Footwork / Juke Recommendations July 2014

Review: Last seen on Exit back in 2012 with the excellent Get Busy drop, Charlie 'Fracture' Fieber returns to the label and shows off his Loving Touch on an EP that really ups the production ante. Centre stage here is undoubtedly the title track which looks to two eras of Chicago for inspiration, skilfully borrowing (officially no less) from Ralph Rosario's Chicago House classic "You Used To Hold Me", and rebooting it to a 160bpm footwork flex which retains some UK bassweight and elements of Fracture's own D&B roots. From here Fracture drops a carnival classic in the making in the shape of Machinedrum favourite "Werk It", collaborates with Sam Binga on the 808 club burner "Grippin' Grain" (apparently conceived during a wicked hangover) and ends on a decidedly rude note with the junglist breaks n bass line business of "Overload".

Review: Before Hyperdub get round to showcasing the more song-based side to their ever -growing discography with the upcoming Hyperdub 10.2 compilation, the label ushers in a second edition of the vinyl only Decadubs series that also forms part of their multi faceted anniversary celebration campaign. Extending the format to two platters, Decadubs 2 is largely a footwork affair with a good chunk of the exclusive material that featured on the double CD Hyperdub 10.1 compilation featured. A track from the sadly departed DJ Rashad commences proceedings (his "Acid Life" collaboration with Gant-Man") and the frenetic pace doesn't let up from there, with DJ Spinn's "All My Teklife" and DJ Earl's "I'm Gonna Get You" stand out contributions. The D Side switches up focus from footwork to showcase the hyperactive synth heavy stylings of Japanese producer Quarta 330, Champion's superb editing skills and Ikonika's peerless bassweight stylings.

Review: DJ Deeon's visceral productions and stripped back approach date back to Dancemania's mid '90s output and have helped set the very foundations for the footwork movement that continues to soundtrack the best parties today. Often x-rated and always physical, his analogue magic still sounds as dark and direct as it did 20 years ago. This Freakmode EP sees Chiwax pick through Deeon's 94-96 archives, and highlights include the switchy/facsimile-seducing title track, the outrageously sleazy sentiments of "Yo Mouf" and the tight kick drum dynamics of "Hoodrat". Never subtle, always solid, Deeon we salute you.

Review: After his first album marked a decisive step forward for footwork as a music form, Traxman is back with a second volume that builds on those successes with even more exotic sound sources that reach far beyond the ghetto house roots of footwork and juke. Opener "Time Slip" is a fine case in point with its complex spread of jazz samples that take on a truly sci-fi level of exploration in the hyper tempos of their host track. The lineage of black music weighs in heavy on Da Mind Of Traxman 2 as every track lives and breathes its roots and influences, sometimes brazenly, but always imaginatively, as has always been the case with footwork. For a deeper exploration of where the Chicago-birthed sound can head in the future, look no further.

Review: Finnish electronic nut Sasu Ripatti aka Vladislav Delay comes through with his latest dosage of sculptural neo-funk on his own Ripatti imprint! This latest clusterbomb takes a veritable juke approach to the equation and it would be unfair to say that this wasn't his craziest thing yet. But "54" and "46" do a lot more than just imitate the Chicago style, but instead, the tracks contain remnants of many other genres and styles typically associated with Ripatti - a little bit of techno here and possibly some improvisational, jazz-influenced sketches over there!

Review: DJ Clent might not be a name outsiders associate with footwork as much as Rashad, Spinn or Traxman but he's nonetheless got a history to rival that of footwork originator RP Boo, first releasing juke on Dance Mania Records in the late '90s and a host of other labels throughout the last decade. Having contributed to both volumes of Planet Mu's Bangs & Works compilation, and been the subject of an archival release from Blank Mind, Clent now makes his debut proper on Mike Paradinas' label. Entitled, appropriately, Hyper Feet, the five track EP blends MPC sample workouts with frenetic 303 production - the title track is supposedly a footwork homage to Mike Dunn's acid house classic "Magic Feet".

Review: Brighton-based DJ and producer Ital Tek seems to divide his productions evenly between Planet Mu and Civil Music these days. After first appearing on the latter label with the suitably complex rhythmics of Hyper Real in early 2013, Alan Myson returns with a second forward thinking offering for Civil in the shape of Mega City Industry. As the title suggests, the four tracks here seem to be a continuation of last year's mini LP Control for Planet Mu in both Utopian theme and sound. Expect an intricate cross pollination of footwork and the hardcore tropes of '90s jungle, something that is displayed with dizzying results on "Shinra".