Kimyan Law – Run Ames / Eclairage [Blu Mar Ten Music]

Posted on 27th October 2014 by DNB Dojo

Blu Mar Ten Music present the debut single from 19 year old talent Kimyan Law, a producer with a talent for evocative, understated beats that have a hint of the cinematic to them. The tracks represent the first glimpse of his Coeur Calme LP, due next month.

Run Ames sees the producer teaming up with vocalist Robert Manos on a stark, moody slice of D&B; insistent beats, simple but satisfying bass reverberations and Manos’ vocal take centre stage, with the merest hints of melody echoed over the mix. This “less is more” approach is a stark contrast to the usual “fill every frequency” maximalism of much of today’s electronica, and the overall effect has much more impact through the clever use of dynamic range.

Eclairage meanwhile brings together soft, natural percussion set to an unusual, lilting beat and paired with a pleasantly natural chiming melody. The track is drenched in reverb, lending it a distant melancholy, as though we’re hearing a faint reflection from some other place or time. Once again there’s a mastery of minimalism at work here, allowing the different elements of the track to breath, and the results are stunning. Check out the clips below and grab this one right now from the Blu Mar Ten store.

You can also find a “Slumber Session” mix from Kimyan below, featuring a mellow selection with tracks from Massive Attack, Burial, Stray and more.

Intelligent Manners – Special Night EP [Celsius Recordings]

Posted on 26th October 2014 by DNB Dojo

Fresh from his rather excellent Miracles EP for Fokuz Recordings, Russian liquid maestro Intelligent Manners presents his latest work for Fokuz sister label Celsius. Once again the order of the day is clean, melodic liquid with a dancefloor edge and plenty of musicality and all the quality you’d expect from the Fokuz family.

All four tracks have plenty to offer but for me the hypnotic, understated melodies of Dreaming stood out; the combination of soft synth hits, warm bass and insistent breaks combine to create the sort of muted euphoria you can lose yourself in again and again. Check out the tracks below and grab this on vinyl or digital now.

Submorphics – Long Been Gone / Rosewood [SGN:Ltd]

Posted on 18th August 2014 by DNB Dojo

Shogun’s SGN:Ltd sister imprint return for their 41st release with two crisp liquid rollers from San Francisco’s Submorphics. Both tracks feature soft, rolling breaks and cheerful, melodic elements which achieve a summery warmth without descending into cheesy hands in the air territory. Fans of Random Movements, Makoto and DJ Marky should definitely give this one a look.

Check out the clips below and watch out for the release dropping at digital stores from August 31st, with vinyl to follow on September 15th.

Calibre – Shelflife 3 [Signature]

Posted on 25th March 2014 by DNB Dojo

The arrival of a new Calibre album is always a special moment, and the unexpected release of Shelflife 3 proved no less so than with previous efforts from the legendarily quiet producer. Despite being made up of the “off cuts” from Calibre’s various hard drives over the past few years, the tracks on show here are full of the soul and depth we’ve come to associate with his work over the last decade, and exemplify his “less is more” approach.

Much of the work is far from revolutionary, with tracks like Miraculous and Honey Dew providing classic piano-led rollers while Make Me Feel Alright and Fear of Letting Go hit all the usual soulful notes. There are a few surprises though, like the menacing bass swells of Instant and Off Key, the odd tones of Rooftops and the orchestral sampling of amen workout To And Fro.

Overall Shelflife 3 is a great selection of tracks, and a great addition to anyone’s record collection. Head on over to Surus to grab it on CD, LP or Digital and keep an eye on the newly established Signature Facebook page for more news from the world of Calibre.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7JuCEUAXrs&list=PL6FuEnLcUZw9z8sMJgYuf3poKkX6Vuev2]

Blu Mar Ten – Famous Lost Words [Blu Mar Ten]

Posted on 16th November 2013 by DNB Dojo

Two years on from the release of the stellar Love Is The Devil, Blu Mar Ten return with their 6th studio album. As we’ve come to expect from the enigmatic trio, the LP is packed from start to finish with soulful, musical D&B and some excellent collaborations.

Seba hops in to the studio to co-produce Hunter, lending some of his trademark epic synthesis to the mix, while Agné Genyté both opens and closes the record on the deep, jazzy Somewhere and the insistent, jungle-infused In Your Eyes. It’s Robert Manos however who completely steals the show on the beautiful, effortless Thin Air.

