Cern – Hollow Moon VIP [Dispatch Recordings]

Posted on 14th August 2015 by DNB Dojo

After a bit of a hiatus, Dispatch return with the fourth instalment of their Dispatch Dubplate series and this time it’s Cern on the buttons. As per previous releases in the series there are some new VIPs and one vinyl exclusive track, with Hollow Moon and Tiamat both getting the VIP treatment and new Mayhem collaboration Hydraulic on the wax for the vinyl buyers.

As you’d expect from Dispatch and Cern the EP features three tracks of rugged techstep, with a nice balance between bassline scuzz and atmosphere. If you haven’t yet snapped up a copy you should move fast – pre-orders are already flying out of the door via the Dispatch Store and Redeye.

Best Albums of 2014

Posted on 29th December 2014 by DNB Dojo

2014 has been a great year for D&B and another great year for LPs, so with the year drawing to a close we thought we’d run down our favourite full length releases this year. In no particular order…

Kimyan Law – Coeur Calme [Blu Mar Ten Music]

Kimyan’s debut LP impressed us greatly upon it’s initial release, and it’s an album that has only improved upon repeated listens. Blending influences from D&B with elements of soul, world music, ambient and plenty more besides, this is one of the most musical releases this year and a great start to what should be a promising career.

Tokyo Prose – Presence [Samurai Music]

Samurai’s reputation for quality and depth is legendary, and the debut LP from kiwi producer Tokyo Prose fits that MO perfectly. Featuring some excellent collaborations with the likes of Synkro, LSB and Lenzman, the album features a coherence and flow that many LPs lack, and some of the finest deep liquid tracks of the year. Essential listening.

Cern – Under Another Sky [Dispatch Recordings]

Cern’s LP slipped under the radar here at the Dojo on initial release, but thankfully we got the chance to catch up with it over the holiday season. The level of atmosphere and depth on show here is stunning, not to mention the precise engineering, intricate drum programming and overall detail that Cern has brought to the table. The album is an unapologetically dark, experimental release, with few (if any) of the tracks aimed at the dancefloor, and is all the better for it.

Future Beats: The Album [31 Recordings]

31 Recordings late entry to the 2014 LP battle has garnered near universal acclaim, and with good reason; few other compilations bring such a breadth of styles at such a high quality across such a massive selection of tracks. It’s great to see the label supporting new producers alongside old hands like Calibre and Klute, not to mention pushing the envelope with truly innovative sounds.

Ulterior Motive – The Fourth Wall [Metalheadz]

Last but by no means least, Ulterior Motive’s sonic journey through their experiences of Drum & Bass has provided both dancefloor anthems and deeper vibes. Tracks like Tape Pack and INTA-National have been killing floors at raves across the world since the LPs release, and the duos range has never been stronger.

Future Beats – The Album [31 Recordings]

Posted on 12th December 2014 by DNB Dojo

The relaunch of Doc Scott’s 31 Recordings imprint has been the cause for much celebration across the scene, and the label’s output has been absolutely stellar. Rounding off 2014 in style, they’ve unveiled a massive 24 track compilation featuring artists from across the D&B spectrum, and frankly pretty much all of it is excellent.

The huge selection takes in half-time beats from Sinistarr and Ital Tek, future jungle from Moresounds, liquid rollers from Bungle and Calibre, rowdy techstep from SCAR and plenty more besides. Special mentions have to go out to the broody, militant syncopations of House of Lanterns’ Take Control, the ethereal atmospherics of Hidden Turn’s Dream of Tron and the bleepy, atmospheric vibes of Gremlinz Forlorn, but honestly the whole LP is of such a high standard that picking favourites is pretty tough. Check out clips of all the tracks below and head over to the 31 Recordings store to preorder the compilation on vinyl or digital now – the release drops on December 15th.

DNB Dojo Mix Series 11: Hanzo & Randie

Posted on 15th October 2014 by DNB Dojo

The eleventh installment in our exclusive mix series comes from Avantgarde alumni Hanzo & Randie. The duo celebrate their forthcoming track for the label’s Theory of the Avantgarde LP with a tasty mix focussing on the techier end of the D&B spectrum but still with place for melody and soul. Check it out via Mixcloud below or head to Hearthis.at for streaming and Dropbox for a download.

Tracklist:

