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From a lifetime dedicated to the craft of jungle and breakbeat culture, Yorobi steps up on Sneaker Social Club to deliver her first solo EP. Her prior outing on wax alongside Tim Reaper in 2020 built on years immersed in the scene as a DJ, from her first moves on pirate radio and at underground dances in Amsterdam through to her frequent presence at vital dances like Rupture. She’s worked with the likes of Sun People and dropped heat on labels such as Repertoire, Planet Wax, Parallax and Exit, but now is the time for her to present the full scope of her creative vision across five expansive forays into inventive D&B abstractions, mutant electro and inverted ambient soundscapes.

There are familiar threads detectable in melodic brushstrokes or sharply angled drum edits on these tunes, perhaps calling to mind the most innovative corners of the Logical Progression compilations, a splash of braindance here or a hidden corner of a Photek LP there, but such impressions are juxtaposed with idiosyncratic swerves which make Yorobi’s work entirely her own. Drawing on intensely personal themes through her own rendition of the traditional spiritual ‘Motherless Child’ and indulging her own tangential experiments deconstructing 80s dancehall, reflecting on the limitations of psychology and channeling her inner Aphex, Yorobi runs at the extended play format with an unbound energy which makes for some of the most effervescent, inventive rollers we’ve heard in a long time. If you thought everything that needed to be said in drum & bass had been already expressed through decades of drops, think again.

One of the biggest, breakbeat channelling stompers out there, courtesy of the in-demand duo Borai and Denham Audio, finally gets an official release with three fiery remixes via Room Two Recordings. A track that’s ripped through airwaves and club dancefloors alike, ‘Make Me’ has all the hallmarks of a future classic. Doused in Amen breaks, rattling subs, rave stabs and an instantly recognizable mid ‘80s Donna Allen sample. Together the track feels like a long forgotten rave anthem from the ‘90s with its mix of high intensity breaks and soulful vocals. With the original sample cleared, three producers step up to remix this undeniable anthem. First Sheffield’s Big Ang with her Rave To The Grave remix, playing homage to her hometown with a bassline and bleep flavoured rework. Mani Festo then hits hyperspace with his glitched out, jungle warper, before Paul Sirrell closes out proceedings serving up a huge slice of piano house heat.

Mind Control: Making people believe by shaping what they hear; a sonata for the age of acceleration morphosis; a music born under punches. Play at any required speed.
Cristian Vogel is a life-long innovator in the design, composition and performance of electronic sounds. His independent career in music and audio technology has won prizes and awards establishing him as an outstanding influence in the field of composition for studio, club culture and stage. He performs, remixes and produces original music and sound design at an international level. He has lived in Brighton, Barcelona, Berlin and Geneva and is now permanently based in Copenhagen where he continues creating technologically based music, sound and audio technology at his design studios Ekometic and NeverEngineLabs.

Vinyl with scuffs and hairlines

Pera Sta Ori returns at To Pikap Records with a 90’s rave scene inspired EP. Old school jungle vibes meet modern production skills in four tracks of furious breakbeat manipulation, pitched vocal samples and heavy bass, made up for the dance floor.

