Review: Dominator, the jump up legend taken from us far too soon, is being given the remix treatment of by a whole load of legends, including Upgrade, DJ Limited, T>I and Telekom & Flat T. The result is varied, moody release that touches beautifully upon all the elements of urban-edged dance music, including naughty rollers, stuttering jungle-influenced tracks and everything in between. T>I's remix of 'Hooked' very much falls into the latter category, with a rigid but solid break that underpins the wispy sense of ambience provided by the constant pads looming over the arrangement. The others are equally sick, especially Upgrade's storming remix of 'Business Man'. RIP Dominator - what a tribute this is.
Review: Big guns blazing, Low Down Deep fire more shots into 2021 with this massive four-piece from Skore. As you can tell from the title, the EP ignites with a very special track as an old unreleased collab with Dom (RIP) kicks things off with incendiary riff magic. Elsewhere 'Your Lovin' brings in the tones of Ellie Marie for some light/dark fusion and another massive riff before 'My Selectah' adds a little euphoria into the mix and 'Slushy' ensures the EP ends on a serious bang. Not to be missed... You all know the score about Skore by now.
Review: The one and only Nu Elementz ushers us into a new lockdown era with his third studio album. Arguably his most comprehensive LP to date, he eases us in with sober reflective jams like the title track and 'Dark Times' before plunging us deeper and deeper into his savage sound palette where collabs with the likes Dominator (RIP), Sub Zero, Sub Killaz and label boss Majistrate await. Highlights include the all-out weirdness and dark funk of 'Reality', the bouncy-assed dancefloor slap and tickle of 'Lost World' and the purring deep soul hums of 'Don't You' but that's not even scratching the tip of this ice cold iceberg. Lockdowns were invented for albums like this. Turn on, tune in, 'Blackout'...
Review: Low Down Deep are regular appearances here for two main reasons. Firstly, they release a hell of a lot of music. Secondly, it almost always hits hard and in good order. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at Vital & Mass' collaborative EP Think First/Rolling Stoney/No Gangsta/Deeper. 'Think First' is without a doubt the highlight of the EP, with an infectiously funky arrangement that's grounded in a glitchy sense of progression and movement. It goes hard, but in a way that's not off-putting or over the top, and it's a fitting tribute to an excellent original by the late DJ Dominator That's the general impression of this EP: jump-up with serious finesse and class.
Review: Low Down Deep has become one of the premier destinations for UK jump-up, playing host to every big name in the scene over the years. Now a proper flag-holder for the resurgent jump-up movement, Low Down Deep are back and they're repping Ego Trippin, one of the big boys in the scene right now. He's coming out with two VIPs and track one, featuring the late DJ Dominator, is playful yet devastating, with an upbeat and funky arrangement that lands hard - very hard. 'Spinning Elbow' is less subtle, with gravelly synths that pummel the top end of the range and a snapping drum line that nails the bottom end. Yes guys!
Review: Biological Beats are turning fifteen years old and, like any good anniversary, it's being celebrated with a proper knees-up, hands-in-the-air type compilation of jump-up heavy hitters from a slew of wicked artists. This is that celebration and DJ Limited, Puppetz and more are in the place, whilst Enta and more make a feature as well. Enta turns up the heat with a screamer with 'Ear Dis', Puppetz takes things heavy on 'Reborn' and Traumatize drags proceedings into a bouncier place with his stormin VIP of 'Joker'. All round, an excellent showing from the crew and an excellent example of how to pull off a big compilation.
Review: Dominator sadly passed away last year, and to celebrate his legacy Low Down Deep have released a full LP of his music, including collaborations galore. The first tune features Nu Elementz and its satisfyingly solid, with punmching bass stabs and a rock-hard percussive base to go with them. All of the tracks on this release are just big, from the glitched-out width of 'Better Late Than Never' featuring Majistrate, to the subtle yet funk-infused rhythm of 'Atomic Playboy' featuring Ego Tripping. Scene legend Heist makes a couple of appearances on 'Sway' and 'Cowboy' and Sub Zero tears up the place on 'Terror Notts'. This is sick EP that does justice to another D&B figure who was taken too soon. RIP Dominator.
Review: Logan D's Low Down Deep imprint celebrate 100 releases with this bumper to bumper banger collection with cuts from the biggest names in the heavier end of the game; Turno, Maji, Upgrade, Voltage, Heist, Serum and of course the late great Dominator are just some of the heavyweights involved. Every tune is a highlight but mad salutes fire in the direction of Turno & Pacso with their purring harmonic bass creeper "Cosmic Funk", K Motionz' long awaited summer slamming anthem "Buckaguy" and the blissful rippling charms and outrageous subby drop of Heist's "Hawaiian". Elsewhere there's pure gully fisticuffs as Kanine has "Bloody Knuckles" and Serum has "Brass Knuckles". Either way, they both KO. Like the whole album. Get on this.
Review: Revolution for Evolution! Hotly-tipped new gen jump up craftsman K Motionz comes correct with his highly anticipated debut album. 16 tracks of thundering 175 magic, K-Mo crushes it from all directions. From the groaning, droning moans of opener "Exterminate" to the emotional Jaws-style dramatic finale with the late great Dominator (RIP) "The Dominator", there's not a filler in sight. The sing-along thrills and spills of "Declaration", the slithering rolls and slaps of "Reptile", the soothing soulful glides of "Dreaming To Reality", the surging peaks of "Higher" and the gritty contrasts of "Gospel" are just some of the many highlights. Time to evolve...
Review: Hurters don't come much more heavy hearted than these. Just over a year before he was tragically taken away from us, Dom's legacy lives on with two important additions to his hugely influential back cat. The long-awaited "History Making" VIP finally enjoys a release complete with its beautifully trippy melted jazz breakdown while A.M.C is given Dom and Turno's classic "Bomb Squad" and gives it an explosive twist of its own. Rest in peace Dom.
Review: We don't need to tell you how important this EP is. Commemorating a year since he tragically left us, each of these massive VIPs are a reminder of just how much of an impact Dom had on the game and how much he inspired his peers. You already know the tunes, you've no doubt heard these VIPs dropped in the dance, these are special moments in time that celebrate one of jump up's brightest souls. All proceeds go to Dom's family. Rest In Peace Beast From The East.
Review: Fix up, look sharp: Low Down Deep looks back over some past corkers and shares the parts around. First up the unstoppable T>I softens the distorted bark on Maji's 2015 "Pick 'Em Out" and adds a humming sub vibe, Ego Trippin take us back to Pacso's 2011 Pakistan adventure with a whole new savage riff on "Coastin Through Karachi" while Jayline kicks Dom and D's already KO-worthy "Rumble" into a whole new battlecage. Finally Tyke take Ego Trippin's biggest banger to date, scrunches it up into a tight ball, dowses it in petrol, sets fire to it and kicks it in through your bedroom window. And you wouldn't have it any other way.... Would you?
Raise Up The Pressure (feat Azza) - (5:51) 175 BPM
Roach Rizla (feat Grima) - (4:23) 175 BPM
Review: It doesn't get much deeper than this: Dom's first posthumous release, this was locked and loaded in the chamber just before he tragically passed in June. Time to pay respect; both on dub for well over a year, their heavy-demand status speaks for itself. Azza accelerates the intensity onf "Raise Up The Pressure" over a signature Dominator riff, all stripped back and spiky yet bouncy. "Roach Rizla", meanwhile, is a step-by-step guide to citrus bliss with the one and only Grima. Both essential in every possible way. Rest In Peace.
