Review: These two cuts are taken from a forthcoming various artists album on DJ Hybrid's Deep In The Jungle imprint, and the boss himself is joined by Mrs Magoo and Conrad Subs for a single that gets right to the core of the label's ethos. 'Back To 96' is a time travel machine that takes you back to the days of rolling reece basses and frantic percussive work, simpler times when all you needed was the barebones to create a vibe. Conrad Subs goes in a funkier direction, with brash brass notes that lead into a wobbling concoction of bouncing basslines and innocent clubland notes. Cracking.
Review: Over on DJ Hybrid's new label, Boom 93, he's showing off the more jungle focused, breaksier element to his productions and it's gotten us very excited. Both sides of the jungle spectrum are represented here, as Hybrid rolls out the reece bass-laded, junglist vibes on 'Eclipse' in a sound system friendly rendition of breaks music culture. The flip is funky and influenced by jazz notes, as a bubbly bassline surfaces amidst superbly crisp percussive touches. It's a truly classy piece of music from a class producer.
Review: Feeling fine for Northern Line! Rantik and JAK's fledgling young label comes correct with their first full paid release. It's a VA and it's a beauty. Continuing the exceeding weight and exciting breadth of the sound they've built up through free downloads, these nine tracks rep the Newcastle label's parameters with deadly intent and features some very exciting new-gen names. Highlights include Hexa's pranged-out swinger 'Shanghai Knights', the volcanic bombastic bounces and blazes of Stompz' 'Funk Accelerator' and the Metal Work's gritty punisher 'Changes'. And that's just the tip of this northern iceberg. Firing.
Review: The second chapter in Deep in the Jungle Anthems 7 is upon us, and there is yet another cacophonous blend of fractious jungle riddims inside. Drawn from artists across the scene both old and new, this LP is the second leg of a journey that's pull you deep through the spiky, rough edges of a the jungle. The crashing force of K Jah's 'Quest' is a good example, as repetitive breaks needle their way into your soul amidst a wobbling sub and jazzy samples. Bish is on remix duties for label boss DJ Hybrid and his tune 'Badboy', which samples possibly one of dance music's most iconic film lines and does so amidst a relentless, rolling instrumental. Sick - there are over 30 tracks inside so get involved.
Review: Sub-liminal take a moment to look back over almost six years of hard graft at the future talent coal face. Having been responsible for so many bangers from so many now household names, it's a mean feat boiling it down to this mere 50 heavyweight highlights. All the label's key names are on board; Guzi, Dreadnaught, Nick The Lot, Too Greezy, Kumo, Version, Vital, Pyro, Motiv and many more dust off their past heavers, hurters and head-slappers to reflect on everything Sub-liminal has stood for and encouraged so far. From the deeper, more subtle bubblers (Sam Harris - 'Coffee Machine') to the most outrageous funk-ups (Warhead - 'Cranked') this EP has everything. When the Riddim hits you, you can't say no...
Review: Jungle Cakes always tend to put out music that rests on the foundations of UK underground, the cross-over influences of soul, reggae, jungle and D&B. it's always a fresh sound and it always brings up connotations of Boomtown, free parties and sunny afternoons. This is a monster album curated by Aries and Kelvin 373, who have taken tracks both old and new to form a banging compilation. Bou nails it on 'Music Takes Me Higher', a rustic revisit to classic jungle sounds; Aries and Nicky Blackmarket roll things out in a tight way on 'Champion'; and Chimpo slams the brakes on 'DidDieDoThat'. We don't know the answer to that, but we do know this is fat. Big ups.
