Dubstep 372 Items

Dub techno perfection from Rod, Steve and Convextion.

A new EP by The Untouchables is always a treat to be savoured, but the opening track of their latest for DNO is so deliciously tense, so foaming at the mouth with anticipation, that it’s hard not to gulp down the whole release in one go. A minute and a half of sinister notes trying to jab their way through a thick filter and there’s no doubting ‘Emu’ is gonna be one hell of a ride — and it doesn’t disappoint, revealing the stabs in all their gritty darkcore glory, and unleashing a torrent of system-shaking subs.

As per, the Belgian duo present a masterclass in merging dub’s unparalleled spaciousness with techno’s unrelenting drive, and delivering it all at a drum & bass tempo. On ‘Punjab Chant’, a South Asian vocal call and various wind and percussive instrumentation from the region are pulled apart, lashed with delay, and layered over rubbery subs, resulting in an intense intercontinental dubwise belter.

‘Ragga Ting’ goes full digi dancehall, maintaining pace while employing sultry dembow-style syncopation and a hefty droning bassline that seems to loop ad infinitum. It’s an innovative move and one that’s sure to get hips swinging in the dance.

And the final track on wax, ‘86 Dread’, is pure bass weight, its boxy drums almost swallowed up by the sullen low-end, with only crisp shakers and the odd sonic squiggle poking above the gloom.

Digital bonus track ‘Planetarium Space’ brings the tempo down, but fills the mix with the hurried tick of hi-hats and pattering congas, dollops of reverse bass that add slippery off-kilter movement, and a rogues’ gallery of ghostly organ and other haunted samples and synths that wouldn’t feel out of place in an ‘80s horror flick.

Always taking a leftfield route to rattle your ribcage, The Untouchables and DNO once again prove they’re a perfect pairing. Yum, yum.

Rhythms of postmodern realism at the very bottom of the DNO.

Clearlight returns, two years on from his DNO debut alongside regular collaborator Owl, with five otherworldly solo excursions.

What’s most striking about the Belgian’s work is the way he brings digital textures to life. Like an alien biosphere that doesn't abide by our own natural laws, his soundscapes are irregular and uncanny, but in a way that makes them feel all the more real.

Tracks like ‘Super Strong’ and ‘Heavy Feet’ sway and wobble to cumbersome beats, lumbering through swamps of croaking, chirping, fizzing things. The former eventually collapses into total abstraction, while the latter endures blasts of technoid bass, like the retrorockets of some hulking spacecraft coming in to land.

‘Spinning Head’ is powered by a buzzing oscillator that rolls back and forth across the stereo field. Paired with assorted clattering, clanking percussive debris, it’s an unnerving yet oddly pleasant experience, as if someone were rummaging around between your ears to help find a part that’s come loose.

Lead track ‘Water Willy’ is stranger still. Shifting from something akin to an exotica record played at the wrong speed to a melancholy whalesong lullaby, its twangs, chimes and plodding bass pulse create an eerie but beautiful ambience reminiscent of the deep ocean.

Only bonus track ‘Salt Cube’ is willing to break the spell, upping the pace to deliver the EP’s most traditionally dancefloor-friendly cut in the form of glitchy minimal d&b, with a heavyweight halftime switch post-breakdown.

Taking sounds from the club, but clearly not feeling forced to cater for it, Clearlight grows alternate realities that feel familiar, but offer wondrous, illuminating new experiences. Step inside and join him.

Rhythms of postmodern realism at the very bottom of the DNO.

Celebrating dubwise origins, Mole Audio delivers two fresh remixes of their very first release: Andy Martin ft. Gavsborg’s Plato & Caves.

Gavsborg is a towering figure in Jamaica’s dancehall scene. So when Andy found an acapella, he set to work on a renegade edit. Subsequently approved and embraced by Gavborg himself, Andy’s interpretation provided the launch point for Mole Audio – and is re-envisioned twice more here.

Paired with the original A-side, the first B-side remix comes courtesy of Dub War’s legendary Bill Fuller. A progenitor of London bass music, Bill’s records as Dubwar are prized among collectors. Pairing hypnotic beats with spacious textures, an insistent analog bass line weaves its way through an infectiously dystopian atmosphere.

Taking a minimalistic house-driven approach, Andy’s all-new Mad Magnetism Version brings Gavsborg’s original vocal to a prime time environment. Sizzling high hats and diving bass drops combine to keep the dancefloor in motion before insistent dub chords further elevate the urgent atmosphere.

Combined with the original and Nit Yardman’s remix, the resulting package once again showcases Mole Audio’s unique approach to modern dub aesthetics.

