A Made Up Sound - Sun Touch

Label: A Made Up Sound

Released: 2009

Style: Techno, Dubstep

"Dave Huismans aka 2562 unloads the second release for his A Made Up Sound imprint. Compared to the outright Detroit ebullience of AMS 001, this plate acts as an outlet for his more esoteric leanings, constructing three tracks that don't feel like immediate 'floor hits, but burn with a more cosmic and atmospheric abstraction while still driven by incredibly efficient and well-tuned rhythmic engines. 'Sun Touch' scopes the scene's minimalistic radar bleeps and Radiophonic synth textures carried by an itchy Shake-styled rhythm, while 'Drain' enters a sombre zone of hazy grey drones and spring loaded steppers rhythms for the more adventurous DJs. Finally 'Shortcut' gives time for some ruff drum machine experimentation harking back to his 'Archive' release for Clone's Basement series. He's still way out on his own, which makes each and every one of his records worth checking." - Boomkat

Tracklisting:

1 Sun Touch (6:31)

2 Drain (5:13)

3 Untitled (Shortcut) (2:30)

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Peverelist - Infinity Is Now / Junktion

Label: Tectonic
Released: 2008
Style: Dubstep

"The man like Peverelist drops an absolute killer joint for Tectonic. This producer has been a delight to watch in development recently, from the early shockwaves emitted from the 'Erstwhile rhythm' just over a year ago, the Bristol scene stalwart has kept us on the edge of our collective seat waiting for more of his patented hybrid dubstep techno machinations, thankfully we were satiated with the awesome 'Die brucke/roll with the punches' 12" and the equally fantastic Appleblim hookup a few weeks back, but this solo outing for tectonic really cements his position as a purveyor of the finest strain of dubstep/techno. 'Infinity is now' takes the finest route possible between the motorik qualities of Berlin dub techno and swung UK garage rhythms and arrives at an intersection combining the two into a fantastically immersive dancefloor experience. Taking a typically teutonic longview approach to his compositions, rather than simple soundsystem friendly bass drops and arpeggiated hype, Peverelist opts for churning techno styled undercarriages and in this case a lead synthline that could come from a Japanese telecom production, to forge a headstrong and esoteric style quite like no other. 'Junktion' arrives at another crossing point between dubstep experimentalism and techno's eternal drive, with skipping kick drums sounding closer to a British Murder Boys pattern than anything remotely dubstep, it's only when the rolling pressure of the subs wamp their way in that you realise where he's coming from. This is some proper heavyweight, forward thinking tackle which we URGE you to get on staright away! Your life will be far better for it." - Boomkat

Tracklisting:

1 Infinity Is Now (8:23)
2 Junktion (8:26)

Link

2562 - Love In Outer Space / Third Wave

Label: Tectonic
Released: 2009
Style: Techno, Dubstep

"Dubstep release of the week comes from 2562 with the shocking 'Love In Outer Space' and 'Third Wave' cuts dropping smart and heavy on Tectonic. It's hard not to fall for 'Love In Outer Space', easily one of the most abstract and stylish cuts we've heard from Dave Huismans casuallystepping forward from the minimalism of previous efforts with large splashes of melodic colour strewn across the tipsy-pitched rhythm. On the flip 'Third Wave' is a slightly more standard 2562 cut, but that's no bad thing as this reminds us of his 'Techno Dread' or 'Hijack' tracks with uptempo 4/4s offset by crafty drums and minimised vibes on the keys. Just try and hold yourself back from this!" - Boomkat

Tracklisting:

1 Love In Outer Space (4:55)
2 Third Wave (6:06)

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Kode 9 - Black Sun / 2 Far Gone

