The Down Low: Session 046

Been an absolute age since I’ve dropped a Down Low Session and I am super excited about this one. A collaboration between William C. and myself, the selection duties fell to William. I then programmed the tunes into a workable order and let the music mix itself.

Flying by the seat of my pants, I didn’t want to listen to any of these tracks in their entirety. Instead, I just did some simple track marking and then dealt with any surprises as they came along. The result is a Deep House / Techno set William described as ‘Funny, witty, funkily playful – just full of emotion and brimming with happiness.’

I’ll take that. 🙂

The Down Low: Session 046 AKA Where there’s a Will – 1hr or Deep House & Techno

First Born – Hey Mr (Tambourine Man)
Paco Osuna – Let’s Dream
Soul Boy – Harmonica
Metro Area – Parton Candy
Black Strobe – Nazi Trance Fuck Off (James Holden Remix)
ILS – No Soul
Marcella – Stabbing Sally
Goldfrap – Train
Superstars of Rock – Up All Night [Won’t Make the Gym] (Salt City Vocal Remix)
Winx – You Are the One
Piemont – Carbonat
Greed feat. Lesley – Strange World (Lemon 8 Remix)
Beanfield – Tides [C’s Movement #1] (Carl Craig Remix)
Morgan PAge & Gregory Shiff feat. Astrid Suyanto – All I Know
Yves Larock – Rise Up (Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Ramero’s Bambossa Mix)

Ear & Drum Session: 189 – Out of Step

Some of the first Tech Step tunes I got into were on compilations such as Sound of the Underground Record’s – Nu Skool Flava and Emotif Recordings’ – Tech Steppin. These were dark moody tunes full of Hip Hop samples and hard beats. While they weren’t the best tunes in terms of sound production, for raw energy and intent they still hold up today as some of the most upfront D&B tunes ever written.

This mix is dedication to SOUR, Emotif, Prototype and all the other labels who pushed the sounds of Elementz of Noize, Ed Rush, Trace, Ray Keith and all the other pioneers of the Tech Step sound that went on to influence D&B for decades afterwards.

Out of Step – 1.5hrs of classic Tech Step

DJ Trace – Mutant Revisited
Elementz of Noize – Hit The Deck
Dylan – Witchcraft
Shapeshifter – Talkin’ Mad Shit
Skyscraper – Liberty One
DJ Kane – The Way It Goes Down
Elementz of Noize – Mars Needs Women
DJ Trace – Jeamland ’96
Ray Keith – D4 Toxic Waste (Elementz of Noize Remix)
Skyscraper – The Difference
Click N’ Cycle – Trippin’ Tonic Remix (Tonic’s Re-Animated Mix)
TC Islam & The Alien 3 – Let The Bass Boom
T.Power – Amber (Shy FX Extended Version)
DJ Trace – Mid Town (Level II)
Ray Keith – D4 Toxic Waste
B.L.I.M. – Onza
Shapeshifter – Communicate With The World
Shapeshifter – Mass Hysteria
Freq Nasty -The Shadow
Microburst – Punkmutha

Ear & Drum Session: 187 & 188 – Sunshine One Day & Cloudy the Next

These two mixes complimented each other when I made them so I’ve decided to put them up as a rare double post.

Sunshine One Day is an upbeat Liquid mix with a euphoric vibe. With tunes from Mitekiss, Bop and Duoscience it is just a straight up damn good time.

Cloudy the Next is another Liquid mix, but on a more subdued and chilled vibe featuring The Vanguard Project feat. DRS, Seba and Pacific. Still in the same territory as Sunshine, but definitely a little more introspective and laid back.

