We’re digging in the Neosignal vaults for today’s classic, back to 2008 and the label’s first release. Cold Champagne may not have the sheer dancefloor heft of some of Phace’s other work but the crisp sonic detailing, smooth atmospheric pads, precise beats and booming sub bass make it a more than worthy addition to any neurofunk head’s collection. Check it out below and head to the Neosignal store to grab a copy.
It’s difficult to imagine that anyone can have missed this given the massive pre-release hype via UKF, Noisia’s Facebook feed and many other channels, but in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last few weeks and haven’t heard the news, Noisia are back with a brand new EP of hefty neurofunk.
Featuring 8 tracks including new collaborations with Phace, Prolix and Evol Intent, the tunes all display the classic Noisia hallmarks of incredible sound design, monstrous bass and general production sheen. Some of the more dancefloor-oriented tracks like Asteroids and Stamp Out veer close to jump up territory, prioritising bass heft over notions of subtlety, but thankfully this isn’t the case everywhere. Evol Intent collab Long Gone proves surprisingly restrained, with atmospheric pads providing just as much of the tune’s character as the heavy snares and bass swells.
Other highlights come on the eerie techstep groove of Leopard Slug, the predictably robotic but nonetheless immensely satisfying workout of Purpose with Phace and the hefty reese and rolling breaks of Running Blind, which brings back warm memories of the classic 2005 era neuro sound which made Noisia stars of the scene. Overall if you like it hard and heavy you can’t go wrong with the Dutch legends! The release is out now on Beatport and you can pre-order a rather deluxe 4xLP package direct from Noisia’s own store – watch out for this shipping later in the month.
I Am Legion return to your speakers after last year’s debut LP with a tasty selection of remixes spanning the electronic spectrum. D&B-wise Russian neuro badmen Teddy Killerz turn in an absolutely disgusting remix of Make Those Moves, dBridge gets on the controls for a psychedelic D&B refix of Loose on the Leaves, Warp Speed Thuggin’ gets the Phace deutsche-robotik treatment and Alix Perez turns in a heavy hitting new mix of Dust Descends.
Outside of the 170 realm there’s a deadly grime rework of Farrda from the genre-hopping Perez, a top-notch wonky trap-ish cut of Jelly Fish from EPROM and a big chunky electro remix of Choosing For You from Nightwatch. Something for everyone then! Check out the beats below and grab this one from your favourite store now.
Following on from the release of Rawtekk’s Sprouted and Formed LP on Med School recently comes a remix package featuring some heavy hitting reworks.
Phace delivers a typically robotic and monstrous rework of Photone Recruits and Mefjus turns in a nicely textured new mix of No More Vaccine, but for me it’s all about Billain’s epic take on Amber’s Love Was Like a Marble. The suspense on the intro is masterfully crafted on a creepy intro which gives way to a high octane build-up and then a drop that only Billain could have crafted. Evil business!
Rawtekk himself also gets in on the act, delivering both a rolling dancefloor edit and a lush, ambient rework of Snowflakes. Check out the previews below and watch out for the release dropping from March 10th.
Critical Music are back with a vengeance with the Underground Sonics LP, a various artists compilation straddling all the styles of Drum & Bass via 18 tracks of cutting edge 170 BPM production from the label’s extended family. The compilation sees many artists exploring new territory away from their usual styles, to interesting effect.
Dub Phizix turns in an unusually mellow and unusually rolling beat in the form of The Clock Ticks, while Ivy Lab up the ante compared to their previous releases with a tougher and more energetic beat paired with the musicality we’ve come to know and love from the trio. Foreign Concept teams up with DRS to turn in the dark, skanking, hip-hop influenced halfstep of Falling Stars while Sam Binga and Redders blend trap, footwork and ragga to great effect on Lef Dem.
Elsewhere we’re treated to two surprising collaborations from tech heavyweights, with InsideInfo and Mefjus turning in a surprisingly minimal slice of tribal tech with Repentance while Noisia & The Upbeats put aside their usual aggression for a hypnotic deep liquid roller on Little Fling. Fans of brutal tech need not worry though – Stealth and Phace are both on hand to provide the dancefloor darkness, as are Emperor & Centra with the huge digital exclusive The Saboteur.
