Deadplate At Juno Download

Review: The fledgling Deadplate label delivers another fantastic EP of bass-heavy post-everything music. This time round it's the fresh garage-infused house sound of Artefact that gets an airing, already championed by the likes of Mary Anne Hobbs and Dark Sky. "Archaic Line" showcases his knack for clattering Blawan-esque percussion, offset by an atmospheric haze of foggy chords. "Deserted" meanwhile is characterised by its deep, resonating bassline, and stretched out synths which sound like a bleaker, more greyed-out take on eski grime. Topping it off is a remix of the title track from hotly-tipped young producer Graphics, who turns the hesitant, stuttering original into a straightened out house monster, complete with deep melody and bass that turns the track into a tune going to present-day London via 80s Chicago. Incredible stuff, and certainly marks Artefact and Deadplate out as artist and label to watch in 2012.

Review: Following their last 12" from Bristol producer Artefact, Deadplate Recordings hit up the combined talents of Hackman and Bluto for their third release. "What Matters" is an upbeat piece of UKG influenced house, filled with whipcrack snares, manic keys and bright, ravey tendencies. On the flip, James Fox opts for a deeper revision, making the most of the delicate vocal and stretching it out over a swung rhythm, stripping it back to the bare essentials, opting for clouds of wafting synths rather than an all out assault.

Review: Bristol's fresh-faced house progenitor Jacob Martin spreads his wings on this EP, making a clear distinction from the more laconic Outboxx material he jointly creates. There's a refreshing rudeness at work on the sub of "Tonda", while the drum programming comes in at nifty angles without ever peaking too far away from the moodiness of the outset. Likewise "Dusted" is a po-faced exercise in bass placement and minimal distractions, using the tails of select sounds to feed into a taut atmosphere in a style reminiscent of Kowton, the chosen remixer for this single. "Turmoil" in its original form does the nasty with some micro house chops re-contextualised amidst a rolling broken beat, while Kowton does the damage by focusing on a mammoth kick note and then feeding nervy strings into the mix.