Review: London's 1-800 Girls brings cleanly garage and bright breaks to his All My Thoughts label, riffing on the combo of infectious aural hooks and brutalist sonics fashionable among the present chart doyens of UK dance music and techno. 'How I Feel' sounds like an innocent admission of affection in techno-garage form, pairing the flunky inter-jabs of 2-step garage with the cute-aggressive seethes of a repetitious sampled vox; the track centres on a nostalgic, airtight sequence of parapractic phonemes, onto which the listener may project their longings and amours. 'Signal' embraces both big beats and biomech squeaks verging on sports-whistles, while 'Like You Do' returns for a comparatively brooding burbler. Finally, 'Guy's Salmon' rounds things off on a dense sequence of yeahs and ohs, as ever building up a slow-burn of cool wonderment and openness.
Review: Digital Tape Recordings take it al the way back to 1994 here with the timeless early garage sounds of Dub Essentials Part 1 from 24Hour Experience. It captures the essence of UKG at the time and was first released on the definitive Nice N Ripe label. It has a range of sounds from the soothing depths and soulful samples of 'Feeling's Mutual' to the more clipped and bouncy 'Deeper (5am mix)'. 'Scatter' then layer sup jumbled perc and US house styles with rich organ chords and 'Mantra' again keeps it deep and rather sleazy with some filthy bass. Last of all is the slinky sound of 'Gone Loopy' to round out a classic.
Review: Digital Tape Recordings kick out another vital 12" on wax here, this time with a third part of their on going and excellent Deep Dub Essentials series. 24HR Experience is at the helm here with a quartet of house and garage collisions that bring the good times. 'The Heaven Track' is a classic US garage cut with stiff snares and low slung drums, and 'Touch The After World' is just as deep and warm. 'Just A Vibe' is the highlight at the end - nice New Jersey drum with warming organ stabs and a carefree groove that effortlessly sweeps you up off your feet.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Born 2 Be Free returns with a second sizzling slab of UKG-flavoured wax and this one from Azaad has a superb throwback feel thanks to the smart sampling. 'Untitled 92' hints at which period this artist has the most respect for with its silky smooth chords and thumping kicks getting you into a nice deep vibe before 'Outta My Mind' hist that bit harder with nice dry, scraping hits, bouncy bass and clipped vocal fragments. The classy vibes continue with 'Torn' which shuts down with a more high speed and slick sound smart snares and a rich, emotive vocal that finishes it in style. Three classy, timeless garage cuts.
Review: Plenty of neologistic fun can be had with the work "break", but we must admit that "breakflow" is a new one on us. Lisboa produtor b0n impresses such sonic and titular genii with a new, green-goo-hued four-track EP on Portgal's fantastical Magic Carpet label, spanning clean future progressive and garage-acid tempos. The title track and 'Sasha Palomal' only tease the unortho-breaks with tricky garage beats and straighter but admittedly still formative breaksteps; it's only by the point of the B-siders 'Positive Morph' and 'Fractures' that any such fluvial breakbeat is properly put back together and course-corrected. Be warned, the latter track moves through the nicely rare variants of freestyle and "electrance"; careful not to dance yourself to breakdown.
What You Want (feat Colonel Red - DJ Crisps remix) (7:14)
Let's Get Wild (Orlando Voorn remix) (6:30)
Review: Bouman is looking to establish itself in the deep house world and made a fine start with its first EO, This second one is another head-turner that comes from Benx with a couple of sweet remixes. 'What You Want' (feat Colonel Red) opens up with some soul-drenched sounds and lively drum programming topped with a great original vocal. 'Beautiful' is more warm house with smoky chord work that calls to mind early Kerri Chandler. A DJ Crisps remix brings some real bass weight and garage percussion and last of all, Orlando Voorn remixes 'Let's Get Wild' into a bulky techno roller.
Review: Melodiesinfonie, Bluestaeb and S. Fidelity join forces to form a powerful trio, unveiling a rich nonnet of tracks destined for the universal chillout space. Taking shape in a picturesque studio in the South of France - and then completed in centres from Zurich to Berlin - the likes of '365 P', 'Summertime In '92' and 'Just Give Me The Aux' carry on the sparse and material-sonic tradition that has in recent decades inflected the neo-soul and jazz-electronica worlds. Every track here sounds to have been made with what sounds to the most apparently humble means available; rimshot clicks, wooden hits, impassioned hums and coos, Rhodes chords here and there. Loyal to one rule and one rule only - "we need to stay in the room together to make this a record that feels exciting to us" - the result is an evenhanded five-track flirtation with soul-bearing passion, toeing the hobline of cool and hot.
