Review: V is for victory! Bryan Gee and Jumpin Jack Frost's label continues to mark three whole decades with the second volume of their 30 Years VA. First up is a VIP of L-Side's already flattening remix of Krust's 'Not Necessarily A Man' before Alibi and A-Audio go toe-to-toe on the soulful bruiser 'Middlemen' where a big funk sample gets battered into submission but an equally stunning Reese. Last but not least Level 2 closes the EP down with another VIP treat - 'Bite The Bone'. Woof woof!
Review: Next up from the ever-ready Liondub International, a throwback filled to the brim with lethal flavours as Conrad Subs touches down to deliver four tracks of pure dancefloor fire. We open up with the unpredictable synthetic twitches and reesey rumbles of 'Rave Report', setting the tone of the project nicely before 'Dough' gives us a more minimal fusion of growling bass notes and sharpened drum designs. Next, 'Big Chungus' opens up the roof for an even harder hitting sub-line, upping the ante even further as we move forward, with Speaker Louis providing some additional work on the well thought out rhythmic arrangements of 'Shots Fired'. Another tidy collection from the Liondub dynasty.
Review: Doctor, doctor, I feel like a firework. Put some bangers on then, pal. Doctor, doctor I feel like a reload. Come again? Doctor doctor I can't stop spitting bars. Then stop eating nightclubs. All jokes aside, Doctor Roberts is not actually your typical healthcare professional. He'll cure you but it'll be with dutty bass and high energy tear-ups rather than medicines or modern science. The toxic waste electro thrills of the title track will have you doing dancefloor surgery, cutting up the place with your sharp moves. The groaning filthy reese of 'Wheel & Come' will have you sweating out your fever in a jiffy and 'Nice Guy' will clear any migraine thanks to its precision drum clarity. Pull yourselves together!
Review: Bennie's bullets keep on firing from all angles as the Welshman returns to Invicta with this absolutely huge collabo-splattered collection of dancefloor melters. Featuring the likes of Latte, Eyez, Scuffed and Junior Dog, Bennie flexes the whole range right here: Eyez brings lyrical savagery on the opening cut 'Turn It Up' while Junior Dog goes in hard on the swagger-packed finale 'Different'. In between these two poles standout cuts include the EDM-spiked 'Good Liar' and the Latte-linked tear-up 'Straight Outta London'. Crank it.
Review: Buckle up, because Particle is taking us on one wild ride with his latest album "Pyro" on Critical Music. This 10-track juggernaut is a full-throttle excursion through the gnarliest terrain of jungle and drum & bass. Right from the jump on the opening cut, Particle flexes his funky bassline muscles to get things properly greased up. But don't get too comfortable - by the closing VIP remix he's dropped the hammer and has the whole thing redlining in the most deliriously unhinged way. This is an artist operating at the peak of his powers, seamlessly blending classic jungle/D&B fundamentals with meticulously futuristic production chops. There's something for the old-school heads and fresh recruits alike on this album. Longtime jungalists will get misty-eyed over the cavernous subs and proving garage-bred breaks of tracks like "Fooling." But Particle also caters to the new-age barneys on tunes such as "Assassin" and "Needles" complete with enough manic robotic contortions to have you rapidly evacuating your flesh vessel. Not one to rest on his laurels, Particle keeps things utterly weird too. "REM" is a deliciously unhinged descent into stuttering jungle psychedelia. And his link-up with Inja on "The Message" injects a taut, nerve-shredding atmospherics that'll have you sweating through three layers of merino wool. Don't sleep on this one, ravers.
Review: Feeling sleepy? Need a cosy little rest all cuddled up in your comfies? Well don't go asking GinX over... He'll sing you a 'Lullaby' so cold and deathly you might as well marry Freddy Kruger. Pure laser-infested grot, this vibe is carefully maintained throughout as GinX gets more and more twisted with his sound design and processed demonic vocals. Each cut painting from a similar sonic palette (think somewhere between Simula and Toxinate), there's a dark allure to the whole EP and a lot of great mixing potential. Rock-a-by me babbers!
Review: It's that thyme again! Filthy Habits are off to Tescos and heading straight for the condiment aisle for a little spice and seasoning. First up is 'Herb Deal', a bouncy bubbler that nods at the mid 2000s dancefloor sound and stinks of oregano. Elsewhere the tarragon-tinged 'Right Here' gets all switchy with its tear-out drops and bleepy flips while the swaggering Hazardian 'Brain Functions' will batter you will until you swear everything smells like dill. Deeper into the spice rack we reach for 'Disconnected' and shake our hips to the rattling rosemary scented loose limbed breaks while 'The White Feather' is a much colder, almost electro-informed stepper. It also reeks of parsley.
