Drum & Bass | Jungle 124 Items

After touring the globe showcasing their A/V moshpit-inducing live show, they are revealing their new musical creations to an unsuspecting public. Never Sleep are proud to present a landmark moment in the Japanese hardcore new rave scene. The blinding lights of Death Rave point to an untraveled journey, a sci-fi fusion of black metal, gabber, cyberpunk, performance art and techno. It’s their first for the Berlin label (founded by Gabber Eleganza) following 2021’s EP Principle of Light Speed Variance. Full description VMO aka Violent Magic Orchestra break through the darkness and herald a spectacular mould-melting sound on their forthcoming album Death Rave.

After touring the globe showcasing their A/V moshpit-inducing live show, they are revealing their new musical creations to an unsuspecting public. Never Sleep are proud to present a landmark moment in the Japanese hardcore new rave scene. The blinding lights of Death Rave point to an untraveled journey, a sci-fi fusion of black metal, gabber, cyberpunk, performance art and techno. It’s their first for the Berlin label (founded by Gabber Eleganza) following 2021’s EP Principle of Light Speed Variance.

Ahead of the release VMO have brought their digital harcore to festivals around the globe, including Roadburn Festival, Bang Face Weekender, Brutal Assault extreme music festival, Le Guess Who?, CTM Berlin and Dark Mofo. Their performance is the ultimate extreme visual music project in which techno, black metal, and industrial unite to create a ritual from the near future, 2099. All visual art and stage setting is provided by non-touring member, artist and programmer Kezzardrix (who has been visual director for millennium parade and Babymetal previously).The power consumption of a VMO show is equivalent to 56 guitar amplifiers, 5000w, a mind-expanding supreme noise and light experience.

The band members all go by the names of classic black metal bands rendered in the Japanese katakana script; “ダークスローン”; “メイヘム”, and “エンペラー”. Their new LP is the first to feature lead vocalist ザスター. The record features guest vocals from extreme metal icon Attila Csihar, known for singing with Mayhem and Sunn O))). Other featured artists include Dylan Walker, singer of Full of Hell, punk-techno artist Infinity Division (aka Ash Luk), Icelandic darkwavers Kælan Mikla and Ican Harem of Gabber Modus Operandi.

The result is a leap forward from their 2016 debut, where they have found a singularity where death metal meets Kraftwerk, or Rephlex goes black. Dressed in corpse paint and other hell-raising looks, onstage they are like “Shinigami (death gods) from the Death Note manga”. Singles Venom, Supergaze and Martello Mosh Pit featuring Gabber Eleganza have been released in the lead up to the record and have been shocking techno dance floors too with their hi-NRG-symphonic doom-gaze. They have shared their video for Planet Helvetech (here), created by Berlin-based Patrick Defasten. Helvetech combines the Norwegian word for hell (hevlete) with techno and is a reference to the infamous black metal shop founded by Mayhem’s Euronymous. It’s a song that imagines time travel from 2099 on the planet Helvetech (where VMO comes from) to 1990s Oslo. In 2023, they performed at the CTM festival in Berlin, as well as at Berghain, receiving rave reviews. At Sydney’s leading multi-sensory Soft Center festival they drove the crowd into a frenzy on the 17 metre X 30 metre jumbo screen. They have also collaborated with artists, performing at the two day installation by the trailblazing Tianzhuo Chen - The Shepherd - at the Kyoto International Performing Arts Festival in 2021 here. At Sónar 2023, VMO provided the music for Taiwanese visual artist Yuen Hsieh’s work about virtual life after death Digital Afterlife Agency here. VMO will tour the world again for the new record, with appearances at Roskilde and media art and music fest Sónar 2024 announced so far and the Death Rave experience getting bigger and bigger.

Let's celebrate 20 years of WeMe records!

12inch vinyl in stamped die-cut cardboard sleeve, incl 20 loops. Mastered&cut by LXC. Half of any returns will be donated to Websters Amen Break Gesture campaign raising funds for the original creator of The Winston's Amen Brother breakbeat Richard Spencer. With the deepest respect for this milestone of a sample!

Australian bass collective Echo Chamber get busy with this supreme VA featuring a range of talented friends old and new. LQ takes the lead with the sublime 'Way Down' that bubbles and flexes in two system-primed forms: the spacious heavyweight Dubkasm mix and LQ and MSHCode's own breakbeat-heavier shakedown. Flip for more LQ goodies as he links up with Kloke for the fittingly titled groove-up 'Computer Bubblers' while Duburban and Galvatron finish the EP with the furious drum funk up 'Let Off The Music'. The only echo here is the reload.

