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Playaz
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PLAYAZ 148D
30 Dec 22
Drum & Bass / Jungle
30 Dec 22
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: As a real legend of the game, it's always exciting to see new magic from Taxman making its way into the store, with this hard hitting two track display being yet another wicked addition to his mythic catalogue. We open up with some classic, modernised jump up flavour in 'Special Request', a constant flicker between gnarly synthesiser designs and choppy drum textures, broken up by some classic soundclash cuts for good measure. On the flip, the intensity is most certainly upped as the hard hitting bass swoops and expansive LFO textures of 'Out Of Your Mind' cause some serious damage, with a constantly shifting backdrop of drumlines giving us a very nice alternative. Hard hitting stuff indeed!
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PLAYAZ 145D
15 Jul 22
Drum & Bass / Jungle
15 Jul 22
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 142D
04 Feb 22
Drum & Bass / Jungle
04 Feb 22
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Various
Review: Wrapping up a serious year of heat, Hype's Playaz look back over their many releases of 2021 and brings them altogether in one place for those who missed out on the label's many big bruisers, bumpers and thumpers. Ranging from Xtrah's trippy, leftfield 'Droplets' to straight-up face-melters like Spaow's 'Amd Planet' with a whole range of fire in between from some of the label's (and the scene's) biggest and most respected names like Taxman, Voltage, Limited, Dunk and of course the mighty DJ Hazard, it's a pretty forthright reminder of just how much clout and musical muscle the longstanding label has - even when half the year was spent with the clubs and raves closed. Playaz ain't playing around!
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PLAYAZDIGITAL 017
07 Jan 22
Drum & Bass / Jungle
07 Jan 22
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 139D
01 Oct 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
01 Oct 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Sunny side up! DJ Limited returns to Playaz with a mammoth seasonal banger. Featuring the smoky vocals of Lizzy Stringer and lavish orchestral flares, 'Summer Vibes' lives up to its name with serious feelgood vibes and a powerful early-2000s golden era liquid flavour that will work so well in any type of mix. Looking for more grit in the mix? Jump on Limited old Clipz-style Tearout remix. Loaded with a variety of other versions, Playaz aren't messing around on this one!
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PLAYAZ 136D
06 Aug 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
06 Aug 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 133D
18 Jun 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
18 Jun 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Dunk AKA 50% of Jam Thieves is back with his biting, minimal take on jump up and this EP - Scamp - might just be his best outing yet. It's on the inimitable Playaz, and the A&R team over there have done a fantastic job and creating the perfect blend of stripped-back and sub-heavy, stabbing and grating. The title tune rests on crunching breaks that flutter in the solar wind, as harsh jagged edges tear mighty holes in the fabric of space and time; it's a proper dancefloor hoofer and should be treated with appropriate caution. 'Pirate Radio' is our other favourite, as a delightfully energetic drum line skips through murderous bass notes without a care in the world, a nonchalant piece of music that packs a punch as well.
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PLAYAZ 132D
21 May 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
21 May 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: One of Potential Badboy's absolute classic tracks is being given the remix treatment by one of the best rolling badboys in the game - L-Side. The Brazilian has historically worked mostly over on V Recordings, but this time he's banging out the goods on Playaz, and what a set of tools he has to work with. MC Fats and Yush deal the vocal magic on 'Girlz' in a way that must be a dream to produce, and the 'Intro Remix' lays their work down over a diving, sub-heavy concoction of a beat that more than does the original justice. The flip is similar, with barking stab of a bass note that moves with gruff authority - wicked stuff.
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PLAYAZ 130D
26 Mar 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
26 Mar 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Various
Review: Playaz are rounding out this year with their first compilation for quite some time, and their 2020 roundup relies on a fairly small handful of long-term label stalwarts across twenty tracks. In this case, less is more and the likes of Annix, Taxman, DJ Hybrid and Tyke all come seriously correct in this compilation, their collective decades of experience really shining through. Taxman's 'You Can't See' is absurdly good, with wonderfully stuttering breaks which emerge from shimmering synth lines before cutting into a raucously stabbing bass hits, a proper rowdy collection of sounds which get right to the heart of the Playaz sound. Bristol trio The Sauce pop up on the label with several contributions, including 'Spooked', an eerie roller with choppiness right at its core - big stuff from the crew.
