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King Midas Sound – Without You review

by Juno Plus on 08.11.2011 at 10:17am
KMS
Artist: King Midas Sound/ Various
Title: Without You
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Dub
Format: CD, Digital

After the woozy dread of the King Midas Sound album Waiting For You, Kode 9 has assembled a sterling cast of producers to take the uneasy tones of the original tracks and refigure them to their own design. Remix compilations tend to suffer from being somewhat unfocused as the assembled identities jostle to get their creative point across, but here the remixers in many cases adopt the strong characteristics of the source material.

There are exceptions, such as when Flying Lotus dismembers “Lost” into a manic three-minute cauldron of bleeps and avant-garde hip-hop swagger. Likewise Gang Gang Dance manage to conjure up a delightfully bonkers and bouncy romp with the ideas set out by “Earth A Kill Ya”. Nite Jewel’s own take on “Lost” manages to straddle this concept with mournful synths that come from a very different place to the original, yet still striking the same emotional chord that makes the King Midas Sound version so haunting.

There’s also some notable revoices to be enjoyed, especially from the ever-blossoming Cooly G. Tackling “Spin Me Around”, she revives the same weighted romance with her own honey-coated delivery over a sparse and subtle rhythm. dBridge does a similar turn on “Without You”, as his tantalisingly taut track of bleak synths and heart-broken croons threatens to break into a mean drop at any moment, and yet never quite does.

Nothing can prepare you for the visceral assault of Ras G’s interpretation of “Cool Out”, which drowns the raw elements in manic blasts of electric fuzz. It’s quite unsettling but addictive at the same time. More than anything though, the album feels like a celebration of the original rather than of the artists, so strongly does the vibe of Waiting For You permeate through these wide-reaching styles. It’s testament to the curation of both projects that such disparate elements can sit so well together.

Oli Warwick


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New Cooly G 12″ to feature Karizma and Simbad

by Juno Plus on 05.10.2011 at 10:34am

Cooly G will return to the production fold with a new 12″ boasting collaborations with Baltimore legend Karizma and genre straddling DJ/producer Simbad, due out next month on Hyperdub.

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Setting The Tone With Ossie

by Juno Plus on 21.09.2011 at 15:50pm

Upon meeting Ossie in a crowded North London tearoom, it’s quickly apparent that this young producer has been well served by the opportunity to make music from an early age. Intrigued by the sounds of the late 90s hip-hop and R&B’s most revered production outfits, Ossie grasped at the chance to emulate them at secondary school: “The period of Neptunes productions around ‘99-2000 was key for me. I was moving from primary to secondary school, listening to lots of their music and the new school had equipment I’d used on a music course I had attended, like a Cubase VST with a little MIDI controller.” Looking back at this chance, Ossie confidently remarks, “I feel like I know a lot for my age production-wise, simply because I’ve had so much practice.”

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Hyperdub reveal full list of King Midas Sound reworks

by Tony Poland on 09.09.2011 at 11:03am

King Midas Sound

Arch UK imprint Hyperdub have rolled out a truly impressive and far reaching cast of artists commissioned to rework and revoice material from the King Midas Sound album Waiting For You.

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Hyperdub announce King Midas Sound remixes and Walton EP

by Juno Plus on 18.08.2011 at 18:23pm

Kode9’s Hyperdub imprint today announced its next two releases: a debut EP from Walton and a remix 12″ from King Midas Sound (pictured above).

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Hype Williams – Kelly Price W8 Gain Vol II review

by Juno Plus on 08.07.2011 at 14:57pm
Hype Williams – Kelly Price W8 Gain Vol II review
Artist: Hype Williams
Title: Kelly Price W8 Gain Vol II
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Malnourished Synth Jams
Format: 12", Digital

Bathed in the fuzzy glow of a knackered VHS, the Hype Williams myth and wonder continues on its directionless yet highly arresting voyage. Coming to light on a wave of internet support, the shadowy group are in the fortunate position of making their name on an uncompromising and individual sound, leaving them free license to take it where they will.

