Few record labels can claim to have changed the face of their respective scene. However, V Recordings, started in 1993 by Bryan Gee and Jumping Jack Frost, can confidently say that they have done just that. Never swayed by fashions, fads and sub-genre divisions, V Recordings has been a benchmark for quality since the very beginning, and have bought through artists such as Roni Size, Krust, Die, Dillinja, and most recently L-Side, Alibi and Sl8r.
Review: Riya on vocals, Subten on bars, L-Side on beats, all of it on V: If this combo doesn't make you giddy like a goose then you might need to double check your D&B fan status. All bases covered, L-Side gives the groove the perfect balance of soul and savage and stacks of space for both vocalists to do their thing. Riya brings a delicate, soulful sparkle while Subten flips with lyrical realness. With a vocal mix and club mix both hitting the spot, it's time you took 'Control' of you life.
Review: From the brilliant cover art through to very last snare, Chimpo has gone beyond the call of duty once again with this understated collection floor shakers on V. 'Hydraulics' is a rubber ball bass jam that relentlessly bashes and slaps, 'Show Ya' with Sl8r is all about that dreamy jazz affair while 'Hill An Gully' is all types of naughty with its wild drums and bashy switches. 'Mix Up' closes the EP on a nostalgic one. No trouble here.
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: 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: 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: Beat Merchants the name; soothing's the game... Conrad, Juiceman and Jubbz' project returns with another bounty of soulful bliss. Two originals, two remixes: the agenda is set by the simple understate soul of "Lockdown" with stripped back pianos, horns and some beautiful vocal pairing throughout while "Believe" takes us to the furthest of far-sides with a blissful (and well-loved) guitar lick, an elasticated double bassline and sharp bars. Elsewhere Command Strange flips "Hurricane" into more of a barbed beast while L Side turbo charges the title track with consummate soul. Keep this on lockdown...
Review: V Recordings do some of the best compilations in the business and their brand new Foundation series is a natural recognition of that fact. They're not being hyperbolic with the usage of the term 'Foundation' either, because this is truly an overview of some of the scene's most foundational producers. Old-school Dillinja, Krust, Roni Size and DJ Die, amongst others, make up the roster of acts that formed an integral part of the genre back in the day. The new crew is also represented, however, in the form of L-Side, Think Tonk, Nasza Linez and loads more, all of whom bring some of that V-style heat. Wicked album - one for the heads.
Review: Bottoms up! V goes Manny masquerading once again as unstoppable fusionists Think Tonk return to Bryan G's homestead with four more high grade hybrid strains. Island vibes run through the four track EP as we're bashed, wavey and woozed into sunny side submission; "How We Do It" bumps with a yearning dusky haze and strong afrobeat connotations, "What A Ting" is a much darker stepper coded with demonic vocal textures and a full power pay off while "Medicate On The I" gets sticky fingered and smoky souled with almost trance-like undertones before "Live Our Lives" closes with a little harmonic drum resonance and Latin percussion. Bliss. You don't have to think too hard about this one...
Review: One of the US's finest D&B-minded MCs, NYC's T.R.A.C is a genuinely unique mic-man. Armed with the perfect balance of a rap style and a junglist flow, he understands the craft and has smashed it over the years with most of V's talented roster. Now comes his debut album and it's a work of art. Featuring the likes of Calibre, Submorphics, Lenzman, Random Movement, Serum and even CoOp dons Mark Mac and Daz-I-Cue, it's back to back vibes with an energy and spread as hyped as its rollcall. Highlights include the jazzy hip-hop bruk of "The Avenue", the Detroitian light-footed jazz-steps "Late Night Connection" and the smoked-out brushed drum breaks and lonely pianos and sudden soulful flashes of "The Making Of" but that's really the tip of the iceberg - this is a massive project.
Review: One of the most consistent, prolific and on-point artists in the game, Need For Mirrors returns to V with five more outstanding floor-primed work-outs. Highlights include "Pagans", which is all about the blessy reggae vocal and rolling bassline that's so real you can hear the fingers sliding on the strings, "Dumbing Down", which is all about the balls-out bouncing Bristol bassline sound and the incredible, almost Calibre-esque (not a comparison we throw around lightly) dubby, understated skanks of "Vendor Dub". Absolute gold. Why isn't Need For Mirrors king already?
