Category Archives: All Label Mix

Shadow Wax Vol.4: Moving Shadow 94-95 – Ear & Drum Session 59

Another in the continuing Shadow Wax series of mixes looking at the legendary Moving Shadow label. This one covers off the same era as Shadow Wax Vol.3 but takes the pressure up by focusing on the harder tunes from the label. Some of these are darkside, some are hard steppers and a lot are heavier remixes of the intelligent released Moving Shadow had out at the time.

Not much else to say really. Amazing music, from amazing artists on one of D&B most amazing labels. Win, win & win.

Shadow Wax Vol.4: Moving Shadow 94-95 – 1hr of hardstep, darkside and heavy remixes

DJ Pulse – Voyager
Mick James – Nice & Deep
DJ Crystal – King of the Beats
D’Cruze – Lonely
Renegade feat. Ray Keith – Something I feel
JMJ & Ritchie – Universal Horn (J.Majik Remix)
Foul Play – Beats Track
Flex & Fats – Somebody
Renegade – Terrorist
Foul Play – Re-Open Your Mind 95
Omni Trio – Living For The Future (FBD Project VIP Mix)
Foul Play – Cutting Loose (Remix)
Omni Trio – Shadowplay
Dead Dred – Dred Bass (Origin Unknown Remix)
Foul Play – The Stepper
DJ Pulse – Stay Calm (Foul Play Remix)
Foul Play – Ignorance
Omni Trio – Soul Promenade (Nookie Remix)
Omni Trio – Mainline (95 Lick)

Shadow Wax Vol.3: Moving Shadow 94-95 – Ear & Drum Session 56

Part 3 of my Moving Shadow retrospectives, this time looking at the Intelligent sound from 1994-95. EZ Rollers, DJ Pulse, JMJ & Ritchie and, in particular, Omni Trio were absolutely on fire. The complexity of the beats and the melodies layered over the top of them are some of the best from that era, and if you love the Amen break as much as I do then you’re in for a treat.

Shadow Wax Vol.3 – 1hr+ of Moving Shadow Intelligence from 94-95

EZ Rollers – Rolled Into One
Omni Trio – Renegade Snares (Foul Play VIP Mix)
Omni Trio – Renegade Snares (Rob’s Reconstruction Mix)
DJ Pulse – Return Voyage (Pulse & Stretch Remix)
JMJ & Ritchie – Free La Funk
JMJ & Ritchie – Free La Funk (PFM Remix)
DJ Pulse – Let You In
Omni Trio – Nu Grooves ’94
Blame & Justice – Anthemia
Foul Play – Artificial Intelligence
Omni Trio – Together
Omni Trio – Rollin’ Heights (More Strings Attached Mix)
Foul Play – Music Is The Key (Omni Trio Remix)
Omni Trio – Soul Prominade
Omni Trio – Soul Freestyle
omni Trio – Ghost Rider
Cloud Nine – Blissful Ignorance
Foul Play – Being With You (Hopa & Bones Remix)
JMJ & Ritchie – Universal Horn

Shadow Wax Vol.2: Moving Shadow 91-93 – Ear & Drum Session 51

Part 2 of the on-going Shadow Wax series looking at all things Moving Shadow. This mix lifts the BPM a little one the first installment as we head into the 160bpm+ zone.

Amazing producers as you would expect with JMJ & Ritchie (aka EZ Rollers), Blame, Mixrace, D’Cruze, Omni Trio and a whole host more making an appearance. I’ve tried to slip in some lesser known tracks and rare remixes to keep it interesting, but it’s a Moving Shadow mix so you know it is all good.

Hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I did mixing it.

