Review: Jayline is landing on Liondub in a hot minute, off the back of his 2019 Street Series release on the label and his 10 year anniversary tracks, he's come up with the Lion & the Unicorn, a four-tracker which rests on the laurels of the scene's current boon for foghorns and it does so with style. 'The Unicorn' is our favourite, with a funny load of sampling on the introduction that let's you know what it's like to be a unicorn, a dream that's burst on the drop: shattered into an array of drawn-out bass shards and shimmering sine wobbles. It's big and forebodes the rest of the release.
Review: This release honestly doesn't mess around. It carries a serious sense of potency despite its clear lack of pretentious sophistication, because D&B of this type simply isn't about sophistication, it's about making something so filthy the audience won't even understand what hit them. Everyone on this release has certainly accomplished that here, I mean just have a listen to the rippling sines, percussive naughtiness and bassline badassery that is 'Get Some Juice', a beautifully spacious tune that still manages to make you feel like you've been attacked by a dog. This is a crazy release from start to finish.
Review: Born On Road roll into a new decade in style as Lupo & Jappa join the fray with this savage slab of darkness. Groaning basslines, soundsystem vibes and subtle MC chatter; "Nuff Girl" hits every spot you need it to. It's backed by more heavy artillery: "Flee" now comes in VIP form with its trippy staccato bass burps, Lupo goes solo on the super-spooked out "Minefield" while Jappa closes down the show with M-Tek on "Tuff". Absolute murderation.
Review: Hi Def are one of the most prolific jump-up labels around. We regularly feature their releases and they almost always smash it out of the park, this time being no different. Access All Areas is a fiery EP, featuring Ego Trippin, Filthy Habits and more, that epitomizes the type of jump-up, but also slightly different flavours as well, that, in more ways than one, has defined D&B over the past couple of years - no-nonsense, uncompromising and proudly nonchalant about what you think. It's just pure attitude, dancefloor-based music at its best and music that simply does what it wants, there's no pretentiousness or image-orientated concerns - it's just D&B. Big, big tunes.
Review: Killlill is back, back again and it's once more on Biological Beats, the label which never ceases to pump out music which pummels you, pleases and you and punishes you in equal measure. This time around he's cooked up a fiery four-tracker and it's a percy, with four slices of trademark damage that tread a wicked line between over-the-top jump-up and moody rollers. 'Gravity' is the best example of that, as the drums roll out into oblivion and a gargling expression of bass energy lights up the top end of the range in stabby, serious fashion. Energy, energy.
Review: One of the regular labels we feature are Sub-Division, a wicked little imprint that puts out a diverse sound ranging from techy rollers to jump-up steppers and even liquidy numbers. This week they've arrived with an EP from Sinexia, who, across five tracks, spans various tones and styles, all of them rooted in a sense of dancefloor aggressiveness and all of them top-notch. 'Escale Isle' is a highlight, its rolling percussive line isn't the paciest but is loping and satisfying, whilst a gargling bass and sweeping ambience sit just above and inject all the force. The title track is also fantastic, as 'Sonar' just goes absolutely hard from the outset, with a huge bassline and bigger drums.
Review: Low Down Deep are regular appearances here for two main reasons. Firstly, they release a hell of a lot of music. Secondly, it almost always hits hard and in good order. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at Sota's three-track single: Bite/Signal/Down. 'Bite' is without a doubt the highlight of the EP, with an infectiously funky arrangement that's grounded in a glitchy sense of progression and movement. It goes hard, but in a way that's not off-putting or over the top. That's the general impression of this EP: jump-up, but not trashy jump-up. Just the way we like it.
Review: Coming in with the reggae, junglist vibes this week is Chopstick Dubplate, who are releasing on their own label alongside Natty Campbell, an MC and vocalist who, if you don't know, sounds absolutely mint above a ragged jungle beat. 'Chicken Shop' is the title tune and deservedly so, featuring a bubbling, bouncing and banging bassline which sits perfectly beneath the flowing lyrical business being conducted by Campbell above. This EP stretches to seven tracks and highlights well the reputation that Chopstick Dubplate have cultivated over years in the game. Top stuff.
