Drum & Bass Recommendations September 2015

Review: Break's long-awaited third album is getting closer and closer by the sampler. We don't need to the hype it; the word couplet of Break and album is self-hyping enough to all who know their D&B. We don't even need to hype these tracks; "Free Your Mind" opens with a lush "Love So True" style reggae refrain before dropping into free-flowing rolling gold topped by Fats instantly distinctive harmonies. "Brand New" opens with heavenly chords before dropping into a deliciously rough and angular groove. Classic Break, both of these kill it on all corners. Bring on the album!

Review: What's this? Deekline and Tippa Irie on a Jungle Cakes 12"? Sounds like a recipe for some badman business to us. True to form, "Pass Me The Dubplate" is a typical Jungle Cakes slice of instantaneous ragga junglist gratification from the pair which just demands the rewind. Tippa sounds on particularly good form. Arguably better is the B side which sees Deekline teaming up with vocalist Gala Osborne on "Perfida," an almighty soundclash of 50s soul and sub bass.

Review: More anonymous jungle flexing from Dutch imprint Rasta Vibez. In keeping with their timeless Jamaican remit, both cuts plunder the classic sample vaults to create a new twist on a well-loved sound. "Ethiopian Jungle" is loaded with toaster chat shots and sharp shards of Levy while rolling on some robust, rusty amens. "Bam Bam The Alarm" shoves Sister Nancy and Tenor Saw in a room together, locks the door and refuses to let them out until they make bass babies. Rewind.

Review: Easily one of the most exciting names to emerge in drum & bass in recent times, Hyroglifics continues his rich vein of unique form with four seriously fractured bruisers. Those with a penchant for the ragga vocal and repurposed jungle motifs should lick the Dickens out of "Cloud Cover" while those hungry for pure gully grit should consider the merits of the halftime slangbang slagpile bass of "Hallelujah". Biblical.

Review: Utopia bossman Mako dons his Headz head for three slices of straight up ice-powered nasty. "The Narrator" is so cold and clinical and full of tripped out reverse tones and textures, it could have easily featured on an old Rufige Kru record. "The Gap" takes us close to the present day with more robust, muscular drums and a wetter, more molten bassline that gives the track a deep, dark funk. Finally we hit "Candle In The Cage" which combines the two approaches; lean and mean its minimal nature ensures attention is paid to every detail... But trust us; each of those details is funkier than a Goldie's sweaty conductor's glove.

Review: Oh boy... Last time these two roustabouts collided in the studio "Mythos" happened! And it became one of the biggest D&B tracks of 2013. Expectations have been set high since both parties teased us earlier this year. And thankfully we've not been let down; "Footpath" (which also features the perennial Kiwis The Upbeats) is a savage roller that sounds like live electricity lashing out of your speakers. "Leibniz" takes us deeper into the neuro badlands with full emphasis on the undulating bassline and strange textured loop. One for the build-up, one for the pay-off... Insideinfo and Mefjus never disappoint.

Review: Exciting London D&B bubble-upper Friske returns to Metalheadz and is warmly welcomed with an insane remix by DLR and Ant TC1. DLR's production stripes are some of the sturdiest in the game, and if there's anything about D&B Ant doesn't know, it's really not worth knowing. Needless to say, it's an exemplary remix of the highest (and funkiest) order. Dig deeper for two originals; the thundering, full-steam "Temperamental" (think early Digital but with less amens and more muscle in the kickdrums) and "Down" (spacy two-step with crucial hints of jazz). Frisky business.

Review: The extensive DJ Stretch discography is opened up for a second round of remixes by emergent label Ako Beatz with Serum, Ricky Force, Skitty, and Tim Reaper involved. Despite having over two decades worth of DJ Stretch productions by David Andrew Quamina to choose from, all four focus on the mid 90s jump up sounds of "Hungry Tiger". Given the gluttony of kung fu samples, deadly sub bass lines and classic jungle breaks in the original there is plenty of scope for fun, with all four producers offering up a unique take. It's a record that will nice up any junglist set with Skitty's deadly refix our favourite.

Review: The ever-dependable Fokuz welcome Break to the fray for a killer remix of last year's soul-burner from Soligen & Type 2. Adding a touch of grit and a brand new drumsuit, it's yet another killer strike for all concerned. Speaking of drums, Impish's "So Sick" is a proper jungle mission that's powered by serious live drumsounds. All splashy cymbals and one-inch-punch kicks, it's coated with a hornet bassline and pads so old school their Moschinos still have the tags on.

Review: Russian Teddy shredders have gone well and truly next level since signing to Ram. Here are four examples why: "Hyperspeed" is a straight-up turbo-charge neuro roller with more basslines than you've got trousers, "Quasar" is all about the heavy metal guitar riff, "Space Junk" is all about classic breaks and speaker-ripping reese bass while "Hawking Radiation" closes the show with the most twisted designs of the EP: all jittering drums and paranoid bass worms wriggle and writhe in such a way you may feel sea sick... In the best possible way, of course.

Review: Three lessons of straight-up ugly science from Nymfo right here: "Don't Stop" sees the flying Dutchman dig deep into neuro naughtiness with the help of Brazilian BTK. "Top Secret", meanwhile, is a much deeper affair with a growling bassline that undulates and snarls with real isolation and coldness. Finally "Ship Wreck" finishes on a funkier note as a collection of basslines wrap themselves around the heavily swung rhythm so tightly they almost cut of the blood supply. Dangerous.

Review: Timeless science from G.H.O.S.T as they follow up last year's inaugural volumes with the long-awaited third chapter. "Sometimeish" is straight out of the Good Looking playbook with its wavy, dreamy samples that are countered every step of the way by robust apache breaks. "Mini Ripper" punches beneath the tempo belt with militant, super-sharp drum edits and a soaring vocal sample that's hinted at in the title. Finally, just in case this beautiful screen-printed vinyl isn't quite enough, there's an additional download for the airy dynamics and sinewy rhythms of "Viracocha".

Review: Utrecht label Blackout first released Edge by German production team Neonlight and Wintermute as a five track digital EP back in March. The transition to the vinyl format for this 12" release sees the trio's work lose three of the tracks but the remaining two are potent enough to satisfy the needs of those craving some darker arts. Up top "Influx" rolls to a traditional drum and bass groove but Neonlight and Wintermute do it so well, but it's "Guinea Pig" that will delight the freakier selectors out there. Here the trio carve up all manner of broken beats, ragged percussion and razor sharp synths with the sort of aplomb that leaves you gasping.