Nziria, the new experimental project by artist Tullia Benedicta, debuts on Gabber Eleganza’s imprint Never Sleep with a full-length titled Xxybrid. Recorded during a period of worldwide lockdown, the album represents the artist’s psychomagic act to redeem their Neapolitan origins and to reinterpret some of the topoi of the Neapolitan culture. Nziria integrates the main forms and themes of the Neomelodic song, while regenerating the cis-heteronormative scenario. Through a powerful and androgynous singing, they reinterpret the stereotyped, almost archetypal stories of the Neomelodic genre, welcoming narratives of the Lgbtqi+ community and singing of queer love and mercurial identities. Through the album, Nziria re-appropriates the Neapolitan dialect, which they learnt from their grandparents: the word itself, 'nziria, is an almost untranslatable dialect word, indicating the obstinate and unprovoked tantrum of children when they’re tired. Neomelodic music, a genre stemming in the mid-Seventies, became a distinctive sound of Southern Italy with the voices of artists such as Nino D’Angelo and Gigi D’Alessio. Being intrinsically linked to illegal practices of divulgation, this genre narrates social collapses and emotional possessivity through hyper-sentimental lyrics and lightweight pop atmospheres, mostly enacting standardised and discriminative patterns. Hard Neomelodic is the term chosen by the artist to describe their quest, generating a sonic space in which disruptive tonalities such as those of the Neomelodic and Hardcore are combined to celebrate hybridity as an arena for unrestricted self-determination. As a non-binary artist, Nziria draws from their experience to tackle borderless concepts such as those of otherness, diversity and inclusivity. Their quest in metamorphosing heteronormative and discriminative narratives of Neomelodic applies to the restless battle against genre discriminations, often rooted in Western society. Nziria coats the vivid Neapolitan realm populated by pagan symbols, theatrical characters, chimerical figures such as that of the Femminiello, sacred effigies, hyperbolic beliefs with sophisticated sonic avant-garde, inspired by the Hardcore Gabber, Trance and Italodance 2000 tonalities which characterised their adolescent clubbing experience in Ravenna. “I tried to encapsulate in this record that small symbolic universe which, for me at least, is Neapolitan culture. Some of these images are reminiscences of my childhood, while others are things I discovered a lot later, when I decided to look back at my origins and embrace them with pride. I chose to include references to history, beliefs, traditions, to celebrate the Tarantella in a different but somehow related key, and to start the record with a magical figure, the Femminiello, because I wanted this album to be like that: hybrid, mysterious and lucky." 1 Xxybrid shapes as a holy architecture, at times dense and visceral - as in the lovesick and nostalgic verses of Amam Ancora - at times suspended and jagged - as in the fragmented ravey crescendo of Hard Tarantella, a remake of the Neapolitan Tarantella, in which the artist included a conversation with a worshipper on the concept of faith, recorded inside a church in Naples. The sacred is one of the cornerstones of Nziria’s debut, being a distinctive element of Naples' magnetism intertwining absolute reverence for Christian icons with pagan superstitions, as for the Devil in ‘ E Riavule 77, which in the Neapolitan Tombola is associated with the number 77, around which a Femminiello tells a myth. Nostalgia is another central theme of the record, best represented in Pensiero, in which this feeling of nostalgia for a loved one overlaps with the one for a place, that is also a time, a golden past painful to return to; after all, nostalgia is etymologically "pain of return". Symbolism and spiritualism reach their peak in the final track, ‘O Dolor, conceived by Nziria as a moment of nirvana in which their voice, frantic arpeggios and granular synthesis reunite to then greet the listener with infinite meditative space. Xxybrid will be released on 20th May 2022 on Never Sleep in vinyl and digital format.

A1 - Healing Properties Opening his Spatial account with Healing Properties, Eusabia immediately throws down the gauntlet showcasing an inimitable versatility with breakbeats, permeated with a jungle flex so rarely captured in the atmospheric D&B landscape. Pivoting effortlessly as the track progresses from drumloop to thunderous drumloop with a simmering haunted atmosphere and deep, weighty basslines to yearning filtered vocal samples, this track has it all.

A2 - The Space Between Smooth jungly synthwork seizes the foreground before crisp breaks begin to reveal our direction through The Space Between, jittery key stabs and familiar old school FX create a unique sci-fi style backdrop as the breaks drive the vibe forward, switching and weaving in style, constantly mixing it up to ram the point home that you cannot fully appreciate a Eusabia track until every second has been consumed - many times over, as The Space Between demands.

AA1 - Scope of Understanding A more contemplative piece, Scope of Understanding strips things back with a synthwave-esque vibe tinged with intrigue and allure. Soon the breakbeats leap into gear and develop with an incredible level of refined detail, expertly edited, chopped and cut to a darkly undertone of sub bass and subtle micro melodies. Scope of Understanding will leave you in awe of the quickfire ideas Eusabia can conjure in the space of 6 minutes.

