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Juno Recommends Drum & Bass
Juno Recommends Drum & Bass: 2024
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Review: Adam F has been rolling out a series of rebooted classics on his label, 181 Recordings, co-founded with vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw. As a lead-up to his forthcoming album, he's released revitalized versions of 'Brand New Funk' and 'Music In My Mind.' Now, he turns his attention to Circles,' his iconic Drum & Bass track, presenting both a fresh reboot and a new version in collaboration with Pola & Bryson, which has been making waves on d&b dancefloors globally. 'Circles' was a groundbreaking track for Adam F, allowing him to blend his diverse influencesifunk, soul, reggae, and jazziwithin the framework of Drum & Bass, a genre that evolved from hardcore rave and jungle roots. According to Adam F, the track's enduring appeal lies in its deep textures, with saxophone, trumpet, keyboards and synthesisers creating a fluid arrangement that reflects his passion for jazz and his imaginative soundscape. This reboot of 'Circles' retains the essence of the original while introducing new layers and elements, ensuring its place as a timeless piece in the drum & bass genre. It's a legendary track, now refreshed and finely tuned for a new generation.
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out of stock $17.43
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Review: Strap yourselves in for the return of Missile Vintage with a fifth transmission and this one is a track from the boss himself. Missile Records founder Tim Taylor crafted this banger back in 1992 and released it on the legendary FFRR imprint. It soon made its mark on the rave scene of the time and has remained influential to generations of DJs, dancers and producers ever since. Now it comes back to vinyl in original form, as well as next to a huge Foghorn mix from Micky Finn and a more physical and breaks-lead remix from Blade. A great package that joins the dots between then and now.
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in stock $16.32
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Review: The cheeky junglist mash-ups continue unabated on Vibez 93 as the Dutch label very clearly spells out its plans on the r&b vs d&b 12". On the A-side we're treated to some crisp and direct flips of Blu Cantrell's 'Breathe' and TLC's 'No Scrubs', and the original songwriting content of the all-time classics is kept well and truly intact. All you need is a snappy, rolling beat dropped into the blend, and crowd-pleasing dancefloor magic is right there in the palm of your hands. On the flip Mary J Blige and Queen Latifah get the treatment too, giving you lot of bang for your buck on this big bad and bold record.
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in stock $14.94
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Review: Unstoppable next-gen junglist Nia Archives presents Silence Is Loud, her forthcoming debut album following an introductory onslaught of bangers such as 'Crowded Roomz'.AIn keeping with the contemporary torch-bearer's take on jungle, Archives' sound is cuter and, dare we say, more original than many Terminator-helmeted old-heads would dare allow themselves. Lead single 'Silence Is Loud' demonstrates this as much, with its expository beat drop marking a return to and cogent awareness of, jungle tekno, with its 4x4 undergird topped up by a floaty trip-hop vocal line, its lyrics evoking city reminiscences and staying afloat in troubled times. Promising both banger delivery and sentiment, Silence Is Loud is poised to pave the way for the very next incarnation jungle.
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in stock $27.11
5
Review: Seba is a name that has long been synonymous with the cutting edge of drum & bass. He has been active in the game for more than 25 years now and has never let his quality labels dip. He backs up that bold statement here with One, a new album that draws on everything he knows while also looking to new, unknown territory. There are hits of the great sounds he has dropped on the likes of LTJ Bukem's Good Looking Records, Goldie's Metalheadz and his own Secret Operations here with driving beats but also plenty of cinematic sound designs and widescreen synths. It makes for an involving and ethereal work right up up there with some of his best output.
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out of stock $35.40
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Cat: NHSCS 23. Rel: 26 Aug 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Hospital Records is celebrating 20 years of Logistics' iconic drum & bass track Together with a special repress that pairs it with the underground favorite 'Krusty Bass Rinser' on Side-2. Together remains a standout in the genre, known for its uptempo energy, crisp production, and unforgettable melodic hook. Originally a dancefloor staple, it crossed genre boundaries, appealing not just to liquid drum & bass fans but also to jungle and techno enthusiasts. This repress offers a chance for collectors and new listeners to own a piece of drum & bass history, especially as original copies have become increasingly rare.
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in stock $13.83
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Review: London's two newest drum & bass titans, Kloke and Tim Reaper, join forces for their first release on Hyperdub, hot on the heels of their most recent single collab 'Museum'. With the former hailing from Victoria, Australia, and the latter from South East London, this is a cross-channel collaboration that, of course, ironically, does much to surpass its distance. Combining the ostensible retroism of jungle circa 1993-95, and the coded grave futurism of the ostensibly late-stage, big flat now, the liner notes for this release mention a relevant sense of "deja vu". Whether there is a past or future at all - a question most likely to be asked by Hyperdub, if by any music label - remains to be seen. With lead tracks like 'Alienation', however - whose relentless intellibreaks and Reese maelstroms resound like the cold calculus of a pitilessly conurbanised UK - we can at least sit with the knowledge that jungle is still relevant in the task of realising the answer.
