KLOKE, TIM REAPER — Mindgame 10

Kloke & Tim Reaper – MINDGAME 10 is the tenth release in the Mindgames catalogue, bringing together two of the contemporary jungle scene’s most distinctive producers for a focused four-track 12-inch. Originally issued by Mindgames in 2025 and returning in a limited collector’s edition in 2026 as MINDGAMES10LTD, the record reconnects with the foundations of jungle while presenting them through a modern production approach. “Conga Fury”, “Canyon”, “It’s You” and “Speed” are built around sharp breaks, breathing bass pressure and carefully controlled layers, balancing the raw physicality of 1990s jungle with a contemporary sense of space and precision. The collaboration brings together two artists with closely connected but individually recognisable approaches to the genre. Kloke, the Melbourne-based producer, has developed a catalogue that moves through jungle, drum & bass and atmospheric break-driven electronic music, while Tim Reaper has become one of the defining figures in the modern revival and continuation of the classic jungle sound. Their shared understanding of breakbeat rhythm makes MINDGAME 10 feel less like a conventional collaboration and more like a natural meeting of two complementary production languages. Mindgames itself is a Berlin-based jungle label associated with the Samurai Music network. Its stated philosophy is “Into the 90's”, but the label explicitly positions itself as an independent jungle imprint rather than a sub-label. The MINDGAME series has previously featured Tim Reaper, Eusebeia, ASC, Artificial Red and Kloke, making the tenth edition an important continuation of the label’s central concept. The A-side opens with “Conga Fury”, immediately establishing the rhythmic language of the record. Fast breakbeats provide the main source of momentum, but the track avoids the hyperactive density sometimes associated with modern jungle. Instead, the drums are given room to breathe, allowing the low-end to occupy a clearly defined position beneath the breaks. This balance between rapid percussion and controlled bass pressure is one of the key characteristics of the MINDGAME 10 sound. “Conga Fury” demonstrates how effectively Kloke and Tim Reaper use rhythm as the primary compositional material. The break is not simply a repeated loop supporting a bassline; changes in emphasis, texture and spacing continually refresh the groove. Small details emerge around the central rhythmic structure, giving the track movement without relying on dramatic breakdowns. The result is raw but measured, with the energy concentrated inside the groove rather than exaggerated through excessive effects. “Canyon” follows with a slightly more spacious character. The breakbeat remains central, but the arrangement allows greater room between the rhythmic elements, creating a deeper sense of atmosphere. The bass provides the track with its physical foundation while subtle textures develop around it, producing the feeling of a moving environment rather than a static loop. This is where the modern aspect of MINDGAME 10 becomes particularly apparent. The music clearly understands the vocabulary of classic jungle — chopped breaks, sub-heavy bass, syncopation and rapid rhythmic movement — but the production does not attempt to recreate an early-1990s record through imitation. Instead, the sounds are given contemporary clarity and space. The low frequencies remain substantial without obscuring the breaks, while the surrounding textures can be heard as distinct elements within the mix. The B-side begins with “It’s You”, the longest track on the record at 6:40. Its extended structure gives the duo more space to develop the rhythmic relationship between drums, bass and atmosphere. Rather than treating duration as an excuse for repetition, the track uses its length to let the groove evolve gradually. “It’s You” is particularly effective as a DJ tool because of this patience. The rhythmic foundation remains consistent enough for mixing, while changes in texture and emphasis provide points of development during an extended blend. The track sits comfortably between classic jungle sensibility and contemporary deep drum & bass, making it suitable for sets where the DJ wants to retain breakbeat energy without moving immediately into the most aggressive end of the spectrum. The final track, “Speed”, closes the EP with another concentrated exploration of break-driven momentum. At just over six minutes, it has enough room to establish a strong rhythmic identity while maintaining the focused approach found throughout the record. The title is appropriately direct: speed is an essential part of the track’s physical character, but the production remains controlled rather than chaotic. “Speed” demonstrates the effectiveness of the duo’s restrained approach. The breaks move rapidly, yet the overall mix retains a sense of weight and stability. The bass does not simply follow the drums; it creates a counterweight to them, allowing the rhythm to feel both fast and grounded. This relationship between rapid percussion and substantial low-end is fundamental to the jungle aesthetic and is handled here with considerable precision. Taken as a complete record, MINDGAME 10 is notable for its consistency. The four tracks are not designed around radically different styles or tempos. Instead, they explore different shades of the same central idea: jungle stripped back to its essential rhythmic components and rebuilt with modern production techniques. Breaks surge forward, bass remains present without becoming excessive, and textures appear with purpose rather than simply filling space. The label’s own description of the release as “raw yet measured” accurately captures this balance. The record also has significance within the wider MINDGAME series. The project began with releases from artists including Tim Reaper and Eusebeia before expanding through subsequent editions featuring Kloke and ASC. MINDGAME 10 brings two of those central figures together, effectively connecting different strands of the label’s catalogue in a single release. The physical edition further strengthens its collector appeal. The 2026 MINDGAMES10LTD edition is presented as a limited 12-inch collector’s pressing, with a liquid-splatter vinyl design and Mindgames sleeve. The edition is limited to 100 copies worldwide, making it a notably more exclusive variation of the release than the standard marbled 12-inch. For DJs, the appeal of MINDGAME 10 lies in its versatility within jungle and drum & bass sets. “Conga Fury” provides an immediate rhythmic statement, “Canyon” offers deeper and more spacious movement, “It’s You” develops the atmosphere through a longer arrangement, and “Speed” closes with concentrated breakbeat energy. The four tracks can therefore function at different points in a set while maintaining a coherent sonic identity. For collectors, the release captures an important strand of contemporary jungle culture: music that respects the foundations of the genre without treating the 1990s as a museum piece. Kloke and Tim Reaper understand the breakbeat tradition deeply enough to manipulate it freely, using modern production clarity to expose the details within the rhythm rather than simply reproducing a historical sound. Kloke & Tim Reaper – MINDGAME 10, MINDGAMES10LTD, is ultimately a focused statement of modern jungle: fast but controlled, raw but carefully produced, rooted in classic breakbeat culture yet unmistakably contemporary. Across “Conga Fury”, “Canyon”, “It’s You” and “Speed”, the duo demonstrate how much movement can be created from the fundamental relationship between breaks, bass and texture. For DJs, jungle specialists and collectors of contemporary 12-inch drum & bass, this tenth chapter of the Mindgames series offers four tightly constructed tracks that connect the physical energy of the genre’s roots with the precision of its present-day underground.