Category Archives: Deep D&B

2013, Ambient, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

Call the Ambience 5: Deep Sedation – Ear & Drum Session 86

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Bringing the ambient vibes back on this one. There are a few of the usual suspects in the form of ASC, Furi Anga & Synkro. But also a good crop of newer headz who are popping up regularly now with quality output such as Om Unit (killing it lately), Stray and Actraiser who has been pumping out awesome Bass Music tunes too. Hopefully this with fulfil those with a hankering for some float tank D&B and send you on a journey. Enjoy.

Call the Ambience 5: Deep Sedation – 1hr of Ambient D&B

ASC – Reality Check (Method One Remix)
Bungle – Aura
Nu:Logic – Escape Pod (Interlude)
Seba Feat. Robert Manos – Madness
Om Unit – Ulysses
Instra:mental & dBridge – White Snares
Synkro – Acceptance
Furi Anga – The Day My Unicorn Died
Ulrich Schnauss & ASC – 77
Stray – When It Rains
Furi Anga – DOwn Where the Whispers Scream
Biome – Coincidence
Furi Anga – Underwater Maze
Bachelors of Science – Upside Down
Actraiser – Star Chaser

2012, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Minimal

Out of Nowhere – Ear & Drum Session 81

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Back to the D&B with this mix of dubby and deeper beats. On the dubby side we have The Burb’s – Generations which is a killer take on the dub D&B sound and Flatliners’ – Babel and Morphy’s – Rainy Day Dub getting the nod well and truly going. On the deep end (don’t say the ‘minimal word) is Royalston’s killer Test VIP from the Med School label, plus the usual suspects in Enei, Data, Rockwell and Naibu.

Out of Nowhere – 1hr of Deep & Dubby D&B

DuoScience – Perfect Time
The Burbs – Generation
Consequences – Noisy Spirits in this Soul
Tokyo Prose – Echoes (Synkro Remix)
Royalston – The Test VIP
Mindmapper & June Miller – Woods
Enei feat. Eastcolours – 2012
Enei – Saligia
Reza – Shaman
Data – Tapeworm
Naibu – There
S.P.Y – Wall of Mirrors
Mindmapper & June Miller – Bermuda
Rockwell feat. Kito & Sam Frank – Childhood Memories
Flatliners – Babel
Morphy – Rainy Day Dub

2012, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Half Beat, Melodic, Minimal

Sub Sampling – Ear & Drum Session 77

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Hitting the deeper and darker spectrum of D&B again this time around. There is some really great deep darkness about at the moment if you know where to look. Shogun Audio and Med School are obvious trail blazers, but some of the smaller labels such as Ingredients, Critical Music & Vibration Records are also punching way above their weight with the help of production talent such as Krakota, Enei, Kasra and Alcrani.

The great thing about this sound at the moment is it’s ability to keep a moody streak whilst still being diverse in terms of influence. Some tracks come at things from a minimal perspective, others melodic and others still with the stripped back half-step MC driven sound but all sound like they were made for each other and make for good fun when it comes to making up a track selection.

Sub Sampling – 1+hrs of Deep and Dark D&B Vibes

SpectraSoul – Coals
Alcrani – Inversion of Control
Krakota – Tunnle Vision
Utah Jazz – Crossing Frontiers
June Miller – Isis (Silent Dust Remix)
Joe Syntax – Bassline Sinker
ASC – Glass Walls
Scott Allen & Deeper Connection – The Need In Me
Silence Groove – Carried By Clouds
Flame – Tragic Kingdom
Craggz & Parallel – Hurt You
Able Danger – Asteria
Kasra & Enei – So Real
Joe Syntax – Pull It
Utah Jazz – Slice of Nature
SpectraSoul – Light in the Dark
Enei & MC DRS – Obsession (Foreign Concept Remix)
SpectraSoul – Shackles
Bass’Flo – Poseidon (Physical Illusion Remix)
Rudimental – Feel the Love (Fred V & Grafix Remix)
Technicolour – We Were Always One

All Label Mix, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Intelligent, Melodic, Old Skool

Shadow Wax 6: 1996 Chilled Intelligence Part 1 – Ear & Drum Session 72

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The sixth installment in the retrospective Shadow Wax series looks at the chilled out vibes from 1996. No one could touch Moving Shadow during this era of sublime melodies and blissful beats. Artists like PFM, Flytronix, Wax Doctor, Dave Wallace, EZ Rollers and Unit 1 read like a who’s who of top Intelligent D&B producers.

For me these are some of the finest musical moments in Drum & Bass that still sound just as fresh today as when they were made. ’96 truly was a golden era for this sound, so if you like you beats chilled and smooth I suggest you kick back and enjoy the ride.

