Beats News

When we launched our digital imprint in 2013, one of our explicit reasons for doing so was to fund a vinyl label. It may have taken us four years to get to this point, but we re finally here FKOFv001 is upon us. The debut FatKidOnFire physical release sees new artists join our roster. Taiko s
Untitled Grime has been blowing up the dances for a hot minute; championed by the likes of Truth, Spooky and many more. Spooky even named the tune in his Fact Mag top ten 'most prized dubplates list! We linked Taiko up with Mancunian wordsmith Skittles (currently smashing it with the Levelz crew), and 'Don't Be Stoopid' is the anthemic result. FKOF fam and producer extraordinaire District adds an industrial grime-esque flavour to his remix for a killer one-two punch. The two producers collaborate, for the first
time ever, on the B-side, entitled Yoakai . It s a tune that demonstrates why we signed both musicians incredible atmospheres, depth and weight. Beau at Ten Eight Seven, as ever, has mastered the tunes to perfection. We re proud of this release and, on first listen, we hope you ll hear why... Follow

If Osiris' recent releases have signalled a change of pace, new artist The Things They Left Behind represents the logical conclusion with this 12-inch comprised of two half-time, dubby tracks. The first, Life Through Sepia, floats along to the ethereal backdrop of spoken word samples and distinctively melodic synths; the second, 68, sets a hazier and more abstract tone amidst on top of a sensual, rolling groove — distant guitars ring as huge snares echo into the mist.

Spreading its wings once more, spiritually aligned within the realms of Dub and Dubstep - imprint Tripedal Crow conjures their second anticipated vinyl release. Geographically based in Hamburg, Germany - label owner and prolific producer JahYu aptly combines the roots heritage of Dub music with traditional Korean, oriental influences - forming the foundation of his signature sound with the message of outernational unity beyond national borders through the release's lyrics. Churning out bass-centered dance music for over half a decade, the talented artist has unceasingly refined his sonic qualities, a certainty, which is further proven to be true with TCR002 - a four-track heavyweight of his collaboration with venerated MC and vocalist Ras Tinny - dubbed 'Freedom of Movement'. With the original 'Again Again', a dub version and two high-grade remixes by the likes of Alpha & Omega and Akcept, this one will be sure to be heard on sound systems all over - version business along a digital bonus track: Alpha & Omega's Dub Version.

Wondrous flute melodies emerge and join the true-to-the-roots rhythm alongside the invigorating chants of Ras Tinny, submerged in low frequencies and skanking chords. Drawn into deep meditation, the resulting soundscape serves to illuminate JahYu's respect- and skillful application of his oriental heritage. Firmly woven into the contemporary roots scene, Alpha & Omega picks up the pace with their version - switching up the bassline, routing the original through the black box that is their quality dubwise production, while keeping the arrangement true to the original overall. Flipping the record, we're met with an introspective spin on the original. Aligning itself alongside submerged low frequency oscillations, tending to a more modern sonic signature than its A-Side counterpart - enveloped in a melancholic, pensive atmosphere - deep meditation is guaranteed. Version upon version, the track is being followed up with a mighty remix by the proficient hands of emerging NZ artist: Akcept. Warbled sonic introductions and scattered chord reverberations join figurative hands and dance in midst of a driving and ceaselessly forward-stepping bassline, perfectly concluding the spiritual sounds of this 12'.

TOKiMONSTA's sound has always kept one foot in the pop stratosphere, but Lune Rouge finds her diving in with glee. Her effervescent beats serve as the perfect framework for these gorgeous songs: Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna weaves in and out of water-droplet tones and a stuttering chipmunk'd sample on lead single Don't Call Me.' The MNDR-featuring We Love' serves up perfect summer vibes with aquatic synth stabs and an instantly infectious chorus. Featuring a searing vocal take from Selah Sue, I Wish I Could' fuses the clean-sounding classicism of contemporaries like Rhye with a buzzing throb that embodies the modern cool of contemporary R&B—and No Way,' with features from Isaiah Rashad, Joey Purrp, and Ambre, sounds lovingly ripped from the dusty glory days of 90's hip-hop.

