Review: Fresh off the presses of Jungle Cakes Records comes the "Survival" EP, a four-track journey guided by the skilled hand of Gold Dubs. No stranger to production, Gold Dubs leverages his years of experience and diverse influences - from bassline to DnB - to craft a dynamic and electrifying listen. The EP kicks off with the aptly titled "Survival," a collaboration with Kalum featuring the distinctive lyricism of Rider Shafique. This track hits hard, both sonically and thematically, with pulsating basslines, warped sub frequencies, and expertly layered FX. Next up is "Infinity" a nostalgic trip down memory lane with a distinctly 90s vibe. Think sharp sub bass, heavy percussion, and vocal samples and synths that evoke a bygone era. Offering a stark contrast, "Bliss" lives up to its name. Soaring, spacey risers and futuristic basslines create a sense of weightlessness, perfectly complemented by the mesmerizing vocal effects. The EP closes with "Too Late," a showcase of Gold Dubs' mastery of the bassline genre. Warped subs, pulsating basslines, and tastefully sparse synths combine with captivating vocal samples to create an infectious groove. This is a track that will leave you hitting repeat and craving more.
Review: Fresh from Copenhagen! L.A.D.J makes his Deep In The Jungle debut with this firing four track collection which will appeal to heads of all jungle generations. Very cleverly treading the fine line, its old sample references and general mood nod to the roots while the production, energy and general switchy nature of each track make them great fun to mix in the more contemporary style. Highlights include the barking trippiness of 'I Pull Up' and the savage slappy tears of 'Get Money'. You Don Kno!
Review: Oh gosh! Every Welcome To The Jungle collection is a big deal but this latest edition from Euphonique and Dazee is a whole other rain forest. 96 tracks and a mix that weighs in over two hours, this is the sound of two of the most foremost and inspiring Bristol-based DJs going IN in every single direction. Loaded with a great range of classics, exclusives and left-of-centre vibes, highlights across this massive collection include Aries and Euphonique's massive 'Amen', Dazee & Jinx's 'Shake It Up', Sweetpea and Chickaboo's 'The Jump Off' and the recent skat-dancing fire-up 'Skip De Du Dat'. And that's not scratching the surface. This is an epic collection. Essential.
Review: Here's another must-check missive of lesser-known and hard-to-find material from DJ Kaos's Jolly Jams label, curated with love by the man himself. Over the course of 12 tidy tracks, we're treated to ambient lusciousness (Superpitcher remixing Kaos's own 'World Turning'), deliciously dubbed-out proto-house (the 'Warehousin' Mix' of Split Secs' 'I'm Not Losing'), mind-mangling psychedelic electronic disco-meets-acid house (Red Axes' 'Promo Only'), dub disco (Slaves of Love and Tavish, whose 'Raw Seduction' is genuinely superb), soaring disco edit action (Spring Break Edit), Sylvester pitched-down and blissed out (Balearic Skip), Kenny Hawkes-ish disco-not-disco eccentricity (Luke Solomon remixing Richard From Milwaukee) and ragging acid tracks (Danny Russell & Timothy Alexander).
Review: In an industry where the term 'veteran' is bandied about far too freely, Colin Curtis is the real deal! His DJing career goes all the way back to legendary Northern Soul club The Golden Torch in the late 60s. In the 70s, he was a resident at Blackpool Mecca alongside Ian Levine, where he became one of the first DJs to introduce the more modern sound of jazz-funk to the scene. By the mid-80s he'd become an early UK champion of house, too, but these days it's on the jazz-dance scene that he's most revered - and here he serves up a 26-track connoisseur's collection that shows why. Ranging from straight-up jazz and soul to soulful house and leaning heavily towards the Afro- and Latin-flavoured, some of these cuts are recent offerings, some date back as far as the 70s, but on jazz-dance floors, all will go down a treat.
