Review: To celebrate the marking of their 100th official release, the New York-based masters of Digital Terror make their return with a system-slamming compilation box, exploring the full spectrum of new school drums. The project features 16 outstanding originals, ranging from the limb-twitching synth punches of 'Make Sure' from Stompz and lethal reese work of Sano's 'Blow Up', through to the metallic shreds of Spaow's 'Warning' VIP mix and Taxman's gut-busting return on 'So Good'. The team have assembled a collection of heavyweights for this latest outing, with the grinding bass curls of 'Heavy & Bad' from Harley D & the euphoria-inducing delights of Jayline & General D's 'Keep Moving' being our immediate standouts. It's a fiery collection to say the least, capable of turning the deadest of dances into an absolute zoo.
Review: As a label, Crucast have gone from strength to strength, rapidly establishing themselves as one of the premiere platforms for bass music in the UK. This complication marks that out perfectly with an astonishing selection of over 30 original creations, featuring high profile appearances from the likes of Jaguar Skills, Brent Kilner, Pavv, TC4, Inkline, Deadbeat UK and a tonne more. For us the EP highlights the strength in the current UK bass scene, with favourites being Bushbaby & Hadean's long-awaited collaboration release 'Clean Up', the monstrous swinging synths of Tengu's 'Weapon' and of course the wonky wonderings of SaidWho's 'Voices', a truly original compositional idea, focussing on rawcus bass sounds and scattered drum selections.
Review: Man like Dutta returns to Souped Up with four delicious servings. We kick off with the title track 'Tokyo Drift', a sprightly, shimmering number where the bassline too's and fro's beneath Bone Slim's stylistic bars. It's backed by three more dreamboat jams; 'Explode' hits with a divine house-style piano hook, 'Bag Drop' gets a little murky for the sticky fingered massive while 'Middleman' closes the EP on an introspective jazzy flex. Drift away...
Review: Informal are rapidly picking up speed with their releases, and this week they're following up their previously successful compilation with a third edition, this one equally packed to the rafters with both new and old school talent. It's a tour-de-force of the tough side of the genre and it's exemplified by 'Lava Cake', courtesy of Dutta and T>I, producers who know their way around the controls and who prove it once more, as stabbing bass notes and hypnotic vocal samples cut across its snapping, rolling arrangement with all the force and subtlety of an underground train. Jenks and Acp maks an appearance on the superbly gruff 'Big', whilst Dutta gets deeper than usual on 'If You Never'. Quintessential drum & bass that makes for essential listening.
Review: Dutta is back, using his force to compel you to pull ugly bassfaces and throw your drink with an EP that doesn't hold back. Its not the kindest on the ears but then again it's not supposed to be, it's a monograph in hard-hitting sonics and dastardly tones. 'The Box' feat. MC Bassman is undergirded by a booming snare drum and percussive clarity, but the action happens in the steadily melodic but still raucous bassline, a pitched-up monstrosity of dancefloor proportions. The others feature more big sounds, with emphasis instead on forward movement and gruff, no nonsense textures. Another sick EP from the Mancunian on one of the scene's the best labels.
Review: Digital Terror have had a sick last twelve months and this VA shows off some of their best cuts from the year, featuring acts like Jayline, Dutta, SL8r and more. Those latter two collab in serious style on 'The Pain', which cuts down into the range with fire and fury, angled sharp basses knifing through the frequencies with the grace and decorum of an elephant in heat. Jack The Ripper lands with supreme heaviness on 'Direction Course', Spaow brings the old-school vibes on 'Gallopo' and the collaboration of the album comes from the dream team of Jayline, Bou, Dutta and MC Dino who land with aplomb on 'Pico Skank'. Seminal.
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: It's all kicking off at Souped Up HQ. First they tell us Voltage is our real dad and it seems Dutta is being ousted as our naughty uncle coercing us into god knows what type of mischief with some of his most cantankerous sounds and flavours yet. "Tiger Claw" is pure drum riot funk, "Reload" (with Jakes) is insanely smooth, "Wash Away" (with Serum) packs all the raffish thrills and spills of an early Hazard joint, "Woah" is a deep sci-fi roll-out that takes off where "Trooper" left us the other month while "OG" closes on venomous growl flex. Wowzers... These will singe your trousers.
