Review: Garage, garage and more garage, that's what we want to hear and that is exactly what this new project from 2TUF4U offers. AKB sets the pace from the beginning with a very nostalgic composition, full of hidden grooves and exciting twists, giving Alice Amelia a perfect bed over which she can lay her angelic vocal structures. We are gifted some seriously saucy remixes as the DJQ meets Classified remix leads the way, packed with high energy bass pumps. Following this, Base Z gives the track a more niche feel, before Caution gets very busy with his 'Android Switch 3 In 1 Rub'.
Review: It's a very exciting time to be a part of the UKG scene at the moment, as we see an enormous rise in the output of multiple labels and producers, the latest of which comes to us from 2TUF4U who push forward the latest album project from CJ Reign, a garage head who is receiving a lot of well deserved praise. The album is a real lesson in expanding a genre, as we see a full range of UKG on display, from the clever, clicky compositional structures of 'Falling Into You' and '2-4-7', to the more classic 2-step vibes of 'Broken' and more. For us the standout on this one has to be the super creative reesey twists of 'Certificated Day', which keeps us guessing from start to finish.
Craig James & Karl Brown - "Far Away" - (5:50) 126 BPM
Right 4 Me - (5:45) 132 BPM
Craig James & Karl Brown - "Get Me" - (5:58) 132 BPM
Take Me Up - (5:36) 132 BPM
Review: With the scorching summer sun in full effect, Craig James has timed his return to perfection, putting together a super vibey UKG four tracker, designed to refresh the terraces around the country. We kick off with vibrant flavours of 'Far Away' in collaboration with Karl Brown before slipping into the super colourful patterns on 'Right 4 Me'. Next up we roll into Karl Brown's second collaboration appearance on the mega bouncy 'Get Me' before finishing the EP up on the old school organ chords and vocal stabs of 'Take Me Up'. Grab the barbecues and set up your sound system for this one!
Review: Did somebody say newschool UKG? Well, we have it in flavourful abundance here as Drama steps out on the 2Tuf4U imprint for a groovy little hip shaker by the name of 'Let It Go'. This one begins in classic garage form with stripped back drum selections descending into affected vocal shakes pre breakdown. Once we hit the drop we are engulfed in summer flavours as moody chord progressions and organ lines take the lead role, We are also gifted an even funkier 'Tuff Re-Mas' edit, perfect for injecting a bit of life into a dance at any time.
Review: Karl 'Tuff Enuff' Brown's 2TUF4U ("too tuff for you") label bring us this old skool-sounding jam which harks back to the late 80s/early 90s glory days of New Jersey garage. A complex, analogue-sounding synth bassline and raw-edged 4/4s provide the musical backbone for the track, with the diva-style female vocal layed over the top in both full sung and cut-up forms - simultaneously, which is an interesting touch. As the track progresses, sax parps, vibes and synth-strings drift in and out of the mix to maintain dancefloor/listener interest, shining through most clearly on the accompanying Instrumental, which also brings the beats further to the fore.
Review: It's now time to strip everything back to the original old school garage essence here as George Wilson lands neatly on 2TUF4U for a fantastic new single. Through a combination of groovy, steadily expanding organ runs and super skippy drum textures, we are greeted with 'Smile'. This one is really made by the lead vocal, which takes classic UKG movements and slices as it is dashed around the high end of the mix, with those pleasing choppy drums causing havoc below. This one also comes complete with a very tasty instrumental version, making it a must-have for the mix and blend.
Review: Karl 'Tuff Enuff' Brown's 2TUF4U bring us their fourth value-packed various artists EP in a little over year. Once again, the 16 tracks are all the work of aspiring producers who've attended Brown's Groove Skool production college, so it's no surprise that vintage UKG vibes are the order of the day. We're largely headed back to that time circa 1995-1996 when the UK style was starting to emerge (and before speed garage came along), with organs, skippy beats and Todd Edwards-style vocal cut-ups much in evidence, though there are exceptions - see the dubstep/grime-style bassline on 'Deep Enuff', or the sparse, UK funky-esque 'One Last Chance'.
Review: It's billed as an EP, but with 12 tracks and at over an hour in length, you could just as well call this an album. It's the third collection of works put together by pupils at Karl 'Tuff Enuff' Brown's music school, so it's no surprise that UK/speed garage influences are to the fore: cuts like 'Bass Scat' and 'On My Mind' could have beamed straight in from the late 90s, and skippy beats, chopped-up vox and organ snips abound throughout, with tracks ranging from the Todd Edwards-isms of 'Frisky' to the dark, ominous 'The Step', which harks back to the birth of dubstep and grime.
Review: Groove Skool are back with the second edition of their 'Nu Grooves' EP series and we can confirm that is truly jam packed with incredible rhythms and summer slammers. As far as large scale garage projects go, it's been a long time since we heard a project this size boast such consistency start to finish, with tracks such as 'Sylvester's Groove' slapping you with nostalgic bliss and 'Crown Joule' providing a more subtle field of play. There's something for everyone for certain, with other highlights including the impeccable 'So We Sing' featuring Ilya, the super bouncy 'Something' in collaboration with Duncan Powell and of course 'My Hurt Goes On' with the awesome Keith Boon, working them into a classic UKG melody. Fantastic stuff!
Review: Exciting UKG flavour approaches ok this one as Groove Skool get into the blend with Lee Hewitt for a very smooth new summer single. In classic garage fashion, 'Waiting' treats us to dizzying grooves coupled with unpredictable percussive patterns, dusted off with bouncy bass design and perfectly placed vocal slices. It's got the rhythm, it's got the melodies, it's got everything you would want from an original 2 stepper, complete with both a dub mix and a full instrumental mix for all your party needs!
Review: As ever with the fantastic 2TUF4U imprint, we have been gifted with a slice of UKG magnificence, with the illustrious Karl Brown Of Tuff Jam joining us for a super experimental three track piece. From start to finish, this EP really draws off a nostalgic use of dynamics, with tracks having numerous volume switch ups all the way through, beginning with the super choppy drum thumps of 'Intro Special'. Next, we surge into the Klub edit mix of 'So Good', again using crunchy grooves and organ chords to bring a classic garage vibe, before we land on the warm, fuzzy arrangement of 'Get Up'. Following this we dive into the two additions from Dub Jamz , who provides more old school tastings in high tempo drum grooves of 'Unity Theme', before rounding off the project on the chord-heavy progressions of 'I Don't Know.
Review: Who doesn't love a fresh dosage of newschool garage? We think you would have to be mad to not indulge in this brand new four track selection from Karl Brown, Paul Benjamin and Lifford as they bring together the 4 Klubz EP. The lead single goes by the name of 'Deep Down Inside' and is an instant garage heater, dancing between skippy percussive layers and chilling atmospheric chord injections. This one comes complete with a collection of three top draw reworks, with Track of Time leading the way, flipping the original onto it's head for a smooth roller. Following this, Troy Brown refixes the recording into a punchier creation, with T & D running riot with their soulful overhaul.
Review: Who doesn't love a bit of classic UK Garage? This release is perfect for any old school UKG nut as Livin Out Loud's modern classic 'Lately' receives five fantastic reworks, each as vibrant as the last. We start of with Ski's 'Super Switch Dub' which strips the production back to melodic vocal stabs, crunchy drums and smooth chord arrangements. Pure Statix follows this with his 'Klubb Grooves mix', mellowing out the arrangement thoroughly for a smooth ride. As well as this, CJ Reign and The Undertones provide soulful reworks whilst The Househoundz steer the composition down a darker alley.
