Tag Archives: Dark

Detail – Time Stretching / Pressure [Commercial Suicide]

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Commercial Suicide rounds off a great year with a single from Ukrainian producer Detail. Showcasing the balance of technicality and musicality that fans of the label have long appreciated, Time Stretching lulls you into a false sense of security with mellow guitar licks before the deadly sub stabs hit you in the chest.

Over on the flip, Pressure builds the tension with a dubbed out, haunting intro; to call this moody would be the understatement of the year. The drop kicks the tune into gear with angular percussion, heavy sub and little else, proving that sometimes less is definitely more. Watch out for this one dropping on vinyl and digital from December 16th.

Quadrant & Iris – Spinout [Commercial Suicide]

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US duo Quadrant & Iris have been busy lately with releases for Dispatch, Intrigue and Avantgarde and now the duo grace Klute’s Commercial Suicide imprint with a new 12″ featuring their signature style of rolling beats and weighty bass.

The titular Spinout sees Quadrant on a solo outing, delivering a tight, techy roller embellished with some floaty synth action in the breakdowns. Next up the pair collaborate on Depth Sounder, featuring an insistent bass riff and super detailed percussion which is sure to have you nodding along. The EP wraps up with a deeper, halftime number featuring the additional talents of Calculon and Homemade Weapons, filling in the sparser beats with twin basslines and echoing vocal snippets.

Check out the clips below and watch out for the release dropping on vinyl and digital from December 16th.

Altered Perception – Don’t Test [Transmission Audio]

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Transmission Audio return with their second release featuring more dark, techy beats. Don’t Test sees label runner Altered Perception carving out a nice grimey sound, with crisp breaks and a gangster rap sample characterising the tune over a solid bedrock of modulated sub.

Over on the flip Automate offers up a slightly looser drum sound with plenty of funk layered over a playful bassline with a hint of menace.

If you like what you hear grab yourself a copy at your favourite digital outlet!

Afterlife – Haters / Fist of Fury [Brain Network]

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Brain Network continue their relentless neurofunk onslaught with a new release from Afterlife. Haters hits home with a super crisp break and a cheeky rap sample before the meaty warped bass kicks in with a satisfying fuzzy bitcrush on the very end of the growls.

Over on the flip Fist of Fury brings a heftier beat to the fray with an ever-changing artillery of bass modulations that should keep a floor on it’s toes! Check out the clips below and go grab the release – it’s out now on Beatport and will be dropping at all other stores from December 16th.

Kush T – Tense / Waiting [Terabyte]

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Terabyte round off a fantastic 2013 with their 9th single, this time from Southampton’s Kush T. A-side Tense featuring the vocal talents of Serge has picked up widespread DJ support from some pretty big names and it’s not hard to see why – menacing bass, skittering beats and a grimey vocal all contribute to a militant slice of minimalism.

Over on the flip Waiting continues the trend of heavy hitting leftfield percussion and weighty sub pressure that we’ve come to associate with Terabyte releases. Tasty stuff. Check out the clips below and look out for the release dropping at all good digital stores from December 16th.

Ghost – War Paint EP [Brain Network]

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Brain Network return with another storming EP from Leicestershire upstart Ghost. The tracks display a true talent for rolling, dark neurofunk – crisp breaks imbued with heavy hitting kicks and snares and some nice percussive overlays characterise most of the tracks and gritty, modulated basslines abound.

War Paint kicks off the EP with a rolling break and some classic Virus-esque spooky synth work before a big reese line kicks the tune into gear. Time Bandits keeps things moving with a more modern sounding modulated bassline, while Body Count heads for more technoid territory with an infectiously hyperactive loop. Finally Megalomania sounds the rave alarm for one more banger to close the release.

Check out the beats below and pick up a copy from your favourite digital outlet now!

Double Helix – Muffler / Nebula [Deep Field Audio]

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Deep Field Audio return with another pair of futuristic neuro beasts from Austrian producer Double Helix. Intricate and monstrous in equal measure, the influence of producers like Phace shines through on Muffler, imbued as it is with darked, warping basslines, epic synth work and glitchy, heavy-hitting percussion. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then the German neuro legend should certainly be flattered, and anything the track lacks in originality of style it makes up for in heft, intricacy and production quality.

Over on the flip Nebula continues the trend with crisp percussion fused together into a less angular, more rolling beat. Dialing back the aggression and amping up the groove, this one should provoke a little less bassface and a little more movement on the floor, a theory I’ll definitely be testing in future DJ sets. Check out the clips below and decide for yourself! You can pre-order the release via the DFA Bandcamp and it’ll be dropping via all good digital outlets from December 2nd.

To celebrate the release Double Helix has put together the third instalment of the DFA podcast, featuring cuts from himself alongside new beats from the likes of Phace, Noisia, Mefjus and a few classics for good measure. Check it out and grab a free download below.

Maztek – M-Theory [Renegade Hardware]

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Maztek returns to Renegade Hardware with another storming EP packed with cuts that display an effortless technicality and dancefloor teeth in equal measure. Title track M-Theory fires in all guns blazing with some seriously aggressive mid-range synth-work accompanying chunky breaks and a nicely wonky lead. The attention to detail is definitely what makes this track, with every synth pulse, drum impact and glitchy sample perfectly placed in the mix.

Slinky sees the Italian producer take things down a notch, amping up the atmosphere and concentrating on gritty bass and intricate percussion on a tune that oozes funk and swagger. Crank It Up sees familiar partner in crime Nuclear MC rolling in to provide vocals on a trademark dirty roller while closer iMaz delivers another glitchy, skittering mix of precise drums, warped bass and well judged breakdowns.

Check out the clips below and watch out for the EP dropping on vinyl and digital from December 2nd.

Philth & Wreckless – Poison Remixes [Automate]

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Automate continue their assault on the dark end of D&B with the latest release on their Tech imprint featuring remixes of previous Automate release Poison. Berlin hardstep legend The Sect steps up on the A side to deliver a bone crunchingly heavy on the original that is sure to be setting dancefloors alight over the next few months.

Over on the flip Fortitude presents a totally different take on the sound, trimming the beats down to a halfstep gate and mixing deep, growling low end with shimmering, ambient synth work. Check out the beats below and watch out for the release from December 2nd.

Misanthrop – Greed of Gain EP [Neosignal]

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Neosignal continue their relentless assault on the futuristic 170 sound with another storming solo EP, this time from Misanthrop. Deadlock certainly defies expectations in terms of what we’ve come to expect from the German producer, mixing equal parts techno, dub and minimal D&B to create a relentlessly hypnotic and tribally rhythmic tune.

The titular Greed of Gain treads more familiar territory with a tearing mid-range growls and huge metallic snares dominating the composition after a synthy 80s intro. Out into Catch-22 and Misanthrop is breaking the mould again, combining the usual disgusting basslines with a plodding kick-snare drum line that only gives way to a tumbling full roll in the latter part of the track.

Last up System Crash ends the EP with the highest octane number of all, with stark lead stabs punctuating a maelstrom of full tilt drum breaks and cutting reese lines. Look out for the EP dropping November 25th on Digital and December 9th on limited edition vinyl.