Review: A/T/O/S stands for A Taste Of Struggle, and it's safe to say that Amos and Truenoys have certainly put their backs into this project. The duo were originally picked up by Mala back on 2014, and haven't looked back ever since. This is their second LP to date and, much like their debut, it touches upon many different elements of the enlarged dubstep continuum. There's plenty of tunes on here that'll liven up any dance, but this is very much a pensive and meditative bass affair. Much in line with Mala's pioneering 'deep' dubstep, it's clear that the Deep Medi head honcho has foud some new, young, and like-minded talents to carry on his dynasty.
Review: Following on from the release of 'Braindamage' earlier this year, we see the super original sounds of A/T/O/S land once again on the legendary Deep Medi Musik imprint for a feature length LP project. In an age of infinite genre fusion and vocal experimentation, this album really does represent a changing of the tides as the untouchable collaborative energies of Amos and Truenoys unleash a ten track epic, challenging an uncountable number of genre restraints. From the spooky backdrops of 'Space Rails' and sumptuous vocal displays of Amos on 'Are You In Love', we see the duo rise to yet another peak of both consistency and quality. Our highlights would have to include the dreamy soundscaping and sweeping subs of 'Connect The Signs', alongside 'Stretched', an experimental journey through chiming instrumentation and retro drum sounds. Incredible stuff!
Review: It's always an incredible occasion to see a return to releasing for Deep Medi Musik, one of the most influential and important dubstep labels to have ever graced the scene. This time around they plug for a single track release, inviting in the experimental, forward thinking production stylings of Aardvarck, who touches down with a very wavy piece entitled 'Monkey See'. Between an array of acidic synthesizer rolls and shuffled, organic drum sounds, this one packs a real punch, coupled with some flavoursome LFO maneuvers to match!
Review: The legendary Deep Medi Musik is one of the most popular unground imprint in the UK and their latest release is exactly what we were hoping for as the invite Bukez Finezt in with four tracks of steppers bliss. We kick off with 'The Idea Of The Devil', a haunted, grubby expanse of haunted synthesizer presses and metallic percussion. Following on from an explosive start, 'Rekt' gives us some serious wobbly goodness before the 3/4 rhythms and colourful LFO work of 'Interrogation' are let loose. Finally, 'Critical Mass' gives us something a little different as melodic layers are stacked up above the breathy drums to add some differentiation before the final whistle.
Review: There's no stopping the gnarly Germanic charms of Bukez right now. The dust hasn't had a hot minute to settle on his Decade Of Weight album and here he is laying the seasick smack down on mothership Deep Medi. "The Main Rule" is a woozy specimen, all tripped out and twisted. "Unknown Force" follows a similarly loose-footed route with more emphasis on the alien atmospheres and multi-textured drums. Make no mistakes; Bukez is bossing right now.
Review: Mala's Deep Medi Musik stands up to the quality test once again with this superb offering from Commodo. Kicking off with a disorientating tribal drone and soft, tripping beats pattering away like some kind of mesmerizing chant, "Uprising" is a deep, deadly riddim which just oozes late night vibes. A delicate sweep of oriental strings interjects at times along with some rumbling sub bass for power. "Saracen" too takes us on a journey into the deep, dark and dubby with warped bass groans, crisp breaks making sense of an unnerving soundscape. Excellent.
Review: What more of a Christmas present could we ask for than a new Deep Medi drop? To make it even better, they have employed the services of dubstep mastermind: Commodo, who runs riot here across two incredible original creations, packed to the rafters with original steppers flavour, into which we couldn't resist taking a bite. The first track we dip into is 'Rikers', a mystic original, stacked with inquisitive melodies and crunchy drum steps, filled with unpredictable energy and glitchy arpeggios. On the flip of this one we are greeted with more ital-energies as we tuck into 'Daytona', another absolute stomper, perfectly summarising Commodo's somehow undersung creative flare. Deep Medi have only gone and delivered yet again it seems!
Review: Back on Deep Medi afer blowing their socks off with "Uprising" last year, on this superb self-titled EP Commodo serves up four prime cuts of pressure coming from the same meditative space that typifies the label. "Northern Soul" stalks around a choice selection of minor-key refrains while the bass comes swelling in from afar in precision fashion. "Surveillance" growls around a deadly construction of dubstep perfection, keeping the intensity high with a sound made up primarily of heavyweight percussive hits. There's no let up throughout, although "So Clear" does take a marginally less mean-spirited tone in its demeanour. For true head-nodding gutter tactics you can't fault this one little bit.
