Fluent Latin – Ear & Drum Session 31

Someone recently asked for a mix of similar stuff to the music found on the Brazil EP that came out on V Recordings. With summer kicking in over in the Northern Hemisphere I though I might try my hand at a quick Latin mix for all those looking forward to the sunshine.

For me there has always been a fine line between good Latin D&B and pure cheese, so I’ve tried to put together a mix that takes in all that is good about the genre whilst trying to avoid the fromage. Everyone knows Marky and XRS as the Latin D&B masters, but I’ve also tried to get in some lesser known Brazilian producers in here. Plus a few impostors, not from South America, who got the sound right such as Greg Packer, Nu:Tone and John B.

So light the BBQ, get out the spices and salsa and kick back with a hip shaking take on the D&B sound from Latin America.

Fluent Latin – 45 Minute Latin D&B Fiesta

John B – We Like The Music (Latino Remix)
Drumagick – Easy Boom
David W.S. – Talarico
Marky & XRS – LK’
The Mitchell & Dewbury Band feat. Billie Godfrey – Beyond The Rains (Drumagick Radio Edit)
Total Science & MC Conrad – Soul Patrol (Total Science Sunny Side Up Remix feat. Bungle)
Marky & XRS – Rotation (Stress Level & TC1 Remix)
Greg Packer – Be-Bop
Ramilison Maia – Ser
Bebel Gilberto – So Nice (Marky Radio Edit)
Deeper & Pacific feat. Geanine Marques – In The Summer Breeze (Mad Zoo’s Sambass Remix)
Nu:Tone – e.Spresso
David W.S. – Subida Do Morro
M.I.S.T. vs Marky & XRS – Sunshine (Touch Me)
Marky & Makoto – Long Distance
Marky & XRS – Closer

EZ Rolled – Jungletrain Session 153

Jay Hurren and Alex Banks defined the easy-rolling two-step of Moving Shadow Records during the late ’90s with their recordings as E-Z Rollers, after developing hardcore breakbeats earlier in the decade as JMJ & Richie and Hyper On Experience. Meeting up with vocalist Kelly Richards, Hurren and Banks decided to form E-Z Rollers around the threesome.

Their debut album Dimensions of Sound appeared in mid-1996, followed by several additional singles for Moving Shadow and the full-length follow-ups Weekend World and Titles of the Unexpected. Their huge singles Walk this Land and Tough at the Top are some of the most recognisable singles in D&B due to their hard jazz sound.

While not getting a lot of props these days, they have had a heavy influence on D&B and I especially respect their early works. I’ll always have a soft spot for their additions to the Moving Shadow catalogue and hope their future releases live up to the past.

EZ Rolled – 1hr of EZ Rollers

E-Z Rollers – You’ll Never Know
E-Z Rollers – Rolled Into 1 (Photek Remix)
E-Z Rollers – Droppin Science Pt.2 (E-Z Remix)
E-Z Rollers – Retro
E-Z Rollers – Movin’ Target
Omni Trio – Where Are You (E-Z Rollers Remix)
E-Z Rollers – Tough at the Top (Origin Unknown Remix)
E-Z Rollers – RS2000
E-Z Rollers – Weekend World (Calyx Remix)
E-Z Rollers – Walk This Land (Paradise Remix)
E-Z Rollers – Half a Chance
E-Z Rollers – Believe (Marky & XRS Remix)
E-Z Rollers – Tough at the Top (E-Z Rollers Remix)
E-Z Rollers – Rolled Into 1 (E-Z Rollers Remix)
E-Z Rollers – Dust

L Boh – Jungletrain Session 167

Jonny L is an aquired taste and not being a big fan of Piper when it first hit I took a little while to fully appreciate just what a talent he really is. From the sparceness of the beat in ‘Hardcore’, to the hidden funk in ‘Wish U Had Something (Remix)’ and the step-notic rhythm of Piper, Jonny L gets away with a simplicity other producers can only dream of.

His production career has spanned 18 years and not only was he signed to the mighty XL Records during their heyday, but he has also produced for Dane Bowers, Posh Spice and surprisingly S Club. Despite this his albums Sawtooth and Magnetic are some of D&B’s most original and famous solo albums ever. Jonny L now goes under the guise of Mr L and his label Mr L Records is still releasing quality stripped back tunes.

