Category Archives: Cross Genre

2009, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

First Class – Ear & Drum Session 23 – Special Anniversary Mash Up

1 Comment

The Ear & Drum officially turns one today. 🙂

And to celebrate I’ve broken out of my D&B shackles and put together a mash up of almost everything but. I spent a long time getting this one right, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did putting it together.

Expect a few more mash up mixes in the new year as I am making a resolution to expand the Ear & Drum’s musical horizons in 2010. Also I am going to ramp up the news, reviews and free track give aways in an effort to keep the blog fresh and interesting.

Thanks to everyone who has supported us in the last 12 months and downloaded sets, registered, left kind words and/or spammed me with email for penis enlargement pills. I hope you all have a awesome Christmas break and a kick-ass 2010.

FIrst Class – 1hr Anniversary Mash Up – Happy Birthday to us

A Guy Called Gerald ft. Jennifer Neal – The Universe
Dr. Dre – The Watcher
Kelis – Bossy (Two Fingers Remix)
Chomatics – Running Up That Hill
Atlantic Connection – Interlude to L.A.
Oak – Starbird
Klute – Torrential Pain
Adam F – Mother Earth
Underworld – Rez
Break – In Between
Kid Cudi – Day ‘N’ Nite
Mutt – Face
Fresh – Heavyweight (Benny Page Remix)
Z-Trip – Mashup Tight
Jamie Vex’d – Radiant Industry
Mistabishi – Printer Jam (Barbarix Remix)
Martyn feat. D-Bridge – These Words
Utah Jazz – Atmospheric Interlude

All Label Mix, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

31 Seconds: Part 2 – Ear & Drum Session 20

1 Comment

Another 31 Recordings mix, this time focussing on the Kingz of the Rollers EP series. Spanning from 2003-2004 the Kingz of the Rollers were THE EP series that you had to have. The mix of established and new artists kept the EPs varied and saw 31 Records tap into artists like Klute, D.Kay, Greg Packer and Pendulum for the first time.

By 2003 the 31 sound had evolved into mighty rollers that suited both the light and dark vibes. Old classics like NHS, How You Make Me Feel, Deadline and even Shadow Boxing got updated remixes using the new sound. It’s hard to keep still to these tunes. They are just that infectious that you can’t help but bob your head.

31 Seconds: Part 2 – 1hr:15m of 31 Record’s Kingz of the Rollers

Klute – I Minder
D.Kay & Lee – Pipe Dreams
The Insiders – Late Night
Total Science – Shelf Life
Greg Packer – Not Just A Groove
MIST – How You Make Me Feel (Photek Remix)
Usual Suspects – Sapphire 7
D.Kay – Reach Inside
Alias – One To Another
Usual Suspects – Calimist
Artificial Intelligence – Won’t Give Up
Doc Scott – NHS (Total Science Remix)
Pendulum – Vault
DJ Kontrol – Echoes of Light
Digital – Deadline (Ed Rush & Optical Remix)
Nasty Habits – Shadow Boxing (Jonny L Remix)

2007, Cross Genre, Requested Archive

Auditory Spiral – Jungletrain Session 141

1 Comment

This was requested by Shawn and it has lead me on a merry dance trying to find it. Once again another mix that slipped through my archiving and had to be provided via the kindness of strangers (in this case Bunnies On Heroin) who thankfully had a copy on their MP3 player. Big ups to you for sorting it out.

This mix originally was a show case of fresh tunes from 2007 that I did for Jungletrain. Break, Nookie, Sigma, Hard Fi, Sonic, CLS, Metric, Dom & Roland AND Quadrant & Dstar all make an appearance in this deep and building ride that takes you from calm waters to the monsoon season in roughly an hour.

