Charlie Rotten - "The Myriad Part 3" (continuous DJ mix) - (16:49) 181 BPM
Review: Sub-liminal are one of those very prolific, very underground labels that tends to go unnoticed yet releases some absolute bangers. So, getting a whole compilation full of them from a variety of up and coming producers is only going to go one way - hard. The first tune - 'Iggy' - from Garry K & RV is an instant stand out, a wobbling riff of force and hurting energy, all tied up in a jump-up sized package. 'Vultures' by Zapya and MC Karter is another top-level cut, a skippy drum-line and menacing vocals sit above a fiercely minimal roller that clicks and clanks with satisfying precision. There are a bunch more excellent tunes on this release, so go check them out.
Review: Brawlin Beatz's latest missive is a compilation style affair, with a quartet of label associates stepping up to provide serious dancefloor heat. Dead Intent steps up first with "Enforcer", a clandestine, all-action floorfiller that boasts rumbling, elongated sub-bass, pots-and-pans percussion hits, hot-steppin' D&B beats and all manner of feverish, intoxicating electronic flourishes. Gravit-E keeps up the pressure via "Watch The Break", an even more intense peak-time workout rich in mind-altering wobble bass, massive drops and punchy hip-hop vocal samples, before Jago provides a test for sub cabinets everywhere via the ludicrously bass-heavy fun of "Scatter". To round things off, Kumo reaches for creepy horror chords and twisted wobble bass on the suitably titled "Creeper".
Review: So no one told you life was gonna be this way. Your job's a joke, you're broke. Your love life's D.O.A It's like you're always stuck in second gear. When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month Or even your year, but DJ Gaw will be there for you. He's got Friends with a capital F. Mates likes Metalwork, Kumo, Parallel, Citrusfly, Magenta and Offline. Together they are most definitely there for you with raw co-lab fusion. Highlights include the ruff stuff bass grunts on "Mad Ting", the well-humoured mid 2000s style bassline funk of "Stingray Dub" and the deeper charms of "About You". Each friend bringing out a different side to Gaw. Each friend reminding us how on-point Pick N Mix are. They'll be there for you.
Review: Following the slabs of drum and bass Dreadnaught has released in "Rig Killer" and tracks that made their way to compilations for labels like BYTHEPRODUCER, Virtuous and Within The Woods - Nasty Piece Of Work marks the producer's full debut. Issued by Sub-liminal Recordings out of the UK, Dreadnaught weighs in on the bass, inflicting numbers like "Villian" with murderous dubs vibes that hit the spot alongside subtle tips of UKG buried within the dub of "No Love" and bass of ""Syndicate". Crackly ambient and textural atmospheres float like a dream underneath the jungle rhythms of "Drugs" with stepping rhythms and razor distortion tearing at the tweeters in "Overtime". Straight up street poetry in Dreadnaught's "Blazing The Fire" remix too.
Review: With some seriously emotive artwork, Exile & Flexxa have landed on Profound Beats with a hard-hitting double tracker which combines a penetrating sense of attitude with a non-nonsense approach to musical arrangements. 'Barrier' has an warped-out, Souped Up vibe in its arrangement that feels slightly cheap but is perfect for a crowded dancefloor, especially with its underpinning in some weighty percussion. 'Nucleus'' is the roller of the two and grounded in wobbly atmospherics and a sense of space which makes it a pleasure to listen to, its snapping drum line providing the ground rock underneath. Yes boys.
Review: EPs don't get more diverse and dancefloor ready than this one from Jak, who has roped in Mofes and Kumo to help him craft his devilishly made club-friendly sounds. Rather than a copy-paste exercise, Nuusic and Jak are living up to their reputations by bringing four unique, differentiated cuts to the table. 'Siren' feat Kumo is the pick of the bunch, as a rolling Break-esque drum line cuts through a sparsely arranged but effectively spacious array of Sofa Sound-type bass nodes. Proper sick, and there's clicky tech funk on 'Snow', jump-up force on 'Lace Up' and sub-heavy, sine-wobbling goodness on 'Akimbo'. Big.
