Review: Impey - Bangclap / 4titude [S7S002]

It may be too early to call, but with Boofy and Lemzly Dale in no rush to balance out the quality with quantity, Sector 7 Sounds could soon have themselves established as a bag-on-sight imprint. It's been a little wait since the label's acerbic debut, but "worth it" doesn't quite do 002 justice. Those who've had their ear to the grimey ground should already be well aware of lead track 'Bangclap', which boasts a string line that, in other, lazier hands, might have ended life wasted on a Lex-Luger-by-numbers trap beat. Impey's variations are subtle, allowing the emotive topline to retain its catchiness without slipping into the boredom of an overworked loop. This delicate sense of balance transfers also to the careful plumbing of grime's heyday - when the aggression of tunes such 'POW!' was valued as equally as the emotive likes of Ruff Sqwad's 'Together' - in, for instance, the tune's pitch-bent vocal snips. The balance of course noted in the fact that, listening to the record, you don't find yourself reaching halfway through for a tune made nearly ten years ago: 'Bangclap' avoids any cynical nostalgia because it's not a sonic palette that it borrows from so much as an emotive one, invoking something of the energy and feeling that made and, in certain examples such as this release, continues to make grime such an enthralling sound.

To say that the B-side is more of the same would usually make for a nicely back-handed compliment, however when the A- is this good, and the producer this young, it can serve as nothing less than a congratulatory handshake. More brooding than 'Bangclap', and making more of the space between scattered claps and broken drum rolls, '4titude' peddles a similarly astute sense of control and balance and, in the aforementioned use of space, feels more inviting to an MC. Yet with something of a drought - unless you're in Manchester, that is - of really good new MCs in grime, it seems '4titude' will be allowed to revel celebrated as an instrumental cut in its own for a good while longer at least.









Impey - Bangclap


Impey - 4titude


Impey - Bangclap / 4titude [S7S002] is out now on Sector 7 Sounds, and available directly from the BigCartel store.

W.

Review: LX One - Reflect / Distorted Politics [WHEELYDEALY043]

By no means the most prolific of producers, LX One maintains an unbridled consistency with his quality over quantity approach. This, of course, is also an approach that we at Hedmuk have long subscribed to, and as such are always pleasantly surprised by announcements of forthcoming releases from the multi-talented Londoner.

With solid DJ support from the usual raft of scene leaders, including Distance, Youngsta, J:Kenzo, Icicle and label boss N-Type, 'Reflect' is a bonafide A-side: delivering an enormous groove with the effortless sense of style that has been a defining characteristic of LX One's production since his earliest releases. As with his previous dancefloor mainstays, this is an example of how to do a lot with very little. 'Distorted Politics', meanwhile, represents something of a departure for the producer MC as he swaps the heavily swung rhythm of canonical beats such as 'You' for a straightened, kick-driven pulse of a beat. It's new ground for LX One's solo material, but is trodden as carefully and precisely as should be expected from this producer, whose eye for detail - and making every detail count - continues to prove itself a rare asset.

LX One - Reflect / Distorted Politics is now available to purchase exclusively from the Wheel & Deal Surus store on 12" and digital formats, until general release from other outlets on May the 12th.

W.

Review: Wen - Signals [LDN044]

There's a clutch of tunes here that will be familiar to many listeners already - the likes of 'Galactic', 'Persian' and, more recently, 'Play Your Corner' having been doing the rounds on radio shows and mixtapes -  but for the most part, the album comprises of fresh material. This dialogue between new and old is, as much as the snipped vocal clips, the sort of constant which elevates the record's status from being merely a collection of songs, to a cohesive album; and that this is something so rarely achieved within electronic music needn't be played down.

In fact, one of the undoubted highlights of the LP has had its choppy vocals pressed to vinyl once already, but returns here reworked and churning a sweet nostalgia for the - pun no doubt intended - swinging days of dark garage experimentalism. Simultaneously paying homage to Keysound's own catalogue numbers, the 'LDN Mix' of 'Swingin'' is Wen imagining what El-B and Horsepower Productions might have done with the same source material; the result is as you'd expect, but that he manages to carry it off so convincingly is a testament to his production abilities.

And whilst some might argue that such nostalgia is often little more than repackaging for an unknowing audience, the dismantling of 'You Know' from an almost by-numbers steel drum-riff-plus-R&B-vocal-sample slice of anthem garage to an eery, piercing soundscape presents the LP's dialogue on a micro scale. That it tails off from here into the Random Trio-indebted drum shuffles of 'Persian' only makes the historical trawl more complete.

As well as the increasingly-imitated marriage of swollen bass hits and sharp synths that has come to typify Wen's sound, a common sonic theme throughout 'Signals' is his use of rewind and fast-forward effects - that is, shaping and tailing grooves using tape-stops and forward seeks. Though this sense of searching through tracks and albums may be all but lost on today's younger generation of listeners, for others (Wen himself no doubt included) who have grown up through the technological developments which have seen tape cassettes replaced on shelves by CDs, and then the shelves themselves replaced by the scroll wheel and the rise of online retail, these little become something of a leitmotif for the album's past-present-future dialogue. That cassettes, though admittedly not in any wide way, have been re-adopted more and more by small independent labels over the last few years fits nicely with this idea of back-and-forth.