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PLAYAZDIGITAL 016
01 Jan 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
01 Jan 21
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 127D
25 Sep 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
25 Sep 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 126D
14 Aug 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
14 Aug 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 125D
10 Jul 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
10 Jul 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: 2020 isn't all bad... Annix finally deliver their long-awaited debut album and every shade of grot and wonder you'd expect from one of the most influential D&B duos of the last decade. Masters at space, weirdo funk, unique sound design and the dark art of switch-flipping, it's no surprise this album is loaded with more twists and turns than an underground tube map. Highlights include the broken glass funk of "Stutter" (with K Motionz) the trippy turbine driller jam "Clapper" (with Skantia) and the curveball blast-ups like the techno-style marching title track "Tunnel Vision" and the beautiful euphoria of "Behind Time".
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PLAYAZ 124D
19 Jun 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
19 Jun 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 120D
08 May 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
08 May 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 119D
01 May 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
01 May 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: DJ Limited signed up to The Playaz camp a year or so ago with a pledge to bring the big beats to Hype's label, and he's come good on that pledge and then some. This single has a rework of his acclaimed track 'The Elephant' from last year on the A-side, and he's managed to craft an even more dastardly piece of dancefloor construction from the potent elements of the first version. The flip - You Got - is a stepping, punchy number with serious weigh behind it. Banging.
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PLAYAZ 118D
17 Apr 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
17 Apr 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 117D
27 Mar 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
27 Mar 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: Brian Brainstorm
Review: Quite possibly the most consistent artist Playaz have ever known, Taxman is always there for you when you need him. After his monthly assault of tunes last year he returns with yet more fresh goods in the form of "Can't You See". Breezier and lighter than his usual sledgehammer signature, the sensual vocal, dreamy chords and subtle rave elements roll-up together with total uplift... And allow just enough space for a stinky bassline to cut through in all the right places. One for the dancefloor dreamers.
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PLAYAZ 116D
20 Mar 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
20 Mar 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 115D
07 Feb 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
07 Feb 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Various
Review: With Hazard rounding up another killer year for Hype and Pascal's label with his first release in five years, Playaz take stock of 2019 with this savage showdown from all their main mandem. From the eerie gurgles and scraps of Annix & Kanine's "Jackpot" to the flabby wobbles and groans of Limited's "Soldier" to the sweet seduction twist of Jam Thieves' "Love Forever" this 25-track pack covers the entire spectrum of proper rave-primed drum & bass with all manner of curveballs and boundary-pushing badness. No compromises, a healthy balance of elder statesmen, new headliners and young talent and a sound that's distinctively theirs, Playaz are about to bulldoze into a new decade... And this is how it all begins.
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PLAYAZDIGITAL 015
03 Jan 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
03 Jan 20
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Jam Thieves are the Brazilian duo who make simply sumptuous, minimal, rough and tumble rollers and they do so with an excessive amount of power and finesse. Love Forever is their latest EP and it's four more slices of sub heavy techy goodness, each individually packaged in an attempt to get your head moving in the dance. Title track 'Love Forever' is our favourite because it samples Marvin Gaye, but also because it's just proper minimal naughtiness, with in point drums and a chest-bashing sub bass. Excellent stuff.
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PLAYAZ 111D
15 Nov 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
15 Nov 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 110D
08 Nov 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
08 Nov 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 107D
11 Oct 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
11 Oct 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 105D
13 Sep 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
13 Sep 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: DJ Limited is the newest signing to DJ Hype's Playaz label and he's arrived with his first full length EP on the label. Based on his debut single and his track record, this release was always going to be on the naughty side and DJ Limited hasn't disappointed. Title track 'Minefield' is an expansive, steppy number with stripped back drums and a moody attitude, each new phrase brings with it an evolution or change and the sounds are constantly engrossing. 'Don't Be Afraid' is more choppy, rough-and-tumble madness and it's another highlight, alongside the vocal-laden rolling styles of 'Soldier'.
