A Soft Mist Production - "Upside Down Rainbows" (5:01)
Dr Sud - "Zaffiro" (Jazz cut) (3:59)
DatSIM - "Influx" (4:40)
The Rabbit Hole - "Tail Groove" (4:27)
Review: No matter your particular preference in the deep house world, this various artists' outing from Q1E2 Recordings is sure to have something for you. Mike Riveria & Marco Ohboy, for example, tap into an early sound on 'Euphoria' with its big, brash piano stabs and whistles, while A Soft Mist Production keeps it all cuddly and deep with languid chords draped over gentle drums on 'Upside Down Rainbows.' DatSIM brings in some space-tech vibes for a deft rhythm and neon infused sound on 'Influx' and The Rabbit Hole's 'Tail Groove' has a mad double bass sound jumping about beneath frantic jungle breaks.
Review: Basic Rhythm indeed nails plenty of foundational elements on this wild two-track jungle outing on Artikal. A-side jam 'Corner Crew' has tough breakbeats and a synth loop that sounds like it is getting batted backwards and forwards on a ping pong table while drilling bass keeps things moving. On the reverse is 'Driller' (with Friske) which is another intense barrage of steely metallic styles and rugged jungle breaks with warehouse grit and grime and the distant sound of automation as well as filtered vocal sounds. It's dark, dirty, and ready to blow up your spot.
Review: Originally released in 2023, old friends Basic Rhythm and Tim Reaper collide for this double A delight. Both artists take a side... Basic Rhythm strips things right back to its gurgling basics with just a gritty bassline and spaced out percussion on 'Gargantua' before Tim comes in and adds a whole swathe of breaks and energy for a more beefed up version. 'Selectors Convention' takes over the B; a big trippy wormhole that devours everything in its path, it's a full-on psychedelic jungle trip... That gets even more delightful with the VIP. What a reissue.
Review: Fokuz Recordings has been one of the leading drum & bass labels in the Netherlands for some time. Now well into triple figures when it comes to catalogue numbers, the label is still turning out interesting sounds as evidenced by this new purple-marbled 12" from Spearhead bossman BCEE. There is a beauty in the way ever so delicate one-finger piano notes are draped over the relentless bass of opener 'Alpha' that soon wins you over. 'Dogs Behaving Badly' is deeper, more soulful, more tender and insular and then 'Days Like These' is a fluid roller with well-treated string sounds before 'Overleaf' layers dub vibes with jump-up drum goodness.
Review: Back to 93! Two OG pioneers are deep in the lab, cooking up the future - Bizzy B and DJ Zinc. These are two of many blueprints from such a turbulent, primordial era in jungle history. 'Dex Flex' is a sci-fi movie epic in the form of a song... The eerie intro, dramatic militant breaks and the wide screen way it rolls out and develops are powerfully ambitious. We're unsure if it ever actually came out or not, too. 'Getting Down' did come out, however. But not under this title. Due to Zinc being signed with another label, it came out as Bizzy's 'Break Of Dawn'. Still breaking things up to this day, it's a bubbler that never quits. What a flashback.
Review: Good 2 Go bite down hard into 2024 with a brand new series entitled Steel Circuit Chronicles. A concept that sounds as good as its title suggests, we kick off with this exceptional deep jungle triple-header. The legendary Blame takes the lead with the percussive slab of drama that is 'Robot Revolution', a cut that packs some serious layered drum welly. He's backed up all the way by two more impressive individuals; G2G bossman Lee Croucher dons his Sync Dynamix alias for the atmospheric dream 'Don't Give Up' while mid 90s Ram artist Flatliner ends his own hazy, cosmic twist to conclude the EP. Timeless and stunning.
