Cover image for Pressure in the Pipes

Drum & bass · Release review

Pressure in the Pipes

Shimah

Shimah makes his Sumo Beatz debut with Pressure in the Pipes — a raw, bass-heavy roller built for the dancefloor, and the first of many big moves in 2025.

Sumo Beatz Released 20 March 2025

Shimah steps back into the ring with Pressure in the Pipes, a heavyweight debut on Co-Lab’s Sumo Beatz sub-label and a clear reminder of why he's held in such high regard across the drum and bass circuit. Landing exactly one year after his standout 4th Dimension LP, this new cut signals the start of a fresh run of releases for 2025 — and it kicks things off with serious intent.

True to form, Shimah wastes no time. From the opening bars, Pressure in the Pipes rumbles with tension — all pressurised atmospheres and ominous textures, before detonating into a rugged stepper designed for pure dancefloor destruction. The drums are sharp and decisive, the bassline snarling and cavernous, coiling around metallic FX like steam through rusted pipework. It’s a roughneck roller built to shake speaker stacks and sweat out the ravers.

There’s a stripped-back focus here that adds to its impact. Shimah knows exactly how to work a groove without overloading it — allowing each percussive snap, sub hit and midrange growl to breathe and bruise in just the right measure. It’s controlled chaos, expertly engineered for maximum tension and release.

 

This isn’t just a one-off banger either. With more music on the horizon across the Co-Lab family, Pressure in the Pipes sets the tone for a heavy year ahead. Shimah’s return is not just welcome — it’s necessary.

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