Review: Boss Woman behind the Hooversound label, SHERELLE, is experiencing a hot streak right now thanks to the launch of her new label Beutiful - a platform for supporting black and LGBTQI+ artists - and more to the point here, this epic 28 celebration of jungle, footwork and bass for Fabric Presents. Featuring the ultra rare DJ Rashad number "Acid Bit ft. Addison Groove" in the continuous mix, get your select cuts from RP Boo, New York's AceMo and Kush Jones to Miami-based duo INVT. Featuring more from Basic Rhythm, LYC and SHERELLE herself with her rave D&B number "JUNGLE TEKNAH" - this compilation is lit!
Review: Boss Woman behind the Hooversound label, SHERELLE, is experiencing a hot streak right now thanks to the launch of her new label Beutiful - a platform for supporting black and LGBTQI+ artists - and more to the point here, this epic 28 celebration of jungle, footwork and bass for Fabric Presents. Featuring the ultra rare DJ Rashad number "Acid Bit ft. Addison Groove" in the continuous mix, get your select cuts from RP Boo, New York's AceMo and Kush Jones to Miami-based duo INVT. Featuring more from Basic Rhythm, LYC and SHERELLE herself with her rave D&B number "JUNGLE TEKNAH" - this compilation is lit!
Review: Here comes the shakedown! Long-time don Aphrodite whips up this massive care package that spans 31 years of junglisation and his roll within the scene. We kick off with some savage updates on his 1994 track 'Calling The People' (previously released under his A-Zone alias) before hurtling back to the recent present with two versions of his huge festival anthem 'Let It Roll' from 2017. Last but not least we're treated to some thoroughbred foundation breakbeat business with a 1990 rave banger 'Execute'. Sweet murderation!
Review: The don dusts off more classics. One of the most pivotal and influential men in early mid 90s drum & bass Aphrodite has drawn from his various eras and styles for another 'Aphro Classics' collection. Kicking off with his famous Aladdin track which was featured on the 'AWOL' Ministry Of Sound album, he then puts us through our paces over his elastic jump-up vibes ('Cool Rock Stuff'), his bully boy beats/basslines ('Beefcake') and his more digital-styled fusions like 'War Of The Worlds' and 'Sometimes'. Aphrodite - we salute you!
Review: The Aphrodite Recordings crew are back it once again, this one delivering one last bomb shell to put an end to 2020 with. They welcome in A-Zone alongside Aphrodite and a host of incredible remixers for 'Calling The People', a big room breakbeat epic, jam packed with good energies and intense bassweight. We kick off with the Freestylers 'SoundClash' remix, pushing pulsating subs and super rhythmic drum shakes, before Bladerunner sends the track to the jungle jungle chopper, unleashing high energy breaksy action alongside more powerful bass expressions. Following this, the '2020 Jungle' mix gives us a much more updated and high energy version of the original, which also gets a full re-record. The release also features a dub mix for the Freestylers rework, alongside instrumental and 170bpm remixes of the jungle recreation. Wonderful stuff all around!
Review: It's time to jump onto the sample pad and cause some serious madness as Urban Shakedown sees Aphrodite join the party for a vibrant four track expanse. We begin with the title track 'Do It Now!', a super choppy rinse out, combining nostalgic breakbeat manoeuvres with booming subs for excellent results! Next, 'There Is No Other' takes a more lofi approach with a smooth low end and fuzzy drum textures, before 'Assassinator' flips the script with some carnival ready whistle-work layered into more pounding drum designs. Finally, we dive down an acidic alley as 'Quasar' fuses moogy synth warbles with scattered breakbeat lines to round us off in style!
Review: And still the classics keep coming... Jungle jump up don Aphrodite brings another clutch of early 90s crucials back to life. All harvest from the earliest - and hugely fertile - pastures his career, cuts such as the bubbling bass and diced breaks of "Bass Lights", the running drums and ambient pads of "Sea Mortar", the ravey escapades of "Beautiful Bass" and the psychedelic chirps and whistles of "Fascination" still sound as future today as they did back in 93-96. All digitised for the first time and complete with a few versions that have never before been released, it's another killer flashback from the Urban Takeover king. High five!
I Wanted It More And More (feat Gail Mclean) - (5:49) 168 BPM
Review: Historical vibes in the area: the don Aphrodite returns with more classics and previously unavailable dubs from his 25 year deep vaults. Exclusives include a rasping, digital sizzling take on 1999's "Spice" and a much-sought after VIP of 1994's "Ganja Man". Elsewhere there's the electric shock acid ripples of the squat party style "Acid Junky" (from 2000), the immense jazzy drum swing, breath-taking pads and killer drop of 1995's "Bomber", the heads-down Virus-style neuro of "Lava Flow" and the piano-tinkling, skin-rippler of "I Wanted It More And More". Each cut still flexing timeless elements, Aphro reminds us how deep his roots are and how well his tracks stand the test of time.
Review: Sweet lord junglist Jesus, Aphrodite lets rip with a history lesson and we'd all be wise to pay attention. Ranging back to 1994 with the lighter-thrusting, rush-busting "Shine" the Aphro man takes us on a wild trip through 20+ years of D&B; "Style From The Darkside" is quintessential Urban Shakedown jump-up while "We Wanna Be Free" and "Criss Cross" mark the more electronic, rockier dynamics of the mid-2000s. Finally "Twilight" is a straight-up riot jam, all scratchy and nasty with late 90s Moving Fusion style rolling brutality. Five lines of uncut primo D&B business here.
