BASS RECOMMENDATIONS OCTOBER 2014

Review: This second full-length from Aaron Jerome's masked SBTRKT project is something of an eclectic affair featuring a supporting cast that could fill out Field Day. It seems like the SBTRKT sound has developed into a more subtle and finessed one in the period since Jerome issued his debut, self titled album. While there are, of course, heavyweight moments of thrilling dancefloor release - see the kaleidoscopic, Hud Mo-goes-post dubstep flex of "Lantern" - by and large the album sticks to slower tempos and woozier, more soulful moods, delivering tracks variously influenced by Prince, hip-hop, modern soul, R&B and piano ballads. The result is a sophisticated, vibrant and thoroughly mature electronic pop album blessed with an impressive array of guest vocalists (Jessie Ware, Andrew Ashong, Sampha and Ezra Koenig all feature).

Review: UK producer Bruce, soon to debut on Hessle Audio, finds himself following up Hodge's first release on Dnuos Ytivil with more quality, off the beaten track techno. The Livity Sound sub-label provides the emerging talent with his first record and "Just Getting Started" is a frenetic session of looped tribal drums, mechanical atmospheres and full-on rhythms drunk on swing, while a more subdued "Tilikum" on the B-side is awkwardly syncopated to start, before building into something deep - to then dropping back into a funky Chicago bassline groove.

Review: Take a look at the artists to grace the A-side of Decadubs 4 and you'll find a collection of names that have released some of this year's most talked about albums: Lee Gamble, Inga Copeland, The Bug and Fatima Al Qadiri. The B-side, however, hosts Hyperdub regulars like Ikonika and DVA, and the boss Kode9 of course, to more intriguing names like footworker DJ Earl and Jeremy Greenspoon & Borys who have previously released music on Dan Snaith's Jiaolong label. Dean Blunt also appears with a jazzy ambient cut, while Cooly G does the same with the sombre, vocal-driven "Mind".

Review: With his No Symbols imprint serving to issue forth the most personal of his artistic endeavours, Beneath offers up another slab laden with the kind of forward-thinking bass variations that have made each and every release essential thus far. "Golden Age" throws down a tightly-wound break beat with a catchy yet understated riff and plenty of moody textures and samples, while "Internal" takes things into wilder territory with clattering percussion and haunting sweeps of melody that plunge you into the same soundworld as early Shackleton. "Luisa" rounds things off with a more contemplative downtrodden house effort laden with rainy Sunday tones perfect for the Autumn time.

Review: Mickey Pearce first appeared on Swamp81 in 2012 with two releases that featured between a stride of other records from Boddika, Falty DL and label boss Loefah. This new Instructions EP is his first release since his Numb Nut (Soft Brain) / Socks Off 12" and this time he delivers a complete and varied four-track EP. "Jam 01" is the most experimental production which sounds like a bit-crushed and hacked up sample of someone cutting their hedge, while the title-track is rough and broken with bleeps designed for basement clubs. "Loop For D" is a deep and melancholic production with 808 bass drums and skittered snares adding a footwork vibe, whereas "Jersey" is grizzly and deep as it is funky.

Review: **REPRESS** Kicking off a self-motivated label as a vessel for his up-to-the-minute beats, Benton follows up releases for Box Clever and Black Box with this razor-sharp distillation of old skool rave touches and tight modern production. "The Callin" works around a tense break triggered at a teasing angle to keep the groove limber at all times, although unafraid to melt away into blissed out chords at the appropriate juncture. "Airtight" rides on a similar rhythmic roll, although the atmospherics spell this one out as an overall darker concern. "BBS Madness" lets a little techno bleed into the frame with an even more taut deployment of forthright drum hooks that cross neatly through a multitude of styles in what should make for a prime crossover cut.

Review: Trying to pinpoint where Bakradze are headed so far remains a blur. Last year they debuted on Danish label Teal with the Where Time Forgot 12", which they followed up six months later with a release on UK label 2nd Drop. Now the pair appear on The Crescent label for their firth release since 2012 and Bakradze provide a collage of up beat sounds intertwined with small splash UK indie. The whole EP is tinged with an Innervisions vibe too, mixed with the natural acoustics of what can be heard on Comeme's release, with brittle percussions, bells and whistles similar to Four Tet making for a full sounding, organic record.

Review: Lil Silva develops momentum with more of the smouldering modern soul we were first smitten by on his "Distance" EP last year. Here we cover even more ground across the five tracks as "First Mark" takes us back to his UK funky days with big splashing drums and a grunting bassline that does all the talking. Dig deeper for an array of highlights that span the hazy dreamy soul of the title track and deep, yearning soliloquies from Banks on both "Don't You Love" and "Right For You" to the gospel-style beauty of "Kimmy".

Review: Berlin-based She's Drunk is making his full EP debut with this snappy three-tracker for Liminal Sounds, drawing upon the legacy of soundsystem culture and modern low-end permutations to deliver distinctive club smashers. "Talk To Them" leads the charge with a wealth of jungle reference points rubbing up against whip-crack beats heavy on the stop-start dynamics, flying breaks and mammoth bass notes around the mix with gleeful abandon. "The Wild Yard" takes things even freakier with a dancehall undercurrent and an irreverent line in helium vocal licks before "Mariah Believes" slows things right down to a low-riding jam peppered with sliced and spliced vocals.

Review: There's a celebration of all things immediate and soulful in the modern house fraternity on this latest release for Shifting Peaks, as Reagan Grey steps into the light for the first time. With Sandy Duperval bringing a mature vocal delivery to "Owl", the chunky production gets lifted to the next level with plenty of bass and swirling pads to satisfy right across the board. "Feel The Pressure" similarly benefits from Christie Nelson laying down some lines, while on the buttons Grey gets into a more bumpy kind of groove. Futureboogie's Lukas and Benway (aka Nphonix) remix "Owl" and "Feel The Pressure" respectively with the former's effort a particular gem, keeping the rhythm section at the front and the rest of the elements simmering in the background.