Killawatt & Thelem - Kaba/Point Of No Return - Black Box - 02 July 2012

Killawatt & Thelem - Kaba/Point Of No Return

Released On: BLKBXXX09 - 02 July 2012

Killawatt & Thelem are back for another collaboration, and they have to bring a lot to the table to top their last one, Swarf, which was a killer tune. They’ve done well to get themselves a Black Box release too, a big label for the ‘dungeon’ sound, with top producers putting monster tunes out, including TMSV and J:Kenzo.

Part of the XXX range of releases, this one is enormous. A weighty, atmospheric tune full of unnerving soundscapes and rasping bass sounds, Kaba unleashes some beasty drums full of heavy kicks, woody snares, and tribal percussive sounds, very much ‘en vogue’ these days in dubstep.

The intro has a desolate, haunting atmosphere, fully deserving of the ‘dungeon’ description, swishing sounds, whispers and riser-like effects. Techno-style stabs, and complex, high-passed hi hat and percussion lead us in to the drop, aided by a spooky ‘inside everyone, there is a shadow.’

The duo then release an onslaught of stabs, bass rips, and a solid helping of sub bass to work out even the best of speakers and monitors. The drums and percussion feature less reverb than many tracks utilise in this genre, keeping fairly dry, and relying on the deep backdrop of sound and pads reverb to add texture and allow the drums to remain clear and crisp.

Point Of No Return is a breath of fresh air in a genre which is seeing new players come in all the time. Featuring unconventional drum patterns and particularly distinctive bass, this is no ordinary kick-snare-kick-snare roller. That said, it is still a dark, dank track, and the breakdown sounds like the innards of a cavernous dungeon, soaked in reverb and minute sounds protruding from the darkness to make for an uneasy, tense, but thrilling experience.

The drums relying on a massive kick, with a hint of 808-ness about them. A large hint. The lack of snare is particularly inspiring, and makes me want to give this style of track a go. The sub works with the kick, sticking with just one note, allowing the drones and pads in the backdrop giving the tune movement.

The lack of any midrange bass sounds is interesting, and not altogether a bad thing. There is a large amount of room left for the sub bass to take over, giving it more freedom than usual, and the boys have used this to good effect, unleashing some speaker shaking low trembles to give any sound system a run for it’s money.

A solid 12” release, these guys are the ones to watch in 2012, after having a big year last year. Check out their collaborations on tunes like Swarf, and Joom for some similar stuff.

For fans of Ipman, J:Kenzo, TMSV and anything played out by Youngsta. (I find that I’m saying that in every review!)

Truth - Dreams (Feat. Yayne)/Last Time - Tempa065 - 28th May 2012

Truth - Dreams/Last Time

Released On: Tempa065 - 28th May 2012

There are few major dubstep labels with more weight and prestige than Tempa. With releases from the biggest players in dubstep; Benga, Skream and Horsepower Productions just for starters, Tempa is home to some massive tunes.

Truth are no strangers to the scene themselves, with releases on Disfigured Dubz, Aquatic Lab and Deep Medi Musik to name but a few of the big labels they have graced. The duo from New Zealand have landed a massive 12” this time round, Dreams, and Last Time on the B side.

Dreams, featuring haunting vocals from Yayne, is a big one. Massive drums pound through this tune, with a gigantic helping of sub heavy bass, and the wealth of tonal percussion soaked in reverb aiding it. The wobbles, weighty and squelchy, are devoid of any sense of tempo synchronisation, leading to an unpredictable and uneasy sound. This is helped by the chilling, neverending, ad lib high notes from Yayne, working as a kind of pad and string sound to increase the high end energy.

The structure of this tune is brilliant, the breakdown offers a restbite from the big drums, before a massive crescendo leads straight back into the fully mixed beat.

Truth have smashed it with this one, probably my favourite release of theirs so far. On the flip, Last Time starts of easy, with the spacious percussion creating a tasty atmosphere, and what could be a guitar line plucking away, the tone of which is sublime. When the drums come in, and the full mix is unleashed, this tune is beautiful. A warm, analog-ey lush pad that could have come straight from a downtempo track sits on top of a massive bass sound, thats clean, but punchy enough to make an impact.

The percussion is very similar to the style that Kryptic Minds have become known for, incorporating heavily reverb-ed and delayed tonal percussion to fit in with the groove of the drums. If I’m not mistaken, there is a distinct ‘Yeah!’ shout, that is suspiciously similar to that of the ‘Woo, Yeah!’ break of James Browns. Brilliant and unassuming.

This track could even be as good as the A side, and may even have been justified with its own separate release, it really is a big tune. Highly recommended, this double sided 12” by the New Zealand duo Truth is definitely worth shelling out for, and the B side is particularly good.

For fans of Youngsta’s show, and dare I say ‘emotive’ dubstep, such as Phaeleh, Clubroot and the like.

