Kwengface vs Joy Orbison vs Overmono - "Freedom 2" (3:30)
Kwengface - "Freedom" (3:19)
Review: These tracks have received some huge hype just from the plays they have been getting from DJs luckily enough to have them. Now they finally get a vinyl pressing so the rest of us can join in the fun. First up is a three way collab between a trio of well-regarded artists in the UK drill rapper Kwengface, master bass producer Joy O and techno's Overmono. 'Freedom 2' has cut-throat rhymes and two-step garage influences with low-end subs which will destroy the club. The original version features on the flip with a less club-ready and more drill-centric sound.
Review: Garage powerhouse Zed Bias is back with more old school garage brilliance with the new single 'Shell Them Again' featuring the vocals of Yung Saber and Brakeman. The original has plenty of retro signifiers from the low-end wobble to the withering synth effects, plus crisp hits and jostling drums. After the dub mix comes a remix from Zed himself alongside Safire which is much more dirty and raw. The beats are broken up so the track takes on a dubstep quality as the low-end oscillations bring the weight and drums hit with more force. Finally, the acappella closes out this fresh 12" on IFG.
Review: Ghetts presents a new album, On Purpose, With Purpose, which follows 2021's epic Conflict Of Interest and continues the ongoing artistic evolution of one of the UK's foremost rappers. Ghetts returns sounding sharper, more unflinchingly honest and boldly confident than ever before, expanding his sonic palette by reaching out beyond rap and incorporating wider genre elements such as soul ('Double Standards'), r&b ('Mine'), gospel ('Hallelujah'), Afrobeat and amapiano ('Gbedu', 'Blessings', 'Tumbi'). With every contemporary stylistic box ticked, Ghetts' purpose is made abundantly clear: to please.
Review: East London MC Jus Rival teams up with Camden's Joe Fire here for a hard-hitting new track 'G.M.S (Gun Man Sound).' Following their previous collaboration on 'Dangerous Settings,' the duo builds on their undeniable chemistry for another explosive release with some serious low-end heft. Produced by grime heavyweight Spooky Bizzle, the brass-laced instrumental provides the perfect backdrop for both MCs to shine and Jus Rival opens with a catchy hook and sharp bars, while Joe Fire takes over with a playful, yet commanding verse. Accompanied by a slick visual directed by Honey JD,tihs one is defined by its dynamic delivery and relentless energy.
Review: Kevin Richard Martin, known for pushing the boundaries of sound as THE BUG, unleashes his latest full-length, Machine. The album, released via Relapse, is his first solo instrumental work under the moniker, following a series of self-released EPs on PRESSURE. Each track is a sonic barrage, merging futuristic dub with crushing electronic elements, heavy bass riffs, and industrial weight that recalls his earlier work with Techno Animal and King Midas Sound. Machine takes the listener on a journey through dense, dystopian soundscapes, where each beat feels like a seismic event, making it perfect for oversized systems in sweat-drenched clubs. Tracks like 'Buried' and 'Bodied' epitomise this, with the former dropping tectonic bass lines over heavyweight beats, while the latter smoulders with industrial doom. Martin's signature "ice cold and dystopian" sound is at its zenith here, blending visceral sub-bass pressure with masterful production. It's a brutal yet nuanced record, one that demands to be felt as much as heard.
Review: Long running dubstep purveyors Duploc deliver an ultra-toothy new one from producer Coltcuts, a one-track-mind of pure sizzling heat from the UK. 'Antidote' launches with a banging slice of bass and crunch overlaid with a hook of derision from rapper PAV4N, who rides the beat with invective chagrin, throwing shade on the clout-chasing hangers-on present at the system stage. Then come the instrumental goods: 'Madhouse' maddens with its chipped-out bloops and underfoot-rattling womp-basses, while 'Menace' menaces with its sinusoidal wobbles and cavernous verbs, and 'Real Talk' offers a candid intervention with a wendigo's worth (that's about 26 basslines, to be exact) of synthetic cackles and growls.
Review: Mancunian Walton heads to Munich label Ilian Tape for anther of his cutting edge EPs. No stranger to esteemed labels like Hyperdub and Techtonic, this soundsmith once again draws on ambient, techno, bass and IDM across six immersive and cinematic tracks. The first two are largely wide open, cavernous, ambient affairs in which to allow your mind to wander. The inventive rhythms and powerful drums then arrive on 'Dread II' and remain throughout the skittish synth energy of 'Rewind Riddim' and automated factory floor sounds of 'Overload Destruction.' 'Unknown Territories' ends on a more far gazing vibe with pensive pads over scattered kicks.
Little Bo Peep (feat Dave, Hamzaa & Wretch 32) (6:28)
Review: Ghett's Conflict Of Interest album late last year was one of grime's finest. It now makes its arrival on wax and still hits hard. There are plenty of hugely evocative and biographical stories in this record that make it all the more real and impactful, from tales of street life to memories of his childhood to worries about being a parent. Those many different sides to Ghett's personality are reflected by the artwork which shows him at different ages all at once. The dark production makes for long and shadowy moods but guest spots from the likes of Emile Sande and Ed Sheehan bring a lighter soul sound that will have you singing along.
