Back to 160bpm, but with a D&B instead of a Jungle focus this time around. As previously mentioned, this speed is ideal for letting Amen breaks breath. But there are also a lot of artists now winding back the BPM clock for other breaks to give their D&B productions that extra bit of depth.
Acid_Lab & Coco Bryce are the first artists that spring to mind, but with more than half of the tracks in this mix being from Omni Music, who’s atmospheric sound lends itself perfectly to the slower tempos, Eshaton’s killah label is worth a special mention here too. They have an amazing pool of talented producers bringing a greater depth to tunes by pushing D&B’s original tempo.
The Vanguard Project & Jemima Reed – Stitches (Coco Bryce Remix) Grey Code – Primrose Coco Bryce – Dial M for Mayor Clothcutter – You’ll Know Me Cryogenics – Haunted Acid_Lab – Conquest of Space IMANU & The Caracal Project feat. Josh Pan – La Fournaise Added – Before Your Eyes Dan Guidance – Creating Waves Conman, Evasion & Mod:Co – Lifestyle Woken Balance – Atlas 6 Mineral – Separated Attitude Antony G – Lockdown Moakz – Distant Waters Mineral – Old School 2022 Dust-e-1 – One on One The Vanguard Project – Want U Back (Coco Bryce Remix)
Heading into the golden era of the mid-90s for the 2nd installment of my Wax Doctor series. Since declaring this a three part series I’ve discovered a few more Wax Doctor tracks squirreled away in my vinyl collection under different names. So I’ll be adding a 4th mix to the series just for good measure.
A lot of these tracks are Wax Doctor collaborating with Alex Reece under the Jazz Juice and Unit 1 pseudonyms (later to become Fallen Angels), or as Bounty Killaz with Ashley Browne AKA DJ Pulse. There are definitely different moods to the sound depending on who the good Doctor teamed up with, Unit 1 being a lot tougher than the jazz inspired Jazz Juice for example. But in the end all of these tracks are pure quality and more than worthy of getting another spin.
Wax Doctor – All I Need Jazz Juice – Detroit Jazz Juice – Jazz Juice Unit 1 – Untitled Unit 1 – Love Me DJ Pulse – Stay Calm (Bounty Killaz Remix) Jazz Juice – Move Your Body Wax Doctor – Step Bounty Killaz – Silent Voices Bounty Killaz – Do it Now! Bounty Killaz – Killa Instinct (Alex Reece Remix) Model 500 – I Wanna Be There (Wax Doctor Remix) Wax Doctor – Cool Breeze
Been a hot minute since I’ve dropped a heavier set, but this one is coming out swinging. The ruff D&B sound has been having a BIG resurgence lately with quality tracks hitting hard and fast.
First up Breakage dropped his At the Controls Vol.2 EP which featured the killer Lickshots for Headtops and Untitled Dubplate. When Breakage is on form not many can touch him. Blocks and Escher’s – Shot In The Dark EP finally dropped after what seems like years of the title track being played by everyone, although This One is my pick of the bunch from the release. And one of my favorite artists, Klute has remastered some of his classic remixes in the form of Digital & Spirit’s – Remote Control (Klute Remix) and Concord Dawn’s – Morning Light (Klute Remix) so I couldn’t pass up dropping these in even though they are a little long in the tooth.
Extra special shouts to Offish for his moody AF – Pareidolia [Intro] track and Mister Shifter for his massive Murder One drop on Straight Up Breakbeat. Seeing all my online Dogs coming correct gives me huge amounts of joy, so big up ya chest to all involved.
Offish – Pareidolia [Intro] Disrupta & J Select – Tequila Breakage – Untitled Dubplate Mister Shifter – Murder One Digital & Spirit – Remote Control (Klute Remix) Concord Dawn – Morning Light (Klute Remix) S.P.Y – Nebula Blocks & Escher – Shot In The Dark Noisia – Incessant (IMANU Remix) Conrad Subs – Dark Sets In DLR – Make My Mind Go Sub Focus – Deep Space (Data 3 Remix) Roho – Deviuz Law Breakage – Lickshots for Headtops Blocks & Escher – This One Silence Groove – Offset Silence Groove – Feel Inja – Soul Silhouette (feat. Singing Fats)
Wax Doctor is a producer who has always been close to my heart. He was a breakbeat pioneer who blazed a melodic trail in the early 90s, along with the likes of Omni Trio and Alex Reece, that defined a generation of music. He had two records in the first ten Metalheadz releases, more pseudonyms than you can poke a stick at, and was in high demand as a remix artist in D&B most formative years.
This is the first part of three mixes I’m putting together to celebrate the life and works and of Wax Doctor. Starting out in 1993 with some of his earliest Breakbeat Hardcore tracks and moving into the mid-90s, where he found his musical feet and started making serious waves in the D&B scene.
