Review: Shove this one up your jumper: Bully Beatz returns with another full-strength four-tracker. "Power Struggle" arrests us with its concrete bassline before dropping into a sci-fi style synth texture that completely flips the vibe. "Wet Break" kicks with tightly-rolled triplets, an early 2000s style riff and intriguing, space-travelling minimal breakdown while "S.O.B Story" reminds us of the power and muscle of drumstep when it's applied sparingly and savagely while "Doomed" spits its words of warning with pure concentrated bass venom. Powerful.
Review: Fresh from the damage of "Power Struggle" last year, Brum's big double B barges his way back on to Rekless's big double T with two more bullish bruisers. "Blueberry Piff" sparks up a robo rage with a lazer lashing bass riff strong enough to disable entire cosmoses while "Boo" sets the scene of a lonely foggy graveyard stroll before spooked-out low end licks jump out from the shadows and do a little more than the title suggests. Ready to play?
Review: Ten Ton Beats is a record label owned and run by the New Breed affiliated Dj Rekless. Next up on the label is Stu Rafferty aka Bully Beatz, who returns with some hard edged old school jump- up vibes for the Stomping Crew. First up, the West Bromwich based producer serves up the wonky, steppin' party starter "Oh! Love", followed by the sexy saxophone-led roller "Light Of The Night" reminiscent of classic Full Cycle material, while "Waiting" goes out all guns blazing in classic late '90s fashion on this raging techstep monster. Fierce!
Review: Not many people pump out music at the rate of knots managed by a certain Mr Conrad Subs, a highly prolific producer whose styles ranges widely all over the scene, from stuttering jungle strikes to flowing liquid lusciousness. Here he's firmly sitting down in the heavy chair, wiggling his bum and getting comfortable, as he lays out across four-tracks on Ten Ton Beats in spectacular fashion. 'Fatman' is an especially potent slice, as sharp wooden drum hits permeate throughout its wobbling, swelling bassline that packs a shedload of attitude. He also teams up with Damageman on 'Finally', a powerful weapon that makes tidy use of a cool little sample to give that extra bit of oomph to an already big drop.
Review: South east soundboy Damageman digs deep into the jump psyche with this muscular collection of big bass bust-ups. "This Music" comes with a really rounded smooth bassline that almost purrs in a similar way to Urban Takeover many moons ago. "What The Fuck Was That" is much more upfront and gritty, coming on strong like a Logan D or Tyke blunderbuss. Elsewhere "Tricks" combines at least four different basses to create one overwhelmingly nasty message, "3 Seconds" rasps with a cement-melting metallic bassline and wins the 'best sample' award this season while "Control" closes the show with a bubbly bass dynamic that's not dissimilar to a young Original Sin. Comparisons in this league don't come any higher.
Damageman/Evs - "Hard Like Hammer" - (4:27) 174 BPM
Damageman - "Dark Moment" - (4:25) 58 BPM
Review: Hot on the heels of his "Fear" EP on Eternal Muzic, UK demolitionist returns to Ten Ton with another clutch of hurters. "Filthy Animal" is straight out of the classic jump-up playbook with its classic movie sample and tongue-in-cheek bassline. Digging deeper into the EP we're hit by warble inversions as "Sound As A Pound" gets all heads-down and introspective while "Hard Like A Hammer" flicks the switch with a lion-roaring bassline and amen shattering fills. Finally "Dark Moment" sees Damagement stepping away from the undiluted jump-up with a well-crafted, break-shaking roller complete with old school synths and a brain-melting breakdown.
Review: Ten Ton Beats was started in 2011 by Rekless, since then the imprint has discovered many exciting debutants and become a gallant stepping stone for many artists. 'Flat Earth' is slow moving and raw with sharp drums, a disgustingly low sub and maybe one the funniest vox samples we've heard in a while. 'Addict VIP' is (for want of better words) an absolute banger, the slow, understated wavy sub is just so naughty you become totally transfixed by it, it's a good job there's a handful of whistles and drum crashes thrown in to wake you up. Damageman's remix of MQ's 'Slammin' sees simple breaks layered with early rave chords, wails and vox. 'Deadly Force' is deep and dark, bleeding the dirtiness jump up, with eloquent techy elements mixed with the occasion snip of soft female vocal, we are rating this track highly.
Review: Dangerous is back in town! Well, actually, he never went away... He's been licking serious shots consistently for five years now. And they don't lick much harder than this co-lab-heavy six tracker. Highlights include the cymbal-smashing, late 90s-style Steampunk hook-up "Give It To Me", the Hazard-level face-ripper "Good As Dead" and the croaking, no-joking Goonies-sampling "Hungry Hippos". Dangerous by name...
Get You Down (Project Lando remix) - (5:18) 175 BPM
Review: Here comes the remix! Just over a year ago Ten Ton Beats blessed us with the near-evangelical vibes of Dangerous's "Get You Down". A future rave classic with blissed vocals from Mary B, it's now been subverted by Freek and Project Lando. The former gets some serious weight behind the bass while the latter cooks up a sweet chugging rhythm with some seriously deft percussion touches on the groove. Quintessential remix business.
Review: Ten Ton Beats barge into the new year with one of their longest-standing and consistent family members - Dangerous. As always, it's a game of shades and exciting contrast. "Get You Down" licks up with a beautiful, early 90s style piano hook over which Mary B lays down the right amount of sensuality for peak rushes. "Friend Or Foe" ups the aggy factor as Complex collides into the mix for some obscene, soaking wet lazer bass steppy fun with added horror score string drama. With friends as ugly as this, who needs foes?
Review: The man previously known as MQ returns to Ten Ton Beats with a full-strength collection of forms, flavours and pure fire. 'Mustang' takes the lead with a classic Ram style rough funk, 'Genesis' takes more of an emotional, synth-laced approach while 'Society' is a straight-up breakbeat bulldozer that nods politely at the seminal days of Planet V. Finally 'Losing' brings a little vocal flavour to end the EP with a big sample and an even bigger depth plunge bass drone. Top gear.
Review: Dec James has developed a bit of a reputation over the past couple of years for his outlandish approach to making jump-up that sounds, well, bloody insane. He never holds back and this release on Ten Ton Beats is definitely not close to being more restrained, with Dec James experimenting with across several different styles and textures. 'Skyline' is interesting, with hypnotic stabs making up the main arrangement in a stripped back roller. Check these out to hear something properly wicked.
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