Beats News

WRDubs return with a unique coupling of musical missiles from 2 of our favourite UK producers and badmen.

The debut 12" from Sydney-born, London-based producer Logic1000. First discovered by Four Tet, lead track ‘Please Forgive Me’ has since made it into the sets of Daphni, Ben UFO, Anthony Naples and DJ Python. Limited to 300, the white label also features the footwork-influenced ‘Derrière’.

LMAJOR marks his return to WNCL Recordings with another set of blistering originals, accompanied by in-house remixes from Boxwork and West Norwood Cassette Library

Charles Trees. Myth, tall tale, legend of a human being, one of those people who one minute you'll be scouring reddit for obscure content and the next, stepping on stage to casually DJ to thousands of people like “no big whoop” at a French music festival. Charles is unassuming, the kind of person who effortlessly mixes ghettotech into soul for lulz, who samples a speech (/rant) by Funkmaster Flex in an acid track, or rides BMG & Derek Plaslaiko’s “True Story of a Detroit Groove” with Velvet Underground’s “Sister Ray” for 8 minutes straight.

Charles' relationship with electronic music started early. In high school, Dave Shayman (Disco D) introduced Charles to DJing and he was a regular at Dubplate Pressure*– Todd Osborn's now-legendary record store in Ann Arbor. By 1998, he was already playing on raves in Detroit. A year later, he was the first person to show Zach Saginaw (Shigeto) to Ghostly International, arguably altering the course of our lives forever. In the late 2000s, they became label mates on Moodgadget, the record label of Jakub Alexander (Heathered Pearls).

Through out the years, Charles has been a musical mentor (whether DJing, producing or throwing shows) to many, danced at every weekly at every venue in Ann Arbor & Detroit, produced Hip Hop, and fronted a psych rock band. He has released music on Moodgadget (US), Musique Large (FR), Lovemonk (ES), Vanity Press (US) and JFX Lab (FR). Today, between DJing, hosting radio shows and producing new music, Charles regularly throws shows/parties/raves, and hosts a monthly at Deluxx Fluxx.

We love Charles Trees and we're proud to present "2019," the eighth record on Portage Garage Sounds.

*Additional reading: Dubplate Pressure: was the precursor to Technical Equipment Supply; how Todd Osborn was discovered by Richard D. James and signed to Rephlex Records; where Sam Valenti IV, the founder of Ghostly International, met Tadd Mullinix (Dabrye, JTC, Charles Manier, X-Altera); one of the reasons why we're all here

"Got No"
Hit the ground running.
Chopped up vocal stabs and a playful syncopated melody accompany this percussion heavy two-step shuffle as it speeds down the Lodge on a Friday night in Detroit.

"Think First"
Undeniable rhythm section pocket.
Acoustic bass and dirty ride symbols swing alongside lush keyboards and sprinkles of light melodicism in this psych house banger.
Think St. Germain with CAN playing a warped version of "Rose Rouge."

"In Arms"
Crave the rave. Whips crack and sizzle in this dubbed out techno slapper. A modern take on a classic sound. Trees conjures an era close to his heart: when the warehouse was church and service didn't stop until the sun came up.


"Acja feat. Marcus Elliot ("12 club mix)
Beautifully understated and triumphant.
This closer marks the return of Detroit Saxophonist Marcus Elliot (Detroit pt II - PGS 001). His notes dance and soar over a creeping acid line, while driving drums and warm pads effortlessly take you home in this powerful house anthem.

This 3 track EP comes out from Limited E's vault called Retro Vol 2. Each of these tracks represents the early emergence of Jungle musik from the early 90s. E.Lets Go - This track made in 1992 by Potential Badboy was groundbreaking as it had soul elements n soulful house vocal which was unheard of back then. This track pushed the boundaries in the scene as soul n jungle beats inter-mingled.When it was played by Micky Finn in Ministry of Sound nightclub it was repeatedly jack up on that night.
EE.Part 1 - This track made in 1992 by Potential Badboy called Part 1 has a continued flavour of the original 'Lets Go' with the soul vocals. Pushing the musik further as the scene started to change and basslines became more dominant.EEE.Part 2 - This track made in 1992 by Potential Badboy called Part 2 is a re-mix of Part 1 and continues the flavour of the soulful vibez . With more hardcore n jungle breaks dominating along with heavier basslines this is jungle at its fineness.