It’s not hard to see why Kode 9 would have wanted to snap up some tracks for his Hyperdub imprint. The key component of the HW sound is the kind of malnourished synthesiser treatment that would get Kode reported if such a thing were illegal. It’s hard to fake this kind of degraded, ever-so-slightly detuned drone, and that’s exactly what makes the music so captivating. It genuinely sounds like it was made in a grotty broom-cupboard flat in a dilapidated part of New York in the 1980s; evocative in the same way that Burial was for South London when everyone went potty for dubstep.

Sometimes this perfectly fashioned imperfection does come off being a little contrived at the cost of a good track, but then this is music made for its style as much as its substance. On this EP, “Rise Up” shines through as the most complete realisation of what Hype Williams are striving for. Mournful pads muddle into each other while the wobbly singing reveals a fragility that comes from real emotion. For all the considered analogue erosion, there is a heart-and-soul emotional message in the music. After a few listens it’s hard not to succumb to the misty-eyed reverie and bask in the nostalgia of it all.

Oli Warwick


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Burial – Street Halo review

by Juno Plus on 28.04.2011 at 16:43pm
Burial – Street Halo review
Artist: Burial
Title: Street Halo
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Dubstep
Format: 12", Digital

Burial is back. Within the space of a month Will Bevan has ambushed us with that collab alongside Four Tet and Thom Yorke (“Ego / Mirror”), and now this three track EP on Kode9’s Hyperdub imprint. Famed for his evocative atmospherics, iconic vinyl crackling motifs and sonic portrayal of the minutiae of everyday existence, Burial is undoubtedly one of the most influential producers of recent times. His debut self-titled album took the world by storm in 2006 and the follow up Untrue (2007) has similarly been hailed as a contemporary classic. A producer of quality over quantity who deigns to live in the shadows rather than the limelight, we were first given a taster of the infamously enigmatic dubstep producer’s new solo release on Benji B’s Radio One show and now it’s here in all its resplendent glory.

So what of it? “Street Halo” is a delectable, crackling 4/4 roller with buckets of emotion and texture. In other words, it’s the Burial of “Archangel” fame who we all know and love. A muffled, deep undulating bassline is paired with clip clop beats and a pervasive sense of urban gloom. Eerie and dimly lit, the soundscape is one to get lost in, the serene vocal echoing in the distance tantalisingly. Continuing the nocturnal journey, “NYC”, up next, is bristling with echoes of thunder, murmurs of traffic in the distance, jingling keys and signature Burial background atmospherics. The intense sense of space is underpinned by slouching beats and a small, eerie and discernibly mournful voice wailing on top. This paves the way for the final moments of contemplation in concluding track, “Stolen Dog”. Here Burial blends smudgy keys with a terse, ticking rhythmic pulse and glowing SFX, all shrouded in an ethereal shimmer, much like Burial himself. “Street Halo” is a timely reminder of this producer’s relevance and enduring influence in the UK bass music scene.

Belinda Rowse


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Kode 9 & The Spaceape – Black Sun review

by Juno Plus on 21.04.2011 at 14:28pm
black sun
Artist: Kode 9 & The Spaceape
Title: Black Sun
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Dubstep/Grime
Format: Gatefold 2xLP, CD, Digital

Hyperdub head honcho Steve Goodman hooks up with The Spaceape five years after their debut album Memories Of The Future. Unsurprisingly, this is another eloquently crafted and superbly narrated journey, this time through an imagined post-apocalyptic wasteland where elements of dub, techno, house, dubstep and 2-step act as milestones in the existential gloom. Torchbearers of a brave new world, the Black Sun LP brings together politically charged spoken lyrics with religion, ethics and philosophy in a twelve track masterpiece.

