Back in stock: UK Garage

Review: Freerange Sounds - which shouldn't be confused with Jimpster's deep house label Freerange - is reissuing its first release from back in May 2022 here. It's a dark garage outing from 9TRANE that kicks off with 'Keep It Moving' (feat Riko Dan) with edgy vocals, late-night urban menace and some crisp drum patterns. The fantastic Bakey dub mix brings more pruning basslines and withering pads while the instrumental is stripped back and more haunting. Last of all is 'Hear This' which leans on the Burial style of ghostly production but with a more fulsome low-end and prickly percussive brew riding the beats. Serious tackle for sure.

Review: The Mancunian tones of Swamp81's resident MC Chunky are well known to those who tune in to the label's Rinse FM show on a regular basis. However, this debut EP, forwent any kind of vocal showcase for the kind of hefty, refined fusion of garage and techno we've come to expect from Loefah's empire. Arriving as a 12" doublepack featuring four tracks, The Chunky EP shows Chunky to have the production chops to match his skills on the microphone, showcasing a wide range of influences channeled through a uniquely dark mood; "Decca" is a straight up piece of rolling deep house with a shadowy basement vibe, while "Experiment 727? recalls the syncopated techno of Bambounou or Boddika's leaden beats, while on the second 12?, "Thang" is a masterclass in stripped back garage mechanics, and "Rugged" provides a lo-fi beat that ploughs the darkest recesses of instrumental grime for inspiration.

Review: This EP from a rising force in the French electronic scene seamlessly fuses club energy with deep emotion that she represents. Side-1 opens with 'Do You Need Me?', a driving, 90s-inspired French house cut packed with nostalgia and groove. 'Natural High' blends electro and house, crafting a pulsating yet fluid rhythm, while 'Listen To Yourselves' introduces melodic breaks and atmospheric textures, striking a balance between introspection and dancefloor euphoria. Side-2 keeps the momentum highi'Good Times' rides on an EDM-leaning breaks groove, engineered to move festival crowds. 'On A Sunday' takes a left turn into funky drum & bass, rich with melodic funk and liquid energy. Finally, the extended mix of 'Do You Need Me?' shifts toward a Euro-house aesthetic, expanding on the track's euphoric essence. This EP is an example to her ability to blend classic influences with contemporary sounds.

Review: FOXBAM INC is back to build on the momentum of their first EP with a second one that packs a mighty punch. This one kicks off with EBY, who this year has been cooking up acid for 40 years and here offers the warped low ends and garage-techno power of 'Goldtooth'. Foxtrot vs Ma Bla then mashes up old school samples with earth-shattering bass on 'Deep Down Inside' and bRz vs Stije is a double-time hard techno stomper with warped synths and twisted bass that is inspired by and named after ISCO, a concept from Einstein's general theory of relativity that makes predictions about the dynamics of black holes.

Review: Low-cal melodic pop d&b done from a new-gen perspective: Piri & Tommy's take on drum & bass has been a runaway success in the last two years as the couple bring their own unique song writing signature to the genre. Now to mark this year's RSD, their debut album Froge.mp3 enjoys a limited vinyl outing and it sounds amazing for it. Cuts like the sing-along 'On & On' and the lofi dreaminess 'Slowly But Surely' and the sun-kissed summer joint 'Beachin' all still sparkling as bright as they did when they first dropped last year, this is a significant moment for Piri & Tommy. Happy Record Store Day!

Review: Who doesn't love The Streets? From cheeky chappy to a revered part of the British music establishment, Mike Skinner as The Streets was there at the start of the UKG scene and still invigorates it to this day. His first new music in a while is an understated ballad that features the by now trademark internal monologue, but here paired with what is a beautiful vocal from Jazz Morley and a skittish drum pattern. Mike Skinner has also self-directed his own music video to go with the title track and it is well worth seeing if you can.