One of the best releases of 2012 so far has landed from one of Inhabit’s favourite imprints and producers. Bob Bhamra aka West Norwood Cassette Library follows his ‘Collision/Detection v2’ EP (an interesting project from released via Front & Follow inviting artists to create a 4-track EP using audio submitted to a central pool by the wider group) with the beautiful ‘Coming On Strong’ marking the first release this year for his WNCL imprint. [Read more →]
Review: Lando Kal – Rhythm Sektion / Inquisition
12.04.12
After ‘Further/Time Out’ (HFT015) started appearing in the need-to-know radio shows of last year, it seemed like new boy Lando Kal was somewhat of a young prodigy. And although the name still feels fresh on the eve of his second Hotflush release, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Despite Lando Kal being the solo producer in question over this side of the water, hop across the pond and you’ll find the compelling backstory of his partnership with Low Limit as the West Coast glitch-hop duo Lazer Sword. Their FACT mix of last year was weighted just as evenly between Soulja Boy and Crookers, as it was with Terror Danjah and Fantastic Mr Fox, which may have hinted towards where their influences were coming from. [Read more →]
Review: Dark Sky – Black Rainbows
06.04.12
No one is a stranger to south London trio Dark Sky in Leeds after impressive sets at Barry and with the Bangerang guys over the past year, as well as a string of festival appearances. Still fresh after a mere two years on the scene, the boys return with the four track Black Rainbows EP released on the Bristol based Black Acre label , responsible for their much hyped 2010 debut Something to Lose. Dark Sky have more than lived up to the high expectations that have lingered since the much hyped Radius EP last year. Although a lot darker and strongly rooted in the bass scene, the diverse talents of Dark Sky with their fearless thirst for experimenting with sound manipulation and multi- timbred production is reminiscent of Amon Tobin’s spectacularly produced soundscapes. However, there are few others who can draw upon so many classic influences and fuse them so deeply with futuristic sounds to create such a sense of movement. [Read more →]
Review: Trikk – ‘Jointly/I Fall Down’ EP
31.03.12
George Fitzgerald continues to push the boundaries with his third signing Trikk to his ManMakeMusic imprint and continues where MMM002 Jack Dixon & Rick Grant – Running Man EP left off, fusing old school charm with flashes of colourful techno. Making the big jump from Porto, in Portugal, Bruno Deodato settled in London only in January this year and is already creating a huge buzz on the London scene. Dropping his new EP Jointly/I Fall Down it is not surprising how quickly he has established himself. [Read more →]
Review: Wil Maddams – Cut And Cap/ Tell Me
27.03.12
As far as sweeping genre statements go, it wouldn’t be too outrageous to proclaim that the deeper side of house music has the capability to conjure the most potent of emotions. But this is the problem, as emotions are fragile. They are to be applied wisely and selectively, and when it comes to the deep house genre, selectivity is something that can often fall by the wayside. I can’t be the only one who sometimes senses that there must be a formula – a certain synth, or muffled vocal – that induces that warm sensation which is so unique to the genre? It doesn’t take much scouring through supposed ‘deep house’ mixes to find one that’s almost transition-less; simply because there is no distinction between each track, the patterns are identical. [Read more →]
Review: Sigha – Abstractions I-IV
21.03.12
The fragmentation of dubstep has been well chronicled over the last few months, with an ever-increasing circle of young producers eschewing the genre’s low-end swagger for more deep-house indebted sounds. But while his contemporaries have been discovering the pleasures of New York’s kicks ‘n’ hats template, Sigha’s break from the dubstep mould has seen him plough darker furrows. [Read more →]
Review: Scuba – Personality
21.03.12
Paul Rose makes no bones about his disdain for modern dubstep. Having gone as far as labeling it a “really terrible music scene” in his RBMA lecture/interview last year his disappointment with a genre he helped to solidify partly underpinned Hotflush casting off the shackles of dubstep’s sonic palette over the last two years. Rose’s move to Berlin, and the phenomenally successful launch of Sub:stance in Berghain, that city’s bastion of all that is heavy and pure in techno, have coincided with a step towards straighter and more introspective noises across his imprint’s output. [Read more →]
Review: Ben Sims – Slow Motion
15.03.12
You know what you’re getting with Ben Sims. Essex’s former pirate radio DJ has spent the better part of two decades at the forefront of the UK’s electronic scene, knocking out funk-sampling, machine-driven techno of the most stomping variety. Slow Motion marks a return to his own Theory imprint for the label’s fortieth release, and Sims’ first since his debut long player Smoke & Mirrors was released on Drumcode last year to more than a little acclaim. [Read more →]
Review: Tessela – D-Jane/ Channel
12.03.12
Tessela is a name to watch for 2012, but perhaps one you may not have heard of before this year. Having a previous release on All City records in the shape of ‘Push’ which was, it is fair to say an absolute blinder of a tune and one which is still being played by dj’s around the country today, his second release is most definitely the one to bring him to the attention of the masses… well, maybe not masses but at least people who like dubstep/garage/house etc. [Read more →]
Review: Futureboogie 10
04.03.12
This year sees Futureboogie celebrate 10 years of business, which in these times is certainly no mean feat, and in honour of this milestone the Bristol boys have released their first compilation CD. Originally the brand started life out as a club night and DJ agency in the musical hot bed of the South-West that is Bristol. Fast forward to 2011 and together with Julio Bashmore they have created a label that has been on the lips of every well respected House DJ [Read more →]