Review: Zha brings together element of dubstep, grime and trap on his latest 12" for the Naan crew. It is his first outing of the year following solid slabs of wax for the likes of White Peach and this label dating back to 2015. This one kicks off with 'Spice,' which has bass tones pinging about the mix with big hits, snatched vocal yelps and dusty drums all keeping you on your toes. 'Grief' is darker and dirtier thanks to the filthy great oscillation that rips up the swaggering rhythm and 'Harm' gets deep on some pensive pads and intoxicating melodic sounds. 'Two Rumours' closes down with sub so warm and cuddly it's like being hugged by a new duvet.
Don't Forget To Breathe (feat YEBBA - interlude) (2:26)
One Second (feat HER) (4:01)
Pop Boy (feat Aitch) (2:33)
Own It (feat Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy) (3:37)
Wiley Flow (3:32)
Bronze (2:27)
Superheroes (3:31)
Lessons (3:06)
Vossi Bop (3:21)
Review: Released right at the very end of 2019, Stormzy's much-trumpeted second album, "Heavy Is The Head", is one of the most significant releases in recent times. Made with a gigantic cast list of producers and guest vocalists - Aitch, Burna Boy, Headie One, H.E.R, Tiana Major9, Yebba, Fred Gibson and MJ Cole included - the set includes some of his most thoughtful and incisive lyrics to date, as well as some particularly ear-catching mutations of grime that will further solidify his place as one of Britain's most important artists of the 21st century. Yes, it does include more nods towards pop music - he's a Glastonbury headliner after all - but the beats remain tough.
Review: Yuku come correct with this special blue vinyl remix 12". Two vibes per side, both Traka and Granul go under the knife. On one side we have Serbian crew Traka under scrutiny as Commodo flips 'Yosai' into a menacing slab of tension while Muqata takes the Killa P-fronted 'Start Taking Note' into a brutalist sonic rainbow. Flip for two remixes of Turkish maverick Granul; Jtamul turns two-step inside out with stacks of eerie space on 'Deformity' while Iskeletor turns 'Interconnected' into the twisted, halftime heaver of your dreams. Stark sermons!
Review: It's been a while since we last saw Sepia on Infernal Sounds but rolling deep with Rider Shafique, he fits right back into the groove with the sublime and title track 'Time Stands Still'. A fitting title for a dreamy vibe, it's backed up by a wide range of gems... 'Gatekeeper' is sludgy, gloom-coated creeper, 'Whispers' sees him teaming up with Ickle for an icy swagger while 'Trust' closes the EP on a gentle, woozy tip. Timeless.
Review: Hamdi presents DUPLOC with two of his most sought-after dub plates on this sizzling new 12", plus a bonus vinyl-one cut. The 'Selecta' EP comes three years after his one and only other record and kicks off with the title track, a menacing low-slung buzzer. The drums make heavy rotations beneath a synth one that zips about with future energy. 'Immortal' then layers up another fat low-end oscillation and crisp hits while 'Peace' has a more prickly percussive vibe and suspensory feel topped with grime vocals. Three sound systems winners, for sure.
Review: Grime legends Trends, Boylan and Slimzee have made independent names for themselves over the years for their enduring contributions to the underground; the former two artists first cropped up on our radar after a string of horror-movie-themed grime bits which first proliferated virally on the internet. Slimzee, on the other hand, has been there from the beginning, co-founding the legendary Rinse FM pirate station among other things. We can't contain our excitement for this fresh, psychotic release for Etch's Sneaker Social Club; returning to the trio's penchant for oppressively trappy instrumentals, there are newer explorations in breakstep and garage, fleshing out the many teeth-gritted possibilities of the eight-bar rhythm. Haunting, atrophied sonic skeletons from a dream trio.
Review: Oskar Allen and Luke Barnett are Glume & Phossa, but beyond that we dot know much about them, Musically this superb album shows that they bridge the gap between electronica, trap and hip-hop with plenty of slick and sleek minimal rhythms and glistening synths. There's a psychedelic edge to these sounds - hyper real melodies and warped vocal sounds - that makes it otherworldly and futuristic at the same tie as having the sort of nostalgic chords that remind you of a time you probably never actually lived. Brilliant stuff for either home listening or the dance floor.
Review: It's not often we pass on much trappy EDM to listeners at Juno, but Eprom is a special case, having made a name for himself for pushing the glossy post-dubstep trap style that made many artists like him famous. At the same time, Barclay Crenshaw (Claude VonStroke) is another name in the EDM world whose direction isn't quite the same as Eprom's, but nevertheless shares a space with the former artist for having also remixed Yung Skrrt's wilfully trashy hit 'McDonalds' of late. As both artists have dropped their respective cuts in many a DJ set all over the world, Skrrt's label DIRTYBIRD have now orchestrated a meeting of the two minds - not least to mention this juicy vinyl compilation of the two remixes.