The album concludes with a first, in the form of Wen's first officially vocalled tune to reach public ears. It's fractious, unsettled and raucous in all of the best ways, and Riko asserts himself as one of the most underrated MCs that the grime scene has produced. It's all in the combination here, though: simply put, Riko is one of the few MCs who can truly capture the feel of a radio set when laying down vocals on a tune and he's aided aptly by Wen in this, whose sonic aesthetic is heavily indebted to the crackle of the pirate radio dial.

Much of this, however, is what we could have expected from a Wen album. But that's fine: a debut album is an artist's opportunity to position themselves within the wider context of their influences and the scene surrounding them, and Wen does so here with a measured confidence.

There's a gentle irony to the cover's 'One way' signal: this is an album that is both knowingly and refreshingly dialogic in sound and aesthetic, and, looking to the future, one which will no doubt be cropping up regularly when it comes to end-of-year list season. The future is Wen. (You thought we'd make it through a tense-littered review without punning on "when"?)

Tracklist:

01. Intro (Family)
02. Galactic
03. Lunar (feat. Blackdown)
04. You Know
05. Persian
06. Swingin' (LDN mix)
07. Vampin'
08. Time (feat. Parris)
09. In
10. Signal
11. Nightcrawler (Devils Mix)
12. Play Your Corner (feat. Riko)

Wen - Signals [LDN044] will be released via Keysound Recordings on vinyl and digital formats on March 17th, and is available to pre-order from Boomkat now.

To listen to the album ahead of release date, click over to Resident Advisor for a full stream.

W.

Review: Caski - emf:004 [EMF004]

Caski returns, after something of a quiet retreat and almost a year since first showcasing new tempo experimentations , with four tracks for Electro Magnetic Fields, the sister label to Indigo's Mindset records.

The lead track, 'Rare Groove', has the hallmarks of Pangaea's formative productions, with as much debt paid to dubstep's LFO envelopes as there is to an incessant, irrepressible techno groove. 'Dancehall' and 'Elephant Tribe', meanwhile, both play with rhythms that are closer to UK funky or, particularly in the case of the latter, bashment. But, as is the case across the EP, Caski's dubstep sensibilities see him pushing out at these genre boundaries. 'Dancehall' is a particular standout here, employing little more than drums, sub-bass, an infectious vocal sample and subtle atmospheric variations to extraordinary effect. In keeping with not only Caski's refreshed direction but also both Mindset and EMF's tradition of envelope-pushing, Troy Gunner's remix of 'Elephant Tribe' is a masterclass in stripped-back.

With a few years spent honing his production abilities carving huge grooves from the 140bpm template, this new direction signals a new confidence in creative direction for Caski, and its one which we are as equally excited about as he must be himself.

Caski - emf:004 will be released in digital formats on the 10th of March 2014, and is available to pre-order from the Electro Magnetic Fields Bandcamp store now.

W.

Review: LAS & Gantz - Firepusher EP [SYSTM004]

Words: Silas Howison-Waughray

"System". If you’re still a passionate fan of dubstep, then that name shout resonate loud and clear. It’s a name more closely associated with an event curated by scene figurehead V.I.V.E.K; a night which stands at the pinnacle of preserving dubstep’s longevity. Alongside a string of infamous events has, more recently, been an impressive series of 180gram vinyl releases. The latest editions to the System Sound team are the equally infamous LAS & Gantz, both of whom now boast a myriad of releases across major imprints still pushing the dubstep sound.

This is a label which clearly takes its ethos very seriously: this is real soundsystem music. The A-side, ‘Fire Pusher’, has LAS & Gantz written all over it, with sporadic rim shots, looped vocals and an unassumingly hypnotic top line. The other two tracks on the EP feel (unsurprisingly) much more like solo productions. Gantz' offering, 'Second Nature', is heavily indebted to his roots, with ethnic percussion and instrumentation throughout. The focal point of LAS' ‘Malfunktions’ is the kick drum, which is finely tuned and the real driving force behind the track's rhythm. The off-kilter bleeps, blips and digitised idiosyncrasies which accompany all relate directly back to the title, itself representing that very digital sort of malfunction: the typo. Drawing for either of these in a club would be a challenge for any DJ, but it’s that originality and rhythmic versatility that sets these two apart, and their consistency in shying away from the norm that steadies and continues their appeal.

SYSTM004 sits perfectly alongside its predecessors, and complements the System Sound ideology.

LAS & Gantz - Firepusher EP [SYSTM004] will be released on 12" vinyl and in digital formats on the 10th of March 2014, and is available to pre-order from the System Surus store now.

Silas has written for Gottwood, Urban Nerds, Mavrik, and MisDigest, is one half (guess which) Silas & Snare Surgeon, and a resident DJ for the Leeds-based Brotherhood Soundsystem.

Review: A/T/O/S - A/T/O/S [MEDiLP009]

We're welcoming another new scribe to these pages today, as well as (probably quite belatedly) a scoring system to accompany all the reviews you'll find on the site in future. As is to be expected, our standards are high and any release scoring within spitting distance of a five-out-of-five is one you'll kick yourself for missing out on.