Review: Nuusic are a fantastic little label that have really burst out the stocks over the last couple of years, releasing a plethora of music with the common thread of rudeness and an inability to stand still. Kumo is jumping on this heritage with vigour this week, and Born Soldier rolls out across four tracks with a jumpy attitude that we're incredibly sad won't be heard on a danceflloor anytime soon.'Skeng Riddim' is an absolute percy, as a two-step drum pattern takes you in to a funky, flowing hip-hop arrangement with serious bite. 'Born Soldier' is packed out in the lows, straining against itself the whole way, whilst 'Virus' is another naught little roller. This one pops.
Review: Bang! Two weeks after his "90s Dreamer" on Born On Road, Manchester murker Kumo gets busy on Heist's Co-Lab imprint with "Blood Pressure". More dark, dank stinkage; each cut hits the soul hard. The title track takes the lead with its switchy drums, laser bubbles and grumbling, knuckle-dragging bassline, "Millionaire" is a classic old school hummer (think old school Dread business) with a sub that could eat you alive, "Stay For Me" is pure heads-down rolling bizzle while "Talk Fi Dem" closes on a big old ravey blast. Full pads, full euphoria and a nasty little slinky drop. Feel the pressure!
Review: Born On Road is Aries' label and it does UK jungle right. Created out of Aries' legendary roadtrips and tours, the imprint puts out a consistent stream of UK ragga/jungle music, all of which has a focus on urban-edged sounds that hit hard but don't get too serious. Kumo is taking things in a dirtier direction this time around though, as five slices of really creative sounds come flying at you right from the start of this EP. The title tune is the stand-out, with a rolling, reese heavy bassline and a skipping, powerful percussive section laying underneath. We're also big fans of the chopped up vocal splashes of 'How I Like It' and the sine-heavy wobbles on 'Top Boy'. Excellent stuff.
Review: Kumo is landing on Gyro this week with a sophisticated and incredibly fun release, one which, if you hear out live, is certain to get you moving. There's a carelessness and a freedom to these tracks and it creates a tangible sense of kinetic movement. The title track kicks things off in style and it's 'Psycho' that really takes the cake, a winding, subby track that flips between roughshod work and a more rolling, stripped back tip, including powerful, punchy basses all the way. It's a wicked track and definitely the highlight of the release. 'Incarcerated' is another absolute banger but one that's deep and wispy in all the right ways, as stuttering drum lines perforate over monochromatic bassline injections. Sick!
Review: Kumo is definitely one of the more underrated producers out there, with previous releases on Sun-liminal as well as a host of other labels, his aggressive sound is back with a vengeance here. Packed with harsh, barking tones and a stripped-back, industrial aesthetic, Kumo doesn't waste any time in laying out the rules: there are none. 'Oh My God' is one of the heavier cuts, with a punching back end and an obstinate feel of solidness that reflects down all the way onto the rest of the tune. 'A Break A Day' is the title tune and you can see why, with a KoTR-esque approach to drawn out basslines and tough sonics.
Review: Nuusic have proven that they're more than capable of releasing tunes which don't mess about but which carry an air of respectability as well, music that's for the dancefloor but that doesn't sacrifice itself for that purpose. Kumo fits in with that trend. The Pinger is a release full of stripped back, industrial sounds but that still actually sounds really nice, a T>I esque four-tracker that's weighted in all the right places. Bonus points for the background bongos on 'Stubbed'.
Review: Fresh from his Lion Dub shelling late last year, Kumo makes his debut on DJ Warden's burgeoning new label Bagged & Tagged with two slabs of pure gutter chomping sandpaper funk. "Hustle & Flow" creaks and groans under Endo's lyrical pressure before licking up a whole zoo of growls. "50 Grand Chain" flexes its chunky ropes with a grizzly bassline and kicks so thick they think the earth is flat. Get your hustle on...