AA2 - Self Reflection A smooth atmospheric introduction ushers in a thumping drum tools workout, somehow perfectly in sync with the calm harmonies dancing around in the composition. Certainly a track to enjoy both on the discerning dancefloor and while driving home with rain lashing at the windscreen at 2am, Self Reflection's synths and breaks conclude the EP in style leaving a long lasting memory of a Spatial debut you will not forget.

Ulterior Motives launch their main label with a single from DJ Persuasion, featuring a Liftin’ Spirits remix from Ant Miles. The label, which is helmed by DJ and producer Noah Tucker, began life in 2021 with an anonymous edit of a much-loved underground hip hop gem. Two further 12”s in the white label series followed along similar lines, joining the dots between jungle, footwork and r’n’b in UM style. Since then, they have also launched their cassette series with a Metrist mix covering golden era tech step and d’n’b. DJ Persuasion is principally known for A History Of Hardcore, a series of ten mixes covering ’88-’98 which appeared across a number of platforms between 2015 and 2020. Certain entries in the series appeared on cassette via The Trilogy Tapes, Blackest Ever Black (Id Mud) and Tape Echo. Persuasion also hosted the NTS Demon Poetry show (now the Drum Poetry show) for some years, and contributed In Focus sessions covering the work of Dillinja and LTJ Bukem, alongside Dev:Null. Jameela EP covers four contrasting, but also concentric areas of the hardcore continuum, featuring a remix from Liftin’ Spirits aka Ant Miles of Origin Unknown. The title track rolls out at bleeding edge jungle hardcore tempo, taking in a mixture of familiar and unfamiliar references. Liftin’ Spirits contributes a standout remix which reframes Jameela as a drum’n’bass epic, opening with a panoramic intro and a quaking bass drop, then building to soaring strings. Robin Gets Revenge is an audial intervention into one of the last remaining unsolved mysteries in acid house, and a stomping 89’-’90 style jammer to boot. The B2 finds Jameela in a slower guise, offering something for after the club and the warm up.

1st Science (Henrik Helenius) Has Been An Online Man Of Mystery For Some Time, And You'd Better Believe He Supplies The Goods Whenever He Resurfaces!

In The Early 1990s, Out Of The Uk's Rave Scene, 2 Genres Known As Breakbeat Hardcore And Jungle Were Spawned. A Decade Later, And A Modest Online Community Began To Try And Revive The Genres In The 2000s Within A Scene Dubbed "Hardcore Breaks". Henrik Became One Of Its Most Influential And Creative Contributors, Bagging Himself Appearances On The Likes Of Right Touch Records, Bat Beat Recordings (The Precursor To Renegadegenius's Paranoid Recordings) And Hardcore Lives, As Well As Becoming One Of The First Serious Juggernauts Of Sharing Music Online.

Based In Stockholm, In The Words Of Strictly Nuskool Blog, Henrik Swiftly Earned Himself The Title Of "The Swedish King Of Hardcore" Amongst Junglists... And That's A Tough Title To Pinch!

Skip Ahead To The Year 2023, And 1st Science Is Far From Done. Hell, Didn't You Know He's Only Just Started Tuning Up The Bunsen Burner? From The Ones Who Brought You "You Time" And "First Sign Of Trouble", Yes Yes, Erupt Proudly Presents A Shiny New Ep From The Man, Featuring 5 Of His Finest Tracks On Wax For The First Time. If You're Familiar With The Earlier Digital Release Of This Ep, Don't You Worry, For Being Patient You Get The Exclusive Bonus Track "Everlasting Night" Here.

So What Are You Waiting For? 1st Science Invites You To Participate In An Experiment Which Requires Your Subwoofers. An Absolute Treasure Trove For Any Techno, Breaks, Or Uk Retro Rave Lover.

In 2021 Velocity Press published Who Say Reload: The Stories Behind the Classic Drum & Bass Records of the 90s, an oral history of the records that defined jungle/drum & bass straight from the original sources. The deluxe coffee table book has since sold thousands of copies and prompted many to comment that it should have an accompanying soundtrack.

