Opal Sunn's Elastic marks the first release in a trilogy on Test Pressing Recordings, showcasing the genre-blending talents of Alex Kassian and Hiroaki Oba. Known for their mesmerizing live performances, the duo delivers an EP that seamlessly shifts through moods and styles. The A-side opens with deep, hypnotic trance, layering rich synths and rolling grooves. On the B-side, the vibe turns lush and atmospheric: one track embraces dub influences, with warm basslines and reverberating chords, while the final cut drifts into serene ambient soundscapes. A striking debut that highlights their mastery of both rhythm and space. Learn More
The Holy Chalice is a jungle label based out of Sheffield, started in 2019 and run by Alex Deadman of Junglist Alliance, a man whose knowledge of Sheffield is undeniable and has one of the strangest cars I've ever been in. So far, there's been two wicked releases on the label, both of them by The Chalice Crew, with the concept being that it's a shared anonymous alias, meaning that anyone whose music is signed to the label has their music released under The Chalice Crew alias, making it open to being absolutely anyone.. Learn More
Massive jazzdance and UK bass fusions on the new e-glowup from Eglo (though the record is also released physically). Celebrating 15 years of the nominal "post-dubstep" label, this limited 12" EP hears four exclusive, unreleased tracks from an upcoming label-definer compilation, the third in a series. Born from the basement of Plastic People, the pressure has remained continuously on Eglo to keep the same foment of bass musical innovation that the club nurtured alive. Plastic People is a routinised object of nostalgia, and it is often deemed the last proper place for innovation in bass music before austerity Britain militated against it. Zed Bias's remix of Chunky's 'Dancing On Tables' with Metrodome - and the deep, bruk-inspired track, 'Minerals,' from Liverpool's rising star Sticky Dub - both prove this assessment totally wrong. Genius thrives. On the flip, we've also house legend Giles Smith (formerly of Secretsundaze) delivering fresh material, as well as label boss Alexander Nut making his official debut with the lo-fi electro house track 'Arcade Fun Pt. 1.' The full compilation, featuring artists like Shy One, Steve Spacek, and Fatima, drops in April.
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Placenta is the fourth collection of broadly imaginative and highly collaborative Carlos Niño & Friends music released on International Anthem in the last four years. It is also the first new music to be released by Carlos Niño & Friends following the November 2023 release of André 3000’s New Blue Sun – an album which Carlos produced alongside André, while co-writing, co-creating/playing, and co-mixing every song. Learn More
Hard Times taps Alex Arnout's Black Logic for a release that feels like a natural extension of the label's deep house legacy. Having spent his formative years on Hard Times the club's dancefloor, Arnout channels that history into four tracks that blend jazz-flecked grooves with rich, soulful textures. The opener is a crisp, funk-laced roller, its bassline locked into a groove that nods to the genre's 90s heyday. 'Back 2 Where We Were' takes a more introspective turn, its warm melodies and fluid percussion creating a late-night haze. 'Blackman' sees Beckford deliver a stirring vocal, weaving conscious lyricism into intricate instrumentation, while 'Jazz Mess' closes the set with free-flowing drums and improvisational energy.
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Mind Express boss Refracted, AKA Berlin's Alex Moya, emerges from the depths of some murky, oily, opaque lake. A place unsettling and unnerving - the site of some unknown tension - but also wonderfully inimitable and hard to countenance. Powerful stuff, just not really in a way that immediately presents itself as such. Nevertheless, before you know it these tones have enveloped and ensnared. Call it ambient techno, call it ambient, call it pure futurism - parts here almost feel like the ambient noises of familiar things that haven't been invented yet. If that makes sense? A moody precog of a record, it whirs and drones, echoes and dissipates. There are moments when structure become more defined, like the mystery of 'Initiation', but for the most part these are aural infinity loops.
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Marcus Intalex was a universally revered drum & bass producer/DJ until his untimely death in 2017 and ‘How You Make Me Feel’ is a kaleidoscopic celebration of his trailblazing life and career.
From emerging as a DJ on the rave scene in Burnley to surviving ‘Gunchester’ jungle raves and taking his era-defining D&B from Manchester to the world, before effortlessly switching to techno under his Trevino moniker, Marcus Intalex was at the bleeding-edge of club culture for nearly three decades. As close collaborator Martyn says, ‘Not many people can say they played at Berghain and Metalheadz nights.’
This illustrated oral history weaves together memories from Marcus’ inner circle, unpublished photos and artwork, and words from his closest friends and family. It’s the story of how a humble, restless soul created some of the most emotionally charged underground music of all time. And how his legacy lives on through a worldwide community of artists and music lovers he inspired along the way. Learn More
For over a decade, Mako has been a distinctive presence, both as an individual and through his music, a talent we’ve proudly showcased at Metalheadz. This September, we are honoured to release his third album on the label, and his second solo endeavour, which serves as a seamless continuation of his earlier work. His 2020 album, ‘Oeuvre’, represented years of dedication and refined production, solidifying Mako's esteemed place within the Metalheadz family.
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One day early in the global lockdown, Frédéric Blais scribbled four words on a Post-It note and pinned it up in his studio. When he headed to a studio in the mountains north of Montreal to start work on his fifth album as Fred Everything, those words went with him. They would not only provide inspiration during two weeks of isolated music-making, but ultimately provide the subsequent album with its title: Love, Care, Kindness and Hope.
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The North Quarter has consistently excelled at delivering expansive drum & bass sounds that are rich in soul and built on smooth, captivating grooves. Their second State of Mind compilation is yet another prime example, bringing together four sides of fresh riddims from a range of contemporary talents. Alexx A-Game kicks things off with a funky remix from Satl, setting the tone for the album, followed by the upbeat vibes of Lenzman & Redeyes’ Hold Tight Girl. Other standout moments include the jazzy depth of Channell's Intrigue and Note’s immersive, bass-heavy Affirmative Action.
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