London Sound – Ear & Drum Session 126

Grime is totally distinctively – part ragga jungle, part dubstep, part hip-hop and entirely London in sound. In terms of D&B the first Grime inspired track I remember back in 2011 was Dub Phizix & Skeptical’s – Marka. It was heavy, but stripped back and raw and I loved it instantly.

Since then Dub Phizix has been joined by Chimpo, Sam Binga and others in turning the BPM up on the Grime sound to create a unique niche D&B genre. I haven’t heard a whole heap of tracks like these, but when I do the hairs always stand up on the back of my neck at the thought of them in a mix because they just creep on up and slam every time.

Here’s to London for keeping it underground, real and always cutting edge.

London Sound – 1hr of Grime inspired D&B

Sam Binga – Badman Skin (Feat. Redders)
Fracture x Chimpo – From Early
Dub Phizix – Contact (Feat. Skeptical)
Sam Binga & Chimpo – Sassy Riddim
Dub Phizix – Do One (Feat. DRS)
Dub Phizix – Bounce
Dub Phizix – Jus’ a Nuvver Divvy (Feat. Strategy)
Dub Phizix – Bugs
Sam Binga & Chimpo – For Those That Like It Sweet
Sam Binga & Chimpo – Selection Dark
Chimpo – Bedsprings Riddim
Rockwell Feat. Sam Binga & Hyroglifics – Itsok2behapp-e
Chimpo – Haymaker
Chimpo – Bun It (Feat. Fixate)
Dub Phizix – Gaana
Sam Binga (Feat. Redders) – AYO (Ivy Lab Remix)
Dub Phizix & Skeptical – Marka (Feat. Strategy)
Chimpo – War Tanker
Sam Binga – Run The Dance (Feat. Slick Don)
Sam Binga – Greatest Distance (Feat. Romaine)

Partisan Support – Ear & Drum Session 125

Partisan Recordings are one of the forgotten heroes of D&B labels. Only exisiting between 1998-99, the quality of their output and exceptional artist roster put them right up there with Metalheadz and Moving Shadow.

Artists such as Foul Play, Future Engineers, Perfect Combination, Justice, Total Science and Underwolves released some of their best work on the label. Plus remixes by the likes of Matrix, Omni Trio, Dom & Roland and Flytronix (to name a few), meant that Partisan had some of the hottest D&B talent at the time.

It’s taken me decades to track down enough of their releases to put together this mix, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did piecing it together.

Partisan Support – 1hr of Partisan Recordings

Foul Play – Destiny (feat. Shereen)
K.M.C. – Space Echo
Future Engineers – Life Support
Banaczech – Ipcress File
Foul Play – Risk (feat. Shereen)
Future Engineers – Life Support (Neil Trix Remix)
Justice – Mauve Flow (Matrix Remix)
Jazz Cartel – Contact
Future Engineers – Simulations
Foul Play – Synthetic Bitch (Omni Tri Remix)
Future Engineers – Cerulean Seas
System 4 – Black Cell
Free4orm – D-Fusion Pt.3
Future Engineers – Closed Circuit
Underwolves – Redeemer

The Down Low: Session 034

Chilled out bass, techno and house are the order of the day with this downtempo mix.

A few personal highlights – Rainforest’s sublime Between Us, Lane 8’s The Great Divide with Are Scott on sultry vocals and the throw your hands in the air fun of Purple Disco Machine’s Where We Belong. But if I had to be honest, every tune is in here on their own merits and they are all great. 🙂

Download, lie down and unwind. Rewind.

The Down Low: Session 034 – 1hr+ of Downtempo Beats

Cern – What We Bring Upon Ourselves
Calibre – Sand Promise
Pete Saturn – Loophole #2 (Rhea)
Rainforest – Between Us
Pageant – Slow
Thriftworks – Scene Unseen feat. Rusitx
Joe Seven – Endings
Lane 8 – Cosi
Instra:Mental – Waterfalls
Jasper Byrne – Decade Dance
Jasper Byrne – Kill Streak
Purple Disco Machine – No Lips
Lane 8 feat. Are Scott – The Great Divide
Bicep – Just
Terranova – Tell Me Why (feat. Stereo MCs)
Naibu – 5 Pieces (feat. Makoto)
Lane 8 feat. Matthew Dear – Undercover
Purple Disco Machine – Where We Belong
Andhim – Horse Society
Dave DK – Nueva Cancion
Erkka – Talk to the Hand
Calibre – Limbo

Call the Ambience 10 – Tranquilizer – Ear & Drum Session 124

I never though I’d get to a 10th instalment of this infrequent Ambient D&B series. But I am please to report the genre is going from strength to strength and it seems more producers are turning their hand to chilled out 170bpm+ music today than ever before.

Perfect for travelling or just chilling on the couch, these beats are designed to take you on a journey. So strap yourself in and enjoy some down time.

Shouts out to Dan Moore who was the inspiration for the original Call the Ambience mix I put together four years ago. You are a constant inspiration and top sort. 😉

Call the Ambience 10 – Tranquilizer – 1hr of Ambient D&B

Oak – Farewell to Zeros
Bop – Deep Inside
Bop x Synchro – Telescope
Commix – Freefall
Need for Mirrors – Wow
Alex Perez – Had I Known
Om Unit – Le Singe
Electrosoul System – Before After
Pageant – Magician
Ash Walker – Thunder (feat. Lord Laville)
Aerostat Industry – Ocean of Money
Nomine – Blindman (Om Unit Remix)
Om Unit – The Mirror
Oak – Twilight
Microfunk Crew feat. Robert Manos – December
Calibre – Space Time (feat. Cleveland Watkiss)
Seba – Desire
Influx UK (feat. MC Fats & Gina) – Souls Unite (Influx UK and DJ SS Soulside Remix)

The Down Low: Session 033

It’s time to get your float on once again with the first Down Low of 2017.

