UK Garage / 2 Step Recommendations Best Of 2014

Review: Rinse's 20 year celebrations continue to their limited run of classic releases. And they don't come more classic than Zinc's Jammin project. Both 2001's skippy, shock-out "Kinda Funky" and 2002's thunderous roller "Go DJ" were seminal at the time, joining the dots for garage, breakbeat and house heads like very few records could. Naturally, like all Zinc productions, they've matured impeccably. 12/13 years old and still guaranteeing reloads on every occasion, these are essential if you haven't already got them.

Review: Straight up UKG business from PMR veteran and Radio 1 resident T Williams, this EP has been unavoidable throughout the summer and is no finally available on 12". From the booty-shaking commands of the title track we get deeper and deeper into the foundations; "Bahia Repulse" warbles and wobbles with classic house vocals ghosting in and out of the mix, "Want You To" N-Joi's the endless sea of early 90s inspiration while "Dreaming" slaps with the funkiest punch thanks to some insistent key work and a vocal so emphatic you'll think you're still in Ibiza. Go berserk.

Review: Kieran Hebden momentarily puts aside his anti-Spotify crusade and general dominance of Twitter and turns his hand to archival matters, reissuing lost garage classic First Born from Crazy Baldheads through his Text imprint. If you checked Four Tet's contribution to the Fabriclive series you should be more than familiar with the lead track, which was a highlight of the set. Originally released back in 1998, Hebden picked up the limited 12" the day it was released, and was so excited by the nascent UK garage vibes he set about remixing it as well as contacting Crazy Baldheads about plans to reissue the record through a larger label - this was foiled when the group split and disappeared from the scene. After making contact with one of Crazy Baldheads in order to license "First Born" for the Fabric mix, Hebden then agreed to reissue the whole EP that's complemented by the lost Four Tet remix.

Review: The instantly palatable grime and garage of DJ Q has been satisfying bassline lovers for many a year, not least with his appearances on Local Talk. Now Shollen Quarshie follows up on the mixtape showcase he did for Unknown To The Unknown with a full length album proper, and its packed full of the plush production and catchy hooks you would expect. There's a whiff of techno about the dreamy synths that open the album, not least with the spiralling notes that hover over the trap-rave stylings of "Two Faced", but elsewhere there's a wholesome dose of sugar-coated jungle with the pop vocal stylings of Kassandra and Louise Williams. It's a diverse album with a broad appeal to those who like their beats immediate and colourful, and might just be one of the unlikeliest pop albums of the year.

Review: DMX Krew's legendary EDMX drops another filthy bunch of tracks and this time it's on the Skrufix imprint. This time he's in a more tranquil mood, where his usual dose of acid is replaced by more placid, IDM-influenced sounds covered in a layer of rave overtones. "No Papa", for example, is a right squelcher built for floor use, of course, but it's one that could also be enjoyed outside the dance. That's our pick of the lot, but it's all heavily recommended and makes a fine addition to this guy's stellar catalogue.

Review: Royal T and Flava D step out with their first collaborative outing. An outing that's been so fruitful, it's spawned three different versions. Rub one is all about the classic 4/4 UKG vibes as the beats slap and tickle beneath a series of jazzy organ hits. The much darker, ruder rub two flexes back to the turn of the century when grime, breaks and garage were enjoying one of the finest three-ways UK music has ever experienced. Finally we hit rub three... All foaty, skippy and dreamy, it's a two-step journey into the most luxuriant of dancefloor pastures. What a collaboration, we've got Royal T and Flava D on our minds in a major way!

Review: Rinse FM DJs and Butterz founders Elijah and Skilliam have been credited with bringing grime back to some of London's most prestigious clubs, not least Fabric, where they began a residency last year. It's perhaps unsurprising, then, that they've been given a chance to mix the latest volume in the club's FabricLive series. Predictably, they've nailed it, too, dropping a mix that showcases the best of UK bass music - particularly contemporary trends in grime and garage, with just the right amount of old school flavour - while containing a high number of unreleased tracks, exclusive reworks and even some new verses from scene legends Newham Generals.

Review: As one half of Swing Ting and with a brief appearance on Keysound behind him, Samrai gets a full release over which to spread his love for simple, direct constructions that doff their cap to UK Funky but with a lighter approach. "Let It Ride" sits easy on the ears with its cooing chords and a honey-coated vocal from Mr Fox. The accompanying riddims extrapolate on the various characteristics of the tune, from the tender "Responsibility Riddim" to the crafty strip-down of the "Problematic Riddim". For those who like things a little tougher, the "Concrete Riddim" has plenty of guts in its rough bass and cold percussion.

Review: US-based Bunny On Acid drops a four track monster on the always pleasing Studio Rockers and it was about time we had some sampling goodness in! "It's On" features the genius of Amp Fiddler, who as you know has been prolific on Moodymann's Mahogani and even Stones Throw, while the title track is a pure Motor City electro pile-driver with enough funk to leave you spinning into infinity. "Daydream" and "When We Touch" on the B-side are one a more contemporary tip, where broken drums meet deep basslines and cutting-edge sonics!