Tag Archives: Ear & Drum Session

Ear & Drum Session: 168 – Irie Fyah

There is no denying Jungle has made a huge comeback in the last few years, but I have deliberately steered away from New Jungle as a style I play for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I’ve played a tonne of 92-96 Jungle sets in my time and, secondly, I love the rough and ready nature of original Jungle and that seemed to be missing a little in the newer, cleaner tracks I was hearing.

That being said, there has been some serious fyah laid down recently and quite a few unreleased tracks appearing from back in the day. So I thought I’d dip my toe back in the Jungle waters by combining some of the newer tracks with some straight up classics and rarer tracks.

On the unreleased tip we have PFM’s superb Runaway. I can’t believe this didn’t get a full release back in 94/95, although I’m positive it would have been cut to dub plate and played. And of the new releases (that sound genuinely original) we have Unglued & MC Conrad – Born in ’94 (Pirate Radio Mix) and Breakage – Wicked. All the rest are classic Jungle tracks I’ve always loved and never get tired of mixing.

Irie Fyah – 1.5hrs of Jungle Mania

Desert Storm – Hit After Hit
Back2Basics Recordings – Fighting Vipers (Drum & Bass Mix)
Wots My Code – Dubplate
DJ Crystl – The Dark Crystl VIP
Remarc & Lewi – Shinobi X (Jungle Mix)
Blame & Justice – Night Vision
Bay B Kane – Addictive
PFM – Runaway
Fourth Dimension – Sun Vibes
Adam F – Apocalypse
The Root Project – Can’t Control
Unglued & MC Conrad – Born in ’94 (Pirate Radio Mix)
Noise Factory – The Future
Brainkillers – Screwface
DJ Rap – Spiritual Aura (DJ Rap’s Get Raw Remix)
Breakage – Wicked
Gin & Tonic – Right Bullet, Right Time
Kenny Ken – Athlete Kings (Jungle Mix)
Remarc – Soundmurderer
Foul Play – Being With You
Expressive Records – Nights (Drum & Bass Mix)

Ear & Drum Session 167: Full Phat

First mix of the new decade and it was made on the first day of the new year. Full of phat rollers and liquid niceties from the back end of 2019, I really should call this mix the DRS sessions. The MC from Manchester is all over this with collaborations with LSB, Artificial Intelligence and Anile. If you haven’t checked out his The Blue Hour LP with LSB it is well worth a listen.

We also have new tracks from Klute’s new Whatever It Takes LP, the return of D&B royalty Peshay plus both sides of Seba & Paradox’ latest 12″ on their brand new label.

Full Phat – 1.5hrs of Phat Rollers and Liquid Drops

Peshay & VSY – Infinity
LSB & DRS – Like It Used To
Marvel Cinema, T:Base & Matt View – Need To Know
LSB & DRS – Keep The Time
Ed:it – Can’t Stop Thinking
Duoscience – 1981
Klute – Flesh Eaters
Seba & Paradox – Jupiterize
Came & Krooked – Come Together (Bop Remix)
LSB & DRS – Frozen
Kimyan Law – Magic (feat. Clara Luzia)
Klute – Highly Addictive
Dave Wallace – Light Phase
Cosmology – Raindrops
Kyhu – Time-Lapse
Random Movement – Lost on Purpose
Makoto – Transparent (feat. Whiney)
Seba & Paradox – Over Now
Bladerunner – All My Love
Artificial Intelligence feat. DRS – Isolate
Smote – Just Come Back
Madcap – Believe
Workforce – Your Moves
Smote – Summertime VIP
Seathasky – 1999
Anile & DRS – Constant Reminder
LSB & DRS – Could Be

Ear & Drum Session 166: Altitude

One last mix for the decade before we dive head-first into the 20s.

It really doesn’t seem that long ago that Photek’s ‘Into the 90s’ was released, so to be here 30 years later is pretty crazy. Thank you to everyone who has listened in at the Ear & Drum during the past 10 years and here’s hoping the next 10 years (or even just the next) treats you better than the last.