Review: Volume 30 of Liondub's Street Series is courtesy of Kumo, the latest in a long line of artists to participate in this well-known EP saga. Liondub's sound is rooted in the underground of the UK urban scene, drawing especially heavily on jungle and ragga influences and this release is no different, if not slightly heavier. 'Technique' is an absolute slammer, moody wobbles of basic bass force curl and slide underneath a stuttering percussive line, injecting loads of groove into a proper weighty number. The other tracks all conform to this; 'Wiretap' has superb drums and a genuine sense of attitude to its bassline; 'Identification' takes things minimal over the top of a head-nodding double kick drum. Sick release.
Review: Time to get wavy, Kumo's on the sesh and he wants us all to "Get On It". And it's hard not to when the vibes are this strong. The title track is reminiscent of a "Warhead" era Krust with its elephant drums and rumpshaking bassline insistency. "Fix Up" will make you look sharp with its similarly dry, slappy snare thwacks and droning, groaning bass tone. Basically when Kumo says "Get On It", you do what he says...
Review: This release honestly doesn't mess around. It carries a serious sense of potency despite its clear lack of pretentious sophistication, because D&B of this type simply isn't about sophistication, it's about making something so filthy the audience won't even understand what hit them. Everyone on this release has certainly accomplished that here, I mean just have a listen to the rippling sines, percussive naughtiness and bassline badassery that is 'Bus Fi Dem', a beautifully spacious tune that still manages to make you feel like you've been attacked by a dog. This is a crazy release from start to finish.
Review: Liondub are really rolling out the guns with this one and label founder and namesake Liondub is involved himself, which is when you know stuff is popping off. He's joined by Patexx and Kumo and the trio have concocted something deeply rolling, a release which lunges out over four tunes, including two Kumo VIPs, and keeps things banging the whole way. Our pick of the bunch is Kumo's 'Roller Check VIP', a double-kick laden stomper that keeps things punchy in the percussion and twisted in the low frequencies, it reminds us of Workforce's 'Don't Tell' and that's an extremely good thing. 'Caan Touch' is also deliciously funky whilst keeping thins heavy, a tough balance to strike and one well struck here.
Review: Sub-liminal take a moment to look back over almost six years of hard graft at the future talent coal face. Having been responsible for so many bangers from so many now household names, it's a mean feat boiling it down to this mere 50 heavyweight highlights. All the label's key names are on board; Guzi, Dreadnaught, Nick The Lot, Too Greezy, Kumo, Version, Vital, Pyro, Motiv and many more dust off their past heavers, hurters and head-slappers to reflect on everything Sub-liminal has stood for and encouraged so far. From the deeper, more subtle bubblers (Sam Harris - 'Coffee Machine') to the most outrageous funk-ups (Warhead - 'Cranked') this EP has everything. When the Riddim hits you, you can't say no...
Review: Jungle Cakes always tend to put out music that rests on the foundations of UK underground, the cross-over influences of soul, reggae, jungle and D&B. it's always a fresh sound and it always brings up connotations of Boomtown, free parties and sunny afternoons. This is a monster album curated by Aries and Kelvin 373, who have taken tracks both old and new to form a banging compilation. Bou nails it on 'Music Takes Me Higher', a rustic revisit to classic jungle sounds; Aries and Nicky Blackmarket roll things out in a tight way on 'Champion'; and Chimpo slams the brakes on 'DidDieDoThat'. We don't know the answer to that, but we do know this is fat. Big ups.
Review: Link-up, look smart; we've connected with one of the most exciting labels in dnb for a collection of their biggest hitters, rising stars and highest sellers: Liondub International. Headed up by Eric Liondub in NYC, Liondub International have broken and nurtured more new talent than most put together, and these first few volumes showcase. First up come these 15 examples as the likes of Kumo, Bou, Jayline, DJ Hybrid, Saxxon and many more all deliver timeless heaters. Highlights include Sub Killaz' broadsword skank-up 'Murderah', Brian Brainstorm's junglised slash-up 'Kill A Drumpan' and Bladerunner & Johnny Osbourne's ever-sweet 'Night Fall Dub'. All this and plenty more; whether you've been following Liondub since day or you're new to their consistent onslaught, there's plenty to catch up on here. Selector!
