Review: Coming in smokey from the Flexout Audio collective, another vibrant compilation collection, exploring the more atmospheric end of the UKG spectrum with the second edition of their 'Waves' series. Featuring a wealth of exciting artists, we see the likes of Trail, Relict, GLM, Able, EVOLVED & more arrive with some fabulous feature work, unloading emotive harmonic structures and smooth drum arrangements for a truly ethereal underground experience. Our highlights for this one would of course have to include 'Halo' from Dominus, a smokey slink through crunchy synthetic gargles and metallic drumlines, backed up by the gnarly LFO work of Vektah's 'Rotation Heavy' and the head-low bops of 'Rhythm Choke' from Theoretical, again demonstrating the range of sonic beauty on display here.
Review: One of the most consistent, respected and forward-thinking labels on the techier, future-focused side of drum & bass, Overview Music hit the third volume of their VA series Zone and once again it's loaded with some of the most exciting and talented names in the D&B game. ABLE, Felov, Rekek, Minor Forms, Spektiv, Notequal, Yatuza, Headroom and so many more artists all deliver their most futuristic pieces to this collection, mapping out the next few years of drum & bass in the process. Each cut is a highlight but Tweakz and Teej's hyper-tense 'Involved' and Headroom's bulldozer-like 'Gambol' are particularly spicy takes. Essential for all D&B heads.
Review: Celebrating two decades deep in the game, Critical Music deliver this exceptional 22 track collection from some of the most innovative artists in the bass field. From old label mates such as Sam Binga, Mefjus and Ivy Lab to exciting newcomer talents like Spectral, Able and Cauzer, the entire collection is a blistering jolt of futurism that ranges the full Critical spectrum. Highlights range from the introspective tones of Buunshin's 'Forget About Me' to the dark, tense minimalism of Calibre's 'Verstat' by way of the barbed soul of Halogenix's 'IDGAF'. Here's to another 20 years...
Review: Next up from Able, a spicy new two track display coming to us courtesy of Vihara, within which we explore a number of nostalgic garage themes and broken-beat designs, kicking off with the vibrant arrangements of 'Higher'. Despite it's garage-sentric introduction, this one explodes into a colourful display of steppers' vibrancy, chopping together pitched down vocal slices and 2-steppy drum inclusions for a fabulously futuristic display. On the flip, 'Arena' jumps into a much more grizzly display from the jump, with ominous pad textures and engulfing sub swings, driven forward by shimmering shaker sweeps and percussive melodies throughout. Lovely work!
Review: This latest EP from Critical, courtesy of Able, exemplifies everything great about this legendary label. It's dark and techy yet packed with the rough nuts and bolts of the UK urban scene, and each track flips through spasms of synthetic grit in a dirty fashion designed to make you squeal. There's no messing around and the first track bounces with aplomb, squeezing as much energy from the elements as it possibly can, each new step taking you down rougher and rougher paths. 'Closer Then' injects a jump-up vibe with perfect measurements, its stabbing nodes cutting and weaving their way through a tapestry of wild sounds. This is proper Critical.
Review: Encrypted Sound haven't been around for that long and this is their fourth release, but the maturity is already evident in their selection and what better way to show that off than with a twelve-track VA LP. Joining the fray is a range of artists including Able,Teej and Toby Ross, the latter of whom has smashed it out the park with 'Sinister', a stripped back and infectiously bouncy tune that nonetheless hits beautifully hard, it's kick drum perfectly placed to add that extra lift off. Teej has been killing it on labels like Co-Lab recently and he does so once more again, with 'Erasure' resting on an inch-perfect snare drum that provides the base for its choppy main bass. Top work from the whole crew here.
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