Inward – Monochrome (Avantgarde dub)
Cern – Tiamat (Dispatch)
Ulterior Motive – Longshot (Metalheadz)
Dabs – Objection (Dispatch)
Break & DLR – New Design (Symmetry)
Concept Vision & Segment – Deserted (Blackout)
Alix Perez, Phace, Misanthrop – Burn Out (Shogun Audio)
Enei – Hot Plate (Critical)
Dabs, ArpXP & Grotesque – Keep Shut (Avantgarde dub)
Spinline and Hydro – Perimeter (Demand)
EBK – Strength (Dispatch)
Break – Love So True (Symmetry)
Enei and Emperor – Liberation (Critical)
Inward, Hanzo & Randie – Tetra (Redlight)
Concept Vision & Segment – Mindshaker (Blackout)
Signs – Desert Storm (Cause 4 Concern)
Maztek – Limber (Renegade Hardware)
Noisia – Running Blind (Vision)
Stealth ft. Codebreaker – Nightfall (RAM)
DLR and Script ft. Martyna Baker – Blue room (Metalheadz)
Hybris, Quadrant, D-Struct & Iris – Graphene (Dispatch)
Animal Defection – Arcadia (Avantgarde dub)
Kasra & Enei – Breath (Critical)
Blu Mar Ten – In Your Eyes (Ulterior Motive Remix) (Blu Mar Ten)
DLR, Nymfo, Need for Mirrors and HLZ – Totem (Dispatch)
Heavy1 & P-Fine – Melee (Avantgarde dub)
Hanzo, Randie & Bayou – Totentanz (Avantgarde dub)
Foreign Concept – Ask yourself (Critical)
Sabre and Riya – Injustice (Critical)

Freebie Roundup

Posted on 3rd October 2014 by DNB Dojo

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.

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 track=1251034705 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

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.

Various – Multiverse EP [Renegade Hardware]

Posted on 6th June 2014 by DNB Dojo

Hardware continue their unstoppable onslaught of neurofunk batterers with a fresh new EP of collabs from some of the biggest names on their roster. Maztek & Cern team up for the titular Multiverse, dropping big beats and a disgusting, squelchy set of bassline modulations. Next up regular duo Optiv & BTK get together with Cold Fusion on a techstep roller that harnesses the spirit of 90s sci-fi influenced D&B to great effect.

The pick of the bunch for me comes on Dose & Cern’s irresistible One At A Time – rolling breaks, tight atmospheres and a memorable vocal snippet combine for a lethal dose of dancefloor tech with some tasty drum edits for added flavour. Finally the label’s upstarts get together to close out the EP with a solid slice of glitched up neurofunk from Subtension, Trilo & Minor Rain. Check out the clips below and grab this on vinyl and digital from June 9th.

As an added bonus, Subtension has recorded a cheeky studio mix to promote the release and it’s packed full of fresh dubs from the man himself alongside tracks from the EP and cuts from the wider world of D&B, all with a rolling techy vibe. Check it out!

Cern – Nostromo EP [Renegade Hardware]

Posted on 21st October 2013 by DNB Dojo

Cern turns in his latest EP for the mighty Renegade Hardware, serving up a slice of dark, brooding techstep steeped in atmospherics. Opener Nostromo keeps the foot off the gas and the rhythms leftfield, with fantastic half-step (three-quarter step?) percussion and some great cymbal rings laid over ominous bass growls and eerie pads. Into Organism Cern brings things up to full pace with a rolling break and some twisted bassline business; the spirit of ’97 techstep brought out in 2013’s production quality.

Formless sees Cern teaming up with Russian producer Receptor for a hypnotic techno-influenced stomper that evokes memories of Raiden’s productions for Offkey. Finally When The Time Comes closes things out in style with a deep, subby roller. Not the usual hard as nails style from Hardware, but still bearing their mark of quality, this EP is one for the heads. Watch out for the release dropping on vinyl & digital from October 28th.

DNB Dojo Mix Series 02: Enorme

Posted on 3rd May 2013 by DNB Dojo

DJ Enorme steps up to deliver the second episode of our exclusive mix series! Enorme started building his rep in the UK scene under the guise of Doom Boy and soon started making regular appearances around the north of England warming up for names like Andy C, Shy FX, Noisia, TC and more at nights including Turbulence, Curves, Bass Militia, Lockdown and the now defunct Syndicate.

Since moving to The Netherlands, Enorme now represents the deeper side of Techstep, holding down a residency at Drum Addict in Amsterdam and presenting the Blackdub podcast with regular mixes from upcoming and established artists alike. For this mix he’s dropped a tidy selection of forthcoming releases alongside some older classics, keeping things simmering nicely with deep but rugged beats. Check it out below and grab a free download from Mediafire, or check out the mix over on Mixcloud.

Chris Octane – Synthetics [Forthcoming CO:RE]
Arclight – Pluroform (Raiden Remix) [Forthcoming AutomAte Tech]
Cern – Hollow Moon [Dispatch Recordings]
Andy Pain & Z Connection – Outsider [Demand Records]
Hybris – Face Of Change [Dispatch Recordings Freebie]
Freeze – Calm Your Ego [Proximity Recordings Freebie]
Nymfo – Air Jacks [Commercial Suicide]
Naibu – Use Of Weapons (Fracture & Neptune’s Astrophonica Remix) [Warm Communications]
Clarity – Cold Blank [Samurai Music]
???? – ???? [????]
Isotone – Trip [Obsessions]
L33 – Ironic [Syndrome Audio]
Icicle – Dreadnaught feat. SP:MC [Shogun Audio]
Cause4Concern – Paranormal [Cause4Concern Recordings]
2Sides & Kije – Black Planet [Structured Music]
Survival & Silent Witness – Speedbag [Dispatch Recordings Freebie]
FD – Blue Sky Research (Sun & Bass VIP) [Sun & Bass Recordings]
Zero T – Tavistock Dub [Nu Directions]

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