Bestsellers This Week

SPEAKS 013
20 May 13

Valentine (feat Kyiki) - (4:05)

Russian Roulette - (3:13)

Valentine (feat Kyiki - AppleBottom remix) - (6:03)

Valentine (feat Kyiki - Kyogi remix) - (4:14)

Valentine (feat Kyiki - Kaveh remix) - (4:11)

Valentine (feat Kyiki - Carling Ruse remix) - (3:52)

$1.89

Review: London via North Devon imprint Shifting Peaks are keeping the party pressure on with this bumper-packed EP. It's a label debut from duo De$ignated (Nima Bazrcar and Rory Bowyer) who split their time between London and Hampshire. Having garnered some major hype from a string of remixes, they've managed to secure Kyiki from Crystal Fighters for this, this own single. "Valentine" mixes fuzzy urban funk with old skool 2-step and half time breaks. "Russian Roulette" however is a much harder post-dubstep gurning banger. Best of the remixes is Kaveh's thumping acidic afterhours workout.

BREACH

Jack

Dirtybird US

DB 089
16 Apr 13

Jack - (5:13)

Let's Get Hot - (5:44)

Let's Get Hot (dub) - (5:46)

$1.89

Review: Ben Westbeach's Breach alter ego continues to frolic wildly in the lush pastures of low-end house music with "Jack". The bassline swings like an acid house pendulum while the beats shuffle nonchalantly in the background and a sultry staccato vocal delivers concise instructions on how to unleash the sexual potency of the groove. "Let's Get Hot" continues the timeless less-is-more jack magic but does so with much more of a techno twist. Getting hot is not an order... It's a promise.

FOAMO

Sherlock (remixes EP)

Fat!

CTFAT 127
20 May 13

Sherlock - (5:01)

Sherlock (Kry Wolf remix) - (5:20)

Sherlock (Taiki & Nulight remix) - (4:58)

Sherlock (Millions Like Us remix) - (3:23)

Sherlock (My Nu Leng remix) - (6:03)

Sherlock (LKid remix) - (5:58)

$1.89

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.

LOW STEPPA

Lowdown EP

Simma Black

SIMBLK 002
06 May 13

Vibin (original mix) - (4:17) 126 BPM

880 (original mix) - (5:16) 126 BPM

Fixate (original mix) - (5:30) 122 BPM

Up All Night (original mix) - (4:44) 123 BPM

Don't Stop (original mix) - (5:20) 126 BPM

Dots (original mix) - (4:48) 123 BPM

$1.89

KRY WOLF

Concrete

Sounds Of Sumo

SOS 027
13 May 13

Concrete - (4:40)

Bluffin - (4:40)

Concrete (Woz remix) - (4:41)

Bluffin (Benton remix) - (4:13)

$1.89

Played by: Low Slung, B.visible, Mat Cant, King, The Funk Hunters, Cosby (Car Crash Set)

Review: Sounds Of Sumo label bosses Kry Wolf return to their home imprint with a bold new sound in the form of Concrete; eschewing their usually lighter take on bass music, the title track is a dark combination of wobble bass and dub atmospherics, held together with some steely techno rhythms which comes across like Objekt's "Cactus", while "Bluffin" combines more abstract beats with ghetto house-inspired vocal samples and dubby stabs. Woz is tapped up to remix the title track, being considerably more sparing with the savage bass and rearranging its rhythms into something altogether more angular; Benton's remix of "Bluffin" is classic SOS, providing a bouncy piece of bass-heavy garage house.

ROYAL T

I Know You Want Me

Rinse

RINSE 024D2
20 May 13

I Know You Want Me - (5:13)

Koopa Shell - (4:08)

Saints (feat DOK) - (4:10)

$1.89

Played by: King

Review: Rinse's own Royal T has been listening to UKG for as long as he started stealing bootlegs from his brother. With the advent of online mixtape technology and the worlds of grime, bassline and UK funky at his feet, the Southampton-based producer's latest offering is a filthy culmination of sticky dancefloors, hastily-printed rave flyers, pirate radio and the dawning of crisply ironed trap. There's a feeling of nostalgia about the whole EP for times when listening to grime at the back of the bus really was the pinnacle. Nostalgia too often comes with negative connotations - rather than stale Royal T brings his own modern edge to the retrospective bubbles he creates with each track. It's a celebration rather than a museum piece. Long live the spirit of the underground.

GEORGE FITZGERALD

Thinking Of You

Hotflush Recordings

buy whole release (3 tracks) for ~~$5.26~~ $3.77

HF 040D
20 May 13

Thinking Of You - (5:19) 123 BPM

Nighttide Lover - (5:14) 125 BPM

Nighttide Lover (Trikk re-dub) - (6:27) 125 BPM

$1.75

Played by: Low Slung, Jeremy Glenn, Sccucci Manucci

Review: It's been some two years since Shackled, George Fitzgerald's last outing on Hotflush and it's fair to say the landscape both occupy has shifted some in that period. Both artist and label are fully entrenched in the current UK house explosion and Fitzgerald's return to Paul Rose's label with Thinking Of You seems primed to reverberate across festivals, Croatian beaches and warehouse spaces as the summer months roll on. A prominent track in Fitzgerald's recent Essential Mix, "Thinking Of You" sees the producer continue to refine an approach to forthright house music shown on recent dalliances with Aus Music and Hypercolour and feels almost proto fidget in execution. The techier accompaniment "Nighttide Lover" is drawn from a similar fist pumping palette and features rolling vocal manipulation reminiscent of Switch in his heyday.

