Review: V maintains the Brazilian heat right here with a celebration of all things BBQ from Alibi's Level 2. Bubbly, bruised and covered in bassline sauce; 'Bite The Bone' is a dedication to those times when you're chatting away too hard in the yard and you end up chewing your drumstick right down to the bone. The jazzy, sweet and sour 'Hot Foot' bubbler, meanwhile, is for those times when a charcoal flies out and you step on it without any shoes on. Allow those wonderful purring subs to soothe it for you. Tasty.
Review: It's finally landed! Paul T & Edward Oberon's debut album has been anticipated by many since huge anthems like 'Moon In Your Eyes' and 'Take My Breath Away' stormed the scene in recent years. Both veterans in the D&B game, an album was always going to be an exciting concept and the pair have more than delivered with an epic spread of flavours (ranging from the gritty jump up thrills of opener 'Somewhere Else' to the soulful charms of 'Wake Up') and also an all-star cast of vocalists from Fats to 2Shy to Cleveland Watkiss to A Little Sound to Riya and beyond. The whole album is a powerful bop but essential highlights include the chicken dancing bass silliness of 'Rockin Me' and the soaring euphoria of their latest Serum link-up 'Strange Days'. One of the biggest albums in D&B this season.
Review: Ignoring the Lord's Prayer every gosh-darned day, Sl8r leads us directly into 'Temptation' and we wouldn't have it any other way. The title feeds us to the brim with our daily bread thanks to its classic space jazz Headzy feels while 'Hasbulla' delivers us from evil with its scorchio high voltage reese and perfectly rattled snare. Elsewhere the deep subby bubbles of 'System' forgive us our trespasses while the sweet and soulful vibes of Sl8r and Patch Edison's 'It's Amazing' forgive those who trespass against us. Arguably one of his best EPs to date, this is the sound of one of Manchester's most exciting young talents levelling up once again. Sl8r be thy name.
Review: Just when you thought Sl8r couldn't get any funkier, and Slay couldn't get even sharper, along comes 'Danger' and it's naughtier than ever red light district in Europe combined. Straight up rudeboy rudiments; shoulder rolling juicy funk with such natural bars, 'Danger' is a summer anthem in waiting. And if that's not quite enough badman sass along comes Chimpo and joins the pair for another jazzy, light-footed-but-heavy-bellied bumper 'Falling'. Pure juice!
Review: L-Side's debut album came out some time ago now, and this is the long awaited remix EP, featuring some of the best artists in the game giving L-Side's tunes the once over. Break steps up and nails it as per usual, taking those perfect vocals and stretching them over a punishing bassline; thank god we're back in clubs soon, because this is going to kill it. Dogger & Mindstate work their lounging piano magic to great effect, and Spirit takes the essence of drum and bass and rolls it out with a monstrously stabbing bassline. Alibi close things on a head-nodding, subby note that will have you moving for sure. Sick.
Review: T.R.A.C is one of V's resident dons on the mic and the NYC-based vocalist's 'Life In' album was a sensational display of his talent as well as that of the label. The remix album has been a long time coming and it's jam packed with some of V's best broader talent; Need for Mirrors, Command Strange, Danny Wheeler, Saxxon and more. Maverick Soul delivers in a big way on his remix of 'Welcome to the Stateside', a seriously funky number, as do Artificial Intelligence on 'Pursuit', which they keep true to its roots but make even more melancholy - a proper roller. L-Side nails his take on 'Roarganic Symphony', which is dripping with soul in a departure from his often cutting style. Big LP from the crew.
Review: This compilation arrives with a rich heritage of V Recordings compilations behind it, and Planet V has for a number of years been the flagship series for Bryan Gee's label. Edition four comes to a whopping 73 tracks and includes a mix as well, and all the familiar V faces are present, from Alibi to Paul t & Edward Oberon. All of the tunes have already seen the light of day in a previous form, and Disrupta and Duskee's 'Deep Thoughts' is one of the standouts, as Disrupta lays down a minimal yet funky beat for Duskee to rap lyrical over, something he does with serious presence. New gun SL8r makes several appearances, including on the excellent 'What U Need', which bounces along in a synthscape of serious depth and texture, its funky nodes nodding to the beat of a vintage blend. Crossover outfit Think Tonk also shine with 'Tom & Heavy', an offering unique in its stepping, breaksy percussion and one which oozes soulful class. There are dozens more to have a gander at, so take your pick.
Review: Saxxon is one of the longest-serving members of the V Recordings camp, with music coming on all parts of Bryan Gee's umbrella movement. Time Is Right is coming on the main label and you can hear why, with a rich texture of sound that spans the whole spectrum of the music, from the rolling funk of 'Get Locked' to the dirty basslines of 'Higher', which also features Wednesday Amelia amongst some of the best sampling we've heard in ages. It's a classic V release that straddles that funky, dancefloor friendly sound that Bryan has done so much to push.
