Quentin Hiatus – Passive Boycot EP [Translation Recordings]

Posted on 15th March 2015 by DNB Dojo

When two of the most innovative names in US D&B get together, you know you’re in for a treat! The latest release on Translation Recordings comes courtesy of Free Love Digi bossman and general 170BPM badman Quentin Hiatus, who regular readers probably already know we’re big fans of.

Melting down glitch, techstep, footwork, soul and more into the pot, QH comes correct with an eclectic selection that should be capable of moving both your feet and your braincells. The EP explores the slow/fast thing the likes of Om Unit have been pushing, playing with the shuffling half-time D&B pattern across a variety of tonal palettes.

The ultra-insistent, hyper-syncopated conga drums of Obsessive Nature and the swaggering bassline shenanigans of Keep It Gangster stand out as highlights among a strong four track selection which you can hear below. Hit up the Translation Bandcamp to pre-order now, and look for this one dropping at all good digital outlets from March 16th.

Quentin Hiatus – Chocolate Cosmos EP [Free Love Digi]

Posted on 14th February 2015 by DNB Dojo

Free Love Digi continue their steady onslaught of releases with a fresh EP from label boss Quentin Hiatus. Pushing the boundaries as ever, Quentin explores more weird and wonderful takes on the 170BPM sound. The Struggle melts down influences from techno and beyond for a psychedelic and potent slice of 4×4 D&B, while Chocolate Cosmos hits those slouching, hip-hop style halftime riddims that Mr Hiatus does so well.

One Way Or Another goes into deep space, harnessing the power of dub for a tripped out, reverb drenched jam. Last but not least, Understatement ups the ante a bit with angular percussion and an ominous, robotic vibe. Check out the clips below and watch out for this dropping at all good digital outlets from Feb 23rd.

Generous man that he is Quentin is also giving away a nice little freebie to promote the EP in the form of Lucy. Treading similar ground to The Struggle, this one’s got more than a hint of techno to it; check it out and grab a free download from Soundcloud.

Hidden Element – Other Forms EP [Translation Recordings]

Posted on 24th January 2015 by DNB Dojo

January is proving to be the month of deeper beats so far this year, and the new Hidden Element EP for Translation is up there with the best of them. Opening with lush microfunk and seguing through meaty yet melodic dubstep, robotic halftime and out into atmospheric 160BPM liquid, the EP provides a more than ample showcase of Hidden Element’s varied talents. There’s a thoroughly enjoyable Dexta remix thrown in for good measure too, jungling up Hot Panks nicely with plenty of break choppage. Check out the clips below and head to the Translation Bandcamp to pre-order this ahead of the Jan 26th release.

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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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!

In The Mix…Om Unit & DK

Posted on 19th March 2013 by DNB Dojo

Ever since his rather excellent release for Civil Music came out I’ve been keeping a close eye on Om Unit‘s 170BPM explorations, and his latest mix for the esteemed Solid Steel Radio sessions run by Ninja Tune delivers the goods nicely. Om Unit goes in deep for part 1 of the show with sublime cuts from himself, Fracture, Escher, ASC and Phaeleh; 170BPM vibes, but definitely not as you usually hear it. Half step and footwork influenced beats are the order of the day here.

For part 2 DK throws all kinds of different beats into the mix with tunes from Space Dimension Controller and Machinedrum sitting alongside tracks from Bonobo; a truly diverse selection. So if you’re looking for something a wee bit different, check out the mix below!

Om Unit – Aeolian EP [Civil]

Posted on 31st July 2012 by DNB Dojo

Om Unit’s latest EP for London based label Civil Music sees the producer coming with an interesting new take on the 170BPM tempo range. With the exception of Reso’s excellent drumfunk rework of opener Ulysees, the EP’s tracks bear little resemblance to traditional drum & bass, nor the (mostly over-hyped) drumstep shenanigans that have been doing the rounds lately; rather we see music which has more in common with Hip-Hop, Glitch and Dub.

All the tracks are steeped in atmosphere and finely crafted, with heavy sub kicks and catchy but understated synth work all over, along with some tasty sub bass – the lowend on Lightworkers Call, a collab with Kromestar, is ridiculous. Fans of dBridge & Instra:Mental’s work as Autonomic should definitely give this one a listen.

The Aeolian EP is out July 30th from all good record stores.

DNB Dojo

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