Deep Medi Musik At Juno Download

Review: The mysterious Old Apparatus' debut release on Mala's Deep Medi was filled with almost exactly the kinds of sounds you would expect from their name; grainy, creaking dubstep that betrayed its modernity with such aged sounds. Their second record, Zebulon, has a similarly antiquated feel to it, but the addition of vocals has given the whole thing a more human feel. "Zebulon" is led by a female vocal that has a folk ballad quality to it, giving the whole thing a uniquely creepy pastoral flavour, whilst the clattering, smoky percussion gives a nice mechanical contrast. "Hammerhand" features MC Mowgli on vocal duties, with his measured aggression working nicely against the track's stretched out string melody. Old Apparatus do not disappoint with this second release; there are few producers currently producing such classic dubstep sounds with such an imaginatively dark palette.

Review: Mala's Deep Medi Musik stands up to the quality test once again with this superb offering from Commodo. Kicking off with a disorientating tribal drone and soft, tripping beats pattering away like some kind of mesmerizing chant, "Uprising" is a deep, deadly riddim which just oozes late night vibes. A delicate sweep of oriental strings interjects at times along with some rumbling sub bass for power. "Saracen" too takes us on a journey into the deep, dark and dubby with warped bass groans, crisp breaks making sense of an unnerving soundscape. Excellent.

Review: As a long time favourite on his Soundcloud page, Deep Medi finally do the right thing by Tunnidge and release his club-wrecking stepper "Twenty12" in all its apocalyptic glory. The drums are king here, pounding heavy whilst sounding deft and limber at the same time. The doomsday melody ensures the vibe stays appropriate for the track title, and it would be hard to resist such imposing energy in front of a proper soundsystem. "Orion" heads further into synth explorations, laying the dystopian melodies on thick while keeping the bass pressure high, leaving it to "Take Flight" to cool things down with an approach that sounds like the ambient teaser before a devastating jungle drop that never comes.

Review: You can always rely on Mala's marvellous Medi-scene for some brain-tickling dub refreshment, and Mensah's not too shabby on the envelope pushing front either. In fact "The Gambia" could just be his most interesting joint yet; constructed with an African tribal rhythm, this won't be the easiest tune to mix, but your dancefloor will love you for it. The drop is equally compelling as familiar, clubby synths highlight just how different and exciting Mensah's rhythm is. "The Trailing Moons Of Saturn" isn't quite so unique, but the powerful hip-hop twang to the breakbeats are a great foundation for the cosmic dialogue that wafts and wiggles in the top end.

Review: South London soldiers Dub Mechanics unveil their debut release, which comes courtesy of Mala's Deep Medi Musik and boy, are you guys in for a treat. Giving us a lesson in bass science, "The Clash" is a well rinsed favourite of many a dubstep DJ with powerful subs and massive stabs setting the tone for the piece and grinding bass underpinning the proceedings with malicious intent. This one's a killer, in every sense of the word. The accompaniment "Highest Strain", in stark contrast, is all about the hollow clip clop beats, sweeping atmospherics and sparkling melodies and is quite the polished, hypnotic roller. A sublime release here that Deep Medi fans will not want to miss out on.

Review: One of dubstep's meanest minimalists, Cyrus returns to Deep Medi after his excellent Manhatten Blues EP earlier this year with more of that oddly funky drum programming. "The Calling" employs the odd eerie tone here and there, but really it's the gentle building up and dropping down of the beat that takes precedence. "Visions" is more rolling in its snare deployment, but uses even less to furnish the beat. It's certainly tracky stuff, ideal for the DJs who want to work their mixes good and proper.

Review: Known for killer dark and dubby releases such as "Feel It" and "Eyes Down", VIVEK returns with two new icy gems on Deep Medi. "Soundman" is a technoid half-stepping belter, with some vicious bass nestled in between heavily-echoed 808 claps, while "Diablo" is a more fleshed out dubstepper complete with itchy hats, splashy snares and floating, astral leads.