Sunshine One Day – 1hr of Upbeat Liquid D&B

Zero T – Jazz Tone
Keen – Fall Beneath You (feat. Etherwood)
Andy Skopes & Madcap – Part of Me
Alix Perez – Concrete
Mitekiss – Tonic
Style – Apology
Break & Kyo – The Edge of Time (Workforce Remix)
Adred & Jamal – Complicated (feat. Christina Tamayo)
QZB – Take it All (feat. Charli Brix)
Bop – Insight
Malaky – Believe
Radias – Whirlpool
Sili – In The Mood
Duoscience – Memorial
Jakart & KD – Atman
Smote – Without You (feat. T:Base)
Subdue – All Your Reason
Vice, Charlotte Haining & Etherwood – Little Bit Lighter

Cloudy the Next – 1hr of Laid Back Liquid D&B

The Vanguard Project feat. DRS – Everyday Is Stolen
Hiraeth – All This Time
Invaderhertz – Your Love
Mystific – Atlantic Desire
Whiney – No Good
Mistrust – Only Ever You
Hiraeth feat Critical Event – Hold On To Me
The Upbeats & Shapeshifter – Uncharted (Workforce Remix)
Reburf – We Could Be
A Sides feat. MC Fats – Arctic
Seba – Chebourashka
Pacific – Divinity
Get & Joshua – Sun Shining
Whiney – November
London Grammar – If You Wait (Long Enough You’ll Get the Calibre Remix)
Alix Perez – Concrete
Cyber Posix & Valiant Emcee feat. Trac – Never Too Late
Shy FX, Chronixx & Jvck James – Bye Bye Bye (S.P.Y. Remix)

Ear & Drum Session: 186 – The Vibe

Harking back to the days of proper Atmospheric D&B this mix is a combination of stone cold, but lesser known, classics and modern day takes on the sound from the likes of Acid_Lab and Scape.

Featuring a lot of the early D&B best Atmospheric production talent such as DJ Pulse, Tango, DJ Harmony and Source Direct, I’ve tried to dig out remixes and different cuts of their classic tunes.

A BIG shout out to Andy Odysee and his imprint Odysee Recordings for keeping this sound alive in 2020 and for all the excellent mixes Andy himself has put together of this kind of stuff. It’s great that it is still being put out there for future generations to discover. Respect.

The Vibe – 1.5hrs of Atmospheric D&B

Tango – Revelations (Essence of Aura Remix)
Nasty Habits – Chillin Out (Deleted Mix)
Jazz Juice – Detroit (DJ Lee ’97 Remix)
DJ Pulse – New York
Sub Sequence – Drummin’ Space
DJ Harmony – Let Me In (Adam F Remix)
Harmony – What A House
Harmony & Xtreme – Watch This (Remix)
Dub Technicians – Icognito (Rollers Mix)
Scape – Spirit World (Soul Intents Spirit of Speed Remix)
Acid_Lab – Guess Who’s Back
Source Direct – Different Groove
The Dominion – Blue (Chapter 2 Remix)
Universal Love – Together (Ryder’s Dream 132 Mix)
Acetate – Ray of Sun
Forme – New Element
Austin – High Speed (Deep Down Mix)
The Dominion – Fusion (Rhyder’s Dream 103 Remix)
Photek – The Rain (Photek Remix)

Ear & Drum Session: 185 – Rabbit Whole

Heading back out to the depths with this mix of minimal and deep D&B. This style seems to be slowing down a little in terms of output, but the quality is still all there with artists like Anile, Shinbu and Mako still blazing a trail of stripped back beats and low sub-bass.

It’s also interesting to note that older producers know for completely different styles like Carl Cox and Dom & Roland are chipping in with their own unique take on the sound. Shouts once again to Thermal for his Black Dog Remix of Heitor Leal Farnese’s – E näo foi à lápis.

Rabbit Whole – 1hr of Deep & Minimal D&B

Hexa – Solitude
Anile – U No who U R
M-Zine – Skulk
Digital – Robber VIP
Enei feat. Charli Brix – Just One Look
Shinbu – Sleep Box VIP
Sedax – Subframe
Mako – Flip It
Particle – Camberwell
Melinki & Trex – Listen
Ray Keith – Renegade (T>I Minimal Remix)
Shinbu – Traitors VIP
OZB feat. Rider Shafique – City on the Look
Brain & Zerozero – Electronic Music
Spinline – Brighton
Russell Small – It Is What It Is (Bad Ass Disco) Carl Cox Remix
Ricky Force – What’s Up
Workforce – Your Moves
Rohaan & Tek Genesis – People of Eve
Dom & Roland – A Broken Heart
Heitor Leal Farnese – E näo foi à lápis (Thermal’s Black Dog Remix)

Ear & Drum Session: 184 – After Dark

Liquid D&B has been so solid this year it really is a genre I can’t stop mixing. The warm but deep, solid b-lines, sublime melodies and vocal hooks have taken D&B by storm in 2020.