From the dread riddim “Black Smoke” feat. Cha Cha things are unashamedly murky and mysterious, with tribal drums accentuated by the muttered narration. This is apparently a gesture to exorcise the last album – an interesting premise to start on and one that gets revisited throughout. Moving through the pattering, almost frantic “Promises” with its introspective echoes and sparkling sweeping synths, we get to grime-soaked “Bullet Against The Bone” and the more maudlin, synth-drenched “Green Sun”. Guest vocalist Cha Cha re-appears on “The Cure” as well as “Love Is The Drug” (which appeared as a 12” in ’09) and “Neon Red Sign”, adding her trademark soothing sentiments and husky pallor to the proceedings.

The duo return to previously released title track “Black Sun” but this is only a “Partial Eclipse” version enclosed in ellipses and full of hissing, mellifluous sounds. “Am I” – one of the stand out cuts from the album – shares a similar tone to that of King Cannibal – “Murder Us” with impassioned lyrics, snarling snares and an incarcerating b-line underpinning it all. “Kryon” – a collab with none other than Brainfeeder luminary Flying Lotus, is arguably the pièce de résistance of the album. Making the final artistic flourish, the trio splice delicate fire crackling cinders with the sound of heavy raindrops, overlaid by a melancholic synth haze. Whilst it may look to a dystopian future, this is an album very much of the now and makes for essential listening.

Belinda Rowse


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Maurice Fulton headlines Five Easy Pieces

by Juno Plus on 07.04.2011 at 12:02pm

Bubbletease boss Maurice Fulton will headline a Five Easy Pieces party at London’s CAMP next month, with the fledgling label calling on a cast of impressive talent from Hoya Hoya, Hyperdub, Pictures Music and Huntleys & Palmers in support.

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Burial to release new material on Hyperdub

by Juno Plus on 23.03.2011 at 09:05am

Hyperdub this morning announced a new three track release from enigmatic producer Burial – his first solo work in four years – set for release next week.

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Category: Music news | 1 Comment

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Darkstar – North review

by Juno Plus on 24.11.2010 at 11:20am
Darkstar
Artist: Darkstar
Title: North
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Synth Pop
Format: LP, CD, Digital

James Young and Aiden Whalley take a bold leap forward and backward with their debut album North, and help their label Hyperdub diversify in the process. Darkstar’s earlier singles like “Squeeze My Lime” and “Need You” saw the duo firmly entrenched in Kode 9 inspired dubstep and grime, so then the music on North may take listeners by surprise upon first spin. Why you ask? Because the two-step beats and funky grime you’ve come to expect from Darkstar, have been replaced with cold synth lines and dark pop vocals courtesy of James Buttery.

Essentially what we have here is a synth-pop album in the style of Junior Boys, with Darkstar bringing life to a genre that can can often seem ragged, hackneyed and thin. Early standout track “Deadness” illuminates this quite well, with smooth OMD-style synths, gently processed vocals, and an amazing darkwave guitar-line coda that evokes plenty of emotion and rainy day pathos. The following track is the already revered “Aidy’s Girl is a Computer”, and it fits in snugly on the playlist even though it stands in stark contrast to the mood on the rest of the album.

“Under One Roof” brings the emotion right back, with woozy synth lines and Buttery’s voice stitched cleverly within the mix of synths and rhythm section. The overall feel of the album is one made for the sombre days of autumn — where it’s still not yet cold enough to snow, but starts to get dark in mid-afternoon, creating a bleak liminal state between seasons.

Penultimate track “Dear Heartbeat” is perhaps the most traditionally pop number on the album, with a twinkling piano backdrop and steady drumbeat, yet it still retains the stark motif throughout. Closing track “When it’s Gone” sounds like a new, slowed down version of “Squeeze My Lime” and is a dreamy track that sort of drifts in and out and seems to hint at further transformations of Young and Whalley’s sound. Buttery closes the album singing: “I won’t forget you…” and with North, Darkstar have created a creeper of an album, one that will subtly seduce with each successive listen, and is undoubtedly one of the year’s most unforgettable albums.

