Juno Recommends Drum & Bass February 2019

Review: Previously spotted flexing his deep dark wares on Med School and Hospital, Kent craftsman Anile is now officially part of Lenzman's North Quarter collective. And he fits right in with his own sound and his own take on the currently unstoppable TNQ movement. Heavier and more spacebound than previous releases on the label; across the EP we're flatted by the rolling "Nothing Makes Sense", we're rocketed around the solar system on the already massive "Earth & Mars" and brought back down to earth with more soulful, piano laced charms of "Back On Days" before "Vitalogy" closes this stunning clear vinyl story with a creeping sombre twist. As with all TNQ releases; this pushes some serious buttons.

Review: Utopia are back with a long-awaited release and what's more, it's from the mighty Break! Pretty much only seen on his Symmetry label these days, here he returns to Mako's buy-on-sight imprint with two sides to his universally loved sound. "Gunpowder", as you might expect, is a snarling, gnarly electrified piece of high voltage tech-edged rollage while "The Way Things Are" is much deeper, spacious piece where the drums scream jazz and the subs do more talking the louder you play this. Near perfect.

Review: If you know anything about Steve Digital, you'll know this; he flipping loves a co-lab. And here, to kick off another big year for Function, are three. "Out Of Control" sees him team up with Sight Unseen for a sizzling reese piece that's not dissimilar to Digital's work with the late great Spirit. Keygenlog tags in for more of a techno inspired jaunt all sinewy acid and splashing cymbal power while Gremlinz feeds Digital after midnight to create a church level piece of rolling emotion. Also included is a crucial slab of venomous jungle ruffage "Bitter Switch". Pow.

Review: Majik & Harmony's Deep Jungle strikes dubplate gold once again with another pair of unreleased Dillinja damagers; first up is 1995 blunderbuss "Luscious Nights" where the pneumatic energy between kicks and subs is near Richter scale levels. On the B we slide into 1996 "Hoes & Tricks". Another stark dark heave-ho where full emphasis is on those immense breaks and eerie pranged out toplines. Last spotted tearing a hole in the Blue Note 20 years ago, they really don't make them like they used to.

Review: Straight from J Majik and DJ Harmony's fabled silver briefcases come these unreleased from rave originators Shut Up & Dance under their Red Light alias. Straight from 1994, both slap with pure jungle authenticity and rawness; "Dangerous" lives up to its name with those militant break edits and warm reggae samples while "Greetings" brings a little soul into the mix with a sugar sweet vocal sample, wandering keys and breaks that clatter and bash with serious intention. Serious document.

Review: D&B lynchpin Friction switches up the Fatboy classic anthem in two ways. He goes wild with his One In The Jungle mix on the A; a dark rolling jam with all the classic underground touches and a vibes heads-down feel. As for the Friction and Killer Hertz remix on the flip? Let's just say, with their BBK style XXXL size riff damager they deserve medals for their service to remixing. But you knew that already because these have been some of the biggest D&B remixes in recent years.

Review: On the next record from Main Drain Studios, Chicago artist K-rAd brings two high-tempo cuts loaded with their distinct blend of bright, nimble production.

The A-side, "174_B7B5" is a total D&B tear-out. Thundering subs carry along waves of arpeggiated synths, while whimsical samples cut the tension of the winding breakbeat flurries.
On the flip side, horns fade in and out of "154_Materials Stardust Memories ", conjuring visions of a metropolis at dusk, with jazzy interludes telling tales while lean, skittering drums & warped bass lines pepper the road along the way.

Review: RUFFHOUSE roustabout Pessimist marches into a new year with "Austerity", an EP as foreboding as you'd expect it to be. Opener "New Age" is a paranoid warped technoid stepper, data breaches left, right and centre while both "Kabadaro" and "Progression" are beatless-yet-hectic swirls in the eyes of the most intense and unnerving storms. Meanwhile closer to the dance, the title track ushers back to the dankest of floors with its bashy kicks and menacing drone bass plunges while JK Flesh's mix of "New Age" adds more tension to an already edgy narrative. Buckle up.

Review: Alix Perez rallies up the troops once again for another smouldering selection of futurism from a truly all-star cast ranging from Tsuruda to Bredren. Playfully writhing amid that dark but so fertile bass hinterland that joins jungle, hip hop, beats and all shades in between, once again we run the gamut from somnambulant soul (Halogenix's super deep "Trouble") to lively steppy warped D&B (SubMarine's "IWY", Razat's "Simplicity", Monty's "Decisions") by way of the unclassifiable (Alix's switchy swampy beast "Poison Ivy", Deft's "Trips"). And we do say so with that awesome sense of unknown, unease and tension that Alix, his label and his equally innovative affiliates have made themselves known for. Welcome to the future.

Review: Their first release since the almighty "Fifth Column" V/A album last year, London's finest jungle night Rupture return to the label game with this crucial four tracker from serial beat slicer / tempo flexer Mani Festo. Here we find him in pure stripped back mode with strong tendencies towards '95 style steppery. Opener "Immortals" pays homage to the highlanders out there with a venomous two-step and unhurried momentum in the fluidity while "Hold The Line" takes us right back to early Moving Shadow with crisp rolled out breaks and spine melting pads. Flip for "Awake", the bounciest cut on the EP with its Dread style pitching and playful sense of funk. Finally, "Warehouse Theory" closes the show with a proper breakbeat slap; expect nothing but nasty sinewy arpeggios and a serious 4/4 turbo jungle techno kick. Hell yes.