Review: Four cuts of timeless hardcore jungle from respected and rising Aussie break butcher 12 Bit Jungle Out There. Hugging you like it's 92 but booting you like it's 2032, each track is littered with edits, twists, turns and superb stretches. From the ragga-fronted bubbler 'Dutty Gunman' to the rave-echoed 'Desire & Love', there's a hearty party spirit that's so good for those choppy, blast-em-up mixes. Trust us, he's has been squeezing his Octamed super hard for this one!
Review: A new artist emerges here on Valencia-based label HC Records as Andrey Orenstein, a multidisciplinary musician and member of the alternative rock band Tequilajazz, makes a bold mark. He has explored various solo projects, including the IDM and breaks of Amor Entrave and acid house of Do You Like Trains? but as 50DIX, he presents a blend of Chicago footwork, UK bass, funk, jazz, and acid elements, all at high-energy BPMs. 'If U Want 2' is a perfect mix of frenzied drums but soothing pads, 'Foolz' is all about the pinging bass and 'Ice Feels Keen' is more blissed out and sun kissed. It's a colourful collection of highly impactful sounds.
Review: There's lots to get your teeth stuck into on this new and blistering collection of electro from Adepta Editions. And don't let the title fool you - it's not all accessible summer festival fare, in fact none of it is. It is all head down and serious tackle. 7053M4R14's '4 N3W HUM4N' is a driving, dark, visceral sound with raw breakbeats powering through the cosmos. Rec_Overflow offers a moment to catch your breath with some slower, dubby rhythms on 'Pocket Dial' and Pauk explores twitchy future synths capes and post-human transmissions on 'Shiawasena Fukushu'. Promising/Youngster shuts down with a sense of optimism and hope with the airy melodies and slithering electro drum patterns of 'Arbey.'
Review: As well as this one coming on pink wax, Adam F is also dropping it on nice classic black vinyl. It features his classic track 'Brand New Funk,' which emerged after he acquired a second-hand Fender Rhodes Electric Piano, Vocoder, and Clavinet D6 Honerikey instruments of the funk era. This track pays tribute to its predecessors by blending classic funk elements with intense drum patterns, merging the vintage funk spirit with modern sonic complexity. Revived and refreshed, 'Brand New Funk' represents one of Adam F's most innovative and enduring sounds.
Review: Agonis' debut album Neutropia receives a well-earned remix treatment here. Originally released in 2021, the album showcased Agonis' evolution beyond deep, hypnotic techno by incorporating half-paced drum & bass, rolling amen breaks, trip-hop and futuristic techno. Neutropia Remixed broadens this palette further with four distinctive reworks. Carrier slows 'Thermo' into a half-time rhythmic masterpiece, Christina Vantzou crafts a mesmerising drone trip, upsammy injects shimmering dynamics into 'Algoflash' and Felix K transforms 'Pyrchid' into an intricate drum workout.
Review: The legendary Fokuz label outta the Netherlands hits a 110th release and opts for a selection of remixes from various artists. AirK & Cephei open up with 'Desire,' a slick roller with booming bass and epic synths. Break then comes through with tight remix of A2 Soligen & Type 2 's 'Can't Go' complete with expertly design hits. Break then goes it alone on the original 'Coming 4U' with its low end oscillations and closes out the EP back in remix mode. His take on 'What Are You' is a roaming, textural affair with twisted leads and flurries of toms.
Subarctic Signal - "Subarctic Signal" (Subwave remix) (5:37)
Review: Five new elysian liquid come techfunk tracks from Rotterdam's Fokuz Recordings, the cornerstone of Dutch drum & bass since 1999. A relentlessly dreamy energy is immediately conveyed on the pragmatically named 'Remix EP', led up by Alpha Rhythm, Ritual and Rezilient with 'Venus Fly' and 'One Day At A Time' on the A-side and Etherwood, Subwave and Natus on remix duties of former releases 'From The Ashes', 'Subarctic Signal' and 'Tranquility' on the B. This is liquid drum & bass of a certain character; the handicraft is impeccable, each track giving off an ultra-sleek yet still impactful post-singularity character.
Review: Alphonse pens a love letter to jungle on this new EP for Klasse Wrecks. It's a flurry of drum breaks and powerful rhythms all served up through a classical lens with hefty bass underpinning each tune. This is a real journey into jungle with epic 12-minute plus opener 'Android Mash' twisting and turning through a flurry of tumbling snares, police sirens and yearning vocals. 'The Eagle' is a more soulful sound but still dense in its arrangement and tense in its rhythms. 'Elevation' closes down with plunging basslines and dark soul atmospheres.
