Tag Archives: Ant TC1

Friske – Temperamental EP [Metalheadz]

Posted on by
Reply

After a strong showing for the Metalheadz XX series Friske returns with another solid EP, this time for ‘headz Platinum. The work follows on nicely from where the last EP left off, providing tough groove-led techstep with a hint of soul.

DLR & Ant TC1 step up with a super crisp remix of Requisite to open the EP before clearing the floor for Friske to do his thing. True to form the man serves up a pair of solid head-nodding rollers in the form of the hypnotic Temperamental and the smooth, jazzy tones of Down.

Out into the back end of the EP things get a bit more old-skool in flavour, with some rougher break chopping and classic vocal slices filtering through the mix on Your Loving before Question closes things out on a darker and more militant tip. Tasty business all round as usual from one of the leading labels in the scene! Check out the clips below and hit up the Metalheadz store to grab a copy on vinyl or digital now.

DLR – Seeing Sounds [Dispatch Recordings]

Posted on by
Reply

The wait is finally over – DLR’s debut solo LP Seeing Sounds has arrived, and it’s every bit as good as I’d hoped it would be! Having deliberately avoided listening to the preview clips I sat down with the full LP for a start-to-finish listen, and I wasn’t even remotely disappointed.

Understandably enough, this record feels like a spiritual successor to Octane & DLR’s 2012 LP Method In The Madness. The same cinematic sampling and atmosphere is present, as is the sonic detail and creativity. DLR’s sound has been refined further over the past three years, and the album seems less bent on complexity for complexity’s sake; the emphasis seems to have shifted slightly towards groove and weight over technicality, and the compositions really shine for that emphasis.

Above all else this is a record that firmly injects the funk back into the techstep sound, from the playful basslines of Charlie Brown and Break collab Human Error through the chunky lower tempo breakbeat workout of I Found Out and plenty more besides. There’s room for some surprises too, such as the melancholy liquid of Hydro collaboration Empyreal and the jazzed up tech of Minds Eye. There are also two fantastic MC-led steppers, with Gusto repping the mic on The Author and Fokus providing vocals on the politically minded Ask The Question.

Many of the LPs best tracks have been pressed loud and proud onto four slabs of that black crack we love so much, and having given them a thorough mix on the decks I’m happy to attest they all sound as tight and punchy as you’d expect from the Dispatch family. The vinyl releases are already sold out via the Dispatch Store, though the digital version is still available and the vinyl plates can all be picked up via Redeye.

The first couple of listens give me the distinct impression that this is an album which will grow and grow over the coming months while we wait with anticipation for DLR’s collaborative LP with Mako. Check out the clips below and go grab yourself a copy of what is undoubtedly one of the best D&B albums we’ll hear this year.

Sounds of the Baskerville

Posted on by
Reply

baskerville

Cardiff based record store Catapult Records have truly put together a stunning lineup for their Sounds of the Baskerville event in June. The lineup features DJ Marky, Break, Rockwell and Audio headlining a packed event featuring sets from Klute, Dom & Roland, Ulterior Motive, Xtrah and many, many more. Truly a D&B heads paradise! Early Bird tickets are already sold out but you can still grab £75 tickets here. Don’t sleep!

Mako, DLR, Villem & Ant TC1 – Hungry For Atmosphere [Metalheadz]

Posted on by
Reply

Metalheadz continue their winning form with a super collab from Mako, DLR, Villem & Ant TC1! The four D&B masterminds apparently ensconced themselves in Mako’s Bristol studio to write this one, which blends beautiful deep pads and cinematic sample work with a tough break and some fantastic warped bass. This one is all about texture and delivers it in spades.

Apparently Ant TC1 had to return to the real world but the other three continued the sesh and went in hard on the B side. A Certain Flavour delivers kick snare sucker punches a plenty with a big dirty bassline to boot and is sure to be doing the damage on dancefloors. Serious business.

Check out the clips below and grab this on vinyl or digital from Monday!

Get To Know…Dispatch Recordings

Posted on by
Reply

Leeds-based Dispatch Recordings have been a steady part of the D&B scene for well over a decade now, with a well deserved reputation for releasing tough, rugged tracks from some of the best names in the scene. Never compromising their integrity in favour of current trends, the label has truly gone from strength to strength over the past few years with a couple of massive LP releases and a slew of singles and EPs to boot.

Early releases on the label saw tunes from the likes of Hidden Agenda, NOS and Q-Project taking centre stage, not to mention a rather tasty collaboration between Chris.Su, Stress Levels and Ant TC1.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXN3P3OssZs]

Having gained this momentum, 2008 saw the label step up a gear with their first release from the mighty Break (collabing with Survival on the Sick/Warnings 12″). From here on in the discography speaks for itself, with a massive selection of great tracks from the likes of Hybris, EBK, Amoss and Octane & DLR (who’s 2012 LP Method in the Madness was widely hailed as one of the albums of the year).

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rDt5LiA_nw]

All of this brings us up to the present day and the rather excellent release last month of Survival & Silent Witness’ LP In From The Wild. Every bit as high quality as the Octane & DLR album last year, and lavishly released on both vinyl and CD formats, the tracks below speak for themselves.

So if you don’t know Dispatch, sit down and have a browse of the back catalogue!