2015 looks set to be a busy year for Rune & Kaiza with releases dropping left and right, the latest of which comes from perenial Dojo favourite AutomAte Tech. Brainstorm sounds the alarm with an energetic combination of beats, bass and synth hits while Kombat focuses on grimey bass modulations set to punchy, angular drum rhythms. Screwfaces at the ready! Check out the clips below and look for this one dropping April 6th.
The producers amongst you may already be aware of the recent AutomAte remix competition run in conjunction with Sample Genie. Well the results are in, and the release is almost upon us! Both remixes capture the gloom and atmospherics of the original but switch the vibe up significantly in the percussion, with Insect opting for a plethora of high precision individual drum hits while Immersion & Cypher’s mix opts for more rolling, funk-break style drum lines.
As usual this will be available via all good digital outlets – check out the clips and watch for the release from March 2nd.
AutomAte Tech break their silence with an absolutely savage new single from Fortitude. Turn Bad dials the aggression up to 11 with hard metallic snares and a snarling bassline leading the charge. Throw in a cheeky half-time breakdown and plenty of tension building cymbal action and you’ve got one big bad slice of up front tech D&B.
Over on the flip Kiwi neuro badman Dose teams up with the mysterious Dual Focus to turn in what AutomAte describe as a “trademark peak-time headbanging remix” (according to this Dutty Audio podcast tracklist DF = Dose & DJ Meltdown, for anyone curious). The remix certainly fits that bill, swapping in a slightly more rolling break and a riffier approach to basslines that fans of Gridlok and the like should enjoy. For me the original mix takes the gold, but they’re both worthy dancefloor stompers. Check out the clips below and look for this from Feb 2nd at all good digital stores.
AutomAte Deep keep things dark and moody as Fuj returns to the label with two fresh new tracks. Similar in style to his previous Terror Firmer single, Talus Nights and Aphotic Zone both feature ominous pads, throbbing bass and detailed percussion. Halfstep heads will love these! Check the clips below and grab a copy from your favourite store right now!
AutomAte round off their year with a fresh release from one of the label’s first artists, Fearful. Crisp, precise beats and growling basslines are the order of the day on this one, keeping things deep and dark. The EP also features remixes from Mtwn and Raiden; the former refixes the track into a skittering percussive workout with all the menace of the original but a distinctly different vibe, while the Offkey boss lends his signature tribal drum sounds to turn in a brooding mix for my pick of the three.
Check out the clips below and look for this at all good digital stores from December 1st.
Apparently running three D&B labels and finding time to produce and DJ just wasn’t enough for Leeds-based D&B obsessive Altered Perception, as we’ve just gotten wind of a brand new imprint from the Terabyte/Transmission/Sub:mission boss in the form of Alchemic Breaks. Judging from the first release the label’s MO will be focussing on the deeper and more experimental side of D&B, with minimal stylings at play throughout the tracks.
Jaydrop serves up a tidy slice of tribal half-step business on Camo, while Transmission/Terabyte alumnus Automate brings the dark drumfunk vibes on the appropriately titled Breaksrus. Xsetra delivers the EPs heaviest hitting track with a showering of hard kicks and snares set to a backdrop of warping bass modulations, while Mystic State and Hidden Life team up to close the EP with the dub and IDM-tinged vibes of glacial halfstep number Defrost. Check out the clips below and watch out for the release dropping at all good digital stores from November 22nd.
AutomAte’s latest release sees None Decay return to the imprint’s “Green” wing for a solo artist EP showcasing their deep, dark, minimal stylings. Carnea opens the EP with a stripped back, crisp, minimal drum workout, while Clockwork moves along like it’s namesake at a steady, tribal gate punctuated with steely percussion and echoing FX.
Paesan recruits Stakka Lyrics to provide vocal duties over another stark, stripped back combo of beats and bass, and the MCing doesn’t disappoint; quick flows, smart rhymes and an appropriately swaggering delivery give this one plenty of character. It’s left to Last Midnight to close the EP, building up with creepy pads and a nicely lifted vocal snippet from True Detective before dropping into a grimey combination of bass and frenetic, cymbal-led beats. Tasty stuff.
As usual this will be dropping through all good digital outlets – check out the clips below and look for the release dropping from November 10th.
Label boss Deficit brings us another fine pair of tracks for AutomAte’s Deep arm, including his first solo outing for the label. The Watchmen sees him teaming up with Peak on a brooding, snarling composition that does it’s best to defy genre boundaries. Beats fall from all around in rapid syncopations but eschew the familiar D&B patterns in favour of wandering, tribal rhythms, while the bass growls away in the background and a bleeping melody dances over the top. The whole track has a superbly dystopian vibe to it, epitomized by the quote lifted from the Watchmen movie in the bridge.
Over on the flip, Eternum sees Deficit going it alone on another dark, eerie composition, blending a half-time rhythm with robotic bass and creepy sci fi FX sweeps. Once again there’s tons of detail in the mix with all manner of weird percussion making an appearance over the backbone of kicks and snares. Once again we’re treated to a cinematic quote in the breakdown, this time from Sherlock Homes. Clearly Deficit is a man who knows his movies as well as his music.
If you appreciate the weirder end of the 170BPM spectrum and the defter end of sound design you should definitely give these a listen; check out the clips below and watch out for the release dropping from October 13th.
Time for another roundup of the best freebies to land in the Dojo inbox in recent days. So in no particular order…
Cern drops a meaty slice of tech D&B to celebrate the impending launch of his Under Another Sky LP for Dispatch Recordings. Check that out below and click the download arrow on the widget to grab a copy.
Diffrent drop a nice little freebie from Andy Pain ahead of the imminent release of their latest single – head over to Bandcamp to grab this one. Chunky beats and plenty of swagger.
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Leeds tech outfit Transmission Audio have got a cheeky half-stepper from label boss Altered Perception and frequent collaborator Automate; once again you can grab via the Soundcloud player below.
One of the editors at NeurofunkGrid is kindly giving away the personalised VIP he won as part of backing Gridlok & Prolix’s Project Trendkill LP kickstarter last year. Fans of the album should definitely be all over this – grimey neuro vibes! Hit up Mediafire for this one.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCrPrPnw_Lo]
Last but by no means least Free Love Digi have not one but *two* great new freebies; first up there’s a dark roller from Kaset to celebrate his new single for the label (which is out on Monday), and label bossman Quentin Hiatus is giving away a collaboration with Thomas B and Ghast which pushes the boundaries at the edge of the 170BPM envelope. Once again downloads available via the Soundcloud players below.
AutomAte return once again with more beats from reliable London beatsmith Wreckless. As The Cold Hits gets the juices flowing with a detailed, rolling drum groove and ices the cake with a big scuzzy bassline and creepy atmospheric pad work; ice cold indeed.
Inhale doesn’t pull any punches either, with an ambient intro giving way abruptly to huge, crunchy bass hits and hard, metallic snares; more of a head-banger than a dancing tune, and fearsome in its intent. Check out the clips below and watch out for this one dropping at all good digital outlets from September 15th.