Review: Long dormant has laid the tried but true practice of dubstep and garage artists sampling classic horror movie dialogue, pre-drop. We're thoroughly happy to hear that new Peaky Beats sublabel Brainjuice have gone and resurrected this zombie for us. This four-tracker from the label hears label heads Peaky and Vel carefully and creatively work in as-yet unknown samples to the stew; some kind of Frankensteinish exclamation on the dubstep A1 laments the feeding of a monster "human brains", while the breakstep A2 'Bacon Dance' hears more timestretched, dystopian vocals amid wobbles. 'Don't' leans more into the kind of melodic dubstep that likes to sample R&B acapellas, and is the most refreshing of the lot.
Review: Peaky Beats is a great name for a label that serves up such irresistible house and garage jams as it has so far over its first eight EPs. This ninth outing is no less desirable, coming from the in house production team in collaboration with Breakfake. 'Life In Stereo' hits a perfect note between kinetic drums and soulful, jazzy chords deigned to melt the heart. 'Rat City' is more filthy - a warped bassline screws about beneath more sleazy broken beats. 'Chapel Town' brings low end dubstep wobble to the party and 'Dub The Acid' is another filthy dirty skanker with echoing hits and mutant bass.
Review: Brother Aten debuts on Bruk with a minimalist masterpiece featuring the detached vocals of Ze R. This tidy 10" is influenced by cult sci-fi and early 80s no wave so naturally presents a stark, synthetic soundscape devoid of excess. The title reflects its mood: Aten's mechanical mantras are crafted with precision on outboard instruments and explore gritty, futuristic worlds. On 'Unavailable,' resonant drones create a platform for Ze R.'s initial deadpan delivery which reveals deeper humanity as the track unfurls through crisp drums. The brief yet impactful two-parter, 'Fragmented Dystopia' is a taste of Aten's cyberpunk vision while Ze R.'s words oscillate between structure and chaos.
Review: Shanti Celeste's Peach Disc sure has served up some juicy club ready fruits over the last couple of years. Often it comes from breakout new names who impress with their inventions and now it is Cloudsteppers at the buttons with this Aqua Hotel EP. The cut gets going on a hurried garage beat with warped bass and nice balmy synth work that is colourful and soulful in equal measure. 'Control' then cuts more loose with warped synths and neon colours, clipped vocals and real garage house drive, 'Duckstep' is pure bait with its old school FM basslines and tin-pot percussive clatter and 'TDG' shuts down with a deeper but no less brilliant garage vibe defined by clipped bass motifs and kinetic kicks.
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: First released way back in 1994 on Kevin Saunderson's KMS label, Dionne Warren's Brian Hall-produced deep house gem 'Feel Da Rain' gets a new lease of life thanks to Windsor, Ontario imprint Collective Rhythm Network (CRN). While the original 12" also featured rubs from Alton Miller and Stacey Pullen, it's D'Pac Patel's dub . a warm, rolling, US garage influenced deep house workout rich in tactile organ stabs, superb grooves and short samples of Warren's vocals - that has become the most sought-after version. On this 12", we get Patel's full-length dub (it was edited down on the original 12") and a previously unreleased 'Rhodes Dub' that adds extra electric piano action for added warmth and flavour.
Review: DJ Crisps taps into a menacing garage vibe on this no-frills, all-killer new EP via South London Pressings. Opener 'Styla' has naughty low ends and punchy drum programming with plenty of post-dubstep wub-wub goodness and eerie urban melodies. 'Hold Tight' will have the gun fingers firing off left right and centre with its rude-boi vibes and 'Adolphy Sax' then channel masters like Groove Chronicles with its dry, dusty drums and hits, lush chords and sexual sax lines. 'Too Shy' (feat Ell Murphy) is perfectly sleazy yet sultry vocal garage closer.
