Review: Weaving and writhing through the genres, joining dots you never knew existed, Montreal's Adam Hodgins dons his Sabola alias for this beautiful multi-genre mini album. Touching on experimental areas of his other projects such as Solitary Dancer, Gunnera and N/Y/X, across the six tracks we go from delicate, disarming Boards Of Canada style slo-mo fractal soul ('Southern Digital') to full-on jungle rinse outs (Tim Reaper's remix of 'First Step To Peace') by way of cosmic breaks ('A Hysterical Laugh') And that's just half of the record. Stunning in all directions.
Review: Unknown To The Unknown go full jungle as Shadow Child makes his debut on the label with two killer collabs with the bossman DJ Haus. 'Brain Rays' is a genuinely unique track as it goes full melty and woozy right down to the pitching of the beats. 'Computer Controlled' is a little more conventional but still whacks out with a slightly edgy vibe to it. Deep in the bleeps and mean with the beats; Shadow Child and DJ Haus was a collab we didn't expect to have on our bingo card, but we're so glad we did.
Review: Silent Force Recordings is back with the third instalment in the SFR Titans series. This one features Solaris in top form and delivering a brace of nicely immersive sounds, starting with 'Nemesis' which channels the classic atmospheric Amen sound and is rather reminiscent of mid-90s Source Direct. It's widescreen jungle at its finest. On the flip, 'Poseidon' takes a darker turn with a more rolling rhythm and hard-edged, steel-plated drums that hark back to early 2000s D-Bridge. These are two different but early devastating cuts, and the fact they come on nice orange vinyl makes it a no brainer.
Soulox & Soeneido - "Lavish" (Comfort Zone remix) (4:56)
Soulox - "Dizzy" (5:36)
Review: It's an Oakland thing! Soulox & Soeneido's 2023 Future Retro release enjoys a re-up in all its ravey glory. A real homage to these cuts takes us back to that golden era crossover point between hardcore and jungle. Big pads. Bigger rushes. 'Lavish' lives up to its name in feels, drums and arrangement. A timeless corker. Soeneido's original has a chimey/Horizons feel as it builds up and hurls you into its own universe. Elsewhere Soulox's 'Dizzy' takes us even deeper for a laid back, sensual finale.
Review: What is "human nature"? Tokyo jazz trio Soundtype attempt to answer this near-impossible question on their expansive new album, serving an intentional crossing between genres, styles, and ultimately, interpersonal, intra-specific, human differences. Aiming for a sound that "transcends all boundaries", the implication is that human nature is itself an ultimately permeable concept. That, however, doesn't prevent the band defaulting to certain styles, which range from downbeat nu-jazz to clarinetting jungle to hip-hop via gospel. Remarkably clear, with crystalline production, the record shifts through talent-flaunting jazz and hip pop tidbits, culminating on a wonky, gaslamp-lit title track upon which singer Kotetsu and fellow jazzist Yota Miyazato pair up for a culminate, fulminatory Michael Jackson cover.
Review: Submorphics' Rosebay imprint has been an absolute gold mine for soulful and warm, funky and cosmic D&B and this link-up with the man of the moment Zar is certainly no exception. 'Another Level Of Love' is a surging slab of soul that could be told at any tempo. Gentle keys, balmy (but bold) pads and a scorchio vocal from Aya Dia, this hits the spot on a whole new level (ahem) For a deeper instrumental vibe look no further than 'Western Times'. A lilting, far-away texture sets the vibe while little swirls and jazzy twangs add all the colouring your soul requires. Beautiful.
Review: Get ready for some proper breakbeat tackle as Oil Gang reprobate Boylan recruits the troops for a heavyweight apocalyptic 140 BPM showdown. With the likes of Slimzee, Trends, D.O.K, U.S.F and Youngsta all on side, the mood is tense and the textures are rough. Imagine that sci-fi sternness of Virus, that old school rolling breakbeat bass of Koma & Bones or Evil 9 complete with the more modern neck snap abrasion of acts like Former or Coido and you're in the right rave. Mean, gritty and unapologetic.
Review: With A Real Piece Of Work, Stillhead helps Brightest Dark Place reach into the "hazy, blurred overlap between techno and ambient", throwing a suspension chord between two bluffs over a vast sonic chasm, and letting terse rhythms monkey-swing across it, letting reverb bellow from below. This is an equally dynamic but intense listening experience, proving that vast, chasmic sound design need not chafe against dynamic buoyancy: the two can coexist. Keeping to about 170BPM, the Edinburgh DJ marks his sixth release here, and it is an impressive logical extension from 2022's comparable mission statement Restraint And Reverb: 'The Red Ball' suspends a sampled 'Funky Drummer' over an atoll of sub compulsions, while 'A Light Thump On The Head' stretches a classic future garage rhythm over a telegraphic void, with dispersive, long-decaying results.
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