Review: A bittersweet release... Laffin Buddah and Parallax link up to reissue last year's rave treasure trove 'Palomas' and help raise money for the family of The Bridge Project member Stuart Heath who sadly passed away this year. The original rave energy and crucial 4x4 stompage of 'Palomas' is matched by a brand new cut penned by the other half of the project Lee Shilton named 'Tune For Stu'. A firing, darkwave tear-up with all the blasts, shreds and twists Stu would have demanded himself, it's a fitting epitaph to a man sorely missed. Show some support!
Review: Dyce and Acen aka The Brothers Grimm have many classics in their oeuvre and this is one of them. While their earlier and groundbreaking cut ' Exodus' gained immediate fame upon its release, this gem steadily earned its legendary status over time. A seminal piece of early '90s jungle, it showcases the duo's innovative approach to pushing the genre's boundaries and paving the way for future jungle productions. With its forward-thinking sound and raw energy, these gems take you right back to the jungle heyday and are sure to continue to captivate the club.
Review: The Brothers Grimm aka bass badmen and legendary duo Dyce and Acen deliver a timeless classic with this iconic EP that has been meticulously remastered from the original DAT tapes. Both tracks are exceptional for their sheer potency and masterful drum programming, but the flipside jam 'Exodus' stands out as one of the earliest jungle anthems and still a banger to this day. Its powerful breakbeat and distinctive vocals capture the essence of old-school rave and jungle, which set a benchmark for the genres and still hold up now. A definitive piece of music history, do not sleep on this one.
Review: Get ready for a wholesome spread as Coco Bryce makes his debut on the cult BXL Underground and feeds us our supper this eve. First up a little liquid refreshment in the form of 'Bubble Tea'. Zesty, punchy and reviving; this 'Soca Tek' vibe is laced with a dizzy array percussion all hitting in harmony or counterpoint. Pure natural energy. Need to line your stomach? Chow down on the techno flavoured 'Tiger Bread'. Rich in all your favourite 4x4 vitamins, this one stamps so hard you might just lose your appetite.
Review: Destination Finland: Straight Up Breakbeat roll their sleeves up for this almighty VA from some of the most respected jungle crafters you could possibly shake a dubplate at. Local legend Sofa links with Rupture Queen Mantra for the opening cut 'The Tunnel'. Dark and tense, it sets the scene for some utterly fantastic moments. Long time pals Basic Rhythm & Tim Reaper get silly with 'Target Lock', Blood Trust gets militant with 'RLLR 24' while Jesta finishes with a little blue-faced bust-up 'Liquor Snurf'. Sup sup!!
Luude & Bru C - "TMO (Turn Me On)" (feat Kevin Lyttle - extended mix) (3:43)
Luude & Bru C - "TMO (Turn Me On)" (feat Kevin Lyttle - Borai & Denham Audio remix) (3:13)
Luude & Mattafix - "Big City Life" (3:57)
Luude & Issey Cross - "Oh My" (feat Moby) (3:50)
Review: It's time to sweat it out once more with the latest from the label of that name absolutely going for the big time with some classic vocal stabs defining the rip-snorting opener. And that is the extended mix of Luude & Bru C's 'TMO (Turn Me On)' (feat Kevin Lyttle) which is a big drum & bass anthem with ragga vocals, unrelenting and steel plated drum funk and naughty bass. A slightly more sweet and soulful Borai & Denham Audio remix also features as do Luude & Mattafix's anthem and festival friendly jungle anthem 'Big City Life' and similarly epic and accessible 'Oh My' with Issey Cross and some blissed out keys from one of Moby's classics.
Review: The young drum & bass label Monkey Business closes out a fine 2024 with one more killer 12". It's another one that draws on various artists for four tracks that are all four-way collabs. First up is 'Monkey Face' which is a twitchy, electrifying cut with whirring synth sounds, crisp drums and raw snares. 'Good Morning' has a mad lead synth and some double-speed piano chords for happy rave vibes and 'White Town Murderer' twists a pp classic into a raucous fusion of wild drum & bass madness. 'Primate X' shuts down with eye-waveringly caustic sound designs.
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.
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