Beyond the City Water vinyl

Netherlands producer Tommy The Cat puts many a Brit to shame with his latest rollage rout 'Beyond The City Water', a new four-track 12" spanning every angle of atmospheric breaks and jungle. The A1 '6 Million Ways' is well-chosen as opener fodder; it's an essential example of the simplicity of only the best drum & bass, whose historic tripartite system - bass, drums, atmoss - can either be pulled off perfunctorily or with love (the latter is done here). Though the three follow-ups are almost as impressive - the dub repeats on 'City Traffik' and whirling clangers' sirens in the background - there's really no matching the secret-sauce unity of the elements on the A1, which sounds much less calculated and "in-universe" as most jungle tunes go.