Apparently top quality Drum & Bass albums are likes buses…you wait a while for one, then four come along all at once! November has seen the release of some absolutely essential artist LPs, so we though it only right to give you a quick roundup…read on for our thoughts on the new records from Philth, Misanthrop, Kimyan Law and Klute.
Frequent Phace collaborator, one half of Neosignal, and general all around neuro don; when it comes to credentials few hold a set as impressive as Misanthrop, and while most of his work is done in collaboration his solo releases are no less worthy. Following on from the impressive Greed of Gain EP a year and a half back, Misanthrop now touches down on Blackout with four fresh new tracks exploring his unique take on the neurofunk style.
Interestingly the EP’s opener and title track is easily it’s most restrained and most rhythmic in nature, focussing on punchy drums and progression over aggressive mid range; definitely one for building things up before smashing them down later in a set. The rest of the EP heads for more peak-time neurofunk territory, with Capitalism, Big Data and Rock’n’roll all kicking down the door with the appropriate level of absolute fury! Stomping stuff.
Check out the clips below and look for this on Beatport now, with full release following from May 4th.
Following our run down of our favourite albums of the year, we felt it was only right to put the spotlight on our top tracks. These are the ten tunes that haven’t left our record box since their release…
Fans of Prolix will know what to expect from his latest output – the Transcendent EP sees him teaming up with some of the biggest names in the neurofunk scene for an all out assault on your senses, and the results are pure dancefloor destruction. Highlights include the supreme midrange aggression of the titular Transcendent (with Neosignal’s Misanthrop), the hard snares and off kilter riddims of Vital Condition (with MC Coppa on vocals) and the big gnarly stomper that is Next Level (featuring Offkey alumni Meth).
Check out the clips below and grab this one from Beatport now.
The build up for Hybris forthcoming LP for Invisible Recordings continues with Garbage Truck, the second single from the album following last month’s Timeloop. The lead track is an angular, clattering drum workout with beats dropping like bombs from every angle and robotic bass squelching in and out of the mix. Night Boss provides something a bit more rolling, and brings to mind the excellent early singles from Phace & Misanthrop’s Neosignal catalogue.
Perhaps no surprise then that the release is closed out with a remix from none other than Misanthrop! The German neuro producer makes Garbage Truck his own, amping the tension on the intro and replacing the madcap breaks with a rolling beat driven along by techno style bass stabs. Check out the clips below and look out for the single dropping from Monday August 11th on Beatport, with general release to follow from August 25th.
Neosignal continue their relentless assault on the futuristic 170 sound with another storming solo EP, this time from Misanthrop. Deadlock certainly defies expectations in terms of what we’ve come to expect from the German producer, mixing equal parts techno, dub and minimal D&B to create a relentlessly hypnotic and tribally rhythmic tune.
The titular Greed of Gain treads more familiar territory with a tearing mid-range growls and huge metallic snares dominating the composition after a synthy 80s intro. Out into Catch-22 and Misanthrop is breaking the mould again, combining the usual disgusting basslines with a plodding kick-snare drum line that only gives way to a tumbling full roll in the latter part of the track.
Last up System Crash ends the EP with the highest octane number of all, with stark lead stabs punctuating a maelstrom of full tilt drum breaks and cutting reese lines. Look out for the EP dropping November 25th on Digital and December 9th on limited edition vinyl.
Central Beatz resident and Dispatch Records sleeve designer LD50 has been behind the decks once again and recorded a tidy mix of the latest tech and neuro D&B, and neither the mixing nor the selection disappoints! With great new tunes from the likes of Mefjus, Phace, Misanthrop, The Upbeats, C4C and more, the mix hits all the right spots. Check it out below and grab yourself a free download!
Following the release of 2011’s Energy EP, the Neosignal camp have been somewhat quiet, with the exception of a few excellent remixes and some vague chitchat about a revolutionary album that they apparently have in the works for Noisia’s Division imprint.
It seems they’ve been busy behind the scenes, as witnessed by the unveiling of four great new tracks that will be released over two parts as the Motor EP. Part 1 features the excellently crafted if somewhat predictable Motor; motorbike bass is the order of the day here. The flipside on the other hand features a shining collaboration with rising Austrian star Mefjus; trademark neosignal warped bass and some great drum lines combine with high pitched synth stabs to create that top-notch futuristic sound we’ve come to know and love.
Over on Part 2 the duo switch things up with Waveform. Featuring a stark, hip-hop-ish intro, followed by robotic vocoder work and a synth line that brings to mind Kraftwerk or Daft Punk, you almost wonder if they’ve turned a corner into entirely new territory before the bass drop smashes you across the face and you remember you’re listening to a Phace production.
For the final track Phace has teamed up with the mighty Noisia to deliver a slightly more stripped back number; the impact here is all in the funky drum lines, with the bassline taking a slightly more understated role.
Watch out for both parts of the EP dropping on digital from Mar 22nd and limited vinyl from April 1st.