Producers who have had long term underground success with the sound like Alix Perez, Nelver and Rowpieces are now definitely getting some more mainstream recognition. Plus we are seeing other ‘big name’ producers like Shy FX, S.P.Y. and Breakage successfully switching their sound to a more liquid style.

This mix encompasses some of the best Liquid tunes from the first half of the year and rolls them into a solid hour.

After Dark – 1hr+ of Liquid Bangers from 2020

Alix Perez – Concrete
Monrroe feat. Sydney – As I Fall
Enei feat. Charlie Brix – Just One Look
Shy FX feat. Chronixx & Jvck James – Bye Bye Bye (Spy Remix)
Keeno – Equinox
Nelver & Aperio – Constellations
Pacific – Dust
London Grammar – If You Wait (Long Enough You’ll Get the Calibre Remix)
Bronski – Hype
A-Sides – Follower
Duoscience – SpaceX
Mollie Collins & Y-Zer – Try More
A-Sides feat. MC Fats – Arctic
Emba & DRS – Move Steady
Rowpieces – The Storm is Here
Phaction – The Fall
Nelver – Start Key
Resound – Bouge Bass
Shy FX feat Sinead Harnett – Too Shy (Breakage Remix)
Frederic Robinson – Skip
Koherent – Close to Me
The Outsiders feat. Ida – Run Away

Ear & Drum Session: 183 – Beast

I don’t often dip into the heavier side of D&B, but always enjoy it when I do. With old classics being remixed like Benny L’s remix of Dark Soldier and T>I’s Minimal VIP of Ray Kieth’s – Renegade, plus new drops from the likes of Adred on Metalheadz, A-Sides and Amon Tobin and Double Click’s – Two Fingers project there is plenty in here to be happy about.

Special shout out to Thermal for his Black Dog Remix of Heitor Leal Farnese – E näo foi à lápis. Remixes don’t come much more obscure, or tougher than this. Thanks for thinking of me.

Beast – 1hr of Heavy D&B

Dark Soldier – Dark Soldier (Benny L Remix)
Symplex & Camel – Twilight
A-Sides – Tower
T>I – Foot Drop
Duoscience – Magido
Ray Kieth – Renegade (T>I Minimal VIP)
TeeBee – Blue Rose (Chrisp & TeeBee’s Lynch’ed Remix)
Halogenix & IMANU – Technoid
Adred feat. Commix – Interface 01
A-Sides – Edge VIP
FX909 – The Call
Next Chapter – Nowhere Fast
Kings of the Rollers – Somebody Else (feat. Lydia Plain)
Survival & Script – Chant (Survival VIP)
Rohaan – Burner
Artificial Intelligence – Uprising (Revisited)
Adred – Amenity
Mayhem, Logam & Gridlock – All I Do (Gridlock VIP)
Two Fingers – Fight! Fight! Fight!
Heitor Leal Farnese – E näo foi à lápis (Thermal’s Black Dog Remix)

Ear & Drum Session: 182 – Missteps

Step in the 90s was all about rugged and raw beats and bass smashing through the speakers. But is also had it’s lesser know deeper and moodier sound that was being pushed by pioneers like Tonic, T-Power and to a lesser degree Ed Rush.

This was Tech Step with long, creeping b-lines and beats that had the odd high passed Amen threaded through it to give a more atmospheric take on the 2-step machine music.

Some of these tunes are my all time favourites from an era that was full of incredible Tech Step based D&B. From Tonic’s Renegade and Outcast, to B.L.I.M.’s Their Culture, to Purple Kola’s menacing The Thing — this is 90’s Tech Step done right.

