Back in stock: Drum & Bass / Jungle

Review: Two fresh names make a big splash in the still-strong UK hardcore scene. Coming to DJ Seduction's Burning Bush Communciations for an unlikely Florence And The Machine remix, we hear a breaks-backed version of 'You Got The Love' by DJ-X-Cess, but with re-recorded vocals that sound more to have been lifted from a passionate soul B-side than directly from the indie pop darling. It works very well, admittedly. Then also comes a remix of Ghost Unit's 'Air Cooled' by DJ X Cess, who adds to the original a wally, impossible-not-to-dance-to piano mix.

Review: A double LP of d&b goodness, London Elektricity has had an illustrious career through over three decades worth of jungle and d&b traversal. Tony Colman, also the founder of Hospital Records, is passing the torch on this new release to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his atmospheric, breakbeat-laden 'Billion Dollar Gravy' with a batch of remixes from fresh talent and new sounds. BDG itself sees a modern, hardcore d&b remix from Watch the Tide and 'Cum Dancing' gets blown out by Mozey after a gentle intro akin to Machine Girl's 'Reporpoised Phantasies' EP and 'Neon White Soundtrack Part 1 'The Wicked Heart'. The roster includes Zero T, Whiney & Unglued, Dogger & Mindstate, Kimyan Law, Hugh Hardie and veteran Hospital stalwart Logistics.

Review: The torch of glossy, dolphinny jungle - the kind pioneered by LTJ Bukem's 'Atlantis', for example - continues to be carried in the present day by producer Pulse. Pulse is renowned for his high-concept sci-fi-movie samplework and allusions, which more than shows up on the subtle jazz intonations and high-trilling strings on both 'Planet Funk' and 'Flava' here. Debuting for Creative Wax, the EP sounds like a recently-terraformed Martian dome rave in which its original alien inhabitants are heard emerging from the planet's red caves, and are spotted dancing in peaceful unison with their human colonisers.

Review: The Secret Operations label is no longer operating in the shadows as it hits release number 35. Up to now it has continually served up superb drum & bass from a range of artists that has turned plenty of heads. This one comes from the legendary Seba and it kicks off with 'Are We Dreaming', a busy tune packed with flurries of breakbeats and plenty of cosmic chord work. On the flipside, 'Interstellar' has a funkier broken beat pattern but retains is astral sense of melody.

Review: One of the most respected MCs in the game, Stewart Proctor might be best known for his on-stage conducting and sheer lyrical flexibility, but he's also been a producer in the shadows for a very long time. Revealing more and more of his own musical side over the years, things have reached a head here as he delivers two of his heaviest club crushers on Jubei's Carbon Music. 'No Escape' has a rattling, crushing minimalism and percussive flare that nods towards to the original Renegade Hardware nights and the legendary sets of Loxy. 'Flow State' brings a little more breakbeat energy into the mix, nodding at SP's jungle schooling. Killer release.

Review: Man like Tim Reaper heads to London-based Lobster Theremin for an exploration of the deep and driving end of the drum & bass spectrum here on an EP that first came back in 2012. It now gets reissued on nice blue vinyl. 'Anytime' (feat Devnull) is all hard-hitting jungle breaks, with manic synths and tortured vocals adding to the sense of intensity. 'Who Run It' is hyper speed rave with bright drums, synths and stabs all racing into the future while 'Teletext' rewires your brain with its flurry of drums, tumbling synth lines and generally a raucous sense of energy. Last of all, 'Give It 2 Me' (feat Devnull) layers up multiple melodies over a skittish broken techno beat to blast you off into space.