Back catalogue: Drum And Bass/Jungle

Review: Contemplative, playful and from the heart; both Spearhead bossman BCee and one of the genre's most prolific singer/songwriters Charlotte Haining share many traits, as they show here on their debut collaborative album Life As We Know It. With topics ranging from mental health to adoption and loss of loved ones, the duo traverse the drum & bass hinterland with some of the most thoughtful songs either of them have ever written. Featuring cameos from the likes of Etherwood, DRS, Logistics, Kove and Tempza, vibes range from rocket-thrusting melancholy ('Give Me A Break'), glistening piano-laced minimalism ('Endlessly Unlimited') and all liquid things in between. Life-affirming.

Review: While Calibre's studio albums are invariably superb, his periodic Shelflife compilations of unreleased tracks and tried-and-tested dubplates are often even better. Predictably, this fifth volume in the series not only hits the spot, but also contains some genuinely grade-A material. Many will naturally gravitate towards high-class DRS hook-up "City Life" and the sought-after Marcus Intalex collaboration "Bluesday" (a typically warm, melodious and soulful affair), but there are plenty of other highlights amongst the 12 tracks on. These largely tend towards the more sun-kissed and breezy end of the D&B spectrum, though there are some tougher and darker workouts (see the low-slung sci-fi growl of "Jaboc") amongst Calibre's waves of dancefloor positivity.

Review: Calibre's brand new drum & bass album Rudy comes in a minty-fresh contrapuntal breath, following hot on the heels of a new white label reissue of his earliest and most enduring works from the mid-to-late 1990s. The sudden time-warp back into the present day proves just how far he has come since then, yet also just how much he has retained what worked, too; Rudy begins in an orthodox liquid jungle fashion with the likes of 'Stunted', before breaking away into impressionistic vocal free-associations like 'The Game' (with Dominic Martin) and halftime reese-swellers like 'Heaven'. All the tracks originate from the same aetheric stratosphere - imagine if drum & bass had kicked off not on a terrestrial, but totally gaseous planet - yet Calibre still gleans enough variation from this potent condensate to either pack both more vacuumy punches ('Cousin') or more laid-back but cerebral inhalations ('Dumb Bum').

Review: Is the d&b world ready for the return of Chase & Status? We think so, as the major label duo bounce back in double quick time to follow up on last year's What Came Before. As the title implies, Ruff Cuts finds Saul Milton and Will Kennard digging in for some rapid response bombs that build on their reputation as stadium-sized breakbeat bossmen. With big MC guest spots from the likes of Hedex and ArrDee and the drops that make you check you've not stepped off a cliff, this is the sound of top tier d&b from a duo who have changed the game like few others.

Review: Chase & Status ride a new wave with their sixth album, honouring their long-held time in the limelight as two of the UK's most powerful bangercrafting hitmakers. While still managing to nod to times past, this limited new LP also works in brand new UK sounds - drill MCs Unknown T and Backroad Gee, for example, make standout appearance on the tracks 'Run Up' and 'When It Rains', while still retaining elements of creativity that are endemic to Chase & Status only. Meanwhile, UK dancehall maintains its strong standing, with Popcaan and IRAH featuring regularly throughout.

Review: Having scaled the heights of global superstardom over the last decade, Chase & Status last year returned to their more roughneck D&B roots with RTRN II JUNGLE, their retro-futurist fourth studio album. Here they continue that trend via RTRN II FABRIC, their first contribution to the legendary London club's popular DJ mix series. Full to bursting with high-octane Amen breaks, bowel-bothering sub-bass, punchy rhythms and MC flows, the mix sees the long-serving twosome pack 44 killer jungle and D&B cuts old and new into just under 80, all-action minutes. As you'd expect, it's packed with exclusives too - not least a wealth of unreleased Chase & Status productions and 'VIP' dubplate versions. If you love jungle and D&B, you need it in your life.

Review: There's just no stopping Coco Bryce, who casually drops his third LP of the year on MYOR like it's no big deal. As low-slung opener 'High Commander' demonstrates, this isn't a one-trick jungle dump, but an album proper with nooks and crannies to get lost in. There are of course plenty of dazzling breakbeat excursions to savour - this is Coco Bryce after all - but even then his style has a refreshing, dynamic quality which makes for listening music as much as shockout juice. The low tempo beatdowns are just as incredible, full of vibe and bursting with inspiration, proving, as we already said, there is NO stopping our bredda in Breda.

Review: Our love for Coco Bryce is well-documented on these pages. To get news of a new album from the legendary Dutch drum & bass producer, then, is, well, music to our ears. Computer Love is a double pack on his own label MYOR that explores downtempo sonic landscapes, deep drum & bass and occasional forays into UKG and breakbeat. It's a kaleidoscopic listen with meticulous craft in each tune and overflowing with fresh melodic ideas as well as his famous smart samples. Previously released singles 'Night Safari' and 'Trust Issues' are standouts amongst a slew of other more left-of-centre sounds.

Review: Congo Natty celebrates a decade of revolutionary jungle music with this anniversary reissue of a classic. Originally released in 2013, this album remains a cornerstone of the genre, blending reggae, hip-hop, and jungle influences into a powerful sonic tapestry. With timeless tracks like 'UK Allstars' and 'Jungle Souljah,' Congo Natty captures the spirit of the underground rave scene with infectious beats and socially conscious lyrics. This anniversary edition breathes new life into the record with remastered tracks and additional content, reminding listeners of the enduring legacy of jungle music and Congo Natty's vital contribution to its evolution.

Review: German scientist Current Value elevates his 14th studio album to wax status and the world is a better place. Rolling out over two heavyweight 12"s, this particular body of work explores the relationship between drum & bass and techno in a whole rainbow of interesting and uncompromising ways. From the pummelling non-stop 4x4s of 'Greed' to the glitchy, rising frequencies and twisted emotions of the title track, each cut takes a snapshot or a pinch of ingredients, inspects them on a microscopic level and turns them inside out. Elsewhere cuts like 'TNM' melt your face off with thundering beats and momentous energy while other tracks such as 'Deep Mind' go straight for the cranial sensation and fry your brain within seconds. An exceptional exploration. No one does it like Current Value.

Review: Finally! The vinyl version of one of D&B's biggest albums of 2021 is here at long last. Featuring the skills and styles of two of the leading voices and most prominent songwriters in the game, Two Sides Of Everything is the first album of its kind in drum & bass and sees them vibing out and laying down pure emotion over beats from a truly all-star cast: Sl8r, Roni Size, L-Side, Visages, Random Movement, Whiney, Technmatic, BCee, Monrroe and so many more provide a perfect range of sounds, flavours and grooves for Riya and Collette to show how versatile and exciting the vocal side of drum & bass is right now. The wait's been worth it!