This week’s classic comes straight outta the ‘headz archives as we wind back to 2005 and the threatening vibes of Hive’s Krush. Exemplifying the harder D&B style of that period, the chopped up breaks, reese bass and rave stabs on this one are still more than capable of sending a few shivers up the spine. Hectic business! Check it out below and hit up discogs if you’re keen to grab a copy…
Mikal’s journey through the D&B scene has been long and varied, with appearances on a host of labels since his debut single back in 2007. The bulk of his recent material has been for Metalheadz, and it’s Goldie’s label that is stepping up to release his debut LP, Wilderness.
Perhaps the first thing that jumped out at me about this album is how “headz” it sounds; the label family have managed to craft a very distinctive sound in recent years and while each of the producers in question have their own unique take on that sound, there is a common thread running through it. It could be a shared appreciation of the heritage of the D&B sound, or a slightly old school tinge to the material, but either way if you’ve enjoyed recent releases from SCAR, Jubei or Om Unit then you’ll probably find Mikal’s new album floats your boat.
That’s not to say this is a copycat work, merely that there is a commonality of tone and vibe running through the recent headz releases. The distinctive feature which sets Mikal’s take on this sound apart from Om Unit’s halftime business or SCAR’s slick rollers is definitely the use of rhythm; tracks like At The Controls and The Ruff Life eschew the more traditional 2-step beat patterns for unusual, skittering syncopations which keep the listener guessing. The symbiosis between these unusual rhythms and the basslines and textures gives the tracks an undeniable groove and character, keeping things rapid without leaning too heavily on genre tropes.
Mikal has recruited some fantastic guests to aid him in conjuring said rhythms, with Xtrah, RIOT, Break and Chimpo all on board for a track each and some of the albums best moments. Chimpo’s distinctive vocal stylings certainly aren’t getting old for this reviewer, and he’s on fine form on the clattering drum workout of Brain Matter.
If you enjoy dark D&B with an emphasis on absolutely stunning drum programming then this is absolutely the LP for you, and it’s great to see an artist given the space to create an album of tonally consistent material that can focus on rhythm with such purity and purpose. Check out the clips below and hit up the Metalheadz store to grab a copy on vinyl, CD or digital right now.
2016 is already looking like a great year for drum & bass, so without further ado we’ll be taking a look at some of the worthy releases that have hit the Dojo inbox so far this year. Read on for new beats from Genotype, PIN, Sully and more… Continue reading
Metalheadz continue their absolutely stellar run of recent releases with a single from label boss Goldie. Broken Man brings in a heart-wrenching vocal from young soul vocalist Kwabs and generally eschews D&B conventions to focus on a more “song” style composition, with the other sonic elements all serving to lift and empower the vocal in the mix. It definitely won’t be for everyone but for our money this is a cracking piece of music, charged with emotion and not seeking anyone’s approval.
Over on the flip Ivy Lab’s Halogenix delivers a sleek remix that should tick all the requisite boxes for fans of the deep liquid roller, and certainly makes the track a bit more DJ friendly. Expect to hear this reached for late in the night, and possibly the subject of some cheeky double drops with heftier tunes. Top class from Metalheadz once again; check out the clips below and hit up their store to grab it on vinyl or digital now.
This week’s Dojo Damager comes courtesy of the Metalheadz camp as they wind up for the release of Artificial Intelligence’s new Timeline LP later this month. For the first LP sampler’s exclusive track AI have teamed up with fellow ‘headz alumni SCAR for a perfect blend of the rough and the smooth, and it’s been doing the damage here at Dojo HQ!
Lulling us into a false sense of security with a lush, soulful intro before piling into a scuzzy bassline and those indestructibly solid breaks, Letting It Go is sure to rip up any dancefloor with its pure rolling danger. Heavy business! Hit up the Metalheadz store to grab the sampler on vinyl or digital now and watch for the full album dropping Nov 20th.
October has seen an unbelievably large amount of music land in the Dojo inbox, so we picked out our favourite of the pack of recent and shortly forthcoming releases. Read on for new beats from Seba, Stoner & Dotter Poison, Moresounds and more! Continue reading
SCAR are a perfect example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. While Survival and Script are both respectable producers with plenty of solid titles in their respective discographies, their collaborative material as SCAR is a level above, a fact that has led to their rapid ascent through the scene over the past year.
Their latest work for Metalheadz finds them on fine form, exploring deeper musical elements while retaining that rolling techstep heft that defined their first few releases. The title track exemplifies this perfectly, with lush musicality on the intro giving way to a punchy rollout in the verse, and punchy as hell it is too.
Elsewhere Your Move feels like a nod to the classic ‘headz tracks of yesteryear, bringing together chopped breaks and pad-based psychedelia for a fantastic drum workout drenched in muted euphoria and longing. Fall From Grace meanwhile takes an angsty turn, with creepy vocals echoing through the intro before a heavy angular drop, all meaty kicks and snarling reese.
Asides from their obvious talents for groove and engineering, SCAR are managing to inject more emotion into their work than is to be found in the wealth of bombastic but ultimately soulless dance music released every day. For that they should definitely be applauded, so check out the clips below and go grab the EP on vinyl or digital now!
Commercial Suicide boss and production badman Tom Klute celebrates 20 years in the game this year and with a new EP out on Metalheadz we thought it was high time for a chat! Read on for his thoughts on analogue synths, track titles and the best of the ‘headz back catalogue.
After a strong showing for the Metalheadz XX series Friske returns with another solid EP, this time for ‘headz Platinum. The work follows on nicely from where the last EP left off, providing tough groove-led techstep with a hint of soul.
DLR & Ant TC1 step up with a super crisp remix of Requisite to open the EP before clearing the floor for Friske to do his thing. True to form the man serves up a pair of solid head-nodding rollers in the form of the hypnotic Temperamental and the smooth, jazzy tones of Down.
Out into the back end of the EP things get a bit more old-skool in flavour, with some rougher break chopping and classic vocal slices filtering through the mix on Your Loving before Question closes things out on a darker and more militant tip. Tasty business all round as usual from one of the leading labels in the scene! Check out the clips below and hit up the Metalheadz store to grab a copy on vinyl or digital now.
Mako’s blend of tough yet nuanced techstep has won him plenty of plaudits over the last couple of years, with releases across some of the best labels in the scene, and his latest work for Metalheadz sees him at the top of his game.
There’s an old school tinge to a lot of the work here, eschewing the hyper-technicality of modern D&B in favour of simple but effective basslines and detailed break chopping, a combo which proves just as weighty and just an energetic as any of the ultra modern productions found elsewhere. Possibly the finest example on this release comes on The Gap, an exercise in high octane percussion concussion in collaboration with frequent partner in crime Fields. The tension and intricacy of the track are pretty breathtaking, giving the impression that every completed work for Mako is a labour of love.
Shades of classic scene originators (notably Photek) can be heard in the EP, but Mako’s talent is undoubtedly his ability to draw on these influences for inspiration without merely copycatting them. In a scene where originality is soon packaged and immitated, Mako succeeds in standing apart from other producers; The Narrator is a record that is distinctly ‘headz while at the same time not quite like anything else on their recent roster.
Overall if you’re looking for something with heft and soul in equal measure, this should be right up your alley. Check out the clips below and hit up the Metalheadz store to grab it on vinyl or digital right now.