Review: Neat contemporary UKG taking after the classics. Ba Dum Tish once more welcomes producer Bob G for 15 minutes' worth of well-layered 2-step and 4x4, in the form of 'Happenings'. The buzzsaw on the front cover might echo the influence of Blow's 'Cutter' on the then contemporary sound of UKG in its original 90s heyday; meanwhile, sonically, the likes of 'Happenings' and 'Soothing' bring fruit-driven strings and sweet-attacked rims n' knocks to the table and 'Unclosed' and 'Off Switch' present further experiments in the realms of flat beats and speed garage, the former working in a restless acid line and the latter bringing in a touch of speed's essential laggard swing.
Review: X-factor garage and deep house from London's Capracara with 'Realtime Emoji'. Wielding a growling, reese-not-reese bassline and pitting it contra nunchuck future garage percs, the rising producer brings a brainy yet not overthought hoohah to the nascent What About Never crew, fully earning its place on the 12" and subsequent turntable. If the track were an emoji, it would be a melty face for certain; its slowly pitch-drifted leads and rotary cabinet-ed hits both glide overhead and slang down below, neither never quite allowing the listener to settle into any one headspace, insinuating restlessness at every turn as priority numero uno. Meanwhile, producer Secondo jolts us from our draggy catchup play with a much straighter 909 jam.
Review: Mr G is of course an untouchable producer of dubby house and techno rollers. Whether or not he is the inspiration for the title of this EP we do not know but it's a fittingly good one either way. Dewey Decimal is the man in control and opens with a naughty garage cut with filthy low ends. 'Cha Ching' is another killer cut with sensuous sax notes over turbocharged bass and prickly, percussive drums with a cheeky two-step swagger. 'Wag21' brings some smart r&b vocal samples to another raw, hard hitting garage house groove and 'Treat Me Right' closes out one of the best EPs we've heard in a while with some busty drum loops and dirty bassline brilliance.
Review: Scott Diaz taps into some old school garage class with this new EP on Pirate Cutxz, but never is it too slavish to the OG sound. Instead, he brings fresh ideas and modern production skills to four characterful cuts. 'Holdtight' opens in bunch fashion with big drums and busy chords dancing about next to yelps and sustained pads. 'So Hot' is a more subtle 2-stepper with a ducking and diving groove bathed in warm synth work and natty bass notes. 'Ikigai' shuts down with some 90s organ chords and sleazy, shuffling speed-garage style drums and well-deployed vocal samples. Effective stuff.
DJ Doggo - "In My House There Will Always Be House" (5:43)
DJ Doggo - "Let Me See You Dance" (5:14)
Review: There's lots of love about this bold and richly designed new EP on Welt Disco out of Portugal. Diogo kicks off with 'I Need U' which is all lithe synths and choppy drums under yelping vocals. Yakuza's 'Aileron' (part 2 - Diogo remix) is a kinetic workout that is overloaded with deft sounds and pinging bass that darts about the mix. The flipside is taken care of by DJ Doggo who offers two great cuts. 'In My House There Will Always Be House' is a vibe house cut with plenty of characterful samples and a sweet as you like bassline that pulls it onwards. 'Let Me See You Dance' has a filthy low end that is smeared, naughty and sure to get faces screwed up in mock disgust.
Review: Jhobei, an emerging artist with a growing reputation in the electronic music scene, is set to make his mark with the Age Of Virality EP on Enzo Siragusa's label. Known for his deep and expansive sound, Jhobei kicks off this EP with 'Swarming,' a dynamic track that uses a slithering bassline to lead a garage-influenced journey through punchy lows and catchy vocal snippets. Following this, 'Machine Language' blends playful, sweeping melodies with a dose of robotic funk, creating an engaging auditory experience. On Side-2, 'Defusion Solution' takes listeners on a late-night odyssey with its syncopated percussion and cosmic vibes, while 'Rising Sun' offers a refined, laid-back progression with smooth organic rhythms. Overall. a very enjoyable record with a lot of creativity.
Review: East London MC Jus Rival teams up with Camden's Joe Fire here for a hard-hitting new track 'G.M.S (Gun Man Sound).' Following their previous collaboration on 'Dangerous Settings,' the duo builds on their undeniable chemistry for another explosive release with some serious low-end heft. Produced by grime heavyweight Spooky Bizzle, the brass-laced instrumental provides the perfect backdrop for both MCs to shine and Jus Rival opens with a catchy hook and sharp bars, while Joe Fire takes over with a playful, yet commanding verse. Accompanied by a slick visual directed by Honey JD,tihs one is defined by its dynamic delivery and relentless energy.
