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J:kenzo
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RawZ / TyphoonPREORDER
Review: Forever flipping through the tempos and the styles, Artikal bossman and all-round legend J:Kenzo has the honour of being the launch artist on Alternate Recordings - a brand new label from longstanding Bristol party crew. Hot on the heels of his Metalheadz release, Kenzo keeps things D&B with both of these raffish, rugged cuts. 'RawZ' bashes and bumps in all the right places, aided by shimmering percussion and a sweet vocal stab placed at all the right moments. It's backed up by the sultry, sexy 'Typhoon' that flexes on a halftime groove for most of the track and features a smouldering vocal you'll instantly recognise. Stunning.
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: Do us a favour plug us into a Zega... The man, the myth, the dubstep don, J:Kenzo lands on Metalheadz and not one of us are surprised... He's been teasing us with his D&B appreciation and craftsmanship on his radio shows and through releases on the likes of 31 for some time now. Naturally this is the summit of his 170 explorations so far and it's an exhilarating peak. Highlights include the glacial tension and rolling drum thunder of 'Tiger Moth' and the stripped-back curmudgeonly grizzles of 'An Uncharted Vision' but the whole EP is pure ice. What a crucial way to kick off a new year.
Review: Artikal Music has always been an exciting imprint to follow, especially when the bossman comes to town. J:Kenzo therefore makes an explosive return with this EP as he invites four of the most unique producers out inside for a full remix drop, opening up with Boylan's system-busting rethink of 'Like A Hawk' with Flowdan, fusing breaksy drum arrangements and seriously bass manipulations from the jump. From here, Mani Festo jumps on board for another breaks-driven overhaul, this time turning 'Deadbull' into a writhing reesey monster, followed by the crunchy bass designs and electrifying synth action of MYTHM's 'Narky' twist up. Finally, Unkey delivers a fabulous rework of 'Desired State', a dripping dungeon dweller of an anthem, sweeping between potent sub growls and ear-prickling melodic taps. What a collection this is!
Played by: Juno Recommends Dubstep
Review: It's always good to see label heads returning to their home turf, with this latest drop from J:Kenzo seeing him reappear on the fantastic Artikal Music for four tracks of steppers mastery. We begin with the title track 'Karthaus', an eerie roller, littered with subtle pad sweeps and a dizzying sub-line below, giving us a spooky journey to open things up. From here 'Solar Return' then delivers a devastating punch of gritty bass synthesis, topped with bell like percussive stabs and choppy drum textures, before 'Astral Traveller' the moogy sub pulses of 'Astral Traveller' send us back down a road of trippy abandon. Finally, the path settles for a stunning showcasing of soundscape ability, with 'Silentium', bracketed with 'Path Of Tranquility' cools the senses and lulls us into a sleepy trance, giving us a soft landing to round off this top notch collection.
Played by: Vincent Inc
Played by: Juno Recommends Dubstep
Review: Duploc's run of top quality drops has been pretty unrivalled, with their catalogue boasting some of the finest dubstep originals to land over the lockdown period. This latest link up see's Hebbe take the driving seat, who for us, is one of the most widely underrated production talents out there. We kick off with the more stripped, LFO driven percussive drifts of 'Up Town Dub', a throwback of a steppers original, showcasing the more old-school side of Hebbe's sound. Next, 'RSNT' takes us down a much more systematic avenue, smashing together tremendous 808 pulses and drippy drums for a masterclass in dungeon-influenced production. Finally, J:Kenzo arrives just in time to give us a fabulous rework of 'Up Town Dub', taking it down an even more dubwise diversion, rounding off the EP nicely.
Various
Review: The run that we find Infernal Sounds upon has seen them unleash some incredible creations as of late, with this new link up between J:Kenzo & Saule being a perfect example of that energy. We begin by diving head first into J:Kenzo's long awaited remix of 'Cure Dem', rebuilding the track into a dancehall inspired system rattler, with crunchy rhythmic slaps and a warbling synth line out front for good measure. On the flip, We take in the ferocity of 'Shijima's Revenge', a grizzly low end bubbler, driven primarily by it's pulsating bassline and piercing ride-cymbals. What a double up this one is!
