Tag Archives: Ear & Drum Session

2021, Ambient, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

Ear& Drum: Session 220 – Call the Ambience 16: Vertigo

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It’s been a long while between drinks for the Call the Ambience series, but we’re back better and more chilled than ever. Even thought the releases of this kind of music seem to be slowing down a little, the quality is still high when it does drop.

Etherwood, dBridge and Atlantic Connection all contribute some wonderfully blissful music, as do 90s originators Alaska, Voyager and Bill Laswell. I’ve been trying to squeeze Laswell’s – El Hombre Invisible (for William S. Burroughs) into a set for years, and finally managed to pull it off here. This 15 minute journey is something else, and shows how formulaic modern day D&B has become.

Call the Ambience 16: Vertigo – 1hr+ of Ambient D&B

Seathasky – For Love & Science
Rowpieces – 1st Love (Downtempo Mix)
Zero T & Beta 2 – Misdemeanour
Mystic State feat. Congi – Too Late (Captivate Remix)
Shebuzz – We Bring You the Future
Alaska – Azarca (Synkro Remix)
Muffler – November (Lo-Fi Hip-Hop Mix)
Ky! – I See U (Made in Russia Remix)
Voyager – Meraki
Bill Laswell – El Hombre Invisible (for William S. Burroughs)
The Vanguard Project & Fred V feat. Riya – No Words (Chill Mix)
Shebuzz – 34th Street
Atlantic Connection – Threshold
dBridge – I Know
Etherwood – Water in Your Veins
Sultan & Shepard feat. The Cut – White Lies
Etherwood – I Will Wave to You

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B, Roller

Ear & Drum Session: 219 – Rinse Cycle

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A bit of the old and a lot of the new in this mix of tuffer D&B beats. S.P.Y. doing his own remix duties on Is Anybody Out There (S.P.Y VIP) and Sub Focus’s bass heavy Deep Space (Date 3 Remix) are just some of the new highlights. Nico’s rework of Bill Laswell early work Oscilations and Quadrant & Iris remix of Marcus Intalex & Future Cut classic Plastic are representing for the OG vibes.

Rinse Cycle – 1hr of D&B Rinsers

Inja & Singing Fats – Soul Silhouette
DLR, Script & MC Focus – Perception (Trail & Dibby Remix)
Inja – Take Me Home
DIsrupta & J Select – Tequila
Mikal – Resampled
DuoScience – Mismatched
Cauzer – Form One
S.P.Y. – Is Anybody Out There (S.P.Y VIP)
Bill Laswell – OScilations (Nico No U-Turn Mix)
Marcus Intalex & Future Cut – Plastic (Quadrant & Iris Remix)
Gest – Futurism
Particle – Nosedive
Payback – Inter-Connected
DLR – Make My Mind Go
Sub Focus – Deep Space (Date 3 Remix)
Jubei – Slipstream
Shades of Rhythm – Sound of Eden (Benny Page Remix)
DJ SS & Azpect – Feeling Blessed (DJ SS Remix)
Foreign Concept, Enei & Magugu – Sticks
Paul T & Edward Oberon feat. Cleveland Watkiss – Music’s Got Soul
QZB & Gardna – Landline

2021, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Ear & Drum Session: 218 – Marinade

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Going a bit deeper and darker in this mix of new-ish tunes. 2021 has been a good year for harder styles, and even though there isn’t as much minimal techy stuff coming out there is still a decent selection of deep beats and darker cuts still being produced.

Probably the deepest and darkest of them in this selection is the Missive triple play close to the beginning. Cavernous bass and stripped back beats characterised Missives top quality Lithos EP which came out around the middle of this year. Other tunes to keep an ear out for are T>I’s The Locksmith and Let it Go which both shred, Foriegn Concepts ragga tinged Kultja and Zero T’s killer VIP reworking of Goldie feat. Jose James – Truth.

