In The Box - February

1) DJ Jus-Ed vs Anton Zapp - Real House Music... // Underground Quality
Easily one of my favourite 12"s this year so far, and it comes from Jus Ed's Underground Quality label. Four deep, dubby, and funky house cuts that never lose the groove or your attention. Honestly, I can't pick a favourite out of any of these. As Hardwax would say... TIP!

Listen:
DJ Jus-Ed vs Anton Zapp - Real House Music... // Underground Quality

2) Shackleton - Death Is Not Final // Skull Disco
Interesting one, this. Not only has Shackleton put his tribal wonk at a house tempo, but Torsten Profrock's remix on the flipside is the most resolutely 'dubstep' track that he's ever done. Both sides are choice cuts, and the artwork for this one is something pretty special as well.

Listen:
Shackleton - Death Is Not Final // Skull Disco
Shackleton - Death Is Not Final (T++ Remix) // Skull Disco

3) Arto Mwambe - Hum Along EP // Brontosaurus
Arto Mwambe's 'Mudhutma!' 12" was a favourite of mine and Puffin's last year, and his follow up effort doesn't disappoint. 'Hum Along' chirps along to a heavy boompty beat whilst Move D lays some sultry chords and generally makes things a lot more slinky on his remix. Things go back to boomptiness with 'Greatest Love', but this time married to a plinky melodic synth line.

Listen:
Arto Mwambe - Hum Along EP // Brontosaurus

4) Luke Hess - Believe & Receive // Kontra-Musik
Simple but devastating late night techno from Mr Hess (who's also recently collaborated with FXHE's Omar S). Clinically crisp production, killer bassline... all you can ask for, really! Shed strips the percussion right back on his 'deepanddubbydub' and just rides the acidic bassline whilst modulating everything to absolute buggery. Add a wooshing snare, some grinding subbass action and dubbed out stabs and voila! One incredibly solid remix, but the original just pips things for me.

Listen:
Luke Hess - Believe & Receive // Kontra-Musik

Luke Hess - Believe & Receive (Shedsdeepanddubbydub Remix) // Kontra-Musik

5) Kerri Chandler - Atmosphere E.P. // Shelter
This rare KC gem from '93 has finally been repressed, so I'd snag yourself a copy before they all disappear. Vintage bumpin' old school instrumental house jams that'll get the ladies wiggling the early hours away.

Listen:
Kerri Chandler - Atmosphere E.P. // Shelter

6) MLZ - Crossed Swords (Alice Loop) // Modern Love
My favourite of the three MLZ tracks that've come so far, 'Crossed Swords' possesses a subdued yet surging synth loop that remains constant while the perfectly placed percussion rises and rises before the strings emerge and it all goes a bit '2008: A Techno Odyssey'. MLZ is actually Miles Whittaker of Modern Love stalwarts Pendle Coven, and he'll be DJing at our May TAPE which may be worth taking a trip down here to come to. The full line-up's over to the right and I'm currently working on some sort of afterhours shenanigans so check back for further developments.

Listen:
MLZ - Crossed Swords (Alice Loop) // Modern Love

7) Mock & Toof - Woof // M&T Inc.
Ultra wonky stripped back minimal disco cut that'll find favour with plenty of techno jocks out there. It's great to see the M&T lads experimenting with a more straight up house style (similar in ways to 'Tomcat' from the Black Jub 12"), though disco beards will be satiated with 'Big Hands For A Lady' on the A-side. It seems apparent that a lot more attention to detail has been given to these two cuts (just listen to the constantly chopping and changing percussion on the A), and for me it's the best thing they've laid their name to so far. Essential stuff.

Listen:
Mock & Toof - Woof // M&T Inc.
Mock & Toof - Big Hands For A Lady // M&T Inc.

8) The Hasbeens - Keep Fooling Yourself // Clone
Hastily purchased for the inclusion of the ultra-limited 'Make The World Go Away', Alden Tyrell and DJ Overdose's collaboration bears yet more golden retro-italo exclursions to get your teeth into. If you can get away with playing the aforementioned ode to suicide that is 'Make The World...' out, I salute you!

Listen:
The Hasbeens - Keep Fooling Yourself EP // Clone

9) October - Tape // Caravan
He may be our good friend, and also have named this track after our night, but trust me when I tell you that this one's a dancefloor stormer of epic proportions. Jules' analogue synth obsession is in full display here as he lets loose a maximalist assault on the senses, but it's the little flourishes that really make it so great. From the the shuffling beat and bassline emerging together with a breathtaking swing to what I imagine is the sample of a run out groove, everything just sounds perfect as it unwinds on its own micro journey. I've heard this out quite a bit since being first handed it at one of our Mutant Pop parties, and I don't think that it's ever gone down badly. Drop this, and just stand back and watch as it lights up the room.

Listen:
October - Tape // Caravan

10) Martyn - Velvet/Twenty Four // 3024
Warm, melodic 4/4 influenced dubstep business from Dutchman Martyn Deykers, who's really on top of his game at the moment.

Listen:
Martyn - Velvet // 3024
Martyn - Twenty Four // 3024