ZamZam Sounds US Vinyl & CDs

Review: Blind Prophet & Ishan Sound come together for their first pan-atlantic collaboration here in what is a fine return to the ZamZam label. The pair first met in Portland in 2019 and so it's good to finally have some sounds to get stuck into from their meeting of minds. 'The Labyrinth' kicks off with hefty and stepping drum rhythms that are overlaid by bright synth lines and mystic flutes. The interloping melodies and a menacing bassline finish it in style. On the flip, things get much more dark with 'Minotaur Dub' which is a shadowy world of refracting drums and oodles of reverb and echo. There is a predatory sense to the rhythm that never lets up as fizzing bass pries every deep into the dead of night.

Review: Dark dubstep allstar Dayzero first came to out attention with 'Allca', where they pitted themselves alongside contemporaries Gantz or Coki in their unique displays of wonk and lo-fi production techniques. 'Pages' and 'Sen' continue this charge; watery, knocky and psychopathic, both tunes sound like a tank trudging through sludge. Militant and gritty.

Review: After a string of singles on his own Breadminster County Council label and a standout 10" for Accidental Meetings last year, Elijah Minnelli slides over to ZamZam for an excursion into his particular vision of dub shot through with cumbia and calyspo. The OG version of 'Gradually' has a weighty melancholy thanks to the low-pitched vocal coursing through the track, with languid brass pealing out up top. The Version on the flip naturally boils the stock down and makes a strong, dubwise stew with the attention to quality we take as a given when ZamZam are involved.

Review: Mystica Tribe's 'Ido' is a rare treat for fans of steppers and dub techno, fusing the two into a neatly synthetic stew. The Japanese producer is known for his unique blend of dub and electronica, which he infuses with traditional Japanese music influences. 'Ido' sounds to morph a reggae staple instrument - the melodica - into something else entirely, perhaps a physically modelled Shakuhachi. The J-dub player brings up the B with a 'Renren version', with the word meaning "flowing like tears, or a river" - the track mirrors this, focusing solely on the on-beat with its rapid delays and cascading hi-hats.