Extra big shout to Offish for providing the opener on this mix, his LP Garden of Eyes is full of deep, dark beats and well worth a listen over at his Bandcamp page. https://offish.bandcamp.com/album/garden-of-eyes

Marinade – 1hr of Deep & Dark D&B

Offish – Pareidolia [Intro]
Disrupta & J Select – Tequila
T>I – The Locksmith
Missive – 9Test
Missive – Denoument
Missive – Stadius
Last Life – Trial
DuoSciemce – Mismatched
Foriegn Concept – Kultja
Mystic State feat. Congi – Too Late (Captivate Remix)
Cynical Gene – Nucleus
Bop – Surfing the Anxiety Waves
Goldie vs J:Kenzo – Official Jah Roller
QZB & Rider Shafique – The Banker
Goldie feat. Jose James – Truth (Zero T VIP Remix)
VROMM feat. Rider Shafique – Level Up
Loma – Watches
Foreign Concept, Enei & Magugu – Sticks
T>I – Let It Go
Minimalist & Heklur – The Titan
QZB & Gardna – Landline
Mystic State – Whole Half
Enei – Ignit

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Uncategorized

Ear & Drum Session: 217 – Strangers & Changes

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More liquid beats this time featuring a good slab of D&B’s friendliest MC Inja’s new LP ‘Smile & Wave’. This album came out of the blue for me, and had so many great tracks on it I’m still rinsing them months after release.

Another big surprise was Metalheadz alumni Scar coming out with some beautifully melodic pieces on his Why EP. Known far more for tough futuristic beats and cavernous b-lines, Scar’s Falling Down and All I See are liquid, but with a rawness that is impossible not to like.

Much love to Seba too for his outstanding Fokuz All Stars Pt.3 release featuring Second Path and the divine Mystic Magnolia, Pola & Bryson for their killer tracks Neverend and Under and Disrupta for his tasty new Changes EP.

Strangers & Changes – 1hr of Liquid Drops

Disrupta & DRS – Changes
Disrupta – Play it Cool
Scar & Ella Sopp – Falling Down
Gest – Shame
Scar – All I See
Seba & JR Vailo – Second Path
Command Strange & MC Fava – Never Let Go
Inja & Charlotte Haining – Reach Out
Seba & Jenna G – Sweet Magnolia
Duoscience – Facing…
Inja – Smile More
Sub:liminal, Minos & Cardia – Future Lines
Inja – Stranger
Walk:r & Riya – Paragon
Technimatic & Riya – When the Dawn Breaks
L.A.O.S. – Begin Again (DJ Edit)
Pola & Bryson & Solch – Neverend
Random Movement – I stayed Around (Lenzman Reinterpretation)
Pola & Bryson & Lauren Archer – Under
HumaNature – Stories
Inja & Cleveland Watkiss) – Pressure

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic, Soulful

Ear & Drum Session: 216 – Outer Soul

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Reaching back to August for this soulful mix of D&B. This style is really kicking off and the quality of the beats and vocals is only getting better and better.

Artists like Inja with their Smile & Wave LP are forging a style of D&B that not only sounds amazing, but tackles deeper issues than just getting busted up on the weekend and coming down. Tracks like Inja’s Pressure are still sing-a-long good times, but the subject matter of solo parenting are deep and really get you thinking.

Shouts out the one like Seba feat Jenna G too for their stunning tune Sweet Magnolia, which is definitely in my top 5 tracks for 2021, as is Lally & Aaliyah Esprit – Hustlin’. This is just beautiful music than makes my soul soar. Even those these tunes aren’t the absolute latest drops, there is plenty in here to get you singing, smiling and thinking all at the same time.