From Karma Recordings comes their seventeenth EP. Our remixer on this EP needs no introduction. One of the original pioneers of the hardcore and jungle scene of the early nioneties, Bay-B-Kane has remixed the DJ Ande track to perfection, with slammin amens mixed up with a little bit of funk !! The original then hits hard as the second track on the A side. Flip it over to get DJ Kos’ pearlesent skies with that trademark sound that he has built up over the back catalogue with another stomping tune. We are also very pleased to welcome back Dertie Bassett with his track Move Me which I knew I had to sign as soon as I heard it. This is another must have EP for all jungle lovers.

Type steps up to the plate next, with the 'Deeper Still EP' - his first solo release on Rupture.

Setting the dance alight with his Jupiter debut last year with the long awaited 'Hummer', he comes correct with a full EP in 2024. This time led by another heavily demanded Rupture dub - the mighty 'sk85'.

Brussels residents The Untouchables return to Samurai for their fifth full release for the label. While working on their next full length LP for Samurai, a cluster of tunes began surfacing where their inherent dub flavourings had become the dominant characteristic of the tune. Such was the infectious power of these rhythms, it became apparent a full EP of this sound was presenting itself organically. Onward Forward is the EP The Untouchables have always needed to make - a release that will leave an indelible mark on the year. We're delighted that Samurai is the imprint that releases the EP to kick off our summer 2024 collection.

Following the initial response to the split single we have decided to release the remixes on vinyl along with the original tracks.

Sully’s XT opens track one with sparse percussive reverberation before dropping straight into the funk with a bubbling break and a bass-line reminiscent of American b-movies of the ‘70s. XT bustles along with a militant urgency, but never losing the funk flavour.

On track two, Basic Rhythm flips Sully’s XT into a straight ahead 2 step pattern, retaining the energy of the bass line whilst ramping up the militant urgency, all without losing the funk flavour. Combining modern drum production with a 90s jump up vibe.

Basic Rhythm’s Woozy is a suitable companion piece, opening track three with an ominous Hammond organ chord line and a scattering of half heard vocal snippets, before dropping into a militant break with a one note bass-line evocative of 97 era V Records. Dark and moody, but with the dance floor firmly in step.

Sully’s flip of Basic Rhythm’s Woozy on track four strips away the layers. Opening with a spartan percussion and a scattering of vocal snippets, reducing the one note bass-line to an even more laconic drawl, while littering the track with bursts and stabs of strings and effects. This one is for the dark corners of the dance.

Submorphics’ new imprint Rosebay Music returns with its 2nd release - this time joined by North Quarter boss and soulful D&B aficionado Lenzman. Melding adjacent styles ofsoul and funk once again, this 2 track single is primed for dance floors, headphones, road trips and reflective late nights.

Echoes of November sees the longtime friends and collaborators fusing skanked-outfunk with steppy drums, Detroit-style synths and a haunting soul vocal echoing from thedeep past.

On The Messenger, Submorphics gives us an esoteric solo tune with ultra-rollingdrums, standout catchy vocals and deep musical flourishes.

Rosebay Music continues to wear its heart on its sleeve; presenting emotionally andmelodically engaging music to discerning D&B lovers.

Stay tuned for more!

Virginia’s Stimulator Jones channels all things jungle on ‘Valley Center’ for his debut album on Craigie Knowes. Sam Lunsford is multi-talented genre-spanning artist; from song writing to singing, programming drum machines to drumming, performing live to DJing. ‘Valley Center’ showcases Lunsford’s seamless genre-hopping skills with the outcome an LP packed with tracks that wouldn’t sound out of place on LTJ Bukem’s ‘Logical Progressions’ series or in the Metalheadz archives.

Dr Banana's label delivers another cheeky edit record

We have done a small repress of this huge release that came out originally back in 1992 and was repressed by us in 2021. These tracks were written by Krome & Time whilst they were on Suburban Base and before they started Tearin Vinyl. This has been sold out for a very long time but the demand has built up, so we have decided to repress one more time.

rush2theUnknown is a project born in pandemic-era provincial New Zealand, developed in the hills of Izu Peninsula, Japan, but forged in the fire of potent teenage memories — the flames of the future sounds of jungle and drum 'n' bass that exploded onto dance floors across the urban centres of New Zealand in the mid 90's. Two old friends, both who played pivotal roles in the development of New Zealand's own jungle and drum 'n' bass scenes in the 1990s, estranged for decades, reunited amidst the isolation and chaos of covid. They began an experiment, attempting to recapture the feeling of having their heads overwhelmed by sounds they couldn't quite comprehend as adolescents — in particular, channeling the energy, spirit, and vibe of 1995 to 1997, where the ever-mutating evolution of jungle intersected with the dawning of drum 'n' bass to create a utopian future vision, before the latter genre changed course and moved increasingly darker.

