Awkward Movements At Juno Download

Review: It's safe to say we're not short of a record label or two these days, but inevitably with quantity comes a great deal of filler. The whole idea of an imprint varies from person to person; to some it's a mere vessel for transporting an artist's wares, to others it's an artistic statement as strong as the music contained within. While it may only be five releases old, Awkward Movements is already showing some admirable credentials as a label proper. AWK 005 finds another burgeoning talent in dubstep taking the reins, as the seemingly nomadic Daojia delivers a sensitive track focused on crisp garage drum patterns and accomplished melodic content. "Riego Street Dub" is a dynamic track that glides naturally between different phrases and sections within its six-minute run time, primarily denoted by differing configurations of winsome bleeps, yet it never strays too far from its plotted course.If you were to take a guess at the choice of remixer, the chances are that you wouldn't have settled on Scan 7. The shadowy Detroit collective spearheaded by Trackmasta Lou hardly come across as the most approachable of remixers, not least for a fledgling, dubstep-oriented label based in the UK, but full credit to label chief Keith Pettinger for locking them down. The resulting remix is everything you would hope for from the UR-affiliated crew, with a propulsive, hard-hitting beat under-pinning wistful pads with that mixture of soul and brute-force that makes Detroit techno so alluring. Subtle shifts in the beat programming go by almost unnoticed as the relentless drive of the track takes hold, but it's these masterful touches that give such tracks their energy.

Review: This time last year, London-based producer NKC caused a bit of a fuss with his debut 12", the impressive 8-bit/tropical soundclash "Marie". Here he returns with another EP of on-point goodness that's every bit as booming as that notable debut - better still, it's seeing release on Awkward Movements, one of our favourite little labels. "Fading Floor" fixes acid house era rave riffs (think "This Is Acid") and spiraling vocal samples to a shuffling tropical rhythm, while "Shockout" nags away with darkroom stabs and clandestine percussion. Dave Jones dons his Maddslinky guise to remix the latter, offering more left-of-centre bass pressure. There's also a fine Raimo refix of "Fading Floor" that tames the rave elements in favour of a vintage techno flex.

Review: Don't Be Afraid boss Semtek is simply on fire at the moment - following impressive releases for Andy Blake's World Unknown and In Plain Sight imprints he finds himself on the excellent Awkward Movements with "Bento", a pounding piece of techno-not techno with nods to Chicago, Detroit and London, as searing synth sweeps rub up against deep subs and a rigid, jacking rhythm. Scott Fraser's "Decompression dub" is an entirely different prospect, providing 12 minutes of pure dungeon acid that releases steam pressure from between the gaps of its nasty 303 squelch.