Category Archives: Melodic

2017, Bass Music, Down Low Session, Melodic

The Down Low: Session 038

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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)

2017, Ear & Drum Session, Jazz & Bass, Melodic

Jungle Jazz Vol.2 – Ear & Drum Session 133

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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

2017, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Max Headroom – Ear & Drum Session 130

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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

2017, Ear & Drum Session, Intelligent, Jungle, Melodic, Old Skool

Jungle Jazz – Ear & Drum Session 129

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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

2017, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Sunday Sounds – Ear & Drum Session 127

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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)

2017, Down Low Session, Melodic

The Down Low: Session 035

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Hard to believe house is over 30 years old, but the Chicago sound from the 80s that kicked off the electronic dance music revolution is still as exciting as ever. The great thing about house is you can have it on in the background as a soundtrack or jack the volume if you want to get down.

Kick off your weekend with a selection of new thumpers like Skream’s – Munk and Lane 8’s – Undercover mixed in with some stone cold classics like Rae’s – Hide U, Ross Evan’s – Everybody and Sandy Rivera’s – Come Into My Room.

Down Low: Session 035 – 1hr+ of Deep House vibes

Bob Sinclair – Save Our Soul (BT’s Re-edit)
Dennis Ferrer – Hey Hey (DF’s Attention Vocal Mix)
Sandy Rivera – Come Into My Room (Feat. LT Brown)
Ross Evans – Everybody
Skream – Munk
Rocondite – Levo (Club Edit)
Sugar Hill & Wasabi – It’s On You (Ganzfied Effect Mix)
Luxury – Pick You Up
Kokiri – Retrospect (12 Inch Remix)
2020 Soundsystem – No Order (Ralph Lawson & Rui-z Remix)
Dusky – Yoohoo
Lane 8 feat. Matthew Dear – Undercover
Purple Disco Machine – Where We Belong
Max Freegrant – Heisenberg
Fritz Lalkbrenner – Don’t You Say
Fritz Lalkbrenner – Centre to Centre
Intruder – Amame (Feat. Jei & Lang Ass Mix)
Rae – Hide U (feat. LT Brown & Sandy Rivera)
Blood Groove & Kicks – Free Like a Bird

2016, Chill Out, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Snow Peaks – Ear & Drum Session 122

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It’s been a great year for chilled out liquid D&B which, in my humble opinion, has over taken it’s more upbeat form. Leading the charge are the likes of Lenzman, Alix Perez and Calibre, but the big surprise this year has been the emergence and dominance of Dawn Wall. Their silky smooth take on liquid is something special and as the triple play at the start of this mix will tell you their tunes go together like an absolute dream.

I’m not sure if I’ll get another mix in before the end of the year. So if I don’t, enjoy this one and have a great silly season. Peace.

Snow Peaks – 1hr+ of Chilled Liquid D&B

Chromatic – Smile
Dawn Wall – I See You
Dawn Wall – Kythera
Dawn Wall – Lose Face
Lenzman – Golden Age (feat. Steo)
Mindmapper & Silvahfonk – One Step Closer
Zed Bias – Driftin’ (feat. Zoe Violet)
Actraiser – Solutions (feat. Oscar Michael)
Dawn Wall – Spears
Mindmapper, Silvahfonk & Madcap – Up ‘N’ Smoke (Madcap VIP)
Mikal – When the Wind Changes
Dawn Wall – Saigon Blaze
Alex Perez feat. Even Everett & SpectraSoul – Forsaken (Calibre Remix)
Intelligent Manners – Everyday is the Same
Etherwood – Souvenirs (feat. Zara Kershaw)
Alex Perez – Had I Known
Alex Perez & Ivy Lab – The Last Night
Change of Pace – Innocent
Lenzman – Got My Mind Made Up
Rainforest – Flow (feat. Lu Angel)
Enea – Nightwalk
Impish – With You (Calibre Remix)
Mitekiss – Duck (Scott Allen Master)
Lenzman – The Worst
Dawn Wall – Between the Sheets (feat. Artificial Intelligence)

2016, All Artist Mix, Amen, Ear & Drum Session, Intelligent, Melodic

The Drift – Ear & Drum Session 121

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If you asked people to name their favourite D&B albums invariably LTJ Bukem’s Logical Progression pops up. The heavily melodic atmospheric sound is as endearing today as it was when it first came out, and it lives on though labels such as Omni Music and Candence Recordings.