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: So it doesn't feel like we've had much of a summer this year. It also feels like the arts are being hung-up to dry right now. But at least the good folk at Sub-liminal care for us.... To mark the (albeit raveless) sunny season, they've put together a 50 (yes, fifty) track collection from some of the most exciting names in the game. From Dunk to Xav, RV to Warhead, Agro, Guzi, Shayper, Damage Report and so many more, this is the 'Summer Selection' we all totally need and deserve right now. Highlights include the Remarc levels of badness on Guzi's 'Area 51', the tension and staggered creepiness of Yatuza's 'Clich?' and the broadsword swathes of Motiv's buzzy bumper 'Necroplasm'. And that's just three out of 50. Thank you Sub-liminal. We need this more than ever right now.
Review: Doe, a deer, a female deer. Ray a drop of golden sun. That's The Sound Of Music, circa 1965. Boh, a banger, an absolute banger. Whey, a drop of golden gunfingers. That's the 'Sound Of Nuusic', circa right about now as the Manchester based label let rip with their third V/A experience. Now an annual thing for the label, it's their biggest collection yet as it's super-charged with blaze-ups from the best in the new-gen game. From Sl8r's opener to Conrad Subs' grand VIP finale by way of cuts from the likes of Teej, Sola, Kuma, Epicentre, Kumarachi, Motiv, Selecta J-Man and many more on-point future headlining names, this isn't just the sound of Nuusic, it's the sound of now.
Review: Northern scene legend Adam Wigglesworth sadly passed away on April 3. This is how his friends responded... By compiling one of the biggest tribute albums drum & bass has ever seen. Just look at the amount of talent on here: Pyxis, Euphonique, Nvrsoft, No Concept, Exile, Euphonique, Dawn Raid and so many more artists have contribute to this 45 track album of which all proceeds go to Adam's family. From the blazing bass riff of Sappo's late 90s style neck snapper "Hannibal" to Exile's turbine bass growler "Symbiosis" via Sl8r's jazzy, almost Detroit style vibes on "The Mill" and various bits from Wiggo himself, this is a heartfelt salute from the entire scene to a man who'll be sorely missed.
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.
Review: Lion Dub have reached a decade of activity. A decade! To put it in perspective, if someone was born the year Liondub started, they're about to enter high school/secondary school. It's a crazy achievement and one matched by the craziness of the music they have on offer to celebrate, a four-part journey through their past, present and future. This instalment is all about their past and it's exemplified best by Serum's VIP of Sound The Alarm, a Liondub classic, which Serum has flipped into a characteristically badboy, stabbing little roller. The vocals float above in a haze of reggae smoke, whilst the beat pulsates below. Awesome stuff.
Review: Forget your daft screechy dubstep variant of the same name, Sub-liminal deal strictly in proper riddims. Wobbly riddims, fat riddims, stinking riddims, gully riddims. They have done for almost five years now, and this new Riddim Return collection is a reminder of just how much ground they cover, how many super talented darksmiths they work with and how much skin of yours their releases will melt. Highlights on this 50 track strong collection (yes, 50!) come from every angle but you'd be mad not to lick a shot from Agro & Raz on their melted bass weird-out "Ah Like It", do air trumpet to Warhead's "Cop Killa" or get wonked the heck out by Leaf's concrete steps on "Hold Up". Dig hard and take a deep breath... You're in riddim country.
Review: Brawlin Beatz has arrived with the second instalment of their mixtape series and it's unsurprisingly good. Full of big tunes from guys like Veak, Haunt and Meloki, it's the latter of these guys that takes the cake with 'Like Dis'. You've probably heard this one doing the round, but oh boy what a tune this is: a mash of grating metallic synths and punching drums all come together to make an unstoppably good piece of music. Don't sleep on the rest of these tunes though, and a special mention goes to Flava's 'Uzi'.
