Back catalogue: Dubstep

Review: Ilian Tape have been sympathetic to the sound of UK bass for some time now, but this new drop from Atrice leans even further into the pervading energy of dubstep as a source of club pressure. The Swiss duo first appeared on Ilian Tape with Q back in 2021, and they're sounding stronger than ever on this latest missive. If 'Multiplex' brings a cybernetic sheen to headsy 140, then 'Is It Warm' does similar work with techy d&b as the pair dice up breakbeats with precision and drape exquisite, shimmering pads over the ruffness. There's also space for crafty techno propulsion on 'Broke' and high-tempo trippiness on '83 Steps', making this a versatile, consistently brilliant release from a rising force in the scene.

Review: Blind Prophet & Ishan Sound come together for their first pan-atlantic collaboration here in what is a fine return to the ZamZam label. The pair first met in Portland in 2019 and so it's good to finally have some sounds to get stuck into from their meeting of minds. 'The Labyrinth' kicks off with hefty and stepping drum rhythms that are overlaid by bright synth lines and mystic flutes. The interloping melodies and a menacing bassline finish it in style. On the flip, things get much more dark with 'Minotaur Dub' which is a shadowy world of refracting drums and oodles of reverb and echo. There is a predatory sense to the rhythm that never lets up as fizzing bass pries every deep into the dead of night.

Review: Little is known about Gent1e Soul besides the fact they have been on Fast Castle before (with the exemplary 'Silk Armour' EP), they make remarkably addictive, super-gloopy, trippy, funky beat based music and that they're probably quite nice and considerate, considering their alias and all. Generous, too. Each of these five cuts tickles a different corner of the breakbeat/dubstep/club hinterland as they guide us from the old school Benga-like pushes and swagger of 'Siege Ram' to the WNCL-flavoured percussive hypnosis of 'Woads' via the pounding technoid rolls of 'Fortified Walls' and beyond.

Review: It's time to turn on, tune in and drop all over the shop as Low End Activist unleashes the deliciously titled 'Gossip Is The Devil's Radio' on ESP. A little deeper and more explorative than recent club-heavy dispatches he's been firing out lately, this EP takes us much deeper into his dubby, eerie psyche where cold, dystopian flavours and aesthetics rule the roost. Highlights include being pushed head first into abyssal frequencies on the likes of 'Good Question' and the industrial swagger of 'G.E.L'. Time to get activated.

Review: On Tell Me, Skeptical capitalises on the freedom afforded by his own Rubi label by dialling back his established d&b sound and presenting a half-time trip into downtempo territory. That shouldn't be mistaken as a softening of his production chops, because there's still massive amounts of weight as he warps snarling bass around stark drums on 'Tapestry'. 'Atomic' goes further into a minimal, dubbed out sound with carefully executed low end growl which carries the torch from DMZ's earliest soundsystem meditations.

Review: The deep techno lovers at the Modern Hypnosis label have got Sub Basics on a new 12" that will lock you into a meditative state from the off. 'Offshore' is first up and ride son icy, minimal and gently broken techno loops that are fluffed out with deft synths and wispy pads. 'E443' is another super paired back sound with a quiet, late-night approach to floating and loopy techno. 'T441' has skittish rhythms and warped synths suspending you in mid-air while closer 'Lucid' (feat Traces) has a darker intensity to its lurching drums and pulsating synth lines.

Review: Yuku come correct with this special blue vinyl remix 12". Two vibes per side, both Traka and Granul go under the knife. On one side we have Serbian crew Traka under scrutiny as Commodo flips 'Yosai' into a menacing slab of tension while Muqata takes the Killa P-fronted 'Start Taking Note' into a brutalist sonic rainbow. Flip for two remixes of Turkish maverick Granul; Jtamul turns two-step inside out with stacks of eerie space on 'Deformity' while Iskeletor turns 'Interconnected' into the twisted, halftime heaver of your dreams. Stark sermons!

Review: Grime legends Trends, Boylan and Slimzee have made independent names for themselves over the years for their enduring contributions to the underground; the former two artists first cropped up on our radar after a string of horror-movie-themed grime bits which first proliferated virally on the internet. Slimzee, on the other hand, has been there from the beginning, co-founding the legendary Rinse FM pirate station among other things. We can't contain our excitement for this fresh, psychotic release for Etch's Sneaker Social Club; returning to the trio's penchant for oppressively trappy instrumentals, there are newer explorations in breakstep and garage, fleshing out the many teeth-gritted possibilities of the eight-bar rhythm. Haunting, atrophied sonic skeletons from a dream trio.

Review: The superb Om Unit label has assembled a mighty fine crew of subheads to serve up their own interpretations of a load of Om Unit originals for this great new double album Acid Dub Versions II. Stylistically this is as diverse a collection as you can imagine given all the tracks operate within a similar dub grounding: some artists like Yushh keep it deep, cavernous and empty, while Hodge lays down his pumping rhythms and runs them through with echo hits and driving acid. VIVEK's take on 'Bristol Theme' is another dubstep doozy that rumbles along with the smell of THC thick in the air and the Nadia Struiwigh remix of 'Electroacidspringwater' is an eerie way to close a fine collection.

Review: Dive headfirst into a unique sonic underground experience as Hospital Records proudly unveils the highly anticipated debut album, Streets, Love & Other Stuff, from the dynamic duo P Money and Whiney. This groundbreaking collaboration is a perfect storm, fusing P Money's totemic grime background with Whiney's futuristic drum & bass style, as the pair continue to break boundaries and push the realms of dance music. The collaboration is an energetic one, combining the driving force of drum & bass with the urban lyrical situation of grime.

Review: It's been a long time since Skrillex (Sonny Moore) pioneered his distinctive complextro sound, characterised by roaring vocal samples, bitcrushed melodies and novelty growls and wobbles. Surprisingly hailing from from an emo background, Moore has leveraged this sound to become an established force of nature, becoming the instigator of an entire tidal sea-change in electronic music. His latest bout of albums, though - one of which is Quest For Fire - hears him exercise his penchant for collaboration more than ever, indulging something of a DJ Khaled-esque streak, but for the EDM-pop crossover world. It's also much less fidgety, erring more on the melodic pop side. Referring to the film of the same name, in which figurative prehistoric cavemen embark on a quest for the discovery of fire, the album is equally a reflection of Skrillex's quest for musical exploration and innovation, as well as his passion for global culture and diversity. We admit: only Skrillex could bring together underground greats like Mr. Oizo, Sleepnet, Joker, Dylan Brady and Flowdan; fresh faces like Starrah, BEAM and Nai Barghouti; and pop-consciousness occupiers like Swae Lee, Aluna, Missy Elliott and Bibi Bourelly.