December Roundup Part Two

We’ve been a little less active than usual with the posts this festive season so for our very last post of 2015 we’re rounding up the best releases this month which might otherwise have slipped the net. Read on for new beats from Trilo, Was A Be, Sikey and more… Continue reading

Top 10 Albums of 2015

2015 has been another strong year for the D&B LP in what seems to be a growing trend for more established artists to explore their sound across a full length record rather than just churning out singles. As the year draws to a close, here’s our run down of the then best albums we’ve heard this year. In no particular order… Continue reading

Quentin Hiatus – I’m Neither Quentin Nor Hiatus Vol. 2 [Free Love Digi]

US beatsmith and sonic experimenter extraordinaire Quentin Hiatus returns with the second volume of his split LP, I’m Neither Quentin Nor Hiatus. After the mostly experimental and introspective sounds of the excellent Vol. 1the second instalment seems to shift focus towards the dancefloor while keeping that trademark QH playfulness when it comes to sitting slightly outside convention.

There’s certainly plenty of variety on show here; After Image kicks things off with a hypnotic slice of rolling, tech-edged D&B, while Always Sunny immediately flips things around into a moodier and more techno inspired groove. Elsewhere we’re treated to lower tempo garagey vibes on the fantastically groovy Danny Tanner, jacking house on Steppin Out and scuzzed up footwork on Edison before I Stop closes the album out with a slice of IDM-infused halftime hip-hop.

If Vol. 1 was the sound of a man’s innermost thoughts and feelings wrapped in an eclectic array of electronic instrumentation, Vol. 2 is that same man jumping out of the armchair and heading straight to the dancefloor to throw some mean shapes. Another thoroughly enjoyable outing from a producer who constantly impresses us here at the Dojo. Check out the clips below and hit up your favourite digital outlet to grab the LP now!

Dojo Damager: Recs – Bloodhound

Mayan Audio return with their last release of 2015 and it’s a bit of a stomper! New signings Recs step up with the relentless business on Bloodhound, combining heavy percussion with glitchy synth textures in the midrange for an unbeatable groove. Straight up Dojo Damager material; check out the clip below and hit up your favourite digital store to grab this right now.

E-Motion Records is back!

It’s always a shame when a label goes missing in action, and doubly so when it’s as promising an imprint as E-Motion. Their back catalogue has played host to a wide variety of top notch D&B from up and coming producers within the scene, so we were thrilled to hear of their planned return in 2016 here at Dojo HQ.

E-Motion will kick off the year with a series of Throwback Session releases which will take a look back at some of their most successful/popular releases. Spread over four volumes, with six tracks apiece, these EPs should provide a great opportunity for anyone new to the label to get up to speed with what E-Motion is all about before the label kicks back into gear with new releases from February or so.

To celebrate this awesome news we’ve re-uploaded label boss Slime’s Feb 2014 guest mix for DNB Dojo. Check that out below and head over here for the mix tracklist and the interview we ran at the time.

DNB Dojo Mix Series 23: Dubbalot

MixSeries23_Dubbalot

For our last mix of 2015 Boundless Beatz resident and label runner Dubbalot joins the DNB Dojo Mix Series with an 82 minute selection of top notch rollers. With tracks from the likes of Ulterior Motive, Ivy Lab, Chimpo and DLR and of course some cuts from the Boundless Beatz catalogue, Dubbalot’s mix takes us on a journey through the full spectrum of D&B, from dark to light and rolling to more experimental.

As usual you can check out the mix via Soundcloud below or head to Mixcloud, Hearthis.at or iTunes to stream. You can also grab a download from Google Drive.

Electrosoul System ft. Deeizm – Shadow [Med School]
Wintermute – Proximity [Boundless Beatz]
Skeptical – Imperial [Exit Records]
Need For Mirrors & HLZ & MC Fats – BUMP [U Understand Me Music]
J:Kenzo – Rum Punch [ThirtyOne Recordings]
DLR – Outta Time [Horizons Music]
Friction & Fourward ft. Jakes – Battle Scars [Shogun Audio]
Xtrah – Operator [Cyberfunk]
Eastcolors & Noel & Traffic – Dreams (VIP) [Demand Records]
Mark System – Optix [Exit Records]
RoyGreen & Protone – Homeground [Demand Records]
Ulterior Motive – Searchers [Metalheadz]
L-Side – Dreadlocks [Chronic]
Was A Be – Jah [Subtitles]
Chimpo – Backslang [Par Excellence]
Ivy Lab – Ubane [20/20 LDN]
Kasra & Enei – Inside The Box [Critical Recordings]
Wintermute & Cues – Euler’s Disc [Boundless Beatz]
Ivy Lab – No Answer [20/20 LDN]
Neuropol ft. Om Unit – The Rise [Cosmic Bridge]
Philth & Agman Gora – Incantation [Dispatch Recordings]
Ivy Lab – Forex
[Critical Recordings]
Beta 2 & Zero T – Election [Metalheadz]
Jubei ft. SP:MC – State Of The Art [Metalheadz]
Artificial Intelligence ft. DRS – Pass The Buck [Metalheadz]
Chills – Goggin1 [Diffrent]
Fade – Taino [Boundless Beatz]
Noon – Done [BPM Records]
Fade – Lo-Fi [Boundless Beatz]
Ivy Lab – Deus [20/20 LDN]
Thievery Corporation – Culture Of Fear (Dominic Ridgeway Remix) [Free Download]

Lurch – Long Road Back [Flexout]

Flexout Audio continue their impressive run of releases with two fresh tracks from Lurch. Long Road Back brings together Lurch’s aptitude for melancholy liquid elements with a growling bassline and a heavy hitting halftime drum line, creating a great little hybrid of light and dark. Beer Belly Dub ups the ante, going in full roll on the drums and bringing in tons of movement in the low end for a perfect balance of grime and funk. This one’s out now at all good digital outlets; get to know!

Dojo Damager: Current Value & Maztek – Feedback Echo

When names as big as Current Value & Maztek join forces for the first time you know the results will be special! Their collaborative efforts just dropped on Subsistenz in the form of the fearsome sounds of Feedback Echo, and it’s every bit as gnarly as you’d expect. Keeping the beats fairly sparse to give the throbbing, morphing bassline room, this one should induce more than a few bassfaces on the dancefloor. Danger! Check out the clip below and hit up Beatport to grab it right now.

December Roundup

Another month, another massive wealth of new drum & bass! We check out the best of the rest from Conduct, Skeptical, Benny L, Cybin and more… Continue reading

Sabre – Yoga (Alix Perez Remixes) [Plasma Audio]

After an initially slow cycle of releases Melbourne’s Plasma Audio have kicked things into gear this year, knocking out some really forward thinking music. Their latest release sees them close out 2015 in style with two new remixes from none other than Alix Perez.

It’s always a pleasure when a label picks one of your favourite artists to remix one of your favourite tunes from their catalogue, so when I saw the promo land in the inbox I knew I was in for a treat. Fresh from his storming collab work with EPROM, Perez has taken the chunky hip-hop spirit of Yoga and put his own distinctive touch to it, healthy with that low-slung, crunked-out vibe that he’s so good at dishing up.

In addition to the more obvious club mix, we’re also treated to a less convention bound (and less DJ friendly) rearrangement on the warped mix. My only complaint here is that it could be more warped; asides from the intro the deviations from the club mix aren’t that pronounced, which is a shame given the possibilities for experimental wonkyness. Still, this is a minor quibble in the face of a really enjoyable rework.

This one will be dropping on vinyl in January; hit up the Plasma Store to pre-order the wax, and look out for the digital at all the usual outlets from December 14th.