2023 was a busy year at WNCL HQ - a string of high quality underground bangers culminating in a nomination for Best British Label at the DJ Mag awards

2024 continues apace with yet another masterclass in bass music courtesy of Mani Festo …

01 . MANI FESTO . Bioscan More

Tracklisting
A1 Mani Festo - Hunterr
A2 Mani Festo - Hunterr (Peder Mannerfelt remix)
B1 Mani Festo - Swarmm
B2 Mani Festo - Poison
B3 Mani Festo - Machine

Sales Note
HAVEN are proud to present the second record in their black label series focused on the crossover between sounds on the UK bass music spectrum and hard techno dynamics. This time UK break-beat maestro Mani Festo joins the label for the first time with an EP of hardcore-
inspired dance-floor weaponry alongside a remix from Swedish experimentalist PederMannerfelt.

The A side kicks off with 'Hunterr' with booming vocal cuts, pounding 4-4 kicks and break-beat rhythms sprinkled throughout for a prime UK hardcore and techno genre crossover slab of club material. This is followed by the Peder Mannerfelt remix where the Swedish legend brings his left-of-field sensibilities to the fore, submerging the vocals in to a ghostly high-frequency spectrum whisper alongside a looping bass-line and sludgy drum rhythms to close out the first side.

The B side starts with 'Swarmm' - a broken beat roller filled with screeching synth zaps and a mammoth break-beat in the second half. Up next comes 'Poison' with its eerie atmospheres and drones sat behind a 4-4 rhythm and charging break-beats in another dance-floor killer. Finally 'Machine' closes the EP with its syncopated electro rhythms and funky UK swing alongside chugging bass plucks and arpeggiated melodies in one more crossover hammer. More

Tracklisting:
A1 Mani Festo - Leviathan
A2 Mani Festo - Tethys
B1 Mani Festo - Night Drive
B2 Mani Festo - With U

Sales Note
Following a collaborative release on Sherelle and Naina's Hooversound Recordings and EPs on Sneaker Social Club, WNCL Recordings and his own Club Glow (ran alongside Denham Audio, LMajor and Borai), contemporary UK breaksmith Mani Festo readies four typically lairy cuts of gun-finger, rush-in-the-rave energy.

Mani Festo has become something of a breakbeat assassin in recent years with a deserved spotlight being shone on the producer as one of the brightest artists to emerge from within the dark 'n' dutty UK breaks and electro scene. What you see is what you get from Mani Festo; what you're getting is a screwface and a smacked jaw.

'Leviathan' kicks things off with its stripped-back, grime-like textures - distorted kicks, frantic claps and growls from the belly of the beast blend on a minimal-breaks sequence that packs quite a punch despite its uncluttered soundwaves. 'Tethys' follows in a similar vein; distorted screams come from a brass-creature deep in the darkness, scattered percussion and step-tipped production blur the lines between garage, breaks and electro.

Large wubs and basslines guide the listener front left (just make sure you've got your protective earplugs in!) on 'Night Drive' before 'With U' strays down an emotional and introspective route with its otherworldly atmospherics, jungle tones and contemplative stillness - a creative combining of both heaven and hell. More

Tracklisting:
A1 Mani Festo - Barrier
A2 Mani Festo - Barrier (Addison Groove remix)
B1 Mani Festo - Grass Snake
B2 Mani Festo - Synkron

Release Note:
After Mani Festo's last contribution to our techno-oriented Basement Tracks series, a sequel was a no-brainer. It's no exaggeration to say that over the last couple of years the DJ, producer and label boss has become widely recognised as one of the UK's most exciting techno artists, given his easily identifiable sound, each release just as bold and hard-hitting as the last - this one included.

Synkron EP boasts Mani Festo's ability to create raw, industrial electronics which never sacrifice movement nor swing. Each track is crafted with a precise direction, some via industrial electro instrumentals ('Barrier'); others with acidic accents and the introduction of breaks ('Grass Snake') and another with hard techno proclivities ('Synkron'). If this weren't enough, we're stoked to draft in iconic Bristol producer Addison Groove who adds sharp rim shots and spasmodic synths to 'Barrier' to give it even more movement and body.

Synkron EP drops 28th October 2022 via Basement Tracks. More

Tracklisting:
A1 Mani Festo - Digital Projection
A2 Mani Festo - Jungle Poison
B1 Mani Festo - Roam
B2 Mani Festo - Sleepless in West Norwood

Release Note:
Hot on the heels of his LOW BATTERY debut and the announcement of his next EP on Shall Not Fade, Club Glow cofounder Mani Festo readies his latest arsenal of breaks-fuelled dubs for the Lobster White Label series.

Having become one of the go-to names for high quality electro, breakbeat and jungle over the last few years - thanks to releases on Sherelle and NAINA's Hooversound Recordings, EBeamz and WNCL Recordings - the UK producer picks up where he left off, re-imagining rave futurism and hardcore sounds through his own distinctive lens.

'Digital Projection' is a terrifying cut of grime-laced jungle. Stripped-back, but packing a punch, its large, alien-like wubs will make even the cleanest of ravers need a shower afterwards. 'Jungle Poison' reconsiders the typical junglist template with a dose of 2-step influence that makes for a high-energy cut of bouncy UK fusion.

The tempo drops as we venture into 130BPM breaks territory on 'Roam' - it's introspective and melodic aesthetics providing a moment of calm from within the eye of the storm - before 'Sleepless in West Norwood' captures that distinctive warehouse rave energy with a sequence of breaks-scattered techno.

