UK Garage charts

Review: It's been at least a hot minute since the last heavyweight release from Swamp 81 dropped (and they don't get much heavier than a double pack of body music from Boddika). The wait has totally been worth it as Funkbias sees UKG legend Zed Bias team up with Rinse FM's excellently named Funk Butcher for two drops of typically forward thinking music. "Last Forever" burst uneasily out of the rumbling groove that opens the track into masterful concoction of vocal affectations, burning synth beams, snapping tribal drums and trademark Zed Bias bass. "Heaven Sent" does indeed begin like it was sent from above with gentle piano melodies lulling you in before being engulfed by a heavily pressurised flex of 808s and more crafty vocal dicing. The interplay between the soft and harsh elements is quite brilliant. Those who like a fine example of cover art will go weak at the knees over the Will Bankhead embossed design too.

Review: South London label GD4YA has had a fairly incredible year so far, with no fewer than five EPs out to date. It is now cult soundsmith Throwing Snow - a veteran of plenty of post-IDM inventions on Houndstooth - who steps up to stretch his legs with some sure fire dance floor weaponry. 'Murky' is just that with its broad bass and skipping drums, then 'Ellipsis' leans on UK funky drum patterns to get you up on your toes. Two remixes closes out, with Wen going for a perfect bit of swing, and Benny iLL keeping it deep, mid tempo, and warm.

Review: Hands up all of those who expected UK garage legend MJ Cole's first album in 17 years to be an ambient set with neo-classical intentions. While on the surface it may seem like an odd move, he says that it has been "gestating" his "whole life", though in the end he apparently recorded it fairly quickly. Musically, it's well worth a listen, with Cole cannily combining sweeping strings, jazz style double bass, fluid piano solos, opaque ambient chords and very occasional rhythms to create compositions closer in tone to film soundtracks and conceptual neo-classical pieces than the sweaty, soul-fired club bangers he's long been renowned for. Judged purely on musical terms rather than his previous career, it's a hugely impressive achievement and well worth a listen.

Review: Who doesn't love The Streets? From cheeky chappy to a revered part of the British music establishment, Mike Skinner as The Streets was there at the start of the UKG scene and still invigorates it to this day. His first new music in a while is an understated ballad that features the by now trademark internal monologue, but here paired with what is a beautiful vocal from Jazz Morley and a skittish drum pattern. Mike Skinner has also self-directed his own music video to go with the title track and it is well worth seeing if you can.

Review: Back in the early days of the UKG scene it was all about those famous Sunday sessions. This EP from Twostep2 captures the magic of that special time across three hefty and bass-driven new cuts that stay firmly entrenched in the underground sound. 'I Can't Let It Go' is a raw and jostling cut with metallic hits and a classic pitched-up r&b vocal. There is more cheeky skip and swing to 'Sound Of The Hardcore' with its innocent melodies and kinetic kicks, while closer 'War Of Da Worldz' brings 2step shuffle, great Big Ben samples and sustained chords that bring the soul.

Review: The Vivid label is yet another one from Burnski who also runs Constant Blanc and Instinct. He is s single handed garage hit making machine and he knows how to tap into the next gen, too. Here he calls upon Peaky Beats for a naughty and nasty three track affair that has retro feels but contemporary style. 'Can't Stop' opens up with a 2-step shuffle and steely hits, then 'Get Ready' gets more free and melodic with some boxing little melodic patterns and oscillating bass. Last of all is the most menacing and dark - 'Wildcat' flips into a dub wise swagger mid-way through that is going to blow up the clubs.

Review: The Mancunian tones of Swamp81's resident MC Chunky are well known to those who tune in to the label's Rinse FM show on a regular basis. However, this debut EP, forwent any kind of vocal showcase for the kind of hefty, refined fusion of garage and techno we've come to expect from Loefah's empire. Arriving as a 12" doublepack featuring four tracks, The Chunky EP shows Chunky to have the production chops to match his skills on the microphone, showcasing a wide range of influences channeled through a uniquely dark mood; "Decca" is a straight up piece of rolling deep house with a shadowy basement vibe, while "Experiment 727? recalls the syncopated techno of Bambounou or Boddika's leaden beats, while on the second 12?, "Thang" is a masterclass in stripped back garage mechanics, and "Rugged" provides a lo-fi beat that ploughs the darkest recesses of instrumental grime for inspiration.