Matt Leslie


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Terror Danjah – Undeniable review

by Tony Poland on 05.11.2010 at 15:48pm
Terror Danjah – Undeniable review
Artist: Terror Danjah
Title: Undeniable
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Dubstep, Grime
Format: CD, Digital

Legendary London based producer and grime veteran Terror Danjah should need no introduction. Having been instrumental in the development of the genre he has gained a formidable reputation in the underground music scene and beyond. He made his debut on East Iz East back in 2001 and subsequently released a slew of seminal singles, as well several multi artist long players/compilations including ‘Shock To The System’, ‘Hardrive’ and ‘Gremlinz’. Straying away from his home at Planet Mu, his latest release on Kode 9’s lauded Hyperdub imprint is nothing short of a masterpiece, bringing together signature sounds and featuring such notable vocalists as Mz Bratt, Griminal, DOK, Bruza and D Double E.

“Grand Opening” is certainly aptly named, with its dramatic strings, epic choral roar and crescendoing cymbal crashes kicking things off, whilst crisp, cutting lyrics are laid on top of the beat, heralding the start of the something tremendous with a smacking “blaow blaow!” Next up, hoover bass a la Subwave (‘Road Rage’) or Loadstar (‘Link To The Past’) kicks in in ‘Acid’ before Mz Bratt gets her say in radio friendly riddim ‘This Year (Pro Plus)’. Previously released single ‘Bruzin (VIP)’ is a stand out amongst what is, quite frankly, a series of stand outs from Terror Danjah. Going more minimal in the central section with ‘SOS’ to old favourite ‘Minimal Dub’ the bleeping synthy haze does well to dispel some of the ardent fury present elsewhere, with an absence of lyrical input. But rest assured, Terror cranks up the pace again in delectably danceable ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Sonar’ which lead nicely in to the title track. Magnetic Man style trance-y synths the intro of ‘Leave Alone’ and bass heavy post rave comedown track ‘All I Wanna’. As we near the end, everything gets shaken up with wistful musing lyrics, fidgety beats and the magnificent finale, ‘Creepy Crawler’ with a rousing Jukali style lyrical flow to finish things off.

One thing’s for sure, ‘Undeniable’ warrants all the respect and hype it is currently receiving and will no doubt continue to receive in the coming years. If there’s one album you buy this month, it’s this.

Review by Belinda Rowse.


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King Midas Sound – Lost review

by Juno Plus on 05.10.2010 at 11:17am
King Midas Sound – Lost review
Artist: King Midas Sound
Title: Lost
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Dub
Format: 7", Digital

Composed of veteran producer Kevin Martin (the man behind dancehall project The Bug) and Trinidadian poet-singer-cum-MC, Roger Robinson, King Midas Sound have carved out a niche for themselves in Kode 9’s Hyperdub club. Purveyors of a unique blend of what can only be loosely termed dubstep – taking a grounding in dub, dancehall, elements of trip hop and that elusive funky-tinged je ne sais quois which separates the wheat from the chaff – King Midas Sound made their mark on the musical world with their critically acclaimed 2009 album, Waiting For You. Now, a year on, they return with “Lost” – one of the defining tracks from the aforementioned album and deep, meditative cut “Frequencies”.

Mournful instrumental breezes dominate the intro of “Lost” before Robinson’s smoky, soulful falsetto drifts over delicate guitar licks and shaking drums deftly tap the beat as we enter the main tune. What’s striking about King Midas Sound’s “Lost”, in contrast to the predominantly beat-led nature of most electronic music, is that the music, and the song itself, tells a deeply emotional story with great immediacy – one which we can all relate to in its crushing futility, “I lost you, I lost you, let this feeling go away…” The fragility of Robinson’s voice is complimented by crisp, pared down beats and meticulously mellow atmospherics, which tread the fine line between ‘sorrowful’ and ‘contemplative’ masterfully.