Yung Dumb Records returns to Argentina for Yd019 with the 'Feel Alright' EP by Manuel Sahagun. The Buenos Aires house maestro offers up a 4-tracker, kicking off the EP with the title song which provides nothing short of an infectious swinging groove, with dusty vocals and percussion layered over dubby stabs. For the follow up, a classic techno-oriented homage by Montreal's Fred Everything for remix duties. The B-Side delves into stranger territory with 'Mellow', a brooding, deep and melodic house cut. Lastly, the record closes out with 'No More', a haunting ambient tune with minimal percussion for the headphones and night drives alike.

No More Mailouts label boss Sir Hiss, provides the latest release on Innamind Recordings.

‘Ran’ is the A-side of the third release by Subtle Recordings, Subtle003, which features two complementary tracks created in collaboration by two of Aotearoa’s finest underground Bass Music artists, Ebb and Headland. ‘Ran’ begins powerfully with a melodic roller, snare stabs, and the occasional slack kick. Combined with penultimate sirens, it lures the listener into a false sense of security before laying down the second drop. An almighty dark synth slathers the floor, creating a suspenseful but murky atmosphere. Drawing the listener in with its hypnotic rhythm and ominous tones, ‘Ran’ brings the heat and gets the crowd frothing.

‘Tsar’ is the B-side of the third release by Subtle Recordings, Subtle003, which features two complementary tracks created in collaboration by two of Aotearoa’s finest underground Bass Music artists, Ebb and Headland. ‘Tsar’, as its namesake suggests, is a formidable force in 140. The track kicks off with a grunting bassline, contrasted overtop with a haunting oscillating hum, setting the stage for all-out mayhem. The track explodes into a sustained highly distorted synth before laying waste with a timely drop in key, cementing a foundation-rattling bassline. We then enter Tsar’s renaissance moment, where a positively uplifting ensemble ensues, until the relentless machine pushes through once again.

Albion Collective returns with a slick, boundary-pushing vinyl EP from Bristol’s own ØZ. This three-tracker, following on from Yoofee’s debut in 2021, continues to explore the vibrant, colourful and truly imaginative textures of 140 whilst staying true to the bass-driven ethos at the label’s core.

Opening up the EP, ØZ gives the people what they want. Within 16 bars ‘Namib’ is squelching, writhing and undulating in all the set-igniting ways an A-side should. Deep low- end, pristine sound design and a second drop fit for the steppas, ‘Namib’ is what we came here for. ‘Plasticity’ is why we stay, as it dives headfirst from the dark mystique and wonder of a Guillermo del Toro fairy-tale and into a glitched-out maelstrom sparking with electrified sub-knocks and eyebrow-searing white noise. While the A-side gets darker, the B-side gets funkier with ‘dawn’, unleashing slick keys and a mean trumpet solo over funky licks and ghetto basslines.

Albion Collective is proud to return with their first release in over a year, welcoming ØZ to the label as a brand-new signee with a wholly unique take on 140.

An ode to the future beat movement and the 1st vinyl release from Portland, Oregon's own Saltfeend. With releases on Australia's Uncomfortable Beats & Belgium's Urban Waves this 4 track EP is his first for Organik. Comes with a full color sleeve.

The latest Innamind release is from production duo De-tü. Soundsystem music, true to the underground.

Hotflush Recordings celebrates 20 years in the game this year, with a triple pack vinyl compilation featuring some of the key musical events in the label’s catalogue.

Born in 2003, Hotflush stands as one of electronic music’s most influential labels. A multi-dimensional imprint that helped define the development of bass music throughout the mid-2000s, in the last decade it would evolve towards the liminal spaces between house, techno, and beyond - a journey which has given the dancefloor some of its true underground classics.

This celebratory release covers every era and stylistic area of the Hotflush output. 2005’s proto-dubstep face melter ‘The Knowledge’ by Toasty kicks off Side A, with the key sides of bass music development all covered with tracks from James Blake, Loefah, Sepalcure, and Scuba.

UK techno legend Surgeon appears with his seminal remix of Scuba’s ‘Ruptured’ (2008), while the early Paul Woolford classic ‘mdma’ reminds us of how ended up working with Diplo.

George FitzGerald and Recondite reprise some of their key formative material, while newer names Lawrence Hart, OR:LA and breakout Seoul artist Closet Yi also make appearances.

Canadian mastermind Jacques Greene rounds off the release with his slamming remix of Kiimi’s Breaking My Mind.

This is a compilation 20 years in the making, containing some of the key tracks from the electronic underground - curated and compiled by label boss Scuba.

Edition of 200, each one in unique multi DIY print sleeve designed by Pietro Agostoni. Mastered and cut at Analogcut, Berlin.

Tugging at the heart strings with his new release, Cartridge shows why he is one of the most highly rated producers in the game. This is a sublimely deep yet diverse EP which showcases Cartridge's musical side. Sometimes melancholic on tracks like Abandon and Voyage. Poignant and touching with Valentines Ting. The title track Sweetheart is not only melody driven, it's also a proven party mover.

Each of the tracks tells their own story and as an overall release they come together to make something greater than the sum of their parts. This is Cartridge stepping his game up to the top level.