Spearhead Records hit Leeds later this month with label boss BCee joined by labelmates Hybrid Minds and Villem & McLeod, and we’ve got two tickets to give away to one lucky winner! To be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is like the DNB Dojo Facebook page and send an email to competitions@dnbdojo.co.uk with your name and the subject line “Spearhead Records Competition”. We’ll draw the winner on Thursday Nov 24th – good luck!
Soul Trader are upping their game in a big way with their latest project, presenting their first solo artist LP after a fine run of single and EP releases, and they’re going back to the artist behind their first two releases: AudioSketch.
AudioSketch has really outdone himself on this project, serving up twelve wicked originals and three cracking remixes for an album of crisply produced rollers with an ear for both melody and a solid dancefloor bassline. Introspective deep liquid this is not, but neither is it a soulless collection of “bangers”, as the tracks tread that line between soul and heft with aplomb.
In terms of guests the Soul Trader team have brought quite the crew to the table; label owner Surplus is on hand, as are Oktiv, HLZ and Salaryman, while guest vocals come from Hannah Eve and Identified. Remix-wise the invitations are equally top-drawer, with Villem & McLeod, BCee and Random Movement turning in wicked takes on some of the album tracks.
Overall while this might not be pushing any envelopes in terms of genre innovation, the match of musicality, bassweight and production sheen is just impossible to argue with, and the tracks are more than memorable enough to stand the test of time. Check out the clips below and hit up Beatport to grab the whole LP right now.
We love a good roller here at DNB Dojo; sometimes music doesn’t need to be genre-bending or revolutionary to bring a massive smile to your face, and the latest creations from BCee & Saxxon for Soul Trader Records hit that spot pretty perfectly.
BCee opens things up with the energetic, jazzy vibes of Only You before flipping things around with the tough breaks and vocal emphasis of Understanding. Not to be outdone, Saxxon dishes up a classic Liquid V style roller on Blue Harbour; this one is pure sunshine designed to wash away the winter blues. Last but not least the pair join forces with Soul Trader boss Surplus for the bouncy Tripped Up; that garage-style bassline really hits the spot!
Super smooth liquid once again from the Soul Trader crew. Look out for this on vinyl and digital from Jan 15th.
Soul Trader Record’s latest EP sees a number of the scene’s biggest names teaming up for a Various Artists EP with heaps of liquid soul. BCee kicks things off with the beautifully emotive strains of Thought I Knew, bringing his signature rolling style and slightly muted euphoria to the table for an outing that provides plenty of evidence as to why he’s still a mainstay of the scene after all these years.
Elsewhere HLZ turns in a silky smooth roller on Broken Lights and McLeod (seen without Villem in a rare turn here) gets playful on the sultry and understated Stolen Kisses. For those with a taste for the more upfront stylings there’s also a fresh cut from Salaryman and an interesting drumstep remix of Random Movement from Simplification and Translate. Can’t argue with that! Check out the clips below and look for this on vinyl and digital from Nov 27th and Nov 30th respectively.
BCee’s Spearhead imprint celebrate a decade in the game with a massive new compilation celebrating new sounds alongside the best in the back catalogue. Disc 2’s Future Sounds include a lush, summery VIP of Technicolour’s Centrifuge, top liquid rollers from Villem & McLeod and LSB and plenty more besides. Without bothering to describe every track, suffice to say they’re all well worth a listen.
As if that wasn’t enough, Disc 1 features 12 of the best from the back catalogue remastered specially for this release. Legendary tracks such as Netsky’s I Refuse, BCee & S.P.Y’s Is There Anybody Out There? and Redeyes’ Luv & Haight are among a tremendous selection of the label’s best and brightest rollers. Personally I don’t understand why Captured In Time wasn’t in there, but everyone must have their own personal favourites that didn’t make the cut.
Ridiculously enough you can cop this tremendous selection on double vinyl and CD for the incredibly reasonable price of £20 from the Spearhead Store, or you can pick up the 3CD set (including a mix from BCee) alone for a tenner. If you’re into your liquid this is the steal of the century – go grab a copy while you still can!
The latest EP from Fokuz features another fine selection of melodic liquid rollers, with tracks from BCee, RoyGreen & Protone and Rowpieces all gracing the release. The Spearhead boss gets the A side, with his customarily rich sound in full effect on the smooth, laid back Breath In.
Over on the flip RoyGreen & Protone bring us a jazzy ode to precipitation, while Rowpieces showcases his finest break chopping skills on Jungle Ballad; no prizes for guessing the influence he might be drawing on for this one. Last but not least, digital buyers are treated to a nice bonus in the form of Renaisance, with RoyGreen and Protone going slightly off piste with a selection of unusual FX and atmospheres set to another crisp, rolling beat.
All in all another fine Fokuz release! Check out the clips below and grab this on vinyl or digital from your favourite store now!
A track that stands out as one of my favourite liquid tunes of all time, BCee’s Captured In Time is just an effortless listen. Soulful vocals, warm bass, rolling breaks and stunningly beautiful melodies combine to create a classic liquid roller that never fails to move a dancefloor. Blissful stuff.
Fokuz continue their 15 year anniversary celebrations with another three 12″ releases of crisp, rolling D&B. Plate one sees Spearhead boss BCee delivering two beautiful slices of his trademark uplifiting liquid funk, with Praying Man ticking all the lush melodic boxes while Magic Mirror goes in deeper with blues guitar on the intro and a slightly more muted tone.
Scott Allen graces the second single with a rolling slice of dubwize, replete with horns, reggae vocals and warm sub bass vibrations. Soligen & Type-2 provide the flip, showing their appreciation for classic hip-hop style loops on the intro before dropping into a hefty combination of jungle-style breaks and big gnarly bass hits. Danger!
Last but by no means least, the third piece of wax sees Lynx getting his remix on, turning in a jazzy relick of Enei & Intelligent Manners’ Midnight Runaway. The sheer funk and groove on show here is impressive to say the least, and as ever Lynx pushes the boundaries of what drum & bass can be. Finally Amaning & Dramatic turn in a disarmingly simple blend of rolling breaks, sub bass modulations and piano riffs to close out the triple pack.
As with part one Fokuz have truly outdone themselves both in terms of quality and originality. Check out the clips below and watch out for the 12″s dropping each week starting June 30th. There’ll also be a full CD and digital release dropping June 7th. Don’t sleep!
Celsius return with another pair of liquid rollers from their ever growing catalogue. Spearhead Records boss Bcee delivers the rich, deep, melow sounds of No Doubt on the A side, while Soligen & Type-2 head for slightly tougher territory on the flip, blending a heavy hitting break and twisted bass with a soulful vocal sample and soft atmospheres for a nice bit of “liquid with teeth”. Check out the clips below and grab this one on vinyl and digital now!
BCee & Bladerunner team up on a pair of deep liquid rollers for Fokuz sub label Celsius Recordings. Combining BCee’s ear for melodic flourishes and Blade Runner’s jungle tinged bass and breaks, the two tunes tread a nice line between dancefloor business and musicality.
Moonstruck makes good use of a wobbly bassline and a tight break under soft strings and pads to create an atmosphere that is energetic but slightly melancholy. Crash heads for jazzier territory with upbeat piano and saxophone over throbbing bass tones and another great rolling break; summer business on this one. Check out the beats below and grab it from your favourite outlet now!