
19 June 2010
His half of Dubstep Allstars Vol. 7 was sweeter than an iced kitten with a mini-cast on its injured paw and 99.9% of everything he produces is focused, resonant and downright magnificent. Honestly, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who has a single bad word to say about Bristol heavyweight Ramadanman…apart from perhaps a pocket of jealous producers frantically trying to emulate the fluidity of his sound.
In light of this, it should come as no surprise that I’m infatuated with his recent remix of Scuba’s ‘Tense’. A seemingly frenetic tune that appropriates its name by threatening to buck the constraints of tempo yet beautifully pacing itself via a simple bobbing synth, it’s a masterful rework of Scuba’s hypnotic original. Hints of IDM merge with the skeletal majesty of dubstep as a break-neck rhythm inexplicably maintains anodyne dignity. The NHS should play this in ambulances as they race the injured to hospital…no-one would slow down but everyone would be as calm as a sloth with a cold one.
Appearing on the latest release on Scuba’s cunningly titled Abucs imprint, ‘Tense’ is the b-side to ‘Eclipse’ on ABUCS007 and whilst not completely over-shadowing the title tune, is certainly my favourite of the two offerings. Listen below and don’t forget to support the bad motherfuckers behind it!
Scuba – Tense (Ramadanman Remix)
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Buy Ramadanman tunes at 7digital.

20 January 2010
Compatriot of Tes La Rok, Desto is one of the few Finnish dubstep producers to hit the peripheries of the international scene. Making music that sounds like Burial and Ramadanman dropped in the middle of a deserted metropolis during a nuclear winter, it provokes all kinds of futuristic reverie. Mesmerising, melodic and seriously addictive, this stuff makes you feel like you’re mainlining essence of perfection.
‘Broken Memory’ is the b-side to the forthcoming release of ‘Disappearing Reappearing Ink’, which is set to drop on Ramp Recordings as RAMP027 some time this month. An unknown benefactor sneaked me an mp3, so grab a taste of genius below. But seriously, go and buy this, it’s huge.
Desto – Broken Memory
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Buy Desto music at 7digital.

23 December 2009
Those of you familiar with Tom Encore have probably heard ‘Recoil’, his brutal contribution to Rottun Recordings’ recent Aftermath EP, and therefore are familiar with his abusive and broken musical tendencies. Well, pull out your earplugs and throw away the rubber gloves because his latest release, Lockdown EP, seems to have turned the volume down a bit and added, god forbid, a little bit of depth. Instead of snarling basslines and percussion that makes you want to punch your mother in the stomach, there is a real sense of immersion and atmospheric influence in this release.
Having said all that, the EP seems to follow a progressive gradient, starting hard and working, over the course of four tracks, towards this new-found soul. Kompot’s remix of ‘The Union’ begins proceedings, welcoming us with a sinister combination of distortion and dark pads, acting as a reminder of Encore’s nasty roots. Following this is ‘Rescue Me’, a track with a distinctly anthemic feel that bears a sparse but punchy bassline and bounces itself around your woofers more than an angry terrier on heat. The second half of the release, comprising ‘Hints’ and ‘Lockdown’, ends the affair on a beautifully calm note, evoking the spirit of Ramadanman as opposed to the flagellated corpse of Ultrablack. It’s all very pleasant and shows a diversity which should be applauded in the increasingly formulaic world of dubstep.
Lockdown EP is out now on Subtopia Records and best of all, the whole damn thing is completely free and you can download it from Lockdownep.com right fucking now!