Matt-U - Wipe Em Out/Uncontrolled - 04 June 2012

Matt U - Wipe Em Out/Uncontrolled

Released on: BlackBox026 - 04 June 2012

Blackbox are back for their 26th release, and it’s big! Matt-U, Hungarian producer and DJ has knocked out two massive dubstep tunes for his second Black Box release, the first was back in 2010, a joint EP ‘Running Man’ with DJ Madd. Wipe Em Out and Uncontrolled are two deep, dark and dungeon dubstep bangers, filled with ripping basslines, endless reverbs and heavy subs.

There’s nothing that intensifies a heavy dubstep drop like a snippet of movie monologue, and Matt-U has gone old school, with a classic line from the movie ‘Aliens.’ Taken from the mouth of Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, “You're going out there to destroy them, right? Not to study. Not to bring back. But to wipe them out.”

In the background, a deep soundscape puts the listener in a dark place, built by a quiet glissando pad, and delayed blips conveying the melody, over the monologue. The drums pound away with percussion mixing it up, there’s some tribal drums in there, miniature clicks, and shuffling hats carrying this beat through.

A felt-but-not-heard sub blasts underneath everything, and if you got a sub or some decent woofers, this is gonna make them wobble like jelly. Over the top of this, a warbling low mid bass pushes through the already brimming mix, attaining that full sound that producers the world over search for. Underneath this the snarling midrange growls and snorts come in and out of focus, going deep with reverb and delay.

On the flip, ‘Uncontrolled’ is possibly an even stronger tune, full of energy, helped by the fast wobbling growls, and energetic hi hat patterns. A real feel of urgency on this one, helped with the pitched down ‘Uncontrolled’ monologue leading to the big drop.

What can you say about this one that hasn’t been said about Matt-U’s other big releases? I’m really feeling this one, he’s going deep. Full percussion, big, tight drums and massive basslines coming in and out gives this a huge sound. This could possibly have made the A side if Black Box had so desired.

Not for the faint hearted, this is a big release, and worth bagging on vinyl. Expect to hear more from this guy very soon, he churns out tracks at unbelievable speed with no sacrifice in quality. Enviable.

For fans of anything played out by Youngsta, DJ Madd, Killawatt, Thelem, etc.

Compa/Fable - Afraid/Bad Circles - RS1001 - 28/05/12

Compa/Fable - Afraid/Bad Circles

Released on: RS1001 - 28th May 2012

The debut release on the brand new RedShift One label, Compa and Fable bring two massive 140 tunes to spark what looks set to become a big player in underground labels.

‘Compa’ and his ‘Afraid VIP’ christen the A side, and ‘Fable’ with ‘Bad Circles’ on the flip for this limited run release. 

Compa is very clear about how he wants his tunes released, he runs the all vinyl WX/WL label, as well as heading up the vinyl-only ‘Wax’ club nights in Manchester. Now he is back with another vinyl-only release to his name.

Space and rhythmic perfection come to mind when I see Compa’s name, and ‘Afraid’ is no different. Abundant reverb, swallowing what seems like endless different percussive blips and hits, while a surprisingly small kick and snare roll through. All this is carried by the big sub, low enough in the mix that it doesn’t take over, but present enough that you feel it.

Vocal samples almost fly by with the automated panning and delay/reverb send shivers down long after the notes die out.

What can you say about Compa’s bass? Although played through a high pass filter, the rips still sound huge, and with the reverb and delay giving them so much depth, even just a few notes fill out this tune and make it sound full yet still masterfully sparse and dark.

On the B side, ‘Bad Circles’ starts with his two note pad, while heavily delayed and reverberated rave stabs shoot out lead lines like something from the 90’s. The garage style horn sets of the drop, resulting in an absolute onslaught of sub bass energy. On top of the sub is a pulsating, resonant, chugging synth line. Later they’re joined by another melody line on top.

The drops are separated by different bass sections, first we get your standard kick snare 140 beat, with no hats. Next comes a shaker putting some high end energy in on a constant 16th note rhythm. Then some house style hats come in while the kick starts mixing it up a little. Then for the last before the breakdown we get a four-to-the-floor techno tip, just as you think this tracks gonna run out of steam.

Two Massive tunes mark a quality debut release for the boys at Red Shift One, definitely one to look out for. Compa is already making big waves with his iconic ‘Dem A Talk’, and I expect we will be hearing a lot more from Fable in the coming months.

If you like this, check out DJ Madd, Lx-One, Killawatt, Kryptic Minds and anyone else featured on Youngsta’s  Rinse Fm shows.

Biome/Kryptic Minds - The Raven/Hybrid (Biome Remix) - OSMUK017

Biome/Kryptic Minds - The Raven/Hybrid (Biome Remix)

Release On : Osiris Music - 04 June 2012

This is the 17th release on Kryptic Minds' own Osiris Music label, and Biome has pulled out a corker. Featuring brand new ‘The Raven’ on the A side, and finally giving his ‘Hybrid’ remix a much needed release on the B side, after a long time knocking about on Youngsta’s Rinse Fm show.

