Our latest exclusive comes straight outta Deutschland courtesy of Cologne producer SubMarine and Leipzig label/events collective Boundless Beatz! Nitro combines rich bass, delicate atmospherics and detailed, intricate percussion work for a top slice of thinking-man’s D&B. So lush!
Methlab’s foray into record label territory over the past few months has resulted in some seriously impressive releases, and their latest from US production trio Audeka is undoubtedly the label’s most ambitious project to date.
Unsuprisingly given Methlab’s heritage and artist roster and Audeka’s previous work, the first thing that jumps out about Lost Souls is the quality and detail of the sound design. Bassline production geeks will definitely find plenty to be impressed by here, but despite the technicality the results are powerful and emotionally resonant. Neurofunk and it’s related lower-tempo cousins can sometimes become a biggest-bassline dick-waiving contest and thankfully Audeka have avoided falling into that trap.
There’s also a versatility on show here with the album’s first two tracks alone showing a huge range, jumping from dubstep-esque industrial-tinged destruction to beautifully soft trip-hop. Most of the tracks on the LP definitely lean more towards the former than the latter, but even within that signature Audeka sound of groaning bass distortion and heavy hitting percussion there’s room for tons of experimentation with both rhythm and sonic texture.
Most ambitiously still the album attempts to tell a complex story of a man’s journey from a small village through a forbidden underworld as he attempts to rescue his wife from the clutches of a dark magic. Given the album’s largely instrumental nature it’s difficult to imagine this narrative coming across without prior knowledge, but it’s nonetheless interesting to bear this in mind when listening to the sounds and moods of each track; it certainly conveys a journey through myriad fantastical landscapes.
Overall if you like your electronica a little avant-garde and have ever enjoyed productions from the likes of Broken Note, Amon Tobin or Noisia then this album is absolutely essential listening. Lost Souls is available right now from the Methlab Bandcamp; grab it straight from the source and net yourself some attractive artwork posters into the bargain.
We’ve been keeping an eye on Revaux for the last couple of years since hearing their releases for Slinkie Music and more recently Authentic, so naturally we were excited to hear their latest offerings for London’s Lifestyle Music!
The Frostbite EP keeps it punchy and concise, showcasing the Revaux sound across three new tracks. The material definitely keeps things dancefloor friendly but manages to retain a keen balance of atmosphere and melody alongside the rolling beats and bass heft; faceless throwaway fodder this is not. From the detailed punch of Head First through the deeper and more melodic Frostbite and out into the gut punching bass of Stand Off, Revaux are on fine form here!
It’s always a pleasure to hear dancefloor D&B with crisp sound design and at least a smidgen of soul, and that’s exactly what’s on offer here. Check out the clips below and hit up your favourite digital store to grab the EP now!
SCAR are a perfect example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. While Survival and Script are both respectable producers with plenty of solid titles in their respective discographies, their collaborative material as SCAR is a level above, a fact that has led to their rapid ascent through the scene over the past year.
Their latest work for Metalheadz finds them on fine form, exploring deeper musical elements while retaining that rolling techstep heft that defined their first few releases. The title track exemplifies this perfectly, with lush musicality on the intro giving way to a punchy rollout in the verse, and punchy as hell it is too.
Elsewhere Your Move feels like a nod to the classic ‘headz tracks of yesteryear, bringing together chopped breaks and pad-based psychedelia for a fantastic drum workout drenched in muted euphoria and longing. Fall From Grace meanwhile takes an angsty turn, with creepy vocals echoing through the intro before a heavy angular drop, all meaty kicks and snarling reese.
Asides from their obvious talents for groove and engineering, SCAR are managing to inject more emotion into their work than is to be found in the wealth of bombastic but ultimately soulless dance music released every day. For that they should definitely be applauded, so check out the clips below and go grab the EP on vinyl or digital now!
