Category Archives: Ear & Drum Session

2015, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

In Deep Water – Ear & Drum Session 111

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Really enjoyed putting this mix together. I’m not sure if it was the fact I haven’t mixed for months, or just the selection of tunes, but it felt right.

Offworld Recordings wunderkind Silence Groove kicks us off and also features later on with Shine Through. Metalheadz is represented via Halogenix who’s All Blue EP harks back to the Blue Note days and gets three tracks dropped in this mix. And the final shout out is for ElectroSoul System, who’s new LP on Med School is everybit as good as I would expect it to be.

So get on it, give it a rinse and as always turn it up.

In Deep Water – 1hr of Deep Liquid D&B

Silence Groove – Cue
Eavesdrop – Past Life feat. MC Fava
Electrosoul System – Traffic
Aux Verba – The Hardest One To Find Is Ourselves
Instra:mental & dBridge – White Snares
Ehterwood – Souvenirs feat. Zara Kershaw (Ulterior Motive Remix)
Two Fingers – Saint Rhythm
Halogenix – All Blue feat. Cleveland Watkiss
A-Sides & Makoto – Night Flight
Silence Groove – Shine Through
Halogenix – Beyond The Bounds
Electrosoul System – Timetraveller
Nummix – Mirrors of Illusion
Liqutek – Aurora
Stray – Dizzy
Enea – Nightwalk
Halogenix – Paper Sword
Electrosoul System – One, Two… Madness

2015, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Rise Up – Ear & Drum Session 110

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Everything just fell into place with this mix. I didn’t plan or over-think it (or think about it at all), I just loaded up a stack of tracks and had fun mashing my way through them. I hope some of that spontaneity comes across when you listen.

While there are a lot of the regular legendary liquid producers in here, there are more new faces than old. Eavesdrop, Northern Zone, Patience, Fraen, Bios Destruction, Vandera, Mediks, Eugenics Eight and Madface are all new to me and all slam down a mighty good tune. Madface’s ‘In Love’ deserves a particular mention for the lyrics alone, which are both catchy and hilarious in equal measure.

I hope you have as much fun listening as I did slinging this off-the-cuff liquid roller together.

Rise Up – 1.5hrs of Liquid D&B

Actraiser – Forest of Illusion
Eavesdrop – Past Life (feat. MC Fava)
Erick Trodly – Be Around
Northern Zone – Faint
Deskai – Art of Noise
Rowpieces – Seventh Heaven
Electrosoul System – Traffic
Actraiser – Soul Priestess
DFRNT – Dark Blue (Stunner Remix)
Studio Pressure – Presha XIII
Patience – Sunrise
Rowpieces – Life is Not A Game
Decon – Rareties (Flowrain Remix)
Fraen – Feel Free
Physics & Mr Joseph – Higher Than Beofre (feat. Jere Garcia)
Bios Destruction – Crystal
Marvel Cinema – Detroit Insiders
Vandera – Make Believe (feat. Alicia Romero)
Madcap – Real Love
Mediks – Solidarity
Simplification & Translate – Deep
Northern Zone – Abyss
Soul:Motion – Sentiment
DRS – The View (feat. LSB & Tyler Daley)
Eugenics Eight – Concentrate
Madface – In Love
Nelver – Origin Source

2015, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Minimal

Cuts Deep – Ear & Drum Session 109

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Stripped back drums and arcing sub-bass is the order of the day in this deep rolling set. Om Unit, Alix Perez and Fanu all bring their signature sounds and Calibre and Marcus Intalex help bring a more melodic take on what is one of modern D&B’s most popular sounds.

Cuts Deep – 1hr of Deep D&B

Om Unit – The Hand
Fracture x Chimpo – From Early
Ital Tek – Vector
Fanu – Dreamers’ Union
Alix Perez & Stray – Rip N Dip
Alix Perez – Understand
Hidden Turn – Dream of Tron
Fanu – Sleepwalking
Mark System – Optix
Loxy – Purity
Marcus Intalex – These Days
Skeptical – Square Breathing
House of Black Lanterns – Take Control
Thing – One Million
Om Unit – Grey Skies Over Chicargo
Ivy Lab & Hydro – Make It Clear (feat. Frank Carter III & Lucy Annika)
Calibre – Deep Orca
Skeptical – Offline
Digital & Spirit – Mosquito

2015, Amen, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Intelligent, Melodic, Old Skool

Signs of Intelligence – Ear & Drum Session 108

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Ah the 90s – electronic music’s golden era and definitely D&B’s original hey-day. Around ’96 D&B was everywhere and everyone wanted a piece, from movie soundtracks to TV advertising to mainstream music labels, they all wanted what D&B had. And what D&B had was some of the planet’s hottest production talent exploring electronic musics most diverse musical genre.

Photek was in his prime, dropping must have tune after must have tune. LTJ Bukem and his label, Good Looking, were killing it with an incredible artist roster including legends such as Blame and PFM. And Jonny L was on the verge of greatness and flexing some seriously beautiful music.

