Review: Dark Knite renegade Hannibal Selector returns with a broad bounty of militant steppery. 'What A Shame' is a gritty tech step number that's reminiscent of Dom & Roland around the 'Cant Punish Me' era. 'End Of All' meanwhile is more a whole warehouse of chainsaws being let off at the same time, then sped up by some type of dark d&b sorcery. Finally 'Necrodancer' closes on more of a sinister bone rattler flex. Hard, acidic but still bouncy. What an EP.
Review: One of the most consistent archivists in the modern jungle game, Harmony has been responsible for bringing countless dubplates back to life after decades of sitting in dusty old lofts and garages but in more recent years he's also been crafting his own fine line of timeless jungle including these two bad boys from 2022. Reissued by popular demand, 'Stop That' is pure drumfunk until the funk lick on the breakdown while 'Poison Arrow' goes for more of an ice cold futurism strike. Both absolutely slap through a rig. Peace, love and lots and lots of Harmony!
Review: Deep Jungle don Harmony returns to wax with three superb jungle work-outs. If you follow the label's output digitally there's a chance you'll already know these... 'Return' hits with such uncompromising breaks and sinister samples it's a hard track to forget. 'Sweet Dreams' is a much more introspective piece laced with space, soul and a very sudden switch that takes things to much darker places than the intro gives away. Finally Orca gets his jazz on by way of a remix of Harmony's 2020 deep cut 'Abbey Road'. Listen to those crystal clear breaks and silky chords and we guarantee you'll be running up and down zebra crossings for days. Peace!
Review: Deep Jungle bossman Harmony gets busy once again and it's a tale of two bangers. 'Hold It' goes in with the swagger and a hardcore energy. There's a big drive to the breakdown where everything melts into bliss. Need something deep for the weekend? Get your listening gear around 'Star Chaser'. Twinkling flutes, shimming synths, gentle vocal textures. Think Seba and you're in the right cosmos.
Review: Pow! Here's that quadruple espresso shot you wanted to kickstart your 2025 with. High energy, full tension drummage from Deep Jungle bossman Harmony, each of these cuts is guaranteed to wake you up. 'You Got' smacks hard with heavy hitting break wallops and classic vocal samples, 'You Got It hits with more rolling intensity and more iconic vocal textures while 'Transit' is more of a steppy, Krust-flavoured bumper. Keep it moving.
Review: Deep Jungle has always dealt in sounds that hark back to the golden era of the mid 90s, whether they are carefully chosen reissues, forgotten rarities or new releases. This time it is bossman Harmony who steps out with his version of things starting with the epic 'Now Massive' which is a hefty amen number with ragga vocals and love retro Reese bass. Flo over this one and you will find 'Ohh Baby' which although is decidedly more laid back, the heavy rolling breaks never let up and keep you moving physically and emotionally. Two more essential and timeless sounds from this jungle powerhouse.
Review: Harmony makes a welcome and notable return to the cultured Deep Jungle with an epic two-track release that captures the essence of, well, deep jungle. Both tracks here are quintessentially in that mould with all the signature elements you might expectigorgeous strings, heavy amen breaks, and impeccable production that shines bright. Harmony stays true to his classic style as he delivers a clean, polished sound that seamlessly blends depth and intensity to make this 12" a must-listen for any jungle enthusiast, particularly those who like tracks that resonate with the genre's roots while pushing the boundaries of modern production.
Review: Casper Hastings is neither a ghost nor from Hastings. He is an electronic innovator from Ireland who has built up a fine catalogue on the likes of TXTRL and Sticky Ground. He is back on the Yin Yang label here with another high class assault that draws on electro, jungle and techno. Opener 'Tangerine Meme' sets the scene with crisp drum programming and snappy drum breaks underpinned by warped acid. 'Reaper' is as menacing as the title suggests with more direct, punchy electro and Peder Mannerfelt flips it into a surging wall of techno. 'Ruthless Romance's a devastating edge of breaks-driven jungle and 'Good Medicine' has bleeping synths over wobbly low ends and caustic drum funk.
