Tag Archives: Jazz

Delta – EP-1 [Microdot]

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Younger heads may not recognise the name Delta, but older D&B fans (and particularly connoisseurs of the deeper end of the sound) should recognise him from his productions in the early 00s alongside production partner Format. Their concise but influential discography from that period is well worth a look, with cuts on legendary labels like Dread, Creative Source, Reinforced and Hospital for those who fancy crate digging a little.

Fast forward to 2017 and Delta is back with a fresh EP on the pair’s resurrected Microdot label. The pioneering and experimental spirit remains as exciting as it was 15 years ago; there’s an old school aesthetic at play, with everything from classic vocal sampling techniques to acid-y basslines weaved into the tracks. Opener Dreaming From The Hip combines a hint of b-boy funk a-la-Paradox with rolling breaks and soft pads more reminiscent of the old “intelligent D&B” style. Feel meanwhile takes things tougher, with hard edged rhythms and a stabbing set of vocal cut-ups punctuated by sections of warping analogue bass bleeps.

Kundalini Serpent goes out into jazz jam territory, combining a playful break and bassline with echoing piano and sax for a distinctly unusual take on the D&B sound. Last but not least, Second Wave throws the 2-step beats out of the window for a hypnotic bass-loop workout driven along by a truly bizarre drum arrangement. Lilting, swung and spaced out, this is possibly our favourite track on the release, and it sounds like nothing else you’ve heard this year.

Overall this EP shows a true pioneer of the sound back in the groove and on fine form. Broaden your horizons and head to the Microdot Bandcamp to pre-order a copy now on vinyl or digital. The release drops August 11th.

Boston – Panoramic EP [Symmetry]

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We’ve been eagerly awaiting new music from Boston since his last release for Symmetry and true to form he’s back on Break’s imprint with four new silky smooth rollers that glide along effortlessly.

As with previous releases, Boston’s compositions are characterised by live guitar licks, crisp percussion, rich synths and a hint of jazz. That hint of jazz is handled subtly too, unlike some of the rather sax-heavy “jazz’n’bass” stylings employed by other producers in the scene, and that subtlety really makes the music shine.

Treading that beautifully fine line between being musical enough for the living room and hefty enough for the club with style and aplomb, this is another superb EP from a producer whose style has found the perfect home on Symmetry. Absolutely lush. Check out the clips below and hit up your favourite store to grab a copy right now.

Soul Intent – Late Night Sleaze EP [Lossless]

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Soul Intent has been really impressing us here at the Dojo lately and his latest work on his own Lossless Music imprint proves no exception to that rule. The Late Night Sleaze EP collects four cheeky rollers imbued with plenty of character and soul, walking a pleasant line between dancefloor chops and musical deftness.

1,2,3,4 kicks off the release, featuring old school hero DJ Tango and a combination of twangy double bass and rolling breakbeats which should put a skip in your step and a smile on your face; low slung and funky as hell. Go Hustle takes things murkier, skuzzing out the bass behind some tasty jazz licks for a solid head-nodder.

Late Night Sleaze continues that jazz theme, with sultry saxophone riffs accompanying another satisfyingly chunky break for a tune that positively oozes class. Eyes might even meet on the dancefloor over this one! Last but not least, Nearly There spaces things way out for an epic downtempo jam, reverb drenched snares echoing out into the distance behind the mournful piano riff for a proper tug at the heartstrings.

It’s always great to hear artists proving that drum & bass can be about emotion as well as just making your feet move, and this EP more than accomplishes that feat. Check out the clips below and hit up the Lossless Bandcamp to get a copy direct from the source on vinyl or digital now.

DNB Dojo Mix Series 18: Hydro & War

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MixSeries18_Hydro_War

For the latest in our exclusive mix series we’re extremely excited to welcome Utopia Music’s Hydro & War to the DNB Dojo decks. The boys have crafted a fantastic mix spanning rolling techstep, deep halftime, downtempo, hip-hop ambient and even a little jazz. We hope you’ll all enjoy the varied selections as much as we do!

No tracklist on this one but be sure to listen out for Hydro, War & Mateba’s latest cut for Utopia, 87, and forthcoming Hydro, Habstrakt, War & Mateba cut The New Age (again out on Utopia very soon).

As usual you can check out the mix via Soundcloud below or head to Mixcloud, Hearthis.at or iTunes to stream. You can also grab a download from Dropbox.

Saxxon – New Adventures In Modern Jazz [Liquid V]

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The latest release from Liquid V sees Saxxon turning in something a little different as he applies live jazz trumpet from Jon Scott to the Drum & Bass template. The tracks have that classic Liquid V vibe to them, with rolling breaks and playful basslines layered under Jon’s bright and brassy tones.

The two styles blend pretty effortlessly, and it’s a welcome change from the more common styles within the scene right now. Check out the clips below and hit up the Liquid V store to grab a copy now.

Need For Mirrors & HLZ – Opium Dream EP [Fokuz Recordings]

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Need For Mirrors & HLZ reunite once again in the studio to bring us something a little “out there” for Fokuz Recordings. One foot remains firmly planted on the dancefloor throughout the Opium Dream EP but the pair seem nonetheless unafraid to explore more unusual musical influences.

Slash proves the most straight forward track on the release, with crisp breaks and warm bass combining for subby dancefloor roller. Opium Dream meanwhile explores some pretty psychedelic territory with mad saxaphone samples echoing in and out of the mix over a backbone of sturdy beats and bass.

Out into the second half of the EP Nostalgia continues the eclectic sampling with creepy chiming melodies, while Pinch provides a relatively stripped back composition with a few more unusual atmospherics layered over the top. Overall this is a nice little EP that proves you can play around with a massive range of musical styles within the basic D&B template. Check out the clips below and look for this on vinyl and digital right now!

Touchwood – Ad Astra EP [Reserve Audio]

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Czech label Reserve Audio return with a fresh new EP from Touchwood. The tracks blur the boundaries on the edges of 85/170BPM electronica, taking in spacey melodies and a hint of jazz, and bring to mind some of the releases on the (sadly now defunct) Space Cadets imprint.

Starglider lives up to it’s name with lush synthwork and a generally “out there” vibe, while Zen Garden heads into that loungey downtempo territory that The Flashbulb has turned his hand to so well in the past. Mothership brings a darker and more ominous tone to the table, with bleepy melodies over a backdrop of growling bass and intricate percussion. Last but not least, Back in 1995 provides a love letter to the classic “intelligent D&B” of Good Looking and the like.

Overall this is a really enjoyable listen – if you like your electronica a bit on the cerebral side or just want a change from the endless dancefloor bangers, definitely give this a listen. The tracks are available now at the Reserve Audio Bandcamp and all good digital stores.

Alaska – Jasheri / Zoranine [Arctic Music]

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Paradox kicks off the year with a slice of beautiful, atmospheric drumfunk under his Alaska moniker. Jasheri is truly lush, soaring strings and understated sub-bass punctuated by crisp, elegant drum breaks which while heavily syncopated convey no sense of impatience whatsoever. Despite the tempo, this is music to lose yourself in, not music to lose it to.

Zoranine heads for even deeper territory, swapping the uplifting synths of the A side for equally lush but slightly more melancholy tones. Flute, oboe, xylophone and subtle touches of guitar all play into a true musical masterpiece, laid out to a downtempo back beat.

As usual with Paradox’s releases you can pick this up on beautiful limited edition snow-white vinyl, available to pre-order now from Surus. Watch out for the release dropping from January 10th.