Review: Vibez 93 is keeping shut on who they are, but word on the street is they are an already huge and established artist. Frankly, who cares, because the music has plenty to say for itself. This is the latest in a long line of big hitters that jungle fans old and new will immediately fall for. There are airy, spring time vibes on the lovely opener "One" and more dark and complex drums on "Evil Forces". "Passenger" ups the ante again with a flurry of snares and driving bass stabs, then "Ten Eighty Eight" closes out in elastic fashion with a real face melter.
Review: Vibez '93 has established itself as an essential destination for anyone interested in modern jungle iterations, not least the deeper end of the spectrum where ambient atmospherics meet with sharply-sliced breakbeats. Just check this new 12" on the label, credited to Vibez '93 itself and diving into some pitch-perfect amen juggling dreamscapes across four tracks. The pads are richly melodious, the beats rolling, the subs massive - sure, you might well hear the sound Bukem and co. pioneered back in the 90s on the likes of 'Affluence', but who could ever tire of that immaculate sound when it's done so right?
Review: The mysterious Vibez 93 returns to their white label series with more timeless breakbeat treats. Having moved away from the big bootleg styles, Vibez is now finding their own vibe with these powerful jungle-influence broken funk bombardments. Each cut sitting round that mid-late 90s era where both techstep and jungle were both dominant styles, highlights include the Moving Shadow style grace and breezes of 'Ripples' and the big dark booms of 'Self Aware'. The horn-heaved party power of the finale 'Blue' can't go without a shout either. Vibez by name, vibes by nature...
Review: Vibez 93 veers heavier than usual on their latest almost weekly jungle top-up, released again on their eponymous label (it's been so long, and yet it's still so not clear, as to whether Vibez is one person or many different "unknown artists"). So too is 'Brain Storm' an ironic name, since most brainstorming is usually done in silence, whereas this is just utterly cyclonic, flaunting an equally apt potential to the compel the body. On the A1, a suspenseful set of whodunit piano plinks pepper an otherwise industrial-strength dose of breaks shreddages. We're barely afforded any time to 'Cool Down' neither, not least since Vibez' idea of downtime amounts to little less than a further set of gnashings by the same backbeat. Only do 'Amigo' and 'Vulkaan', on the B, meanwhile, fully wrangle the listener with the ragga influence that was only teased so flirtatiously on the A, with straight-up taped-and -elaid soundclash samples, and lesional rapid-echo breaks, aplenty.
Review: From deep within the Fokuz empire, Vibez 93 continues to bring the fiercest blend of old-skool junglism and nu-skool production flair to utterly essential cuts for the widest of raves. On 'Midnight Owl' the pads spell out a smoky, immersive atmosphere, but that doesn't mean there's any hold back on the rolling breakbeat science. 'Violet' is a bit breezier in its demeanour thanks to some mellow chord licks and 'Forgotten' plummets into dank surroundings for a proper slice of breakbeat science as we've come to expect from this essential modern jungle label.
Review: A cheeky new haul of waspish, sampleholic drum & bass from Vibez 93, the jungle producer-outfit whose exact articulation as an artistic identity, we can never quite place. But this is one of the exact reasons we've warmed to his craft, aside of course from the sparsely calculating yet vasodilatory ecstasy emissive from their music. 'Never Say Never' coolly samples the eponymous Brandy song - a morbid fixation of the jungle and 2-step garage scenes, to name but one - to the point of hardly even needing to quantize it to the breaks-grid, and yet it still works. 'Believe' complicates matters with boxier breakbeat blisters and emphatic "mashup!" jeers, while 'Touch' makes a subtler series of contacts, tacitly stroking both lobes with no less aggro beat clutches and high-reg plucksynths. We end on 'My Luv', another cool reprieve from the fatally unrelenting grind of breaksweight.
Review: The latest EP from Rotterdam drum & bass outfit Vibez 93 is a peaking roll-tastic high. 'Tokyo & Paris' spatters four liquid d&b tunes of various shape and size, with 'M38' opening on an anthemic note to contrast the dynamic liquid sub squirms of the A2's 'Green Eyes'. The B1 hears a sampled verse breezily cruise the Italian Amalfi Coast, before its foil emerges on the hip-d&b title track closes on a stoner-step homage to European travel, soundtracked by the sounds of a concrete jungle.
