A mainstay on the label, Dresden-born / Berlin-based B-boy Worf is up there with Kiat as the most consistent and prolific artist in the collective since his ‘City Of Meth’ EPs in back in 2018. Following various appearances and cameos on the imprint since, his emotional, hip-hop influenced designs are back in the form of his most accomplished release so far.
Jim Coles once again turns the tide towards a new horizon and travels further into the echo chamber. Leading on from the much-lauded ‘Secret Location’ mini-album with Seekersinternational, one-offs such as ‘Open Palms dub’ (Dub Stuy) and other teasings, ‘Acid Dub Studies’ is the fully-fledged result of the merging of the calligraphic expression of the 303 Acid bassline with the stern sway of Dub Reggae and the hazier edges of Dub Techno and Ambient music.
For those who have been paying close attention, this project will come as a welcome return to the vulnerability and playfulness of early Om Unit records such as his sub-radar single from 2010 ‘Lightgrids/Lavender’ (All City Records) or the unearthed chugging ambience of ‘Friend of Day’ (Idle Hands) and indeed in some sense draws from similar wellsprings as moments on 2013’s Bass classic ‘Threads’.
Whilst being perhaps an ‘interim project’ this is still a vital and important expression of exploration and playfulness. A study in the true sense and borne out of a subtle but pervasive frustration with the rigidity found in musical words he has up to now been cohabiting, Acid Dub Studies comes from the pressing need to break with perceived expectation and to explore an honest and natural space away from the genre labels and tags that had been often lazily applied to his sizeable catalogue of music.
With no desire to reinvent the wheel, rather to paint pictures in an honest framework, the LP was crafted using a medley of classic analogue mixing techniques inspired as much by the adventurous dubbing of Adrian Sherwood as by the inward- delving haze of Scott Monteith’s Deadbeat project. Created during a period of lonely introspective walks through his home town of Bristol, the cover art is a photograph of some of the iron kerbstones that are found almost exclusively in the characterful and hardy city which were installed in the late 1800’s to protect pavements from cart wheels. Something about the permanence of those iron slabs and cobblestones inspired a sense of comfort and determination.
Acid Dub Studies is due for release as yet another self-released label-free project leading on from recent EP titles ‘Violet’ and ‘Submerged’ both of which hinted at some of the shapes found in this full length album.
Once again Jim has shown a rare convincing adaptability that few electronic artists can embody. Another step on the journey of personal and creative curiosity that fans are sure to appreciate.
HTS005 bring East Man & Walton back together for another collaborative single. The A side, ‘Screw Face’, is a hard as nails square wave 8 bar banger with a big bad bass line that makes you want to screw up your face and jump around the dance floor.
The B side is a hard stepper that plods along at a seemingly glacial pace. ‘Don’t Speak’ brings a mix of off kilter percussion and chest rattling sub bass that when combined bring a deep meditative quality to the track. This is one for the head nodders in the dark corners of the dance.
Dubcore Volume 21 comes as a split with mutant junglists from poland. Riffz & Dubsknit and We Rob Rave, who are Pzg & Dubsknit each one drops two tunes on this release. following up the Dubcore Volume 19 by We Rob Rave again with a magnetic blend of jungle, juke and happy hardcore.
Hijinx (aka MR.K) delivers a 3-track EP for his second Navy Cut release.
A side ‘Venom’ is a track that has mutated every sound system it has been played on. The B Side comes with the low end shuffle of ‘TRU’ and the anticipated dub ‘Addict’. Hijinx has many sides to his production style and he has delivered a truly faultless EP for bass music fans.
WOD017 sees the legendary Mike Ash at full throttle like a well stoked steam engine with 2 Acid House and 2 Electro monsters which will destroy any dance floor known to man....a sure fire 2021 classic EP. Turn it up to 11, close your eyes and feel the burn.
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