Review: Zomby returns to Hyperdub with his first album in three years, trailed in high profile fashion by that Burial collaboration "Sweetz." That particular tune is one of Ultra's headline attractions, alongside eyebrow-raising collaborations with Darkstar, Banshee and Rezzett. What really impresses, though, is the skewed, left-of-centre nature of the mask-wearing producer's heavy, post-grime rhythms, sparse but sparkling synth work, and the breathlessly cut-up R&B vocals dotted throughout the set. Interestingly, there are subtle nods towards new wave synth-pop, ghetto-tech, spacey ambient and alien IDM, making Ultra Zomby's most intriguing and consistently on-point album to date.
Review: Way back in 2016, Fent Plates offshoot White Peach offered up a killer collection of instrumental versions of some of its most popular made-for-MCs releases - a heady mixture of grime and dubstep workouts that reflect the label's London roots. Eight years on, they've finally got around to dropping a sequel. Featuring 26 killer cuts stretched across two CDs, it boasts a wealth of genuine standouts, from the deep, suspenseful shuffle of 'Bardo' by Cadik, and the delay-heavy, string-laden punchiness of Glume & Phassa's exotic 'Hatchet', to the slow motion, spaced-out weirdness of Koma's 'Arrival', the Japanese-influenced jauntiness of Ourman's 'Windy', and the ghostly, sub-propelled heaviness of 'Red Handed' by Mr K.
Review: The second instalment of Brownswood Recordings' Remix Editions series features two dancefloor hitters; one from new kids on the block Izco & Reek0 and the other from sub-bass heavyweight Coki. Each producer turning their hands to a remix from a different track from Oreglo's debut EP, 'Not Real People', both efforts turn out to be massive. Izco and Reek0's version of 'Levels' opens the proceedings with a stargazing march, fusing motifs of amapiano, carnival and UK jazz. Coki's flipside is much more dubious, working in a much lower dubstep register, and filtering Oreglo's original 'Opedge' jazz instrumentation into a mnemonic groundwork for a grime-caked heater.
Review: Get your 'Freak' on! White Peach are reissuing this doozy of 12" from Yoofee and not before time, too. Originally released in 2021, and still sounding years ahead of the pack, 'Calibration' takes the lead in all its bouncy, steppy glory. It's backed up by plenty more heat... The four-to-the-floor switches on 'Freak', the depth plunge subby funk of 'OK Cold' and the super creepy graveyard gravy finale 'Negative Released'. Positive release.
Ready 4 War (feat Sharky Major, Armour & Stormin) (4:40)
Street Fighter (instrumental) (2:42)
Go (instrumental) (4:28)
Ho (instrumental) (4:06)
String Ho (instrumental) (2:44)
Ting Ting (instrumental) (2:06)
Wheel (instrumental) (3:51)
Review: Grime might now be one of the biggest sounds in the UK music scene, but it arguably might never have been without the much earlier work of scene forefather Dizzee Rascal. The Londoner broke through just after the turn of the millennium and onto the international stage with his in-your-face bars, mashed-up dance sounds and big samples. Quite possibly his best work is Boy In Da Corner, the stunning Mercury Prize winning long player on XL that is now 20 years young. It gets a special reissue for the occasion with all the big ones like 'Fix Up, Look Sharp' present and correct, as well as a load of fine instrumentals.
Review: Cronos finally gets that heavyweight vinyl justice it's always deserved. Beats as greasy, sleazy, slurry and blurry as these can't exist on any other format but vinyl. Thick, belligerent but loaded with surprise; the combination of both Amon and Patric's signature slo-mo percussive, patchworky, grungy sounds is a match made in the sexiest parts of hell. The world is burning and this is the soundtrack we need but totally don't deserve.
Pretentious Friends (feat Busdriver - Call by Pillowtalk)
Shipwreck (with Thom Yorke)
Evil Twin (vocals by Otto Von Schirach)
German Clap
Berlin (feat Miss Platnum)
Grillwalker
Green Light Go (with PVT - additional synth by Siriusmo)
Humanized (feat Anti Pop Consortium)
This (with Thom Yorke)
War Cry (guitar by Sascha Ring of Apparat)
Review: Over the years, Modeselektor have forged a reputation as fearless innovators, neatly sidestepping genres and frequently confounding critics. Given their tireless touring schedule and the fact they run two prolific labels it's perhaps no surprise that it's been some four years since the last full-length Modeselektor album. Monkeytown flits effortlessly between skittish 140 BPM bass music, clandestine electronica, sludgy hip-hop and even warehouse-flavoured tropical rhythms (see "German Clap"). There are some real standouts, including a dreamy, slo-mo pop outing with PVT, two collaborations with Thom Yorke and a droning Anti-Pop Consortium hook-up. Must-check.
Review: The much-lauded Jamie XX rework of Gil Scott-Heron's 2010 album I'm New Here finally arrives, and it's pretty darn good. In truth there's little quite as gorgeously ambitious as the strangely anthemic teaser single "NY Is Killing Me" (included here), but that doesn't stop it being an excellent listen. Not so much a set of remixes as a total reproduction, We're New Here places the veteran beat poet's distinctive vocals at the heart of a heady, other-worldly soup of eclectic beats (think dubstep, hip-hop and wonky house), booming basslines, sparkling house riffs, blissful melodies and paranoid late night atmospherics. A near perfect 33 minutes, all told.
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