NS013 is a sample of the forthcoming album by
Nomine Sound wonder boy Boylan (more info soon),
who is doing a lot of damage and about to do a lot
more!
A monster of a track called Start Up, featuring the
mighty Flowdan on vocals, who drops a very unique
"Flow" compared to what we are used to.
A fusion of heavy Grime, Spoken Word, Dubstep,
Jungle and Drum & Bass = an absolute corker that will
vibe up any dance. "watch ya basins I'm telling ya"…!

Glasgow-based soundsystem and production unit, Mungo's Hi Fi, are pleased to announce the release of new album ‘More Fyah’, a stunning collaboration with UK singer and MC, Eva Lazarus. Released 19th July via Scotch Bonnet Records, the album follows the success of their 2017 hook-up on the extremely popular ‘Amsterdam’ EP. A genre-melding masterpiece, ‘More Fyah’ traverses between reggae, dub, dancehall and other bass flavours. Eva seamlessly tackles every track with her unique lyrical flow and wide vocal range, matched by Mungo's infectious signature sound. From the rocksteady relick of ‘Dub Be Good To Me’, the ragga mash-up title track ‘More Fyah’, the summery riddims of ‘Light As A Feather’, featuring London reggae artist Kiko Bun, to the roots sampling ‘Babylon Raid’, featuring Jamaican reggae legend Max Romeo, Mungo’s have a sound that is deeply rooted in dub and reggae’s lineage, backed by the sharp, sassy and slick vocals of Eva Lazarus. Raised out of one of the most musically creative cities in the UK, Mungo’s Hi Fi have made a massive contribution to Glasgow’s musical story with a respectful nod to Jamaican sound system tradition. Founded in 2000, Mungo’s was formed by two like-minded DJs, inspired by the free party scene but following the Jamaican tradition of King Tubby and Jah Shaka. True to reggae/dancehall’s DIY ethos, they built their first sound from speakers found in a skip and began producing on an old Atari. They started inviting visiting vocalists to their regular nights in Glasgow to hold the mic and then join them in the studio. Following early recordings on London’s Dubhead records, including debut album ‘Mungo’s Hi Fi Meets Brother Culture’, they founded the Scotch Bonnet Records label in 2005. Today Mungo’s Hi Fi’s three DJs, Craig, Doug and Tom play all over the world, assisted by the team at Scotch Bonnet Records: all committed to spreading their philosophy of serious, seismic productions plus easy going democratic dancehall fun. Highly collaborative, they’ve worked on remix projects with Leftfield, Coldcut, Submotion Orchestra, Kahn and Prince Fatty in the UK to Major Lazer in the US and are currently expanding links with East African Records based in Uganda. The vocal collaborations go much further, from foundation Jamaican legends such as Sugar Minott, Ranking Joe and Johnny Clarke to contemporary artists like Charlie P, Kenny Knots, YT, Solo Banton, Parly B and Marina P. This is Eva's first full length album, having recently featured on tracks with Swindle, Zed Bias, Jus Now and Gentlemans Dub Club. A multi genre artist, she has been making waves worldwide, fresh from her first global tour which took in Panama, Dubai, Uganda, Kenya, India, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand. Her releases include The Nextmen vs Gentleman's Dub Club ‘Pound for Pound’ and Benny Page ‘Front Left’. She is also set to release her first solo EP later this year and has a starring role in ‘Kid_X’, a theatre production that charts a futuristic romance between a boy with a bionic heart and a famous rooftop selfie queen.