1POINT5/DR CRYPTIC/DEADBEATUK/KOMMON

Four

Chip Butty

CHIP 005
17 May 13

1Point5 - "Void" - (6:08) 136 BPM

Dr Cryptic - "Dont Wait" - (6:04) 138 BPM

DeadbeatUK - "Chicago 6am" - (3:53) 136 BPM

Kommon - "Life" - (5:42) 136 BPM

$1.89

Played by: Low Slung

OHM

Tribal Tone (2013 remaster)

Unknown To The Unknown

UTTU 028
13 May 13

Tribal Tone (Mo' Better Grooves mix) - (5:33)

Tribal Tone (Ruffneck mix) - (4:48)

Tribal Tone (Marquis Hawkes remix) - (5:52)

Tribal Tone (Capracara remix) - (4:28)

Tribal Tone (Northern Souls remix) - (6:20)

$1.89

Played by: Phuturelabs

Review: Given Unknown To The Unknown's wide ranging remit, including bassline garage, Detroit electro and Chicago house, it was perhaps inevitable that a genuine 90s house record would find its way onto the label at some point. Originally released in 1992, OHM's "Tribal Tone" was supposedly the first tune to use the Korg M1 sound that was later immortalised by Robin S' "Show Me Love", and had considerable impact at the time, being championed The Shamen frontman Mr C, being licensed to R&S sub-label Global Cuts and US label Vibe, and finding itself remixed by the Sabres of Paradise trio. Here it finds itself with three similarly great remixes, a stripped-back, raw groover from Marquis Hawkes, a horn-heavy piece of 90s action from Capracara and a thundering mid-tempo effort from Northern Souls. Essential!

VARIOUS

Tectonic Plates Volume 4

Tectonic

buy whole release (12 tracks) for ~~$21.02~~ $9.44

506500 2003621
13 May 13

Jakes - "Rounds" - (6:00)

Guido - "State Of Joy" - (4:01)

Sinistarr & Texel - "Decibell" - (4:56)

Decibel - "Talk" - (4:38)

Mumdance & Logos - "Drum Boss" - (4:31)

Distal - "Kerplunk" - (4:42)

Kryptic Minds - "Convoluted" - (5:35)

Steve Digital - "Larry Shite" - (4:26)

Armour - "Skylark" - (5:25)

Pursuit Grooves - "Hard Beginnings" - (4:03)

Acre - "Dxtr" - (2:51)

Beneath - "Flight" - (6:49)

$1.75

Played by: Cosby (Car Crash Set)

Review: Entering what seems like a new phase for Pinch's bastion of forward-thinking dubstep, Tectonic Plates reaches its fourth edition and brings in a raft of fresh producers and new angles on just what the genre might mean in these fractured times. Even the classic standard bearers such as Jakes are bringing curious 4/4 momentum in amidst the sparse, dread filled pressure, while Guido pivots off of the plush musicality of his album to create an utterly broken symphony on "State Of Joy". There are a lot of different ideas floating around the whole compilation, and yet everything holds together with the deep-rooted soundsystem mentality that has always defined Tectonic as a shining example of what dubstep has always meant.

JAKWOB feat MAIDAY

Fade

Boom Ting Recordings

BOOMT 002DX
17 Mar 13

Fade (club VIP) - (5:14)

Fade (club mix) - (6:00)

Fade (Etherwood VIP) - (5:51)

$1.89

Played by: Platform, DJ Jimi Needles, Cocaine On Her Dress

Review: It's been a long journey for James Edward Jacob, from young thrash metaller in Leicester to aspiring dubstep producer in college, and now hot future bass property. This EP of his own VIP mixes is premier grade stuff, expertly produced and cleverly tweaked for different moods. "Fade" gets three different interpretations here - a club mix that sees big crescendos drop into totally nasty 4/4 garage basslines, a different club mix that goes deeper with soft pads and a retro Enya-goes-RnB vibe, and finally the Etherwood version, all melancholic DnB, forlorn vocals and piano fused with low bass and urgent beats.

ADDISON GROOVE/DIE

Keyhole

Gutterfunk

buy whole release (2 tracks) for ~~$3.78~~ $3.49

505114 2099341
12 May 13

Keyhole - (4:45) 135 BPM

HydroPump - (4:41) 130 BPM

$1.89

Played by: Big Dope P, King

Review: Bristol's DJ Die has gone one better than signing Addison Groove to his Gutterfunk imprint, he's only gone and collaborated with him on both tracks here as well! The footwork-influenced side project of Headhunter, Addison Groove assumes charge of "Keyhole" - a stripped back excursion into sultry voodoo beats. Meanwhile on "Hydropump", DJ Die takes the lead steering this ship into breaky hip-house waters in the process.

GORGON CITY

Real EP

Black Butter

BLKBTR 38
18 Feb 13

Real (feat Yasmin) - (4:37)

Thor (explicit) - (6:16)

Athena - (5:20)

10 Below - (6:19)

$1.89

Played by: Mat Cant, Redsoul, Alkalino, Juno Recommends Deep House, Utah Saints, Martin Solveig, Kid Kenobi, Kono Vidovic

Review: This powerhouse duo - a collaboration between none other than Foamo and Rack N Ruin - dropped their killer debut EP last year and since then things have been ominously quiet. Well, now they're back with a stonking great new release that fully explores the pair's interest in all things deep and groovy. "Real" features the vocal talents of rising star Yasmin and manages to be both an exotic pop anthem and a sparse, 4/4 bass head-nodder. "Thor" is nasty dark basement fodder, "Athena" is a lithe, tropical acrobat of a tune and "10 Below" is a sinister house-meets-garage monster.

