Bleep

Wiley - Snakes & Ladders

Unpredictable, revolutionary and enduringly entertaining - Wiley returns with this surprise full-length where he cements his spot on the throne looking over UK grime. The screw-faced flossing of On A Level and the bouncing gunfire instrumental of Grew Up In soundtracks Wiley’s most thrillingly back-to-basics lyricism in years. As the grime resurgence continues apace, Snakes And Ladders works as an impromptu reminder from one of the genre’s founding fathers. The inimitable flow, the kitchen sink wordplay- this is Wiley doing Wiley and dominating without warning.

Dizzee Rascal - Boy In Da Corner

Already a true classic and incredibly important album, Dizzee Rascal’s game changing debut 2003 LP Boy In Da Corner crystallizes the sounds, moods and surroundings of the UK’s inner-city in a way that ensures underground hip-hop and grim will never be the same again. Dizzee’s wailing, concentrated anger manifests itself as cut-throat lyrics delivered with precision, taking on a greater intensity once going head to head with the gritted wobble bass of ‘Stop Dat’ and creeping beats on ‘2 Far’. Big, bold statements are made on the classics ‘Fix Up Look Sharp’ and ‘Jus A Rascal’ but it's the harsher ‘Seems 2 Be’ and ‘Live O’ where Dizzee really rips up the rulebook and opens up a new path.

The Bug - London Zoo

Ten years since he first waged sonic warfare on England's capital city, The Bug's London Zoo comes back around with a fresh repress via Ninja. Providing the perfect soundtrack of paranoid dancehall and bass burning grime for these heated times that we live in... Here's what we said the first time around: "Assuming the guise of The Bug, bass music shape-shifter Kevin Martin unleashes a modern classic in London Zoo. As The Bug, Martin has made a point to explore the dark sides of digital dancehall and dub, but on his 3rd LP, he crafts an entire sonic world centred on a startling, apocalyptic vision of the UK capital. His bleak, bombed-out London is brought to life by a diverse group of vocalists, including Tippa Irie, Warrior Queen, Roger Robinson and Burial collaborator Spaceape. Special recognition, though, belongs to Roll Deep emcee Flowdan, who matches the producer’s fierce energy measure for measure, especially on ‘Warning’ and advance single ‘Skeng'"