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PLAYAZ 104D
16 Aug 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
16 Aug 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 103D
26 Jul 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
26 Jul 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 102D
12 Jul 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
12 Jul 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: One of the most delightfully unpredictable producers on the Playaz roster Tyke returns with two more flip-switching jams that will fit into any style, shape or size of set; "Lion Of Judah" harnesses the power of Jah and fires it across a ribbed bassline that scutters and jitters like a slug having a fit. "Seperation", meanwhile, shows off Tyke's soulful edge with a sunny-side dubwise vibe, heavenly vocals and a groove that flips between basslines like your mum flips through cakes when no one's looking. Naughty.
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PLAYAZ 101D
21 Jun 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
21 Jun 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 100D
17 May 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
17 May 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Teddy Killerz are the cute, furry-faced bastions of horror and they've teamed up with Nais and the Playaz crew for this full-throttle display of dastardly sound design, monstrous bass construction and downright disgusting choonage. 'Twinge' is our favourite of the two, with a drum line that's constantly shifting and morphing across different patterns and punchy synth stabs, it's sharp on all edges and fiercely no-nonsense. The flip packs even more energy and it's what we've come to expect from all parties involved in this sick little single.
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PLAYAZ 099D
19 Apr 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
19 Apr 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Potential Badboy is one of Playaz's longest serving roster legends, the man behind 'You're Mine' and someone who always injects a refreshing mix of reggae infused dancefloor destruction into any dancefloor or release. That's exactly what he's done here with Bashy/Brederin, and his ability to span a mix of styles is clear in the two extra versions of each tune, which add a really nice element of variation. We love this format almost as much as we like the music itself.
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PLAYAZ 098D
05 Apr 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
05 Apr 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 097D
22 Mar 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
22 Mar 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: Woi and indeed oi; the consistent stinksmith Critical Impact teams up with the one and only Skibs once again to build on the havoc they'd created with "Creeper" last year. This time on Playaz, both cuts absolutely slaughter the dance... As you probably already know as the dubplate pressure has been hot on these for a while now. "Bulletproof Vest" is a pure steamroller situation, flattening everything in its path while "Mr Smith" takes a much more sinister steppy twist. Bringing out the bet in Skibadee once again, we hope there'll be more from this dream producer/MC team in the future.
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PLAYAZ 096D
22 Mar 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
22 Mar 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: DJ Limited has been steadily making a name for himself the past couple of years as a man who crafts music rich with jump-uo energy and jungle vigour, music that broadly rests on the jungle/jump-up spectrum but which injects something new and fresh into the mix. Now, he's signed to Playaz and this is his first single, two tracks with animal names to match their respective sounds. 'The Elephant' is loud and bombastic, the piercing sounds of an elephant's call morphed into a dancefloor weapon that's reminiscent of Kings of the Rollers' 'Burnt Ends'. 'The Jaguar' is the flip, a coughing, tortured set of sounds that growl and hack over a speedy drum line, injecting a sense of movement and fluidity into the aggressive, cat-like vibe. Tunes!
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PLAYAZ 095D
22 Feb 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
22 Feb 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: Jam Thieves are arguably two of the freshest talents currently residing in the Playaz camp, their less-is-more approach to the Playaz jump-up orientated ethos injecting every one of their tunes with an elegant sense of power. On this occasion, their music is being given a reworking by both TC and themselves. TC's remix of 'Minimal Funk' - the title track to their 2016 debut album on Playaz - is amped-up and outrageously aggressive, it's glitched out synth stabs and oily run of low-frequency energy suitably tailored to the original's minimal force. On the flip, 'After Blast' is given the VIP treatment and, despite the original being a heaving mass of bass, is made even heavier with added emphasis on the heavy. Two big tunes these.
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PLAYAZ 094D
01 Feb 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
01 Feb 19
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: Real Playaz, originally set up by DJ Hype, DJ Pascal and DJ Zinc, is one of the longest standing institutions in D&B and a label which still manages to churn out quality music on a semi-regular basis. Their firmly rooted in the destructive end of things and Profile's New Life EP reflects that from the very first tune - 'It's a Trap - featuring Sub Killaz in a top-down showdown of jagged power. 'New Life' featuring ANFM takes things in a slightly more rolling direction but one that doesn't sacrifice on energy, with jump-up vibes knifed in round the edges to ensure it maintains the same veneer of unstoppability. The diving, wobbling sub bass on 'The Specialist' is arguably the best and most creative track on the release, though: unbelievably good.