Spectral Empire are George Thompson (aka Black Merlin / Karamika) and Kyle Martin (Vactrol Park / Land of Light). With the release of Iron Muscle they are celebrating 10 years since their debut ep Innerfearence saw the light of day in 2008 on the now defunct THISISNOTANEXIT record label. Legend tells all track were made around the same time (2008-2009), at what was back then Kyle's studio in Archway, London, however opinions remain divided over the validity of this info. What is remembered for a fact is that they'v used practically every home appliance and improvised noise they could find, record and harness, in order to create the feeling of what they describe as a ' Robot walking' for the title track Iron Muscle. Anything from kitchen drawers to DVD's and cutlery was sampled and then drenched in effects and manipulated in order to create what came out as a cinematic futuristic piece to dive into again and again, a soundtrack for an unwritten sci-fi movie, or just a dramatic soundtrack for your everyday lives.. With See the invisible, rules do not apply. An arpeggiated groove sitting on a steady half time 60bpm beat, its like the perfect soundtrack to the perfect car chase. Mediterranean riverbed guitars- not-guitars, sirens, and a heavy (dreamy) atmosphere fill the voids and keeps the track pushing forward throughout... The 4th track on the record is a never before seen the light of day epic remix by Die Wilde Jagd, that back then still included Ralf Beck (Unit 4) as an active member of the band (back when they were still known as Der Rau¨ber und Der Prinz). The release will be a vinyl only release, and is already getting massive support from the likes of Vladimir Ivkovic, Michael Mayer, John Talabot, Red Axes, Manfredas, Trevor Jackson, Lena Wilikkens, Man Power and many more...

In celebration of Liondub International’s10 year anniversary, Liondub is proud to present the 2nd 12” EP taken from Saxxon's premiere full length LP "Action Saxxon - Jungle Odyssey". Saxxon’s success and extremely loyal fan base is the result of years of hard work crafting stand out tracks that are infused with a classic jungle sound that draws from Soul, Funk, Jazz & Reggae.

For WRXX3 its Holloway’s premier vinyl release with the label. The London based producer serves up five heavyweight steppers that showcase the darker side of UK Garage.

Opener “Ride Dem Tight Kutz” volleys chopped percussive and vocal elements around the hard-hitting bassline, setting the foundation for the remainder of the EP.

Just like the previous track “South” takes a moodier stance.

The sinking sub-bass tones coupled with a 2-step swing brings a lively feel to the releases emotive and darker timbres.

The melodic elements of “You & Me” fuse to form a murky soundscape, chords and pads rise and fall beneath an energetic bassline which wavers below.

The Heavy drum selection of “Last Encounter” coupled with melodic rave stabs and bassline makes for a harmonious Breakbeat Garage track.

The melodic and pensive sound palette of “Pressure” sums up the E P.

On the back of their debut release, Subtle Recordings is at it once again bringing some heavy weight from the shores of New Zealand with bad man Ebb taking the reins. As always, exquisitely imprinted ‘no holds barred’ by the masterful Optimal Media in a full art sleeve, 180 grams, vinyl only, no-repress recording. Standing strong as another pillar of foundation to the future sound of bass music.

KZN005 sees Silas & Snare return to the Kaizen fold with the three-track 'Pressure' EP. Lead track 'Pressure' is a continuation of Kaizen's recognisably weighty bass-inspired sound, carried by hefty kicks and screwed synths after a lengthy cosmic build-up. A downtempo influence runs through 'Dreamscape', the floaty synths countered with skittering drums, while EP closer 'Whistle Blower' is packed with industrial percussion and creepy bleeps made for those heads-down, screw-face moments on the dancefloor. This EP comes three years after Silas & Snare's Kaizen debut, 'Biometric'. Gear up and get ready for some 'Pressure'!

Following on from “Present Versions Of The Past” (QPR 001) is the long awaited second release from the Quantum Projects vaults titled “The Concept EP” (QPR 002) in which 3 of the tracks are Jack Smooth-inspired productions and a very special 4th track with a Mental Cube (FSOL) style concept.

Worldwide Epidemic – The Concept EP delivering that classic synthesized Jungle Techno/Techno sound.

Mastered and cut by Beau Thomas at Ten Eight Seven Ltd.

Neil Landstrumm returns to UTTU with an EP of oddball house & techno featuring long time collaborator Si Begg on the title track “Hell Is Other People.” A super charged fusion of dance music styles!


b a2. Shadow Man Vinyl Only Exclusive

* Facta delivers two lithe new cuts for the latest Livity Sound 12', featuring fresh artwork from Tess Redburn. The Wisdom Teeth label boss and Bristol resident deploys his deep rolling style, inviting dancers in to their groove with supple rhythms and rounded bass.

