Under The Scope

Oceans

Taken from Water Damage, out now on @yukumusic

"This project originated after discovering stacks of old family photographs, loosely bagged and fused together in the damp and soggy shed that once stood in my maternal grandparents’ back yard in the peak district.

Many of the images were inadvertently stripped, through the long process of soaking and separating them from their albums and wallets; those that didn’t completely perish (and many that did) took on abstract new shapes unrelated to those exposed onto the original film.

These images (and the tracks they accompany) have since taken on a greater weight and meaning to me in their embodiment of times, places and faces no longer around. They represent cloudy memories, branches of a family tree cut down and consigned to the past."

Written & produced by Jim Ehlinger
Artwork provided by Jim Ehlinger
Mastered by Sam at PRECISE
Set free into the wild by YUKU

Water Damage

Earl Grey - Break Stride [YUKU]

After The End EP - out now on Defrostatica

Release date: 1.11.2024
Artwork: Aiax 
Mastering: Macc
Distribution: Clone

Sun People is one of the few modern producers with an unmistakable signature sound. For more than a decade, the Austrian has seemingly effortlessly pursued the plan of developing a soulful minimalism in the field between footwork, jungle and techno, creating moments of bliss for listeners and dancers.

His third EP on Defrostatica emphasizes the contrast between footwork grooves - as in After The End - and spiraling drum techno patterns on 160 beats per minute like in Forward.

After The End

No Fear No Hope

Buy / Stream

Sun People - No Fear No Hope (Defrostatica)

Blood Trust advances the Digital Red Label Series with “To Live For” and “To Die For” – twin sonic assaults locked in at 170 BPM.

“To Live For” leads off with an undercurrent of jungle-inflected turbulence, strengthened by stark tech-step scaffolding and squelchy bass rumblings. A mechanical yet fluid syncopation rushes the momentum forward, carrying interlocking pieces that never seem to collide.

Descending further into darkness, “To Die For” joins fragments of hardcore punk samples with “Under the Skin” style string swells, punctuated by buzzing drum edits and driving percussion. A stripped back, steppy interlude eases the tension before the track reforms its menacing core.

Written & Produced: Quinn Smith
Artwork: Emery Carr
Write Up: Brandon Ivers
Mastering: Resound

Digital Red Label 006

Buy here

To Live For

After 15 years in the game, with over 60+ vinyl records pressed, including several "001s", I am very excited to finally be launching my own thing (better late than never hey).

001 - Pugilist - Monument

The concept for Ruff Kutz as an idea came about last year after doing the 3 releases exclusive to Bandcamp as an outlet for my own productions that didn't get picked up by labels. Lots of people messaged me about vinyl. including a big push from dear friend and musical luminary Stormn Norm aka Mr Modern Hypnosis. He put me in touch with Sequence Distribution and they have been amazing to work with - helping me get this off the ground quickly!

The label will be the main outlet for most of my productions going forward - focussing on quality over quantity and with no set rules for a particular sound or tempo: expect the unexpected! The first release encompasses what I think is my sound, and is a nod to my musical past whilst aiming to remain fresh and create timeless music.

Techno influence has always been something I have tried to incorporate into my productions, but I have never released a full Techno track - until now! The A side track 'Monument' is a rolling piece of soulful machine music, made to induce euphoria on the dancefloor with its 10 min run time, Dubby chords, groovy Latin percussion and melancholic pads. Homage to a lot of the 90s and early noughties Techno sounds that I am so fond of!

I couldn't think of doing the first release on the label without at least 1 Dubstep track on it, and given it's the genre I cut my teeth in - I did 2 inna pug-step style. Deep and dubbed out. B1 'Mannequin' is an introspective half-stepper with a laid back, techy feel to it. The staccato sub bass keeps the track grooving under the delicate chords and is sure to get the scoops moving!

On the B2 we have 'Run It' a hazy 2-step style tune (so hot right now) with forward thinking production, an off kilter groove, hypnotic bass and a few classy wubs thrown in for good measure. Think Horsepower Productions meets Livity Sound. Stinky!

Available through Bandcamp, and up for pre-order through the usual suspects very soon! No Spotify sorry, you have got to stick to your morals!

Thanks so much for the support, and here is to hopefully many more.