Shadow Wax 1996: Chilled Intelligence Part 1 – 1hr+ of Chilled out Moving Shadow

PFM – Cruising Detroit
Teqniq – Razzmatazz
Fytronix – The Rhode Tune
Mastermind – The Essence
Hoax – Meltdown
Essence of Aura – So This Is Love ’96
Neil Trix – Revolution
JMJ & Flytronix – Delusions
Wax Doctor – Cool Breeze
Unit 1 – Atlantic Drama
Dave Wallace – Flight
Dave Wallace – Waves
EZ Rollers – The Morning After
Hoax – Pipe Dreams
EZ Rollers – Vintage Moments
Vext – Visions

2012, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

The Soulution – Ear & Drum Session 70

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So recently on a certain D&B forum a colleague of mine suggested that the problem with D&B was that it couldn’t be fun without being cheesy or chavvy. Obviously hearing is in the ear of the beholder and every body’s idea of ‘fun’ is different, but it did get me thinking about the more fun and accessible D&B I had been overlooking lately. For me the D&B with the widest audience accessibility (ie. stuff that not just the headz would listen to) is the vocal and soul fueled variety. It has the vocals to hook in the ladies and give that sense of fun, it has the soul to get the hips swaying and it still has the beats & b-lines to keep the floor moving. Best of all it doesn’t have to degenerate into the cheesy festival style D&B that is seen as commercially popular.

So in response to my good chum Ocelot Ed’s question I put together this mix to provide a solution to Ed’s problem with D&B. As I said, everyone’s idea of ‘fun’ is different, but for me these types of tunes offer up a good balance of fun without the fromage, and there is still enough D&B grunt to keep the headz happy too.

Props have to go to Komatic as he seems to be all over this sound that’s not quite liquid and not quite deep, but has loads of soul and a real pump to the bass and beats. Other notable exceptions are Young Ax who always brings it with a real live sound to his soulful productions and the usual suspects of Duo Science, Spectrasoul and Technicolour who seem to constantly pump out quality tracks on a monthly basis.

The Soulution – 1hr of Soul Fueled D&B

Komatic – The Open Choice
Mage & M25 – Savanna
Young Ax – High Rollers
Komatic – Earth Turns
Paperclip – Whom I Belong
Anile & Hybrid Minds – Old TImes
Madcap – Our Love
Duo Science Feat. Skyeyes – Let Me Know
Deeper Connection – Quiet Storm
Soulproof – Inna Dem Clothes
Villem & McLeod – Hush
Spectrasoul – In Profile
Technicolour – Winter Rose
High Contrast – The Stand
Technicolour & Komatic – We Were Always One
Soul Culture – Stronger

2012, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Fluctuations – Ear & Drum Session 67

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Coming in deep and hard on this mix of new tunes for 2012. Whilst not everyone has loved the minimal revolution, there is no doubt it’s influence has been felt across most genres and no more so than the harder end of D&B. Tracks like Dub Phizix & Skeptical – Marka have shown just how devastating the minimal sound can be when mixed in with some tough beats and a good vocal.

This stripped back sound has played right into the hands of producers like Loxy, & Ink and Jubei who already had quite a deep and minimal sound. Plus, it has allowed a few of the more chilled out minimalists such as June Miller and Need for Mirrors to step up and have a go at producing some harder edged music.

As the boundaries begin to blur across the D&B genres it’s the music that profits as people focus less on what the music is called and concentrate more on what it sounds like. Which means 2012 is looking like being a sweet year for D&B.

Fluctuations – 1hr of Hard & Deep D&B

Dabs & Amoss – Still There
Phobia – Clean Break
Mr Foul – Land of Look Behind
War – Rafale
Dom & Roland – Enforced VIP
Skeptical – Cold One (Jubei Remix)
Need for Mirrors – Columbia
Jubei – The Path
Subwave – Wheel of Time
Sunchase & Nickbee – Dawn Time
Dub Phizix & Skeptical – Marka (feat. Strategy)
June Miller – Walls of Jericho
Krakota – Tunnel Vision
NC-17 & Time Reaper – Burial Ground

2012, Ambient, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

Call The Ambience Part 3 – Ear & Drum Session 65

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Ambient D&B continues to go from strength to strength in 2012 with a few artists clearly leading the way. Obviously ASC and dBridge are doing some great things through the Exit label and June Miller continues to release consistently strong tunes. But Sam KDC and Skeptical are also proving to be ones to watch with their own take on the laid back sound.

The good news is that there are more ambient releases coming out that any other time in D&B’s history which can only be a good thing for the lovers of chilled beats.

Call The Ambience Part 3 – 1hr of Ambient D&B

Sam KDC – Everything You Touch
dBridge – City of Lonely Runways
Skeptical – These Words
Dominic Ridgway – Digital Funk
Asphonic – Forest Lullaby
Naibu – Come In Slow
June Miller – Tundra
Blue Motion – Blueberry’s in Autumn
ASC – Ubik
Data – Overflow
MC FLava & Blue Motion – Hide Me
ASC – 3rd Eye
Sam KDC – Dote (A Tribute to Nostalia)
ASC – Error Code

2011, Cross Genre, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic, Minimal

11: The Best of 2011 – Ear & Drum Sessions 63 & 64

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These are my picks for the best tracks of 2011. I split the mixes into two because there was definitely two sorts of flavours going on. Part 1 looks at the deeper side and Part 2 is more melodic and liquid based.

