Kicking off this feature, Carrés's imprint Fast at Work is back. Building on the previous Up Too Late EP to further explore the intersection of techno and 140, the label this time welcomes steppers master Stones Taro. The Crevasse EP focuses once again on balancing 4x4 straight kicks with more half-step grooves and snares. Stones Taro brings to this concept an atmospheric fusion of stripped-down steppers and dubby techno that perfectly aligns with FAW's spirit.

We then shift our focus to the new Mode Recordings release by Tenshu, a proficient producer also known for running Size Ten Records—an imprint we know well for unleashing high-quality minimal & meditative tunes. Tenshu's latest contribution to Mode seems to follow the direction of his imprint : stripped-down in the mid-range - even sometimes nodding to ro-minimal techno - and always anchored by a powerful snare on the third beat. Rather than strictly sticking to classic half-step, he also explores on-the-grid rhythms on Aerials and Honestly, deploying meditative minimal atmospherics and subaquatic basslines across tech-house-leaning grooves.

The third recommended release is from Kakeru. An artist we already featured here for his Raw Courage EP on Shaw Cuts, he returns to the label for volume 17 of their Sentiment Series. Kakeru confirms his talent for producing intricate kinetic basslines and stripped-down soundscapes that blur the line between digital synthesis and organic textures.

Last but not least, we are highlighting the latest Dimeshift release, this time from Fearless Dread. The 4-tracker sticks to the label's curatorial ethos with historically accurate proto-dubstep. It is a fitting appearance, as Fearless Dread's previous productions were already deeply rooted in OG dubstep. The duo delivers their take on the historic roots, with percussively rich 2-step inexorably drawn towards half-time metrics—both on Mook's remix and the final section of The Engineer—serving as a heavy reminder of what this experimental UKG movement eventually became.