Review: Fokuz Recordings' Vibez 93 sidesteps its total usual unknown artistry for a set of liquid drum & bass flips on 12", whose original artists are this time named. On the A comes an impactful, knockabout and yet tenor-toned pair of pop rerubs, of Racoon ('Love You More') and Dustin Tebbutt ('Resin') respectively. Then the B brings up a lighter and equally snappy energy, the record backing itself with strong claims to a free-flowing liquid langue, here with versions of DJ Spoony's 'Gabrielle' and NxWorries' 'Where I Go'.
Review: The mysterious Vibez '93 are as prolific as they come; the 'Bad Kingdom' EP is certainly not the first of this productive drum & bass project/imprint's outputs to make it through our floodgates this year. Four slices of various productive forces - ranging from paddy jungle ('Jelly Swim'), to an unusual foray for '93: drilled-out techstep ('Labrea'). Otherwise, expect no nonsense, as this record spans both casual and not-so-casual floorfillers.
Review: Vibez '93 bring four new effective jungle heaters to the fold, as ever welcoming yet another unknown (perhaps the same all along) artist. Here they successfully hark back to he early days of jungle (again, as ever), conveying the full retroactive meaning of the sound, 'Then & Now', in conjugating a full sonic sentence. Such is the way with carefully composed music, "lyrical" in comparison with well-written verse; the vibewise arc of the record is sinusoidal, with the title track kicking things off with a colossal shellage, preceding only the glossiest, least viscous of industrial liquids, 'Lucky'; with Vibez 93, ours never really runs out. Then there's 'Danny's Keys', a midnoon synthesis of the two, an outlet for plinky pianos and urban sonic sunshine; then 'Nero Noctis' casts a benevolent shadow upon all the land, guiding us through territories rendered invisible by way of an intense propulsion forward.
Review: Vibez '93 is on a roll, as we recall several of the Fokuz Recordings sub-outlet's best works through a throng of EP reissues. The 'Execution' EP is on the moniker's dirtier and rawer side, launching the listener's fledgling pirate voyage with 'Wheel Up' (its breakdown driven impeccably forward by acapella vocals from A Tribe Called Quest's 'Scenario'), followed shortly by the atmosfear-strikers 'Skazka' and 'Execution', and finally coming in to land on the axe-touting 'Execution', recalling the earliest of dark LTJ in its messy-hazy breaks, tribal calls and wiggly sound effects.
Review: Just in case the abundance of 90s nostalgists weren't evident enough, Vibez '93 is an entire drum & bass imprint / brand dedicated in name to a specific year. 'One More Time' is the utmost latest in this effort, which has, aside from this very moment, seen to many a compilation and Unknown Artist release across multiple labels. This time around, we're met with a fresh EP spanning reworks of various turn-of-the-millennium fixtures on the A, setting the stage for a more original foray on the B, the highlight of which is the undeniable trip-hop abstraction, 'Orange Moon'.
Review: Vicari brings some superb machine funk to this new EP on OGE. 'Angela' opens up with wobbly low ends that, to our ears, pay little tribute to a classic Mylo vs Miami Sound Machine riff, that are offset by snappy drums and some lush swirling melodies. After the fleshy and deeper dub comes 'My Spell' which is more bubbly, trippy and loose with its glistening sci-fi- pads and squelchy bass. The third and final original is a third different sound - 'Isolated From My Self'. This one is a jumbled of off-grid hits and detuned keys that brings great unbalance to the dance floor.
Review: DJ Balduin's Mountebank Scientific label tells us that VICARI is "a child of Sheffield's iron hymns and scientist of the subconscious dancefloor." The music he serves up on this new EP tell us he likes stripped-back minimal and tech for the wonky we hours of the morning. 'Freefall' is a skippy rhythm with pulsing synth modulations, 'Pipe Dreams' cuts loose on chunky house drums with off-kilter percussion and 'Dontlikewhatyoudointhere' is another roughshod, dusty and deep house jaunt with a mix of glistening digital melodies and muffled bass. 'Serious Misintentions' is the most trippy and electronic of the lot - a late-night collision of controlled chaos.