Review: Kieran Hebden, better known by his moniker Four Tet, has graced us with his first full-length album in nearly three years. "Three," released on his own Text Records imprint, is a meticulously crafted exploration of sound, weaving together elements of electronica, downtempo, and folktronica influences. The album strikes a balance between organic and electronic textures. Tracks like "Loved" showcase Hebden's signature ability to manipulate found sounds and samples, creating a shimmering sonic tapestry. "Gliding Through Everything" leans more towards the downtempo side, with its gentle piano chords and woozy atmosphere. However, Four Tet doesn't shy away from exploring the electronic realm. Tracks like "Daydream Repeat" feature driving uptempo rhythms intertwined with ethereal piano melodies, showcasing his talent for building tension and release. "Storm Crystals" injects a dose of ambient energy, while "Skater" leans into playful, almost chiptune-like melodies. The closing track, "Three Drums" (another pre-release single), brings back the energy with its pulsating bassline and infectious groove. Not to miss!
Review: Oh gosh! Whether you're massively into Deep In The Jungle but you've got a few holes in your collection that need filling, or you've just started getting into this side of the music, this 60+ anthem collection is an amazing resource for all modern day junglists. Curated by bossman DJ Hybrid, this collection takes us back through the label's history and cherry picks an amazing array of peaktime wounders, bruisers and bubblers. To pick one or two highlights from such a generous collection doesn't feel right so let us advise you to take in that tracklist, press play and totally vibe out to some of the best jungle bangers made in the last 11 years. Mad love to the DITJ crew!
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.
Anyma & Grimes - "Welcome To The Opera" (Kobosil 44 Symbiont mix - extended mix) - (4:44) 76 BPM
Review: Electronic music superstar Anyma (aka one half of Tale Of Us) unveils his highly anticipated sophomore album, Genesys Part II - which follows the success of his debut, Afterlife LP. Showcases Anyma's evolution as a melodic techno producer, the album features 21 tracks split into two distinct components. The first section chalks up a chunk of original compositions, including standout singles like "Pictures of You" and "Higher Power," along with collaborations with Chris Avantgarde, PARISI, Rebūke, and more. The second segment offers reimagined versions of tracks from both Genesys albums, featuring notable remixes by Eric Prydz, Adriatique, and Cassian. With its diverse range of sounds and collaborations, an impresisve and fully comprehensive second edition promises to be a pivotal moment in Anyma's career, dropping amidst the excitement of Miami Music Week 2024.
Review: Hanging, banging, mad and outstanding... Chimpo continues flex his lyrical and musical dexterity with his awesome new album Don't Worry About It. Featuring a whole raft of mates and peers such as Skittles, Salo, Slay, Darkside Mo, IBeKay, Ellen Beth Abdi and Kid Katharsis, the album charges into the heart of vocal-led jungle D&B with strong shades of soul, R&B and hip-hop as Chimpo guides us through many double standards, nuances and ironies of modern life. One for the hippies, nerds, hustlers and indeed thugs, each track is a veritable highlight and resonates to a different corner of the dance from the lurking skankers on 'Darkside' to heart-eyed romantics on 'Crystal Clear'. Exceptional songwriting and D&B sonics, no one does it like Chimpo.
Review: Vibes o'clock! Acid Lab returns to Weapons Of Choice with two springy slabs of bone-shaking grit. 'Don't You' has a deeper twist with its loose bouncy breaks, stripped back vibe and subtle rave elements in the hoovers and the pads. 'Final Warning' takes us a little deeper into the shadows with its gnarled Reese and rattling percussion. Timeless tear-ups.
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: Throughout their decade-long career, Alma Negra has combined their love of disco and deep house with percussion, instrumentation and ideas excavated from African, Caribbean and tropical musical cultures. On this EP, they largely ditch the latter inspirations, instead delivering full-throttle revivalist disco sounds where the Basel-based band's organic instrumentation and vocals combine with colourful synth sounds and heady horns. The headline attraction is undoubtedly 'Madrugada', a warming and thickset, subtly deep house-influenced take on the turn-of-the-80s NYC downtown disco-not-disco sound. It comes backed with two revisions - an extra-percussive, dubbed-out Yuksek tweak and the band's own dub disco-goes-deep house 'Dub Mix' - and the riotous, party-starting brilliance of 'Funky Fever'.