Auditory Spiral – A 1hr trip from the Train tracks

Break – Enigma
Zion Base – Snow Country
Nookie – Get Down
Autumn – Transmute
Duo Infernale – Underworld
Apex feat. Ayah- Space Between
Hard Fi – Hard to Beat (London Electricity RMX)
Bungle – You
Sonic – Electrosound
Kali – Tokyo
Sigma – All Blue
CLS – Their Names Were Trot and Melon
Bungle & Total Science – Snake Eyes
Metric – Through the Night
Quadrant & Dstar – Hell Can Wait (2006 RMX)
Dom & Roland – Can’t Punish Me RMX

2008, Cross Genre, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Do MP3s Dream of Electric Bleep? – Jungletrain Session 173

1 Comment

This one is an oldy but a goody. Well, when I say old it is a bunch of tracks from 2008 which is ancient in D&B terms.

The vibe is strong in this one with a good up lifting feel but a firm dance floor bent. It’s got some of my favourites from last year including the touching (yes D&B can be touching) Bachelors of Science – Song for Lovers, the forgotten classic that is Shapeshifter’s – The Ride and the pure Amen devastation of Theory’s – Aurora Flash.

Do MP3s Dream of Electric Bleep – 1hr of the beautiful and bold from 2008


Do the Math – Aint No Home

Gex – My Sadness (Club Mix)

Dirrrty B – Push It Higher

Stunna & Amaning – Mutual Life

Zyz Ruffen & Jssa – Outtah Here

ICR – The Way It Goes

Bachelors of Science – Song for Lovers

Km & Paralyzah – Nega

Stunna & Amaning – Just a Dream

Blasta – Son of Love

Altair – Reminisce

Shapeshifter – The Ride

Solar Empire – Dynamics

Theory – Aurora Flash

Camoe – Morning Sun

Cross Genre, Hard D&B, Jump Up, Tech Step

A Certain Sound – Ear & Drum Session 17

2 Comments

1998 was a pivotal year for drum & bass. Certain sounds like Tech Step and Jump Up were on the rise and other like the Intelligent and Rave/Hardcore sounds were dying out. What it did mean was that there were all sorts of experimentation taking place and some amazing tracks coming out.

In this mix I cross all sorts of genres from Jump Up & Tech Step through to early Neuro and Drum Funk and everything inbetween. Some of the tunes were big smashers back in the day, whilst others are hidden gems that time seems to have forgot.

But if you were around back in 1998, then this should make the memories come flooding back and put a smile on your face. And as always it is best played LOUD!

A Certain Sound – 1.5hrs of big bass from 1998

Exocet – Demon Seed
Ray Keith – D4 Toxic Waste (Elementz Of Noize Remix)
UTI – I’m Finished
Adam F – Brand Nu Funk
Test – Fluid
Paradox – Some Kind of Illusion
Kraken – Warped
Fortran – The End Part II
Photek – UFO (J Majik Remix)
T-Power – 33rd Parallel
Paradox – A Certain Sound
Gang Related & Mask – Dictation (Michael Caine Remix)’
DJ Zinc feat MC GQ – Bring the Danger
John B – Pressure
Ed Rush, Optical & Fierce – Cutslo (Lokuste Remix)
Pish Posh – Corrupt Cops
Jungle Bothers – Brain (Natural Born Chillers Remix)
Profound Noise – Soundscape (Remix)
Klute – In The Zone

2009, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

Catching Up – Ear & Drum Session 16

2 Comments

I’ve been a little out of the game recently due to life getting in the way of music. So this mix is an attempt to catch up on the last couple of months in Drum & Bass.

June, July and August has seen some of the best tunes of the year coming out, plus some huge albums as well. Sick Music on Hospital, Memoirs of an Afterlife on Metalheadz and Ambassadors 4 on Santorin are all incredibly strong releases. Add to this the slew of quality 12″ releases and I had plenty to keep me to spinning for a couple of hours.

I’ve tried to get in a good variety of styles, and take it on a bit of a ride. So whether your are having Summer in the North or Winter in South, this should be a good sound track for the season.