Kev Bird & The Wax Doctor – T.B.N (Tough But Nice) Kev Bird & The Wax Doctor – Dark Matter ’93 Wax Doctor – Fallen Angels Fallen Angels – Hello Lover (DJ Hype Remix) DJ Pulse – Let You In (Wax Doctor Remix) Wax Doctor – The Step Model 500 – I Wanna Be There (Wax Doctor Remix) Wax Doctor – Cool Breeze Wax Doctor – The Spectrum Unit 1 – Atlantic Drama Alex Reece – Basic Principals (Wax Doctor Rollout) Fallen Angels – Taken Over Bounty Killaz – Do It Now! (DJ Pulse Remix) Sounds of Life – Release the Bells (Wax Doctor Remix) Alex Reece – Acid Lab (Wax Doctor Remix) Wax Doctor – Kid Caprice Lunar Funk – Spacewalk Wax Doctor – Never As Good
This is the first mix of the new year to feature actual 2022 tracks in it. It’s a pumping little Liquid number featuring some of the genre’s best including KSR, DRS & Need for Mirrors, Seba, Mystific and S.P.Y. Extra big push for Furney and his new LP ‘Under Below’ which is an absolute belter and for the return of NZ favourite live D&B sons (and daughters) Shapeshifter and their new album ‘Rituals’.
HLZ – Orbit MNML & Brainwork – Miracle Shapeshifter – Lightspeed Mystific – Pieces of My Life Collette Warren, DJ Marky & Tyler Daley – One Exception (Pola & Bryson Remix) KSR – Life, Money Degs – Unwritten Seba – Public Beauty Furney – Lunar Tunes Furney & Lady Emz – Travel in a Day DRS feat. Need for Mirrors – Running Back Bungle – Forms FLM – One Time (Euphorics Remix) Hiraeth – A Time When HLZ – How I Feel S.P.Y – Dream Fragments Flowrain, Pulsaar & Devon – Blue (Decon Remix) Furney – Bengo Mystific – Space Cadet Subrix – Direction Particle – Fall 2 Fast
To many the Amen break is the defining beat of D&B and Jungle. And even though it is one of the original breaks to define the genre, it still persists today as a whole new generation bring Jungle back from it’s 90s slumber.
Those old enough to remember will recall the days when D&B sped up from 160bpm to its 172-76bpm limit it has today. One thing that got lost in this translation was the ability to let the Amen flex and breath, as those all important spaces between the breaks almost disappeared in the race to faster paced music.
For me, one of the best thing about the recent Jungle revival, has been the return of the 160bpm tunes that don’t rely on pace, but rather feel to provide the energy in the music. This is a collection of some the best new (and some old classic) 160bpm tunes that are driving a return of the Amen with serious flex and feel to to beat.
J Majik – Red Moon Acid_Lab – Combination Dub (Tommy Badman Mix) Dead Man’s Chest – Open Your Eyes Digital – Down Under Acid_Lab – Trip 2 Mars Acid_Lab – Interstellar (Kodama Remix) MJT – Panacea Stunna – Last September Carter – Twenty One Thoughts Rainforest – Villalongin Dilinja – The Angels Fell Bug Kann & The Plastic Jam – Made in 2 Minutes (Origin Unknown Remix) DJ Swift & DJ Zinc feat Steve B – It’s Time Fracture – Chessington David Holmes – Gone (PFM Remix) Future Bound – Sorrow Bjorn – Inside My Soul Dust-e-1 – One on One Source Direct – Black Rose
2021 was the year of the vocal as far as Liquid and Soulful D&B was concerned. MCs like DRS, Fox and Cleveland Watkiss took full control, while the ever popular female vocalists like Emily Harkness, Lauren Archer and Jenna G kept the vibe sweet and soulful.
That being said some older heads like John B & Digital, Pola & Bryson and Calibre proved that you don’t need a vocal to nail that smooth, rolling vibe that only Liquid D&B can provide. All up 2021 was the year that the blues tinged soulful sound proved to be just as solid as some the harder genres out there.
Mitekiss, Milo Merah & RWST – City Angels DRS feat. Mindstate – Never Made It John B & Digital – Time Goes By Invadhertz, Felix Raymon & Jamal Dilmen Alix Perez & Liam Bailey – Moving On (Break Remix) KSR – Life, Money Alix Perez feat. Even Everett & Spectrasoul – Forsaken (Calibre Remix) Command Strange & MC Fava – Never Let Go GLXY – Sweet Lows (feat. Rhi) Seba – Sweet Magnolia (feat Jenna G) London Elektricity – The Plan That Cannot Fail (10YR Rework) Chimpo – Keep U Round (feat. Salo) Seba & Emily Harkness – True LSB & DRS – Umbrellas (GLXY Remix) Mitekiss – Rain (Falling Down) Inja – Smile More Unknown Artist – Sweetest Taboo Satl – Beautiful Struggle (feat. DRS) Duoscience – Praise Lally & Aailyah Esprit – Hustling’ LSB & DRS – Stop the World (Lenzman Remix) DRS & Need for Mirrors – Running Back Macca, Loz Contreras & Critical Event – Snow LSB & DRS – Rise & Fall (Tokyo Prose Remix) Technimatic & Riya – When the Dawn Breaks Pola & Bryson & Solch – Neverend Pola & Bryson – Under (feat. Lauren Archer) Fox – Paper Weights (feat DRS & Calibre) Mineral – Silent Promises Lady Blackbird – Collage (Calibre Remix) Operator Unknown & Leo Wood – Who Inja – Pressure (feat. Cleveland Watkiss)
2021 was another strong year for D&B, but the one thing that stood out was the harder edge of the genre got a little less beard-stroking and lot more funky with rolling tunes aimed squarely at the floor becoming the flavour of the day. A lot of producers looked back to the sounds of the 2000s for a more stripped back, bass driven sound with less complicated beat work. But what the tunes lacked in complexity they gained in groove and that can never be a bad thing.