Review: Sully is back on Astrophonica, after his previous EP "Swandive", this time teaming up with the talented Manchester vocalist Salo for a truly unique soundscape. The track "Nights" showcases a surprising departure from Sully's signature style. Instead of the usual gritty Jungle breaks, he opts for a cleaner, sharper drum sequence that perfectly complements the stripped-down bassline. This minimalist approach creates a clear canvas for Salo's sweet yet melancholic vocals to soar, leaving a lasting impression. The "Not Just a Dub Mix" offers a contrasting perspective on the track. Sully infuses Salo's vocals with a classic "Tubby" treatment, bringing back the familiar Jungle breaks and pulsating sirens for a club-ready atmosphere.
Review: Shall Not Fade has reached the ripe old age of eight, a cause for celebration in these troubled times for artists and labels. To mark the occasion, the Bristol-based imprint has offered up this vast, 34-track compilation featuring new and unheard cuts from its ever-expanding family of artists. Naturally, it not only reflects Shall Not Fade's output, but also that of its various offshoots and series. So, there's plenty of high-grade deep house and immersive, breakbeat-driven deepness, but also surging, high-tempo rave-era nostalgia (see the tracks by TESTPRESS and Sheffield sorts Adelphi Music Factory), bassline (ABSOLUTE & HRSN), futurist techno (Marc Brauner), deep electro (Halo), hip-hop revivalism (Lydia Eisenbatter), progressive house and trance-influenced loveliness (MNL), and much more besides.
Review: Two Balearic legends collide as Chris Coco teams up with George Solar - another DJ who's never happier than when serving up chilled sundown vibes on the White Island - for an outing on his own DSPRR label. There are two mixes of 'Rumba Solar' to choose from: the Edit is a pretty much archetypical slice of Balearic chill-out, all slo-mo drums, tinkling keys, aquatic sounds, barely-there snatches of ethereal female vocal and hints of dub, while the SIRS Remix transforms the track into more of post-club headnodder with slightly livelier (though still fairly low-tempo) drums.
Doctor Jeep & Grove - "Deep Red" (J:Kenzo's London remix) - (4:10) 57 BPM
Review: Longtime friend of Worst Behavior, Doctor Jeep, drops the electrifying "Deep Red" EP, showcasing his signature versatility and collaborative spirit. This NYC-based producer, known for his dancefloor-igniting beats and genre-bending explorations, delivers a diverse sonic journey across four tracks. "Deep Red" kicks things off with the infectious title track, a collaboration with UK artist Grove. Grove's punk-infused energy and appreciation for soundsystem culture merge seamlessly with Doctor Jeep's production prowess, resulting in a head-turning banger. Further collaborations unfold with Australian producer Hedchef, known for his off-kilter club constructions. "I'm Rushing" blends breakbeat rave energy with a futuristic twist, guaranteed to keep bodies moving with its rolling grooves and wonky basslines. In "Hammerhead," Doctor Jeep pays homage to his Brazilian heritage by weaving Brazilian vocals with electro elements and a sparse, heavy beat reminiscent of club and grime influences. Next, Doctor Jeep delves into halftime territory with "Destroyer," a collaboration with Canadian producer Tamarak. The track builds slowly and deliberately, layering intricate techy breaks and percussion over a minimal soundscape. To close this EP, "Deep Red," receives a dubstep makeover courtesy of J:Kenzo. This high-energy remix transforms the original into a driving jungle and drum & bass beast. A genre-bending cracker here!
Review: Four-piece "producer collective and DJ team" The Niceguys hail from Switzerland and have a long string of releases under their belt for labels like Bomb Strikes, Westwood Recordings and Ghetto Funk. Here they return to the former with four cuts that would work on funk-breaks and modern soul floors alike, with the Bobby Saint-vocalled 'Irie' and 'Strip It' rocking a Prince-like vibe, 'Don't Let Go' sporting a full-lunged soul vocal from Justina Lee Brown, and 'Dance' having something of a Smoove & Turrell-like feel. 'Don't Let Go' takes the gold for this writer but it's all good so feel free to disagree!
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