This is a solid remix project. I can't say I prefer anything here to the original tracks for the most part but they're all nice variations. Mr. Bill's remix is great and although it initially comes off as flat his little flourishes do enough to keep the track engaging. Ekcle and Phace both have solid remixes on par with the originals but Vorso comes out swinging turning "Beast" into something truly fierce. Dexcell takes things to Liquid Drum and Bass with their remix of "No ... read more

ah hell naw da moustache pile

This is the third Powered by Inspected compilation and is again another serviceable collection. It's another grab bag from Inspected and friends pretty much and there are some real underground heavy hitters on this one with Buunshin on here being a pleasant surprise. It's also not quite at the same quality overall as the previous entry but you're sure to find something you like here. Another one to check out for sure and take picks of your favourite tunes.

Like ... read more

Crazy tune. Reminds me of Glenn Morrison's "No Sudden Moves" for some reason. This is a beautiful track that serves as the perfect gateway into RefraQ's universe.

This is a pretty good EP from Vorso! A lot more creative and attention grabbing than his last outing, Vorso really starts to flex his skills on "Metamaterial". "Wannabe" is our opener for this one and it's a solid banger. Although quite adventurous, I don't think this tune has quite the same staying power as some other stuff on here. Sound design is excellent as per usual from Vorso, and the tune overall just slaps. "Liquid Crystals" ramps up the project with a ... read more

Edit:
Rinsed bits of this in my mixer. The first three tracks are intoxicating - especially "Looking For Love". I really love the vibe that the album goes for in the second half, fitting the title with its magical atmosphere. Things start to take a nosedive for me in the final leg with "Brown Eyes" never really getting going and "Talk On The Phone" just being a really boring cut that doesn't really fit with what the rest of the project is going for. Still overall ... read more

Although this project doesn't really click into place for me, it's hard to deny the quality on display here. Sonically dense and meticulously crafted, Ekcle really flex their production quality on this one, showing themselves to truly be one of the most promising up and coming acts during this time. "Yoja" is a grandiose adventure through sound. I will give a shoutout to "Crafted In Ice" as the absolute highlight of the project for me, being this epic breaks tune with these ... read more

Skrillex is on a tear-up right now. Definitely one of my most anticipated tunes that were coming out of his live sets so very glad to have the full version now. It's an absolute belter!

Released to coincide with the "READ ONCE THEN DESTROY" clothing collection, this EP sure does its job at being music. Chee's apocalyptic production can be hard to parse for some but for the most part I enjoy his brutal tunes. This EP however is just okay. The first three tracks are serviceable if not lazy and uninspired, only serving the purpose to pad this out into a 4 track EP. There's not a lot to really unpack in them and are just really not that engaging. They are carried hard by ... read more

This is a solid EP from Culprate however I feel like it's slightly underwhelming at times. His production quality is undeniable - I don't think there's a lot of artists in this space that can stack up to what Culprate does. I think the problem I have with parsing this project is that it's pretty slow, only really delving into insanity on occasion. Although this isn't necessarily a problem, I do feel like the final act of this EP is comparably dull and dragged out in regards to the rest of the ... read more

Solid EP here from Monuman. This definitely solidifies this alias as my preferred for releases from Emperor. "Polychoral" opens with dark choir vocals somewhat reminiscent of Faithless' "God is a DJ" but with a twist to make it fall in line with the bass scene. Stereotypical vinyl noise can be heard at points in the track like this is a heavier Burial tune. "If You Want" is another solid track, being quite deep and melancholy. Although nothing too incredible it's ... read more

Although sonically creative, I feel Vorso's "The Imperative" is missing something. The production on display in this EP is quite incredible for the most part, but the tracks come off as sort of one note and forgettable. It's still a solid EP but something about this isn't really resonating with me for whatever reason.

The title track is an intriguing sonic adventure bouncing between Breaks, Dubstep and Neuro. The production on display is impressive but it feels more like a medley of ... read more

This is a fun EP! Vellum's debut release bring rude bass to the masses with a collection of tunes that'll make you shout "fuck off"! The opening track is a big tune, but the MC Vapour feature is quite crass and slightly off-putting at times in terms of content but the delivery is great. "Landslide" is rancid - deep and aggressive bass rings out as Jay Smirks delivers bars in a register in line with the bass frequencies. "Vancouver Bass" continues the trend of vile ... read more

Let me get this out of the way - I love Sorrow's work. The Twelve is another release from him that I hold near and dear to my heart, especially as I have a signed test pressing of this EP. The Twelve is a beautiful 5 track Future Garage EP that goes from strength to strength. Although the highs don't quite match some of his absolute best work, not only is it incredibly close but the consistency that this project has places it up there as one of his best.

"Want U Back" is a blissful ... read more

His first EP in four years, it's safe to say I've been eagerly awaiting more Sorrow. But with only 3 tracks here, what has he been cooking in this time?

Well the title track is a little underwhelming sadly. A decent atmospheric beats tune, I can't help but feel it's a little undercooked. The guitar that proliferates this track comes across as slightly cheap and I'm generally not feeling the atmosphere that Sorrow goes for here. This isn't a bad tune but it's not one that has hooked me like a ... read more

This debut release from Ekcle is really something! First showing up on Powered by Inspected #2 with the track "The Impulsive State", the duo show a lot of potential with this overall quite fantastic release.

"A Giant Carries The City" is a beautiful bassy soundscape, reminiscent of a movie score more than its own piece. It's emotive and wonderful, serving as a brilliant introduction to "Deshoda". "Serené Mont Garde" is a magnificent Future Garage ... read more

The Movember Collection is an achievement in music. It is a celebration of life, whilst also being a vehicle for a good cause.

Every year for four years, KOAN Sound, Culprate and Asa would go into the studio with another guest producer and create something magical. These tracks would release in November to coincide with Movember & Sons' yearly Movember fundraiser. By the third year, November was always a month I awaited with bated breath, hoping for a continuation of the series. Obviously ... read more

ah hell naw moustaches hanging from da ceiling

This is the second Powered by Inspected compilation and is not only a more polished compilation overall but it also has some bigger names. I feel like this is a little more representative of the sort of releases that the label has been putting out at this point. With a solid hit rate throughout, this is definitely worth checking out to see if anything sticks out to you.

Again like last time I reviewed a Powered by Inspected compilation, I'll just ... read more

Inspected drop a massive collaborative Neurofunk EP here with Culprate, Malux, Billain and Posij on the menu. The Diablo VIP although not my preferred version of the track is still a solid banger, Rubix is an absolute menace, Specialist is pure insanity and Killer is rancid. If you're into balls to the walls drum and bass with mad sound engineering then you definitely need to check this out!

Skope really starts to hone the strange science of sound design on this one and comes up with something quite stunning. Here he approaches the levels that I know him for from his recent Slug Wife releases, constructing marvellous desolate soundscapes and menacing bangers.

"Vanquish" opens this EP and is quite a nice introductory track for this release. Really focusing on the general soundscape of the project to follow, although it's not anything really too memorable or outstanding it ... read more

This is another alright release from Emperor. It's a decent, inoffensive EP that really isn't anything spectacular for the most part, it's just okay. I think the biggest issue Allure has is that everything runs incredibly one note throughout and everything just sounds like it's going through its paces. The title track is a chilled out, moody cut which although isn't anything special it is at least a nice listen. "Constants" is a cheap sounding track which although is okay for the ... read more