Words: Alex Terry

A/T/O/S’ (A Taste of Struggle) first appearance came early on in 2013 by way of a self-titled single on the ever-adored Deep Medi Musik imprint. A low-slung, melancholic release pinching together aspects of trip- hop, R&B and dubstep, remixes from Skream and Commodo, and a video directed by Simon Mannaerts ear-marked the project of Amos & Truenoys as one to wait patiently and excitedly for. One year on, after confused anticipation, a couple of live performances and little to no information about the outfit surfacing online, A/T/O/S have announced their debut full length release.

Noticeably split between two different tempos - circling around the 140 and 100bpm marks - the album, on the one hand, seemingly pays homage to much of the Deep Medi back catalogue while markedly prying into regions previously unexplored by the dubstep label. Regardless of whether this was an intentional split, A/T/O/S present a debut album that oozes an undeniable 90's Bristolian demeanour while continually carving their own brand of dusky, leftfield R&B inflected with broken hip-hop: drunk drum patterns stumble spaciously over Moogs and Rhodes, lead by charmingly hesitant vocals.

Stand out tracks include 'Projects' bearing glistening synths that sound suspiciously sampled from 'Anti War Dub' - perhaps another appreciative nod towards influence - and 'Cosmos': a sunken, downtempo number that bears the qualities of the kind of industrial pop characterised recently by artists such as Grimes, and that benefits indefinitely from feeling submerged in cold bath water, washing off the saccharin edge and being stripped back into unnervingly few elements.

It is clear why the label seem to have been keen to lock the duo away while an album fell into place; quite simply, 'A/T/O/S' is one of the best debuts from any UK underground bass music act in a good number of years. Quite a statement, though one that becomes self-evident and difficult to dispute. Rich in emotion, confidently diverse production which retains strong continuity from track to track and an even stronger sense of A/T/O/S’ ownership over a sonic aesthetic and a bleak, sultry song writing ability.

A/T/O/S are undoubtedly special in that they have produced a stunning and unique debut album, and while they may not have spent the run up to its release gaining any noticeable momentum [Ed. - read: "shallow hype"], they have maintained an enthusiastic audience of label followers who are, let's face it, not outwardly interested in what they have to offer. To their credit, they have strung along the adjectives “dark” and “weighty” to encapsulate everything organic and timeless about the typical dancefloor-orientated MEDi release, while retaining them in what is absolutely a real listeners' album.

As for Deep Medi, who have a tendency to throw the occasional curveball - acts like Old Apparatus and Mark Pritchard being among the most notable - this is really the first vocal-lead act on the roster and it is difficult to imagine them not proving hugely successful in ways that bands such as Submotion Orchestra have proven of late. With that in mind, the prospect of further similar homegrown projects from the label would certainly be something to get excited about for 2014 and beyond.

A/T/O/S - A/T/O/S [MEDiLP009] will be released on the 3rd of March 2014 on 3x10" vinyl and in digital formats, and is available to pre-order from the Deep Medi Surus store now.

Review: Congi - Tidal Fragments LP

Words: Silas Howison-Waughray

In the last couple of years, the Chord Marauders have captured the attention of the underground dubstep scene with their melodic and soulful take on a sound that has been through countless reincarnations and reinventions. Congi’s debut LP ‘Tidal Fragments’ on the developing imprint is exemplary of the Marauders' ethos.

With a number of impressive releases and tracks already under their belts, Congi have acquired a substantial following in recent years and 'Tidal Fragments' eloquently highlights their exceptional capabilities at every level of production. The LP opens with ‘Clouds’, a mysterious, swung and sample-based quasi-soundscape that sets the tone for the rest of the album. From then on in the LP moves seamlessly between rolling percussive tracks like ‘LOTP’ to melancholic, stripped back head-nodders like ‘Attenuation’ - the latter providing one of the album's real highlights.

Aspects of the album are heavily reminiscent of illustrious days past but the forward-thinking vision of Congi stamps a unique picture across the LP and pushes their sound in a new and exciting direction. There are a number of collaborations with eminent CM teammates, Geode, B9 and Jafu. Geode’s contribution to ‘Flow One’ is obvious, with his signature dark sound scattered across an addictive drum beat, ominous melodic intervals and subs. The album sits roughly around 140bpm with two really interesting exceptions, ‘Spoken Word’ and ‘Transparent’, which draw attention to Congi’s as yet largely-unexhibited versatility.

To be honest, every track on this LP is worth a mention and it’s truly difficult to fault. With this release in tow the Chord Marauders will undoubtedly continue to develop and expand.

Congi - Tidal Fragments will be released on limited edition CD from the Chord Marauders website on Friday the 14th 2014, with the main digital release following on the 28th.

Silas has written for Gottwood, Urban Nerds, Mavrik, and MisDigest, is one half (guess which) Silas & Snare Surgeon, and a resident DJ for the Leeds-based Brotherhood Soundsystem.

Review: Gantz - Spry Sinister / Rising [MEDI078]

Despite a general mantra of valuing quality over quantity, the latter can sometimes fall out of sync with the number of words-worthy releases pouring out of the scene. This, then, is the first of an ongoing series of guest contributions from Silas Howison-Waughray, and what better way to cut your teeth here on Hedmuk than on a landmark release in the burgeoning career of one of our favourite artists? - W.

