Back catalogue: Drum And Bass

Review: Does drum and bass get any better than this? Two of the finest names in the genre club together for "Run Away", met in the middle by the man like Fox who puts his vocal stylings into the mix. Rolling out smooth, it's that lulling bassline and softly-spoken chorus that takes the edge off punchy drums and signature Intalex-style strings from the pad section. Fans have been waiting for a release on this for some time now - finally, it's ownable. Showing that they can still deliver tastier goods for the dancefloor, "Something Heavy" is a funk-fuelled hips-mover with Fox sending out his raggamuffin sounds over down and dirty bass. You've heard it in the dance, now get it on repeat.

Review: On a mission to "make d&b great again", Finland's Straight Up Breakbeat pass through once more with the second of three EPs formed to showcase modern junglism. Kicking off, 'Mystery Machines' sees Glastonbury's Dead Mans Chest slam down some deadly amen choppage reinforced by haunting vocal FX and paranoid drones. Aeon Four & FFF's 'Look Inside' is a jungle-tekno roller, served with chunky hardcore style amens and a side of warm old-skool pads. Keeping the mid-90s vibe alive, the tripped out 'Green Fields Forever ' from Fanu - which drops hot on the heels of his greatly received remaster of Source Direct's 'Stars' - delivers airtight amen trickery, weaving synth washes and blissful dubby basslines. Esc & Mineral round things off with 'Photosynthesis', a pensive stepper highlighting cut-up breaks waltzing with cheeky synth nudges and a wide, rugged bassline. If the pioneers had buried some beefed-up tracks in a time-capsule to inspire future generations, they would probably sound a lot like 'States of Art II'.

Review: The proverbial 'Soundboy Killa' is an enduring trope in soundsystem culture at large, referring to the apparently inherent enmity and villainy of the turntablist. Said to have originated in the days of system clashes, the assassin in question presumably refers to the opposing MC, whose barraging verbiage may pack enough semiotic punch to K.O. the opposition through mere utterances alone. Here Natty Campbell and the Freestylers pay tribute to the theme as progeny of the 90s big beat scene; having come up in the age of Fatboy Slim and Chemical Brothers, the supergroup first faced off in a whirl of tricky dub and armour-plated cold cuttage, dispatching two honorary tracks in the style of each artists' respective greatest scene-hitters: Dub Pistols' 'Cyclone' and Freestylers' 'Roughneck'. Now 'Soundboy Killa' and 'Jump On It' in turn hear a remix from Allergies and Guadi & Don Letts, the latter of which is especially experimental in its use of a peaky, 2-step shuffle.

Review: Since 2017, KOKOKO! have been trailblazing Kinshasa's sonic revolution while earning global acclaim for their unique sound and vibrant performances. Recognised as the best live band by AIF, they've been featured on NPR Tiny Desk, Boiler Room, and major festivals like SXSW and Pitchfork. Their debut album, Fongola, received rave reviews, and now they are back with another album that is unlike much else you will have heard. BUTU, which is inspired by Kinshasa's vibrant nightlife, has been proceeded by the lead single 'Mokili.' The album has further cues taken from Kinshasa, Kwaito, and 90s dance music and channels the band's hometown's frenetic energy with a sense of social activism into a powerful statement.

Review: Onetime halftime exclusivist Fixate has set his sights on new temporal horizons. 'Conundrum' is one such dance musical venture, clocking in at a rough 130ish BPM while also securing enough of an atmospheric likeness to earlier releases so as to remain Fixated on the same vibe. A six-track mini-album debuting on the artist's resident Exit Records, 'Conundrum' flaunts a formerly undisclosed affection for house, electro and techno; in the artist's own words, "I made these tracks to fit into my own DJ sets, bridging the gap between tempos when playing out." Functional intentions do often still lead to excessively wicked results and the tracks here all provide a serious underfoot scalding, their 808 snares and underhand grimey melodies sure to make you hoo, hah, suck teeth and dance.

Review: Fokuz return with another blink-and-miss limited white label. Fully anonymous, due to the nature of the sample, here we're taken right back to a thrilling time in pop as the swooning chords, twinkling synths and famous falsetto of 'Human Nature' are given the d&b treatment. Faithful to the original but given a turbo-charged twist (and a VIP rub), it's one of those end of night hug-it-out jams you've been yearning to play all lockdown. Grab this quicker than you can say Shamone.

Review: Based in The Netherlands, Fokuz Recordings has been a key drum & bass label since before the start of this current millennium. It does a wide range of styles from sold out in a flash r&b edits to rollers for the club. They have helped make the label head Focus a mainstay of the scene and now he's back with another top nugget on nice blue vinyl. 'Take Me As I Am' launches with hyper-speed breaks and ice-cold hi-hats before the lush and romantic 'Do 4 Love' soothes mind, body and soul. 'Long Way Up' is another one with a perfectly pitched r&b vocal sample and sleek beats before the pensive and late night, piano-laced cover of Depeche Mode that is 'Enjoy The Silence.'