Played by: Juno Recommends Bass
Review: What a link up we have here as the super creative Amit links up with the incredibly consistent production power of J:Kenzo for two tracks of heavyweight 140BPM fire. We begin with the haunted introduction of 'Acid Trip', which provides us with a spacey, bouncing arrangement, leading us towards a crescendo of jittering moogy bassline energy, topped with progressive drum expansions and a high energy groove throughout. On the flip, 'Righteous' sees the pair link up again with a more half-time feel as the lo-fi yet industrial sound drum designs and let loose amidst a dungeon-like atmosphere to provide some serious variation.
Played by: Metal Work
Various
Review: Now many have guessed that this one has been in the works for a while, but that makes us no less excited to unveil this tasty new album projct from J:Kenzo, who returns to his home imprint of Artikal Music for 'Taygeta Code'. From start to finish, the album is a true exploration into electronic music, primarily of course focussed around 140BPM. It's got bass pressure on 'Desired State', it's got acidic originality on 'Hoodwinked', it's even got a weighty guest vocal from the legendary Flowdan who returns on Kenzo's Darkside VIP mix of 'Like A Hawk'. This is an excellent showcasing of J:Kenzo's ability within a crowded dubstep scene.
Various
Review: Om Unit takes it to the bridge once again. His label's first V/A collection since its evergreen Cosmology Sessions in 2017, it's another vast plane ripe in sonic depths and textures from some of the most left-minded, boundary-fusing captains in the bass game. Featuring two crucial link-ups from the bossman himself with two kindred spirits Djrum and Synkro plus a whole cosmic cornucopia of voyages from the likes of Danny Scrilla, J:Kenzo, Vromm and stacks more, every track is a highlight in its own beguiling way. No label flares with the same levels of dark vitality, there's more than enough for our brains to chew on right here.
Played by: J:Kenzo
Review: This is a release we were dying to get our teeth stuck into as the legendary Artikal Music imprint welcomes home J:Kenzo for a fantastic new single, alongside the man himself: Flowdan. The pair join forces for a wicked new creation which takes the name of 'Like A Hawk'. You can tell that this is a track that has been created to send the raves into a frenzy, as J provides a stunning steppers backdrop, over which we hear the legendary vocal presence of Flowdan let loose, with classic, gritty lyricism and aggy flow patterns. The release also comes complete with a J:Kenzo 'Darkside' VIP, which sends the track even further into a new dimension.
Various
Review: Let's just list the amount of stone cold bass OGs on this collection: Krust, dBridge, Om Unit, Danny Scrilla, V.I.V.E.K, Von D, Moresounds, AU, Oris Jay & Chris Innersound and whole load more of soundsystem culture's most innovative craftsman working at the deepest levels of the low end coalface all feature on this immense and forward thinking document. Including the curator Amit himself. Every track is a highlight, each one and abyssal, immersive experience but essential highlights include the toxic bass bounces of Moresounds' "They Can't Handle It", the 23rd century UKG of Oris and Chris's "They Can't Handle It" and Krust's big screen masterpiece "Escape From Finland". Amit deserves a holiday. Or a massive trophy. Or both. Bass compilations don't get much bigger than this.
J:Kenzo feat Rhianna Kenny
Review: Chestplate and Artikal = Chestikal. If that doesn't already grab your attention then the fact that it's Distance and J:Kenzo on two massive collabos and the tunes are every bit as smoking, spacious and sick as you'd like them to be most certainly will. "The Offering" is a pure swaggering jam with rasping, distorted basslines striking through anything and everything in their wake. "Dhyana" offers sublime contrast with a much deeper, smokier blend of mystical atmospheres, roomy drums and an eerie eastern call that will have your skin up in so many goosebumps you might just grow feathers. Big up your chestikals.