Rakoon is a name I first came across via dark dubstep releases for Excision’s Rottun imprint a few years back, and consequently as my interest in the 140BPM sound waned I’ve not kept track of his work in the interim. It was a pleasant surprise then to hear his latest EP for Paradise Lost, which sees the German producer exploring the 85/170 tempo range with some really nice results.
The darkness and militancy of the sound I remember from a few years ago is definitely still present on this collection. Tracks like Guard and Sleeping Giants explore the halftime sound with heavy kicks, growling bass and bleak atmospherics a plenty. There are also full-roll excursions on Sandworm (easily the EP’s most upfront track) and the drumfunk-esque breakwork of Meltdown.
There’s also a real finesse to some of the tracks, particularly on the glitchy percussive groove of Filter, with a fine balance struck between softer pads and the darkness of the drums and bass. Safir also deserves a mention for it’s slow/fast play between the halftime kick/snare and skittering hat fills; think Om Unit but gloomier. Overall it’s a solid EP and I’m hoping to hear more from Rakoon in this vein; check it out below and hit up the Paradise Lost bandcamp to grab a copy now.
Apparently not content with already running three of the most esteemed labels in the scene, Samurai Music are launching their fourth imprint in July, named Shiro. Focussed exclusively on new artists who’ve never had a vinyl release, the label will produce limited white label runs with the first due on July 13th.
The music on this debut release comes from Polish producer Erkiu, who’s previously had digital releases on Cylon & CX:Digital. The EP showcases his gloomy, atmospheric sounds, blending techno influences with halftime D&B to create tracks that are minimal yet engrossing in nature.
Hollow Idol stands out as the Dojo favourite for it’s insistent groove, creepy pads and intricate percussive flourishes. Check out the clips below and hit up the Samurai Store to pre-order now.
Attentive readers may remember some coverage last year of Denver producer Atic‘s releases for Free Love Digi, which impressed us with a rolling techstep vibe. A year on, Atic is back with a six track EP for FLD featuring some tasty new tunes.
The work here brings to mind the likes of DLR and Mako, melding techstep heft with the more musical side of D&B to create tracks that balance atmosphere and dancefloor sensibilities to a very pleasing end. Favourite moments here at the dojo came on Blue Mountain, Critical Sound and Juil but the whole EP is well worth a listen. Check out the clips below and grab this one from Beatport right now – full release follows from June 15th.
Those of you with your fingers on the pulse of dark D&B should already know Joe London aka PRTCL. With releases out and forthcoming on the likes of Flexout, AutomAte and Terabyte Joe’s productions have a formidable edge and plenty of atmosphere. We discovered recently that he’s starting up his own label for vinyl releases, so we tracked him down to find out more.
Not long after the relaunch of Subtitles in 2010, Teebee’s label treated us to a fantastic track from one of my favourite producers, Rob Dickeson aka Apex. While I discovered Apex initially through his harder tech and neurofunk productions on Lifted Music (and earlier as one half of Unknown Error), I later fell in love with his more musical output which featured on Horizons and Hospital, and this gem is definitely up there with his best.
Inner Space explores lush, synthy ambience and remains downtempo until the second verse at which point that familiar, crisp D&B break kicks the track up a notch. The whole thing is just beautiful and unusually serene for even liquid D&B, and it’s a track I never get bored of hearing. Unfortunately this 12″ would prove to be one of his last before his apparent retirement sometime in 2012, and his output is much missed (by me at least). Check it out below and go look out a copy on vinyl or digital!
AutomAte expand their roster once again with the latest release on their Deep imprint coming from Kiwi producer Tonic, who explores atmospheric D&B with a little more pace than some of the label’s previous “Deep” releases.
Latitude keeps the beats pounding away under a selection of atmospheric hits and swells, making great use of space and stereo imaging. Prime Number provides a more dancefloor friendly outing with an altogether more insistent tone and plenty of funk via the multitude of break fills and melodic stabs. Tasty!
Check out the clips below and head to your favourite digital store to grab this one now. You can also hear a bit more about the tracks from the man himself over at this interview with D&B Arena.