Back catalogue: Drum And Bass/Jungle

Review: Proper pristine, technical drum & bass here from the Transmute crew, expending far more effort than most junglists in fleshing out the body, weight and polish of each constituent sound. Mostly forgoing sampled breakbeats, the 'DUOS' EP hears refreshingly unusual sound design choices dance over a more straight-up rollage in the rhythm section(s). From the opening washer pads of Abstract Drumz & Optimystic's 'Energy To The Universe', to the closing techstep clanks of Sicknote & Escher's 'Trouble Part 2', this EP brings a variety of emotions to a gestalt whole, unified by its consistently clean production.

Review: No matter your particular preference in the deep house world, this various artists' outing from Q1E2 Recordings is sure to have something for you. Mike Riveria & Marco Ohboy, for example, tap into an early sound on 'Euphoria' with its big, brash piano stabs and whistles, while A Soft Mist Production keeps it all cuddly and deep with languid chords draped over gentle drums on 'Upside Down Rainbows.' DatSIM brings in some space-tech vibes for a deft rhythm and neon infused sound on 'Influx' and The Rabbit Hole's 'Tail Groove' has a mad double bass sound jumping about beneath frantic jungle breaks.

Review: Furthur Electronix's first two Furthur Journeys Into compilations tune plenty of heads and shift plenty of copies. The third one keeps the quality levels high with more explorations around the periphery of underground electronics. Chris Coco opens with a soothing synth sound before Jake Slazenger brings crystalline synths and abstract modulations to the mid-tempo '168B.' There is more pace and twisted acid energy to Global Goon's untitled contribution and then old school jungle comes to the fore on the super stylish and atmospheric Gavin Masih cut. Monika Subrtova's 'Alata' is a serene and widescreen ambient synthscape that brings things to a suitably poignant close.

Review: Four unreleased tracks from 1997 come back to the surface, recasting the luminant talents of Danny C and Mike Pears in a more contemporary light. Alleged to have been preserved on DAT for the last 27 years, there is still a consistent, clean quality to these four bits. Opener 'Blueprint' and its successor 'Dubwise' establish a utilitarian futuristic sound, betraying something of the now less popular sound that bridged jungle to techstep. The vibe on the former track lays down a mechanistic yet jazzy feel, with its semitonic Rhodes chords contrasting well to the track's outlying machinic qualities. 'Looking To The Future' and 'Groove Creator' similarly portray two death-driven, repetitious images of an automatic future.

Review: On a mission to "make d&b great again", Finland's Straight Up Breakbeat pass through once more with the second of three EPs formed to showcase modern junglism. Kicking off, 'Mystery Machines' sees Glastonbury's Dead Mans Chest slam down some deadly amen choppage reinforced by haunting vocal FX and paranoid drones. Aeon Four & FFF's 'Look Inside' is a jungle-tekno roller, served with chunky hardcore style amens and a side of warm old-skool pads. Keeping the mid-90s vibe alive, the tripped out 'Green Fields Forever ' from Fanu - which drops hot on the heels of his greatly received remaster of Source Direct's 'Stars' - delivers airtight amen trickery, weaving synth washes and blissful dubby basslines. Esc & Mineral round things off with 'Photosynthesis', a pensive stepper highlighting cut-up breaks waltzing with cheeky synth nudges and a wide, rugged bassline. If the pioneers had buried some beefed-up tracks in a time-capsule to inspire future generations, they would probably sound a lot like 'States of Art II'.

Review: With 'Vibes', Dutch drum & bass/jungle outfit Cat In The Bag temporarily let the feline out of the case, yet they still retain enough integrity, and rein in the shellage, to the extent that the cat is nonetheless seduced back in after a certain time. Such is the art of alley-cat drum & bass, comparable in mood to "rollage"; it's all about a fine balance of hard-hitting impactfulness and careful vibe-restraint, else the mog'll arch its back and dash off elsewise. No wonder the first tune's called 'Level Vibes'; Dial-M and Msymiakos achieve an intricate, intelligent mood of levity, a belief-suspensory dread zone in which level-headedness serves as a proxy for the execution of a skittish agility, as of a cat. Our feline reccy no less reliably scours the 'Frontline'; amens penetrate hard garrisons of bass and atmoss with relentless keratinous claws, proving retractable paw-blades really can break walls. The B-siders, 'Warehouse Dub' and 'Dub Rock', provide more novelty appeal, preferring to build sound(e-)scapes that both build upon and take flight from the warpath.

Review: Mako returns with Oeuvre - Part 2, his latest record on Metalheadz, continuing the legacy of his acclaimed 2020 album Oeuvre. This 16-track collection showcases Mako's intricate production skills and deep connection to the drum and bass scene. His music remains a standout in an age where individuality often gets lost in the noise. The album features notable collaborations with long-time partners Fields, Hydro, Villem, and Mikal, alongside a special posthumous contribution from the late Marcus Intalex, adding depth and richness to the project. Tracks like 'Suspension' pays a sleek tribute to techstep, embodying Mako's versatility. "Come Closer' injects pure energy, a dancefloor anthem that has garnered praise from Goldie himself. Oeuvre Part 2 isn't just about the high-octane; it also explores reflective moments, with 'Overshare' weaving graceful melodies. This release reaffirms Mako's place as a masterful producer within the Metalheadz family.