Review: Grid Recordings always deliver tough, urban-edged sonics that don't prance around or act fancy, they just get down and dirty. Nick The Lot has delivered exactly that here, with a four-track EP of moody tones and no-nonsense drum lines. 'Blueprint' is a perfect example of said drums, with impossibly clean hits and a clear sense of space and progression, its bass stabs are almost shadowed out. 'Missing Person' is the most futuristic, with a deep back end and seriously cool synth spasms that lend it a techier feel than the other cuts on the EP. The other two are equally top-draw - make sure to check these.
Review: The future's so bright for Monty he has to wear shades. So will you too when you drop fithlets like these and see the carnage that follows. Some of the young Frenchman's best work to date, across the full EP we're treated to the full Monty and a few cheeky cameo collabos. Expect nothing but absolute brawlers ("STK", "Blinded"), slinky emotional ones ("Black Shield" with Visages) creepy, sewer-bound funk loaded with surprises and twists and turns ("Cursive" with the label bossman Alix Perez) and totally uncategorizable firing future funk ("Quest") Blinding.
Review: Every now and then, you just want a release that slams start to finish. No frills, no pretence of trying to be something that it isn't, just solidly banging D&B that gets your head nodding and your feet moving. Banzai has done that here and this single is a run of attitude-packed jump up, all of which would sound fat through a sound system. 'Menace' is a highlight, samples leading you in into a fluttering array of jagged synth-lines and boom-bap drum hits, a vibe that's quickly transferred across into 'Showtime' - snapping percussive hits, moody bass notes and melody that oozes power.
Review: Filthy Habits? We wouldn't be surprised if Filthy Habits himself had a few of those, not just because it's in his name but because of how downright filthy his tunes are, although they're contrasted on this occasion with the sickening sweetness of its cake-based theme. 'Mr Kipling' is a rush of pitched-up deathy synths that rolls out at max speed and with zero sense of giving a fuck about, well, anything really. The flip side is in the same vein, and 'Keep It Real' smacks of old school Sub Zero with its stabby approach to crafting basses. This is a solid release from a producer who has been on the up recently, and we're looking forward to the next one.
Review: Skore has been on a bit of a roll recently and he's back on Subway Soundz for a stripped back, roughshod single which showcases an interesting blend of the minimal sound with the jump-up side of the scene. This is a style that's been taking off recently and we're very much into it, it's a bit less full-on that jump-up and not as screechy, yet still has the wicked attitude and urban-edged toughness of jump-up. 'Sauced Up' is an excellent example, with an ice-cold demeanour and multiple criss-crossing strands of reverberating bass, an amalgamation of low-frequency textures which just roll out the whole way through. Sick stuff here.
Review: Premium by name... Absolute savage on the dials by nature! Englishman in Belgium Premium unleashed his inner junglist with these two hairy hurters. "Chewbacca" growls and purrs just as its name suggests. Driven by breaks but powered by a jump-up heaviness, it's the perfect sweet spot of a lot of sounds and subgenres here. "The Master" continues this grizzly theme but with more of a classic jump-up twist. One note basslines hitting with Warhead-like severity and cheeky break splashes on the fills, it's a heads-down workout that hits home in every mix situation you can blend it into. Masterful.
Review: Bristol damager Gray throws 50 shades of gully into the mix right here for his debut EP on Born On Road. Kicking off the relationship with serious intent, the EP kicks off with a massive Ragga Twins massacre ("Bloodbath") and the fire just gets hotter with every track; "One Spliff" instantly rouses crowds with its great twist on the vocal, "Rubabub" is pure mixing pleasure with its loopy vocal and on/off drone bass, "Buss Riddim" has the flabbiest bassline this side of the Weight Watchers head office while "Get To The Chopper" closes the session with absolutely nasty basses and daft AI vocals. The perfect blend of humour and hurt. All Grayvy m8.
Review: Hailing from Canada, RMS has firmly established himself over the last couple of years as someone at the forefront of D&B's re-discovered love for jungle-influences and bouncy but hard-hitting basslines. Drawing upon those influences, he's back on Original Key for a full-throated five-tracker that kicks off with 'Down' featuring Kumarachi, a heavily weighted sine-based wobbler that pushes on every corner of the range. '90s Soundboy' has thoose wicked juddering bass pulses and that recognizable sense of hardware-based rawness, whilst the junglst vibes are seriously real on 'Mi Fi Tell Yuh'. This release has overtones of Manchester and undertones of the Great White North - proper UK underground stuff.