Shadow Wax Vol.2: Moving Shadow 91-93 – More hardcore from the Moving Shadow vaults

JMJ & Ritchie – Hall Of Mirrors (Omni Trio Mirror Image Mix)
Blame – A21
Mixrace – Mixrace Outta Hand
D’Cruze – Want You Now (DJ SS & E.Q. Remix)
JMJ & Ritchie – Case Re-Opened (Deep Blue Brought To Trial Mix)
Joint – The Joint
Omni Trio – Thru The Vibe (2 On 1 Mix)
Higher Sense – Cold Fresh Air
Hyper On Experience – Lord of Null Lines
Blame – This Piano Track (2 Bad Mice Remix)
Foul Play – Finest Illusion (Legal Mix)
Foul Play – Open Your Mind
Omni Trio – Renegade Snares (Foul Play Remix)
Hyper-On Experience – Lords Of The Null-Lines (Foul Play Remix)
Hyper-On Experience – Thunder Grip
Hyper-On Experience – Disturbance (Tango Remix)
Deep Blue – The Helicopter Tune
Omni Trio – Feel Good (Original In Demand Mix)
Boogie Times Tribe Feat. Q Bass – Real Hardcore

Shadow Wax Vol.1: Moving Shadow 91-93 – Ear & Drum Session 49

Moving Shadow are without a doubt the label I have bought the most releases from. When the label folded in 2008 I felt like a part of Drum & Bass had died. Rob Playford’s label has had more outstanding releases from more heavy hitting producers than any other, and their influence on broken beats since 1990 can not be ignored. Their logo has the words ‘world domination’ written around it, and I think as a label they achieved this.

In the early days when I was cutting my teeth on rave tunes Moving Shadow had some of the deepest, roughest and most danceable tunes on the scene. Rob Playford as 2 Bad Mice (along with Sean O’Keeffe & Simon Colebrooke) was killing it with Bomb Scare, an anthem so large it still influences producers and gets sampled today. Blame’s – Music Takes You and Omni Trio’s – Mystic Stepper pretty much kicked off the lighter and more musical Intelligent genre of Jungle and D&B. And Kaotic Chemistry’s – Illegal Subs showed just how catchy and devastating Breakbeat Hardcore really could be.

This mix is the beginning of a series that will take you through 15+ years of Moving Shadow History. It is going to be long and god knows how many parts there will be to it, because as a label Moving Shadow have literally thousands of releases. But one thing I do know is that the mixes are going to be quality and the music exceptional.

Shadow Wax Vol.1 – 1hr of Moving Shadow from 91-93

Cosmos & Dibs – Oh So Nice
2 Bad Mice – 2 Bad Mice
Cosmos & Dibs – Star Eyes
2 Bad Mice – Ware Mouse
2 Bad Mice – Bomb Scare
2 Bad Mice – 2 Bad Mice (Remix)
Tone Def – Big Love (Love Mix)
Sci – Uprising
Blame – Music Takes You (Original Version)
Blame – Ecstasy Takes You
Blame – Music Takes Two
Blame – Piano Takes You
Hyper On Experience – H.E. Anthem
Kaotic Chemistry – Space Cakes
Omni Trio – Mystic Stepper (Feel Better)
Kaotic Chemistry – Illegal Subs (Krome & Time Remix)
Blame – 2 Bad Mice Take You

Subbase Station One – Ear & Drum Session 47

Suburban Base & Moving Shadow were first two major labels in the Breakbeat/Hardcore scene. By ‘major’ I mean spitting out top quality 12″ release after release and managing to pump out CD compilations as well. The Suburban Base influence was all over pirate radio in the early days and looking at their roster of artists it is pretty easy to see why.

Between Sonz of a Loop Da Loop Era, Krome & Time, D’Cruze, Blame, DJ Hype, Foul Play, EZ Rollers, 2 Bad Mice and Marvelous Cain they had just about every big name in the Breakbeat/Hardcore scene. Rave anthems were the name of game back then and Subbase had them covered. I don’t remember ever seeing a DJ’s crate worth his salt back in 92-93 who didn’t have a stack of Suburban Base records in his selection.

This mix was played live on my birthday at a party I held. I did consider going back in to the studio to do a more controlled version of the mix, but I got worried I would lose the energy and spontaneity captured in this one. So I have left well alone and just let it roll. I’m dedicating this mix to Stevie Boy who reminded me just what a great label Suburban Base were and to all those who remember.

