Back in stock: Drum And Bass

Review: That the word 'funk' should take on an almost entirely new meaning under the aegis of drum & bass is telling, but that shouldn't deter us from interrogating the ideaistic chain connecting the funk of the 1960s and 70s to today's modern, 170BPM+ *neuro*-funk, *drum*-funk etc.. Take, for example, Adam F. His classic track 'Brand New Funk' came about after he bought a second hand Fender Rhodes Electric Piano, Vocoder and Clavinet D6 Honer. All staples of the funk era, the ensuing track paid solid homage to that era, combining compelling collieries with dastard drums and, in so doing, effortlessly fusing the spirit of the former funk with the synaptic sonic overloads of the latter. Now rebooted and revitalised, 'Brand New Funk' bespeaks a timeless retelling of one of Adam F's most ingenious eureka moments.

Review: As well as this one coming on pink wax, Adam F is also dropping it on nice classic black vinyl. It features his classic track 'Brand New Funk,' which emerged after he acquired a second-hand Fender Rhodes Electric Piano, Vocoder, and Clavinet D6 Honerikey instruments of the funk era. This track pays tribute to its predecessors by blending classic funk elements with intense drum patterns, merging the vintage funk spirit with modern sonic complexity. Revived and refreshed, 'Brand New Funk' represents one of Adam F's most innovative and enduring sounds.

Review: Mind Over Matter', the latest release from ASC, continues his explorations into atmospheric, breakbeat-driven soundscapes with striking results. Opening track 'Desire' sets the tone with a lush beat structure, punctuated by sharp cymbal strikes. Subtle whale song samples are woven into the mix, accompanied by a warm bassline and tender piano melodies, while swirling strings ebb and flow, creating an almost tidal sense of movement. 'Voidscaping' follows, launching immediately into crisp, striking breakbeats. The throwback pads recall the heyday of Good Looking, but ASC's meticulous sampling and deep reverb work keep the track fresh, merging nostalgia with modern complexity. On the flip, 'Let Go' brings in the sounds of nature, with metallic bongos and a restrained choral vocal riding over playful, energetic hi-hats. The atmosphere builds, layering strings, synths, and ASC's trademark vocal elements, each listen revealing new intricacies. 'Meltdown' wraps things up with a darker, more anxious vibe. Minimal breaks and elusive hi-hats give the track a creeping tension, while ambient pads and a yearning female vocal add a layer of emotional depth. It's a finely balanced track, blending melancholy and intensity in a way that ASC has mastered.

Review: Their first ever collaborative LP, drum & bass brilliants ASC and Aural Imbalance share Duality, consummating a long working relationship, which has also seen two 12" EP exquisites from 2023, 'Interstellar Transmissions' and 'The Other Side'. But, as this is their first full-length album together, Duality is less floor-centred and works in a relatively conceptual mode, tracking a strong but measured arc from left-right pad sculptings to designer breaks. The cosmic theme of both artists' music is omnipresent as ever, though there's an extra dash of titular spiritualism; we move from the literal celestiality of 'Sunset On Mars', into a B-side's figurative celestiality with 'Seraphim' and 'Prism Of Light'; a steady vibe-shift into angelic, alary buoyancy.

Review: Okbron Records welcome Atlantiq to the roster, and in so doing reccy an uncharted subaquatic terrain, in which drum & bass production requires specialist handling. Limited to just 350 copies, and bundled with the statement "No repress."- full stop duly noted - Okbron are implicitly aware of the (anti-)gravity of this release. 'M33' sounds as if its liquid jungle source deposits housed a yet undiscovered respiratory gas for an unidentified life-form; its all-to-easily recognised breakbeats are the only orthodox productive choice on the title track, whereupon every other element sounds born of a hidden underwater civilisation, not a mere synthesiser, and surrounds the mix as though we'd embarked on a serene coralline safari. B-sider 'Nothing To Lose' takes a seedier turn in terms of vibe, with sistrum rattles and brooding crime-drama basses hearing whackout breaks set to an otherwise ruminant sonic mystery.

Review: Just as they were likely originally intended, two of Calibre's said-to-be most coveted productions come remastered fresh from the vaults, and reissued on black vinyl via the sonic conservationists over at Signature. First comes the 2001 remix of Badmarsh & Shri's 'Signs', to which Calibre lends an extra rolling signification, its no-nonsense industrial break and tensing, two-note pads doing most of the legwork here. Then there's the original 'Soul 80', a unique fusion of dub-delayed chipmunky vox splices, modular synth piques, and a massive, untechy breakbeat.

