Please welcome to the Time Is Now family one of the scene's most exciting talents. London-based drum specialist, Bluetoof, brings the heat with a multigenre 4-track EP, featuring a weighty refix from the likes of Manchester badman, and close compadre, Interplanetary Criminal. A multi-faceted EP to keep its listener on their toes. The title track gets things off to a steady start with a minimal bassline and complex percussion, inspired rhythmically by breaks but textured by layers of hollow drums which lend it a more organic sound. Next up, "Perilous" takes things on a darker, more bottom-heavy turn with a traditional two-step beat and a womping bassline, suited to the club's early hours. As to be expected, "That Got Dark" continues in the same vein. The focus remains on percussion with a skipping, half-broken rhythm which is interrupted momentarily by breaks overtaken by a stomping 4/4 beat. Finally, enter Time Is Now family member, Interplanetary Criminal, who extends the 4/4 propulsion to create a pacey speed garage banger.
A1 Bluetoof - Alakazam
A2 Bluetoof - Perilous
B1 Bluetoof - That Got Dark
B2 Bluetoof - That Got Dark (Interplanetary Darker Mix)
Fresh from turning heads on Lobster Theremin, Running Out Of Steam & Distant Horizons - Dublin based M4A4 comes correct for Hot Haus Recs with 4 UKG tinged burners.
Over And Out label head and all-round speed garage bubbler Xander joins the Breaks ‘N’ Pieces family with his sights firmly set on deep and dark 2-step grooves following a string of killer Bandcamp releases through his own DIGI series.
Those with a keen ear for the emerging producers sound will have heard lead track ‘Restless’ across the BBC Radio 1 airwaves as part of Jaguar’s show; Looney Tune inspired sound effects give a whacky feel to the growling bassline and crisp percussion, before Break-a-Dawn provides a glimpses into a previously unexplored side of the Xander sound - dreamy atmospherics mould with playful vocal samples and rolling breakbeats in a killer blend of warm-up and UK energy.
‘Untitled (Afterhours Mix)’ is designed specifically for the club; large wubs and stipped-back production make for a minimal wobbler designed to set dancefloors alight, while ‘Don’t Stop, Won’t Stop’ maintains the darkness with flashes of screw-face brilliance.
Finally, Main Phase comes through with a massive speed garage remix of ‘Don’t Stop, Won’t Stop’ crafting for sweaty hugs and beautiful moments on the dancefloor.
Almost exactly a year after Tower Block Dreams' Time Is Now debut and the launch of our white label series, the UK-born, Madrid-based producer returns with a club-ready 5 tracker which fuses together the most danceable facets of UKG, grime and breaks.
The opening track "Bare Dubs" pays tribute to UKG's antecedents in pirate radio with sporadic MC vocal samples and a womping bassline. The product: a soundsystem banger with a disjointed, yet fiercely controlled two-step rhythm and grimey, extended basslines a la So Solid Crew and early Scratcha. Flip over the record and the A-side's cold rigour is swapped out for a sultry groove.
Euphoric piano stabs and playful R'n'B vocal chops energise "If You Want The Reload" and video-game-esque bleeps lend "Last One From Me" its blissed-out melody. But don't get too comfortable. The aptly-named "From The Top" sees a return of the opening tracks' grime sensibilities and introduces an FM static atmospheric to take things back to the old school.
The 18th offering from Instinct features four different acts, each with their own take on moving the dancefloor. Pinder P has a funky house/UK garage flavour to it but laced with wonderfully deep bass heavy and shaky enough to dislodge fillings. Papa Nugs' 'Super Beagle' delves even further into the raw aesthetics of early hardcore and especially the reggae-tinted futurism of Shut Up & Dance, Ragga Twins and Hype. DJ Crisps has arguably the least retro sound, relying on very steady and sturdy, more US garage-slanted beat foundations, before the EP is rounded off with the bubbling, skippy 'Only You' from Yosh, re-connected with a subtle reggae flavour to its UKG swagger.
Young LA star, Justin Jay, has already caught the ears of DJs and fans worldwide and released on the likes of dirtybird and Culprit. Last year, Jay shared an EP of deep house gold on Shall Not Fade sister label Lost Palms. Now he returns on their bass-oriented sublabel Time Is Now.
Hypnotized EP is a fun, breaks heavy romp featuring rave powerhouse trio Denham Audio and a remix by jungle mainstay Tim Reaper. From the off the energy is high, the title track rolling out pitched vocals and dramatic drops. "I Know" is ever more frenetic, breaks cascading over one another to a fever pitch, while Denham Audio collab "Swarm" brings out 303s and dramatic sub bass wobbles for a tour-de-force of hardcore dance vibes. Rising lofi house producer Angelo Jsn gives a euphoric, breathless edge to "Burgundy", an emotive space age trance number. Tim Reaper's untameable refix of "Swarm" keeps the heart racing to the end.
Skeleton King has been ripping through the UK circuit with his unique take on low-slung UKG, breaks and emotive driven atmospherics; coupled with an unpredictable quality, often combining melodies and rhythms in a distinctive, idiosyncratic tone. With this ability to mix different blends comes Falling In Love, a wide-eyed excursion through love shaped melodies, high-octane energy and futuristic beats.
‘My Joy’ sets pace with its seductive lead line, embraced within a sustained low-end and eyes-closed in the club vocal; before UK rapper and NiNE8 collective member Bone Slim features on ‘Falling In Love,’ displaying a knack for vivid story-telling and his uncompromising style of rap; the collaboration we didn’t know we needed.The A side closes its curtain with a minimal, but no less effective approach in ‘A Question Of Breaks.’
The mind-altering, immersive sounds of ‘Ooh Yh’ on the record's B side draws from a range of influences from UKG to clinging electro, with absorbing interplay between evolving leads and strapping percussion. ‘String Energy’ is just as ear-catching, with it’s fun bubble-gum flavoured vocal snippets and commanding bassline. The track continues to build until an alternative version is thrown into the mix, causing heads to turn and bodies to move before the return of a vocal that is likely to stick in the mind’s of dancers for days to come.
Leeds based independent vinyl label Peaky Beats has been behind some of the most exciting names in the UKG re-rise in recent years - from releases on the label by Highrise & Papa Nugs, to a killer mix series featuring Eliza Rose and Amaliah, to shelling it down through his live shows. Now the bass enthusiast joins the Breaks N Pieces family with a four-tracker spanning UK sub-bass culture.
Rich Daddies offer their first EP on Naarm/Melbourne based Best Effort Records. The Get Close EP is the debut disc by the anonymous Australian housemates made during one the longest lockdowns in the world.
Over the course of four tracks, the duo draws influences from UKG and bass music with parallels to fellow Australian producers Logic1000 and DJ Plead.
Dance music to help us remember how to dance, how to hug, how to fall in love. Essential party disc!
Dublin's garage connoisseur Prozak shares with us five clean-cut steppers on Holy Spirit EP; pairing UKG with ambience and breaks with jubilant club sound palettes.
The killer record opens out with triumphant, easygoing garage on "1996". Meanwhile the title track is a raucous beast, explosive breaks and frenetic vocals that tear through the dubwise breakdown.
"Want Ur Luv" is full of romantic energy and cascading melodies; diva vocals float over classic two-step in blissed-out fashion on "Hold Me Down". Lighthearted glimmering ear candy continues on "Higher"; a high-energy rave roller with a retro feel.
![Coco Bryce - Daktari EP [Marbled Grey 12"]](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0488/8057/products/CRIT186_{width}x.jpg?v=1642690427)
