Citate Forms return with more gully minimal darkness on today’s premiere; Senpai on the buttons with detailed percussion and an infectious hook. Look out for this one coming soon at digital stores…
Premiere: Senpai – Wrong ID
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Category Archives: Drum & Bass
Loomis – Blurred Horizon EP [Modern Conveniences]
If this is the first time you’re coming across Loomis (or indeed Modern Conveniences) then we urge you to stop what you’re doing and seek out some listening; both artist and label have been forging a creative path along the outer boundaries of Drum & Bass and have released some of the most exciting music we’ve heard over the last 12 months.
The latest from both parties comes in the form of the Blurred Horizon EP, and from the very start the vibes feel epic, but not in that “hands in the air” way associated with main-room dancefloor D&B; the sound here is of a more cinematic scope, majestic synth swells, reverb drenched drums and a subtle, muted euphoria in the melodies. Imagine the soundtrack to something like Drive filtered through the prism of autonomic electronica and you’re somewhere close.
Enthralling, uplifting and enveloping, the four tracks on show here (plus a delicious remix from label boss Akuratyde) showcase the talents of a composer and producer we can’t wait to hear more from. Check out the EP below and watch out for the release coming March 19th via digital stores.
Premiere: Digital Native – Soon I Promise
Goldfat deliver the goods once again for today’s exclusive as the label celebrate their 25th release! Taken from Full Fat 01, a compilation album brimming with soulful cuts, Digital Native delivers a characteristically smooth roller full of crisp drums, subtle piano melodies and warm bass vibrations. Check it out and be sure to pre-order the album ahead of the March 19th release!
Premiere: Strago – Las Moscas 2021 VIP
We’ve got dark, brooding halftime for your ears on today’s premiere as Strago returns to Anticlockwise Music with the VIP of his 2014 release Las Moscas. Trading the original’s uptempo rolling vibes for a much sparser arrangement, the new VIP bumps the atmosphere up to eleven…wicked stuff. Look out for this (and a remaster of the original) dropping March 24th at digital stores!
Quadrant & Iris – Libration EP [Guidance]
Behold the myriad influences on Drum & Bass production; it’s not every day you see a techstep EP inspired by choice beverages. It perhaps comes as no surprise that Seattle residents Quadrant & Iris are big coffee drinkers but apparently they’re also partial to a cocktail or two based on the track titles here.
Whatever they’re drinking at the moment, said libations have spurred them on to create some of their best work yet. Channelling classic 90s D&B influences and modern production techniques to terrific effect across four groove-laden rollers, the EP spans three dancefloor damagers and the more soulful vibe of Fernet. Better still, all the tracks here showcase the somewhat lost art of the second drop switchup, something we’re big fans of here at Dojo HQ.
As if we weren’t already itching for clubs to reopen, we seriously can’t wait to hear these ones smashed out on a big system. Essential listening; check out the EP below and hit up Beatport or Bandcamp to grab it right now.
Guest Mix: Habit
Kiwi producer and DJ Habit lands on the decks for our latest guest mix! Between a packed calendar of appearances in his homeland (where clubbing is actually a thing…we envy you so New Zealand) and releases for ProgRAM, The Dreamers, Samsara Beats, SBK and more, Habit has been a busy man over the last few years, crafting his signature brand of high-energy D&B.
The mix feels like the mirror of Habit’s production style; energetic, but varied in style, crossing dancefloor, neuro, halftime and deeper beats to boot (including a fistful of his own tunes, of course). As always you can check out the mix via Soundcloud below or head to Youtube or iTunes to stream. You can also grab a download from Google Drive.
Subcriminal – Dragon EP [X-AMNT]
Regular readers will probably already have noticed that while we cover a bit of everything here at DNB Dojo, we’re generally not a fan of the more jump-up/up-front end of the sound. Every now and then though we hear something drawing on that energy which is too good not to shout about…and that’s exactly what we found on the new Subcriminal EP!
Released a few days ago via Bristol imprint X-AMNT, the exuberant style on show here is both refreshing and fairly unique, ignoring the often po-faced aesthetic of dark and moody D&B in favour of an uplifting and effervescent focus on melody. Make no mistake though, these aren’t cookie-cutter liquid rollers either, and therein lies their unique appeal.
Clearly drawing on influences from outside of D&B (if we had to guess we’d say future garage and videogame soundtracks), Subcriminal is carving his own niche with this one. The EP delivers dancefloor focused stompage on Dragon Egg and Incubator, and melodic joy via Flying Dragon and Movie. We’ve had this on heavy rotation here at Dojo HQ and we suggest you do too – check it out below and hit up the usual digital outlets to buy or stream right now.
Premiere: K2T – The Tranquillity of Being With The Self (Colossus VIP Remix)
Colossus lands in our premiere spotlight today with a slick VIP remix of K2T’s The Tranquillity of Being With The Self. Retaining the heroic melodies of the original but playing with the rhythm via halftime segments and amen workouts, this is a wicked spin that retains the vibe but adds a little extra spice. Watch out for the release coming March 12th at digital stores!
Evolved – Encounter 001
When three labels from three countries join forces for a new series of releases you know you’re in for something special. Enter T3K, Sine Function and Hanzom, as they unite for the Encounter series. With three labels collaborating on the release it seems appropriate that the music itself is also a collaborative venture – Evolved sees four producers from Brussels pooling their talents, and thus far the results have been impressive, not least their recent EP for Delta9 Recordings.
On this release the Evolved gang are flexing their creative muscles to create some finely sharpened, futuristic D&B cuts. The influence of the harder-edged neurofunk sound is audible here in the sound design and percussion but the overall aesthetic is one of restraint; detailed atmospheres have largely been prioritised over brutalising basslines.
The result is three detailed, enthralling tracks taking in different styles; Brainless delivers a dark and ominous roller, while Intuition goes deeper, serving up futuristic android soul against sharpened percussive presence. The Cure rounds things out with a menacing halftime swagger, keeping the atmosphere but adding a hint of hip-hop swing.
Overall this is a powerful statement of intent and some of the most interesting music we’ve heard so far this year, combining technicality with soul and depth. We look forward to hearing more from Evolved and more from Encounter…in the meantime Encounter 001 is available right now via digital stores and streaming.
Classic Track: Treo – Machinist
When I found this tune some years ago, one could say I was under hypnosis of groove; Machinist, by the short-lived Treo, carries one of the most vibrant and dynamic basslines I’ve heard in Neurofunk. Despite its 2012 release, which I’m a little loathe to identify as a classic predicated simply upon its recency, it will always remain a classic in my mind.
This Syndrome Audio slapper carries a groove so infectious that one is easily compelled to bop along with it. The dirty bassline and hefty drums are so fluidly intermeshed in a way that feels natural, belying a style that screams “tech”. The arrangement is refined, with quick synth stabs providing further rhythmic appeal, against backdrops of harmonic tones that gracefully fade in and out of the mix.
Amid a sea of amazing Neurofunk tunes past and present, Machinist is a stand-out classic.
Written by Luke Kessler