Now author Paul Terzulli has compiled a Who Say Reload album. However, where the book focused solely on classics and anthems, the compilation takes a different route and offers up a selection of top-quality tunes from some of the scene’s most respected artists and labels.

Like the book, the album covers the genre’s nineties golden era, and the many styles of D&B are represented. Pioneering producers and crowd-pleasing favourites sit alongside a few sought-after obscurities by the unsung heroes of the scene. Most importantly, there are some absolute bangers!

The 16 tracks are spread over two volumes of 2 x 12"s, and there is also a 13-track digital version, taking you on a journey through music forged from raw breakbeats and basslines that soundtracked a culture of all-night raves, specialist record shops and pirate radio stations.

Jungle/drum & bass is approaching its 30th anniversary. Its sonic and cultural legacy is still being felt today. There’s still plenty of old music that might be “new” to some, and these tunes still pack as much of a punch as they did back in the day. That unique energy generated by a combination of breakbeats, bass and creativity never gets old.

Produced in conjunction with Above Board distribution. All tracks mastered from original sources and fully licensed. Mastering by Beau Thomas @ Ten Eight Seven Mastering. Liner notes from Who Say Reload author Paul Terzulli. Photography by Eddie Otchere. Artwork and design by Protean Productions.

1991
London-based DJ and producer 1991 has emerged as one of the most exciting artists in dance music. Since starting the project back in 2016, within a year he'd won the 'Best Newcomer' award at the 2017 Drum & Bass Awards. He has held down a steady release schedule of hits, collaborating with the likes of Sub Focus and Netsky, and remixed Axwell, Chase & Status, Claptone and Basement Jaxx. His touring schedule has seen him travel across the globe, with sell out tours across Europe, North America, Japan and Australia & New Zealand.
Artist Stats
- Spotify monthly listeners: 726k / followers: 30.6K
- Facebook likes: 31K
- Instagram followers: 19.7K

LP Info + Stats
- Debut album from 1991
- 12" double white vinyl, custom linework inner sleeve, de-bossed Odyssey outer sleeve
- Album artwork designed in conjunction with the award winning creative agency Big Active and imagery captured by the accomplished photographer Sam Neill.
- 6M+ streams across the album
- 'Odyssey' and 'Life' Hottest Record on Dance Anthems on BBC R1
- 306 radio plays to date across all singles on stations worldwide, including BBC R1, Triple J, George FM, Kiss FM, Pulzar, and more
- Feature interview with George FM
DSP editorial playlist inclusions on:
- Spotify's New Music Friday UK, New Dance Revolution, and Massive Drum & Bass
- Apple Music's danceXL, Future Dance Hits, New in Dance, Drum'n'Bass, Breaking Dance, and Heavy Hitters
- Amazon's Drum & Bass Now, Fresh Dance, Brand New Music, and The Sound Of Modern House
- Deezer's Selected DnB
- Youtube's Electronic Hotlist, and New Dance & Electronic

Soft Raw is a new label from Danielle – a natural extension of the Bristol-based DJ’s expansive tastes within contemporary club music. Over the past few years the NTS resident has become a leading light in the multifaceted world of modernist techno abstractions, ably balancing soundsystem pressure and propulsive rhythmic intensity with experimental textures and explorative energy variations. Soft Raw seeks to continue that mission with releases which will progress stylistically from one approach to another, taking in exciting, emergent producers unique in their approach but bound together by the idiosyncratic curation of Danielle – a faithful reflection of her proven skill as a selector.

The label launches with a six-track drop from Slacker. Sam Black has been winding up a potent strain of needlepoint techno which leans towards jungle and half-time D&B in its tempo and structure. Across a selection of various releases, Black’s sound has evolved into an accomplished and detailed style which draws on moody atmospheres and advanced engineering in the grand tradition of UK soundsystem music. Across this EP the Slacker sound matches up to the spirit of Soft Raw, balancing fierce kinetic energy with delicacy and finesse and leaving some space for outright ambience. At times he locks into a half-step warm-up mode, while elsewhere the amens creep in for a more pronounced jungle rinse-out.

