ALEX C
alexcdnb@gmail.com
QUICKIES Craggz & Parallel
Product Placement EP Product 7.0
A series of abstract, subliminal musical rollers, where ‘Hurt You’, for instance, lulls you into an opiated, mesmerised state through a chemical slide bass, pitch antics on vocal snatches, and space-epic arpeggios.
Dimension Digital World/Detroit
feat Cyantific Cyantific 8.0
Like the Netsky single on the left here? Then grab a baggy of this too, where an intricately produced vocal hook sits at the helm of a strobe-light skipper. Mirth ‘n’ merriment.
Major Look Bass Generation feat
John B feat NSG
Light Speed (Mixes) Beta 8.0
All about the catchy vocals this ish... Go for the L-Plus remix, where a fairground organ-style keyboard energises and invigorates a cockney sung vocal. Sexy summer stunner.
Overlook Cardinals/District
(with Photon) Horizons 8.0
Backward strings, cavernous bass plods, future-bleak keyboards, a desolate, apocalyptic alarm siren and eerie echoes all serve to create a delicious sense of doom-mongering fear.
Ragga Twins (Mixes) London
9.5
Big tings a gwarn! No surprise, considering the tsunami-sized waves that this MC has made since ‘Hush Ya Gums’. A drawling reggae dub and half-speed malfunctioning bleep mix contained within, but the ‘Rollers Mix’ is the one. A junglist slice of perfection at a time where the sound is seeing a revival, there’s all the elements you’d require for a big, bad and heavy romp, like buzzing bass, superb sing-jay performances from the lads and a stench of skunk vibes... Love it bad.
Data
Endgame/Dissent Horizons 8.5
Labels like No-U-Turn or Renegade Hardware have, in the past, had their time as the places to go to be embroiled in worrisome d&b electro necromancy, but right now, it’s Horizon’s time to shine in the dark-light. Here is a perfect example: a tuneless bass plagues the nether regions of the composition at a sub-bass tone that induces anxiety, while a concoction of high frequency bleep alchemy provides contrast. A purposeful veering away from melody in favour of hypnotic, unsettling drawl.
Gridlok
Smuggler/After Midnite Playaz 7.5
NETSKY HOSPITAL RECORDS
01. MAJOR LAZER ‘Get Free’ Mad Decent “I’m a big fan of Major Lazer and they have a really broad spectrum of sounds
and don’t follow rules, which I like. This has a great reggae vibe.”
02. NETSKY ‘Love Has Gone (Dub Phizix Remix)’ Hospital “I love both the remixes by Enei and Dub Phizix, so make sure you check them
both out.”
03. JESSIE WARE ‘Running (Disclosure Remix)’ PMR Records “I like the Chicago house feel behind this. It’s my sexy tune of the month!”
04. NETSKY ‘Come Alive’ Hospital Records “This was released as a digital-only single in January.”
05. SUB FOCUS ‘Out The Blue feat Alice Gold’ Mercury Records “This has one of the best riffs in d&b, that hook stays in your head and I love
the vocal.”
06. SEVEN LIONS ‘Polarize EP’ Viper Records “I’m a big fan of the synth sound on the drop — it’s so positive and really goes
off in a club.”
07. NETSKY ‘Love Has Gone’ Hospital Records “This is my new single, and also appears on my album ‘2’.”
08. SIGMA ‘Summer Days feat Takura’ Hospital “So uplifting.”
09. NETSKY ‘Wanna Die For You feat Diane Charlemagne’ Hospital
Records “It was so good to have Diane Charlemagne on the vocals for this track — she’s such an incredible vocalist.”
10. METRIK ‘Flightwave’ Viper Recordings “Metrik’s production skills are out of this world, and here he masters a Skrillex-
y sound, but in d&b. I love the second drop!”
Long standing prolific US producer sees his latest single released through Hype & Pascal’s low-frequency empire. You can tell this is a production from a Stateside mind. There’s just something within the forthright, future soldier vibes here — made up by vocal snatches mentioning the words “Government. Crisis. Cannot be stopped” — frenetic bongos which bolster anticipation and a tasty, grilled steak bass that remind you of the US. Neon lights on a rainy night in a sprawling metropolis.
Livewire
Acclimatize/Set You Free Climate Recordings 9.0
Crisp and shiny, a gleeful rave- inspired pulse pounder that fills floors and demonstrates a talent for slightly going against the grain within the arrangement to please
connoisseurs, as well as those who just wanna let it all out. Expect a mood enlightening vocal as also featured in Todd Terry’s ‘House Is A Feeling’, a ‘lose yourself’ vibe reminiscent of classics like Mr Fingers’ ‘Can U Feel It?’ and a jaw-locking riff that dares you not to dance. Electrostatic elasticity.
Loadstar
Passenger/Bomber Ram Records 9.5
Ram racks up yet another prize for a succession of destructive drops this issue. ‘Bomber’ is a little late through, missing last month’s deadline by a gnat’s whisker, and is therefore already out, but seriously, miss this at your peril. Continuing to blow up clubs worldwide, an offensive squelch followed by a poison- squirting stage of keyboard venom does damage to your insides, and admirably fulfils your addiction to uneasy rest followed by psychotic ruckus. Smack your pitch up!
Max NRG
Prometheus EP Technique Recordings 9.0
A new Ukranian signing with four pieces that demand dangerous levels of energy expulsion. ‘Arkan’ is the stand- out, where a frantic beat propels an Arabic-sounding riff and various other musical elements that constantly up the ante and, while you skip on the spot, lead your mind’s eye to project images of smoky harems, veiled belly-dancing beauties and scimitar-wielding swordsmen. Supremely catchy, captures the Eastern philosophy as well as the classic ‘Ashram’ by Klute. An anthem in the making.
www.djmag.com Netsky
Love Has Gone (Mixes) Hospital 8.0
The USP that gets you immediately addicted to this is a high-pitched then contrastingly low voice-box filtered vocal, along with a breezy, rushing, enthusiastic feel. A number of varying mixes cater for various tastes, from disco to d&b to grime to dub — all quality — with the frantically zooming Enei version coming out top.
Rene LaVice
Absolute Monster EP Ram Records 9.5
No truer application for the phrase ‘does what it says on the tin’ in the title track, where a rabid Godzilla flattens skyscrapers like a three- year-old stomps sandcastles. There’s some serious effects automation, where a growling, gnarled, bleached-tongue riff drifts in, flashes in front of your eyes and knocks you for six. Very reminiscent of Doc Scott’s seminal ‘Shadow Boxing’ for sheer bloodthirsty appeal in the sliding riff. Shock-rocker.
Various
Playaz EP Vol 3 Playaz 6.5
DJ Hype’s ‘Peace, Love & Unity’ is one of my favourite all-time pieces, with a dynamite MC Fats sing-jay vocal and high octane bass. So it was with much anticipation when this new mix leading a four-track EP was played. A refreshingly different diversion from the original can be good, but, for me, this one is perceptibly much slower, and with its sparse beat and moody bass, is more brooding as opposed to pulse-pounding.
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DRUM & BASS REVIEWS The
MONEYSHOT!
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