Review: Deep in the Jungle continue their onwards march with this, the seventh edition in their widely acclaimed Anthems series, a compilation that always finds the ideal mix of current and future talent to showcase. In the case of the former, well-travelled producers Epicentre and Kumarachi roll things out and tear them down on 'Light Em Up', which features a gnarly array of interlinked bass nodes and torn low frequency sonics, al underpinned by a percussion section that's the perfect blend of rusty and sharp. New talent emerges in the form of Trobe and Mirage, who have their first label release with '89', although you wouldn't have guessed it based off this tune's razor clean percussive edge and expert use of space, a hard thing to get right and one this pair blow out the water here. Rave samples, expansive basslines and a synth arrangement you won't be able to shake - unmissable. 34 tracks later and Deep in the Jungle have nailed every single one of them - big ups.
Review: The second sampler ahead of Deep in the Jungle's 7th Anthems album is here and gives us another glimpse into what is sure to be a superb collection of vicious jungle weapons - they always are. This one features Crossy on remix duties for Epicentre and Diligent Fingers, and he's turned 'Run Up' into a vibrant track with a gorgeous set of hi-hat studded drums and a luscious, deep bassline that packs plenty of attitude. 'Run Dem' by Hybrid is stepping in its percussion and lands with a seriously heavy amount of downwards pressure, whilst Bish remixes Hybrid's 'Badboy' to great effect. Toby Ross and K Jah both kill their tunes as well, and to say we're excited about this album would be an understatement.
Review: This is the first sampler to drop ahead of the next Deep in the Jungle Anthems LP, and since we're seven deep into this series already, you'll know just how hard they tend to hit. This sampler is no exception and the team have roped in a handful of the best in the game. Napes steps up first for a remix of 'Madman' by DJ Hybrid and the result is furious expression of breaks and bass, a flurry of energy that starts on the drop and doesn't let up for a second, its old school vibe cut through with modern jump up force. Janaway's cut - 'Know Dem' - is especially sick, with stepping drums and an infectiously funky bassline that ripples with high frequency energy. Conrad Subs lives up to his name with the subby monster that is 'When Its Time', and Tony Ross keeps things minimal on 'Marathon'. Sick.
Review: 10 years deep and counting; DJ Hybrid's Audio Addict are celebrating the big milestone with a whole brace of absurd updates on already slamming originals. Digging deep over the archives, the likes of Kastro, Hexa, Rantic, Dunk, Shayper, Zoro, Epicentre and many more all get their grubby mitts on some serious Audio Addict classics. Highlights include Zoro's brilliantly bubblesome old school twist on DJ Hybrid's 'Mix & Blend', Crossy's spacefunk bass grunts on his remix of Kartoon's 'Soundboy Surrender' and Epicentre's insane twists and touches on his remix of Scattyone's 'Give It To Me'. And that's just the tip of the remix iceberg. Huge shouts to Audio Addict for 10 years of ardent, loyal service!
Review: The epic decade celebrations continue as DJ Hybrid's Audio Addict continue to reflect over the last 10 years at the forefront of the dnb game. Like the previous classics collection, once again we dive deep into the label's rich history to find career-shaping tunes from some of the best in the game such as Kumarachi, Warhead, Euphonique, Replicant, Nectax and many many more. A perfect chance to get up to speed on the last 10 years, or fill a few gaps in your collection, highlights include the forthright rudeness of Nectax's flutter-bass roll-up 'Labyrinth', Gravit-E's twisted growler 'Side Bitch', Scudd & Crinnion's skank-happy 'My Town' and the massive 'Takeover' VIP from the bossman himself. Massive.
Review: Reload and come again: our 'Juno Download Selects' edition with the mighty US dnb HQ Liondub International continues for another session. Once again featuring an A-list rollcall of now household names, it's another reminder of how much heat Liondub International have cooked up over the years, supporting artists from their earliest moves. Highlights on this set include the turbo slammage and necksnap switches on Jayline's 'Anglo Saxxon', early hurly burly from the man like Macky on 'Black Widow' and the always-devilish bubbles of Motiv's 'Vultures'. And that's just three of 15 crucial example's of Liondub International future-focused benchmark. Get to know!
