Hospital Vinyl & CDs

Review: Drum & bass giants Hospital Records get involved with this year's Record Store Day by serving up a limited white vinyl that also serves as further 25th anniversary celebrations. This is on top of the huge 25 rack album that came back in March and features a load more essential remixes, reworks, VIPs and covers of NHS drum & bass classics. Together they serve as a fine snapshot of the label's past, present and future with Camo & Krooked, S.P.Y, Kings Of The Rollers, Lynx, Think Tonk, Kessler, Villem and The Caracal Project all coming correct.

Review: Hospital Records' latest outing is a welcome return to releasing from DJ Hazard, pioneer of ostentatious jump-up drum & bass (of the second, not first, kind; heads will know there might as well have been two movements bearing the name, with the blurring point between them somewhat indistinct, yet the former more definitively jungly than the latter). Here we get stuck in to a four-track lesson in the jump-up sound that most know today: rolling basslines, eerie atmospheres & crunchy drumwork galore. From the opening horror film-sampling 'Behind The Mask' - on which wheezy leads and syncopated snaps steep and wring the mix to a high twisted heaven - to the mid-section sonic dentata 'Drill Bit' and 'Cloud Drift' - on we're met with an illicit power-driven (hopefully just dental) procedure and a clouded liquid miasma respectvely - and to the final 'Break The Silence' - which brings an anti-violence hip-hop sample to a playful excruciation of imp-bass and spit-snare - this is everything befitting of a contemporary Hazard EP, a sure health hazard if we know one.

Review: Etherwood re-confirms all the promise he has shown in recent years with this super new album on the legendary Hospital. It is his fourth long-player in all and shows off his knack for rolling drums and majestic melody while serving up some sweet vocal collabs. Next to the timeless drum &bas sounds come a wealth of influences from rock, indie-pop, techno and downtempo, with lots of lush ambient designs and plenty of hummable top lines. His own vocals also feature on tunes like the heartbroken Fall Awake, while legendary mic man DRS is in fine flow on 'The Current' where he muses on self-medication and more. Neon Dust is another complete album from one of the scene's finest.

Review: Album alert! Fred V returns to the big H for his second solo album Luminous. Building on the vibe he set with 2021's Radiate album, Luminous dances that fine line between pop and dance with big bright dynamics, infectious hooks and bundles of springy, sunny side euphoria. Featuring link-ups with the likes of Dan Dakota, DNMO, Hybrid Minds, Etherwood, Lottie Jones and others, vibes range from the neon turbo disco of 'Take Over' to the solemn introspective ballad 'Subliminal' via powe3rful dancefloor jams like the title track. A stately Hospital LP that does everything you want it to.

Review: A mainstay at camp H through his prolific work on the now defunct Med School imprint, Keeno makes his Hospital debut with his fourth album I Live, I Learn. Opening with the full orchestral impact and gospel level vocals of the title track, we're then whisked on a tour of Keeno's contrasts; the Chris Rea style guitars of 'Severn Summers', the big disco flavour of 'When I Heard You', the slower breaks and clippy strings of 'Pancake's Breakfast', the almighty vocal sample and score-like epic flare of skit 'Breathing Room' and the darkest, most club-focused jam of the bunch 'Listen Close'. Live, learn, loving this...

Review: Since signing to Hospital last year Krakota has delivered a progressively on-point stream of rollers and bubblers. Hot on the heels of "Ice Hands" and "Ghosts" comes the Bournemouth artist's first fully fledged EP and it's something of a vibe marathon: "In The Area" soothes with soft harmonic basses in a similar way to early Netsky or perhaps Nu:Logic material, "Citadels" is a floaty, cosmic meander through the jungle milky way. Looking for Krakota's harder side? Look no further than "Crash Pads"; all Experience-era detuned synths and swashbuckling amens, it's undiluted rave juice. Finally "Lazy Bones" brings us back to earth with a piano-shaped cushion... Before packing us off to sub boot camp with some very devious but subtle bass dynamics. Krakota's best release to date, without question.

Review: The usually prolific Matt Gresham has been a little quiet since the release of his eighth album, "Hologram", in 2018. We suspect a new album is on the way, because this new EP comes hot on the heels of the long-serving producer's sole single of 2019. Whether or not that is the case, "Headspace" is superb, with Gresham flitting between snappy and soulful vocal drum and bass ("Stay True"), sweet, synth-laden intergalactic rollers ("Rebuild"), rapper-sporting liquid goodness (the festival-friendly positivity of "Brand New Beginning") and nasty deep space intensity (the appropriately titled "Headspace").

Review: Hospital Records is celebrating 20 years of Logistics' iconic drum & bass track Together with a special repress that pairs it with the underground favorite 'Krusty Bass Rinser' on Side-2. Together remains a standout in the genre, known for its uptempo energy, crisp production, and unforgettable melodic hook. Originally a dancefloor staple, it crossed genre boundaries, appealing not just to liquid drum & bass fans but also to jungle and techno enthusiasts. This repress offers a chance for collectors and new listeners to own a piece of drum & bass history, especially as original copies have become increasingly rare.

Review: A double LP of d&b goodness, London Elektricity has had an illustrious career through over three decades worth of jungle and d&b traversal. Tony Colman, also the founder of Hospital Records, is passing the torch on this new release to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his atmospheric, breakbeat-laden 'Billion Dollar Gravy' with a batch of remixes from fresh talent and new sounds. BDG itself sees a modern, hardcore d&b remix from Watch the Tide and 'Cum Dancing' gets blown out by Mozey after a gentle intro akin to Machine Girl's 'Reporpoised Phantasies' EP and 'Neon White Soundtrack Part 1 'The Wicked Heart'. The roster includes Zero T, Whiney & Unglued, Dogger & Mindstate, Kimyan Law, Hugh Hardie and veteran Hospital stalwart Logistics.