Review: Forest On Stasys takes the plunge here and launches a new label, Aura Sonora, which debuts with a hugely limited and high-quality new 12" from the boss. The imprint will be "a platform designed for sound experimentation" and the first missive backs that up with a great blend of drum & bass, half-time and techno. 'Magnetismo' is a prickly opener with slippery rhythms underpinned by bold bass. 'Domo' is a darker sound with menacing low ends and prickly percussive patterns while 'Sideral' is another late-night prowler with low sling sounds, eerie atmospheres and a real sense of futurism. A great start to life for Aura Sonora.

Review: Fracture & Neptune's classics, Clissold and The Limit, now make a welcome return in the form of this special 2024 reissue on 12" vinyl. This reissue highlights pivotal tracks from their mid-2000s catalog and both have been remastered for a fresh take. The limited edition includes both the 2024 remasters and original mixes, presented in eco-friendly packaging. These influential tracks explore the ongoing legacy of the legendary Astrophonica label's early work. 'Clissold' is a dusty breakbeat excursion with gorgeous keys and 'The Limit' pairs more suspensory pads with a moody bassline and darker rhythm.

Review: Deep, meditative and synth-heavy new jungle choices from FTL. The likes of 'Meditation I' and 'Legacy' operate in the more classic jungle mode, remaining reliant on straight-up breakwork and less syncope. The real intrigues for us, however, are 'Technocrats' and 'Legacy', which are far more stuttery and go further in on the rhythmic layering, producing a set of unique, cyberpunkish aural hallucinations. It's an impressive addition to 3am Eternal, who are adepts at really fleshing out an older-school jungle sound.

Review: Furney, a UK producer with a distinct and recognizable sound, continues to impress with his ability to blend genres seamlessly into dance rhythms. His track 'Spyro Gyro,' a drum'n'bass reinterpretation of the 70s funk classic 'Masterpiece,' originally released digitally on DJ Nookie's Phuzion label, finally gets the vinyl treatment it deserves. The track is packed with energy, featuring bold horns and strings that give it the feel of an action movie soundtrack, all while maintaining a drum'n'bass pulse that keeps the momentum high. On the flip side, 'Just Fine' takes a more relaxed approach. Produced around 2003, this track combines acoustic guitar with summery background sounds, creating a laid-back vibe that's perfect for those chill moments. The rolling bassline adds depth, making it a versatile addition to any set. Together, these tracks showcase Furney's versatility and knack for drawing inspiration from a wide range of musical influences.

Review: The second release from Fushara & Ben Kei's Constellations imprint brings more of the very same hard-hitting beats-and-basses; we've got blissed out, edgy sci-fi-vibed synths and huge spacious atmospheres, all of which were first heard on the first released. A delightful follow-up, these track are primed for headphone listening first and foremost, despite their (in our opinion) just-as-good club-readiness. First up, 'Nightmare On Wax' delivers a string of eerie cosmic horrors - dormant xenomorphic sonic eggs on a silver platter - by way of endlessly tricky breaks variations and soulful sampled wails into the silent void that is space itself. The creep factor continues into the B, with 'Paranoid Park', taking its namesake from the bleak emo film and bringing with it an intense combination of psychotic mutterings and gourd-string tremblings; Ben Kei's contributions, meanwhile, are weightier and sparser, dare we say harder-hitting; 'Aperture' comes as the "tribal" highlight, channelling a huge sense of weight in its bass stabs and well-rounded break.

Review: If there is a more hyped artist in the world right now than Fred... again we aren't sure who it might be. The lad who grew up close to Brian Eno and has since worked with him in the studio is a global star who has also collaborated with Four Tet and Skrillex, played all over the world, won various awards and dropped several albums now presses up his acclaimed USB to gatefold double vinyl. It is a collection of his early singles that captures his lo-fi, lived-in, diaristic sounds across a range of experimental electronic styles.

Review: Album alert! Fred V returns to the big H for his second solo album Luminous. Building on the vibe he set with 2021's Radiate album, Luminous dances that fine line between pop and dance with big bright dynamics, infectious hooks and bundles of springy, sunny side euphoria. Featuring link-ups with the likes of Dan Dakota, DNMO, Hybrid Minds, Etherwood, Lottie Jones and others, vibes range from the neon turbo disco of 'Take Over' to the solemn introspective ballad 'Subliminal' via powe3rful dancefloor jams like the title track. A stately Hospital LP that does everything you want it to.