Juno Recommends Dubstep: August 2022

Review: Even before you hear the first beat, there is something incredibly exit about seeing the names Male - a pioneering beat master and pivotal figure in the early emergence of the dubstep sound - with Joe Armon-Jones, talented musician and master keys man. A Way Back comes on Aquarii, Armon-Jones's own label with him on keys and synths, Mala on drums and bass and Maxwell Owin featuring on 'Oh Lord'. It brings back memories of the golden dubstep years with cavernous bass and heavy weight drums all finished to perfection with Armon-Jones top lines.

Review: More massive than all the other bangers put together... Bukez goes full interplanetary on us with this killer Infernal 12". Two sides, two vibes; 'Jupiter' is a cosmic yomp on a steamroller made of stars. Flip for a technicolour twist on a cult Sir Hiss classic 'Danny Uzi Vert'. Taking the iconic accordion riff from Hiss's 2018 Infernal release and flipping it into a powerful rainbow cascade, it's a futuristic take that pays full respect to the original and has been eagerly awaited by spotters for some time. Grab it while you can.

Review: DUPLOC kicks off a new series entitled Duploc Blxck Txpes: Best Of Part 1 with a fierce white and limited 12" featuring six cuts of filthy bass, grimy dubstep and crispy trap. Ternion Sound's 'Vision Quest' is a low end wobbler, Mesck then slows it down and gets more dystopian with 'Bleed' and Wraz's 'Raiju' brings the bright metropolitan melodies. The flip side brings some fiery vocals on Hamdi's 'Skanka' while LOST's 'Level Up' is all about the low end weight. 11th Hour's 'Vicious' is a more eerie and sparse closer.

Review: In demand beat maker and 2 Easy bossman Kid D brings a powerful four-track pack of instrumentals. Ice cold vibes just in time for a scorchio summer, flavours range from the spicy Spooky style slammage on 'Bar 4 Bar' to the super sweet orchestral feels of 'Don't Play'. Elsewhere 'Yeah Yeah' brings us some dark drama to chew on while 'The Eyes' finishes the EP with pure sultry zest. Kid D keeping it fresh: 'Timing' is everything.

Review: The rise of trap and grime onto the world stage has feedback into the dubstep world and made the once dead scene fertile once more. Proof of that should you need it comes in the form of this powerful new one track offering from Burst. 'Superfly' is all skittish drum hits, wubbing low ends and tripped out melodies that refract like a pin ball machine. Spoken words vocals add the grime element up top and then on the flip comes a remix. This one is built on drilling bass and future chords.

Review: Deeper dubstep sounds seem to be reganing some momentum of late. Dutch label Perfect is so no stranger to them as this fourth EP proves. TMSV does a fine job of capturing that late night metropolitan futurism, with clacking hits and shine, reflective melodies pinging about over bottomless bass. That is the case on the opener, while 'Later Verder' has more dub influenced warrior leads and 'Stopper' is the more lush and pillowy cut complete with hard bars. All three of these hit very different but equally sweet spots.

Review: It's now five up for the Pearly Whites crew and their self titled series of on going various artist's collections. This one kicks off with the slow and heavy sounds of Deseplate's 'One Day' before the flute laced, jazz-tinged and stoner delights of Boss Mischief's 'Ice Cold.' There are more fuel good and heady sounds with lush flues from Invader Spade then Drone gets more dark and gritty on 'Lil Jug.' Lemzly Dale and BR3 close out this superb mix of trap, grime and dubstep.

Review: Previously spotted getting up to ghastly business on the label with Samba, Chokez returns to Encrypted with four stone cold ones. Each one laced with tension and a brilliantly unnerving sense of creepiness, our first stop is the trembling organ chimes of 'Hornet' a cut which stings to the bone. Elsewhere 'Reeds' takes us on more of a slippery one with a killer vocal loop, 'Dregs' continues the cool vocal shot manipulation over warm and woozy bass harmonics while 'Run Up' closes the EP with some intergalactic chamber music. Silence please.