GS Dubs is without a doubt one of the most exciting garage-centric projects currently operating in the UK. Being the sister label to the immensely popular Garage Shared imprint, the Southampton-based platform was originally established to provide an additional outlet to the Garage Shared roster to unleash their more experimental. Since then however, the imprint has since taken on a life of its own, with regular garage drops regularly featuring in our best-seller charts and the likes of Smokey Bubblin’ B, Miss L.A, Rico Tubbs, Tuff Culture, Oppidan, Soulecta and many more heavyweight UKG names releasing a variety of projects since their inception back in November 2019. Consistency is key, and despite the fact that GS Dubs sits as a sister label, the quality is never compromised, making the future extremely exciting for all involved with the imprint!
Review: Now this is a release we have been hearing about for a hot minute as hotshot Kells makes a return to GS Dubs, this time for a tasty two-tracker experience, stooped in original garage energy and production technique. We begin with 'Limbo', which within seconds sends us right back to the early 2000's with its super-choppy vocal slides and old school chord stabs, ticking all the boxes for a nostalgic thrill ride. On the flip, a more lively drum display is then ushered forward on 'Dead Air', giving us a seriously cool backdrop of subtle synthetic energy, topped with bubbling basslines and well processed organ lines for good measure. Lovely work!
Review: It's that time again, as Tuff Culture once again returns to Garage Shared for another fabulous addition to his highly popular 'Roots' EP series. This time around he has three more pelters lined up for us to enjoy, kicking off with the dreamy vocal delays and nostalgic chord progressions of 'Fantasy', which in typical Tuff Culture style, kicks off the project with a seriously vibrant bounce to say the least! From here, 'Kitchen Party' is thrown down, unleashing a serious nostalgic drum display, with crunchy claps and thumping kicks giving us all the groove we could ask for, atop bulging basslines and catchy vocal flicks. Finally, 'Yesterday' takes the best of both the two previous creations with a very refreshing sizzler, perfect to round off with this new collection.
Review: This really does appear to be the album that keeps on giving as we once again return to both Soulect and Garage Shared, for another tidy revisit of 'Soulecta & Friends', this time seeing Matt Jam Lamont & Echelon jumping on remix duty for 'On My Knees' alongside BitR8. Featuring a tonne of vocal prowess and groovy, intricate sub designs, the infamous duo really do take this one to a completely different dimension, focussing on subtlety and delicacy within a very lively mix down, also coming complete with a vibrant extended mix for the DJ crew. It's another wicked chapter in an ever extending legacy that we can't get enough of!
Review: There really does seem to be no slowing down for the GS Dubs crew, even over the winter period which is traditionally a little bit of a slump for the UKG sound. They this time invite Phonetix inside for a spicy little two-track gift, kicking off with the super groovy chord progressions and distant saxophone slides of 'Don't Be Afraid' which utilizes it's digital nature with a really pleasing final arrangement. On the flip to this, 'What Do You See' lets loose more wavy brass melodies, alongside a tasty collection of vocal riffs and stripped back drum arrangements for a fabulous fusion. This EP is definitely going to cause some damage, especially in the dances.
Review: As always with the GS Dubs crew, they continue to push the boat out and spread the sound of UKG across the world. This latest offering sees them continue to do so as 'From Russia To Clubs' explores more global flavour within the UKG sound. First up, Code Number arrives with 'Worries' sampling the famous 'Worries In The Dance' quote and using it to spice up a colourful bleeping drop, doused in eerie violin leads and euphoric energy throughout. Next, DJjegor lets loose a wavy combination of glittering chord progressions and stripped back drums on 'Can't Decide' before Temgri ushers forth a groovy combination of sweeping synthetic pulses and horn-like stabs in 'Bad Morning', all glued together with a haunted vocal presence for a top notch finale.
Review: The GS Dubs team, being an offshoot of the incredibly consistent Garage Shared collective, are always pumping out exciting new drops, with this new compilation selection being one of the strongest in a hot minute. In anticipation of the clubs and raves reopening properly, they have gathered together ten original dancefloor anthems for garage DJ's the world over to enjoy. The tracklisting and roster is pretty monstrous, featuring tidy new creations from the likes of Tuff Culture, Chimpizm, K9, Deja, Aki and more of the active Garage Shared. There are a couple of real highlights for us, including the super spicy VIP mix of Miss L.A & Bunka's 'My Love', which was already a belter to begin with, alongside the choppy chord progressions and skippy percussive textures of 'Carbon' from Howden and system busting wobbles of ADuki's 'Make Noise'. With additional killer creations from Oh My Daze, Rebz & Ollie Weeks, this is definitely not a compilation to miss.
Review: It's difficult to find many faults with the now extensive GS Dubs catalogue, as they continue their fine run of top quality garage releases with this brand new two track display from Morehthanpase. Kicking off the A-side we have 'My Mind', a sumptuous exploration into bubbling chord progressions and tidy vocal sampling, constantly expanding further and further as the track progresses into a wonderful garage composition. On the flip, the cheeky horn toots and more scattered drum-skips give way to more tidy vocal processing with 'A Little Trip', the perfect accompaniment making this a top quality two tracker for all the family.
Review: As ever with Tuff Culture, he remains at the forefront of garage music, this time showcasing more goodness with the third edition of his 'Roots' series with the GS Dubs gang. This time around we're in for one hell of a ride with 'Attack Of The Retro Consoles', as we kick off with 'N64', a sumptuous roller, stuffed with a combination of colourful melodies and intricate breaksy action, followed by the sizzling subs and groovy drum skips of 'Mega Drive', this time focussing on bassy goodness and simple rhythms to kick start any dance. We then finish up with a dash of finesse as 'C64' delivers the most groovy arrangement of the lot, dripping in vibrant drum arrangements and crunchy textures all around. Lovely work!
