MVE picks some of his favorite new releases along with a mix<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve ever felt helpless about keeping up with electronic music releases and don\u2019t know where to start, I\u2019m here to help ease the burden by providing brief reviews of some of the latest releases that I am enjoying. \u00a0Hopefully the reviews will just be a starting point and can guide those listeners\/readers who want to explore more deeply in useful directions.<\/p>\n
J:Kenzo<\/strong> \u2013 Bloodlines EP<\/em> (Rinse) Last year saw halfstep giant J:Kenzo finally release his first album on Rinse Records. \u00a0Fans of the deeper, darker dubstep sounds have known about him for a while, but that record really put J:Kenzo\u2019s name on the map. \u00a0This year, he\u2019s followed his self-titled album up with the Bloodlines EP, keeping with his tradition of the \u2018dungeon\u2019 sound (a moniker which is problematic for some fans of the genre). \u00a0The bass is heavy, the instrumentation is sparse, and the wobbles are non-existent. \u00a0\u2018Cause and Effect\u2019 is a particular favorite of this release and includes the classic dubstep staple of esoteric movie dialogue samples to punctuate the track. \u00a0This is a quality record for fans of Youngsta\u2019s Rinse FM show, Chestplate Records, Tempa Records, and the like.<\/p>\n Hackman<\/strong> \u2013 Fists of Ham<\/em> (2084) Hackman has been an artist that has kicked around several different electronic genres. \u00a0He\u2019s (arguably) had releases that have touched on dubstep, house, and UK Funky, showcasing his talents as a producer. \u00a0Fists of Ham (an admittedly silly name) is perfect for summertime vibes with the A-Side eponymous track evoking the drums and light synths of UK Garage and the tempo of speed garage while the B-Side is a Felix Lenferink remix that drags the track into further brokenbeat territory. \u00a0I prefer the original track, but I am an unrepentant UK Garage fan.<\/p>\n Kromestar<\/strong> \u2013 7th Wonder EP<\/em> (Nebula Music) I would generally classify Kromestar as a classic dubstep producer in the vein of Mala, Coki, Benga, Skream, and others. \u00a0However, with 7th Wonder, Kromestar has harkened back to 2008-2009 and Joker, Ginz, and Kapsize Records\u2019 purple sound. \u00a0If that all sounds like gibberish to you, then check out Joker\u2019s best track Purple City (http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0bIR_YmiuVw<\/a>). \u00a0Kromestar very clearly evokes this sound, which is a change of pace from previous releases, and the first track on the EP is appropriately called \u2018Purple Cloud.\u2019 \u00a0For me, though, \u2018Atari Wave\u2019 is the standout track on this release, as it brings more energy than the laconic first track.<\/p>\n Walton<\/strong> \u2013 Beyond<\/em> (Hyperdub) While Hyperdub, for me, has been putting out some questionable releases lately (Terror Danjah\u2019s album excepted), they\u2019ve released a really solid LP with Beyond. \u00a0Walton is a relatively new artist and has had some quality releases in the past (most notably his All Night 12\u201d) and has shown great versatility. \u00a0Beyond is no exception as he floats between House, Grime, Electro, Wonky, and straight Bass relatively effortlessly. \u00a0Granted, not every track works, but for the most part, the tracks hit the right notes. \u00a0I might have preferred if the album had been broken up into a couple EPs to more effectively group similar tracks into self-contained releases, but I am an opponent of albums for electronic artists in general, so take that criticism with a grain of salt.<\/p>\n