Label: Hyperdub
Released: 2009
Style: Dubstep

"Steve Goodman continues to shift his style towards the Funky light wih two more brilliant cuts for Hyperdub further removed from his previous dread bass dubstep explorations. 'Black Sun' is quite the shocker, sounding like the mutant basschild of Drexciya and 4 Hero with rippling junglist/dubstep subbass wrapped around a bobbling square-wave bassline and tucked under the tidiest rhythm syncopations this side of Anthony Shakir. That's not to mention the unruly synthline that just owns the whole thing, sounding like James Stinson jamming with Quartta 330 with a seriously ear-worming effect that will hold any audience captive for it's duration. It's seriously smart gear. The dread vibes of his previous work rears it's darkened head on flipside track '2 Far Gone', leaning heavily on the synthline vibes with murkily resonant pads building the tension before skip-swinging patterns find their groove and suck you into some irresistable dance inducing polyrhythms. The dislocated vocal intoning "...it's too far gone" sets a severely ominous tone for the whole thing, balancing out the feminine and floor friendly rhythms with a skunked out paranoia dense and lush enough to fall madly in love with. This is a mindblowingly good single and we'd even say it outstrips its predecessor '2 Bad' quite easily. Obviously, if you like Burial, 4 Hero or Drexciya you really need to pick this up. Awesome." - Boomkat

Tracklisting:

1 Black Sun (5:25)
2 2 Far Gone (6:10)

Link

Geiom - Island Noise

Label: Berkane Sol
Released: 2007
Style: Dubstep

"Making good use of his extensive musical vocabulary and broad interest in just about as many musical styles as you could bring to mind, Kamal Joory here delivers his latest full-length, and the first for his very own Berkane Sol imprint. As opposed to most of his dubstep brethren, Geiom's musical legacy is loosely rooted in IDM and his releases for the Neo Ouija label, alongside the more organic, hybrid compositions together with Morgan Caney for their excellent "Magic Radios" album. After a period of dormancy, Joory brought the Geiom moniker back to life last year, with a new-found interest in Dubstep. As the sales notes describe perfectly well there's a "tropical melancholy" at the heart of this album, and the melodies at the core of each of these tracks are in the classic Geiom vein - emotive and layered. Drawing as much inspiration from Delia Derbyshire as he does from Kode 9, Geiom enriches his sound sources with a keen willingness to diversify and evolve through each of the 12 tracks here, from the slightly John Carpenter-esque eeriness of the aptly titled "Futurerustic", to the Persian halfstep of the excellent "Farski". In a year that dubstep albums seem to have finally come into their own, Geiom's "Island Noise" is the most organic and possibly the least conventional offering you'll pick up this year, and a timely return to the fray from this clearly talented producer. Recommended." - Boomkat

Tracklisting:

1 Island Noise (4:51)
2 Canopy Desire (5:05)
3 Hydropine (5:16)
4 Six Times Seven (5:29)
5 Everlasting (5:32)
6 Futurerustic (5:33)
7 Farski (4:37)
8 Safety Patterns (5:11)
9 Getaline (5:25)
10 Cardoza (5:18)
11 Inbuilt Chaos (5:06)
12 Pheli Nazir (5:07)

Link

2562 - Aerial

Label: Tectonic
Released: 2008
Style: Techno, Dubstep

"Over a succession of rhythm melting vinyl releases for Tectonic, SubSolo and Philpot, Dave Huismans has asserted himself as the leading practitioner of forward thinking dancefloor motions currently in operation. Under the' Dogdaze, A Made Up Sound and his revered 2562 moniker Huismans has shocked the now merged techno and dubstep fraternities with a brilliantly consistent stream of bare bones riddims encompassing brittle 2-step, lurching techno and bass driven dub with a fractured brokenbeat aesthetic that sounds quite unlike anything else being produced today. Aerial is Huismans' massively anticipated debut album and contains some of the most deadly material produced under his 2562 guise, formed into a coherent statement of ten tracks set to detonate headphoness and Soundsystems around the world this summer. This CD edition pulls together four tracks previously dispatched over the course of three individual 12"s released in the last year, plus six sparkling fresh productions primed to dub the world into submission. The set skanks into view with 'Redux' plumbing the depths of a breezing downtempo dub cut in the finest Rhythm & Sound styles, and clearing the airspace for the snaking syncopations of 'Morvern'. From here there's a run of tracks culled from recent releases, ready to educate unblessed ears with some bass stepping sanctification, but the real treats for those who've been paying close attention come in the form of the stunning 'Basin dub' composed from delicate blue chords and a double-timed rhythmic intuition that couldn't have come from anyone else, followed by the equally crushing 'Greyscale', realisng many a technoXdubstep nerd's wet dream with a sacred stylistic blend of Burial, Basic Channel and T++ that leaves us floored. Finally another new effort 'The times' signs off the album with some moody and expansive dub chords whipped into spectral plumes over a coma-slow riddim that brings us full circle and ready for repeat. This album follows in the massively revered tradition of dub experimentation and rhythm science laid down in the lineage stretching from Lee Perry through King Tubby, Scientist, Steve Gurley, Dillinja, Photek, Rhythm & Sound, Kode 9 and Burial, so all we can say is that if any of those names have remotely affected you in any way you really need to check this album out. Without doubt one of the albums of the year - absolutely mighty."

