The Big Chill – Ear & Drum Session 139

Recently I’ve been scouring 90s CD compilations for rare tracks and tunes I haven’t heard before and been coming up with some pure gold. Not every track in this mix is rare or unheard, but all of them are Intelligent jungle & D&B gold. I have so many memories of good times had to these tunes that I just had to share.

These are the true pioneers of today’s D&B sound. And these are the tunes that made the world stop and pay attention to the weird fast soul music being created by a small scene in the UK. These tunes make me think of the first time I played Logical Progression or the first time I heard LTJ Bukem live in 95′. They shimmer and they sparkle with a real essence of inspiration and freshness lacking in lots of today’s D&B and music in general.

I had a real blast discovering this music all over again to put together this mix and I hope you have a blast listening to it. Happy holidays.

The Big Chill – 2hrs of Intelligent Jungle & D&B

Ellis Dee – Atmosphere
Secret Motion – Lose Her (Cloud Nine Remix)
Bill Riley – In at the Deep End
Complex State – Revival
Fifth Element – Call on Me
Rogue Unit – Memphis Bliss
Ellis Dee feat. MC Fats – Ninety Seven Style
Nookie – Storm Before the Calm
The JB – Back 2 Life (The Dedication)
The Collective – Pressure
EZ Rollers – Subtropic
Rogue Unit – Horn Section
Macka Brown feat. R. Craig – Slow Down (VIP Exclusive)
Futurebound – The Right Way
Dr. S. Gachet – Calling
Dr. S. Gachet – It’s All Gone Sideways
Big Bud – Temptation
Point Blank + FX – Jazz Style
Nookie – Funk Be the Flavour (Dirty Di Mix)
Nookie – The World is a Ghetto (Nookie Remix)
Underwolves – The Crossing
Dr. S. Gachet – Remember the Roller (Remix)
Bug Kann & Plastic Jam – Made in 2 Minutes (Origin Unknown Remix)
DJ Dubplate – Futuristic Style
Shogun – Just For You
Victor Romeo – The Italian Job (Cloud Nine Remix)
Mystic Moods – The Sense of Summer
Rogue Unit – Black Gold
Forces of Nature – Cool Spot (PFM Remix)

The Down Low: Session 039

Here’s a housey little number to keep you going in the lead up to Christmas.

Big ups to Phil Karen for capturing the late night vibes of public transport in Last Train to Melbourne. The Stanton Warriors & Tony Quattro get the UFO Project remix treatment to one of my favourite tunes of the year Get Low, Bonobo’s – Kerala does what Bonobo do best and Calibre’s – Grow proves that some of the best house is made by D&B producers.

Get up, get down and enjoy.

The Down Low: Session 039 – 1hr of Deep House

Can Unsal – President
Daniele Casa – House of Space
Pessimist – Grit
FOTN – Sky Marching
Yousef – Come Home (Sarah Matterhorn Intro Remix)
Phil Karen – Last Train to Melbourne
Room 99 – Fever
Performative Mode – First Mode
Stanton Warriors & Tony Quattro – Get Low (UFO Project Remix)
Simian Mobile Disco – Hustler
Todd Terje – Jungelknugen (Four Tet Remix)
Bonobo – Kerala
Matt Minimal – Backlights (Tony DeClerque Remix)
Tube & Berger – When They Come
Calibre – Grow
Kolsch – Grey
Cardillo DJ – Monster

New Tricks – Ear & Drum Session 138

Remastering of old tunes has become a thing and so I’ve been steadily building up a collection of favourites to put into a mix. To hear new life breathed into these classic tunes really is a sublime pleasure for me. A lot of these are either original Metalheadz releases or from T-Power’s magnificent Self Evident Truth of an Intuitive Mind album with Photek’s broken beat classic T’Raenon thrown in for good measure.

Hear these brilliant tunes as you’ve never heard them before and enjoy. 🙂

New Tricks – 1.5hrs of Remastered D&B Classics

T.Power – Indigo
T.Power & MK Ultra – Mutant Jazz
Sci-Clone – O.D.
Source Direct – Web of Sin
Ed Rush – Skylab
Digital – Down Under
Ed Rush – Destiny
T.Power – Amber
Sci-Clone – Melt
T.Power – Triangle
Goldie – Inner City Life (Roni Size & Krust Remix)
Doc Scott – Far Away
Doc Scott – Blue Skies
Doc Scott – Drumz ’95 (Nasty Habits Remix)
Source Direct – Stonekiller
Source Direct – Black Rose
Dillinja – The Angels Fell
Ed Rush – The Raven
Codename John – The Warning
Photek – T’Raenon

Ephemory – Ear & Drum Session 137

We’re going deep and hard in this eclectic mix of slammers from 2017. It’s been a good year for D&B with old school jungle sounds being mixed in with the minimalist ethic of 2015-6 with some pretty devastating results. Tracks like Leaf’s – Groove, Kid Drama’s – Brutal D and Derrick & Tonika’s – Fata Morgana sound so fresh and new but still with a nod to days gone by. It is great to see new producers being able to put their own spin on the true and tried sound.

