Ifan Dafydd looks likely to force his way to the front of a busy pack following a couple of rather huge bootleg remixes last year and dj support from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Jamie XX and Sinden and this hugely impressive 12″ on Push and Run.

His smokey garage tinged beats have rightly been likened to the work of James Blake but this outing, his first official release, shows that he’s his own man with a mark to be made on the world.

First track “Treehouse” takes a moody garage lean and slowly fills out, adding layer upon layer before hitting its peak. “To Me” follows and muddies the waters a little, driven by a short piano hook but underpinned with enough sub bass to keep a Funktion One system happy.

It’s a brilliant debut that will ensure you keep an eye on this young producer throughout the year. Released on vinyl on 30th January with digital to follow on Feb 6th.

Glasgow dwellers can catch Ifan making his Scottish debut for Mixed Bizness at the Glasgow School of Art on Feb 9th.

Glasgow born producer Howie B has a list of production credits that place him behind the desk for some of the world’s biggest acts. His finest moment for me however was debut album “Turn The Dark Off”.

Howie B – Fizzy In My Mouth / Your Mouth

It’s a brilliant piece of work that managed to capture its place in time but also avoid any cliches that would have dated it badly. Packed with phenomenal drum work and catchy melodies, a smoky atmosphere hangs over the whole thing and it’s perfect Sunday listening.

Probably best played in that early evening spot where you’re considering going out for that pint to see you into Monday.

Howie B – Who’s Got The Bacon?

If you’d like a longer slab of Howie then grab this brilliant BBC Essential Mix from the man himself, originally broadcast in 1996.

Originally formed as a sub label to Skint Records, Under 5′s took on a life of it’s own and had some quality releases from the likes of Si Begg and Treva Whateva in the late 90s/early 2000s. Taking a more experimental route than Skint, the output managed to shake off any genre restrictions and wandered across the BPM spectrum.

The label closed its doors in 2001 and reopened in 2009 with a more mainstream dubstep tinged release schedule and has now spread its wings further with this brilliant EP from newcomer Seth.

The three tracks contained within swerve any easy pigeonholing with elements of the deeper site of dubstep, garage and electronica and all have a smokey atmosphere wandering throughout.

It’s an impressive debut for this new producer and hints at further deeper expiditions from the label.

Released November 7th.

I’ll be honest and say that I find King Creosote’s voice a little bit jarring. Although on his phenomenal collaborative album with Jon Hopkins, “Diamond Mine”, it made perfect sense.

Wrapped around Hopkins’ warm electronica and modern classical inklings, it adds a layer of depth that gives the material an almost nostalgic feel and makes you feel like you’re sitting by a warm fire in a cottage on a Scottish island.

King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – John Taylor’s Month Away

While the album is still picking up plenty of play in our headphones at the Labs, the duo have now released some more material in the shape of the “Honest Words EP”.

Following the same path as the album, the EP features two new tracks and what is undoubtedly the gem in the pack – a reworking of album track “Bats In The Attic” that’s even more hypnotic than the original. Outstanding stuff.

The Techno Dads blog is here to help us make the adjustment into old age where looking after kids takes priority over attemping to look after ourselves after weekends spent mashed in front of speakers.

Alongside the posts about classic techno and house there’s also some rather nice mixes entitled “Dad Casts”.The latest in the series is a nice ambient mix with tracks from The Orb, Boards of Canada, Burial, The KLF and more.

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