Juno Recommends Drum & Bass: June 2023

Review: A legend in D&B circles since the mid-90s and those seminal drops on Creative Source and Vibez, Big Bud continues to spread the influence of his smooth, melodious and mellow sound thanks to a steady run of reissues. Okbron in particular have been a great source for Big Bud gems from bygone times, with this third installment now turning to a holy grail white label joint from 1997 known as 'Aka Jazz'. Longtime fans will be doing somersaults over being able to get their hands on this easy-rolling masterpiece, and 'Scratch' on the flip is no slouch either with its breezy instrumentation and smartly-programmed beat.

Review: Longtime drum & bass star Sub Focus is still in London, staying true to the city that has nurtured his gradually evolving sound since early 2000s. His past two solo albums were released on longtime stadium d&b pushers Ram Records, but now Andy C's label has moved on to a major, he has followed suit with 'Evolve'. The album features 14 tracks which draw on a unique crock of influences for the normally insular contemporary d&b sound, containing allusions and inspiration from The Chemical Brothers to early hardcore and jungle music. Plus it features cameos from friend CamelPhat, Gene Farris and Jonny L .

Review: Sub Focus has as far back as we can remember always been a 'big name' in drum & bass, but it's only now that the London-based music producer cements it as such with a slice of contextualising nostalgia. Evolve is his new LP, charting a new feel for 1990s influences and various musical homages to the acts and songs that contributed to his sense of musical evolution and maturity as a musician. Nods to the Chemical Brothers and early jungle and hardcore are conveyed through contemporary collabs with the likes of CamelPhat, Gene Farris and LOWES.

Review: The ingeniously named drum & bass duo Sci-Clone have been going for nearly three decades. Only now do Jason Cambridge (aka. A-Sides) and jazzer Nathan Haines join forces once again to present their debut album, Radio Therapy. Perhaps the album's gestation period can be explained by its home on the most coveted originators of it all, Metalheadz, who must still have plenty of people knocking down their doors. 17 tracks of wild production instinct and a floor-shaking lack of compromise make for an unprecedented space-bound trip, as Cambridge draws on his taste for breaksy atmosses, and Haines on his virtuosic muso's knowhow, to produce a string of new jazzstep originals from '1980 One' to 'The Girl In Blue'. The B-side, meanwhile, celebrates legacy releases from the duo from the 90s, such as 'Whole Half' and 'Point Of Departure'.

Review: Mid 90s atmospheric d&b veterans Pariah have been enjoying something of a re-focus since linking up with Okbron in 2019. The prolific archival label has since invited them back again in 2021 and now they return for round three, and while we don't have the exact provenance of the tracks in question on this record, it hardly matters when the quality is so high. 'Lexicon (Final Mix)' is an aqueous beauty of a track, dealing in sweeping vistas of pads and a light-touch, rolling beat with that classic Pariah finish to it. 'Winds Of Pleasure' is a breezy affair with gossamer-light synth lines and a subtly Balearic feel which is just crying out for a drop at a daytime session this summer.

Review: The 'Drum & Bass Selection' series was among the first vinyl selectors compilations to crop up during drum n' bass's heyday. This new edition of the V/A comes at a prescient time, as many writers and original scenesters are now seeking to document the genre 'comprehensively'. Whether or not this could be seen as a worthwhile feat, it remains inarguable that the best way to truly document a genre is to look back on the music itself. A new addition to the series, Vol. 6 contains tip-top selections from lesser-cited early pioneers such as Marley Marl and DJ Dextrous, and many of the tracks have not been repressed since the mid 1990s. Jump up and jump on it!

Review: One of the most respected MCs in the game, Stewart Proctor might be best known for his on-stage conducting and sheer lyrical flexibility, but he's also been a producer in the shadows for a very long time. Revealing more and more of his own musical side over the years, things have reached a head here as he delivers two of his heaviest club crushers on Jubei's Carbon Music. 'No Escape' has a rattling, crushing minimalism and percussive flare that nods towards to the original Renegade Hardware nights and the legendary sets of Loxy. 'Flow State' brings a little more breakbeat energy into the mix, nodding at SP's jungle schooling. Killer release.

Review: Now here's a treat for d&b heads on RSD 2023. Remastered and reissued for the first time since 2012, this deluxe and highly limited box set version of Wormhole sheds a whole new perspective on one of the genre's most pivotal and game-changing albums. A ground zero for many producers, the whole album captures a blueprint moment in dark, dystopian drum & bass that still carries just as much weight and tension as it did in 98. Each cut with a side of vinyl to itself, and a booklet to complete the deal, this is the type of package Wormhole always deserved.

