Category Archives: Ear & Drum Session

2023, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Soulful

Ear & Drum: Session 263 – Souldiers

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The D&B Soul train keeps on rolling for 2023. This time around we have The North Quarter All Stars bringing the heat with their ridiculously good Balboa Square EP. Some sweet tunes from Shelflife 8 by Calibre, who has gone and dropped a second LP for the year, Rudy. And a special shout to Cnof who’s City Rhythm LP on Fokuz was a smooth and pleasant surprise.

Souldiers – 1hr of Soulful D&B

The North Quarter All Stars – I Got You
The North Quarter All Stars – The Way You’ve Been
The North Quarter All Stars – Everything Nice
Matec – Hold Me Close
Calibre – No Sense
Chimpo & Sato – Let Me Rise
Halogenix – Satisfy My Soul (ft. Liam Bailey
Cnof – You The One
Cnof &. Macca
Calibre – Chantilly
Duoscience – Small Field
Furney – World Troubles
London Elektricity feat. Liane Carroll – Fast Soul Music (Dogger & Mindstate Remix)
The North Quarter All Stars – Schizm
Du Marky – Colours Of My Mind
Seba & Bior Berglund – Skogsräet
DRS & Tyler Daley feat. LSB – Too Late
Workforce – Forever (LSB Remix
Alix Perez – Walrua
GLXY – Fear, Ego
Degs feat. Nu:Tone & Duskee – Can We Talk (lmo-Lu Remix)

2023, Amen, Ear & Drum Session, Jungle

Ear & Drum: Session 262 – Camouflage

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Jungle is massive. In terms of a comeback, I don’t think I remember a bigger bounce back from the dead than Jungle has made in the last five years. That being said, I still find the original sound often isn’t matched by the newer releases. But that doesn’t stop me from finding the odd pearl amongst the 100s of Jungle tunes being dropped every month, and I really appreciate the re-mastering of some of those classics I never had a chance to play back in the day.

Speaking of classics, you won’t find much better than the silky smooth sounds of Cool Hand Flex & MC Singing Fats – Anytime (Quality Controller), the rugged and raw Rude & Deadly – Give Me A Dubplate or the anthemic remixes of The Dream Team feat. Daddy Freddy – Stamina. Representing the new school Acid Lab’s – Soundboy is all killer no filler, Conrad Subs is constantly bringing the goods with tunes like Turmoil and On This Flex and Andy Skopes & Madcap hit a solid vibe with Empty Soul.

Camouflage – 1hr of New and Classic Jungle

Roni Size – Sweet Water
Cool Hand Flex & MC Singing Fats – Anytime (Quality Controller)
Acid Lab – Soundboy
Next Chapter – Nowhere Fast
The Dream Team feat. Daddy Freddy – Stamina (Arles ,Stivs & Kelvin 373 Remix)
Fusion – Love For The World (Drama1 2020 Retake)
Drama 1 – Whats Going On
Andy Skopes & Madcap – Empty Soul
DJ Rap & Dope Ammo feat. Jasmine Knight – Divine Rhythm (Ravers Remix)
Conrad Subs – Turmoil
Conrad Subs – On This Flex
Slay × Stef Smith x Rolla x Rem Luca x C 170 – Summer Breeze (Jungle Mix)
Voyager – Shields Down
Rude & Deadly – Give Me A Dubplate
The Dream Team – Stamina (feat. Ricky Tuffy) (1996 VIP)

2023, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Ear & Drum: Session 261 – Lively

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A little summer sumting this time around for my northern hemisphere peeps, as we go some older classics and some brand new liquid tunes to set the summer time vibe.

On the OG tip we kick of with one of my all time favourite Seba tunes Sweet Magnolia and A.Sides alongside MC Fats’, rest his soul, with their best collaboration Arctic. We also have the freshly remastered Life is Beautiful by London Elektricity and the absolute classic techno tinged Late Night Squeeze by ST:Cal and featuring Alison Crockett.

