Back catalogue: Dubstep

Review: DJRum's career has blossomed in recent times, in no small part thanks to his mind-mangling and frequently thrill-a-minute DJ sets. Unusually given his prolific work-rate earlier in his career, the much-admired producer has not released much new music of late; in fact, this mini-album for Fabric offshoot Houndstooth marks his first 100% fresh release for five years. It's predictably impressive, with highlights including the twisted TB-303 trickery, bombastic sub-bass and polyrhythmic post-dubstep UK bass beats of 'Codex', the high-octane modular techno insanity of 'Crawl', the spaced-out and dubbed-out, Autechre-ish IDM weirdness of 'Frekm (Part 1)', and the deconstructed breakbeats, psychoactive electronics and metallic effects of 'Frekm (Part 2)'.

Review: Say a big hello to the new Modez label here while getting lost in the hard hitting first release from Modelle. It's a bold barrage of bass, Baille funk and dubstep across six sizzling cuts. 'Pursuit' opens up with lithe broken beats wired up with electricity and percussive hits. 'Dum Dumb' is built on a distorted low end with hard-ass raps and brutal drum breaks, 'Razor Rex' arrests the attention with its pulsing bass and bleeping modular synth sequences while 'Petrie's Rage' is a hyper-speed cosmic banger. 'Jeff On God' (feat Parkinson White) shuts down with more low end energy and this time jungle breaks provide the power source.

Review: Liverpool Dubstep Heads invite Russian artist Ninety over for some low-end fun and these four tracks are the result of their adventures. As with many of his previous tracks, Ninety errs on the side of trippy across the EP with strange off-grid flurries and psychedelic twists throughout. Highlights include the wavey sheen and sparkle of 'Rouz', the pinched staccato drama of 'Fear Suppression' and the all-out theatrical tension of the title track. Hunt and go hard!

Review: Dubstep and garage pushers Hotflush make a surefooted return, welcoming Perth producer Odd Occasion to their roster with an al dente next-gen garage cookoff. This 'Jukebox' offers six choices to the discerning listener, though you'd be hard-pressed to find a pub owner who'll take them on in toto - unless the landlords happen to be real heads, that is! All's well that this is a machine with niche appeal, with its formal calculations and dark contusions tempting fans of all things bass-led. Though the record begins on a volatile yet minimal note, the A3 'Simple' takes a glassy dubstep turn, virtifying the mix with hollow sound design and a stealthy grime vocal sample. The B-side betrays a sacrifice of genre focus, with 'Salt' bringing brutal trade zone techno via experimental trap sound design, and 'Tape' progressing through tender zithers, which help uptick the mix to reach a snappy folktronic finish.

Review: Beatrice M's amusingly entitled Bait label has in fact become exactly that - very desirable to those who know. Its latest is a four tracker that serves as a taster of a forthcoming digital album by Trois-Quarts Taxi System. Behind the moniker is Eloi Petillon, a versatile producer, DJ and live act who has a knack for blurring genre lines. On this one, they mix up elements of dubstep, techno and d&b into soundscapes that are cerebral, hypnotic and psychedelic. Each one is made from futuristic sound design, field recordings and intricate polyrhythms: 'Metamorphism' warped, linear, deft and brilliant deep techno. 'Coma' is more busy, 'Fraction' has wispy synths and a sparse soundscape and 'Spectre' is a fizzy, skeletal sound that tickles the brain.

Review: In a world saturated with easily digestible sounds, aya's music is a welcome jolt to the system and the debut album from this Huddersfield-raised, London-based artist is a bold and uncompromising album that challenges norms, questions truths and celebrates the spectrum of queer experiences. Through a tapestry of fragmented sounds, distorted vocals and experimental electronic textures, aya crafts a deeply personal narrative that resonates with both vulnerability and defiance. Tracks like 'Somewhere Between The 8th And 9th Floor' and 'What If I Should Fall Asleep And Slip Under' delve into the depths of self-discovery, their introspective lyrics and haunting melodies capturing the uncertainties and anxieties of navigating a world that often feels hostile. 'Dis Yacky' and 'OoBrosThesis' inject a playful energy, their distorted vocals and tongue-in-cheek humor offering a counterpoint to the album's more introspective moments. 'Emley Lights Us Moor', featuring Iceboy Violet, is a standout, its ethereal vocals creating a sense of otherworldly beauty. Aya's refusal to shy away from difficult topics and her willingness to experiment with sound and language make this album a powerful and thought-provoking work that pushes the boundaries of electronic music and challenges listeners to confront their own preconceptions. It's a challenge to the often-limiting tropes of queer art.

Review: Longstanding White Peach fam MOREOFUS returns with this ferociously wide-armed four-tracker. 'Too Far' and 'Okay Look' go hard from the off with big spiked out riffs and sacks of swagger. Real brute force 140 jams. Need a little more sweetness and swing? Flip for 'Blame' and 'Sixteen'. The former a sassy piece of dark garage with occasional flurries into unapologetic electro bassline. The latter a walloping slab of steppy techno that sites somewhere (quite breathtakingly) between funky, garage and breaks. Sweet.