Review: When isn't it fun to see a new Skepsis release landing in the store eh? This time around he makes his way back into the CruCast forefront, delivering a vibrant collection of remixes as part of his 'Faith In Chaos' project, opening up with a sizzling VIP overhaul of 'Acid', deploying fizzing electronic synth drives right from the jump, before Window Kid's vocals on 'Lose My Mind' are given a new lick of bassy paint from WA-FU & Interupt. From here, fan-favourite: Daseplate arrives with his typically swampy rethink of 'Chain Gang', before the hissing synth designs of Turno are unleashed with his new version of 'Used To'. Serum then arrives to give a colourful lick of paint to 'Bumpa' alongside Scrufizzer, with some seriously cool synth design, followed by Disrupta's final addition, sending 'R U Ready' down a glittering spire of sonic wonder to round off this collection in style. Epic work!
Review: Oh boy... Visages back on 1985 with another massive dub that's been doing the round: if you haven't heard 'Lunar Eclipse' with the truly electric vocals from Strategy in the dance or on mixes over the last few months, you haven't been paying attention. The exceptional collabos continue as Drone joins the French gang for a samurai session on the spooked-out 140 slammer 'Hagakure'. Up next: a fusion of young and old as 'Familiarity' (with Monty) warms up with a Virus-style flavour before going full 2022 venom on our asses and 'Sunshine Mystery' closes the EP with a note of Sunday morning soul. Easy.
Review: You can always rely on the Duploc team to deliver on the big stage, with this latest collection seeing them continue their 'BLXCK TXPES' series into its second edition. Featuring 8 hardy originals, the roster is truly stacked with talent, with the likes of ENiGMA Dubz, 11th Hour, Pushloop, Hypho and more veterans all making themselves known, next to a couple of very tidy original creations from Chef Boyarbeatz and DubDiggers / 207. Our two highlights come from right at the top of the project, with Hamdi's 'Skanka' being one of the most sought after 140 originals of 2022 and Lost's 'Level Up', being an irresistible swampy roller. The whole collection however just oozes quality and is another emphatic victory for one of the most consistent 140 outlets out there.
Review: The Moonshine crew have such a fantastic knack for unleashing and showcasing the best and most creative sounds in new school dub music, with this wicked new three-tracker from EchoBoy being a great example of that in action. We begin with the bulbous bass LFO sweeps and dubwise vocal delays of the official Jahova remix, of course featuring Danny Red & The Herb at the same time. This system-ready roller then makes way for the more typically dubstep-sounding 'I'N'I Dub', focussing on drippy percussive inputs and more old school chord progressions, before 'Dub Teachings' takes us on an underground adventure through sweeping harmonics and original dub flavours. Excellent work!
Review: There are a few labels in and around the dubstep world that almost guarantee heaters with every release. It's safe to say that Encrypted Audio is one of those projects, with this system-rattling collection from DubApe proving to be super powerful. First up 'Ramsez' gets involved for some potent subby goodness on 'Doc Pullem', a fiery collaboration to kick off proceedings in style, followed by the metallic percussion-lead designs of 'Thumpa', which quickly descends into a box of syncopated glitchy madness. From here, two solo appearances to round things off, with 'Millions' firstly bringing a much spacier feel, focussing on shuffling drums and flickering melodic warbles, with the big room horn stabs and gnarly LFO grinds of 'Woob' then rounding off the project with a splash. Excellent work!
Review: What a thunderous collection we have on our hands here as the Durkle Disco crew emerge with a potent selection of remixes, unleashing a new lease of life to their extremely varied catalogue. The first thing that has to be said is just how many different direction this project is able to go in, from the dissonant synthetic drifts of Dusty Ohms on remix duty for Central Spillz' 'Deep End', to the pulsating tribal drum work of East Man's 'Bushmaster' overhaul from Fonzo & Riko Dan, then back to KOROstyle's potent 'On Sight' original with Emz & Jay0117, which receives a warbling recreation from Hayz & Nothingnice. This is Durkle Disco down to a T, powerful vocals, original sounding instrumentals, with our favourites including KRSLD's dizzying refix of 'Bad' from Logan & Kouslin, Jook's explosive overhaul of 'Bushmaster' and Dutchie's super smooth rethink of Ngaio's 'Green Eyed Queen'. Lovely stuff!