Over on the flip, a thumping drum kick amidst crackling Burial-esque white noise kicks things off in “Frequencies”. Sonorous, oriental wailing vox from the French star Pupajim add a pervasive sense of haunting loneliness to the track, much like its counterpart on the A Side. Deep subs articulating the ‘low frequencies’ invoked in the lyrics murmur beneath guitar flourishes and low-slung, loping drums. Another excellent cut from King Midas Sound – stirring soul food of the ultimate sort with gently sculpted soundscapes and thought provoking lyrics.

Belinda Rowse


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Cooly G – Up In My Head review

by Juno Plus on 20.08.2010 at 11:25am
Cooly G – Up In My Head review
Artist: Cooly G
Title: Up In My Head
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: UK Funky/UK Garage, Dubstep/Grime
Format: 12", Digital

Cooly G has become a phenomenon in the last year among fans of dubstep and UK Funky. She’s been winning over fans in droves with her heavy DJ sets, her Twitter account is prolific, as are her many excellent mixtapes, which she almost always provides sans easy-to-leach-from tracklists. All this off the back of a slim set of releases – last year’s essential Narst/Love Dub 12″ and a split release with Mala on Hyperdub 5.5 – as well as her own self-released Dub Organizer tunes. Finally though, there’s this incredible double A-Side release via Hyperdub which crystallizes the main reason Cooly G is the name on everyone’s lips – her beats.

The range covered by these tunes is one of the many things to love here. “Up In My Head” starts with a dreamy arrangement of chords, fed through different phasing effects and with a sparse string lead just creeping into the mélange of R&B-esque sounds. With a few casual snare taps, the beat is ushered in and despite keeping things off-kilter and not spoon feeding you with easy-to-read rhythms, she keeps you riveted to the spot with flat and loud kicks, buzz-delay hats and occasional pitch-rising sub-bass. Adding a lower octave to the breakdown increases the beautiful depth of the tune, while her chopped vocal chorus swims in and out of the mix to add to the delirium.

While there’s a warped-pop feel to “Up In My Head”, “Phat Si” (which debuted on Kode9’s DJ Kicks mix recently) is straight-up fire. With snares sequenced into a full-on funky rattle and hats sounding like knives, she filters the beat up subtly until letting fly with a huge processed siren-effect which brings the beats in with full force. It takes no prisoners, creating a devilish and dubby mood that gets added to with some brilliantly warped sine-tones and brutally low bass note development. Frankly it’s essential.

Oliver Keens


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Ill Blu – Bellion review

by Juno Plus on 27.07.2010 at 15:05pm
Ill Blu – Bellion review
Artist: Ill Blu
Title: Bellion
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Dubstep/Grime
Format: 12"

A pair of hip-hop producers who ventured away from what they knew to explore their own sounds and rhythms, London’s Ill Blu have come to be at the absolute frontier of all things UK funky. Having had an underground smash last year with “Say Yes”, they’ve remixed Hot Chip, Roll Deep, Shystie and even Cheryl Cole, and have also produced a full-length album for Princess Nyah. But it’s their garage, house and grime influenced singles that really make them stand out to fans and their recent signing to Hyperdub bears it’s first fruit, this excellent double-tracker of “Bellion” and “Dragon Pop”.

“Bellion” will become an instant hit with DJs. Using a similar chromatic chime sound used on Sticky’s seminal “Triplets”, the main riff slowly worms it’s way into your head as it gets accompanied by bass. Jocks will also love the long intro beats which build slowly but steadily into a perfect, dry snare-led stepper. Whereas “Bellion” wears it’s melody on its sleeve, “Dragon Pop” on the other hand is a truly deep tune that only uses subby, tuned kicks to give it a two-note melody. Not that it’s a bad thing, the sparseness is mesmerising – all the while kept in check by a sprightly, tambourine-buzzing rhythm that’s yet another demonstration of Ill Blu’s mastery of the beats. Long anticipated, this will be one of Hyperdub’s most sought after releases for ages, and hopefully the first of many. Oliver Keens