Enei and Kasra turn in a selection of characteristically heavy hitting beats, while Stray and Halogenix look to the experimental/hyperactive end of the spectrum with their individual takes on frantic drum syncopation with a footwork bent. Finally Blocks and Escher give Enei’s Thinline the old school tech workover with a huge beat and some serious menace on the low end.
Overall it’s hard to argue with this as the first essential release of 2014. Check out the tracks below and grab yourself a copy now from the Critical Surus store.
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!
Anyone concerned that Phace might be abandoning the D&B scene in the wake of his recent lower tempo collaborations with Misanthrop under their “Neosignal band” alias will be pleased by the arrival of his latest EP for their Neosignal imprint (I know, overuse of Neosignal right?). Keeping things firmly 170+ and as pounding as we expect from the German neurofunk don, the Vitreous EP is a definite statement of intent; Phace’s involvement in all things D&B is far from over.
Blind Faith opens the EP with style, warped vocals and epic synth chords giving way to some serious atmospherics before that big, gnarly bass drop that fans of Phace’s output will know and love. The drums are sparse but heavy hitting, with the twisted reese doing most of the talking. Next up comes the titular Vitreous, opening up with a hypnotic bleeping melody and some bizarre vocoder treated samples before another slamming bass drop, this time characterised by the hammering kicks of the drum line before they give way to a more rolling break with some meaty metallic snares.
Shitstorm keeps the tension high on an intro composed of insistent hats and synth stabs punctuated by positively robotic samples before dropping into a tasty slice of full roll neuro D&B characterised by a bassline that sounds much like a metal riff despite its obviously synthetic origins. Finally Electronic Frontier floats some beautiful, almost ambient synth swells over the intro before switching gear into a tribal rhythm and a constantly morphing sonic landscape, featuring everything up to and including the apparent death cry of a massive, digitally created woolly mammoth. The attention to detail and innovation on show here is truly impressive.
Check out the beats for yourself below and watch out for the release dropping via Beatport and the Neosignal Store on October 4th, vinyl from October 7th and all other digital outlets from October 18th.
After too many years of staring at the lineups and wishing I was there, 2013 was finally the year for a pilgrimage to Sun & Bass. Held in San Teodoro on the beautiful island of Sardinia, the festival offers eight nights of the best D&B DJs in the world. If you don’t believe it, have a gander at the lineup. Given the length of the event, this review will be split up into separate posts. Read on for part one…
DNB Dojo head honcho Hex brings us a 40 minute mix all vinyl mix for the Sun & Bass DJ Competition spanning deep, drumfunk, liquid, techstep and neurofunk D&B. The tracklist speaks for itself with old classics sitting alongside new material – check it out now via Mixcloud.
Tracklist:
Mode – Stats [Ingredients]
Fracture & Neptune – Get Lost [Astrophonica]
Paradox – Crate Logic [Paradox Music]
Subtension – Changes [Samurai Music]
Digital & Spirit – Backlach (Digital & Spirit Rework) [Phanton Audio]
Photek – Ni Ten Ichi Ryu (Teebee Remix) [Photek Productions]
DJ Trax – Syncopation [Outsider]
Vicious Circle & Nocturnal – Skylark [Quarantine]
T.E.E.D. – Household Goods (Enei Remix) [TEED]
dBridge & Vegas – True Romance [Metalheadz]
Martyn – Virgo [Play:musik]
Lenzman – Empty Promise [Metalheadz]
Calibre – Sick Of It All [Signature]
Amit – Killer Driller [Metalheadz]
Ulterior Motive & Judda – Timekeeper (Calyx & Teebee Remix) [Subtitles]
Phace & Noisia – MPD [Neosignal]
Mefjus – Signalz [Critical]
Apex – Inner Space [Subtitles]
Seattle’s toastercookie drops a huge selection of dancefloor oriented D&B to celebrate his appearance at the city’s Bottom Heavy monthly club night. With cuts from the likes of Break, Enei, Calyx & Teebee, Logistics, Netsky, Noisia & Phace all featuring, the mix moves effortlessly through tech and liquid styles with an emphasis on rolling beats and upbeat vibes. Check it out and grab a free download below.