Wreckless – As The Cold Hits [AutomAte]

Posted on 5th September 2014 by DNB Dojo

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.

Dark Matter Part 1 [Transmission Audio]

Posted on 20th August 2014 by DNB Dojo

Transmission Audio celebrate their 10th release with a various artists EP showcasing four up and coming producers’ contributions to the tech D&B scene. Skepsis’s relentless Breach proves to be the highlight, with a heavy rolling break and throbbing bass distortion driving the tune along at maximum velocity.

Elsewhere kloaa & J.M.C team up for a dark, percussive groove on the ominously titled Ultimity, Tekan leads us on a screeching, clattering path on The Evil Inside Me and Quatermass (formally E-Quartermass) brings the rolling vibes with plenty of mid range modulations on Event Horizon. Check out the clips below and grab this from your favourite digital store now.

Hyroglifics – Terra [Dispatch LTD]

Posted on 16th August 2014 by DNB Dojo

Fresh from his futuristic bass excursions for Critical’s new Binary imprint, Hyroglifics touches down on Dispatch as part of the latest release in their LTD series. Terra is all about the bass textures, with ominous pads and a solid techstep backbeat providing the framework for a hefty bass growl, powering the tune along with tons of sizzle.

Tize sees Hyroglifics teaming up with Kolectiv for another slice of dark, atmospheric tech business; this time the emphasis is definitely more on the beats with the tune rolling along to a fearsome kick/snare riddim punctuated by weighty sub and all manner of additional bassline stabs.

Last but by no means least, The Fear rounds off the release with another deep dark stepper. This time it’s a huge team at the controls as Kolectiv, Dexta, Maouq and Kyrist all get in on the act. Angular rhythms and more creepy pads are the order of the day here; one for the heads as much as the dancefloor, but weighty nonetheless. Check out the clips below and head over to the Dispatch Store where you can grab this now prior to full release on Monday.

Yukon & Deluded – Snow / Lost Contact [Terabyte Records]

Posted on 7th July 2014 by DNB Dojo

Terabyte continue their quest to bring us dark, minimal D&B from the freshest names in the game with a single from Yukon & Deluded. The Birmingham based duo serve up two crisp, subby beats that fit the Terabyte aesthetic well.

A-side Snow fills in a simple half-step template with a plethora of drum edits and fills, adding character by variation while maintaining a dark, hypnotic quality. Lost Contact meanwhile thins out the beats a little to let the distorted bass growls breathe, creating both tension and space in ample quantity. Ominous strings and FX snippets add to the brooding, dangerous atmosphere.

Check out the beats below and grab this one from your favourite digital outlet now!

Get To Know…Transmission Audio

Posted on 7th July 2014 by DNB Dojo

Regular readers of the blog will probably already be familiar with Leeds-based upstart Transmission Audio. Altered Perception, Peak and Sanction have been busy over the last year building a fierce catalogue of dark, edgy D&B from up and coming producers like Komatose, Skepsis and Xsetra, and they’ve even found time to start a sister Sub:mission imprint to put out some more melodic beats.

With the labels moving from strength to strength, and the releases dropping all too quickly, the Dojo crew decided it was time for a wee retrospective on the last few releases and what’s to come over the next few months.

Continue reading →

Lakeway – Digital Serotonin / Sinister Stepper [E-Motion Records]

Posted on 6th July 2014 by DNB Dojo

E-Motion Records latest single sees Exeter producer Lakeway pushing the boundaries of the 170 sound on a pair of exciting new tunes. Digital Serotonin eschews the traditional rolling breaks that characterise much of D&B in favour of an angular beat driven by rapid snare hits and imbued with all manner of extra percussive glitches and fills. Spooky atmospherics and simple yet effective sub bass complete the tune nicely; this one should prove a tasty mood switcher for a break in the mix from the more predictable rollers.

Over on the flip Sinister Stepper lives up to its name with creepy melody and a sense of foreboding on the intro before a grimey drop. Hefty kicks and snares punctuate the rhythmic sub bass for a minimal sound with maximal impact. Check out the clips below and grab this one from your favourite digital outlet from Monday 7th July.

Synx – Textures EP [Rogue Beatz]

Posted on 5th July 2014 by DNB Dojo

Rogue Beatz return with a fresh 4 track EP from Australian producer Synx, who turns in four tracks of dark, gritty techstep. All four tracks are well worth a look for those that like it grimey and rolling but for me the picks of the bunch are the tidy head-nodding groove of Pro’s and Con’s and the eerie atmospherics of Hard As Fuck. Check out the clips below and grab this one on vinyl and digital now!

Revaux – Titan EP [Slinkiemusic]

Posted on 4th July 2014 by DNB Dojo

It’s always a pleasure to be introduced to new artists and labels and Revaux’s latest release landing in the inbox did just that. Dropping soon via slinkiemusic Titan showcases dancefloor sensibilities and attention to detail in ample measure while Odyssey heads for deeper territory, keeping it soft and melodic on the intro before sliding into a rhythmic beats and bass workout featuring tight, intricate percussion and plenty of sub bass.

A couple of new names to keep an eye on then! Check out the clips below and watch out for the release dropping July 11th at all good digital outlets.

MJD – Lifespan EP [Lifestyle Recordings]

Posted on 24th June 2014 by DNB Dojo

MJD returns to Lifestyle recordings with four tracks of dark, industrial techstep showcasing the producers talents for rhythm and bass. It’s difficult to pick between the tracks given their consistent quality and tone, but particular highlights come on Tracer (which brings to mind Ulterior Motive’s early work like Featherweight) and the angular beats and creepy atmosphere of Crimmerean Dreams.

Lifespan and Vacuity meanwhile provide more straightforward but still worthy slices of rolling neuro-tech goodness. Check out the clips below and watch out for this dropping from June 26th at all good digital stores.

Fuj – Terror Firmer / Pressure Plates (Remixes) [AutomAte Deep]

Posted on 15th June 2014 by DNB Dojo

Automate Deep return with a bit of tasty remix pressure as Dexta and Mtwn rework Fuj’s tunes from his previous release for the label. The Diffrent boss kicks things off with a half-time refix of Terror Firmer, all stomp and growl with an insistent riddim and bassline modulations taking centre stage against a backdrop of reverbed atmos and FX sprinkles.

Mtwn step up for the B side with a deep, dark re-imagining of Pressure Plates, stripping the tune back to it’s basic elements and working it into a twisted, dubby vibe with off kilter percussion landing left, right and centre. Check out the clips below and watch out for this one dropping at all good digital outlets from July 7th.

DNB Dojo

Drum & Bass News and Reviews

Tag Archives: Dark