July: 6 bass & club releases you need to hear this month

Murlo 'Club Coil' (Mixpak)

Brighton-based producer Murlo is one of the most recognised names in bass music today, renowned for both his trademark elastic synth melodies and his room-shaking, genre-spanning DJ sets. He now makes his return to Brooklyn imprint Mixpak with a third EP that features both sultry r’n’b cuts and inventive takes on UK bass. While 2015’s ‘Odyssey’ could be considered a morning record thanks to its upbeat and urgent sound, ‘Club Coil’ opts instead for maximalist takes on the low-end which feel more suited to the late evening.

Dublin-born vocalist and longtime collaborator Gemma Dunleavy appears on two of the album’s most compelling cuts: ‘I Need’ bubbles along, while ‘AFK’ pairs ambient bass tones with vulnerable lyrics. “Remind me what it’s like to be touched, remind me what it’s like to be enough,” sings Dunleavy, bringing a moment of lonely reflection to the club. It’s not all gloom, though. ‘Moss’ glistens with anticipative energy, its synths racing, and closer ‘Tired Of You’ is a percussive workout that pairs deep distortion with crisp snares. Ultimately, what really sets Murlo apart from other producers is his embrace of versatility. No one else in the game right now combines the timbre of sounds that he does, and it really pays off.

9/10