In March 2025, a bloke I'd never heard of sent me two tracks. I'd been posting UKG content for all of three months at that point, and he thought I might like what he'd been making. Nahstee VIP and Gunfiya.

Now, I get sent a lot of music. Most of it I listen to once. These had instant credibility, however: tight production, stand-out drums, and a clear love for 90s hip-hop samples. He's only been in the UKG and UK Bass game a couple of years, but his experience runs far deeper than that. He's been producing hip-hop for over 20 years, for the likes of Ocean Wisdom.

Record of the Week: MUCKANIKS - Body & Mind

An ATW release is a big moment for the bloke. He said himself in a social post that it was a dream label, and on his birthday no less. But it hasn't come as a surprise. If anything it feels overdue. Three big tunes, halfway between garage and house, something he pokes fun at himself on “Is This House”. Grab a beer, give the full thing a spin.

That brings us on to another artist I've been following like a hawk this year. cu.rve, off the back of one of my favourite releases of the year in “caramel”, he drops “be around”, a tune that goes from growling at you to sweeping you into a euphoric, glitchy glide across his distinctive bass. Another artist honing his sound and production into something quite special.

After some out and out Speed Garage? Fenwick - Watch Ya Back delivers with confidence. Bassline meets Speed Garage is nothing new, but this record balances both classic sounds well and frankly, would get any crowd skanking.

And on the free downloads, ROBUSTT is on a generational run right now. Three free ones in four issues. Long may it continue.

Plenty more to get your ears around.

Tom (japanese.knotweed)

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bullet tooth @ BRET, Amsterdam: Already back in the newsletter after the Tomorrowland set a few weeks back, and this one is a very different beast. Smaller room, closer crowd, and the speed garage sound he built his name on rather than the house-leaning festival material. With this set, I feel we’ve gone back to what bullet tooth does best.

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