Review: What an exciting few years it's been for the Artikal bossman Kenzo. Playfully switching between 140, 160 and 170, dub, jungle and D&B, he's in his element right now and packing some seriously darked out heat. Back on ThirtyOne he's hurling more heaviness our way. "Sykura" is a crisp steppy track not dissimilar to early Subtitles and TeeBee material while "Assemble" kicks with more of a bouncy two-step spring. Think Jonny L and you're on the right track. That's the level we're talking here.
Review: Usually found on the 140 side of the spectrum dub demonstrator Kenzo steps over to Doc Scott's ThirtyOne for some serious stripped back jungle business. "Rum Punch" is a straight up roller with a wasps nest bassline and barbed wire two-step. "Airwalk" nods towards the Ruffhouse or Clarity style of minimalism with an almost dancehall dynamic to its sparse drums. Finally "Durge" drops the tempo a tenner for a really wonked-out halftime bass jam that rips into some incredible amen splashes midway. Applying everything you love about his dub science to D&B, Kenzo's just opened up a whole new book... And we can't put it down.
Review: Released last year, Kenzo and Collinjah laid down serious sermons on "Straight Defeat". Now time for an instrumental (in case Collinjah's words are too much to handle) and two industrial strength remixes: Caspa bangs the war drum for a greasy mechanical roller while Jubei ups the tempo ante with a tribal stepper that strips back the elements and lets Collinjah's vocals take the centre spotlight. Serious dancefloor business.
Review: Teasing us ahead of the release of his label's inaugural compilation, J Kenzo lays down a supreme slice of contemporary bass with Collinjah. The beats ooze Kenzo's demonstrative dark, restrained drama - all weighted but never too OTT - but it's Collinjah who really gives the track the edge. Clearly refining his lyrical flow and penchant for Newham General-style melody subversion, bars like these will worm their way into your head for days after the dance. Bring on the full Artikal.
Review: J Kenzo makes an appearance on the lauded and legendary Tempa imprint with these two tough little tracks, which display heaps of character and genre-defining skill. "Ruffhouse" sees Kenzo team up with Rod Azlan for an intriguing journey, dominated by bleepy synth melody and low-slung bongo drum for the first minute, before dropping into a classic mid-noughties dubstep burner with hypnotic bass and weighty soundscape. "Therapy" is reminiscent of some of Pinch and the Tectonic crew's more experimental work, with a techno twinge, fidgeting beats, a Benga & Coki bleep and plenty of unique character to set it apart from the rest.
Review: A split release from the Tuba imprint, with Britain's J Kenzo sharing the honours with San Francisco's The Spit Brothers. Having an exceptional year so far, with big releases like "Stomp", "Tropic Thunda" and "Ruckus" already under his belt, J Kenzo carries on the good form with the moody dub of "Nocturnal Feelings" - a starkly bare dubstep/UKF fusion with some evil stutter bass and urgent percussion hits keeping things nice and driving for the floor. The Spit Brothers' "Beg To Differ" comes in on a very similar vibe, with woozy textures and a halting, threadbare beat leaving plenty of space in the mix and giving it an enjoyably sinister slant. Two very deep and very cool tunes indeed.
Review: New signing J Kenzo marks the 56th release for Youngsta's legendary Tempa label. Unsurprisingly, it's a typically dark and dubbed out offering from the more cerebral side of dubstep. Title track "The Roteks" kicks off with a hovering sense of uncertainty, with faint industrial shivers and a warping bassline. A quasi-scientific sounding vocal sample heralds the movement into the main tune, which features blustering kicks, snapping snares and bellowing bass. "Protected" moves from the post-apocalyptic sounds of the intro into a half-step roller with plenty of appeal for fans of Kryptic Minds, Distance and DMZ.
Review: A real fusion of many different styles, and perfectly named to boot, Tropic Thunda is a subtle and well-crafted mix of soca and dubstep beats. Sparse but full of energy and vitality, it's a classy release from J Kenzo (a man who's currently getting support from Caspa and N-Type amongst many others). Also out is Counteraction, which has rolling congas and some off-kilter snares, as well as rising synth stabs that set the beat alive. Both tunes are smart, funky and very cool - miss out on this at your peril.
