Review: Intrigue is one of the most consistent liquid labels in a drum and bass scene which has a conspicuous absence of high-quality, indie liquid imprints relative to the rougher side of things. This is their yearly album and it's on an astounding 18th year, a monumental achievement that is marked this time around with nineteen top quality cuts. Soulmotion's 'Moments of Blue' is a highlight, with a sumptuously deep back end that swells and swells to luxurious effect, as tinkling piano notes flutter through the top lines in nonchalant fashion. Label boss Ben Soundscape steps up for a remix of Raw Q's 'NY State of Mind', an Intrigue classic that he strips back and rolls out, with a supremely crisp set of drums that underpin a simple but sleek bassline. There are more cuts from Joakuim, whose halftime exploration takes him to deep depths, and The Insiders & Mutt, who get funky and old school with their liquid sounds. Sick stuff.
Review: The yearly escapades of Bristol's Intrigue Music are entering their seventheenth consecutive year, a huge achievement for the label. Like always, the album is full of a broad range of tempos and sounds that embody the ethos of an imprint known more for its consistent quality than any particular style. 'So Many Moments' by Philth and Farz, with Collette Warren on vocals, is a beautiful, floating track that rests on solid foundations but which carries a lightness, a deftness which sees it hover in hypnotic fashion. Randall, MC Fats and Ben Soundscape get jungley on 'Rollin' Ruff', Octo Pi gets even heavier on 'Battle Cap', and the album is all round just an ideal LP for all the heads out there. Big.
Review: Broken mirrors are bad luck for some. But not London's R1C0 who's been stealthily dropping vibe science on the likes of Soul Deep, Warm Ears and Intrigue in the last 12 months. Celsius has been his most consistent home and it's here where he drops his most accomplished EP to date. Four cuts of space-gliding soul, all taking us in completely different directions, "Proximity" is all about the bubbling bassline funk, "Broken Mirror" takes us on a much creepier, mystical trip, "Mission" is a heads-down dubby cosmic roller while "Now You" brings the EP to an emotive finale with a full vocal and more deep purring bass than you could possibly eat in one sitting. Feeling lucky?
Review: Ben Soundscape's Bristolian Intrigue Music imprint is one of the most highly regarded smaller labels in D&B and its especially known for its annual compilations, which display some of the best-made high-brow D&B in the game. This is the second part of their 16th anniversary collection and its just as top-notch. Mako & label boss Ben Soundscape team up on the inimitable 'Uplift', a snapping, steppy tune which combines a classically Mako drum pattern with Ben Soundscape's characteristic wispy ambience. New Intrigue artist Mosaic chimes in with a stunning contribution, 'Airspace' has crisp, metallic drums that roll out inside a swirl of pads and deeply rich synth textures, a seriously melancholic track that ramps up and back down at various points. Stunning stuff here.
Review: Last spotted on Motional's EP earlier this month, emerging London freshman R1C0 builds on his presence at Soul Deep Digital with his debut label EP. Expect nothing but four tracks of sterling soul: From the pacey dreaminess of "Follow Me Down" we glide softly into the Fred V & Grafix style piano flourishes of "Far Waters" before sliding emotionally into the overwhelming atmospheres of "Do You" and signing off with the measured cosmic introspection of "2 Am". Each cut smouldering with the right level of restraint, we suspect this won't be the last we hear of R1C0.
Review: Soul Deep touch down in the UK for a trio of treats from Sheffield duo Motional. Two rerubs, one original, three distinctive, full-flavoured vibes: "Horizon" hums with the power of late 2000s Sub Focus, rolls its kicks like Culture Shock and ripples with mild Logistics delicacy. Refix-wise "The Last Time" is a space-exploring reese-laden stepper that wouldn't look out of place on Formation while "One More Time" fuses soul elements with an alien, sinewy bassline that snipes as it ducks and weaves. All corners covered, this is another great statement of intent for the rising northern D&B powerhouse.
Review: if the title doesn't say it all (and it really should) then the label's consistent ethos to discover fresh talent around the world certainly will. Soul Deep have been whittling this stick for years, bring us names who've been criminally overlooked before and bringing it all together with a usually blissful, bright and breezy signature. The LA label's first Unsung Heroes package since last November here we find Eschaton adding a "Horizons" style twist to "Forest Sunlight" we're in air piano heaven on Mosiac Theory's "Infinite" and we go loopy to the classic liquid dynamics of Rodrigo's "Improvisacion De Iluvia". And that's just three of 16 cuts on offer here. Soul Deep a truly spoiling us.
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