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out of stock $26.28
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in stock $16.32
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Review: We've all looked skyward for inspiration at some point and now it's the turn of Pittsburgh-based d&b producer Alpha Rhythm. Michael Gorman, to use his real name, deals in the kind of introspective, ethereal rollers that suit rainy day reflection as much as the deeper part of a dance, and he applies that style to the celestial bodies of our solar system to great effect. There are notable vocal spots from Leo Wood, Natus and Gemma Rose which only add to the heavy load of feels pouring out of this expansive long player dropping on Fokuz.
in stock $30.43
10
Review: Sure, plenty of modern drum & bass has a "heavenly" sound to it, but how many artists dare to follow the sonic logic of "heavenliness" to its conclusive ends? Illuvia (Ludvig Cimbrelius) is here to demonstrate, ironically, how few artists there out there are who have done just that - while also proving that he is one of said few, who have, indeed, gone and done it. This is his third full-length album for ASIP; surprisingly, they regard this record as a comedown from the "stratospheric heights" of 2021's Iridescence Of Clouds, and while we cannot claim to know what that one sounded like, we wouldn't hesitate to call Earth Prism stratospheric either. An unusually charged insight from the artist likewise bolsters its theme: "According to my lifelong research, Earth appears to be a modulation of light. It is said that what the eyes receive are rays emitted by a star, whose flow of photons is invisible to the human eye until they are reflected and modulated by matter." With that comes a miraculously ego-shredding collection of eight tracks, where in which every sound sacrifices its need to "stand out" in favour of being shot through what sounds to be the same ethereal effects chain, producing a mind-bendingly complex but yet, dialectically, simple ambient jungle record.
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out of stock $38.72
11
Review: Ruti's 'Lungs' was only released last month, establishing much initiatory clout for the up-and-coming singer-songwriter. Now, fresh on its heels, comes this quick-off-the-mark new remix set from genre veteran Calibre. Stretching Ruti's original r&b-pop cut to an expansive stasis, Calibre's version shines a crisp spotlight on Ruti's frank voice, on which she sings of the bittersweet melancholies of the heights of achievement - "can't get any higher - blinded by desire". The dub remix lays down a subtle variation, eschewing the string breakdown for a more extensive rollage.
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out of stock $14.11
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Review: Amongst jungle and d&b collectors, the 1990s work of largely unheralded Bristol duo Flynn & Flora (AKA Krust's brother J Thompson and the much-missed Flora Flakkas) has long been in-demand - especially their releases on the Independent Dealers imprint established in 1994. It's this portion of their catalogue that Chris Farrell's City Road Records explores on this must-have EP, which also boasts an excellent contextualising sleeve essay from Bristol-based journalist (and Juno writer) Oli Warwick. The quartet of cuts assembled - jazzy jungle jam 'Flowers', proto-liquid roller 'Dream of You', the subtly soulful 'Free' and Bukem-esque 'Silk Cut' - are not only amongst the most sought-after classics in their catalogue, but also some of their finest productions. As a result, Independent Dealers is a genuinely must-have EP.
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out of stock $19.09
13
Cat: DUBARC 003. Rel: 26 Feb 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Two of drum & bass' most rabid underdogs, Nookie and DJ Crystl, the latter returning only recently after a two decade hiatus - make a triumphant return to the foreground, joining Suburban Architecture in aid of the third edition of their Architecture Dubs series. A fresh fusion of old and new motifs, Nookie's remix of 'Renegade Horns' pays homage to a select juncture in the genre's evolution, recalling the era of "intelligent" drum & bass while nonetheless playing into the freshness and cleanliness that could only ever have surfaced after the 2010s. Crystl's version of 'New Horizons', meanwhile, is more refractive and dreamy, taking its required time to bask in its artisanal padwork, in contrast to its raw b-boy sample and frank Amen breaks.
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out of stock $13.83
14
Review: Not too many artists can create a buzz quite like when word spreads of a new album more than Squarepusher. Dostrotime is the first album for Tom Jenkinson in nearly four years, one of his longest breaks between albums. Proceeding the album release, the video for the hardcore acid banger Wendorlan has been making the rounds on the internet. If this is any indication of the rest of the album, then expect some serious heat. Audio samples have been tightly secured to protect leaks online until the release date. This album will be spread over a 2x12 and nicely packaged in gatefold form and no doubt contain some great gallops through the genre spectrum like only Squarepusher can do.
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in stock $26.28
15
Review: Coco Bryce deserves any and all of the plaudits that continually come his way. The Dutchman is a drum & bass mainstay with a distinctive sound that is rooted very much in the future. It's 3am Eternal where he lands to kick off his 20204 and as always he comes through with plenty of irresistible goods. 'One Hundred' nods to the old school with its nimble piano vamps darting about the mix over captivating amen breaks. 'Saliva' is a more deep, zoned-out sound that gets your mind lost amongst the stars thanks to its interplanetary synth work.
out of stock $13.83
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Review: Originally released in 1994 and now reissued in 2024, confirming the resurgence of interest in the classic jungle sound, 'Watch Out' is a hard-hitting jungle track with a relentless 'Amen' break, while 'Media' offers a more complex and atmospheric soundscape with a deep, broken bassline.. 'Watch Out' immediately grabs attention with its pounding bassline and heavy drums, the tribal percussion adding an exotic flavor, while the heavy Amen break provides the relentless drive that characterises jungle at its best. The track is relentless and hypnotic, perfectly capturing the energy of the early scene. 'Media,' in contrast, is a more experimental tune. The jungle breakbeats are present, but they are more subdued, providing a backdrop for the track's deep bass notes. Together, 'Watch Out' and 'Media' offer a snapshot of the golden era of jungle music. They are essential listening for anyone interested in the genre's roots and its continuing evolution.
