Review: To celebrate their consistently growing empire, the team over at Artikal Music UK have unveiled this awesome new collection for their loyal fans to enjoy, sourcing 14 original steppers rollers from some of the best in the dubstep game. We are immediately gifted a wickedly wide range of steppers originals, from the warm sub work of Mystic State's 'Ever Further Dub', to the more party-driven drums of 'Tribal Alien' from Legion and the squelching sub squeezes of MYTHM's 'Dead City'. This is an LP that truly celebrates how varied and unique dubstep music can be, with our standouts including the super-clean sub work of 'Vanquisher' from head-honcho J:Kenzo, next to the sweetly syncopated drums and haunted harmonies of Cimm's 'Deep Red'. What a collection this is!
Review: As one of the most consistent dubstep imprints out there, seeing Artikal Music welcome the one and only J:Kenzo back is always going to be an exciting moment for any steppers fan. This time around however, it's remix season, as Kenzo invites ten guests inside for a fiery display of re-distributed energy. The project has some awesome names involved, from the likes of 140 royalty such as Boyland and Unkey, to abstract soundsmiths such as LSN and Coco Bryce, who both flip Kenzo's work into spacey junglist rollers. Our highlights would have to include the monstrous bass designs of MYTHM's 'Narky' rethink, next to the digitised funk of Mani Festo's 'Deadbull' overhaul. Awesome work!
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: 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.
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.
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.
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.
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