Dubstep & Grime
October: 10 dubstep & grime releases you need to hear this month
Joker, Toasty, Gundam and more
Joker '16 Bit EP' (Kapsize)
The 16-bit world of classic arcade games has always had a strong pull on Joker’s music, and here he offers up an entire EP dedicated to that era. From the glitchy thrill of contorted opener ‘G Shift’, Joker still retains a sense of cinematic scope, too, which is further increased by the widescreen feel of ‘Highway’, a track defined by – you guessed it – a swathe of 16-bit samples. Third track ‘Night Life’ feels like it could genuinely soundtrack a loading scene from classic Megadrive game Streets Of Rage, while the downtempo funk of ‘Glass Hearts’ is positively manic and exciting. Bonkers, but great fun.
8/10