Catching Up – 2hrs of New Tunes

Break – In Between
D-Bridge – Wonder Where
Lynx & Kemo – Tribes
Sh1 – Bangalore
Spectra Soul – Cherry Smoke
Alternative Vibes – Wavelength
Smote & Stunna feat. Submorphics – Sweet Passions
Danny Breaks – Volume 1 (Logistics Remix)
Rufige Kru – One More Time
Rufige Kru – Chances (Alex Perez and Sabre Remix)
London Electricity – Just One Second (Apex Remix)
Data – Delicate
Fanu – End of an Era
Simon V & Telmo A – The Rhythm Track
Madmen & Poets – Afraid of Jazz (Lenzman Remix)
Nu:Tone – Balaclava in my System
Luca – Screen I Motion
Rufige Kru – Sometime Sad Day
Young Ax – System of Survival
The Burbs – Organic
Nookie – Walking Away
Concept & Shnek – Burning Up Inside
Nookie – Mr Slippery
Sigma – Paint it Black
Crystal Clear & Netsky – King of Stars
Trei – Justify
Rufige Kru – Something About You (D-Bridge Remix)
Oak – Starbird

Chill Out, Cross Genre, Deep D&B, Requested Archive

That’s Not Drum & Bass – Jungletrain Session 91

1 Comment

I played this set a few years back as a radio broadcast and had a few people quiz me as to whether this was ‘really’ drum & bass or not. I was surprised at the time because I’d always considered this stuff drum & bass. I’d never really thought too much about where the boundaries blur between half beat, ambient works and abstract drum & bass.

So, just a heads up this isn’t your typical drum & bass set. However, that’s no bad thing when it comes to keeping the music challenging and interesting. If you like standard boom tick boom tick drum & bass then I definitely recommend you have a listen to this just for a refreshing change…

…who knows you might even like it. 😉

 
That’s Not Drum & Bass – 2hrs of ambience, half beat, twisted breaks and abstract D&B

T-Power – Trapezium, Octogon & Triangle
Kid Loops – Liquid Overtow
Spring Heel Jack – 1.60 Seconds Dub
Polar – Innocent
Graphic – 1000
Klute – Lost
Blue – Do You Voodoo?
T-Power – Mutant Jazz
Pressure Drop – Legacy (Paul Daley RMX)
Reel Time – Mine
T-Power – Silver
Rock & Roll – Higher Octave
Banaczech – Ipcress File
2 Player – Extreme Possibilities (Wagon Christ Mix)
Seba – Piemo for B
Lexis – Hypnotise (Autechre RMX)
Exile – Sliiime
Rob & Goldie – Shadow (Process Mix)
DJ Hype – Help Me
Exile – Big Bad Purple Bad Boy
Klute – Jam Tha Box
Hype – Dead A’s
Exile – Muggs Daddo Moth and an Open Mike
Exile – Sure You Did
Exile – Merlin
Amen Andrews – Blomen

2009, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

Sup? – Ear & Drum Session 15

6 Comments

Back onto the new tunes for June 2009 in this mix. We kick off with some tracks from the highly under-rated Future Thinkin’ label, and then get into some Alaska & Paradox from their new LP ‘Isolationist’. Rufige Kru’s – Memoirs Of An Afterlife EP gets a nod, as does Paradox’s – The Age Of Outsiders Vol.2 and Helsinki Sunshine, the new LP on Peshay’s Pivotal Entertainment label. We even get into some heavier territory thanks to Break’s – Traits remix and Spor’s nasty rework of Two Finger’s – That Girl.

There is a whole heap more than just what is mentioned above, so if you want to hear something new and different I suggest you shove this into your ear hole.
 

Sup? – 1hr+ of new beats and bass lines

Escher – Slice
Am De Sa – Beyond the Saurian
Alaska & Paradox – Zion
Geln E Ston – Equinox
Am De Sa – Aaj Mera Jee Karda
Rufige Kru – Sometime Sad Day
Solar – Exploration
Instra:Mental – Photograph
Contour – Helsinki Sunshine
ASC – Stardust
Draft – Life Cycle
Break – Traits (Remix)
Two Fingers Feat. Sway – That Girl (Spor Remix)
Alaska & Paradox – Mauja
Lenzman – Bright Lights
Paul SG & Eros – Midnight Rain
Roni Size – It’s Jazzy (Nu:Tone Remix)
Calibre – The Blues
D-Fect – Contact
Break – Enigma (Calibre Remix)

All Label Mix, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session, Old Skool

31 Seconds Part 1 – Ear & Drum Session 14

3 Comments

Doc Scott’s 31 Records is a seminal label in D&B. It has released so many classics down the years with tunes like Shadow Boxing, Liquid Fingers, Mechanics and Deadline all becoming synonymous with defining their various genres. 31 is also the label that launched Pendulum onto the world with the almighty Vault, a track that has had more rewinds than you’ve had hot dinners.

