The final in the silly season mixes is all about tough beats and booming b-lines. Rough D&B never really goes out of style, but it does eveolve and this year saw artists like Dom & Roland, Conrad Subs and Bungle bring back an original jungle vibe with a heaping serve of heaviness.
Metalheadz had a stellar 2020 with so many great LPs dropping it felt like every month there was something worth dropping from Goldie’s stable of production talent. But they weren’t alone with Dom & Roland’s self titled label, Doc Scott’s 31 Recordings and a whole host of other bringing the absolute heat.
Goldie – The Mirrored River (Grey Code Remix) Goldie – Prism (Dom & Roland Remix) Heitor Leal Farnese – E näo foi à lápis (Thermal’s Black Dog Remix) T95 & DRS – On Site Soul Intent & Acid Lab – Clash of Headz High Contrast – If We Ever VIP Conrad Sub – Bump & Grind Conrad Subs – Love Me Tender Goldie feat. José James – Truth (Zero T VIP) Hyroglifics – God Given Bungle – Runaway Polaris – Eternal Conflicts DJ Marky & Pola & Bryson – Run the Streets Myth – Long Time Muffler – Super Heavy DJ Marky – Parlet Total Science – Lightweight (Break Remix) Goldie – I Think of You (Digital & Spirit Remix)
Part two of the holiday mixes focuses on the deeper side of D&B with new tunes from Fixate, T>I, Serum, Om Unit and Conrad Subs. While Minimal seems to have faded a little in 2020, a new more rolling take on the stripped back D&B sound has taken it place which I am totally there for.
Perfect for a late night couch session, this mix might go well with a drop of something stronger and a smoke.
H20 – Dusted Fixate – Focus Oat – IntoTheSun FX909 – Meltdown (Peyo Remix) Degs feat. Pola & Bryson – Sleepless (Bladerunner Version) Goldie – I Think of You (Digital & Spirit Remix) H20 – Parasite DJ Marky & Pola & Bryson – Run the Streets Mistrust – Dreamer T>I & Zombie Cats – Sidestep Airglo & Stash the Groove Bug – Boom Daniel Power – Upstream Colour Hyroglifics – God Given Russell Small – It Is What It Is (Bad Ass Disco) (Carl Cox DnB Remix) Breakage – Valhalla T95 & DRS – On Site T>I & D*Minds – Pulling Teef Serum & Kasra – Fade Out Waeys – Ephemeral Acuna – Back to the Brainstorm Philip K Dick – Drips Bop & Subway – Higher Dimension Om Unit – Joyspark Mystic State – Expectations Shinbu – Sacrifice Conrad Subs – Beyond This
This is the first of three mixes I’m dropping for a little holiday therapy. Whether you’re having a whale of a time with family and friends or spending the holidays isolating solo, the one thing that will always get you through is good music. So hopefully these mixes will go some ways to helping you have a good break and get you through to 2021.
To kick us of we have a Liquid mix that sums up what strong year it has been for melodic and vocal driven D&B. Artists such as Alix Perez, Tokyo Prose, The Vanguard Project have had a massive year pushing the smooth soulful sound of D&B to ever greater heights. Even older artists such as High Contrast and Netsky who left the liquid sound behind for other sounds are coming back in with tunes reflecting their original sounds.
2020 may have been a tough year for most, but for Liquid D&B it was smooth sailing.
Machinedrum feat. Sub Focus – 1000 Miles Smote – Light of My Life Netsky & Becky Hill – Hold On Tokyo Prose – Dust Nuvertal – The Earth Forgives Substance & Charlie Brix – Break the Habit Alix Perez – Someone Else Goldie – The Mirrored River (Artificial Intelligence Remix) Monumental Breaks – Tidy Mind Champagne – Tangible Leads (Physics Remix) T:Base – Universe Impression & Markem – Mystic Times High Contrast – Calling My Name Acid_Lab – Mr. Evans T:Base – Power Cnof – Never Know VIP The Vanguard Project & Fred V feat. Riya – No Words Netsky – I Choose You
Heading deep into the Jungle with this mix of old classics, sneaky remixes and new takes. Earl Grey & Dead Man’s Chest, Circa 96, Dwarde and Tim Reaper look after the new school tunes, while the older tracks are a veritable who’s who of Jungle with DJ Rap, Adam F, Foul Play, Nasty Habits and Aprodite. And that’s just for starters.