Biome is well known for providing a wealth of ferocious bass rips and noises (check out tunes like ‘Propaganda’), and he certainly doesn’t disappoint with ‘The Raven.’ The combination of sporadic, soaring pads washed in reverb, and the variety of huge bass rips fills out the spectrum and gives the listener a masterclass in space and depth.

The huge drum sounds of the kick and snare are complemented perfectly by tribal percussion, and a huge range of effects and tonal shouts and blips triggering big delays and reverb tails, as is typical of Biome and other producers of this ‘dungeon’ sound.

The bridge section is one of the most beautiful of it’s kind in this genre, massive ethereal pads, accompanied by vocal noises and lush, arpeggiated blips. A true master of this sound Biome has delivered a huge track that could be one of his stand out releases so far.

On the flip side is one of the best remixes I’ve heard for a long while, Biome takes the already brilliant Kryptic Minds track, ‘Hybrid,’ and delivers a revamped, rejuvenated and signature Biome sounding tune.

Taking the spacious original mix, which has seemingly few elements to it at first listen, and injecting his own sound Biome turns this mix into a monster.

Biome has kept a lot of the original elements in there, for starters the big ‘womp-ing’ noises, typical of Kryptic Minds, and the huge, never-ending reverb tails and delays that fill the mix so nicely. It is what he has put in that takes this track to another level. As per norm, Biome has thrown in a massive variety of bass noises, big rips, and modulated filter work, filling the gaps and carrying this tune on a much more exciting tip. That’s no indication that Kryptic Minds weren’t unexciting, they have their signature sound that their fans know and love, myself included, and Biome cranks it up a notch.

If you are a fan of Kryptic Minds, Biome, or any artist that finds themselves played out by Youngsta, then this is definitely for you.

Clubroot - Scars/Hellion

Clubroot - Scars/Hellion

Released on: Solace001 - 07 May 2012

Less than a month after releasing their third album in the eponymous trilogy, Clubroot have dropped a brand new release on the young Solace Records label. ‘Scars’ on the A side, and ‘Hellion’ on the flip, this is once again a safe and satisfying bit for fans of any atmospheric and ‘thought out’ dubstep. For fear of pigeon-holing, I am reluctant to throw any particularly specific genre names about, but the words ‘ambient’ and ‘dungeon’ are becoming increasingly popular of late and sum this up fairly well.

Any Clubroot fan will be familiar with the atmospheres and moods that come so easily to the duo’s tracks, and this is no exception. ‘Scars’ is a masterclass in ambient backdrops, the mood created is almost depressing, yet completely absorbing and beautiful. The swirling high end pad is so haunting and washed in reverb and delay that is is difficult to tell if it is a choral line, or some sort of ethnic string instrument.

The low end is taken care of by a gently modulated, yet powerful bass sound that has become a signature sound for Clubroot, it can be heard on other tracks such as ‘Comedown’ and ‘Closure’. This blasts the basic root movements under another layer of lush reverb. A subtle, warbling sub underneath pushes the low end to the max, and ensures that the listener is feeling the track in their body as well as their ears.

The use of field recordings help to add an organic layer and a sense of realism to the percussion and soundscape, which leads to one of the best bits of this tune, the drums. Classic skippy, half-time, 2-step beats roll through with ease, and the hats carry the beats high end beautifully.

Then there’s the percussion. The tribal drums that come in later fit perfectly into the mix and add another layer to the already huge drums, and there is a real feeling of depth in this rhythm track.

A haunting, yet inspiring tune, this could be one of Clubroots best tracks yet.

‘Hellion’ is one again a great example of the atmospheric mood Clubroot are known to thrive off. The vocal one shots are as terrifying as they are sexy, and used extensively to fill out the high end left bare by the huge bassline.

Words like filth and nasty are used too often to describe the ‘holy grail’ of dubstep tunes, the drop, and bass in general. However if ever a bass line deserved to be described as dirty and abrasive, it is in this tune. Over saturated and fuzzy, this bass leaves a mark when it hits, along with suitably dense reverb.

The drums are a lot simpler in ‘Hellion’ and more like what many would describe as traditional dubstep, half time, with not entirely complex hat patterns filling the gaps between first and third beats. Again Clubroot choose their percussion perfectly, and the vocal samples also fit in well with the groove.

Both tunes are what any CLubroot fan has been waiting for, and does not disappoint. One of Clubroot’s strongest releases yet, they will be proud of this.

If your thing is deep, dark and dank dubstep, then this is your thing. Fans of Youngsta’s shows will love this, and although you won’t see it in the charts, and probably wouldn’t hear it in a club other than on a dedicated night, it is a brilliant piece of music, and 2012 is set to be a good year for Clubroot.

For fans of Phaeleh, Kryptic Minds and Youngsta.