Tracklisting:

1 Redux (4:42)
2 Morvern (4:52)
3 Moog Dub (4:37)
4 Channel Two (5:28)
5 Techno Dread (5:32)
6 Basin Dub (4:53)
7 Greyscale (5:04)
8 Enforcers (5:49)
9 Kameleon (5:35)
10 The Times (4:44)

Link

Benga - Diary Of An Afro Warrior

Label: Tempa
Released: 2008
Style: Dubstep

"One of the scene's youngest and brightest talents finally drops off his debut album proper for Tempa, and needless to say, it's mucking fassive. Benga has been an integral cog in the dubstep machine since the genres inception, producing his first genre defining e.p at the tender age of 16, with 'Skank/dose' on the original dubstep label, Big Apple, and has since proceeded to rule the scene with a slew of irrefutably influential releases for everyone from Planet Mu to Hot Flush, and his own Benga Beats imprint. Alongside his school pal Ollie Jones, aka Skream, Benga has come to define this particularly virulent and effective strain of the the hardcore continuum known as dubstep, marrying a rudeboy raving attitude with a devastatingly raw production talent and passion for bass to come up with the freshest dancefloor sound currently coming out of the UK right now. Kicking off with the jazzing juxtaposition of 'Zero M2', the CD moves through outright anthem 'Night' onto the massive 'B4 the dual', placing Moondog style big band wind instrumentation over a skipping Benga special, with unreal effects. Why isn't this on the vinyl copy fo f*cks sake?!?! Again, another CD only cut, 'someone 20' shows another previously unheard side to benga, with a slack and moody electro disco cut sounding quite unlike anything we've ever heard from him before. The album moves through more anthems on 'Crunked up' before arriving at electro hardcore beast 'go tell them' sounding like it could have come from Luke Vibert's Spac Hand Luke project. In the albums final 3rd, the lights are dimmed for the awesome run of 'emotions' (the b-side to 'night'), followed by '3 minutes' and the tranced out minimalism of 'pleasure', indicating very exciting new directions for dubstep as it embraces the funky house and techno scenes and moves slightly away from the skunked out rave bliss of yesteryear. The CD copy also includes the alternative ending of 'loose synths' with Benga rolling up for a velvet smooth landing with some darkly opulent synthwork, sharing more in common with Italo or European electro than anything vaguely dubstep. Seriously classy stuff, the cd edition in particular." - Boomkat

Tracklisting:

1 Zero M2
2 Night
3 B4 The Dual
4 E Trips
5 Someone 20
6 Light Bulb
7 Crunked Up
8 Go Tell Them
9 The Cut
10 Emotions
11 3 Minutes
12 Pleasure
13 26 Basslines
14 Loose Synths

Link

Skream - Skreamizm Vol. 2

Label: Tempa
Released: 2006
Style: Dubstep

"It kind of goes without saying, but Skream really can lay a serious claim to the pure Dubstep crown - taking as he does the gut-shuddering bass that underlies the genre, then giving it a 20/20 top-spin of shrapnel melody which makes it as catchy as it is devastating. Following the massive success of 'Skreamizm', the second volume is just as addictive and full of tunes that will be recognisable to the dubstep heads thanks to their hammering from the likes of Mary Anne Hobbs as well as being included on all the pirate shows and mixtapes that count. With a tracklisting that boasts 'Blipstream', 'Welcome 2 The Future', '0800', 'Deep Concentration', 'Morning Blues' and 'Dub Period', 'Skreamizm 2' is packed to burst with all the prime-cuts that people have been clamoring for, and acts as a proper teaser for the forthcoming debut LP. With highlights coming thick and fast, the lad Skream really does make something very complex sounds astonishingly simple; a feat that marks this out as yet another step in a formidable rise. I skream!" - Boomkat

