Lockdown is a strange time for everyone, but if you work full time in the live music sector it’s pretty tough if not impossible to keep a steady income what with venues closed and shows cancelled. Bandcamp have responded to this and shown support to artists in the best way they can by waiving their fees for 24 hours, every first Friday of the month for the next 3 months (5th June & 3rd July).
We’ve rounded up some of the best releases. Buying these tracks today means 100% goes directly to the artist or label.
Danny Scrilla: Strange Cravings/Sinners
Recommend: Strange Cravings
Cosmic Bridge affiliate, Danny showcases his versatility with these cleverly laid out, laid back electronic numbers. Hard to define (perfect!), these are perfect lock down vibe out(in) head nodders.
Practical Rhythms 001
Recommend: Ease Up George – Eternally (El-B Remix)
Practical Rhythms come into the bubbling UK Garage scene with a bang, notable artists Sky Joose, Holloway, Ease Up George and El-B all grace their 001 release.
Bluetoof/Soundboy Cookie: Blue Cookie EP
Recommend: Brooklyn Swing
Southend UKG label Gather’s second record features Bluetoof and Soundboy Cookie who offer up 4 sensational funk and jazz influenced 2-Step cuts. Bandcamp link here.
IYH: OO/Faint
Recommend: Both
Absolute percy. Think Burial but happier. Shuffly drums, catchy vocal sample, textures and swing.
J. Sparrow: Ron Carter / Columbo / Kinship & Family / Oblivion
Recommend: Ron Carter
J Sparrow offers up this 4 track heater. Laden with tribal drums, deep basslines and dark atmospherics. Also made available on his Bandcamp today is his remix of Fiend – Jah Hear Me.
Calibre: Shelflife Six
Recommend: Be Beautiful & When Sunday Goes
“The next instalment in Calibre’s archival series: Shelflife Six – brings together thirteen of his most sought after Drum and Bass productions. Spanning 20 years and all of them have only ever seen the light in his own DJ sets.”
Drone: Vol.1
Recommend: The Fall & Follow the Line
Humble title, unforgiving bass. Everything this man touches is gold. Warm yet dirty bass lines with added atmospherics in numerous styles, 100% recommend.
DUPLOCv Box (5x Records)
Our Belgian friends, DUPLOC are doing something special today by opening pre-orders for this comp which holds all 5x DUPLOCv records (Hebbe, Ternion Sound, Rygby, ENiGMA Dubz and ColtCuts, the last of which isn’t out until 18th May). Pre-order now and get yourself a digi copy of ENiGMA Dubz – The Eyes (VIP) instantly.
Bukez Finezt: Bundy Smokes Crak EP
Double whammy from Berliner, Bukez. He’s also dropping this solo EP which from the first track quite frankly gives me the creeps. In a good way.
Two Rangers (Bukez Finezt & Nght Drps): Noodles in Zero G EP
Recommend: Zero G
2 guys who know what they’re doing pair up and take us on an other-worldly exhibition. Expect beaut bass, whistles and bleeps.
Breakfake: Flashes/Lockout
Recommend: Both
The bass in Lockout takes me back to Brixton Mass DMZ days. Accompanied by the dubby sounds and synths in Flashes, this release is a winner.
Deep Cover: Mayday (Various Artists)
Recommend: XODOS – The Afterparty
Deep Cover beautifully celebrate their hometown with this 14 track ‘introduction to just some of the incredible artists from the Oxford area.’ Expect a range of genres and sounds.
Drumterror: Isolate/Congregate
Recommend: The Tide Washed Everything Away
Wow. Sound design peak levels. You’ll be blown away just by the intro alone and the best is still to come. This 2-parter EP is clearly defined. First two tracks are beautiful countryside walks, the final two are meant to be played LOUD.
DJ Absurd: Ton618
Hypnotising synths with heavy percussion. Grime don from Paris, DJ Absurd shows off his creative drum patterns and inspired melody.