Andrey HoT - "Cold Blooded Murdarah" (Barbitura Re-Hot) (5:02)
DJ 1312 & Dima Pulsar - "Jungle Ting" (4:40)
Barbitura - "Dark Room" (Jungle mix) (4:03)
Review: Sweet murderation! Russian roustabout Andrey HoT gets scorchio on his latest blaze-up for DanJet - 'Cold Blooded Murdarah'. Thing Remarc getting up close with Benny L and that's where we're at. Need more drummage? Roll on for Barbitura's Re-Hot remix. Flip for more Russian rawness; DJ1312 and Dima Pulsar's 'Jungle Ting' has all the edits and Dread bass style reverse warps you could ever need while 'Dark Room' closes the EP with a palpable whiff of tension. Yum.
Review: Anile's latest release exemplifies his mastery in blending emotive melodies with intricate drum patterns. The tracks are meticulously crafted, each offering a journey through deep basslines and atmospheric textures. This collection not only pays homage to the roots of drum and bass but also pushes the boundaries with contemporary production techniques, resulting in a sound that's both nostalgic and forward-thinking.
Aphrodite - "I Wanted It More & More" (feat Gail McClean) (5:55)
Review: Aphrodite's Jungle Classics 94 To 96 presents a nostalgic trip back to the original jungle era with remastered tracks from the iconic releases APH-12, APH-13, APH-22, and APH-23. This limited edition vinyl release, curated by Triple Vision and Aphrodite Recordings, features timeless classics like 'Tower Bass,' 'Shine,' 'Wanted It More And More,' and the Booyaa Remix of 'Amazon II.' An impressive catalogue taht goes a long way to explaining the big part of the influential role he played in shaping the jungle and drum & bass scene during the mid-90s.
Review: Heads will know Aphrodite is the no-effs-given 90s drum & bass artist of choice, with the producer's music inevitably occupying any curious digger's wantlist. Aphrodite knows you want it, which is why they're on a massive reissue campaign. Cashing in and all that - they can't resist. 'King Of The Beats' throws back to the dawn of amen break-cutting with a sampled reference to Mantronix, while 'Music's Hypnotising' blends an unusual arpeggiation with techstep motifs and a popular stock vocal sample. 'Dub Moods' and 'Spice' strip things back further, conveying ever-increasing Ridley-Scott-film-set moods.
Review: Apparel Wax on Apparel Music records has recently started a 7" series of which this is the third instalment of. These 45 DJ friendly records are sure to be hits with house music DJs and fans both. The music does the talking as the tracks are simply called 'Track 1' and 'Track 2'. The first blends jazz, funk into a house instrumental frenzy that has all the makings of a classic late night success. The second one is quite unusual and unique, adding a broken almost jungle beat that goes great with the piano. This gives us some real early 90s UK rave flashbacks! This versatile 7" should go over great with those who hear it!
Review: Last spotted raising hell and taking names with Jon 1st on Defrostatica, Arcane (who is also known as one half of the more mainstream-sounding d&b act Kleu) goes full nelson on the breaks with these two choppy choppy bangers on Foxy Jangle. Both cuts focussing on the drums, subs, samples and FX, these are fully timeless trips and sculpted strictly for the heads. Great for losing yourself inside at 3am and even better to mix. Just like concrete.
Review: On 'Ten Steps' and its accompanying tracks, new Fokuz signee Archangel nails a much coveted mixture of sweetness, simplicity and maximalism, etching and planing each final mix as though they were blocks of marble to produce a muted, yearning and propulsive set of workouts in hard liquid. Higher powers and penitent milestones are invoked on the title track, with its memoric cascades of yearner vocals and una corda pianos set against piston-powered breaks. 'U & I' goes on to swirl its vocal samples into sloshy sci-fi garbles of emo science, while 'Darkside' near-perfectly hangs the balance between headbang jump-up and resolute emotion. Serious stuff from the 12" newcomer.
