Bizzy B: Science Vol. 5 (Planet Mu) - 2 x 10"
Boxcutter: Tauhid (Planet Mu) - 12"
Pinch: Qawwali (Planet Mu) - 12"
Vex'd: Bombardment of Saturn (Planet Mu) - 12"

I never tire of Amen break variations, artists still continue to eek out new ways of using this tried and tested breakbeat. Two of the most forward-thinking scientists are Remarc and Bizzy B. Both have found a home on the Planet Mu label and the latter impresses with this fifth instalment in the 'Science' series. All the tracks follow the same narrative; steady breaks eventually break down into tighter edits as melodies and bass close in. Supreme.

Of course the forthcoming album by Boxcutter ('Oneiric') is going to be ace...I did the artwork. But before all that, here are four fine examples of Boxcutter's unique brand of edit-step. His previous works on Hotflush seemed overtly technical, but here he seems to let mood and narrative take over.

The title track continuing dubstep's flirtation with easternism to further extremes. But it's the nicer tracks that impress; the halogen-lit shimmer on 'Gave Dub' sounds like it was recorded at the end of the street. 'Bad You Do (Halfstep)' wonderfully alternates between reverb-drenched vocal soul and collapsable breaks.

Pinch goes further than Boxcutter and takes the whole musical pilgrimage to Mecca with this fierce debut for Planet Mu. Minimal, heavy and hypnotic; this really has the power to propel systems. Sleight-of-hand approach to rhythm exposes a bassline that sounds like it's trapped in the ether. The VIP version dares to strip away even more elements, but amping the beats to a classic dubstep groove.

Vex'd initially made a mark with their rhythm-stuttering classic 'Lion'. Since then, the album 'Degenerate' passed me by without incident. But this brings a sharper, more-defined lens to their canvas. The title track takes a while to get going, but once it does, it delivers. The doom-filled orchestral intro to Kubrick's Shining dissipates and makes way for gravity-weighted beats and a snarling, all-consuming bassline.

Clark: Throttle Furniture (Warp) - 3" CD

Never was a fan of either his long players on Warp. But this marks something of a detour for Chris Clark. And judging by the opener 'Herr Bar', it sounds like he's been consuming loads of Four Tet and Icarus. Jazz-inflected drumming and wonky AFX synths curdle over time into an unhealthy DSP-spiked soup. The rest of the EP, whilst of a similarly high-standard, struggle to get repeated plays on my system.

Pressure: Money Honey (Hyperdub) - 12"

Distortion-free excursion from the master of noisy dancehall The Bug. Released on Kode9's excellent Hyberdub label instantly means some kind of loose thread to the schools of dubstep and grime. Confirmed by the atonal orchestral stabs and filmic vibe of the original. Warrior Queen's usually rough patois is smoothed down too. The superior remix re-moulds it into a 4/4 techno workout: rapid-fire deep bleeps and crisp hi-hats take the original's warm vibe to colder vista's.

Andy Stott: Ceramics (Modern Love) - 12"

Unoriginal but effective purge of dubbed down house where fragmented chords morph and flutter between blip-beats and fluctuating high-end loops. Bereft of any real ideas, its uptempo nature provides it with that all-important head nodding vibe.

Various Artists: Hurt Detal EP (!"@.*!%) - 12"

Pretty nondescript collection of moody, clipped techno. The exception being the criminally-short 'Linej Strejda' by Loktibrada. Ever-revealing details are buried under an elastic bassline and venomous kicks. Just wish the artist had extended this beyond its three-minute duration.