If I could wish for anything in the new year it is for people to do more listening. Not just to music, but in general. I think the last decade has been dedicated to the self absorbed masses shouting out there opinions without giving anyone else’s opinion a second thought. You can’t form a proper opinion without listening to the other side of the argument, so sit down, shut up and just listen.

Here is to less shouting and more listening in 2020.

Altitude – 1hr of Cruising D&B

Bop – Waterfall
Kimyan Law – Luba
Document One – Holy Moly
Bladerunner – Breathe
Alix Perez – Trinity
Sunchase – Karabi
Seba – Curved Boundaries
Seba – In Your Arms Again
DRS & Need For Mirrors – Bobby
Came & Krooked – Black & White (Kimyan Law Remix)
Kimyan Law – White Moth Anthem
Bop – Memories
Hiddenwave – Visualise
Smote – Just Come In
Hiddenwave – Nior
Workforce – Your Moves
Rainforest – Horde
Hiddenwave – Hold Me
Two Fingers – You Ain’t Down

Ear & Drum Session 165: One Giant Leap

In 1995 when Alex Reece released Pulp Fiction and the D&B world lost it’s collective shit about the step beat in and pulsing bass in the track I just thought it sounded plodding and boring compared to the repecharge beats of the Amen break. When it spawned a million copycat tracks and then it’s own genre I thought the music had taken a huge step (excuse the pun) backwards.

Fast forward to 2005 and D&B had seriously run out of ideas and was looking for a sound to excite me again. Pouring over the back catalogue I started listening to all those old Tech Step tracks and the penny finally dropped a full 10 years later. Ever since I’ve made sure I pick up any old Steppers I come across knowing one day I’d come back to mix them and that time is now!

This is a who’s who of Tech Step classics. No point in calling out high lights as every track in here is there because they shaped a genre that turned out to be one of D&B’s best and most unique sounds. With new listeners currently drooling over Jungle as THE sound of D&B, it is only a matter of time before it takes another giant leap into the sounds of Step.

Remember you read it here first.

One Giant Leap – 1.5hrs of Classic Tech Step

Gang Related & Mask – Dictation (Michael Caine Mix)
Ed Rush, Optical & Fierce – Cutslo (Locuste Remix)
Ray Keith – D4 Toxic Waste (Elementz of Noize Remix)
Capone – Tudor Rose
Dillinja – Go Dillinja
Photek – Baltimore
Jonny L – Wish U Had Something (Remix)
John B – Secrets
Nasty Habits – Shadow Boxing
Genotype – The Germ
Atom 1 – Imminent
Adam F – Metropolis
Dillinja – The Angels Fell
Boymerang – Still
Tonic – Delta
DJ SS – Lost iN New York
Dieselboy – The Descent
Dom & Roland – Dance All Night
Jonny L – Piper
Fortran – The End Part II (feat. Fierce)
Ed Rush & Nico – August (Unreleased VIP Mix)
Ed Rush – The Raven

Ear & Drum Session 164: The Other Side

A sweet mix of chilled out Liquid beats from some of the scenes best new and established talent. On the old guard side of things you have DJ Trace doing what I think is one of his first ever chilled out tunes, Calibre remixing Vanguard Project’s – Elation and a very special tune in the fact that is probably one of the last Marcus Intalex (RIP) remixes we’ll probably ever hear in Adred feat. Robert Manos’ – Captivate.

On the newer side of the production fence we have a stack of new Etherwood tracks. This man’s talents know no bounds as he continues to straddle the fence between traditional song writing and D&B. Etherwood is backed up by Adred who’s new EP on Metalheadz was a complete surprise to me, Satl & Ill Truth who’s tune, In Your Soul, receives a very tasty Lenzman remix and T:Base who’s Is It True EP on Fokuz Recordings is well worth a download if you get the chance.

