New releases last eight weeks: UK Garage

Review: As with all the releasing artists on the London label unknown-untitled, we're not to know the identities of those behind this one. In a crunched out techno-garage-speed statement in six parts, we can safely say that whomever hooded figure(s) has procured these mega meanderers on 12" vinyl (and in so doing topping up the eleventh edition in their equally nameless series) is a real talent. In characteristically mysterious fashion, the release is digitally liner-notated by an all-caps persona of label boss Kane Dansie, whose intent is clearly rather guileful: "SIX VERY VERY BIG ONES. IS IT SIX ARTISTS? THREE? OR JUST ONE?" We're to suppress the compulsion to get hung up on questions like these, despite the tantalism: instead, we'll comment on the sheer darkside insanities of 'Track 3', 'Track 4', 'Track 5' and 'Track 6' especially, marking an upwards trend through such spinoff styles as UK hardcore, grime and snareless dubstep. It just gets better and better.

Review: Melodiesinfonie, Bluestaeb and S. Fidelity join forces to form a powerful trio, unveiling a rich nonnet of tracks destined for the universal chillout space. Taking shape in a picturesque studio in the South of France - and then completed in centres from Zurich to Berlin - the likes of '365 P', 'Summertime In '92' and 'Just Give Me The Aux' carry on the sparse and material-sonic tradition that has in recent decades inflected the neo-soul and jazz-electronica worlds. Every track here sounds to have been made with what sounds to the most apparently humble means available; rimshot clicks, wooden hits, impassioned hums and coos, Rhodes chords here and there. Loyal to one rule and one rule only - "we need to stay in the room together to make this a record that feels exciting to us" - the result is an evenhanded five-track flirtation with soul-bearing passion, toeing the hobline of cool and hot.

Review: Mechanistic vector lines and cold, hard angles point acute on the latest V/A from Punchline, on which featuring artists don new guises and exchange blows with first-timers. Though our ears aren't trained well enough to be able to tell who is behind each of these smackers, we must say we're special fans of Jack U Late's analogue-jammed 'Stay', whose quickscoped FX and tenderised drums prove a surreal jaunt. King Wing's '4 Da Hunniez' is a comparatively heavy speed garage number garnishing the flip; the track could hardly prepare us for the dactylic 4-step closer 'Sea Circus', whose toothy lasers and julienned beats pack more umami than a packet of burnt crisps.

Review: Brother Aten debuts on Bruk with a minimalist masterpiece featuring the detached vocals of Ze R. This tidy 10" is influenced by cult sci-fi and early 80s no wave so naturally presents a stark, synthetic soundscape devoid of excess. The title reflects its mood: Aten's mechanical mantras are crafted with precision on outboard instruments and explore gritty, futuristic worlds. On 'Unavailable,' resonant drones create a platform for Ze R.'s initial deadpan delivery which reveals deeper humanity as the track unfurls through crisp drums. The brief yet impactful two-parter, 'Fragmented Dystopia' is a taste of Aten's cyberpunk vision while Ze R.'s words oscillate between structure and chaos.

Review: Matt Jam Lamont & Scott Diaz first joined forces more than a decade and a half ago and have been at it ever since, remixing Raze, Craig David, All Saints, Adina Howard, Rosie Gaines and more, as well as making waves with DJ appearances like their iconic B2B Glastonbury appearance. Having formed their Undagrnd Freqz label in 2020, serving up a brace of floor-slaying classics including a collaboration with US garage pioneer Todd Edwards, and 'Haribo' with Smokey 'Bubblin' B, clocking up more than a million streams and 36 million views as part of Fred Again's now legendary Boiler Room session. Their latest, 'The Best of Both Worlds', nods at their skill for fusing the best elements of both house and garage across four tracks of razor-sharp vocal chops, bumpin' beats and classy production flavours. Absolutely essential.

Review: We live a bit of DJ Perception here at Juno H. He is an original garage great who keeps on cooking up the goods. This latest missive comes on the small but well-formed South London Pressings and features off the classic 'Future (feat Russ).' It's a soul drenched sound with acoustic guitar licks flailing above breezy breakbeats that will be perfect for once the sun comes out, not least with the most Balearic top lines that break out midway through. The Benny Ill Heavenly remix is a more shuffling garage cut but still one packed with real heat.

Review: Yaleesa Hall wastes no time setting the tone on this Timedance release, delivering a weighty fusion of UKG, electro and sub-heavy pressure. Opener 'Halfway Gone' lurches forward with a heady mix of swung percussion and cavernous bass, its tension building like a slow-motion collision. 'Light Headed' dials up the energy, its restless breakbeat patterns and distorted low-end hitting with unrelenting force. On the flip, 'Voices' leans into dubbed-out textures, letting ghostly vocal snippets drift through the haze as tightly coiled rhythms keep the pulse locked. Closer 'Still Here' brings the release full circle, with fractured beats and rumbling sub-bass weaving together in a hypnotic finale. It's a bold statement from Yaleesa Hallione that feels tailor-made for dancefloors that thrive on weight and space in equal measure.

Review: Keefy G has been lighting up the dancefloors of his native West Yorkshire and beyond for some time now. His sets are as slick as his hair and here he branches out with some fresh slabs of wax on the mighty Dungeon Meat's new Slabs label. It's a hook-up that makes sense given that he grew up listening to sets by label founders Tristan and Brawther and his own take on their template is compelling indeed. 'Like Dis' is rock solid deep house with crisp drums and slamming bass. 'Wildstyle' lays down another heavy house groove with glitchy perc and well-treated vocals that add plenty of sleaze.

