Review: BSN Posse makes their second appearance on Defrostatica Records releasing footwork, juke, jungle and drum & bass outta Germany after remixing ghettotech originator Detroit's Filthiest on his release back in 2018. BSN Posse do their bit in mixing it up on this EP too, turning in slower motion downtempo and dubstep in "Magic Portal" to hi-NRG electro and footwork in "Burning Shoes". Housier vibes and liquid drum and bass still in "Southern Comfort", with a deeper, trance-tipped epic number in "Rituals".
Review: There ain't no party like an In The Face party, which is exactly why this latest scorcher hits so damn hard. We see the combined designs of Coxon, Krissi B, Jez & Jodie C link up for a big room bassline bubbler, packed with electrifying synthesizer manoeuvres and constantly evolving vocal layers. The remixes really are where this project levels up however as we first hear King Hydra deploy a more modernized 4x4 rethink, before Zemon unleashes a ferocious arrangement of carnival-inspired drums with his dramatic fix up. Finally, Hurtdeer delivers a super bouncy overhaul, incorporating fidgety drum work and violent bass designs to round off the EP with an In The Face bang.
Review: As always, Sneaker Social Club have packed something special for us to enjoy as they welcome Foul Play inside for a 10 track LP, showcasing the full breadth of his production arsenal. From the junglist-inspired moog bass licks of 'Ricochet' to the experimental systematic reverberations of 'Dubbing You', we see a real grasp of the hardcore sound and it's inner workings. Highlight wise, we have to look at the computerized nostalgic sub switches of 'Feel The Vibe' alongside the system-busting bass pulses of 'Survival' which combines old school vocal slices with catchy melodic grooves to create something extremely pleasing indeed!
Theoretical Medical Genitals (Russell E. L. Butler remix) - (8:11) 70 BPM
Lemme C U Squiggle - (5:25) 132 BPM
Review: Madison, Wisconsin's Ilana Bryne returns to Naive, the Portuguese label on which she made her debut early last year. Deep house from the leftfield side is the order of the day, generally - but purists and traditionalists needn't be alarmed, because none of the cuts feel experimental for the sake of it, and the emphasis is firmly on making booties shake on dancefloors throughout. Think early Chi-town house meets DiY, as heard through a 21st Century filter and with hints of bruk beat and juke thrown in for good measure, and you're somewhere in the ballpark. Forward-thinking house bizniss for sure.
Review: Now this one truly was an interesting liste, as we see My Cruelty land on #internetghetto for a truly unique four track selection, exploring numerous different hybridisations of sound. We begin our journey into this one with a dive into the swirling pad textures and choppy drum breaks of 'Lost In The Dark', located at a somewhat UKG tempo, before shifting our attention towards the bubbling synthesizer designs and unpredictable rhythms of 'Through The Darkness'. Next, 'Through Hardship To The Stars' deploys scattered 2steppy beats beneath yet more airy synthesis for another unusual design, before rounding off the EP on the minimal drum textures and starlight inducing soundscaping of 'The Last Hour Of The Night'. Very unorthodox indeed!
Review: Next up from the Trax Couture imprint we see Sertone land for a very enjoyable four track selection, exploring the weird and wonderful realms of electronic sound. We begin our journey through this one with a look at 'Critical', a jungle-infused creation dripping with finesse, linking together a steadily expanding synth line with choppy drum structures, before 'Just Around' arrives with a much spacier approach, unleashing quirky vocal textures into the mix at will. Next, we dive into the hardcore chord progressions and trap-like drum designs of 'LoveEgypt94' before the title track 'Spectres' brings together a stunning rhythmic display or organic drum movements and plucked melodies. Beautiful work all around on this one!
Two Fingers & G Jones - "Zero Face" - (3:38) 160 BPM
LED Moon Rhythm - (3:03) 133 BPM
LALA Rhythm - (3:21) 86 BPM
Nuff Swizz Rhythm - (3:25) 86 BPM
Boss Rhythm - (3:26) 58 BPM
Two Fingers & Little Snake - "Unknown Trauma" - (4:49) 120 BPM
Review: What an incredible selection we have on our hands here as we see the Normark label boss and electronic music pioneer Amon Tobin A.K.A "Two Fingers" release his first album under his double-digit alias since "Stunt Rhythms" nearly 8 years ago. The tracklisting for this one is nothing short of phenomenal, with the styles ranging far and wide between the super experimental bass twists of 'Boss Rhythm' to the more conventional half-time synthesizer slaps and jungle-like percussive genius of 'Rockyou Feelit'. The project is a triumph in all areas and that is putting it lightly, with our highlights including the stunning sound design of 'You Ain't Down', the dynamic rhythmic expressions of 'Nuff Swizz Rhythm' and of course the title track 'Fight! Fight! Fight!', which deploys demonic basslines combined with quirky vocal lines and jangling drums with magnificent results. Amazing Stuff!
Review: Well, it seems to be every week that we welcome a brand new drop from the Four40 team this year, however this latest drop is something truly special as the veteran imprint celebrates nine years of activity with a scintillating selection, showcasing some of their most important roster members over the years. The tracklisting is vast, featuring a colossal 51 tracks from the likes of Vital Techniques, Mistakay, PVC, Enigma Dubz, Tuff Culture, Earthnut and more. With such a stacked release, picking highlights is pretty tough, but for us the two stand outs boil down to super spooky drum twists and moody textures of 'You Or Me' from ZeroFG, alongside the classic Skepsis remix of 'VIP', originally featuring Hybrid Theory and Trilla.
Review: As dubstep and bass music in general continues to expand worldwide, we are starting to see more and more experimental selections come together, with this fantastic 14 tracker from the Cosmic Vibrations crew being just what the doctor ordered. They deliver an hours worth of smooth introspective soundscaping, with the roster including top names such as: Biome, Congi, Occult, Ill Chill and more. The whole tracklisting just breathes originality, with our favourites including the stunning UKG designs of 'Eyes Down' from the fabulous link up of Bonobo and Andreya Triana, alongside 'Nothing', an impactful piece of stepper poetry, crafted between the wonderful Rider Shafique and the ever-ready Om Unit!