Review: We live a bit of DJ Perception here at Juno H. He is an original garage great who keeps on cooking up the goods. This latest missive comes on the small but well-formed South London Pressings and features off the classic 'Future (feat Russ).' It's a soul drenched sound with acoustic guitar licks flailing above breezy breakbeats that will be perfect for once the sun comes out, not least with the most Balearic top lines that break out midway through. The Benny Ill Heavenly remix is a more shuffling garage cut but still one packed with real heat.
Review: A melting pot of UK garage, house and bass, DJ Swagger's latest release on Berlin-based label, 777, is a fascinating exploration in structure and chaos. Opening track, 'Thanks Felix', moves at lightspeed - a thrilling race through a gritty arrangement of blunted kicks, shifting in and out of focus, moving between order and disorder. 'Fingerclut' emerges with an instantly more house-facing feel - a satisfyingly hypnotic groove spirals in a circle motion, featuring a cyclonic gathering of subtle flecks of percussive variation over the course of the track. Offering a spliced, glitched-out take on contemporary bass, 'Final Bout' journeys through moments of airy weightlessness before being thrown back into the growling, driving bass section of the track. The perfect tension builder, 'Full Cycle', is an ingenious tease of a track, skillfully building up to, you guessed it, even more build.
Review: Knee deep in the foundations, head high in the clouds, anchored by bass: Robin Clarke's Dream Cycle is the perfect match for Sneakers Social Club. Across five tracks he runs the gamut through precision 2017 vision; "Dream 93" is a steppy drop into a slo-mo rave, "Start While It's Hot" tips a nod to the warmer tones of Detroit with its lilting chords and persistent drums, "Sour" dusts off its reeboks for a little garage hypnosis while "Paradise State" is a hardcore flashback with strong twangs of early Moving Shadow. Closing with a mesmerising ambient remix from Them & Us, it's yet another unique trip from the friendly trainer crew.
Review: The brand new Mush Trax label makes a head-turning debut here with some naught garage and house cuts from the depths of Dorset. Footprint opens up with the straight-up shuffler that is 'Light It Up. It's got old school flavours all over it - the piano stabs, the original Chicago house vocal and the melodies. It's the same story with Dunman's 'Hot' with its filthy backless bass stabs, yelping vocal cries and steel-plated US garage drums. Completing this highly effective EP is Ash Brown with another throwback garage anthem in 'Whompa.'
Review: Groove Chronicles are as legendary as it comes when you're talking about garage acts. They have such a rich legacy and it dates as far back as 1997. The dup known as Noodles & Dubchild are now back with another 12" that is going to fly off the shelves and offer up their much sought-after Brokenstep edits. These have been getting big time plays from influencers like Gilles Peterson and Bradley Zero and take in sax-led good time grooves, bustling broken beats and blissed-out instrumentals.
Review: First released on Nice & Ripe in 1994 when it was produced by early UK house and garage dons Grant Nelson, Si Firmin, and David Thackeray, this track has been remastered for the first time. The reissue comes on Digital Tape Recordings and sounds as good as ever, especially given the current revival of original garage. Reminiscent of their iconic 24hr Experience and GOD releases, it opens with the gritty and low slung sounds of '1 2 Luv', features the more thumping 'Sampler', diva vocal cries of 'Groovement' and stripped back version 'Dubment'.
Review: Jhobei, an emerging artist with a growing reputation in the electronic music scene, is set to make his mark with the Age Of Virality EP on Enzo Siragusa's label. Known for his deep and expansive sound, Jhobei kicks off this EP with 'Swarming,' a dynamic track that uses a slithering bassline to lead a garage-influenced journey through punchy lows and catchy vocal snippets. Following this, 'Machine Language' blends playful, sweeping melodies with a dose of robotic funk, creating an engaging auditory experience. On Side-2, 'Defusion Solution' takes listeners on a late-night odyssey with its syncopated percussion and cosmic vibes, while 'Rising Sun' offers a refined, laid-back progression with smooth organic rhythms. Overall. a very enjoyable record with a lot of creativity.
