Dojo Damager: Limewax Album

Posted on 26th April 2016 by DNB Dojo

When it comes to hard D&B, few do it better than Limewax. Since bursting onto the scene at the tender age of 17 with EPs for Tech Itch Recordings and Freak and his seminal debut LP Scars on the Horizon, Maxim Anokhin has cemented his reputation as one of the most creative and brutal artists in the nastier end of the scene.

More than a decade on from those initial forays into the scene, Limewax’s self-titled third LP hits as hard as his previous efforts and takes in the full breadth of influences; from hard amens to relentless gabber kicks and through paranoid, Raiden-esque technoid this LP is quite simply the finest in uncompromisingly aggressive D&B. Check out previews of the album below and hit up your favourite store to grab it right now.

Dojo Damager: Dreadmaul – Destroyer Of Worlds

Posted on 8th March 2016 by DNB Dojo

When you have the audacity to give your track a name like Destroyer of Worlds then you better be bringing something pretty vicious to the table lest your wares fall a bit flat; thankfully Dreadmaul has delivered the goods in spades, hence the track’s selection as this week’s Dojo Damager!

With a nod to classic hardstep from the likes of Evol Intent, Tech Itch and Dom & Roland, this is a dark amen smasher replete with hefty sub and ominous raved up stabs, and it’ll definitely destroy some raves if not any actual worlds. Check out the clip below and hit up Juno to grab a copy right now.

Dojo Damager: Evol Intent – Scavenger’s Paradize

Posted on 6th October 2015 by DNB Dojo

US party starters Evol Intent have been at the forefront of the hard D&B scene for over a decade with their pioneering mix of gangster rap, glitch and balls to the wall D&B. With the generous trio dropping yet another dangerous freebie it seemed only right to name Scavengers Paradize this week’s Dojo Damager!

Mashing up previous Evol tracks Scavenger and Paradize City, this is an infectious blend of NWA samples, G-Funk synths and a massive, hard hitting D&B backbone. Sprinkle in a few shotgun clicks and you’re good to go! Check it out below and hit up the Evol Intent soundcloud to grab a copy right now.

Release & Meecha – Pitfall [Tytanium Armour]

Posted on 12th September 2015 by DNB Dojo

Tytanium Armour return with their first release after a three year hiatus featuring two hard edged slices of tech D&B with plenty of gnarly energy. Release & Meecha provide the A side with Pitfall, a track that harks back to the hardstep sound of around 10 years ago and brings to mind early Audio tracks.

Over on the flip label boss Tycaine gets together with Abandon for a more stripped back tech funk workout with a low slung moving bassline and plenty of punch in the kicks and snares. Fans of the dark and rolling should enjoy this one! The release is out now at all good digital stores so check out the clips below and go grab yourself a copy!

Classic Track: Manifest – OG Returns

Posted on 10th September 2015 by DNB Dojo

When it comes to raw, nasty hardstep it doesn’t come much bigger and badder than Manifest’s gangsta anthem OG Returns. Originally released on Renegade Hardware back in 2004 as part of the Skool Of Hard Knocks LP, this one packs quite a punch; hard hitting amens, dirty bass stabs and a solid selection of rap samples make for a track that takes no prisoners. “Raise the fuck up”!

Fortitude – Purifying Me [Tech Cycle]

Posted on 15th May 2015 by DNB Dojo

purifying

Drum & bass can take myriad varied forms. Sometimes you want a deep, soulful roller. Sometimes it’s all about the gully halfstep minimalism. Sometimes there’s nothing better than a straight up crossbreed smasher, and that’s where Fortitude steps in.

Purifing Me is just straight up menace; midrange bass distortion and a big bag of kick drums. So many kick drums! Absolutely deadly rhythms on this one. Stand Your Ground opts for a slightly spacier but no less aggressive rhythm constructed from angry metallic snares and savage bass before dropping into a rolling D&B pattern that should get the floor moving nicely.

No release date on this yet but it should be available soon. Savour the clips below and keep an eye on the relevant social media for release details.

Krakota – Ice Hands / Ghosts [Hospital Records]

Posted on 6th March 2015 by DNB Dojo

Hospital’s latest single sees Krakota stepping up to the plate with a pair of eminently dancefloor-worthy beats for Tony Colman’s well respected label. Ice Hands sees the relatively young producer tapping into the teched-up, hardstep sound that the likes of Evol Intent made famous on labels like Renegade Hardware circa-2005 – no messing around on this one!

Over on the flip Ghosts relaxes the tone for a subby jungle-tinged roller which brings to mind Bladerunner & Serum’s classic Who Jah Bless. Tidy selections! Check out the clips below and grab this one from the Hospital store right now!

Classic Album: Evol Intent – Era of Diversion

Posted on 5th March 2015 by DNB Dojo

It’s hard to believe that seven years have passed since US D&B legends Evol Intent dropped their debut LP Era Of Diversion. I remember the release vividly and still rinse out tracks like 8 Bit Bitch and Middle Of The Night regularly in my sets, and the album is still a fantastic listen from start to finish. Being the generous coves that they are, the trio are celebrating the album’s anniversary by giving away a download of the whole thing for nothing! You’ve got a week to take advantage so check out a stream below and head over here to grab a download.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iz_HSLwifE

SPL – Bristol Transmission [Rhythm & Chaos]

Posted on 15th February 2015 by DNB Dojo

SPL’s departure from the Drum & Bass scene and into lower tempo arenas a few years back was a source of some sadness here at the Dojo. The brand of industrial strength hardstep and grooving technoid D&B that Sam used to produce has largely disappeared from the scene, with the producers responsible diverting off either into tedious gabba (I’m looking at you Limewax) or entirely different genres such as with Chris Raiden’s forrays into Techno as Kamikaze Space Program.

It’s been a pleasant surprise to hear SPL back at the buttons on some 170BPM material recently, and his latest release for Rhythm & Chaos features a savage slice of hardstep business in the form of Bristol Transmission. That reese bass…oh gosh! Check out the clip below and look for this one dropping Feb 17th on Beatport with other stores following from March 3rd.

Forbidden Society – Throne Crusher [Forbidden Society Recordings]

Posted on 30th January 2015 by DNB Dojo

Forbidden Society kicks off 2015 with a big new LP filled to the brim with upfront hardstep and neurofunk stylings. Anyone looking for subtlety need not apply, but if you’re looking for a stomping selection of dancefloor D&B with a tough edge you could do far worse than this!

Highlights come on the driving, riffy Boycott, the old school reese madness of Stay True To The Game and the skittering breaks of Paradise. There’s also some weird glitch-hop madness in the form of Ion Engines and Enter, alongside a wealth of other aggy D&B business. Check out the clips below and look for this on CD, vinyl and digital from Feb 2nd.

DNB Dojo

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