Category Archives: Releases

Marcus Intalex EP [Sun & Bass]

Posted on by
1

The tragic and sudden loss of Marcus Intalex last year came as a huge shock to many within the scene; given his deep roots, friendly demeanour and constant presence in D&B he had the air of a father or grandfather figure, and he left a huge hole not easily filled.

Thankfully his presence lives on via a slew of posthumous releases, the latest of which has just arrived via Sun & Bass Recordings; a fitting home given his regular appearances and recent curator’s role at the festival.

The tracks on show here are vintage Intalex; Deep Stepper blends the influence of house and techno in its grooving lead with a steady D&B backbeat, while Ninety One goes deep and dark on a Metalheadz-esque combination of static snares and groaning bassline.

The standout track for us here at Dojo HQ though is Roller 170; doing exactly what it says on the tin, this is a slick liquid roller with a beautiful progression and tons of that inimitable Marcus character. We only wish he were still around to roll it out at Sun & Bass…rest in peace Marcus.

Check out the clips below and then head over here to grab the EP on vinyl or digital right now.

Apex – Echoes [Hospital]

Posted on by
Reply

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/hos-static-shop/image/3656/large

The sad news last year of the passing of Rob Dickeson, aka Apex, was met with universal heartbreak across the D&B scene. An incredibly gifted musician responsible for a number of iconic tracks, first in collaboration with Jim Gash as Unknown Error and later under his solo Apex moniker, Rob left our world long before he should have.

To honour his memory, Hospital have now released the last known new music from Rob, with all proceeds going to Help Musicians UK’s “Music Minds Matter” campaign aimed at raising awareness surrounding mental health issues within the music industry.

The tracks on the single fittingly span almost the entire length of Rob’s discography – A side Echoes is a completely new, previously unheard track featuring characteristically sublime melody as piano, strings and synthetic chimes interact in a playful, serene dance set to a crispy liquid backbone of breaks and bass.

On the flip, vintage Unknown Error track The Yearning gets a Super VIP mix, embellished even further than the already lavish VIP released by Horizons Music in 2008; weighing in at over 9 minutes, and featuring an absolutely breathtaking pre-drop breakdown, this is emotional D&B at it’s best.

Sadly no Soundcloud / Youtube clips are available but you can hear a preview of Echoes either at the Hospital Store or at the beginning of the latest Dojo Podcast. Hit up the store to grab the single now on vinyl or digital; rest in peace Rob, you’ll be missed.

Screamarts – Hold Me Close [Subplate]

Posted on by
Reply

Ever since we first came across Screamarts via his releases for Fragmented Recordings, we’ve kept a close eye on the Austrian producer as a purveyor of high quality sound design, and more importantly a man capable of injecting that much needed funk into the modern neuro sound.

His latest work for Subplate Recordings delivers a pair of wicked new tracks that tread that line perfectly; A side Hold Me Close blends a soulful vocal and soft melodies against dark bass textures and heavy drum hits for a great balance of the dark and the light. Flipside The Pull moves in a similar direction, with growling bass modulations and compressed snare hits contrasting with ethereal pad sounds. That combination of bassweight with restraint and melody makes for a potent sonic combination, equally relevant to the club or the listening room at home. Check out the tracks below and hit up your favourite store to grab the single right now!

Rockwell – User EP [Shogun Audio]

Posted on by
Reply

Rockwell’s work over the years has set him apart from many other producers; taking a quality-over-quantity approach and constantly seeking out innovation (much to the annoyance of some heads who clamour for more of his early sound), you always know you’re going to get something interesting from a new Rockwell release.

His latest work for Shogun Audio is no exception to this rule, drawing on various bass-music influences for an EP that is at one decidedly drum & bass and still almost completely spurning of its traditions. Roni Size collab Easy rips up the rhythm rule book, keeping the energy and sound palette ravey but refusing to settle into a stale groove. ’09 Track fuses classic dub and more modern dubstep influences for a huge halftime head-nodder, while Inventor recruits Flowdan for vocals on an infectious clash of bashment and jungle.

User rounds off the release nicely by reminding us that Rockwell still knows how to serve up an old fashioned roller, and a decidedly catchy one at that. Crisp breaks, warm bass swells and a weirdly manipulated vocal hook combine for an instantly recognisable track. More essential listening from one of the brightest names in the game; check out the clips below and hit up your favourite store to grab a copy on vinyl or digital right now.

HLZ – Vectors EP [Dispatch]

Posted on by
Reply

HLZ drops a new EP on Dispatch this month and it features some of the best sharp-edged rollers we’ve heard so far this year. The tracks here are all about bringing the funk back into D&B while retaining some darkness, and it definitely draws on some classic inspirations while retaining a modern tone.

Title track Vectors channels the golden era of early 2000s neurofunk with a fast moving bassline – think early Full Force releases from the likes of Chook with the production standards of 2018. Abracatabla meanwhile immediately recalls classic Special Forces tunes like Sidewinder with it’s driving use of staccato hits that form both melody and rhythm. Clusters meanwhile sounds like a love letter to classic V Recordings sub-rollers, and digital bonus Black Lodge brings to mind the classic Virus Recordings sound with it’s clattering drums and bass modulations.