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in stock $17.15
17
Review: ASC's Reflections is a masterclass in drum & bass and ambient music. The album is awash with deep, melodic soundscapes and old-school 90s beats that will transport you to another world. From the gentle pace of 'Glaciers' to the more upbeat 'Prototype' each track on the album is a sonic journey that will leave you wanting more. ASC's production is impeccable, and his use of samples is nothing short of masterful. The result is an album that is both nostalgic and fresh, with a sound that is uniquely his own. Whether you're a fan of drum & bass, ambient, or simply good music, Reflections is an album that you won't want to miss. In addition to the stunning music, the album's packaging is also top-notch.
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in stock $36.23
18
Cat: METALP 26. Rel: 19 Feb 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Toronto besties Gremlinz and Jesta have been plotting, scheming and collaborating their entire adult lives - off and on - and releasing together consistently since 2018, but The Lee Garden Historical Preservation Society is their most significant creation to date. An ice cold web of tales and textures that digs deep into drum & bass music's most uncompromising and future-focused aesthetics, over 13 tracks they dig deep into a range of influences - techno ('Andromeda'), jungle ('Destro') and elements of grunge and trip hop on cuts such as 'Vermin' and 'After Dinner Coffee Face' are all in the mix but they forever keep the sonics tight and consistent. Metalheadz through and through.
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out of stock $95.98
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Review: A cheeky new haul of waspish, sampleholic drum & bass from Vibez 93, the jungle producer-outfit whose exact articulation as an artistic identity, we can never quite place. But this is one of the exact reasons we've warmed to his craft, aside of course from the sparsely calculating yet vasodilatory ecstasy emissive from their music. 'Never Say Never' coolly samples the eponymous Brandy song - a morbid fixation of the jungle and 2-step garage scenes, to name but one - to the point of hardly even needing to quantize it to the breaks-grid, and yet it still works. 'Believe' complicates matters with boxier breakbeat blisters and emphatic "mashup!" jeers, while 'Touch' makes a subtler series of contacts, tacitly stroking both lobes with no less aggro beat clutches and high-reg plucksynths. We end on 'My Luv', another cool reprieve from the fatally unrelenting grind of breaksweight.
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in stock $14.38
20
Cat: WARPLP 117RX. Rel: 11 Nov 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Squarepusher's Ultravisitor, now celebrating its 20th anniversary with a triple vinyl reissue, is a dense, sprawling work that showcases Tom Jenkinson's mastery of electronic experimentation. Released in 2004, this nearly 80-minute album fuses drum-n-bass, jazz, and live instrumentation, while exploring everything from melodic electro-pop to chaotic improvisation. It offers a comprehensive glimpse into Squarepusher's world, touching on every facet of his sound, making it feel like the culmination of his career up to that point. Tracks like the title piece and 'Iambic 9 Poetry' demonstrate his ability to blend complex rhythms with melodic layers, while '50 Cycles' veers into noise-laden abstraction, hinting at genre reinvention. Jenkinson's virtuosic bass work shines on songs like 'I Fulcrum', and even his guitar compositions, such as 'Andrei', show his versatility. Despite its many strengths, Ultravisitor can feel bloated, with some improvisations overstaying their welcome. Yet, its sheer ambition and range are undeniable, offering an album both challenging and captivating, and the highlights reaffirm why Squarepusher remains a key figure in electronic music.
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in stock $44.25
21
Review: The mysterious Vibez '93 are as prolific as they come; the 'Bad Kingdom' EP is certainly not the first of this productive drum & bass project/imprint's outputs to make it through our floodgates this year. Four slices of various productive forces - ranging from paddy jungle ('Jelly Swim'), to an unusual foray for '93: drilled-out techstep ('Labrea'). Otherwise, expect no nonsense, as this record spans both casual and not-so-casual floorfillers.
out of stock $14.38
22
Review: dBridge and Forest Drive West, both titans of the deep halftime drum & bass niche, continue to collaboratively feel out their more recent techno curveball-outings on their latest for the label-pinnacle of bass music, Exit Records. Following hot on the heels of a string of producers who've abandoned overt attachments to genre constraints - sonically insisting on the fact that dance music is dance music, period, no matter the fetishisms of formal microgenres - this ninth edition in the label's 'VS' series makes for a serious reassessment of several sounds. From the opening broken UK techno mad-maximalizations of 'Death Race 3000' to the closing chugouts of 'Spitefull Lips', this split EP is a worthy addition to the canon of genre-bending floor-steamers.
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out of stock $16.04
23
Review: Furney, a UK producer with a distinct and recognizable sound, continues to impress with his ability to blend genres seamlessly into dance rhythms. His track 'Spyro Gyro,' a drum'n'bass reinterpretation of the 70s funk classic 'Masterpiece,' originally released digitally on DJ Nookie's Phuzion label, finally gets the vinyl treatment it deserves. The track is packed with energy, featuring bold horns and strings that give it the feel of an action movie soundtrack, all while maintaining a drum'n'bass pulse that keeps the momentum high. On the flip side, 'Just Fine' takes a more relaxed approach. Produced around 2003, this track combines acoustic guitar with summery background sounds, creating a laid-back vibe that's perfect for those chill moments. The rolling bassline adds depth, making it a versatile addition to any set. Together, these tracks showcase Furney's versatility and knack for drawing inspiration from a wide range of musical influences.
