Sublime – Falling [Bay 6 Recordings]

Posted on 26th June 2016 by DNB Dojo

Bay 6 return with more liquid goodness to wash away one’s worries, which here in the UK is no bad thing. Politics. Don’t ask. The latest single comes courtesy of Cambridge newcomer Sublime, who draws on the city’s rich liquid heritage to turn in two funky new numbers for the Bay 6 catalogue.

Falling provides the dancefloor business, combining classic jungle-tinged funk breaks and a very garage-esque bassline for a cut that could well be vintage Hospital Records business. Over on the flip the breaks remain jungley but the vibes go deeper, taking a leaf or two from Calibre’s bible of D&B production for a simple, understated roller.

Wicked stuff! Check out the clips below and hit up Beatport to grab the release right now.

Marcus Intalex – Four:fit 8 [Soul:R]

Posted on 26th June 2016 by DNB Dojo

The four track EP has a fine heritage in drum & bass, and with good reason. While everyone loves a solid two track single, the EP format allows for the exploration of a theme, either by a single artist or a like-minded collective. It doesn’t carry the pressure of an album, but it provides a great platform for creative expression across an easily digestible four-course musical meal.

While the heritage of these EPs very much lies in the distant vinyl heyday of the scene, the format has nonetheless carried through to the digital era and its appeal proves undiminished by the digital format. Enter Soul:R, and their hugely enjoyable Four:fit series, which now delivers its eighth volume courtesy of label chieftain Marcus Intalex.

With a host of strong entries to the series from the likes of Calibre, Seba and Skeptical there was a high bar to meet here, but the ever reliable Intalex has turned in a solid selection more than worthy of the existing legacy. From the deep halftime growlings of Mixed Bag, through the stark, moody Step Forward and into rowdy amen smasher (and Dojo highlight) Jupiter, this is vintage Marcus through and through, and the EP closer sees Lynx hop on board for a fantastic roller on Stingray.

Once again Soul:R are at the top of the game when it comes to deep but still dancefloor worthy D&B. Check out the tracks below and hit up their Bandcamp store to grab a copy on vinyl or digital right now!

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Option – Blueshift / Section 9 [Detached]

Posted on 21st June 2016 by DNB Dojo

Scottish electronica label Detached Audio are taking things a little old school on their latest release as Option explores the much neglected drumfunk sound. Eerie atmospheric-pad work and chopped-funk breaks are the order of the day and while these tracks perhaps lack the mixdown sheen of modern D&B the injection of vibe is a welcome change from the often sterile hyper-production of 2016.

Alongside the two originals from Option label boss Manu turns in a brooding remix of Section 9, flipping the drums around into a robotic, techno-infused groove with tons of analogue snap, crackle and pop. Check out the clips below and hit up the Detached bandcamp the grab the release right now!

Versus Volume One [Lossless]

Posted on 20th June 2016 by DNB Dojo

Soul Intent brings another quality release to his Lossless Music imprint and this one sees four producers facing off against one another in the first volume of the label’s Versus series.

US producer SPKTRM makes an appearance with a slice of his atmospheric, crunchy halftime; the combination of gnarly bassline scuzz and ethereal pad work really makes this one stand out from the wealth of fairly generic “dark” halftime to be found in the scene these days.

Acid Lab delivers a tough, break focussed roller on Tundra, while Chromatic turn in a stripped back stepper with a killer bass hook on The Machine. Last but not least, Soul Intent closes the EP with a Photek-esque slice of old school break chopping tech business. Quality vibes!

As always you can pick this up on vinyl or digital direct from the source via the Lossless bandcamp; check out the clips below and go grab yourself some genuine underground D&B while the getting is good.

Elias & Mystic State – Shanty EP [Context Audio]

Posted on 14th June 2016 by DNB Dojo

Portsmouth imprint Context Audio are back with their third release and this time it’s Dojo favourites Mystic State on production duties alongside relative newcomer Elias Traynor. His title track Shanty kicks things off with a lovely halftime number full of the influence of leftfield downtempo electronica, which proves ripe for the remix on Mystic State & Elias’s more rolling switchup straight after.