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PLAYAZ 093D
14 Dec 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
14 Dec 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: Taxman is one of Playaz's most reliable bass merchants, a man who consistently, if somewhat infrequently, drops music that's full of the old-school jump-up attitude that made Playaz so good back in the day. His Echo Vibes EP continues on that trend. Four slices of dirty, roughshod D&B that gives you a dirty look as it steps over your body. It genuinely doesn't care; it's not trying to be anything smart or sophisticated; it's not looking to impress you. All this EP cares about is giving you a sick night while scaring you to death at the same time and it does it fantastically. Our favourite is possibly the title track 'Echo Vibes' - not one to be missed.
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PLAYAZ 092D
09 Nov 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
09 Nov 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 090D
03 Aug 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
03 Aug 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 089D
20 Jul 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
20 Jul 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 087D
21 May 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
21 May 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ 085D
23 Mar 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
23 Mar 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: One of Playaz most prominent and influential acts in recent years, Annix get the revision treatment from four respectable producers: Neonlight adds a little space-age hyper speed to "Axshun", the mighty omnipotent Guv turns "Crash" into an even heavier piece of work while Majistrate gets every laser on the planet and condenses them into "England". Finally Ozma turns "Slaughtered" into a savage piece of paranoid jittering weirdness. What a madness.
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PLAYAZ 084D
26 Feb 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
26 Feb 18
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: It's been a strong year for both these cats... Sub Zero's brought back G Dub with Original Sin and DJ Limited has consistently smashed the year with massive EPs on Serial Killaz, Co-Lab and Biological. Now pairing up for the first time, the sign out the year with this walloping eight-tracker. Six originals deep, we range from the dark brass and sludgy swampy bass groans of "The Cure" to the hands-up Spyda-fronted skanker "Highest Respect" via the electrifying Charge-style riff stabbing title track "Vibrations". Elsewhere Inja takes the lead on the cool sub fluctuations on "Run", the rough sandpaper harmonics of "Are You Scared" and the classic grizzly riff and sizzling switches of "Grab Dem". Each one designed for prime dance mischief... Feel the vibrations!
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PLAYAZ 083D
18 Dec 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
18 Dec 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: Sticky-icky-icky! The JTs are back from their Sao Paulo kitchen and they're packing some of the tangiest, sharpest fusions you could ever spread over a dance. Highlights across this sweet sextet include the bluesy twangs and industrial strength drums of "Next Generation", the frazzled, loose-drum space voyage with Fre4knc "3rd Dal Universe", low-blowing groans of "Get Out Of The Way" where there's not even so much room for a please and the blink-and-miss neuro twists on the rattling sub-shaking Playaz homage "Brooklyn". Yum.
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PLAYAZ 082D
04 Dec 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
04 Dec 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: The Taxman has come to take your soul, you're gonna die tonight! A stark warning to any soundboys who are looking to take the crown of Dominic Tindill as king of jump up, coming in the form of three brutal digi-dubs on the Playaz imprint. Lead track "Die Tonight" features a call and response between a naughty jungle style sub and what sounds like manipulated samples of an elephants trumpet, crazy but genius! The ominous roots reggae "You will die tonight" hook and the iconic jungle "Warning" sample will surely give any sucker soundboy the chills. "Radar Jammer" again goes heavy on the call and response baselines but this is an altogether more untameable beast. This is peak time rinse out sounds for especially rowdy dancefloors; one of those beats that make the MC start rhyming an octave higher when it drops. Hectic! Taxman switches gears for "NTS roller", perhaps inspired by the cult radio station, this one is a much more sophisticated affair; airy vocals, slick drum fills and square-waves. 3am vibes!
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PLAYAZ 081D
30 Oct 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
30 Oct 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Portuguese powermoves: Bassbrothers return with a fat packet of bangers and twangers to keep us warm during the gloomy months. Delivered over a year after their walloping "WTF" project, the seven-track stack brings everyone up to speed. Highlights include the tongue-in-cheek sampleplay and groove ricochets of "Cowbell", the undulating tech grizzles and electric current bassline of the title track, the gnarled-out halftime toxic funker "Accents" with man-of-the-moment Shield and the jumpy dynamics and sudden eastern switches of "Badboy". Welcome back Bassbrothers!