Coming in strong for the fresh sounds we have dBridges Lucid Remix of Workforce – Death Dreams, Need for Mirrors & TomInTheChamber’s sublime track Boo, a new High Contrast remix of Solomon – Listen Up and track from the The North Quarter All Stars’ incredible new release Balboa Square called Never.

Lively – 1hr of Summertime D&B

Seba feat. Jenna G – Sweet Magnolia
Workforce – Death Dreams feat. Made Lane (dBridge’s Lucid Remix)
Alix Perez & Workforce – Distant Figures
A.Sides feat. MC Fats – Arctic
Conrad Subs – Caliente
DRS & Document One – Can’t Explain
Inja – Match Fit
Mystific – Between Us
Soul Connection – Subvision
Need for Mirrors & TomInTheChamber – Boo
Seba & Biörn Berglund – Caral
PA – Live Life
Alix Perez – Wairua
London Elektricity – Life is Beautiful
Solomon – Listen Up (High Contrast Remix)
The North Quarter All Stars – Never
ST:Cal – Late Night Squeeze (feat. Alison Crockett)
DJ Marky, Dossa & Locuzzed – Sliding Gliding
Calibre – Why Time
Nu:Logic – Tripping In Space (Nu:Logic VIP)
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Garden (Calibre Remix)

2023, Ambient, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

Ear & Drum: Session 260 – Call the Ambience 18: Infusion

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It’s been a hot minute since I’ve pulled out an Ambient D&B mix, but this one is special. Ibunshi has been releasing some quality D&B over the last few of years, but his recent Deepest Secret album on Omni Music is a step away from his regular technical sound into what he describes as ‘synthwave inspired atmospheric beats’. Yes fucking please!

Anyone I’ve put this LP onto has either bought it straight away, or streamed the hell out of it as it is quite simply a lush, cohesive work on an atmospheric theme that massages the ears in all the right ways. Big ups Ink, Soul Connection, Ivy Lab and K3Bee for playing support, who’s tunes are in no way any lesser than Ibunshi’s master work on display here. Tune in, turn on and drift out.

Call the Ambience 18: Infusion – 1hr of Atmospheric D&B Beats

Ibunshi – I Remember (We Played)
Ibunshi – As the Ocean
Ibunshi – Walking in the Storm
Ink – Lost in Time
Muffler – Water Piano Ambient
Ibunshi – Burst in Fire
Ibunshi – Her Eyes Carries Storms
Ibunshi – Waiting for You
Soul Connection – Longing
Ivy Lab – Late Night Fit
Ibunshi – A New Day
Leodia – Badkat Sonics
Soul Connection – Worlds
Ibunshi – Deepest Secret
K3Bee – Drained
Ibunshi – Like Crystal Tears
Ibunshi – Green Mirrors

2023, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic, Soulful

Ear & Drum: Session 259 – Splash

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Summer must be on it’s way in the northern hemisphere because even the Soulful D&B has a certain bounce to it and a little less melancholy from DRS. If you want a good time Atlantic Connection has a B-Sides compilation that is packed to the gills with 50 amazing, lesser known tracks from the US liquid master called unsurprisingly B-Sides. Here you will find Equator from his Red Spaces LP, which also features 4D Spaces.

Another EP worth keeping an ear out for is Mystifics – Good Girl EP from which I rolled Flames and Save My Soul in this mix, along with Peace of Mind from his DNBB Records release. Calibre, Nookie, LSB, Dawn Wall and Break also all bring the vibes in the soulful but upbeat collection of summertime vibes.