CHUBBA

Moody

Republic

361015 2542227
25 Mar 13

Moody - (6:08) 125 BPM

Diamonds - (5:16) 126 BPM

Broken - (5:40) 125 BPM

Broken (Erotic City remix) - (4:16) 122 BPM

Broken (Medicis & Vanshift remix) - (5:28) 126 BPM

$1.89

Played by: Thang, Alkalino, Commodore 69 (Hot N Heavy), Jack Fell Down, Cocaine On Her Dress, Benny Kane

Review: Jay 'Chubba' Richards has been popping up all over the place of late, with recent releases on Sirch and Odea Records. Here, he brings his particular brand of contemporary house and UK funky fusion to Republic. "Moody" - so-called because it features a prominent sample from Kenny Dixon Jnr talking about his MPC - sets the tone, layering tough electronic percussion over a monstrous bassline. "Diamonds" sounds like a fusion of classic UKG and '90s house, while "Broken" feels like the sort of thing that Hypercolour should be signing (think nice chords, tasty vocal stabs and bassline-driven deep house flavour). There's also a tougher, UK funky-flavoured tweak from Vedicis and Vanshift that's well worth a listen.

VARIOUS

Paris Club Music: Volume 1

ClekClekBoom

buy whole release (16 tracks) for ~~$30.24~~ $15.99

CCBCD 001
22 Apr 13

French Fries - "Yo Vogue" (VIP) - (4:56)

Manare - "Riddle" - (5:02)

The Town - "Dice" - (5:41)

Jean Nipon - "Coming At You" - (5:01)

French Fries - "Southside" - (6:04)

Coni - "Missing You Nire" - (5:42)

Ministre X - "Kobe" - (6:01)

French Fries - "Champagne" - (4:23)

French Fries - "Hugz" (feat Bambounou) - (6:35)

Coni - "Luz In Pool" - (8:27)

Ministre X - "Calling Me" (feat Sana - radio edit) - (3:42)

The Town - "The Movement" - (5:01)

Bambounou - "Night" - (4:45)

Manare - "Quartz" - (6:05)

Chaos In The CBD - "Slab" - (4:16)

Jean Nipon - "Put It In The Trunk" - (4:39)

$1.89

Played by: Mat Cant, Commodore 69 (Hot N Heavy), Two Charming Men

Review: With the imminent return of Daft Punk reminding us all of Paris's vibrant electronic music heritage, local label ClekClekBoom pop-up to provide us with a wide-eyed snapshot of the current Parisian underground. There are hints of familiar French staples - the stomping Ed Banger-ish ravery of The Town's "Dice", the classic house flex of Coni's "Missing You Nire" - but for the most part Paris Club Music Volume 1 dances to a different beat. With label regulars French Fries coming to the fore, much of the album is devoted to the sort of hard-to-pigeonhole bass music that takes its influence as much from B-more, R&B and UK garage as filter funk and electro-house.

FUNKYSTEPZ

Amsterdam Girls Go Wild

Moveltraxx

MTXLT 130
20 May 13

Amsterdam Girls Go Wild - (3:21)

Amsterdam Girls Go Wild (Big Dope P remix) - (2:26)

Amsterdam Girls Go Wild (Lazy Flow remix) - (5:07)

Amsterdam Girls Go Wild (Ezekiel remix) - (3:49)

Amsterdam Girls Go Wild (Hush Hush Pony remix) - (5:11)

Amsterdam Girls Go Wild (instrumental edit) - (2:46)

$1.89

Played by: Big Dope P, King

PALEMAN

Half Out

School

buy whole release (2 tracks) for ~~$3.78~~ $3.49

SCHOOL 002D
20 May 13

Half Out - (5:08)

Etch - (4:47)

$1.89

Review: Crisp, on point production meets lo-fi aesthetics in "Half Out", the first track on this two sider by Manchester-based techno/house rising star Paleman. Simple and emotive, his influences clearly come from the garage and deep house section of the record store, and for that there's a real depth to his sound. "Etch" is a slightly more flamboyant affair - if there ever was such a word in Paleman's vocabulary - with bruising techno kicks underpinning a series of percussive sections and a seriously addictive bassline. If this tune isn't gracing the pinnacle of the night in your local discotheque, you're going to the wrong places, mate.

KORELESS

Yugen

Young Turks

880319 610714
20 May 13

Ivana - (3:21)

Sun - (6:36)

Last Remnants - (4:20)

Nosun - (5:05)

Never - (4:48)

$1.89

TAIKI & NULIGHT

Late Nights EP

Cheap Thrills

CHEAP 080
21 Apr 13

Take Me Up - (4:30) 134 BPM

Footwerk - (3:56) 133 BPM

Late Nights - (5:08) 132 BPM

Offkey - (4:24) 134 BPM

$1.89

Played by: Mr Brainz / Orpheus:ldn, Juno Recommends Uk Funky/Garage, Sister Bliss

Review: The success of Taiki & Nulight's recent low-key release Late Nights has now seen it expand into a full-blown EP. Again released by Herve's Cheap Thrills, the title track is a dubby, wobbly 4x4 garage roller. "Take Me Up" is a straight up, hands in the air party anthem, "Footwerk" is dark, deep and very late night bassline houser , but it's all about "Offkey" for sheer next level sounds.

