DRUM & BASS SINGLES((
DRUM
&
IT’S IN THE BAG… ONLINE D-N-B STORE AT WWW.KNOWLEDGEMAG.CO.UK
BASS
SINGLES
? BLU MAR TEN / AKIRA CYCOM
grooves from Davide Carbone and DJ
SCANDAL / SQUAREHEAD B.R.O / YELLOW RIVER OSCILLATE / ASTROPHYSICS
Felony, these rubs are sure to propel this
L-PLATES GOOD LOOKING SANTORIN
REVIEWED
new label further forwards. The intro to
It sounds like a phantom artist graces this After hearing ‘Progression Sessions 3’ I had Santorin is always a breath of fresh air and ‘Crisis’ is tense, running along on a wave of
next L Plate issue; cornering like a loon and to have this tune - finally available, the epic this latest is no exception. Cycom’s audio ominous percussion, animal sounds, a
BY
swerving all over the place. ‘Scandal’ opens that is ‘B.R.O’ is out now. The soulful chords, engineering skills can be detected early on in deathly drone, nervy chords and some :
LURCH
the account with a cracking trumpet line, breathtaking FX, the precise Amen break, this solid stepper. Powerful drums knock out blazin’ old skool sounds. The phat bass then
rattling drum breaks and choice bass hits,
it’s all here and exactly as I remember it, a
a rhythm you can’t help but move to. Add sneakily slides into the mix, giving the tune
&
soon developing into a charging dub-core
classic. Cascading strings, a lively roller of a
to that a sulky melody and grumbling bass its extra drive and killer dancefloor SHAREE
cut that will have the legs from under ya.
beat and an insistent bassline are the
undertones and you’ve got a real banger. motion. ‘Spy Ring’ then flows in a similar vein
That tell-tale flava flows again on the flip, as
backbone of Akira’s ‘Yellow River’ and are
‘Astrophysics’ is for all the beat scientists out of cultured darkness, again with a
bright percussion is cunningly spliced with
complemented by an array of aquatic
there. Vigourous, meticulously syncopated super-chunky riddim track to propel the
ominous sound, alongside a hypnotic
sounds and refined FX that give the track
drums traverse a landscape of uniquely groove, and approaching with a subtle,
six-gun bass. Recognise. L
clarity and an uplifting vibe. M
crafted sound. S though serious, dancefloor stance that this
man consistently delivers with such style. L
ACRYLIC DAYTONA
OP FACTOR
CHAMPAGNE
ONCE AGAIN / POISON
DRUM KRU
PIVOTAL
FLY GUY / DADDY MORPH
NU-URBAN MUSIC
EXPLOSIVE
THIN AIR / POLTERGEIST
This vinyl version of Acrylic’s full debut for
Nu-Urban number five, and if my memory
More fresh label shenanigans, with the 1210
Pivotal features four rubs from the ten-track
serves me right this follows up Champagne’s
Daytona moniker being the cover for two, big After much speculation, the first release from
CD, here focussing on the drum & bass floor
contributions to the recent album from Vibe’z
name, old hands. ‘Once Again’ rises with the Drum Kru is finally cast to vinyl. This
fillers, and opening with the spacious sounds
Recordings. Both are simple funk tunes run-
dense, rugged drumming and suspense loose collective features such luminaries as
of ‘Gaia Funk’. Coming complete with live
ning with live sounds; ‘Fly Guy’ marching
filled pads, before giving way to demonic Ed Rush, Optical, Matrix, Fierce, Trace,
bass, steppy drums, jazzy piano and wispy
with snapping snares while getting dirtier
stabs, heavyweight bassline pressure and a BC and Ryme Tyme, who have or will
flute lines, this cut wouldn’t sound at all out
with the bassline build, and ‘Daddy Morph’
shadowy spread of twisted melodics and contribute to the project in time, and while
of place on a Peshay release, and similarly
stepping out with slinky guitar licks, horns
vocal snippets. Meanwhile, those supa- the artists involved in this release are being
the deeper, more dramatic, strains of the
and warped bass. L
phat drums continue to rain down on the kept under wraps, all you ‘spotters out there
techno-tinged ‘Perhaps’ that follows. The flip, through ‘Poison’, rolling with nice will no doubt know who’s responsible.
second slate keeps with the jazzy notion,
CHRONICLE
mechanical percussion, deep bass tones ‘Poltergeist’ is a bright, yet spooky little rub,
though drifts into more nervous and abstract and a spellbinding mystical flava. Ruff and but ‘Thin Air’ is the big one here, taking
territory through the tension filled spaces of
VS. ORION
off-key... it’s got to be Randall and Flex. L you on a strangely tuneful ruff-ride to the
AVIATION / REQUIEM
‘Strength In Numbers’ and finally with the
FOKUZ
badlands, nasty raw and rolling, but
forceful steps of ‘Cinedrone’, the most
With a little nod to techno influences
JAY D’CRUZE
irresistible in its subtly morphing flow. L
warped tune of all. Broad, melodic, well YBOR CITY / CONTRAST
‘Aviation’ has a steppy, clinical beat, swirling
produced and worth investigating. L
SPRAYCAN
atmospherics and a deep, morphed bassline
FACS & B KEY
Hard-steppin sci-fi trekking is the way to get
TECHNOTIC / ASTAROTH
JOHN B
that sits perfectly with the percussion and
to ‘Ybor City’ on this first release from XXX
UP ALL NIGHT / TAKE CONTROL
almost hidden stabs and FX. ‘Requiem’ has
Spraycan, as D’Cruze lays down some XXX gets down and dirty again with their
METALHEADZ
a brooding feel to it with its melancholic intro,
incessant tumbling bass, rollicking drums sixth outing to date. ‘Technotic’ brings the
This is a quite sensational single from John B
chopped break and wistful melodies over a
and a catchy bleep hook, and while it’s the old school rave vibe with some siren keys
with both tracks showing a different side of
techno-tinged background. Both tracks are
same kind of direction on the flip, ‘Contrast’ and long forgotten samples. The keys
this man’s deft production skills and each
superbly programmed and are indicative of takes a noisier route to the dancefloor. L mutate down into a toxic, unyielding b-line
setting the dancefloor alight. ‘Up All Night’
the resurgence in European drum & bass melody while hard hitting breaks battle to
opens deceptively, with a sweet vocal and
whatever style. M
DECODER
break loose in this dancefloor stormer.
