Fearful – XIII [AutomAte]

AutomAte round off their year with a fresh release from one of the label’s first artists, Fearful. Crisp, precise beats and growling basslines are the order of the day on this one, keeping things deep and dark. The EP also features remixes from Mtwn and Raiden; the former refixes the track into a skittering percussive workout with all the menace of the original but a distinctly different vibe, while the Offkey boss lends his signature tribal drum sounds to turn in a brooding mix for my pick of the three.

Check out the clips below and look for this at all good digital stores from December 1st.

Fuj – Terror Firmer / Pressure Plates (Remixes) [AutomAte Deep]

Automate Deep return with a bit of tasty remix pressure as Dexta and Mtwn rework Fuj’s tunes from his previous release for the label. The Diffrent boss kicks things off with a half-time refix of Terror Firmer, all stomp and growl with an insistent riddim and bassline modulations taking centre stage against a backdrop of reverbed atmos and FX sprinkles.

Mtwn step up for the B side with a deep, dark re-imagining of Pressure Plates, stripping the tune back to it’s basic elements and working it into a twisted, dubby vibe with off kilter percussion landing left, right and centre. Check out the clips below and watch out for this one dropping at all good digital outlets from July 7th.

Gates of Dawn LP [Authentic Music]

Czech label Authentic Music touch down with their biggest release to date in the form of the Gates of Dawn LP. The album features a stunning array of tracks spanning all the styles of drum & bass, with particular highlights coming on Hybris twisted tech refix of Arp XP’s Five Black Forms and Distant Future’s epic roller Changes.

Elsewhere Ower turns in a jazzy slice of dancefloor business with Supermurgitroid, Survey treat us to their industrial blend of minimalist D&B, Bone turns in a wonderfully uplifting roller on the oddly titled Empty Place and Entita delivers a slice of straight up rolling tech on Other Side. The whole album is packed full of fantastic tunes so check out the clips below and watch out for the release from Feb 17th.

Evolution of the Giraffe LP [Diffrent Music]

Purveyors of all things eclectic Diffrent Music celebrate their 20th release with a various artists LP featuring a varied cuts from the extended label family. The tone of the material varies greatly, from the beautiful, laid-back beats of Fybe:one and Kolectiv, through the slouching, tripped out dub of Jekyll’s Horcurso and out into the brutalised industrial bass and heavy snares of M-Zine, Skepticz & Mtwn’s Choices.

The common thread is that almost all the tracks on the album eschew the familiar drum patterns of most D&B compositions in search of percussive innovation, the only real exception being Arkaik’s broody stepper Wax. If you’re looking for DJ friendly crowd pleasers this definitely isn’t a collection of them, but it’s proof that the 170 tempo range continues to be a hotbed for experimentation and truly interesting music. Watch out for this dropping via CD and digital from December 9th.

To celebrate the release of the album Diffrent are throwing a party in London this Friday. With a stellar lineup of the label’s best producers and tickets available for only a tenner, those in the nation’s capital should be sure to check it out – details over on Facebook here. As if that wasn’t enough, they’re also giving away a free track from Fybe:One – check it out below and head to the Diffrent Facebook for your download.

In The Mix…Thing

Following hot on the heels of his excellent release for Blu Mar Ten Music, Thing has put together an hour long mix featuring some great cuts from the deep, dark end of the D&B spectrum. Including tracks from his own catalogue alongside selections from Stray, Clarity, Mtwn, Skeptical and Ruffhouse, it doesn’t get much grittier than this. Brooding halfstep lovers should definitely give this a listen.