Danny Byrd feat. General Levy - Blaze the Fire (Rah!)

Classic jungle sound with General Levy MC'ing updated for the 2012 era. More jungle please!

Villem - Shimmer EP

This is the latest release from the Med School branch of Hospitality Records, Med School. Liquid D&B is always something I have enjoyed. With this EP what I particularly enjoy is the synth/SFX combination. It feels beautifully soothing, particularly as I hear this on a Sunday afternoon. From the EP my favourite track is Poly. I love the understated, insistent, yet funky bass-line. Hospitality will be hosting their fifth event at Brixton this Friday 28th September. Hopefully I will be going. Love Brixton Academy!

Sub Focus (ft Alpines) - Tidal Wave (Kill Sonik remix)

The new album from Sub Focus is due to be released soon. Hopefully this will propel him up another level, to Chase & Status type of success. I am enjoying the radio version of Tidal Wave and the Kill Sonik drumstep remix. What I like particularly about the remix is that it has maintained the dreamy nature of the original, and keeps a beat that suits the high floating vocals of Alpines.

Colin Munroe ft. K Flay - Your Eyes(Datsik remix)

Love the blend of piano house, drumstep, dubstep and Colin Munroe's vocal performance in this song. He is a vocalist from Canada who has released a few independent albums. I like Datsik's production too. In my opinion he is Skrillex with a bit more subtlety! And K.Flay's rap is hot too.

KT Tunstall - Black Horse and the Cherry Tree

The latest series of Jools Holland is just about to start. It is still one of the most pivotal music programs in the history of this country. I think it is because you have the right mix of established bands and new acts. Though Jools Holland can be a bit stilted with his delivery at times his presenting is an essential part of the show. For me the most exciting moments are when a new act gains their first taste of national prominence, even though you aren't quite aware of them. It was definitely the case when KT Tunstall first appeared with her loop pedal and performed "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree". As a last minute replacement for Nas she turned in a wonderful performance and proceeded to sell lots of copies of her debut album. Here's hoping that there will be many new acts to excite the public in the forthcoming series!

Rustie - After Light

TNGHT - Higher Ground

What do I hear when I hear "trap music"? I hear an offshoot of dubstep. It has that same type of energy, and the emphasis on the 3rd beat that is found in dubstep. In TNGHT's track "Higher Ground" you can hear the Miami Bass influence in the low frequency 808 kick, the hip-hop influence in the brass sample, which really reminds me of "Simon Says" by Pharoahe Monch and the rave influence in the repeated vocal "Reaching for higher ground". Music is always going to be an amalgamation of a wide range of disparate influences and it sounds like TNGHT are going to do that. I wonder what this genre is going to sound like when it comes back full circle and we have vocalists and rappers over the instrumentals? I guess at the moment it's an irrelevance, but let's wait and see shall we?

Rascals - Ape

I love the beat on this track! I first heard it on Zane Lowe's show. In the UK it feels like we have a hierachy on the progression to Tinie Tempah like mainstream acceptance. 1. Mixtapes/online 2. 1XTRA/YouTube/Channel AKA. 3. Zane Lowe. 4. Daytime.

So Rascals are on stage 3 now. Will they reach stage 4. The great thing about UK rap now is that the possibilities of them crossing over is a lot higher now. Even with a track that sounds quite underground. There is a bounce to this track that is really addictive and all 4 MC's have that youthful swagger and arrogance to their flow and delivery. It's going to be interesting to see if they will be the next UK rappers to cross over into the mainstream...