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in stock $16.88
24
Review: Irish drum & bass.. icon? pioneer? Powerhouse? All are fair descriptors of Calibre, the machine-like music maker who has turned out thousands of equally high-quality tunes for more than 20 years. Whether ambient, tech house or drum & bass in nature, they are always better than most of the competition. His own Signature label has been home to most of it and that is where he lands now with this latest 12", another impossibly tasteful two-tracker. The title cut is a lively one with bustling breaks and chopped vocal stabs that bring the joy. On the flip is 'Think Again', a deep, soulful roller with exquisite pads and driving drum & bass energy. Pure class.
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in stock $14.38
25
Review: The fledgling Detach label continues to show it means business with a new 12" in a lovely screen-printed sleeve. Romanian artist Dyl is the one in charge and has been serving up consistently excellent and innovative sounds now for serval years. All of these cuts mix up great sound design with languid rhythms - the first is eerie, with watery droplets and glassy tinkles hanging in the air, while 'Glasshouse 2' has a percolating rhythm down low. 'Glasshouse 3' gets a little more dynamic with a shimmering low end and freaky abstract life forms and 'Glasshouse 4' layers in more intense and ever-shifting synth lines while the closer sounds like it's roaming through a deserted factory long after it shut down.
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in stock $13.26
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Review: Heads will know 'As We Enter' as the name of the Breakage tune that set the stage for many more things halftime to come - not to mention a Damian Marley & Nas song released around the same time - so we're more than pleased to learn that one next-gen producer has taken on the name as an alias. However, something in the aura of this release tells us this artist is no debutante; 'Lover To Lover' brings wubbing Reesebound rollage and summery fluting funk together in quick step, with complementary numbers 'So Gone', 'Come Again' and 'Shifting Gears' flaunting a respect for the many different facets of drum & bass, from techstep to early jump-up. This one gets more and more sinister as it progresses; despite the cover, whatever's entered the room feels more elephant than pigeon.
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out of stock $15.22
27
Tides (with Fred V, Tudor & Lottie Jones)
Fingerprints (with Grace Grundy)
If Love Could Have Saved You (with Venbee)
Lights (with Charlotte Plank)
Stay (with Lily Denning)
Maniac (with Dan Fable)
Kites (with Grace Grundy)
Riga (with Grimm)
Favourite Song (with Dan Fable)
Review: Tides is the brand-new studio album from Hybrid Minds; a veritable challenging of the status quo and drum & bass orthodoxy with the best-produced, most pristine sonic vanguard yet. Presenting 13 incredible tracks, including the hits 'If Love Could Have Saved You', with venbee and 'Lights', with Charlotte Plank, get ready to sit back and enjoy the sonic journey that Tides takes you on, transcending listeners beyond the genre's more typical environments with their own unique Hybrid Minds take on the drum & bass style. This edition is primed for the tuntable, coming to a shortened 2xLP splatter-vinyl edition.
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in stock $32.63
28
Review: Bubbling breaks producer Cheetah brings debut jungle heat for his own label with a leading remix-edit of Adina Howard's 'Freak Like Me', backed up by three equally velocitous vroomers on the A2 and B. Mastering the art of the melodic-aggro contrast trailblazed by M-Beat's 'Incredible', 'Freaks' is a worthy ragga-jungle cut to match; the mood is timestretched across the three ensuing sides with 'X-Rated', on which eerier vocals dance like mirages across a magnum-fire amen cutup, and 'Gangsta', on which the focus is its comparatively peppery subs. 'Gorgon Donettes' flips the Donettes with a pitch-shifter-happy breaks version.
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out of stock $13.83
29
Review: The latest full-length LP from Aural Imbalance continues serenely on the heels of an already well-travelled career. Now seeming to avow the often almost eternal sounding nature of breaks and drum & bass, a title like Infinity Spectrum implies that this is a career that could happily go on forever, were we not mere mortals. As ever, the album is interstellar in theme, each track doubling up in function as names that could also easily denote distant star systems or galaxies; 'Aurealis' and 'Alpha' are standout cuts in this regard, pitting rolling pitched 808s, rattling arps, and nebular pads together, behooving the ever-central breakbeat that sets us off on a journey to find some glistening lost alien artifact. Though there is a destination, it really is about the journey; by the time we reach the C-side, 'Slow Motion' ups the sonic sulphur content with a detour through an airier, major-keyed gas-planetary iceworld, while wondrous scoped-out rollage judderer 'Apparation' proves that even space provides its own mirages, its own fata morgana.