Splash – 1hr of Soul Summer tunes

Halogenix – Ivory
Minor Forms & Rider Shafique – Time Ticking (Total Science Remix)
Atlantic Connection – Equator
Atlantic Connection – 4D Spaces
Kingsize – Star Machine (Nookie Remix)
Mystific – Flames
Calibre – Chantilly
Ed:it – Lock Blues
Dawn Wall – Movies
London Elektricity – Fast Soul Music (Dogger & Mindstate Remix)
LSB – Golden
DRS & Tyler Daley feat. Calibre – I Remember
Envy – Beautiful Dreamer
Mystific – Peace of Mind
Bop & Subway – Last Night
Mystific – Save My Soul
Halogenix & Alix Perez – Amé
DRS & Tyler Daley feat. LSB – Too Late
Nookie – Only You (Madcap Remix)
Break & Charlie Brix – Lost

2023, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Ear & Drum: Session 258 – The Well

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A little bit of old and a little bit of new with a big bit of bitch slapping beats in this mix off tuff tracks from 2023. The old comes in the form of Doc Scott’s rework of Rider’s Ghost called Ghost 25, and some very tasty remasters from Seba and Paradox thanks to the Secret Operations Reissue series.

The ‘new’ is everything else, with my picks being Carlito coming out of nowhere with a banging 12″ on V Recordings. Both tracks Take Me Down and Got It are doing the damage. Electrosoul System also takes a turn for the darker with his outstanding Black Album on his own Kos.Mos.Music imprint. I love it when producers step out of their lane and do something different and both of these releases fit that bill!

The Well – 1hr of Tuff D&B Beats

Break – Don’t You Ever Stop
Electrosoul System – Suicide Suicide
Electrosoul System – Somatic Blues
Acid_Lab – Wait No More
Dom & Rolland – Scatter
Ed:it – Wikid Bad
Leaf – Keep On Truckin’
Carlitio – Take Me Down
Doc Scott – Ghost 25
Seba – Wakeup Call 2023
Subfocus & MC ID – Alarm
aBLe – Still There
Carlitio – Got It
Seba & Paradox – Fire Like This
Kasra – Negative Space
Electrosoul System – Chuck Norris On LSD
Jubei & LSB – The Source

160bpm, 2023, Atmospheric, Ear & Drum Session

Ear & Drum: Session 257 – Pour Down

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Back on the 160bpm train for this mix of mainly atmospheric D&B. Focusing on two labels in particular, first up is the massively underrated Westbay Music label run by Atlantic Connection, his recent Don’t Play EP and Unconventional EP are slabs of breakbeat perfection. I really don’t understand why Atlantic Connection isn’t bigger than he already is.

Another label blazing their own trail is ASC’s new(ish) atmospheric jungle imprint Spatial. The quality of Spatial releases is clear to hear on first play, but it isn’t until you start mixing these tunes that you really get a sense of just how immense some of this music really is. If you loved Progression Sessions at The End, these tunes will take you straight back to that special place in time.

Pour Down – 1hr of 160bpm D&B

Atlantic Collection – Unconventional
Atlantic Collection – Ina Dem ’23
Atlantic Collection – One Night
Kid Drama & Tim Reaper – Ambient Sequence
ASC – Substance
Aural Imbalance – Sunlight Through Clouds
ASC – Tranquility
Adred – Before You Eyes
ASC – Deep Dive
ASC – Devine Intervention
Coco Bryce – Mantra
MSDos – Melodi
ASC – Loose Ends
Blame – Fallen Heros
Atlantic Collection – Space, Time
Nine Windows – Looking Back
ASC – Vapour Trail

2023, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B

Ear & Drum: Session 256 – Reflections

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Here comes the Liquid heat. It’s a bit hard to pin this mix down as it is Liquid, but a lot of it has a hard edge that will have you head bobbing . Kicking things off is Calibre’s – Thrubbin from his 8th Shelflife release. I always look forward to Shelflife releases as the opportunity to catch up on Calibre’s unreleased and more obscure tracks is always appreciated. This one does not disappoint with Heat, No Sense and Thrubbin’ being obvious stand outs for me.

Other big tunes for me a Rockwell & LaMeduza’s – Estranged, a vocal banger with Rockwell’s signature skittery drum work and production. Very good to hear more Rockwell after a short hiatus. Seba also has a new track out on Spearhead’s Soul Warming Sonics LP with Marina Sambą providing the vocal on Whatever You Feel. Not your typical Seba track, but still solid as always. From the same LP is the Workforce Remix of Lens’ big tune from 22′ Feels Like, a tougher more dance floor rerub that does the business.

