Forbidden Society is back with possibly his best (and certainly his most varied) album to date, so naturally we had to grab a premiere! Leech sees the producer harnessing his talent for grimey basslines and applying it to the halftime sound that’s been gaining traction over the past few years, with the result being a heavy head nodder with a ton of swagger. Sick! Watch out for the Fog Walk LP coming Feb 8th at Beatport & Spotify, with all other stores following Feb 22nd.
For all that we love a classic 2-step roller, one of the things that makes D&B in 2018 so exciting is the diversity of releases within the scene, and particularly those releases which blur the boundaries between what is traditionally considered “drum & bass” and other areas of electronica. So then, to the new Books LP for Detuned Transmissions…
Following on aptly from 2016’s Ensō EP for Ortem, the Station LP explores the deepest chasms of the 170 sound, working with ominous atmospherics and plodding halftime drums for a sound that owes as much to ambient, techno, industrial and noise as it does to D&B or jungle. That cross-section of influences has been melted down in some other-worldly sonic furnace, and the results are stark, ominous, bizarre and rewarding in equal measure.
From the creaking bass vibrations of halftime stomper Block1, via the throbbing textures of Endless Depths, through the biting drums of 7.7766 Gauss and out into the beatless space of Hopeless Unromantic, this album is a journey through soundscapes that while tonally dark and somewhat minimal are nonetheless rich and detailed. A desire to experiment with no consideration for the needs of the dancefloor or the DJ booth has led Books to produce a body of work designed purely for listening, and it’s all the more powerful for that focus.
The Station LP is out now at a variety of digital stores; follow this link to grab a copy.
Those who like their D&B on the gnarly side should already be familiar with Czech producer Forbidden Society and his uncompromising brand of darkstep beats. His latest release continues in a similar vein, with four new tracks of heavy hitting bass and beats.
Criminal opens the salvo with a half-time intro and a catchy vocal sample before a full tempo drop featuring heavy kicks and snares. Monger switches things up with a more spacious beat, filling in the space with some seriously aggressive bassline action.
Stress has unfortunately been the subject of some animosity on the part of Receptor (drama fans can read Receptor’s post here and Forbidden Society’s reply here) but it still proves a blasting slice of glitched up hardstep D&B. Finally the EP closes out with Donny’s absolutely belting remix of Heavy Metal Tank, featuring his trademark metallic snares and a monstrous morphing bassline.
Check out the clips below and grab the EP at your favourite digital outlet now.
Breakcore legend Venetian Snares has been digging in the archives and has come up with the long out of print printf<“shiver in eternal darkness/n”>; LP, which is now available via his bandcamp page. The LP is packed full of the unmistakeable Venetian Snares cutup sound, but bears a distinctly more jungle-influenced vibe than some of his other more raved up material such as Pink + Green or Chocolate Wheelchair. Dark, industrial sounds, heavy bass, chopped up breaks and hard static are present throughout.
The re-release also features some bonus tracks that never made it out originally, and you can grab the whole thing for a measily $8 straight from bandcamp. Check it out and grab yourself a copy below!
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