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: How many bass faces have you pulled in your time? Well, Faces of Bass is up to five here on this superb new two-track 12". It features some of the best in the scene, not least one of our long-time favs here at Juno HQ, Mr Coco Bryce. His B-side killer 'Hands All Over My Body' is multi-layered and loopy, with unsettling vocals are dark blurts of synth building the pressure and never letting up. Sully's 'Eraser' is then a flipside cinematic trip into the cosmos with pristine drum designs and pensive pads all paired with eerie atmospheres.

Review: Ipswich's Steve Carr remains one of the greatest operatives in the field of d&b, able to flex his studio skills to any number of approaches from crisp, techy rollers to ruffneck amen crushers and plenty of other spaces in between. He's also the latest to sign up with Okbron, the label committed to unearthing forgotten dubplates and exclusives from the archives. In the case of Digital, we're treated to two fresh slabs which show the best of this consistently inspiring artist. 'Brick Wall' is a melancholic affair in the synth department, but there's some serious damage to be done when the 'ardcore stabs come slamming in around the drop. Meanwhile, 'Inside Out' toys with dreamy pads and vocal tones before locking into a widescreen, dubbed out soundscape that ranks among the finest works Digital has ever created.

Review: Our love for Coco Bryce is well-documented on these pages. To get news of a new album from the legendary Dutch drum & bass producer, then, is, well, music to our ears. Computer Love is a double pack on his own label MYOR that explores downtempo sonic landscapes, deep drum & bass and occasional forays into UKG and breakbeat. It's a kaleidoscopic listen with meticulous craft in each tune and overflowing with fresh melodic ideas as well as his famous smart samples. Previously released singles 'Night Safari' and 'Trust Issues' are standouts amongst a slew of other more left-of-centre sounds.

Review: The quality d&b landing on Okbron just doesn't let up, as the prolific label turns its attention to Gen & Ryde, a new collaborative project between Mark Wilson and Ryan Miles. Mark Wilson is mostly associated with early Fokuz Recordings output from around 20 years ago, while Miles was dropping heat on Good Looking sister label Looking Good around the same time. If you love silken atmospheric d&b with a jazzy tint, you'll be more than satisfied by these immaculate conceptions, from the hazy funk of 'Low Frequency Satellite' to the smoky mood of 'Tian Fire'.

Review: The torch of glossy, dolphinny jungle - the kind pioneered by LTJ Bukem's 'Atlantis', for example - continues to be carried in the present day by producer Pulse. Pulse is renowned for his high-concept sci-fi-movie samplework and allusions, which more than shows up on the subtle jazz intonations and high-trilling strings on both 'Planet Funk' and 'Flava' here. Debuting for Creative Wax, the EP sounds like a recently-terraformed Martian dome rave in which its original alien inhabitants are heard emerging from the planet's red caves, and are spotted dancing in peaceful unison with their human colonisers.

Review: The legendary Fokuz label outta the Netherlands hits a 110th release and opts for a selection of remixes from various artists. AirK & Cephei open up with 'Desire,' a slick roller with booming bass and epic synths. Break then comes through with tight remix of A2 Soligen & Type 2 's 'Can't Go' complete with expertly design hits. Break then goes it alone on the original 'Coming 4U' with its low end oscillations and closes out the EP back in remix mode. His take on 'What Are You' is a roaming, textural affair with twisted leads and flurries of toms.

Review: MELMAK's new 12" is entitled All Stars: The Rave Years which gives you an idea of what to expect. These are high-tempo, dense and rave ready sounds from the drum & bass vanguard. There is plenty of space out cosmic energy to the exploratory leads of X Termal's 'Tragnal Kozze' then 'What If' (The Doulo Klan edit) is a tightly coiled stepper. Bugger lays down a hyper speed rhythm with drilling bass and slapping hits on 'No Silence Now' and Umbra's 'The Big Dumb' is a real slow-motion churner with textural synths and alien sound designs. All four are ready to get the party going in different ways.

Review: Low-cal melodic pop d&b done from a new-gen perspective: Piri & Tommy's take on drum & bass has been a runaway success in the last two years as the couple bring their own unique song writing signature to the genre. Now to mark this year's RSD, their debut album Froge.mp3 enjoys a limited vinyl outing and it sounds amazing for it. Cuts like the sing-along 'On & On' and the lofi dreaminess 'Slowly But Surely' and the sun-kissed summer joint 'Beachin' all still sparkling as bright as they did when they first dropped last year, this is a significant moment for Piri & Tommy. Happy Record Store Day!