strings but beware, for the grizzly bassline CRISIS / SPY RING
‘Astaroth’ is pure gold as well. Tactile ‘96
menace soon looms large, as does a brazen CONSEQUENCE
BS1 style drums and a sweeping synth melody
rave piano line and thundering beats; and
CONSEQUENCE / CUBE Number three on this new Bristol label finds create a dark and ominous mood. An
when this one drops, it drops hard - nothing
FORM Darren ‘Decoder’ Beale taking time out from
unwholesome bass melody, which
to do but pull it back to the top. Taking a more
SYNCOPIX his Kosheen commitments to deliver this pair emphasises the pure nastiness of this cut,
subtle and sexy approach is ‘Take Control’,
TURN / DOUBLE DRAG of ruff ‘n’ tuff ‘floor shakers to BS1. Already
creeps in like a stalking jaguar. Terminally ill,
using a wicked blend of vocals, delicate piano
SYNCOPIX
with a growing profile, thanks to the smart overdriven machines at their best. S
droplets, soft guitars, soaring sax and warm
Number two from this new German label,
pads to create the sumptuous mood, while
‘Consequence’ drifting into view with soft
sharp, clipped beats and punchy bass keep
pads and friendly beats, before firming up
the step in check. Highly recommended. L
into a nervy little roller as the raw mid-range
and bubbling percussion come further into
BASIC UNIT
play. A tense tech-jazz intro then brings the
WRATH / TSAKAMOTO SYSTEMS flava on ‘Cube’, a serious and spooky track
FLEX that completes a delicately dark twelve.
Following releases from Visionary and Paul
From the same camp comes the Syncopix
Reset & Pyro, Basic Unit reappear on Flex
twelve, both tracks following a similar pat-
with the tumultuous bass and Amen
tern to the Form release. ‘Turn’ is perhaps
pressure of the old skool riffing ‘Wrath’, while
the most upbeat, blatant floor winner of them
the same ingredients are employed on the
all, approaching with a bubblin’ sci-fi intro
flip, though with extra interlocking beat-play
and rolling out with total percussive pres-
and crazy vocal snippets. Mean and moody,
sure, while ‘Drag’ closes the account with
but a bit one-dimensional. L
additional futuristic rollage. L
BLUE SONIX
GOT ME IN ITS SPELL / YOU NEED ME
D PRODUCT
AQUASONIC
TELEMETRY / WRITTEN OFF
FULL CYCLE
New label from Rikki Blue, and this first
Following his contributions to the ‘Through
release is an absolute gem. Both tracks ooze
soul, roll with a sumptuous groove and let the
The Eyes’ project, D Product takes time out
sunshine into the dance. ‘Got Me In Its Spell’
from engineering for Reprazent to return to
centres around the classic vocal of the title,
the source with an experimental twelve.
Both tracks run deep... very deep.
BC
bathed here in a warm sea of gentle chords,
THE BOOK OF THE BAD VOL.1
melancholic strings, deep bass hits, tribal vox
‘Telemetry’ most clearly so and for me mak-
BC RECORDINGS
and a fruity rhythm track. All blending
ing the most impression, as its warm and
Hot on the heels of the Prototype release of ‘Planet Dust’ the BC crew return to their own
effortlessly on a cut that you cannot help but
slinky bassline winds its way around the
label with this gargantuan EP, stuffed to the gills with powerful dancefloor ammo. Each
lose yourself in. A more driving, funk under-
crisp percussive beats and distant industrial
track comes with its own little flava, ‘Numbers’ leading with a nice blend of tones and stabs
tone infiltrates the flip, making for an ideal
echoes. ‘Written Off’ then takes a harder
over a droning underbelly, ‘Spider’ running riot with a dark bass bounce and ripping mid
accompaniment to the lead; again with a cool stance in the bass and drum department, range, and ‘Believe’ steering a spooky, inter-planetary course. However, the highlight on
vocal selection, extra smooth melody and a with dramatic strings and tense techno bub- this EP has to be the funky fury of ‘The Voice’. A busy, multi-layered track, excellently
bubblin’ bongo line rising through those bright bles infiltrating the mix, to give this record a crafted, and with wonderful strings, pads and synths, tasty pummel-bass, driving beats
and breezy beats. Nice vibes all the way. L nicely rounded sound. L and a neat Depeche Mode vocal sample. Once again this motley cru come up trumps. L
KNOWLEDGE59
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