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in stock $35.40
30
Cat: SCOB 078. Rel: 07 Oct 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: 'Born With It' by Mungo's Hi Fi, featuring Aziza Jaye, Gardna, and Eva Lazarus, is a high-energy anthem blending UK Garage and 90s rave vibes with a powerful dose of Drum n Bass. Aziza Jaye's searing vocals, Gardna's dynamic delivery, and Eva Lazarus's fierce dancehall attitude create an explosive party track. On Side-2 'Back in the Dayz', adds nostalgia with a deft rap over rave-infused breaks, sure to evoke memories of old-school rave scenes. This 2024 12" vinyl, eco-friendly and pressed in Scotland, includes unreleased instrumental versions and a dub mix of 'Back in the Dayz', making it essential for summer festivals, clubs and sound system parties.
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in stock $12.16
31
Review: Vibez '93 bring four new effective jungle heaters to the fold, as ever welcoming yet another unknown (perhaps the same all along) artist. Here they successfully hark back to he early days of jungle (again, as ever), conveying the full retroactive meaning of the sound, 'Then & Now', in conjugating a full sonic sentence. Such is the way with carefully composed music, "lyrical" in comparison with well-written verse; the vibewise arc of the record is sinusoidal, with the title track kicking things off with a colossal shellage, preceding only the glossiest, least viscous of industrial liquids, 'Lucky'; with Vibez 93, ours never really runs out. Then there's 'Danny's Keys', a midnoon synthesis of the two, an outlet for plinky pianos and urban sonic sunshine; then 'Nero Noctis' casts a benevolent shadow upon all the land, guiding us through territories rendered invisible by way of an intense propulsion forward.
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in stock $14.94
32
Cat: DUBARC 004. Rel: 08 Jul 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Suburban Architecture share the fourth in their 'Architecture Dubs' series of limited edition 10" vinyl releases, which hears some of the most revered names in mid-90s golden-era drum & bass deliver remixes of newer Suburban Architecture material, in homage to that most innovative of periods. It's an impressive feat, not least since most of the time, it's the newcomers remixing the works of the veterans, and not the other way round; and that's what makes this record such a great flex. 'The Drifter', from SA's 'Turning Point' EP, first hears a dedicated, flauting remix from Ray Keith on the A, while Moving Shadow favourite DJ Harmony brings a thoroughly filterpassed amen-packed version to the B1.
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in stock $14.38
33
Cat: SSINT 001. Rel: 13 May 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Originally released on the cult V4 Visions label in 1991 & 1994, Ashaye's 'Dreaming' and 'What's This World Coming To' epitomised the essence of street soul, a genre blending soul, r&b, and hip-hop that resonated across London's pirate radio stations in the 1990s. With the surge in UK soul's popularity in recent years, DJs and tastemakers have championed these tracks which has in turn elevated their demand and value. 'Dreaming' has become nearly unattainable on the second-hand market, while 'What's This World Coming To' commands prices upwards of L50. Snap up this fully licensed RSD release however and you will have both tracks for an affordable price.
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in stock $18.80
34
Review: Fokuz Recordings' Vibez 93 departs from its typical lineup of unknown artists to present a set of liquid drum & bass remixes on a 12" vinyl, where the original artists are named this time. On the A-side, there are impactful and energetic pop remixes of Racoon's Love You More and Dustin Tebbutt's Resin. The B-side offers a lighter yet equally lively vibe, featuring versions of DJ Spoony's Gabrielle and NxWorries' Where I Go, showcasing the record's commitment to a fluid liquid sound.
in stock $15.48
35
Review: Waveforms is as a brand-new label from ASC and Presha who are already well known and respected for their work with Spatial/Auxiliary and Samurai Music. It's a new outlet that will specially tap into the sounds of 90s jungle and serve up new tunes on 10". Tim Reaper has been behind one, and Eusebeia is now on this one on blue-marbled vinyl. A-side cut 'Waveform 05' is a cavernous cut with pulsing bass and spine chillingly ethereal vocals up top while 'Waveform 06' keeps the pressure on with more throwback jungle realness and unrelenting breakbeat pressure.
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out of stock $16.58
36
Cat: TIN 055RP. Rel: 20 May 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: The Time Is Now label single-handed ushered in a new era of garage if you ask us. That was a few years ago but the label continues to lead from the fort here with a new EP from Samurai Breaks & Napes who make their label debut in explosive fashion. They are skilled studio talents who are nudging at the boundaries of the current UK bass sound and here they hybridise bassline, jungle and garage. You won't easily be able to fit these into one stylistic box but they will do damage on the floor, from the ghetto restlessness of the opener to the manic melodies of 'Correct Technique' and onto the turbocharged 'FrogMob'. Thrilling stuff.
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in stock $15.22
37
Review: Nia Archives has burst through and made a gigantic impact that now stands her at the forefront of the latest jungle era, and pretty much has done since she first made waves in 2020. Her collagist soundscapes have brought an all new sense of energy and rejuvenation to the genre that has in turn brought in plenty of new fans. While some may label her a revivalist, she emphasises that that aspect of the genre has never really gone away. The 24-year-old's debut album has been much anticipated by fans who have fallen in love with her weightless jungle tracks and intense basslines and they aren't let down here as those sounds resonate throughout.
