2011, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

Modern Primitive – Ear & Drum Session 45

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A mix of new stuff from the tail end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011.

A special big mention to the Siberian Jungle LP where a lot of this stuff has come from. It’s a Russian comp with artists I’ve never heard before but daaaaamn can they put a tune together. It’s mainly epic trance and bass type stuff but Vospi’s – Reverence is THE best jazz & bass track I’ve heard in ages. If you get a chance track it down.

Other stand outs for me are Seba’s rolling Keep Me Waiting and dBridge’s beautiful remix of Magnetic Man’s Perfect Stranger.

Modern Primitive – 1hr of new tunes for 2011

Eveson – Life In The Balance
Metrik – Ocean Drive
Stipple – Stalker
Magnetic Man – Perfect Stranger (dBridge Remix)
3D Stas – Surface of a Doomed Planet
Scuba – In_2
Dave Schichman – That Face
Kiat – Feeder
Mutated Forms – Chasing Dreams
Alternative Vibes – the Dawn
Ultima C – Seven Days
A-Sides – One DJ
Vospi – Reverence
Dynamic Stab – The Future of Iron Empire
Seba – Keep Me Waiting

Amen, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Melodic, Old Skool

Headz Space Part 1 – Ear & Drum Session 44

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This mix is for those that need to relax. The chilled out D&B from 96-98 is some of the most beautiful music of any genre. Artists like Photek, PFM, Aquasky and Roni Size were on top of their game when they produced these tracks. There are plenty of rarities in this mix to keep you blissed out and hunting for you own collection.

All the tracks from the mix come from the magnificent Lost In Space: Drum & Bass compilations, which along with the Artcore Series, are the best collections of Intelligent and Atmospheric D&B you’ll find. If you don’t know get to know.

So pull up a couch, put on your headphones and kick back to these dreamy tunes.

Headz Space Part 1 – 1hr+ of Chilled out D&B from 96-98

Jimpster – Martian Arts
Jonny L – 2 of Us (Photek Remix)
Aquasky – Moondance
Kumo – Tiger Style (Local Zero Remix)
Statik Sound System – Revolutionary Pilot (Rob Smith Remix)
Eat Static – Hybrid (PFM Remix)
Grand United – Dig So Deep
Nutcase & Papchubba – Things Will
Aural Imbalance – Secret Motion
Dimensions of Elegance – Naked Symphony
Skylab – The Trip (Roni Size Remix)
Future Loop Foundation – I Want To Believe
Outernational Meltdown – Hungry On Arrival (Spring Heel Jack Remix)
The Advantage – Cassiopeia
One True Parker – Bubblegum (Ray Keith Remix)

2010, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session, Free Tunes, Melodic, Minimal

Unrelease Yourself – Ear & Drum Session 43

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Getting in one last mix for 2010 and it is a belter. This year has been good for D&B in general, but for me the quality of the free music circulated in 2010 is as good if not better than the official releases. Free tunes in general allow a producer to get away from producing tracks that need to fit into a record labels ‘sound’ and allows them the freedom to really let fly.

For me this year Subwave’s ‘Gift EP’ and S13’s amazing ‘Yourself EP’ were standouts. Deep, melodic and totally different from anything else out there (they are also available for download here at the Ear & Drum). But to be honest all the tracks in this mix are great and really show that D&B is still evolving in all sorts of exciting ways.

If you want to save yourself time searching for the tracks in this mix I haven’t hosted here at The Ear & Drum during the year, then try looking at THIS LINK which leads to a DOA thread about the best free MP3s from 2010.

Happy New Year to everyone who has supported me throughout the year and here’s hoping 2011 is even better.

