Review: Osaka producer and DJ Insomniak steps out with a debut 12" of moody, full-bodied house leaning forward into twilight atmospheres and subtly warped club dynamics. 'Insomniak' on the A is all nervous energy and nocturnal tension, held taut by clipped vocals and an unsettled bassline. Flip it and 'I Knew Atlantic' offers something more unsteady and dreamlike, letting its groove slouch and sway around snatches of melody that shimmer and retreat. With a low-key feel and restraint that suggests a deep record collection, this first outing avoids obvious genre tropes while still speaking fluently in dancefloor dialects.
Pianos Raining Down (with McDonald & Jannetta - 165 To 134 BPM mix)
Ooh Boy
Sound System Love
Review: Real jungle and jungle techno rufige in full gatefold LP form from 4am Kru. Incognito Rhythm is an ironic name, since the titular track fronting this giant of a record sounds anything but incognito; judging by the full guns-blazing force of its shelling drums and sprayed quad-basses, it might as well have blown its cover, sounding as ballistic as a rubber bullet in a chamber full of springs. After the jungle techno exposition we move forthrightly into classic b-people jungle, with sizzling orchestral rompler workings wedged in with short-form breaks loops to exhilarating effect. The centrifugal mood is broken on 'Deepest Darkest Jungle', on which a much more tenebrous tone is achieved, giving off whiffs of a zoophonic jungle jamboree, the mise-en-scene for a fluting epiphany. The sounds of churlish cheek return from 'High Time' and thereon, after which r&b and ragga voxes predominate and determine the moods of the tracks in question. 'Wutt' is by far the maddest one, refusing at every turn the temptation to settle.
Review: Malvern's Rave 2 The Grave are a dedicated rave cultural node, committing their entire artistic output to nostalgic remakes of fave rave brainwaves. Adding to their many from-scratch taxidermies - including FSOL's 'Papua New Guinea', Liquid's 'Liquid Is Liquid', 808 State's 'Pacific State' and Outlander's 'Vamp' - they now take up 'Take Me Up' by Soundsource (1991), whose floor-al transmission made it through to being sampled by Rhythm On The Loose on 'Break Of Dawn'; both became fast-track underground hits back then and the rework is just as cracking. On the B is an equally respectful replica of 'Injected With A Poison' by Praga Khan (1992), steering the mood logarithmic, wooping, psychedelic.
Review: Brian Dougans and Garry Cobain, the masterminds behind Future Sound of London, return with The Pulse EP Vol 3, a reissue of their classic work under various aliases on the Jumpin' & Pumpin' label. This highly anticipated 12" features tracks that showcase their 90s techno brilliance. Side-1 opens with Smart Systems' 'Tingler' (Four By Four mix), a dark, sinister track that channels Beltram's 'hover' sound into a hardcore rave anthem. Indo Tribe's 'Owl' (I Can See You mix) follows, hailed by fans as one of the greatest breakbeat hardcore tracks ever made, a retro-classic loaded with chunky, energetic beats and an unforgettable sample. Side-2 kicks off with Indo Tribe's 'Bite The Bullet Baby' (Jacques Reynoix mix), another gem that blends early 90s rave energy with a unique edge. The real highlight, however, is Yage's 'Calcium' (Elementary mix), which first appeared on Future Sound of London's Accelerator album. Even today, it sounds transcendental and timeless, its melodic piano lines and otherworldly ambiance continuing to win over listeners. This EP is a vital piece of underground rave history and an essential listen for fans of early techno and breakbeat hardcore.
Review: After a decade since his last release on Planet Mu, Drew Lustman aka American rhythmic innovator and vibes man FaltyDL returns with the accomplished Neurotica. In the interim, he's run Blueberry Records, worked with Mykki Blanco and become a father. His daughter's playful influence is said to have ignited a fresh creative energy in his music. Neurotica bears that out - it's a sugar-rush of high-speed bounce blending energetic euro-pop and childlike vocals into something urgent and fun. Drew crafted it quickly, with tracks written in half a day, and shaped with Planet Mu boss Mike Paradinas' guidance. It's a joyful, refreshing album that resonates across generations and captures the essence of fun, movement and simplicity. A return to form, for sure.
Review: Whether or not Lennie D'Ice's 'We Are I.E' was the tune that inspired the birth of jungle has long been a matter of debate. Regardless, it was certainly highly influential - a booming, sub-heavy breakbeat hardcore anthem that undoubtedly shifted the musical dial on its initial release in 1991. Here the freshly remastered original - sounding weightier and sharper than ever - is joined by a trio of 21st century interpretations. Solo and Blade kick things off with a crisply chopped and pleasingly rolling re-edit before Horsepower Productions brilliantly re-imagine it as a punchy and powerful breakstep smasher. Arguably best of all though is the take from Bristol's Borai, who brilliantly joins the dots between bassline, 4/4 UKG and saucer-eyed turn-of-the-90s house. Let me hear you scream!
Review: Those interested in the roots of UK bass music have been well-served of late, with a number of books and compilations focusing on the first wave of British dance music in the late 80s and early 90s. Soul Jazz's latest compilation is a superb addition to this growing list. It showcases music made in the post-bleep and early breakbeat hardcore period, where basslines got bigger, drum breaks faster, and ragga influences started to come to the fore. The selections are on-point throughout from the dub-wise rave rush of Babylon Timewarp's "Durban Poison" and the bleep-and-breaks-meets-proto-jungle shuffle of DJ Dubplate's "Tings A Go On", to the rave-rap goodness of The Freaky's "Time & Age" and the heavily edited darkcore/early jungle insanity that is Krome & Time's terrific "Ganja Man". In a word: essential.
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: Timeless hardcore breakbeat action as label newcomer DJ Stephano makes his debut on Luna C's seminal Kniteforce imprint. 'Heaven' sets the scene with all big flavours from the time; euphoric pianos, wild time-stretched drums and a feel good energy. Deeper into the EP we rave as 'Stella' takes us into deep space with its prowling arpeggio and alien-landing pads. Flip for more piano positivity and hardcore style pitched up vocals while 'Out There' brings the EP to a contemplative close. Classic Kniteforce tackle.
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