Quentin Hiatus – I’m Neither Quentin Nor Hiatus Vol. 2 [Free Love Digi]

Posted on 24th December 2015 by DNB Dojo

US beatsmith and sonic experimenter extraordinaire Quentin Hiatus returns with the second volume of his split LP, I’m Neither Quentin Nor Hiatus. After the mostly experimental and introspective sounds of the excellent Vol. 1, the second instalment seems to shift focus towards the dancefloor while keeping that trademark QH playfulness when it comes to sitting slightly outside convention.

There’s certainly plenty of variety on show here; After Image kicks things off with a hypnotic slice of rolling, tech-edged D&B, while Always Sunny immediately flips things around into a moodier and more techno inspired groove. Elsewhere we’re treated to lower tempo garagey vibes on the fantastically groovy Danny Tanner, jacking house on Steppin Out and scuzzed up footwork on Edison before I Stop closes the album out with a slice of IDM-infused halftime hip-hop.

If Vol. 1 was the sound of a man’s innermost thoughts and feelings wrapped in an eclectic array of electronic instrumentation, Vol. 2 is that same man jumping out of the armchair and heading straight to the dancefloor to throw some mean shapes. Another thoroughly enjoyable outing from a producer who constantly impresses us here at the Dojo. Check out the clips below and hit up your favourite digital outlet to grab the LP now!

Klient – Intent EP [Tessellate]

Posted on 16th May 2015 by DNB Dojo

We’re taking a brief break from our scheduled programming today to cover something outside the realms of D&B, but nonetheless firmly informed and influenced by the 170 sound. Scottish duo Klient (aka Mr. Beeb & Fault Lines) have been forging quite a reputation for bass heavy 130-140BPM shenanigans over the past few years, and their latest EP for Tessellate is well worthy of your attention.

Despite the lower tempo, their music betrays a misspent youth listening to the likes of Dillinja; if late 90s techstep and UK house had an affair then Klient would be the illegitimate love child. Just listen to the bass on Vultures or the vocals on Intent and you’ll hear strains of Deep Deadly Subs or Ink’s Need You.

The tunes speak for themselves in terms of quality too; perfectly placed percussion, heavy impact basslines and a badboy attitude throughout. Anyone looking for a change of pace but still wanting the dark energy of D&B should look no further. Check out the clips below and look for this dropping at all good digital stores from June 1st.

As if that wasn’t enough, the boys are also giving away a cheeky freebie to say thanks for 4043 followers (bit random, but who are we to argue?). Check that out below and head over here to get the download.

The Stairs EP [Slinkie Music]

Posted on 12th May 2015 by DNB Dojo

Nottingham label Slinkie Music caught our ear previously with Revaux’s Titan EP but the crew have been pretty quiet since then. Thankfully they’ve broken their silence with a brand new EP featuring three new tracks from bright new producers.

Revaux leads the EP with the grimey vibes of Peeper. There’s some serious menace on this track, not least in the distorted amens found in the second half of the tune. Gunfingers at the ready!

The rest of the EP features worthy house and techno flavours from Elabor8 and Pender Road, the latter providing a cheeky slab of acid influenced techno that definitely floats our boat. Check out the clips below and grab this one from your favourite digital outlet right now.

Redpine & Solo – The Smoke City EP [Studio Rockers]

Posted on 5th April 2015 by DNB Dojo

Leeds based duo Redpine & Solo serve up a new EP for Studio Rockers blending influences from Future Garage, Jungle and beyond. Title track Smoke City blends classic break chopping with cinematic elements and a distinctive vocal line for a tasty track with tons of contrast, while Stay True drops the tempo and lightens the tone for a breakbeat garage workout that’s more than a little infectious.

I Am Someone continues the broken beat cross-breeding on a track with a housey groove, while The Love drops things down even further for a downtempo/trip-hop type of vibe. All the tracks display an aptitude for composition and atmosphere which makes them well worthy of your attention – check out the clips below and look for the EP dropping at all good stores from April 14th.

Evol Intent – Middle of the Night Remixes

Posted on 29th March 2015 by DNB Dojo

Following on from a most successful Middle of the Night remix contest, Evol Intent collect the five winning entries along with a trap remix from Knick’s Bro Safari side project. The full spectrum of genres is covered nicely here, with Bl4ck Owlz turning in a hefty dubstep mix and Jamestown Thieves & Dirty Doses bringing the electro house vibes on their mix.

The highlights here at the Dojo proved (unsurprisingly) to be the higher tempo reworks. Jorts’ purple/future bass rework provides a fantastic reimagining of the original with a very different tone, while Teknian & ZeroZero give the track a crisp new D&B mix that borrows heavily from the Break school of production. The star of the show however has to be the madcap breakcore edits of the Fantastic Planet remix, which carries a simply unbelievable level of detail. Badass chops!

Check out the clips below and head to your favourite store to buy the release; it’s also available for free via Topspin.