Review: This album from serial electronic music experimentalist Ulrich Troyer is surprising on many levels - not least that it's been released by Mala's respected Deep Medi Musik imprint. Fiercely downtempo, Songs For William sees Troyer turn his hand to dub with mesmerizing results. Troyer has previously eschewed more traditional musical forms in favour of white noise and breathtaking ambience, but here he gets the formula just right. The combination of dubstep/dub techno style atmospherics, unassuming dub rhythms, analogue pulses and soft-focus electronic melodies is judged perfectly (see the Kraftwerkin-dub vibes of "Driving To Cologne", or brilliantly titled "Shoegazing Muff"), resulting in an album that's simultaneously calming, beautiful and steadfastly otherworldly.

Review: After a minute long intro dominated by unusual atmospherics, delicate distortions and quirky textured SFX, the scene is set for the bass-driven moodiness of "Side A". Experimentalist Old Apparatus explores the ever-expanding grey area of the post-dubstep landscape, with a deep and truly unique sound which pairs melancholy tones with heavy bassweight pressure and buckets of Burial-esque atmospherics. You'd be forgiven for thinking that the intro of "Side B" is an interlude (which, in a way it is, as the two tracks are rolled into one in the vinyl product), but it swiftly moves into another psychological exploration into the unknown. Deep stuff.

Review: Mala's Deep Medi Musik maintains the monthly release schedule pressure with a third label contribution in as many years from the man known as Vivek. Responsible for one of last year's key releases in the double twelve drop Feel It, Vivek clearly has no qualms with the pressures of following up if the unrelenting industrial pressure of "Pulse" is any indicator! Commencing in cinematic fashion; all storm clouds and answer machine beeps, Vivek wastes little time, dropping right into the satisfyingly humongous sounding half step aided by twisted strains of bass and droned out FX. Several sudden drops into the sonic mist throughout add to the unrelenting drama. This is complemented by the eerie freeform shudder of "Roots", equally cinematic in its palette though less sci-fi and more horror, with the incongruous appearance of a flock of birds midway through adding to the sense that it shouldn't work but it does.

Review: Japanese producer Goth Trad is an interesting character. Some years ago, he single-handedly tried to introduce a form of music called "mad rave" - an intense and really quite insane fusion of D&B, hardcore, break core and dubstep. There are occasional echoes of that period on New Epoch - his first full-length for bass music hipsters Deep Medi - but for the most part it's a fairly careful and considered set. Mostly built around variants of dubstep rhythms, it fuses chiming melodies and clanking industrial sounds with hand-picked samples, skittering percussion and subdued, sub-shaking grooves. In parts, it has more in common with IDM than hardcore, but that's no bad thing. It's certainly his most grown-up album to date - highly recommended.

Review: Manhatten Blues sees Cyrus return to Mala's Deep Medi Musik imprint in fine style building a serene and thoughtful piece of music from quivering chords, a deep, dark bassline, swaggering beats and that wonderful sense of woozy, meditative slowness that defines the more "intelligent" side of dubstep these days. Tribal, pattering drums pepper the piece with a hint of the exotic before you are caught up once again in the insistent pull of the bass and beats alone. Flipping over for "Decisions", Cyrus shakes things up with a more rambunctious offering. Still maintaining a classy, understated style, the beats bounce jauntily with a dollop of grizzled synth work adding some grit to the glamour. Superb.

Review: A pristine four piece EP here from Kromestar and Jay 5ive, with each track tickling a different dubstep style. "Clearly Distorted" wins ironic title of the week award as it's crisp and sonically immaculate. Stripped back to just a tribal rhythm, it's also rather infectious. Adding a warm contrast, "Try Harder" is much more full-bodied soulful affair. Laced with guitars and dreamy synths, if there was such a thing as beachstep, this would be it. "Mind Pattern" is much more dancefloor oriented. Drama drenched halfstep with a sizzling bed of bass, this will raise each and every hair on your dancefloor's neck. Finally we hit the jazz-flecked "Words". Soft, subtle and sexy; it shows off this duo's musical range with panache.

