Ike Release – Iridescent
Ike Release is on a strictly skippers tip with ‘Iridescent’ arranging glassy synth movements with sticky 2-step patterns and a deep blue mood.
Ike Release is on a strictly skippers tip with ‘Iridescent’ arranging glassy synth movements with sticky 2-step patterns and a deep blue mood.
The liquid D’n'B legend turns his hand to dubstep again for a second 12″ ‘pon Mala’s Deep Medi label. ‘Tenopause’ is the sweeter of the two tracks, using deftly spaced percussion and plummeting subbass depths arranged with the level of sophistication you’d expect. ‘Discreet Dub’ is a darker effort, using mystical pipes, dread bass and Fabio Frizzi-esque synth flourishes to cinematic effect.
CMYK is only the third release from London electronic producer James Blake, who is only 21. His style is already recognizable: progressions of thick soul and jazz chords, pitched-down and mangled vocals, and mid-tempo beats that balance synthesized sub-bass with handclaps, snaps, and other humanizing soundlets. But each of his releases– last year’s “Air & Lack Thereof” / “Sparing the Horses” single, February’s The Bells Sketch EP, and now, CMYK EP– also sounds like its own project, filled with private rules and concepts. He’s writing his theme and his variations at the same time.
Clubroot has often been hailed as ‘the new Burial’, but hasn’t really caused a stir in the dubstep community. I’m not sure his new album is gonna change much to that position, but personally I’m just glad this 25-year old kid issued a new album (II- MMX) filled with “dreamy bass heavy space music around the 140 [bpm] mark”, as he describes it himself. The title of this track (‘Cherubs cry’) says a lot about the atmosphere in this track.
Another track featured on Fabric’s Elevator Music, Starkey‘s Black Monolith is a bass heavy track layered with some very dramatic melodies. It’s relentless build up has an almost cinematic feel to it, and really carries the atmostphere. Starkey‘s been a bit hit or miss for me lately, but this one is bang on target.
Blogsite West Norwood Cassette Library started its own label (now that’s an idea!). Their first release features killer track ‘What It Is’, backed with the Brackles remix. Spaced synth stabs, a bunch of echoing snares gives this track a cool drive. Supported by Mary Anne Hobbs, Shortstuff and BenUFO!
For sale here.
New dubstep concept ‘Timebomb’ in Ghent. This Friday, secret location near Ghent Zuid. Attending people on FB will get notified. Or keep checking that FB-page.

Still loving this one. Deep and soulful dubstep with an MJ Cole feel.
And the brilliant records just keep coming. “Millennia” is the b-side of ‘Stars’, the single that’s preceding Starkey’s new album Ear Drums and Black Holes. According to the memo Millennia “bends glacial melody lines around epic strings and fluttering electronics, gently building into tight synthfunk and dropping back to a vocoder-like bassline, before ending on deep 808 pads and restful oceanic noises.” Rrright. I will just say EPIC TUNE!! And that it sounds like Zomby on a kraut-trip.
(PS: I edited this entry to say that you have to play with a loop of the part between 2.10 and 2.40. BOH!)
Be sure to check our older post on Starkey – ‘Stars’.
Hotflush announced the release of Sepalcure’s debut EP. The Sepalcure website features two nice tracks, with astonishing drawings by Sougwen. Despite the obvious vocal samples, ‘Every Day Of My Life’ is great. It has a soothing atmosphere, and the slow bpm turns the track into a perfect companion for a hot summer afternoon (which I normally do not relate to dubstep-ish music).
It has kind of a flying lotus sound. Im diggin this….
Esco 18:52 on May 25, 2010 Permalink
Lovin this one!