Kicking things off with Danny Scrilla (The Lady Killah) & Epoch’s – Geometry we have all sorts in here from jungle, house, techno, breaks and more. If I had to say there was a theme it would have to be the dubbed out nature of most of the music.

Kick back, relax and enjoy some fresh tunes.

The Down Low: Session 033 – 1hr of Downtempo Beats

Danny Scrilla & Epoch – Geometry
DFRNT – Tripped (Ital Tek Remix)
Biome – Turn
Effluent – Cosmic Network
Gundam – 25 Reasons
Myth – Dizzy
Nomine – Nomine’s Heartbeat
Synkro – Lost 4 Words
Synkro – Everybody Knows
James Blake – Limit to Your Love
Chad Dubs – Formations
Gundam – Call U Back
Leftfield – Storms End
FaltyDL – Brazil (Maddslinky Remix)
Hoodboi – Palm Reader
Hoodboi – Shallow
Hoodboi – Dusk (Prologue)
Spacedrome – 3am
Gundam – Pool Girls
The M Machine – Shadow In The Rose Garden (Matt Lange Remix)
Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)

Chunky – Ear & Drum Session 123

We’re kicking off 2017 correct with a mix of deep D&B. If I had to pick one thing that characterises this over any of my other recent deep mixes it would have to be the robustness of the bass-lines. I’m not sure what has brought sub-bass back into fashion, but these b-lines are larger than your mum’s undies.

For those reading this on Facebook or Twitter thinking, ‘But Woz, you said you weren’t doing any social media until you change your mind and you are.’ This is an automated post from my blog, so there. 😛

Chunky – 1hr of Deep Beats and Chunky Basslines

Rainforest – The Returned
Scar – Punch Drunk
dBridge vs Skeptical – No Discipline
Seba & Method One – Let’s be Done With This
Nomine – Blindman (Om Unit Remix)
Chimpo – Bedsprings Riddim
Hidden Turn – Over
Koncide – Bredda
dBridge vs Calibre – Chrisitansen
Rainforest – Jericho
DJ Krust – Kloaking Device (Fracture Remix)
J:Kenzo – Ruffhouse (Om Unit Remix)
Need for Mirrors – Wow
Rainforest – Deeply Rooted
Hidden Turn – Begin
Seba – Desire
ASC – Automaton

The Down Low: Session 32

It’s been the longest time since I’ve flexed my bass music chops, so as comeback I’ve put together something a little special. These are some of my all time bass, hip-hop and house favourites with a little Beebs thrown in for good measure.

I know, I know, if you had told me I would like a Justin Bieber tune I would have punched you in the face. But hey, 2016 has been a weird a year and if anyone can make Beebs sound it’s Diplo.

I can with certainty say this will be my last Down Low Session for the year, so enjoy it and I hope you keep listing in 2017.

1hr of Bass, Hip-Hop & Heavy House

Urban Trip – Sept
Dustmite & Kuru – Kare
DFRNT – Tripped (Synkro Remix)
Kromostar & Jay 5ive – Try Harder
Scribe – Not Many
Scribe – Not Many (The Remix)
Clubroot – Whistles & Horns
Photek & Kuru – Fountainhead (DJ Kicks Remix)
Clubroot – Orbiting
Sepalcure – Taking You Back
Trashbat – Takaramachi
Vital & Hubb – The Art of Alone (Cross the Out Remix)
Irregular Expression – Shoshin
London Grammar – Strong
Spacedrome – 3am
Photek – Totem
Skillex & Diplo – Where Are Ü Now (feat. Beebs)
Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
Actraiser – Solstice

Snow Peaks – Ear & Drum Session 122

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)

The Drift – Ear & Drum Session 121

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

Eats the Soul – Ear & Drum Session 120

I’ve been missing in action.

For those wondering where the new mixes are I’ve been rudely interrupted by real life matters such as organising a wedding, getting married and work. But I am back and after the longest break from mixing since I took to the decks back in 96′ I’m glad to say I have an absolute belter for you.

This is a mixture of old and new thanks some my favourite producers, Rawtekk, ASC and TeeBee, remastering and re-releasing some of their classic old and unreleased tracks. But that’s not to say there isn’t some future classics in here either such as Deadcode’s infectious Ratatata, Tech Itch’s epic Souls of Impatience and the hard hitting Favela from a producer who is new to me Lavance.

I hope you dig the vibes and you won’t need to wait 4 months until the next mix. 😛

Eats the Soul – 1hr of Hard D&B

TeeBee – Let Go
Nasty Habits – Shadow Boxing (Om Unit VIP)
John B – Evolve (Alternative Intro Mix)
Gremlinz – Tactical Rail
Deadcode – Ratatata
Scar – Temptation (feat. Orkyd)
Paperclip – Afterdreamer
Technical Itch – Souls of Impatience
TeeBee – Snake Funk
Rawtekk – Inside Tekk (Reloaded)
Ed:it – Babylon Step
Scar – I’m Gone (feat. Naomi Prior – 3am Intro Mix)
Lavance – Favela
Mako – The Gap (feat. Fields)
TeeBee – Deceive
Digital & Spirit – Mosquito
DJ Krust – Cloaking Device (Fracture Remix)
Jay Drop – Insight
ASC – Automaton
Technimatic – Trigger Warning
Technimatic – The Stage (Interlude)