In Reach launch their new label arm this month with a sick new EP from Acid Lab and we’ve got the exclusive on lead track Replicant! As we’ve come to expect from his productions, this is deep, dark and atmospheric with a focus on chopped breaks and percussive precision. Classic D&B vibes brought up to date for 2018…wicked stuff. Watch out for the EP dropping on Bandcamp from the 16th with all other platforms following a week later.
Digital & Spirit’s very intermittent release schedule for their Phantom Audio imprint continues this month with an EP that’s been anticipated for a serious length of time at this point. Anyone who’s seen either of the duo (or indeed any of their numerous friends in the scene) DJ in the last year or more will undoubtedly already be familiar with the two classic reworks on the EP; Deadline / Dial Up mash-up Deaddial and the 2018 update of Phantom Force have both been smashing up the raves for quite a while now.
It’s perhaps testament enough to the skill of Digital & Spirit as producers that both the original versions and these new remixes still sound fresh after years of being hammered in clubs around the world, but if you needed any further evidence then just check out the other two tracks on show on the EP; to turn a slightly trite phrase this release is most certainly all killer, no filler.
Revolution serves up that dubby halftime that Digital in particular is well known for, but the percussive fills and booming claps make this one anything but sluggish. Small World meanwhile brings classic amen choppage and old school rave stabs more than capable of injecting some energy into the dance. Future classics no doubt, and a winning addition to an absolutely must-have EP. Check out the clips below and hit up the Phantom Audio bandcamp to get your hands on digital, vinyl and t-shirts.
Tim Reaper joins the Blu Mar Ten Music family with two sublime jungle outings, taking us back to the sounds of the early 90s in superb style. A-side All Right is pure euphoria, with a soft, bleepy melody and pitched up vocal hook layered over chunky breaks and warm sub hits for a disarmingly simple yet utterly beautiful track. This one evokes memories of simpler times…
Over on the flip Reaper joins forces with Parallel for the deeper, darker Innerspace. Hard amens, gunshot FX and classic ragga samples get things off to a flying start in the first half, while shimmering pads in the back end of the tune progress the vibes into a more atmospheric, faintly psychedelic ebb. Nostalgia for sure, but difficult to argue with when it’s done so well!
All Right / Innerspace is out now on Blu Mar Ten Music. Hit up their Bandcamp Store to grab the digital direct or start scouring Discogs if you want a copy of the vinyl…
It’s common to talk about producers coming from nowhere, but it’s never been truer than in the case of voyage. Having travelled from relative obscurity to the release of the absolutely phenomenal Genesis LP for Tech Itch Recordings, it’s safe to say his place in the scene is now secure. We tracked him down for a quick chat about old school influences, how he wrote the album and what’s next…
Safe to say we’re more than a little excited for this one…we’re proud to present an exclusive from one of the finest MCs in the game, back from almost retirement last year and dropping his debut album for Diffrent Music!
State Of The Art sees Sense’s distinctive rhymes set to a dark and brooding beat courtesy of Coma and the resulting blend of dark D&B and hip-hop swagger is a potent mixture! Watch out for the album The Elephant In The Room dropping from Feb 14th via the Diffrent Store.
If you like your D&B on the menacing side and you’re not already familiar with Fortitude then this release should be more than enough to whet your appetite. His latest work for Russian imprint Harder & Louder provides a miniature tour of the harder styles of D&B, and the tracks on show are top notch all round.
Red Shift kicks things off with a slice of dark, breakbeat-driven tech reminiscent of the golden era of Dom & Roland. Sci-fi-tinted pads, crunchy bass and tough but precise percussion; yes please! Incumbent ups the ante, bringing the bass to an animalistic snarl and adding a layer of distortion to the chaotically chopped breaks.
Last but by no means least, Succeed Control provides a dirty little roller that harks back to the time when neuro meant dirty bass and funky drums, not the level of precision and sheen currently associated with the genre. Nice! Check out the clips below and hit up your favourite store to grab a copy right now.
When it comes to hard D&B, few do it better than Limewax. Since bursting onto the scene at the tender age of 17 with EPs for Tech Itch Recordings and Freak and his seminal debut LP Scars on the Horizon, Maxim Anokhin has cemented his reputation as one of the most creative and brutal artists in the nastier end of the scene.
More than a decade on from those initial forays into the scene, Limewax’s self-titled third LP hits as hard as his previous efforts and takes in the full breadth of influences; from hard amens to relentless gabber kicks and through paranoid, Raiden-esque technoid this LP is quite simply the finest in uncompromisingly aggressive D&B. Check out previews of the album below and hit up your favourite store to grab it right now.