Words: Silas Howison-Waughray

With previous releases on Box Clever, Innamind and more, Gantz is a name already well-established in the scene and has been supported by a myriad of influential DJs. The Turkish producer's debut release for Mala's increasingly-pioneering imprint - the first 12" of the year for the label - is a unique combination of what fans have come to expect from both Medi and from Gantz himself. The A-side, ‘Spry Sinister’, opens with a scattered vocal sample mirrored tightly in a triplet percussion arrangement and pitched rim shots before the track moves effortlessly into a head-nodding, mood-swinging sub-bass pattern. Undoubtedly the off-kilter feel of the track will have bedroom DJs scratching their heads and Serato fans reinstalling their software, however producing something slightly off-centre is normal for Gantz, who tends to shy away from any conventional approach to production.

The flip side, ‘Rising’ with El Mahdy Jr, is reminiscent of Digital Mystikz’ 2004 release for Big Apple, ‘Pathwayz’, taking influence from past greats and then moving off in a completely different direction. Once again the drum pattern is original and slightly unusual, with a heavily syncopated rhythm dressed with exotic vocals and eerie instrumental sections. This side of the release really draws attention to Gantz’ ability to produce something out of the ordinary but within roughly the same parameters that we know and love.

This, simply put, is yet another fine example of Gantz’ unrivalled abilities and Deep Medi’s forward-thinking take on 140bpm music.





Gantz - 'Spry Sinister' / 'Rising' will be released on January the 13th 2014, and is available to pre-order from the Deep Medi Surus store now.

Silas has written for Gottwood, Urban Nerds, Mavrik, and MisDigest, is one half (guess which) of Silas & Snare Surgeon, and a resident DJ for the Leeds-based Brotherhood Soundsystem.

HEDMUK - Top 13 of 2013

It's end of year list season, and though the feature has never cemented itself as a regular one on these pages - in fact, it's only been done once before this - in a year of such notable transition as that just passed, it seems a run through of some of the defining releases of the last twelve months might serve as an opportunity to take stock. Of course, since the list will reflect its own themes, there isn't much to add other than a note for those tunes that will inevitably have slipped the mind, and those others which only just slipped the net. So, in no particular order - because, frankly, there's nothing in it - here are our top 13 tunes, and 5 of our favourite free downloads, for 2013. Enjoi:

Tessela - Horizon [R&S]
One of the year's most consistent producers, any one of Tessela's releases - remixes included - could have appeared here. His masterful judgement of stop-start rhythms has set him apart, and left more than a few dancefloors wide-eyed too.



Boofy - Since When [Bandulu]
Tight sampling, sharp drums and a bass lick that'll make you screw your face up. Grime in its purest form: demands a reload.



Karma - How Ya Feel [System]
Those who've been following the blog for more than a few years will say that Karma has been long overdue some vinyl with his name on it. This was as good a way as any to end the wait.



Wayfarer - Reflections (feat. Animai) [Uprise Audio]
The word "anthem" is an easy one to throw haphazard into a press release, but there are few better ways to describe this arms-to-the-sky number from Wayfarer.



Etch - Scattah [Keysound]
Blew out the booth monitors on its first airing at Fabric. Enough said?



Commodo - $pace Cash [Deep Medi Musik]
You'd be hard-pressed to name a tune released this year with as much effortless swagger as '$pace Cash'; Commodo proving himself incomparable all over again.



Taiko - Spray Can [Uprise Audio]
It's all about the drums in this one: while some producers have spent their time chopping breaks and fills, Taiko just makes his own.



Wen - Commotion [Keysound]
The tune that set the stall out and sent a whole wave of new producers trailing, for better or worse, through grime sets and DVDs searching for soundbites. The key here, though, is that Dot Rotten's cameo isn't what makes the tune stand up: it can do that all by itself.



Alex Coulton - Too Much Talk [92 Points]
Simplicity reigns: one of the year's most infectious beats,



Killjoy - Memories [Tumble Audio]
The extraordinarily prolific backbone to one of the UK's most exciting new labels, Killjoy's second release for Tumble Audio is tough and fun in equal measure.



Gantz - U Wont Mind (Thelem Remix) [Black Box]
Two Hedmuk favourites on one tune; Gantz' offkey source material teasing Thelem into the leftfield with amazing results.



Dubkasm - Victory [Sufferah's Choice]
Dubplate exclusive to Dubkasm and Aba Shanti-I before going on sale and selling out two presses in a matter of hours - a third is said to be on the way - it's safe to say that this one has captured its audience fairly successfully.



Youngstar - Pulse X (Blackwax Remix) [Liminal Sounds]
A tune that, in many ways, sums up the year quite nicely: a touch of grime nostalgia, an elastic garage bassline and a healthy dose of breaks all bent into something which somehow manages to sound like none of its parts.

As ever, you can share your thoughts on the list either in the comment section below, over on the Hedmuk Facebook Page, or via Twitter.

Free downloads are now a staple of any modern day music scene, but the price - or lack thereof - needn't reflect the quality: here are five of the best from 2013.

Caski - Patient [Download here]
Heavy grooving and moody as hell, this is unadulterated dubstep goodness.



