Function (drum & bass)

Review: Soundsystem professor Digital maintains his spotless flow this year with another dynamite 12" on his own Function imprint. "Rejection" should be known to all - a powerful roller that's soundtracked many a Rupture gets a drum rework and added energy from the man himself before we drop into two versions of "Water Bucket". The original is a 140 vibe with classic dub waves and ripples, lush horns, toxic subs and a militant stomp while the drum & bass remix ups the energy with some turbine amens and a drone bass that squeezes your inner ears with insistency. Classic Digital.

Review: The mighty Digital steps forward with two stunning slabs of sound system science. "Strictly DNB" lashes and splashes with such a bright, energetic amen you'll swear you'll never miss another sermon at your local church ever again. Loaded with vibrant dub skanks, if you've caught any of his recent sets, you'll know how much this kicks off. Flip for "Time Out". A bubbling dub odyssey rolling at halftime tempo, it's Digital showing his roots and more reflective side with rich, precision sonic science. Pure class.

Review: Heaviness klaxon: Digital is unleashing his fifth album right now and it's one of his best bodies of work in his 22 year production history. The tone is set by the currently unavoidable "Motherland". Smashed by the likes of Storm for well over a year now, its vocal charm and beat weight are so well balanced you'll never want the track to finish. Elsewhere Seba applies his own stripped back charm on the mystic "Silver Lining" while Villem taps in for an Aztec odyssey. Ridiculously on-point. And there's more to come.

Review: The mighty Digital delivers the second vinyl instalment of his Total Control album and it's a devilish dark affair. The moment those drums on "Total Control" hit you with hardcore mischief, you know what type of mood Digital is in right here. No prisoners taken! Dig deeper for the crystaline rave ripples "To Meeeeeee" with long time compadres Spirit and Q Project before "So Fine" closes the show with crafty rolling breaks and dubwise dynamics. Digital is in a good place right here.