Unrelease Yourself – 1hr of free and unreleased tunes from 2010

Metrik – Ocean Drive
The Law – Atlantic Blues
Infinity – The XX (Bachelors Of Science Remix)
Booka Shade – Regenerate (Thinnen Remix)
S13 – Yourself
Soul Intent – The Dark Robotics Orchestra
S13 – Immortal
Sabre – One Hundred Teeth (Parallel Remix)
Subwave – Gift
Random Movement – Cutting Thru Hackney
Blu Mar Ten – She Moves Through [ASC Remix]
Alic Perez – Self Control
Alex Reece – Basic Principles (Commix Remix)
Able Danger – UGNX
Sabre – One Hundred Teeth (Enei Remix)
S13 – Earth Ulro

2010, Amen, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Screwface – Ear & Drum Session 42

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Ruff and tuff D&B doesn’t hold a great deal of interest to me these days. Neuro has become very formulaic, new jump up isn’t a patch on the old jump up and skullstep is just, well skullstep (nuf said). However I do still manage to find the odd harder edged track which does appeal and in here are some of the best ones I could find for the final quarter of the year.

Nu:Tone and Logistics have combined their powers to create the fierce Nu:Logic sub-brand. Sundown is a proper amen boomer of the highest order and New Technique totally lives up to it’s name. Limewax is one of those guys you either love or hate, but for a skullstep-esq (is that a word?!?) producer he has some serious talent. B Key used to be one of my favourite producers, and his Guitar Track proves that he can still produce a smooth but tuff track when he puts his mind to it.

If you like your hard beats you’ll love this, but if you don’t I’d still recommend giving it a go as there is more to hard D&B then formula, skulls and air raid sirens and I think this mix proves that point.

Screwface – 1hr of tuff D&B from the end of 2010

Nu:Logic – Sundown
Limewax – One of Them
B Key – Guitar Track
Nu:Logic – New Technique
Subwave – Darkness Dub
Artificial Intelligence – Moment of Truth
Break & Silent Witness – Kontroller
Black Sun Empire – Deadhouse (feat. Jade)
Beta 2 – Release
Trei – Mindless
Audio – Genesis Device
Subwave – Road Rage
Theory – Jungle Soul
Gemini – Down
DJ Trace – Fantazia

Amen, Ear & Drum Session, Jungle

Jungle Survival: Lesson 3 – Ear & Drum Session 41

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It’s been a long time since I’ve hit up the Jungle Survival series so I though I’d dig deep and find a lot of my old VIP mixes and dub plates. We focus in on the harder edge of the junglistic spectrum in this edition, If you know DJ SS’ – Black (VIP Mix) then you should know what to expect.

Pretty hard to point to stand out in a mix like this, but if I had to choose I’d say DJ Scoobie – Wait for the Bass is an absolute monsters. It can mix into jungle like a dream, but also hold it’s own against today’s D&B. I don’t know what ever happened to Scoobie, but he will always have a place in my heart for putting together this mental piece of work.

So blaze one up, turn up the bass and get stuck into some serious Jungle Survival training.

Jungle Survival: Lesson 3 – 1hr of Rare & Classic Jungle

Uncle 22 – Your Love (Dub Plate)
International Rude Boyz – Paragon (VIP Remix)
Radical Sound – What is Love (Exclusive VIP Remix)
Dubwize – Jungle Techno (Exclusive VIP Remix)
Shades of Rhythm – Peace Sign (Ray Keith & Nookie Remix)
Black (DJ SS & Mental Power) – Black (VIP Mix)
Xclusive – Exclusive (Exclusive Dub Plate Remix)
Hackney Hardcore – Rudi (Dub Plate)
Uncle 22 – Six Million Ways to Die
DJ Scoobie – Wait for the Bass
Skool of Hard Knocks – Kan Ya Feel It
DJ Rap – Intelligent Woman
The 2 G’s – Energy (remix)
Omni Trio – Soul Prominade (Nookie Remix)
Ellis D – One For the Ladies

2010, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Minimal

Let Nature Feed Itself – Ear & Drum Session 40

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It’s been a ripe old year for the chilled out side of D&B. Minimal has had it’s wicked way with the scene, but outside of that there has also been a return to the deep and mellow sounds. Artists like Command Strange, ATP and Calibre are pumping out quality beats on a laid back tip whilst the new LP’s from Mutated Forms and Artificial Intelligence show that deeper tracks can still pack a serious punch.

Also a big nod to Mr José Gonzålez who’s cover of Kylie’s – Hand on Your Heart has been one of my guilty pleasures of 2010.