L Boh – 1hr of Jonny L

Jonny L – I Let U
Jonny L – Techonic Cycle
Jonny L – Treading
Jonny L – See Red
Jonny L – Piper (Grooverider Mix)
Jonny L – Wish U Had Something (Remix)
Jonny L – Change
Jonny L – The Bells
Jonny L – Camouflage
Jonny L – Trouble
Jonny L – Let’s Roll
Jonny L – Part of U
Jonny L – Piper (The Clone)
Jonny L – Turn Up the Bass
Nasty Habits – Shadow Boxing (Jonny L Mix)
Jonny L – Hard Core

Finely Calibrated – Jungletrain Session 166

Calibre’s finely tuned sense of melody and bass is something that steps him apart from his contemporaries. A master of liquid beats and grooves, very few producers can strip back a tune to just it’s bare elements and still keep the impact that Calibre does.

A prolific producer he drops albums almost bi-annually whilst still releasing strings of singles. He has appeared on just about every liquid label you would ever want to be on including Soul:R, Creative Source, Phuturo, Exit, V, Hospital and many others. His own Signature label releases just Calibre tunes, including the mighty Shelflife I & II and Overflow albums.

I have a lot of time and respect for Calibre. He isn’t the worlds most inovative producer, but he has spent years forging and perfecting his own sound. What he does, he does better than anyone else out there. So strap yourself in and get ready to have your head massaged by the mighty Calibre.

Finely Calibrated – 1hr celebrating the genius of Calibre

Calibre – Crazy
Calibre – Like It Is
Calibre – Bullets featuring Diane Charlemange
Calibre – Deranged
Calibre – Late Night Squeeze
Calibre – Turn Around
Calibre – Drop it Down featuring Singing Fats
Calibre – Things A Re-Arranging
Calibre – Always
Calibre – One Word
Calibre – It’s
Calibre – Film feat. Slarta Jon (Calibre Dub)
Calibre – Time & Space
Calibre & High Contrast – Mr Majestic
Calibre – Inflicted

Urban D.Kay – Jungletrain Session 182

D.Kay has been one of the most consistent and diverse producers in D&B over the last decade. He can pump out quality tracks across all genres and rightly so has been recognised by some of the scenes biggest labels. As well as his own two labels, Illskillz Recordings and Brigand he has appeared on Metalheadz, Hospital, Exit, C.I.A., Soul:R, Bingo and whole host of other labels.

This mix was done back in 2008 so it doesn’t cover a lot of his most recent output. However it is a good selection of his earlier output including tracks from his stunning Individual Soul album which is a highly under-rated classic.

Urban D.Kay – 1hr of classic cuts from D.Kay

D Kay – Rain
D Kay – Devotion
D Kay – Serenade
D Kay – Interlude
D Kay & Lee – One Nation
D Kay & Epsilon – Barcelona (High Contrast Remix)
London Elektricity – Out of This World (D Kay Remix)
D Kay – Planet Music
D Kay – Tuning
D.Kay & Kasra_- Spider
D Kay & Epsilon – Platinum
D Kay & Lee – Wax’d
D Kay & Lee – Desire
D Kay & Rawfull – B There 4 U
D Kay & Blacksun Empire – Bullet In The Head

Drum Anne Bass – Jungletrain Session 181

When I first got Serato I went CD mad. I bought up as many old CD compilations as I could to convert all those sweet tracks I’d missed out on buying at the time of their release. Around this time a friend of mine rang me to say his girlfriend (Anne) was looking to sell off some old CDs and that I might be interested.

What Anne had was the mother load of 1996 intelligent and jazzy D&B compilations. Her taste was impeccable – Artcore 1-4, Jazz & Bass Sessions 1-3, Logical Progression 1-3, Lost in Space – Drum & Bass 1-2 and many more. To top it off she gave them to me cheap, and I mean dirt cheap. So to show my appreciation I said I’d do her a mix.

This is the result.