This is a compilation of all the tunes in 2021 that rinsed and rolled out across the year. Special shouts to the Bristol crews like DLR, The Sauce, Fox and labels such as Sofa Sounds, Dispatch and Metalheadz who all had a BIG year.
Ninja feat. Singing Fats – Soul Silhouette Technimatic – Mirror Image (Phaction Remix) John B – Up All Night (Data 3 Remix) Universal Project – Lost In It The Sauce & Fox – Everything Boss DLR, Script & MC Fokus – Perception (Trail & Debby Remix) Inja – Take Me Home T>I – The Locksmith BCee & Charlotte Haining – Reminds Me (S.P.Y Remix) Monika & Akuratyde – Amber Inja feat. Charlotte Haining – Reach Out DLR – U.D.O Came & Krooked, Mefjus & Sophie Lindinger – No Tomorrow (Tom Finster Remix) Bop – Surfing the Anxiety Waves PFM – For Caron (Are You Ready) QZB & Rider Shafique – The Banker S.P.Y – Is Anybody Out There (S.P.Y VIP) Punctual & Nabiha – The Step (Pola & Bryson Remix) Conrad Subs – Love 4 U Inja – Stranger L-Sides & MC Fats – High Times (Break Remix) Shades of Rhythm – Sound of Eden (Benny Page Remix) Payback – Inter-Connected DLR – Make My Mind Go DLR – Sufferation Tony Anthem feat. Doctor – Tears Of Mine (Gunmen & Specimen A Remix) Jubei – Slipstream Akuratyde – Evergreen Paul T & Edward Oberon feat. Cleveland Watkiss) QZB & Gardna – Music’s Got Soul Mystic State – Whole Half Cosmology – Something Different
Latin for ‘Where do you march?’ Quo Vadis is a journey into some of the standout Liquid tunes that have come out towards the end of 2021. Featuring some of the genre’s best production talent including Redeyes, Monty, KSR, Atlantic Connection, Jubei, Dogger & Mindstate, Alix Perez & Liam Bailey, BCee & Darrison, plus a whole swag more. This mix will definitely take you places.
Redeyes, Monty and KSR – Almond Carlito – About You Atlantic Connection – In You Eyes Jubei, Dogger & Mindstate – Time Travel feat. Chunky Alix Perez & Liam Bailey – Moving On (Break Remix) Hyroglifics – Waiting Inja – Reaching Out feat. Charlotte Haining Alcemist – Us (Pola & Bryson Remix) Midnight Sounds – Bring it Back (Klute Remix) Sarah Rebdauh – Staticky (Klute Remix) Sustance – Rumours Sub:liminal, Minos & Cardia – Future Lines Rafau Etamski – Tears of the Sun BCee & Darrison – So Right (LSB Remix) Foreign BEggers & Laville – Reveal (Alix Perez Remix) Atlantic Connection – A New Dawn QZB & Gardna – Landline EN:VY – Forget the World High Contrast – Return of Forever (Klute Remix)
It’s been a long while between drinks for the Call the Ambience series, but we’re back better and more chilled than ever. Even thought the releases of this kind of music seem to be slowing down a little, the quality is still high when it does drop.
Etherwood, dBridge and Atlantic Connection all contribute some wonderfully blissful music, as do 90s originators Alaska, Voyager and Bill Laswell. I’ve been trying to squeeze Laswell’s – El Hombre Invisible (for William S. Burroughs) into a set for years, and finally managed to pull it off here. This 15 minute journey is something else, and shows how formulaic modern day D&B has become.
Seathasky – For Love & Science Rowpieces – 1st Love (Downtempo Mix) Zero T & Beta 2 – Misdemeanour Mystic State feat. Congi – Too Late (Captivate Remix) Shebuzz – We Bring You the Future Alaska – Azarca (Synkro Remix) Muffler – November (Lo-Fi Hip-Hop Mix) Ky! – I See U (Made in Russia Remix) Voyager – Meraki Bill Laswell – El Hombre Invisible (for William S. Burroughs) The Vanguard Project & Fred V feat. Riya – No Words (Chill Mix) Shebuzz – 34th Street Atlantic Connection – Threshold dBridge – I Know Etherwood – Water in Your Veins Sultan & Shepard feat. The Cut – White Lies Etherwood – I Will Wave to You
