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.
Philth and Wreckless are two artists we’ve been following for a long time now here at Dojo HQ. From promising early releases for the likes of AutomAte and Flexout Audio, it’s great to see the duo stepping up to release on Dispatch, and the result is some of their finest material to date, either solo or collaboratively.
The EP covers their style of dark, techy D&B through and through, with deeper but still chunky cuts like Heimlich Savage and On My Mind sitting alongside heavier outings Entropy and Surge Wave, the latter being an absolute weapon that takes influence from the classic Renegade Hardware sound of the mid 2000s. If you want four slabs of rolling tech funk then it doesn’t get much better than this! Check out the clips below and head to the Dispatch Store to grab the EP right now…
Kolectiv return to Dispatch this month with four new tracks showcasing their rugged tech style, and they’ve brought likeminded artists Survey and Philth along for some collabs to boot. We grabbed them for a quick chat about collaborations, deeper meaning how it feels to step up their game. Read on…
Philth teams up with semi-regular collaborator Wreckless on today’s premiere. Part of the first in a series of collab EPs for Peer Pressure entitled Synapses, the duo serve up a characteristically crisp and techy roller with some super satisfying drum fills and an incredible classical intro; maximum atmosphere. Hit up the Peer Pressure Bandcamp page to grab this one right now – the EP is out today!
When it comes to D&B MCs, you can count those worth hearing outside the rave on one hand (and even those worth hearing inside the rave on a few hands more…). The jump from host in the club to the true lyricism required to spit bars on record isn’t one that all wannabe microphone fiends have the talent for, but thankfully Sense has more than proven himself worthy of the task.
Many years in the making, The Elephant In The Room sees the self-described “illegitimate offspring of a scouse and a cockney” land on Diffrent Music accompanied by some of the best producers in the scene, with a plethora of material spanning D&B and hip-hop, dark and light, hype and chill. There are plenty of highlights in the uptempo region, from the coy and playful rhymes of Lynx-produced Disconnected to the aggy lyrical duel of After Dark, where Sense is joined by longtime friend and equally talented MC Codebreaker.
The lower tempo beats tend towards beauty and introspection, such as album opener Love Is… which muses on romance against an eclectic beat from Frank & Furter that brings to mind Frederick Robinson’s work. Two Planets brings in jazzy influences and rhymes on an intergalactic tip, while Just A Ride closes the album with thoughts on the meaning of life.
Descriptions struggle to do the work here justice; the important point is that The Elephant In The Room is a polished selection of songs with depth beyond the usual hype-man lyricism or catchy verses found on MC-led tracks. We’ve no doubt this is only gonna get better on repeat listens too. Check out some of the tracks below and hit up the Diffrent Store to grab a copy on digital, CD or vinyl…as they’ve been telling us for weeks, #BuyTheAlbum.
As another fortnight slips away it’s time for another roundup of the best of the rest from the Dojo inbox. Read on for fresh releases from SpectraSoul, Philth, Quentin Hiatus, Dead Man’s Chest and more… Continue reading
Time for another look at the best of the rest for the past couple of weeks with new releases from London Elektricity, No Rules & Torn, Hex and more…
Philth continues his impressive run of releases with two gnarly new beats for longtime Dojo favourite AutomAte Tech. Make no mistake, Destroyer is hard as fucking nails; if you’re looking for any kind of nuance or subtlety this ain’t the place, but if you’re looking for a pummelling onslaught of kick drums and savage bass swipes then this one should float your boat…or maybe sink it!
Genocide keeps things militant with a snarling bassline layered over a crisp selection of breaks, keeping the pressure up nicely (which is no mean feat given the absolutely brutal A side!). Check out the clips below and look for this at all good digital stores from May 25th.
Philth is a producer who’s steadily been honing his craft, rising through the ranks of the D&B scene over the past few years. We’re big fans here at the Dojo and his latest release for Dispatch sees him at the top of his game with six techy new cuts including a couple of MC led affairs.
The Hunted opens the EP with quite a statement of intent; this is a growling, Jurassic Park sampling, Bredren collabing danger-bass-fest that is sure to do some serious damage to a few raver’s sanities!
Other highlights include the dutty, rolling vibes of Cosmos and the scuzzy politicised atmospheres of the P-Fine vocalised Greed, but to be quite honest the whole release is a big ol’ slam dunk from start to finish. Check out the clips below and hit up the Dispatch Store for a copy right now!
Rotterdam-based imprint Blendits return with possibly their most varied release to date featuring four fresh new tracks from up and coming producers in the scene. Chromatic kick things off with grimey tech roller Inertia that hits the ground at a hefty pace with a catchy bass riff and tight, funky drum lines. Bredren & Philth keep things moving along at pace on Ghost Palace, taking the vibe deeper with booming sub and creepy atmospherics.
Le Tricolore changes the vibe completely, bringing the melodies to the fore on a liquid beat built on cheeky melodic flourishes and soaring pads. Last but not least Bredren close things out on an experimental tip with the sparse, melancholy halfstep of Passing Period. One for the deep heads! Check out the clips below and look for this on vinyl and digital from April 13th.