A2C

Kick & Bass EP

Pandora Box

PBR 032
10 May 13

Kick & Bass (original mix) - (5:51) 125 BPM

The Groove (original mix) - (6:01) 133 BPM

Fat Man (original mix) - (5:29) 125 BPM

I Got The Music (original mix) - (5:28) 135 BPM

$1.89

Played by: A2c, Pandora Box Records The Best Tracks

DISCLOSURE

Control

Greco Roman

506500 1989537
02 Apr 13

Control - (4:49) 134 BPM

Lividup - (6:05) 116 BPM

Control (Joe Goddard remix) - (6:34) 126 BPM

Boiling (Dixon rework) - (9:31) 126 BPM

Whats In Your Head (Mak & Pasteman remix) - (4:42) 128 BPM

Boiling (Medlar remix) - (5:52) 120 BPM

$1.89

Played by: Homegroove Project, Mooqee, Sw, B. Jinx, Juno Recommends Uk Funky/Garage, Huxley, Funk And Filth

Review: The chart-bothering Surrey siblings Disclosure are back with possibly their best offering yet. Released on the Hot Chip-affiliated Greco-Roman label, "Control" is a superb slice of sultry and soulful minimal garage, with short of breath vocals that echo vintage Janet Jackson. Joe Goddard seriously challenges the glory of the original with a mesmerising doomy, acid-tinged electro-disco version. Bonus tune "Lividup" is an ecstatic bleep-garage joy and there's further fun with "Boiling" being given cosmic trance (Dixon) and mega camp house (Medlar) workovers. Plus "Whats In Your Head" gets a boombox house mix by Mak & Pasteman.

SKANX

State Of Jungle EP

Sub Slayers

SLAYER 021
05 Apr 13

Afrika - (4:59) 140 BPM

Afrika (6BLOCC Steppers Rremix) - (5:09) 140 BPM

Boom - (5:23) 140 BPM

Dubplate War - (2:48) 141 BPM

$1.89

Played by: Nice Up! Soundsystem, Justin Johnson, Juno Recommends Breakbeat, Ragga Scum

Review: Destination "Afrika" via LA... Here we find Sub Slayer Skanx delving deep into jungle heritage with a muddy roller that packs the same foggy, radar-ridden breakbeat punch as the Meat Beat Manifesto's "Radio Babylon". For a more contemporary dub twist head for 6BLOCC's remix; stripping things back to a nagging 4/4 sub thump, it's the perfect blend of trad dub and stark future-minded bass music. Elsewhere we don the white gloves for the rave-tastic "Boom" while Eek-A-Mouse goes under the sample scalpel on the swashbuckling "Dub War". The junglist massive are on fine form right here.

SYMBIZ SOUND

OneFourFive

Rootdown Germany

buy whole release (15 tracks) for ~~$28.35~~ $15.99

RDM 13082-3
29 Apr 13

Soundboy Dead (feat ZHI MC) - (2:25) 145 BPM

Globetrotters (feat La Methode) - (3:28) 148 BPM

Ruff Ride (feat Lady Chann) - (3:24) 145 BPM

Kick People! (skit) - (0:46) 146 BPM

Down Under (feat Spoek Mathambo) - (2:57) 145 BPM

Taking Over (feat ZHI MC) - (3:18) 144 BPM

Controlando (feat Bituaya & McKlopedia) - (2:34) 146 BPM

Bad So (feat Feral Is Kinky) - (2:37) 144 BPM

Shakka Boom! (skit) - (0:52) 144 BPM

Soldierlettes (feat Etzia) - (3:45) 145 BPM

Link Up! (skit) - (0:29) 146 BPM

Top Class (feat Singin Gold) - (3:00) 145 BPM

Miss Independent (feat BRNGTN) - (3:36) 145 BPM

Bushweed - (2:45) 144 BPM

All Alone (feat Teacha Dee) - (4:06) 145 BPM

$1.89

Played by: Juno Recommends Dancehall/Ragga, Ez Icarus

Review: It's a meeting of minds on this long player with rootsy German label Root Down releasing this much-anticipated album from Korean-German 'future dancehall' act Symbiz Sound. There's plenty of tunes, 15 in total here, many of which featuring either the talents of ZHI MC or Feral Is Kinky. Highlights include the sweet sounding lovers rock of opener "Soundboy Dead", the bassy, ghetto-hop of "Ruff Ride", the digital dancehall of "Down Under" and the sheer tribalism of "Bad So".

ODESSA

Odessa Trax Vol 1

Shifting Peaks

SPEAKS 011
06 May 13

Get Right - (5:07)

Put You Down - (5:12)

Tell Me - (5:14)

Get Right (Ossie remix) - (6:30)

Tell Me (Artefact remix) - (5:12)

$1.89

Played by: Mat Cant, Cosby (Car Crash Set)

Review: No prizes for getting that it's house o'clock round Odessa towers (it's always house o'clock round there). This EP features five incarnations of the aforementioned house; all different but assertive in their own way. The three originals take in delirious, jackin', frenzied piano house ("Get Right"), filthy warehouse, bassline-y hip-house ("Put You Down") and (best of all) minimal and techy after hours darkness ("Tell Me"). Winning the best remix of the package award is Artefact who delivers a totally out there deep and brooding remix that features some the deepest sub bass we've heard in ages!

