Addictive Behaviour have had quite the year, building on past successes with new releases from Eastcolors, Minor Rain and Handra, following the label’s solid formula of a slow but high quality release schedule. Their latest project, out a few weeks ago, sees them return to the Rotation LP series started in 2015 with 14 big new tracks from the likes of Philth, NickBee, Data 3, Detail, Fade and more. To find out a bit more about the album and what’s next for the label we grabbed bosses Clayton and Neil for a chat…
Today we’ve got a brand new production / label project for your listening pleasure in the form of AGN7 Audio (that’s pronounced ‘Agent Audio’ if you were wondering; perhaps a sly nod to Trace’s DSCI4?). Coming at you from the US, AGN7 is the new brainchild of established producers SPKTRM and Ronin Selecta, and their press release sets out the bold aim of “adventurous” drum and bass.
While the first single perhaps isn’t defining any new sub-genres quite yet, it’s certainly ignoring current trends in both US and worldwide D&B; a cynical attempt to top the Beatport charts this is not. Mantra brings to mind 2005-era hard, break driven techstep with a deep, ominous build-up giving way to harsh chopped up drums and massive bass hits. Over on the flip Vignette takes the foot off the gas a little, easing back on the bassline heft to focus on cleaner break manipulation set to creepy atmospherics. This one brings to mind darker material from the back catalogues of Seba, Paradox or Blocks and Escher, and it’s totally up there in terms of quality too.
Overall this is a solid statement of intent from a duo we’re looking forward to hearing more from! Check out the clips below and hit up Beatport to grab the release now, with other stores following in two weeks time.
Where do you go when you’ve been a mainstay of the D&B scene for twenty years, with six albums already under your belt and a back catalogue spanning Moving Shadow, Renegade Hardware, your own immensely successful imprint and plenty more?
If your name is Dominic Angas aka Dom & Roland, you head into the studio and write possibly your best album yet for none other than the mighty Metalheadz. As one of few labels with both the pedigree and the reputation to match Dom himself, we can’t think of a more perfect home for Dom’s work, and anyone who’s heard Goldie hyping the album over the last year will know they feel exactly the same way.
There’s always the risk with any album from a producer this established that the results will prove either too far from their style or too close to it, but thankfully the line trodden on the enigmatically titled Last Refuge of a Scoundrel sits perfectly within these boundaries; recognisably Dom, but pushing his style in new and intriguing directions. Those new directions are found most prominently on vocal tracks Sacrifice and Sirens Song, featuring Natalie Duncan and Robert Manos respectively. Both tracks blend Dom’s talent for heavy hitting, detailed percussion with a softer and more melodic side lent from the immensely talented singers he’s recruited, and they make a welcome change from the instrumentals of the rest of the LP.
That’s not to say in the slightest that said instrumentals become tedious; from classic Dom smashers like Tone Poem, Steam and Hive collab DMT through the hip-hop infused vibe of King of the Hustlers and out into more playful tracks like A New Renegade, there’s plenty of variety and every track is presented with that match of precision and scuzz that makes the Metalheadz output some of the best in the scene. The layers of drum distortion and bassline growl on even the lighter tracks give this a punky edge that ultra-clean modern mixdowns so often lack, and that’s just the icing on a very, very delicious cake. Check out the clips below and hit up the ‘headz store to grab the LP on vinyl, CD or digital now.
As Dispatch draw close to their landmark 100th release their latest main-label offering treats us to some stunning reworks from Gerra & Stone’s Unbreakable EP, and as usual from Ant TC1’s seminal imprint the results are among the finest underground D&B in the scene.
First up, Dublin legend Zero T is on hand to turn in a rolling liquid refix of title track Unbreakable. The soft vocal flourishes and melancholy melodies of the original are still present and correct, but the quirky drums and off-kilter bass of the original have been swapped out for a thoroughly trademark Zero T bongo roller break and warm sub textures. This one is sure to prompt smiling faces and dancing feet, and there’s an instrumental mix included for good measure.