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PLAYAZ 080D
02 Oct 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
02 Oct 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: They're back! Following a year or so of bookings, Sub Zero and Original Sin's legendary partnership Generation Dub comes correct with two massive back-breaking productions. "Back In Business" says it all. Having been on dubplate with only these guys and Hype to play for several years, its wily riff and chop-burning bass are now available for all of us and the world is better place. "Ya Tink Ya Bad", one of their most revolutionary cuts from 2005, also gets a muscular G Dub 2017 reboot. Massive in every direction.
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PLAYAZ 079D
18 Sep 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
18 Sep 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Review: Just as you thought it was safe to walk the streets, Konichi & Decimal Bass crash land into your grimy little universe once again... And nothing is safe. Their largest body of work since last year's album Forever, expect nothing less than six tracks of riot material; "The Dog Knows" is a barking mosh of a jam with electrified bass and a cracking sample, "Invasion" (with Vacuum) is so tightly sprung it should come with a health warning while "Cold Killer" sees them tagging up with mandem du jour Turno for an iced out shred flex. Elsewhere "Get It" wins gold in the 'weirdest bassline of the EP' award, "If I Told You I'd Have To Kill You" buzzes and snaps with a hornets nest bassline while "Maintain" kicks down your house with a roughhouse late 90s style bassline. K9 thumbs up.
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PLAYAZ 078D
31 Jul 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
31 Jul 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Question: When will Tyke stand for prime minister and how can we vote for him? We'd all be in a lot safer hands if this graf artist-turned-Playaz premiership player ruled the UK. Anyone who can make sounds so grotty, weird and head-bending like the swampy bass gurgles on "They Must Come" and the 1.21 gigawatt electric riff on "Cosmos" has exorcised enough demons to be a level-headed, thoughtful person, right? And who needs Trident when you've got hole-tearing slappers like "Galvanised" or the sense-blurring turbo-thruster "Planet Merk"? Answer: no one.
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PLAYAZ 077D
10 Jul 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
10 Jul 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Considering Taxman typically sends out a key release once a year, the fact this has landed so soon after his "Amended" EP is already a blessing. The fact that the sounds on here are properly next level takes us into bless overload..."Scanners" has a unique rolling looseness thanks to some addictive shakers (and an elephantine bassline), "Wonky Riddim" lives up to its name with a strange trippy sci-fi feel while "On The Wire" is a classic gutter-chomping riot piece with an array of stretched bass textures. "Chameleon" plays counter to the ruffage with a cool cosmic funk vibe that's kinda reminiscent of J Majik's early 2000s work while "TDK" goes even further back to the jungle foundations with some head-melting drum edits. As with everything Taxman releases - this is serious business from start to finish.
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PLAYAZ 075D
06 Mar 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
06 Mar 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Two albums in six months. This could just be a world record in drum & bass. Not only that, but precision quality and serious attention to detail on both albums, too. Tailored 100% for the dance with a cool restrained, lean subtlety to each groove, each cut on Hackers shows us exactly where the Brazilian duo are at and what they're capable of. The buzzy, waspy sizzles of "Ghost Lab", the popping, clicking percussive flare and thick sub swing of "Papa Johnny", the unabashed gruffness of "One Drop". The list goes on. True DJ's producers with an eye on the funk and an eye on the gutter, Jam Thieves are smashing it.
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PLAYAZ 074D
30 Jan 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
30 Jan 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Various
Played by: 6Blocc
Review: Time flies when you're a junglist... Reflecting the bossman DJ Hype's all-style signature as a selector, Playaz output covered the spectrum in style last year. You want sun-dappled soulful fire? Look for Potential Badboy. You want dirt munching gully? Look for Annix. You want leftfield stripped back surreal dark funk? Look for Bass Brothers or Jam Thieves. You want to get knocked the heck out? Look up Taxman, Prestige and Tyke. So many corners covered they smashed walls down to create new ones, Playaz killed it in 2016... Here are 25 reasons why.
