I don’t know about you but over the next few weeks and months, I’m going to need plenty of fresh music to keep me going. So it’s fine timing as trailblazing LA dubstep label For The Heads comes through this week with a stacked fifteen track compilation. From the USA, through Europe and all the way to the shores of Australia, FTH have reached out far and wide to curate a heavyweight record dedicated to the sound system. We’ve got Sedan‘s contribution ‘Current’ to premiere today, one of the moodier cuts on the record and something that’s very suited to my ‘current’ (sorry) personal taste.
UK’s Teffa fires the starting gun with the dizzying dub-wise infused wobbler ‘Deep Meditation‘, with fellow UK based producer Kontent and Chicago’s Six Chakra coming through on similarly deep dub-wise vibe, ‘Corrupt Dub‘ and ‘Lioness‘ respectively. Returning from his superb EP on Locus Sound, Maes shares yet another slammer ‘So Zealously‘, a composition filled with heavy kicks and pensive melodies, laced with lovely texture generating crackles for good measure. Following a fairly dreamy intro, another of my favourites Mungk gets a bit more aggressive on ‘Wicca‘, where things take a belligerent turn with distortion coated bass weight incisions, huge snare hits and vivid swells.
Today’s premiere from Austria’s rising producer Sedan guides the vibe into murkier areas with a thick, moody low end taking precedence. Brisbane based ESP switches the tempo with his 105bpm banger, ‘Therapy’, whilst WZ and Mistah individually pick up the 140 baton once again with a big tune each. WZ comes through with ‘Inhale Echoes‘ and Mistah with the equally impressive ‘Just Sound‘.
The first of two collaborations Meddem & SBK flips the script with ‘Affo‘, where the Canadian duo injects more dynamism and are more forthcoming with the lively samples and mid-range leads. New H&B favourite OME represents Germany with the thumping ‘482‘, Toki delivers more low end chaos on ‘Raspect‘ and Manchester’s KALI contributes one of his filthy authentic bangers, ‘Crazy Golf’.
The second collab on the album sees Croydon underground veterans Nightmare & Oni tear up the system with one of the more intense tunes on the record, ‘City‘. Which leaves one of France’s brightest upcoming producers Tinky having the honour of wrapping the album up with the turbulent, climatic sounds of ‘Sympathetic Kage’.
Sometimes I do find albums on this scale, with such a lengthy track list, quite daunting. However with the array of producers involved on FTHCOMP03 and the the relentless energy that’s maintained throughout, this one really is worth grabbing yourself a drink, sitting back and dedicate the time it so deserves. A thoroughly satisfying illustration of the healthy landscape that dubstep is enjoying in 2020.
FTHCOMP03 is out Monday (30th March) and available to download from the For The Heads Bandcamp.
Check out Sedan on Soundcloud.
Check out For The Heads on Soundcloud.