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LV & Quarta 330 / Dong – Hylo review

by Juno Plus on 06.05.2010 at 14:07pm
LV & Quarta 330 / Dong – Hylo review
Artist: LV & Quarta 330 / Dong
Title: Hylo
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Dubstep/Grime
Format: 12", Digital

Hyperdub brings together two of their label locals for two collaborative tracks on what is the thirty fourth release on Kode9’s famed imprint. here we see LV (we can only assume it’s not this LV) & Quarta 330 combine for the original production of “Hylo” and a remix of Dong’s “Suzuran”. Legend has it that this collaboration was forged the day after the label’s 5th anniversary party last November. The alliance works a balanced level between the two producers by merging their different sounds, with Quarta 330’s 8-bit abstraction and melodic tendencies contrasting perfectly with the lush figures and shuffling rhythms of LV.

“Hylo” sees 8-bit melodies made from rebuilt gameboys and sonic bleeps weaved into the crunchy snap of a reverse drum beat and warm chords. The harmonic and beautiful breakdown takes us into peaceful territory courtesy of a simple motif before the pace picks back up and we continue on our stepping journey with more splattered drums. It is an energetic mix of brittle and lush sounds which seems to sum up how the pair complement each other so well.

Next up, they work together on a remix of Quarta’s own remix of Japanese producer, Dong’s “Suzuran”. LV reconstructs the slurring space pop of the Japanese vocoder vocal melody into a remix that is constructed from syncopated drums and off key patterns of beep and bleeps. It creates a catchy but obscure sound as sweet melodies clash with shuffling beats.

This unlikely but attractive pairing has provided each other with a platform to successfully exchange relatively alien ideas and sounds. The unrestrained rawness of their work together both complements each others’ talent and provides yet another go-to release from Hyperdub.

Review: Tom Jones
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Kode9 reveals DJ-Kicks tracklist

by Juno Plus on 20.04.2010 at 09:28am

Singular Hyperdub chief Kode9 has revealed the tracklisting for his upcoming DJ-Kicks compilation, with Ikonika, DVA, Zomby and Ramadanman all appearing in the 31 song mix.

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Ikonika – Contact Love Want Have review

by Juno Plus on 12.04.2010 at 17:20pm
Ikonika – Contact Love Want Have review

Artist: Ikonika
Title: Contact Love Want Have
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Dubstep/Grime
Format: CD, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download

Having kept fans hooked since her first Hyperdub single Please/Simulacrum, Ikonika graduates with flying colours into the the big league with this stunning debut. “Ikonklast (Insert Coin)” starts things off in a measured but confident way, with half-step beats and bent Eastern scales vying for your attention. The rollicking funky meets glitchcore of “Idiot” is a revelation though. A perfectly tempered mix of stacked snares, sub bass and a complex melody picked out of a slew of bleeps and test tones, it’s both satisfyingly familiar whilst also sounding totally unique and fresh.

While her early singles were leapt on by dubstep fans everywhere, Ikonika takes the wise decision not to go down any cliched or well-trodden routes on Contact Love Want Have. There’s no gratuitous wobble for example on tunes like “Millie” or “Sahara Michael”, the basslines are tight and full of bounce rather than showy and over the top. There are also so many influences at work here (all expertly realised through her sharp production) that every listen solicits a different response from the listener. “Continue?” for example gives off a slow-jam R&B vibe with the beats but quickly picks up the pace and transforms into something else entirely. Heston gives off some serious kwaito vibes too, coming over like a sequel to “Township Funk” (Mujava’s classic which Ikonika remixed for Warp last year) and “Psoriasis” will be the one that DJ’s will go crazy for – a seriously banging fusion of funky and swirling melodies. Fans of Zomby, Kode9 and the extended Hyperdub and Planet Mu family will instantly rate this straight away, but there’s every chance it’s unique edge and all round quality will see it reach a wider audience pretty soon.