Tommy Vicari JNR - "What Kind Of Love Is This" (6:09)
Loopdeville - "Los Pollos Pos" (7:07)
Loopdeville - "Do You" (6:51)
Review: 'Celestial Dance' is Tommy Vicari Jnr and Loopdeville's latest, collaborative contribution to new label Foxtail. 'Go Again' and 'What Kind Of Love Is This' draw on the slung-down timbral strength of amapiano's log basses for reuse in crowd-busting house groovemanship: we hear giggly knock hits stiffening otherwise angelic house ambiences, making for staunch low-end scaffolds. Loopdeville's B-side is the real hoot, meanwhile, as crowd murmurs and restless rhythmic petri cultures heard to come to life across 'Los Pollos', before the r&b inflect 'Do You', which samples what sounds like Miguel, closes on a potent tearjerker.
Look In Your Eyes (Silverlining Night dub remix) (6:57)
Look In Your Eyes (Josh Baker remix) (6:56)
Look In Your Eyes (Lowris remix) (8:28)
Look In Your Eyes (Cosenza remix) (6:09)
Review: The ever wonderful Politics Of Dancing come with four remixes of label stalwart Tommy Vicari Jnr jumping, pumping house stormer 'Look I Your Eyes', each carefully crafted to cover slightly different areas of the dancefloor. The Silverlining Night dub remix takes pride of placer on the A-side, a mix of two halves for sure - it starts of all full pelt, adds a subtle layer of disco-style strings and then drops to a dramatic breakdown before re-building brick by brick. Josh Baker's version has a slightly 80s feel with its mechanised handclaps and swooping synths wrapped in echoey vocals, the Lowris mix is arguably the most no nonsense, straight ahead thumper and then we're left to luxuriate in the sumptuous ooze of Cosenza's dub house re-reub, taking us all the way back to the days of Guerrilla at their height. Capital!
Review: Since he made his vinyl debut two decades ago, Tommy Vicari Jnr has built up quite a catalogue - including EPs and singles on Robsoul, Cabinet Records and, most recently, Drifted Records. Here the Sheffield producer makes his bow on the fast-rising Rhythm By Nature imprint, kicking things off with the wonderfully titled 'Francis Bacon Sized Hangover' - a chunky, sub-heavy slab of slipped tech-house excellence with enough weird noises to delight even the most inebriated dancers. He slows things down on 'B Doll', a jazzy chunk of off-beat hypnotism blessed with LFO style bass and glassy-eyed chords, before opening side B with the light Red Rack'em influenced 'New Days'. To round things off, he drops the ultra-deep wonder of 'Vommer', a genuinely locked-in early morning treat.
Review: Viceversa is back on Rowle having last appeared here for the label's fifth release. His sound as subtly evolved since then but still comes with plenty of meaningful melodies and rich percussive patterns that bring something fresh to tech house. 'Sea Waves' opens with waves of synth and dubby drums sweeping you off your feet. The Floog remix is doused in echo and reverb for a more fleshy feel then 'Ocean Drive' is silky dub house with gloriously sleek lines. 'Circular Quay' is a darker one to close. A trio of top Romanians in Barac, Raresh and Sit have already been supporting these, which is high praise indeed.
Review: Although he's been releasing music since the tail end of the noughties, it's a while since vinyl lovers got the chance to hear fresh material from Trevor Vichas. This surprise 12" for the fast-rising Purveyor Underground Ltd label is therefore a welcome surprise. On title track 'Miss Nice' Vichas wraps jazzy guitar, keys and vocal samples around a chunky, loopy, filter-sporting deep house groove. Demarkus Lewis successfully takes the track up a notch or two on his accompanying remix, before Vichas doffs a cap to the jazz-fired Chicago boompty sounds of Greens Keepers and Mike Dixon on 'Monday Jazz'. The Come Connect mix of that track, which rounds off the EP, is a pleasingly bumpy, bass-heavy and energetic revision that's crying out for peak-time plays.