Review: Following a slew of killer releases last year on the likes of Biological Beats, Program and Jungle Cakes, the currently unstoppable Jenks returns to Born On Road with two more addictive party-melters. 'Chimes' is one of those naggy tunes that are super fun to mix in over pretty much any blend and will always get a wild reaction while 'Frequency' gets even heavier with its ravey riff and drop into pure guttural gully. Power moves!
Review: In keeping with the approach of its predecessors, the fourth annual Boogie Angst compilation brings together "cool cuts" from the past year and a smattering of exclusives and previously unreleased gems. As you'd expect from a label helmed by Kraak & Smaak, it's a genuinely joyous and celebratory affair, packed to the rafters with party-starting workouts. For proof, check the revivalist disco-boogie cheeriness of Titeknots' 'Feels Good 2 Me', the future soul shuffle of 'Treat U Good' by Moods, Noah Slee, Lyriya & Meron, the summery electrofunk sunshine that is Art of Tones' kaleidoscopic rework of LUXXURY's 'Just Like It Was Before', the Rhodes-laden warmth of Kraak & Smaak's nostalgic 'All I Need' and the spiritually-enriching Latin deep house shuffle of Osunlade's Yoruba Soul rework of his Casbah 73 collaboration, 'Let's Invade The Amazon'.
Review: Super prolific Sevin returns to Fokuz with more woozy soul workouts. At points laid back and hazy, at others absolutely off the wall, once again he's baked a collection of back pocket essentials to throw out and surprise your dancefloor. Highlights include the grizzly subtle wonk on 'You Something', the total and utter lunacy (and precision satire) of 'Generic', the sexy saxy Random Movement flavoured jazz fest 'Rainy Days' and the wonderfully slinky, springy finale 'Boomerang'. Rated.
Review: Monty Luke's Nightdubbing project on Rekids was designed to showcase the Black Catalogue boss's deep love of dub-infused house and techno. This 13-track album combines previously unheard cuts with nine tracks previously showcased across a pair of EPs of the same name. It's a fantastic set all told, with highlights including the smacked-out electro-dub headiness of opener '40 Acres and a Terrabyte', the extra-percussive deep dub-house hypnotism of 'Bob Molly', the after-hours friendly minimalism of 'Star Storms', the Detroit-goes-dub techno pulse of 'New World/Old Future', the classic dub techno warmth of 'Dark Paradise', and the dub-wise deep house dreaminess of 'Avantgarde Dancehall'. Throw in a handful of tidy ambient and digital dub tracks, and you have a genuinely superb long-player.
Review: "Shut The Lights Out" is a funky throwback brimming with infectious energy, courtesy of Berlin production duo Lovebirds and vocalist NILE. Lovebirds channel their well-regarded love for 70s and 80s sounds into a groovy production. The foundation is an arresting funk beat, bolstered by classic disco instrumentation and dreamy synths. NILE's vocals are the perfect compliment, with a motivational spoken-word style that adds another layer of interest. The package is completed by a remix from disco aficionado Birdee, who takes the original's sparkling energy and adds their own signature touch. Birdee's remix is an upbeat and spacey take, perfect for extending the dancefloor journey.
Review: Ed Upton has long been one of British dance music's most prolific producers, with his latest album on Hypercolour - the typically vibrant Spiral Dance - marking his 24th full-length excursion as DMX Krew since 1996. Its' 13 tracks are typically vivid, inventive and entertaining, with the Bedford-born producer rushing between intergalactic electro ('Always Hats'), sub-heavy UK techno futurism (the bleep-influenced 'Bathtime Bobby'), house-tempo dancefloor IDM ('Spiral Dance'), Spacetime Continuum style ambient techno (the chill-out room friendly 'Back To '92'), synth-laden analogue cheeriness ('Is This Normal'), heady beat-free soundscapes ('Hammer Slowly Forming'), early Autechre style electronica ('Ankle Grinder') and sweaty acid house ('FM Assembly').
Review: Anthem alert! Pioneer jungle Queen DJ Rap lays down the absolute law on this booming sing-along link-up with David Boomah. Huge basses, addictive riff, chiselled steppy beats and a scorchio vocal, this one totally lives up to its name with dramatic and theatrical effect and a strong sense of catharsis in Boomah's message. Need variations for extra mixing creativity? Check for the instrumental dub versions and let yourself go in the mix!
Review: Volume 7 in the series but for once we can't really say "you should know what to expect by now" because what this compilation really goes to show is just what an eclectic and diverse camp the long-running Manchester label has become, with tracks on 'Paper Cuts #7' ranging from the near-ambient Balearica of Aniso Tropics' opener 'Apricot Memorex' to the self-explanatory synth-y stylings of La Guardia de la Luz's 'Trance Aleman de los 90s' via the uptempo strut of Jahn Solo's 'Disco'. So all we can really do is point you in the direction of some standout cuts, which for this reviewer would include D.S.D's luscious 'Just Can't Stop' and Benny Pitcher's 'Transatlantic Motion', which is like a little musical nod to the days when Paper comps were called 'Splinter'.
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