Gordon Strange: Corporate Acquiescence
This may be the stress release you’ve been looking for.
Absolute Loss are ‘committed to releasing unique and captivating electronic music from around the world.’ And that’s clear with this release.
Sukh Knight: Unreleased Dubs Vol 2
Recommend: Homicide & All of Nothing (ft. Monkstar)
Jheeeeeeez. The POWER. Round powerful bass, hard crisp percussion. Some of these have been doing the rounds for a long time, now’s your chance to grab them for yourself. 12 tracks for £6.50? bang for your buck mate.
On1: Ryobi
Recommend: Makita
“3 tasty UK Grill (UK Garage X UK Drill, geddit?) riddims for your lug’oles. Expect powerful 808’s punchy percussion and moody melodies.”
Markee Ledge: Badadem
Recommend: Yall
Previously known for uplifting after-party anthems such as ‘Touch Me’ when he was known by Kosheen, Markee goes from arms up to eyes down with this gritty 140 dubstep infused grime vibe.
Von D: Headtop Lickup
A true example of mastery in pulsating bass lines and marching percussion.
Trashbat: Numbers/$hawty
Recommend: Both
Both sultry little numbers. Trashbat has released these ‘older tracks people ask me about a lot! daaaamn. lovely.
Gemmy: Bamboozled (Darkside)
Packed full of punch, Bamboozled (Darkside) is full of shuffle-y percussion and underplayed yet impactful bass.
Skream: Unreleased Classics Vol??.??2 2004 – 2006
Recommend: Boks
Unreleased tracks from 04-05 (although a few were given away in his Freeizm series), Skream brings back memories with this drop. One for the heads.
Pressa: Spirits EP
Recommend: Can’t Control
Subsidance head honcho, Joe Pressa drops 2 jungle-y/d&b bits.
Stereoripe: H.O.P.E.
Recommend: Outlooks &
Each song recorded in one take using drum machines & sequencers, ‘Healing Outlooks & Positive Enforcement’ is a 4-tracker filled with exactly that.
Morwell – Play / Love
Recommend: Love
Two new experiments with rhythm and bass. “Play” offers creative destruction at 200 (or 100) BPM. Stick around for the vocal. “Love” is a crunchy, psychotic meditation at 130. Picked by Lara.
Sepia – Think Fast? /? Doppelgänger
Recommend: Doppelgänger
Think Fast is fresh out the studio.
Doppelgänger been doing the rounds for couple years. Picked by Lara.
Hi5ghost: Archive_Hi5ghost?.?zip
Recommend: Ghastly
4 unreleased tunes from the vault! Including ‘Horror’, ‘Nook Shot VIP’ and ‘Namka (Hi5ghost Remix)’. Picked by Lara.
Eddy Seven: Spectrum
Recommend: Break the Cycle
From dancefloor ready Car Hole to laid back Summer Steppers the title of this EP is spot on. Eddy takes you through the spectrum of bass music superbly, mirroring our up and down emotions during these strange times perfectly.
Felix Dubs: Jazz Bando EP
Recommend: Jazz Bando
Real Jazz club feels. Utterly sensual and provocative. Perfectly accompanied by a Summer evening and a glass of red.
Kwizma Present Archive: Volume 1
Recommend: Right On
6 heavy 140/dubstep tracks from producer Kwizma archive. We’re looking forward to Volume 2! Picked by Lara.
More releases will be added throughout the day
Nikki has worked in various positions in the Music industry for over ten years including Artist Management, Booking Agency and Record Label Management. She runs Synchronicity, Spentshell, UKBM and Manages Flowdan.
“Bass does something to me. I absolutely immersed myself in Drum & Bass during my teens and early twenties, and when Dubstep came along I was thrown into that love once again, not just the music, but the whole community surrounding it.
Working in the industry has been a dream for me, and being involved in such a vibrant scene means that I constantly come across incredibly talented individuals who I just want to shout about and that’s what I use the UKBM platform for, to promote talent whether known or new.”