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in stock $27.39
38
Cat: RSBY 002. Rel: 06 May 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Submorphics' new imprint Rosebay Music returns with its second release; this time the producer is joined by North Quarter boss and soulful drum & bass aficionado Lenzman. Fusing the former's soulful approach and the latter's high-octane neurofunk, 'Echoes Of November' harks back agog to six months ago, with snappy but swung drum lines providing the base for fast future arpeggiators, wistful soul vox chopups and bubbling synths, which almost recall the same bright guitar. As warmly merigold in tone as the front cover suggests, B-sider 'The Messenger' is just as neo-noir-at-noon, in part thanks to its deeply uplifting vocal line.
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in stock $16.32
39
Review: Given the uniqueness of his madcap and mind-altering trademark sound, the release of any new album from Tom Jenkinson AKA Squarepusher is big news. Given that his last new full-length landed four years ago, the arrival of Dostrotime has got an awful lot of experimentalists in a bit of a lather. Like many albums that have surfaced in the last couple of years, it was apparently inspired by the "novel, eerie, sublime silence of lockdown", with the title being a reference to "how time passed differently". Quite how this plays out within the music itself is open to interpretation; for the most part, what's on offer is prime Squarepusher - all distorted, full-throttle acid lines, mutilated experimental D&B beats, analogue electronics and rasping, strobe-lit nods to raves,
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in stock $14.38
40
Cat: KRUST 004. Rel: 29 Jan 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: The one and only Krust makes beats like no other and has been out on a class of one since the beginning. He now makes a welcome return with a fourth instalment in his Irrational Numbers series on Wonder Palace Music, which gather together the glories of his 90s output which, at the time, were spread far and wide across many of the era's finest labels. It comes across four sides of vinyl and takes in his usual deft designs an innovative rhythms from the slick but jumpy minimal of the opener to the plug-in bass depths of 'Jazz Note II' via the tightly coiled funk of 'Not Necessarily A Man'. Another doozy from the drum & bass don.
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in stock $32.91
41
Review: Ajit & Kate's mutations continue! Having hit us hard, deep and powerfully over the years - especially on their incredible Grassroots album a few years back - the longstanding Belgium-based couple go back to the very roots and essence of soundsystem culture: dub. Fusing aesthetics of the longstanding sound and drawing on its eternal influence that has always been there in every Untouchables record, each track highlights a different characteristic of dub. 'Onward Forward' flexes that infectious halftime swagger and groove, 'Living In Sacrifice' celebrates the more meditative, time-transcending elements of dub, 'Dubbing Siren' is all about that hypnotic immersion while 'Dread Box' is pure dub. A beautiful homage; this sounds exactly as you'd want a new Untouchables record to sound and adds a whole new twist. High recommended.
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in stock $14.11
42
Review: Back to 2022! Seba reissues his third album Ingaro on this beautifully presented and precision-pressed yellow vinyl box set. With four 12"s, all 10 cuts get generous wax space and sound amazing as a result. Especially highlights such as the Spirit-like super charge of 'Sequence 5', the cosmic jungle thrust of 'Outer Worlds', the powerful and provocative 'Thoughts Run Free' with Rupture legend and killer MC Blackeye. And that's just for starters; the Bjorn Berglund-collaborated and Samuel Lancine-fronted downtempo cut 'Diamonds' is a sense-arresting moment and the dreamy finale 'Progression'. Seba, we salute you.
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in stock $48.97
43
Review: Repertoire bossman takes a side-step from his own operations for a dreamy cosmic voyage on ASC and Dan Azimuth's burgeoning imprint Curvature. In keeping with previous explorations on the label from the likes of Senses, Aural Imbalance and ASC himself, Law takes us on one of his deepest (drum)trips to date. An intergalactic trip from start to finish, the opening track 'The Abyss' hits with a certain GLR charm thanks to its big splashy breaks and lilting arpeggio while the final cut 'Ascent' closes with a gentle sense of introspection that you might have heard on Modern Urban Jazz. Stunning.
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out of stock $17.43
44
Cat: FOKUZ 124. Rel: 21 Oct 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
Review: Five new elysian liquid come techfunk tracks from Rotterdam's Fokuz Recordings, the cornerstone of Dutch drum & bass since 1999. A relentlessly dreamy energy is immediately conveyed on the pragmatically named 'Remix EP', led up by Alpha Rhythm, Ritual and Rezilient with 'Venus Fly' and 'One Day At A Time' on the A-side and Etherwood, Subwave and Natus on remix duties of former releases 'From The Ashes', 'Subarctic Signal' and 'Tranquility' on the B. This is liquid drum & bass of a certain character; the handicraft is impeccable, each track giving off an ultra-sleek yet still impactful post-singularity character.
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in stock $15.48
45
Review: Covert operator ASC continues his astral travels for his current series of intergalactic breakbeat explorations with 'Star Cluster'. Following 'Isometric Projection' and 'Cause & Effect', this EP once again reaches to the heavens for its essence and rolls out with shimmering, emotional charm and more than its fair share of heavy drum punches. The dreamy vocal calls and slamming breaks of 'Solyaris' and the tightly coiled spring groove of 'Oblivion' are both major highs on this trip.
out of stock $18.80
46
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.