* Established in 2011, Livity Sound is a frontrunning label in UK electronic music. Since its inception, Peverelist's imprint has dedicated itself to releasing innovative music, eschewing existing forms and forging its own stylistic path.

Ever since their debut 7” landed on our doorstep unannounced, we have been captivated by the powerfully understated movements of the duo known as Undefined. Sahara (keys/bass/programming) and Ohkuma (drums) have deep roots in the Japanese dub and reggae scenes (Heavymanners, Soul Dimension) and operate their own experimental dub label, Newdubhall. Recent collaborations with Kazufumi Kodama (of dub elders Mute Beat), dBridge, and Kabuki are nudging the group further into a spotlight that they richly deserve.

Named for the 3-feel of its colossal groove, “Three” is a locked groove of pure downtempo dubwise, techno in its repetition, hip hop in its tempo and swagger, motorik in its muscularity, meditative in its clarity. Featuring the unmistakable voice of ZamFam Rider Shafique, showcased in a moment of profound introspection and vulnerability, “Three" banishes all thoughts of flash-in-the-pan “big tunes” for an incredibly deep and immersive dive.

“Three Dub,” a version in the classic sense, strips out the vocal entirely to focus on the rockstone riddim, crafted of one of the most captivatingly beautiful bass tones we’ve ever heard, combined with wicked drum turnarounds, lightning hi-hat work, and extremely subtle & sophisticated dubbing technique. A masterclass in dubwise essentialism and profound attention to detail, stripped down to the foundation yet incredibly lush and alive.

Strictly limited to 600 copies for the world. No digital, no repress. Design & screen print by Polygon Press. Mastered by Sam Precise.

Harnessing the golden age of Italo where the synthesiser was king and the cosmos was key, Riot Records bring four, standout re-edits to the table.

Ziggy Phunk steps up first with 'Lost Treasures', chopping and re-stitching this chugging, cosmic masterpiece - heavy on the Juno bass, arpeggiated synth lines and weighty drum machine hits. Rayko then hits with 'Inchi', introducing a dreamy arp and reverberating snares to this celestial jam, where resonating guitar licks trade off with interplanetary synthwork from a distant dimension.

On the flip side Jaegerossa blasts off to Mars with 'Love To The Max', packed to the rafters with sublime brass synth sounds and that archetypal, punchy '80s snare hit that echo off into the ether. Couple this with absorbing, pitch bent chords and a dynamic bass and it's a galactic marvel ready to be unleashed. Closing out the E.P, sensuous vocals marry with sweet strings, dazzling keys and uplifting melodies in Camino's, 'Bela Solo' - the perfect round-off to this expertly done Italo homage.

DJ Support:

Dimitri From Paris, Soul Clap, Hifi Sean, A Love From Outta Space, Ron Basejam, Sophie Lloyd, Eli Escobar, Mousse T

Originally released digitally on Luke Solomon & Derrick Carter's Classic Music Company last summer; Girls of the Internet's deep-house-dub-techno-afro ballad 'When U Go' is now being pressed up to vinyl on RAMP Recordings. Since it's release, 'When U Go' has been burning up some of the more discerning dancefloors worldwide, with club support from DJ's as diverse as Mark Farina, Stacey Pullen, Eli Escobar, Oliver $, François K, Soul Clap, Roger Sanchez, Carl Craig, Booker T, Serverino, Riva Star, Doc Martin, Karizma, Marco Carola, Tensnake & Mousse T. Peckham's finest pervayers of Deep House, Bradley Zero approved duo FYI Chris, turn in an exclusive dubby West Coast-vibed remix of the track available only on this vinyl.

The B side is a brand new track from Girls of the Internet - 'Running' featuring Nattlie Maddix, of the House Gospel Choir. Mixing live instruments with synths and drum machines, 'Running' is a soulful yet driving disco tinged deep house track. To finish off this massive package, Local Action's Finn delivers a genre-straddling remix of 'Running'.