It’s a strong opening statement for this new label, but crucially this doesn’t spell out the future in absolute terms. True to Danielle’s broad outlook, subsequent releases are set to take in everything from straight up 4/4 and acid to footwork and electro, with a narrative binding each release together according to her internal logic and the tension between soft and raw qualities explored across consistently cutting-edge tracks.

When you talk about the origins of jungle music, DJ Dextrous is most definitely cited as a name that helped define the genre. His tracks were always on heavy rotation on the mighty Kool FM and every Jungle/DnB radio station across the country. Dextrous VIP dubplate specials were weapons in the record bags of Micky Finn, DJ Ron, Kenny Ken and his old mate from school DJ Hype!

The 1994 Jungle anthem Charged was released on the ground-breaking Suburban Base Records imprint as part of a ‘King Of The Jungle’ Trilogy. Now updated for 2022 Charged gets a couple of fresh licks from two modern day jungle specialists, backed up with original and VIP exclusive versions, all packaged on a beautiful 12” vinyl picture disc.

First up are the mighty Serial Killaz who’ve taken the original track and applied their trademark, award winning sound which has seen them releasing on Congo Natty, Philly Blunt, Souped Up and their own self-titled Serial Killaz label.

Next up is Akas who’s recent Old Skool New Skool track on DeVice spend almost 3 months in the Beatport Top 10!! Akas keeps things jungle for his Charged remix but tweaks the elements and pushes the genre to have the maximum impact on any dancefloor across clubs or festivals.

On the flip is an original unreleased VIP dubplate version, sourced from the archives or Da Kings Of The Jungle studio DAT recordings, which DJ Dextrous was playing in his sets exclusively. Finally we have the classic original mix of Charged which has been beautifully remastered from the original source recording to make this picture disc release sound as good as it possibly can. This is an extremely limited pressing & will never be re-issued so we’d advise jungle aficionados, both new & old, to buy on sight!!

Erupt Records has suffered its first Unrest Hazard. After keeping the lid on a beast this explosive, what did you think was going to happen?

This new series of '4 on 1' EPs from the mighty label, will showcase several of the best producers from the UK (sometimes even beyond!) breakbeat hardcore/jungle scene on 1 record, be they old or new.

The first track from Schoco (Omni Music) is "I Need". Let yourself go to wispy, dream-state synthlines over ferocious breakz.

Track 2 is a bouncy piano anthem for anybody who likes hearing the words "1993" and "happy" in the same sentence. This one is brought to you by After The Zenith. Usually resident cover artist for Erupt, this time he grabs the steering wheel and gears up to present you a bit of his own 'ardcore.

Next up is some brutality from Tactical Aspect. Need no more be said than these lads are one of Australia's finest purveyors of hardcore junglism, with a portfolio including works for Reinforced Records. But, with a recent move back to Yorkshire, and following an initiation into the West Yorkshire Jungle Collective, it only made sense for TA to deliver some unrelenting '93 style breakbeat hardcore brutality to celebrate.

The final track "When Did We Forget" is a get together from the lads at Kool FM, Code and Subbreak, with D-Region. Any time you see these names together, it commands serious respect. This is one for anybody who likes those hazy breakbeat hardcore tracks that tread a fine line between hard and euphoric.

What are you waiting for?

Erupt Records was established in 2016 to cover tougher, faster styles of electronic dance music, with a view of openness towards introducing contemporary influences alongside the familiar; Hardcore that reflects today, not yesterday. The objective? Push the boundaries, keep the drums raw, compromise for noone.

