By now it’s common knowledge that Etch is one of the brightest sparks working in the field of contemporary breakbeat mangling. The Brighton-based producer has the depth of knowledge about breaks, and the expressive affinity for how to slice and rearrange them, to rank among some of the greats. We’re talking Photek, Paradox, Source Direct levels of drum science here. Of course he’s more than just a break slicer too – look no further than last year’s Strange Days LP on Seagrave for a more widescreen angle on the Etch sound.

Toasting five years since we first carried some of Zak Brashill’s advanced junglisms on Sneaker, and three since his 2018 album Ups & Downs, we’re thrilled to welcome him back for an excursion into the heart of his drumfunk practice. On the A side of this single the sound field is sparse and taut, echoing the stripped-back, minimalistic atmosphere Paradox just brought to SNKR029. All emphasis is on the drums, and the staggering contortions they’re bent into. Where there is additional sonic dressing, it comes in noirish chord drops and distant celestial vapours that add to the palpable sense of tension.

By the contrast the B-side welcomes in a little more human warmth, with a vocal hook on ‘Shadows Passed By’ that calls back to Smith & Mighty’s flip of the Bacharach soul standard ‘Walk On By’, and a collaboration with Luo that trades in blue-tinted vibes and airy diva vocals. In both instances, needlepoint beat programming is still key and an overall sense of restraint guides the composition, lingering in a sustained mood rather than breaking out in excess drama. Etch sounds more accomplished and in control than ever on this 12”, and we’re honoured to be releasing such vital additions to the jungle narrative.

Buy Vinyl

Etch x Luo - Amygdala

We're back with another charity VA - this time in support of FareShare Southwest 

ANY BPM Vol.2 releases 09/09, available to pre-order now! 

1. @leftleftdbg - Watchen
2. @whambolam - Chugugga
3. @user-182838783 (Yoosee)- A Little Bit Dark
4. @fiyahdred - The Shuffle
5. @ruffkaval - Pileup
6. @sickarone - Leaves
7. @van-wilkins - Concentrate
8. @yourboykiran - I Can See It
9. @tvsmiffland - This Ain’t a Place for the Living
10. @slinkiuk - Godfruit
11. @dai-su - Again
12. @etraetra - Kyoho
13. @k-65uk - Dispatch
14. @roamingdataa - Boxwerk 
15. @djsideswipe - Plantlife
16. Goldman & @djlazergun - Set U Free 
17. @norazion1 - It’s a Pity
18. @cazzztle - Remember
19.  @qqantt - Deep Breath

Preorder here - https://excessbristol.bandcamp.com/album/any-bpm-vol-2

AB002 - ANY BPM Vol. 2 [Clips]

Maroki launches the Spitskool Records imprint with 3 cuts of absolutely devastating club orientated sounds. 

Spitskool is a platform for Maroki and Coralie AKA ‘MXC’ and friends to release their music that perhaps wouldn’t fit elsewhere. Although it seems there is now a home at last.

The opening track; No - turned heads and shredded ears when first played at Haai & Daniel Avery’s renowned Junction 2 set back during Covid club closures - sparking a frantic online ID search. It has laid dormant since but cropped up in a handful of mixes and clubs around the world played by such selectors as GigiFM, Mad Miran and MSJY. It has since been re-mixed and mastered and is now coming out as the opening title of this EP. ‘No’ is a no-bullshit, straight up minimal broken techno affair. An arpeggiated bass rips through the track with surgical percussion lending support when needed. A crispy amen break keeps the piece rattling along with reese basses searing throughout.

‘AC4XT’ is a sleeping giant, again using the powerful rips and an earth shattering break and a sub that is oh so reminiscent of the old DMZ days but wholly different. The synth lines are tactile - loud, almost overpowering at times but once they disperse the space that is left is wide and compelling.

Finally Tremor - the clattering foray into Maroki’s chaotic mind. Techno in its simplest form but not. Sonically comparable to scaffolders losing their minds and dropping the structure in time to a 4 to the floor beat. Injections of pure noise and reprocessed breaks bring this track to fruition as a peak time destructive force.

On remix duties we have Coralie - known for his incredible release ‘Barney’s Maze’ on Quoth, which was subsequently picked up by editors at both Phonica Records & NinjaTune last year as being one of the most slept on releases of the year. We also have Tectonic regular & early mentor to Maroki ‘Elmono’ who has awoken from a slumber while mastering the dark arts of modular sound design in Lisbon for the last 5 years. Both throwing their hats into the ring for this series.

Coralie’s flip is as powerful as the original & showcases his textural and stylistic approach to forward thinking bass music. Elmono sticks true to his form and serves a cut that is beyond perfect. Walking the tight line between minimal and powerful simultaneously while sticking to his signature sound.