Review: After its recent appearance on Hospital Records' 25th anniversary compilation, Makoto's superb D&B cover of Al Hudson & The Soul Partners' 1978 disco classic, 'Spread Love', has been released as a single. It's well worth picking up, specifically for the A-side 'Full Length Mix', which ekes out the life-affirming, mood enhancing pleasure by another minute or so. It's a terrific version - as is the original mix, which you can find on the flip - and features British soul man Pete Simpson, backed by a big group of backing singers, belting out the loved-up lyrics atop swooping disco strings, warm synth sounds, booming bass and skittish D&B beats. Bonus cut 'Contact' is worth a listen to, featuring as it does floaty ambient intros, aggressive post-jungle beats, wavy vocal samples and some seriously bowel-bothering sub-bass.

Review: Nu:Tone is a drum & bass giant and a longtime mainstay of the legendary Hospital label. He hasn't put out any solo material since his last album way back in 2014, so this new two tracker is a big deal indeed. After all the classics on that record he has a lot to live up to but does so, with both tunes showing this artist's pioneering approach to drum & bass . Opener 'Sweeter' is the heartfelt and super soulful cut we all need right now with London-based singer and songwriter Maiday providing the icing on the cake. Do It Right' is a nostalgic roller with big rave pads, Av it.

Review: Get unstuck with these two delicious refixes from Unglued's debut 2021 album Interplanetary Radio as two of the most highly respected beat carvers apply their scalpels to one of Hospital's most exciting new-generation stars. The ravey 'Total XTC' is perfect fodder for Exit's Fixate as he winds up the 4x4s and laces it with his own special hardcore essence. The super sweet soul of 'Way Back When' is also a perfect fit for its remixer as Halogenix brings a whole new hazy shade to the dreamy vibes. Far out.

Review: If there's one genre that captures the rush of motor racing, it's surely D&B. So it's a match made in heaven as the lauded Forza Horizon 5 game teams up with some of the brightest talents in big room D&B for a blockbuster soundtrack which will get your virtual foot slamming the virtual pedals with appreciation through every chicane and hair-raising hairpin bend. Hospital Records are carrying the soundtrack, and who better to platform this absolutely top-drawer crew of sharp shooters. From Flava D and Grafix to SPY, Logistics and Nu:Tone, there's no shortage of talent rolling out the beats across three mighty slabs of wax, meaning you can enjoy the tunes even when you're not frantically racing your mates in the flashiest sports cars in the game.

Review: Hospital Records is one of the most mighty in all of drum & bass and here it joins up with Soulvent who now join the family. It's a label founded by Joe Goss, Jack (Pola) Higgins and Liam Holyoak-Rackal that has been on top of its game since 2014 and at the forefront of the new generation. This fiery 14 track collection is packed full of brand new remixes of classics from both imprint's back catalogues. There is dream-like stuff from Nu:Tone, Hugh Hardie is in fine form on his take on Japan-based Mountains' 'I'm Free' (feat. Kojo)' and one-to-watch DJ and producer Vektah drops some real jungle heat.

Review: When Hospital Records launched some 16 years ago, it was primarily to focus on the more soulful side of drum & bass. While London Elektricity's imprint is now about so much more than that, many of its' releases still bristle with an expansive soulfulness. This mixed, mid-price, two-disc affair pays tribute to the label's soulful side, delivering sinewy, string-laden gems, vocal anthems, and liquid D&B classics from the likes of SPY, High Contrast, Nu:Tone, Logistics, Danny Byrd, Phuturistix and, of course, London Elektricity. Who mixed it isn't revealed, but they've done a great job; both discs ripple with melody, emotion and, of course, skittering dancefloor rhythms. This is Fast Soul Music, after all.

Review: A man of many sounds (and even more swanky tracksuits) Voltage takes time away from the Kings Of The Rollers to unleash an album that no one saw coming. Kicking off with an 80s flavoured freestyle jam 'So Close', Rouen Wilkins takes time to guide us through his influences and showcase sounds and styles you might not expect from him... The Josh Wink style acid breaks of 'Moonshine', the sultry space-bound jazz of 'Endless Dreaming', the 90s piano house-meets-drum & bass vibes of 'Keep On Dancing' and the Burial-esque tones and textures of 'Consciousness' are just some of the excellent off-piste highlights from an artist who has more cards up his sleeve than you may realise. Balance is everything

Review: Hospital's secret weapon, Whiney is up there with S.P.Y when it comes heavyweight Hospital tackle. Bubblers through and through, each of these cuts shows off the young artist's darker dancefloor style. 'Deep End' is a Verse-front groove you could imagine deep in a Randall set, 'Caught Up' busses up a little bashment in the woozy, bumpy flow, 'Old Flame' balances sultry soulful vocals with a stinky rubber ball bassline (think a really moody Danny Byrd) while 'Roll Out' brings Parly B into the fold for a final ragga happy slap hoorah. Bubbling.

Review: Coventry-based Whiney returns to drum 'n' bass institution Hospital Records With Bubblers: Part Three' marking the last edition in a series. Teaming up with North London-based MC Subten on 'Headlines', a grime-infused stepper, followed by 'Freedom Dub' which is an intelligent liquid roller. B-side cut 'Yesterday' will hypnotise you with its rich tapestry of synth textures while his immaculately programmed rhythms maintain the energy levels. Legend Laurent Garnier is said to be a fan of the young producer's work, and a track like this is a good example why. This might be his last Bubblers EP, but it's definitely not the least.