DUBSTEPREVIEWS Mala
Cuba Electronica Brownswood
8.0
Cuba meets Croydon. Not the likeliest of collaborations, but Mala struck up a tight relationship with Gilles Peterson after guesting on his Brownswood show, and here is the first instalment of blending big sub bass with Cuban swing. It could have all gone so wrong, but if anyone knows Mala, they know he is a deeply rooted individual with a deep respect and love of music and this comes through in everything he makes. Can’t wait for the album.
Shadowbox
Haunted By Colors Pictures Music 7.5
Untold Change In A Dynamic
Environment Pt 2 Hemlock
9.0
As you stumble out into the dappled, dawn light of a tree- lined Berlin strasse, your ears still ringing faintly from the past eight hours of bass, pads and keys, tracks like ‘Breathe’ and ‘Caslon’ continue to haunt your audio memory as you float back to the afterparty, digging through your records, desperately trying to find a track to capture and elongate that moment of absolute rave bliss again.
Bandshell
Dust March EP Hessle Audio 8.0
Ever pushing the needle towards experimentation, the Hessle camp present a new protagonist in the shape of Bandshell, whom I know feck all about, but who seems to have popped up on the ever- faithful Soundcloud, garnering positive reactions from all. This four-track EP is two parts crushed techno machinations, one part distorted UK funky, with muted dashes of grime. And all the better for it. Challenging and engaging in equal measures.
082 Distance
A Result In Sound Chestplate
7.5 There’s little denying that Distance has some panache with a little guitar-led melody. His well-known love for a bit of metal often comes through in his music, and often it’s the more delicate touches that inspire. The title track here is one of those, Blade Runner evocations and thrifty syncopation all bundled up with plenty of warm sub. Makes me wanna dust off my old half-step records and get all nostalgic!
Kowton
Jam03 Signal Life 8.0
The second single from Desto’s emerging label sees the quality curve continue to rise. ‘Jam03’ is devastatingly minimal and swing- focused — powerful, hypnotic drums and claps smothered by an invisible cloak of effects and detail. Desto’s remix is dope, like a Trill Wave instrumental perfect for Meek Mill to jump on. Check LMS’s ‘Lowout’ for killer hardcore shakers, big bass and stabby synths with a toxic garage Teeth remix to boot.
After hearing the evocative voice of Bonnie Baxter aka Shadowbox on a Djrum co-pro last year, and more recently on his April Resident Advisor mix, it’s great to have a whole EP to get involved with. This six-tracker traverses a range of moods and styles, most familiar on the excellent ‘CO’, right through to the experimentalism of ‘D60’. Co-produced with Icky Doome, the pair have put together a punchy live set to deliver the EP’s full audio collage.
V.I.V.E.K.
Out Of Reach Deep Medi 7.0
Big, sub-heavy dubstep from the West London producer gladly pops Deep Medi back on the quality scale after a couple of rather meh releases of late. Some of the best producers know how to work energy and atmosphere into a record with very little, and on these two numbers, that’s what happens: deft percussion and Turkish/Arabic influences abound on ‘Kismet’, whilst ‘Out Of Reach’ plays delicately in the gutter.
Zoe Zoe
Church Sneaker Social Club 8.0
Rave-meets-house-meets-bass from Lithuanian talent Zoe Zoe. Maya Janes Coles included this in her excellent ‘DJ Kicks’ album in Spring and you can hear why: big ravey drums, pulsing synths and those slightly mournful and muffled keys combine to great effect. Genre bending done well. Joining it are ‘Hollow’ and ‘October’, two damn good efforts that see more splicing of influences and moods aimed squarely at the dancefloor. Enjoy.
www.djmag.com Cluekid
Grim Bullfrog 6.5
Pretty standard half- step business here from the newly-revived Cluekid. ‘Grim’ is all loose cymbals, big subs and Shaolin samples. ‘Lost In Space’ on the flip is almost galactic, astro-step anyone?
Subzee D
Hold Me Sin City
4.0 Dubstep anthem alert. Birmingham’s newest export assembles all the right parts together — soaring vocal, screeching synths, wobbly bits. Skream and Benga love it. My heart sinks.
MARKLE58a Tetherdown, London, N10 1NG
QUICKIES The Invisible
Wings Ninja Tune 8.5
Great band and song, but the Floating Points remix had me wiping the spittle from my chin, as its jaw-dropping ethereal beauty transpired across the airwaves to my ears.
Wattville
We Jostle Sonic Router Records
8.0 Insistent, nagging and downright jingling, Wattville carves out a slick offering on these two percussively focused dancefloor fireworks. I dare you to stand still to this.
N-TYPE WHEEL & DEAL/ RINSE FM
01. JKENZO ‘Depth Charge’ Dub “Love this one! Big dutty bassline! Reminiscent of old d&b but with a 2012
twist.”
02. N-TYPE & SURGE FEAT PYXIS ‘September Sun’ Wheel & Deal “This was one of my favourite collaborations to date, built in the blazing heat
of September last year. Surge’s vocalist Pyxis loved the instrumental and vocaled the track early this year. She is definitely one to watch in 2012!”
03. LAXX & WALSH ‘Latest Technology’ Dub “This one’s a banger! LAXX, a newcomer to Wheel & Deal who has become
a staple in my sets, meets up with one of the original dubstep pioneers, DJ Walsh.”
04. DISTANCE ‘Deserted’ Chestplate “Bringing his signature dark, twisted bass weight to give your system a
workout.” 05. MRK 1 FEAT FLOW DAN, TRIGGA & RIKO ‘Stand & Deliver
(N-Type Remix)’ Sin City “The original track is gritty dancehall/grime. This is dark but dancefloor and forthcoming on Sin City Recordings.”
06. SLEEPER ‘Dawn Of The Replicants’ Dub “Sleeper is becoming one of my favourite producers in 2012.”
07. BIOME ‘Pariah’ Dub “Sick production and infectious beats.”
08. DJ SFR ‘Vha Venda (Surge Remix)’ Wheel & Deal “Surge stepped up for the challenge and came back with a dark, tribal
half-step roll out!”
09. FARKAS ‘Tribal Dance V.I.P’ Biscuit Factory “4/4 housey dubstep. Another powerful genre-crossing track from Farkas!”
10. BADKLAAT ‘Iron Eyes’ Dub “Badklaat from the Dubstar Records family sent me two tunes recently. This
one is slightly more skippy, so I chose this!”
MONEYSHOT!
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