After almost a two year break in releases, D-Operation Drop returned with releases on Lion Charge, ZamZam & Moonshine to cement their place as one of the finest Dubwise acts in the business.

October will see D-Operation Drop link up with Rarefied to bring three darker, purpose built cuts under the DPRTNDRP moniker, each track carrying their signature production qualities while also delivering a darker edge which is synonymous with the Rarefied imprint.

Full force photosynthesis - Foamplate's Plantpower Records is back for another round. The second installment, catalogued 'PLANTPOWER002', welcomes the brilliant duo out of Slovenia by the name of DubDiggerz. Themselves already having had critical acclaim with their recent debut on venerated label GourmetBeats and repeated support by tastemakers such as J:Kenzo, Rinse.FM - the double-trouble delivers botanical vinyl grooves bathed in capsaicin - hot!

Starting off with the A-Side's 'Spear Dub' - the murky atmosphere presents itself lateral to an archaic snare-esque percussion element. Loitering alongside a steady kick drum, the arrangement leaps and hurls itself against the shattered soundscape. Supremely dubbed, only the most essential elements remain in unequalled quality. Tending to the low frequency content, a cutthroat bassline deserts its superfluous upper harmonic content, leaving the mid-range free to be swept around by atmospheric echoes, reverberations and alterations thereof, continuously changing their tone ever so tastefully - a living, breathing entity.

'InTemi' - a title as mystical as its corresponding music. Entranced by the unadulterated weight of being swept into the spooky low-end upheaval, keen listeners will find themselves hypnotized by alluring melancholy, embalmed in space. Metallic lead stabs propel their anguish as the percussive movement speeds up its pace. Meaningful vocal chants tremble through a thunderous cut, expertly woven into the dreadful soundscape DubDiggerz mean to summon. Arranged as a journey, the flipside of 'PLANTPOWER002' smoothly travels from scenery to scenery, with relentless sub oscillations as its steady companion.

This release has been mastered by Jason at Transition Mastering.

Spear of electronica Core breaks on the A side... B side goes more cheaptune electronicarabian bended melodica

With a taste for dark, grimy substance, Czech imprint Harmless Youth leaps forward - proudly presenting their next release. With strong roots in Grime, Dubstep & Bass, it continues to serve as a basis for some serious dancefloor shells - label founders WZ & Insane continue to put forth. Besides radio play on stations like Radar Radio, Rinse.FM and BBC Radio with support from artists like N-Type, Ishan Sound, Madam X and Truth, the label has already gained a substantial following since their first release last summer - all thanks to the beat onslaught of co-founder WZ. Jonah Freed is now being welcomed to the roster alongside Farsight, featuring the intricate vocals of Rider Shafique to top it all off.

Cueing it up, listeners are thrown into a sea of complex grooves and preposterous weight without further ado. Toasting at its finest, Rider Shafique takes the audience for an impressive ride in 'Guns' - top-notch vocalist on a quality instrumental - no joke ting! Augmented by silky soul and subterranean piano samples, as well as lofty arpeggios all coming together perfectly. 'The Marshall Plan' kicks off with a desolate and atmospheric introduction, introducing lively arpeggio movements apace with power surges and frozen winds. With Ishan Sound's initial play on Boiler Room, this cut still causes a full-force shutdown, the monstrous oscillations in the bottom-end join the madness - leaving no fibre of you being un-reverberated. B-side business number two 'Septum' by Farsight reveals itself to be an eclectic flute ecstasy, covered in distorted 808's and grimy drums, no eye left dry. Fiercely stomping onwards, occasionally tamed by ethereal melodies. Dubbed as 'HY002', this massive 3-track instalment is exemplary for the imprints refined taste in both Grime instrumentals, as well as first-class vocalists.

BTG return with their 3rd release.