The Other Side – 1hr of Chilled Liquid Beats

Etherwood – The Night
Etherwood – Away From It All
Satl & Ill Truth – In Your Soul (Lenzman Remix)
DJ Trace & Emery – Elation feat. Sofi Mari
The Vanguard Project – Stitches (Calibre Remix)
Etherwood – See the Sky feat. Thomas Oliver
Critical Event & Scott Allen – This Love’s For Real
Surreal – Riding Out
Furney – Sit Down & Dance
Scar – Hey You
The Vanguard Project – Flying Away
Polaris – Prismatic Gate
T:Base – Is It True
Document One & Cimone – Newborn
Adred feat. Robert Manos – Captivate (Marcus Intalex Remix)
Adred & Ant TC1 – 1238
T:Base – When I Fear (Who I Am)
Smote – Power of Nature
Eastern District – Ordinary Man
Smote – Power of Nature (Tease)

Ear & Drum Session 163: Blue Rinse

Inspired by the tougher sounds of Blue Note era Metalheadz, this mix proves that not all hard D&B needs to be mid-range bass lines, high pitched snares and screeching synths to make an impact.

The classic heavy sound seems to be making a serious comeback lately and is moving forward by looking back to the golden era of the sound. Fixate’s – Ripgroove remix being a perfect example of a classic reworked for modern day sound systems and listening. Other’s such as Brazilian producer Bungle, D&B super group Kings of the Rollers and new kid on the block Pasha Solecci are following suit bringing a new production techniques to the OG sound with devastating effect.

Blue Rinse – 1hr+ of Hard D&B

ANAPA – Damager
Pasha Solecci – Jacobs Ladder
Document One – Holy Moly
Bungle – Infinite
Calibre – Eschaton feat. DRS
Amit – Knuckle Duster
Goldie – Demonz (Gremlinz & Jesta Remix)
Bione – Orcas
Alibi – Shurikan
Dub Elements & Coppa – Massai
Macca & Melinki – Ok
Mefjus – If I Could (Loadstar Remix)
Fixate vs Double 99 – Ripgroove (Fixate Remix)
Sikey & Speedwagon – Conquer
King of the Rollers – You Got Me
Mefjus – Volition (Former Remix)
Bungle – Physical Dub
Bungle – Inner Mask
Muffler – Half Light
Humanature & Induktiv – Paroxysm
Pasha Solecci – Coke & Tea
Skeptical – Charge
S.P.Y – Dreamcatcher
Alix Perez – Slink
Dub Elements & Gyrda – Firing Pin
Pola & Bryson – Hyperborean feat. Data 3
Phaction – Aviatrix feat. Riya

Ear & Drum Session 162: Arc

Well it’s been about as long as I’ve ever gone without posting a mix so I am looong over due. Luckily I have something pretty special up my sleeve with a deeper style mix of tunes designed to pick you up and take you away.

New tunes from Seba & Manos, Acid_Lab, Kid Drama & Om Unit, Bungle along with a whole heap more amazing new tracks. Special shout out to the mighty Mitekiss who’s sublime track Lie Awake has been on rotation pretty much ever since it came out in our house. It is one of those tracks that ticks just about every box for me in terms of what makes D&B great.

Hope you feeling what’s on offer and I promise the next one will come a little sooner than this one did. 😉

Arc – 1hr of Deep D&B

Figures – The Void
Seba & Manos – Said & Done
I Wannabe – Drive
Alb – Major Deep
Acid_Lab – Radiate
Ekva – Edge
Mitekiss feat. Degs – Lie Awake
Touchy Subject – Sky Larkin (Lewis James RMX)
Electrosoul System – Blinded Justice
Decline – Blue Flame
Kid Drama & Om Unit – Untitled 2
I Wannabe – So Excited
Chords & NoRules – Choas
Acid_Lab – Belfast Blues
Jaskin & Uneven – Ancient
Electrosoul System – Temper
Bungle – Cocooned VIP
Gerra & Stone – Feels Like
Paladoin – Friday
Facing Jinx & Peta Oneir – Meet You There (dBridge Remix)

Ear & Drum Session 161: The Turning

Liquid D&B is turning into something a little more mature (for want of a better word) and modern lately and I like it. Led by artists such as Lenzman (check out his Enzo Tape mixes), Technimatic and new kids on the block Dogger, Mindstate & Liam Bailey the sound is more soulful, the lyrics more thoughtful and the vibe smoother than Liquid’s previous iterations.

