Back Catalogue

Review: Having already been responsible for some of the rowdiest breakbeat house joints on the WNCL Recordings imprint, Don Froth makes his UNO debut proper with the aptly named REflex EP. With British producers like Blawan and Randomer pushing a similarly heavy productions, Froth provides a counterpart to their sound, one that looks to Detroit and Chicago for inspiration rather than slavishly trying to emulate the buzz artists of now. The title track throws 303s and 909s together into a package that may have retro elements but feels defiantly modern, while "Vap" combines furious sidechained synths with jackhammer percussion. "Tunnelvision" and "Untitled B" meanwhile both achieve the feat of combining dub techno elements with loose, hip-inspired beats, creating something of a fresh, modern take on hip-house. Given Froth's engagement with classic US styles, the decision to tap up "Shake" Shakir for a remix of the title track that sounds even more futuristic and tweaked out than the original - highly recommended stuff.

Review: The title of Drew 'FaltyDL' Lustman's sophomore album could easily be a cheeky swipe at genre-obsessed reviewers; it's true that many have found it hard to categorize his far-sighted take on electronic music. While firmly rooted in dubstep and electronica, Lustman's music has always taken in a dizzying array of musical influences. Add to this a skip-load worth of great ideas and a distinctive production sound that marks out dance music's greats, and it's easy to see why Lustman's music has got critics in a spin. On You Stand Uncertain, he's stepped up his game. If anything, he's cast his net even wider, throwing two-step garage, UK funky, jazz, ambient, slow house, old fashioned rave and ARP 101-ish synth jams into his musical melting pot. It still sounds like a FaltyDL record (those weird slowed-down vocal samples, quaint musical touches and sneaky cut-ups are still present), but it feels like he's moved from standard definition into glorious, crystal clear HD. Aside from the usual array of brilliant instrumentals - check the floor-friendly future rave anthem "Lucky Luciano", two-step rinse-out "Tell Them Stories", 808 State-sampling "Open Space" or picturesque slow house bliss of "Tell Them Stories" - Lustman has included his first full vocal outings. These are invariably excellent, with the opening and closing tracks - "Gospel of Opal", featuring Anelka, and "Waiting Patiently", featuring Lily McKenzie - perfectly demonstrating his ability to write next-level, emotion-rich electronic music. From start to finish, You Stand Uncertain is a delight to listen to.

Review: UK producer Famous Eno - previously of Warrior One - drops his debut solo release of Mixpak, linking up with MC Stitch on the fast dancehall/funky smasher "All Good FM". With a joyous UK take on Ghetto house, Eno works up an instantly-memorable riff from some gliding synths and adds rapid claps and jungle drops into this summery mix. Arveene & Misk launch an all-out tech assault on their remix, nicely warping up Stitch's vocals, while New Jersey Club don DJ Sliink keeps it frantic and raw on his Bmore-recalling rework.

Review: Fast and fresh hi-energy electro-samba from this pair of Brazilian producers, who fuse unlikely styles into a truly distinctive sound on the Oliveto EP. Opener "Samborigeno" runs at a juke-like tempo yet is subtly delivered thanks to a range of organic instruments - there's even a didgeridoo providing the bass frequencies, which obviously makes this a real head-turner. It's Bert On Beats' mix that UKF/tropical house fans will want to hook up with though, while modern afrobeat fans will love Maga Bo's treatment of "Samborigeno".

Review: The strangely-named Figgy is an American producer (real name Mike Ferrigno) who makes equally strange music. Luckily it's strange in a good way as this EP features some pretty unique and imaginative takes on electronic dance music. The infectious title track is clicky, glitchy soul while "Know You Better" is more a up-tempo leftfield hip-house banger. On remix duties, Dunes makes the B-side deeper. Also the title track is broken up and reassembled by Flote and is taken down a weird acid house route by Oxford Mgno.

Review: Not sure if the title is in reference to the amount of time he spends measuring peoples response to his name 'ohhh I geddit: Fire-Hose-Eh!' or not, but it definitely wins our 'pun of the week' award (if we had one that is). This dude is from Estonia and he's all about taking the 90s and giving them a good seeing to. "Catwalk" is a quirky slice of vintage-sounding UKG, "Pufaika" is a clackity-clack booty track, "Departure" is a warped, RnBnKetamine dream, but it's the remarkable, techy-disco of "Buckwhirl" that's really doing it for us.

Review: Returning to raw, dancefloor attire, Fish Go Deep let loose on their latest release on their own imprint. "Indian Summer" is a rhythmic house builder, "Summer Dub" goes in a deeper, more stripped back direction and "Maxx Out" is a lighter, loop heavy groover complete with vocal climax. Lovely stuff from the Irish lords of the (deep house) dance.

Review: Despite sounding like some bizarre human mash up of the two Public Enemy frontmen, Flava D is in fact a UKF producer without an oversized clock in sight. "Hold On" is an accomplished fusion of jittery, scratchy garage that is awash with dreamy synths, jazzy piano and a faintly melancholic summery vibe. "Home" on the other hand is all hyped up 4/4 action with a monumental bassline that somehow convinces the listener that they are going too fast in a slightly too flash car - even when they are sat on their backside typing on a laptop.

Review: Big props due to the Eglo network for this release, an impeccable EP of Floating Points productions which cannot fail to impress on any level. Musically, it's perhaps Shepherd's most ambitious collection to date, veering through sumptuous deep house, expertly crafted broken boogie from another century and bristling techno. "Myrtle Avenue" is a dreamlike way to open a release, plunging into vast, widescreen expanses of texture and detail, further cementing comparisons with Theo as the freeform keys align with undulating layers of percussion. "Realise" and "Obfuse" are the precursors to the standout tracks on the second twelve, but are in no way filler, with the former teasing out finely placed 808 programming over pensive simmering patterns, whilst the latter is a fizzing, stripped down drum machine workout that is gradually joined by yet more tenderised synths. And thus we come to "Arp3", a track which will secure this release a place in many a heart, expertly growing into a haunting techno epic and filled with so many production intricacies and rhythmic deviations it demands several repeat plays. "Sais" rounds off the release, revealing in full detail the track's fuzzy, orchestral glory some time after a Dub version appeared on record store day.

Review: Following on from Foamo's slamming "Jookie" single, Highbloo and Warrior One get given the remix duties and turn in a pair of blinders. Highbloo funks up "Jookie" with some popping popcorn synths while filtering the original's brass deftly - similar to Boy 8-Bit's fusion of tech sounds and funky patterns. Warrior One drops the Amen break at an electro tempo on "Centavo" and works it into a hugely riotous and energetic mix, boosted by some deep bass and climbing synths.

Review: Originally released spring 2012, Foamo's monstrously heavy bass chugger "Sherlock" gets the treatment from a variety of talented players. Kry Wolf drop the tempo slightly for a resonant UKG strut, Taiki & Nulight continue the garage vibe with a more uptempo, menacing bass motif, Millions Like Us add some cinematic breakbeats and shivering synth washes to the mix, My Nu Leng take a leaf out of Bassbin Twin's booty-bass book while LKid calms us down with a very neat, early 90s house version. A great spread and not a duff rub in sight.

Review: A pair of British producers who've separately nailed tropical house to perfection go all out on this double-track single to bring the carnival flow straight to your ear holes. "Back In The Game" is simply relentless - an uncluttered set of claps, tight drums and Afro-beat stabs that get put through some subtle builds but mostly are left to roll out and keep the listener raving hard. "Pull Up" is even more hyped and is a perfect bridge between straight house sets and more UKF-focused beats.