Kid Drama – Crimson / Azure EP [CNVX]

Posted on 21st January 2015 by DNB Dojo

Jon Convex’s return from the land of all things house & techno to 170BPM pastures recently has been a source of great joy for fans of the Autonomic sound that he helped to craft, and it seems he’s so enamoured with the sound that he’s launching a new sub imprint of his Convex Industries label to deal with some of the output.

The first release on the label melds the atmospherics and unusual percussion of autonomic with sometimes growling bass and shows a talent for progression often unheard in electronic music. Azure pt 1 evolves from nothing but rhythm at the start to a sprawl of lush synthesis by the end, while pt 2 reformulates some of that synthesis into a slightly steadier composition with more of a driving beat.

The two variants of Crimson meanwhile explore darker territory, with more insistent beatwork and dark, filtered bass taking centre stage. Plenty to enjoy here if you like your beats a little unusual – check out the tracks below and hit up Bandcamp to grab the release for the entirely reasonable price of £1.

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Eastcolors – Could Be [Demand Records]

Posted on 20th January 2015 by DNB Dojo

Demand Records aren’t messing around this year – hot on the heels of a great single from Mortem comes a new 3-track from Eastcolors showing off the first track from his forthcoming LP for the label alongside two other new beats.

Could Be provides a chunky slab of techstep with an instantly memorable vocal and some great bass modulations, followed by a big stomping remix from Hybris that’s sure to do the damage on the dancefloor. The real star of the show here though is Traffic & Noel collab Dreams; a perfect combo of smooth MCing, crisp breaks and kinetic bass. The keen eared among you may remember this from S.P.Y’s recent Essential Mix for Radio 1, and we suspect you’ll be hearing it a whole lot more over the coming weeks! Check out the clips below and pick up a copy on vinyl or digital now!

Fuj – Talus Nights / Aphotic Zone [AutomAte Deep]

Posted on 19th January 2015 by DNB Dojo

AutomAte Deep keep things dark and moody as Fuj returns to the label with two fresh new tracks. Similar in style to his previous Terror Firmer single, Talus Nights and Aphotic Zone both feature ominous pads, throbbing bass and detailed percussion. Halfstep heads will love these! Check the clips below and grab a copy from your favourite store right now!

Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo (Vandera Bootleg)

Posted on 18th January 2015 by DNB Dojo

It’s good to see the old traditions of the scene being kept alive in this increasingly digital age and the release of a cheeky vinyl bootleg is always a pleasure! In this case it’s Vandera who’s come with the fire in the form of a banging 170 rework of Joy Orbison’s Hyph Mngo. True to form with bootlegs the flip is absolute garbage (did anyone need a D&B bootleg of Usher – Good Kisser? I think not), but who cares when the A side is this good? Check it out below and hit up Juno for a copy.

Mikal – Where They At [Metalheadz]

Posted on 17th January 2015 by DNB Dojo

Mikal’s latest EP for the mighty Metalheadz sees the producer taking a slightly different direction compared to some of the more straightforward techstep we’ve heard from him in the past. Where They At explores tight, percussive minimalism over deep, throbbing sub, while Nymfo collab The Chosen swaps the ever shifting beats for a steadier groove which once again holds back from the aggressive stance both producers are sometimes known for.

Last but not least, Control of the People sees Mikal teaming up with RIOT (the DJ from Portugese Kuduro/Breaks outfit Buraka Som Sistema) for an odd but very enjoyable fusion of tech D&B and the samba-esque sound Buraka have been plying for some years. Swung beats and a hint of funk sit well with growling basslines and tight snares, and the whole composition sounds very fresh. Check out the clips below and hit up the ‘headz store to preorder the EP now ahead of it’s Jan 19th release.

Respite [Audio Plants]

Posted on 17th January 2015 by DNB Dojo

Russian imprint Audio Plants offer up a superb selection of beats from the fringes of 160 and 170BPM electronica, taking in influences from ambient and downtempo on a wide variety of sonic excursions. Highlights come on the bleak atmospherics of Torn’s Believers, the soaring melodies of Thankee & Urban Trip’s The Absyss and the ominous autonomic microfunk of Hidden Element’s How Can I Trust You, but the standout track is the manic 160BPM garage infused beats of Drillcut’s Snow Walk. Check out the clips below and grab this one from your favourite digital outlet now!

Sam Binga – Nuh Chat EP [Critical Music]

Posted on 16th January 2015 by DNB Dojo

New beats from Binga for Critical mean many things to many people; the man’s unusual take on the 170 sound (and indeed Redders’ vocal stylings) have proved controversial among followers of the scene, some decrying the style as gimmicky or not true D&B while others praise the fun loving vibe and general innovation. Here at the Dojo we fall into the latter camp; anything pushing the boundaries of this music we love can only be a good thing.

The latest round of beats sees two new MC led cuts featuring Redders and two new instrumentals, plus a bonus Enei remix of Lef Dem. The latter proves pretty disappointing, taking the playful vibe of the original and smashing it against a brick wall with a rather unsubtle dose of amens and bass. The rest of the EP however proves much more entertaining, even if the patois/jungle/grime combo of the tracks with Redders is beginning to feel a little cookie cutter. The highlight in our eyes is the joyously swung Elastic, with its big enthusiastic synths and unusual drum groove. Check out the clips below and make up your own mind; this one’s out right now on vinyl and digital at the Critical Store.

Q&A – Dexta

Posted on 15th January 2015 by DNB Dojo

Diffrent Music boss Dexta kicks off his year with a new single for None60. It’d been a while since our last chat, so we figured we’d get caught up on the new beats and all things Diffrent. Check it out…

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Skeptical – Something In The Sound [Exit Records]

Posted on 14th January 2015 by DNB Dojo

It’s not often we cover dubstep here on the Dojo but we’re making a rare exception here for three reasons; Skeptical, Exit Records, and sheer quality respectively. Skeppy’s new 10″ harnesses the spirit of early releases (before the tearout crew crucified the genre with endless wobble and horrible midrange noises) and blends it with the man’s talent for huge booming sub and punchy drums. Think early Tempa or DMZ but with the benefit of another ten years of engineering – formidable stuff.

Something in the Sound carries more energy with plenty of low end muscle and tasty percussion fills to shuffle the track along at as much of a pace as you’d expect for dubstep, while Talk The Talk thins out the drums to let the bass breath through a plodding kick/snare riddim. Check out the clips below and keep your eyes peeled if you want a copy – the release is vinyl only and already appears to be sold out at the Exit Store.

Mako, Villem & McLeod – Inner Revolution [Utopia Music]