ALEX C
alexcdnb@gmail.com
QUICKIES Jade
Smash Face (feat Ryme Tyme)/Test
Subject Eatbrain 7.0
An incredible sense of psychotic desperation is caused by the instantly attractive lyrics here. Mecha- droid stomps and future riot alarm synths complete this poisonous brew.
Lynx March Of The Living/
Rankoor Samurai Red Seal 7.5
Interesting to note the primeval, big- game hunting, spiral staircase drums here. Maybe not for floors but will deeply delight those who’ve invested in cans that broadcast below 30Hz.
Crissy Criss Prolix
Saw Head / Funkhole Commercial Suicide 7.0
Gritty, nervous breakdown sawtooth synth squirms with a midnight feel deal the worries here with drums that conjour images of throttle- squashing breakneck high speeds.
Amoss Tripped/Why Do We
Fall Horizons 7.5
Bust this from big speakers with a nice frequency response and the surgically polished chrome scalpel drums, filtered chanted vocal, daunting synthesiser slides and volcanic sub-bass slay all challengers.
Work It/With You Technique 7.5
The one to go for today to find yourself a perfect rest and ruckus romp. Strangely ethereal, almost haunted sour vocal snatches pepper the dropouts at the start and middle which then transform like an acidic flash flood into a metallic two-tone soup of slow synth zooms followed by a couple of bars of prickly percussion- ridden tweeting drums and demon smurf burps. More amiable bass growls over, making this the latest in a long line of must-have releases this month.
Inside Info
Grow EP Viper 7.5
The Audio remix of ‘Honey Bee’ does it for me on this six-tracker. Like an update of the seminal ‘Killa Bees’ by the Usual Suspects, it begins with unsettling buzzing and uses wildlife documentary speech until the musical maelstrom begins. Melodical growls, organised chaos riffs and frenetic background bongos. Also check the rolling eternal ambience of ‘Didgeridoo’ which cleverly uses this Aboriginal instrument to powerful effect in combination with lamenting wails and hypnotic synths. Prime package.
Major Look
Never Hold Us Back (Mixes) Cold Blooded Recordings 8.0
S.P.Y HOSPITAL
01. S.P.Y ‘Love & Hate’ Hospital “This is the title track from my debut release on Hospital, the ‘Love & Hate EP’.”
02. TOTAL SCIENCE‘Dramaz’ Clear Skyz “The Oxford lads return. This track is pure and simple old skool vibes.”
03. MEFJUS‘Far Too Close’Neosignal “So far, one of my favourite tracks from Mefjus. Love the way he manages to transform
so many clean sounds into such a dirty track.” 04. TOTAL SCIENCE & S.P.Y FEAT DAM FUNK & RIYA‘Piano Funk’ Tool-
room Records “A personal favourite — I like how simple the track is and Riya did an awesome job on the vocals. Soulful vibes!”
05. SUBMOTION ORCHESTRA‘All Yours (S.P.Y Remix)’ Hospital Records “I love the original of this and wanted to add my own twist.”
06. GOLDIE FEAT NATALIE DUNCAN‘Freedom’Metalheadz “Just one word to describe this track: masterpiece.”
07. SIREN‘Snorkel (S.P.Y Remix)’ Siren Records “One of the most difficult remixes I’ve done, especially as I’m a massive fan of the
original.”
08. S.P.Y ‘Sleepy Hollow’ Hospital Records “At 7.40 mins long and inspired by Detroit techno, I wanted to take the listener on a
journey using mainly anaolg synths and drum machines.” 09. CHASE & STATUS/SUB FOCUS FEAT TAKURA‘Flashing Lights (S.P.Y
Remix)’MTA Records “A remix I did for MTA Records a while ago, and it’s still in my record box.”
10. ANDREW BAYER & MATT LANGE FEAT KERRY LEVA‘In & Out Of
Phase (Calyx & Teebee Remix)’Anjunabeats “Lovely vocals, wicked groove and tech vibe, Calyx & Teebee did excellent work on this one.”
An MC who’s already made waves with ‘Hush Ya Gums’, with a voice that has a twang and sour shiver and adeptly rides the rhythms. Add this to the forthright stomp music blend that switches between full and half speed to accommodate the rhymes, along with the requisite keyboard flutters that tauten blood vessels, and this single works hard. I kind of enjoyed ‘Hush Ya Gums’ more because of its storytelling lyrics, but there’s no denying this is an instant high.
Noisia
Imperial EP Vision 9.5
What a work of dark art Noisia’s team up with The Upbeats on ‘Dustup’ is. The requisite mysteriously daunting intro soon gives way to a serrated, sickle-slicing bass that leads to an instant stupefied expression and resulting reflexes of frivolous movement. Still astonishingly impressive, despite the reputation these guys already have.
Delta Heavy
Down The Rabbit Hole EP Ram Recordings
10
A superb set of smashers where every piece, through an individual portrayal and angle, deftly deals destruction. ‘End Of Days’ is the one that really does it for me, where a combination of crushing electric guitar- type stabs combine with pulse-racing, rising pitch synths and an out and out metropolis-flattening mood. Then go for crazy kettle drums and screaming half-step in ‘Demons’ and classic rave vibes complete with ‘90s-style helium vocals in ‘Get By’. Premium package.
Ricky Tuff Brighter Day/It’s All Love/It’s
All Love (Jazzy VIP Mix) Jungle Cakes 8.0
Once again, another reggae influenced floorfiller by an upstanding pillar of the UK reggae scene (who remembers ‘Your Love’ with Michael Prophet?). This is a superb full vocal concerning the struggles of life with classy touches like brass fills and classic twangs to go with the bubbling bassline. Flip over for an instant classic also; more light-hearted soulful licks, R&B-style glitter and girly grooves.
Tantrum Desire
Get With It/Reach VIP Technique 9.0
My current favourite group’s new piece doesn’t have the sheer bite of a triple vodka on an empty stomach, however with a multitude of fizzes it still knocks down all the right pins with a polished bowling ball. Flip to a very cool VIP mix of a favourite bit of the last year where some of the
www.djmag.com
DRUM & BASSREVIEWS
bleepy bass flavours have been switched for other just as taste- tingling elements, making for a fine floor-filler.
Technicolour & Komatic Stay feat Jayma/Stay feat
Jayma (B-Cee Remix) Spearhead 8.5
So cool how dnb can portray ballad-esque moods, making you feel all emotional despite all hell breaking loose in the percussion department. Rinsed out Amen drums and neuro-bass is the order of the day here, as a heartfelt lamenting female vocal that makes you feel all gooey epitomises the definition of ‘juxtaposition’. There must have been smiles from reception to basement in the studio after this dame finished her vocal! Sweet.
Xilent
Ultrafunk EP AudioPorn 8.5
‘Twisted’ on this EP is an essentially amazing muscle jaunter with sheer movement appeal. Watch the floor erupt to this bad boy offbeat stepper with a renegade, futuristic drum pattern that adds extra emphasis to the bleeps, sucks, slurps and electro knocks that happen in all the right places. One of those that you can’t help but lose it to.
081
MONEYSHOT!
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100