Rave Review: V/a - Tempa Allstars vol. 9
Looking back, it almost seems as if the rise and fall of dubstep was surreptitiously tied to the UK dubstep originator label Tempa. Launched at the turn of the century, they released some of the first breakthrough tracks that morphed UK garage into its more wobbly step cousin, dubstep. Tracks like “Fat Larry Skank,” “Gorgon City,” and eventually “Midnight Request Line” would vault the genre into pop culture’s stratosphere. Tempa led the dub wave for years before quietly slipping out the back door in 2015, just as dubstep peaked and hardened into a shallow festival attraction.
A decade later, with the resurgence of its own classic sound, it’s as if Tempa has been resurrected. Rising again in 2025, the label has already firmly reestablished its place at the top of the mountain in early 2026 with the ninth entry in its classic Tempa Allstars compilation series.
It’s here that Tempa has gathered many of the best entries from its catalogue, including one of the greatest dubstep tracks ever released: Digital Mystikz’ “Give Jah Glory.” With their return, they waste no time bringing in the heavy hitters. Carré kicks things off with “Clicked,” sounding the sirens before the bass thunders in, laced with a hypnotic pitter-patter of congas. 96 Back slices some DnB into the mix on “Catford Jewelzz,” while Hodge storms the stage with his signature percussive march on “Sway.”
Dark clouds gather with the freak sci-fi sub of Slikback’s “Sea,” before erupting in a torrent of distortion. Playfully experimental as always, Slikback masterfully opens heaven’s gates for a moment, letting the sunshine through before enclosing us once again in the storm. INVT keeps the party moving on “FANTASY DUB,” its fun, club-ready bounce offering brief relief. The air thickens when Beatrice M. & Jan Loup arrive, their deep dub cut feeling like a jungle track stuck in the mud. D1’s “Oni” leans fully into the classic Tempa sound and hits harder for it, before renowned junglist Mantra turns up the temperature for one final heater, her fast-paced jungle style swerving effortlessly into a reverb-soaked dub groove for a perfect closing statement.
In the end, Tempa Allstars Vol. 9 isn’t just a victory lap—it’s a reminder. Dubstep didn’t disappear; it went underground, waiting for the right moment to resurface. With this compilation, Tempa prove they’re not chasing the genre’s past or its trends—they’re still shaping its future.
(The Lunatic is an Austin, Texas–based raver spreading the good word through his reviews and blog—and by selling the weirdest fucking electronic vinyl around.)