This is music you can dance, chill or even sing along to. It’s versatility makes it perfect radio D&B that can be played at anytime night or day.

The Turning – 1hr of new Liquid D&B

Balmy & Heft – Night With You
Lenzman – Misty
Monty & Alix Perez – Good To Me
DuoScience & T:Base – Rescue
Technimatic – True Believer
Technimatic – Recurring Dream
Joakulm – Random Jam
Sikey & Speedwagon – Without You
Whiney (feat. Kenno & Pippa Violets) – Spheres (Polaris Remix)
Solotek & Thiago Pery – Lose Control
High Contrast – If We Ever (Unglued Remix)
Dogger, Mindstate & Liam Bailey – So So
Dogger, Mindstate & Liam Bailey – Love is the Law
Lenzman – Food (feat. Konny Kon)
Dogger, Mindstate & Liam Bailey – Rebels
Flaco & Calculon – Rooftop Romance
Ash:Ram, Charli Brix & Walk:r – All I Need (Ash:Ram Remix)
Lenzman – Over You
Dogger, Mindstate & Liam Bailey – Broken Home
London Elektricity – Just One Second (Apex Remix)
Dogger, Mindstate & Liam Bailey – Broken Home (Tease)

Ear & Drum Session 160: Call the Ambience 14 – Intensive Care

We could all use a little more peace in our lives so here’s a mix to soothe the soul and help you unwind and reconnect.

I’ve slipped in some of my favourite artists like Redeyes, Om Unit, Synkro, dBridge and Break along with some very promising new kids on the block in the form of RQ, who’s LP Solid Ground came out of nowhere and blew me away. Dogger & Mindstate also seem to have a very promising career ahead of them if their Broken Home EP on 1985 is anything to go by.

Call the Ambience 14: Intensive Care – 1hr of Ambient D&B

Redeyes – Fighting (Intro)
Mitekiss feat. Degs – Lie Awake
Rainforest – You Can Make New Memories (Album Version)
Tokyo Prose – Alight
Lewis James – Shapeshifter
RQ – Union of Spheres
Kid Drama & Om Unit – Untitled 4
Kid Drama & Om Unit – Untitled 2
Flowrain & Simstah – Manaslu (Interlude)
RQ – Roof Jumping
RQ – Ride
dBridge – Lost Memory
Synkro – Gagaku
Synkro – Gagaku (Frederic Robinson Remix)
dBridge – Wijn Zijn (feat. Lewis James & Kid Drama)
Dogger, Mindstate & Liam Bailey – Broken Home
Break – Conversations (feat. MC Fats & Cleaveland Whatkiss)
London Electricity – Swivel (Ambient Version)

Ear & Drum Session 159: Uplift

Looking for something to lift your spirits? Commix, Alix Perez, Seba & Manos, Nookie plus a whole heap more incredible producers rolling out positive vibes for 2019.

Uplift – 1hr of Uplifting D&B

Modest Intentions – No Shadows In Trust
Fluter, Dissident & Funclock – Kundiga (Retro Toys Mix)
Modest Intentions – Meaningful Life
Euphorias – Father Soul
Commix – Black Sand
Alb – Dark Tranquility
Alix Perez – Good to Me
Duoscience & T:Base – Rescue
Velocity & MC Fats – We Gotcha Junglist
I Wannabe – You Listen To This
Joakuim – 8am Roller
Seba & Manos – Evergreen
Dip Vertigo & Dr Apollo feat. Josh Phillips – Red
The Vanguard Project & Pat Fulgoni – Still Together
Technimatic – Sometimes
Nookie – Love Me
Grey Code – Pearl
Mutated Forms – Grow
Judei – Cold Heart
Mutated Forms – Flashbacks
Influx UK, DJ SS & MC Fats – Soul Unite (DJ SS 2018 Remix)
Soul Savage, DJ SS, High Roll & Victor – In Your Name