Category Archives: Melodic

Dawn Breaks – Ear & Drum Session 146

Every now and then you do a mix where everything just goes right. This is one of those.

Inspired by the sounds from Etherwood’s incredibly beautiful LP In Stillness this is a melodic mix in which I’ve tried to program D&B songs, not just tracks. In Stillness is a rare beast in that most of the tunes on it are actual songs that just happen to be D&B too. Wonderful instrumentation, thoughtful lyrics and a musicality sorely missing in a lot of today’s dance music.

Shouts to Mohican Sun for the Cold Earth EP on Integral Recordings which is rapidly becoming a must have label for me. And to the Hospital/Medschool crew Bop, Subwave and Logisitics for keeping it real after all these years.

Dawn Breaks – 1hr of Liquid Lushness

Mohican Sun – Don’t Wait
Alekay – Love
Etherwood – Bears Breechers feat. Anile
Etherwood – Three Eagles
Mohican Sun – Living This Way
Fred V & Graphics – Hurricanes (Wild Love) Keeno Remix
Mohican Sun – Calgary
Bop x Subwave – Clair De Lune
Etherwood – In Stillness
The Vanguard Project – Is This Love
Alekay – Turbulence feat. Motive
Eschaton – Fallen Angel
Etherwood – Climbing
Etherwood – – A Hundred Oceans feat. Feels
Rafau Etamski – Need You
Silence Groove – Air Up There (Silence Groove Remix)
Etherwood – Surrendered
Artificial Intelligence – 1000 Souls
Logistics – Lotus Flower (Radio Edit)

Little Fish in a Big Ponder – Ear & Drum 142

Keeping the 1996 Intelligent sound alive, this is a mix of contemporary Atmospheric D&B full of deep bass and lush melodies. The Atmospheric sound has had quite a comeback in recent years and the quality of the tunes on display here explains why.

Blame is the only old school trooper represented here with newer production talent such as Greekboy, Rainforest & the mighty Eschaton picking up the Atmospheric tourch and running with it. Shouts to Cryogenics too who has just release a new LP titled Preparation For Something That Will Never Happen that is full of this lush sound if you are looking for more music like this. Well worth a listen if you can track a copy down.

Little Fish in a Big Ponder – 1hr of Atmospheric D&B

Acid_Lab – Interstellar
Jazz Juice – Detroit (DJ Lee ’97 Remix)
Dub Phizix – Rotate
Marvel Cinema – Mechanical Dream
Furney – Time Again
Rainforest – Black Ocean Temple
Cryogenics – Where I Shine
Okee – Planet Blue
Static – The Grans (Orange & Blue White Light Remix)
Blame – Hindsight
Nemy – Broken Heart
Urban Trip & Thankee – Vi
Greekboy – Bring Memories Back
Eschaton – Between Nowhere and Everywhere (Zebedee Remix)
Greekboy – Crystals
MS.Dos & Greekboy – Stratosphere

Keep on Truckin’ – Ear & Drum Session 141

A little shade to contrast the light of the last Liquid mix I posted, these tunes roll a little harder and heavier. They still have all the melodic and vocal qualities that set liquid D&B apart, but with a bit more bite.

Shouts to 1991, a long time talent who really came into his own in 2017 after shaking off the label woes he was having under a previous name. His heavier take on the Liquid sound is always fresh as his tunes Steezy and Kabuki prove. Also big ups to Keeno for his glorious LP All the Shimmering Things that came out late last year on MedSchool. Keeno has always been a solid producer but his 3rd album really delivers on diversity and groove.