Review: Saxxon is one of the longest-serving members of the V Recordings camp, with music coming on all parts of Bryan Gee's umbrella movement. Time Is Right is coming on the main label and you can hear why, with a rich texture of sound that spans the whole spectrum of the music, from the rolling funk of 'Get Locked' to the dirty basslines of 'Higher', which also features Wednesday Amelia amongst some of the best sampling we've heard in ages. It's a classic V release that straddles that funky, dancefloor friendly sound that Bryan has done so much to push.
Review: Think Tonk is one of the most unique artists within the V Recordings camp, as they blend hip-hop and reggae vibes with the pace and energy of drum & bass, an approach which matches perfectly with V's long, cross-genre history. 'Police Baton' is classic, with a funky, stepping drum line that underpins its snarling bassline and off-kilter, spoken vocals, a rhythmic package that smacks of carnival season and then some. The flip leans more towards classic jungle vibes, as a soulful melody stabs through the arrangement with the air of old school garage, whilst punchy drums sing their song below. Big.
Review: The instantly recognisable sounds of NYC's T.R.A.C (one of the US's most important contributions to D&B MC culture) enjoy a reboot from man like Benny L. Part of a series of killer remixes from T.R.A.C's 2017 album Life In Motion, here we find Benny maintaining that bouncy, slightly ravey uplift of the original Serum collaboration while adding more of his signature south London grit and grumble. Savage, just like all Benny L joints.
Review: Mystery Manny badmen Think Tonk undergo the remix treatment with two of V's most consistent and forward-thinking artists. L-Side takes "What A Ting" apart and flips it into a brutal steamroller, continuing the high-grade uppsettery he's been doing with his remixes of Dillinja and Krust. "How We Do It Tonight" meanwhile gets boosted by Command Strange. Another V don who's yet to deliver a bad jam, he gives the original a super-tasteful treatment maintaining all the soul and heart of the original while adding a little extra weight. Thinking man's crumpet, thonking man's trumpet; everyone involved in this release can do no wrong.
Review: Bryan Gee and V Recordings do not mess around. They never have in the past, they're certainly not right now in the present and judging by this highly anticipated Future album, they're going to mess around any time ahead. 25 tracks from some of the biggest, best and baddest names in D&B (Dillina, Serum, Benny L, Paul T & Edward Oberon, Roni Size, DJ Marky, Drumsound & Bassline Smith, Bladerunner, Saxxon, the list goes on) this one's been a long, long, long time coming... And it's been well worth the wait. From L-Sides massive remixes of Dillinja and Krust to Need For Mirrors super-revved "Lambo" to Benny L's incredible remix of "Days", this sums up why Bryan and his label are as influential and respected in the game as they are today. Don't mess around.
Review: L-Side is the living embodiment of the seriously historical links between Bryan Gee's V Recordings and Brazil, especially the city of Sao Paolo. He's back on his long-time home for a three-track EP and The Void does what he does best: roll things out with musical sophistication and technical toughness. The title track is dripping in acid moodiness and the ambience of aggressiveness carpets the bouncy, emphatic synth line with an elegance of movement perfectly befitting its solid percussive undergirding. 'Resist' featuring Need For Mirrors is an ideal blend of their respective stylistic pallettes and with the menacing veneer of L-Side and the left-field subtelty of Moses coming in strong, it proves to be a potent mix. What an EP from the V team.
Review: V Recordings' Future LP finally looks set to drop fairly soon and this remix from Benny L is part of it, blending as it does the classic tones of Bristol legend Roni with Benny's more new school, harsher style of production. 'Dayz' is a timeless piece of work and Benny has flipped it on its head, rolling out some ragged breaks underneath Roni's instantly recognisable sample work and over a simple but incredibly effective bassline. Excellent stuff.
Review: Juiceman and Jubbz come correct once again with their Beat Merchants alias. This time packing a full EP, across four tracks the duo dig deep into the roots with some magic results. "Mandelah" is a potent piece of minimalism that swings like a Die track and is coated with all manner of little details. Elsewhere "Juju Man" gets militant on a steppy halftime dancehall vibe, "Mbe Mbe" is pure jungle music while "Zumuzah" concludes the EP on a dreamy, springy flex. Deep, rolling, heavy and authentic; Beat Merchants aren't messing around. Get to know.
Review: Command Strange is back for his first EP in quite a while and the Kazakh producer is taking any prisoners, with a return to form in his rolling, pacey style that focuses on swaying basslines and pummelling drums. The title track is vintage V, with a combination of funky stabs and a bouncing, stabby bassline that is wicked at getting the head nodding. He teams up with Dr Meaker on the heavier tones of 'Fruity', before ending things with a bang on 'Loco'. Crazy stuff indeed.