It’s back to the halftime on the sultry autonomic vibes of the appropriately laid-back Sunday Ones, leaving Mystic State to close out the EP with the typically moody and detailed Raindance. Stylistically this EP isn’t perhaps pushing the envelope but the crispness of the drums and the lush sonic details really make it shine, as do the little hints of influence from music slightly outside the usual D&B sphere. Check out the clips below and hit up your favourite outlet to grab the EP right now!

Lynch Kingsley – Mute Bliss [The Dreamers]

Posted on 14th June 2016 by DNB Dojo

Lynch Kingsley is back with two more fantastic slices of his crossover footwork-jungle badness for Italian clubnight-cum-record label The Dreamers, and once again is funky-ass choppage at it’s finest.

Whether it’s on the frantic vibes of Mute Bliss or the slightly more laid-back halftime syncopations of Secret Dream, Lynch’s latest work finds him on fine form once again! Check out the clips below and grab yourself some tasty breakbeat business from your favourite digital outlet.

Redpine & Solo – Hindsight EP [Studio Rockers]

Posted on 10th June 2016 by DNB Dojo

Redpine & Solo return to Studio Rockers, spreading their jungle-tinged sound across four cracking new tracks that bring together old school breaks with lush modern production techniques.

Most of the EP showcases the duo’s softer-side, from the shimmering vocal-led title track Hindsight, through the jazzy guitar licks of Species and out into the spacey atmospheres and chopped breaks of Nebula One. Don’t worry if you’re looking for something with a bit more edge though; the boys have got that covered too with the hard-edged amens, gritty bass and rave stabs of This Is It.

Wicked vibes all round as Redpine & Solo bring the jungle sound firmly into the 21st century. Check out the previews below and grab this one from your favourite digital store right now.

CIA 20 LP Sampler

Posted on 9th June 2016 by DNB Dojo

CIA mark 20 years in the game with a massive new LP, and ahead of the main event there’s a cracking sampler just out featuring some top tracks from familiar label names.

DLR jumps in on the remix for Q Project’s anthemic Champion Sound, retaining the original’s distinctive synth hook but pairing it with an appropriately hefty selection of beats and bass for the current era of D&B. Sure fire dancefloor weapon!

Elsewhere Calibre delivers a characteristically smooth pinao-led roller in the form of Under Bars, and label dons Total Science throw down some fine break choppage on the dub-tinged Respect Due. There’s also a cheeky second remix of Champion Sound with DLR swapping out the beefy modern tech underpinnings of the 2016 remix for something a bit more jungle-y. Tasty stuff! Check out the clips below and hit up the CIA Bandcamp to grab this on vinyl or digital right now.

Detboi – Joyride EP [Metalheadz]

Posted on 7th June 2016 by DNB Dojo

Before we proceed, if by some anomaly you haven’t heard Special Request’s sublime 2013 jungle revival LP Soul Music then you need to stop reading right now and go and listen to it. No really. Off you go.

Joking aside, the 2013 arrival of Paul Woolford’s Special Request alias saw new life being inserted into the jungle sound, as the classic vibe and spirit of 90s rave culture were combined with the power of the modern mixdown to create something that transcended mere nostalgia. These tracks are unmistakeably informed by jungle, but melded into something slightly different, and not just because of the obviously lower tempo of most of the productions.

Enter Detboi, much championed by Woolford and clearly tapping into the same vein with his releases for the likes of Keysound. His latest work for Metalheadz could be his best yet, featuring simple but rich analogue bass, chunky breakbeats, classic samples and tons of atmosphere. There isn’t much more that needs to be said honestly; the music more than speaks for itself so check out the clips below and channel your inner 90s raver.

The Joyride EP is out now at the Metalheadz store.

Lockjaw – Two Suns / Suffer In Silence [Plasma]

Posted on 5th June 2016 by DNB Dojo

The latest release from Melbourne’s Plasma Audio finds Lockjaw on top form, bringing two top new cuts to the table. Two Suns kicks off with a bright, uplifting build-up before dropping into a crunchy, rolling break. This one’s all in the progression; the main verse evolves constantly every few bars before descending into the bridge and the second drop drum switchups provide a level of detail often lacking in dancefloor neuro.

The ominously titled Suffer In Silence continues that trend for sonic detailing, with some superbly intricate break chopping imbuing the track with enough funk to offset the threatening bass distortions rumbling away underneath. Cracking stuff! Check out the clips below and hit up your favourite store to grab this one right now.

DNB Dojo

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