Dark0 - Violate [Download here]
A highlight of the 'Zero' mixtape, this is grime with its sights on the headtop.



Geode - Pistachio [Download here]
A late but more than worthy entry, this one swings and grooves like its going out of fashion.



Hugo Massien - Mystik [Download here]
A few name alterations later and Hugo Massien still comes with it slick as ever.



Sepia - If We Could Only See Us Now [Download here]
First hitting the Hedmuk radar in late 2012, a producer whose sound has only grown since and is set to take 2014 by the horns: you actually did hear it here first.




W.

Review: Wayfarer - Afterlight EP [UA005]

With previous contributions to Uprise Audio providing the highlights of, chronologically, 'The Uprising EP' and 'Live To The Future' picture disc sampler and subsequent compilation, it seems about time that Wayfarer be given the opportunity to make a full solo statement on the label. And the 'Afterlight EP' is a statement, as equally demonstrative of what a Wayfarer EP sounds like in 2013 as it is suggestive of what the coming year might hold.

The title track is as grand and self-aware as we've heard him yet: a driving, broken-steppa rhythm - not dissimilar to that of the anthemic 'Reflections' - married with a sub that'll pin your ears back, gently. From here on in, though, the beats become more scattered and coarse as 'Azuma' deconstructs 2013's seemingly ubiquitous "dark roller" format, with pounding kicks punctuated with successive flurries of shaker, hi-hat and hand percussion, whilst 'Nomad' continues this deconstructive theme, stripped back to a swollen, lurching bassline and delicate, incidental percussion. And just as the record turns to pick itself apart from the inside-out, 'Zeg' nods back to the opener's lush pads and rounds off the release with the kind of assertive style that has come to be expected from this up-and-comer.

Wayfarer is a producer with intent, and this was never going to be a handful of 'Shaman' or 'Reflections' re-runs; instead, and all the better for it, we have a snapshot which looks back as much on the journey to this point as it does, through a methodical deconstruction of what has come so far, to the possibilities that the next leg might offer.



Wayfarer - Afterlight EP will be released digitally on Monday the 16th of December, exclusive to Beatport for until December 23rd,  with the 12" vinyl to follow in January 2014.


W.

Review: Dark0 - I Ain't A Sweet Boy EP

Regular readers will no doubt already be aware of our appreciation for the North-West London producer, and indeed some of the tracks on this EP will already be familiar, having appeared previously as vocal bootlegs on the Zero mixtape.

Dark0 spends the majority of this latest EP indulging in melody, and the standout in this regard is 'Sweet Boy Pose': anthemic grime at its best, it sounds like Ruff Sqwad let loose on a room full of purple sound synths and is arguably some of Dark0's best work to date. 'PRS Riddim' - the title perhaps giving a cheeky nod to the Rinse FM airplay that the vocal version has received - shoots for anthem status too, with an irresistible hook beating its way past clattering snares. In another life, 'Fully Waved' is the euphoric soundtrack to a Mediterranean festival's video highlights, and 'Plasma Cannon' is the theme tune to a Sega racing game that never existed. Most probably reserved for the near-impossible final boss level. Both 'Karmmm' and 'Scyther', meanwhile, build trippy, spaced-out layers of loops on loops; the result is wide-eyed, hypnotic and, like the rest of the EP, indebted to Dark0's uniquely acute sense of tune and cadence.



Dark0 - I Ain't A Sweet Boy EP is available to purchase from Dark0's Bandcamp page now.


W.

Premiere: Boofy - Warzone [TUM006]

Without a doubt one of the most exciting new labels around at the moment, Tumble Audio rumble onto their sixth release, welcoming Bristolian Boofy to the roster in the process. The EP's title track - all rapid hi-hats, clattering snares and a bounding bassline - has been doing the rounds for a while now, cropping up in sets from fellow south-westerners, Kahn, Neek, Asa and Joker, and thus accordingly gets some remix treatment to keep things fresh: Hi5ghost adopts a classic grime pairing of distorted synths and skittering strings, whilst Nativ takes the tempo down a little and delivers a Champion-esque synth groove for a succession of claps and snares to bounce off.

The B-side, premiered here today, rounds off the release perfectly: all the raw, pirate radio venom that Boofy captures with such consistency, but with a bass lead and rolling rhythm that hits the mid-point between grime and UK funky that Tumble have been pushing since first leaving the blocks. That Wiley's choice words for God's Gift that are sampled here - and the sore jaw he received in return - would contribute to grime being banned from Rinse FM seems almost ironic considering the genre's recent ubiquity.

With every release, Tumble stamp their unique identity onto the UK's club scene more prominently, and long may it continue.



Boofy's 'Nank EP' will be released digitally on December the 2nd 2013.

W.

Premiere: Vaun & Animai - Taking Over [Official Video]

Animai's jazz tones will already be familiar to some, having recently graced Wayfarer's anthemic 'Reflections', and the east London vocalist furthers her stake on this, the latest release on DJ Crises' MindStep Music imprint. Vaun applies a characteristic light touch to the beat, with a delicate piano line falling over subs and pert kicks, and leaves the vocal the room it demands. To call this release long-awaited would be an understatement, having done the rounds and raised crowds for the best part of 2013, but when Crises got in touch to let us know that the release was coming and that they'd been shooting the label's first video for it too, the wait seemed worth it: time is a commodity well spent by MindStep, and a dedication to the details is what has always kept them at the head of their game. The video is now available to view in full above, or over on the Hedmuk YouTube channel.