Let Nature Feed Itself – 1hr of Deep & Mellow D&B Beats

Stray – Saturday
Subwave – Gift
Command Strange – It’s All Over
Tyler Straub – Trusted Judgement
ATP – Soul Fly (feat. Jett)
June Miller – Poison the Well
Calibre – Even If
BCee & S.P.Y – Nothing to Declare
Theory – Weirdos
Bop – Song About My Dog (Subwave Remix)
Sam KDC – Detached
Mutated Forms – Last Time (feat. Jenna G)
Artificial Intelligence – Stand Alone
José Gonzålez – Hand on Your Heart

2010, Free Tunes, News

The Gift EP – Free Subwave EP from Metalheadz

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If you haven’t already heard the Mighty Subwave has kindly offer up a free EP on the Metalheadz label. To say this kind of quality doesn’t come around very often is an understatement so don’t sleep on it. All the tracks are strong, but Gift and in particular Darkness Dub are total killer and tracks I’d happily shell out cash for.

Big ups Metalheadz and Subwave for the musical generosity.

Subwave – The Gift EP

Gift
Memories
Reflection
Darkness Dub

2010, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

Small Steps – Ear & Drum Sessions 39

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A quick 45 minute mix to catch everyone up with what’s sounding good in October.

But even though it is small in size it is big in tunes with tracks like Unquote – Hide Your Tears Because We Are In Heaven, Shapeshifter – Touch (Netsky Remix), Theory – Jungle Soul and Subwave – Road Rage being the standouts. There are some really interesting sounds around at the moment and it mixes together like a dream.

Small Steps – 45 Minutes of up to date D&B

Madmen & Poets – Its Not Right
Unquote – Hide Your Tears Because We Are In Heaven
Kharm – Charade
Soul Intent – A.I.
Shapeshidter – Touch (Netsky Remix)
Artificial Intelligence – Moment of Truth
Seathasky & Beatchemist – Learn To Fly
Unquote + Molecular Structures – Lubov Moya
Theory – Jungle Soul
Shapeshifter – Lifetime (Logistics Remix)
Subwave – Road Rage
Audio – Genesis

Cross Genre, Requested Archive

Finality – Jungletrain Session 205

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This was the very last Jungle Train session I played after four plus years with the station. The advent of my son meant that I could no longer do a live mix radio show at a decent time for the European time zones without waking him up over here in Australia. So unfortunately I had to let Jungle Train go.

As a last hurrah I thought it would be good to play some of my all time favourite tunes. The tunes that never got tired for me and that I can still pull out today and play without hearing the age in them. Their are some monsters in here like the Dictation Remix (still one of the best intro tunes for a set ever), Splash Collective’s ‘It’s For Us’ and Adam F’s ‘Metropolis’, but really every tune in this mix is a winner.

A big up to Josh and all the Jungle Trainers who were always brilliant to me and I hope at some stage in the future I can join your station again.

FInality – 1hr of all Killer, no Filler D&B

Gang Related & Mask – Dictation (Michael Caine Mix)
Dr S Gachet – Remember the Rollers (The Rollercoaster Mix)
Kemet Kru – Dangerous
DJ Zinc – Fugees Or Not
JB – Say What (The Blind Man)
Splash Collective – It’s For Us
Ganja Kru – Science
T-Power & Mk Ultra – Mutant Jazz
T-Power – Trapezium, Octagon & Triangle
Freestyles – Musically Dope (Ganja Kru Remix)
DJ Hype – Only One Life (Ganja Kru Remix)
Adam F – Metropolis
DJ Kalm – Violet

News

The Back 2 You Remix Project

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I’ve been sent this little gem of an opportunity which you might be interested in if you are into production.

The BACK 2 YOU remix projects has been set to show case and find the new generation of music producers. Giving them the chance to remix artists established artists. All producers are welcome to submit their remix which will be voted by a selection of respected judges from all areas of the music business. This is a chance for all up and coming producers to show case there talents to the world. A chance to re-mix history

You’ll find the website here which includes past archives of remixes already done and current projects up and running for remixing.

The big one for me amongst this month’s projects would have to be Commix – Satelite Type 2 Remix Project. Not often you get the chance to remix an artist as sweet as Commix and it is totally backed by Metalheadz. So if you want a golden opportunity to get yourself heard by the heavyweights I suggest you get onto this.