Back in stock: UK Garage

Review: Born 2 Be Free returns with a second sizzling slab of UKG-flavoured wax and this one from Azaad has a superb throwback feel thanks to the smart sampling. 'Untitled 92' hints at which period this artist has the most respect for with its silky smooth chords and thumping kicks getting you into a nice deep vibe before 'Outta My Mind' hist that bit harder with nice dry, scraping hits, bouncy bass and clipped vocal fragments. The classy vibes continue with 'Torn' which shuts down with a more high speed and slick sound smart snares and a rich, emotive vocal that finishes it in style. Three classy, timeless garage cuts.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Todd Edwards is affectionally known as Todd the God because of his skills. Those skills are two fold - he famous fomented this own style of garage with quick beats and cut up vocals used like an extra instrument in the mix. But he is also a badass DJ who can slam through house and garage with high energy and plenty of charger. As such, he is rightly celebrated here with an overdue entry into Defected's long running House Masters series. All his most famous joints make the cut, from the bumping remix of St Germain to the lively vocal soul of his dub of Kim English via originals like his jazzy, chord laced anthem 'Push The Love.'

Review: Wrong'uns is a newly established label designed to serve up dirty jams for the dancefloor. For this second outing, they look to a beat-making crew of miscreants in Just Olly, Mehlor, Jake Rollinson and Joejoemojo who all offer up one jam each. Just Olly's 'Tougher' has filthy basslines and lip-curling menace in the stepping drums. Mehlor's low ends are just as warped and the drums and percussion are just as kinetic, then Rollinson's 'Trip The Funk' is a sinner blend of synth modulation sand bleeping dial tones that is full of fun for the club. Last but not least, 'Shake The Funk' is a catchy slammer with big breaks and sirens designed to blow up any sound system.

Review: Back in March 2024, producer Papa Nugs launched the Suckerpunch imprint with Dance Floor Rennovations, a three-track collection of (in his words) "old dance reworks and 90s inspired jams given a modern dancefloor punch". This sequel is similarly minded and, like its predecessor, tons of fun. Papa Nugs naturally delivers two tracks: '132 in a Ford Escort', where sassy samples from a well-known female rapper rise above punchy breakbeat house beats and a dirty analogue bassline, and the mind-mangling nu-skool breaks flavoured, acid-flecked, Beastie Boys-sampling 'Intergalactic'. Sometime Old Boy collaborator Ho Gosh handles the rest of the EP, serving up the mind-mangling UK garage mutations 'Fight Or Flight' and 'Dope Melody', the latter peppered with early Basement Jaxx stabs and sped-up hip-hop samples.