Category Archives: Deep D&B

Deep Down – Ear & Drum Session 54

It’s no secret I am a big fan of the deeper sounds of D&B, and as the music has evolved it seems more and more producers and heads are turning to the deep side. This batch of tunes is a good spread of what is great about the deep rolling sound at them moment.

Marcus Intalex deserves a special mention for his debut LP ’21’ as does Mr Jospeh with his ‘What a Lovely Time It Was’ LP also on debut. June Miller as always brings space and depth to the music, Eastcolors to has a very deft touch and Ill Skillz & S.P.Y provide my favourite track in this mix the Chicago tinged ‘This is Why’

Deep Down – 1hr of Deep D&B from 2011

June Miller – Isis
DJ Ded – Just Funk
Eastcolors – Taken
Chooga – I Remember All
Mr Joseph – Teardrop
Mr Joseph – Necessary
Fabels & Express – Safe in Orbit (Eastcolors Remix)
Synth Sense, Anile & Rose – Seeking You
Koto – The Intermission
Ill Skillz & S.P.Y – This is Why
Marcus Intalex – Celestial Navigation (Feat. S.P.Y)
Total Science & S.P.Y Feat. Kevin King – Past Lives
Blueprint – Lost Notes (Stunna’s Found Notes Remix)
Artificial Intelligence – Stand Alone
Lenzman – More Than I Can Take (Enei Remix)
Amit – Doomed Youth

Call the Ambience – Ear & Drum Session 53

Ambient D&B has come a long way in the past few years. Helped by it’s close neighbour Minimal, the deeper ambient sounds have come out from being hidden on the second CD of albums and the B-sides of records to being almost a genre within it’s own right. There are now labels devoted to this style of D&B and producers such as June Miller and Bop are getting the props they rightly deserve for writing beautiful but downbeat tunes.

This is a selection of the deepest most chilled tracks I could find in my collection. No dance floor frenzy with this one, just kick back and close your eyes as the music floats you away to another time and space.

Call the Ambience – 1hr+ of Ambient Drum & Bass from 2011

Amit – Dream Sequence
June Miller – Cave In
B Cloud – Flying in a Dream
Marc Atmost – Disappear
Kogyo – Time
Synkro – Open Arms
Subwave & Stop Thinking – Plastic Heart
Scuba – In_2
Amit – Lullaby For Yerma (feat. Rani)
Oleg Sirenko – Drops
SooSLiX – When the Ocean Sleeps
Bop – The Amazing Adventures of One Curious Pixel
Viktor Gradov – The Space Wanderer
Bop – Extraterrestrial Creatures Are Stealing You From Me From The Bedroom (ft. Bev Lee Harling)
Metrik – Ocean Drive
Technicolour – Permafrost
Pag – North
Bop – Irreversible
Bop – My Heart Is In a Freezer
Project-Scorpion – In Depths of Ocean

Concrete Waterfall – Ear & Drum Session 50

Well I finally made it to number 50 in the Ear & Drum Sessions, now onto number 100 I guess.

This time around we are focusing in on the latest in tunes for 2011 and their are some absolute belters. Kicking off with Paul B’s – This is the Girl which is the best intro track I have heard in a looong time. Dark, trippy beats with a haunting bell that cuts through it, I love this track.

There are a few tracks from the Nu Blood 011 LP which really hold up well in the mix, plus the best bits from Nu:Tones album get a rinse out. Other big tracks for me are Icicle feat. SP MC – Dreadnaught, Gappa G & Lucky B – Ubiquity and Command Strange – Motion. But to be honest, it is all good stuff in this mix.

2011 is shaping up to be a to year for D&B, with a really deep, rolling sound cutting across all the genres. Lot’s of melody and vocals too, which is never a bad thing in book. Hope you enjoy mix #50.

Concrete Waterfall – 1hr of new beats for 2011

Paul B – This is the Girl
Physics – The Business
Rawtekk – Snowflakes
Anile – Change of Direction
Seba – Nostalgia
Seba & Paradox – The Light
Icicle feat. SP MC – Dreadnaught
Nu:Tone – Set Me Free
Gappa G & Lucky B – Ubiquity
Lenzman – Masquerade (Die, Interface & William Cartwright Remix)
Seba – Vanity
N4m3 – Make Your Soul Open For The Road On Imagination
Nu:Tone – Coming Back
Nu: Tone – The First Time
Stanza – Number Gas
Command Strange – Motion
Nusense & NC-17 – Dirty
Furi Anga – The Lycaon
Magnetic Man – Perfect Stranger (dBridge Remix)

Headz Space Part 2 – Ear & Drum Session 46

This is the second installment of the Headz Space series focusing on the amazing music found of the Deep Space: Drum & Bass compilations. This is a bit of a Birthday celebration mix as I’m officially old as today, but you get the gift. If you like your early era atmospheric or intelligent D&B then you’ll love this.

So many good tunes in here, and quite a few rarities as well. Mandalay – Flowers Bloom (Foul Play Mix) is a classic, Blu Mar Ten’s – The Fountain is a ten minute journey into blissful beats and Elements by The Amalgamation of Soundz is definitely a lost classic.