Review: Bonjour! Monty finally delivers his debut artist album and it's an absolute gem from start to finish. Featuring the many cuts he's been teasing over the last few months ('Hardware', 'Vibin' etc) the album takes a deep dive into every sound on the young Frenchman's palette. Flexing from the gnarled 140 bubbles and bumps of 'Dreamer' (with 1985 bossman Alix Perez himself) and the spacey garage vibes of 'Walking Home' to the soulful roll of 'Birdland' (with fellow Toulousian Redeyes) and the electroid night creeping title track, this is the full Monty on levels we've never seen before. Bass music across the whole menu, it's one of those rare LPs that will both slay a club and work well in any other listening scenario. Bonsoir!
Review: It's been a little while since we found ourselves dipping into a new drop from the White Peach imprint, a label that continuously impresses with sharp, well thought out releases. This time around, they invite the techy flavours of Ourman inside for a delicious display of new school dubstep heat. We begin with the floating percussive clinks and hypnotic melodic sweeps of 'Dizzy', a seriously cool title track, leading the way with a fabulous use of delicate sampling techniques. Next, the more moody textures of 'Emergence' usher forth, again rotating around jittering half time drums, before the slightly slower, more time-dance influenced shuffles of 'Drunken Bell' give us a clunky yet hard hitting third addition. Finally, 'Broken' unleashes a dizzying display of unorthodox melodic manoeuvres and rhythmic expression, styling it out with wonky arrangements to send any dance into an absolute tizz.
Review: The Smoking Session crew have collected up a positively potent collection of sizzlers for this one as the combined flavours of both LJ & Paul Domino are brought forward for a delightful four track journey. We open up with the trippy chord progressions and dubwise FX delays of 'Purple Sound', which sets the tone nicely from the jump. From here, 'Saturn' sends us to the stars with a glittering backdrop above pumping sub prods, before 'Colour Blind' sends us down under for a jittering journey through percussion and thudding bassline pulses. The whole EP is then rounded off nicely with the typically dub-influenced chord pops and chomping drum crunches of 'Invisible', putting the final touches on a very smooth four track box. Fabulous stuff!
Review: It's always a good day when we see new music landing from the legendary 1985 Music team, who continue to push some of the most exciting and experimental electronic sounds out there right now. This latest four track collection kicks off with founder and sonic mastermind: Alix Perez unleashing a bulbous display of gnarly steppers energy on 'VTRN', jam-packed with sliding LFO's and intricate drum designs, followed by the stuttered rhythms and delicately designed percussive layers of 'Shush' from HIJINX, which also packs a seriously bassy punch to match. The don Ebb then touches down with another chilling creation in 'Ill Rest', maneuvering horrorcore soundscapes and luminescent bass sweeps, before the sizzling reesey tones and clunky drum work of Epoch's 'Beastmode' round the EP off with some serious finesse. Exceptional work as per!
Review: Version science: Prescott explores some of reggae's most discerning classics and subverts them over an unfailing digidub riddim. A classic one-track album mission, the bubbling bass beats are a consistent spine while an all-star cast appear over the groove to great effect. Highlights include Ranking Joe's Eek-A-Mouse chats on "Ganja Pipe", Jahdan Blakkamoore's nasal dancehall chants on "No Bad Vibes" and Pad Anthony's softer soul melodic style on "Murder". One track, eight vibes - this one's special in all directions.