Review: Described as a release "made by wrong'uns, for wrong'uns", Wrong'uns 001 hears artists JoeJoeMojo, Oward, Rewi De Kooney and Mehlor join forces for some serious bassweight united. Exemplary 2-step, speed garage and bass compiled into a single EP for the modern zeitgeist, and packaged under the visage of a stoned, grilled bucket-hatter, the likes of 'Crackz' and 'Meet With The Devil' stick out like throbbing sub-bled ears, hardcore-continual conches for a next gen eager to prove their mettle.
Review: Gun fingers should very much be locked and loaded before you drop the needle on this eight volume of the 2tuf 4u label's Undeniable Grooves series. It's another rich various artists affair that covers all bases: Johnny U-Tah keeps things dry and 2steppy with 'Sun Comes Up' and Fresh II Waves then bring a US garage feel with the horn stabs of 'Scream N Shout.' Confused Identity & Gungo Peas's 'U Gotta Mov' is an irresistible lithe and nimble garage shuffler with cut up vocal stabs and Stixy D & Tempreture keep it deep, low-slung and dubby with their late night gem 'Camden Palace.'
Review: East London MC Jus Rival teams up with Camden's Joe Fire here for a hard-hitting new track 'G.M.S (Gun Man Sound).' Following their previous collaboration on 'Dangerous Settings,' the duo builds on their undeniable chemistry for another explosive release with some serious low-end heft. Produced by grime heavyweight Spooky Bizzle, the brass-laced instrumental provides the perfect backdrop for both MCs to shine and Jus Rival opens with a catchy hook and sharp bars, while Joe Fire takes over with a playful, yet commanding verse. Accompanied by a slick visual directed by Honey JD,tihs one is defined by its dynamic delivery and relentless energy.
Review: Karen Nyame KG, aka the "Goddess of Rhythm," presents her new EP here and it's another one designed for big things. The title track, 'The Remedy,' is a classic soulful house sounds with great bounce and glossy jazz infusions that are perfect for the last days of summer in the UK. Meanwhile, also included is 'Ritual', which is a stark contrast featuring nods to her Afro-electronic roots. It boasts a powerful low end, seductive horns, an earth-shaking bass line as well as a rhythmic groove that makes it a standout club weaponon the newly established London label One Level.
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: Killjoy's Straight 2 The Neck EP delivers four vibrant UK Garage tracks guaranteed to ignite any party. Side-1 starts with 'Heat In The Dance,' a catchy mid-tempo breaks track featuring a swirling, atmospheric drop that captivates from the get-go. Following this, 'Paradise' (4x4 mix) brings a heavy garage bassline infused with elements of 90s house, creating a nostalgic yet fresh sound. Side-2 opens with 'Lighter Massive,' an energetic and busy house track designed to shake the dancefloor. The EP closes with the title track, 'Straight 2 The Neck,' which blends jungle influences with bouncy, MC sample-laden beats for a high-octane finish. Killjoy's Straight 2 The Neck EP is a fun and dynamic addition to the UK Garage genre, showing the diverse influences and infectious energy throughout.
Review: Theo Kotts taps into some irresistible garage magic here on the cult Fuse label which has long been dominating the sound of the London underground. 'Dark At 3pm' is an urban sound with subtle nobs back top the original UKG sound with dark breaks and fizzing synths. 'Forward Motion' is a nice bouncy slammer with some balmy pads softening the edges and 'Glow' brings a little more heady melody to the fore, although the drums still cruise nicely. 'In Search Of' shows yet another side with crispy breaks and pitched up vocal hooks while 'Strides' slips into darkness once more.
Review: Crosstown Rebels compere Damian Lazarus teams up with fellow musician and singer-songwriter Jem Cooke, with new track 'Searchin'': a primeval precognition of the big bad boss man's upcoming fifth album on the label, Magickal. Though it's been released digitally with a focus on Bullet Tooth's remix on the B-side, this blue-innered vinyl edition compiles all three of the track's versions, also clocking a sure-to-be much-spun Radio Slave remix on the B. The original is an FM-led brooder with posterities of bleep techno and darkside fidget house. Cooke's vocals belt searchingly against burbling synthwork, while Bullet Tooth's remix takes a tempting dark garage turn, risking briar-shod paths of bass as Cooke's refrain is made gothic. Slave's version is, as ever, hardly slavish, preferring a more tensile daytime vibe of subtle piano and muted vox.