As always I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I did mixing it.

Ephemory – 1hr of deep hard D&B

Tim Reaper – Straight Forward
Andy Skopes – Heroin Wash (feat. Coerce)
Hyroglifics – Swish
Leaf – Groove
Rude Operator – Witchdoctor (feat. Ornette Hawkins)
1991 – Kabuki
Dub Phizix – Hack
Ulterior Motive – Anode (feat. Icicle)
Mitekiss – Forma
Kid Drama – Brutal D
Halogenix – Blej
1991 – Dim Sum
Rude Operator – Gunman
Vromm – Level Up (feat. Rider Shafique)
Bungle – Cocooned
Need for Mirrors – Ethos (Spirit Remix)
Derrick & Tonika – Fata Morgana
Flaco – Inferno (feat. Submorphics)
Rude Operator – Arrowhead

Night Line – Ear & Drum Session 136

Welcome to your weekend. That means it’s about time for some vocal driven Liquid D&B to kick back to.

Lots of classic production talent in here with scene stalwarts such as Redeyes, Break, Total Science, Seba, Nu:tone & Logistics (under their Nu:Logic alias) plus some cracking tunes from some of the newer kids on the block. A special shout to Macca & Los Contreras for their track Against the Wall remixed by FD which I’ve had on steady rotation for about six months now. I promise this is the last time I’ll put into a mix (for now).

It’s a Saturday, the sun is shining (where I am) and the time is right for some smooth tunes and a relax. Enjoy.

Night Line – 1hr of Liquid D&B

Redeyes – Intro
Redeyes – Keep On (Instrumental)
Mark System – Dissolve
LSB – The Hurting (Lenzman Remix)
Macca & Los Contreras – Against the Wall (FD Remix)
Fred V & Grafix – Hurricanes (Wild Love)
Seba – Addicted (Technimatic Remix)
Break – Coming 4 U
Nymfo – Melting Pot (feat. Robert Manos)
Nu:Logic – Dreamweaver
Koherent – Night Cycles
Halogenix – Cliche
Seba & Jnr Vallo – Rotate
Air.K & Cephei – Desire (Break Remix)
Halogenix – Velvet
Muffler – Dark Flower
Nu:Logic – Somewhere Between the Light
Night Train – Friske
Nu:Logic – Sepia (feat. LSB)
Total Science & Grimm – So Addicted (Feat. Grimm)

The Down Low: Session 038

I don’t exactly know what category these tunes fall into other than amazing. They sound a little like house, but there are broken beats in there, and all I do know is that this is my favourite Down Low Session in quite some time.

Tunes to keep an ear out for are Sepalcure’s amazing Warning, which I’m putting up as the best way to start a set I’ve heard all year. Then there’s Stanton Warriors & Tony Quattro – Get Low (Infrakt Remix) which is pure breakbeat funk and has a vocal hook that gets stuck in your head for day. You have been warned. Last, but by no means least, is Calibre’s – Grow which is my favourite house track of the year by miles and also the name of Calibre’s new LP. If you haven’t heard it, get on it.

If you are anything like me, you’ll have this on rotation for quite some time so enjoy. 🙂

Down Low 038 – 1hr of House & Bass

Sepalcure – The Warning
DJ Marky – Bella Drie (Nytron Power Remix)
Danv – Get Up Man
ASC – Soma
Stanton Warriors & Tony Quattro – Get Low (Infrakt Remix)
Tazer x Tink – Wet Dollars
Bonobo – Kerala
Todd Terje – Jungelknugen (Four Tet Remix)
Dirty South – I Swear (feat. ANIMA!)
Gustavo Koch – Animol
Tube & Berger – When They Come
Calibre – Grow
Kolsch – Grey
Aerosol – Isla Blanca (LTN Remix)
Ehterwood – Souvenirs (Friend Within Remix)

She Said – Ear & Drum Session 135

You know Liquid D&B has made it’s mark when Goldie starts releasing gorgeous melodic vocal driven tunes like I Adore You. There are so many beautiful tracks in this mix it hurts, helped in no small part by the release of new LPs by Mr Goldie and Irish liquid legend Calibre. There is also a very healthy supporting cast in the form Hybrid Minds, Artificial Intelligence and my new favourite Dawn Wall.

