Tectonic Vinyl & CDs

Review: Emerging from the studio with perfect timing, Tectonic deliver "From The Shadows", the debut opus from Random Trio's Cyrus, one of the scenes most dangerously underrated talents. Since last years transmission on the "Random Trio EP" Cyrus has been working on his studio tan, perfecting a true definition of dubstep with professor like precision, rising up within the hallowed tutelage of Hatcha's dubplate box, and under the watchful eye of local Croydon peers Digital Mystikz and label head or stylistic brethren, Pinch.

Review: It was arguably 2007 debut LP "Underwater Dancehall" - still one of the greatest dubstep albums of all time - that made Tectonic co-founder Pinch one of British bass music's most celebrated talents, so this solo sequel is long overdue. Much has changed in UK bass - and his life - since then, and "Reality Tunnels" reflects that. Much more widescreen in approach and sound, it sees him flit between vocal grime and dubstep, 21st century jungle mutations, future dub, ambient soundscapes, deconstructed dancehall and - most surprisingly of all - weighty, bass-heavy, Bristol style techno. Some fans may be surprised at the decidedly different directions, but it all makes perfect sonic sense - after all, British bass music has long been about more than just dubstep and D&B.

Review: Since first bursting onto the dubstep scene in 2005, Bristol producer Rob 'Pinch' Ellis has gone on to be one of the sound's leading lights. An early adopter - indeed, he put on the first ever dubstep parties in his home city - he revolutionized the sound with his brilliant 2007 debut full-length Underwater Dancehall. Now a major player, here he revisits his early days with a collection of obscure B-sides and remixes. Naturally, there's plenty to enjoy, from the crystalline electronics and dubwise rhythms of "Motion Sickness", to the dubstep-techno fusion of "30HZ Mutate(d)", madcap IDM of "Attack Of The Giant Killer Robot Spiders" and spooky goodness of "Qawali VIP".

Review: Individually, Pinch and Mumdance have been responsible for some of the most forward-thinking bass music of the past year, with the former's Cold Recordings pushing the darker techno-inspired sounds of the 130 axis and the latter leaving everyone else in the dust with his twisted takes on grime and UK club music. On this mix CD for Pinch's Tectonic Recordings, the pair team up for a B2B session filled with exclusives from themselves and like-minded producers like Alex Coulton, Logos and Ipman, which joins the dots between the past, present and future of the scene. If you were worried that bass-focused music had run itself into a 4/4 shaped hole, fear not - this mix is the next step you've been waiting for.

Review: Four years ago, Jon Linksey brought his Sectra project to Tectonic to the first time, serving up an impossible-to-pigeonhole set that combined his love of abstract noise, drone, industrial, techno and warped dancehall. The producer expands on these ideas on Through The Static, his first album to be released on anything other than cassette. In some ways it was designed with the CD format in mind, with the 13 'official tracks' - decidedly dystopian, angular and frequently intense affairs full of mutant rhythms and flashes of genuine musical emotion - being joined by a five-track bonus EP that can apparently be heard "through" the sound of static bolted onto the end of the EP. It's an interesting and unusual idea, but it's the adventurous and experimental qualities of the main album that makes it such a vital listen.

Review: Featuring a plethora of the scene's hottest talents. From London's Skream and Loefah with the Digital Mystikz to Manchester warrior Mark One, plus Bristol's finest and Tectonic label boss Pinch. This collection is more than a DJ mix though - all the tracks have been edited and rearranged to flow seamlessly, layered with subtle fx and a background atmospheric - creating a unique listening experience that stands out to the careful listener.

Review: Entering what seems like a new phase for Pinch's bastion of forward-thinking dubstep, Tectonic Plates reaches its fourth edition and brings in a raft of fresh producers and new angles on just what the genre might mean in these fractured times. Even the classic standard bearers such as Jakes are bringing curious 4/4 momentum in amidst the sparse, dread filled pressure, while Guido pivots off of the plush musicality of his album to create an utterly broken symphony on "State Of Joy". There are a lot of different ideas floating around the whole compilation, and yet everything holds together with the deep-rooted soundsystem mentality that has always defined Tectonic as a shining example of what dubstep has always meant.

Review: Having initially sprung into life back in 2005 to provide an outlet for dubstep productions by members of Bristol's bass music community, Tectonic has since developed into a must-check hub for heavyweight floor fillers across a range of bass-fixated genres. The label's shift in recent years is amply demonstrated by this latest Tectonic Plates collection, the first since 2009. Alongside relatively traditional dubstep, you'll find the Juke-influenced 808 pressure of Addison Groove, a gaggle of future garage bangers, the electronic warmth of Illum Sphere, some hard-to-fathom brilliance from Om Unit and a pair of sweet, post-dubstep fusions from 2562 and Kevin McPhee.