Keep On Truckin’ – 1hr of Chunky Liquid D&B

1991 – Steezy
Phil Tangent – Pleasure Trip VIP
Technimatic – The Evening Loop (Was a Be Remix)
Ed:it feat. Lady Soul – Wander Away
Keeno – Lost in the Clouds
Dawn Wall – Shy
What So Not & Burns – Trust (MYRNE Remix)
1991 – Kabuki
Evasion feat. Lori – Learning to Fly
Logistics – Communicate
Nclear & Eugenics Eight – It’s a New Life
Naibu – Astray (Seba Remix)
Apache – First Light
Keeno – Nightingale Valley
S.P.Y – Dreaming
Dave Owen – A Love So True
Sinjin Hawke – Dawn of Infinity
Geode – Warped Extends
Pola & Bryson – Call of the Night (Silence Groove Remix)
Pola & Bryson feat. Data 3 – Hyperborean
Keeno feat. Kailaa – Daydreaming
Unknown Artist – Capulet VIP

The Big Chill – Ear & Drum Session 139

Recently I’ve been scouring 90s CD compilations for rare tracks and tunes I haven’t heard before and been coming up with some pure gold. Not every track in this mix is rare or unheard, but all of them are Intelligent jungle & D&B gold. I have so many memories of good times had to these tunes that I just had to share.

These are the true pioneers of today’s D&B sound. And these are the tunes that made the world stop and pay attention to the weird fast soul music being created by a small scene in the UK. These tunes make me think of the first time I played Logical Progression or the first time I heard LTJ Bukem live in 95′. They shimmer and they sparkle with a real essence of inspiration and freshness lacking in lots of today’s D&B and music in general.

I had a real blast discovering this music all over again to put together this mix and I hope you have a blast listening to it. Happy holidays.

The Big Chill – 2hrs of Intelligent Jungle & D&B

Ellis Dee – Atmosphere
Secret Motion – Lose Her (Cloud Nine Remix)
Bill Riley – In at the Deep End
Complex State – Revival
Fifth Element – Call on Me
Rogue Unit – Memphis Bliss
Ellis Dee feat. MC Fats – Ninety Seven Style
Nookie – Storm Before the Calm
The JB – Back 2 Life (The Dedication)
The Collective – Pressure
EZ Rollers – Subtropic
Rogue Unit – Horn Section
Macka Brown feat. R. Craig – Slow Down (VIP Exclusive)
Futurebound – The Right Way
Dr. S. Gachet – Calling
Dr. S. Gachet – It’s All Gone Sideways
Big Bud – Temptation
Point Blank + FX – Jazz Style
Nookie – Funk Be the Flavour (Dirty Di Mix)
Nookie – The World is a Ghetto (Nookie Remix)
Underwolves – The Crossing
Dr. S. Gachet – Remember the Roller (Remix)
Bug Kann & Plastic Jam – Made in 2 Minutes (Origin Unknown Remix)
DJ Dubplate – Futuristic Style
Shogun – Just For You
Victor Romeo – The Italian Job (Cloud Nine Remix)
Mystic Moods – The Sense of Summer
Rogue Unit – Black Gold
Forces of Nature – Cool Spot (PFM Remix)

Night Line – Ear & Drum Session 136

Welcome to your weekend. That means it’s about time for some vocal driven Liquid D&B to kick back to.

Lots of classic production talent in here with scene stalwarts such as Redeyes, Break, Total Science, Seba, Nu:tone & Logistics (under their Nu:Logic alias) plus some cracking tunes from some of the newer kids on the block. A special shout to Macca & Los Contreras for their track Against the Wall remixed by FD which I’ve had on steady rotation for about six months now. I promise this is the last time I’ll put into a mix (for now).

It’s a Saturday, the sun is shining (where I am) and the time is right for some smooth tunes and a relax. Enjoy.

Night Line – 1hr of Liquid D&B

Redeyes – Intro
Redeyes – Keep On (Instrumental)
Mark System – Dissolve
LSB – The Hurting (Lenzman Remix)
Macca & Los Contreras – Against the Wall (FD Remix)
Fred V & Grafix – Hurricanes (Wild Love)
Seba – Addicted (Technimatic Remix)
Break – Coming 4 U
Nymfo – Melting Pot (feat. Robert Manos)
Nu:Logic – Dreamweaver
Koherent – Night Cycles
Halogenix – Cliche
Seba & Jnr Vallo – Rotate
Air.K & Cephei – Desire (Break Remix)
Halogenix – Velvet
Muffler – Dark Flower
Nu:Logic – Somewhere Between the Light
Night Train – Friske
Nu:Logic – Sepia (feat. LSB)
Total Science & Grimm – So Addicted (Feat. Grimm)

The Down Low: Session 038

I don’t exactly know what category these tunes fall into other than amazing. They sound a little like house, but there are broken beats in there, and all I do know is that this is my favourite Down Low Session in quite some time.