Outer Soul – 1hr of Soulful D&B

Satl – Never Far
Styke – Apollo
BCee – A Little Too Much
Science of Man – Never Without
Seba feat Jenna G – Sweet Magnolia
Sustance feat. Ruby Letitia – Rumours
Satl feat. DRS – Beautiful Struggle
Lally & Aaliyah Esprit – Hustlin’
Inja – Stranger
Unglued feat. Singing Fats – Sardinian Sunrise
Macca, Liz Contreras & Critical Event – Snow
Acid_Lab – Rainy Fridays
DJ SS & Azpect – Feeling Blessed (Soul Savage & Rosa G Mix)
Solsan & Bazil MC – Follow
Conspiracy – Metamorphosis
Satl – Give Up
Fox feat. DRS & Calibre – Paper Weights
Inja feat Cleveland Watkiss – Pressure
Satl & Tokyo Prose – Hazards

2021, Atmospheric, Ear & Drum Session, Uncategorized

Ear & Drum Session: 215 – Atmospheric Rays

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Atmospheric D&B continues to go from strength to strength this year with artists like Acid_Lab, Seba, FX909 and Cryogenics & Eschaton knocking it out of the park. The fact PFM is re-releasing a bunch of classics doesn’t hurt either which is why this mix reflects the best of old and new Atmos tunes.

Atmospheric Rays – 1hr of Atmospheric D&B

FX909 – Awake
Acid_Lab – Paint Yourself
PFM – Driftin On By
Instruction Set – Forge La Funk (Ben Kai Remix)
PFM – For Caron (Are You Ready)
Seba feat. Jenna G – Sweet Magnolia
Madcap – Fall Down
PFM – This Must Be Love
Cryogenics – Earth-80
PFM – Living Without You
Forum – You Took It All
Akuratyde – Evergreen
Cryogenics & Eschaton – Blue Horizon
Lil’ Louis & The Party – Clap Your Hands (PFM Remix)
FX909 – Proud & Strong
Random Movement – Sleazy Bitch (Ivy Lab Remix)
Cryogenics – Cosmos
PFM – Aspirations

2021, All Artist Mix, Atmospheric, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Intelligent, Melodic

Ear & Drum Session: 214 – PFM x 4Hero

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Recently PFM and 4Hero have remastered versions of some of their classic tunes that defined an era. PFM in the form of a bunch of singles and 4Hero with the re-release of their seminal LPs 2 Pages and Jacob’s Optical Stairway.

So what happens when you take two of D&B’s greatest acts and blend them together? Great things, that’s what!

PFM x 4Hero – 1.5hrs of 90s atmospheric masterpieces

PFM – For All of Us
4Hero – Universal Love (Single Version)
4Hero – Universal Love (Internal Affairs Mix)
Jacob’s Optical Stairway – Majestic 12
Jacob’s Optical Stairway – Fragments of a Lost Language
PFM – Is the Only and the One (Unreleased Original Full Length Version)
Jacob’s Optical Stairway – The Naphosisous Wars
4Hero – One Final Hour
Jacob’s Optical Stairway – Solar Feelings
JMJ & Ritchie – Free La Funk (PFM Remix)
4Hero – Evacuation Plan
PFM – Bonus Track
PFM – Wash Over Me (Original Instrumental Version)
Jacob’s Optical Stairway – Jacob’s Optical Illusion
David Holmes – Gone (PFM Remix)
Force of Nature – Cool Spot (PFM Remix)
PFM – Dreams (Club Mix)

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Ear & Drum Session: 213 – Cloud Nine

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Liquid D&B continues its amazing run of quality and quantity in 2021 with scene stalwarts like BCee, Lenzman and Pola & Bryson rolling out euphoric tunes like it easy. Spoiler, it isn’t.

We’ve also got some OG producers in the mix such as the recently retired London Elektricity with his 10 year rework of the classic piano monster The Plan that Cannot Fail. Plus John B and Digital with their ode to Mr B’s anthem Up All Night called Time Goes By. It is different, but the DNA can definitely be heard with the rave stabs and those airy pads.

Big shout to Dan Guidance and Henry too for lending me the name for the mix with their tune Cloud Nine. Sit back, shut your eyes and let the music take you away.

