Drum & Bass Recommendations August 2013

Review: You don't get much more junglistic than Ed Solo and on this latest release from Jungle Cakes, you've guessed it, some sticky, sweet jungle is the order or the day. "Smoke The Weed" is a classic jungle mashup, and with Canadian bass master Stickybuds on hand to provide some serious breaks it quickly escalates to an all-out skanking session. Before you can pass it on, "Joker Smoker" adds retro brass and guitar to build the reggae funk as the track fragments into not one but two different breakdowns providing the basis for some serious dancefloor workouts. Don't sleep on this.

Review: Two hip-swinging jungle joints from booty-bass bootleg kings Deekline and Ed Solo... With Rubi Dan's inimitable chatter and chubby roll on the bass, "Zunga" is an instant 'sing along' smasher, saturated in reggae juice and sun dried on the Jamaican Blue Mountains. "No No No", meanwhile, sees the Dawn Penn classic go under the expert knives of the Serial Killaz. Bulging with bulbous bass, the skank factor is set to max and the vocal is positioned perfectly in the mix... You really can't fail with this.

Review: Flipping the switch from their recent disco funk collaboration with Kathy Brown, AI delve deep into D&B's dark history books with this incredible tribute to the mighty Dillinja (the clue is in the title). "What You Had" plays the perfect foil, not only soothing your soul with Steo's honey-coated vocal but showing yet another side to AI's seemingly never-ending list of talents. Deliriously good.

Review: Ulterior Motive's recent signing to Metalheadz is clearly developing well. Hot on the heels of their "Elephant Tune" label debut comes this spooked out savage stepper. Utilising a classic two chord swoon, it's an instant trip to the furthest realms of space with nothing but an iPod full of classic jungle to accompany you. "Forgiven" is equally as brutal; distorted bass and rusted amens lead the charge before Peta Oneir's vocal takes over the mix with Lamb-like presence. Essential.

Review: Serious remix vibes abound on this long-awaited double 12" from Renegade. InsideInfo initiates proceedings with an absolutely foul remix of "Killa Bees". Making it even more elastic and funky than it was before, it's an absolute beast. Maztek's take on "Inception" follows similar suit thanks to a cool array of percussive elements and a unforgettable guttural bass groan. Optiv & BTK then return the favour and take Maztek's "Limber" into an old industrial work yard and strip it down to its bare industrial components. Finally Verb takes on Future Cut's classic "Whiplash" and boosts it up to planet 2013 with some of the heaviest drums you'll hear all year. Insanely massive.

Review: It must have been a tricky task trying to work out which four bangers to take from his album Golden Ticket for this massive double 12" - the whole album is stacked with hugeness! Suffice to say Hospital have picked a great spread. Disco and electro lovers will be all over "Get On It" thanks to its crafty sample use. "Make It Weighty" shows Danny at his darkest with pulverising stomps and a spitfire lyrical exercise from Serocess. Elsewhere we get all trappy happy on "Bang" while "Golden Ticket" causes emotional meltdown thanks to some great string vibes and a rich soulful vocal.

Review: No one thought it was possible, but the second volume of Exit's Mosaic series looks even better than the stunning launch volume. Need persuading? Just press play. "Eyes Down" is an uncompromising techy tribal affair, "The Way" is a lush, yearning soulful stepper trembling atop a bed of oozing sub, "Eric Bristow" is an emotive driver, charged by crisp nylon string acoustic guitars while "Fist Level 2B" leads us down a deep, dark alley and switches off every light possible. Genuinely beautiful.

Review: The third release from Nu:Logic's forthcoming monster album What I've Always Waited For is full of old-school bounce and joi de vivre. Channelling that unmistakeable Hospital sound from back in the day, both Nu:Tone and Logistics have worked hard to push a fresh outlook on dancefloor drum & bass, creating a niche or themselves in the process. Fuelling rapid-fire breaks with garage and house influences and a big bassline-warped bottom end in the title track and cloaking DRS' dark lyrics with neuro in the surprisingly heavy flipside, expect their LP to be on every essential list this year.