Subbase Statione One – 1hr of Suburban Base Records

Run Tings – Fire Burning
Sonz of a Loop Da Loop Era – Far Out
Future Assassins – Future Sound
Krome & Time – This Sound is for the Underground
Smart E’s – Sesame’s Treat (Krome & Time Remix)
D’Cruze – Life (Hands to Heaven)
Sonz of a Loop Da Loop Era – Breaks the Unbreakable
Blame – A21
Krome & Time – The Slammer (Nookie Remix)
Sonz of a Loop Da Loop Era – Calm Downizm
Krome & Time – The Slammer
DJ Hype – I Don’t Understand
EZ Rollers – Rolled Into One
Flex & Fats – Somebody
DJ Hype – Weird Energy
Foul Play – Open Your Mind
2 Bad Mice – Underworld
DJ Hype – The Chopper (Johnny Jungle Remix)
Marvellous Cain – CB4

Globally Connected – Jungletrain Session 178

This mix is being re-hosted for ASC. His Covert Operations label was one of the finest atmospheric D&B labels, not only for it’s quality music, but also for it’s constant output of new talent from around the world. When the label folded last year it left a huge hole in the D&B landscape that still hasn’t been properly filled to this day. Even though his label has shut down ASC has gone on to bigger and better things joining up with the mighty dBridge on his NonPlus+ / Exit / Autonomic labels.

The Global Connections series (volumes 1-6) broke so many great producers and gave them their first chance to be heard. This mix is an hours worth of what I considered the best tunes from the series. If you like sci-fi beats and atmospheric melodies this will put some buoyancy in your floatation tank.

Globally Connected – 1hr of atmospherics from Covert Operations

Altair – Reminisce
Ezeekil – False Profit
Probe One – Storm Cell
Altair – Collateral
ASC – Monochrome
Method One – In The Quiet Hours
Kytel – New Eyes For Old
Noric – Aqueous Passage
Theory – Aurora Flash
Solar Empire – Dynamics
Km & Paralyzah – Nega
Neon – Higher State
Tidal – The N.O.C.
Ruxpin – Now I Turn To You

Back to the Basement – Jungletrain Session 186

Another request this time from my other half who actually asked me to put it on her iPod. But listening back to it I thought it was more than worthy of a re-upping here as well.

Basement Records was one of the original labels that got me into D&B. Running from the very beginning of rave back in 1989, Basement always had a broken beats integrated into their sound which is what drew me to them. They gave Peshay his first big break, along with Photek in his ‘The Sentinel’ guise and Source Direct under the ‘Intensity’ alias. As a label their influence on the early Breakbeat Hardcore and D&B scene can still be felt today even though they almost stopped completely around 1996.

Interestingly they have resurfaced with a dubstep and grime release called the Nu Basement EP. A lot of this set come from their digital re-releases and if you are interested in picking up some of these you can find them as the Classics Series here for download.

Back to the Basement – 1hr of Basement Records classics

Peshay – Endless Thoughts
The Sentinel – Pulse of Life
Ruff with the Smooth – Twisted Girl
The Architex – Blueprint
The Sentinel – Genesis
Peshay – Futurama
Jack N Phil – I Like It
The Sentinel – Awakening
Roger Johnson – Walk of Life
Roger Johnson – Drum N The Bass
Roger Johnson – One By One
Intensity – Intensity
The Sentinel – Heavy Vibes
Intensity – Forbidden Medicine

Certifiable – Ear & Drum Session 27

When Certificate 18 closed it doors back in 2002 I was crushed. Here was a leabel that let producers find their own sound and had no fear about putting out experimental D&B at it’s finest. It’s list of artists was pure quality with the likes of Klute, Teebee, Polar, Code of Practice and Studio Pressure all honing their production skills at the label. The beauty of a Certificate 18 12″ or EP was that you never new what you where going to get, but that it was always going to be good.

This mix comes from mainly the albums that Certificate 18 released. Classics such as Teebee’s Black Science Labs and Through the Eyes of the Scorpion, Klute’s debut LP Fear of People, Polar’s sublime Still Moving and of course the lanels flagship compilations the Hidden Rooms albums.  The mix is as diverse as the label itself and jumps from style to style, but still manages to maintain it’s flow.