Review: Link-up, look smart; we've connected with one of the most exciting labels in dnb for a collection of their biggest hitters, rising stars and highest sellers: Liondub International. Headed up by Eric Liondub in NYC, Liondub International have broken and nurtured more new talent than most put together, and these first few volumes showcase. First up come these 15 examples as the likes of Kumo, Bou, Jayline, DJ Hybrid, Saxxon and many more all deliver timeless heaters. Highlights include Sub Killaz' broadsword skank-up 'Murderah', Brian Brainstorm's junglised slash-up 'Kill A Drumpan' and Bladerunner & Johnny Osbourne's ever-sweet 'Night Fall Dub'. All this and plenty more; whether you've been following Liondub since day or you're new to their consistent onslaught, there's plenty to catch up on here. Selector!
Review: Founded by DJ Hybrid, one of the hardest working men in the last 10 years of jungle, Audio Addict has been a vital platform for many artists to breakthrough. Kumarachi, Agro, Scartip, RMS, Section, Jaybee and many more enjoyed early cuts on the label, who've always had an open remit that's stretched from heavier dancefloor cuts to deeper, more junglist tunes. Recently rebooted with a new plan and re-generated crew, the label now look back over many killer cuts from last decade. Highlights include the sample-smashing 'Back To Reality' (RMS) , the epic disco feels of 'All You Need To Know' (Bassface Sascha & Fiendsoul) and the bleepy, low-slung stepper 'My Days Are Cold' (Agro). Here's to another 10 years.
Review: Oh hello there Audio Addict. Celebrating their 10th anniversary in true style, DJ Hybrid's label call up some serious names to get their remix claws into many of the label's classics. Comprising the likes of Gray, DJ Gaw, K-Jah, Section, Conrad Subs, Parallel, Disrupta and so many more on-point names in modern D&B, each cut gets turbo-charged and subverted to the max. With 26 remixes, there are too many highlights to mention but you'd be mad to sleep on Disrupta's savage take on Hybrid's 'Shoot 'Em Up', Parallel's epic sweeps on Swerve's 'Massive & Crew' or GLM's cosmic take on Section's 'Perfect Space'. Happy anniversary.
Review: Audio Addict are turning ten years old, a fantastic achievement, and to mark the occasion the good people over there are releasing a wicked compilation that draws upon lots of the artists in their orbit. This first sampler features Disrupta, Jappa, Subcriminal, Crossy and K Jah across a five-track showcase of just how gully this label can be, with all five artists stepping up to remix tracks from the label back-catalogue. Disrupta takes the reins first and does so with aplomb, putting a fiery spin on DJ Hybrid's 'Shoot Em Up' and flipping it into a warped-out engine of pure dancefloor energy. At the end of the release, K Jah comes with a distinctly different vibe that's much more rough and tumble, a bouncy yet relentless bassline sitting beneath a sampled vocal from Liam Bailey that sounds unreal. Top EP and we can't wait for the full version.
Review: So it doesn't feel like we've had much of a summer this year. It also feels like the arts are being hung-up to dry right now. But at least the good folk at Sub-liminal care for us.... To mark the (albeit raveless) sunny season, they've put together a 50 (yes, fifty) track collection from some of the most exciting names in the game. From Dunk to Xav, RV to Warhead, Agro, Guzi, Shayper, Damage Report and so many more, this is the 'Summer Selection' we all totally need and deserve right now. Highlights include the Remarc levels of badness on Guzi's 'Area 51', the tension and staggered creepiness of Yatuza's 'Clich?' and the broadsword swathes of Motiv's buzzy bumper 'Necroplasm'. And that's just three out of 50. Thank you Sub-liminal. We need this more than ever right now.
Review: DJ Hybrid on Born On Road... This is a big release whichever direction it hits you. Whether it bounces into your chops with its rubber ball badness of 'Just Keep It Real', creeps up behind you all slinky and ominous like 'Directions', sidles up to you all shady and paranoid like 'Last One', jumps on your head and screams 'woooooiiii' like 'Big Request' or struts right up to your face, bold as brass, and slews the dickens out of you like 'Send For Dem'... We guarantee this will hit you.