A debut vinyl release from Philadelphia's Gohda. A multi-coloured combination of shimmering grime synth work, spaced out beats that occupy somewhere between the boom bap of classic hip hop, the half pulse of dubstep and the skittering high-end work of southern rap knitted together with a soulful vocal & atmospheric touch not distant from that of the elusive Burial. Gohda's sound owes itself to both sides of the Atlantic but operates nowhere within them.

The vinyl only release sees remixes from BTG's very own Bulu, twisting the original into a dancefloor ready terminator & TMSV known for his genre expansive excursions on labels such as Black Box, Cosmic Bridge & Artikal again taking Gohda's soulful and playful original and turning it into a weighty dancefloor focussed banger.

Not to be missed for fans of genre defying, psychedelic bass-weight.

REPRESS ! Early works from Kink dedicated do Aphex Twin. Producer - Strahil Velchev, Teodor Dereliev

Two of Critical's most revered artists met in the remix room, the results have been bringing down Critical clubs ever since.

Sounds of the 'Mef:Lab' - repress!

*Written during a lengthy and intense period in the studio, 'Kapsize 021' follows a flurry of EPs released on his Kapsize label in 2016, including two of his own, 'The Phoenix' and 'XXIV Bit', but lands as the first of his own, EP-length material to drop this year — he released quick fire single, 'Fantasy', back in February.

Slanted toward a more clinical sound, 'Kapsize 021' is raw and stripped-back, rippled with scorn and menace. Opener 'Mad Night' begins with a jazzy, soulful interlude that soon explodes into life with bruising, crunching, face-melting power, while on 'Melkweg Bass' — a track named after the iconic club in Amsterdam — and 'Medium Core', Joker zeroes back in on throwing out heavy, sound-system pressure.

A natural extension of his earliest work, 'Kapsize 021' captures Joker at his meanest and most powerful, reminding us all that he remains one of the UK's underground greats.

Boomarm Nation and Sahel Sounds join forces yet again with this mighty sound-system mix of Tuareg synth maestro Hama's smash hit "Imidiwan N'assouf." A follow up to his stellar 2015 LP for Sahel Sounds, this single was recorded in Niamey, Niger and mixed at Boomarm Nation HQ in Portland, Oregon. Featuring a blissfully dubbed out version on the B-Side by Boomarm's Krucial Kuts (aka El Mahdy Jr. and Gulls). Released in a limited run of 10" vinyl housed in hand stamped recycled jackets, 550 copies for the world. Hama is a multi instrumentalist and electronic synthesizer composer from the Republic of Niger. His music has enjoyed wide acclaim throughout the country through his underground releases of unlabeled digital recordings on memory cards. Creating at the convergence of disparate influences, such as North African instrumental synth, Tuareg tishumaren, 90s Nigerien Hip Hop and second wave Detroit techno, Hama composes music that is futuristic and rooted in tradition, transmitting Tuareg guitar into the 21st Century.

* LIMITED EDITION VINYL REISSUE with Free CD.

* Originally released in 2006 over a series of 10" vinyls, and accompanying CD, Tectonic Plates Volume 1 became a hugely important landmark in the evolving soundscape of the emerging dubstep scene at the time. The compilation features an all-star line up and includes many formative classic tracks by scene-defining producers of the era. If you were there at the time, you will know this was a definitive compilation for both Tectonic and for dubstep in general. 10 years later and we are celebrating this seminal release with a special edition reissue, collating all 8 tracks from the 10" series into a double vinyl 12" pack. * 'Bahl Fwd' opens the compilation in fine style. It's known for being Skream's weightiest ever production, and when dropped on the right system will cause buildings to crumble. It's an all-star lineup though and alongside we also find underground anthems from Digital Mystikz' 'Molten' (Coki on production), Oris Jay under his Tectonic alias DQ1,with 'Wear The Crown'; Roly Porter of Vex'd under the guise of Armour with 'Iron Man'; Distance's trippy sitar-led 'Temptation'; MRK1's grime-dubstep crossover sound of 'Slang'; Hijak's drifiting 'Nightmarez' and, of course, one of the all-time Loefah classics, 'System'. Original sounds from a definitive era in dubstep music.* Also included in this limited edition package is CD2 of the original Tectonic Plates Volume 1 CD edition - a special Tectonic mix recorded in 2006 by Pinch featuring compilation tracks alongside exclusive, and still unreleased, tracks such as 'Pages' by Pinch, 'Full Metal Jacket' by Omen and 'The Haunted' by Headhunter. You won't find them anywhere else.