Review: Suburban Base honours their brother MC Duke, Kashif Adham, a true legend in the music scene and the alleged godfather of UK rap. This incredible limited edition tribute vinyl picture disc celebrates MC Duke's legacy. After becoming the most prolific artist on the Suburban Base sister imprint, Boogie Times, before establishing his own label Hard Disk, this picture disc features some of his rarest releases from the latter imprint which have never been reissued since their original pressings in the 90s. Meticulously re-compiled and remastered shortly before Duke's passing, the likes of 'My Sound' and 'Journey' bring raunchy amens and breakneck variations to an otherwise make-do bank of samples: yet what Duke crafts out of them is truly impressive.

Review: Okbron Records carry out the divine task of reformatting an early yet rare Micky Finn and Aphrodite tape cut onto vinyl. 'AWOL' is a clever pun, serving as an acronym for both the wartime connotations of the phrase "absent without leave", and the spiritual paths implied in the phrase A Way Of Life, which also happened to be a leading early jungle night that produced multiple Micky Finn tape packs recorded in East London. 'AWOL' and 'Dark Selector' have likely existed for decades, serving as lost tunes from the rough point in time when Finn and Aphrodite laid down their timeless Takeover Bid mix for Mixmag. Packed with funk licks and gulping basses, all tunes heat the dancefloor stovetop in no time.

Review: New York-based minimal electronica artist Brendon Moeller takes cues from drum & bass and lowercase on his latest record for ESP Institute. Like a sonic Hockney painting, just six generous tracks span a curtly two sides on 12", as classy deluges marry with designer percs, conspiring to make a large but radially controlled splash. Every experiential stylistic base Moeller has passed so far, such as IDM or ambient dub, is revisited and checked off, and combined to form a wet emulsion here. 'Vibrations', the highlight of ours, pays special attention to fricative, stimulant audio-exploits in the sound design, with its synthetic mid-claves and potent rubber basses sounding like the reflex responses it predicts and expects from us. No wonder ESP liken the entire record to one big tingling sensation.

Review: Esteemed musical chameleon Brendon Moeller, renowned for his highly respected work in deep ambient, dub techno and myriad variations on such themes - turns his hand to 170 for Samurai Music. Centring on the iconic tempo as a key formal constraint - one that binds and defines drum & bass and halftime at its very core - Moeller is nonetheless able to articulate many new stylistic horizons with 'Vacuum'. As if to resist the banalities of content that plague drum & bass - overwrought amens, lasery one-shots, ragga voice echoes, you name it - Moeller instead leans into a purely formal atmospheric exercise, with 'Can't Run Away', 'Perspective' and 'Agitate' forgetting the concatenative associations of 'drum & bass' (TM) and instead fleshing out the less fetishistic contours of the metre, albeit also keeping up a squarely moody aura throughout.

Review: 'Born With It' by Mungo's Hi Fi, featuring Aziza Jaye, Gardna, and Eva Lazarus, is a high-energy anthem blending UK Garage and 90s rave vibes with a powerful dose of Drum n Bass. Aziza Jaye's searing vocals, Gardna's dynamic delivery, and Eva Lazarus's fierce dancehall attitude create an explosive party track. On Side-2 'Back in the Dayz', adds nostalgia with a deft rap over rave-infused breaks, sure to evoke memories of old-school rave scenes. This 2024 12" vinyl, eco-friendly and pressed in Scotland, includes unreleased instrumental versions and a dub mix of 'Back in the Dayz', making it essential for summer festivals, clubs and sound system parties.

Review: Dutch DJ/producer Martyn has always been one of techno and bass music's most thoughtful and diverse operators, with a trademark production style that draws on many interconnected styles and now a Substack newsletter full of interesting essays about different aspects of the music culture he's been part of for decades. Through Lines, seemingly inspired by his ongoing desire to make sense of the musical shifts he's contributed to, is his first career retrospective - a fine collection of personal favourites and hand-picked club workouts featuring tracks recorded and released at different points between 2005 and 2015. It's a terrific collection filled with tracks that variously mix and match elements of dubstep, polyrhythmic techno, UK garage, Detroit techno, broken beat, 140, drum and bass and deep techno.

Review: Wipeout XL was a game changer for electronic music, video games and the marriage of the two and it no doubt, inspired legions of fans of both throughout the last 25+ years. This adrenaline-charged album - inspired by the iconic series - delivers six high-energy tracks, each contributed by two artists known for their mastery in electronic music, immersing listeners in a fast-paced, futuristic anti-gravity racing adventure. With thunderous breaks, atmospheric jungle rhythms and liquid drum & bass, the album captures the essence of 90s and Y2K video game soundtracks, while evoking the smooth vibes of artists like LTJ Bukem, Peshay and Soichi Terada. Each artist brings their own flair, contributing three tracks each to the limited-edition LP, which comes housed in a heavyweight 350gsm sleeve designed by the legendary junkboy, creative director at Mojang Studios. The vibrant artwork perfectly complements the album's energy, creating a visual and auditory experience that transports listeners to another world. Following a string of successful releases, this album offers a turbo-charged, nostalgic escape for fans of synthwave, jungle and drum & bass, while also appealing to those who cherish the golden age of video games.

Review: Mike Paradinas is a veteran producer and owner of Planet Mu but he keeps on serving up thrilling new sounds. Grush is his latest, a new album packed with energetic tracks that he hopes reclaim the "dance" element of IDM. Inspired by the melodic dance music of the genre's early pioneers, Grush blends sweetly nostalgic melodies with dynamic, road-tested rhythms. Many tracks were developed during times on the road and from the spiralling notes of 'Hyper Daddy' to the aquatic acid footwork of the title track, Grush traces Paradinas' musical journey with signature style and invention. With influences from early Black Dog to Drexciyan funk, it's a vibrant, live-inspired record that works in a wide range of contexts from the club to the sofa.