Review: This tasteful Spanish label always does a fine line in traditionally inclined deep house. Their latest drop brings together the talents of Andrew Lozano and Trevor Vichas. 'Don't U Feel It' kicks off with a playful skip in the drums and one of those spoken word vocals that add plenty of atmosphere. It's Demuir who remixes this one with even more light-hearted groove and jazzy Rhodes chords. Lozano and Vichas then offer 'With You' which keeps the dubby, smoky, frayed-edge house sounds rolling and 'Feel The Heat then brings a more upright groove with driving hits and swirling pads that speak to the soul.
Review: 'How Do You Do It?' We'd like to ask Victorious much of the same question, as his reissued four-track EP via Sex Tapes From Mars is a serious befuddler, leaving us with just that question at the tips of our lips. First released in 1997, this is a long-lost soulful vocal house seducer from the genre's golden era. The record became a quick cult favourite, and its status among heads has remained exalted to this day, going for obscene prices on the 'ogs (there should, of course, be more regulation). Victorious aka. Victor Davies hailed from Canada and had already released one other EP before this one, via the serendipitously named Sex Records. But 'Liquid Squid' is really the teuthid oozer of choice, its lustrously sweet vocals sounding as if they'd been sung in secret by an illegitimate lover and its various analogue knocks and hums working to splashy effect.
B-STOCK: Slight surface marks, record slightly warped
How Do You Do It? (4:14)
Living Without You (5:15)
All I Want To Do (5:53)
How Do You Do It? (The Poptastic mix) (6:29)
Everybody (4:51)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks, record slightly warped***
'How Do You Do It?' We'd like to ask Victorious much of the same question, as his reissued four-track EP via Sex Tapes From Mars is a serious befuddler, leaving us with just that question at the tips of our lips. First released in 1997, this is a long-lost soulful vocal house seducer from the genre's golden era. The record became a quick cult favourite, and its status among heads has remained exalted to this day, going for obscene prices on the 'ogs (there should, of course, be more regulation). Victorious aka. Victor Davies hailed from Canada and had already released one other EP before this one, via the serendipitously named Sex Records. But 'Liquid Squid' is really the teuthid oozer of choice, its lustrously sweet vocals sounding as if they'd been sung in secret by an illegitimate lover and its various analogue knocks and hums working to splashy effect.
Review: Vid remains one of the most prolific and inspiring artists operating in the Romanian scene these days, able to turn his hand to forthright groovers as much as more experimental, subliminal sounds within the minimal blueprint. On this record for Rawax he's seeming particularly open, bringing a bugging kind of funk to consummate club tool 'Genesis' before flipping the script for an airy, resplendent broken beat excursion fittingly titled 'Captain Hope'. It's an achingly melodic piece which does away with club moodiness to reach somewhere more explicitly emotional instead. 'Time Shuffle' resets the co-ordinates back to the heart of the night, unfurling one of those elegant, finely detailed grooves Vid makes his own.
Review: Capodopere's eighth release comes from the enigmatic Vid, a dedicated genre explorer not bound by usual rules. Side A's 'Transpose' features a groovy dub bassline and intricate percussion that mesh together into a hypnotic rhythm that invites fluid body movement and deep mental immersion. Vid's subtle, warm textures make it both a dancefloor weapon and a cerebral experience then side-B's 'Stereochord' shifts to a darker tone with sequenced patterns and a deep bassline underpinning industrial textures and eerie echoes. The track's relentless energy and nocturnal atmosphere make it a real afterparty gem.
Review: Darcoform present a captivating four-tracker where minimal frenetics collide with backend sonic mental processes, producing no end of strange fidgety sounds. With side A, Vid's 'Soundscapes' and Cim Pian's 'Visions Of Neverland' conjure a twin gnosis through slipping frameworks made up of 2-step breakbeats and vocal samples. On the B, Mtps unites introspection and groove in 'Book Of Truth', interlacing vampish textures and beats, presaging Durosai's closer 'Str8 Chillin' which lays back with its arms folded over a mechanised punctuatiosn: "rock the dance", it goes, in celebratory conclusion.