Review: Ram Records' drum & bass superstar Hamilton can be assured a huge welcome every time his tunes drop. Since his breakthrough track "Soundboy" in 2009, D&B royalty have queued up round the block to experience his latest tracks in the live environment - the place where they were meant to be. Ahead of an upcoming debut LP, "Heartbeats" is the latest smash in the Wilkinson canon, collaring Roc Nation's BBC Sound of 2013 nominee Arlissa and the legendary P-Money for vocal duties with commercial success clearly on the menu. This 12" is tailored more for the clubs with killer remixes from Mind Vortex and Calyx & Teebee.

Review: Arguably one of the biggest D&B tunes this year, Shogun have rebooted Rockwell's ghetto-tech influenced banger to limited vinyl status. If you've not heard it yet, imagine Joey Beltram getting remixed by DJ Assault then bootlegged by Black Sun Empire. And you're still only half way there - this genuinely is unique. As is "Back Again" which wears its Detroit influences even prouder on its sleeve, the short, sharp edits to the juke-style riddim give it a distinctive rump-shaking edge that no one in drum & bass has ever come close to before. Essential.

Review: Hamilton continues to cause havoc in D&B playlists across the globe with the third in his "Schema" series. "The Way I Feel" balances rushy, midnight rave tingles and similar emotional chord structures to his label mate Wilkinson with a brooding bassline and a firecracker breakbeat. Flip for his VIP of his 2011 slammer "Brainstorm". Extending that distinctive bass stench with more of a metallic, waspy sheen, it's a one way ticket to Reload Central.

Review: Initially released digitally back in May, the Gutterfunk assisted collaboration between DJ and singer Jenna G is now given a shorn down 12" pressing for the vinyl heads. If you've not heard it yet, "1000 Soul Singers" is a well executed slice of radio friendly dancefloor material that pays tribute to classic soul; all caramel vocals, retro strings and clean, quantized beats. Of course this being a Gutterfunk release, the formula is given a twist with the addition of some accelerate DnB beats in the chorus. Here it's presented in extended mix format and is complemented by Addison Groove's remix on the flip which showcases his MPC skills and then some.

Review: Bringing the old school flavour like only two D&B scene heads possibly can, Power and Rolodex lay out a series of steppy beats and processed amen fills while Khadija delivers a Destiny's Child-level vocal. With cool samples and dynamic switches, it's contemporary nostalgia at its most powerful and rewindable. Rolodex's "Chromium", meanwhile, is a much more straightforward stepper that oozes reference points from Origin Unknown to Dillinja. Vibes galore.

Review: Some two year's after Exit Recording's era defining Mosaic compilation, D Bridge ushers in the next stage of the Autonomic sound with a second installment. Whilst that debut compilation was closely associated with the surfeit of artists with close ties to Exit, this second volume sees D Bridge look farther afield for contributions and this is reflected in the broader tone of sounds you will find across the three double LP parts that make up Mosaic Vol 2's physical release. Part One sets the tone, drawing in works from the likes of Machinedrum, J Kenzo, Om Unit & Sam Binga and Kryptic Minds with Travis Stewart's soulfully inclined contribution "The Palace" a true highlight.

Review: This is a perfectly curated 12" that showcases the diversity of Symmetry's focus. "Steam Train" is Break at his most uncompromising; hissing and chugging with elephantine strength, it lives up to its name in every way. "Days Go By" complements this fully with eerie depths, tight, clipped two-steps and Tiiu's enchanting breathy vocals. One for peak time, one of the drive home - Symmetry have your night covered.

Review: A truly international package from Good Looking; this double-A features two very promising talents from Holland (Vandera) and the US (Dave Owen). The former tips his hat to GLO's most formative releases, all rolling, spacey and deep. The latter, meanwhile, goes for a much jazzier, loopier vibe. If you've been feeling the likes of Pennygiles or Level 2 then you'll be all over this. A perfect summer release.