Review: 96... A fine vintage for many D&B heads as a new sound of jump-up was dominating the dance via the likes of Zinc, Hype, Micky Finn and Aphrodite. Big booming subs, stripped back elements and loose springy breaks were the order of the day. Which is exactly the vibe DJ Hybrid and Mrs Magoo have captured here with 'Back To 96'. Complete with a crucial vocal mix with Rider Shafique on the VIP, lets go back in time and take the boom back from the boomers.
Review: War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing... Except the outstanding Jungle Wars concept from DJ Hybrid's Deep In The Jungle camp. Nothing but pure fire from across the board as each artist works hard to bring their heaviest cuts and sharpest breaks to the ring. Mixed up by Mrs Magoo (who also collaborates on the track 'Big Bout Ya') the whole vibe and energy of this collection hits harder than 100 Fantazias. Highlights include Conrad Subs' super-ravey 'Wildstyle', Euphonique's 'No Problem', ODF's piano-slapping 'Good Times' and Plasmator's lesson in ruffness 'Bad Boy Sound'. Show us your war face!
Review: It's that time of year again! DJ Hybrid sends for the troops and instigates nothing but pure gully warfare. This year is no exception as the talent remains just as high and ruthless as previous years. Here's the sampler to get us in the mood... First up the main man DJ Hybrid breaks the ice with the classically minded 'War Inna Jungle'. Expect lots of pitched breaks and soundman samples. 'Big Bout Ya' follows. A big old collabo affair between DJ Hybrid, Mrs Magoo and Veak, this one focuses on the sunny side skanks warm soundsystem vibe. These are the ones you were looking for.
Review: Get ready for the eighth instalment of 'Deep In The Jungle Anthems' with an all-star cast as the label bossman calls in two close allies and super-skilled kindred spirits. First up is the powerful 'Give It Up' where Hybrid goes toe-to-toe-to-toe with Conrad Subs and Mrs Magoo to sculpt this perfectly bubbly late 90s Die-style bouncer. Elsewhere the bossman goes it alone on the turbo charged slap-about 'The Last Bumbaclaat' before Conrad closes the EP with 'Keep Breakin' which is a huge head nod to the legacy of Aphrodite and Micky Finn. Bring on the album!
Review: The Audio Addict 100 Vol. 2 Sampler features some heavyweight remixes. The first is from 24 year old up-and-comer from Devon Nury Blackburn, aka Amplify, whose noisy neurofunk rendition of Nectax's "Midnight" is sure to blow the doors off, while the dream team of label chief DJ Hybrid and Edinburgh's Mrs Magoo collaborate on a rework of Oram & Toby Ross's "Baddest Sound" - a mad junglist roller in proper back to '95 flava that will surely appeal to the nostalgists.
Review: These two cuts are taken from a forthcoming various artists album on DJ Hybrid's Deep In The Jungle imprint, and the boss himself is joined by Mrs Magoo and Conrad Subs for a single that gets right to the core of the label's ethos. 'Back To 96' is a time travel machine that takes you back to the days of rolling reece basses and frantic percussive work, simpler times when all you needed was the barebones to create a vibe. Conrad Subs goes in a funkier direction, with brash brass notes that lead into a wobbling concoction of bouncing basslines and innocent clubland notes. Cracking.
Review: Deep in the Jungle continue their onwards march with this, the seventh edition in their widely acclaimed Anthems series, a compilation that always finds the ideal mix of current and future talent to showcase. In the case of the former, well-travelled producers Epicentre and Kumarachi roll things out and tear them down on 'Light Em Up', which features a gnarly array of interlinked bass nodes and torn low frequency sonics, al underpinned by a percussion section that's the perfect blend of rusty and sharp. New talent emerges in the form of Trobe and Mirage, who have their first label release with '89', although you wouldn't have guessed it based off this tune's razor clean percussive edge and expert use of space, a hard thing to get right and one this pair blow out the water here. Rave samples, expansive basslines and a synth arrangement you won't be able to shake - unmissable. 34 tracks later and Deep in the Jungle have nailed every single one of them - big ups.
