Blu Mar Ten bring us the 11th episode of their regular podcast with an unusual all D&B mix featuring tons of cuts from their own label alongside cuts from Technicolour, Naibu and Commix. As you’d expect from BMT this is all things deep and soulful, check it out and grab a free download below.
The Soul:R camp bring us tunes on a decidedly darker tip than usual from Manchester’s favourite MC/producer Chimpo. The titular Frontline sees Chimpo pass the mic to Fox for vocal duties while he gets on with the beats, delivering a moody half-time number imbued with bass and static in equal measure. Calibre steps in to deliver a remix and surprisingly avoids his usual smooth liquid territory in favour of a clattering amen refix of the tune, keeping things on a dark tip while significantly upping the tempo.
Elsewhere on the release Chimpo gets on the mic while Manchester buddies Dub Phizix & Skeptical provide a typically sparse, kick heavy beat for the man to air his unusual vocal style over. Finally All Over turns in a super-chopped up beat and ethereal, floaty pads to produce a style that sounds like the bastard child of drumfunk and dark garage. Truly innovative work on this one.
Watch out for this one dropping on vinyl and digital on July 15th.
Craggz & Parallel bring us a varied EP for their own Product Recordings imprint. The EP hits heavy from the start, with opener Metal Plate sounding like a modern homage to Digital’s classic Deadline. The synth stabs and clattering percussion combine nicely with a monstrous bassline to create a hefty stepper with a sci-fi tinge.
Fragments turns up the heat, dropping bigger, harder breaks over an industrial strength reese line with some nice brass sounds adding to the mix. Nobody switches things up nicely, combining a classic jungle riddim with 8-bit sensibilities and a distinctly garage-influenced vocal cut-up on the intro, before slapping you around the face with a massive kick line and some beefy sub bass. Finally Get Smart rounds things off nicely with a classic techstep roller.
Check out the tunes below and look out for this dropping July 22nd.
Automate return with another quality release, this time bringing together four tracks from a selection of up and coming producers. Opening the EP, D.R.O.P.S. deliver a moody techstep roller with a hint of the Critical sound to it, characterised by a crisp break and a restrained yet edgy bassline. Vince Grain steps in next with a stepper that’s all in the percussion, deep leftfield vibes on this track.
Over in the back in the back end of the release Protocol gives us the reverb drenched sounds of Chromatic, a tune packed full of atmosphere and some nicely modulated bass synths. Finally Ruffie closes the show with the tribal, skittering sounds of Refugee. Watch out for the EP dropping on August 5th.
Kiwi neurofunk legends The Upbeats bring us a mix full of brand new cuts and huge double drops to celebrate their appearance at Playaz x Fabriclive last Friday. The tracklist is 100% Upbeats material, featuring cuts from their recent album alongside older beats such as their remix of Ewun’s Screw Up and some of the releases from their own Non Vogue imprint. Fans of the heavier end of D&B should definitely check this one out!
Somehow Technimatic always manage to tread that thin line of quality that is the difference between a top notch summer liquid roller and cheese-tastic nonsense. Their latest EP Intersection showcases this beautifully on opening track The Evening Loop. The super polished vocal has all the hallmarks of the sort of cheddar-step liquid that I normally find a bit tedious, but the sheer musicality in the melodies, the crisp beats and the near perfect composition are just impossible to argue with.
The titular Intersection takes things a bit deeper, laying down a pretty meaty reese bassline and stripping the piano back in the mix slightly. Light enough to amp up a liquid set, tough enough to roll out in a tech set, this is definitely a versatile tool for the record bag. Sphere also delivers a tidy slice of melody driven D&B, taking the roll down a notch in favour of a stepping beat and some hypnotic lead synth work.
As far as I’m concerned though, these are just pleasant entrees for the true main course, hitting home with the absolutely stellar Frozen Leaves. Up there with the best liquid rollers that the likes of Blu Mar Ten, Seba and Total Science have knocked out over the years, this tune is deep, rolling euphoria at it’s absolute best. Every single layer sits in the mix perfectly without overshadowing the other elements, with piano flourishes icing a big, warm, melodic cake of majestic proportions. This is *the* liquid tune of the year, and the soundtrack to your summer.
Watch out for this one on vinyl and digital July 8th.
Kiwi D&B legend Concord Dawn returns with another free release (following on from last year’s excellent Air Chrysalis), dishing up 7 tracks for absolutely no cost. The appropriately titled Havok opens the release nicely with some big, fat, stomping dancefloor D&B with a synth line that brings to mind Gridlok’s The Media Is A Joke, and a bassline that I challenge anyone not to rock out to.
Ever keeping us on our toes, The Imposter sees the main man drop the tempo and deliver a slice of jazzy house with an infectious groove. Not for long though, as the rest of the LP takes things back up to 170 with a tour of different styles, with subby acid-tinged rollers (Codename Javelin), tribal steppers (Hemlock) and weird IDM-esque shenanigans (Warehouse) all getting a lookin between the reliable neurofunk stompers (of which Amnesia is probably my favourite).
As usual there’s no arguing with Concord Dawn and there’s no arguing with free, so check out the tracks below and grab yourself a copy post haste!
Teddy Killerz get on the 1s and 2s for the latest episode of the Eatbrain podcast, delivering 68 minutes of rolling neuro goodness. The mix is packed full of new material from Teddy Killerz (including a bunch of new Bad Taste dubs) alongside beats from the likes of Audio, Aeph, Mefjus, Mindscape and Gridlok. Hard and heavy from start to finish, get to know!
Hot on the heels of Memtrix’s excellent Numbers single comes the latest from the Lifted Music camp with a pair of tasty tunes from Italian producer Aeph. Maksim (who Lifted fans will recognise from his contribution to last year’s Struggle and Pain) steps up to provide vocals on Black Hoax, vibing off the distinctly glitch-hop into nicely. You’d be forgiven for thinking Lifted was toning things down…til the drop hits; huge squelchy neuro bass and synth stabs give the tune it’s character while synthetic drums drive things along at a hefty pace.
On the flip Hudson Hawk keeps the energy high with another rolling drum break and some seriously 80s synth action on the intro; Night Rider on speed? Bass modulations a plenty give the tune movement and weight in equal measure and the vocal sample adds bite before the tune drops into euphoric chords on the bridge. Aeph has mastered his craft on this release, treading that neurofunk tightrope with finesse; high production values while retaining grit, and tons of energy without descending into Skrillex-esque hyper-wobble.
Check out the clips below and grab this from your favourite digital outlet now!