Review: We all love a swampy new one from the Subaltern team, who this time around, unleash a serious pack of sizzlers from Ome, one of the most exciting names in dubstep music right now. We kick off with the title track 'Raw', a gritty dive into gnarly LFO lines and eerie atmospheric backdrops, perfect for the heads down in the dance crew. From here, Busted Fingerz arrives for some additional work on the shimmering synthetics of 'No Runnin', which again adds to the weird and wonderful texture of the overall tracklisting, followed by 'Talkin' Mathematics', which sees Yoofee also get involved with some seriously chunky industrial drum work. Finally, the super wonky warbles and syncopated drum shuffles of 'Stinker' give us a final slap of steppers goodness, rounding the EP off in style.
Review: It's been a long time since we have been anywhere close to disappointed with a new Liondub International release, with this latest heavyweight collaboration continuing to apply the pressure, as Riko Dan, Trigon & Dave Gee join the Lion Dub team for a hard hitting new single entitled 'War Dub'. Right from the off we can tell we are in for a raucous affair as demonic horn lines and sizzling sublines provide the perfect skeleton for Riko Dan to run riot upon, unleashing a blistering display of clash-ready lyricism. This drop comes complete with the instrumental version for good measure, making it a must grab for any 140 DJ.
Review: It's always good to see label heads returning to their home turf, with this latest drop from J:Kenzo seeing him reappear on the fantastic Artikal Music for four tracks of steppers mastery. We begin with the title track 'Karthaus', an eerie roller, littered with subtle pad sweeps and a dizzying sub-line below, giving us a spooky journey to open things up. From here 'Solar Return' then delivers a devastating punch of gritty bass synthesis, topped with bell like percussive stabs and choppy drum textures, before 'Astral Traveller' the moogy sub pulses of 'Astral Traveller' send us back down a road of trippy abandon. Finally, the path settles for a stunning showcasing of soundscape ability, with 'Silentium', bracketed with 'Path Of Tranquility' cools the senses and lulls us into a sleepy trance, giving us a soft landing to round off this top notch collection.
Review: It's always exciting to see a new exploration into the dubstep sound from the Innamind Recordings crew, a collective that continuously push the boundaries of 140 music, with this latest collection from Foamplate once again providing something very enjoyable. We begin with the super subby sweeps of 'Monophasic', a uniquely crunchy creation, alternating between syncopated percussive taps and gnarly LFO drives, before the wonky metallic twangs of the title track 'Hungry Ghost' are then let loose. Next, 'Quake' unleashes another wheezing display of unique LFO manipulations, with 'Unmoor' then gives us an aquatic, swampy outro, putting the final touches on a very unique sonic experience.
Review: Following on from an exceptional string of releases, we see the magnificent K-Lone land on Wisdom Teeth for a top quality LP project, showcasing just how forward thinking his sound is. The whole project is a masterclass in soundscaping and atmospheric processing, with a softened, almost meditative hypnosis running through the heart of the tracklisting. From the chiming melodies of 'Yelli' to the pleasing arpeggio expansions of 'Bluefin', it's just a fabulous listen. Although we would highly recommend taking this one in on long play, we would pick the constantly evolving percussive grooves of 'Cocoa' as our favourite for this one!
Review: Visages has been one of the big A&R success stories of Perez's 1985 Music, and this four-track EP is the next evolution of his techy, hybrid sound. Dark Guru is titled with an absolute gem of a dubstep track, a loping 140 monster which oozes force and sophistication through waves of undulating low frequencies; a true class act that simply deserves to be heard in a club. The rest of the EP is 170, and the highlight is 'Egotrip', a devilishly sharp minimal roller that stays clear of boring tropes and instead blends guttural bassline sweeps with jagged synth stabs and biting percussive touches. 'Yalda' is also obscenely good, as a crunchy groove beds down amongst soulful vocal notes and shuddering basslines. Best in class.
Review: Few producers have carved out a production signature as twisted and unique as Monty, and the Toulouse-based artist is back on his home imprint of 1985 with another absolute percy of an EP. It's just as diverse as the others, and F4DE moves from jagged dancefloor rollers through to dubstep destruction and deep, distinct liquid sounds. The title tune smacks of previous conquest 'Quest', and its hugely complex array of interlocked sounds ooze sophistication in a manner that's befitting its clubland persona. 'Righteous' is a monster of a 140 track and you can smell the blood from the off, as a foreboding introduction leads you down the path of no return, straight into the belly of the beast. More minimal force follows on 'SVP' feat. Icicle, before two liquid cuts round off the lineup; we especially love the deliberate, purposeful bassline of 'Whatever You Need'. Sensational.
