On The Edge At Juno Download

Review: Biome continues his consistent prolific output this year with a debut on Z Audio's On The Edge series. Naturally it's a neat selection as he flips through his portfolio of techniques... "Shaman" really lives up to its name with a complex, hypnotising rhythm that will lock your floor in tightly and never let go until they reach the ultimate spiritual enlightenment. "The Road" is deeper and more psychedelic but equally as inspiring thanks to well laced tabla textures and dreamy synthwork. "Formation" finishes the set with a whole new side to Biome; a pumping 4/4 joint it steals colours and techniques from the psy-trance and techno palates with flare and panache.

Review: After a number of singles and EPs dating back to 2008, Edinburgh producer DFRNT drops his epic 23 track debut album and it's a masterpiece of post-dubstep chilledness and glacial beats. More laidback than contemporaries like Martyn, Kode9, Pangea and Skream, opener "Wake Up" sounds as though it's slowly emerging from a forest, with deep delay on the percussion and a slowly unravelling filter. The beats kick in on "The Warmest" though, but only at a slow and sparse rate leaving plenty of time for each note to register and the melody to pierce through.

Not all of Metafiction operates at such a brutally slow tempo though. "Epitome" for example is lively, with echo-laden hats rattling at around 125bpm. But the beats are never allowed to dominate the mix and are more suggestive and subtle than hard and danceable. Instead, just take in the beautiful soundscapes DFRNT creates. With the help of reversed and processed guitars on "Aftermath" or flutes on "Headspace," he creates a genuinely unique and highly original sound that defies categorisation, but which cements itself in your head over the course of the album. It's also worth hearing the accompanying mixes by Ital Tek, Quantec and Synkro among others for an interesting perspective on DFRNT's style. Viciously contemporary and a whole new frontier in chilled music, Metafiction comes strongly recommended.

Review: Scottish producer DFRNT delivers three deep and soulful tracks of atmospheric dubstep on his latest EP, Saturation Point. The title track uses widescreen synths as cushioned subs lay in front of distant percussion. "Lament" sees moody piano keys and rhythmic twists create a sense of drama that is then shared by EP finale, "Parka Dub", in which the Scot merges dub techno with lashings of trip-hop.

Review: With a discography that boasts D&B and dubstep, Indigo's flavours carry one consistent hallmark; left-thinking depth. Naturally this EP is no exception as each of the three cuts on offer roll with some fantastically intricate beat work and tightly woven layers of sounds and dynamics. "Primal" is the deepest, most tribal of cuts. Laced with vast amounts of space, it's the dubstep equivalent of a black hole. Listen too deeply and you may never return. "Lacuna" is a robost, wonky workout with a sound palette that's bulging with mutated techno elements. Those hungry for more prominent drama should check that precision-plucked strings on "Neveah".

Review: Versa comes up trumps with this silky smooth three-track EP for On The Edge. "Shadow Movement" gets things started with warping atmospherics, crackling beats and pervasive sense of uneasiness. Rippling along with delicate chimes, choral elements and ticking percussion, it's a very beautiful entree. "Moon Light Dub" continues the subtlety with another very pleasing offering with tight, terse beats and sweeping atmospherics, before "No Speech Only Body & Mind" rounds things off with more thought-provoking swirling SFX and crisp beats.

Review: Having previously appeared on the label On The Edge with the Shadow Movement EP last summer, Versa returns here to deliver his alluring fusion of Basic Channel style dub techno with a more modern approach to tech house. "Geometrics" is propped up by perfectly grainy dub chords, while the beats remain sharp and piercing. It's the fusion of those beats with the R&B vocal lick that brings the track into the here and now, even while the distinctive melodic element may be rooted in the good old days. "1989" allows a subtle flavour of classic electro into the mix, only to be offset by languid horns and stirring strings. "MCR FNK" gets a bit cheekier with its impeccable garage flex amidst further blue hues of synths, but there's no denying it's the dub that makes this EP.