Back catalogue: Bass

Review: Well Street Records present their second release of 2022 and third in the Various Artists series. Enjoy 4 broken beat gems from emerging talents First Epoque, Practitioner, Planete and label head Robert Fleck. Limited pressing!

Review: London bass house specialist Mickey Pearce returns to Loefah's Swamp 81 with a new collection of floor pulverisers; the sort of tunes that make trends and break necks. "Warm Barzz" itself is on the docile side, but "Loop W" rapidly enters the abyss in what is surely one of the oddest drum loops we've heard from the man. "Sticky Fingerprints" is a lo-fi kinda number with eerie background sonics but still a prime cut for the dancefloor, while "Loop X" is completely broken, a mass of percussion held together by the darkness below it. Large.

Review: The latest drop in the Mysticisms Dubplate series welcomes back Persian for another round of reggae-inspired electronics. Once again the artist draws from across a spectrum of bass, digidub and breaks and also throws some jungle into the melting pot. Opener 'Survival Dub' is powered by classic breakbeats and great mic work that is sure to liven up any party. 'Smoke Mari' then slows it down to a fat dub with a vocal sample from a well-known smoker's anthem with plenty of mind-melting effects and stepping rhythms. On the flipside is 'There Is No Love' with a prime junglist drop and last of all comes 'Zatoichi's Troubles' which has devastating bass.

Review: The brilliantly dark world of breakbeats and stripped back techno that Illian Tape call their own gets that bit richer with this new EP from Pessimist. It kicks off with some rugged jungle rides that are coloured by bird calls, wood block hits and booming bass before 'The Crawlers' is a flurry of snares and hi hats that tie your mind and body in knots. The excellent 'Ridge Racer Revolution' is a hardcore track that never lets up, with flailing hits and hundred mile and hour breaks all demanding you dance. The closer is a dystopian cut of unresolved loops ad frazzled bass that lurches back and forth and traps you right where it wants you. Thrilling stuff.

Review: After a five-year hiatus, Peverelist makes a triumphant return with his latest solo offering on Livity Sound, celebrating its 60th release. Tom Ford's reputation for innovative and sharply-focused club music precedes him and is evident across the four tracks spanning a wide range of tempos. From the crooked formation and pointillist bleeps of 'Pulse I' to the strafing techno synths of 'Pulse III' and the surefooted, bass-loaded house jack of 'Pulse IV,' the E.P. showcases Pev's skillful craftsmanship and infectious melodies. It's a release that's both fresh and unmistakably Pev, sure to leave an indelible mark on club music enthusiasts.

Review: Scottish label Redstone Press carries on its scintillating run of recent form with Pseudopolis stepping up to tenderise the dance floor. The expressive 'High For Life' kicks off with the sort of bulky beats that demand a physical reaction while 'Euphoria Inc' is a deeper rhythm with blasts of bass, steely metallic drum sounds and broken, prickly beats. 'Haze Runner' is a rinsing jungle work out that will get the gun fingers out and closer 'High For Life' (Bassbin 23 remix) then sips down into another earth quaking rhythm with dusty breaks and lively bass work all tapping into a rich history of UK music.

Review: Enigmatic collective PVAS return to Isla Canada with an exploration of the idea of gut instinct - 'Somaesthesia'. As always, the vibe is offkey, freeform and buried in equal measures of low end and tension. The title track sets a woozy scene with a smothering, bewitching atmosphere before things build up in a variety of strange ways... 'Dream Resumption' starts as a techno wriggler before taking a u-turn into breakbeat territory, 'Schlesi Boat' is a voyage into the vortex while 'Visitation' closes on an ocean of fractures. Beguiling.

Review: The Horo label wouldn't be complete without the mischievous industrial patterns of Pact Infernal, a mysterious artist who specialises in all things on the grey end of the scale. Infernality is the artist's second LP for the imprint and, compared to his debut CD album, this dwells on much vaster, more cinematic landscapes that remind us of Prurient's top material. The A-side, a cavernous stretch of earth that goes from "Purification" to "Meditations", has been constructed with the notion of tribalism very much front of mind, and this builds at a constant rate to reach the climax of the B-side. "Principles" heads back to the nether zone with its eerie swarms of bass, while "Infernality" drops the listener into a thick swamp of loose beats and mind-bending background effects. The second vinyl follows the same steady path to all-out doom, dipping and rising at every turn with the help of powerful bass recipes floating in mid-air. It's an album of gloom, passion, dread and euphoria, all at the same time. Excellent stuff.

Review: As one third of the Hessle Audio triumvirate, Kevin McAuley - better known as Pangaea - has been responsible for some of the label's best releases. The eight track Release represents his most potent statement to date; continuing the rolling pirate radio techno direction he started with last year's Hex and Inna Daze EPs. Beginning with the Missy Elliot sampling "Game", he sets out the stall for the rest of the EP, a combination of tough, steeled-up steppers rhythms and dub techno textures. Whether listening to the abstract melodies of the title track, the blistering pace of the searing "Majestic 12" or the broken garage of Middleman, its clear that Pangaea is still light years ahead of the competition.