Drum & Bass REVIEWS
MONE
Y QUICKIES
Mutated Forms
SHO
T!
ALEX C
Phobia & Jubei leader in its field. Wincing
Ready When You Cooper’s Dream/The tribal drums partner with
PO Bo
Are EP Fugitive a speaker-slaying cyborg
Grid
Coded
snake bass.
x 7
502, London, N22 6QN
A tight box of tricks. ‘Centuries’ Those wanting another Pleasure/Majis-
cleverly forges a goatie-bearded helping after the above trate & Nicol
trumpet sample with a subtle Non Plus+ release, seek Asylum/Untoucha-
‘Apache’ bongo flutter and the most some aural solace in this. bles
slobbering bass rotation of the Viral two step drumming,
Nam Musik
issue. Juxtaposition jewel. ‘Ready growling lizard bass and
When You Are’ brings dark chords, cavernous dark echoes. Crazily active percussion
until a slow-motion seaweed- gets you going then de-
covered bass-monster emerges Pleasure/Heist scriptive horror narration,
from the depths. Blunt blade. ‘Lucid December/Moonshine tongue-in-cheek spooky
Dreaming’ is another with low
Co-Lab
wails and throbbing bass
frequencies that leave an impres-
do the rest.
sion, with wooden, blood-soaked Bold brass licks and kettle
lathe-smoothed twists. A filthy, drums strangle frenetic Sappo/Connecta
half-speed experimental ditty ends tapping beats until build- Virtual Reality (Dawn
this journey. Cone-creasing quality. ings crumble to a nuclear Raid Remix)/Bastard
assault of engulfing electro Son
bass.
Advisory
Subfocus within drum & bass that he excels in. Basher
Could This Be Real (Mixes)/ ‘Inner Disbelief’ tastefully includes a Airtime/Biometrix Raiden Comic book frivolity.
Triple X laidback, but surreally emotional male
Frequency
La Luna/LHC Cheeky Amen snips are a
Ram
vocal — simultaneously dreamy and
Renegade Hardware
certain foot tapper, while
wide awake at the same time. It com- The more traditionally floor-orientated
insolent key stab bass and
The second single from a huge LP, fol- bines processed, dream state-echoed arm of Ram Records hits us with a Coming once again with precocious speech snippets
lowing happy robot single ‘Rock It’. Ram midnight pianos, a hypnotic beat and further head-butting release, and some quality tech, Ren- raise energy levels to
had a great 2009, I hope 2010 is even droning, warm fuzzy bass slides. Warm you’ve just got to hear the bass hammer egade Hardware is a scene sprinting status.
better. Those that fondly remember bread straight out of the oven. on ‘Airtime’ that reminds me of Ram
Adam F’s ‘Original Jungle Sound’ will Trilogy at their best, almost like ‘Mind
feel right at home with this remix: simi- DJ Primecuts feat Dynamite Overload’ on crystal meth! Opens with
lar rush-hour drums partner smoothly MC an intelligently-snipped break that has
with lush grand piano rave progressions Warning (Remixes) you swaying and confused, then when
and vocals singing the title. Fellow LP
D Style
the half-grind, gritty bass enfolds the
track ‘Triple X’ has teeth-clenching keys
dance, you are musically possessed by a
running incessantly through a polished No-nonsense remix. Wastes no time in demon of low frequency.
break and warped bass circles. smashing down police barriers to go
straight for the proverbial jugular of Lenzman
DJ Fresh/Roni Size the corrupt politician. Gut-wrenching, Bittersweet (feat Riya)/Rags To
All Dat Jazz (Mosquito Remix)/ vein-tautening keys cut through a lively Riches
Windrush (Heist Remix) beat, made all the more merry by a
SGN Ltd
Planet V
variety of bass stabs, pounds, skids and
folds. Stalwart MC Dynamite lyrically Nothing to fault, the ingredients are
D-Kay BRigAND
Memories of stalwart label V Record- and selectively spits over this frenetic all there, but may be a little too much
ings’ golden moments. ‘All Dat Jazz’ skipper, a sure-bet to be enjoyed on the of ‘more of the same’ for those holding
01. SiMPLiFiCAtioN ‘Dancefloor’ Dub
is ripped up and splattered with mud floor. Full lyric, grime-style booms and d&b membership for a number of years. “Talented Brazilian with a minimal hypnotic workout.”
here; the amiable lyrics and acoustic roots reggae influences on the original. Staircase-sprinting Amen flutter drums
02. CoNCoRD DAwN FeAt Rikki MoRRiS ‘Forever’ Dub
guitar licks remain, but the beats and with hints of ‘Think’ break vox combine “Stunning vocals and awesome production.”
bass are a frenetic, hyperactive wonder, ASC with a vibrating musical sub bass and
03. SPy ‘Camouflage’ 31
as a Red Bull-fuelled ‘Sniper’ break Porcelain/Focus Inwards delicious, saccharine coconut-ice “Every track seems to be good from this guy.”
and femur-snapping high energy keys
Non Plus+
r&b-style female vocals. A piece that
splatter brains on the sidewalk. Flip for
04. tACtiLe & FoCuS ‘the Mountain’ Good Looking
fresh-faced liquid lovers will adore and “Feel-good vibes written all over it.”
jump-up don Heist’s floor-pressurising, Through Instra:Mental and Dbridge’s granted, certainly gees you up and
05. DBRiDge ‘inner Disbelief ’ Exit
mix-compatible presentation. Stamping involvement, Non Plus+ is rapidly rising, makes the old hands want to rise! “Deeper than Stephen Hawkins.”
spoilt child bass and delicious dub d&b. demanding attention from ‘clever’ d&b
06. D-kAy & iNtoxiCAteD ‘the thinner edge’ Brigand
Reminiscent of Krust’s ‘Warhead’. aficionados, those that know it’s not all Survival/Mute & Mako “This one’s gold. Even for me!”
about smashing it to wasted teenagers Traveller/Connexion (The Sect
07. D-kAy & kASRA ‘untitled’ Dub
Dbridge with fast beats and heart-thumping Remix) “Roots reggae vocals carried by nasty bass.”
Inner Disbelief/5th Floor vibes. ‘Porcelain’ brings a perceptively
Utopia
Exit
slow beat with interesting twists, turns
08. CALiBRe ‘Let Me Hold you’ Signature
“Calibre is a true Jedi.”
and cool use of cathedral echo splen- Subtly mental in a stoned sativa style.
09. Mi:St FeAt DRS ‘Clockwork’ Soul:R
Hugely classy, distinctly avant-garde dour. With deep slides of subs, interest The icing layers on this hash cake are “Great vocal stuff from two legendary d&b headz.”
producer ups his game with an incisive, is maintained through subtle pads hazy Melodica organ riffs that add
10. totAL SCieNCe ‘Skinz’ Critical
widely appealing take and progression and tribal-style slow vox. High volume emphasis, while preaching vocal echoes “Jump-up with a smirk!”
on the “aggressively beautiful” field brings this into its own. Fathoms-deep. rise. High-grade hallucinogenic dub.
084
www.djmag.com
DJ482.D&B.indd 84 13/1/10 11:11:24
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