As the winds of music blow, a wise heart navigates the spiral, finding wisdom in each of its twists and turns. As the releases of Dubblack’s catalogue pile up, the novelty and exploration for new music keeps on thriving. A brand-new record is approaching, as always available both on a 12” vinyl – limited to 300 copies – and in digital format, featuring the presence of two Masters from the Electronic Music scene: A2 Abd El Monim and Tocchitek. The two-track EP baptised “Dark Side” includes the gems “Euriale” and “Steno”; two expansive compositions that, also due to their length, masterly observe the task of narrating two complementary stories, each with its distinct moments, yet marked by a strong rhythmic temper. Both tracks are planned to share similar sonic elements: a pulsating 160 bpm kick drum, ghostly pads serving as an inevitable backdrop, and indispensable rhythmic details enriching the whole structure and arrangement. A2 Abd El Monim, born Alan Abd El Monim, is an Italian-Egyptian artist/composer. He expresses himself through the creation of music ranging from electronic to purely instrumental, and through the interaction between the arts. His poetics opens in a “dark” dimension that considers and interprets the facts through the notion of shadows and darkness but also through penombre. His “dark” vision stands as a filter through which he reads the world and its interactions, therefore using also the notion of light. His music has been performed in Festivals including Musica d’arte (Riccione – Italy), Luci d’Artista (Salerno – Italy), Gamo (Firenze – Italy), Spazio Musica (Cagliari – Italy), On Air – On site (Den Haag -Netherlands), Sound Spaces (Malmö – Sweden), etc. He composed songs for the solo exhibition “La pelle degli oggetti” and for works Lui&Lei by the artist Giovanni Oberti. In 2020 he undertook a collaboration with the poet Milo De Angelis , putting to music the lyric “A volte , sull’orlo della notte, si rimane sospesi”. He wrote music for several theatre performances by director Emily Tartamelli and has written music for several directors films including Reto Gelshorn, Enea Francia, Paola Piscitelli and Fabio Corbellini. He collaborated with the London based fashion brand B Dodi and was invited as an artist to participate in the collective exhibition “Instructions to Light-Keepers” (Milano – Italy). In March 2023, “Periodo Nero”, its interactive and generative installation music and video, was selected for the tribute to Picasso in the city of Florence, will be presented at the Certosa of Florence in September of the same year. In 2017 he won the International Competition of Composizione Silenzio Musica, in 2020 the diploma from President and Artistic Director of Winterreise International Composition Competition Moscow, in 2021 the Call For Scores banned by the Cultural Association Esecutori di Metallo su Carta. A2 Abd El Monim is signed to international label F.M.T Records and Dubblack Records, with which he regularly publishes his electronic music. Tocchitek is an underground Tekno producer and performer born in Milan, Italy. He started playing live in 2007 as part of the “Approdo Caronte” sound system based in Milan. His first significant appearance as a live performer was at a “Mayday Parade” in 2008 in Milan. In 2009, he joined the “r909 Records” chapters crew based in Milan, bringing his live set to many local club dance floors. Meanwhile, he collaborated and played with many crews around Europe, spreading his music in the free Underground Tekno movement. In 2021, in Milan, he launched “F.M.T Records”. Simplicity is often the hardest thing to achieve when producing this type of music, primarily designed for uncompromising dance-floors, but the duo successfully channels their message with purity and truthfulness. The visual aspects of layout and design are once again entrusted to Vittorio Valigi, who puts a greyscale spiral at the center of the cover. A spiral within which one an eye can be glimpsed – the eye of the musical soul of Dubblack harmoniously fused with that of A2 Abd El Monim and Tocchitek, who become worthy ambassadors of the Dubblack’s sonic mission.

Aural Imbalance has enjoyed a colourful and celebrated journey through music over the years, taking in ambient soundscapes, deep house and of course, a pioneering role in atmospheric drum & bass. With Spatial, he has unearthed a pure, varied musical prowess seldom seen, with the ability to control both the lighter aspects of the mix as well as expert breakbeat craft. Infinity Spectrum showcases the breadth of talent Aural Imbalance possesses in one incredible package, not to be missed.

A1 - Aurealis Opening the album with a wonderfully serene track, Aural Imbalance delicately rolls out his trademark smooth ambience with building cymbals and an energetic break merging perfectly in the mix - along with a great, pounding undertone of bass. Riddled with old-school sensibilities, Aurealis layers the building blocks until the track opens up further through a superbly lush breakdown, blooming like a flower in the summer sun before the breaks return.