By weaving in the influences that these two long-lost friends had accumulated over the decades, most notably from ambient, kankyõ ongaku, new age, minimalism, and some of the deepest research into the history of Japanese video game music ever conducted, the pair attempt to discover new terrain from an specific era of dance music that was never fully explored.

A gang of singular producers assemble to perform the sacred ritual of dissection and reconstruction on all four tracks from Presha's recent Sacrifice EP.

Piezo’s Ansia imprint returns for its 8th outing ‘Imago’, inviting Berlin’s Unity Vega for a split EP of uptempo dancefloor explorations that mine that fertile space between footwork, drum’n’bass, dancehall and experimental contemporary club sonics.

Unity Vega leads the charge with ‘No Body No Mind’ - a waterlogged darkside skanker that sits somewhere between the half-stepping jungle of the Uvb-76 crew and the kind of oddball dancehall deconstructions often peddled by Ansia's extended circles.
Appearing again on the flip, Vega ups his pace on ‘Set Em’ - a nervy footwork roller that pits gully hip-hop vocal chops against rising bell chords and washes of delayed noise. Think Rashad dubbed out by Kevin Martin and you’re in the right ballpark.

Label head Piezo’s contributions continue along similar lines, albeit in his own unmistakable style. ‘Toughts, Heavy’ also finds the midpoint between d’n’b and dembow, this time marrying a gurgling acid bassline with a euphoric-turned-paranoiac trance lead.
Up next, ‘Nel Frigo Ah’ strips things back to the raw, banging basics: a looping vocal call pinned down by a frenetic crescendoing drum workout.

To close, Japanese legend Foodman delivers a pots-and-pans rework of ‘Thoughts, Heavy’ - a true curveball tool for the adventurous DJs amongst us.

Kicking things off with ‘Don’t Run’ pulsating sonar drops explosive rolling breaks with a killer vocal sample that evokes the heinous sub-bassline igniting all around. ‘Raver’ an elevated frequency that drives the tempo to panned out beats echoing dancing in fields and warehouses all-night long. Surrender to ‘Amazon’ kaleidoscopic break patterns morphing throughout heed the vocal warning. Futuristic stylings of ‘No Responsibilities’ paired with naughty skanking breaks orchestrate this classic roller. ‘Broadcast’ a uniquely exclusive collaboration between Outrage, Amit & Digital A calling to all Bass lovers cinematically scaped b-lines that stimulate every sense awash with hertz frequencies, mesmerising ragga vocal & tribalistic beats leading you into unknown territories... Welcome to Dubageddon!!! The augmented dimension of ‘Power’ draws you closer and unleashes its almighty break-laden weaponry. Collaborating with Digital on ‘Equality’ hypnotically dubbed-out riddims & vocals cascading over foundations of warm bass flipping techy-breaks. Signing off the Vinyl format with another collab featuring one of the Drum & Bass scenes signature vocalists Ayah Marar on the beautifully arranged dancefloor tear-out that is ‘All I Ever Want’. LP title track ‘Behind the Eyes’ intros and questions altered states of existence... gloriously uplifting chords that weave through the vocal sample snippets fuse critical levels of beats & breaks intrinsically wrapped in lashings of sub-bass creating a tidy slice of Drum n Bass! Signature flavours from Outrage on the LP outro with ‘Fusion’ and ‘Stop, Look & Listen’

2024 Repress not in eco cover

Shogun Audio proudly presents Monrroe – Vol. 1, a limited edition collector’s item containing four of Monrroe’s biggest Drum & Bass hits released on the label over the past few years. Fan favourites such as ‘Out Of Time ft. Zara Kershaw’ and ‘Never Too Old ft. Emily Makis’ feature on black eco-vinyl and sleeve produced using 100% recycled materials.

The second EP by Justice & Necrotype brings you 6 sketches that hark back to the very early 90ies, the days of innocent Rave before the tempos increased. A nice variety of sounds that should appeal to all those who love their 91 and early 92!

