Hessle Audio Vinyl & CDs

Review: In the wake of The Knife, Olof Dreijer has been plenty busy behind the scenes and scattering hints of his incredible production for those paying attention. Now it feels like he's building to a wider profile breakthrough as he lands a knockout blow with this release on Hessle Audio. It's a maverick release, which is its pass into the curious sound world shaped out by Ben UFO, Pearson Sound and Pangaea, but equally it brings something new to the label. The joyous, colourful melodic daubs across the EP alone are something to make a dance collectively look up in wonder, with 'Camelia' being an especially beautiful, uplifting track to bring hope and positivity when so much club music tips towards the darkness.

Review: Pangaea's latest album Changing Channels comes a notable seven years after his debut, In Drum Play, and again hears the Hessle brain lay down a whopping demo in dance histrionics. Made in a period of oscillation - between international DJ sets and holidays of downtime and r&r - we get the impression of a remarkably clear-headed album, with the production crisp, and the choice and placement of samples neat. On this 12", we hear the LP's first part, with the no-fuss garagey 'Hole Away' and the stabby 'Changing Channels' piquing particular interest.

Review: Pearson Sound's latest EP, 'Which Way Is Up', marks his eagerly awaited return to Hessle Audio, the label he helped establish as a bastion of genre-defying bass music. This four-track exploration reaffirms his reputation as a master of the sound system with a keen ear for innovative rhythms and textures. The EP opens with the previously released track 'Hornet,' which has already been buzzing in clubs since June. Its brooding, sub-heavy lines and intricate drum patterns set a high bar, but Pearson Sound keeps the momentum with 'Twister,' a fresh addition that swirls with a dizzying array of tempo shifts and basslines. The track embodies the producer's knack for blending the visceral with the cerebral, creating a sonic landscape that's both immersive and disorienting. What's compelling about this release is Pearson Sound's ability to balance familiar Hessle Audio aesthetics with fresh ideas. Each track is crafted to test and excite, from the cavernous lows to the meticulous highs. This EP is not just a continuation of his previous work but an evolution that maintains his position at the forefront of the bass music scene. With Which Way Is Up, Pearson Sound proves once again that his approach to production is as dynamic and forward-thinking as ever, affirming why he remains a pivotal figure in the electronic music landscape.

Review: The Hessle Audio label celebrated a big birthday in style recently and rightly so. It has long been a pioneering outlet for always cutting-edge electronic sounds loosely couched in bass music but often involving so much more. This latest comes from Toumba who made a fine outing at the end of last year and starts 2023 on just as solid a footing. 'Istibtan' is stripped-back body music with a smattering of tin-pot percussion and dark bass. There is more broken beat work and off-grid percussive inflection to 'Petals' then 'Hazzeh' layers up tropical synth sounds into a humid club cut before closer 'Identity Crisis' offers an introspective melody and funky broken beat patterns.