The Unearthed Sounds crew members have compiled their weekly picks containing collectively, in no particular order, our favourite tracks/releases of the week.
Here's the selections individually from the crew: Lee: SAB012 Max: LORE008 Mat: MEDI108 Albert: DBM12001 Morgan: LORELTD004 Dean: ONEF024 Georgia: PSMLP002 Jon: DROOGS005 Rob: CXT001 Chris: NUMAREC003
Numa Crew and the ’London City Warlord’ Riko Dan join forces on this dancefloor banger called ‘Babylon’.
When it comes to the influence of Ragga in the MCing styles of Grime, one of the undisputed pioneers is Riko Dan - most famously associated with Roll Deep, one of the most important collectives in the history of Grime.
The original track is an explosive mix of Grime and Dubstep sounds spiced with a Dancehall flavor that gives Riko the perfect platform to spin raw and punching lyrics.
The flip side is a remake of the original ‘Babylon’ in a pure Dub stepper style, heavyweight bassline, hypnotic skanks and mystical atmospheres that fuse the two worlds of Grime and Dub in a unique sound. Certified sound system material.
a1. Numa Crew - Babylon feat. Riko Dan
b1. Numa Crew - Babylon feat. Riko Dan (Steppa Mix)
L U C Y & E3 Breaks & Sir Rah - With The Fracture [hand-stamped / 180 grams]
Introducing Cutcross, created to champion the melting pot of bass-centric sounds teetering around 140 bpm. Heading up the concept is Sicaria Sound, a DJ duo who since their inception set out to explore and expand on the possibilities of these sounds whilst spotlighting underground artists. Cutcross is therefore their next step in supporting the forward-thinking music that they've drawn for when curating sets.
"CXT001: With The Fracture" is a nod to some of the sounds that started off each of their relationships with raves, later helping soundtrack many of the dances they went to together once their friendship began. In being no strangers to club floors, this first release presents four carefully chosen cuts made to move to.
Canadian duo Gremlinz & Jesta, team up with DC resident, Kalu to open the latest release from UVB-76 Music sister label Droogs. Monolith adheres to absolutely core dance floor fundamentals, built breakbeats chopping across weighty low end vibration. Relentless in its assault Monolith evokes the best of drum & bass past and present while keenly remaining future bound.
2020 sees the debut of DNB veteran Friske to the label. A long time friend & associate of the crew, Friske brings heavy doses of funk, vibes and atmosphere with ‘City Lights’ Nodding to golden-era greats of the past while staunchly maintaining his sights on the future. Essential.
Eusebeia’s ‘Equal Rights + Justice EP’ summons the ancient and esoteric, delivering a cosmic rocket ride fuelled by an assault of rhythm & bass pressure.
Welcoming Cesco with his Angry Waves EP. This is Cesco's first full EP on the label. His first (and highly acclaimed) release on the label was his track 'Drones' which featured on our Edition 3 LP. Cesco shows he is adept at dnb, and various tempos with this EP. We have been waiting excitedly for a long time to share this EP with you. Cesco is classy and masterful. Out on 20/03/2020 on vinyl and digital.
Downbeat Melody records is a brand new label operated by Bristol based dj Frankie Downbeat. This label is a side project to the Downbeat Melody Soundsystem owned and operated by Steve Rice.
The first release will be a reissuing of “Bird of Paradise” LP , a downbeat musical journey in Rocksteady by “Count Bobo”. Count Bobo are a 6 piece group from Bristol playing in the style of early ska and rocksteady. Formed in 2012, they are part of the Bloom collective.
Their debut album 'Bird of Paradise' was originally released on limited edition 12 inch vinyl in 2015 by the band themselves and mainly sold at live shows. Downbeat Melody proudly presents this quality repress with fresh updated artwork.
The album was recorded by their producer Drezz at 'The Tape Rooms'. As a fully analogue studio, the band was able to record live and straight to tape in an attempt to emulate the records of their early influences.
The playing style varies from a traditional Roksteady section into areas closer to Ethiopian Jazz at times as heard in tracks like “Melkor”. The album features 11 expertly played instrumental tracks along with one sombe haunting vocal track called “Don’t get left behind”.
The ageing process has you firmly in its ever increasing grasp if you never feel the urge to deliver the goods even harder. London-based DJ, producer and engineer Jason Cambridge aka A Sides just celebrated his 50th birthday, and it’s fair to state that he’s far from being tired to add essential musical footprints to an already impressive discography of epic proportions.
Hot off the heels of an extended SUNANDBASS tour through Australia and New Zealand earlier this year - together with Patife, Delicat and Stamina MC - A Sides now makes a glorious return to the festival’s very own label with a four-track EP that sees him in deadly form. Aptly titled “Fours EP“, this particular release isn’t only working as a showcase of A Sides’ undisputed prowess in the studio and his versatile musical nature, but as an urgent reminder why you fell in love with this music - and the annual SUNANDBASS festival on Sardinia that sees its 17th edition this year - in the first place: massive basslines, delicate melodies, skilled programming and a hi-def production form an entity with blustering impact. Add MC Fats’ unique, soothing vocal style to this list, and you know you’re in for a musical treat you simply can’t get enough of.
“Being drafted in to do this project was something special for me, as I hold my SUNANDBASS memories close to my heart. When I created this EP I wanted to use these festival experiences as forms of inspiration, which enabled me to experiment in different sub genres of drum & bass. “Arctic“ is very deep, emotional and rather special as I also feature MC Fats on vocals. “Follower“ is more of a reggae influence roller, “Need“ is liquid funk inspired by house music, and “Conscious Dub“ leans heavily on my dub/reggae influences“.
“Fours EP“ is serving up a stunning investigation of state of the art drum and bass and beyond, which comfortably sits between the angular and the alluring. Floor-filling guaranteed.
Drawing from their long time experience in the wider electronic music scene, Bluematter is the collaborative brainchild of Jozef K & Thomas Ragsdale; an alchemical fusion of style and influence, focussed through the lens of contemporary junglism.
Bluematter’s heady concoctions of tumbling breakbeats & morphing technoid riffs have been turning many a head on the dancefloor, with trainspotters rolling up to the decks in droves seeking the source of these otherworldly rhythms; both refreshingly unique and instantly nostalgic.
To kick off the dawn of a new decade and their first release of 2020 in fine style, Phuture Shock Musik very proudly present ‘La Búsqueda’ - the debut album from multi-skilled musician Damián Botigué aka to the long player format. Barcelona-based producer and Karmasound.
Having released his first 12” ‘Probabalidades’ EP on the Bristol imprint to wide acclaim in 2018, followed by a solid sophomore effort ‘Can See Thru You’ one year later; whilst also contributing to recent projects by label mate Cyclonix and Wolf Music signee Pedro, Karmasound has steadily gained momentum to graduate to the long player format.
Comprised of ten tracks steeped in existential themes, ‘La Búsqueda’ stands out as the producer’s most personal and accomplished work to date, where jazz - particularly of the 70’s Latin fusion/funk variety – is a key source of its inspiration in terms of sound, yet with a contemporary electronic-infused spin and loosely within a broken beat context. Besides taking cues from the above styles, each composition is informed by Botigué’s soulful, interstellar sound that combines live instrumentation with analogue studio gadgetry and a vast range of influences; including hip hop, soul, Afro-Latin, electronica and the forward-thinking sensibilities of the early 00’s West London sound. This rich musical diversity running throughout the LP, strikes a fitting balance between the past and the future that aligns with Phuture Shock’s sonic vision.
