Review: 25 years in the game! The world's longest-standing D&B platform continues to represent drum & bass culture in the best and most upfront way possible with this incredible collection of tracks from right across the whole scene. Loaded with legends and new generation cats alike, with all ages and styles in between, the album ranges from the likes of Bukem's first release in many years - 'Flip The Narrative' to J Majik's hardcore-heaving 'Blake' by way of Bcee & Dynamite's 'Run', A.M.C's carnivalesque 'Brazil' and Visages & Kyrist's squelchy, dark funk piece 'Mirai'. These are just some of the many, many highlights on offer. With names like Particle, Digital & Charla Green, Ben Snow, Athena, Trex and so many more, this is a fantastic way to celebrate a quarter of a century in the game. Here's to the next 25 years.
Review: Up next on the legendary Drum & Bass Arena label is the ascendant Tim Reaper, a multifaceted producer based in London who has released on labels as diverse as Banoffee Pies, Lobster Theremin and Hooversound in recent times. He teams up with Gabriel Au aka Gremlinz, who is fresh off a couple of killer EPs on UVB-76's DROOGS and the result is "Full Moon" - a soulful and emotive expression in intelligent jungle with jazzy flourishes that is reminiscent of the classic Metalheadz sound. Second offering "Haunta" switches gears and delves into the sound of the dark side circa the mid '90s, for some proper rolling drama.
Review: One of Lobster Theremin's most successful new entrants is the veteran yet currently invigorated jungle producer Tim Reaper, who had a wildly successful 2020 that included a streak of superb EPs on Theremin and its sister labels. Ecospheres is no different, and that frantic jungle sound we all know and love is back with abandon. Coco Bryce, a fellow breaks maestro, steps up for an absolutely incredible remix of 'Give It 2 Me', which crashes through its phases with the grace of an elephant and the atmosphere of the 1990s, as technoid ripples, synth squeaks and sampled soul provide the backdrop to a perfect percussive performance. 'On Repeat' is the other highlight, as pad pirouettes climb on ladders of swirling melodic progressions, up to a peak of pummelling percussion. One of the greats.
Tim Reaper & Devnull - "Give It 2 Me" - (6:08) 160 BPM
Review: Tim Reaper, fresh off the back of his nomination in the DJ Mag Best of British Awards, is back with is next EP on the mighty Lobster Theremin, and it's yet another outstanding breaksy contribution to the label's back catalogue. 'Anytime' features Devnull and graduates from wispy vocal work to fractious breaks in a manner only Tim can pull off, with drum rolls coming out the wazzoo and a rave-embedded atmosphere which is simply brilliant. The title track blends bubbling synth lines with choruses of strings that build into clattering breaks with a patter of old-school vibes, another proper underground cut from the master himself. Seminal.
Review: Now this most certainly is a treat we find ourselves stumbling upon as the legendary Special Request links up with Team Reaper on Hooversound for a super energetic four-track expanse. Kicking off with the dystopian synthesizer pads of rolling breakbeat arrangements of 'Elysian Fields', kicking us off in serious style before 'Pull Up' takes us down a much more nostalgic road, combining choppy jungle breaks with a lethal bass tone below with epic results. Next, 'Quiet Storm' combines uplifting arpeggios with voluptuous drum processing to give us a super uplifting vibe, before the stretched out jungle snare slaps and moogy bassline pressures of 'Straight Off The Block' provide us with the perfect outro.
Review: Tim Reaper has been on an absolute tear recently, releasing on his own Globex Corp as well as founding Future Retro, and now, following releases on sublabels, he has his first EP on the Lobster Theremin main label. It's a perfect exemplification of his talent as a producer, as Tim moves from industrial breaks business into high-speed house and nonchalant, lounging break techno. Its title track is the heaviest, with nostalgic synths leading into a deeply fractious set of amens wrapped up in a veneer of 90s soundscapes and urban vibes. 'Sequence 2' is a slightly different sound than we've heard from him recently, as pacy 4x4 kicks drive through a wispy scape of undulating vocal notes and twirling synth touches. The final two tracks are more expert-level breaks business - Tim, we salute you. Bigups.
Dev & Null & Tim Reaper - "Globex Corp Vol. 2 B2" - (5:24) 160 BPM
Review: The Storey hole opens up once again to reveal more authentic jungle business from Globex crew. Full focus on the vibes, as they ain't got time for track titles, every cut here is a keeper; Dwarde takes the lead with full-on breakbeat movement on "A1" before bossman Reaper brings the hoover drama on "A2" and the more Goodlooking-flavoured "B1". Finally we end with the Digital-style dubness and classic rave hooks of Dev & Null & Tim Reaper's finale "B2". What a chapter!
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