At its best, Bristol's scene has been marked out by the artists with an independent spirit. Not just the self-reliant DIY approach to getting the music out there, but a unique, inventive slant on emergent sounds which feed into the city's storied reputation. Flynn & Flora embody that idea, having come up in the nascent Bristol jungle scene while offering something wholly different to their peers in fabled crews like Full Cycle and More Rockers.

The duo were absolutely connected to the wider community, but they followed their own path, and the records reflect that. They're not as widely name checked as the likes of Roni Size, Krust, or Smith & Mighty, but their legacy is just as rich with personality and flair, offering that indefinable twist which sets West Country rhythms apart from the sounds in London or elsewhere. City Road wanted to recognise that fact with a modest 12" which cherry picks four crucial early cuts from Flynn & Flora's archives, before they went on to produce three LPs and a series of 12"s up to the mid 00s.

"We knew as much as anyone else at that particular time," recalls Flynn. "Samples, hip-hop breaks, bass lines. You've got your synth, your drum machine. It's all you needed. So that's what we did."

The functionally named Floor Filler tops up the Okbron repertoire with a succinct new 12" verging on hard jungle. As if to once again flaunt the technique and art of jungle as a science, 'Words' is as clean as tunes like this can get, with serene introductions and goosebumpy breath-synths providing a spine-tinglingly evocative exposition before a sheer drop into cold 808s and breaks-judders. 'You Got Me Up' adds some comparative sludge to the mix, but not without a dose of the 'ole wurlitzy electric.

The third release on Multitone Recordings is FFF - Beast Remixed. This record features a re-release of the original version on side A, courtesy of Myor Massiv. On the flip, a top remix done by Rainboh features intricate drumwork and big basslines, followed by a special VIP from FFF himself. Get in on this future classic.

The 5th Myor Massiv release also marks FFF's 3rd outing for the label. No split this time, but a full 4 track solo ep by the Dutch Amen manipulator extraordinaire. No time for funny business on this one. FFF takes you straight into moody sci-fi territory and heavy yet intricate choppage on “It Began In Man's Mind”, followed by “We Sleep”, on which he takes a slightly less throat-cut approach, slowly building things up to a dark hoover climax. “Would D Think It's Smooth Enough” displays a beautiful mish mash of slick sounding synth stabs, 808 Juke drums and break beats. Dedicated to Dyanko. The ep is finished off in style with “Murder Comet”, which kicks off with a loud and clear clash message to all soundboys out there, followed by a spot of smoothness, only to take a turn for the worse again after about a minute or so, before all mayhem is finally unleashed via a set of mentasm stabs halfway through the tune. No prisoners, no mercy..

Amen manipulator extraordinaire FFF and fellow Dutchman Coco Bryce team up for the first release on Myor's sub label Myor Massiv.

FFF kicks off the a-side with "Superhero Can't Test", a 170 bpm slice of reggae infused jungle
wizardry, followed by "Free Your Soul", which brings down the tempo a couple of notches, taking things back to an era where breakbeats, piano riffs and pitched vocals reigned supreme.

The flipside holds 2 cuts by Coco Bryce. "Deeper And Deeper" features heavy Amen choppage and filtered breaks, carried by a small series of rap threats and boasts uttered by a not-so-underground MC, whilst "Runnin" takes a more melodic and rave-centric approach.

Dutch jungle loons FFF and Coco Bryce team up once again for another Amen excursion on Myor Massiv. Space is the place on this 12”, with both jams featuring a short documentary's worth of chatter about giant planets, failed stars and opposing quadrants. Whereas FFF takes a rather intricate and, dare I say it, intelligent approach on the A-side, Coco Bryce's “More Massiv” goes straight for the throat, with Amen chops and a double tempo pulse bassline being dropped mere seconds after take off.

2023 Repress
Following on from last year's debut release in the Myor Massiv “LUV” sub series by Coco Bryce, this time he teams up with partner in crime FFF for another slice of lovey dovey junglism. FFF kicks things off with “Never Let You Fall”, on which he juxtaposes moody synth riffs with uplifting reggae vocals, making for an alienating yet strangely attractive combination, before delving into Amen mayhem extraordinaire. On the flip Coco Bryce opts for a higher cuteness factor on “Lovin U”. Not necessarily aimed at the dancefloor, but with an undeniably “junglist” feel to it, this little number is probably best described as a “love song for the heads”, although its ultra low bass frequencies are likely to rattle any sub woofer in the best of dub traditions.