Tags: Leftfield House

Review: Of all DJ duos currently operating in British dance music, Belfast boys Bicep might be the hardest to pin down (Optimo aside, of course). Certainly, this debut album is not easy to pigeonhole, though it is an enjoyably cohesive listen. This is largely down to two factors; the frequent use of deliciously colorful and loved-up synthesizer parts, and the duo's innate ability to utilize beats tailor-made for dancefloor devastation. So while keen dancefloor historians may notice sly (and not so subtle) nods to '89 rave, U.S house and garage, Italo-disco, late '90s progressive house, jungle and early British hardcore, the album never sounds anything less than a fine set of Bicep tracks. Expect it to be one of the biggest albums of the year.

Review: Of all DJ duos currently operating in British dance music, Belfast boys Bicep might be the hardest to pin down (Optimo aside, of course). Certainly, this debut album is not easy to pigeonhole, though it is an enjoyably cohesive listen. This is largely down to two factors; the frequent use of deliciously colorful and loved-up synthesizer parts, and the duo's innate ability to utilize beats tailor-made for dancefloor devastation. So while keen dancefloor historians may notice sly (and not so subtle) nods to '89 rave, U.S house and garage, Italo-disco, late '90s progressive house, jungle and early British hardcore, the album never sounds anything less than a fine set of Bicep tracks. Expect it to be one of the biggest albums of the year.

Review: Lisbon-born, London-based producer Silvestre came to light on Disktopia before starting up the Padre Himalaya label to house his unconventional chuggers. This release for Secretsundaze finds him exploring his sound in greater detail, folding in a certain amount UK rave energy amongst other more esoteric motifs. The results are spellbinding, from the twilight marvels of "Lights" to the slow breakbeat chops and delirious harp trills of "Fuego". At times the ideas have a scuffed mixtape quality to them, which only adds to the charm. D.K. is on hand to deliver a remix for the broader needs of the dancefloor, although he wisely keeps the beguiling qualities of "Fuego" intact as he nudges it closer to the party.

Review: Tooney Lunes are back with more of their characterful underground cuts, this time from Looney Tunes's Marvin the Martian, an alien race character who brings the occult funk to these grooves. 'Track 1' is all slapping drum funk and crisp hits, then 'Track 2' spins out on molten acid gurgles and another snappy tech house groove. 'Track 3' is a brilliant mix of classic r&b samples with a chugging bassline and splashy electro-tech drums. Last of all is 'Track 4,' another begging mix of r&b vocals and dark garage tech, the squelchy acid lines appearing once more to make for something both soulful yet edgy.

Review: Montreal's Jaymie Silk (not to be confused with the Chicago house originator J.M. Silk) first came to light in 2016 with the Trouble In Paradise LP on Ghost Club Records. He reached a wider audience in Europe in 2021 with The Legend Of Jack Johnson on Shall Not Fade, and now he's back on the UK label with a mighty eight tracks of forward-thinking house which draws deeply on the roots while bringing a distinctive slant. There are 90s tropes scattered throughout this release, but they're wielded with a cavalier attitude which makes even the most familiar sample sound fresh. Crucially, this is club music with a purpose as Silk interweaves his tracks with pointed messages in the speech samples he draws on, winding up with party gear to make you think as well as move.

Review: There is a new hound in the pound of Berlin label 777. Dogpatrol bares his teeth with this razor sharp EP of visceral electro. The brilliantly titled 'Came Back From Hell & I Feel Good' opes up with roaming synths and slivery percussive slices over booming drums and broken beats. There is more space in the nimble drums of 'Safari Simulator' while 'The Deep Valley Of Self-Neglect' has a heavy, pounding and linear groove. 'Usingmyquirk' brings a haunting vibe with its low end oscillations and shimmering pads and 'Granular Memory Experience' is a wonky and kinetic machine workout for the afters.

Review: London wax institution Phonica continue to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a label in deep-digging, highly eclectic style. This fourth sampler continues to hint at a much larger VA album with a wide range of sounds across the techno/jungle axis. Tim Reaper & Comfort Zone get us in the groove with the savage drum funk of 'Subterranean' while Toby Tobias eases down the tempo and takes us to some mystical places on the Balearic-on-Mars funk of 'On My Mind'. Meanwhile on the flip Shy One goes full-on Co-Op / Bugz vibes with its sparse broken beat jazziness while Orphic's Kieran Jandu closes the EP on a bumping early 90s-inspired techno roll-out. Happy anniversary Phonica.