Category Archives: 2021

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Soulful

Ear & Drum: Session 223 – 2021 Souled Out

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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.

Souled Out – 2hrs of the best Liquid & Soulful D&B from 2021

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, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B, Roller

Ear & Drum: Session 222 – 2021 Rolled Out

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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.

2021 Rolled Out – 1hr+ of the Best D&B of 2021

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

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B

Ear & Drum: Session 221 – Quo Vadis

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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.

Quo Vadis – 1hr of Liquid D&B

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)

2021, Ambient, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

Ear& Drum: Session 220 – Call the Ambience 16: Vertigo

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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.

Call the Ambience 16: Vertigo – 1hr+ of Ambient D&B

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

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B, Roller

Ear & Drum Session: 219 – Rinse Cycle

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A bit of the old and a lot of the new in this mix of tuffer D&B beats. S.P.Y. doing his own remix duties on Is Anybody Out There (S.P.Y VIP) and Sub Focus’s bass heavy Deep Space (Date 3 Remix) are just some of the new highlights. Nico’s rework of Bill Laswell early work Oscilations and Quadrant & Iris remix of Marcus Intalex & Future Cut classic Plastic are representing for the OG vibes.

Rinse Cycle – 1hr of D&B Rinsers

Inja & Singing Fats – Soul Silhouette
DLR, Script & MC Focus – Perception (Trail & Dibby Remix)
Inja – Take Me Home
DIsrupta & J Select – Tequila
Mikal – Resampled
DuoScience – Mismatched
Cauzer – Form One
S.P.Y. – Is Anybody Out There (S.P.Y VIP)
Bill Laswell – OScilations (Nico No U-Turn Mix)
Marcus Intalex & Future Cut – Plastic (Quadrant & Iris Remix)
Gest – Futurism
Particle – Nosedive
Payback – Inter-Connected
DLR – Make My Mind Go
Sub Focus – Deep Space (Date 3 Remix)
Jubei – Slipstream
Shades of Rhythm – Sound of Eden (Benny Page Remix)
DJ SS & Azpect – Feeling Blessed (DJ SS Remix)
Foreign Concept, Enei & Magugu – Sticks
Paul T & Edward Oberon feat. Cleveland Watkiss – Music’s Got Soul
QZB & Gardna – Landline

2021, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Ear & Drum Session: 218 – Marinade

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Going a bit deeper and darker in this mix of new-ish tunes. 2021 has been a good year for harder styles, and even though there isn’t as much minimal techy stuff coming out there is still a decent selection of deep beats and darker cuts still being produced.

Probably the deepest and darkest of them in this selection is the Missive triple play close to the beginning. Cavernous bass and stripped back beats characterised Missives top quality Lithos EP which came out around the middle of this year. Other tunes to keep an ear out for are T>I’s The Locksmith and Let it Go which both shred, Foriegn Concepts ragga tinged Kultja and Zero T’s killer VIP reworking of Goldie feat. Jose James – Truth.

Extra big shout to Offish for providing the opener on this mix, his LP Garden of Eyes is full of deep, dark beats and well worth a listen over at his Bandcamp page. https://offish.bandcamp.com/album/garden-of-eyes

Marinade – 1hr of Deep & Dark D&B

Offish – Pareidolia [Intro]
Disrupta & J Select – Tequila
T>I – The Locksmith
Missive – 9Test
Missive – Denoument
Missive – Stadius
Last Life – Trial
DuoSciemce – Mismatched
Foriegn Concept – Kultja
Mystic State feat. Congi – Too Late (Captivate Remix)
Cynical Gene – Nucleus
Bop – Surfing the Anxiety Waves
Goldie vs J:Kenzo – Official Jah Roller
QZB & Rider Shafique – The Banker
Goldie feat. Jose James – Truth (Zero T VIP Remix)
VROMM feat. Rider Shafique – Level Up
Loma – Watches
Foreign Concept, Enei & Magugu – Sticks
T>I – Let It Go
Minimalist & Heklur – The Titan
QZB & Gardna – Landline
Mystic State – Whole Half
Enei – Ignit

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Uncategorized

Ear & Drum Session: 217 – Strangers & Changes

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More liquid beats this time featuring a good slab of D&B’s friendliest MC Inja’s new LP ‘Smile & Wave’. This album came out of the blue for me, and had so many great tracks on it I’m still rinsing them months after release.

Another big surprise was Metalheadz alumni Scar coming out with some beautifully melodic pieces on his Why EP. Known far more for tough futuristic beats and cavernous b-lines, Scar’s Falling Down and All I See are liquid, but with a rawness that is impossible not to like.

Much love to Seba too for his outstanding Fokuz All Stars Pt.3 release featuring Second Path and the divine Mystic Magnolia, Pola & Bryson for their killer tracks Neverend and Under and Disrupta for his tasty new Changes EP.

