Juno Recommends Dubstep March 2021

Review: Infernal Sounds enlists Cluekid for a new EP that serves up some seriously heavy bottom ends. 'Electric Avenue' and 'Horizontal' are two of the artist's most sought after dubs. The a-side is a hark back to the heydays of 2008. It's got some big jungle samples and mad low end wobbles that will turn you inside out. Flip it over for 'Horizontal' which is made from a similar mould but has a nice melody in the background to add freshness. Once again the low end will loosen your bowels making this a devastating two tracker.

Review: Here's a pleasant surprise: a fresh, forward-thinking collaboration between sometime Hessle Audio regular Pearson Sound and mutant reggaeton specialist Clara Sobrino, a Spanish vocalist and producer has previously worked with Low Jack. In its A-side vocal version form, 'Mi Cuerpo' genuinely offers the best of both artists' styles, and as a result sits somewhere between post-dubstep UK bass, dancehall and reggaeton. Sobrino's mostly spoken word vocals are stylish and sleazy sounding, adding extra layers of heat to an otherwise exemplary joint production. Turn to the flip for the instrumental version, which is naturally every bit as weighty, rhythmic and percussive.

Review: Radikal Guru is one of the flagship artists on the Moonshine label and he shows ever more skills with each new release. His signature digital dub sound now gets put front and centre on this, the Polish artist's fourth full length. Junior Dread, Marina P, Troy Berkley and India's Lady Skavya all provide vocal turns and the spirited instrumentals originals show real versatility. There are uplifting and conscious anthems here that cannot fail to blow up any speakers that play them. The ice cold 'Radikal' moody 'Melody Dub' are particular favs here at HQ.

Review: New name, but a very trusted source. Mr K reveals his new alias Hijinx on Jack Sparrow's Navy Cut by way of three mind-bending bass jams. 'Venom' starts the march, all grumpy and full focus on the curmudgeonly riff, before 'Tru' takes us up a few gears. Skippy and mischievously unpredictable in the drums, there's a slo-mo jungle menace running throughout before we collide head-first into the humungous finale 'Addict'. Tense and foreboding, Hijinx isn't playing around here. And neither are Navy Cut as all profits go to the Ben Raemers Foundation.

Review: After some great releases on Heavy Traffic, Boka Records and Daku, Andrew Howard, better known as AxH, is back with a new one for the ever reliable Artikal Music. Stomping, yet remarkably deep and meditative, 'Monkey Brainz' will hypnotise you into submission with its blunted style of sonar transmissions. Over on the flip, things get much nastier and even abrasive on the pitch black dubstep transgressions of 'Boxknife Chrome' which will leave you feeling like you smoked synthetic cannabinoids.

Review: The ever more vital Belgian label Duploc welcomes deep dubstep legend Distance for three more of his hard hitting and atmospheric cuts. 'Sacrifices' lurches on huge drops with twisted bass and icy hats making for a stark, sparse landscape. 'Overcome' then has a wobbly low end that is fleshy and flabby and really pulls you in deep, like a comfy sofa. '808 Snake' has a darker edge, with more textured and coarse hits and squealing leads that are edgy and intense. All three of these are devastating cuts that need to be played loud.

Review: Big city king JSM rings up Sub FM crew Low End Music's new label with a trio of spacious subby trips. 'Dial Tone' takes a familiar sound and twists it into an undulating hook that melts around the swaggering kicks. 'FD2' continues the tonal theme with a dubby harmonic that rattles and ghosts around the stripped back, slouching beats before 'Midnight Heist' takes things even deeper with heavily filtered pads, sleepy horns and the swampiest drums this side of the sewer. Bukkha joins the fray with a bubbly broken beat remix to close. Ding dong.