LAST MAGPIE

1995

Losing Suki

SUKI 011
25 Feb 13

1995 - (6:03)

Hypno - (6:10)

Roots - (6:15)

Fallen - (8:07)

$1.89

Played by: Mr Brainz / Orpheus:ldn, Spilt Milk, Jack Fell Down, Dale Howard

Review: Wow! Are people looking back with rose-tinted glasses to 1995 already? Well at least this 'musical magpie' is only borrowing ideas and sounds rather than copying wholesale! Possibly a bit darker than his previous releases this EP features dubby UKG ("1995"), glitchy, post-dubstep ("Hypno", "Fallen") and even a bit of wobble-heavy UKF ("Roots").

ADESSE

Untitled Love EP

Prime Numbers

PN 20
17 May 13

Untitled Love - (6:45) 124 BPM

Supernal - (5:01) 150 BPM

Metachemistry - (6:34) 123 BPM

$1.89

Played by: Sccucci Manucci

Review: Having made his debut on Prime Numbers earlier this year with his titular contribution to a split release alongside Truss and Massimo De Lena, Adesse is granted a full release with this all killer no filler Untitled Love EP. For someone who came to the fore with a version of Theo Parrish's "Sky Walking, it's unsurprising that the title track here has a rugged charm reminiscent of the outspoken Sound Signature boss - it's all about that thumping snare son! Meanwhile "Supernal" veers into deep steppers territory and contains some ingenious looping of a Laurie Anderson standard, whilst "Metachemistry" highlights Adesse's talent for loose, freeform arrangements.

URBAN KNIGHTS feat DADDY FREDDY

Jamaica To Miami

Sub Slayers

buy whole release (7 tracks) for ~~$13.23~~ $9.99

SLAYER 022
03 May 13

Jamaica To Miami - (5:11) 136 BPM

Jamaica To Miami (Benny Kane remix) - (4:49) 133 BPM

Jamaica To Miami (6BLOCC 'Trapped Out' remix) - (4:24) 140 BPM

Jamaica To Miami (Skanx 'Future Junglist' remix) - (5:30) 140 BPM

Jamaica To Miami (Black & White 'DnB' remix) - (4:31) 129 BPM

Jamaica To Miami (Rebel Sonix 'Bass' remix) - (4:42) 129 BPM

Jamaica To Miami (Rebel Sonix Vs Geek Boy remix) - (5:15)

$1.89

Played by: Benny Kane

Review: Benny Kane and Dr Specs hook up with one of dancehall's most distinctive vocalists Daddy Freddy. The result? A dark, near-menacing stepper with a heavy, ominous vibe. Remix-wise every bass base is covered: Benny Kane adds a tropical hollow-bass stomp, 6BLOCC cause 808 meltdown on their Trapped Out rub, Skanx sharpens his rave breaks so much they can cut your ears from 50 paces, Black & White up the tempo for a hectic laser-puncher of "Tarantula" proportions and Rebel Sonix outlays two different versions; one laden with bleeps, the other laden with jaunty skanks and high end screams. Immense.

SAVAGE SKULLS & DOUSTER

Bass Kick

Dim Mak US

DM 352
26 Feb 13

Bass Kick - (4:25)

TRT - (3:38)

Nicole - (4:33)

$1.89

Played by: Odiggity, Mat Cant, Juno Recommends Uk Funky/Garage, Wednesday The Rat, Benny Kane

Review: Swedish duo Savage Skulls have been making some serious noise in bass circles since about 2008. Now they've gone stateside, talking Frenchman Douster with them and signing up with Steve Aoki's Dim Mak label. This EP is unrepentantly aimed at the dancefloor: "Bass Kick" is hysterical, peak time madness with heavily compressed tropical beats and ascending synth melodies, "TRT" is tough party-garage with EDM-friendly trance breakdown and finally "Nicole" is total pop-dance euphoria.

DARK SKY

Black Rainbows EP

Black Acre

ACRE 033
26 Mar 12

F Technology - (4:41)

Tremor - (4:48)

Zoom - (4:39)

Totum - (6:10)

$1.89

Played by: Odiggity, Flash Atkins, Shadow Dancer, Hxdb, Commodore 69 (Hot N Heavy), Bunny On Acid, Simon/Off, Mike Hindle - Immersed Audio, Breakbeat.is, Djs: Most Charted - Dubstep, Paradisiaca Recordings, Konnekt - Hot N Heavy, Mak & Pasteman, Rocky Horror

Review: Having made waves with their 50Weapons EP last year, the Black Rainbows EP sees the trio's triumphant return to Black Acre. Opening with the sparse, stripped back rhythms of "F-Technology", razor sharp snare hits dovetail between cavernous bass hits to create the kind of dread-inducing atmospheres one associates with the label. "Tremor", meanwhile is all about those rough and tumble drums, while the sub bass groans of "Zoom" and neon-tinged roughness of "Totum" round off an unsurprisingly excellent package. There's nobody hitting that sweet spot between classic dubstep and contemporary garage styles quite like Dark Sky, and this is as excellent an example of their productions as you'll hear.

