Various Artists – Future Foundations

Label: 2^nd Drop

Since its inception focusing on leftfield dubstep in 2007, 2^nd Drop has done a remarkable job of keeping up with the scene, seemingly always a step ahead. While their releases haven’t always garnered a huge amount of attention, it’s not for a lack of quality: over twenty releases they’ve tackled a broad array of styles along the bass spectrum with great releases from the likes of Ramadanman, Sully and Gerry Read, alongside key early releases from DjRum and South London Ordnance. For their first compilation, the London label sticks largely to 4/4 excursions, offering a varied and impressive selection of exclusive tunes from label alumni and newcomers alike.

Mancunian Alex Coulton kicks things off with his 2^nd Drop debut (following a nice slab of wax on Hypercolour) in the form of the percussive workout Grande Swing. Fans will recognise Coulton’s off-grid beat patterns and spare arrangement, here coming together in a tough house flex made of metallic clanks, scifi synthwork and a range of nuanced effects that keep things interesting. More club material is supplied by Pedestrian, whose uncharacteristically straight Sliding Down Rainbows is a menacing assault of shuttering beats and a nasty bass bounce, bristling with impressively coherent sonic details and a softened two-note synth loop that adds a key melodic element. Later penultimate inclusion Daphne marks South London Ordnance’s return to the label, with a tough techy exercise typically focused on the low-end.

Low-key house cuts with the requisite RnB vocal snips are provided by Youandewan and Last Magpie, a pair of producers who have both honed their atmospheric cuts down to a tee in the last few years. Youandewan’s Faith comes out as the more impressive number, breathing life into a familiar sample. Here he follows up a tasteful EP on Hypercolour with a spacious 9-minute odyssey of misty synthwork, rattling percussive accents and mood to spare. Last Magpie takes a similar approach on the downbeat Without You, all rattling 2step, ghosted vocals and dubbed-out synth stabs, but without Youandewan’s effortless knack for atmosphere, his contribution ends up lacking a real sense of progression.

The three remaining tracks are the odd ones out, the tunes that sidestepped expectations somewhat. LV enlist the honeyed reggae vocal chops of Dan Bowskill for a sensuous burner on Livin Up, where syrupy horns and soft vocal harmonies make for a surprising oasis amidst the compilation’s harder dance material. The closer is left to Manni Dee & Deft, who throw a curveball with the frantic workout of This One, The Art of the Possible. Despite the vocal sample’s discussion of garage and hardcore, this one is all about footwork, an impressively structured and distinctively British take on the genre.

While many of these are great offerings, 2^nd Drop regular DjRum effortlessly steals the show with his phenomenal Blue On Blue (Voodoo). A stunning collage of pitch-perfect vocal and musical samples are twinned with growling bassweight and off-kilter rhythms, all patched together into a lush symphonic piece which descends in its finale quarter into a beautiful collision of dubbed-out vocals and operatic harmonies. Given time, Blue On Blue takes the proud place of a highlight among highlights. Overall there’s not much material here to challenge what we know as the 2^nd Drop sound, Future Foundations is more a feat of consolidation, drawing together the label’s different styles and returning to some its past contributors. As such, it stands as a consistent and enjoyable dissection of one of London’s definite labels that clearly still has so much left to give.

7.5/10

Last Magpie – 1995

Label: Losing Suki

After last month’s excellent Who Knows Where The Love Goes on Hypercolour, Last Magpie returns to its sister label Losing Suki for another diverse offering of house and garage; proving the new producer to be as impressively varied as he is prolific. The anonymous Leeds-based producer lives up to his namesake in delivering a wide range of styles that sometimes sound dubiously familiar to existing tunes (we are told on his facebook page ‘I hear a vibe and steal it!’) Nevertheless, the man has a way with vibes and these tunes are unique and snappy enough to stand their own ground. The EP kicks off with the sharp and colourful title track; all ravey stabs and soft pads that stop just short of retro 90s territory because of the heavy sub-bass and knife-sharp percussion.

 

1995

The rest of the EP is a more downbeat affair, but don’t be fooled because the middle of the release contains some of Last Magpie’s best work to date. The clear EP standout is Hypno, where the house vibes are dropped in favour of dubstep rhythms and moody woodblock beats over deep atmospherics and a rumbling bassline. This one really nails its low-key mood, and leads perfectly into Roots, with more than a nod to 90s garage with a shuffling 4/4 paving the way for a monstrous bass that just won’t quit. It’s a nice bit of revivalism but after 4 minutes of this one you’ll probably have had enough. On Fallen, the least dancefloor-focused of the offerings, Magpie once more proves his deft skills at mood; with some more throaty bass successfully holding court over eight minutes alongside twinkling synths and distant vocals.

But before I conclude, let’s get back to that name. We’re told that he quite happily pilfers vibes from his contemporaries, and this would be all well and good if it was just the vibes that were being pilfered. The vocals in 1995 will remind more than a few of you of these two tracks, while the deep mood of Hypno is certainly reminiscent of Sei A’s wonderful You Can Bring from earlier this year. If it’s all sounding a little dubious, wait until you get to Fallen, which wholesale rips the bassline from Last Magpie’s debut No More Stories on Losing Suki. I don’t think this is a huge issue, the guy clearly can still craft a good tune, but I guess I’d feel a little happier giving credit to someone who took the idea of innovation and sportsmanship a little more seriously.

7/10

October Roundup 2012

Here are White Noise's top tunes of October, mostly in a handy Youtube playlist. Unfortunately a few of our top picks weren't available on the 'tube, so I've put up some alternative links at the bottom. This playlist gets darker as it goes on, so don't sleep on the devastating second half.

Enjoy!

Tracklist:

Daphni - Yes I Know

Maxxi Soundsystem feat. Name One - Regrets We Have No Use For

Andrés - Hart Plaza

Last Magpie - Hypno

U - Eah

Pangaea - Game

Elsewhere - Trippin'
Eats Everything - Trubble

Juju & Jordash - Track David Would Play

Vessel - Court of Lions

Jam City - ...Now We Relate
Dawn Day Night - Big Booty Girls
Swindle - Mischief

Here are some clips of our other favourite releases from this month:

Jack Dixon - E

 

Presk - Nobody Makes Me Do


Breach & Midland - 101 (/Somewhere)

 

Jets (Jimmy Edgar and Travis Stewart) - Lock Lock Key

Artifact - Turtle Flight (clip here)