There are some quite well known tracks to such as Saint Etienne – The Sea (PFM Remix), St Germain – Alabama Blues (Wax Doctor Mix) and Omni Trio – Trippin’ On Broken Beats (Carlito Mix) which I just had to throw in because they are all definitive examples of the intelligent sound.

Headz Space Part 2 – 1hr+ of Intelligent and atmospheric D&B from 96-98

Mandalay – Flowers Bloom (Foul Play Mix)
Minx – Dreamtime
Morcheeba – The Music That We Hear (Omni Trio Mix)
Blu Mar Ten – The Fountain
South – Georgia Landing (Omni Trio Remix)
Mark Penny – Moods
Recoil – The Bridge
EZ Rollers – Retro (Guardians of Dalliance Remix)
Saint Etienne – The Sea (PFM Remix)
Twisted – Elements
St Germain – Alabama Blues (Wax Doctor Mix)
Omni Trio – Trippin’ On Broken Beats (Carlito Mix)
Omni Trio – Fire Island
N&G&O – Tekken (Windermere Dub Mix by T. Power)
Jhana – Say Say Say (Doc Scott Vocal Mix)

Headz Space Part 1 – Ear & Drum Session 44

This mix is for those that need to relax. The chilled out D&B from 96-98 is some of the most beautiful music of any genre. Artists like Photek, PFM, Aquasky and Roni Size were on top of their game when they produced these tracks. There are plenty of rarities in this mix to keep you blissed out and hunting for you own collection.

All the tracks from the mix come from the magnificent Lost In Space: Drum & Bass compilations, which along with the Artcore Series, are the best collections of Intelligent and Atmospheric D&B you’ll find. If you don’t know get to know.

So pull up a couch, put on your headphones and kick back to these dreamy tunes.

Headz Space Part 1 – 1hr+ of Chilled out D&B from 96-98

Jimpster – Martian Arts
Jonny L – 2 of Us (Photek Remix)
Aquasky – Moondance
Kumo – Tiger Style (Local Zero Remix)
Statik Sound System – Revolutionary Pilot (Rob Smith Remix)
Eat Static – Hybrid (PFM Remix)
Grand United – Dig So Deep
Nutcase & Papchubba – Things Will
Aural Imbalance – Secret Motion
Dimensions of Elegance – Naked Symphony
Skylab – The Trip (Roni Size Remix)
Future Loop Foundation – I Want To Believe
Outernational Meltdown – Hungry On Arrival (Spring Heel Jack Remix)
The Advantage – Cassiopeia
One True Parker – Bubblegum (Ray Keith Remix)

Let Nature Feed Itself – Ear & Drum Session 40

It’s been a ripe old year for the chilled out side of D&B. Minimal has had it’s wicked way with the scene, but outside of that there has also been a return to the deep and mellow sounds. Artists like Command Strange, ATP and Calibre are pumping out quality beats on a laid back tip whilst the new LP’s from Mutated Forms and Artificial Intelligence show that deeper tracks can still pack a serious punch.

Also a big nod to Mr José Gonzålez who’s cover of Kylie’s – Hand on Your Heart has been one of my guilty pleasures of 2010.

Let Nature Feed Itself – 1hr of Deep & Mellow D&B Beats

Stray – Saturday
Subwave – Gift
Command Strange – It’s All Over
Tyler Straub – Trusted Judgement
ATP – Soul Fly (feat. Jett)
June Miller – Poison the Well
Calibre – Even If
BCee & S.P.Y – Nothing to Declare
Theory – Weirdos
Bop – Song About My Dog (Subwave Remix)
Sam KDC – Detached
Mutated Forms – Last Time (feat. Jenna G)
Artificial Intelligence – Stand Alone
José Gonzålez – Hand on Your Heart

A Gentleman’s Selection – Ear & Drum Session 36

Ah Intelligent Jungle. If ever there was genre of D&B that melts my heart this is the one. Back in the day the MC would shout out, “This one’s for the ladies.” And you just knew that what would come next would be pure musical ecstasy.

There are some big names in this mix like Omni Trio, JMJ & Ritchie, DJ Pulse, T-Power and A-Sides, but I’ve tried to keep eclectic and slip in the sneaky remixes and the producers most people haven’t heard much of. Not much else to say about this one but let it roll baby.

A Gentleman’s Selection – 1.5hrs of Intelligent Jungle from 1995

Universal Love – Killer Whale
The 2 G’s – Energy (Remix)
Omni Trio – Soul Promenade (Nookie Remix)
DJ Pulse – So Fine
SE9 Crew – So Sweet
T-Power – Mutant Jazz
Essence of Aura – Northern Lights
Pascal – P-Funk Era
Concept 3 – Rush (Remix)
Jodeci – Feelin’ (LTJ Bukem Remix)
Intel Inside – I’ve Got the Music
DJ Pulse – Let You In
Omni Trio – Renegade Snares (Foul Play VIP)
Urban Jungle – Volcano Style
JMJ & Ritchie – Free La Funk
Dub Selector – Champion Dub (Exclusive VIP Remix)
Drum + Bass – The Feeling
Matrix – The Message
A-Sides – Illusions (Exclusive Dub Plate Remix)
J & J – Midnight
Mental Power – Deep Soul

The Stares – Ear & Drum Session 29

If you’ve had a big Easter like I have, you’ve hit Monday a little bit rinsed out. The concentration isn’t quite there and you find yourself occasionally drifting off and staring into nothing. This set is for all those times when you get ‘the stares’.