Dream Eater presents a six track Allstars EP for our debut release. Featuring some of the most exciting up and coming producers of the time.

A1: Following his hugely successful debut release on Hyperdub, Edinburgh local Proc Fiskal has given us an absolute heater for this plate - 'Come Here' is guaranteed to destroy any dancefloor.
A2: Stateside producer Charlux delivers an interesting trap influenced and bass driven track entitled 'Riposte.
A3: The name Nights should not be new to anyone who has followed grime music over the past few years, 'Conflict' speaks for itself, it's a monster.

B1: Dr. Hugo is a name that should be recognised by the dubstep heads, he was hugely influential in the creation of the 'Dungeon Sound'. His track 'Warrior' is a long lost dubplate from around 2009.
B2: Polonis is another one of Scotland's rising stars, with a wide range of DJs supporting him heavily both on radio and in the dance. He presents 'Slice Roll 3' for his debut release on vinyl.
B3: Bristol native SirHiss is another very talented up and coming producer. Dream Eater 001 is also his debut vinyl release. 'Blood Diamond' is a lovely 140 roller which mixes nicely with grime and dubstep.

This marks the first release from Melbourne based label Modern Hypnosis. Featuring two weighty rollers from Pugilist.

Boddika's Nonplus label will release a series of 12-inches mixing classic Source Direct with new remixes.

Jim Baker is a pioneering drum & bass and jungle artist who's been recording solo as Source Direct since 1999 (before then the project was a duo with Phil Aslett). On June 8th Nonplus will issue a 12-inch that has a Blawan remix of "Black Rose" alongside the 1996 original. That'll be followed by a record featuring '95 cut "Approach & Identify" backed by a remix from Demdike Stare. These release will be available on vinyl and digital formats—it'll be the first time the original tunes have been available digitally.

"I first met Jim around '97/'98 at The End nightclub in Central London," Boddika told RA. "I wasn't sure who he was when I first met him. I thought he was one of the guys from Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels at first, but soon realised he wasn't. By that time I was an avid listener of anything Source Direct were doing and their tracks were 'buy on sight' for me. The Source Direct discography was in many ways a blueprint for lots of jungle/d&b that would come throughout the following years and has stood the test of time unbelievably well."

He adds: "There are a few reasons why we decided to re-release and remaster the SD Recordings catalogue, the first one being that it's never been available digitally before. The second is that we both think it's something that needs to be heard by a new generation who have never had the privilege and who may not own a turntable. Some of the records are hard to come by these days and if you do find them on Discogs, they'll set you back a few quid.

Thirdly, it's something we've spoken about a few times over the last couple of years and I personally thought now is a better time than ever to unleash this project, especially as there's been a growing interest in old jungle recently—it wouldn't be right to leave this music out of the loop! We also wanted to breathe new life into the project by getting remixes done to accompany the original tracks. We decided to ask artists from different scenes and genres to make use of the samples and get their interpretations on the original music."

More remix 12-inches will follow, culminating with most of the Source Direct back catalogue, much of which has never been made available digitally, being remastered and re-released. We spoke with Baker via email to discuss the project.