A2 - Glistening Stars Washing strings and the chitter-chatter of playful effects introduce Glistening Stars, before familiar, crisp old school breaks steal the limelight. A happy earworm melody soon reveals itself, and the breaks are gradually filtered back in following an other amazing breakdown before the melody takes on new life. Packed with detail and soul, this track will repeat on you long after you've moved on.

B1 - Alpha Curious, apprehensive tones punctuate a fascinating intro, with a deep old school bassline creeping out first to greet us, before the hi-hat laden break loses its inhibitions and roams free. Crafting a deliciously textured atmosphere, Aural Imbalance continues to showcase the breadth of his production techniques in his Spatial form, flecking the track with sumptuous melodies to create yet another gem.

B2 - Stargazers This piece opens with a special blend of quiet, epic serenity, evoking hope and wonder as amen cymbal work and a stabbing snare-heavy break pattern rise and fall in the surrounding symphony. The quietly musical bassline plays a key role in the aural world-building here, complementing the breaks it harmonises with superbly. Aural Imbalance allows the composition to breathe and flourish for a superbly executed final act. Delightful.

C1 - Slow Motion Introduced with quietly filtered breaks, Slow Motion dials back the pace with a break pattern which relaxes the snare while still maintaining a playful energy as the kicks and bass bumble along below. A uniquely atmospheric yet eccentric melody takes shape with dreamy pads filling the backdrop, and calming scatterings of echoing effects colliding and combining to generate a blissful collage of sound.

C2 - Apparition Switching up the vibe we have Apparition, which boldly utilises long, tranquil yet purposeful pad work before an immense break pattern riddled with stark snares and a jumpy bassline which rides the smothered kickdrums so well, they appear to be fused as one. The breaks on this are truly special and will move the discerning dancefloor for sure, Aural Imbalance continuing to reveal a never-ending depth to his sound.

D1 - Artificial Satellite Introduced with smooth synths and DJ-friendly hi hats, Artificial Satellite sees Aural Imbalance laying down a fresh showcase of old-school breakbeats, laced with that inimitable Spatial flavour. A swirling low-key sci-fi vibe punctuates the breakdown before the beats re-emerge. A deep, brooding bassline pulses beneath throughout, while the perfectly executed breaks enjoy their final flourish.

D2 - Unknown Forces Finally, up steps Unknown Forces for a blistering finale to the LP. Aural Imbalance is at his amen-editing best here with a truly superb showcase of analogue break patterns to nourish the ears and set pulses racing on the dancefloor. Deep bass elevates the gentle intro before thumping kicks begin an epic workout, chopped to perfection with synths and strings flying gracefully above. We couldn't have a Spatial LP without an amen banger could we? What a way to end

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial/Red Mist)

Fast approaching the label's two year anniversary, what better way to celebrate than with a double header of LP's from the stalwarts of the modern atmospheric scene. Fresh from his incredible album on Over/Shadow, ASC continues to find a new lease of life rekindling the atmospheric drum & bass scene of the 90's, slowing down the pace to reveal a depth that's just not achievable with higher tempos. Reflections is the culmination of ASC's work in the genre, picking up where others jumped off, and breathing new life into music with old school breaks and sensibilities at its core.

A1 - Still Motion Opening the album with the airy sounds of a lively coastline, Still Motion is a glorious, unique throwback gem which takes inspiration from elysian points in time in the history of atmospheric drum & bass. Snappy beats and eager kick drums contrast perfectly to the serenity of the keys and a warm, soothing bassline which rumbles along below, unleashing a deep three note melody which will be in your head all day from the first listen.

A2 - Glaciers Delicate beat work and timid bells introduce Glaciers, before jungly breaks take over and the depth of the piece takes shape with long, mournful strings punctuated by an emotive melody, boring its way into your soul. The track displays a dense, contemplative vibe that must be heard to comprehend, heavy with impact as you are compelled to release your own inner thoughts to slowly dance with ASC's intense production.

B1 - Mirage Another slice of intense atmospherics awaits with Mirage, beginning with crisp breaks and the sounds of water droplets plunging into the abyss. A cacophony of effects are splashed around the mix while melancholic pad work surrounds the ever-changing breaks, patient melodies waiting their turn to seize the moment. The distinctive ''feel my soul'' vocal sample delivers a simple message - this is a track from within.