Played by: Alert
Review: Dubstep is well and truly back into the conversation when it comes to popular UK underground music. Over the last few years J:Kenzo has cemented himself as one of the UK's top names through his own releases, his regular appearances on Rinse.FM and the heading up of the infamous Artikal Music imprint. Here we see him return to the fray with two absolute belters. On the A-Side we have 'Shark Eye', a gritty monster that has been highly anticipated for release for a long time. On the flip we hear a super swingy piece of electronic sound design entitled 'Asutoraru' which makes a great accompaniment! If he continues on this type of form, 2018 is looking to be a very exciting year for Mr Kenzo.
Various
Review: Reviewed By Duploc:
Today we're inspecting the construction site of Artikal Music UK's next project. Founder J:Kenzo employed eleven professional and highly skilled architects to carefully design, build and create a handcrafted compilation full of music he admires. As J:Kenzo explains: "The tracks included were filtered through from artists that have previously released on Artikal or have some connection with myself either being played on my Rinse FM shows or live sets". Considering the quality of each and every track, only two years of fabrication to finish off this product is remarkably short. Volume One of "The Architects" reflects J:Kenzo's refined taste in dubstep and drum and bass. On the 2 x 12" record, you'll find some absolute masterpieces from amongst others D-Operation Drop, Causa, Compa, Argo, DubDiggerz and J:Kenzo himself. The Architects' series, a yearly showcase filled with content from the label's artists plus VIP and remixes as well as bringing through new talent, will make the foundations of dubstep shake undoubtedly.
Today we're inspecting the construction site of Artikal Music UK's next project. Founder J:Kenzo employed eleven professional and highly skilled architects to carefully design, build and create a handcrafted compilation full of music he admires. As J:Kenzo explains: "The tracks included were filtered through from artists that have previously released on Artikal or have some connection with myself either being played on my Rinse FM shows or live sets". Considering the quality of each and every track, only two years of fabrication to finish off this product is remarkably short. Volume One of "The Architects" reflects J:Kenzo's refined taste in dubstep and drum and bass. On the 2 x 12" record, you'll find some absolute masterpieces from amongst others D-Operation Drop, Causa, Compa, Argo, DubDiggerz and J:Kenzo himself. The Architects' series, a yearly showcase filled with content from the label's artists plus VIP and remixes as well as bringing through new talent, will make the foundations of dubstep shake undoubtedly.
Played by: Alert
Review: Ahead of the massive Architects Volume 1 album, featuring some of Artikal's most innovative creators, bossman Kenzo drops his first original since last year's jungle damagers on ThirtyOne. "Cross Polarity" sees an endlessly shifting bassline slipping and sliding between evolving drum patterns before diving naked into a deep pool of ageless elements that's deeper than a late night whiskey with Hawkin. A taste of things to come and a reminder of why J:Kenzo is an absolute monster at the controls.
Various
Review: Hello is the serious burns unit? Yes it's Juno Records here, we've been in direct contact with J Kenzo's latest Artikal release and have lost several layers of skin. Get an ambulance right away you say? Just after we've listened to this a few more times! "Battlefield" twitches a ruddy sub that bounces around beneath big system horns and a strident energetic drum groove. "Zbantu Shake" is a much more stripped back stepper that's all wooden kicks, trippy flute flurries and ladles of thick treacle subs. Soundboy killing material.
Various
Review: We've been waiting for this since Doc Scott fired up his old ThirtyOne machine just over a year ago. A 24-track collection of stone cold exclusives, this bucks any expectations of the label and its remit and celebrates the very best creativity in all shades of drum & bass. Littered with the best names in the game (Calibre, Nucleus & Paradox, Bungle, Loxy & Resound, Scar, Marcus Intalex and many many more), each cut pushes the bass and riddim envelope with stark, uncompromised creativity and production muscle. The ultimate document of where the best D&B is at, this is nothing short of essential.