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in stock $17.15
47
Review: The man, the machine, the legend! Anile makes his return with two utterly outrageous remixes of LSB's classic 'Potshot'. First up comes the d&b version that plunges you down to submarine levels before pull you up too quickly and giving you the bends. Need something a little slower with more swing but hits just as hard? Jump on that garage version. Holy moly. Welcome back Anile!
in stock $14.94
48
Review: Neo-rave underdog Klute returns to Okbron Records for an incredible new white label, 'Peace & Love / Feel The Fire', bottling the essence of breakbeat hardcore just in the way it was best pulled off in the 90s and 00s. Nay, few traces remain of this record's making in the contemporary 20s; since both of these tracks have been laid to vinyl only, they bear that distinctive toppy scratchiness to which only a certain contingent of retroistic rave tunes can lay claim. But whether they were made now or then is really no matter, since both tracks are sublime objet d'arts in their own rights: 'Peace & Love' is the ambient lilter laid to breaks, sounding like a braindance-era chillout room number set to a counter-intuitively, corrosively party-crashing breakbeat judder, and 'Feel The Fire' is comparatively undersea, bringing to the music those muted bass licks and occipital-frontal synth reliefs all too known to that rare subsection of breaks known as dolphin jungle.
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out of stock $16.88
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Review: Xylitol is the alias of producer and DJ Catherine Backhouse, also known as DJ Bunnhyhausen. Building on her slowly snowballing status as a co-host of the radio show Slav To The Rhythm, which focuses on vintage central and eastern European pop and electronica - as well as co-writing a book on Yugoslavian pop culture - Backhouse's debut album 'Anemonies' is the essential musical component for aiding the task of stomaching her many multifarious outings. Taking as her cue the art of illustrating molluscs, anemones, cnidaria and other aquatic creatures, Xylitol uses Anemone as an album-form outlet for the exploration of fizzing, extrambient jungle missives; tissued, papillary hardcore. The name Xylitol is an indication of what's in store for you here: impeccably reasoned intellibreaks, and piqued, pitched-up samples, both of which invoke childhood pelagic fantasy; virtual underwater verde. The whole record is an odyssean island hop, and we thoroughly recommend it.
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in stock $22.12
50
Review: Musique Pour La Danse proudly presents 8 Coffins, an essential collection of original tracks by the British duo Dougie Wardrop (of Conscious Sounds fame), and Nigel Lake as Jungle Neck, unearthed from the original masters laid down in the mid 90s. Eight raw tracks span four sides, two tracks each, authentically laying out a quick octave of bodybagging heaters. '8 Coffins' prophesies this (high) octane sequence of hits, ticking the first target off its list with a jungle cut bordering on a muted dub version, with offbeat bubbles and lowpassed vocals sounding as if the melody was being sung behind an ebony, mist-shrouded room divider. 'Kingdom Rise' moves further in this dub/jungle techno direction, working in lasery descensions into a take on Lennie De Ice, while the singular rollage of 'Bodyguard' ups the clarity while matching a sample-spread vox jab to the bass sequence. The inverse record equally dazzles, with its far-Eastern koto against mecha-jungle on 'No Wicked', and rapid snare delays against frank flutes on 'Latin Flute'.
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in stock $32.37
51
Review: Vibez 93's Flights Booked EP brings a fresh take on drum & bass with a blend of melodic rhythms and distinct vocal styles. The title track, 'Flights Booked,' opens the EP with a downtempo groove that carries a futuristic vibe, enhanced by a unique hip hop lyrical flow that sets it apart from typical drum & bass tracks. 'All I Need' follows with an energetic burst, maintaining the EP's momentum and showcasing Vibez 93's knack for dynamic beats and engaging melodies. On Side-2, 'Blue Dream' stands out with its rhythm and blues vocal flow layered over crisp drum & bass production. The smooth vocal performance contrasts with the energetic rhythms, creating a great party track, before the EP closes with 'Selfish,' continuing the exploration of diverse soundscapes while staying rooted in the drum & bass tradition.
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in stock $14.94
52
Review: Back once again, it's Ill Behaviour with yet another two pantherine jungle steamers to top up their eponymous series of black labels. With purring associative moods of a melanistic leopard on wax, 'Side A' crafts knockout jungle from mutedly distant, longing r&b samples and rampant drum snaffles, wafting a prowly energy not too far from the voracious ravishing of prey. 'Side B' goes speedier jungle techno, proving that this is no alley cat; the piano breakdown is particularly impressive, weaving successfully controlled, empirically tested vocal science chops around a well-controlled mallet melody line, one we could only too easily assume was played in by a feline philanderer.
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in stock $14.38
53
Review: Secret Operations deliver two thoroughly well-compressed remixes of respective tracks from fellow drum & bass heavyweight Seba's recent album, Ingaro. First up, we've Mako with his well-fashioned Reese filtration systemic sizzler version of 'Horsepower'; we're surprised Mako is going by the metric of "horsepower" at all, not least since he's broken the speedometer. Then there's Phil Tangent's 'Eztli', but despite the name, he hardly breaks away on a tangent at all, moving parallel to rather than obliquely away from the original's well circumscribed preference for liquid rollage (though there's no less weight brought to this new version, that's for sure).