Review: Deep Medi Musik's northern correspondent Commodo truly impressed with the Commodo double pack that surfaced earlier this year, ensuring expectations are at a premium as he returns to Mala's label for a third outing. Over the course of its six years of existence to date, Deep Medi has increasingly become relied upon for those seeking out some proper 140bpm head business and Buckwild ensures standards are maintained with drums that constantly threaten to veer off grid under pressure from the densely layered, cluttered percussion and low end bass that only reveals its true power on a worthy system. There's a drunken funk to the twisted flow of the track that will appeal to many, and it's complemented by "Axis" with a tighter, metallic flex that swaggers forth as Commodo flickers between strange dubbed out refrains.
Review: Now when we see a link up like this come together, It is genuinely quite difficult to not be filled with pure excitement as Commodo links up once again with the legendary Deep Medi Musik for a three tracker of genuine brilliance. We begin this one with a look at 'Lobby Theme', a bubbling fusion of villainous 80's soundtracking and pressing subs below, setting the pace perfectly. From here, the jittering synth plucks and unpredictable drum rhythms of 'Eldritch' roll into play, before the title track 'Procession' gives us a sub-busting finale, pushing out warm and fuzzy basslines below a spooky backdrop above to once again show just how good this link up can be!
Review: On his first release for Deep Medi Musik this year, Commodo taps up JME for a mean lyrical flow over the top of a typically monstrous production, making a perfect dubstep / grime crossover track in the process. JME has a blast pointing back to classic reference points from Kano and Wiley and many more in his conscious MC turn, while Commodo's beat prowls in the background with that exotic charm that has always marked out his style from the rest of the pack. There's a hooky chorus and plenty of grand stabs, and for those who just want the tune the instrumental is bundled in as well. The fact that the beat stands up on its own without any trouble says a lot about Commodo's studio prowess, which is no doubt why he continues to be a mainstay on Mala's label.
Review: Oh boy.. Three of modern bass music's finest players collide for the first in a series of collaborative long players on Deep Medi. The results - as you'd expect just reading the line-up - speak for themselves. Every artist's signatures is coded deep into the collection; Kahn's unpredictability and robustness, Commodo's grit and funk and Gantz often unfathomable depths and eastern twangs are all present as we wriggle and writhe to the detuned harmonies of "Crystal Collect", get twisted on the tripped out drum dynamic of "Kibosh" and lose ourselves in the spacious jazz-minded drums of "Unmistakeable". Truly unique.
Review: Compa hails from Manchester, but his productions and his sound are quite deeply imbedded into London's rich dubstep dynasty. The young bass wizard is back on Mala's Deep Medi Muzik, starting off with the murky stepper riddim called "Truth In Sound", a wreckage of beats and sonics that is dissolved by the mutant waves of "Noctule". "Tibetan Chant" is more of a tribal dance ritual to the Gods, and "Four Four Claps" turns things nastier and away from the deeper waters that we're used to hearing Compa sail on.
Review: Manhatten Blues sees Cyrus return to Mala's Deep Medi Musik imprint in fine style building a serene and thoughtful piece of music from quivering chords, a deep, dark bassline, swaggering beats and that wonderful sense of woozy, meditative slowness that defines the more "intelligent" side of dubstep these days. Tribal, pattering drums pepper the piece with a hint of the exotic before you are caught up once again in the insistent pull of the bass and beats alone. Flipping over for "Decisions", Cyrus shakes things up with a more rambunctious offering. Still maintaining a classy, understated style, the beats bounce jauntily with a dollop of grizzled synth work adding some grit to the glamour. Superb.
Review: One of dubstep's meanest minimalists, Cyrus returns to Deep Medi after his excellent Manhatten Blues EP earlier this year with more of that oddly funky drum programming. "The Calling" employs the odd eerie tone here and there, but really it's the gentle building up and dropping down of the beat that takes precedence. "Visions" is more rolling in its snare deployment, but uses even less to furnish the beat. It's certainly tracky stuff, ideal for the DJs who want to work their mixes good and proper.
Review: South London soldiers Dub Mechanics unveil their debut release, which comes courtesy of Mala's Deep Medi Musik and boy, are you guys in for a treat. Giving us a lesson in bass science, "The Clash" is a well rinsed favourite of many a dubstep DJ with powerful subs and massive stabs setting the tone for the piece and grinding bass underpinning the proceedings with malicious intent. This one's a killer, in every sense of the word. The accompaniment "Highest Strain", in stark contrast, is all about the hollow clip clop beats, sweeping atmospherics and sparkling melodies and is quite the polished, hypnotic roller. A sublime release here that Deep Medi fans will not want to miss out on.