Review: Although it's fair to say that the slightly more commercial nature of some of Skream's recent productions have divided opinion, this single for Mala's DEEP MEDi is one of the darkest and most visceral things the producer has done for some time, harking back to the days when he was one of the UK's most vital producers of experimental music. "Gritty" pushes its considerable weight forward with a stuttering low end, searing textures and punishing kicks, whilst "Phatty Drummer" utilises skeletal rhythms and tribal percussion in conjunction with nightmarish melodies. With dubstep splintering off into numerous different forms, its good to know that one of its earliest figureheads can still be relied on to craft some of the best soundsystem-destroying music in the business.

Review: Leave your expectations at the door before indulging in this killer drop on Deep Medi, with Swindle marking the second part of his trilogy of EPs ahead of an album scheduled for release in 2013. The title track is sheer dubstep rave fused with killer funk licks, while "Belfast" fuses jungle breaks with sirens and Daft Punkish synths. Our pick of the bunch through is "Mischief", which uses all manner of jazz samples (woodflute anyone?) and chops and rearranges them in the most beguiling manner. Swindle is one of the few producers taking dubstep in new and interesting directions - do check.

Review: Mala's Deep Medi Musik imprint hasn't put a foot wrong in 2011 with some weighty relentless steppahs from VIVEK and Tunnidge getting the collective thumbs up from the Juno review staff. The label maintains the momentum here - finally unleashing the VIP version of Truth's 09 pressure "Fatman"! Fatalist dread vibes abound though it's the crushing weight of the sub bass that truly captivate. Truth complements this update with "Dreams Never Come True" which churns through heavily chopped machine rhythms and left of centre sampledelica with dizzying ease - making for a track that is probably difficult to dance to, but easy to appreciate!

Review: Mala's Deep Medi Musik maintain their high standards in 2011 with the welcome return of VIVEK on a plump four track selection that matches his earlier release Pulse. What Eyes Down lacks in titular imagination, it more than makes up for in terms of refined dubstep preshah! Opening with "The Big Bang" Vivek further displays a penchant for simmering cinematic tension, as growling subs prowl the nether regions beneath a sparse half step riddim. In contrast "Spread Love" demonstrates Sharda's prowess with crafting intricately programmed beats that flex with a UKG swing but retain a stepper template. What really impresses is how the heavily dosed up purple vibe gradually engulfs the track. Elsewhere "Sirens" envelopes the straight up, crisp 808centric drums in an array of delayed droning effects, before slipping in a lazily skanking melody, whilst the title track is Sharda showing off his sub bass capabilites.

Review: While dubstep continues to splinter into its myriad variations, from toe-curling pop to ear-splitting bangers and everything in between, it's reassuring to find a continued stream of producers interested in exploring the original space the genre occupied, where the evolutionary path is a much slower one. Kahn represents a strong case on his debut for Deep Medi, which is by and large a classicist approach to dubstep (as you might well expect for Mala's imprint). In his previous outings he has tackled a staggering range from synth heavy steppers, refined and modernist garage, to raucous grime and rootsy digi-dub. The incendiary vocal lick that kicks off "Dread" rasps and spits with the grit of 80s dancehall, instantly recalling the addictively unsettling grunts and groans of ragga MCs on the earliest jungle tracks. With some considered vocal assistance from Rider Shafique, "Late Night Blues" comes on startlingly stripped-back, fuelled by a crisp beat and soothing sub bass rumble. The glacial chord swell and distant clangs only serve to cool things even further, and once again the delay gets opened up to fire the drums off into the ether. It's a pristine turn, eschewing fireworks and shifting dynamics for a slow and steady twist-out, building up the feedback but never letting it run away from itself.

