Another month has slipped by and another quality selection has crossed the Dojo inbox, so it’s time for the best of the rest, or as Deficit put it last time “Its like Top Of The Pops but better”. Read on for the latest from Inception Audio, Eatbrain, Syncopix, HLZ and more…
Soul Intent’s latest sublabel for Lossless Music, Dope Plates, keeps things retro with three new slices of old school-tinged breakbeat jungle goodness. To celebrate the label’s launch, we asked Alex to give us his Top 5 90s Jungle classics. Serious selections! Read on for Alex’s thoughts on each track…
Metalheadz have been on quite a roll for the last couple of years; after arguably a little bit of a lull their recent release schedule has seen a stream of quality releases that even other labels of similar heritage have struggled to match. Their latest offering from Total Science continues that recent trend, bringing five tracks of crisp, forward thinking D&B to the table in typical ‘headz style.
Opener Notes of Blue is undoubtedly a nod to the legendary Blue Note sessions from the late 90s that proved such a formative time for so many notable D&B producers. Eerie sound designs and the merest hints of jazz combine with deep dubby sub and beautifully processed breaks for a track that is at once playful and thoughtful.
That trend for “thinking man’s” D&B continues throughout the EP, with one foot rooted firmly on the dance floor while the other meanders off into less genre bound territory. From the soft vocal manipulations of Soul For Sale through the tough jungle breaks and dubbed out echoes of Contraband, the EP works well both as a DJ tool and a selection of tracks for the listener alike.
Digital bonus tracks All Massive and Man Down round the selection out with two odes to the classic era of 90s D&B referenced in the EP’s title; the old school samples and the style of break manipulation still sound fresh today, and those polished modern mixdowns give them some serious punch.
We were pretty sure that Metalheadz and Total Science would prove to be a winning combination but this EP outstripped our already high expectations admirably. Check out the clips below and hit up the ‘headz store to grab a copy now.
As another fortnight slips away it’s time for another roundup of the best of the rest from the Dojo inbox. Read on for fresh releases from SpectraSoul, Philth, Quentin Hiatus, Dead Man’s Chest and more… Continue reading
Beat Machine continue their Swinging Flavors 7″ series with a cracking new Jungle/Footwork crossover from Lynch Kingsley & Block Mameli. From the hypnotic eastern-tinged string lick to the strong ragga vocal from Mameli the tune just oozes character, and we’re big fans of the syncopated beat structure that Lynch has been honing across his releases over the last few years.
Over on the flip Hungarian-born but now US-based DJ MADD flips the tune around, keeping the central character but taking the riddim in a different direction with elements of dub, socca and trap working their way into the mix for a slightly more laid back vibe. Another wicked entry in what’s proving to be a really innovative series from Beat Machine; check out the clips below and hit up their store to grab it on vinyl or digital right now!
Messrs Binga & Unit are back with another cheeky slice of white label shenaniganery following the success of their Transatlantic EP. The pair have gone in on a selection of experimental beats for this one, with one eye on the dancefloor but probably another three eyes elsewhere.
Windmill Kick opens the salvo with a ruffneck slice of chopped up jungle sporting a distinctly grime-influenced synth melody. It’s a perfect example of the sort of genre-clashing production that makes their work so exciting, and it’s more than capable of moving a dancefloor to boot; wicked stuff.
Big Kev changes tack completely, bringing together footwork, hip-hop and a squelching acid line for an outing remeniscent of Fracture, Spinn & Taso’s recent Acid Claps; apparently great minds think alike! 1000 Cats keeps the riddims shuffling but airs things out with a fantastic psych-tinged melody, leaving it to Planetary Reboot to go full-mental and close the EP with a droning, beatless synth-noise wash.
We’re suckers for a good white label here at the Dojo and it’s fantastic to hear two producers as talented as Om Unit & Sam Binga flowing free with their sonic whims, unshackled by labels or genre pigeon-holes. Roll on the next instalment! Hit up the BUNIT Bandcamp to grab a copy now, but move fast; if this one sells as well as the first release did it won’t be on their shelves for long.
One for the b-boys, turntablists and producers today as we take a quick look at Paradox Music’s latest release, Wax Breaks. Doing exactly what it says on the tin, the LP features 16 funky fresh breaks for scratching, sampling, rapping over, or just listening to while you eat your breakfast cereal if that’s your thing.
True to the name and true to the aesthetics of the classic break/scratch records this plate pays homage too, this one is available on vinyl only. It’s already sold out at the Paradox Music store but copies are still available at Samurai and Eastern Bloc…move fast if you want to lay hands on this!
Lynch Kingsley continues his impressive run of releases with three new tracks for long-running London imprint Inperspective. The results are outstanding, taking the musicality of Lynch’s work to a new level while retaining the tasty break chopping that has always characterised his beats.
Vision of Suffering kicks things off with a dark, moody take on old school jungle-tinged techstep; eerie pads, heavy breaks and massive sub hits drive this one along nicely. The track manages to maintain a threatening vibe without ever veering into more tearout territory and the crunchy drum work really makes it stand out.
Minutes of Silence continues in a similar vein, with a beautiful guitar lick intro giving way to frenetic break chopping business. Last but not least, Eden touches down with huge distorted bass hits and helter-skelter drums that veer in and out of the mix at breakneck pace. The second half sees the tune drop into a serene, ambient breakdown before switching things up into less angsty drumfunk riddims for a really tidy progression.
The drum programming on show here is top notch from start to finish; fans of Mako, Paradox and Photek should be all over this. You can pick the EP up right now via the Inperspective Bandcamp page so check out the clips and go grab a copy!
Once again we’ve been inundated with quality music in the Dojo inbox and despite the bonus extra day February has vanished before we could write it all up! Here’s some coverage of the best of the rest including new music from Alix Perez & Ivy Lab, Calibre, Hanover, SCAR, Bone and more…
After the success of his much lauded Loving Touch EP Fracture returns to Exit with another top selection of raved up riddims which showcase his knack for melding dancefloor chops with intriguing stylistic experiments and varied the results are too.
Makin’ Hype Tracks kicks things off with another ravey smasher in the vein of Fracture’s excellent remix of DJ Monita’s Luv Ta Luv Ya, blending footwork influences with crisp jungle breaks and a tint of the old school. This one will absolutely be doing the damage in the clubs! Black Pearl immediately flips the script, keeping the crunchy jungle-style breaks but setting them to a more liquid-y set of pads and vocal cuts for a blend of the frantic and the serene.
The appropriately titled Acid Claps sees Teklife footwork originators Taso & Spinn on board for a track that lives up to it’s name with squelchy acid lines and tons of 808 clap action. Wonky business! Last up, I Just brings things full circle with another blend of breakneck syncopations and bassweight.
Personally I can’t get enough of Fracture’s work and that of similar producers like Moresounds and Fixate; this blend of the old and the new is absolutely infectious, and long may it last! Check out the clips below and hit up the Exit Store right now to grab a copy on vinyl or digital. Hype Hype!