Review: Karen Nyame KG, aka the "Goddess of Rhythm," presents her new EP here and it's another one designed for big things. The title track, 'The Remedy,' is a classic soulful house sounds with great bounce and glossy jazz infusions that are perfect for the last days of summer in the UK. Meanwhile, also included is 'Ritual', which is a stark contrast featuring nods to her Afro-electronic roots. It boasts a powerful low end, seductive horns, an earth-shaking bass line as well as a rhythmic groove that makes it a standout club weaponon the newly established London label One Level.
Review: Hardline Sounds has made a great start to life with its first two outings and the pressure is very much kept on here with Milion serving up a trio of naughty tunes. 'Back In The Spot' is first up with a shuffling and dusty garage low end and nice chord vamps plus a retro vocal refrain. 'Go Fast' is more paired back with an airy groove that sways back and forth while some classic top lines drift in and out above the beats. Last of all is another fine fusion of garage, house and tech in the form of 'Screecher' which has chatter percussion, silky drum loops and surging chord stabs that keep you afloat.
Review: A serious wedge of sound is this new heavyweight vinyl from Hardline. It's a three track collaboration between Milon and Job de Jong that marks the label's 15th fantastic outing. Track 1 opens proceedings with some slapping snares and punchy drum kicks that are topped with dial tones, clipped vocals and warped pads. The second cut brings some retro garage motifs and pumping drum work as well as a filthy dirty bassline that will get faces screwed up in disgust. Last of all, the closer goes for a popping bit of minimal funk with fresh drum sounds and a nice wiggling groove.
Review: For his latest release, Tommy Musto delves into his venerated DAT vaults to unearth a treasure trove of mid-'90s NYC gems that are sure to excite house heads. These four tracks capture the essence of the legendary likes of Red Zone, Club Zanzibar, Twilo, and Sound Factory scenes and do a fine job of evoking the vibes that legends like Frankie Knuckles, Tony Humphries, Roger Sanchez, Tommy Simonelli, Masters at Work, and David Morales were all spinning back in the halcyon days of house. Now, you can own a piece of that iconic era with these deep cuts sure to bring back that classic house sound in some style.
Review: Palermo's release Hard 18 on Hardline Sounds delivers four robust techno tracks that dive into deep, expansive soundscapes. The EP kicks off with 'Bayer Session,' a funky, minimalistic groove that stands out as a perfect tool for DJs looking to create seamless dancefloor transitions. Its tribal elements add an earthy, primal feel, ideal for building energy in a set. 'Cherry Cola' follows with a futuristic melody and a substantial bassline that strikes a balance between energetic techno and a more relaxed, atmospheric vibe. The drum programming is particularly noteworthy, offering a precise, rhythmic foundation. On the flip side, 'Panamera' takes the tribal rhythm even further, incorporating key melodic and vocal samples that resonate with any techno enthusiast. Its big, bold sound is crafted to leave a lasting impression. The EP closes with 'Yuropa,' a track that surges with energy, driven by a powerful bassline. Its expansive, commanding presence ensures it will make a significant impact on any dancefloor. Hard 18 showcases Palermo's ability to blend depth with far-reaching techno sounds.
Review: Nug Nation Vol. 2 is here for all your high-energy and nuggety needs. This one is another four-track journey into club-ready sounds that pick up where the first instalment left off. It's a knowing mix of golden era house and progressive influences with a contemporary twist from the back-to-the-wall prog-trance-techno of 'Three Of Hearts' to the unrelenting machine drum sounds of 'Hyperdrive'. 'Are U Ready (Flight To Toulouse mix)' is brilliantly clipped and bouncy and 'You Don't Know (Another Nother mix)' is a turbocharged face-melting tackle for fun dance floors only.
Review: We're told that Silent Cubes is a veteran producer working under a new alias and here he betrays that experience with an EO high on atmospherics and mood across three original UKG gems. These killer tracks draw inspiration from garage legends like Clubroot, Sorrow, and Congi, as well as deep house icons such as Chez Damier and Mr. Fingers. The result is a deep, evocative exploration of Garage's immediacy and MOY, who is known for blending IDM, old skool, and acid, delivers a standout remix of 'The Stream' on Side B of this limited-edition vinyl.