Review: Mala's Deep Medi imprint seemingly stands alone in their efforts to ensure the founding principles of dubstep are retained, while not being afraid to release music that will smudge the boundaries of people's expectations. The label's latest release encapsulates this perfectly, with Butterz alumnus Swindle debuting in style with the bizarrely brilliant "Do The Jazz". If you've been tuned into the more tuned on shows on Radio One you have probably heard this track as the likes of Mistajam and Toddla T have been big supporters, but for those coming to this twelve with fresh ears don't be alarmed by the jazz licks of the opening bars; when that bass line rips through devastation will unfold. The deranged approach to the dancefloor with the piston driven sounds of "Under The Sun" while "If I Was A Superhero" realigns the Mothership Connection to a 140bpm flex.

Review: Here, digital DJs get a rare chance to own a slew of previously vinyl-only plates from Mala's Medi Musik imprint. Deep Medi Releases 3 continues the format of its two predecessors, including cuts from 12" singles released in 2008 and 2009. For fans of good quality dubstep, it's well worth a look. While there's the odd intense dancefloor wobbler (Goth-Trad's busy "Saturn", Skream's "The Shinein"), there's also plenty of depth, melody and beauty amongst the trademark low-end pulse. Look out in particular for a pair of luscious, emotion-rich cuts from Quest, a pleasing bleep-fest from Truth, and Clouds' brilliantly far-sighted "Protecting Hands" - here available in two stunning mixes.

Review: Tunnidge digs into the crates, tunes into the old Metalheadz vibes and comes out with THAT iconic Vangelis sample from "Bladerunner" which Dillinja used a clip from in "Angel's Fell". But here, Tunnidge turns it on its head, taking us into a dark, demonized underworld of existence with a punishing, inky black bassline for a slice of super sleek dubstep on Mala's Deep Medi Musik. On the flip, "Tribe" - as the title implies - employs a tribal palette of sounds, a vocal conjuring spirits and an eerie oriental wail penetrating through the fabric of the music. Pummelling drumbeats strike the tone and all in all, it's an exciting, interesting release from Tunnidge which breaks the mould on the flip.

Review: Back on Deep Medi afer blowing their socks off with "Uprising" last year, on this superb self-titled EP Commodo serves up four prime cuts of pressure coming from the same meditative space that typifies the label. "Northern Soul" stalks around a choice selection of minor-key refrains while the bass comes swelling in from afar in precision fashion. "Surveillance" growls around a deadly construction of dubstep perfection, keeping the intensity high with a sound made up primarily of heavyweight percussive hits. There's no let up throughout, although "So Clear" does take a marginally less mean-spirited tone in its demeanour. For true head-nodding gutter tactics you can't fault this one little bit.

Review: This second full-length from London-based producer Soloman 'Silkie' Rose - the follow-up to 2009's City Limits Volume 1 - further develops a deep and melodic take on dubstep that should appeal far beyond the genre's underground stronghold. With bright melodies, jazz chords, ear-catching synths, sampled horn stabs and future garage style vocal cuts aplenty, City Limits Volume 2 has far more in common with, say, the far-thinking two-step exploits of Phuturistix or Hospital Records' genre-bending Outpatients series than most dubstep full-lengths. But it's these qualities that make it such a rewarding, enjoyable and essential release.

Review: Silkie returns to Mala's esteemed Deep Medi imprint with the next installment of deep, bass heavy beats fresh for spring 2011. "It's Late" starts with a flurry of clipped vocals, hissing beats and a catchy 2-step swing, which will make it a sure fire hit on contemporary dancefloors. Up next "Float" pairs clicking hi hats with rough, rumbling drums and a curious sci-fi whistle whilst pools of bass ooze through deliciously. Another onomatopoeic cut, "Murky" sees Silkie tune into his grime heritage for a dubbed out DMZ style venture, whilst grand finale "Techfunk" blends tech stabs and gritty bass with funky rhythms.