Design by RQ
Distributed by Sequence
Mastered at Star Delta

Big love - Alex

A - Pugilist - Monument - CLIP

FILTHY

Testbed#4 Flight

PULL ME THROUGH (VIP)

Om Unit Presents: Cosmology - Dark Matter 
CBR032
3 x 12” Vinyl & Download
Released: 6th Sept 2019

Buy here: http://bit.ly/CBR032

A1. Om Unit - The Lake (Samba Remix)
A2. TMSV - Ominous
B1. Proc Fiskal - Death
B2. Danny Scrilla - Sacred Waters
B3. Moresounds - Watating 

C1. J: Kenzo - Dub For Bashenga
C2. Rude Operator - Broken Sky
D1. Vromm - Decentralized
D2. Oliver Yorke - Treasured
D3. Es.tereo - Floating Point 

E1. Margari’s Kid - Challenger
E2. Om Unit & Synkro - Reflextions
F1. Om Unit & Djrum - Ruins
F2. Crypticz - Chrysalis (Feat. Amy Kisnorbo)

"I’ve been a fan of Djrum for some time since hearing some of his early mixes and having seen him play out in his effortlessly interesting and bold style many times with the same philosophy applied in his tunes I had always hoped to collab with him. We managed to pull “Ruins” out of the hat and I’ve been waiting a while to reveal this mad mixture of hardcore and lo fi slow-mo energy  to the world. It’s a perfect fit for this amazing compilation of music, which I can’t wait to share with you all this coming September!"
- Om Unit

Fresh from a series of artist-led 12"s, Om Unit's Cosmic Bridge label returns with 'Dark Matter', its first compilation since 2017's 'Cosmology Selections'. Collected in a triple vinyl LP / digital formats, the release offers a fresh snapshot of the exciting possibilities and experiments happening at the intersection of hip-hop, jungle and bass music; a hybrid sound the label has pioneered since its first release eight years ago. 

Across 14 tracks, 'Dark Matter' showcases Cosmic Bridge's growing global roster of artists: Moresounds, Danny Scrilla, Proc Fiskal, Margari's Kid, Oliver Yorke, J:Kenzo, TMSV, vromm, alongside new faces Samba and Rude Operator, and perennial favorites Es.tereo, Synkro and Djrum, the latter two in collaboration with label head Om Unit. 

Stylistically the compilation covers a broad range, and gives listeners the space to digest it all with a running time of 75 minutes. There are stripped-down, meditative rollers such as TMSV's flute-led 'Ominous', the bass hypnosis of Danny Scrilla's 'Sacred Waters', and Samba's snappy, booming remix of Om Unit's 'The Lake'. The timeless energy of jungle is channeled in Proc Fiskal's 'Death', a percussive, bouncy number, while Moresounds plays with filters (and your mind) as he refines a less-is-more take of classic themes on 'Watating'. J:Kenzo highlights the music's Jamaican roots on 'Dub For Bashenga'; a tough, pounding cut that goes straight for the chest and which finds its counterpoint in Rude Operator's 'Broken Sky'. 

For those who like more expansive, cinematic approaches there are epic waves of drums, slick editing and euphoria in Es.tereo's 'Floating Point' and Vromm's 'Decentralized', while Oliver Yorke's 'Treasured' and Margari's Kid's 'Challenger' squeeze soul from colder sound palettes and tight breakbeats. 

Om Unit's two collaborations, 'Reflections' with Synkro and 'Ruins' with Djrum, reflect the compilation's ambitions and breadth. The former is a delicate, uplifting roller that sets you up for the dark rumblings, freeform stylings and frenetic rhythms of the latter. The compilation ends with a track that arguably stands tall on its own, Crypticz's 'Chrysalis' feat. Amy Kisnorbo; an 11-minute epic that plays out like a love letter to the magic of breakbeat science, dub technology and human creativity. 

Dark Matter is a finely crafted statement of intent from Cosmic Bridge and Om Unit, shunning easy self-congratulation for a dive into the musical potentials and connections of a sound that is now an established part of the global bass music vocabulary.

Om Unit Presents: Cosmology - Dark Matter

3 x 12" Vinyl/Digital

Om Unit & Djrum - Ruins (Taken from Om Unit Presents: Cosmology - Dark Matter) (CBR032)

Decentralized

R&S / Over Shadow / 31 Recordings / Critical Music / The Nothing Special / Cosmic Bridge
Follow me:
www.vromm.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/vrommaudio
www.instagram.com/vrommaudio
www.twitter.com/vrommaudio
Vromm is my latest music project with the aim to spread the UK bass and beats culture that influences me since the late 80's.