A deep, bass-heavy, groove-driven return from South London’s Rude Audio with Strange Phenomena, their first original release in three years — and it’s a powerful reminder of why they’ve earned fans such as Don Letts, Sean Johnston, and David Holmes. Following a string of remixes for Hugo Nicolson, Matt Gunn, David Harrow and Ben Hunt, which have received airplay from BBC 6 Music, NTS and Soho Radio, the collective now deliver a five-track EP that blends heavyweight dub with leftfield house rhythms, Middle Eastern motifs, and downtempo atmospherics.
Producer Mark and engineer Gordon have crafted a record with one eye on the dancefloor and the other on the after-hours. “MGB1”, anchored by Matt Gunn’s propulsive bassline, has already been tearing up floors during Rude Audio’s DJ tests. Rich Lane’s huge dub of “Milo On A Hill” has caught the attention of dub aficionados, while the remaining tracks showcase the duo’s ability to build hypnotic, chugging grooves with deep low-end and intricate percussion.
Early critical response has been fantastic. Reviewers have picked up on exactly what we set out to create, describing the EP as “groove laden, hypnotic, chuggy with added dubby wonkyness.” Ban Ban Ton Ton singled out the cavernous bass of “North Star Dub”, the downtempo funk of “Swamp Ting”, and the trance-like electronic pulse of “No Sleep”, calling it “Chris & Cosey-esque… erotic, hypnotic, pagan tango trance.”
Strange Phenomena stands out as a confident, finely-produced release that plays to Rude Audio’s strengths: dub weight, experimental flair, and a knack for immersive dancefloor experiences. It’s a welcome and assured return from one of London’s most distinctive underground outfits.
Release Date: Out now on Zirkus
Genres: Dub / Leftfield House / Downtempo / Experimental
Rating: ★★★★
Martin Madigan
