Javano lands in our premiere spotlight with a new cut taken from his forthcoming LP on Peer Pressure Records! Coral brings a techno sensibility to the world of 170, with an unusual drum line and hypnotic chords and FX sucking you in for a spaced out ride. Check it out below and hit up the Peer Pressure bandcamp to grab The Drift LP right now!
Xenon returns to DSCI4 with his first solo EP following on from a collaboration on PRTCL’s last EP for the label last year. Suppressed Feelings represents the fusion of Berlin techno and classic techstep that defines Xenon’s sound; hypnotic, dark and groove-focused, this is the sound of dark rooms at 5am. Hit up Beatport to grab the EP now, with full release following from May 11th.
Allied returns to Methlab with the second single from his forthcoming Kailash LP and we’ve got the exclusive on techno infused rumbler HMDRM. Characterised by heavy kicks, intricate hats and throbbing low end, think Berlin at 5am morphed into 170BPM. This one is out now at all good digital outlets.
Techno-infused D&B minimalism on today’s exclusive as Latvian producer Other Spectrum lands on Tesseract Recordings. Hypnotic vibes…watch out for this coming soon at the usual digital stores.
PRTCL return to DSCI4 this month and today’s premiere sees him teaming up with Xenon to channel the influence of his new home into a firing tech roller that brings to mind some of the classic “technoid” sound pioneered by labels like Raiden’s now sadly defunct Offkey. Superb track! Look for this coming Apr 15th at all the usual digital stores…
Hybris and his Pseudoscience imprint return this month and we’re hyped to have a premiere of title track Not Bug for you today! Combining the producer’s trademark flare for sound design and heavyweight texture with techno-inflected rhythms and a catchy synth hook, this one thunders along on a pulsing tide of sub and unusual percussion. Sick tune! Look out for this coming on the Not Bug EP from Dec 12th at all the usual digital stores…
Our latest exclusive mix comes courtesy of Moscow artist AX Farel who brings his blend of techno-infused 170BPM experimentalism to the Dojo decks! Deep, dubby vibes and some tasty new dubs feature alongside music from the likes of Impish, Resound, The Untouchables and Clarity. One for the halftime heads! If you like what you hear in the mix, be sure to check out AX Farel’s new single for Occulti LTD which drops later this month.
You can check out the mix via Soundcloud below or head to Youtube or iTunes to stream. You can also grab a download from Google Drive.
Respected Russian label Occulti Music launch their new LTD imprint with a top new release from Moscow producer AX Farel, and we’ve got the exclusive on Cork Up. Blending elements of dub and techno with the halftime D&B sound, this one is pure groove with a deep, hypnotic atmosphere. One for the heads…check out the track and watch out for the release dropping Mar 20th featuring an Impish remix of Cork Up and another deep stepper from AX Farel.
Given their roster of artists one might have expected Methlab’s new BNKR imprint to be dishing out the neurofunk smashers a la Eatbrain, Blackout etc, but so far the label’s output has shown a surprising depth and diversity, much to our delight here at Dojo HQ.
Fans of Utopia Music, Dispatch, Horizons or any of the other esteemed imprints he’s released on should already be familiar with French-born, Bristol-based War. Despite being only 23 years old he’s already made quite a mark on the D&B scene, both with his frequent collaborators Hydro and Mateba and on solo joints like his latest EP for Methlab.
On then to said solo EP, and the first thing that stands out is the drums. Drawing on the long heritage of precise yet organic percussion honed by the likes of Mako, DLR, Photek and so many other producers, the tracks all harness a raw funk so often lacking in today’s 170BPM stylings. This isn’t the over-polished crispness of Hospital’s liquid breaks or the synthetic pew pew lazer snares of modern neuro; this is the sound of the funkiest drum machine out there, channelling breaks, kicks, snares and fills through the mix with a touch of analogue distortion and tons of soul.
If the drums are the first part of the equation that binds these tracks together, atmosphere is the other; from the skittering, tribal halftime of title track Invisible through the hypnotic stabs of The Hundred Lights and out into Metalheadz-esque tech smashed Snow Blind the EP is replete with subtle pads, and a faintly ominous tone, beckoning the listener in to War’s slightly dystopian world.
Rounding the EP off with another cracking curveball, Methlab have recruited the ever versatile Djrum for remix duties on Invisible, and true to his eclectic pallet he’s twisted it into a throbbing slice of techno well worthy of a dingy Berlin dancefloor. Overall this is a cracking EP for those that like their D&B to tread the line between dancefloor sensibilities and cerebral appeal; check out the clips below and hit up the Methlab Bandcamp to grab a copy right now.
Another month, another massive wealth of new drum & bass! We check out the best of the rest from Conduct, Skeptical, Benny L, Cybin and more… Continue reading