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: Gun Fevah' and 'Wise Man' are the latest offerings from Champion Sound, blending halftime rhythms and jungle aesthetics into a seamless package of dub-infused tracks. Formed in the Russian underground, the crew behind this 7" came together through a shared love of reggae. Neekeetone's drums and Koondoongoo's bass laid the foundation, with the pair meeting Distant Roots at Dub Raw Camp in the Caucasus. It's clear that these global influences have seeped into the record. Released on 45Seven, a label known for pushing the boundaries of dubby jungle, this release feels both rooted in tradition and forward-thinking. 'Gun Fevah' opens with echoing horns and skanks before plunging into a murky jungle atmosphere, driven by sharp halftime snares. It's all about building tension, the kind of track that doesn't rush to make its impact but lingers, unhurried yet potent. On the flip side, 'Wise Man' takes a more familiar route, evoking Sesame's Treat with its playful energy, carried by a bassline that's endlessly rolling and hypnotic. The duo's mastery of space and depth makes these tunes perfect for sound system sessions, where each element resonates fully. It's dub music with a jungle twist, looking both back to its origins and ahead to its future.

Review: The fledgling Detach label continues to show it means business with a new 12" in a lovely screen-printed sleeve. Romanian artist Dyl is the one in charge and has been serving up consistently excellent and innovative sounds now for serval years. All of these cuts mix up great sound design with languid rhythms - the first is eerie, with watery droplets and glassy tinkles hanging in the air, while 'Glasshouse 2' has a percolating rhythm down low. 'Glasshouse 3' gets a little more dynamic with a shimmering low end and freaky abstract life forms and 'Glasshouse 4' layers in more intense and ever-shifting synth lines while the closer sounds like it's roaming through a deserted factory long after it shut down.

Review:  In 2019, Vinyl Fanatiks launched with the debut of the Ellis Dee Project series across two parts. Fast forward five years, and the label is back with Part 3, which is a real monster of a release that's well worth the wait. 'Don't Stop Rocking' is raved-up, jungle-inspired, hardcore breakbeat fun with drilling basslines and yelping vocal sounds and some playful breakdowns and curious melodies. The remix of 'Dance Factor' on the flip from Rennie Pilgrim is another all out assault with rave horns and unrelenting drum pressure. Incidentally, his first-ever remix was of Ellis Dee, so this is a nice circular moment.

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: Toronto besties Gremlinz and Jesta have been plotting, scheming and collaborating their entire adult lives - off and on - and releasing together consistently since 2018, but The Lee Garden Historical Preservation Society is their most significant creation to date. An ice cold web of tales and textures that digs deep into drum & bass music's most uncompromising and future-focused aesthetics, over 13 tracks they dig deep into a range of influences - techno ('Andromeda'), jungle ('Destro') and elements of grunge and trip hop on cuts such as 'Vermin' and 'After Dinner Coffee Face' are all in the mix but they forever keep the sonics tight and consistent. Metalheadz through and through.

Review: 'Wow War Tonight' is a cover by Amano Airi and Himegami Shano, originally performed by H Jungle with T. The lively track served as the ending theme for the anime D4DJ First Mix. Tetsuya Komuro and in addition to solo versions by Amano Airi and Himegami Shano, a special version featuring Call of Artemis was included in their debut album in 2023. This 7" features a playful Two Million mix and a Karaoke version of the original. It's lively and unique, to say the least.

Review: JLM opens the EP for Spatial with 'Consensus Reality', an uplifting track driven by lush keys and filtered breaks. The melodies are woven from a range of harmonious elements, while crisp apache breaks are expertly introduced, showcasing JLM's signature style. 'Salva Veritate' shifts to a darker, more intense atmosphere. Whooshing synths and dense soundscapes are layered over hefty 'Hot Pants' breaks, with tuneful 808 basslines and blippy sub-melodies adding texture to this suspenseful track. On the flip side, 'Hotspot' starts with mellow, jazzy keys before bursting into life with juddering snares and smooth 808 basslines. Dreamy strings and pads sweep through the mix, creating a paradox of energy and calm. The EP closes with 'Nova', a soothing track featuring soft, flowing synths and delicate beats. Subtle effects and cosmic breaks aplenty - an exceptional release.

