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Jana Rush - Painful Enlightenment | Planet Mu

If you're not already familiar with the Chicago producer and DJ, do yourself a favor and read this impressive three-paragraph bio on the established veteran of the world of ghetto house and juke. Her 3rd album on Planet Mu is a document of her own personal growth through struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts, a glimpse into a dark period of her life amid learning the art of letting go. I like the minimalism of 3 a lot as it connects hard hitting drums and sinister vibes in her signature style.

VA - 76666 Vol 4 | 76666

76666 is a non-commercial music label and artist collective from Karlsruhe, Germany. Their principle is to engage with dissimilarities and to stimulate an ongoing process of confrontation with diversity. One of the few homes Alza54 from Leipzig settled in with a track other than his turf called ModernTrips. Milli Tek is maybe short for militant tech step but for me it felt like the successor to Session Two by The Accused on Reinforced with hints of Phantom Audio. In other words exciting timeless jungle music.

VA - Posse Vol. One | Posse Up!

Posse Up from Canada describes themselves as "a non-social media focused label" and I support that message but more so the detuned cowbell over the Baltimore club groove on Three Eightee by label honcho Ghostwhip. This one is a grower.

Patrik Cure - CDMUSIC007 | Club Designs

The debut EP of Vancouver based DJ and producer Patrik Cure is club-oriented as it gets and includes a terrific remix by Sinistarr. Modify is my favorite track because it combines his influences of ghettotech, electro and jungle most effectively. He's close with Posse Up.

Garneau - Giza | self release

Garneau runs above mentioned Club Designs and released Giza after "seeing how it went off at Basscoast during my Boiler room set". Be my guest if you dig a manic acid line over a proper bongo beat.

Dance Maniacs - Built Like That | Juke Bounce Werk

Right one year after JBDUBZ X this is the debut post compilation era release featuring Juke Bounce Werk alumni Avi Loud, Liano and Oak City Slums, collectively known as Dance Maniacs. On this 8-track album you will find strictly no frills dj tools. My favorite Drop That Bih runs on a version of Baltimore club, featuring 909 hihats between Think break tambs over agitating drum kicks and a slight distorted bassline with a respectful nod to the mighty Percolator - that's all you really need.

A.Fruit - Restless Mind | self release

She released her music on Teklife, Om Unit's Cosmic Bridge label, Worst Behavior from NYC, Latvian based Hyperboloid and on the Yuku universe - the Restless Mind EP though is exclusively on her own Bandcamp. Reading the track titles and the release description I come under the impression, this EP is about a truly emancipative liberation - from tempo ranges, backward authority and insidious barriers of the human mind. And what powerful statement "All In One Person" is!

Quartz - Deity Spear EP | R&S

I've been a big fan since his Hall Of Mirrors EP, especially because of the slowfast wonder Oblong Druid. On his R&S release, he has refined his sound world in a consistently cinematic way. The halftempo drum and bass tracks feel almost more speedy due to lightweight percussion that pierce through black mirror-esque environments. Lilac Cobwebs feat. Selena Jones is my favorite because it sets the tone of the EP so perfectly.

Breakage - Style & Pattern | Index

Breakage has released flawless jungle EPs on his Index label every year since 2017, proving that focusing on one break per song, minimal arrangement and exceptional production can make all the difference. On his latest single he doesn't change the winning formula and thankfully so. The sort of tunes that makes want to go to a drum and bass night again let alone rinse these myself.

Bonus read: If you have a hard time spotting the genre differences between Baltimore / Philly / Jersey club tracks Vice has an article about it.