Aquatic Lab Sessions Vol. 2 recalls a different era. The second compilation of material from Sydney's Aquatic Lab Records, Sessions Vol 2 is reminiscent of dubstep's adolescent period – a rewarding phase in the late-noughties wherein the genre had started to outgrow its more niche two-step/garage origins but had yet to morph into its current Skrillex-sponsored behemoth status.
By default, it's a fascinating listen. In an era where dubstep is considered the province of 'roided-up festival jocks, Sessions reminds of that largely forgotten period when dubstep was predominantly considered minimal, experimental and decidedly fringe. However, to Aquatic Lab's considerable credit, it's also a profoundly rewarding listen, regardless; potentially one of the most consistent compilations you'll hear all year.
Aquatic Lab's standards have been unnervingly high from the outset – 2009's Sessions Vol 1 was and remains a high watermark of its genre – but, in recent years, they've grown even stronger as a label. There isn't a single misstep on Vol 2. It's brutally effective from Moving Ninja's scalpel-sharp Saw start to Seven's cinematic Dark Tribe finish. Even more impressive, it's as diverse as it is consistent.
Given their clear affection for dubstep's older eras, Aquatic Lab's latest could easily have fallen into nostalgia and predictability. Instead, they've privileged artists who use the skeletal foundations of their forebears as a platform for advancement. Throughout, you can glimpse shades of techno, industrial, breakbeat, ambient, reggae and countless other styles woven into the disc's classicist fabric.
Honestly, it's pretty much a faultless piece of work. Dubstep skeptics would be well-advised to seek it out.
