TIM REAPER Vinyl & CDs

Review: Drum & bass bastion Future Retro consign two next-gen producers, FFF and Tim Reaper, to a full ten minutes of raggatonic shell-shockage. Both try their hand at the now-rare 'VIP' treatment (the acronym stands for Variation In Production, but how this differs to the term "remix" is truly up in the air, save for the fact that VIP often means "self-remix" or "remix by original artist"). Following 2024's 'Meeting Of The Minds' VIP release, which followed the same format, Reaper notes the two tracks' creation in April 2020, made from parts of the other artists' original tunes. 'World Championships' by the pair of them is the variable tune of choice here, with Reaper's version providing a glimmery ambience, while FFF's is much stodgier, rougher, less padded.

Review: It's the anthem that just keeps on giving. Tim Reaper & Kloke's shattered break sensation 'Foundation' dropped five years ago, it still slays dances to this day and is one of the best drum tracks you can hurl into a mix for instant riotous results. Countless collabs later, the pair return to VIP the track up in their own way. Reaper keeps those drums intact and goes extra on the atmos and pressure whole Kloke eases up on the pressure entirely with a fresh set of pads and a re-chop of the breaks. Both totally revitalise the timeless track that didn't even need update in the first place. Cop this!

Review: Future Retro continue rebooting recent history with these repress and it's great to see the demand for high grade timeless jungle music. Especially this one. The enigmatic Mr Sensei and the bossman himself go toe-to-toe on two very different breakbeat workouts. 'Strictly Ragga' goes full foundation with a very thick subby mixdown and layers of percussion. 'FM Dial', meanwhile, goes much more contemporary. Militant cuts and hits but bags of space and sudden twists. With Kid Lib on collab duties, too, some argue it's one of the most powerful tracks FR have ever blessed us with.

Review: Waveforms is a brand new label spearheaded by ASC and Presha who the already revered minds behind Spatial/Auxiliary and Samurai Music respectively. They say they are on a mission to dive deep into the menacing world of early 90s jungle and cook up tunes reminiscent of that era and then serve them up lovely slabs of 10" wax. And right from the off the man who never misses, Tim Reaper, transports us back to the driving breakbeats and raw energy of that time with a pair of tunes that layer up a flurry of snares and booming low ends with wiry synths the sense of futurism that still holds true to this day. Sure to captivate old-school heads and new listeners alike.