Don’t let the influences dissuade you though; this is definitely homage rather than pastiche, and it’s all filtered skilfully through HLZ’s inimitable style to make something individual, with one eye on the past and the other on the future. The Vectors EP is out now – hit up the Dispatch Bandcamp to grab it now on vinyl or digital direct from the source.

Morphy & Skitty Remixes [Foundation X]

Posted on by
Reply

Foundation X have always been a reliable outlet for old-school, jungle-tinged D&B and their latest 12″ delivers that in spades as they dish up two cracking remixes of classics from the label’s vault.

Spirit steps up on the A side, switching up the breaks on Morphy’s dubbed out masterpiece Put Down Your Guns. The energy of the original is definitely retained but the chaos in the drums is dialled back a notch in favour of that reliable Spirit groove, letting the track really sizzle.

A similarly subtle relick comes on the flip side, with X Nation switching the drums up from Hornsman’s original full rolling jungle into a dubby halftime head nodder. The iconic horns of the original are present and correct set to a more pulsing, tribal riddim; espect this to turn some heads in the rave.

As always you can grab this on strictly limited vinyl from the Foundation X Bandcamp. Go grab it now!

Fade – Limacon EP

Posted on by
Reply

As those with their finger on the pulse in the D&B scene may already be aware, Ukrainian producer Fade recently suffered catastrophic hearing loss, leaving him unable to produce (or even listen to) music. Not only has this left the scene without one of its most underrated talents, it’s also left Fade unable to make money since music was his only form of income, and the only remedy for the condition is a set of eye-watteringly expensive high-end hearing aids.

With that in mind, Fade has released a new EP of his best dubs from before the hearing loss, with all proceeds going towards the five thousand euro required to fix his hearing. Featuring some sick rollers and massive dancefloor smashers, it’d be well worth your attention regardless of the tragic circumstances; it’s doubly worth your attention with that factored in as well. Check out the tracks below and hit up Bandcamp to grab a copy, or donate directly via his crowdfunding campaign. Please give generously!

Mountain – Overheat / Poseidon [Soulvent]

Posted on by
Reply

Japanese producer Mountain has served up a delicious two track single for Soulvent which showcases a really exciting take on the liquid sound. Featuring exuberant vocal cut ups and a nuanced approach to the interactions between musical elements, the tracks have a playful feel and appear to draw influence from the wave of 80s-tinged electronica produced by the likes of Rustie & Hudson Mohawk.

Overheat blends jungle breaks with a fantastic syncopated funk, synth swells answered by the rapid-fire bassline and softer melodic elements popping in and out of the mix. Poseidon goes more rolling, with pitched vocal samples dominating the mix for an infectiously uplifting and upbeat track reminiscent of some of Netsky’s best work.

With releases for Hospital and Soulvent in his discography already we’re predicting big things for Mountain; check out the clips below and grab the single from your favourite store now.

Bop – Untitled Patterns EP1 [Med School]

Posted on by
Reply

When it comes to true scene originators, Bop stands among a privileged few. As the chief architect of the ‘microfunk’ sound, he’s constantly found new and exciting ways to explore his unique corner of the 170BPM sound. His latest EP for Med School continues that proud tradition, melting down all manner of unusual influences, stirring in a healthy dose of signature sound and serving it up for the world to hear.

The EP opener (Untitled Pattern 52, not that the track names mean much) is as close to a traditional D&B roller as you’re going to get here; Bop’s inimitable percussive style is still present, but set to a 2-step pattern that serves as the backbone for rich synth progressions. Pattern 51 meanwhile combines classic jungle breaks with glitchy drum hits for a bouncy, exuberant clash of the retro and the modern.

Pattern 54 amps up the energy, drawing inspiration from the likes of Rockwell with a garage-infused four to the floor drum line pelting on at full D&B tilt. Maximum rave! Last but by no means least, Pattern 55 dials it back with dubby echoes and a lilting, swung beat for an appropriately serene outro.

Another cracking EP from a producer with an apparently limitless creative streak. Check out the clips below and grab it from your favourite store now.

dgoHn – So Be It, Lumbricina [Love Love Records]

Posted on by
Reply

Jungle heads rejoice; dgoHn returns to Love Love for another wicked EP of choppy breakbeat goodness this month. Title track So Be It Lumbricina combines the breakbeat chaos of harder edged jungle with softer elements of drumfunk and ambient D&B for a wonderful montage of the hectic and the serene. Dooky meanwhile takes things in a creepier direction, eerie key chimes and unusual samples lending the track a faintly haunted vibe. Both tracks bring to mind vintage tracks by the likes of DJ Trax and Paradox, but filtered through a jungle/breakcore sensibility for that extra edge on the beats.

Last but by no means least, Rognvald is on hand to remix the title track, amping up the break chopping even further for an absolutely full-tilt, face-melting assault of snare rolls and rapidfire drum glitches. Serious danger on this one. As always you can grab this one direct from the source via the Love Love Bandcamp. Do it!