How time flies! It seems like only yesterday we received the first Addictive Behaviour release in the Dojo inbox, but 2018 sees the label celebrating five years in the game, and their output has never been stronger. To mark the occasion they’ve dropped a massive compilation LP featuring twenty three brand new tracks alongside fourteen classics from the back catalogue, so we thought it mighty appropriate to ask the label bosses for their Top 5 from the Addictive vault. Read on for their choices…
2016 is a weird time for D&B labels. With the tendency towards more rapid release schedules and the increasingly crowded marketplace, it can be tough for a label to forge a distinctive sound and identity while fighting not to get lost in the wash. With that in mind, Addictive Behaviour’s accomplishments are all the more impressive.
With a commitment to quality over quantity, an eye catching visual brand and some seriously heavyweight artists on the roster, Addictive Behaviour are already floating to the top of the pack after two short years with no signs of stopping. Read on for our top 5 from the label’s back catalogue.
Neurofunk fans should already be more than familiar with Optiv’s Red Light Records imprint, responsible as it is for putting out hard hitting, futuristic D&B for the past 13 years. Their latest offering comes from Hungarian producer Zero Method who brings a full length LP to the table, and the results don’t disappoint!
The first thing that struck me upon listening to Deep Fields is the consistency of tone present throughout the album. The tracks are varied in composition, but the body of work feels very coherent; not merely 11 tunes thrown together, but a journey through thematically similar and deliberately placed tracks. That tone is undeniably mechanical, carrying a ruthlessness and efficiency which gives the album a really single-minded vibe.
There aren’t many surprises in terms of style here but the level of detail and robustness of the tracks makes up for any shortfall in genre innovation, and if you’re looking for well polished neurofunk with an undeniable groove it’s difficult to fault this LP. Check out the clips below and hit up your favourite digital outlet to grab a copy right now!
Addictive Behaviour celebrate their first birthday this month with a podcast from new signing Artifact and a free release featuring a track from him and new beats from TR Tactics and L33. We figured it was high time to catch up with the crew for a chat, so read on for the lowdown on all things AB.
Dabs and Grotesque’s have brought together a fierce selection of tracks for their Avantgarde Recordings imprint’s first LP, and fans of the deep but techy end of the D&B spectrum will definitely not be disappointed with the result!
Highlights include M-zine, Skepticz and Matt Pulsa’s tight, techy workout on Fumes, Fade’s big, bad reese bass driven business on Swarm and the grimy minimalist stylings of Kush T, who teams up with Serge on Hyperspace. Sadly only a few of the clips are only so far, but keep an eye on the Avantgarde soundcloud for more, and watch out for the LP dropping from October 20th. We’ve also lined up an exclusive mix from some of the Avantgarde crew so hold tight for that one soon!
Future Sounds of Sofia are a relatively new Bulgarian D&B team who, having spent the last few years running events and bringing all manner of underground talent to their native land, are now branching out and starting their own label. Their first release showcases 13 tracks from Bulgarian producers spanning a variety of styles, from upfront tech and neuro to deeper minimal and liquid tunes.
Familiar names make the roster by way of tracks from Cooh and L33, who both contribute slabs of hefty, rolling tech funk. Similarly banging beats are available from lesser known producers such as Smartech and Ogonek, who contributes an interesting track bringing together melodic elements with an absolutely rattling drum/bass underpin.
Deeper vibes come from Presize’s minimal drum workout Initial and Underspawn & Robustus’ jazzy liquid roller Scotty & The Sun God, the latter of which stood out for me as a nicely polished slice of deep yet dancefloor oriented beats. You can hear clips of some of the tracks below so check it out and head over to the FSS Bandcamp page to pre-order the album on CD or digital, dropping October 6th.
New label Addictive Behaviour launch their debut release with a selection of tight, techy beats from four of the hottest up and coming producers on the scene. Detail opens the salvo with Lost Time, a slice of robotic funk that takes a few pages from the book of Phace, without going in quite as hard as the German neuro don tends to hit us. Next up Eastcolors delivers the twisted, warped sounds of Mad Day. Eerie synth sounds on the intro give way to groaning modulated bass and a driving drum beat that keeps the tune rolling along with a fearsome precision.
L33 offers up some interesting sounds on Discrete, with what sounds like plucked strings blending nicely with a minimal yet techy composition. Finally Minor Rain takes us on an old-school tinted ride, modern neurofunk bass combining nicely with the classic synth stabs of early Virus Recordings material. Equal parts dancefloor sensibilities, technicality and attention to detail, fans of the cleverer side of techstep should definitely give this EP a look. Check out the clips below and pick up a copy now!
DJ Enorme steps up to deliver the second episode of our exclusive mix series! Enorme started building his rep in the UK scene under the guise of Doom Boy and soon started making regular appearances around the north of England warming up for names like Andy C, Shy FX, Noisia, TC and more at nights including Turbulence, Curves, Bass Militia, Lockdown and the now defunct Syndicate.
Since moving to The Netherlands, Enorme now represents the deeper side of Techstep, holding down a residency at Drum Addict in Amsterdam and presenting the Blackdub podcast with regular mixes from upcoming and established artists alike. For this mix he’s dropped a tidy selection of forthcoming releases alongside some older classics, keeping things simmering nicely with deep but rugged beats. Check it out below and grab a free download from Mediafire, or check out the mix over on Mixcloud.
Chris Octane – Synthetics [Forthcoming CO:RE]
Arclight – Pluroform (Raiden Remix) [Forthcoming AutomAte Tech]
Cern – Hollow Moon [Dispatch Recordings]
Andy Pain & Z Connection – Outsider [Demand Records]
Hybris – Face Of Change [Dispatch Recordings Freebie]
Freeze – Calm Your Ego [Proximity Recordings Freebie]
Nymfo – Air Jacks [Commercial Suicide]
Naibu – Use Of Weapons (Fracture & Neptune’s Astrophonica Remix) [Warm Communications]
Clarity – Cold Blank [Samurai Music]
???? – ???? [????]
Isotone – Trip [Obsessions]
L33 – Ironic [Syndrome Audio]
Icicle – Dreadnaught feat. SP:MC [Shogun Audio]
Cause4Concern – Paranormal [Cause4Concern Recordings]
2Sides & Kije – Black Planet [Structured Music]
Survival & Silent Witness – Speedbag [Dispatch Recordings Freebie]
FD – Blue Sky Research (Sun & Bass VIP) [Sun & Bass Recordings]
Zero T – Tavistock Dub [Nu Directions]