ICU Audio At Juno Download

Review: For a man with such a dark moniker, and a track that conjures up the most gruesome of pursuits, this is actually on the light side; for every urgent wail and evil noise, there's some seriously vibrant arpeggio action on the fills as the cut develops, making it strangely uplifting. "Intensity", meanwhile, lives up to its name in a more conventional way; impact-production on the drums really shines as the bass spits foul bars with mechanical menace.

Review: Deep dubstep producer and head of M.U.D Records Demon continues his passion for the genre with this, a bass-driven siege in the form of "Geth". Very much a product of the early days of dubstep, it features all the hallmarks of a classic of the era: sci-fi interludes, sparse, elemental percussion and of course that deep, relentless bass driving it all forward. A master at his game, Demon knows all the wrong moves in all the right ways, and "Intern" plays on a steadily creeping bass as the tension mounts. The fractured samples and instrumentation that's thin on the ground make for an uneasy listen, just like in the old days before hyperbolic drops and supercompression. Well worth a look-in.

Review: ICU presents a Lamont showcase here with one original and one remix, both of which sparkle with the Bristol producer's now trademark playful garage leanings. "Black Tape" is the darker of the pair with jazzy chords and a spacious, steppy dancehall riddim that's reminiscent of UKG's proto dubstep days. Meanwhile his remix of NDread's "Girl" skips with much more of a sassier spark thanks to a series of shimmering arpeggios, breathy vocals and vibrant synth splashes. Sexy.

Review: At seven tracks NDread is treating us to a project of near-album proportions here. And with a sound that's becoming as distinctive as it is deep, it's got the alluring flow of an LP, too. The title track ignites proceedings with a skippy two-step and a weave of dreamy washes and textures. Authentically classic yet forward thinking, it sets the scene for the rest of this memorable release. Other highlights include the late 90s four-to-the-floor UKG pump of "Time To Go" and fang-sharp two-step sexiness of "Bad Habit". Timeless vibes; a must for all garage and bass heads.

Review: The 2-step garage revival shows no signs of abating and, with tunes like this, why on earth should it? "Everything" recalls the days of SFA's 'Flowers': rockin' trilby hats and leather slip-ons on the dancefloor of The End, circa '99. "Apologies" is a deeper affair where classy sax, fretless bass and gentle chords nestle with expensive beats in the back of MJ Cole's BMW. One for the club and one for the afterparty, job done.