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Pushing hardcore machine music into a new paradigm, with a combination of sonics and visuals that pull from the past and future in equal measure. It’s first release; a four track EP by Mani Festo (label founder) entitled ‘Higher’ captures its essence perfectly. Fusing breakbeats, soaring rave pianos, dark-side kick drums and industrial machine funk to soundtrack post-pandemic hedonism in a way that nothing else could.

The title track ‘Higher’ is a tale of long-lost raves, written during the summer of 2020. It reflects the first time in the history of electronic music that gatherings ceased to exist. The track is hopeful, but longs for the freedom of dancing in a field, something that seems like nothing more than a forgotten memory. More

Amongst his many great achievements, Mani Festo once held the highly acclaimed position of being the only other artist on WNCL to actually reside in West Norwood. Before leaving, he at least gifted us with a most excellent EP to add to his already rock steady discography of battle weapons. Forget what you think you know about Mani Festo and prepare to disengage ...

TRACKLIST
A1: Neutronics
A2: Come Wid It
B1: Disengage
B2: Iron Fist
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Kicking off 2023 as we mean to go on Pugilist & Tamen step up for the 1st of a flurry of release’s that we have planned for this year, Luke & Alex emerged on the Melbourne scene in 2016 when they moved from NZ/Barcelona respectively and were united through their love for Drum & Bass/Jungle music The prolific pair have put out music on labels such as 3024, Trule, Tempo Core, Repertoire & Run It Red.
This release sees them cover a wide range of styles all set within 160 + BPM Jungle / D&B framework “Lithium” sets the tone of the EP with frantic Hardcore Drums underlined by the deepest of subbase’s set against dark & brooding soundscapes. “Myth” takes things a little deeper but still keeps the energy levels high with 4X4 kicks Jungle Tekno style, accompanied by rolling breakbeats & Lush pads. “Synesthesia” is more dubbed out affair with tape delayed chords, woozing pitch shifted bass notes and razor sharp break edits. To round off the EP we have killer remix from contemporary Jungle dons Dwarde & Tim Reaper who take the title track up a gear for full on breakbeat Jungle Armageddon ! This is pure sonic weaponry of the highest order all 4 tracks guaranteed to test sound systems enjoy!! More

Boasting a discography of over 18 releases, inclusive of composers such as Special Request and Mark Broom, through to Nightwave and Hodge, DEXT Recordings celebrate 5 years with a V/A compilation from label affiliates Commix (Endian), Appleblim, Otik, and Pugilist.

'eleVAte Vol. 1' explores the more profound and invigorating, sonic excursions that the label's artists have to offer.

Fresh from an EP on Midland's intergraded imprint, Otik returns for a disjointed offering with paranoid synth work and an arpeggio that fizzes through the tweeters.

Pugilist offers up dub stabs, analogue sirens with blips of space echo on 'Eclipse', with a garage swing and Rhodes, contrasting a ruff and ready sound palate of bass weight.

Metalheadz signee Commix, (AKA Endian), returns to DEXT for a tumbling UK bass track with swung percussion and side-chained textures of rising crackle.

Skull Disco, Applepips boss and dubstep icon Appleblim, returns from a recent album on Sneaker Social Club, offering 'Hydrothermal Vents', that sees him taint a 126bpm framework with his dubstep-tinged roots, providing room for the groove to move.
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Jerome Hill, the man synonymous with the UK Underground for a couple of decades now arrives on DEXT with this 4 track EP and shows just why he is one of the country’s most underrated talents.
After his superb remix for Nightwave on our LTD label, we had to get him on board for an EP. The Super Rhythm Trax / Don’t Records boss really flexes his muscles on these heavyweight offerings – effortlessly blending super sharp drum programming with his signature “acidic bleeps and breaks” style, delivering 4 clever-yet-no-nonsense jams to make you move for a long time to come.
This is a man unquestionably at the top of his game both in the studio and behind the decks, and we couldn’t be happier to have him as part of the DEXT family.
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Following on from the last DEXT Limited release by Otik & Dead Mans Chest we’re kicking off 2019 in fine style with another limited 10” Vinyl cut with the same ethos as the previous release’s , 1 rave banger with a killer remix on the flipside. This time we have invited Glasgow's party starter and long-time label supporter Nightwave to join the crew and it seems like she has been here all along. Psychic Tonic is exactly what we are all about rolling breakbeats and thunderous kick drums and is the perfect addition to the DEXT LTD series. And if that's not enough, another of our favourites Jerome Hill (Super Rhythm Trax) comes along for the ride, and flips it totally on its head on the Remix More

DEXT Recordings has reached it’s landmark 10th release, and we now enter our next phase with this very special 2 track EP from a vital part of our label: Bodyjack.
Aside from his collaboration with Special Request at the end of last year, this is Chris’s first new music under his Bodyjack alias since the Summer of 2016 (his “Cobra Effect EP” for us). His time away has helped him refocus, and its clearly paid off
“Nataraja” (Hindu for “Lord Of The Dance”) is one of those tracks we can’t actually describe, but it’sBodyjack on rare form. His signature quirky percussion & synthwork is stripped down more than on his previous work, but this is one works in so many situations, we can’t wait to hear what you think.
On the flip, “Tandava” (the name given to the dance of Nataraja!), is a peak-time Detroit Bass style workout with booming drops and razor sharp edits aimed right at the floor. More

With the 10th release milestone on the horizon for DEXT Recordings, a new LTD 10" vinyl sub-label kicks off with 2 heavyweights at the helm.
Special Request (aka Paul Woolford) and Bodyjack are 2 artists who completely embody the label's ethos, and they each provide something very special for the first instalment of the series. Say no more!!

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