Classic Track: Nomis & Optiv – Piston

Posted on 26th February 2020 by Luke Kessler

The recent passing of the venerable Edward Holmes, better known as Optiv, has been a time to celebrate his body of work. A stalwart in the pantheon of Drum & Bass luminaries, Optiv’s impact will live on forever. One such work by Nomis and Optiv sticks out indelibly for me in a lineup of classics from the Cause 4 Concern camp, released on Optiv’s Red Light Records.

Piston is an underrated 2002 track that can stand with the best bass bangers in the genre. I love to crank the dial on this tune to get the full effect of its behemoth bass…yet, I always end up having to bring it down a notch or two just because of its sheer force. Intensity is further mounted by the frantic cacophony of howls and shrieks that ensnare the atmosphere. And what’s a song in the C4C domain without slick drum sequencing? This track has it in spades. Sonorous grooves beat away in this brute force classic. Long live Optiv!

Written by Luke Kessler

Q&A – Jef Methlab

Posted on 20th May 2016 by DNB Dojo

With a fresh compilation EP dropping on Bad Taste today and a host of new ventures recently announced, Methlab continue to make powerful moves in the neurofunk world. To find out more we grabbed the agency boss Jef and Kloe from Bad Taste Recordings for a chat about why he started Methlab, collaborating with Bad Taste and his thoughts on the neuro scene today. Check it out…

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Competition: Win a copy of the Peace of Mind LP!

Posted on 7th May 2016 by DNB Dojo

Featuring some seriously heavyweight new beats from leading players and rising stars in the neurofunk scene alike, Mindtech’s Peace of Mind LP is a force to be reckoned with and then some; essential listening for fans of hard impact, forward thinking D&B sounds.

The nice folk at Mindtech have given us a CD of the album and some stickers to give away to one lucky winner! To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is like the DNB Dojo Facebook page, like the Mindtech Recordings Facebook page, and send an email to competitions@dnbdojo.co.uk with your name & address and the subject line “Mindtech Competition”. The winner will be drawn on May 21st.

Meanwhile you can check out clips of the album below – hit up Beatport or the Mindtech store to grab a copy right now.

Zero Method – Deep Fields LP [Red Light Records]

Posted on 1st September 2015 by DNB Dojo

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!

Various – Multiverse EP [Renegade Hardware]

Posted on 6th June 2014 by DNB Dojo

Hardware continue their unstoppable onslaught of neurofunk batterers with a fresh new EP of collabs from some of the biggest names on their roster. Maztek & Cern team up for the titular Multiverse, dropping big beats and a disgusting, squelchy set of bassline modulations. Next up regular duo Optiv & BTK get together with Cold Fusion on a techstep roller that harnesses the spirit of 90s sci-fi influenced D&B to great effect.

The pick of the bunch for me comes on Dose & Cern’s irresistible One At A Time – rolling breaks, tight atmospheres and a memorable vocal snippet combine for a lethal dose of dancefloor tech with some tasty drum edits for added flavour. Finally the label’s upstarts get together to close out the EP with a solid slice of glitched up neurofunk from Subtension, Trilo & Minor Rain. Check out the clips below and grab this on vinyl and digital from June 9th.

As an added bonus, Subtension has recorded a cheeky studio mix to promote the release and it’s packed full of fresh dubs from the man himself alongside tracks from the EP and cuts from the wider world of D&B, all with a rolling techy vibe. Check it out!

Optiv & CZA – Dead Beat / Ziplock [Cause4Concern]

Posted on 29th December 2013 by DNB Dojo

Optiv & CZA continue their fine trend of hook-based rolling techstep with a pair of straight up dancefloor killers for Cause4Concern Recordings. Full-roll beats, dark modulated bass and that instantly recognisable C4C sound…there’s not much more to say really! Check out the clips below and watch out for the release dropping from Jan 6th.

In The Mix…Esion

Posted on 17th October 2013 by DNB Dojo

Automate head honcho Esion gets on the 1s and 2s to deliver a stomping 75 minute mix of wall to wall neurofunk bangers. The tracklist speaks for itself really with beasting tracks from the likes of Prolix, Black Sun Empire, Break, The Upbeats, Noisia, Spor and Ed Rush to name just a few. Check it out below and grab yourself a free download in 320!

Optiv & BTK – Bad Attitude [Blackout]

Posted on 9th May 2013 by DNB Dojo

Black Sun Empire launch their new Blackout Imprint in style with an EP of huge new beats from Optiv & BTK. Fans of the duo’s previous work on Virus, Dutty Audio and beyond should definitely check this out, big bad neurofunk stompers all the way and engineered with the precision we’ve come to know and love. Check out the clips below and look out for the EP dropping May 16th via Beatport.

Optiv & CZA – Bring It Back [SGN:Ltd]

Posted on 20th February 2013 by DNB Dojo

Optiv & CZA (both of Cause4Concern fame) have teamed up to make a 12″ for Shogun sub-label SGN:Ltd and it’s a bit of a belter! Bring It Back has all the hallmarks of an old school rave tune on the intro, with classic synth stabs and soft pads building things up. When it drops…well, just listen for yourself below! This one will be huge!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JQE7eTGeh0]

Watch out for the release on March 11th.

DNB Dojo

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