Review: Viels' Pensieri Ricorrenti EP offers four intense and high-powered explorations into deep techno, each track delivering its own distinct energy. Side - opens with 'Wujhca,' a blazing sci-fi journey with aggressive, percussive elements that feel dangerous and futuristic. This track sets a fierce tone, capturing the listener with its high-tech edge. 'Effetto Bilaterale' follows, a hypnotic banger that pulses with relentless energy, drawing you deeper into its rhythmic trance. On Side-2, 'Pensieri Ricorrenti' brings a tech groove that is compelling and seamlessly blends intricate layers of sound. The EP closes with 'Magnete Permanente,' a menacing track reminiscent of Jeff Mills, with its dark, powerful beats and a relentless drive that leaves a lasting impact. Pensieri Ricorrenti EP is for techno lovers seeking tracks that push boundaries and deliver intense, deep techno experiences.
Review: End Of Perception welcomes Italian label head and Acquario resident Viels for a first solo outing that is all about peak time techno with a meditative energy and strong mental imagery. These sounds sit well with those from country peers like Nuel and Donato Dozzy in that they are linear, loopy and full of spectacular sound design. 'Sospiri' is a swampy and dubby sound that is always shapeshifting, 'Movimenti Tellurici' is more intense and sounds like being trapped in a factory during peak production hours and 'Incompleti' has a deep space pulse. 'Destino' pairs thudding hits with synths that encircle you and lock you in the here and now.
Review: The seventh V/A release on Mary Yuzovskaya's Monday Off imprint lands on vinyl, with Viels, ORBE, D-Leria, and Yuzovskaya all contributing tracks. Each artist lending their tender efforts to a mutant techno march, Viels' 'Nero' and Orbe's 'Rigging' provide strong titular clues as to their muses; the first uses both the Latin word for "black" and the name of an ancient Roman emperor, suggesting might, militancy and nyctalopic mis-seeing in its dispatch of a blind sonic firestorm; the latter likens production to construction, with its central, low-sined wayfinder sound effect, and dusty hi-hat caroms, suggesting some vessels have windshields that truly can brave the storm. Yuzovskaya's 'Trouble' lands us in hot water, with its startled, far-off vocal snippets and knockout prattles in the left and right lobes; then there's B-leria's closer 'Battito', a living, breathing planetary entity, prone to emit eerily harmonic Close Encounters-style tones and whose atmosphere we dare not cross.
Review: Viewfinder returns to Rescan Records with their third release on the label, a four-track journey through house and techno. The A-side offers two straight-up house cuts, 'Solace' and 'Let Go', featuring infectious grooves, sampled percussion, and catchy stabs. Flip the record over for a techno turn, with 'Roxtone' pushing the BPMs higher and delivering a high-energy workout. Mihail P closes out the release with 'Natural High', a hypnotic blend of breaks, bleeps, and ethereal pads. With its diverse range of sounds and infectious energy, this release is a must-have for any fan of quality electronic music.
Review: Viikatory teams up with Source Material for a new 12" that builds on her recent work with Mechatronica, UTTU, and Trust. This time out she delves deeper into electro, techno, and beatless tracks and showcases a knack for laying down intense kicks and extreme bassline modulations. 'Leave' is a crisp and punchy opener with ghoulish synth energy, but the more wonky and roomy 'Deceptive Mind' with its low-slung and sleazy beats is a standout for us. A fine EP overall that is ready to rock the club.
Review: Viikatory and Manao's Alt Frequency EP showcases a captivating blend of styles, with two dreamy electro tracks on the A-side and two dynamic percussive techno tracks on the B-side. 'LQS' opens up with rising arps and percolating drum funk, while 'Target' has reverberating dub chords and a floating broken beat. 'XOXO' (Viika cut) ups the ante with thumping rhythmic intensity and some warped acid lines while the 'Manao cut' is a more lithe broken beat sound. Additionally, a fifth track is included as a digital download exclusive and each record is hand-stamped and comes with stickered artwork on the sleeve.
Review: Portuguese talent Vil has established himself at the forefront of the scene with music on Hayes, Klockworks, and Planet Rhythm. Now he unveils his first full-length album on Dolly's TS series with 'Birds Of Prey' which serves up raw, percussive grooves, distinctive house and techno elements and refined Detroit-inspired elegance. Across eight tracks, Vil proves himself to be quite versatile while serving up an immersive trip to the heart of the dancefloor while transitioning between deep, melodic, uplifting moments and darker, boundary-pushing beats. Vil's ability to balance energy, emotion and innovative soundscapes really shines through here.