Review: Following his return to the controls last year on Tempo Records, Jason Goodings once again flies the Hidden Agenda flag, 20 years after his and his now tragically departed brother Mark last released music. Hugely pioneering in the deeper side of the Soul:r/Creative Source style of drum & bass, here Jason brings that timeless sound back into our souls again. 'Golden Sky' is a heart-breaking slab of cinematic goosebumpery while '1978' takes a grittier style of funk that matches the artwork personally painted by James Horrific himself. Vinyl only, this is a real moment to saviour.
Review: Tommy Holohan's newest EP is a high-energy tour de force, blending techno, jungle and rave elements. Opening with 'Show Me The Sky', the trance-infused keyboard stabs and massive build-ups create a cinematic techno anthem. The title track, 'Temple Theatre', brings tribal loops, hard-nosed percussion and funky momentum for a relentless dancefloor roller. 'Make Me Feel' dives deep with a rumbling bassline and jungle-inspired drums, enhanced by clever house samples and a commanding vocal drop. Side-2 showcases two mixes of 'Your Lovin Arms'. The Warehouse Mix delivers a heavy rave vibe with raw energy and techno grit, while the Jungle Mix adds a melodic touch with breakbeats, creating a unique fusion of styles. A bold, diverse release, proving Holohan's real knack for blending old-school influences with modern techno innovation.
Review: German techno DJ and producer Rene Pawlowitz has kept up their experimental Hoover series going for a solid three years now. A fascinating take on jungle from the frame of reference that is techno, it serves as a pretty perfect example of one genre being 'looked in on' by another. The fifth instalment in the series here sees a further two tunes added to the pot; 'Track 1' reminds us of the scratchy and dry wonk of John T Gast, while 'Track 2' dizzys us with rather mind-boggling breaks cut-ups and restructurings.
Law & Kola Nut - "Symptoms Of Love" (Krugah Blue Power Strain mix) (6:13)
Law & DJ Sofa - "More Bells" (6:12)
Law & Haste - "Give Me" (5:31)
Review: The R Whites label is back with a fifth self-titled new various artists EP and it finds Law collaborating with a range of fresh talents on four standout jungle cuts. First up it is with Kola Nut on 'Lost Time' which is all high-speed hits and drunken percussive sounds and soulful pads. Then comes a Krugah Blue Power Strain mix of 'Symptoms of Love' which is kinetic and textured, with serene pads softening the toughness of the drums. Law & DJ Sofa then get all harmonious and liquid on the brilliantly deft but devastating 'More Bells' before Law & Haste shut down with the soulful vocals and lovely piano chords of 'Give Me.'
Review: The young drum & bass label Monkey Business closes out a fine 2024 with one more killer 12". It's another one that draws on various artists for four tracks that are all four-way collabs. First up is 'Monkey Face' which is a twitchy, electrifying cut with whirring synth sounds, crisp drums and raw snares. 'Good Morning' has a mad lead synth and some double-speed piano chords for happy rave vibes and 'White Town Murderer' twists a pp classic into a raucous fusion of wild drum & bass madness. 'Primate X' shuts down with eye-waveringly caustic sound designs.
Review: Rua Sound's sellout Foxy Jangle series returns with a ninth (second-to-last!) 12" release: a double A-sider featuring Bedford hardcore hero Wise & Deadly, backed by an equal legend of the UK soundsystem scene, Humb. Observe the obverse side: Wise & Deadly offer a cheeky jungle techno take on a well-known free party anthem, Mike & Charlie's 'I Get Live' (it's almost as if the remixer's name is an unconscious ironising of the OGs'). Meanwhile, with the B-side's 'Shut Up', Humb goes in heavy on the amens for maxmium dancefloor devastation, upending any prior need for four-to-the-floor implants for a shrill, nigh thrillingly unhinged break-stravaganza.
Review: Topping off an incredible year in which he's launched his own label (Weaponry) and delivered three EP troves of deep drum darkness, Seattle's Homemade Weapons presents his debut album Negative Space. Followers of his disarming, physical, rolling sub-heavy sound will know exactly how important this is: the flurried amen crashes of opener "Hawkeye", the cavernous ricochet rhythm shots of "Retina", the heavily pressurised space station pads, micro-traces of jazz and busted drum fury of "Conduit", the gurgling Doc Scott style drones and sense-blurring space between the drums on "Red Herring".... Homemade Weapons has captured his stark signature with slick, subtle detail and created a document that compounds everything we've suspected since he emerged in 2011.
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