The full release is rounded off by an acid-tinged remix from Simbad, an intricate medley of percussion and mids from Wayfarer, and a rolling, downtempo zoner from Sam KDC, with each producer taking their own unique approach to the vocal. The results exemplify the strength in depth of feeling that MindStep, since our very earliest contact with the label, has always been about.



Taking Over will be released on the 25th of November, and can be pre-ordered from iTunes here.

W.

Review: Guido - Moods Of Future Joy

Guido's 'Anidea' was, and remains as, one of the most accomplished long players to come out of the UK - nevermind just the dubstep scene - in recent times. It stretched the melodic possibilities of the 140 template and achieved that rare thing of providing an engaging home listen as well as, with tracks like 'Mad Sax' and 'Beautiful Complication', a strong dancefloor edge. Such then, after a three year interlude of sorts, is the pressure to deliver on what has become a long-awaited follow-up effort.

Keeping it Bristol, with a shift from Peverelist's Punch Drunk to Pinch's Tectonic imprint, 'Moods of Future Joy' is unmistakably a second album: keen to retain the popular traits of an impressive debut ('Midnight Savannah' even contains a thinly-veiled nod to the 'Mad Sax' hook, trailed out on piano) yet aware of the need to press on and progress; "if it ain't broke, then make something just as good to compare it to", if you will. The keys work, a continuously fascinating fusion of classical and jazz training, is all present and correct and will be welcomed by fans of Swindle, and the synth arrangements are as varied and delightful as ever; however where Guido continues to succeed where Swindle is not always as strong is in the aforementioned straddling of living room and dancefloor: 'NRG', in the context of the album, is a natural peak rising between 'Jupiter' and 'Afrika Pt. 2', and yet works just as well rolled out at 1am on a full Funktion-One.

As such, the highlights here are those which exemplify an already-proven talent: 'Same Road', 'Letting Go', 'NRG' and 'Jupiter' are enough to remind you why you pre-ordered the album in the first place, whilst the likes of 'Squeaky Jungle' hint at possible new directions and the nosing in of previously uninvestigated influences. Though very good - and a must for anyone interested in any way in the melodic potential of electronic music, emphasis on music - this isn't an album as accomplished as 'Anidea'; but then a second album rarely is: we can't wait to hear the third.

Guido - Moods Of Future Joy will be released on Monday the 4th of November 2013, and is available to pre-order now. The album is also available to stream in full over at FACT.

W.

Review: Commodo - Space Cash [MEDI071]

If there's one thing that can be called certain in the UK's underground today, it's that when Commodo turns his hand over no one really knows what they're about to see but they know they're going to be impressed. Commodo writes songs: simple build-drop-breakdown-drop-fade structures are nowhere to be seen, and the constant rhythmic and melodic switches that drive each track forward are the basis of that intrigue that keeps the listener drawing for his releases.

'Long-awaited' probably doesn't do this release justice; lead track, '$pace Cash', opens in field recordings and scattered drums - an eery top line drifting into eternity - before being sucked into the moodiest bassline this side of 2012. It's difficult to describe this riff without using the word 'swagger'. The flipside sees the West Yorkshireman take the tempo down a few notches, whilst still maintaining his definitive sample-based approach to heavily-syncopated swing. 'Straight Reptilian' bounces, plays with the idea of a 4x4 beat and then decides that it can be much more interesting than that; 'Wish', meanwhile, is the sort of three and a half minutes that Zomby, or his fans at least, probably wishes he could still make, and manages to employ an 808 without it sounding like something that's been done before.

It's refreshing to see Deep Medi supporting these more boundary-pushing endeavours, and the recent punt taken on Swindle's debut LP might suggest a willingness to convert more of their single artists into full-length producers - there aren't many producers who can truly pull of an album, but we'd happily put money on Commodo being one of them.



Commodo - Space Cash [MEDI071] will be released on July 29th and is available to pre-order now.

W.

Review: Keysound Allstars - Vol. 2 [LDN037]

Keysound is a label that, this year, has managed to achieve a rare synergy between imprint and artists - and, judging from our Twitter timeline during Dusk + Blackdown's regular Rinse shows, engaged fans. This second instalment of the Allstars series is indicative of just the sort of rude health the London-based label is in: each tune tussling with the others around it in a positive struggle towards creating something coherent and whole.

'Scattah' is reload-ready and comes on like a drunken 'Super Sharp Shooter' and is the sort of tune that Etch has been threatening to make since he last caught our (and our readers') attention more than two years ago. Manchester resident Walton looks back too, and digs out the vinyl crackle and the ineffable bounce of the garage era to pay his own 'Homage' to the UK's dance music culture. Visionist treads his now-familiarly fine line between gully and graceful, with grey synths, dainty strings and interjections from Crazy Titch. The four track EP is rounded off with a Keysound favourite from Fresh Paul, on which the tone is reset to something lighter with an epic synth workout twisting in and out of minimal, Eski-flecked drums.