Review: Oliver Keens
<strong>Artist:</strong> Ikonika
<strong>Title:</strong> Contact Love Want Have
<strong>Label:</strong> <a onclick=”opener.document.location.href=’http://www.juno.co.uk/labels/Hyperdub/’; window.close(); return false;” href=”http://www.juno.co.uk/labels/Hyperdub/”>Hyperdub</a>
<strong>Genre:</strong> Dubstep/Grime
<strong>Format:</strong> CD, Digital
<strong>Buy From:</strong> <a href=”http://www.juno.co.uk/products/Contact-Want-Love-Have-FREE-DELIVERY/384487-01/” target=”_blank”>Juno Records</a>, <a href=”http://www.junodownload.com/products/1549474-02.htm” target=”_blank”>Juno Download</a>

Having kept fans hooked since her first Hyperdub single Please/Simulacrum, Ikonika graduates with flying colours into the the big league with this stunning debut. “Ikonklast (Insert Coin)” starts things off in a measured but confident way, with half-step beats and bent Eastern scales vying for your attention. The rollicking funky meets glitchcore of “Idiot” is a revelation though. A perfectly tempered mix of stacked snares, sub bass and a complex melody picked out of a slew of bleeps and test tones, it’s both satisfyingly familiar whilst also sounding totally unique and fresh.

While her early singles were leapt on by dubstep fans everywhere, Ikonika takes the wise decision not to go down any cliched or well-trodden routes on <em>Contact Love Want Have</em>. There’s no gratuitous wobble for example on tunes like “Millie” or “Sahara Michael”, the basslines are tight and full of bounce rather than showy and over the top. There are also so many influences at work here (all expertly realised through her sharp production) that every listen solicits a different response from the listener. “Continue?” for example gives off a slow-jam R&amp;B vibe with the beats but quickly picks up the pace and transforms into something else entirely. Heston gives off some serious kwaito vibes too, coming over like a sequel to “Township Funk” (Mujava’s classic which Ikonika remixed for Warp last year) and “Psoriasis” will be the one that DJ’s will go crazy for – a seriously banging fusion of funky and swirling melodies. Fans of Zomby, Kode9 and the extended Hyperdub and Planet Mu family will instantly rate this straight away, but there’s every chance it’s unique edge and all round quality will see it reach a wider audience pretty soon.

Review: Oliver Keens
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Kyle Hall – Kaychunk review

by Juno Plus on 09.04.2010 at 17:07pm
Kyle Hall – Kaychunk review

Artist: Kyle Hall
Title: Kaychunk
Label: Hyperdub
Genre: Dubstep/Grime
Format: 12″, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download

Detroit meet dubstep: dubstep, meet Detroit. Kyle Hall knocks down barriers on this release, bringing his free-flowing, insouciant production style to the UK bass music scene. After dropping a remix of Darkstar’s “Aidy’s Girl Is A Computer” in 2009, Hyperdub boss Kode9 called on Hall’s precocious talents for a solo release on the imprint.

His brief production career has so far encompassed house, techno, jazz and now dubstep, although such parameters are fairly meaningless to a young producer for whom the internet, analogue equipment, high tech kit and software programming are all part of one wonderful, disjointed bundle for making and consuming music.

“Kaychunk” features soft melodic synths floating over the top of a schizophrenic drum pattern, while vocal snippets help give the track some structure. B-side “You Know What I Feel” is very much in the Floating Points school of dubstep, meandering gently along with no obvious destination – but of course the destination hardly matters, because the ride itself is so damn fun.

Make no mistake, Hall is a prodigious talent and with releases slated for labels as diverse and forward-thinking as Carl Craig’s Planet E, Sheffield’s iconic Warp and Instra:mental’s Non Plus, it’s already obvious that the serious players are taking notice.

Review: Aaron Coultate
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Dubstep forum award winners

by Juno Plus on 01.03.2010 at 12:04pm

Young Bristolian Joker has taken out the coveted best producer prize in the 2010 Dubstep Forum Awards, followed by 16 Bit and Skream.

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