We also have Maroki & Coralie pitching in as MXC for not one but two remixes of Tremor - both evolved versions of the original that are standalone tracks in their own right. The minimal edit is an ode to their collaborative work together thus far. Racking bass and percussion into scorching sonic slop. The 2nd edit takes the original somewhere else entirely. Broken beats, confused sounds and hypnotic experimental grooves lead this down a very different path. An insight into what’s to come from the illusive duo later this year.

Keep you eyes and ears peeled for the physical release as there will only be a run of 30 limited edition pressings with limited edition artwork from the fabled dutch illustrator ’Sjondebaron’

SK001 - SELECTED WORKS - MAROKI

Frequency

FREQUENCY

Order Ltd 12" Vinyl here: https://bit.ly/SNKR049

Weighing in with more of the deadly payloads that make systems weep, Alan Johnson return to Sneaker Social Club to finish what they started on 2022's The Stillness EP.

Gareth and Tom's sharp instinct for the fundamentals of crushing half-step pressure remain undiminished on this latest EP. Their sound palette reaches across contrasting strands of music culture, and every bar is teeming with micro details of sound design which give the tracks a living, breathing quality.

Alan Johnson - People of the World

PRE-ORDER 12" VINYL: https://bit.ly/SNKR053
PRE-SAVE FULL EP: sq.lnk.to/SNKR053

Out 5th April 2024

-

It’s been a minute, but Sneaker Social Club is gassed to facilitate the return of the mighty House Of Black Lanterns, locking in for the dankest 2-step flex in a sincere ode to pirate radio culture. Dylan Richards has always displayed an affinity for low-end pressure threaded through his versatile HOBL output on Houndstooth and his prior work as King Cannibal, but he’s never dialled in to UKG with this much focus before.
 
The A side comes on strong with ‘Back To Back Special’, a dark garage creeper with negative space so vast it becomes all consuming — all the better for the ample MC toasting and spring reverb FX splashes to ping out around the skeletal, hard-knocking swing and snarling bass. ‘Out To The Private Number’ maintains the theme, flipping soulful UKG tropes into an ice-cold update for these malevolent times. 
 
On the flip, Richards pushes the formula further out with ‘Slew’, which deploys hardcore-minded bass hooks in a devilishly dissected rhythmic framework and amps up the yard intensity on the MC source material to create a deadly intersection of garage, rave and dancehall. ‘Summon Like’ dials up the eeriness and lets the growl of the bass take centre stage in a potent, unnervingly minimalist dance wrecker that simply confirms the crystal clear vision Richards is pursuing on this record. 
 
It’s a devout love letter to the edgiest of garage’s golden era without being limited to a simple genre study. Instead, a broad church of soundsystem exaltation gets expressed through the Richards’ elevated production vocabulary, capturing the shockout, mind-blowing spirit of the most trailblazing plates when they first got dropped on an unsuspecting crowd.

Pre-order

House of Black Lanterns - Slew [SNKR053]

Ｂａｄ Ｔｉｐｓ🔸https://linktr.ee/badtips
𝕽𝖊𝖖𝖚𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖘 👉🏾 badtipsaudio@gmail.com


⏬𝐁𝐔𝐘 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐂 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐒 & 𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐒⏬



Flexsa - Flavours
Evolove Music, 2024
𝓑𝓾𝔂 👉🏾 https://evolovemusic.bandcamp.com/album/flavours

🔴 𝔽𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨 𝔸𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕥
https://www.instagram.com/flexsa.music/
https://soundcloud.com/flexsamusic

🔵 𝔽𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨 𝕃𝕒𝕓𝕖𝕝
https://www.instagram.com/evolove.musics/
https://soundcloud.com/evolove-music
https://www.facebook.com/evolove.musics

FREE DL

𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖒𝖎𝖊𝖗𝖊#195 📢 Flexsa - Love [Evolove Music]

After a long hiatus HEFTY BRUISES is back with their second release. Steering towards the sound they want to push label boss SDS MAX slaps together another outing on the label with the help of Vere.

Ring Leader SDS MAX opens things up on the A side with familiar sounds of Grime, Dubstep and techno. Warping basses and squelching synths are backed up with weighty low ends and tight percs.

London based Vere shows off his production skill with his b side bruiser. Into The Hollow is a full drum workout which will leave you sweating, Skippy percussion added with subtle textures is all the ingredients you need.

Small Run of 12inch Vinyl. Hand stamped and with some goodies.

https://heftybruiseslabel.bandcamp.com/album/hefty-bruises-002

https://soundcloud.com/heftybruises
https://soundcloud.com/sdsmax
https://soundcloud.com/veresound
https://www.instagram.com/heftybruises/

House of Black Lanterns - Slew [SNKR053]

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