Cloud Nine – 1.5hrs of Euphoric D&B

Imo-Lu – Circle
John B & Digital – Time Goes By
BCee & Charlotte Haining – Remind Me (S.P.Y Remix)
BCee & Charlotte Haining – History (Technimatic Remix)
Ritual & Alpha Rhythm – Mote of Dust
Volition – Save You
Seba & JR Vallo – Second Path
Furney – Boulevard
Chimpo feat. Salo – Keep U Round
London Elekricity – The Plan That Cannot Fail (10Y Rework)
Anthony Kasper – Departure (Technimatic Remix)
Eschaton – Sadhanna (Pagent Remix)
Dan Guidance & Henry – Cloud 9
Duoscience – Praise
Random Movement – I Stayed Around (Lenzman Reinterpretation)
Technimatic & Riya – When the Dawn Breaks
Macca & Liz Contreras – Always Yours (S.P.Y Remix)
Pola & Bryson & Solch – Neverend
Pola & Bryson – feat. Lauren Archer) – Under
Elixr – Wanted You To Know
Crash Comet – Feeling
Monika & Akuratyde feat. Oktae – We Breath
BCee – Captured in Time (DPR Remix)

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Ear & Drum Session: 212 – Urbane

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It’s been a hot minute since I’ve hit up the rougher side of D&B, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some excellent heavy hitters out there at the moment.

Workforce continue to kill it with their giant roller Back Up. The ever reliable Muffler has smashed it again with the suitably titled Super Heavy. And ever the usually laid back and atmospheric Rain Forrest has come out swinging with his shot at hard and heavy, Shadow Work.

With a good mix of of old and new producers, this mix is one worth turning the volume and sub up on.

Urbane – 1hr of Heavy D&B

Q Project & Myth – Demonz
John B – Up All Night (Data 3 Remix)
Workforce – Back Up
Blood Trust – Transparent Blue (feat. Kid Drama)
Hexa – No More
Mikal – Resampled
Muffler – Super Heavy
Physics – Cultivator
Conrad Subs – Love 4 U
Jem One – Sunday Rain
Malign – Tearaway
Jubei – Slipstream
MKD – Krill
Rainforest – Shadow Work
Airstrike – Radials
Doctor feat. Tony Anthem – Tears of Mine (Gunmen & Specimen A Remix)
Paul T & Edward Oberon – Music’s Got Soul (feat. Cleaveland Watkiss)

2021, Chill Out, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Soulful

Ear & Drum Session: 211 – Often Mist

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Back again on the soulful D&B tip once again. It’s starting to look like this is becoming a movement within a movement, with liquid splitting out into dance floor movers and the more chilled, soulful sound.

A lot of the artists pushing this sound seem to be relatively new and coming through on labels such as Celsius, Fokuz and Spearhead. That being said, there are always some reliable regulars like FX909, GLXY and Pola & Bryson who also regularly touch on the soulful side.

An excited and extra big shout goes out to Voyager who has returned to his D&B roots and blessed us with some recent out put that is just as solid as his original releases from back in the day.

Often Mist – 1hr of Soulful D&B

Neuron – Sound of Water
Setting Sun – Walk:r
John B & Digital – Time Goes by
FX909 – Fly Away
Inadhertz, Felix Raymon & Jamal Dilmen – Too Much
Alpha Rhythm – Subarctic Signal VIP
GLXY – Sweet Lows (feat. Rhi)
Chimpo – Keep U Round (feat. Salo)
Voltage & Bulgarian Goddess – Endless Dreaming (Voltage VIP)
Submorphics – Let it Shine (feat. Satl & Veda Black)
Walk:r feat. Riya – Paragon
Lally & Aaliyah Esprit – Hustlin’
Macca, Liz Contreras & Critical Event – Snow
Citra – Snow
Akuratyde – Evergreen
Pola & Bryson – Under (feat. Lauren Archer)
Fox & Satl – Sunshine Blues (feat. KSR)
Voyager – Kokoro