Herb LF’s legacy in the garage scene is immense. With his work retaining class and style over more than twenty years. He returns to this integral spirit and provides ‘International Extraterrestrial Music’ with their debut record - a two-part dancefloor orientated EP. On the A-side, Helicopter money slips and pulses between powerful pads and expertly crafted drum patterns, commanding instinctive movements in a club. On the flip, Payday provides a concoction of nostalgia and forward-thinking garage spirit, a result that is suitable for any rascal to dance it out both in the club or sat on the sofa.
The latest drop on Sneaker Social Club comes from D&B standard-bearer Jasper Byrne, aka Sonic. While he’s been active in the scene for over 20 years, in many ways Byrne’s strong artistic identity and omnivorous spread of influences embodies the current rude health of creative D&B. In his refined, detailed and dynamic productions you can hear ideas that reach far beyond playbook genre totems to arrive at something genuinely fresh and unique.
Across his career Byrne has brushed up against some of the most important labels – Metalheadz, Reinforced, V Recordings, Infrared, Hospital, RAM and scores more, as well as operating his own Space Recordings. Finally dropping a debut album last year on the excellent Western Lore, Byrne demonstrated the depth and breadth of Sonic in jaw dropping fashion, and we’re thrilled to be presenting a swift follow-up with Eye of Jupiter.
Byrne’s confident grasp on melody comes to the fore throughout this album, but crucially these phrases, lead lines and hooks are delivered with a subversive slant that surprises and delights in equal measure. The swaying choral tones and MIDI strings on the lead in to “Prince Of Cambridge” land somewhere between Art Of Noise sample-a-delia and new age splendour, offset by the rugged, rolling break. There’s equally a grandiose quality to the organ breakdowns in “Accidental Junglist”, albeit one poured into a blender with echo chamber acrobatics and a generous dose of phaser-based manipulation (calling to mind A Guy Called Gerald’s pioneering work on Black Secret Technology).
Tracks like “The Bells” move into bolder territory still, swerving obvious structures for something altogether more experimental and expressive, all while grounded by harmonic principles and with space to welcome a break when required. The sound design on “20 Yr Riddim” equally reaches beyond the usual confines of D&B to reach a percussion-heavy peak of invention with the capacity to bang as hard as any straight-up track you care to think of.
Even with the space and skill to roam into intriguing pastures, Byrne’s art lies in his ability to make the wildest ideas accessible, and his most accessible tracks still brim with individuality. There’s an immediacy to opening track “Stranded 2019” which draws you in from the off, balancing emotive swoon and a perfectly pitched bleep lick with the rudest, roundest bass and some especially dexterous drum science. That it sounds so easy on the ears and yet so unlike any other tracks in current circulation is all the proof you need that Sonic represents a high watermark for modern drum & bass.
Wisdom Teeth label-head Facta rounds off the year with a two part ode to the dancefloor, pitting house and 2 step beats against warping FM synths à la Errorsmith and Mark Fell. ‘Doves’ picks up where 2019’s ‘Rose Red’ left off: all melting, pitch-bending synths that fizz and ping unpredictably around a solid 4x4 beat. On the flip, ‘MPH’ tugs on the heart strings with a plasticine MIDI melody, percussive vocal chops and a tearjerking set of high-gloss pads.
'Prole Art Threat' is producer Anthoney Hart's second LP for Planet Mu under his East Man alias, after 2018's well received debut 'Red White & Zero'. It brings together a set of MCs from all over London, Darkos and Eklipse from East London and Lyrical Strally from near Feltham who were on the first album, Ny Ny and Mic Ty also from East London, Streema and 'Vision Crew' member Whack Eye from Lewisham plus Fernando Kep, an MC from the burgeoning Brazil grime scene. They work across a cohesive set of tight riddims forged from thoughtful amalgams of grime, dancehall and drum & bass.
a1. East Man & Streema - Know Like Dat
a2. East Man & Mic Ty - Everybody Knows
a3. East Man & Fernando Kep - Ouroboros
a4. East Man & Lyrical Strally - Ten Ton Riddim
a5. East Man - Boys
a6. East Man & Ny Ny - Who Am I?
b1. East Man - East Man Theme (reprise)
b2. East Man & Whack Eye - Wow How?
b3. East Man & Eklipse - Ease Up
b4. East Man & Darkos Strife - Look & Listen (Part 2)
The fourth release on Schloss Records comes from British multi-instrumentalist and polyrhythmic wizard A Psychic Yes (Timothy Crombie). While most of us are even confused as to where to place a hi-hat, Crombie carefully and effortlessly arranges a bouquet of bleepy bloops, melodic U-turns and chaotic ideas, welding together a beautiful soundscape that makes perfect sense. Or as one friend described it: “his music tastes like strawberries”. A Psychic Yes has previously released music on Kalahari Oyster Cult and Tech Startup. The B-side features a lush remix from Bristolian DJ and producer Hodge. Artwork, as always, by Schloss co-founder Ida Ekblad. That Swamp Feeling is mastered by Matt Karmil.