Review: "Underground dance music" got its name for a reason: the black market is where the good stuff is! The ninth release on the underground-allusive, daytime-elusive Undergroove label moot a congregation of sound spivs, turntablist tricksters, deep house dealers, and many other scraggly clientele, for a fresh and unregulated yield of homegrown Lyon talent. Said to have channelled electro house and garage house going in, lord knows what has come out the other side, but we can aver its dankness: Lazer Man and and Funktroid nod to twin moods of desperation and forbearance commonly seen in criminal underworlds, with the stoic grind of the street represented in unfazed, steely electro beats. Real fiends only let loose on the B-side, where Local DJ's 'Dreams Of Radio' and Aladdin's 'The Ali-ens' quell any residual fears through glitchy purples and ghostly tech backings.
Review: Hidden Folder label head Christopher Ledger is back with another slamming outing, this time in the form of his NRG 12". For this one he draws on a love for and understanding of breaks, garage, house and tech and kicks off with the filthy dirty and brilliantly sleazy 'NRG' with its wub-wub bassline sure to get lips curled in mock disgust. 'How Do You Like It' is a more prickly and spaced out dollop of industrial tech house, 'Back 2 Bass' is a thrilling blend of tightly programmed beats and big chord stabs and 'This Way, Please' is cruising party pumper. A Donnie Cosmo remix of that cut close with more excellent sleazy garage house bounce.
Review: Next up on the To The Rock label are four firing remixes of the Danny J Lewis tune 'Best Friends'. The original is a real UKG classic but any measure and one of the tunes of the year back when it first landed back in 1999. It's got plenty of London swagger endnote of that is lost in any of these reworks. Chicago's Garett David opens up with some dancing chords and tight, shuffling drums, newcomer Late Nite City then slips things back and goes a little deeper with his more seductive take and and multi-instrumentalist Mom Tudie layers in the soul with his more heartfelt version and funky guitar twangs. The Dominic Spreadlove remix might be the best of the lot with a nice pitched up vocal hook and dry as you like drums.
Review: The Full Circle label is building up a fine head of steam early on and this third EP is a throwback garage classic. It's a re-release of a cult gem from Danny J Lewis with the steamy vocals of Danielle Gaga. 'Spend the Night' has it all - the hooky and soulful vocal, the dry percussive drums, the infectious swing and the lush chords. As well as the H-Man dub, there are other versions including one from tech house tian Archie Hamilton, a super smooth VIP dub and a Disco Edit that layers in some cosmic arps and leaves the great original vocal intact.
Review: The man, the machine, the legend! Anile makes his return with two utterly outrageous remixes of LSB's classic 'Potshot'. First up comes the d&b version that plunges you down to submarine levels before pull you up too quickly and giving you the bends. Need something a little slower with more swing but hits just as hard? Jump on that garage version. Holy moly. Welcome back Anile!
Review: You thought you knew UK garage, but you didn't know Chris Mack. First released in 1998 on the very same label on which it comes out now - Old Soul - 'Set It Off' is a phenomenal primer on how little effort it truly requires to make a rager of a 2-step garage track. Though it first appeared on the scene as a B-side, it brings an extra slaparound, A-face fodder to it. Ever-so-slight reverb on drums contrast the song's otherwise un-messed-with mix, which retroactively makes us balk in the face of the comparatively overproduced nu-garage we often hear today. The original dub strips things down even further, allowing a bodying reverb on the "here we go" vox to interline seamlessly with the jazz stingers.
Review: Copenhagen's Main Phase continues his ascent in the bass world with a new EP that fuses UK influences and Euro house into four club-ready tracks that again embody his genre-blending style. Effortlessly ranging from UKG and speed garage to dubstep and jungle, he brings a fresh energy with a subtle nostalgic undercurrent. As co-founder of ATW Records alongside Interplanetary Criminal, he's helped shape the new wave of UK-inspired sounds with past releases on Hardline Sounds, Locked On and ec2a. This time out he offers the elastic bump of 'Playa Hataz', the chord-laced shuffle of 'Bring It Back' and vamping new school garage funk of 'Bumpa Riddim' which has been a big one for Burnski. 'Until The AM' closes with a proggy hurry.
