A re-configuration of the flat has led to an unearthing of a stack of promo's and test pressings that were either badly labeled or not tagged at all. Recent shifts away from writing about 'dance' music and regular trips to Sound323 (they only do CD's, see) have meant that the decks have not been in effect.

But this week has seen the innards of 39 Cedar Court reverberate to the sounds of Einoma. In particular, their last album 'Milli Tonverka' for the (now defunct) Vertical Form label. Total aping of latter-day Autechre, but with a more filmic approach. Brain-curdingly complex rhythms showered with sweeping classicist melodies and tender use of voice. Any news on what this lot are up to would be appreciated.

Just about the entire Congo Natty back-catalogue has been on replay too. Although after an hour, ragga-jungle can start get on your tits. Funnily enough, it's the re-issues of Rebel MC's early works that have made me jump around like a sad raver. Specifically his top 10 hit 'Street Tuff' with Double Trouble. Actually I can pinpoint the verse....

"Hard not soft, underground boss
Turn up the bass and the treble of course
Feel with the music and you wonder
Is he a Yankee? No, I'm a Londoner"

Next time: some Turkish psych-rock that I picked up from Istanbul, intense Africa from the fucking amazing Mahmoud Fadl and a 4/4 techno record that I need to identify (no information, not even on the run-out groove). Here's some more of that dubstep nonsense....

Gravious - Wormsign / Monolith (Hotflush) - 12"
'Wormsign' sounds like an unimaginative breaks tune that's had that over-familiar dubstep-staple warbling b-line tacked onto it at the last minute. Skip to the B-side where echoes of dub and ghosts of amen hover over a real sludge of a rhythm.

Scuba - Twista / Plate (Hotflush) - 12"
Scuba - Harpoon / Dream (Hotflush) - 12"
Scuba (aka Hotflush boss man Paul Rose) adds digi-guitar rock to dubstep's dread on 'Twista'. Fun whilst its on, but might seem slightly novelty after a few repeats. It'll definitely be way too cheesy for the moody crowd who frequent the DMZ nights. He does come up trumps on 'Plate' which is possibly the heaviest tune they've released though. 'Harpoon' nicely does the whole pleasant melodies on top / sneering sub underneath routine to a tee.

luke.envoy - Gamma (Hotflush) - 12"
Dubstep's whole eastern / arabic obsession is starting to grate a little now. But luke.envoy manages to restrain himself in the use of rhythmic / melodic motifs. Both are snarling bursts of tense electronics; basslines scoured with digital cleanser. 'Gamma' is decent, but the B-side 'Honour Kill' is the prime directive.