various: worth the weight vol 2 from the edge

Punch Drunk Records presents the second chapter in its Worth the Weight CD compilation series, selected once again by Peverelist and presented in a digipak CD format. Since launching in 2006 with a vision of documenting Bristol's burgeoning and idiosyncratic reaction to dubstep, Punch Drunk has become a byword for quality and daring. The label has become a tastemaker in its own right, defining an era within the city's rich musical heritage. The last eight years has seen Punch Drunk release bonafide classics from artists developed, encouraged and debuted by the label; some of whom have gone on to become internationally-recognized artists. The cornerstones of Dubloaded, a club event that Pinch ran in conjunction with Peverelist, and Rooted Records, the record store managed by Peverelist, provided an era of fertile ground for local artists such as Headhunter, Appleblim, RSD and Joker. The first edition of Worth the Weight, featuring these artists and more, was released in 2010 and selected tracks from the first four years of the Bristol dubstep explosion. After the wider dubstep scene went overground, moving away from its original roots and context, the Bristol scene recalibrated and reflected on those dynamic first few years. Peverelist was keen to keep the Punch Drunk momentum heading in a direction of mutation and innovation true to its original manifesto, unique to and reflective of Bristol. Worth the Weight Volume 2 represents that second era, when a new school of Bristol artists were beginning to emerge. Many of them found their first releases at Punch Drunk and are featured on this compilation. Kahn's first two 12"s for the label were a dichotomy of colorful, swung rhythms and heads-down, deep and dark sound system music. Ekoplekz released two LPs for the label, drawing influence from Cabaret Voltaire via King Tubby, defining his own plane of dystopian dub. Zhou, a duo from the city's Young Echo collective, released two 12"s mastering their own esoteric perspective on heavyweight UK dub grooves. Andy Mac's UK house variants brought the funk and bounce back to Bristol's clubs, while Tessela's pounding percussion tracks rained down relentlessly on dancefloors. Bass Clef's recent masterful and acclaimed psychedelic voyage through techno on his Reeling Skullways LP is represented alongside rising star Hodge, whose Resolve 12" is surely a highlight of the label's catalog. Also includes a remix by Kowton. This new compilation provides a perfect snapshot of a city in constant flux, seen through the eyes of a label with a unique perspective on its surroundings.