Passing The Impassable (Come Rudeboy remix) (5:24)
Hornet's Nest (5:52)
Can I? (Oxide remix) (5:38)
Verbal Glock (5:24)
Review: Shall Not Fade/Time Is Now hook up a new initiate, fellow hair-raiser producer Mance, for a sharp bee sting in the vein of true-blue speed garage and spindle-warbling 2-step, 'Passing The Impassable'. The EP also incorporates shed thoraxes from breakbeat and an extra special ocular compound eye from bass music, making for a trad British, room two feel. All weighty, and with the force of a wasps' nest gone ballistic, we lead with the inflated basses and surface-tense, sped outbuilding dynamics of the title track's Come Rudeboy remix, the rudest of the lot. Then 'Hornet's Nest' fronts an 808ing, samply-wamply crumpler, marking a full-on nailing of fatness; not long before the garage door is again prized open on Oxide's new version of 'Can I', giving subsequent rise to the minimal afterthought 'Verbal Glock'.
Review: The Phonogramme label is a real stamp of house quality, whether serving up deep, French or garage-tinged. This new 12" from Lucas Monet does a bit of all that and more. 'Low Gravity' (feat Dusty Fingers - Deeper dub is a classic New Jersey sound with neon chords and Kerri Chandler kicks. 'Losing You' (Paradise mix) has a more optimistic and upbeat feel with organ stabs and finger clicks and 'Deep In The Blue' (937 club mix) has a little more jack and swing to it. 'Music' (UKG Private mix) shuts down with an irresistible old school groove full of love.
Review: 'Done Me Wrong' is one of trailblazing Glasgow label Numbers' essential cash cows. The track is etched into the brains of most clubbers still out today, owing to that short but sweet, mid-2010s interregnum that somehow bridged the gap between UK funky, post-dubstep, future bass and Night Slugs adjacent 'wave'. As is the case with the Hyph Mngos and the Midnight Request Lines of the era, producer Mosca seems to have touched a collective nerve with this one, one that lent the 'Done Me Wrong' a self-starting energy that served to promote itself; or perhaps that's an illusion, as it was, of course, rinsed to death on Rinse FM, and included in many a post dubstep DJ set too. Whatever the case, 'Done Me Wrong' and its inverse 'Bax' reflect the playfulness of a transitory era in bass music, being two of those tunes that, despite all our genre namedrops, never quite fit into any neat box.
Review: Almost a year after it debuted on digital download, Mr X's most celebrated single for Vega Records finally lands on wax - and in expanded EP form, too. Lead cut 'The Curse' is a terrifically energetic, sweat-soaked affair with incessant electric piano riffs riding a breathless base of swinging, bumping house drums, deep bass and echo-laden percussion fills. The mysterious, New Jersey-based producer remixes it himself on 'The Curse (Revisited)', opting for a darker, moodier sound and loose-limbed, Kenny Dope-esque drums. He also offers up two bonus cuts: the funky bass-propelled jack-track 'The Underground', and the low-slung, heavily edited disco-house throb of 'B-Side Only'.
Review: For his latest release, Tommy Musto delves into his venerated DAT vaults to unearth a treasure trove of mid-'90s NYC gems that are sure to excite house heads. These four tracks capture the essence of the legendary likes of Red Zone, Club Zanzibar, Twilo, and Sound Factory scenes and do a fine job of evoking the vibes that legends like Frankie Knuckles, Tony Humphries, Roger Sanchez, Tommy Simonelli, Masters at Work, and David Morales were all spinning back in the halcyon days of house. Now, you can own a piece of that iconic era with these deep cuts sure to bring back that classic house sound in some style.
Review: There's something pleasingly matter-or-fact about Moxy Muzik's edit series, which offers up single-sided revisions of classic cuts from uncredited producers. The series' latest instalment is something of an anthem in waiting - to our ears, at least. It offers a revolutionary remake of a classic hip-hop/hip-house cut, with elements of the rap periodically rising above a warped, bassline house style bassline (original Niche heads will love it) and chunky, floor-friendly beats that sit somewhere between 'dark garage' era Armand Van Helden, two-step and 4/4 London garage. It's big, bold and guaranteed to get dancefloors going. Job done!
