Described by renowned label manager Steph MEDi as “music you can feel”, Deep Medi Musik was birthed in 2006 by the legendary Mala, and has gone on to become one of the most essential labels across the entirety of the electronic music spectrum, nationally and internationally. It’s safe to say these industry linchpins are wholly integral to the makeup of UK culture and society as a whole, on both a musical and artistic level. Mainly specialising in dubstep, dub and grime-etched sonics, they’re arguably one of the most well-known, highly-thought of imprints around, with their roster and famed discography filled to the brim with instantly-classic names, cuts and picturesque memories. Alongside the omniscient Mala, the likes of Kahn, Commodo, J. Sparrow, Silkie, Skream, Loefah, Kromestar, Goth-Trad, Compa, Tunnidge and more have supplied cutting-edge releases, with the vocals of Killa P, JME, Teddy Bruckshot, Lady Chann and Cessman playing a vital part along the way. Home to countless seminal, acclaimed releases over the years including Sir Spyro’s ‘Topper Top’, Gorgon Sound’s ‘Dread’, Mala’s ‘Changes’, Kahn’s ‘Abbatoir’, Egoless’ ‘Empire Of Dirt’, Loefah’s ‘Disco Rekah’ and Kromestar’s ‘Kalawanji’, Deep Medi continue to cement their foundational, forward-thinking status as one of the most important labels in history.
Review: Mala's Deep Medi Musik imprint hasn't put a foot wrong in 2011 with some weighty relentless steppahs from VIVEK and Tunnidge getting the collective thumbs up from the Juno review staff. The label maintains the momentum here - finally unleashing the VIP version of Truth's 09 pressure "Fatman"! Fatalist dread vibes abound though it's the crushing weight of the sub bass that truly captivate. Truth complements this update with "Dreams Never Come True" which churns through heavily chopped machine rhythms and left of centre sampledelica with dizzying ease - making for a track that is probably difficult to dance to, but easy to appreciate!
Review: The mysterious Old Apparatus' debut release on Mala's Deep Medi was filled with almost exactly the kinds of sounds you would expect from their name; grainy, creaking dubstep that betrayed its modernity with such aged sounds. Their second record, Zebulon, has a similarly antiquated feel to it, but the addition of vocals has given the whole thing a more human feel. "Zebulon" is led by a female vocal that has a folk ballad quality to it, giving the whole thing a uniquely creepy pastoral flavour, whilst the clattering, smoky percussion gives a nice mechanical contrast. "Hammerhand" features MC Mowgli on vocal duties, with his measured aggression working nicely against the track's stretched out string melody. Old Apparatus do not disappoint with this second release; there are few producers currently producing such classic dubstep sounds with such an imaginatively dark palette.
Review: Mala's Deep Medi Musik maintain their high standards in 2011 with the welcome return of VIVEK on a plump four track selection that matches his earlier release Pulse. What Eyes Down lacks in titular imagination, it more than makes up for in terms of refined dubstep preshah! Opening with "The Big Bang" Vivek further displays a penchant for simmering cinematic tension, as growling subs prowl the nether regions beneath a sparse half step riddim. In contrast "Spread Love" demonstrates Sharda's prowess with crafting intricately programmed beats that flex with a UKG swing but retain a stepper template. What really impresses is how the heavily dosed up purple vibe gradually engulfs the track. Elsewhere "Sirens" envelopes the straight up, crisp 808centric drums in an array of delayed droning effects, before slipping in a lazily skanking melody, whilst the title track is Sharda showing off his sub bass capabilites.
Review: Here, digital DJs get a rare chance to own a slew of previously vinyl-only plates from Mala's Medi Musik imprint. Deep Medi Releases 3 continues the format of its two predecessors, including cuts from 12" singles released in 2008 and 2009. For fans of good quality dubstep, it's well worth a look. While there's the odd intense dancefloor wobbler (Goth-Trad's busy "Saturn", Skream's "The Shinein"), there's also plenty of depth, melody and beauty amongst the trademark low-end pulse. Look out in particular for a pair of luscious, emotion-rich cuts from Quest, a pleasing bleep-fest from Truth, and Clouds' brilliantly far-sighted "Protecting Hands" - here available in two stunning mixes.
Review: Tunnidge digs into the crates, tunes into the old Metalheadz vibes and comes out with THAT iconic Vangelis sample from "Bladerunner" which Dillinja used a clip from in "Angel's Fell". But here, Tunnidge turns it on its head, taking us into a dark, demonized underworld of existence with a punishing, inky black bassline for a slice of super sleek dubstep on Mala's Deep Medi Musik. On the flip, "Tribe" - as the title implies - employs a tribal palette of sounds, a vocal conjuring spirits and an eerie oriental wail penetrating through the fabric of the music. Pummelling drumbeats strike the tone and all in all, it's an exciting, interesting release from Tunnidge which breaks the mould on the flip.
Review: This second full-length from London-based producer Soloman 'Silkie' Rose - the follow-up to 2009's City Limits Volume 1 - further develops a deep and melodic take on dubstep that should appeal far beyond the genre's underground stronghold. With bright melodies, jazz chords, ear-catching synths, sampled horn stabs and future garage style vocal cuts aplenty, City Limits Volume 2 has far more in common with, say, the far-thinking two-step exploits of Phuturistix or Hospital Records' genre-bending Outpatients series than most dubstep full-lengths. But it's these qualities that make it such a rewarding, enjoyable and essential release.
Review: New Zealand trio Truth come up with a superlative contribution to one of the premiere dubstep labels, Deep Medi Musik. In the same vein as DMZ, Kryptic Minds et al, "Amnesia" is a half-stepping nightmare vision full of psychological twists, vintage film samples, ominous atmospherics and crackling SFX. Perfectly poised, it maintains the intrigue right until the end, unerring in approach. "International" on the other hand, kicks off with a more jovial tone, featuring rattling breaks, xylophone beats and curious jungle flavours, the rallying reggae sample calling out above the beats. A fantastic release and an essential for die hard dubstep fans.
Review: Mala's Deep Medi Musik maintains the monthly release schedule pressure with a third label contribution in as many years from the man known as Vivek. Responsible for one of last year's key releases in the double twelve drop Feel It, Vivek clearly has no qualms with the pressures of following up if the unrelenting industrial pressure of "Pulse" is any indicator! Commencing in cinematic fashion; all storm clouds and answer machine beeps, Vivek wastes little time, dropping right into the satisfyingly humongous sounding half step aided by twisted strains of bass and droned out FX. Several sudden drops into the sonic mist throughout add to the unrelenting drama. This is complemented by the eerie freeform shudder of "Roots", equally cinematic in its palette though less sci-fi and more horror, with the incongruous appearance of a flock of birds midway through adding to the sense that it shouldn't work but it does.
Review: After a minute long intro dominated by unusual atmospherics, delicate distortions and quirky textured SFX, the scene is set for the bass-driven moodiness of "Side A". Experimentalist Old Apparatus explores the ever-expanding grey area of the post-dubstep landscape, with a deep and truly unique sound which pairs melancholy tones with heavy bassweight pressure and buckets of Burial-esque atmospherics. You'd be forgiven for thinking that the intro of "Side B" is an interlude (which, in a way it is, as the two tracks are rolled into one in the vinyl product), but it swiftly moves into another psychological exploration into the unknown. Deep stuff.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.