Review: Making for a matching with hard-to-imagine results, Mala gets the remix treatment from James Blake in his Harmonimix guise and issues it forth on his own Deep Medi imprint. It's a bold treatment from Blake, who teases the track to life on a twee arrangement of music box chimes and tones, while a central vocal coos out the dominant melody. There's a mid-section with the only discernible slither of beat which sounds like familiar Blake territory, not least through the bluesy keys vibe that it carries. However, it's the monolithic brass-aping clarion call which comes steaming in to steal the show, trumping out its orders in a suitably epic fashion which is nothing if not rousing.

Review: Deep Medi Musik's northern correspondent Commodo truly impressed with the Commodo double pack that surfaced earlier this year, ensuring expectations are at a premium as he returns to Mala's label for a third outing. Over the course of its six years of existence to date, Deep Medi has increasingly become relied upon for those seeking out some proper 140bpm head business and Buckwild ensures standards are maintained with drums that constantly threaten to veer off grid under pressure from the densely layered, cluttered percussion and low end bass that only reveals its true power on a worthy system. There's a drunken funk to the twisted flow of the track that will appeal to many, and it's complemented by "Axis" with a tighter, metallic flex that swaggers forth as Commodo flickers between strange dubbed out refrains.

Review: Big return to the Deep Medi fold for Japan's Goth Trad, with his four track EP Babylon Fall given even further sheen by the presence of a certified Jah legend in Max Romeo! If that name doesn't elicit an "oh gosh" response then back to Music History night classes with you! The iconic Jamaican vocalist lines the title track with aplomb, giving the vintage dread step vibes of Trad's arrangement that extra air of authenticity. Elsewhere, "Falling Leaf" and "Itinerant Priest" see the self described One Man Army serving up a couple of militant excursions through industrial sub bass dynamics - with the latter particularly unrelenting! "Sublimination" ends proceedings with some cross pollination between Detroit techno and vintage dubstep.

Review: New Zealand trio Truth come up with a superlative contribution to one of the premiere dubstep labels, Deep Medi Musik. In the same vein as DMZ, Kryptic Minds et al, "Amnesia" is a half-stepping nightmare vision full of psychological twists, vintage film samples, ominous atmospherics and crackling SFX. Perfectly poised, it maintains the intrigue right until the end, unerring in approach. "International" on the other hand, kicks off with a more jovial tone, featuring rattling breaks, xylophone beats and curious jungle flavours, the rallying reggae sample calling out above the beats. A fantastic release and an essential for die hard dubstep fans.

Review: Weighing in with some cumbersome dubstep styles on his familiar stomping ground, Goth Trad is back to scare the living daylights out of you on "Air Breaker". Proving that there can be some give in big room ravey dubstep, the track may primarily lurch around aggravated mid-range synth grind, but the moments of calm creep in with control that comes from a diverse and adaptable producer. "Cosmos", up next, meanwhile takes the deeper approach, using inter-locking precussion and devastating sub bass for a classic exercise in proper dubstep. Whichever kind of set you're plumping for, this release is definitely for the purists. Highly recommended.

Review: Leeds dubstepper and Tectonic regular Jack Sparrow ascends from the misty depths with a killer debut on Mala's Deep Medi Musik label! Borrowing a hefty vocal sample from The Watchmen that influences the title, "Afraid Of Me" is the latest in Deep Medi's long tradition of twisted next century steppers, all heavy kicks and pulsating sub bass that craftily descend into the shadows midway through before dropping back into laser precision focus. Sparrow pays heed to the meditative vibes of the label with "Good Old Days" adopting the laid back jazzy tropes of more liquid forms of drum and bass but applying them to the 140+bpm mainframe.

Review: MAJOR heat abounds on this. Mysterious act ATOS have delivered a smouldering slab of fractured, future soul. Sitting on its own island somewhere between Massive Attack, Submotion Orchestra and Burial, it's utterly beautiful. Naturally Skream's remix hits every spot. With shuddering half steps and a re-imagined vocal arrangement, it's like a whole new tune. Commodo, meanwhile, opts for strange jazzed out percussion and a dampened trippiness on the vocal. Three unique versions; each one of them stunning. Don't miss this.