It was a gentler time, when D&B didn’t feel like it had to be dark or underground and it was an era I still love coming back to so I can lay down sets like this.

Signs of Intelligence – 1.5hrs of 90s Intelligent D&B

Photek – Into the 90s
Madalay – Flowers Bloom (Secret Lovers Mix)
Therapy – Loose (Photek Remix)
Fallen Angels – Frequency (Tango Remix)
Big Youth – Jim Screechy (Smith & Mighty Remix)
Everything But The Girl – Before Today (Adam F Remix)
Lil Louis & The Party – Clap Your Hands (PFM Remix)
Arkatuba – Josimar (Fila Brazillia Remix)
JMJ & Ritchie – Universal Horn
Jonny L – This Time (Cool Dub)
LTJ Bukem – Music
Sneaker Pimps – 6 Underground (In The Jungle Mix)
Everything But The Girl – Before Today (Dave Wallace Remix)
Photek – The Rain
Blame – Overhead Projections
PFM – One & Only
Everything But The Girl – Blame (Fabio Remix)
Neil Trix & Danny Mills – Pearls
PFM – Western (Words 2 B Heard Vocal Mix)
Jonny L – Nightlife
LTJ Bukem – Horizons
Eugenix – Sunshine

2015, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

Unfathomable – Ear & Drum Session 107

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A spiritual successor to the Fathoms mix that I did last year, this is deeeeep. Simple beats looped to tick along while rolling bass carries you away. The simplicity of a lot of these tracks belay their complexity.

A big thanks has to got to Doc Scott and his 31 Records imprint for the Future Beats album which features heavily here. Plus Kid Drama, Sulex and Clarity all who I had never come across before but sure am glad I did.

Unfathomable – 1hr of Deep D&B

Ital Tek – Vector
Clarity – Surge
Kid Drama – Azure Pt.1
Kid Drama – Crimson (Don’t Look Down)
Marcus Intalex – These Days
nClear – If This Then That
Kiat – Feeder
DFRNT – Dark Blue
High COntrast – Racing Green (Modu’s Rework)
Seba – Inside Yourself
Skeptical – Imperial
Dub Motion – Azure
MAV – Skylines (Inertia Remix)
Moresounds – Rahstok
Bios Destruction – Crystal
Klute – you Won’t Like It
Atlantic COnnection – Geppetto feat. Tunde Olianiran
Clarity – Cyclone (with Indigo)
Skeptical – Offline
Sulex – Root
Calibre – The Wash

2015, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Twilight’s Song – Ear & Drum Session 106

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More of a vocal inspired than straight up D&B mix. Most of these are just great songs beautifully sung that happen to have a breakbeat behind them.

Calibre features heavily, as does Atlantic Connection, Intelligent Manners and Nelver. Plus a whole host of weird and wonderful who have been flying well below the radar.

If you are looking for something a little different, you have found it.

Twilight’s Song – 1hr of Vocal D&B

Nelver – Impressions
Spenda C vs Alison Wonderland – I Want You (Spenda C Remix)
Atlantic Connection – Without You feat. Rose Hart
Intelligent Manners – Numb
SpectraSoul feat. Terri Walker – Light In The Dark (Etherwood Remix)
Alix Perez feat. Peven Everette & SpectraSoul – Forsaken (Calibre Remix)
Mobility – Fully Interlocking
Al Pack – Come Correct (Kalum Remix)
DFRNT – Dark Blue (Stunna Remix)
Intelligent Manners – Everyday Is The Same
Furney – Missing Her Missing Me
Nelver & Steeotype – Spring Inspiration
Artificial Intelligence & dBridge – Better Days
Will Miles – Moon Rising
Hydro, Frank Carter III & Ivy Lab – Make It Clear
Atlantic Connection feat. Tunde Olaniran – Geppetto
Calibre – The Wash
BCee – Typical Description (Calibre Remix)

2015, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Liquid(n)ation – Ear & Drum Session 104

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Liquid [lik-wid]
adjective
1. having the consistency of a liquid.
2. (of a sound) clear, pure, and flowing; harmonious.
noun
1. A subgenre of drum and bass. While it uses similar basslines and bar layouts to other styles, it contains fewer bar-oriented samples and more instrumental layers (both synthesized and natural), harmonies, melodies and ambiance, producing a sentimental atmosphere directed at home listeners as well as nightclub and rave audiences. Music genres such as jazz, soul and sometimes blues have a pivotal influence on liquid funk.