Review: Tuff Trax and Jay Ward are two of the most potent producers in the UKG scene right now and they both appear together in collaborative mode on this new EP for Rhythm N Vibe, which also happens to be their tenth outing. It's pure filth from the off with 'Higher' sure to get the gun fingers out and the fists pumping. 'Something Like This' is a more raw and percussive garage bumper with sleazy low ends and naughty bass, then 'Crazy' gets funky with some nice retro r&b vocal samples and warm chords surging through the mix. 'Give Me Love' shuts down in soulful fashion with great colour bursting out of the beats.
Azari & III & Max Dean - "Reckless" (2024 extended mix)
Alan Fitzpatrick & Ronnie Spiteri - "On My Mind" (extended mix)
Review: Time-honoured, blue-crossed phono-phrenic audio pharmacists Positiva celebrate their 30th anniversary with the launch of a brand new sampler series. Simply titled 'Positiva', the new outing spans every sonic end-logic from slick UK garage to mesmeric trance, the throughline being the modern uplifter sound into which the label has settled; a far cry from their jet-propulsive Ibiza-rave garage house days of yore. Most of the tracks on this first edition of the series are already floating about out there, though they've never been compiled onto a single record before: Sammy Virji and Gorgon City complement each other well on the A-side's 'Voodoo' and 'If You Need It'; then Azari & III, Max Dean, Alan Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Spiteri spin things out ever further, into two warming, well-layered party-pushers driven by ecstatic vocals.
Review: The next red hot and hand-stamped UKG 12" on TXTBK comes from ZEROFG (no guesses for what the naughty 'FG' stands for). Opener 'Who's The Boss?' is a raw, percussive, metallic workout that is hard-hitting and never lets up with some sleazy London gangster vocals over a bouncing bassline that is distorted and scuzzy. The flip side 'The Change' is a totally different proposition - a sweet, r&b-tinged 90s jam with deep bass, cuddly but punchy kicks and a gorgeous vibe for late-night sessions.
Big Moses - "For You" (feat Ja'Nel - Sfere Of Life mix)
Trance Form - "I Will Be Strong" (feat Geno - NYC Vibe)
95 North - "Unbelievable" (Moncef Unbelievably Raw mix)
Back To The Rythym - "What Can You Do For Me" (feat Alva McGill - vocal mix)
Review: Jeremy Underground loves a compilation project. He has done them for his own My Love Is Underground label as well as the superb Beauty: A Journey Through Jeremy Underground's Collection which came back in 2017 for Favourite Recordings. Now he reverts to his roots once more and digs deep for 90s garage and house, often from the US. His tastefully selected sounds come on Z Records as part of this multi-part 90's House & Garage series with plenty of key names from the genre's golden era all present and correct. This is a fine collection that will up your own house credentials no end.
Unity Vibe - "I Got Your Luv" (feat Tyquasia - club mix)
Deep Inside - "Today" (K Chandler mix)
Groove City - "Soaking Wet" (remix)
Pequena Habana - "Slammin" (Cappella Grossa mix)
Review: Renowned for his extensive record collection and deep knowledge of house and garage, Jeremy Underground brings his passion to Vol. 3 of Z Records's 90's House & Garage compilation series. It features tracks that are either unreleased or newly digitised from original DAT tapes and vinyl. This edition comes on double vinyl with four sides of glorious grooves, each one of them carefully selected and professionally treated to reflect the golden era of house, taking in rare gems and remixes from Kerri Chandler, Murk, 95 North, and more. Vital stuff.
Review: Z Records proudly presents volume 3 in its 90s house and garage compilation series, this time presented by Jeremy Underground, a man who should need no introduction when it comes to all things house and garage. Underground (assuming that is his real surname) shares his third house selector's compilation on this one, digging deep, deep inside his record collection, making a spectacle of his ability to decide, to delimit, to include, to exclude, to tastefully separate sonic wheat from chaff. As has become obviated by this series, some of these knocky 2-steppers - these garagey housers - are to here be released on one flavor filled CD & vinyl compilation. So attune your ears to its private exclusivist 2-step grooves; avariciously launch your energies at the attainment of mid-2020s UK garage DJ royalty, till your forefingers and thumbs bleed from all the spindle pinching.
Review: Deeper States Volume 2 is another installment of fresh sounds from producers who have come through a competition that set them to making proper deep hose with a specified sample library. Across four sides of wax, there are some mighty fine cuts here such as the deep garage inflections of Enrico Dragoni, some Motor City vibes from Scott Andrews, the deepest of dub techno workouts from Montreal courtesy of Dealin', soul-drenched late-night cruisers from Khalid Ali on 'Elevate' and some nice bubbly vocal vibes from Dublin don Oscide with his 'Free Your Mind.' This is another hugely effective and stylish EP from the Interweaved community.
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