Enter The Gates (feat Rider Shafique - Egoless remix) - (4:31) 62 BPM
Enter The Gates (Egoless remix instrumental) - (4:02) 62 BPM
Review: Deep Medi Musik really do have an untouchable knack for finding absolute gems, all holding a strong, front facing system influence, with this latest remix project from Dubkasm, Rider Shafique and Egoless being the perfect example. We find ourselves in the midst of a field of tasty sub designs and eerie compositional designs. Egoless reworks the Dubkasm sound into a slower, more stuttered creation, allowing Rider Shafique's impactful poetry ring out loud and true. What a way to finish up the year!
Review: Turkish producer Gantz has been steadily earning his stripes on Black Box and Innamind, but now he makes a return to Deep Medi Musik with one of his most daring offerings to date. "Pseudooo" heads straight out into the kind of uncharted territory you might expect to find Ras G and Afrikan Sciences chilling in, without sounding quite like either of those artists. The title track meanwhile heads into a more low slung hip hop refrain that bleeds wonderfully around the edges, while Rider Shafique lends his dextrous flows to "Rockstar" with sizzling results. "Supreme A" rounds the EP off with a more introspective mood built around delicate string hits looping with erratic abandon.
Review: When a new Deep Medi release hits the store, it's become standard procedure to become fuelled with excitement, it's only natural right? This time we see the ever creative sounds of Gantz return with a super experimental four tracker. We kick off with the illuminatory journey that is 'Fugazi' which features a trip-like musical experience, with hallucinogenic themes running wild alongside 'Elif Dikec'. Next we hear the the electronic masterpiece of 'Shivy' which features guest vocals from 'DedW8'. This is followed by 'Dying On Acid' which returns to the trippy themes with what seems like a whirlwind of sound design. The EP is then wrapped up perfectly with another guest vocal, this time from Rider Shafique who delivers a phenomenal piece of spoken word over 'Sharkeyes'.
Review: Slow baked in lashings of hype and hearsay since 2013, Gantz and Commodo's remixes have long since been sought after since Commodo premiered them over two years ago. "Free Focus" gets the trippy percussive treatment from Commodo with purring block strikes and wiley wonks on the lead tones while "Buckwild" contains drum arrangements with time signatures that will perplex as much as appeal. To put the importance of this release in perspective, the vinyl releases were already fetching over L30 within a week of release.
Review: Big return to the Deep Medi fold for Japan's Goth Trad, with his four track EP Babylon Fall given even further sheen by the presence of a certified Jah legend in Max Romeo! If that name doesn't elicit an "oh gosh" response then back to Music History night classes with you! The iconic Jamaican vocalist lines the title track with aplomb, giving the vintage dread step vibes of Trad's arrangement that extra air of authenticity. Elsewhere, "Falling Leaf" and "Itinerant Priest" see the self described One Man Army serving up a couple of militant excursions through industrial sub bass dynamics - with the latter particularly unrelenting! "Sublimination" ends proceedings with some cross pollination between Detroit techno and vintage dubstep.
Review: Japan's Takeaki Maruyama's dark, deep and sweltering pseudo dubstep has been around for longer than you might think. Before being signed early on by Mala for his own Deep Medi Muzik, Goth-Trad was releasing cutting-edge bass science on labels such as DNA Kalacta and Popgroup Recordings. His return to Deep Medi is a significant one, and "Sinker" is likely to be one of the best tunes that he's made in a while - those bouncy, fluttering swirls of mutant bass are docile yet vibrant and possess a sort of subtle menace to them. "Sunbeam VIP", however, is a pure corner-dweller's delight, a brooding little bass monster with enough subs to gravitate you off your feet and into hyper-space. Another winner from both artist and label. Quality assured.
Review: Weighing in with some cumbersome dubstep styles on his familiar stomping ground, Goth Trad is back to scare the living daylights out of you on "Air Breaker". Proving that there can be some give in big room ravey dubstep, the track may primarily lurch around aggravated mid-range synth grind, but the moments of calm creep in with control that comes from a diverse and adaptable producer. "Cosmos", up next, meanwhile takes the deeper approach, using inter-locking precussion and devastating sub bass for a classic exercise in proper dubstep. Whichever kind of set you're plumping for, this release is definitely for the purists. Highly recommended.