Review: Not many tracks are as widely renowned as Nasty Habits' (AKA Doc Scott) 'Shadow Boxing', a seminal number from the 1990s which you'll still hear out in clubs to this day (well, not right now). It's therefore about time it was given more remix treatment, as Benny L, Traumatize, J:Kenzo and Scott himself step up to bring us four new versions. Benny L's is hotly anticipated and the talented producer has stretched things out and toughened them up, leaving you on your seat with the suspense of his two-minute-plus introduction that gives way to a refined, growly take on that signature bassline. J:Kenzo contributes some percussive steppiness, whilst Traumatize injects some grit and Scotty rolls things out even more. Outstanding.
Review: Following on from the fantastic response to its original release last year, Tru Thoughts have supplied us with an absolute gem here as they welcome back the legendary Flowdan for an official remix of 'Welcome To London'. This was one of Flowdan's more spooky creations, operating at a slower tempo, which has been completely revamped by the wonderful Jack Sparrow, who takes the acapella and sends it to an entirely new dimension, speeding up to around the 140 mark and layering it between sumptuous, bouncy bass taps and inventive drum work to give a fantastic original an additional dash of magic!
Review: The Artikal Music imprint have had yet another incredibly consistent year across the breadth of 2020, with this new remix project from LSN being the perfect way to round things off! From start to finish this is a fabulous outing, kicking off with J:Kenzo & Sabab's monstrous, synth heavy recreation of 'Systematic', alongside the legendary Warrior Queen. Next up, Von D arrives to give Rider Shafique's super catchy vocals on 'Reality' a tasty, sub-heavy revamp before Synkro sends 'Gone' to the blender, bringing us a chilling, post-jungle rethink, dripping in metallic synthesis and eerie atmospheric pressure. Finally, Mister Shifter gets busy with his percussive-lead overhaul of 'Join 'Em' to give the EP a bang for a finale. Amazing work from all involved!
Review: Now many have guessed that this one has been in the works for a while, but that makes us no less excited to unveil this tasty new album projct from J:Kenzo, who returns to his home imprint of Artikal Music for 'Taygeta Code'. From start to finish, the album is a true exploration into electronic music, primarily of course focussed around 140BPM. It's got bass pressure on 'Desired State', it's got acidic originality on 'Hoodwinked', it's even got a weighty guest vocal from the legendary Flowdan who returns on Kenzo's Darkside VIP mix of 'Like A Hawk'. This is an excellent showcasing of J:Kenzo's ability within a crowded dubstep scene.
Review: As ever with White Peach, we knew the second we opened the package that we were going to be treated to something special as Yoofee touches down for a sizzling display of 140 mastery across four top quality creations. First up, 'Calibration' gives us a solid display of atmospheric pressure and rolling drum technique, before the shuffling drum skips and organic percussive stutters of 'Freak' give us a completely different look into Yoofee's production range. Following this, the quirky melodic jilts and creeping harmonic textures of 'Ok Cold' send us down a much more low-ended route with a heads down warbler, before Orlando gets involved on a killer finale entitled 'Negative Released', delivering a gut-punch of dungeon-ready bassy goodness to round off the project with a slap.
Review: Following on from the major success of its first edition, the DUPLOC team have unveiled the second '140 ALLSTARS' V/A collection, welcoming six more names on board for a dazzling display of dubstep-infused heat. We open up with the sweeping woodwind lines and shuffling drums of 'Tecc' from Sedan, before Ourman unleashes the gnarly melodic grinds and haunting percussive pops of 'Sp00ns', but this time, it's a VIP mix. Next up, Beatsforbeaches arrives with a real dazzler as 'Me Nah' gives us a glitchy yet impactful backdrop, followed by both the synthetic squelches of Distinct Motive's 'Champ' and the super creative rhythmic expressions of 'CRTCL DMG' from Senncoria. Finally, Teffa does what Teffa does best, by unveiling an aquatic masterpiece in 'Cosmos', driven by crunchy bass design and unique percussive influxes, rounding off another successful V/A for the DUPLOC team.