Review: Man like Dutta rings you up for a cheeky chat, you're not going to say no... Four more weapons on his Informal imprint, it's heavyweight business as usual. "Conversations" is a real screamer with a trilling bass tone that rises in tone and skin-tingles and a creepy twist midway while "Stuffed Crust" follows suit with a squidgy bouncy bass riff that nods towards a classic Zinc style and could be Dutta's funkiest moment to date. Elsewhere "The Trooper" takes us down much deeper passageways with a techno-like arpeggio and ravey pads and "Clarity" ends the show on a rough, aggy one as Dreps joins the party. End of conversation.
Review: Phwoar! Dutta on Kartoons... Now this is a serious meeting of jump up jungle minds old and new here. Throw in fellow new-gen firebrand Ly Da Buddah and you've got two seriously troublesome tracks. "Strawberry Dawg" will be a stand-out persy for many funk heads thanks to its dusty old horn sample and drop into hyperactive rave business on the riff while "The 80s" is pure bounce. Like a pair of Reebok Pumps inflated by a car tyre pump, this springy little number will have you bouncing off the walls for days.
Review: Pass the pizza ar kid, Marky's heading up north and he's after something spicy! Teaming up with Dutta for the first of a two part release, this is a seriously tasty dream team where both artists characters' can be heard very clearly and vividly in the mix. "Mochi" flips between sandpaper bass licks and soft funk stabs while "Waffles" flips between a grumpy Bristol style bass and perky piano rolls that gradually get creepier and creepier. Feeling peckish? This will feed your family for three weeks and still have plenty left over.
Review: This is a hell of a compilation from the Original Key crew, celebrating 3 years of being in the game. To do so, they've roped in some seriously big names including Sub Zero, T>I, Aries, Dutta and the one and only Bungle. Bungle's contribution is a powerful, rolling number with a solid drum break and swirling, hypnotic low frequency oscillation that'll have you nodding in agreement. Voltage & Nicky Blackmarket come correct on 'The Magnificent', DJ Sly and MC Det smash 'Jungle Drums, and there are many more huge tracks on here from equally huge artists. One to remember.
Review: Currently ramping up the vibes on his Informal imprint, Dutta takes time to serve up a slice of cake or four on Digital Terror and it's a bass banquet that's every bit as scrumptious as you'd expect from a man who officially wants to marry BBQ pizza bases. Expect ruffage of every flavour: the spicy ("The Pain" with Sl8r), the glutinous ("Painkillers"), the meaty ("LA Kush Cake") and the sweet ("1608") All best served with some type of fizzy beverage, Dutta's cooking up bare feasts right about now.
Review: Liondub International's 10 year celebrations continue with a sense-shocking body slam into the future of the label and its ever-growing family of talented artists. Hitting hard like the label's ever-on-point Street Series, the rollcall reads like a who's who in gully talent: Dutta, Bou, Jayline, Vital, BlckHry and loads more. Whether you want to be completely twisted and spat back out by a brass section (Pharoah's "Fire In The Hole") you'd prefer to be hoovered by a jet engine then shot up into the stars (Jayline's "1408") or you're more into the idea of being rattled around in a big tin bassline can (Danny The WildChild's "Body Moves") this future shock has every physical experience contemporary (but heavily rooted) drum & bass can offer. And there's even more to come. Big up Liondub!
Review: Liondub are celebrating a decade of existence and they're doing a three-part compilation series covering the past, present and future of the label. By definition, then, these series' feature plenty of talent from all across the spectrum and time period of the genre. One of our favourite of the 26 cuts is Bou's VIP of Keep Away, a deliciously double-bass infused number that is both funky and heavy, the ideal combination, and he's flipped up the arrangement here with some precisely placed note changes. There are also features from Vital, Euphonique, Dutta, Marcus Visionary and more, with the overall vibe being one of toughness and power. Top stuff.
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