Review: After a brief pause to allow their frankly huge 36-track VA compilation to sit and breathe a while, Motive Hunter Audio is back at the sharp end of the jungle scene with this new EP from the brilliant ARKYN. It's a lovely slab of grey wax that revives a blend of hardcore jungle techno that is not for the faint of heart and comes with a tasteful homage to this subgenre's roots. Packed with piano stabs and 4x4 kicks, the EP delivers controlled mayhem that is perfect for the club as collaborations with SYNTAX, DJ B, and ARKYN's alter-ego DJ TUF all bring depth and hints of early Dutch rave influences.
Review: Heads will know 'As We Enter' as the name of the Breakage tune that set the stage for many more things halftime to come - not to mention a Damian Marley & Nas song released around the same time - so we're more than pleased to learn that one next-gen producer has taken on the name as an alias. However, something in the aura of this release tells us this artist is no debutante; 'Lover To Lover' brings wubbing Reesebound rollage and summery fluting funk together in quick step, with complementary numbers 'So Gone', 'Come Again' and 'Shifting Gears' flaunting a respect for the many different facets of drum & bass, from techstep to early jump-up. This one gets more and more sinister as it progresses; despite the cover, whatever's entered the room feels more elephant than pigeon.
Review: Mindgames' dedication to capturing the golden era of jungle while incorporating modern production techniques aligns seamlessly with ASC's unique style. In these two EPs, the maestro blends the vast soundscapes of his Spatial releases with the raw energy of his 2020 jungle trilogy for Samurai Music. From the driving beats of 'Shadow Of The Beast' to the smooth, deep stepping vibe of 'Phaaze' and the expansive sounds of 'Cells Interlinked,' ASC demonstrates his deep jungle expertise once more. 'Snowblind' is a gem that pays homage to Photek's space jazz, while 'Flux' features a mesmerising groove wrapped around an infectious bassline. What an EP.
Review: Musical talisman ASC joins Mindgames for Mindgame 6, twinned with the concurred release Mindgame 5. Mindgames' commitment is to capture the essence of golden-era jungle while infusing it with updated production techniques, a mission that perfectly complements ASC's approach. On these two EPs, ASC bridges the expansive soundscapes and raw dynamisms of his 2020 jungle trilogy for Samurai Music. From the heads-down launchpads of 'Shadow Of The Beast', to the deep-stepping glides of 'Phaaze', and onto the epic 'scapes of 'Cells Interlinked', ASC pens a sonic manifesto for the master-crafting of deep jungle.
Review: There's seemingly no end to ASC's offerings to the drum & bass world and so it continues on this beautifully packaged black splattered yellow 10" from the Waveforms series. 'Waveform 03' is an airy jungle excursion with explosive amens set off against vast expanses of pads, while 'Waveform 04' locks into a sleeker, techier approach where the icy atmospherics have more space to stretch out. No one is even close to the quality and quantity of ASC, and this is yet another essential addition to his huge legacy.
Review: If you don't love ASC, do you even like electronic music? The master studio technician never makes anything less than thrilling sounding whether exploring ambient, jungle, or in-between worlds. Both characterise this new EP on Spatial which comes on lovely splattered vinyl 12". 'Synergy' pairs busy Amen breaks with lush pad work, 'Suspended Animation' is an icy and deft jungle workout in the farthest reaches of deep space and 'Repetition' is a super chill, slick and emotive excursion to the stars. 'Pharaoh' is another pristine production with infectious drum funk at its core.
Review: Samurai sign out of 2023 with this stunning expedition from longstanding craftsman ASC. One of the deepest to do it, here on 'House Of Leaves' he whips up a beguiling sense of atmosphere as we gradually ramp up the intensity from the tense and stretched out title track opener to the savage cymbal slaps of the finale 'Exploration #4'. In between we find our souls soothed by the relentless drumfunk of 'The Navidson Record' and our brains shattered by the cosmic turbo zaps of 'The 5 1/2 Minute Hallway'. Far out.
Review: Space jungle extraordinaire ASC is as prolific as they come, and this week he's back again with 'Sphere Of Influence', a synth-heavy present-day take on the dreamy origins of his chosen sound. Beginning with 'The Arcane', we're most struck with ASC's emphasis on atmospherics and synthwork - they come first compared to his relatively functional breakscience, which are like godlike apparatuses guiding us through heavily nuanced, heavenly vistas. That functionality goes out of the window with 'Threeform', though - an unusually sound-designed number which introduces suddenly-huge variation in the breaks, in what is said to be ¾ time.