Review: To Sweet Sensi Records come Krugah with a wicked turn of techstep, ragga jungle and drumfunk. The Brooklyn producer breaks brash ground on this latest 12", squashing mountains of freq-y sound below liminal, scraping drum toppers. Opener 'Tonne Weight' truly does weight a tonne for this very reason; our weighing scales barely make it out alive for the ensuing audio assault that is 'Wickedness Increase', which samples the raggamuffin ragings of an old clash tape of god-knows origin. 'Nuh Sound Curse' brings nitrate echoes to the same ragga sample, layering breaks-matics and three-note dreamoid melodies, while 'Off Di Scene (Dance)' bestows a bubbling experiment, by far the oddest but coolest of the lot.

Review: The 20th-anniversary edition of Squarepusher's Ultravisitor showcases Tom Jenkinson's groundbreaking blend of live and studio recordings, remastered for new depths of sound. Spanning frenetic breakbeats, jazz-funk explorations and atmospheric fusion, this album captures the complexity and eclecticism of Jenkinson's work. Tracks like 'Iambic 9 Poetry' deliver sunlit jazz tones, while 'Tommib Help Buss' brings serene electronic bliss. Although Ultravisitor might feel overlong at nearly 80 minutes, its sprawling length doesn't diminish its innovation. The title track encapsulates Squarepusher's signature drum-n-electro-pop, while pieces like 'Circlewave' and 'I Fulcrum' balance virtuosity with thematic exploration. Jenkinson's improvisational drumming and bass solos, such as on 'I Fulcrum', demonstrate his command over both instruments and composition. Jenkinson's eccentricity shines through, making Ultravisitor an essential listen for both long-time fans and newcomers. This edition reaffirms Squarepusher's pioneering role in electronic music, blending technical brilliance with intriguing, if at times chaotic, compositions. It's a record that intrigues and impresses, pushing the boundaries of beat-driven electronic music.

Review: Sully and Basic Rhythm swap skills on an inter-fantastic new four-tracker, 'XT / Woozy', with remixes. Following the initial split single release on which only the originals were heard, we're now hit hard round the face with their dark-energetic mirror images. As on the first batch, the pair eschew the usual drum & bass palette for a focus on its form, swapping out the genre's usually hard-attacked, sampled-to-death oneshots for cleaner, nigh synthetic drums that simply pop. All sounds seem to have been designed from scratch; Sully's version of 'Woozy's is as nocturnal and sterile in sound as a werewolf just escaped from a bathhouse.

Review: London's two newest drum & bass titans, Kloke and Tim Reaper, join forces for their first release on Hyperdub, hot on the heels of their most recent single collab 'Museum'. With the former hailing from Victoria, Australia, and the latter from South East London, this is a cross-channel collaboration that, of course, ironically, does much to surpass its distance. Combining the ostensible retroism of jungle circa 1993-95, and the coded grave futurism of the ostensibly late-stage, big flat now, the liner notes for this release mention a relevant sense of "deja vu". Whether there is a past or future at all - a question most likely to be asked by Hyperdub, if by any music label - remains to be seen. With lead tracks like 'Alienation', however - whose relentless intellibreaks and Reese maelstroms resound like the cold calculus of a pitilessly conurbanised UK - we can at least sit with the knowledge that jungle is still relevant in the task of realising the answer.

Review: Aaron J's Sure Thing kicks on towards its tenth release with a superb new 12" packed with fresh techno jams. Myriad different mods, grooves and tempos are on offer here starting with the puling rhythmic depths of Vardae's 'Pahlevan' then moving on to Kick21's 'Bright Interface', a dark and haunting low-end wobbler. Atavic's 'Subconscious' is a heady one with ambient cosmic pads over deeply hurried, supple rhythms then while Tammo Hesselink & DYL combine to mesmeric effect on the carefully curated broken beat brilliance of 'Accent Award.' A forward-thinking EP for sure.

Review: One too many tabs... or so the insinuation goes on 'Too Much Acid' EP, the latest outing by Zerozero. After their smash hit with MC GQ last year, 'Too Much Acid' is the duo's debut on Flexout and features man of the moment Teej on remix duties of their cult classic, 'Anything Can Happen'. Two further originals come in the form of 'Confidence' and 'Too Much Acid', both of which opt for spitty rollage and furtive growls snarking under droughty drums. Also clock the one-off liquid number 'Thinking Over It', featuring Riya, a demure and circumspect track sporting aloof vocal airs and tactical lead stabs.