If you like your beats OG this mix will more than fit the bill.
DJ Monk – Dance Hall Style ST Files – St Files Part 1.1 (Remix) Aston – The Sign (Remix) Earl Grey & Dead Man’s Chest – Fugitive Version The Committee – Final Conflict (Tango Remix) M.A.2. – Hearing is Believing (Remix) DJ Rap – Rumble (Flapjack Remix) Adam F – Lighter Style Harmony – What a House Foul Play – A.I. (The Last Ronin Remix) Harmony – Just a Game Nasty Habits – Technology Lemon D – Jah Love (VIP Mix) Aphrodite – Bass Lights (VIP Mix) Dwarde & Time Reaper – So Strange Harmony & Xtreme – Let Me In Circa96 – Fantasy (Tim Reaper Remix)
We’re living in interesting times, and sometimes you need a little something to take your mind off things and just be.
That was the aim with this mix of soulful tunes full of catchy vocals and sweet melodies. It still rolls like a train, but it’s a smooth ride all the way to the station and easy to just stare out the window and enjoy the world passing by.
DRS, Dynamite MC & Etherwood Villem & Leo Wood – We Had a Song Redeyes – Changes.Illusions (Club Mix) BCee & Charlotte Haining – The Hills Duoscience – Lose the Touch Low:r feat. Sixar – Social Mania Duoscience – Attempts PFM – Living Without You BCee & Charlotte Haining feat. DRS – Love for the Fallen DRS, Dynamite MC & DJ Marky – A Song for You Artificial Intelligence feat. Satl – No Choice Askel & Elere – Shy Duoscience – Ironic Patience – Ocean View Redeyes feat [ K S R ] – A Thousand Times Artificial Intelligence – Good Times Phaction & Leo Wood – I Have You (Ill Truth Remix) Duoscience – Sparta Motiv – The Woman The Got Away DRS, Dynamite MC & LSB – Adoration Motiv – The Woman The Got Away (Tease)
The Bristol / Manchester sound is like nothing else in D&B. Full of ragga style vocals, dance hall style beats and vibes and yet quintessentially English. Sam Binga, Chimpo and to a lesser degree Om Unit exemplify the low-fi, down and dirty sound.
With its street style worn proudly on its sleeve, it one of those sounds that once you get into it you just want more.
Chimpo – 1996 (Illegal Remix) Chimpo – Big Ed (Generation X Mix) Sam Binga & Redders – Vandilero Sam Binga & Rider Shafique feat. Tiffanie Malvo – Proud (Enei Remix) Dub Phizix vs. Fixate – Babalugats Chimpo – Good Love DRS, Dynamic MC & DJ Zinc – Get Down Dub Phizix & Strategy – Deh Madcap – B-Boy Sam Binga & Rider Shafique – Organic Sam Binga & Halogenix – I’m an Adult QZB feat. Rider Shafique – City On The Lock Shy FX feat. Sinead Harnett – Too Shy (Breakage Remix) Soul Intent & Ms Tempz – 2 Bad Workforce – Your Moves
With Jungle being a hot property in D&B again, it’s easy to forget that Atmospheric D&B has been flying the Amen flag this whole time. With producers like Seba’s Secret Operations label and Eshaton’s Omni Music keeping the sound alive, Atmospheric D&B is better than ever. So much so we’re starting to see older producers like J Majik and ASC who moved away from the sound returning to their roots.
Backed up by established producers such as Bop, Duoscience and Greekboy the sound of rinsing Amens, lush pads and melodies and deep sub-bass is one that never seems to get tired.
