Bait Vinilo y CD

Review: This is a four-track sampler taken from parts one and two of the One Hundred and Fifty Steps VEP series which is all about exploring the rise of 150 bpm dubstep, a sound that is characterised by fast basslines, broken rhythms and heavy halftime pulses. From VEP pt. 1, L.A.'s Carre delivers pacey wobblers and then Berlin's Formella debuts with playful breaks and more wobbly bass on 'Dripstep'. VEP pt. 2 features Leipzig's Old Man Crane with their intricate, syncopated style shinning through on 'Grey' and Valencia's Andrae Durden then shows class with a Kryptic Minds-inspired low-end powerhouse.

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.