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TUNES drum ’n’ bass

What’s happening this month in d’n’b

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WWW.mixmag.net[[1L]] DECEMBER 2010

TUNES

There’s a huge EP incoming from metrik on Viper Recordings next month … dJ Vapour releases his debut LP ‘Legacy’ in December on his own label, 36 Hertz. He’s also working on a live show with the JungLe drummer … Want to see Camo

& krooked perform with a Bavarian accordion troupe? Go to bit.ly/90iUa5 and watch the magic unfurl … SubtLe audio’s

‘Volume II’ is out next month on double CD ... riya has been back in the studio with Dutch wizard Lenzman, working on the follow-up to ‘Open Page’ ... proLix & noCturnaL’s huge ‘Consequence’ drops on Metalheadz at the end of November...

tune of the month

andreW CLarke iS such an insatiable and unstoppable force behind the decks, it was only a matter of time before one Cd was not enough. So it is that ‘nightlife 5’ comes to us on a double Cd featuring more than 60 tracks in the mix. it’s the usual blend of dancefloor fun, interspersed with liquid downtime segues and flashes of classics (the well documented mix between konflict ‘messiah’ and Splash ‘babylon’ is a monster). Whether we really needed to hear ‘rock it’ again is a moot point, but once again it’s a super-tight selection which confirms andy C as the king of the dancefloor. even more impressive is the fact that many of the tunes are available to download separately, so you can do your best andy C impression at home, too.

Andy C: Nightlife 5 RaM RECORDs

the king of compilations doubles up

compilation of the month

HigHLigHtSoctane & dLr ‘Seven’S.p.y. ‘Go With The Flow’dJ Fresh ‘Cylon’Hamilton ‘Soundboy’

TAsk HorizoN feAT Milk 67Focused Locust MaINfRaME

electro jungle and house switcherooNew talent from austria’s flourishing label. The intro laps at your brain like the edge of an analogue sea. Waves of electronic surges build the atmosphere before it breaks out into a bumping, house- then-d’n’b switch-up type of tune. It’s intricately constructed and for those that love the kitchen-clean sound of electro d’n’b it will tick many boxes.

sireNthrowlight sIREN

new superduo come correctOne half of Vicious Circle and one half of Universal Project have formed a new duo called siren; they’re already getting lots of interest, appearing on andy C’s new ‘Nightlife’ comp and generally getting love from all angles. ‘Throwlight’ is from an EP full of nasty, naughty tech-funk, and if you’re into the rugged, DJ-friendly vibes of Break it’s definitely one to check. The switches between the two types of shakers are nicely done and a tight line in

bongos keeps the whole thing moving forward. Useful.

sigMA & DJ fresHLassitude BREakBEaT kaOs

two contrasting cuts that hit the spot‘Lassitude’ is one of the big- room moments from fresh’s idiosyncratic recent album. Hooking up with hot duo sigma, it’s a well-constructed party missile, with crosshairs locked on commercial, peak- time floors. Big, booming beats, a chunky electro-rock riff and some wailing female

vocals, all put together with the skill you’d expect from this trio, mean this is very effective. far more exciting, however, is ‘Cylon’, on the flip. acid house, dubstep and d’n’b all rolled into one, it’s breathtaking – and makes the vinyl version of this release a very tidy package indeed.

survivAl feAT CHrisTiNA NiColAHand it over aUDIO TaCTICs

one for the bassline headsThis is a real hulking ogre of a tune. The intro teases you initially, with Christina Nicola providing some wistful vocals over simple organ phrases. But things soon switch, as you’d expect, and the lead-weight beats and fizzing, groaning bass create a truly heavy atmosphere. The vinyl must weigh about a tonne.

BlACk suN eMpire fT D-kAybullet in the Head (gridlok mix) BLaCk sUN EMPIRE

disgusting behaviour from one of the bestUrghh, this is really horrible. In the best possible way, you understand. at the other end of the spectrum from fresh & sigma’s happy, clappy single is this dirty, dishevelled track from BsE, D-kay and Gridlok. Things open with the sound of the safety catch being let off, and from there it’s all distorted drums, a synth riff like an industrial saw cutting through sheet metal and a vocal that repeats “fired point blank, right into his skull’. Grizzly.

TANTruM Desire runaway bass TECHNIqUE

big pack of ravey napalmLondon crew Tantrum Desire fit nicely on Technique, as their big and bashy sound recalls label bosses Drumsound & simon ‘Bassline’ smith. ‘Runaway Bass’ is from an EP of four tunes, and it’s a heady mix of sprawling, atmospheric soundscapes which give way to buzzing, whirring dance- floor jump-up. such is the skill with which they create their tense introductions, I’d love to hear them try their hand at something a bit more intro- spective – but there’s no doubting they’ve got this ravey style down pat.

Brookes BroTHersLast night BREakBEaT kaOs

a bit electro, a bit popThe Brookes Brothers’ debut album which drops sometime next year promises to be quite special, as, like sub focus, Culture shock and Netsky, the London duo have the stream- lined, super-slick sound of 21st century d’n’b locked down. ‘Last Night’ is without doubt the most accessible and radio-friendly thing they’ve done, the vocodered vocal in the intro giving way to a near- electropop-style bouncer, full of rubber-band synth bass and thick chord sequences. It’s the kind of track that makes John B mess up his make-up. The hulking, syncopated hybrid ‘War Cry’ on the flipside of the vinyl brings a certain equilibrium to proceedings.

kJelldynamic fUNCTION

Smoky, jazzy smasherDigital’s function label is a reliable conduit for heavy- weight rollers, and this beast from american producer kjell is no exception. It’s all thudding live drums, swirling cymbals and muted Rhodes keys, and when the upright bass licks

join the party, a real neo-jazz atmosphere ensues. Make no mistake, though: this is no lounge and bass number. The crunching production means it sits alongside function’s moodier offerings with ease.

s.p.y.go With the Flow RaM

brazilian scales the heightsThere aren’t many artists who can claim to have had singles out on Metalheadz, Hospital and Ram. s.P.Y is without question in the big league these days, and this debut for andy C’s empire is another cracker. Like Break before him, s.P.Y. understands what the dancefloor wants, and has now utterly mastered the production process, meaning almost every track he makes does the business. ‘Go With The flow’ rolls out into a minimal head-nodder initially, but it’s the switch 16 bars later into tasteful wobble that really does the damage.

ToTAl sCieNCe feAT riyAredlines (break remix) CRITICaL

monster tune alert The original of ‘Redlines’ was a sumptuous romp through liquid funk heaven that featured vocals from singer du jour Riya. Break’s remix takes this blueprint, journeys deeper into musical nirvana, and then violently assaults you with no warning whatsoever. The intro is full of acoustic guitar licks and warm keyboard throbs, and just when you think Break has gone lounge, the multi-pitched amens rain down and a trap- door drops you straight into sub-bass hell.

andy C: decked out

break: violent sonic assault

edited byPeter Rogers Rinse out his inbox at:

drumnbass@mixmag.net

metrik: in the Viper nest