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in stock $14.94
54
Review: Opus One digs into the vaults with this one. It is a new 12" with a pair of old-school remixes of gold-standard Nookie originals. First up is the Makoto remix of 'Natural Experience' which is a soul-drenched, feel-good and upbeat roller with silky vocals and oodles of sunny charm. On the flip is a Nookie (aka Cloud 9) remix of 'Innerspace' that takes the cut into cosmic territory with slapping and slamming amen breaks, thrilling snares and bleeping synths that work as well as head as they do on heart and heel.
in stock $16.04
55
Review: Fracture & Neptune's classics, Clissold and The Limit, now make a welcome return in the form of this special 2024 reissue on 12" vinyl. This reissue highlights pivotal tracks from their mid-2000s catalog and both have been remastered for a fresh take. The limited edition includes both the 2024 remasters and original mixes, presented in eco-friendly packaging. These influential tracks explore the ongoing legacy of the legendary Astrophonica label's early work. 'Clissold' is a dusty breakbeat excursion with gorgeous keys and 'The Limit' pairs more suspensory pads with a moody bassline and darker rhythm.
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in stock $15.48
56
Review: Sully and Basic Rhythm swap skills on an inter-fantastic new four-tracker, 'XT / Woozy', with remixes. Following the initial split single release on which only the originals were heard, we're now hit hard round the face with their dark-energetic mirror images. As on the first batch, the pair eschew the usual drum & bass palette for a focus on its form, swapping out the genre's usually hard-attacked, sampled-to-death oneshots for cleaner, nigh synthetic drums that simply pop. All sounds seem to have been designed from scratch; Sully's version of 'Woozy's is as nocturnal and sterile in sound as a werewolf just escaped from a bathhouse.
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out of stock $30.43
57
in stock $13.00
58
Review: Jazzy foundation styles from Chris Read and James Curry's Suburban Architecture alias. As with previous outings such as Turning Point, Solar Winds and Alternative Futures, the vibe is deep, dreamy and timeless. And in this case, it comes with two very clear stories. The two versions of 'Inside' hit with an introspective headbutt, wrapped up in a Good Looking flavoured coating of cosmic funk, while 'Outside' dig deeper into the jazz and house music influences on jungle. Both absolutely kill it, whether you play them in or outdoors.
out of stock $14.38
59
Review: Aural Imbalance is in a super productive and super good run of form that has seen him serve up a wealth of great EPs over the last year. Now he is back on his own Spatial platform. This latest one comes on translucent grey smokey and green splattered vinyl, starting with the busy and unrelenting amen breaks workout of 'Spacewaves' then pulling back into more suspensory and delicate synth realms on 'Tranquil Sea'. On the flip, the crisp snares and underlapping drum loops of 'Concordia' have you in a state of meditation and then last of all is another sublime bit of ambient laced and dreamy jungle in 'Fading Fields'.
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in stock $18.80
60
Cat: KRUST 005. Rel: 18 Mar 24
Drum & Bass / Jungle
in stock $31.25
61
Review: .Stepping into spring with true style and just the right amount of nostalgic sass, unpredictable Finnish artist Otto Taimela follows a string of techno dispatches with this sublime four track jungle narrative that's perfect the sunnier seasons. With its lively, unkempt edits and jumps, 'Sunflower' has a powerful warmth of a timeless jungle dancefloor tune while carrying a certain amount of nostalgic IDM haze. It's a vibe which is maintained throughout the EP; 'Sunwarmed Window' has a dreamier edge that wouldn't have gone amiss on Warp at any point during the early to mid-90s, 'Sunshine Reloading' rides a much busier drums palette while 'Imagined U' brings us back down to earth with a gentle beatless ambient kiss. Stunning.
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in stock $18.26
62
Review: Fittingly, Tape Pack's 'World Unknown' hears the breakout junglist weave a short haul of looming sonic looms for the Loom label. Unfortunately, as is often the case with much midnight jungle of this kind, we don't hear the call of the mythical loon (not loom) bird on this release, but we can forgive the oversight, for want of a similar letter. Beginning with a short teasing of talent with the titular 'World Unknown', we then move into the ferric amen-fuzzes of 'Desolation Sound'- which to our ears sound richer than desolate, with its interspersed timbale and furtive vocal moans - and the technical fluidities and syntonic sound-bursts of 'Cascades', where breakbeat debris and meltwater pelt our shoulders at the foot of the trickle-down (sound) system. Finally, the impressively glacial freezings-over of 'Galatea' augurs a promising return to a sonic ice age; the refractive, cryo-preservative breakdown is especially striking in this regard.
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out of stock $13.83
63
Review: The 'Dope Demand EP' by Fokuz is a masterful blend of drum & bass, with hip-hop flair adding a nostalgic kick to each track. On Side-1, 'It's A Party' brings the heat with a high-energy drum & bass rhythm layered with Busta Rhymes' unforgettable anthem, setting an intense, dance-ready vibe. 'Freaky Like Me' follows, flipping Adina Howard's 'Freak in the Morning' into a smooth yet punchy groove. Side-2's 'Back By Dope Demand' amps up the tempo, infusing King Bee's classic lines with a fierce, head-nodding rhythm, creating a raw throwback feel. Closing with 'Flower Bombin'', Fokuz slows things down just slightly, layering Wale's 'Lotus Flower Bomb' over deep basslines, making for a mesmerising finish. The EP is a dynamic crossover of breakneck beats and hip-hop essentials that fans of both genres will enjoy.
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out of stock $14.94