The Stares – 1.5hrs of minimal melodies

Abstract Elements – Abysmal Deapths
Calibre – Step Toe
Circa – Ida
June Miller – Converge
Naibu – Far Reaches
Spor – Overdue feat. Tahsa BAxter
Bachelors of Science – 25th Street
Derek, Tonika & Implex – Personal Diving
Paul SG & Caine – Quiet Steps
Kharm – White Picket Fences
Blu Mar Ten – She Moves Through (ASC Remix)
So:Flow – Long Way Over
Dirrrty B & Wreckage Machinery feat. Jett – Autumn Nights (Vocal)
Native – At My Side
Bachelors of Science – Bombay Sapphire
Naibu – Fireflies (Seba Remix)
Camo & Krooked – Time Is Ticking Away feat. Shaz Sparks
Camo & Krooked – Turn Up (The Music)
D.Kay & Mat – Be Free
Lenzman – Fade Away feat. Jo-S
Naibu – Worn Out
Bachelors of Science – Song For Lovers (Dan Harbanam Remix)
Jubie – Patience feat. dBridge
Misanthrop & Phace – My Arae
Rockwell – Tribes
Sabre – Javelin Feat. Alix Perez
Synkro – Depature
Bachelors of Science – The Rush
Adam Form – Halls Shine
Lenzman – Rags to Ritches

Back to the Basement – Jungletrain Session 186

Another request this time from my other half who actually asked me to put it on her iPod. But listening back to it I thought it was more than worthy of a re-upping here as well.

Basement Records was one of the original labels that got me into D&B. Running from the very beginning of rave back in 1989, Basement always had a broken beats integrated into their sound which is what drew me to them. They gave Peshay his first big break, along with Photek in his ‘The Sentinel’ guise and Source Direct under the ‘Intensity’ alias. As a label their influence on the early Breakbeat Hardcore and D&B scene can still be felt today even though they almost stopped completely around 1996.

Interestingly they have resurfaced with a dubstep and grime release called the Nu Basement EP. A lot of this set come from their digital re-releases and if you are interested in picking up some of these you can find them as the Classics Series here for download.

Back to the Basement – 1hr of Basement Records classics

Peshay – Endless Thoughts
The Sentinel – Pulse of Life
Ruff with the Smooth – Twisted Girl
The Architex – Blueprint
The Sentinel – Genesis
Peshay – Futurama
Jack N Phil – I Like It
The Sentinel – Awakening
Roger Johnson – Walk of Life
Roger Johnson – Drum N The Bass
Roger Johnson – One By One
Intensity – Intensity
The Sentinel – Heavy Vibes
Intensity – Forbidden Medicine

Certifiable – Ear & Drum Session 27

When Certificate 18 closed it doors back in 2002 I was crushed. Here was a leabel that let producers find their own sound and had no fear about putting out experimental D&B at it’s finest. It’s list of artists was pure quality with the likes of Klute, Teebee, Polar, Code of Practice and Studio Pressure all honing their production skills at the label. The beauty of a Certificate 18 12″ or EP was that you never new what you where going to get, but that it was always going to be good.

This mix comes from mainly the albums that Certificate 18 released. Classics such as Teebee’s Black Science Labs and Through the Eyes of the Scorpion, Klute’s debut LP Fear of People, Polar’s sublime Still Moving and of course the lanels flagship compilations the Hidden Rooms albums.  The mix is as diverse as the label itself and jumps from style to style, but still manages to maintain it’s flow.

This is for all those who remember and for those that want to learn what amzing experimental D&B sounds like.

Certifiable – 2hrs of Certificate 18

Klute – Three Of Us
Klute – Workout
Klute – Leo 9
Teebee – The Void
Teebee – Severed Dreams
Teebee – Silent Depths
Sounds of Life – Hidden Rooms
Polar – Mind of a Killer
Studio Pressure – Currents (Studio Pressure Remix)
Lexis – Groove Therapy (Photek Remix)
Sounds of Life – A Spice of Jazz
Klute – Chicks
Polar – 5am
Polar – Innocent
Klute – Phone Call (Matrix Remix)
Klute – We R the Ones
Klute – X-mass
Teebee – Black Rain
Klute & The Green Man – Lost
Code of Practice – Can We Change The Future (Klute Remix)
Code of Practice – Can We Change The Future (Sounds of Life Remix)
Teebee – Stolen Documents
Teebee – Frequencies
Teebee – Spaceage
Teebee – Spaceage (Teebee Remix)
Sounds of Life – Release the Bells (Wax Doctor Remix)