In terms of A&R work, this is exemplary and, with all necessary credits going to the four producers involved, is a genuinely essential bit of wax to have in the bag.

'Keysound Allstars Vol. 2' will be released by Keysound Recordings on the 27th of May 2013 and is available for pre-order now.

W.

Review: Merky ACE - All Or Nothing [NHNH1006CD]

Merky ACE's first CD was, back in 2011, a statement-maker: unrelenting, aggressive flows and smart-arse wordplay over brand new beats from a select bunch of producers, including the likes of Faze Miyake, Royal-T and Splurt Diablo, who were also beginning to make inroads into the grime scene. And despite the close-knit feel of the release, with other MC features being strictly Family Tree-related, the variation to be found on the CD was what made it so strong; this wasn't just a bunch of skits and half-cooked freestyles over the scene's current buzz-beats, and perhaps most importantly it felt genuine and honest in its boundary-pushing. By the time Jammer was deciding to introduce Waka Flocka Flame to grime by playing trap and Fekky, Merky and his team had been testing the borders between the dank lean of Dirty South hip hop and skippy double-time grime flows for years. 'All Or Nothing' is a follow-up full-length in the truest sense as we see how the young South Londoner's music grows as he does.

'You Think You Know Me', which featured on the stop-gap 'Catch Up EP', saw Merky taking on deeper, more personal material and 'All Or Nothing' sees him expand on this tone, positively diversifying his style. The reflective hook line on 'Intro' sets a casual pace from the off, stripped of the need to shout loudest in order to be heard. This sense of feeling comfortable within his own style, as though he's not having to try too hard to sound original is one of the most inviting aspects of Merky's approach and means that chorus-led tunes - so often standout casualties on a grime mixtape - don't sound overwrought or drenched in concept. As previously, though, and as should arguably be the case for any decent grime MC, when he's at his best is spraying 16s and bouncing flows back and forth with other crew members; these direct impact set-pieces (see 'Wack', 'R.I.P' or the title track, 'All Or Nothing') serve as constant and regular reminders as to why Merky and his fellow FT members have had the whole scene hot on their heels. Keeping with the team aesthetic, most of the producers who feature - including Faze, Splurt, Rude Kid, Zdot and Teddy Music/Silencer - also had offerings on 'Blue Battlefield' and the diversity shows again, with each beatsmith giving Merky different spaces to tangle his flows in.

'All Or Nothing' completes what 'Blue Battlefield' started, and as the first of a two-part collaboration with No Hats No Hoods sets up an exciting prospect for what can come next from the young talents on show here.

Merky ACE - All Or Nothing will be released by No Hats No Hoods Records on May 27th 2013 and is available to pre-order in physical format from the NHNH store now.

W.

Review: FKOF - Un/Known01

After a little over three years of pushing free downloads and mixtapes, our friends over at FatKidOnFire have stepped up to deliver their first release proper in the form of the 'FKOFUn/Known01' compilation. Featuring twenty tracks split across two CDs, the release is aimed - as its title might suggest - as pushing the boundaries of what we consider to be dubstep, as well as showcasing new talent alongside some of the scene's more established names.

The compilation, for the most part, deals in dubstep: continuing the largely successful reclamation of the sound's deeper elements and pushing on with recent attempts to expand upon the half-step template through scattered hand percussion and off-kilter hats. Tunes such as Perverse's 'Hallidome', Percept's 'Reality' and BunZer0's 'Melancholy' revel in their focus on drums  and each stand to make the point that 'stripped back' needn't necessarily 'mean half-step with sub-bass'. Gantz is, and has for a long time been, one of the best around at making this point and his inclusion on the release - 'Low Lands' being a real standout - thus serves as a strong reference point for what can be achieved within the ever-tighter confines of the 140 bracket. On a similar note, although arguably in a field of his own entirely, Ipman manages something quite outstanding with 'Flipmode' and its flurry or breaks, stabs and pulsating sub. That is not to say, however, that tunes such as Caski's 'Sandstone' or TMSV's remix of Thelem's 'Drones' fall flat because of their lurching half-step drum patterns: both have an immense attention to groove and move solidly as a result, themselves emphasising that there's still plenty of room between the kick and the snare for a good tune.

As far as the title's suggestion goes, there is plenty on offer in terms of new names to be met alongside the more-established artists and the likes of Nanobyte, FNC and Eleven8 - as well as a whole host of others - all make strong cases for themselves, each taking steps towards stamping their signature on the sound.

The release can be previewed via the promo mix below, which is available, along with a digital download of the CD contents, for free to anyone purchasing the physical release.

'FKOFUn/Known01' is available for purchase now from the FKOF BigCartel store.



Tracklist:

CD1

1.   Nanobyte – Another Promise
2.   BunZer0 – Melancholy
3.   FNC – Code Signal
4.   Juss B – Friction
5.   Gantz – Low Lands
6.   The Illuminated – Conspicuously Smooth
7.   Soundproof – Everyday
8.   Subreachers – Dysfunctional Systems LTD
9.   Thelem – Drones (TMSV remix)
10. Fused Forces – Litter Bug

CD2
1.   Boot & TZR – Pathetic Earthlings
2.   Content – Osmosis VIP
3.   Percept – Reality
4.   Caski – Sandstone
5.   Perverse – Hallidome
6.   Sparxy – Follow Me
7.   Truth – No Difference
8.   Ipman – Flipmode
9.   Camu – Invocation
10. Eleven8 – Motions

W.