Reflections – 1hr of Liquid Belters

Calibre – Thrubbin
Telomic – Lesson Learned
Impartial – Flow State
Waeys – Similarities
Calibre – No Sense
Seba & Marina Sambą – Whatever You Feel
Calibre – Heat
Motional – Fall
Rockwell & LaMeduza – Estranged
Lens – Feels Like (Workforce Remix)
Dawn Wall – Judgement
XJ – TImeshift
Deviant – Always
OZB & Charli Brix – Take It All (Halogenix Remix)
Brainwork – Felt Your Touch
Atlantic Connection – Cycles (VIP)
Alex Perez – Wairua
Halogenix & Alix Perez – Amé
Secret Structures – Hurt Me
Sam Bingo & Redders – AYO (Foreign Concept Remix)

2023, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Half Beat, Minimal

Ear & Drum: Session 255 – Swept Under

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Heading into deeper territories with this mix of half time and more minimal rollers. Scar features heavily with tracks from their moody Metalheadz LP release The Road Less Travelled as does J:Kenzo with Typhoon / RawZ on Alternate Recordings, both well worth investing in.

Shouts to my DOA brethren, Satl for his track UFO off the Gloom LP on the ever present and tasty The North Quarter. So too Electrosoul System for the unique Black Album, very nice to hear him stepping away from liquid and flexing deeper and darker take on his sound.

This one is best listened to travelling on a rainy day through some headphones watching the world slide by. Enjoy.

Swept Under – 1hr of Deep D&B

Scar – The Lane
Resound – Rhytual: Pagan (Inner Terrain Remix)
Telomic – Lesson Learned
Electrosoul System – Suicide Suicide
Satl – UFO
Skoel – Leftsound
Marcus Intalex feat. S.P.Y & Ras Tweed – Make a Raise (2022 Remix)
Atlantic Connection – Rockdub (Instramental)
Leaf – Keep on Trucking
Scar – The Road Less Travelled
Scar – Lifted
Moakz – A New Future (Mineral Remix)
Flipper – NErgal
Enei – Falling
J:Kenzo – Typhoon
Electrosoul System – Chuck Norris On LSD
J:Kenzo – RawZ

160bpm, 2023, Amen, Ear & Drum Session

Ear & Drum: Session 254 – One Six Four

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160bpm D&B continues to expand and grow as a genre and while there isn’t any set ‘sound’ at the moment, the one thing there is a lot of is quality. Following in the footsteps of Fracture and his 0860 LP and mixtape, Kid Drama and DJ Trace have released a similar package again looking back at the classic Amen driven days of rave. The project titled Rule of Thirds came out under a combined alias of Nine Windows, and well worth your time as you’ll hear in this mix.

Kid Drama also features with breakbeat mastermind Tim Reaper on Ambien Sequence from Future Retro’s excellent Meeting of the Minds series of releases. Wardown’s Graphite and Glitter and The Ideal City come from the kitsch Wardown II LP, Pete Rogers of Technimatic’s ode to 60s futurism. And I have to shout out Orbit from Om Unit alias Philip D Kick’s stunning and sadly last LP, Off World Tales. Having jacked in making fasted BPMs for Electro and Techno inspired sounds, he will be missed.

One Six Four – 1hr of 160bpm D&B

Optimistic – Helper
Nine Windows – Looking Back
Nine Windows – Galaxian
Speckman – One the Flip (Synkro’s Ambient Jungle Flip)
Jamie Myerson – Shade Without Color
Nine Windows – Innersense
Philip D Kick – Orbit
Wardown – Graphite & Glitter
Arcologies – Secret Keeper
Adred – Before Your Eyes
Fracture – From the Very Top
Orboram – Sun Showers
Arcologies – City at Dawn
Kid Drama & Tim Reaper – Ambien Sequence
Nine Windows & Tim Reaper – Transitions
Robert Haigh – Koto Line (ASC Spatial Remix)
Wardown – The Ideal City
Fracture – First Aid Kit