B2 - Constellations Switching up the vibe is Constellations, opening with ASC serving up a barrage of detailed breakbeats that frolic merrily before soothing pads rise in the backdrop, joined by a serene female vocal sample and calming echoed effects. Mild intrigues its atop as our breaks are gradually and subtly layered with intricate detail towards a laid-back conclusion, offering a perfect mid-point breather to the LP.

C1 - Diffusion An eerie, continuous melody - slightly reminiscent of Tubular Bells - opens and punctuates Diffusion, leading into a typically punchy and energetic masterclass of edited breaks. Tense pad work provides a haunting backdrop to the track, while understated sub bass hides beneath a quadruple hit of low, tuneful tones. The distinctively pitched vocal sample complements the composition to create a truly unique slice of atmospheric drum & bass.

C2 - Dreams Utilising a detailed, zestful break previously heard in certain classics from the old Progression Sessions days, ASC showcases his superb editing skills to chop the break into something quite scintillating and new. Dreams is one of those tracks which has something fresh to offer the ear each time you listen, riddled with complexity yet also dancefloor friendly with some sumptuous pad work and whispered samples in the backdrop.

D1 - Frozen in Time A deeply atmospheric piece, Frozen in Time delivers a weighty break pattern which thumps its way into the foreground while a tense, endless melody reflexively grips your attention - and holds it. Building a dramatic, thoughtful vibe with long, washing synths and rising notes, ASC's aural storytelling prowess works in parallel to the nervous energy of the melody, creating a memorable slice of ethereal drum & bass.

D2 - Prototype Closing out the LP we have something suitably special with Prototype, taking inspiration from far & wide with an experimental feel, showcasing ASC's versatility and command of the apache break. Beats are edited and scattered like dense confetti in the mix, as a varied array of effects mingle around clouds of synths and deep basslines. A signature female vocal yearns ''take me away'' - Prototype, like the rest of the album before it, fulfills that desire in style. Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Putting a pigeon amongst the cats we are back with that good shit. An out of step, incidental artifact of peaceful sophistry: YS - Brutal Flower (2 x “12 LP). A no airs and graces piece of cool future-proof ambience. A modern ballad for brave young clubbers, local pubbers, slipstream warriors, and emotional doggers. The distinctive aesthetic hallmarks of YS are all here: slabs of urban flavor from emotional interior; raw data straight from the interface. ‘Untethered’ and ‘Down’ are chopped-up cuts of searching R’n’B - jaded jams of lustful erasure. On the flipside, blunted desire lingers in ‘Fading Memory’. Both hopeful and mourning: this is the lay of the land in Brutal Flowers sharing that rare strain of underground synesthesia best located in dark undercurrents of early Mo Wax. The orchestral ambience of ‘Autumn Ost’ is a potent stupor of end credit cinematics. Coming up for air. It feels young in an ancient sort of way: pure as first snow. And from here in the album unfolds with the patience, tranquility and the expansive poise of a work that is for now and always. Pulsating gently to assured ending with ‘Be Together’ - a flickering skyline, swarming with warm memories. In between there’s flashes of heartbreak reminiscent of Beltran's Ten Days of Blue and Blunt’s Stone Island (‘Look Up’ feels like a sort of spiritual successor to ‘Wake up’), that being said, when push comes to shove it only it ever flirts with its own reality. An aesthetic reflection of a creative process that is delicate and restless. Created in the edges, where long distances, fast cities and global melancholia are wrought large. Burning the midnight oil Berlin-Singapore style: from real to reel. A sentimental exercise of modern faith by old friends. With a nudge and a wink, Brutal Flowers is a (de)coded map of memories wavering with familiar intrigue. Patient listeners and the already initiated will be rewarded on re-visits - as playful & profound as you please, as deep as the heart. The scathe that cuts is clean and deep. There are no sleight of hands to be found in this opus, only hearts are worn on the sleeve here. A hill we’d gladly die on. Pace & luv,