Tunes to keep an ear out for are Sepalcure’s amazing Warning, which I’m putting up as the best way to start a set I’ve heard all year. Then there’s Stanton Warriors & Tony Quattro – Get Low (Infrakt Remix) which is pure breakbeat funk and has a vocal hook that gets stuck in your head for day. You have been warned. Last, but by no means least, is Calibre’s – Grow which is my favourite house track of the year by miles and also the name of Calibre’s new LP. If you haven’t heard it, get on it.

If you are anything like me, you’ll have this on rotation for quite some time so enjoy. 🙂

Down Low 038 – 1hr of House & Bass

Sepalcure – The Warning
DJ Marky – Bella Drie (Nytron Power Remix)
Danv – Get Up Man
ASC – Soma
Stanton Warriors & Tony Quattro – Get Low (Infrakt Remix)
Tazer x Tink – Wet Dollars
Bonobo – Kerala
Todd Terje – Jungelknugen (Four Tet Remix)
Dirty South – I Swear (feat. ANIMA!)
Gustavo Koch – Animol
Tube & Berger – When They Come
Calibre – Grow
Kolsch – Grey
Aerosol – Isla Blanca (LTN Remix)
Ehterwood – Souvenirs (Friend Within Remix)

Jungle Jazz Vol.2 – Ear & Drum Session 133

Back with another mix sourcing from the legendary Jungle Jazz compilations. This one covers 1998-2002 when the music was transforming from intelligent jungle into more jazz infused D&B as we know it today.

Some of these are straight up jazz tracks such as London Elektricity’s epic 10 minute ‘Rewind’ where as others are starting to take on the jazz-step sound of the naughties like Groove Rider’s remixes of Goldie’s ‘Believe’ and Bally Sagoo’s ‘Turn Bin Jaya’.One of the great things about the Jungle Jazz series was they had tunes I never saw get a vinyl release, so some of this music will hopefully be new to most of you.

My pick of the bunch would have to be 4 Hero’s – 9 by 9 (M.I.S.T. Full Vocal Mix) which pretty much kicked of the Liquid genre that is so huge today and Klute’s – Phone Call (Matrix Remix) which is pretty much the perfect D&B track in my humble opinion.

Jungle Jazz Vol.2 – 1hr of Jazz Infused D&B

London Elektricity – Rewind
Justice – Westside Centre (DJ Pulse Remix)
Nuyorican Soul – It’s Alright, I feel it! (Roni Size Remix)
New Jazz Hustler – Bombay
Shifty – Jazz Ass
4 Hero – 9 by 9 (M.I.S.T. Full Vocal Mix)
DJ Krush – Meiso (4 Hero Vocal Mix)
Goldie – Believe (Grooverider Remix)
Klute – Phone Call (Matrix Remix)
Bally Sagoo – Turn Bin Jaya (Grooverider Remix)
Adam F – Music In My Mind
4 Hero – Star Chasers (Photek Remix)
Shifty – Jelly Head
Photek – Modus Operandi

Max Headroom – Ear & Drum Session 130

A couple of huge albums dropped recently from two of D&B’s finest purveyors in the form of Calibre and Klute. Not being able to resist I jumped on the decks to give both LPs a thorough bashing.

It’s not all about Calibre and Klute however, with outstanding music coming from Dawn Wall, Wilkinson and Macca & Loz Contreras plus some sneaky remixes including a Moby classic of all things.

Better late than never I guess.

