New releases last eight weeks: Drum And Bass

Review: Just as they were likely originally intended, two of Calibre's said-to-be most coveted productions come remastered fresh from the vaults, and reissued on black vinyl via the sonic conservationists over at Signature. First comes the 2001 remix of Badmarsh & Shri's 'Signs', to which Calibre lends an extra rolling signification, its no-nonsense industrial break and tensing, two-note pads doing most of the legwork here. Then there's the original 'Soul 80', a unique fusion of dub-delayed chipmunky vox splices, modular synth piques, and a massive, untechy breakbeat.

Review: Calibre's brand new drum & bass album Rudy comes in a minty-fresh contrapuntal breath, following hot on the heels of a new white label reissue of his earliest and most enduring works from the mid-to-late 1990s. The sudden time-warp back into the present day proves just how far he has come since then, yet also just how much he has retained what worked, too; Rudy begins in an orthodox liquid jungle fashion with the likes of 'Stunted', before breaking away into impressionistic vocal free-associations like 'The Game' (with Dominic Martin) and halftime reese-swellers like 'Heaven'. All the tracks originate from the same aetheric stratosphere - imagine if drum & bass had kicked off not on a terrestrial, but totally gaseous planet - yet Calibre still gleans enough variation from this potent condensate to either pack both more vacuumy punches ('Cousin') or more laid-back but cerebral inhalations ('Dumb Bum').

Review: Calibre as we all know is a machine. The man has produced thousands of records, each one as exceptional as the next, across drum & bass, house and bass music. His latest album Rudy shows no dip in quality with another a masterful display of his signature sound making it another timeless classic. Each track is a journey into his famously lush melodies, intricate rhythms, and soulful vocal touches, all of which showcasing Calibre's unmatched skill in crafting emotive drum & bass compositions. From dreamy atmospheres to the pulsating low ends, heart aching samples and driving drums, every moment captivates with its depth and keen sense of musicality.