Review: To Rotterdam's Planet Rhythm comes rising producer Vilchezz with a Homeric white label hardcore techno release, one which really pushes the boat out in terms of what could potentially be classified under the name. Hoisting an impossible bridge somewhere between genre peninsulas of speed garage and hard techno, 'Sunken In Robus' and 'Supra' achieve a difficult-to-achieve contrast of light and heavy, one that might otherwise not work without the hyper-minimal textures otherwise indulged. The titular and star track 'Odyssey' marks a return to vibey 4x4 techno form, though it is no less arresting; so does 'Fiebre', concluding the EP on an experimental industri-stratospheric number with which we might start our day right.
Review: **RAUM REPRESS** Although Ricardo Villalobos has already appeared on Raum Musik under the RiRom moniker together with Roman Flugel, the Baby EP is his first full release for the label. The title track sees a firm kick and wood block snares forming the backbone for a drifting piano chord and sensual vocals which lead to a climax of delightfully glitchy vocoder. On the flip, "hansup" takes on a tougher groove, as sprung bass and minimal house stabs are joined by ethereal chords and twisted vocal samples.
Review: Following the skittering, syncopated arrangements and left-handed excursions of 'Aslohop' and 'Detrant' back in September, Ricardo returns to Rawax with two more broken rhythms. 'Neunachi' is a classic Villalobos wonky shuffer with off-grid kicks and a rainbow of wet, cavernous noises. Take away the demonic reverse vocals and you're in microhouse territory. 'Detrant' is a much more driven affair, up-tempo and thicker, electro kicks off-set by a far-away chant. Each cut going the full nine yards; if ever we've had time to truly lock in to Ricardo's famously enduring grooves, it's right now. Neun out of ten.
Review: First of all, wow, how did this one already turn a quarter of a century old? It still sounds as wildly inventive now as it did back then and is fully deserving of this reissue. '808 The Bassqueen' is a truly mesmerising sonic journey that pushes the boundaries of electronic music with Villalobos's trademark blend of minimal techno and experimental soundscapes. He crafts a hypnotic and immersive mix of intricate rhythms, pulsating basslines, and deft synth textures that defy categorization and showcase Villalobos's mastery of groove and his ability to captivate listeners with subtle yet powerful sonic manipulations. This is the sound of a true visionary at work.
Review: Originally released in 1998, the title track is a hypnotic, rolling groove that helped shape the genre's future, its deep, pulsating rhythm and intricate layering exemplify Villalobos' signature style, making it a crucial piece in minimal's evolution. The Mood Mix on the flip stretches 'Heike' into a 13-minute odyssey, pushing its elements further into hypnotic terrain. Subtle shifts in percussion and melody build an entrancing, underground energy, capturing the essence of late-90s minimalism. This version transforms the track into a slow-burning, immersive journey, reinforcing why it became a staple in underground sets. Both cuts highlight Villalobos' early genius, demonstrating his ability to craft intricate, groove-heavy compositions with an enduring appeal.
Review: After a couple of quiet years Ferro's VBX label returns with a bang, as the esteemed Dutch minimal producer links up with none other than Ricardo Villalobos for a run of 'Ferric' jams. Enlightened souls should have some idea of what to expect here, as Ferro's snappy grooves collide with Villalobos' meandering sound collages to create psychoactive termites geared towards twisting out the dancefloor good and proper. This is proper minimal, with the percussion chiselled into fine clicks and pops to leave more space for the trippy elements to weave their magic. The quality comes assured from this new pairing, hopefully paving the way for more collaborations in the future.
Review: Some 14 years after he unleashed the original version of 'The Medium Is The Message' - an attractively deep and melancholic chunk of hypnotic, dub-tinged early morning techno hypnotism - Levon Vincent has decided to revisit and re-make the track on a surprise sequel. On the A-side 'Long Mix', his full vision for the track is materialised, with the original's familiar riffs re-played in hazier, harder form atop a raw, stabbing bassline, more subtly forthright beats and effects-laden percussive fills. It's a brilliant revision all told, which maintains some of the original's sonic poignancy whilst adding a little extra weight and energy. The flip side 'Short Mix' naturally compresses the action, emphasising his breathless percussion builds and the mind-mangling sonic stabs.
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