With winter rapidly escaping and another two weeks of the year down, it’s time for another roundup. New beats from Response, Lenzman, Metro, Ayshot prod and more… Continue reading
February Roundup
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Tag Archives: Fokuz
December Roundup Part Two
We’ve been a little less active than usual with the posts this festive season so for our very last post of 2015 we’re rounding up the best releases this month which might otherwise have slipped the net. Read on for new beats from Trilo, Was A Be, Sikey and more… Continue reading
Actraiser – Lonely Traveller LP [Fokuz Recordings]
We’re big fans of Actraiser here at the Dojo so naturally we were pretty excited to hear of a full LP of his lush, melodic tracks coming to the revered Fokuz Recordings, and if you’re into the deeper end of liquid D&B the Lonely Traveller LP should be right up your alley.
There aren’t any particular surprises here in terms of style but the tracks have depth and feeling in abundance, whether focussing on floaty pads, soft piano or some combination of the two. Actraiser has definitely mastered the knack of all great liquid producers to create tracks which are at once insistent and relaxed, energetic yet reserved and beautifully hypnotic.
We could wax lyrical about the album’s sonic qualities all day long but you’d be far better off checking out the clips and losing yourself in the melodies, so have a listen below and hit up your favourite digital outlet to grab a copy now!
Actraiser – Inner Beauty EP [Celsius Recordings]
Actraiser continues his catalogue of beautiful liquid beats with a four track EP for Fokuz sister imprint Celsius. The titular Inner Beauty kicks things off with crisp, rolling breaks, lush atmospheres and piano trills echoing in and out of the mix. There’s even time for a hint of jazz with the odd burst of sax for flavour. Get It On drops the urgency a couple of notches and heads for the groove; the title says it all on this one I think!
The Road To Enlightenment ups the energy once more, with melodic elements floating over a hefty backbone of sub bass and breaks. Last but by no means least, Cosmic Shift blends epic trance-style synths with cheeky arpeggios for a euphoric yet meditative atmosphere. Watch out for the EP dropping on vinyl and digital from July 14th.
15 Yearz of Fokuz – Episode 2 [Fokuz Recordings]
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!
BCee & Bladerunner – Moonstruck / Crash [Celsius Recordings]
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!
Macca & Hosta – New Beginnings EP [Celsius]
Fokuz sister label Celsius have prepped a tidy pair of deep liquid rollers from Macca & Hosta for the 77th release in their formidable catalogue.
New Beginnings is definitely a roller from a pair of producers who’ve been worshipping at the altar of Calibre, with a crisp, precise break, warm sub and soft pads dominating the composition. Nothing To Prove follows a similar pattern, with the vocal talents of Jodi adding extra atmosphere to the hypnotically smooth beats. Watch out for these dropping from March 10th.
DNB Dojo Mix Series 03: Dominic Petrie
Dominic Petrie delivers the third in our exclusive mix series with a tidy half hour mix of deep, forward thinking D&B. With releases on Fuzion, Lifestyle, Nerve and Sound Artillery and a residency at Edinburgh’s Xplicit clubnight, Dominic (previously known as Y2D) has been building quite a rep as both a producer and a DJ, as evidenced by this mix.
For the mix Dom has compiled a tasty 30 minute selection of deeper beats from the likes of Calibre, Mutt, Alix Perez and Burial. He’s even opened it up with a cheeky dub of his very own. Check it out below and grab a free download from MediaFire, or check it out on Mixcloud.
Dominic Petrie – Silver linings (Dub)
Anile – Another year (Med School)
Mutt – I used to (Fokuz)
Calibre – Key flix (Signature)
Alix Perez – Playing games (Shogun)
Calibre – Think on (Signature)
Blocks and Escher – Embers (Narratives)
Double O – Soul Warrior (Rupture)
Calibre – Sick of it all (Signature)
Penny Giles – Love come running free (Alignment)
Eveson – Found a groove (Liquid V)
Double O – Blackula (Rupture)
Burial – Near dark (Hyperdub)