Reports
Reports
Red Pal, UK Runtz & MC Bush - Say Wha & Doing It Again
Strange Times aims to revitalise the UKG underground by introducing fresh sounds that echo classic garage vibes. 'Say Wha' features gritty drums, choppy hi-hats, and nostalgic adlibs from MC Bush. On the flip side, 'Doing It Again' combines lively instrumentals with playful lyrics, referencing classic UKG elements as MC Bush returns with more of what makes him great. Both tracks celebrate the raw energy of the garage scene and resonate with its history.
Edward - Deep Sea Villain
Edward's transition to a more active, dance floor-focused style retains a surrealist vibe. His music features vivid house beats with oddball ambience, highlighted in his remix of Trybet's 'Mood Setter.' The EP showcases a more rough, ready, vintage sound with dusty drums and hypnotic melodies while bringing back a resonating ambience alongside garage grooves and glitches. Deep Sea Villain is a strong addition to Edward's and Oyster Cult's discography, suited for deeper nights.
Sasha GiGi, JADED & Surya Sen - Coins (Extended)
It can get disheartening how seriously dance music takes itself these days. Contemporary dance music longs to return to more energetic and fun tracks like those from Groovejet and Utah Saints. The latest single, Coins (Extended), by Sasha GiGi, JADED, and Surya Sen, embraces a playful and catchy style reminiscent of early pop club rap while maintaining solid dance music production. The track features engaging wobbles and a memorable rap chorus, revitalising a sense of fun in the dance music scene.
Lust For Youth & Croatian Amor - Dummy Feat. Purient
Lust for Youth, a Danish-Swedish electronic duo, has evolved their sound since the early 2010s from analogue ambient to a more polished synth style. Their upcoming album with Croatian Amor, All Words, will be released on March 7th, featuring the first single, Dummy. This track combines spoken word rap with UK garage elements, appealing to modern pop sensibilities while maintaining an inner-city edge. Despite its high energy and pop aesthetic, Dummy also incorporates a murky shoegaze sound, reflecting emotion and authenticity. I predict this will be blasting from call windows come mid-summer.
not even noticed - nocturnal slide
The Frankfurt duo, not even noticed, is recognized for their ability to rejuvenate classic breakbeat elements while incorporating a forward-thinking approach to drum and bass. Their latest release, Nocturnal Slides (2025) on Gimme A Break Records, showcases their talent by blending old-school influences with modern sounds. Tracks like 'Ethur' and 'Queso' weave emotive liquid drum and bass with uplifting pads and gritty basslines, while 'Jitter' challenges genre boundaries with jump-up DnB drums and acid bases. The duo also explores different styles in 'Kura', evoking a garage feel, and delivers raw energy in 'Rustle', appealing to hardcore junglists. The Phasmid remix adds a trippy twist, showcasing their innovative approach to production.