Nuclear Winter / Heavy Rain

Rusty shanks of dubstep and UKGristle from undisclosed operators on YOUTH, sustaining the label’s swagger after ace drops by FUMU, Authentically Plastic/Emma DJ & Toma Kami, and Hajj already in 2022

Behind a mask of anonymity, NW/HR deploy a pair of hard-bitten cuts that sound like they were unearthed from the bottom of a bin circa 2003, throwing down fetid chunks of shower face halfstep and squashed 2-step swivel that was seemingly too dank, even for the early dubstep/grime cranks. We could be here all day speculating on the producer’s provenance - is it one, or even two, or more sets of mitts, on the desk? - but we’ll suffice it to say they slap in the club.

‘Nuclear Winter’ steps in first with something like an early Skream or Slaughter Mob workout, all oxidised snares and grim, skulking South London atmosphere, nowt flash or clever, but ruggedly rude and sopping with dirt for the dance. ‘Heavy Rain’ arrives in a vein of proto- or primordial Burial styles, depressing the tempo to a thuggish hulk accentuated with groaning bass and sore blue synth pads bound to bring a rictus shower face to OG steppers.