Review: California-based, British drum & bass musician ASC returns with more homages to late 90s atmospheric drum & bass on his excellent sub-label Spatial. Anyone who has been following his work and the releases that he's put out on his Auxiliary label and sub labels in the past few years should know what to expect. Following on from last month's excellent full-length Next Time You Fall, 'Undercurrents' is four tracks of impeccably produced ambient jungle. The first cut, 'Ocean Breeze', has a simpler rhythm than you would expect from him, which could be a hint at a more liquid future direction. The next three cuts are classic ASC: cut-up, spaced-out breaks interspersed with dreamy vocals.
Review: Mind Over Matter', the latest release from ASC, continues his explorations into atmospheric, breakbeat-driven soundscapes with striking results. Opening track 'Desire' sets the tone with a lush beat structure, punctuated by sharp cymbal strikes. Subtle whale song samples are woven into the mix, accompanied by a warm bassline and tender piano melodies, while swirling strings ebb and flow, creating an almost tidal sense of movement. 'Voidscaping' follows, launching immediately into crisp, striking breakbeats. The throwback pads recall the heyday of Good Looking, but ASC's meticulous sampling and deep reverb work keep the track fresh, merging nostalgia with modern complexity. On the flip, 'Let Go' brings in the sounds of nature, with metallic bongos and a restrained choral vocal riding over playful, energetic hi-hats. The atmosphere builds, layering strings, synths, and ASC's trademark vocal elements, each listen revealing new intricacies. 'Meltdown' wraps things up with a darker, more anxious vibe. Minimal breaks and elusive hi-hats give the track a creeping tension, while ambient pads and a yearning female vocal add a layer of emotional depth. It's a finely balanced track, blending melancholy and intensity in a way that ASC has mastered.
Review: Hyaku marks the 100th vinyl release for Samurai Music, so shout out to the crew for staying dedicated to the format. It also celebrates nearly 17 years of dedication to quality music and timeless design and, for this milestone, the label has assembled producers who epitomise the current Samurai sound. Each track offers a unique take on that from the crunchy breakbeats of ACS to the relentless energy of Sam KDC's 'Mutilate.' Together, these contributions form a diverse collection that highlights the artistry and innovation of this talented crew while also reflecting the journey Samurai has been on for all these years. Here's to many more.
Review: Originally released on the cult V4 Visions label in 1991 & 1994, Ashaye's 'Dreaming' and 'What's This World Coming To' epitomised the essence of street soul, a genre blending soul, r&b, and hip-hop that resonated across London's pirate radio stations in the 1990s. With the surge in UK soul's popularity in recent years, DJs and tastemakers have championed these tracks which has in turn elevated their demand and value. 'Dreaming' has become nearly unattainable on the second-hand market, while 'What's This World Coming To' commands prices upwards of L50. Snap up this fully licensed RSD release however and you will have both tracks for an affordable price.
Review: Okbron Records welcome Atlantiq to the roster, and in so doing reccy an uncharted subaquatic terrain, in which drum & bass production requires specialist handling. Limited to just 350 copies, and bundled with the statement "No repress."- full stop duly noted - Okbron are implicitly aware of the (anti-)gravity of this release. 'M33' sounds as if its liquid jungle source deposits housed a yet undiscovered respiratory gas for an unidentified life-form; its all-to-easily recognised breakbeats are the only orthodox productive choice on the title track, whereupon every other element sounds born of a hidden underwater civilisation, not a mere synthesiser, and surrounds the mix as though we'd embarked on a serene coralline safari. B-sider 'Nothing To Lose' takes a seedier turn in terms of vibe, with sistrum rattles and brooding crime-drama basses hearing whackout breaks set to an otherwise ruminant sonic mystery.
Review: Audio Soul Project returns with fresh vinyl here in the form of their Simurgh EP, which is named after a mythical Persian bird. Across the tunes you'll find a fusion of dub, d&B, house and even r&b to make for an alluring sonic trip. Opener 'Deliver Me' brings the warmth and soul with balmy chords over raw, woody drums with a big diva vocal up top. Things are paired back for 'Azizam Dub' which has a subsonic bass line bump and synth stabs bringing the energy. 'Internal Vybrations' is d&b powered by monstrous bass with hi-hats, shakers and maracas detailing the rhythm, and last of all 'Celebration Dub' brings a funky and summery house vibe perfect for outdoor dancing. This is as varied an EP as you'll hear this season.
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'.
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