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PLAYAZDIGITAL 011
02 Jan 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
02 Jan 17
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Maji and Franko - end days were already written when they first agreed to collaborating. No planet can handle such heavyweight tagmanship. The armageddon vibes are felt through every low-end, densely pressured sub rumbles on "Worlds End" before we're pushed at 170mph into a savage laser licking triplet groove. "Mutton" does well to rebuild civilisation. Rather than lash straight out with more toxic riffs it develops a deeper backdrop before unfolding a spookier range of bass textures. Insane levels of power throughout, the message is clear: An ending is just a start that hasn't looped yet.
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PLAYAZ 072D
14 Nov 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
14 Nov 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Fewer things are certain in life: death and Taxman delivering outrageously sick bangers. Here we find some of his biggest and most reggae-licked cuts dating back to 2006 amended and revised by either the big man himself of his peers: his own twist on the perennial "Too Bad" is worth the whole EP alone thanks to its level-shredding bassline that could melt entire villages. Elsewhere Upgrade adds a few spikes to the mix of "Nightshade", Bass Brothers add a fresh bounce to "Original Ninja" while Taxman shuts down the show with a twisted new bass texture on "Creepshow". You know say this is ruff.
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PLAYAZ 070D
26 Sep 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
26 Sep 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: It was about time the Bassbrothers stepped up on DJ Hype's Playaz to deliver some rolling, twisted bass beats, because these two d&b deviants know how to mash it up good and proper. "WTF" itself is a pure hybrid tune, where dubstep and d&b become intertwinded, and the same goes for the tunes like "Kravitz" or "Dunno A Dead", except that the duo branch out and gather more influences, from R&B to ragga. "Pusher" delivers some of that classic Playaz sound, all bursting morph bass and dread, followed by the mean, lean stare of "Deadly Spawn". Killaz!
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PLAYAZ 069D
22 Aug 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
22 Aug 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Sticky fingers Brazilians Jam Thieves have been tearing up the dance in the last few years with their subgenre-smelting dancefloor-focussed D&B. Misbehaving on the likes of Radius, Serial Killaz, and Hangar, they've found their spiritual home on Hype's Playaz where all styles are welcome as long they make you bounce... Which is exactly what these 10 tracks do. From the wild west whistles and far-out bass bumps on "The Hangman" and the Qanun twanging "Favela Funk" (with the similarly talented hot blooded Portuguese-speaking duo Bass Brothers), Jam Thieves have delivered a straight-up album of dancefloor bruisers and funkers with nothing contrived or written for album's sake. Refreshing.
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PLAYAZ 068D
11 Jul 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
11 Jul 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: One of the many highlights from his self-titled 2015 album, "Revolution" showcases PB's passion for reggae, dancehall and gospel with sweet harmonies and golden instrumentation. Now come the remixes, versions and variations, and there are a fair few to pick from... Tyke gets busy with a hornet's nest style bass stepper, complete with a vocal-free dub twist. Elsewhere we're hit hard by two smouldering, swaggering slo-mo halftime slappers, an organ-smashed, bass bitten two-stepper version (Drumhouse mix) and a sweet and sassy slinky Lickweed mix. Revolutionary.
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PLAYAZ 063S1D
06 Jun 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
06 Jun 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: You can always bank on Subby releasing one massive EP every year. And this one's extra massive as he's brought four mates along for the ride. Complementing his already beautifully brutal style, each collaboration brings out a different side in the Newcastle producer: Maji tickles the jump-up darkness out of him on "Weapon Of Choice", Jaydan encourages a little off-beat subversion while retaining the dancefloor punch while Dub Motion complements Sub Zero's jungle roots with a delicious roller that's as soulful as it is dark. Finally we hit "How To Act" where Sub Zero and DJ Limited lay down the trippiest, most weirded out bassline you'll hear all week, month, possibly even year.