MARTYN

Newspeak EP

Dolly

DOLLYDUBS 2
18 Mar 13

Oceania - (5:12)

Newspeak - (6:27)

What Is Room 101 - (6:02)

$1.89

Played by: Paul Mac, Scott Fell, Earl Grey, Nowakowski, Dusty / Jazz & Milk, Alkalino, Dairmount (Room With A View Recs), Roberto Rodriguez, Juno Recommends Techno, Tom (Shur-I-Kan) Szirtes, Commodore 69 (Hot N Heavy), Posthuman, Tom (Shur-I-Kan) Szirtes, Blind Prophet (South Fork Sound), Simonlebon, Resident Advisor, Tom Taylor, Ben Pearce

Review: Ahead of a forthcoming new album for Brainfeeder, Martyn drops this killer induction into Steffi's recently established Dolly Dubs imprint. The offshoot launched in relatively low key fashion late last year, with Swedish producer Staffan Lindberg at the helm. The addition of Steffi's compatriot Martyn is however big news, with the three track Newspeak EP the Dutchman's first proper release since Hello Darkness, the single that bookended his album for Brainfeeder in March of last year. Long term devotees of the 3024 boss's output should be familiar with the sub heavy snap of the title track which featured on his Essential Mix for Radio 1 last Spring, whilst lead track "Oceania" is a rolling, broken treat.

VARIOUS

Global Footwork Vol 1

Booty Call

buy whole release (12 tracks) for ~~$22.68~~ $12.99

BCR 028
13 May 13

DJ Phil - "Access" (feat Sat Pm) - (3:48)

DJ Earl - "U Gon Suck to" - (3:15)

Juke Ellington - "Tek & Trill Life" (feat Heavee Dee) - (4:01)

EQ Why - "And There I Go" - (3:01)

Fidser - "Juke Bells" - (4:14)

DJ Hilti - "Sex To Me" - (4:09)

Sarantis - "Nice To C" - (4:33)

Satanicpornocultshop - "Osaru No Kagoya" - (3:06)

DJ Taye - "She Like 2 Twerk" - (3:39)

Guchon - "Tennoz" - (5:44)

Mister Ries - "The Near Future" - (6:30)

DJ Curt - "My Sorrows" - (4:17)

$1.89

Review: The phenomenon that answers to the names 'footwork' or 'juke' has spread far and wide since its origins as a sped up fusion of ghetto, jackin' and hip-beats in Chicago. It's spread so far in fact, that French label, Booty Call, have taken it upon themselves to present this inspired compilation in an attempt to put the genre firmly on the musical map. They've got taste too, and highlights of these 12 prime cuts include: the deep synth fest of 'Access", the porno-hop frenzy of "Sex To Me" and the Kenny G on downers vibe of "My Sorrows".

ISHOME

Confession

Fuselab

buy whole release (9 tracks) for ~~$17.01~~ $11.99

FSLAB 012
15 May 13

Grade - (4:19)

Adam - (4:10) 140 BPM

Tetra 94 (part 1) - (3:16)

Wildness - (4:45)

Sad Family - (4:46)

Tetra 94 (part 2) - (5:00)

It Exists - (3:41)

Ken Tavr - (5:07)

Earth - (5:36)

$1.89

Review: Russian producer Ishome has been bubbling away for years, checking in on myriad genres from dub to prog to techno. Here we find her in full dub mode, serving up some of her most sensual sonics to date. Flicking with finesse from cut n' paste starlight delight ("Adam") to swampier, more pensive pieces ("Sad Family") via ambient space baroque ("It Exists"), she shows maturity and rich depths throughout the full album. This should appeal to everyone from Trentemoller fans to Kokeshi lovers.

LOUIE JOHN

Speeding EP

Soulserious

SSR 041
20 May 13

Speeding - (6:09) 126 BPM

Wasabi - (8:07) 126 BPM

1996 - (7:38) 126 BPM

Everbody - (7:10) 126 BPM

Rock The Party - (7:39) 126 BPM

Diversions - (6:07) 126 BPM

$1.89

Review: This guy has settled in with Reading UKF label Soulserious like a comfy pair of old slippers. Why not when they totally support his sound, to the point where his EPs are now bordering on mini-LPs! "Speeding" features six new joints all revealing his finely honed production skills. He blends slick, jazzy pads with shuffling garage beats that often veer into a sleazy tech-house side of town, and there's always a few retro nods to the good old 90s.

DECIBEL feat FLOWDAN

Skanks

Four40

FF 036
01 Apr 13

Skanks - (4:06)

Skanks (radio edit) - (3:25)

Skanks (instrumental) - (4:06)

Skanks (Hybrid Theory remix) - (5:27)

Skanks (Enigma Dubz remix) - (4:39)

$1.89

Played by: Cosby (Car Crash Set)

Review: It's bashment o'clock round Decibel towers judging by the sound of his new bomb, and the currently on fire Newcastle producer doesn't appear to be mellowing any time soon. It's all about the party here on "Skanks", mercilessly so, especially with the legendary grime MC Flowdan on vocal duties - there won't be a dancefloor left alive after this incendiary fusion of footwork, tropical and hysterical rave is dropped. Just in the (unlikely) case it doesn't rock your world, there are two extra mixes supplied - Hybrid Theory deliver a slower, wobble-heavy housey version, while the Enigma Dubz mix defiantly keeps the classic dubstep sound alive!

PEV/HODGE

Bells

Punch Drunk

buy whole release (2 tracks) for ~~$3.78~~ $3.49

DRUNK 031
13 May 13

Bells (System mix) - (7:30)

Bells (dream sequence) - (8:45)

$1.89

Played by: Cosby (Car Crash Set)

Review: It's been three years since Peverelist released anything on his own Punch Drunk label; of late his productions have come out primarily on the Livity Sound imprint he runs with Kowton and Asusu, or on Hessle Audio. Here he returns to Punch Drunk in triumphant form, using the truncated Pev name to drop two versions with fellow Bristolian Jacob Martin, best known for his solo productions as Hodge, and his work as one half of Idle Hands house duo Outboxx. Entitled Bells, the single sees two takes on the same track; given both Martin's house credentials and Ford's dubstep past and recent forays into slower rhythmic terrain it's no surprise that both tracks are steady, mid-tempo house imbued with Bristol's bass-weight heritage. "Bells (System Mix)" employs syncopated kicks and dub chords over its tunnelling bass, while "Bells (Dream Sequence)" is a more linear Chicago-inspired house cut with distant chimes and abstract synth textures, sounding not unlike some of the dreamier fare released on MOS Recordings.

