New releases last eight weeks: UK Garage

Review: Diffrent makes a powerful entrance with his debut 'My Sound' EP on Bristol's Time Is Now label, building on the success of his summer hit 'A Little Closer,' which had clubs across Europe buzzing in 2024. Here, he dives into the UK's rich foundations of garage, bass and breaks, delivering a weighty yet finely tuned sound that's unmistakably his own. It's the kind of chuggy, speed-garage flavour that's capturing everyone's craving right now. For a debut, 'My Sound' lands with impressive force as each track brings fresh flair and a distinctive character. From the first drop, it's clear Diffrent is carving out a unique spot in modern dance music, positioning him as one to watch.

Review: Wrong'uns is a newly established label designed to serve up dirty jams for the dancefloor. For this second outing, they look to a beat-making crew of miscreants in Just Olly, Mehlor, Jake Rollinson and Joejoemojo who all offer up one jam each. Just Olly's 'Tougher' has filthy basslines and lip-curling menace in the stepping drums. Mehlor's low ends are just as warped and the drums and percussion are just as kinetic, then Rollinson's 'Trip The Funk' is a sinner blend of synth modulation sand bleeping dial tones that is full of fun for the club. Last but not least, 'Shake The Funk' is a catchy slammer with big breaks and sirens designed to blow up any sound system.

Review: French producer Kaval reinvents UK funky on this intricately constructed four-tracker. The opener is an energetic blend of syncopated percussion and shuffling rhythms that builds momentum with a tight, layered arrangement. The second cut introduces an off-kilter melodic touch, balancing dynamic grooves with a more playful sensibility. The flip explores a much darker, sonic territory, leaning into moody atmospherics and spacious drum patterns. Closing the record, the final track layers hypnotic loops over driving basslines, offering a satisfying finale that exemplifies Kaval's ability to push the boundaries of UK funky while retaining its rhythmic essence.

Review: Kodama's beats are rooted in garage rhythms but draw from a much wider world of sounds on this new EP on the Fent Plates label. 'The View With You' embodies the cover art with its smeared colours and psychedelic melodies all adding charm to the heavy, lumpy, wooden beats. Elsewhere, 'Lovers In A Dangerous Mistime' is a jazzy synth interlude full of whimsy, 'Lean On You (7th Movie)' is a lo-fi piano and deep house melange, 'Confessions' pairs more knock-on-wood beats and emotive piano keys and 'Rush' is perfectly undercooked 2-step with an organic, warming undertone. A really nice, fresh EP that brings something different.

Review: The mysterious but magnificent Phone Traxxx dial in with another killer 12", their sixth so far. 'Slinkzer' is a nice playful house number with some bubbling synth melodies and zippy lines adding energy to the dusty drums. 'Groovement' picks it up with more slamming drums and hard-edged hits as was as chopped-up melodic bursts and sci-fi effects. 'Mentasmluv' is a garage number with a scruffy low end and some fun oinks and boinks and cartoon sound design adding colour. 'Humbucker' is a slinky percussive number that closes out at a lick.

Review: The latest release from SP:MC dives into the depths of UK garage with precision and flair. The A-side boasts a weighty low-end groove, underpinned by tightly coiled percussion that feels alive with intent. On the reverse, there's a striking shift towards introspection, as shimmering atmospherics and fluid rhythms weave a cinematic tale. Both tracks are a testament to his knack for marrying technical prowess with a palpable sense of mood, delivering a record that feels equally at home on a big system as it does in less hectic environments.

Review: Iglooghost's third studio album marks a departure from the intricate world-building of previous works, embracing a sonic maximalism that pulses with chaotic energy. The Irish producer seamlessly blends IDM, techno, deconstructed club and grime, creating a whirlwind of sound that never overwhelms thanks to his meticulous layering and dynamic composition. Tracks like 'Alloy Flea' and 'Pulse Angel' showcase Malliagh's ability to keep the music clear and coherent, even as he adds element after element. His voice, more prominent here than on past projects, takes on new dimensions, from distorted static in 'Coral Mimic' to ethereal contrasts with female vocals on 'flux•Cocoon'. The album's production is dynamic, with a textured, weighty sound that contrasts with the clutter of earlier works. While the relentless intensity of some tracks might seem predictable, Malliagh's ability to craft tangible build and release ensures each moment feels intentional. The result is an intense experience, one that finds Iglooghost maturing as an artist without losing his experimental edge. This album presents a refined sound, rich in texture, rhythm and conceptual depth, solidifying Malliagh as an electronic innovator with endless potential.

Review: Irish producer Iglooghost continues to redefine electronic music with a conceptually rich and sonically dense third album. Drawing from the desolate landscapes of a coastal UK town overrun by primordial detritus, the record fuses UK garage, coldwave, drill and more into a visceral, cinematic experience. Created while squatting in a Kent coast garage near a sewage plant, Iglooghost's surroundings heavily influenced the album's dark, aquatic tone. Blending relentless percussion with eerie melodies, the album unfolds like a near-future sci-fi soundtrack. Tracks like 'Germ Chrism' deliver pummeling trap-meets-IDM chaos, while slower cuts like 'Spawn01' evoke the hushed intimacy of early Portishead. Iglooghost's vocals take center stage, ranging from snarling hooks to delicate whispers, imbuing the music with a surreal humanity. Thematically cohesive yet wildly experimental, the album's soundscapes mimic waterlogged radio transmissions, stuffed with textures, rhythms and cinematic interludes. Despite its grim undertones, a cartoonish, surreal charm runs throughout, melding genres and abstract storytelling into relentless, goosebump-inducing club music. This record reaffirms Iglooghost's mastery of world-building and his ability to craft a vivid, otherworldly atmosphere from the interplay of sound and narrative.

Review: First released digitally earlier in 2024, Prince Palmer's first outing on Bobby Donny's 'Ace' series heads to vinyl in expanded form. It's the Dutch producer's vinyl debut and a quietly impressive one at that. The headline attraction is 'Serious Play', a rolling, loose-limbed and sub-heavy slab of revivalist garage house/New Jersey deep house fusion that comes accompanied by a chunkier and undeniably trippy, dancefloor dub style 'Vibe Mix' makeover courtesy of Joy Jenkins. There's plenty to set the pulse racing across the rest of the EP though, from the Burrell Brothers-meet-Jovonn flex of 'Get Down' and the jazz-house/garage-house fusion of 'Sleeping City (Wake Up Mix)', to the organ-rich house positivity of 'Polygon Island' and the peak-time-at-Sound Factory NYC flex of Frits Wentink's fine revision of 'Airlift'.