This Week

Review: This collaboration between producers Funkystepz and vocalist Lily McKenzie has the feel of an unlikely radio hit. Although primarily a UK funky/UKG release, its catchy vocal and bubbling electronic elements - particularly the bass and melodic hooks - suggest a strong electro-house influence and an understanding of the mechanics of pop music. Those searching for more underground flavours would be advised to check out the Roska remix, which laces the vocal over a murky, low-end heavy chunk of steppy, almost tropical percussion, and the gorgeous, piano laden rework from Exemen. There's also a bombastic, wobble-tastic dubstep remix from Unison Elite for those who like their grooves a little more on the aggressive side.

Review: Big, filthy and raw sounds here on the Bass Machine label, primed for chunky sound systems - but then what else would you expect!? Lifting the accapella from a 1987 Chicago house classic (Ralph Roasario's "You Used To Hold Me"), Multi Dubz lay down a beefy 4/4 kick augmented by some cavernous bass echoes and slashing hats. Do check the Hollow mix too for an altogether more stripped back, linear take. In a word, epic.

Review: Hailing from Australia, Bosstone's music mines the same fertile ground as Night Slugs' London take on Baltimore house and Croydon dubstep. Opening track "Lean" utilises a sparse arrangement, concentrating on rapid 808 kicks and whipcrack ghettotech snares to accent its brooding atmosphere. "Beaucoup" is a bit like Addison Groove under the influence of codeine, with juke inspired rhythms at a more manageable pace. "Makeup To Breakup" meanwhile recalls a Jacques Greene style take on futuristic R&B, albeit one more restrained with its melodies. Remix support comes from DJ Sliink, who transforms "Lean" with some popping synths and dooms laden sirens, Samename, who delivers a tight house reflex of "Beaucoup", and "Deebs", whose fractured hip-hop reworking "Makeup 2 Breakup" turns the original into a technicolour marvel.

Review: Bringing his melodically wholesome vibes to Vase, ace Canadian producer Jacques Greene has crafted an all-out future pop cut in the shape of "Flatline". Ango provides some wholly smooth crooning over the track, making this a jam primed for chart consumption. Elsewhere a diverse selection of grooves abound, from the stripped UK funky stylings of "These Days" to the more streamlined and mildly trancey "Clark". "Arrow" breaks things up nicely with a shuffled beat and mournful keys pitched just right to tug at the heartstrings. Highly recommended.

Review: With two excellent releases on Fat! already behind them, Maribou State deliver another fine EP in the shape of Olivia. The title track takes delicate samples of organic percussion, a masterfully handled vocal and works them into an expansive soundscape reminiscent of Mount Kimbie, albeit one whose ethereal frame is held together by a solid house beat at its core, and the kind of intricate melodic command that would put Four Tet to shame. "Bricks" meanwhile utilises a booming bass in conjunction with its colour-saturated unfiltered synths and sweet chopped-up vocal, wrapped up in a fine package that recalls Sepalcure's broken-beat take on dubstep. Highly recommended.

Review: A wonderfully ethereal release here from teenage producer Pale. The Yearn EP, released on the Bullet Train label, opens with the richly melodic title track, in which a sparse yet richly melodic soundscape similar to The xx's excellent "Intro" is created. "Those Ships", up next, is a more joyous affair, with uplifting tampered vocals and all manner of intricate post-dubstep atmospherics. Final track "Ghosts" is easily our favourite - the vocal elements shine brightest, the beat is stripped back and the overall sensation is heavenly. One for fans of Mount Kimbie, Four Tet and James Blake.

Review: It's hard to know exactly where to place this new collaboration between Sebastian Rochford, Ranjana Ghatak and Gina Loring, but that's exactly why we like it. It's musically hard to decode, offering a strange mix of spoken word mysticism, Indian vocals and quasi-organic, off-kilter downtempo beat love. It's excellent, though, managing to be both interesting and entertaining - something much leftfield music singularly fails to do. The LV remix is, if anything, even better, coming on like a twinkling combination of Rustie-ish beat science, chiming melancholia and high-art experimentation. Highly recommended.

Review: Wildlife! becomes the latest artist to pick his favourite releases for Man Recordings' veritable back catalogue on this third entry in their DJ Picks series. Among the highlights to make the cut are the Eastern tones of previous selectors Schlachthofbronx's "Tulum", and the buzzing low end of Seiji's brilliant "Basslips", while label boss Daniel Haaksman sees two tracks of his make the cut, with the soca rhythms of French Fries' remix of "Hands Up" being one of the compilation's finest cuts among many highlights. All in all, another essential compilation for one of the finest purveyors of baile funk around.