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PLAYAZ 067D
02 May 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
02 May 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Drumsound & Bassline Smith on Playaz.... Do we need to say any more? This is the epitome of a full strength D&B in 2015: beats so heavy they could smash tanks, bass so electrified it could power a London borough for two years flat, strings so dramatic they could get a scholarship at RADAR and well placed film sample, it smacks of everything that's great about Drumsound & Bassline Smith and Playaz. "Testify" takes the aggy-factor down a notch and replaces it with more percussive elements that build on the strong sense of funk that's already in place with the spoken sample and horns. Wallop.
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PLAYAZ 066D
28 Mar 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
28 Mar 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: DJ Ollie, SpectraSoul, Delta Heavy (RAM Records), Lush (Inner City Dance), Zen Dub, Fourward, Dj Dazee, Serial Killaz
Review: Konichi and Decimal Bass: whether they're operating solo or in Annix unison, they're capable of making some of the sharpest, most forthright drum & bass known to man. Their debut album has had bass fans in a lather since they teased us with the gnarly halftime "Good For Nothing" and stompy Basement Jaxx-meets-Herve 4/4 gully stomper "Warriors". Beyond these off-piste adventures lies a whole slew of concentrated, unadulterated D&B science. From the one-punch jump-up smackers like "Low", "Afraid" and "Akshun" to the much deeper, liquid tones of "Forever" and dreamy Lenzmanisms of "Reverse Cold", this is the most detailed picture of both men's broadest abilities to date.
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PLAYAZ 065D
29 Feb 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
29 Feb 16
Drum & Bass / Jungle
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PLAYAZ FREE
29 Oct 15
Drum & Bass / Jungle
29 Oct 15
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: DJ Ollie, DJ Sappo, Jamie Bostron, Juno Recommends Drum & Bass, Agro, Lush (Inner City Dance), Zen Dub, Elsta, Sam Nicholls, Tom Gregory, Potential Badboy
Review: Jungle veteran Potential Badboy has been operating professionally longer than many of us have been out of school (or even short trousers / the womb) After a brief hiatus from the release world, he's come back all bass guns blazing with a skank-packed homage to soundsystem culture. From the melodica tooting "Beat Of The Ghetto" to the rifle drum charm and sensuous harmonies of "Hot In Here" to the leaner steps of "Sound Boy" and MC Fats' sugar-coated "Gimme The Rhythm", this is the definition of 'all killer / no filler'. It's also the definition of a broad-screened, dynamically arranged D&B album that works just as well as a complete listening experience as it does a collection of dancefloor heaters. Nothing potential about it; this is the real deal.
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PLAYAZ 063D
26 Oct 15
Drum & Bass / Jungle
26 Oct 15
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Played by: Voltage, Euphonique, Zen Dub, The Prototypes, Brookes Brothers (Viper Recordings), Sam Nicholls, Tom Gregory, Potential Badboy
Review: It's been a while since the Portuguese sonic siblings last dished out a release but it's clear they've had bigger, album-sized projects in mind. Their debut long one, it's an evocative love letter to the entire scene; whipping up the genre's many fiddly little sub-sub-subgenres, this will please all fans. "Neo Babylon" rattles with Commix's "Call To Mind" era, "In The Ghetto" is a sandpaper funk jam a la Hazard, "Spiders" is a fuzzy, techy electrified stomper you could hear the likes of John B play while "Dancehall Killez" is so steppy, glitchy and unclassifiable it could make Sam Binga blush. References and comparisons aside, this is the sound of two very promising artists coming correct; the whole D&B community needs to pay attention.
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PLAYAZ 062D
28 Sep 15
Drum & Bass / Jungle
28 Sep 15
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Creepshow sees the welcome return of Dominic 'Taxman' Tindill with his first new material since last year's fine debut album Synthetic Visions. Once again issued through Hype and Pascal's Playaz platform, the six track release sees Taxman wearing his influences on his sleeve when it comes to the title track which takes both its name and ample sampleage from the 1982 horror classic Creepshow and will please fans of Tindall's classic sound. From here, "Reprazent" goes deep into a kaleidoscopic jungle groove with some nice steppy rhythmic touches whilst "Billy Big Bollocks" lives up to its title, and dukes it out with the VIP version of "Falling Up" for our favourite cut on the whole EP. Welcome back Taxman!
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PLAYAZ 061D
28 Aug 15
Drum & Bass / Jungle
28 Aug 15
Drum & Bass / Jungle