Review: The inimitable Santonio Echols/Next Generation have penned many a great soulful house hit and one of them is 'Bad For Me' which now arrives as a remix package on the NCM Label out of Detroit. First up is Eddie Fowlkes's dub which brings nice warm, smeared chords and allows the vocal to pop out of the mix and bring the sunshine. Ron Carroll's club mix has a little more direct energy in the drums, then the Emanuell Groove mix is a funky one with steamy sax notes up top and nice loose drums. Last of all, the Mannywya Deep dub mix slows things right down to a late-night crawl.
Review: Garage innovators Time Is Now show they are a long way from done yet with another raw and essential 12" to kick off 2024. This one comes from Network and kicks off with 'Lose Control', a track that has it all - the bass-heavy low end, dusty percussion and alluring r&b vocal. 'All Night' is another that will pop right off with its zippy synth lines and seductive female coos, 'Falling' is more fractured in its digital melodies and chopped-up vocal refrains and the flipside keeps the good times coming. 'Desire' has warm and steamy, 'Be There' is an old school number and 'This Ain't Love' is a sixth sizzling cut with more original vocals really making the tunes standout.
Review: The second instalment of Brownswood Recordings' Remix Editions series features two dancefloor hitters; one from new kids on the block Izco & Reek0 and the other from sub-bass heavyweight Coki. Each producer turning their hands to a remix from a different track from Oreglo's debut EP, 'Not Real People', both efforts turn out to be massive. Izco and Reek0's version of 'Levels' opens the proceedings with a stargazing march, fusing motifs of amapiano, carnival and UK jazz. Coki's flipside is much more dubious, working in a much lower dubstep register, and filtering Oreglo's original 'Opedge' jazz instrumentation into a mnemonic groundwork for a grime-caked heater.
Review: Pangaea's latest album Changing Channels comes a notable seven years after his debut, In Drum Play, and again hears the Hessle brain lay down a whopping demo in dance histrionics. Made in a period of oscillation - between international DJ sets and holidays of downtime and r&r - we get the impression of a remarkably clear-headed album, with the production crisp, and the choice and placement of samples neat. On this 12", we hear the LP's first part, with the no-fuss garagey 'Hole Away' and the stabby 'Changing Channels' piquing particular interest.
Review: It's been a long time since we heard from Pangaea, one of the three famous faces who made up the original Leeds label come ubiquitous DJ's DJ's DJ imprint - Hessle Audio. Though perhaps less appreciated than his contemporaries Ben UFO and Pearson Sound, now's his time to shine again: Changing Channels is his second ever album, following up 2016's In Drum Play (which for all its quality, rough, juddering techno experiments, will always line the shelves of many a budding selector). Like its predecessor, oddball bassy techno is here Pangaea's preferred mode, whether reflected in the sassy femme vocal cutups of 'Installation' or the spitting basses of 'Squid'. This is one of two vinyl 12"s over which the album is spread; an effort to enhance its playability for DJs.
Review: Pangaea and Leonce's collaboration feels like a natural evolution of their respective sounds. 'Dusted' takes the more energetic route, drawing from UKG's signature drum patterns and crisp, chopped-up vocals. There's a weightlessness to it that feels characteristic of Pangaea's style, with the track riding that fine line between chaos and precision. It's rapid but controlled, capturing the essence of the UKG sound without resorting to tired cliches. On the other hand, 'Stuck' leans into a more understated vibe, pulling from the foundation of 90s US club music. It's relaxed, more patient in its progression, with a warm, spacious quality that contrasts nicely with the jitteriness of 'Dusted.' The contrast between the two tracks showcases the range of both artists: while they're clearly rooted in different scenes, they've found a way to merge their influences in a way that feels both fresh and familiar.
Review: Nug Nation Vol. 2 is here for all your high-energy and nuggety needs. This one is another four-track journey into club-ready sounds that pick up where the first instalment left off. It's a knowing mix of golden era house and progressive influences with a contemporary twist from the back-to-the-wall prog-trance-techno of 'Three Of Hearts' to the unrelenting machine drum sounds of 'Hyperdrive'. 'Are U Ready (Flight To Toulouse mix)' is brilliantly clipped and bouncy and 'You Don't Know (Another Nother mix)' is a turbocharged face-melting tackle for fun dance floors only.
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.
… Read more
in stock$16.49
Artikel 1 bis 50 von 69 auf Seite 1 von 2 anzeigen
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.