Juno Recommends Drum & Bass June 2020

Review: Those interested in the roots of UK bass music have been well-served of late, with a number of books and compilations focusing on the first wave of British dance music in the late 80s and early 90s. Soul Jazz's latest compilation is a superb addition to this growing list. It showcases music made in the post-bleep and early breakbeat hardcore period, where basslines got bigger, drum breaks faster, and ragga influences started to come to the fore. The selections are on-point throughout from the dub-wise rave rush of Babylon Timewarp's "Durban Poison" and the bleep-and-breaks-meets-proto-jungle shuffle of DJ Dubplate's "Tings A Go On", to the rave-rap goodness of The Freaky's "Time & Age" and the heavily edited darkcore/early jungle insanity that is Krome & Time's terrific "Ganja Man". In a word: essential.

Review: Some 21 years after it first hit record stores, Kemistry & Storm's legendary "DJ Kicks" mix is back in record stores. Released a few months before Kemistry's tragic death in a freak road accident, it remains a timeless snapshot of drum & bass during the sound's formative first decade. This DJ-friendly vinyl edition gathers together some of the mix's most potent club cuts, with highlights including the weighty, mind-altering late night sleaziness of Jonny L's "Uneasy", the hot-stepping heaviness of DJ Die's Bristol D&B classic "Clear Skyz", the majestic mix of spacey electronics and low-end heat that is John B's breathless "Pressure" and the sweeping strings and filthy sub-bass of Dom + Roland's "Trauma".

Review: A pioneer returns! Deep drum & bass OG Big Bud returns with two long-lost DAT discoveries from the 97/98 era. Spacey, spacious and sprinkled with heavy atmospheres, both cuts hit with his signature timeless charm; "Ellen" hits with big jazzy showers and that floaty, Good Looking cosmic funk to it while "Decompression" hits with darker notes as the beats roll out a little more persistently and the pads add a little emotional pressure. Let's hope there's more to come from one of deep drum & bass's forefathers.

Review: Light up the dance! Reaper returns to Repertoire for his first stand-alone release on the label since the original "Lanterns" back in 2017. Leading with the VIP, it sets the tone for the three new originals... "Unknown Future" (with Law and Kola Nut) is a bright and floaty cut that taps into the Moving Shadow sound, set over some pretty unrelenting breaks. "Greenscreen" takes us even deeper down daydream drive with its gentle twinkles and addictive snare melody before "Sunrise" closes on the most emotional vibe of the EP. Bliss.

Review: Those interested in the roots of UK bass music have been well-served of late, with a number of books and compilations focusing on the first wave of British dance music in the late 80s and early 90s. Soul Jazz's latest compilation is a superb addition to this growing list. It showcases music made in the post-bleep and early breakbeat hardcore period, where basslines got bigger, drum breaks faster, and ragga influences started to come to the fore. The selections are on-point throughout from the dub-wise rave rush of Babylon Timewarp's "Durban Poison" and the bleep-and-breaks-meets-proto-jungle shuffle of DJ Dubplate's "Tings A Go On", to the rave-rap goodness of The Freaky's "Time & Age" and the heavily edited darkcore/early jungle insanity that is Krome & Time's terrific "Ganja Man". In a word: essential.

Review: Some 21 years after it first hit record stores, Kemistry & Storm's legendary "DJ Kicks" mix is back in record stores. Released a few months before Kemistry's tragic death in a freak road accident, it remains a timeless snapshot of drum & bass during the sound's formative first decade. This DJ-friendly vinyl edition gathers together some of the mix's most potent club cuts, with highlights including the weighty, mind-altering late night sleaziness of Jonny L's "Uneasy", the hot-stepping heaviness of DJ Die's Bristol D&B classic "Clear Skyz", the majestic mix of spacey electronics and low-end heat that is John B's breathless "Pressure" and the sweeping strings and filthy sub-bass of Dom + Roland's "Trauma".

Review: They're back! Serum, Voltage and Bladerunner return with their first new originals since last year's album and, as the title "Main Event" suggests, it's a pretty big deal. "XXX" opens with disarming stripped back intent. There's a bleepy techno twist in the tale and the tension is higher than Voltage's monthly fashion budget. Elsewhere "Somebody Else" sees them re-enlisting the scorching vocal diesel of Lydia Plain for another emotional skin-burner and "Solar Heat" ends the EP on a real groany, smelly distorted introspective vibe. Tremendous... And we haven't even got to the dessert event, which is a super sweet Circuits remix of "Burnt Ends". Crumbs!

Review: Hyped On Acid, hooked on authenticity; long-time Irish artist John Reilly's latest alias sees him using an old school rig (complete with the all essential Akai and Atari ST) to making tunes the way they used to make them. The results are of course as heavy, gritty and futuristic as you'd expect. Both nodding towards to the Goodlookin sound of around 94, "Terminate" plays with the shades as a soulful vocal cry and west coast synth lines weave around savage amens and toxic bass while "E-Motion" is much more of a dreamy vibe. Think Omni Trio and you're raving on the right boulevard. Hype.

Review: The Narratives lads Blocks & Escher are back spinning another fine yarn, and you'd be wise to pay attention. "Mr Parkers Voice" sees them teaming up with old friend, the somewhat elusive Rhyming In Fives. So simple in its elements yet so soulfully effective, everything is in the chord progression and space and sporadic elements. Pure future. For something with just a smidgeon of past jump on "Drum Machine". A grizzled techstep damager, there's a strong Trace and DCi4 vibe deep in the evil mix here. These guys seriously never fail.

Review: Few artists are on the rise quite as rapidly as Lavery right now. He's delivering the goods time after time and this time is certainly no exception. Re-linking with J.Robinson's Meditator Music it's another deadly dispatch: "Badman Sound" kicks the party off with some classic ragga ruffage, "My Darling" flips from a loose-fitting soul sample into a badboy Dread bass style romp-up while "If You're Happy & You Know It" closes with a self-collabo as he tags in his rave alter ego Puffin Billy for a savage hardcore finale. Go with the furlough.

Review: Snappy snappy! J.Robinson's King K Rool series hits a big fat eight with this massive US/Norway free-for-all as young Nashville producer Ontology and rising Norwegian junglist Msymiakos get busy with a whole selection of originals and remixes. The twisted amens of "Serious Business" set the tone before we get progressively heavier as the EP rolls out. Highlights include the sultry soul of Ontology's remix of "Need It Bad", the dreamy-yet-slamming feels of "Take Your Socks Off First" and the straight-to-business ragga stamps of Msymiakos's remix of "Mash Down". In a while crocodile.

Review: Pressed by dope demand! Pan-Al's debut EP from last year gets the wax treatment and it sounds all the heavier for it. Ranging from dreamy, contemplative ambience ("It's Nice To Miss You Too") to harmonic, spine-tingling Border Community-meets-Photek drum & bass ("It's Rigged") by way of lazy, ambling zoney beats ("Trace & Locate"), it remains every bit as emotional and sincere as it felt when we first heard it last year. Grab it while you can.

Review: Cruising off the heat of their Mayor Massiv outing just last week, long-time collaborators Jahganaut and Duburban collide once again for this shiny badass doubloon. One track, gold vinyl (naturally) and limited, it's another example of the collective's authenticity. Brazen drum funk, classic time-stretches, ragga vocal shots and rolling 4x4 drums rule the roost before some ice cold pads sweep you off your feet last minute. Timeless.