Review: It looks like the White Peach team have pulled another gem out of the hat with this latest collection from Lofy, who arrives in style with four glamorous creations. First up, Oneman gets involved on 'Foretold', an eerie, choir-driven thrill ride through dissonant harmonies and flutey backdrops. From here, the regal horn sweeps and dubwise vocal FX of 'Asakusa' gives us a trippy punch to savour, with the bubbling arpeggios and chiming melodic inputs of 'Mortician' following closely. Finally, a monstrous masterclass as 'Grizzly' deploys a lethal reese-synth lead, topped off with haunted harmonic placements and thudding drum drops, giving us a very vibrant outro indeed!
Review: Don Mclean could learn a trick or two from New Zealand's Headland; you could drive a Chevy (or any other brand of motor vehicle) up this "Levy" all day long and it'll never go dry. A true marching tune that gradually rises in intensity without ever losing its stately pace, it's the type of tune that was tailored for nights like System or DJs like Amit. Elsewhere we get seasick with the trippy glitches on "Seen" before going all-out darkside with the haunted humanisations on the foreboding "Cold Warning". Seriously heavy duty stuff as always from Headland. Man's having his pie and eating it right now.
Review: With Innamind Recordings being such a forward thinking label project, we were absolutely thrilled to see this one land in our store as Ago steps out for a full length LP project, showcasing his versatility within the expansive realms of 140. What a project it is as well, from the smooth celestial synthesis of 'Above' and 'Deer' to the more dubwise influenced rolling percussion of 'So I Smoke' and 'Dragon Love'. Our highlights for this project however have to be the unpredictable yet incredibly smooth sounds of 'Blur', along with the sumptuous dubby switch ups and tumultuous sub pressures of 'Deer Dub'.
Review: Ever since we heard that this link up was in the works we have been absolutely buzzing, as Chad Dubz dives onto the Wheel & Deal roster for a sumptuous new EP drop. We begin with 'BS5', a low-riding system rattler, driven by gnarly bass flips and unpredictable drum delays, before the subtle pad textures and engulfing sub pressures of 'Back 2 Basics' send us right back to a late night drivers vibe. From here, the grizzly 808 pulses of 'Light 'Em Up' make lively appearance, driving a minimal drum arrangement forward with some serious system enemy, before a killer link up sees Fiend join the party on 'Hypnosis' for a more stripped-back, melody-lead design to round off the EP in style.
Review: It's always a lively event when Manuka come to town, this time welcoming a vibrant collaboration indeed as head-honcho Hypho links up with both PAV4N and the Foreign Beggars flag for a seriously gnarly creation, throwing us back to the 2010's in sound and style. Hypho does the business with a properly gritty instrumental creation, driving forward with hypnotic tripletted bass stabs and churning synthetic layers doing the business, with a combination of harsh vocal slides and intense lyricism then adding an extra level of enjoyment to the table. A very good single indeed from the Manuka camp!
Review: The hold tight team have for sure assembled a powerful combination of artistry on this one as they welcome Ickle inside alongside two of the most recognizable vocalists of our generation in Riko Dan & Rider Shafique. Riko steps up first for a chest-heavy vocal display on 'Wicked', once again displaying his microphone dominance with a skank-inspiring display of intricate lyricism and skippy flows. On the flip, Rider Shafique dons a much more dubwise influenced sound, with scattered drums and a much more syncopated feel giving him room to maneuver his poetic approach amidst a sea of synthetic slides and beeping chords. HIJINX also provides a potent remix of 'Murda' for good measure, giving it an additional level up in the evil-sounding department. Lovely stuff!