What are your thoughts on having your music remastered and reissued for a new generation of listeners

I'm extremely excited about working with Boddika. This gives a new generation the chance to own tracks that haven't been available until now and also introduces the Source Direct sound into the techno/deep house scenes—music I've always been a fan of and an avid buyer of since an early age. I always felt my music was ahead of its time, even within the early years of D&B. The Source Direct sound has always stood out from the crowd and I've consistently pushed myself creatively to produce original, cutting-edge club music that also sounds great within many other listening environments. So to release the original Source Direct tracks for this new generation who missed the golden years of infamous clubs and raves gives them the opportunity to re-live the excitement and energy I got from going out in my younger days and the chance enjoy that buzz of getting your hands on a new vinyl release.

What do you think of the Demdike Stare and Blawan remixes

Blawan's remix of "Black Rose" perfectly captures the dark tensions of the original track and uses the samples in new creative ways, which make a stomping techno track that retains the menacing visual concept of the original. Being the first artist to remix a Source Direct track is something I was looking forward to, and Blawan has certainly produced a great remix. Both the remix and the re-mastered original sound totally fresh and unique among current techno and D&B.

Demdike Stare have completely ripped up the script with their remix of "Approach & Identify," taking it into realms I never thought possible. It transports you a million light years away, upon which you enter new worlds of imagination. You can only hope for a wormhole 'out there' to return to normality. I'm very proud of both these releases and am looking forward to letting the future projects free within human kind.

Nonplus continue with the Source Direct re release and remix series and here we have one of the most influential dnb tracks ever written, Source Direct - The Crane, which was a 90s classic at the forefront of the future thinking genre. Alongside the original track there was an alternate version found on an old DAT tape which will now surface on NONPLUS LTD 003, and on remix duties, Inland & Function give their take on the track giving it the 4/4 techno treatment.

Re-Release from 2012 12 whitelabel, limited to 250 hand stamped and numbered copie

Following up on their intricate and thought-provoking cassette from Berlin's Circula, and a string of highly appreciated Bandcamp compilations, Loose Lips turn the tables to present this debut album from Japanese producer, Masaki Uchida.

The mysterious composer presents his inaugural venture into album territory with a full length LP soaked in atmosphere, intimidating noise and razor sharp attention to detail. Uchida's uncanny approach leaves the listener dazzled, moving from perturbed ambience and experimental sound design through to baffling broken rhythms.

Xenolinguistics' thoughtfulness comes from anger, prayer and sorrow. Despite sounding alternative in its construction, Masaki's desire is to to share these expressions with popular culture.

The album is rounded off by 2 remixes from Loose Lips crew members, Rico Casazza and T-Scale. Following Casazza's masterful album of moody electro on Archipelearlier this year, the inspired Italian here covers 'Logos' in sophisticated breakbeats & moving instrumentation. Then T-Scale's remix transforms the already overwhelming 'Black Puzzle' into a lengthy industrial labyrinth.

Mastered at Dadub Studios.

Having first surfaced on Osiris sister label 'Ruffcut' just over 2 years ago, Tremble has quickly built a small, but core following. 2017 sees Tremble launch his own platform 'Safari Music'. The first release is a 3 track slab of dubbed out plastic, with each tune offering the usual Dred beats, Heavy subs, and blissed out atmospherics that Tremble has become known for. Safari Art has a lot of exciting music lined up for the remainder of 2017, and we thank you in advance for your support.

The sixth heavyweight plate from the Banana Stand Sound crew comes full force with summer vibes to close out the warm months of 2017. The A side of this 180g vinyl features the musical stylings of US based Subtle Mind and Dillard. This collaboration is everything you would want from this pairing, featuring jazzy grooves and deep bass, reminding listeners that dubstep can be musical and still get the dancefloor going. The B sides, perfectly named Cubano Dub, is a real gem coming from Sam ULG. A truly unique use of samples opens a new door of experimental sounds unlike anything you've heard before at 140 bpm. These tunes are sure to keep you warm inside while the weather gets colder outside.

Boka Records returns after a near 2 year hiatus to present a series of brand new releases and new recruits. First up is Bristol's Guesswerk featuring regular collaborator oneThird and a fine remix from none other than Quest of DEEP MEDi fame