Review: Keysound - This Is How We Roll [LDN036]

There's a certain casual swagger to everything Keysound, and it's that sense that's caught up in the title of their debut compilation 'This Is How We Roll': a title that all-at-once nods to old-school jungle rollers, a previous release on the label from garage legends Zed Bias and Steve Gurley, and, perhaps most strongly in this instance, to the sense of a crew (and with this, by no small stretch, grime and the importance of the sound's founder crews such as Meridian, Ruff Sqwad, Slew Dem and, by no coincidence we might suggest, Roll Deep). And despite this ease of reference, the title is purposefully obfuscating; in recent discussions we've had with label co-owner Blackdown and intrigued attendees to the sound pushed here, there has always been an emphasis on a much wider approach to the sound: this is just music, let's just leave it at that, and "let's just roll".

In a similar way to the original 'Grime' compilations on Rephlex, this compilation might be taken as a moment of pause to collect what we've got so far and to - very loosely - define where things are with the sound; and it's that uncollected hybridity (a word which has appeared on plenty of occasions during our conversations with some of this sound's proponents) of styles that makes the whole move, and this compilation, so attractive. Opening up with a triple-header collaboration from Dusk & Blackdown Rinse regulars Visionist, Beneath and Wen, the tone is set to dark and drum-led as Beneath's characteristic kicks drive through the eery synths and grimey snips that can be found littered throughout both Visionist and Wen's beats. Each of these three appear once more as solo artists on the CD, with Beneath's gully take on tightly-syncopated UK funky rhythms, Visionist offering what it might sound like if Horsepower Productions made grime, and Wen delivering an enormous 130 VIP of his already large 'Commotion'.

Throughout there is a sense of musical pedigree, and pride in it: all over the CD are flecks and inflections of grime, UK funky, garage, jungle and dubstep but nowhere is there anything that might be straightly defined as any of these things individually: Epoch's 'The Steppenwolf' has been receiving regular rotation on the Keysound Rinse show, and rightly so as it is pure mood, taking the listener through a complete route of skunk-smoke head-nods; Double Helix' 'LDN VIP' rolls along all warm basslines and the tightest drums around, and Dusk + Blackdown's own offering - in the form of the the Android Heartbreak Drumz Remix of 'Lonely Moon' - achieves a similarly tense hybridity in its drum patterns as it skips in the mid-distance between garage and UK funky beats; Gremino and Samrai, meanwhile, both stretch as much pace out of the standardised 130 tempo, with jumpy bashment- and dancehall-influenced funky that would have most crossover MCs passing the mic back.

Showcased too is the label's fondness for experimentation with sound, as Rabit strips everything back to the coldest synths since Wiley was pressing white labels, and Mumdance & Logos include a tune literally 'In Reverse', and end up with a driving pulse that would have a dancefloor in fits.  The compilation is not all dark drones and tripped-up beats, however, as Fresh Paul delivers a purple synth workout and E.m.m.a. and Moleskin close out the affair with the sunrise that follows the murky late-night walk through, as the catalogue number would have it, a figurative LDN.


Keysound - This Is How We Roll [LDN036] will be available for purchase on 25th March 2013, on CD and as a digital download. In the meantime, the entire release is available to stream over here on Resident Advisor.


Tracklisting:

01. Visionist, Beneath & Wen - New Wave
02. Beneath - PVO
03. Samrai - Hear Me Now
04. Visionist - Dangerous
05. Wen - Commotion VIP
06. Double Helix - LDN VIP
07. Epoch - The Steppenwolf
08. Dusk + Blackdown - Lonely Moon (feat. Farrah) (Android Heartbreak Drumz Remix)
09. Fresh Paul - Blaster
10. Mumdance & Logos - In Reverse
11. Gremino ‘Monster VIP’
12. Rabit ‘Satelite’
13. E.m.m.a. ‘Peridot’
14. Moleskin ‘Burst’

W.

Review: Killawatt - Press On / Tantra [OSMUK026]

Further expressing his techno lean with this latest offering on Kryptic Minds' Osiris Music UK, 'Press On' and 'Tantra' see Killawatt expressing a newly-grounded confidence in his natural production abilities; and whist describing something as "experimental" is an approach more commonly used for delivering a poorly-disguised insult, this is a territory into which Killawatt has dipped carefully and, arguably resultantly, successfully on this release.

The lead track is, as its introduction suggests, a study in rhythm and percussion as the tune is lead on by a whirling range of beats and blips: the distinctive tick of each percussive sound being played off against one another to create an intricate, beats-based melody. And yet, despite the apparent absence of a traditional catching melody, there is a hook there, and one which draws subtle attention to Killawatt's ever-developing accomplishment when it comes to arrangement. The flip, 'Tantra', re-balances the record with a more familiar skulking step to it and a sub-line that nods to the jungle influence that is never far from his work and will always do the damage on the dancefloor.

Killawatt - Press On / Tantra [OSMUK026] will be released on March 1st and is available to pre-order now from the Osiris Music Surus store.





W.