Review: This latest Declassified goody bag sees the intricate production stylings of SP:MC get busy across two very potent original creations, both of which explore a fabulous fusion of nostalgic garage themes and more modernized percussive design. We open up with the subtle, warbling LFO bass slides and unorthodox chord progressions of 'Inside Looking Out', giving us a seriously eerie design right from the jump, coupled with a very bouncy set of drum lines to match. On the flip, 'All Night' ups the pace with a more intense bass section, but also chills the ride with smooth male vocal lines and a combination of scattered chord progressions to match. Excellent work.
Review: Over the years we have heard SP:MC prove his exceptional skill set time and time again across numerous different sounds. This latest offering is another outstanding addition to his already top-notch catalogue, kicking off with the groovy drum arrangements and unique percussive selection of 'Love HZ', which goes on to combine gorgeous drum sounds with some wicked vocal work for a pretty incredible final product. We dive into a more experimental field next as 'Glidepath' unleashes a more reece-driven display of bassy goodness, working its gooey magic over a bed of more stripped back drum designs, giving us a wicked A-B contrast between both tracks. Awesome stuff!
Review: Now most of us will know of SP:MC for his heavy hitting work within the dubstep scene, always providing either a crispy new vocal assist or punchy original piece of production in the 140 zone. However we here see him expand into a more garage sounding area as we leap into this fantastic new project, courtesy of Sentry. We kick off with the smooth percussive pressures and groovy rhythmic twists of 'Vintage', which packs a serious punch. On the flipside we are given 'Slugfest', another tasty helping of crunchy drum designs and more organic sounding percussive twists.
Review: No other label can rep dubstep like Tempa. Many would argue it was the first label to truly herald and nourish the sound. Here they explore their vaults and dust off some of the most genre-defining, idiosyncratic tracks that have helped shape the phenomenon we know today. From SPMC's paranoid murker from 2008 "Trust Nobody" to a whole series of Skream sessions such as "WTF", "Wibbler" and "Vacillate", the collection is a reminder of how influential Tempa has been, how talented their roster has always been and, most importantly, how slamming and stimulating dubstep can be when nourished and developed by the right label. Recognise.
Review: Making his debut on Tempa, multi talented MC, producer and one third of the Code 3 collective, SP:MC steps up with a couple of killer cuts on the legendary London imprint. "Oh My Gosh" is a slow paced, super sleuth of a track with low slung, undulating bassline, gently hissing hi-hats and clipped breaks with a retro edge. It harks back to the early days of dubstep, with a hint of Benga in there. Title track "Hunted" is another gnarly cut, with gritty, warping b-line, paranoid SFX adding further menace to the already darkened soundscape. Well worth checking!