Nuage – Prints Of You [Translation Recordings]

Posted on 1st September 2014 by DNB Dojo

Nuage returns to Translation with the first glimpse of material from his forthcoming LP for the label. Lifestyle sees him teaming up with Gerwin for a deep, mellow slice of 170BPM electronica aimed firmly at the living room rather than the dancefloor, while Prints Of You drops the tempo and explores similarly lush territory; soulful influences abound and the musicality is breathtaking.

The release also features some excellent remixes, with Silent Dust turning in a hyperactive footwork rework of Sunday Morning and Planet Mu alumnus Ital Tek turns in a skittering, bleeped up mix of Prints Of You.

Clips of a fair bit of the rest of the album’s tracks have also now surfaced, the highlight of which for me is another Gerwin collab; Slow Moves brings together shimmering synth work, a laid back drum shuffle and some suitably manipulated vocal snippets for an effortlessly cool slice of downtempo electronica with a housey switchup after the breakdown. That housey theme gets explored further on Indigo Girl and Keep Me Warm, among others, with plenty of smooth melodies and head nodding kick-lines. It seems like lower tempo beats will dominate this record which is a shame given Nuage’s talent for deeper D&B, but the quality of material on show here is still great.

You can pre-order the vinyl sampler or the CD/digital version of the album via the Translation bandcamp – physical copies will be out in the wild on September 8th with full digital for the album following on September 29th.

Frederic Robinson – Vamp EP [Blu Mar Ten Music]

Posted on 8th April 2014 by DNB Dojo

The follow up to Frederic Robinson’s excellent Mixed Signals LP just dropped on Blu Mar Ten Music and as with all of his work it’s a treat for fans of the deeper side of 170 BPM electronica. As well as the original mix of Vamp Til Ready (one of the album’s standout tracks) we’re treated to an extended live reinterpretation of the track, which captures the essence of the original while embellishing it nicely.

The true highlights of the EP come on the brand new material though. Synkro comes in on remix duties with a fresh take on Mixed Signals, lending it his trademark shuffling percussion and airy reverb-drenched atmospheres. I can’t think of a more appropriate producer to have picked and the rework is stunningly beautiful. Finally Frederic himself comes up with the rather Gold Panda-esque Wheels, dropping the tempo to 130 and getting a house vibe on; from the driving back beat to the odd rhythms of the lead sounds it’s an interesting look at the man’s talents at a different speed.

Check out the clips below and grab this on digital now from your favourite retailer.

Snake & Wolf – Lost & Found [Free Download]

Posted on 10th March 2014 by DNB Dojo

It’s always interesting to hear what the mainstays of the D&B scene get up to musically when they’re not thrashing out 170, and the latest set of uploads to The Upbeats’ Soundcloud page showcase exactly that. Lost & Found proves a rewarding collection of breakbeat, house, dubstep, hip-hop and other assorted electronica. Better still it’s all absolutely free, so have a listen and grab the tracks via Soundcloud.

Nickbee – Empty Your Mind LP [Dispatch Ltd]

Posted on 3rd March 2014 by DNB Dojo

Nickbee is a producer we’ve been keeping a close eye on for the past couple of years here at the Dojo and 2013 in particular has seen him cementing his position in the scene with tunes on Noisia’s Invisible imprint, a single on Bad Taste and a huge EP for Jade’s Eatbrain label. It seems somewhat appropriate that his debut album sees him return to Dispatch Ltd, the label that put out one of his first releases in 2011.

The Ukrainian producer has taken full advantage of the scope of a full length release to explore other tempos, with interesting takes on Dubstep (Inspiration), Deep House (Kloe) and Garage (Subterra collaboration Black & White) appearing alongside the usual tough D&B rhythms. There’s even some downtempo on Moonlight, a track absolutely drenched in atmosphere and space, and album closer One More Breath.

The D&B doesn’t disappoint either, with highlights coming of the titular Empty Your Mind and Updown, both proving to be well produced slices of rolling techstep. The only criticism I can really level at the album is that the transition between tracks sometimes jars a little; some interludes or a mixed version of the album would have been a nice touch, but this is a minor complaint in the scheme of things.

Check out the clips below and grab yourself a copy on vinyl or digital now!

Nuage – So Long EP [Translation]

Posted on 3rd November 2013 by DNB Dojo

Translation return with their twentieth release from Russian producer Nuage, showcasing the producers versatility crossing styles and tempos. Last Seen opens the EP with a sublime slice of melody driven garage, while Compared heads for funky, infectious house territory. Both tracks are full of lush, beautiful synth work, with as much attention to musicality as dancefloor sensibilities.

Unexperience continues the infectious house groove with some nice vocal treatment from Ellie, while So Long sees the producer returning to 170 realms with a soulful, experimental composition characterised by chant-like vocal cut ups and more lavish synth backdrops. Finally there’s a cheeky freebie in the way of Simple Story, which you can grab from Bandcamp here. Look out for the release via all good digital outlets from November 4th.

DNB Dojo

Drum & Bass News and Reviews

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