Review: Filthy Habits and Jeopardize - two savagely on-point basssmiths usually spotted lurking around the G13 camp - land on Heist's Co-Lab imprint with this absolute barnstormer of a banger. Running drums, big flabby basses and a drive that can cut through any mix and knock crowds off their feet; both acts' longstanding collaborative history can be felt in every detail here. Tracks like this are built to last. They got the key... But what is the secret?
Review: Jack The Ripper quite often pops up on this site with some of the filthiest jump-up around, and this time he's coming at your ears with a six-tracker of outsized proportions, courtesy of one of the best breakthrough labels of recent times: Walking Dead Recordings. Every single one of these tunes is laden with a feeling of roughness and they all pack that jump-up vibe we all know and love so well. The title track, '10th Commandment', takes the cake for us just because its drums have been nailed so damn well and the sample work is superb. Well played Veak.
Review: V Recordings' Future LP finally looks set to drop fairly soon and this remix from Benny L is part of it, blending as it does the classic tones of Bristol legend Roni with Benny's more new school, harsher style of production. 'Dayz' is a timeless piece of work and Benny has flipped it on its head, rolling out some ragged breaks underneath Roni's instantly recognisable sample work and over a simple but incredibly effective bassline. Excellent stuff.
Review: Monrroe is one of a spate of new signings taken up by the Shogun team in their effort to stay one of the most relevant, cutting edge drum & bass labels in the game. Monrroe is the ideal candidate for this task, a producer who blends the soulful with the biting and the flurid with the respectable. Endless Change is his first full release on the label and it's wicked, with a combination of vibes and an endless changing repertoire of sounds. Jinadu features on the gorgeously rolling 'Horizon', whilst things get stupidly deep and dark on 'Your Lives', the highlight of the release. An excellent start to his Shogun career for the young producer.
Review: Last spotted on Euphonique's Subwoofah with the series statement of intent "We Here", Speaker Louis and Grimesy tag up once again for this equally heavy collection on Deep In The Jungle. Four tracks deep, each one a stinker, highlight include the bonafide bludclart jungle ruffage of "Can't Touch", the bounding subs of "Burning" and the full-strength sirens and tidal wave bass surges on the title track. Bad boys for life...
Review: As if his "Divided Mode" EP wasn't quite enough dark fire for us this year, OG Critical fam Enei comes correct with another multi-track blast up. "Sinking" takes the lead on a mean techno tip as thundering 4x4s do all the driving as Enei plunges us deep into his alien bass pool. Deeper into the EP we hit pure techy roller territory on the pranged-out "Ghost Boat" while "Get Closer" reminds us of the Russian's more emotional side as he leaves heaps of space for singer-of-the-moment Charli Brix to purr pure dulcet velvet into the mix. Finally "Dark Move" shuts down the shop on a mean, gritty, stripped-back minimal one. Watch out of the creaky, creepy off-beat cascades midway... The devil always makes the darkest moves.
Review: Brand new UK duo Bunnerz make their debut on Pick N Mix with this punchy, varied stink-fest. The healthy vibe range is clear from the off as opener "Settle Down" kicks off with spiky jump-up intent before "10 Stripes" follows on a moody, groaning sewer note. Other highlights include the rifle-like midrange bass fluctuations on "Reaction", the cheeky swagger and funk of "Recon OG" and the hectic twists and turns of "Merked". An impressive debut; keep Bunnerz on your radar.
Review: Born On Road is one of the new-school of labels pushing the current moment's gritty, jump-up infused sound, the sound that has captured so many new fans to the genre in the past couple of years and which has catapulted the careers of Ben Snow, AC13 and others. This EP comes from the former and it's an excellent representation of where the sound is at right now, a massive, heavy piece of work that features David Boomah on a wicked vocal feature. The title track nails the sample, before rolling out with the foghorn sound on full display. It's top stuff and we're very much into it.