When 31 Records first hit the scene I bought everything they put out. With artists like Dom & Roland, MIST, Optical, Digital, Nasty Habits and Klute on board it was pretty much impossible to pass up on a release. I unfortunately missed out on a lot of the later output on the label until A Bunch Of Cuts opened up its MP3 store and laid down the entire back catalogue of 31. I couldn’t resist, I had to down the credit card and start filling in all the holes in my collection.

This mix is the first in a 3 part series covering the early days of 31 Records. Part 2 & 3 will cover the middle and later part of the labels history. What you get in this mix are the choons that made 31 Records a must have label for every self respecting D&B DJ. Tracks like Chilling Out, Prototyped, Technology, The End Part I and Part II, Liquid Fingers, Deadline and of course Shadow Boxing stamped 31 Records as one of THE premier labels in the mid to late 90’s.

Even though these tracks cross all sorts of genres they all have a distinctive 31 sound. A futuristic and technological edginess that always made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and the dance floor go mental. This one goes out to Doc Scott and his merry men for leaving a legacy 99% of labels can only dream of creating.

 

31 Seconds Part 1 – 1hr of 31 Records early masterpieces

Deep Blue – Immersion
Optical – The End Part I
Octave One – Chillin’ Out (Deleted Mix)
Dom & Roland – Mechanics
Octave One – Chillin’ Out ’94
Nasty Habits – Liquid Fingers (Goldie Remix)
Fortran – The End Part II
Dom & Roland – Prisms
MIST – Dreamworld
Klute – Song Seller
Klute – Dawn of Reason
Nasty Habits – Shadow Boxing
Nasty Habits – Prototyped
Digital – Deadline
Octave One – Technology
Total Science – Get It On

Cross Genre, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

In Too Deep – Ear & Drum Session 13

5 Comments

I did a mix years ago now called ‘Deep Seated’. It had all my favourite deep steppers on it all in one mix. I went to listen to it again recently only to find that that by some tragic accident it had never been backed up to DVD. Luckily I still had a full set list, so instead of letting it get me down I decided to remix the set and make some new additions to it. 🙂 The end result is ‘In Too Deep’.

I find this deep steppy sound usually sorts out the part time D&B listeners from the true heads, as it doesn’t rely on any fancy production techniques and tricks, or on a relentless firing Amen to keep you interested. Instead it sets up an almost hypnotic beat and just rolls out into a deep panorama of sound that locks you in. It takes some true production talent to pull this off and not sound boring and repetitive, so you know some serious amounts of talent and work have gone into making these tunes work.

This mix is comes in three parts with two half beat interludes provided by the genius of Russia’s Coldicus between each section. First up are all my favourite old deep steppers from labels like 31 Records and Creative Source. Minimal, stripped bare melody tracks that take you on a proper journey. Next up is the modern day legacy of this deep D&B provided by Commix and D-Bridge. And the third section is the harder & darker edge of the deep step sound. Atom One’s pioneering Trance and Bass stepper Imminent is massive and Doc Scott’s – Shadow Boxing puts the class in D&B classic.

 

In Too Deep – A Brief History of Deep Step D&B

Nasty Habits – Liquid Fingers
Kazimir – Memories
More Rockers – Saying
Carlito & Addiction – Make it Real
Marcus Intalex & ST File – How You Make Me Feel
Roar Deal – Roar Deal
Howard Huges – The Real
TeeBee – Lifeless
Coldicus – Dreamaboutgirlfromkndr
D-Bridge – Creatures of Habit
Commix – Bear Music
D-Bridge – The Question
Coldicus – My Dreams Are My Dolls
Preasure Drop – Legacy (Paul Daley Remix)
Atom One – Imminent
Splash Collective – It’s For Us
Doc Scott – Shadow Boxing