Review: It's been a brief minute since we saw a new release from the infamous Project Allout imprint, so we were thrilled to see they had announced this potent new project with grime warlord Spooky. This brief break in their release schedule we hear is down to internal restructuring, ensuring we receive nothing but top draw releases from the PAR camp. The title track 'Badboy' is Spooky is sparkling UKG form, bringing together old school-steppy bass structures and super skippy garage rhythms. The EP also brings up three official remixes, beginning with Deadbeat UK's reesey rework and speedy official revamp. Our highlight however would have to be Hamdi's mammoth dubstep overhaul, which works the bass melodies into skippy half time designs with great skill.
Review: Crown Jules is an independent music label founded by the North London producer Jason Jules, aka J Beatz. He and Spooky join forces here and it's set to be another busy year for both producers and it's no surprise given the work-rate from them isn't stopping. They are both highly skilled producers with respected reputations. Anyone doubting their abilities are gravely mistaken as their Maggie EP proves that they've got patterns for days in the beatmaking world. Starting off in properly wonky business with the gritty title track, next "Ponders End" shows they've got skills in the hip-hop department too on this dope urban jam. They save the best for last on their explosive grime anthem "Sargent" which is actually by J Beatz but remixed by Spooky.
Review: Bumper to bumper with his "No Days Off" EP, leading London beat carver Spooky is back straight off the bat with another lit odyssey so explosive it takes three regional fire departments to quench. "Discharge" is the smouldering jam of the set with its ambient pads, slo-mo kicks and precision position gun sounds. "GRIME" flips us to the contrasting side of Spooky's signature as he and Trends take us deep inside a 1995 modem, crank up the low end and dial up on repeat. Lastly Trends jumps on a remix flex, flipping "Discharge" with added layers of ominous bass and dramatic synth horns. Gooey.
Review: Spooky touches bass on the impressive Project Allout - we hope that you noticed the pun there - with his usual bag of tricks, this time in the form of "Bun Fire", a fast-paced breakbeat stomper coated in a healthy bit of dubstep wobble and boasting a drum & bass sensibility in the school of thought of your Dj Hazards. There a fine artillery of remixers who all twist and mangle the original up in fine style: Notion, Moony, Dubzta, and Trends all deliver the goods, the latter being particularly impressive with his grime reinterpretation. Fireee!
Review: Pure sonic slurry: grime and UKG's most toxic don Spooky steps up to Project Allout with a quad of instrumental bubblers. The title track is as aggy and angular as a sandpaper glove as atonal harmonies rub and scuff with a raw funk that shouldn't work but blatantly does. "Foggy Vision" continues that alien harmony theme but with more of a 4/4 shuffle. "Dead Man Walkin" is straight out of the 23rd century playbook; a finer soundtrack to a robot battle you'll struggle to find. Finally "The Lion Awakes" flips the switch and brings us to a dramatic, horn and string drenched high. Perfect for epic set-openers. Stinking.
Review: Spooky's riot-inducing 2012 shock-out gets a mean and moody VIP treatment from the big man himself. That immense, back-hunching bassline remains the same but the beats have switched with swaggering, trap-like grizzles and grunts. Doctor Jeep, meanwhile, flips the UK funky bird with wall-smashing drums and a relentless fizzy groove. Further on we hit another VIP as Jeep tears apart 2013's "Ghost Dance" and completely rewrites the bassline over the jugular-tickling eski beats. A little too riotous? Check Spooky's subversion for a more deep-space-minded remix; all twisted sirens and waspy bass, it's yet another dark scud from Spooky's spotless weapon armoury. Handle with care.
Review: It's time for Slit Jockey's annual Choice Cuts compendium. A lot has changed since their last collection: The US/UK neo-grime feedback loop has never been louder, and neither has Slit Jockey's relevance and influence. Highlights of this inherently futuristic bass exploration can be found on every track; from the sudden bliss twist of Starkey's "Trigger" to Shiftee's swampy, super-prang audio head-butt "Geek Flex" via the dungeonesque bubbles and blips of Korostyle's "Kalika" and TIMBS' emotional flute-snapping funeral trap vibe "Rivers", this is, without question, Slit Jockey's most exciting and all-encompassing curation to date. Not to be missed.
Review: An absolute leviathan of a compilation from Project Allout here, and it's just in time for some Christmas cheer from one of the fastest growing UK bass hubs in the game! A tad packed for us to go through it all, but this is guaranteed quality, especially given the fact that the release features plenty of label regulars, new faces and even some pretty incredible cameo appearances from the likes of Caspa, Deadbeat and Dubzta. Each puts in a fine performance, particularly Deadbeat with his "Street Life" cut, a glorious mashup of funky house breaks and wobbled low-end. Be sure to check the licks from Spooky, Mr Dubzta and Tuff Culture, too. Badman vibes and another stunner from Project Allout.
Review: Entitled simply Grime 2.0, this mammoth release sees grime originators sit next to a new breed of artists, all compiled by Big Dada label boss Will Ashon and journalist Joe Muggs. Documenting grime's continued development over the past ten years, its track selections also demonstrate that it's still a vibrant and flourishing genre. Some 35 tracks deep, the compilation sees Ashon and Muggs securing exclusive, previously unheard material, with notable grime figureheads such as Youngstar, Wiley and MRK1 contributing alongside current stars in Royal T and Preditah as well as an international cast of emergent new talent, with Local Action artist and Grimetapes documenter Slackk featuring too. Essential!
Review: The MicroCastle label continues to knock out everything from progressive to techno, all at the highest standard and uncovering some seriously interesting and talented producers. This latest outing from Spooky is prime example, perfect for the dark underground rooms. Fill the smoke machines, drop at just the right time and hear the rumbling bassline smash the speaker stack and cause the dance-floor to go nuts.. Its simplistic in arrangement but has plenty of energy to carry right through, with twist and turns and bubbling acid lines cutting through the mix. Psycatron gets even more twisted on his cut while Petar Dundov heads down a deeper route... Wicked release!!
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