Review: Murky Digital don't tend to put out music that's weak, thin or otherwise not suitable for the dancefloor. Jaxx's Prepare For Take Off EP is a testament to that, all five cuts do some serious damage and the release overall is certainly on the sharper end of the spectrum. 'Take Off' is the best of the bunch and it's got a rough, Sofa Sound edge that injects a satisfying level of oomph into the arrangement, there's a serious vibrancy in the bass-drums relationship and it's a pleasure to listen to. 'Stacks' is a close second and its incredibly unique concoction of swirling basses and gargling pulsars adds a wicked futuristic element, all of it underpinned by a creative, stepping percussive line. There's a wicked variety here and everything feels accurate and well-placed - well played to the Murky Digital crew.
Review: Eatbrain are stepping into darker territory over on the Hungarian Eatbrain imprint with their Negative Thoughts EP, a release that brings in elements of the Neurofunk sound within the context of nightmares, that feeling of sleep without your eyes closed, the creeping sense that you need to drift off but the foreboding feeling that unconsciousness is out of your reach. 'Shinkjuko' is a highlight, with a deeply rolling and fluctuating bassline that injects both funkiness and heaviness in equal measure, an impact topped off with some wicked synth work. Shout out to the teddy bear crew!
Review: The man, the myth, the sofa-loving animal; DLR dives deep into 2020 with two corkers on Doc Scott's 31. "Banana Bread" is every bit as tasty as its name suggests. There's an old school house vibe to the rising chords and string line as it builds slowly towards to the ruffneck scrappy bassline on the drop. "Busy" is an equally addictive affair. Once again the intro fools you ahead of the twist; dreamy, deep and skippy, no one expects the dark, techno-like groove when it finally kicks in. Go bananas.
Review: Coming in hot with the filthy minimal approach this week is Concept One on Incurzion Audio, the Wales based imprint which never fails to make us wince with beautifully crafted, tightly edged music that seems more befitting the urban sprawls of London than the rolling hills of South Wales. Either way, Concept One has smashed this one, with four-tracks that, to put it simply, bang. The title tune barks at you with a grate of energy, fluid energy moving underneath and giving it a lovely, lively feel. The VIP of 'Monsoon' is a penetrating halftime number, whilst they team up with JAK for the jungle flip of 'Delta' and the distorted perfection of 'Gutters'. Sick, sick stuff.
Review: Latte might not be everyone's cup of tea but we guarantee that one blast on these latest hellraisers and he'll most definitely be your cup of coffee. Hot, frothy and enough energy to keep you awake all day, this young newcomer is full of all the right flavour... The aromatic whiffy angst of "Fuming", the nutty grit of "Manners" and the full-bodied badness blend of "Arbzilla" are just three examples. Dark, rich, heavy; just like a good Latte should be. Don't ghost this one.
Review: Bites have absolutely bloody killed it with this one. Featuring 4 cuts from Blckhry, Kendrick, Dispute and Spyraxx, New Generation is a collection of pure, gully rollers that all sit comfortably within the scene trends at the moment and which aim to show off the new talent on the label. All four of these could be talked about it in detail, but 'Bite' by Blckhry stands out for the sheer audacity of its bass, a wobbling, pulsating wall of energy that pushes out into all corners of the range. 'Filthy Animal' by Dispute is also top stuff, with a wonderfully solid percussive line and a grungy, gargling back end that'll have any head screwing their face up. Bangers!
Review: Short Circuit have a bit of a reputation for spewing out some of the most venomous beats in the business and their talent for pushing some of the best artists on the jump-up spectrum is undeniable. Ironlung is holding up that standard and he's doing it in style, something clear right from the start of this single. 'Law of the Jungle' reels you in with hip-hop driven, rolling energy, that quickly flips into a siren-like wail of pure, stabbing energy that's reminiscent of Annix and insanity more generally. The flip the release is equally aggressive, as 'The Gateway' opens the gate to a hellish landscape of tendrilic basses and powerful forces.
Review: Liondub are really rolling out the guns with this one and label founder and namesake Liondub is involved himself, which is when you know stuff is popping off. He's joined by Patexx and Kumo and the trio have concocted something deeply rolling, a release which lunges out over four tunes, including two Kumo VIPs, and keeps things banging the whole way. Our pick of the bunch is Kumo's 'Roller Check VIP', a double-kick laden stomper that keeps things punchy in the percussion and twisted in the low frequencies, it reminds us of Workforce's 'Don't Tell' and that's an extremely good thing. 'Caan Touch' is also deliciously funky whilst keeping thins heavy, a tough balance to strike and one well struck here.
