Samurai Music 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Samurai sign out of 2023 with this stunning expedition from longstanding craftsman ASC. One of the deepest to do it, here on 'House Of Leaves' he whips up a beguiling sense of atmosphere as we gradually ramp up the intensity from the tense and stretched out title track opener to the savage cymbal slaps of the finale 'Exploration #4'. In between we find our souls soothed by the relentless drumfunk of 'The Navidson Record' and our brains shattered by the cosmic turbo zaps of 'The 5 1/2 Minute Hallway'. Far out.

Review: One of the UK's wonder-children of music production, Eusebeia, returns for a cerebral new drum & bass EP, 'Snakes & Ladders', homing in on vibes of barren atmosses and desert drumfunk. Opener 'Snakes & Ladders' is Sub-Saharan enough, opening with a bullhorned call to arms over a figurative, dust-laden sonic dune, all while a rallying 808 booms underneath like the distant underground squirms of a sandworm. Things then take an unexpected turn, however, as the producer takes brooding refuge in a nighttime cave on 'Morality Lessons', cleverly traversing an odd time signature and a nocturnal texture. 'Ladder To Salvation' embraces the desert dawn, relishing the misty morning, while 'Vice & Virtue' rounds off the B-side with an impeccable ambience and movement through several competing kettle-breaks and versions of the same atmosphere.

Review: Enigmatic fusionist Last Life returns to the mighty Samurai in remix form as the label commence the roll-out of remixes. First up is fellow Italian Denato Dozzy who flips 'Hidden' into an all-out techno stamp-out with a relentless build-up while Reeko takes this year's single 'Tensor' and pressurizes it into a rolling tech hybrid that's laced with swathes of haunted amens. Heavyweight schematics.

Review: Break digging king and all-round legend and scientist Paradox sees his 2013 classic getting a timely reissue. 'Scorpius' rattles and wriggles with stacks of space between each element. Harrowing yet soothing, it's a classic example Paradox living up to his name. Flip for 'Crate Logic' as Dev gets his funk on with a classic vocal shot and a series of breaks that he flips between with such ease and charm you'd swear he was in the same room with the drummer. Precision break science.

Review: Further evidence of the thriving relationship between techno and drum & bass can be found right here as Spanish industrialist Reeko ups the tempo for this stunning conceptual EP for Samurai. Inspired by the process, tradition and culture of ayahuasca ceremonies, over four tracks we're taken on a deeply hypnotic trip where the percussion and militant rhythm echo Reeko's more typical work (notably on his label Mental Disorder) but weave and twist with a different, almost psychedelic edge. It's a classic vibe for Samurai but very contemporary one for Reeko. Let's hope we get to experience more of this.

Review: He may have had an illustrious career in techno for more than 20 years, but Spanish producer Juan 'Reeko' Rico has been exploring a fertile area where techno and d&b are colliding at present around the 160 mark. There's space for meditation and cinematic tension, intriguing rhythms and plenty of pressure, which makes for a natural fit on a label like Samurai. Following last year's standout statement of intent, Confront The Serpent, Reeko returns with another formidable four-tracker loaded with psychedelic energy and heavyweight presence which offers a unique slant on this fertile zone of experimentation in the modern club landscape.

Review: Sam KDC's voyage into parts unknown continues apace on this latest release for Samurai Music, as the producer takes tropes of d&b into ever more meditative, swampy surroundings. There's a creeping intensity to 'Indra's Net' which will go down a storm with anyone exploring that fertile crossover between deep techno and tech-step. 'The Shroud' is a more mystical affair, while 'Metempsychosis' leans in on hidden layers of detailed synth work and a slowly modulating time-stretched snare that lodges itself in your skull. 'Rhea's Revenge' finishes off on a taut note, bringing its own sub-tropical climate and a plethora of subliminal details to get your very far outside your body through the power of sound alone.