Back catalogue: Bass

Review: Sure Thing presents Well of Sand, its second compilation. Six tracks from the label's friends and favourites, each new to the roster, offer bold, untempered explorations of tempo and weight, a concise yet expansive collection recalling the deliberate cadence of rippling sand and the sheen of shimmering oases. From Command D's subtly groundswelling, but snappy 'Half Blue (Violet Mix)', to Foreign Material's alarmingly alien 'The Living Planet' and Third Space's supremely stereoized, lowercase opus 'Push (Part 2)', this is a release for that large intersection of audiophiles and techno-philes.

Review: Bumping bass house blends right here as Facta links up with Lurka's Fringe White for a wobbly slab of jacking fun that's reminiscent of the early Switch and Jesse Rose material from around 20 years ago. For a little more esoteric mischief then head for either of the two Dorisburg remixes. The main one wriggles and writhes with an ice cold electro spirit while Dorisburg's 'beats remix' proceeds to space things out even more, adding even more intensity and drama. Feeling these type of beats? 'Ditto'.

Review: Wisdom Teeth co-boss Facta joins the cats on Incienso with this beautify and wide-armed four track 12". Packed with all flavours you'd expect from the young producer, and more, we're treated to a whole menu of vibes. 'Emeline' starts the trip with a jacking, trippy house note that's comparable to the old Classic Music grooves. It's in good company as 'Felt' soothes the soul with its super woozy, off-key waves, the bumpy rolling breakbeat bleeps of 'Mirage' give us pep and the wonderfully dreamy downbeat sludge of 'Sick Pup' sends us off to the cosiest corners of our mind. Sick is the word.

Review: Making a welcome return to Swamp 81 after the Mean Streets pair of releases, Falty DL is on superlative form as ever with a pair of direct cuts that play on different sides of his production personality. "Huff & Puff Bruk" takes the fundamentals of 2-step and infuses it with lazy jazz and ethereal tones for a crisply funking, whimsical cut that should get all soulful spinners in a lather. On the flip things get edgier as "Mo" takes sharply looped vocal samples and works them around clattering slices of breaks to whip up the kind of frenzy that Tessela and co. inspire with their own rum choppery.

Review: From San Fran to London, US beat-sculptor Farsight follows the likes of Rnbws and Oldfield with this debut on the burgeoning underground imprint Dead Beat. And what a debut! Picking up where cuts like 'Triangulation' and 'Renegade' left us last year, the full EP ranges from abstract, deconstructed club vibes ('Sorry Mate!') to the more robust and venomous electroid spikes of 'Runneth Over' and the bright and bashy bumps of 'Empty Agent'. Complete with a series of links with kindred beat-splicing spirit Eradicate, this is an unmissable full flex across the beat spectrum. Essential.

Review: Well Street Records present their second release of 2022 and third in the Various Artists series. Enjoy 4 broken beat gems from emerging talents First Epoque, Practitioner, Planete and label head Robert Fleck. Limited pressing!

Review: Last year Burial and the Bug joined forces as Flame 1, delivering an in-demand EP on the latter's Pressure label featuring two sizable slabs of industrial strength soundsystem science. Here they return as Flame 2, once again offering up a pair of weighty dancefloor excursions. A-side "Dive" is a loud and claustrophobic affair, as the duo wraps dystopian dub bass and sparse, mutilated post-drill rhythms in layers of apocalyptic aural textures and mind-altering dub techno style processed noise. Flipside "Rain" is arguably more suitable for dancefloor plays and sees the esteemed twosome combine pulverizing sub-bass heaviness with dancehall style drums that come smothered in mind-melting effects and paranoia-inducing aural smoke.

Review: Following the release of Flore's remarkable album Rituals, here comes the all essential version collection. Maintaining the dot-joining, explorative spirit of the original LP, each remix sheds a whole new perspective. Highlights include Tunisian talent Azu Tiwaline's percussive hypnosis on 'Evidence', the far-away drums and leftfield jungle bumps and bashes of Deena Abdelwahed's take on 'A Thousand Years', LCY's pounding flip of 'Congos' and an all-out squat party-ready demolition session from 3Phaz on 'Coded Language'. Just when you thought the album was mindblowing enough...

Review: London-based artist Forest Drive West lands on superb Munich label Ilian Tape here with a new hand-stamped 12". He is someone who has mastered hi-fidelity minima bass music over the last few years, mostly on Livity Sound. This time out he offers four more of his intricate and masterfully designs cuts across two sides of vinyl as part of the ITX Series. As always there is a perfect balance between light and dark, physical groove and emotive synth work that pulls you in deep to his unique musical world. Do not sleep on this one.

Review: It's been at least a hot minute since the last heavyweight release from Swamp 81 dropped (and they don't get much heavier than a double pack of body music from Boddika). The wait has totally been worth it as Funkbias sees UKG legend Zed Bias team up with Rinse FM's excellently named Funk Butcher for two drops of typically forward thinking music. "Last Forever" burst uneasily out of the rumbling groove that opens the track into masterful concoction of vocal affectations, burning synth beams, snapping tribal drums and trademark Zed Bias bass. "Heaven Sent" does indeed begin like it was sent from above with gentle piano melodies lulling you in before being engulfed by a heavily pressurised flex of 808s and more crafty vocal dicing. The interplay between the soft and harsh elements is quite brilliant. Those who like a fine example of cover art will go weak at the knees over the Will Bankhead embossed design too.

Review: We loved the first PUP release so are super hyped to get this second one. It's a fine various artists' collection that explores an array of tech, acid and minimal sounds. Rat Bastard opens up and doesn't muck about with a fast-paced groove and slick electronic bass. Deezy layers in some trippy acid and lively breakbeats on 'Earnin' Bumps.' On the flipside, 'Prima' brings some fresh UK funky drum patterns and wooden hits to the light-footed tune by FRND and more Uk styles are tapped into on Mr Bizmuth's bass-driven, bulky 'Charmed, Sworn, Severed, Torn.' Woof wood, we dig!