Not much else to say but enjoy this mix of lush liquid tunes. 🙂

She Said – 1hr of Liquid D&B

Hybrid Minds – Intro
Hybrid Minds – Touch (feat. Tiffani Juno)
Abi Ocia – Running (Mitekiss Bootle Remix)
Mystical Sound – Do You Love Me
Dawn Wall – Mantis
Calibre – Complain
Goldie – The River Mirrored (feat. Terri Walker)
Hybrid Minds – Brighter Day (feat. Charlotte Haining)
Macca & Loz Contreras – Against The Wall (FD Remix)
Calibre – No One Gets You
Goldie & Ulterior Motive – I Adore You (feat. Natalie Williams)
Artificial Intelligence – Reprisal
Brainwork & MNML – Trust
Dawn Wall – Twin Falls
Macca & Loz Contreras – Anything for You
Furney – Throw Your Weight Around
Goldie – Triangle
DJ Ransome – The Gift
Ownglow – Breathe (feat. Elle Vee & Disco’s Over)
Oddsoul – Midnight
Response – Tell Me

The Down Low: Session 037

I’m still convinced that when D&B producers step away from 172bpm music they end up making better house, techno and bass music than most the producers dedicated to those genres. There is something about taking those technical skills honed at higher BPMs and turning them to slower electronic music that just works. As proof check this mix out.

Fanu, Bop, Nuage, Om Unit & Commix are all originally D&B producers who are now experimenting with lower BPMs and making some amazing music. There are of course some old favourites in here too such as Groove Armada, Tipper and James ‘where you get that voice?’ Blake.

This one starts out all hard and gnarly, but winds down and chills out the further it goes along. Enjoy what lays Down Low.

Down Low: Session 37 – 1hr of Bass

Two Fingers – Traces
Ital Ink – Vector
Moresounds – Sound Bizness
Fanu x Coleco – Inward Tripper
Dany Scrilla – Rigel7
Groove Armada – Inside My Mind (Blue Skies)
James Blake – Retrograde
Ticklish – Sum 1 Like U
Tipper – Ambergris
Bop – Fragments
Nuage – Secret Jungle
Om Unit – Fuzzd An Soup
DJ Rashad, Machinedrum & Nick Hook – Understand
Funkfood Records – Lonesome City Cowboy (Remix)
Pete Satürn – Loophole #1 (Titan)
Commix – Behold

Concrete – Ear & Drum Session 134

It always takes me around 6-12 months to collect enough heavy D&B to pull together a good hard D&B mix. The good thing about me being fussy around this style is you know that what you are getting is carefully curated and every tune brings something different and interesting to the mix.

In this case we have tracks like the UFO Mix of Ed Rush & Optical’s classic roller Pacman which was never released and only ever popped up as a dub plate on some 2002 mixes coming out of the US. Or Rockwell’s excellent nod to rave in the cheekily named Please Please Please (Play This on the Radio). Digital and Spirit feature heavily too, which is never a bad thing.

For those about to rock, we salute you.

Concrete – 1hr of Hard D&B

Total Science, Digital & Spirit – Fall Down
Skynet – Underground –
Apostroph’ – Tolerate
Ed Rush & Optical – Pacman (UFO VIP)
Future Cut – Horns (Gremlinz & Overlook 2015 Remix)
Keen x Krakota – Reality
BCee & S.P.Y – Is Anybody Out There (The Vanguard Project Remix)
Clart – Team Playa
Ray Keith – Virus
Gremlinz – Tactical Rail
Mefjus – Dissuade (Emperor Remix)
Signal – Descent
Rockwell – Please Please Please (Play This on the Radio)
Ulterior Motive – Tech2
Rockwell feat. Sam Binga – itsok2behapp-e
Digital feat. LJC – In the Lurch
Mecca – Analysis
Spirit – International
Survival & Script – Sahara
Vicious Circle & Nocturnal – Welcome to Shanktown

Jungle Jazz Vol.2 – Ear & Drum Session 133

Back with another mix sourcing from the legendary Jungle Jazz compilations. This one covers 1998-2002 when the music was transforming from intelligent jungle into more jazz infused D&B as we know it today.

Some of these are straight up jazz tracks such as London Elektricity’s epic 10 minute ‘Rewind’ where as others are starting to take on the jazz-step sound of the naughties like Groove Rider’s remixes of Goldie’s ‘Believe’ and Bally Sagoo’s ‘Turn Bin Jaya’.One of the great things about the Jungle Jazz series was they had tunes I never saw get a vinyl release, so some of this music will hopefully be new to most of you.

My pick of the bunch would have to be 4 Hero’s – 9 by 9 (M.I.S.T. Full Vocal Mix) which pretty much kicked of the Liquid genre that is so huge today and Klute’s – Phone Call (Matrix Remix) which is pretty much the perfect D&B track in my humble opinion.

Jungle Jazz Vol.2 – 1hr of Jazz Infused D&B

London Elektricity – Rewind
Justice – Westside Centre (DJ Pulse Remix)
Nuyorican Soul – It’s Alright, I feel it! (Roni Size Remix)
New Jazz Hustler – Bombay
Shifty – Jazz Ass
4 Hero – 9 by 9 (M.I.S.T. Full Vocal Mix)
DJ Krush – Meiso (4 Hero Vocal Mix)
Goldie – Believe (Grooverider Remix)
Klute – Phone Call (Matrix Remix)
Bally Sagoo – Turn Bin Jaya (Grooverider Remix)
Adam F – Music In My Mind
4 Hero – Star Chasers (Photek Remix)
Shifty – Jelly Head
Photek – Modus Operandi