When it came to the thoroughly Photek-esque vibes of Plates there was only ever one production team we wanted to hear on the remix so we were more than happy to see Blocks and Escher on the buttons. The duo flip the script on this one, dishing up a moody, stripped back take which swaps the chopped up drums of the original for an ominous percussion routine that keeps the tension bubbling away.
Last but by no means least, Mako brings his signature funk stylings to Almost U with a new version that is all about the drums. This perhaps isn’t the most adventurous mix in terms of changing up the original melodic elements, but when the parts are this lush and the new drums are this sharp it’s still impossible to argue with.
Another sick release from Dispatch! We’re hugely looking forward to hearing what they have in store with DIS100… meantime you can check out clips of the EP below and hit up the Dispatch Store for full length previews and WAV/MP3/12″ purchases.
Precision joins the ranks of Nurtured Beatz with a cracking new EP later this month and we’ve got the exclusive on closing track What Could You! Featuring smooth pads, deep sub and a crispy break, this is classic roller territory and executed with style and finesse.
As always you can get your hands on this first via the Nurtured Beatz Bandcamp; the EP drops there Aug 26th with full release a week later.
Rotterdam imprint Blendits has undoubtedly become one of the most dependable smaller D&B labels around over the past two years, playing host to varied and interesting productions from some of the best names in the underground scene. Their latest EP sees Belgian duo M-zine & Scepticz join the label roster and the results are a treat for anyone who’s a fan of chunky, detailed rollers.
Title track Play goes in heavy, with a satisfyingly thick bassline, sci-fi leads and stomping tech drums for a solid dancefloor workout. Singularity changes gears, stripping back the elements for a spooky, cerebral composition; this one is all in the drums and those faintly eerie pads.
Consonance pulls the classic bait and switch, lulling us into a false sense of security with what sounds like a lush liquid intro before dropping into a tough edged high-energy roller. The combination of heft and soul is reminiscent of some of Digital’s older work, and the results are equally impressive. Last but not least, we get gully again on the dark and dangerous sounds of Glimpsed.
Overall the Play EP presents four precise and deep yet utterly dancefloor-worthy slices of classic 2-step D&B business, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need. Check out the clips and hit up the Blendits bandcamp to buy the EP direct.
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.
The latest episode of the Dojo Mix Series comes courtesy of one of our favourite underground producers, Tesseract Recordings founder D Flect!
Bringing together everything deep halftime steppers, liquid rollers and dark tech stompers with seamless ease, D Flect’s mix has something for everyone and features a ton of dubs forthcoming on Tesseract, Citate Forms, T3K, Infidelity and many more. Wicked selections; get to know.
Cuts from Jubei’s memorable To Have And Have Not LP get the remix treatment on the latest EP from the ‘headz camp. Skeptical turns in a characteristically stark refit of Incognito while Ulterior Motive turn in a big banging rework of Tip The Scales, but for us it’s all about the two new versions of Goldie collab The Prayer.
Blocks and Escher are the first to get their mits onto the tune, and they’ve turned it into quite the religious experience. Building some epic tension on the intro as creepy monastic vocals give way to a throbbing bassline, the eventual drop at nearly 2 minutes in is a bombastic assault of growling low end and rip-roaring percussion; old school vibes with new school production and so much danger. Those drums!
Om Unit meanwhile completely flips the tune around, thinning out the drums for one of his signature sparse but skittering halftime riddims. As with so much of his work the essence of classic jungle is present but it’s been twisted and morphed into something uniquely new; one foot in the past while the other meanders into the future. Ethereal and fantastic.
As usual you can grab this from the Metalheadz store on digital or 12″; check out the clips below and go grab it!
We’re always thrilled to see smaller labels keeping the vinyl release alive so the news of Blackhill Productions first 12″ release put a big smile on our faces, doubly so when we heard the tunes gracing the wax!
Mexico-based producer Joakuim turns in two tough, moody rollers for the A side while label favourites Soundia and Plastiks each contribute a track for the flip; picking favourites here is tough but suffice to say if you like your D&B dark, techy and precise you won’t be disappointed at all! Check out the clips below and hit up Bandcamp to grab the EP on vinyl or digital right now.