Covert transmission from the outskirts of Neurealm... two dark strangers operating from below the ash clouds. PSYWAR vets tryna get the hell outta hell. The tomb of 'El Magnifico' is stalked by the spectre of OIR15A02aTC0008. Shouts 2 Peabody Jnr.
hand-scrawled, stickered-up

Part One Of A Three Volume Compilation Project By Tunisian Collective Arabstazy, Establishing A Picture Of The Contemporary Electronic Music Scene In The Arab World. This Musical Journey Stands For The Diversity Of This Scene, And Deconstructs The Occidental Perceptions That Sees The Arab World As A Culturally United And Homogeneous Entity. It Is A Manifesto For The Burgeoning Wave Of Post-revolution Futurism.
Arabstazy Is A Multidisciplinary Artistic Platform With Bases In Tunis, Paris And Berlin. It Is Dedicated To The Research Of The Connection Between Heritage, Identity, Culture And Digital Arts. Founded As A Collective By Tunisian Electronic Musician Mettani, It Has Since Then Relentlessly Questioned The Meaning And Relevance Of The Supposed Arabic Unity. Following The Arab Spring Events That Brought A Major Change To The Maghrebi Cultural And Artistic Ecosystem, The Collective Explores How The Arab World Is Perceived And Perceives Itself, And Lays The Foundations Of What Could Be Part Of A New Wave Of North African And Middle Eastern Futurism.

Arabstazy's Vision Is To Create An Autonomous And Singular Form Of Mindset, That Is Aware Of Its Representations. An Identity Quest Immersing Its Roots Into The Future, While Highlighting And Transmuting Its Traditions. This Mindset Is To Evolve Into A New Artistic Language, That Would Have Been Released From The Colonialist And Orientalist Perspectives. A Process That Will Eventually Focus On The Interactions And Connections Rather Than Shape Or Style. With This Objective In Mind, The Idea Of A Musical Compilation Emerged. It Would Be The Assessment Of How Diverse, Shattered And Intricate The Arab World Actually Is. Paradoxically, It Would Be The Cement Of An Independent Arabic Underground Electronic Scene. A Scene That Doesn't Need Common Aesthetics Nor Similar Codes To Build A Sense Of Belonging, Because That Belonging Eventually Relies On The Similarities Found In The Constant Struggle From Which The Creative Process Arise. In The Frame Of Political, Social And Religious Dictatorships, This Is A Creative Process That Is Born Under Frustration.

Following This Artistic Direction, The Collective Gathered Tracks From Various Artists That Connected In Their Own Way To The Concept Of Frustration Constrained Creation. With No Imposed Genre And The Strong Will To Build A Mosaic Heterogeneous Project, The Compilation Eventually Featured Tracks Ranging From Indie To Idm To Club Music To Abstract Noise. This Is Quite An Unsettling Tracklisting For Those Who Were Expecting The Usual Oriental Electronic Bland Cliche´. This Process Eventually Echoed With The Work Of Parisian Label Infine´. Infine´ Defines Itself As A Space Of Diversity, Away From Any Kind Of Genre Or Ethnic Compartmentalization. Since A Dozen Years, It Has Developed These Values Through Several Projects, Including The Compilation Series « Explorer ». Through This Compilation, They Discovered One Of Their Latest Revelations, Deena Abdelwahed. She Herself Led To The Encounter With The Arabstazy Collective, And The Label Found Much Sense In Supporting The Under Frustration Project, In Professional, Political And Spiritual Ways.The First Volume Pays Special Attention To Tunisia And Egypt, With A Touch Of Paris & Berlin. Alexandrian Band the Triangle, Releasing Their Very First Track, Dramatically Opens The First Side With A Song Evoking War Refugees That Have No Choice But To Abandon Their Homes And Risk Their Lives On Makeshift Boats. ismael, Member Of The Kairo Is Koming Collective, Comes Right After With A Cranky, Cracked Batch Of Grimly Forward Club Music. He Is Immediately Followed By shinigami San, Founder Of The Tunisian Collective World Full Of Bass, With A Metaphorical Experimentation Depicting How A Fragile Melody Can Arise Despite Of Being Crushed By A Brutal Rhythm. Then Comes Mettani, Founder Of The Arabstazy Collective, Showcasing Esoteric And Syncretic Aesthetics, Blending Sacred Church Choirs And Muslim Awakening Call Into Industrial Grooves. Paris-based Artist terra Aziz Closes This First Side With An Very Introspective And Esoteric Track Evoking Iranian Leper Kids. Second Side Starts With muudra, A Moniker For An Artist Who Keeps Himself Anonymous And Connects To Kurdish Culture. His Track's Hypnotic, Mantra-like Beats, Combined With Cinematic Soundscapes, Reflects On The Hemshin Tribes Vibes. Then Comes deena Abdelwahed, With A Very Early Work She Composed While She Was Touring With The Arabstazy Collective. tropikal Camel, Berlin-based Composer And Mc Born And Raised In Jerusalem, Then Seizes The Scene With An Apocalyptic Track Picturing A Hopeless Prophet Whose Heart Is Made Of Smoke. Relief Comes With Beirut-based Egyptian Artist aya Metwalli, Who Offers A Touching Song About Love And Mourning. This First Volume Ends With A Poetic And Abstract Soundwork By Tunisian Artist mash, Releasing Her Very First Piece, Closing The Record Like It Opened. The Spectrum Of The Questions That This Peculiar Theme Arise Is Broad: Personal, Political, Sexual, Religious, Familial, Societal... From Ways To Free Ourselves From This Frustration, To Ways To Accept It As It Is. We Have To Deal With A Lot Of Mutual Misunderstandings, Binary Shortcuts And Manichaean Attitudes That Have Long Proven Unsuccessful To Overcome These Situations.Amongst All Who Experience Frustration, Some Will Cope Through Artistic Expression. We Decided To Relate To This Frustration As A Great Source Of Inspiration. Arabstazy Chose To Give All The Benefits Of This Project To The Lebanese Ngo Basmeh & Zeitooneh, And Most Specifically To Their Yearly Art Event - "seen" - Which Highlights Unseen Artists And Breaks Stereotypes About Refugees.