This mix focuses on THAT sound and, in particular, the artists Rainforest and Aural Imbalance. I stumbled upon Rainforest by complete accident, but one listen and I had to track down everything he had written. He’s simply that good.

Aural Imbalance has been producing atmospheric D&B since 1998 and runs Cadence Recordings which is an off shoot of Deep Space Recordings. Both labels focus their sound on the original 1996 Good Looking / Looking Good sound. And it is no surprise he has an early release on 720º, an offshoot of Bukem’s main labels.

If you want to know where atmospheric D&B is today, or just miss the Logical Progression sound, then you could do a lot worse than giving this a listen. Enjoy.

The Drift – 1hr of Atmospheric D&B

Blok One & Rainforest – Delusional
Blok One & Rainforest – 6am
Entomb – Primeval Forest (Aural Imbalance Sub Tropical Remix)
Okie – Project 15
O’clock – Time Stops
Ash Walker – Thunder (feat. Lord Laville)
Entama – Facet
Aural Imbalance & Voyager – Transmission Control
Deep Stealth – Project 15
Deep Stealth – Mystic Realms (Aural Imbalance Remix)
Aural Imbalance – Project 15
Intersolar – Soulshatter (Aural Imbalance Remix)
Deskai – Rest In Peace
Cryogenics – Coalsack
Blok One & Rainforest – Balcony View
Rainforest – Scar(s)
JCB – Project 15
Rainforest – Over The Years
Mitekiss – Dustmites

2016, All Artist Mix, Deep D&B, Down Low Session, Melodic

Sebatical – Ear & Drum Session 118

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Sebastian Ahrenberg AKA Seba first came to prominence on LTJ Bukem’s Good Looking label during the 90s. His deep atmospheric sound is unmistakably his own, and for me he is one of D&Bs great unsung heroes. Whether by himself, or teaming up with other technical producers like Paradox or Krazy, Seba has produced a back catalogue most producers simply can’t touch.

I haven’t done an all artist mix for the longest time, but if anyone is going to pull me back into playing a single producer’s work it is Seba. So deep, melodic and hypnotizing – his sound blends so effortlessly that it is a sheer joy to mix.

If you are fan of Seba’s work you’ll love this and if you are new to him, boy are you in for a treat. Enjoy.

Sebatical – 1.5hrs of Seba

Seba – Blaze and Fade Out
Seba – Keep Me Waiting
Seba & Paradox – Move On
Seba – Distance
Seba – Vanity
Seba – What’s You Fantasy
Seba – Nostalgia
Seba & Paradox – Last Goodbye
Seba – Shades of Me & You
Seba – Never Let You Go (Blu Mar Ten Remix)
Seba – Nightrider
Seba – Can’t Describe
Seba – Dangerous Days
Seba – Inside Yourself
Seba – Nothing Can Replace
Seba & Paradox – The Light
Seba – Steel
Seba – Piemo for B
Seba – Blanace of Power
Seba & Krazy – Finola
Seba & Paradox – Because

2016, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Fluid Saque – Ear & Drum Session 115

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First mix of 2016 and we are heading into deeply fluid territory. Almost a who’s who of liquid D&B producing alumni, this mix rolls out so smooth you could almost slip on it. Perfect for a lazy weekend or a Sunday morning session, it’ll keep your head nodding and hips swaying.

Turn it up and rinse out.

Fluid Saque – 1hr+ of Liquid D&B

Hybrid Minds – Kismet
Mindmapper & Silvahfonk – One Step Close
Malay – Blue Monday
Anile – Not the Way (to Run)
Thesis & Anastasia – The Bridge
Mindmapper, Silvahfonk & Madcap – Up ‘N’ Smoke (Madcap VIP)
Michael – When the Wind Changes
Silence Groove – Dust Bowl
Calibre & Marcus Intalex – Something Heavy
Dave Webber – Drifter
Linesman – Move & Focus (Submorphics Remix)
Etherwood – Souvenirs
Lenzman – Starz (LSB Remix)
Silence Groove – Shine Through
Pluton & Skyer – Evening Streets
Skyhook – Music
Submorphics – The Devine
Ether wood – Light My Way Home
Head: Crab – U Got
A-Sides & Makoto – Jupiter
Impish – With You (Calibre Remix)
Turney – Just Can’t Give You Up
Hybrid Minds – Lifted