Missteps – 1hr of Moody 90s Tech Step

Tonic – Renegade
Doc Scott – Machines
Genetic – Implants
T-Power – 33rd Parallel
Tonic – Outcast
The Anger – Footlose
Tonic – Renegade Phazed
Ed Rush – Check Me Out
B.L.I.M. – Their Culture
Rescale – The Vision
Urbanites – Transend
Purple Kola – The Thing
T-Power – Symbiosis
DJ Nomad Vs. DaHeadbanger – Lord of the Rings

Ear & Drum Session: 181 – Smells Loud

Back on the Liquid roller tip, this really is a genre that has come into its own. The groove and funk crafted into tunes by the likes of Furney, Workforce, Lenzman and their contemporaries is nothing short of amazing. And it is hard not smile and move when you here these tunes.

Special shout out to the classic combo of A Sides feat. MC Fats who tune Arctic could quite possibly be my pick for tune of the year.

Smells Loud – 1hr of Liquid Rollers

Sunchase – Why We Are Here (I Wannabe Remix)
Larigold – Half a Wonder
Furney – Haze
Senpai – Atlantis 2046
Seba – Lviv
Calibre – Years
Nu:Tone – The Moment feat. Lea Lea
Bop & Unquote – Drifting Away
Seba – Chebourashka
Mako – Holding You
Radical – Without a Word (I Wannabe Remix)
Workforce – In the Throws
Villem, McLeod & MC Fats – Perfect Solution (Black Barrel Remix)
Altitude – Wounded
A Sides feat. MC Fats – Arctic
Calibre – Sense Soirée
GLXY – Falling
Miss Redflower – Conundrum
Senpai – Hypersleep
Lenzman & IAMDDB – In My Mind (Break Remix)
mSdoS – Dissappointments

Ear & Drum Session: 180 – Deep Dive

I have always been a huge fan of Teebee’s early works on Certificate 18 and later on his own Subtitles imprint. Teebee recently went on a remastering rampage on his entire back catalogue of early LPs, EPs and 12″s all of which can be found on his Subtitle’s Bandcamp – https://subtitlesmusic.bandcamp.com/

To say I was pleased is an understatement. I pretty much own most of these tracks on vinyl already, but was more than happy to pony up again for the digital remasters because there is just so much great music in this man’s back catalogue. From singalong R&B bootlegs to dark, brooding techstep monsters one thing Teebee’s early work has is serious funk.

If you are feeling any of the tunes you hear in this mix please do the right thing and purchase them for yourself. They are cheaper than ever and have never sounded so good.

Deep Dive – 2hrs of Teebee at his Finest

TeeBee – Kung Fu
TeeBee – Destiny
TeeBee – Space Age
TeeBee – White Venom
TeeBee – Lifeless
TeeBee – Two Faced
TeeBee – Only You
TeeBee vs. Brandy – You DOn’t Know Me (TeeBee Vocal Remix)
TeeBee – Forever Lost
TeeBee – Severed Dreams
TeeBee – Vengeance
TeeBee – Black Rain
TeeBee – Blue Rose (Chrisp & TeeBee’s Lynch’ed RMX)
TeeBee – Capable
TeeBee – Guilty
TeeBee – Gravity Distortion
TeeBee – Retrofunk
TeeBee – Warehouse
TeeBee vs. Future Prophecies – Let The Bass Kick
Calyx & TeeBee – The Quest
TeeBee – The Force 3
Cause4Concern – Luca (TeeBee Remix)
TeeBee – Frequencies
TeeBee – Deceive
Photek – Ni Ten Ichi Ryu (TeeBee Remix)
TeeBee – Human Reptile (Alternative Remix)
TeeBee – Let Go
TeeBee – Rave Alarm
TeeBee – State of Unrest
TeeBee – Silent Depths
TeeBee – Sunday Sessions
TeeBee – Dimensional Entity
Kraken – Side Effects (TeeBee Remix)