Tracklisting:

1 Blipstream (3:44)
2 Welcome 2 The Future (4:30)
3 0800 Dub (4:27)
4 Deep Concentration (5:17)
5 Morning Blues (4:26)
6 Dub Period (6:44)

Link

Skream - Skreamizm Vol. 1

Label: Tempa
Released: 2006
Style: Dubstep

"Easily the most anticipated dubstep release since err... the last Skream release, 'skreamizm vol.1' is the heavyweight double pack of the most sought after dubs in the trade. Since the astronomical success of 'midnight reuqest line' the 19 year old producer has become one of the most talked about and revered young British producers currently operating, forging a headstrong and determined style similar to that of his peers Digital Mystikz and Kode 9, yet retaining his own watermark of originality and design. The success of his productions can be largely put down to the uncanny execution of the dual functions of melodies for the shak-out and the rhythmic codes to unlock skanking feet. 'Glamma' opens the show with a classic Skream circus melody and the stickiest bassline since '28g', purely gloopy aural satisfaction. The untitled track from Youngsta's allstars 2 mix gets a vinyl cut, a reflective steppa for ultimate bass weight meditation. The fruity loops flutes are cracked out on 'rottan', in stark contrast with the chasmic bassline drone and slo-mo darkcore stabs, holding back the brukkout drop for 'lightening'. Rinsing out a writhing amen with a huge undertow of warped half tempo bass, the taut balance between brukkout energy and dubstep restraint is shocking and completely irresistable. 'Hag' rounds out the pack with a pressurised hardstepper, bare riddim essentials embellished with whipcracking snares and spacious chord stabs just begging to be heard on the biggest soundsystem you can lay your hands on. A benchmark release for the dubstep fraternity and beyond." - Boomkat

Tracklisting:

1 Glamma (4:54)
2 Untitled (3:52)
3 Smiley Face (4:00)
4 Rottan (5:04)
5 Lightning (4:37)
6 Hag (5:19)

Link

Kode9 & The Spaceape

Label: Hyperdub
Released: 2006
Style: Dubstep, UK Garage, Experimental

"After the widely acclaimed Burial debut album, Hyperdub throw out another tangential long player, a mutant satellite to the grime/dubstep scenes, this time from label boss Kode9 and resident vocalist Spaceape. Memories of the Future features 14 dread filled flash-backs and flash-forwards from a world trembling in an echology of fear. The future has collapsed in on the present and spaceship earth is on route to nowhere. The album brings together the long sought after Hyperdub debut single 'Sine of the Dub' from early 2004 with other minor classics such as 'Kingstown', recent singles 'Backward' and '9 Samurai' and 10 new tracks of uneasy, sometimes queasy listening. Time scrambling dubtronic poet, Spaceape circulates around the lyrical black hole he calls home with tales of cultural addiction, urban paralysis, bioterror, smoldering flesh and psycho-affective meltdown. Yet they manage to conjure up a strange joy in these hallucinations of dystopia which infect the real present. ‘Glass’ eases you into a false sense of insecurity, a synthetic sea shanty for a spaceship adrift. ‘Victims’ descends down through the dub chamber and resurfaces towards the 'dread pop' of ‘Curious’(featuring debut appearance from Ms.Haptic), and the ‘dread hop’ of ‘Backward’ and ‘Portal’. Spaceape’s dark dictations and demented refrains form the consistent thread through 9’s loping rhythms, deranged melodies and walls of muffled, driving sub-bass. Alongside the singularly infamous 'Sine' are more doses of uniquely sticky, claustrophobic and katatonic bass poetry of 'Nine' and 'Correction'. The album closes with the cold shiver of ‘Lime’ and astro-dancehall of ‘Quantum’. But as Spaceape reminds us in ‘Glass’ – “It’s the beginning, not the end, that we have to reach last.” - Label

Tracklisting:

1 Glass (4:30)
2 Victims (3:51)
3 Backward (4:43)
4 Nine (1:54)
5 Curious (4:58)
6 Portal (4:25)
7 Addiction (3:40)
8 Sine (5:21)
9 Correction (3:15)
10 Kingstown (4:40)
11 9 Samurai (3:40)
12 Bodies (2:26)
13 Lime (1:55)
14 Quantum (3:18)

Link