Blade – Unreleased Anile – Earth & Mars Seba – Nostalgia Jrumhand – Intuition ASC – Clear Skies Rainforest – Villalongin Bop – Memories Seba – This is Our House Circa96 – Cave Dweller J Majik – Serenity ASC – Moment of Truth Eschaton & Future Engineers – Ascension AwakenFM – Atlantis Antony G – Getting Lost in Prague Focus 2 – Nova Era (Alex DB Nu Old Skool Age Version) Duoscience – Good to Be With (Recap) Greekboy & Okee – Lands of the Unknown
Chilled out Drum & Bass has hit another level in 2020 with artists like BCee, LSB, Redeyes and Etherwood blazing the trail. And vocal talents such as KSR, Charlotte Haining and Leo Wood backing them up in fine fashion. Even though these beats are laid back, they still manage to put a spring in your step and work the floor.
Redeyes feat. KSR – A Thousand Times Askel & Elere – Shy Hyroglifics – Best Of Muffler – Snowflake VIP Muffler – Black Motiv – Overthinking Mistrust feat. Leo Wood – Trickster Scape – Spirit World (Soul Intents Spirit of Speed Remix) Conrad Subs – Go It Alone Reburf – Falling Apart Mistrust – Only Ever You The Upbeats & Shapeshifter – Uncharted (Workforce Remix) T:Base – When I Fear (CSRV & TS Remix) Charlotte Haining – Daydreamer (LSB Remix) Emba, BCee & Philippa Hanna – Galaxy BCee & Charlotte Haining – The Hills BCee, Charlotte Haining & Etherwood – Little Bit Higher Villem & Leo Wood – We Had a Song Motiv – Reasons Villem & Leo Wood – We Had a Song (Tease)
Been an absolute age since I’ve dropped a Down Low Session and I am super excited about this one. A collaboration between William C. and myself, the selection duties fell to William. I then programmed the tunes into a workable order and let the music mix itself.
Flying by the seat of my pants, I didn’t want to listen to any of these tracks in their entirety. Instead, I just did some simple track marking and then dealt with any surprises as they came along. The result is a Deep House / Techno set William described as ‘Funny, witty, funkily playful – just full of emotion and brimming with happiness.’
First Born – Hey Mr (Tambourine Man) Paco Osuna – Let’s Dream Soul Boy – Harmonica Metro Area – Parton Candy Black Strobe – Nazi Trance Fuck Off (James Holden Remix) ILS – No Soul Marcella – Stabbing Sally Goldfrap – Train Superstars of Rock – Up All Night [Won’t Make the Gym] (Salt City Vocal Remix) Winx – You Are the One Piemont – Carbonat Greed feat. Lesley – Strange World (Lemon 8 Remix) Beanfield – Tides [C’s Movement #1] (Carl Craig Remix) Morgan PAge & Gregory Shiff feat. Astrid Suyanto – All I Know Yves Larock – Rise Up (Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Ramero’s Bambossa Mix)
Some of the first Tech Step tunes I got into were on compilations such as Sound of the Underground Record’s – Nu Skool Flava and Emotif Recordings’ – Tech Steppin. These were dark moody tunes full of Hip Hop samples and hard beats. While they weren’t the best tunes in terms of sound production, for raw energy and intent they still hold up today as some of the most upfront D&B tunes ever written.
This mix is dedication to SOUR, Emotif, Prototype and all the other labels who pushed the sounds of Elementz of Noize, Ed Rush, Trace, Ray Keith and all the other pioneers of the Tech Step sound that went on to influence D&B for decades afterwards.
DJ Trace – Mutant Revisited Elementz of Noize – Hit The Deck Dylan – Witchcraft Shapeshifter – Talkin’ Mad Shit Skyscraper – Liberty One DJ Kane – The Way It Goes Down Elementz of Noize – Mars Needs Women DJ Trace – Jeamland ’96 Ray Keith – D4 Toxic Waste (Elementz of Noize Remix) Skyscraper – The Difference Click N’ Cycle – Trippin’ Tonic Remix (Tonic’s Re-Animated Mix) TC Islam & The Alien 3 – Let The Bass Boom T.Power – Amber (Shy FX Extended Version) DJ Trace – Mid Town (Level II) Ray Keith – D4 Toxic Waste B.L.I.M. – Onza Shapeshifter – Communicate With The World Shapeshifter – Mass Hysteria Freq Nasty -The Shadow Microburst – Punkmutha
