Garage | 2Step | UK Funky | Bassline 382 Items

UK garage and 2-step sounds from DiSKOP.

Scruscru & Mike Fot return to SlothBoogie Recordings for the second instalment of their ‘Spliff Jams’ series, ‘Vol. 2’. Scruscru and Moscow’s Mike Fot teamed up between 2018 and 2020 for a series of jam sessions at the latter’s apartment to record a bunch of music using a variety of Roland and Korg gear late into the night. Vol.1 was released on Sloth Boogie in September of 2021 and here the pair return to the label for the Vol.2 to kick start 2022. ‘k60k’ leads the release, fusing skippy garage beats, squelchy acid licks, oscillating keys and cut up vocals, ‘Enjoint’ retrains a similar aesthetic with a shuffled garage-tinged rhythm and amalgamation of chopped and pitched vocals snippets while a bumpy bass groove and warbling chord sequences further fuel the bouncy groove. ‘Hummus Dealer’ follows next on the flip side and shifts focus to swinging breakbeats, bubbling synths and hazy brass samples throughout. ‘Bro’ccoli Lasagna’ then rounds out the release, dropping the tempo to deliver an ethereal slice of downtempo goodness fuelled by off-kilter drums, snaking resonant synth lines and airy textures.

Young LA star, Justin Jay, has already caught the ears of DJs and fans worldwide and released on the likes of dirtybird and Culprit. Last year, Jay shared an EP of deep house gold on Shall Not Fade sister label Lost Palms. Now he returns on their bass-oriented sublabel Time Is Now.

Hypnotized EP is a fun, breaks heavy romp featuring rave powerhouse trio Denham Audio and a remix by jungle mainstay Tim Reaper. From the off the energy is high, the title track rolling out pitched vocals and dramatic drops. "I Know" is ever more frenetic, breaks cascading over one another to a fever pitch, while Denham Audio collab "Swarm" brings out 303s and dramatic sub bass wobbles for a tour-de-force of hardcore dance vibes. Rising lofi house producer Angelo Jsn gives a euphoric, breathless edge to "Burgundy", an emotive space age trance number. Tim Reaper's untameable refix of "Swarm" keeps the heart racing to the end.

Hypnotize EP drops Friday 28th January, via Time Is Now.

Promesses and Kraak are proud to join forces on the occasion of Apulati Bien’s first vinyl release, “Azone”. Evelen apocalyptic braindance cuts make up this enigmatic album, where synthetic-insectoid soundscapes melt with raw ghetto beats for a result that is somewhere between mutant footwork, deconstructed dancehall and melancholic poetry that can be found in tracks such as “Non Riesco” (which features Italian vocals from Brussels-based artist, Radio Hito). Apulati Bien’ music breaks the boundaries between the real and synthetic world, and at the end of the album the question remains: Am I a robot? Azone will be available on February 18 digitally and in a limited edition green vinyl with a handmade silk-screened insert.

After two EPs on Pleasure Club, Johnny Hunter returns to the label with his first full length -Dub Is King LP. Fusing all of the styles he has become renowned for through his releases and DJ sets, this album see’s him incorporate dubby techno, spacey electro and UK garage flavours into one eclectic yet cohesive body of work.Created throughout the trials and tribulations of the last two years, Dub Is King LP is a message of optimism, unity and freedom, and is also a deep homage to Johnny's roots in soundsystem culture.

Storming through with the second release on Juicy Gang Records, label founder DJ Mell G invites queer grime artist Karnage Kills to debut his powerful lyrics on the JGR imprint. Packed with silky vocals supplied by the London-based artist and stitched across DJ Mell G's razor-sharp production, the pair have christened the three-track EP 'pu$$y Galore'.

Ghostbusters (Suzanne Kraft & Anton Pieete) spent all night investigating strange goings-on at a farm cottage, only to find squirrels. (quality record this...sik one)

Frankel & Harper deliver the appropriately named "Return EP" on their council work imprint. following on from the "Crouching Tiger EP", Cwr005 sticks to the signature Council Work sound, bringing together a fusion of UK Garage, Drum 'n Bass, Breakbeat, Dub and many other flavours. The 3 original tracks feature in the shape of Counter Strike, Armshouse and Return, with the release rounded off with an infectious, stripped back remix of the title track from Trule head honcho Al Wootton. From all out dance floor destroyers, to deeper and more cinematic textures, this collection of beats should easily find a home in many record bags.

Today Rozzma announces the ‘Khatar Sayeb’ EP, the artist’s first release for XL Recordings. He kicks off the EP release with ‘Hout’, a track that displays Rozzma’s knack for combining tribal sounds and contemporary urban/street music with a sharp, idiosyncratic flair. Rozzma is an Egyptian sound artist inspired by the era where sound preceded music – he finds inspiration in the similarities between the wilderness of prehistoric times and modern-day chaos. Having already performed his particular strain of music across the world and at festivals like Sonar and Unsound, Rozzma releases ‘Hout’ into the digital world with an animated video created by the artist’s close friend Mahmoud Shiha. “Hout is a celebration of beating the odds,” says Rozzma. “It’s about a specific state of mind where one finds comfort in the most extreme and unfortunate circumstances to beat the odds that one could instead fear.” The EP’s title ‘Khatar Sayeb’ means 'loose danger’. “The release challenges the idea that danger and fear are uncontrollable circumstances,” explains Rozzma. “We cannot fully diminish fear or danger. We can only condition ourselves to believe that safety exists during the absence of fear. It is however more dangerous to deny the uncertainty of danger itself. Danger is a very broad state with infinite circumstances. But it is also infinitely uncertain and mainly linked to luck. We do not control our luck; good or bad. And it is solely luck that dictates danger and safety. It is for that reason that one’s best chances may be to condition themselves to find comfort in danger. Loose danger to be specific.” Rozzma’s world is one of status quos being challenged, whether that be the real world, the historical world or specifically in the world of music. Rozzma won’t let you settle with what you believe. Everything deserves to be challenged.