DJRUM

Seven Lies

2nd Drop

buy whole release (9 tracks) for ~~$17.01~~ $11.99

2NDRPLP 001D
22 Apr 13

Obsession - (7:04)

Comos Los Cerdos - (4:34)

Dam - (9:01)

Arcana (Do I Need You) - (8:06)

Lies (feat Shadowbox) - (5:37)

Honey - (4:58)

Arcana (Coda) - (1:14)

Anchors (feat Shadowbox) - (6:24)

Thank You - (6:50)

$1.89

Played by: Paul Mac, Seth Merlo, Cosby (Car Crash Set)

Review: We don't usually condone lying here at Juno, but when you tell seven of them across a beautiful nine track debut album, it's absolutely acceptable. Applaudable, even. Highlights across this deep, tightly woven bass adventure include the Portishead-style trippy dubtronica of "Comos Los Cerdos", the somnambulant drones and breathy washes of "Lies", the nagging techno loopery of "Dam" and the trembling graveyard soul of "Arcana".

KRUEGER

Smoke City EP

Paradisiaca Recordings

PRC 005
22 Apr 13

Giggles - (4:25)

Giggles (Obey City remix) - (4:01)

Giggles (Doctor Jeep remix) - (5:26)

Can You - (3:33)

Can You (Rizzla remix) - (4:33)

Can You (Lockah Remix) - (5:31)

$1.89

Played by: Dev79, Paradisiaca Recordings, Cosby (Car Crash Set)

Review: Deftly exploring the creative possibilities in the endless badlands of a post-dubstep landscape, Krueger references everything from juke to techno across his two originals. "Giggles" is a paranoid, minimal masterpiece that refuses to be pigeonholed, while "Can You" is basically acid house if it arrived twenty-five years later. Complex yet stark and simplistic both are the epitome of electronic music's earliest, most essential ingredients. And the remixes are all pretty special, too...

ARCADE

Feel The Heat

No Brainer

NBR 030
10 May 13

Feel The Heat - (4:53) 124 BPM

Pop Dat - (5:14) 126 BPM

Feel The Heat (Frogs In Socks remix) - (6:23) 121 BPM

Feel The Heat (Matthias Zimmermann remix) - (5:41) 126 BPM

Feel The Heat (Nehuen remix) - (5:15) 122 BPM

$1.89

KILL FRENZY feat DJ FUNK

Make That Booty Clap (remixes)

Dirtybird US

DB 092
21 May 13

Make That Booty Clap - (5:45)

Make That Booty Clap (The Martin Brothers remix) - (6:42)

Make That Booty Clap (Zombie Disco Squad remix) - (5:41)

Make That Booty Clap (Plastician remix) - (5:47)

Make That Booty Clap (Mark Starr Booty tech remix) - (4:04)

$1.89

Review: Hailing from Belgium, this guy has gone from making harsh and accelerated chipmunk-voiced beats (often of the juke/footwork variety) to deeper stuff. Here the slower, throbbing "Make That Booty Clap" is remixed by a number of names: The Martin Brothers go electro-meets-Chicago, while Zombie Disco Squad push the jackin' levels into the red, Plastician goes slow and evil sounding and Mark Starr goes for a stripped down (pun intended) trap style workout.

DVWLX

Not Another Love Song

Black Butter

BLKBTR 41
21 Apr 13

Not Another Love Song - (4:19)

Get Out - (4:22)

Just Like That - (4:53)

$1.89

Played by: Juno Recommends Techno

Review: From the label who gave us Gorgon City and Rudimental comes another exciting new act, DVWLX (or David Wilcox as he's known to the taxman). Taking the bass flavours of labels such as Pets and Dirtybird but dropping the tempo down a notch or two, "Not Another Love Song" oozes a classy sense of timelessness. "Get Out" is darker and deeper again with a lovely succession of reverberating, dubbed out textures; think 2020 Vision's early output and you're not far off. "Just Like That" takes us deeper again, nodding at formative progressive sounds while maintaining a slight cheekiness with cool VonStroke style diced vocal hits. As far as debut records go, this is near-on faultless.

CAUSE & AFFECT/WORTHY/JUSTIN JAY

Dirtybird Players Sampler

Dirtybird US

DB 085
05 Feb 13

Cause & Affect - "Don't Like To Do That" - (5:35)

Worthy - "Dip" - (5:55)

Justin Jay - "Altitude" - (5:16)

$1.89

Played by: Santero, Spiller, Ya Dun Know, Diplo, Pablo Contraband (Disco Deviant), Hxdb, Nsekt, Lucent, Eats Everything, Cocaine On Her Dress

ALEX BARCK

REUNION 1&2 EP

Sonar Kollektiv Germany

REUNION 1EP
20 May 13

Alex Barck & Jonatan Backelie - "Don't Hold Back" - (6:33)

Alex Barck & Jonatan Backelie - "Don't Hold Back" (Copy Paste Soul remix) - (6:44)

Re-Set (feat Pete Josef) - (5:28)

Re-set (feat Pete Josef - Hannes Fischer Remix) - (6:14)

Re-set (feat Pete Josef - Marlow Remix) - (7:04)

$1.89

Review: Alex Barck has achieved a lot over the last two decades - pioneering nu-jazz blends with Jazzanova, helping set up Sonar Kollektiv, a fine album with Christian Prommer - but he's not released many solo records. In fact, his debut solo album, Reunion, is due later in the year. This taster gives a glimpse as to what to expect, a dewy-eyed blend of electronic soul, bruk-influenced deep house and unbridled positivity. The EP's two original tracks are predictably sublime, with Pete Josef collaboration "Re-Set" - an exercise in effortlessly soulful, heavily electronic deep house - just edging out the more obviously anthemic Jonathan Backelie hook-up "Don't Hold Back". Elsewhere, Marlow's deep acid rework of "Re-Set" is also superb.

