized (feat Anti Pop Consortium)
This (with Thom Yorke)
War Cry (guitar by Sascha Ring of Apparat)
Review: Over the years, Modeselektor have forged a reputation as fearless innovators, neatly sidestepping genres and frequently confounding critics. Given their tireless touring schedule and the fact they run two prolific labels it's perhaps no surprise that it's been some four years since the last full-length Modeselektor album. Monkeytown flits effortlessly between skittish 140 BPM bass music, clandestine electronica, sludgy hip-hop and even warehouse-flavoured tropical rhythms (see "German Clap"). There are some real standouts, including a dreamy, slo-mo pop outing with PVT, two collaborations with Thom Yorke and a droning Anti-Pop Consortium hook-up. Must-check.
Review: Ex-Roll Deep MC Trim is using his original tongue-twisting style to gain deserved popularity and support for his new sound. Joining the East London based Butterz collective, Trim presents "I Am" with two remixes from Preditah and LV. ''I Am'' is Trim on a more laid back vibe than usual, and it appears to be working as the EP receives vital support from names such as Benji B and Logan Sama. Trim's deep vocal patterns are scattered over a bouncing platform of rubbery modern percussion and sophisticated jazzy brass; almost a genre of its own, it's no surprise Trim is getting some serious attention. On remix duties are young Birmingham producer Preditah and Hyperdub / Keysound residents LV, who keep up the skippy vibe of the original. Finally, ''Notice Now'' on the flip is a new Trim vocal on D.O.K.''s ''Chemical Planet'' tune, which first appeared on Butterz in 2010.
Review: Given his rapid ascent from pioneering 'purple' producer to major player, it's perhaps little surprise to find that Joker's long-awaited (and much hyped) debut album sees the Bristolian youngster mixing typically funk-laden synth-step jams with moments of soaring dubstep pop and hip-hop funk. While it's the latter that have propelled his rise, it's the former on which he built his career. It's notable, then, that the best moments on The Vision are those that draw most from his early purple work; the contemporary P-funk of "Level 6", cyber-funk of "Milky Way" and gorgeous Herbie Hancock-does-Purple grooves of closer "Magic Causeway" are amongst the best things he's done.
Review: Sleeper man Alex Fox debuted the GRAMZ alias earlier in the year via a two-track 12" on Sentry Records built around paranoid sonic textures, serious bass-weight and rolling 140 BPM beats. For this 10" outing on Crucial, Fox has taken a deeper approach, ratcheting up the smoky atmosphere while retaining sizeable low-end pressure. "Joken" and flipside "Get Them Bags" are hazy, ultra-deep dubstep workouts, with both doffing a cap towards hip-hop and grime (check out the manipulated MC vocal samples on the latter, in particular), as well as the crackling sonic textures of Burial. "Joken" rolls along nicely while remaining pleasingly subdued, while "Get Them Bags" has a little more sonic strut. Both, though, are excellent.
Review: Woof! Hyperdub bring together two of the most recognisable and enigmatic artists of recent times on this 10", as Zomby and Burial square down ahead of the former's new album for the label. Zomby's Ultra LP is undoubtedly one of this year's most anticipated albums and "Sweetz" suggests it may be a very moody affair indeed. Whilst rooted in UK dance, Zomby and Burial do look elsewhere for inspiration too. Just under seven minutes long, "Sweetz" veers through various sub-heavy soundscapes with intermittent rhythmic patters and a distinctive looped vocal sample whose pitch changes with dramatic effect.
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