Review: In case you've been burying your head in the cemetery, unknown Manchester troupe Think Tonk have been fusing some slick dark dancehall-influenced jungle on V since late 2015. Now on their third release, the vibes are as well-kept as the mysterious on who they are (they're too good to be new, trust us) "Setman" is a hybrid halftime piece with slow and low lyricism and ghetto tones while "Whatever You Go Do" brings Inja into the fold for a more full-flavoured vocal touch with far-away south east Asian elements that sits somewhere between grime, drum & bass and New Delhi. Magnificent...Once again.
Roni Size - "It's A Jazz Thing" (Electric Boogie mix) - (6:01) 51 BPM
Roni Size - "Timestretch" - (7:01) 52 BPM
DJ Die - "Play It For Me" - (6:28) 56 BPM
Dillinja - "Pluto" - (4:59) 57 BPM
Future Cut - "Out There" - (6:37) 57 BPM
Review: V Recordings: A genus source for drum and bass, the launch pad of so many great careers it's not worth counting and still a consistent source of forward-thinking beats. If any label can justify five volumes of back-cat badness, it's Bryan Gee's. Going right back to 1993 (Roni Size's "Timestretch"), we whistle, rattle and roll past some of the label's (and scene in general's) titans. Dillinja is repped hard with an array of discography highlights such as the shattered amen attack plan ("Bad Man"), Krust is paid in full with cuts such as the minimal muscle roller "Set Speed", jungle godfather Sappo reminds us of real old school with "Into The Light" while Future Cut's later-era "Prophecy" is rewound to great effect. And that's just five of the album's 21 chapters. A must read document for junglists old and young.
Review: Manchester's Future Cut duo have been making hard-edged drum and bass for over fifteen years now, and with a catalogue that spans the likes of Renegade Hardware and Metalheadz, it's only natural that they should also pop up on the legendary V Recordings now and again! "Prophecy" is a nu-school kinda cut, one of those stepping neo-jungle works that sits somewhere between jump-up and liquid. "Out There", as the name suggests, is a whole lot wilder and more daring thanks mainly to its warped hook and circling beat structure...it makes us think of the good old days of drum and bass. Recommended!
Review: If you know anything about jungle and D&B, you'll know Boomah... Arguably one of the most distinctive vocals in the game, his harmonies are so warm and genuine they pretty much hug you as they fly out of the speakers. Here we find him at his most emphatic and eclectic, covering all bass bases in true style. Highlights include the sprightly summer roller "Spread A Little Love" the classic hardcore rave breaks "Forward Ever" and the gritty, metallic dubstep joint "Unstoppable", but to be honest this is best enjoyed as the full album it's written as: a shiny mirror reflecting the most exciting sounds of bass music's never-ending narrative.
Review: Labels, artists and websites all tend to adopt a retrospective tone as the end of a year gets ever closer, so it's naturally quite timely for V Recordings head honcho Bryan Gee to crank out a third volume of his excellent Retrospect series. With it comes a wealth of old jungle riddims, influential classics and long forgotten favourites from the likes of DJ Die, Roni Size, Ray Keith, Krust, Lemon D and more. Gee opens in style with the Brizzle roller "Fashion" by the legendary Roni Size and maintains the pressure throughout, dropping gems such as DJ Die's "Something Special", Krust's iconic stepper "Check Dis Out" and the jazzy, liquid loveliness of Lemon D's "Get On Down" with its shimmying, sunshine filled vibes. For a trip down memory lane, this one's essential.
Review: Level 2 presents the next installment to come from the V Recordings camp and this time round, they're getting all Brazilian on us with their "Viva Brazil" compilation. Expect plenty of soulful, liquid vibes across the selection and watch out for some particular highlights from Level 2, DJ Roots, Critycal Dub, DJ Chap & Andrezz, Subsid & L Side and Unreal. Uplifting from the off, the album is jam-packed with lush instrumentals, sonorous vocals and pattering drums - make sure you check "Situations" with its dribbling rhythms, "Deep Motion" and the more minimal sounds of "Fast Lane". This is well worth checking out if you're a die-hard D&B fan.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.