Review: Deep in the Jungle are back doing what they do best - laying fractious jungle rhythms and having a blast while they do it. This time around it's Critycal Dub, and their focus with The Secret is focused on what's really important with this music, the barebones elements of the genre that give it vitality and soul. Nowhere is that more apparent than on title tune 'The Secret', featuring DJ Hybrid, which soulfully flicks its way through the intro and into a fluctuating, vibrant reece bass that perfectfully hovers in place, caught in suspended animation between the teeth of the drums. 'Can't Stop' feat. Yush is more junglist fever, while 'Cluster Bombs' strips things back even more on a slightly rollier tip. Big.
Review: Deep in the Jungle have emerged as arguably the biggest standout new jungle label in recent times and, off the back of their growing family of artists, they've decided to try and represent both where the label and the genre are in 2020. With artists from DJ Hybrid, to Conrad Subs and beyond, it's a statement of intent from the imprint. The music reflects that intention as well, with jungle sounds throughout but punctuated with that modern, sharper edge that we've come to expect from our newly revitalised scene. DJ Hybrid's 'On A Riddim' is the best example, as a punchy bass note streams out of a bedrock of clattering breaks, whilst we're seriously digging the rolling reece's of 'The Rhythm' by Conrad Subs. All of these are proper percys.
Review: Fresh D&B in the house courtesy of newcomer Jak! Having only previously appeared before on Welsh label Incurzion through a collaboration with Concept One, Jak's solo debut for Audio Addict brings with it two extra collabs with Nautika and bossman DJ Hybrid. Receiving some personalised cover art in the process, Jak opens with the skippy, almost fidget-touched, half-time rave number "Back Around". Deep atmospheres enter the void when the first drop hits in "Dubplate Pulse" (and "Spawner") with the humming edge of Jak's basslines turning into something of a roar in the ambient pastures of "The Lion". Bouncier dub and reggae vibes in "Bun It Up" too matched by "Obstruction" only to be stripped back for some extra jungle percussion to make its way to the front of the mix.
Review: Two years after Valiant Emcee's original "Ronin" series dropped, now comes this mammoth remix package. Featuring the likes of Will Miles, DJ Hybrid, Conrad Subs, DZire, Sikka, Diligent Fingers, KC and many more, vibes run the full gamut like VE's bars do. From the darkstepping drama of "The Ronin" (with Anastasia) to the rolling breezes of "Mic Check" (with DJ Hybrid) by way of absolute stinkery (Sikka's remix of "The Ronin", the subaquatic deep dream vibes of Diligent Fingers' "Drifting" remix) Dutty Bass have represented every shade and style to fit the Canadian MC's bars perfectly.
Review: V Recordings sublabel Chronic has developed a reputation for putting out beats that are even more venomous than its big sister, and their long-standing rollers series is getting a beef up with the fourth instalment. Featuring a litany of acts from a range of eras and a diversity of styles, Chronic Rollers Vol. 4 is a perfect addition to the arsenal of any DJ. 'Blindspot' from Nectax blends a soulful sample with an oscillating warp of juddering bass energy; Mancunian upstart SL8R gets subby and rolling with 'Roundabout'; and Brazilian label long-timers Alibi roll things out tidily on 'Sentinel'. Banging.
Review: Everyone likes a good compilation, right? What's better than having as big a range of artists as possible in one condensed place? It's essentially an album with the ease of listening of a single, so we're all for it. Subliminal have come out with the 2020 edition in their Riddim Return series and it's packed full of bangers, across a range of styles, and it's one of those albums which doesn't try to be cool or sophisticated by chucking in a few fillers for the sake of diversity - it's just hard stuff here. It works great, with Sam Harris' tendency for muscular minimosity coming on loud and clear on Boom Ting, a wickedly devilish and driving roller.