Review: Crosstown Rebels compere Damian Lazarus teams up with fellow musician and singer-songwriter Jem Cooke, with new track 'Searchin'': a primeval precognition of the big bad boss man's upcoming fifth album on the label, Magickal. Though it's been released digitally with a focus on Bullet Tooth's remix on the B-side, this blue-innered vinyl edition compiles all three of the track's versions, also clocking a sure-to-be much-spun Radio Slave remix on the B. The original is an FM-led brooder with posterities of bleep techno and darkside fidget house. Cooke's vocals belt searchingly against burbling synthwork, while Bullet Tooth's remix takes a tempting dark garage turn, risking briar-shod paths of bass as Cooke's refrain is made gothic. Slave's version is, as ever, hardly slavish, preferring a more tensile daytime vibe of subtle piano and muted vox.

Review: "Underground dance music" got its name for a reason: the black market is where the good stuff is! The ninth release on the underground-allusive, daytime-elusive Undergroove label moot a congregation of sound spivs, turntablist tricksters, deep house dealers, and many other scraggly clientele, for a fresh and unregulated yield of homegrown Lyon talent. Said to have channelled electro house and garage house going in, lord knows what has come out the other side, but we can aver its dankness: Lazer Man and and Funktroid nod to twin moods of desperation and forbearance commonly seen in criminal underworlds, with the stoic grind of the street represented in unfazed, steely electro beats. Real fiends only let loose on the B-side, where Local DJ's 'Dreams Of Radio' and Aladdin's 'The Ali-ens' quell any residual fears through glitchy purples and ghostly tech backings.

Review: Smart dresser and dedicated beard groomer Manuold - real name Emmanuele Macagnone - has notched up some excellent releases since making his bow in 2017, including admired EPs on House Puff and Madhouse Records. Here he brings his classy brand of deep house to GLBDOM for the first time. With its squelchy synth-bass, loose-limbed garage-house drums, gospel vocal samples and warm pads, opener 'Jersey' sounds like a long-lost Kerri Chandler gem. He continues the retro-futurist theme on the low-slung and jazzy 'Hot & Crunchy', before doffing a cap to deep house/tech-house fusion on the Tenaglia-influenced 'Zanzibar'. Over on the flip, 'Night Long' is a chunky slab of 21st century New Jersey deep house with an Italian twist, while 'In The Clouds' sees him successfully lean into his Italo-house influences while retaining a dreamy and chunky deep house flex.

Review: GLBDOM Classic drops a second vinyl release here in the form of a various artists' selection of vintage house sounds. Manuold's 'Hey Sunshine' gets things underway with some back-to-the-90s kick drums and playful horns with uplifting vocal samples making for a sweet vibe. Evenn's 'Inner Dance' is a nice raw house bumper with vamping chords and some soulful Detroit chords in the background. Scart Lead then keeps things silky with the smooth pads and muted melodies of 'Everglades' and Esspee and Kid Only close out with two more ageless house gems that pair dance for clout with heartfelt soul.

Review: Recovered DATs is a collection of lost tracks from the legendary producer Masterplan and they all pack a raw UKG punch. They were once assumed to be gone forever but were happily found on some original Sony DAT tapes and have since been carefully extracted. They were made with all the gear of the day such as the Roland JV-1080, Emu Proteus 1 & 2000 and Korg M1 so offer proper authentic sounds of the sort that define true UK garage. 'Dub General' is our favourite with its clipped vocal sample and restless chord stabs daring about the mix.

Review: Pangaea and Leonce's collaboration feels like a natural evolution of their respective sounds. 'Dusted' takes the more energetic route, drawing from UKG's signature drum patterns and crisp, chopped-up vocals. There's a weightlessness to it that feels characteristic of Pangaea's style, with the track riding that fine line between chaos and precision. It's rapid but controlled, capturing the essence of the UKG sound without resorting to tired cliches. On the other hand, 'Stuck' leans into a more understated vibe, pulling from the foundation of 90s US club music. It's relaxed, more patient in its progression, with a warm, spacious quality that contrasts nicely with the jitteriness of 'Dusted.' The contrast between the two tracks showcases the range of both artists: while they're clearly rooted in different scenes, they've found a way to merge their influences in a way that feels both fresh and familiar.

Review: Launched late last spring via an EP of nostalgic, spacey and sub-heavy breakbeat science, Shadow Child and DJ Haus's collaborative Rhythm Force series returns for a third instalment. This time round, the long-serving duo have opted to explore bowel-bothering bass of vintage UK garage and the late 90s drum and bass explorations of liquid superhero LTJ Bukem. Check first 'Night Lights', where twinkling electronics, glassy-eyed pads and rewind sound effects ride a crunchy two-step breakbeat and powerful sub-bass motif. 'Icy Moons', meanwhile, offers a lusciously spacey and rhythmically breathless take on the post-jungle early d&b sound, naturally underpinned by a seriously weighty, speaker-shaking bassline.

Review: Breaka returns with Aeoui, a highly anticipated second album that will again establish his reputation as a bass music innovator. Charlie Baker continues to evolve here with his mix of footwork, techno and dancehall influences and jazz drumming background all coming together into fresh club rhythms. The album's unique vibe emerged from a burst of jet-lagged inspiration in late 2023 and led to tracks like 'Squashy Track' and 'YOLO Bass Rewind' which both off-set a mix of organic and synthetic elements, Afro-Cuban rhythms, 'amapiano' and psychedelic influences. Breaka's sound remains unlike anything else.