Review: Longstanding NoMad warrior Piezo steps up to Artikal with two game-changing deep dubstep bumpers. "Conquer" genuinely sounds like no other track in the field; cascading kicks give an elephantine weight to the lolloping groove and the bassline is allowed to run free and growl as loudly as he likes. "Space Conjectures" is more classic deep dub but there's a freshness in the drums and the placement of the bass that give it a really distinctive subverted funk sensation. Imagine if Mr Oizo made "Flat Beat" in a floatation tank, under water on heavy sedatives. This may be close to the outcome.
Review: The Italian-Bristolian has done it again: responsible for one of 2015's most inventive dubstep tracks "Conquer", Piezo has returned with two more creative, exciting and forward-thinking 140 tracks. "Sweat" is all about the big drum swing where the toms sing in harmony and the track rolls with such a funk it's impossible not to dance. "Sugar" is even sweeter thanks to its ever-mutating dub bassline and stark weeping horns that foretell a future we're not even ready for. Trust us; this one's going to pop hard.
Review: As one of the most exciting dance music producers to emerge out of Milan in recent times, Piezo teams up with the notoriously innovative sounds of Swamp81 for a super creative four tracker. The title track 'El Sangre' is a futuristic techy roller, focussing on unpredictable industrial percussion and spooky atmospherics to create a fascinating musical journey. Next up we have the minimized lo-fi arrangement of 'Keera' which folds into the icey percussion of 'FKN Intercom' perfectly. Finally we finish the EP up with another industrial banquet in 'Rash'. This one brings together bubbly percs and electronic leads with great results. If you are looking for labels pushing the the tech boundaries, look no further than the Swamp.
Review: Celebrating three years of deep consummate beatsmithery, MindStep curate the inaugural MusicForYourMindStep compendium. Fifteen exclusives, baked by the label's family and close affiliates, each track surges at the very forefront of sub science, pushing the label's remit further and further into the future. Highlights include the sodden slo-mo tribalism of Feonix's "Cafeweiss", the overwhelming sense of atmospheric oppression on 11th Hour's "Ishwara" and the muffled jazz and scratchy dub drums of Trashbat's "Arrowhead". And that's only a fifth of the stark sonic soliloquies MindStep have commissioned and compiled. Dig deep and discover your own highlights.
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.