After his first release on Soundtravels, the Aspiration EP ST003, Dircsen is back with another astonishing EP which you can easily call a sequel to Aspiration EP.

Four heavyweight dancefloor bombs with Dircsen's signature, well worked out, 303 basslines, accompanied by moody synths. Dircsens tracks are always built to perfection, distinguished and raw at the same time. Timeless tracks which will last a lifetime. Don't sleep on this one!

Artikal and Chestplate combine to form Chestikal. A meeting of labels and also a meeting of production minds as Distance meets J:Kenzo for this special release.

Spanning the BPMS from 140 - 160 halftime, tribal and dark two heavy crafted tracks from the chambers featuring 'The Offering' and 'Dhyana'.

* Walton kicks off 2019 for Tectonic with 4 cuts of pirate radio infused dancefloor orientated DJ tools. 'Inside EP' follows on from Walton's exceptional 'Black Lotus' LP, which dropped on Tectonic last summer, gaining widespread acclaim - even rated as The Guardian's 'Contemporay Album Of The Month'!

* What we have here is 4 tracks that all sit around the 130bpm mark, providing grime sonics to a techno compatible form. Built for those who don't really give a f**k if you call it techno, grime or bass blah blah so long as it bangs in the dance and moves those feet.

* Sampling snippets of MC's chatting between tracks, each track takes a mostly functional approach, building raw elements in a simple but effective fashion. 'Bullet #2' sets the scene, kicking off with a radio style wheel up - before dropping into rolling 4/4 square wave power moves. 'Inside' follows the mood, building towards a more rolling technoid construct. 'More Cowbell' bangs out like an old 4/4 grime anthem with a contemporary production sonic, while 'Gunshot Clap'
closes out the EP, with its swooping square wave stabs and background shouts from behind the mic.

The fourth vinyl release from Banana Hill comes from Kenyan producer Jinku, with the deeply personal 'Vagabond' EP. Through sound textures and patterns, the waning lights of a relationship are exemplified through tension, discordant sound layers and African polyrhythms examining the damage caused through infidelity and repercussions faced for one's own actions.

Vagabond's remixes come from El Buho and Sooma, both purveyors of polyrhythmic multicultural music. El Buho's remix of A2 brings his Latin American music rhythms warping and twisting Loa Myst's vocal around accordion stabs and a constantly bouncing bass. Sooma's remix of A1 leans towards her house roots, layering complex polyrhythms, creating a hypnotic groove, majestically tied to a hypnotic tribal call.