FKOFv004 is the third physical release from FKOF Records in 2020, following WZ’s FKOFv003 in January and the 2x 12” FKOF10 album celebrating 10 Years of FatKidOnFire earlier this summer. We open with the heavyweight Chad Dubz and Biome collab – ‘455’ – that’s been inspiring gunfingers and screwfaces around the world since being teased online a few months ago. It’s everything you’d hope the combination of two of 140bpm’s finest talents would create: incredible synths, crushing percussive power and atmospherics for days. Pure weight.
“A2 is another Chad Dubz collab, this time featuring Uprise Audio’s boss Eddy Seven on the buttons. ‘Strictly’ has been doing regular damage on the FKOF Sessions show on Subtle Radio and is exactly what its sample says it is – ‘strictly for the sound system’. We signed this one for the mad switch up and the sub that hits harder than a rollercoaster. You’ll know what we mean when you hear this on the system. Absolute rudeness.
“The B-side opens with the only Chad Dubz original mix on the record; the relentlessly effervescent ‘Nilaari’. It’s a production on the rowdier side of what we’d normally sign, but we knew we had to have it when Chad sent it our way. You’ll need a lie down after this one!
“We conclude by welcoming the legendary DJ Madd to FKOF Records for his debut, putting an old school, stripped back flip on ‘455’. The remix evokes the brooding, dangerous dubstep sound from classic Minimal Mondays sets back in the day on Rinse – or the halfstep vibe from 2010-13. It’s a fitting end to what we feel is an incredible record. We hope you agree!
Introduced by a mutual friend, A/T/O/S started creating music together. Their first creation, 'A Taste Of Struggle' was quickly picked up by dubstep pioneer Mala, who signed them to his label DEEP MEDi. Their debut release received an early spin by BBC 6 Music's Mary Anne Hobbs and impressive remixes by Skream and Commodo.
Their upcoming album 'waterman', is the 3rd on DEEP MEDi, following their self-titled debut 'A/T/O/S' and the follow-up 'Outboxed'.
'waterman' once again sees A/T/O/S exploring new territories with their formula of exciting beats and powerful vocals, accompanied by Michiel De Malsche on the keys as their 'secret, not so secret' member in the studio & on stage.
As 2020 draws to a close the Surface Tension Series reaches its apex with part III, containing a like number of compositions which continue the sound refined and alloyed in the preceding volumes.
Following a jaw-dropping LP on Ghostly International in 2018, multifarious rave authority Tadd Mullinix reanimates his hi-tek junglist guise X-Altera for an EP on Sneaker Social Club. It’s a perfect fit between project and label, as Mullinix exercises his fearsome knowledge and grasp of foundational jungle and drum & bass on an imprint with strong form in the field (from seminal Foul Play works reissued to contemporary cut ups by Dead Man’s Chest, Etch and more).
Rather than straight-up revivalist sounds, as X-Altera Mullinix is more concerned with the original pioneering spirit of early jungle, hardcore and 90s techno. He absorbs and channels the sounds and processes of these influences with a razor-sharp attention to detail, but crucially he stitches his tracks together in a truly idiosyncratic way. Far from linear rollers, the pieces on New Harbinger EP play out more like suites that follow unpredictable paths and take in some stunning scenery en route. Doused in Detroit’s hi-tek soul, chiseled with the avant-garde angles of jungle’s breakbeat science and weaving a tangled narrative to rival a sci-fi epic, it’s a divine blend of rugged and raw rave music that can draw you deep inside and take you far away.
X-Altera is but the latest in a long line of crucial projects from Mullinix, who has been transmitting mind-boggling electronics from Ann Arbor since the late 90s. He’s previously delved into the ruffest ragga jungle with Todd Osborn as Soundmurderer & SK1, dropped devastating acid house bombs as James T Cotton (now steered towards a more focused strain of techno as JTC), delved into EBM and industrial as Charles Manier and helped set a blueprint for leftfield hip hop beats as Dabrye. With an unerring quality barometer matched by his studious knowledge and understanding of rave culture, his work is a continuous gift to many different strains of dance music.
In many ways X-Altera feels like the logical summation of all Mullinix’s prior investigations; unrepentantly futuristic music sporting the best qualities of the past, clad in proudly ‘ardcore body armour and thus ticking every box going for Sneaker Social Club.
We return with a LOST DUBPLATE from Bristols finest KAHN, alongside Sector 7 head honcho Boofy. Imhotep has been doing the rounds for many a year beautifully showcasing Kahns raw yet hypnotizing sound. Boofy returns with an energized, hypnotic remix the way only Boofy can do . Strictly sound system vibes!
Rob Smith aka RSD is a man that should need no introduction - from pioneering trip hop and the foundations of the Bristol sound in the late 80s with Smith & Mighty to writing some of the biggest dubstep tracks of all time under his RSD alias - not to mention killing it to this day with his impeccable DJ sets and fire dubplates - Rob is nothing short of a certified legend. It is a great honour to welcome him back to Foundation Audio with 2 MASSIVE cuts for the next in our 10” series.
'Old Fish' is a rework of his classic 2007 tune 'Kingfisher' aptly titled 'Old Fish' 'Because it's a version of an old tune... and it stinks!!!'
'Shell Fish' was going to be called 'New Fish' because it's based on the Kingfisher template but changed to 'Shell Fish' when I added samples from Ghost In The Shell' says the man himself.
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