Various Artists - U Dun Know [Album]

New State Music has recently released, the well-titled album, U Dun Know, showing a British urban side on the electronic compilation of dubstep. Over the past couple of years, we have seen an immense increase in the popularity of dubstep, as Pendulum’s début, Hold Your Colour is set to hit platinum. It is no big surprise that we have begun to hear dubbed backdrops plaguing the “mainstream” tracks which flood the charts. Hounding club nights across the UK, dubstep and bass infused rhythms have certainly made an evident mark on the dance and electronica scene, becoming the new sound of the streets. The album comprises of big-tracks by big-name producers such as Nero, Bare Noize, Drumsound & Bassline Smith, Skism, Doorly and Crissy Criss.

Marco Del Horno & DJ Swerve’s – ‘Ho! Riddim’ features top Grime MC P Money, kicks off the compilation. With its rippling bass and explosive wobbles throughout, it races the firey and fistful bars of P Money. ‘Ho! Riddim’s’ well-placed breaks from the grimey lyrics, is occupied by soulful synth and fluidity. Shooting straight into Dodge & Fuski’s remix of the UK Funky hit ‘For U’ by FunkyStepz featuring Lily McKenzie. The upbeat qualities of the track is something you would find on many high-street club’s playlists on a crazy Friday night. The ever-changing prolific beats would be the consequence of many intoxicated dances, as the harsh rumbles and techy synth contrasts with Lily’s harmonious vocals.

Doctor P’s Remix of ‘Star,’ a more well-known track on the compilation, comprises of Drum & Bass legend Blame with warm vocals from Camilla Marie. Kicking straight into warped pulses, it launches you into the nostalgic feeling of the slow-motion, hazy memory of seeing the whole club pause before bouncing into the awaited breakdown. The electric, zippy synth tears into the track, as it zooms into a calamity of experimental crashes and thuds. Typically, tracks containing a great amount of repetition is something which is frowned upon, however, Doctor P pulls off the reappearance of Camilla’s ‘you know I wished upon a star’ with the pulses of electronica.

N Dubz’s vocalist Tulisa has lately aired her opinion that the UK doesn’t appreciate urban music, and to be honest, you either hate it or love it, correct? However, ‘On My Own’ (Drumsound & Bassline Smith Remix) by Blame & Ruff Squad offers a track which suggests that urban music is abundant in dynamics and shows great technicality. ‘On My Own’ portrays a vast amount of versatility; the gorgeous, urban female vocals pierce through the harsh bass lines, the song also making unexpected twists and turns and somehow swims through a pool of tranquillity.

 My preferred track off U Dun Know has got to be ‘Egyptian Horns (Amen VIP Mix)’ by Ed Solo. It portrays a musical journey through a patchwork of styles, showcasing cultural influences which cut over the metallic crunches and pummelling pulses of the warbling synths. ‘London Town (Doorly Remix)’ by Man Like Me is another great composition, distinguished by its pensive bass mixing into sketchy, wonky layers which scratch over the back beat and submerge you into the soul fully synthesised ‘London Town’ lyric. Let’s face it, whether you like dubstep or not, the genre is now prominent on pre-drink playlists and isn’t just exclusive to a passing by subbed up, blacked out Citroen Saxo, like it used to be.

As you find yourself lost in the composition, tracks such as; ‘7th Key’ by Numan and ‘Hand Grenade (Datsik & Excision Remix)’ produced by Ivory, offer a chilled take, both consisting of innovating, reverberant drum patterns and layered funk. On the contrary, ‘WTF (Crissy Cris Remix)’ by Kid Sister, Pase Rock & Tittsworth, is a real let down for the overall compilation, with its sickly drone and irritating vocals and poor lyrical choice. If I’m honest, ‘WTF’ reminds me of waking up with an awful headache and a general feeling of “hating the world” after drinking more than you should have the night before. A memory no one likes to reminisce, right?

Click here to see the published review on altsounds