Twisting junglisms into irregular shapes since 2017, Manchester’s pride and joy Alex Lowther-Harris brings Thugwidow to Sneaker Social for a ruff yet refreshing ride through the rave. No doubt his skin in the game reaches back further than his first recorded output, but just trying to get a handle on his released catalogue is work enough. In 2019 alone he released no less than six albums and three EPs, laying down immense slabs of material on tapes as much as wax. As well as coursing through the dense undergrowth of the cassette scene, his 12”s have appeared on labels like Western Lore, Warehouse Rave and Astral Black, and he’s collaborated with Dead Man’s Chest and Bruised Skies.

Make no mistake, this is hardcore-rooted music, but it feels closer in spirit to that ill-defined period before scenes became delineated and tribal. All the ingredients are there, but Lowther-Harris teases them, fires them off at funny angles or flips them on their head. ‘Post Modern Assault Ethics’ maintains a sparse, restrained demeanour throughout even as the diva vocal slices ping endlessly through the mix and the bass wobbles away underneath. ‘Invisible Shell Of Energy’ juggles lesser-spotted breaks through a cloud of downcast pads, only to trip over and open the filter up on the loose and funky bassline at the final stretch. ‘The Sacrifice’ turns the break damage up, but keeps the moody vibe front and centre, and ‘The Voices Beneath The Earth’ wraps things up with a heavy-hearted belter that runs the risk of achieving anthemic status. 

For all the snappy programming, crisp edits and artful low end, it’s the pervading sense of emotional depth which makes Thugwidow such a powerful presence in the contemporary jungle scene. Pairing those all-consuming moods with his non-standard structures, you’ve got exactly the kind of renegade we love to carry here at Sneaker.

THUGWIDOW - Invisible Shell Of Energy

Bass Is Maternal

Label: Banoffee Pies Records
Artist: Pugilist
Title: Static
Catalogue Number: BP019
Genre: UK Techno / Dub / Down Tempo
Release: February 2022

Tracklist:
A1 Déjà Vu
A2 Future Retro
B1 Static
B2 Sky Blue
5. Illumination (digital exclusive)

Banoffee Pies Records 19th release in the Original Series lands with a very special solo EP entitled "Static" from Melbourne based Producer/DJ, Pugilist. Alex has been making incredible selections of bass infused, UK and Dub tinged music for many years. A fitting welcome on BPR as the label hits it's 8 year anniversary since its inception in 2014. The platform continues to evolve with an ever growing number of releases representing different sounds across its sublabels and many blossoming side projects alongside.

To honour the frequent mood changes and feelings of relative isolation experienced in the last 2 years, the A side aims to reconnect those lost moments with "Déjà Vu" & "Future Retro" - both tracks channelling a UK centric sound for the dancefloor and a further proof of the depth and quality found across Pugilist's back catalogue. The B side flaunts a completely parallelled sound palette with "Static", a down tempo dubby track partnered by the beautifully stylish "Sky Blue". A combination of anthems and cloud hopping ballads for the record collectors. Much love, BPR. X

*The release includes an extra goodie in the form of the digitally exclusive track “Illumination” - a low key 2step / garage mood to close out the EP.

Mastered: Optimum
Distributed by: KUDOS Records

Banoffee Pies 019 - Static

Future Retro

Buy 12" / digital

PREMIERE: Pugilist - Future Retro

3:33

Alive

Mess

The Last of the Red Hot Brethren

Desert Sound Colony's Holding Hands imprint taps a collection of buzzing underground artists for the 'Slam Jams Vol.1' compilation EP, featuring London-based artist Breaka laying down a jam true to his name with gripping breaks, chopped vocals and fluttering synth riffs. 

Desert Sound Colony describes the vision behind the new compilation EP: "For release numero 7 I have decided to switch up the format and put out a various artists EP. We’ve got a couple label regulars and a couple fresh faces, each bringing a different vibe but with one overarching theme. The tracks have gotta slam... All four tracks are produced and sculpted for the club. They want big sound systems and dark rooms. Close your eyes, hold hands and experience transcendental space flight..." 

The 'Slam Jams Vol.1' EP, which also features tracks by Yutaro Sugawara, Tape Fear and Guava, is out soon.

Premiere: Breaka 'Get Your Sweat On'

Limited vinyl available here, not to be repressed: https://jenkemmag.myshopify.com/products/the-acemoma-ep

AceMoMa - Soul Deep Management

Breaks 'N' Pieces is back with another cut of UKG, breakbeat & bass filled goodness. Watch your bass bins.

◊ PRE-ORDER ◊

https://www.coldcutshotwax.uk/products/various-artists-breaks-n-pieces-vol-2

PRE-ORDER

HOTWAX // Bartholomew Kind - Manhattan

'Waiting For The World' album out March 26, get it here: https://orcd.co/waitingfortheworld

@waywarduk drop another explosive taster from their debut album ‘Waiting For The World’, coming via @silver-bear-recordings.

Third single ‘All A Bit Mad’ is built around the voice of Femi Koleoso, drummer of pioneering London nu jazz band @ezracollective.

Wayward said: “We feel like we’ve fully settled into making the music we should be. You don’t get a shot at a debut album twice, and we wanted to put out a sonically diverse record that is as energising as it is emotionally-evocative with atmospheric tracks to chill to, and ones with the energy of club impact. Before lockdown we’d seen Ezra Collective at The Roundhouse in London. The way that Femi addressed the crowd was more like an MC at a rave than the leader of a jazz band. The energy he created was so impressive that we had the idea to sample his voice. All A Bit Mad was the first tune we wrote during the lockdown period. Stuck in the house reminiscing about clubbing and thinking about the prospect of no live music for a considerable stretch of time was what inspired it”

More exclusive music

Premiere: Wayward 'All A Bit Mad'

formerly known as SNØW, also formerly known as Interface!! Producer, Mix Engineer & DJ. One half of @jusnowmusic. Co founder of @moretimerecords

Alive

Sam Interface