Review: It's been a little while since we last heard from Mikey B, but what a way to make a return and kick off 2020 as he lands on the illustrious CruCast for a spicy four track selection. The first track that rolls into view is the title track 'White Lies', which alongside the fantastic vocal lines of Paige Eliza sees Mikey unleash an awesome display of original niche flavour with flavoursome synth melodies and choppy vocal prowess, followed up gnarly bass tones of 'No One Else' and catchy harmonic slices of 'Highs & Lows'. Finally, we finish up this wicked selection with a look at 'Commander', a grit-heavy 4x4 roller, designed to turn any dance to a ruckus. Excellent stuff!
Review: The UK's Mikey B has been in the midst of it all even since the first dubstep wax-plates were being spun at Plastic People's infamous FWD nights. The producer has gone through several evolutions and mutations, never shy to change his style and develop his bass in relation to what is happening around him. For instance, the present "Warning", out through his own MBProductions, is a fast-paced, techno-laced wobble bass anthem that gets meaner and meaner with each new beat - a proper dancehall banger! "Running Away", on the other hand, uses sultry female vocals to build up its insanely gnarly drop, and "With My Team" makes that jagged siren bass work alongside the track's garage-leaning vocal charm. Bombs - the lot of them!
Review: Mikey B makes his return to bass music with this fantastic new solo single entitled "You're The One". Straight from the off we can tell this one is built to appeal to a wide range of listeners, from the emotional piano chord structures and vocal melodies to the super skippy breakdown drums and mega catchy bass riffs. As a producer Mikey B is proving time and time again that he needs to be mentioned among the greats of UK Bass music whenever the conversation is had.
Review: While he might not be a name to receive all the latest hype and background chatter, the UK's Mikey B has been a strong presence on the wider bass scene throughout the last ten years. Coming through with the first mutations of grime into dubstep, the man has been perfecting and refining to achieve the diversity of sounds found on this latest LP. Evolution is a journey, or rather, a DJ set in and of itself; all sorts of bass squelching can be found across its seventeen bangers, all of which have their roots firmly locked onto the dancefloor. In fact, play this whole damn killer out at a party, and you don't even need a DJ. Hybrid cuts for the modern ear - yes, yes, Mikey!
Review: Some say the B stands for brutal. Others say it stands for beef. We reckon it stands for badman as he reminds us once again on Second To None. Digging deep into his Niche roots, cuts like "Endlessly" and "Caught Up" are ruthlessly heavy with their four-beat energy and riffy drive. If you fancy a little more sass to your bash then vocal two-step cuts "Behind Closed Doors" and "Forget Your Name" will both hit your (UK)G-spot. Needs more house? Jump straight on "From Me". You won't be disappointed.
Review: As champions of the UK bassline sound, the CruCast roster continues to impress on all angles as they unleash the third edition of their 'We Are Crucast' series, showcasing some of the most heavyweight releases they have landed over the course of 2020. The roster is pretty sensational to say the least, with the likes of AC Slater, Darkzy, P Money, Zero, Skepsis, TS7, Zero, Cajama and more all making notable appearances throughout. The project as a whole is a top quality representation of where the sound of UK bassline is currently at, with our personal favourites including the techy blips and vibrant subs of MPH's '116', alongside the stripped back bass warbles of Corrupt (UK)'s 'Strange Things' alongside the sultry vocal lines of Raas. Top stuff all around!
Review: One thing we have noticed about the CruCast release model, is that it is perfectly balanced between their more established faces and a constant wave of exciting newcomers. This release pays homage to the first of those options as CruCast roll out the red carpet for an all-star affair as the likes of Skepsis, Darkzy, Bru-C, TS7, Tsuki and more come together for a scorching selection of brazen bassy badness. There are some tasty pieces involved, but the ones that leap out the most have to include Skue-K's colourful rework of Bru-C & D Double's 'Heater', along with a vibrant VIP mix of 'Jungle' from Nu Aspect.
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: Hot to trot vibes machine FooR goes balls-deep on this epic 50+ track compendium. Bulging at the seams with slinky two-steps, stinking basslines and every essential element in between, it's an incredible collection of on-point bass music cuts spun around the UKG / bass house axis. Those with a soulful interest should instantly fall for cuts like Thorn's "In 2 Deep", anthem-addicts need to know about Foor's own heavenly synth/guttural bass jam "Lift Me Up", bass-devoted breakers will go giddy for "Don't Hold Back", gully munchers will chow down heartily on Tyrone's "Ravin Face" while DJs in need of more of a classical deep roll-out should be smitten by Tengu's "Evil Ting". And that's not even scratching the surface - this is a true trove of future talent and shadowy sonic skill. Golly gosh YosH.
Review: Second To None Music have chosen the right name for their label. These guys should not be underestimated, and their output is among the best UK bass, garage and funky that we have heard recently. This statement compilation is simply putting them on a lot of people's radars, and getting the to know that absolutely nobody at their HQ is messing around when it comes to relaxing fresh bangers for the UK's dance floors. The music is wild and diverse, ranging from pure bassline to UK funky, and there are certainly plenty of noticeable artists and known faces here, including neb-dancehall specialist Deadbeat, Mikey B, B Squared, and Hypho. If you're into the British way of doing house, then this twist up will surely satisfy.
Review: Founded back 2010 by duo Vital techniques, Second To None, was born with the intent to promote 'the sickest...130-140bpm bass' from around the UK. They've certainly done that here, presenting 12 bleeding edge cuts for listening pleasure. Highlights include the linear, up-and-down hoover bass joint "Live My Life" by Deadbeat UK, Mikey B's heavy and eccentric 2-step gem "I Wonder" and Vital Techniques own deep bass workout, "News To Me".
Review: Has bassline ever been more influential than it is currently across the UK? I think most people would struggle to argue otherwise. To celebrate this, bassline heavyweights DJQ, Jamie Duggan, Skepsis and Darkzy join forces for an allstar compilation album, including a selection of full tracks and exclusive mixes. The full project includes exclusive drops from the likes of Champion, Shanti, DJQ, Flava D, TQD, Preditah, Bushbaby, Darkzy, Bru-C and many more. You are going to struggle to find a more comprehensive bassline selection this year!
Review: Having already been dubbed 'fire' by Krissi B and also bigged up by Butterz, the hype around the Wait EP is growing. Back with a bang, the release kicks off with Vital Techniques' speedy hacksaw-bass jam, "Make Me Feel", before Mikey B's "Damage" delivers some seriously aggressive wobble action. Then they pair up for the orchestrated dubby 2-step gem, "Wait".
