Rockwell – INeedU / 1_2_3_4 [Shogun Audio]

Rockwell returns to Shogun Audio with a fresh single that is sure to prove as divisive as it is innovative. Indeed the comments on the various social feeds are already polarising between love and hate! A side INeedU knocks down the door with a four-four backbeat, a melodic set of hooks and vocals and a slightly hyperactive array of FX and sonic details – it’s difficult to take it all in at first listen. You can hear the influences of disco, techno, D&B, footwork and who knows what else being smashed together here; D&B purists are sure to loathe it, and in a way that only makes it more brilliant.

Over on the flip the imaginatively titled 1_2_3_4 continues where previous Rockwell banger Detroit left off, combining influences from Techno and Ghettotech with Rockwell’s ludicrously tight engineering and that D&B energy we all know and love. Punchy sub bass and rapidfire beats should have any party bou-b-b-b-bou-bou-bouncin’, though once again the purists will likely be unimpressed. Haters gonna hate; make up your own mind from the clips below and watch out for the release dropping on digital from July 20th and vinyl from August 4th.

Dawn Day Night – Re-Animations EP [Astrophonica]

Dawn Day Night (still unidentified but widely presumed to be Fracture working under an alias) drops his second EP for Astrophonica, bringing us four tracks of weird and wonderful electronica spanning tempos, styles and influences.

Re-Animation of Scottie kicks things off deep and dubby, keeping the tempo half-time and rolling out with mountains of sub and crisp percussion. Hold That Leg Up proceeds to change things up, immediately heading for pretty silly ghetto-tech territory. It’s definitely the most booty-shakin’ tune on the record, but it feels shallow compared to the rest of the material on show.

Mister Meanie makes exceptionally good use of old funk/soul sampling layered over hyper-syncopated footwork riddims, creating serious groove. Finally Higher Plains heads back to deep territory, with more dub-infused vibes; all echo, reverb and bass. Check out the beats below and grab your copy on vinyl or digital now!

Rockwell – Detroit / Back Again [Shogun]

The inimitable Rockwell delivers yet another slice of top notch D&B for Shogun that is as innovative as it is infectious and absolutely pounding to boot. Blending influences from Techno and Ghettotech, the appropriately named Detroit brings a distinctly booty-bass vibe to D&B with a sub line that will knock your socks off. This is possibly the biggest tune of 2013 so far…expect rewinds on this one.

Back Again takes the bass down a notch and brings a glitchier, juke-ish vibe to the fray; think Fracture on meth in a foam party with DJ Funk and you’re somewhere in the ballpark. Watch out for these two dropping June 10th on Shogun Audio.

Dawn Day Night EP [Astrophonica]

So just who is the mysterious Dawn Day Night? Following his initial appearance on Fracture’s Get Busy the mysterious masked (and possibly undead) artist has thrown down at Sun & Bass festival, leaked a rather bizarre rider to Resident Advisor, and is now preparing to release his debut EP on Fracture & Neptune’s Astrophonica label. Given the close ties to Fracture speculation abounds that the two are in fact one and the same man…thusfar we have no confirmation, though the scenario seems to bear more than a passing resemblance to the recent Phillip D. Kick project (though with more facepaint).

The identity of the masked man aside, the EP is an intriguing fusion of ghettotech, jungle, breaks, trap and juke, with super precise syncopated percussion and tight sub lines accompanying some choice samples (my favourite being the cry of “Big Booty Girlllllllls”). Check out the previews, and look out for the EP on vinyl and digital, out tomorrow at all good stores.