Next Phase Records presents two tranquil yet powerful excursions into the leftfield world of 125-130 BPM electronica.

“Had Enough Rain” by Marenn Sukie fuses jazz and soul samples with a propulsive drum pattern. Reflective vocals and soft horns unite with techno stabs and spaced out chords to craft a captivating and hypnotic soundscape. Layers of FX build as the beat drives on with individual elements melting into one unstoppable energy.

“77 Astro Black” by Drummotive is a rich blend of old and new. An opulent synthesis of 1970s jazz fusion and modern-day unconventional house. Serene strings and delicate keys bind together creating an elegant beauty full of freedom, space and texture as the steady drum rhythm provides direction and structure.

Strap yourself in and take 4 mind-blowing hits of Viers!

Bass to break skin and torrents of drums flow through the bloodstream. Synth stabs up the spine. Hi-NRG surges within. Straight-to-the-face warehouse sonics with techno vertigo to elevate your heart rate.

You can expect withdrawals.

Originally designed as a series to run concurrently with the Livity Sound label as an outlet that shares and reflects it's ideas and aesthetics, the Reverse series has evolved in to an institution of cutting edge UK dance music in its own right, featuring releases from the likes of Batu, Bruce, Forest Drive West and Hodge.

The series returns with a debut 12” from Bristol duo Cando following in that lineage of purpose built dance floor tracks. Cando's combination of percussion driven tracks and mystical hooks root them firmly in a Bristol tradition.

Original 1996's 12' Limited Vinyl

We can exclusively announce that Ice Cream Records have signed the bootleg mix of Ripgroove by Fixate, which went viral when Sherelle dropped it during her Boiler Room set to a HUGE reaction.
With over 3.5 million views across social media and counting Almost 22 years to the day since the original was released on Ice Cream Records and now part of the legendary Double 99 Double Pack Watch this space.

Durban gqom ambassador DJ Lag and London-based Okzharp combine over four club heavy tracks rooted in their long-term long-distance connection, the EP’s title originating from the Durban nickname for the local clubs where much early gqom-style music was played. Opener ‘Now What’ layers a wooden percussion scraper with a ticking cow bell and chants. Set at a slightly faster pace than most gqom, the track harbours a dark energy at its core generated by a low rumbling background synth and pitch shifting claps.

‘Steam One’ - inspired by DJ Lag’s set at Hyperdub’s club night Ø after he brought the heavy steam room vibe - has a slow and entrancing build up with a subtle melody layering on stabbing syncopated kicks, leading up to awoozy synth breakdown. “We were inspired by that moment in the club when things get hazy and bendy and glowy. It has South Durban via South London DNA, so inevitably there's a heavy kwai-gqom vibe with a grimey funky London twist running through it”. ‘Nyusa’ opens with a grinding acidicbass line overlaid with a metallic and gravelly melody with suppressed chants.

Sharp kicks drive the track leading up to a wobbly synth breakdown and back up synth stabs raising the energy. Finally, ‘Sambe’ pairs menacingstrings with a steel drum melody, displaying characteristics of both funky house and gqom in a subtle meeting of the two styles. ‘Steam Rooms’ is a collection of dancefloor heaters set to make the club sweat, the amalgamation of a London / Durban link up reflecting both producers environments and sound palettes for icey cold gqom tracks with funky house shadings.

A three tracker by Pugilist that explores cross sections of bass, breaks and techno. There's real variation to the styles here but all have the Australian producers signature mastery of rhythmic low end.

A joint release between Natural Sciences and FTP, Texas Terrotech volume 1 is a combination of hyper-frentic futurism with the gritty global sound of the streets, wherever it comes from. It's the pop music on the radio, combining that with innately adaptable, yet eminently absorbable form which evolved in these different little things, all compatible , yet closely related. When they are decoded from the genome of our global musical collective, their inter-relatedness becomes even more clear, and a new perspective can be gained.

The internet made everything smaller. It turned the territory into the map, destroying the physical borders between geography and genres, reducing it into digital code, breaking it into bite-sized bits. This is the sound of the phuture digesting the people.

This is the sound of the global underground