Max Headroom – 1hr of Liquid D&B

Calibre – No One Gets You
Macca & Los Contreras – Against the Wall (FD Remix)
Command Strange – Face 2 Face
Keeno – Enigma
Klute – Loose My Way
Moby – Porcelain (pola & Bryson Remix)
Klute – Soul Boy
Dave Owen – Slave 2 The Game
Dawn Wall – Twin Falls
Alix Perez & SpectraSoul – So Close
Calibre – Footloose
Wilkinson – Wash Away
Calibre – Up In Smoke
Macca & Los Contreras – Always Yours (S.P.Y. Remix)
Kirsty Hawkshaw – Face To Face Again (The Joy) (Seba Remix)
Klute – Lost Sales
Jazzatron – Underspirit
Alaska – Solace
Dawn Wall – Mantis
Calibre – Complain

Jungle Jazz – Ear & Drum Session 129

Back in 96′ I bought a compilation CD (remember them?) by Italian label, IRMA, called Jungle Jazz. It was the first of 5 compilations and contained some of the best selections of Intelligent jungle and D&B I’ve ever heard.

All the big names were there like Jonny L, Photek and Roni Size but what made these compilations so great were the lesser known artists and remixes like Bukem’s remix of The Shamen’s – Tranzmazonia and the Peshay After Hours Remix of Ingrid Schroeder’s Paint You Blue. These tracks didn’t appear anywhere else and possibly only ever got pressed as dub plates for a select few DJs.

The joy of modern DJing is I can now spin these exclusive tunes that have been lost to time. So I’ve revisited my old Jungle Jazz CDs and pulled together a set of my favorite tracks from the first few Jungle Jazz comps. This really is beautiful music and whether you like D&B or not, it is hard not to appreciate the skill and passion that sits behind these amazing tracks.

Jungle Jazz – 1hr of Intelligent Jungle

Dust – Donna Jane
Hidden Agenda – Is It Love?
Click’n’Cycle – Amerikas Problem
Blim – Jeamland
Namaste – Open Your Eyes
Clan Greco – Tilt
Nookie – The Blues
Jonny L – This Time
The Shamen – Tranzmazonia (LTJ Bukem Mix)
Skin 4 – Aura
Roni Size – It’s a Jazz Thing
Wax Doctor – Atmospheric Funk
Recycle – I Can’t Help It
Bubble Jet – Emotionalectric
Ingrid Schroeder – Paint You Blue (Peshay After Hours Remix)
St. Germain – Alabama Blues (Wax Doctor Mix)
MC Det – Freeform Reality

Sunday Sounds – Ear & Drum Session 127

Looking for something to listen to over the weekend? Try these chilled out liquid Sunday Sounds on for size. Melodic D&B tunes have come a long way and these relaxed liquid numbers prove that as a genre liquid is rapidly becoming just as diverse as D&B itself.

From the half-beat Jam of Hydro and War to the vocal swing of DRS’s – I Will this is the perfect mix to add a little atmosphere to your day. Special shout out to the mighty Mitekiss and his track Final Hours which has been on steady rotation since I picked it up. With a perfect blend of Rhodes keys, sub-bass and floating vocals it is everything good music should be.

Sunday Sounds – 1hr of Chilled Liquid

Hydro & War – Jam
The Vanguard Project – Daredevil
Mystical Sound – I Can Feel You
Artificial Intelligence – Dreams of Freedom
Need for Mirrors & Phil Tangent – Shifting tones
Villem & McLeod – If I Had
Naibu – Les Soirees
Need for Mirrors & Phil Tangent – Polaroid
DRS – I Will (Feat. Patife & Vangaleliez)
Eschaton – Sadhana (Pageant Remix)
BCee – Delerious (Kimyan Law Remix)
Villem & McLeod – Perfect Solution (Feat. MC Fats)
DRS – This Ain’t Love (Feat. Calibre)
Klax – The Sway
Satl – Rescue Me
Mitekiss – Final Hours
LSB – The Optimist
Sam Binga – Greatest Distance (Feat. Romaine)