This is for all those who remember and for those that want to learn what amzing experimental D&B sounds like.

Certifiable – 2hrs of Certificate 18

Klute – Three Of Us
Klute – Workout
Klute – Leo 9
Teebee – The Void
Teebee – Severed Dreams
Teebee – Silent Depths
Sounds of Life – Hidden Rooms
Polar – Mind of a Killer
Studio Pressure – Currents (Studio Pressure Remix)
Lexis – Groove Therapy (Photek Remix)
Sounds of Life – A Spice of Jazz
Klute – Chicks
Polar – 5am
Polar – Innocent
Klute – Phone Call (Matrix Remix)
Klute – We R the Ones
Klute – X-mass
Teebee – Black Rain
Klute & The Green Man – Lost
Code of Practice – Can We Change The Future (Klute Remix)
Code of Practice – Can We Change The Future (Sounds of Life Remix)
Teebee – Stolen Documents
Teebee – Frequencies
Teebee – Spaceage
Teebee – Spaceage (Teebee Remix)
Sounds of Life – Release the Bells (Wax Doctor Remix)

31 Seconds: Part 3 – Ear & Drum Session 25

Closing out the over view of 31 Records this mix goes to show what a varied scope of sounds Doc Scott has covered since the days of the Rollers EPs. The later releases cover all sorts from Liquid, Dub, Tech, Hard, Atmospheric through to Minimal.

Whilst 31 Records has never had the pulling power of Moving Shadow or Metalheadz there can be no doubt that Scotties label has done a huge amount in shaping the sound of D&B. If you want to hear where Doc Scott thinks D&B is going in the future you could do a lot worse than checking out his Soundcloud Page where the man himself puts up all his mixes.

Massive respect to 31 Records and the Doc Scott for the years of truly original and ground breaking music.

31 Seconds: Part 3 – The final hour of 31 Records in the mix

Staks 2 – Sight Unseen
Mutt – Incredible
Visionary – She Makes Me Feel
Visionary – After Hours
Zero Tolerance – Damascus
Stranja – Red Desert
Calibre – Intro
Commix – Trojan
Total Science – Come On Baby
The Insiders – Back & Fourth
Spectral – Buried
DC & Kubiks – Pull Your Body
Commix – You’ll See
Doc Scott – Tokyo Dusk
S.P.Y. & Mosus – My World
Nasty Habits – Shadow Boxing (Blu Mar Ten Unofficial 2006 Remix)

31 Seconds: Part 2 – Ear & Drum Session 20

Another 31 Recordings mix, this time focussing on the Kingz of the Rollers EP series. Spanning from 2003-2004 the Kingz of the Rollers were THE EP series that you had to have. The mix of established and new artists kept the EPs varied and saw 31 Records tap into artists like Klute, D.Kay, Greg Packer and Pendulum for the first time.

By 2003 the 31 sound had evolved into mighty rollers that suited both the light and dark vibes. Old classics like NHS, How You Make Me Feel, Deadline and even Shadow Boxing got updated remixes using the new sound. It’s hard to keep still to these tunes. They are just that infectious that you can’t help but bob your head.

31 Seconds: Part 2 – 1hr:15m of 31 Record’s Kingz of the Rollers

Klute – I Minder
D.Kay & Lee – Pipe Dreams
The Insiders – Late Night
Total Science – Shelf Life
Greg Packer – Not Just A Groove
MIST – How You Make Me Feel (Photek Remix)
Usual Suspects – Sapphire 7
D.Kay – Reach Inside
Alias – One To Another
Usual Suspects – Calimist
Artificial Intelligence – Won’t Give Up
Doc Scott – NHS (Total Science Remix)
Pendulum – Vault
DJ Kontrol – Echoes of Light
Digital – Deadline (Ed Rush & Optical Remix)
Nasty Habits – Shadow Boxing (Jonny L Remix)