Review: Eusebeia is an incredibly prolific producer, with swathes of music released via cassette on his own Rebellion Electronics before being snapped up by the likes of Livity Sound and Western Lore. Now he builds on a burgeoning relationship with Samurai Music by delivering a triple LP of advanced yet delicate jungle variations in a style he's making all his own. Taking the brooding moodscapes of dub techno and ambient and fusing it with the deft programming chops of Photek et al, he's calmly positioning himself as one of the most inventive d&b operators out there. The quality just doesn't let up across these 12 tracks, spread out and cut nice and loud so you can lose yourself in the persuasive immersion of his sound.

Review: With the original previously spotted fetching over L100 on auction sites, White Lightning's 'So Many Tears' enjoys a well-deserved reissue. One of jungle techno architect Ron Wells' many aliases, both the lead track and the equally deep flipside 'Burning Bridges' can be seen as blueprint deep rollers. With its lilting pianos and dreamy vocal 'So Many Tears' was a big cut for DJs like Bukem at the time while 'Burning Bridges' took the groove deeper again making it a popular jam at the experimental epicentre that was Rage. Still sounding every bit as futuristic as they did back then, Ron Wells was conjuring up some incredible sounds during this era.

Review: BAM! Dance Trax hits the big five-oh with this walloping four-tracker from Club Glow's Denham Audio. Ruthless breakbeat behaviour as always, on 'Define Consciousness' we see him going in on the d&b tempos with raw Rupture-like energy while 'On Site' takes us to those icy breaks he's made his signature over the years. Flip for 'Do You Sell Hardcore?' and take a trip back in time as the breaks kick like they're underwater and the FX go for maximum trippy. Last but not least Triple Point goes in on a remix of 'Do You Sell Hardcore' flipping it into a sweet two-step scenario. You dancing?

Review: .Back to 94! Vinyl Fanatiks have unearthed more gold on Krome & Time's Tearin Vinyl imprint as they reissue the label's earliest signings for the very first time. While Exodus and Head Pressure only went on to have a few more singles, both 'Rude Boy Dem' and 'Glass Pipe Fury' showed great promise as they captured that wild jungle energy and freedom. The former goes big on the breaks and focuses everything on the drums and subs, the latter brings in a darker, more tense vibe with the pads and switches. Blueprint business.

Review: Now here's an artist name that works on various clever levels. Not just a play on the experimental, boundary breaking electronic troupe of the 80s Art Of Noise but also the alias for Suburban Base's in-house designer who was responsible for countless artworks and album covers on the label throughout the 90s. As a musician he was less prolific but still knew exactly what buttons to press and when to press them with a handful of releases around 93-95 along with Mike 'E-Type' James. Now back together, they're exploring their old signature but with a contemporary twist. A full album is expected imminently but in the meantime here are four great examples of their timeless aesthetic and energy. Make some noise.

Review: Legendary Belgian record label WeMe has long been a pioneering force in the drum & bass underworld. It is Lord of the D who makes a devastating return here with all consuming sounds towering over you and do as they please with your brain and body. 'Dunstable' is all fizzing synths and hammering drum breaks then 'O Ixed Mpo' absolutely cuts loose with sonics in meltdown, reversed stabs and drum carnage that never resolves. 'DBLE' is another fucked up drum track that will leave you bedraggled and bewildered.

Review: Time to rinse things out good and proper! Kniteforce dig deep into the unreleased archives of the Renegade Terrorist himself - Ray Keith. 'Rinse', engineered by Photek, kicks like a mule. Having previously been on dub since 1995, it's a breakbeat masterpiece from all concerned. 'Love Like This' takes a Faith Evans sample to some strange places. One for the vibers.

Review: Japanese producer ENA is a master of deep electronic soundscapes and has always operated in an in between area that blurs ht lines between half tempo drum & bass and magic ambient trips. He does that again here with five unique cuts starting with the misty and grey sound world of 'Pulse2' with its barely there rhythm. '5.5' has deft sine waves and another suggestive rhythm that comes from heavily muffled and muted synth modulations and soft drum pads. 'The Brick' is movie-like deep space scene setting and 'The Worm Turns' is an ambient collage before 'Alter' closes out this artful experiment in texture and timbre.