ROMARE

Love Songs Part 1

Black Acre

ACRE 040
25 Mar 13

Your Love (You Give Me Fever) - (5:53)

Jimi & Faye (part 1) - (5:12)

Taste Of Honey (From The City) - (6:16)

Hey Now (When I Give You All My Lovin') - (2:26)

$1.89

Played by: Dusty / Jazz & Milk, Chris Coco, Cocaine On Her Dress

Review: When Peggy Lee slinked around in the 50s to the sultry strains of "Fever", could she ever have imagined that half a century later, people like Romare would be turning her tune into a weed smokin', love makin' slo-mo RnB jam? Unlikely to say the least, but "Your Love (You Give Me Fever") is on the money and respectful, if different to the original's mood. Elsewhere, "Jimi & Faye" is a warped take on blues, "Taste Of Honey" recalls the days of daisy age hip-hop and "Hey Now" is a weary and haunting piano lament.

BOEMKLATSCH

Cravings Of A Mad Man

Basserk Holland

BASSERK 00079
13 May 13

Cravings Of A Mad Man - (5:18)

Cravings Of A Mad Man (BoeBoe remix) - (3:37)

Cravings Of A Mad Man (Subp Yao remix) - (4:59)

Cravings Of A Mad Man (High Rankin remix) - (5:18)

$1.89

Played by: King

COHOBA

$lu$h

Crackling Claps

CC 018
13 May 13

$lu$h - (3:23)

Mine (with N6el) - (3:25)

The Sound (with Ronald K) - (5:41)

Hamburglar - (5:40)

Treez - (5:29)

$1.89

ARCHIE PELAGO

Sly Gazabo

Archie Pelago Music

AP 001
20 May 13

Avocado Roller (feat Becca Stevens) - (4:54)

In The Room - (4:51)

Sly Gazabo - (15:39)

Nancy's Library (feat 5150 Sound) - (3:27)

$1.89

VARIOUS

Digging The Blogosphere 2

Heavenly Sweetness Holland

buy whole release (15 tracks) for ~~$28.35~~ $15.99

HS 051
24 Apr 13

INT - "Where You Gone" - (3:10)

Ta-Ku - "Down Brandy" (feat Roughsoul) - (3:17)

Dope Gems - "Journey To Shore" - (4:58)

Bonnie Banane - "Muscles" - (3:13)

Moodprint - "Boomboxin" - (3:03)

Modlee & Vlooper - "All Matter" - (4:45)

Roux Spana - "7th Week (We're Almost There)" - (3:28)

Philip Owusu - "The Followers" - (3:20)

Naytronix - "Freak Out" - (3:58)

Sango - "The Differences (Diferencas)" (reprise) - (3:47)

MonkeyRobot - "YBMJ" - (7:11)

Up High Collective - "Dealing" - (3:53)

Monster Sneaker - "Paintball" - (5:50)

Noyce - "Lucy" (Lucy's Song) - (5:08)

Jacaranda Muse - "Let You Go" (Baron Retif & Concepcion Perez remix) - (3:52)

$1.89

Played by: Juno Recommends Downtempo

Review: Following on from their first instalment, the guys at Parisian soul/funk/jazz label Heavenly Sweetness are back with a follow up. Having spent months scouring the net for the best new sounds, they proudly present the cream of their findings - 15 in total. Highlights include the future bass/jazzy trapisms of "Down Brandy" which takes the eponymous RnB singer and warps her into another dimension, the drunk cat on a keyboard-isms of "Muscles", the cool retro hip-hop of "Boomboxin" and the 80s freestyle pop of "The Followers".

KRY WOLF

The Flood

Food Music

YUM 002
10 Mar 13

The Flood - (5:45) 124 BPM

Workin' Hard - (5:11) 123 BPM

Together - (4:40) 125 BPM

Together (Makes No Sense remix) - (6:04) 124 BPM

$1.89

Played by: Ya Dun Know, Alkalino, Diplo, Juno Recommends Deep House

Review: Not content with having risen on the tides of their Sound of Sumo label's success, label bosses Kry Wolf have elected to start a new label in the form of Food Music. Debuting last year with a release from Shadow Child, the pair now take centre stage for the label's second release. Entitled The Flood, the lead track combines sharp tech-house beats with buzzsaw bass and slick vocal samples, all coated in deep strings, while "Workin Hard" takes things up a notch with its crisp flurry of claps and synth bubbles driven along by some peak-time rave piano. "Together" meanwhile combines techno and bass in equal measure with its dark, tunnelling acidic bassline and dubbed out piano chords; it's a stark contrast to Makes No Sense's remix of the track which gives it into a light UKG-inspired rework.

OL & YOIN

Sink EP

Fine Grains