Various
Played by: DJ The Tornado, Be-1ne, TMSV, Mentha, FatKidOnFire, Crises, EshOne, GAZE ILL, Sepia, J:Kenzo, Thelem, Monkixx x FatKidOnFire, Icicle
Review: Whether it's as a performer, a producer or a label head honcho, J:Kenzo has never done things by halves, so Artikal's debut long player was always going to be special. 15 exclusive cuts from the label's talented family and friends, this collection of contributions doesn't just document where bass music is at, but where it's heading. Each track is a highlight in itself, but it's cuts like the slinky hypnotic groove and cosmic congas of TMSV's "Scorpion", Sleeper's star-gazing, dub-drenched sub science of "Coxsone Dub", Skeptical's lesson minimalism and aggy restraint ("Skavenger") and Eshone's treacle-like dirge "Qualia" that really represent the depth, scope and vision of Artikal. Designed for the dance, arranged so well it works as an entire listening experience, Artikal don't do things by halves.
Various
Various
Review: No other label can rep dubstep like Tempa. Many would argue it was the first label to truly herald and nourish the sound. Here they explore their vaults and dust off some of the most genre-defining, idiosyncratic tracks that have helped shape the phenomenon we know today. From SPMC's paranoid murker from 2008 "Trust Nobody" to a whole series of Skream sessions such as "WTF", "Wibbler" and "Vacillate", the collection is a reminder of how influential Tempa has been, how talented their roster has always been and, most importantly, how slamming and stimulating dubstep can be when nourished and developed by the right label. Recognise.
Various
Review: Sixth in the series, This Is Dubstep is one of the more comprehensive, on-point series the scene has given us (ie: many!) Across the 40 tracks every single shade is covered; from rave-tinged (Noisia's remix of "Smack My Bitch Up") to all-out technicolour bass (Drumsound & Bassline Smith), This Is Dubstep 2013 pays respect to all corners of the dance - including the really far-out experimentations of Mala and his Cuban project. With exclusives such as V.I.V.E.K's "Barcelona" and Killawatt's "Single Entity" thrown in for good measure, this isn't just a summary of today's dubstep; it's a slice of the future too.
Played by: DJ The Tornado, Winter, C Tek, PIER, EL CARNICERO, J Courage, DJS: MOST CHARTED - DUBSTEP/UK FUNK, Bam Bam Dealers
Review: J Kenzo returns to Tempa for a third round of heady dubstep of the old school variety. Using the standard dubstep toolkit to create something that is more than the sum of its parts, "Invaderz" is paranoid stuff, creating an oppressive atmosphere with its lurching bass. "Depth Charge" is more of the same finely sculpted half-step, with a searing bass that gets right under your skin.
Various
Played by: Fed Conti
Review: As January nears its bitter end, it seems this the time to release mega compilation albums. AEI, the company behind Get Darker, UKF and D&B Arena unveil their next project: Get Darker Presents: This Is Dubstep 2012. And what an album it is. Bringing in all the flavours of contemporary dubstep, it succeeds in providing a sweeping panorama of an increasingly fractionalized scene. From the deeper sounds of Author, VIVEK, Kryptic Minds, Icicle & Distance and Phaeleh, through material from scene pioneers such as Horsepower Productions, Skream and Benga, to the more aggressive sounds of Gemini, Flux Pavillion, 16 Bit and Nero, it's all covered. A brilliant "who's who" of dubstep in 2012 - highly recommended.
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Distance/Various
Review: Champion of dark, tough and considered dubstep, Distance provides the latest instalment in the much loved Dubstep Allstars mix series. It's fairly typical fare from the Chestplate boss man, with tough steady rhythms underpinned by that particularly distorted kind of bassline. There are a number of highlights, most notably Commodo's "Surveillance" which has a rolling break woven into the mix. Cyrus' "Looking Back" also impresses as it purrs away with a gorgeously warm, rich synth line. The biggest surprise is probably Distance's own remix of trance bods Above & Beyond. It's certainly as 'big room' as you'd ever imagine Distance getting!
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