April Roundup Part Two

Another month has slipped by and another quality selection has crossed the Dojo inbox, so it’s time for the best of the rest, or as Deficit put it last time “Its like Top Of The Pops but better”. Read on for the latest from Inception Audio, Eatbrain, Syncopix, HLZ and more…

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Conduct – Bat Country [Blu Mar Ten]

Blu Mar Ten Music continue winding up towards the release of their latest solo artist album with a second single from the rather talented Conduct. As we’ve come to expect from BMTM the musicality on show here is breathtaking, providing ample proof that D&B can be about so much more than just forgettable dancefloor fodder.

The solemn guitar work on lead track Bat Country brings to mind equal parts latter-day Earth (check their excellent album Hex; or printing in the Infernal Method) and the soundtrack to a tense saloon stand-off in some imaginary Western. Said licks combine surprisingly well with the obviously synthetic bassline elements later in the track for a decidedly moody aesthetic.

Over on the flip, Beta’s Error goes in super deep, eschewing any kind of rolling or stepping drum pattern for sparse, echoing kicks and percussive glitches, allowing the creepily treated vocals and melancholy atmospheres space to breathe. The influence of shoegaze and post-rock definitely seeps into Conduct’s sound on this one, and the results are sublime.

As usual you can pick this one up from the Blu Mar Ten store on vinyl or digital, and we’d encourage you to grab a copy right now, because this is undoubtedly one of the finest pieces of music to cross our inbox this year.

Oliver Yorke – Helion / Kali [None60]

We’ve been waiting hopefully to hear more music from Oliver Yorke since we first discovered him via his rather excellent Into The Void EP for Vandal Ltd early last year, and thankfully the intervening time hasn’t blunted his talents any.

Oliver lands on Silent Dust’s None60 imprint with two absolutely beautiful slices of deep, experimental music which push the boundaries of the 170BPM template in new and interesting directions. Helion kicks things off with a selection of enthralling melodies, cinematic synth washes and precision percussion; there’s a hint of Photek to the drums and the composition is intricate without feeling hyperactive.

Flipside Kali plays with trap-esque hat rolls and a plodding kick-snare drum pattern, but fear not, this isn’t a half-arsed take on the trendy halftime hip-hop being put about by the likes of Ivy Lab. Once again we’re treated to rich bass and fantastic synth textures set to a head nodding groove. This one has a hint of the sultry to it without getting into “sexy R&B” cliches, and that’s quite a feat in and of itself.

Essential business once again from a really talented musician; check out the clips below and hit up the None60 Bandcamp to grab this one right now.

Dexta – SE4 EP [Diffrent Music]

Diffrent label boss Dexta is back with a six track EP of his unusual riddims and once again those that like their bassweight a bit less formulaic and bit more wonky are in for a treat.

Kicking off with the constantly lurching swing of the positively undanceable Flaming0 before moving into the deeper and steadier riddims of Secondlife and atmospheric Coma collab Dissolute, there’s plenty of variation to be found here.

Amping things up a bit for a more dancefloor worthy flex, title track SE4 (The Ends) hits heavy with an angular selection of heavy kicks and jungle snares set to an absolutely throbbing bassline; this one is sure to provoke some screwfaces in the rave! Last but not least there are a couple of CD only flavours in the form of hyper-active 170 garage flex Cheater and the stalking, grime influenced vibes of Slew Dub. Wicked stuff.

As usual the EP is available at the Diffrent Bandcamp, but move fast if you want a copy on CD, only four copies left at the time of writing!

Dojo Damager: Limewax Album

When it comes to hard D&B, few do it better than Limewax. Since bursting onto the scene at the tender age of 17 with EPs for Tech Itch Recordings and Freak and his seminal debut LP Scars on the Horizon, Maxim Anokhin has cemented his reputation as one of the most creative and brutal artists in the nastier end of the scene.

More than a decade on from those initial forays into the scene, Limewax’s self-titled third LP hits as hard as his previous efforts and takes in the full breadth of influences; from hard amens to relentless gabber kicks and through paranoid, Raiden-esque technoid this LP is quite simply the finest in uncompromisingly aggressive D&B. Check out previews of the album below and hit up your favourite store to grab it right now.

DNB Dojo Mix Series 30: Flava

MixSeries30_Flava

Our latest mix comes from London underground radio veteran Flava! With nearly two decades experience behind the decks and some really promising recent forays into production alongside the likes of Digital and Horrific James, Flava is definitely one to watch this year.

For her Dojo mix Flava has put together a stomping selection featuring some classic rollers alongside fresh cuts from Digital’s new Synthesis LP and a few dubs for good measure. Wicked! For more info on Flava be sure to check out our interview here.

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.

Digital & Spirit vs. Flava & Dissect – Primal [Function]
Genotype – Big Man Tumps [Horizons]
Hibea – The Form [IM:LTD]
Digital, Flava & Horific James – Lava [Function]
Response – I Don’t Want To Go Outside [Commercial Suicide]
Digital & Villem – Sunbites [Metalheadz Dub]
Kantye – Toughbreaker [IM:LTD]
Foreign Concept & Bringa – Cemetery [Shogun]
Theory – Buckshot [444 Dub]
Flava, Digital & Dissect – The Test [Commercial Suicide Dub]
S.P.Y – Alone [Inneractive]
Flava & Digital – From The East [Commercial Suicide Dub]
Drumsound & Bassline Smith – Fire [Function]
Digital – Dirty Money (Amit & Outrage Remix) [Function]
Digital & Flava – Retard VIP [Function]
Digital, Spirit & Need For Mirrors – Infinity [Function]
Fracture & Neptune – The Limit [Astrophonica]

April Roundup

Once again the sands of time have slipped past and we have another slew of top notch D&B to cover! Read on for all the latest from John B, J:Kenzo, Eighth Moon, Paradox and more…

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Boston – Panoramic EP [Symmetry]

We’ve been eagerly awaiting new music from Boston since his last release for Symmetry and true to form he’s back on Break’s imprint with four new silky smooth rollers that glide along effortlessly.

As with previous releases, Boston’s compositions are characterised by live guitar licks, crisp percussion, rich synths and a hint of jazz. That hint of jazz is handled subtly too, unlike some of the rather sax-heavy “jazz’n’bass” stylings employed by other producers in the scene, and that subtlety really makes the music shine.

Treading that beautifully fine line between being musical enough for the living room and hefty enough for the club with style and aplomb, this is another superb EP from a producer whose style has found the perfect home on Symmetry. Absolutely lush. Check out the clips below and hit up your favourite store to grab a copy right now.

Q&A – Digital

The ever-prolific Digital is back with a big new album featuring nothing but collaborative tracks. With Synthesis just out, we caught up with the man himself to find out about where the LP concept came from, working with Spirit and who has the best studio. Check it…

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