Two Weeks

Review: Considering he's been releasing records for the likes of Planet Mu and Apple Pips since 2009, it would be something of an understatement to say that Brackles' debut album has been a long time coming - but it couldn't have been better timed. Although his sound - a rough hybrid of UK garage and funky styles with echoes of dubstep - is very much of the now, there's an obvious love for the classic sounds of 90s UKG which many of his more inexperienced contemporaries lack - assisted by the inspired vocal contributions from Lily McKenzie and Terri Walker. But it's not just a throwback record - be it the slightly offbeat bass and calypso vibe of "Walkin' Out", or the churning subs of "Squarehead", Brackles nevertheless manages to twist the template into weird and unique shapes. That this album has been released on Rinse isn't a surprise - he's encapsulated nearly twenty years of the station's sound into one record.

Review: Broken Youth are poetic in their origins- claiming their musical ethos draws on many influences, which is what you'd expect when half of them (DJ Benz) moonlights in the excellent Hot City. Together with production partner Sam Tee, the Broken Youth style is unveiled in suitably boisterous fashion with a bassline update of 90s classic "Dreamer." Already getting plenty of airtime on Miss Annie Mac's Radio One show, it's likely you will be hearing this throughout the Summer. Welcome Broken Youth

Review: French producer Koyote brings us the second installment in a trilogy of EPs slated for the Mixpak imprint. Bringing together a number of different styles, Koyote draws on grime, funky, house and old skool rave music. The Blowin My Mind EP kicks off with "Metro Bunny", in which a chirpy melody sits above smashing drum kicks and snares hypnotically, and takes us through "Blowin My Mind" with its funky influence, driving 4/4 beat and Redlight-esque patina. "Peanut Butter Complex" has a jacking house beat with droning SFX and quirky moments peeping in and out of focus and the "With Some Pretty Eyes" remix adds another dimension to this compelling EP.

Review: We know about the boy who cried wolf. But have you heard the one about the boy who cried Kry Wolf? No, neither have we. But dropping this bottom end savvy b-boy workout will certainly keep the wolves from your door for a while. Elsewhere you'll find "Under My Skin", a bashy, darker number with an incessant rhythm and some nifty finger clicks and handclaps. There's plenty to chat about on the remix tip, too: Mak & Pasteman turn "Black & Blue" into a Guy Called Gerald flavoured acid house joint, Daniel Haaksman massages "Under My Skin" into a hypnotic Made To Play style mode while Real delivers a slice of two-step so sexy you'll want to marry it.

Review: One of the more prolific artists in these times, Matt Cutler is back with his fifth album, which is an impressive feat in just five years of releasing music. It's a disregard for pretention that makes Cutler's music work so appealing, whether it be the exuberant 90s house approach on last album Emerald Fantasy Tracks or his earlier hip hop-tempo bump. Galaxy Garden starts off on a more esoteric tip with the tropical electronica of "New Colour", which captures the cheeriness of Plaid, or more recently Oriol on Planet Mu, in its sunshine chimes. By the time we get to "Lying In The Reeds" we're up to a house tempo that harks back to the softer side of early Detroit, playing with melody in a way that made Kenny Larkin stand out early on. It's when "Crystal Caverns 1991" starts up that we reach the most blatant distillation of old-skool; kicking off a breakstep beat with sweet but punchy 90s synths, the track cuts into a deadly rave motif without so much as a pause in the beat and it's like being back in, er, 1991. It would be easy to write off an album like this as derivative, but no-one can listen to the music itself and call it an imposter. Every track reeks of originality, whether it be the surprising track structures, the superbly detailed production, even the evocative imagery that the music conjures up. If you ever needed an album that felt like wide-eyed, innocent joy, this would be an excellent place to start.

Review: Released on Space Hardware, another new label from Hypercolour magnate Jamie Russell, American producer Placeholder impresses hugely on this debut. The whispy bass-house of "Brothers" makes for a gripping and minimal start to the EP, but "Don't U Know" is the real standout. Stocked to the brim with future-funk and neo-soul flavour, the expertly chopped and pitch-shifted vocals that drive it along are truly exceptional, with octaves layered on top of each other over a fresh 808 clap. Jacob Korn fleshes "Don't U Know" out with some tricked-out snares and hats on his remix (as well as his Todd Edwards-esque "NuGroove remix"), but that original really takes some beating. Highly recommended stuff!

Review: Not only does this 18-track album promise an excellent selection of music, but the accompanying one-hour mixed version is mixed by DJ Kumatozz, who weaves the lush, blissed out sounds seamlessly together for the ultimate listening experience. Brought to you on the Bass Machine imprint, expect spaced out atmospherics, sonorous vocals and deftly placed beats to predominate, alongside some more pumping 4/4 beats to get the party started. The album kicks off with It Was Ted - "Crush" and takes us through such moments as Pledge - "Be Alrite (Arrows Of Time remix)" with is ticking beats and hypnotic rhythms, to SoundBwoy Addiction - "Jungle Sess (Private Mix)" which takes things a bit more streetwise with a clear grime influence. A lovely array of sounds are on offer here - be sure to check out the mix as well.

Review: An all-star outing for Wildlife on the ever-reliable Man Recordings, featuring contributions from Daniel Haasman and, most impressively, Sheffield bass mogul Toddla T. The latter's collaboration, "Hear Dat", is arguably the EP's stand out moment. Kicking off with a smacked-out low-end buld, it quickly transforms into a rush of Juke-tempo percussion, dancehall bass and ear-piercing sirens. The Haaskman collab, "Paragon", is almost as impressive, offering a rolling blend of UK funky-goes-tropical drums and cut-up vocal wails. Elsewhere, the dubwise "Clapperz" impresses with its stoned blend of head-nodding drums and vintage Sheffield bleeps.