Strangers & Changes – 1hr of Liquid Drops

Disrupta & DRS – Changes
Disrupta – Play it Cool
Scar & Ella Sopp – Falling Down
Gest – Shame
Scar – All I See
Seba & JR Vailo – Second Path
Command Strange & MC Fava – Never Let Go
Inja & Charlotte Haining – Reach Out
Seba & Jenna G – Sweet Magnolia
Duoscience – Facing…
Inja – Smile More
Sub:liminal, Minos & Cardia – Future Lines
Inja – Stranger
Walk:r & Riya – Paragon
Technimatic & Riya – When the Dawn Breaks
L.A.O.S. – Begin Again (DJ Edit)
Pola & Bryson & Solch – Neverend
Random Movement – I stayed Around (Lenzman Reinterpretation)
Pola & Bryson & Lauren Archer – Under
HumaNature – Stories
Inja & Cleveland Watkiss) – Pressure

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic, Soulful

Ear & Drum Session: 216 – Outer Soul

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Reaching back to August for this soulful mix of D&B. This style is really kicking off and the quality of the beats and vocals is only getting better and better.

Artists like Inja with their Smile & Wave LP are forging a style of D&B that not only sounds amazing, but tackles deeper issues than just getting busted up on the weekend and coming down. Tracks like Inja’s Pressure are still sing-a-long good times, but the subject matter of solo parenting are deep and really get you thinking.

Shouts out the one like Seba feat Jenna G too for their stunning tune Sweet Magnolia, which is definitely in my top 5 tracks for 2021, as is Lally & Aaliyah Esprit – Hustlin’. This is just beautiful music than makes my soul soar. Even those these tunes aren’t the absolute latest drops, there is plenty in here to get you singing, smiling and thinking all at the same time.

Outer Soul – 1hr of Soulful D&B

Satl – Never Far
Styke – Apollo
BCee – A Little Too Much
Science of Man – Never Without
Seba feat Jenna G – Sweet Magnolia
Sustance feat. Ruby Letitia – Rumours
Satl feat. DRS – Beautiful Struggle
Lally & Aaliyah Esprit – Hustlin’
Inja – Stranger
Unglued feat. Singing Fats – Sardinian Sunrise
Macca, Liz Contreras & Critical Event – Snow
Acid_Lab – Rainy Fridays
DJ SS & Azpect – Feeling Blessed (Soul Savage & Rosa G Mix)
Solsan & Bazil MC – Follow
Conspiracy – Metamorphosis
Satl – Give Up
Fox feat. DRS & Calibre – Paper Weights
Inja feat Cleveland Watkiss – Pressure
Satl & Tokyo Prose – Hazards

2021, Ambient, Chill Out, Down Low Session

The Down Low: Session 051

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Another lower tempo chillout mix for those who prefer things a little less hectic. Kicking things off with a tune I’ve listened to for over 20 years, 030’s – Midnight in Europe optimises all that is great about early 90s after hours style tunes.

There are some classics like Chicane’s – Offshore, Orbital’s – Attached and Sunscreen’s – Love U More in the form of the relaxed Slam Mix mixed in with some modern day melters such as Calibre’s – Sand Promise, Synkro’s amazing Empty Walls and Time, plus Joy Orbison’s – Born Slipping. And all wrapped up with one trances best tunes of all time Vapourspace’s early rave classic Gravitational Arch of 10.

Sending this out to Fortune Cookie and anyone else who like couch tunes with a bit of break beat mixed in.

The Down Low: Session 051- 1.5hrs of 140bpm Chillout

030 – Midnight in Europe
Trevino – Sorrow
Grain – Ocean
Calibre – Sand Promise
Synkro – Empty Walls
Chicane – Offshore
Mark Ryder – Satellite
Bonobo – Cirrus
Joy Orbison – Born Slipping
Clearlight & Owl – White Mountain
Sunscreen – Love U More (Slam Mix)
The Sunkings – Galapagos
Brian Harden – Wizdom
Synkro – Time
Orbital – Attached
Synthetix – The Tao of Dub
Mulios – Argentine Dawn
God Within – Raincry (Spiritual Thirst)
Irresistible Force – Lotus Position
Vapourspace – Gravitational Arch of 10

2021, Atmospheric, Ear & Drum Session, Uncategorized

Ear & Drum Session: 215 – Atmospheric Rays

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Atmospheric D&B continues to go from strength to strength this year with artists like Acid_Lab, Seba, FX909 and Cryogenics & Eschaton knocking it out of the park. The fact PFM is re-releasing a bunch of classics doesn’t hurt either which is why this mix reflects the best of old and new Atmos tunes.

Atmospheric Rays – 1hr of Atmospheric D&B

FX909 – Awake
Acid_Lab – Paint Yourself
PFM – Driftin On By
Instruction Set – Forge La Funk (Ben Kai Remix)
PFM – For Caron (Are You Ready)
Seba feat. Jenna G – Sweet Magnolia
Madcap – Fall Down
PFM – This Must Be Love
Cryogenics – Earth-80
PFM – Living Without You
Forum – You Took It All
Akuratyde – Evergreen
Cryogenics & Eschaton – Blue Horizon
Lil’ Louis & The Party – Clap Your Hands (PFM Remix)
FX909 – Proud & Strong
Random Movement – Sleazy Bitch (Ivy Lab Remix)
Cryogenics – Cosmos
PFM – Aspirations