I hope 2012 is good to you and that we see more tracks as good as, or better, than these see a release in 2012. Happy New Year to you and yours.

11: Part 1 – The Best Deep D&B of 2011

N4m3 – Make Your Soul Open For The Road On Imagination
Nusense & NC-17 – Dirty
Dub Phyzics & Skeptikal – Marka (feat. Strategy)
Ill Skills & S.P.Y – This is Why
Calibre – Smooth Baby
Lynx feat. Sense MC – 9 Muses
London Elektricity – U Gottah B Crazy (Enei Remix)
Dub FX – Flow (Ill Skillz Remix)
Lenzman – Masquerade (Die, Interface & William Cartwright Remix)
Legion – Both Sides (feat. Adam White)
Icicle feat. SP MC – Dreadnaught
J Majik & Wickaman – Ritual
J Majik & Wickaman – Old HEadz
Rockwell – 4U

11: Part 1 – The Best Melodic & Liquid D&B of 2011

Marcus Intalex – Meltdown 2012 (feat. Calibre)
June Miller – Isis
Brookes Brothers – Tare You Down
Friction – Someone (Feat. Mclean) (The Prototypes Remix)
BCee & S.P.Y – Is Anybody Out There? (Friction & K-Tee Remix)
London Elektricity – The Plan That Cannot Fail
Panic Girl – Hide and Seek (Duo Infernale Remix)
Seba & Paradox – The Light (feat. Kirsty Hawshaw)
Anile – Change of Direction
Adele – Rolling in the Deep (Nu:Tone Remix)
DJ Marky & S.P.Y – Mystic Sunset
Marco Del Horno feat. Emi Green
Nu:Tone – The First Time (feat. Natalie Williams)
Calibre – Touch Me
BCee – So Right (feat. Darrison)
Bungle feat. Ayah Marar – The Siren

2011, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Minimal

Deep Blues – Ear & Drum Session 61

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2011 seems to be the year deep drum & bass has really come of age. I’ve always loved the deeper side of D&B but up until now it has always been sidelined by faster, louder and more furious forms of the music. Artists such as Bop, Oak, ASC, Rokwell, Lynx and the pioneering dBridge have really brought the genre to the fore and in the process made some beautiful music.

This mix doesn’t feature many of the artists mentioned above, instead it focuses on the new wave of artists who have picked up on the vibe and taken the sound in their own different directions. One to look out for are Furi Anger who has been lurking for quite a while now and is really forging his own sound, Blue Motion who normally run a liquid vibe but are equally adept at turning out the deeper tracks and of course Rockwell who 4U track is a prime example that this sound can be deep and uplifting at the same time.

Kick back, close your eyes and fall into the deep.

Deep Blues – 1hr of new Deep D&B

Freeloader – Mind Rhythm (Kreed Remix)
Furi Anga (When Our World Jaded) Seba Remix
nCamargo – Lucid Dreams
Blue Motion – Computer Love
Sobersoul – Threat
Rockwell – 4U
Calculon – Odessa
Hybris – Please Exist
Amoss – Astrodome
Getz – Keep on Loving Me
MC Fava & Blue Motion – Stay Forever
Blu Mar Ten – Sweet Little Supernova
Fade & Mono – Grilled
Morphy – Desert Dub
Mikal – Epic

2011, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

Call the Ambience, Again! – Ear & Drum Session 58

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The last Call the Ambience set was such a pleasure to mix and got such a great response that I felt compelled to do another. I’ve road tested this one a train, a plane and a Balinese massage table and I can promise you it will relax you and take you to other places. Best listened to through the headphones for maximum effect.

Call the Ambience Again! – 1hr of Ambient Drum & Bass

Brookes Brothers – Outro
ASC – Citrus
Colla & Spar – U Know
Oak – Bedroom Community
Blue Motion – A Foggy Day
Blue Motion – Astronauts
Dominic Ridgway – Shadow Beats (Thorne Remix)
ICR – Such Unimportant Things like Us
London Elekticity – Fault Lines (Unquote’s Snowy Remix)
London Elekricity – Invisible Worlds (Bop Remix)
Morphy & Marginal – Old Thomas Dub
Blue Motion – When She Is Gone Stay
Fracture & Mark System – Closed Circuit
Marginal & Vendetta – Natural Selection
Terry Artovsky – Requiem For The Mankind
ASC – Polynormal
Technicolour – Permafrost
ASC & Bvdub – Symbol #2.4
Brookes Brothers – Outro