Liquid(n)ation – 1hr+ of Liquid D&B
Calibre – Make Me Feel Alright
T Base – Digital Future
Silence Groove – Bass Police
Karma – Silhouettes
Billion feat. Maxine Ashley – Special (Nu:Tone Remix)
S.P.Y – Perth Sunset
CLS – Baltic Air
Nelver – Nightwalker VIP
Will Miles – Dream to Be
Unreal – Just One Night
Intelligent Manners – Everyday is the Same
dRamatic – Diamond in the Rough
Nelver – Black & White
Nelver & Camargo – Aurora
Calibre – Sagan
Soul Cube & Rowpieces – Wake Up
PLK – Her Side
Nelver – Nibiru
Cern – Those Left Behind feat. Hydro
Semi Sense – Fast Days
Silence Groove – Northern Groove
Neo – All the Love (Chris SU Remix)
Mindstorm – Think of the Future
ActRaiser – Full Moon
Nelver – Shadows
Parhelia – The End of the Introduction
Avizura – Blue Sky

2015, Amen, Ear & Drum Session

Drum Struck – Ear & Drum Session 103

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Percussive Drum & Bass has come a long way since the pots and pans style abstraction pioneered by the likes of Polar, Paradox and Equinox. These days some serious polish is going into the production plus the addition of some groove that makes it, dare I say it, almost danceable.

For me OM Unit is blazing this trail and his Inversion LP on Metalheadz was one of THE albums of the year across any genre. But there are many others following hot on his heels including some giant names such as Calibre, S.P.Y and Marcus Intalex all pushing their sound into territories unknown.

This mix may not be for all tastes, but if you are up for some challenging listening then dive right in.

Drum Struck – 1hr of Percussive D&B

OM Unit – Parallel
S.P.Y – Twilight Zone
Calibre – Eschaton feat. MC DRS
Nebula – Blackout
Digital, Spirit & Response – Different Style
Dub Phizix – Bounce
Liz-E – Need You
S.P.Y – Lost Orbit
Ulterior Motive – Inta-National
Marcus Intalex – These Days
Mefjus- Continuous
Ulterior Motive – Stay
ArQer & Realtime – Derpetroid
OM Unit – Touching Down
The Invaders – Burning Book
Vromm – F Plex
Goldie – My Little India
Icicle & Mefjus – Isolation
S.P.Y – Frozen

2015, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

The Depths – Ear & Drum Session 102

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Strap on the tanks and come for a dive into the deeper side of D&B with me. We’ve got some Drumfunk, Minimal, Half-Beat, Dub and a little bit of Liquid to smooth it all out – oh and a some quality grime-style lyrics courtesy of Kool Keith, Fixate and Skittles.

Tune in, turn up (the bass) and chill out as we plumb the depths.

The Depths – 1.5hrs of Deep Drum & Bass

Rainforest – Dopamine Paradise
Snug – Ascension
Skyweep – Wisdom Goddess
Earl Grey – Bob Dub
Calculon & Austin Speed – Get Murked (Deft Remix)
OM Unit – the War
Nu:Tone – Metaphor 6000 (Feat. Kool Kieth)
Machine Code – Requiem (Huron Remix)
Mobility – Fully Interlocking (Feat. Dana)
Bungle – Lights
Mauoq – Dream On (Stunna Kingston Dream Dub Remix)
Abiotic & Wallwerk – Polar Lights
Chimpo – Haymaker
Chimpo – Bun it (Feat Fixate)
Icicle – Problem (Feat. Skittles)
Thriftworks – Pad FUKKK
Goldie – My Little India
OM UNit – The Crossing
Airstrike & Blak – Karma (Mercury Remix)
Blu Mar Ten – Thin Air (Kid Drama Remix)
Skyweep – Everytime (Feat. Natalie Williams)
PLK – Her Side
Synkro – Transient
Dexta & Mauoq – Time Patrol
Vromm – Fields of Vengence

2014, Amen, Ear & Drum Session, Intelligent, Melodic

Change of Atmosphere – Ear & Drum Session 101

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Back in 1996 LTJ Bukem was king. His brand of atmospheric (some called it Intelligent) D&B was uplifting dance floors everywhere and his Logical Progression LP was on rotation in almost every pub, cafe and bar. The combination of rapid fire syncopated beats couples with melody and atmospheric pads was pure magic.

Fast forward to 2014 and the atmospheric sound is starting to have a resurgence. I’m not sure it’s a deliberate movement the way it was in 96′, as I’m not finding EPs or LPs dedicated to it, but single tracks are popping up everywhere in amongst the amen heavy drumfunk and melodic liquid on labels like Celsius, Subtle Audio and Offworld Recordings.

I’ve spent most of the year keeping a folder aside just for these types of tracks. Knowing that eventually I’ll have enough to throw down a decent set of uplifting beats and swelling rhythms. And that time is now.

Change of Atmosphere – 1hr+ of Atmospheric D&B

Nebula – Encounter (VIP)
Actraiser – Strange New World
S.P.Y & Total Science – Double Trouble
Will Miles – Falling
Tim Cant – Fusion Chillout
Calibre & Marcus Intalex Feat. Fox – Something Heavy
Tremah – Trouble Shooter
Dave Webber – Drifter
Enjoy – Safe for a Mistake
Parhelia – Moon Machine
Roygreen & Protone Feat. Monologue & Lameduza – Through The Alps (Survival Remix)
Airstrike & Blak – Karma
L-Side – Tomorrow Never Dies
Anile – Voidrants
Anile – To Live Without
Eveson – Tempest
Tim Cant – Ultra Generic
Blade – Universal Rhythm
Furney – Tear in the Rain
Jam Theives – Distant Lover