Elsewhere on the LP we’re treated to some precise, technical D&B on darker tracks like Big Shots and Holding Pattern while Remembered Her Wrong and Night Shift head for more experimental territory. Overall Famous is another exceptional album from a production outfit who continue to excel after more than a decade in the game.

Check out a preview of the LP below and watch out for the album dropping from November 18th.

Terror & Hubris – Horizons / Baktum [Emotif]

Posted on 12th November 2013 by DNB Dojo

Long-running label Emotif Recordings (established way back in 1995) return with their latest single from Terror & Hubris. Horizons on the A-side sounds almost like a tribute to Horizons Music, soulful pads and atmospheres combining with growling bass to create a soulful yet techy slice of D&B. Baktun sets the tone a bit darker with a heavy steppers beat and roaring, reverb drenched bass moving the track along like some great, ancient beast.

Watch out for this one dropping from November 18th.

Dominic Petrie – Tomorrow Now EP [Ingredients]

Posted on 9th November 2013 by DNB Dojo

Dominic Petrie has been building his rep for quite some years now, with releases (some under his previous moniker of Y2D) on Nerve, Lifestyle, Phuzion and Sound Artillery. His latest work for the esteemed Ingredients signals a step up in the game, and one that’s long overdue.

Depth, soul and beauty run throughout the tracks, most of them melancholy in texture. Riverside Blues combines piano, vocals and a smooth, rolling break to distil an unusual sadness into drum & bass production, while Ephemerol Test and Exponent of Escape explore eccentric drum programming and atmospherics.

Soho treats us to lush pads, deep bass and simple kick/snare rhythms, while sci-fi nod TMA-1 provides the EPs only gritty number; reminiscent of some of Data’s finer work, and with a growling bassline to be proud of. Finally Empire and Beyond the Wall of Sleep close out the EP nicely with muted, jazz-infused liquid blues.

Check out previews of the whole EP below and look out for the release on vinyl and digital from Monday 11th November.

Pennygiles & Phil Tangent – Stories Untold / We Don’t Talk Anymore [IM:Ltd]

Posted on 20th October 2013 by DNB Dojo

IM:Ltd bring us a split single dedicated to breakups from Pennygiles and Phil Tangent. The A-side sees ‘giles delivering an impassioned deep liquid roller that’s characterised by soft pads and tough-edged breaks.

Over on the flip Phil Tangent conjures up lush, bountiful atmospherics with a hint of jazz on the intro before diving in deep with crisp, rolling breaks and warm, inviting sub bass.

Watch out for this one dropping on vinyl and digital from November 25th.

Seba – Shades of Me & You [Warm Communications]

Posted on 16th August 2013 by DNB Dojo

Seba and Blu Mar Ten tunes hold a special place in my ever expanding collection of D&B records. Both artists have proved time and again across decades of production that while other artists in the scene may only be interested in the drop and much of D&B is aimed at the dancefloor, there is space in the genre for true musical expression. More than that, they prove that melody can be used without “doing a Fresh” and heading straight for cheese-tastic euphoria territory.

Predictably then, the latest 12″ on Warm Comms went straight onto my “must buy” list (if only labels would send me vinyl promo…a man can dream). Seba sets the tone on the A side with absolutely lush pad work over a soft, deftly syncopated beat and a warm liquid bassline that you could curl up in for the winter. Vocal snippets echo in and out of the mix to provide the final icing on a beautiful liquid-funk cake.

Not to be outdone, Blu Mar Ten turn in a shimmering remix drenched in reverb and characterised by their signature melancholy synths. Something about BMT’s mellower tracks is almost trance-inducing; the hypnotic combination of rolling yet muted beats and minor key chord progressions with wholesome sub bass always hits the spot.

Check out the previews below and watch out for this dropping on vinyl and digital from August 26th. You can even pre-order a copy from surus. Go on, you know you want to.

Anile – All This Time / That Night [CIA Deepkut]

Posted on 12th July 2013 by DNB Dojo

It seems Anile is after the throne that many would argue Lenzman has had locked down for a good while now, turning in a pair of polished deep liquid rollers for CIA Deepkut. All This Time leads in with mellow, piano-led vibes and a soft, reverb drenched vocal from Hannah Eve. Definitely one for the 5am crew.

Over on the flip, That Night delivers more understated piano and warm sub set to a rolling Calibre-esque break. The beauty of both tunes lies in their simplicity, eschewing the often over-saturated nature of modern D&B in favour of a stripped back, cleaner sound.

Check out the clips below and watch out for both tunes dropping sometime in July.

DNB Dojo

Drum & Bass News and Reviews

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