Review: You can't see his face, but we bet our bottom dollar you can hear him... Taking Shy's Raggamuffin Mixtape banger and twisting it into a dark, ruded-up bubbler, modern day donny Skeptical has taken 'Balaclava' to the murkiest of new levels. Still featuring the high-grade MC rollcall of D Double, Frisco and Spyda, Shy's wry sense of gully remains fully intact as Skeppy tells us it will take more than a pandemic to hold him down. Ring the alarm!
Review: Wow, what a combination of artists this is. The grime tones of D Double E and the production credentials of Watch The Ride, featuring the additional production skills of - take a deep breath - DJ Die, Dismantle and DJ Randall. The latter of these is news in itself, as Randall rarely jumps on the production train anymore. What a tune they've all made as well, as D Double E sits perfectly above a rattling, rolling 170bpm percussive line, a funky double bass provides thee energy and the whole package ticks along very nicely. It's wicked to see Diemantle making rollers as well, yet another rarity in this unique single. Pick it up.
Review: There is no grime without D Double E, and vice-versa. Real name Darren Dixon, the artist has been a pillar of the UK hip-hop scene since the early days, when garage and hip-hop were being experimented with by the likes of Morefire Crew, Plastician, and even crews like Nasty Crew - of which D Double E was a member of. He simply hasn't stopped doing his thing, though, and "Shenanigans" is a class E-joint full of those aggy vibes which somehow never seem to lose their comical edge. This is a head's tune, the sort of cut to stick on your whip's speakers at full blast. It's a London ting, blud..
Review: Clash of the London titans: Formula and Bluku Music bump musical fists and get Killjoy and Newham General D Double E busy on a beat. Killjoy's angular groove is spiked out enough to complement D's distinctive flow but heavy enough to justify a crisp instrumental. Heavy.
Review: If any label is going to wrap up one of grime's biggest years to date, it's Butterz. Responsible for the genre's best parties and home to artists from Swindle to Faze Miyake to Terror Danjah, Butterz are one of the most consistent and creative grime flagbearers of the game. Reading like a who's who in grime (Big Narstie, Skepta, Flowdan, Stormzy, Wiley, D Double E, Sir Spyro, Plastician, Kano, Giggs and loads more) each of the 40 tracks remind us (if we needed reminding) just how well grime has annotated and soundtracked the year. Gully.
Review: Newham General D Double E gets busy on "Lovely Jubbly". Playful tale telling with trademark London drama, Double spits spatter themselves over a fractious grime beat that wriggles with wasp-like arpeggios. As with all the best grime cuts, the instrumental stands tall on its own - as does the acappella for those with a penchant for DJ creativity. Lovely and indeed jubbly.
Review: Amsterdam's most influential grime ambassador Gomes has delivered something very special right here. Teaming up with Newham General D Double E, the Oi! bossman lays down a string lick of such cinematic proportions, you can imagine Ridley Scott bashing your door down any moment. Naturally D's lyrics are delivered with equally hard-hitting confidence and creativity. For added measure Gomes has thrown in an instrumental plus "Squeeze", a bouncy riddim track with a bass hook that nags so hard you'll still be humming it in 2029. Serious gun fingers throughout.
Review: A brutish six-pack from Newham's finest, this is Footsie, D Double E and Tubby at their most generous. Firing with their trademark nasal brittle spit, it's a stern message from the off as "Darren & Dan" warns fake gangsters with bulbous egos to stand down. "Boom Boom" gets even more aggressive as P Money and Frisco join the mic ruckus. "Chill Out & Relax" belies its name and gets even heavier, rasping with bass and a few cheeky middle fingers for those who can't embrace the undiluted power of grime. "WYP" sees the Newhams include a little EDM trancery as they describe the ups and downs of a rave-up. "Percy" and "Spaz" complete the set; the former sees D Double E go solo for an upbeat two-steppy vibe, the latter takes a more dramatic, grittier approach with a screaming bassline that really lives up to its name.