Drum Anne Bass •• 1hr of 96-97 Remixes and Rarities

Saint Etienne – The Sea (PFM Remix)
Soundman & Don Lloydie Feat. Elizabeth Troy – Greater Love (T-Power Retro Grade ‘N’ Motion Mix)
Omni Trio – Soul Promenade (Nookie Remix)
Statik Sound System – Revolutionary Pilot (Rob Smith Mix)
Link – Amenity (Chameleon Remix)
Adam F – F-Jam Featuring MC Conrad
Omni Trio – Living For The Future (FBD Project VIP Mix)
Omni Trio – Renegade Snares (Rob’s Reconstruction Mix)
Ken Ishii – Stretch (Shogun Remix)
N&G&O – Tekken (Windermere Dub Mix by T. Power)
Rogue Unit – Dance Of The Sarooes
Aladin – We Enter (Deep Forest Dub VIP Mix)
One True Parker – Bubblegum (Ray Keith Remix)
Garbage – Milk (Goldie’s VIP Trash Your Sh*T Mix)

Producer Profile: S13

You gottah love D&B for throwing artists your way that you haven’t even heard of, but blow you away with the quality of their music. One such artist is S13, who’s free Yourself EP features four solid tracks that are all well worth listening too and, even better, mixing. The highlight for me is a track called Earth Ulro, which is totally inspired and inspiring.

If I can dig up any info on S13 I’ll add it here, but for now he is a mystery to me. So I’ll just have to copy and paste the press release that came with the EP.

Once two different stories began. As the result we give you the best quality electronic music for free. S13 has been a big secret but now it’s time to tell you the truth.

Nestle down and don’t talk. Hear the cold and depth of his thoughts. Feel the sand and gaze of his mysterious eyes. Discover his weird Earth Ulro.

Download the EP for free yourself HERE

The Nothing – Ear & Drum Session 30

Remember The Nothing from the Never Ending Story? A huge black mass of clouds that swept across the land and cleared all before it. Well this mix reminded me of this. I’m not normally a hard D&B kind of guy, but I do enjoy mixing the heavier stuff every now and then. Lately as a genre it has been on the improve, producers are dropping the over the top scull stepping for a more junglistic vibe and melody seems to be creeping back into the heavier beats.

The Nothing – 1hr of heavy rain

Ash – Bashment
Nolige – Leave Me
Clive Concept – Out of Control
Breakage – Temper
Mindscape & Munk – Into the Night
Bachelors of Science – Warehouse DayZ
Dub Tao 0 East of Underground (Bungle Remix)
Muffler – Dirrrty
Jubei – Alignment
Antibreak – From the Wreckage
Breakage – Foundation
Maldini & Sylo – Oceanic
Engage – Helium
Royalston – The Test
AK1200 – Juniors Tune (Digital Remix)
Raiden – Aquarius

The Stares – Ear & Drum Session 29

If you’ve had a big Easter like I have, you’ve hit Monday a little bit rinsed out. The concentration isn’t quite there and you find yourself occasionally drifting off and staring into nothing. This set is for all those times when you get ‘the stares’.

The Stares – 1.5hrs of minimal melodies

Abstract Elements – Abysmal Deapths
Calibre – Step Toe
Circa – Ida
June Miller – Converge
Naibu – Far Reaches
Spor – Overdue feat. Tahsa BAxter
Bachelors of Science – 25th Street
Derek, Tonika & Implex – Personal Diving
Paul SG & Caine – Quiet Steps
Kharm – White Picket Fences
Blu Mar Ten – She Moves Through (ASC Remix)
So:Flow – Long Way Over
Dirrrty B & Wreckage Machinery feat. Jett – Autumn Nights (Vocal)
Native – At My Side
Bachelors of Science – Bombay Sapphire
Naibu – Fireflies (Seba Remix)
Camo & Krooked – Time Is Ticking Away feat. Shaz Sparks
Camo & Krooked – Turn Up (The Music)
D.Kay & Mat – Be Free
Lenzman – Fade Away feat. Jo-S
Naibu – Worn Out
Bachelors of Science – Song For Lovers (Dan Harbanam Remix)
Jubie – Patience feat. dBridge
Misanthrop & Phace – My Arae
Rockwell – Tribes
Sabre – Javelin Feat. Alix Perez
Synkro – Depature
Bachelors of Science – The Rush
Adam Form – Halls Shine
Lenzman – Rags to Ritches

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