Drum & Bass Recommendations July 2015

Review: Here's a pleasing blast from the past: a belated reissue of D&B duo Source Direct's 1996 cut "Black Rose" - an exercise in skittish, slack-tuned jungle rhythms, pitch-black chords and in-your-face drum edits. Issued by Boddika's Nonplus, the fine original is joined by a surprise 21st century rework from techno type Blawan. His version manages to capture the creepy spirit and rhythmic intensity of the original, replacing the duo's classic jungle breaks with a hypnotic, tribal-influenced 4/4 rhythm and adding some suitably foreboding church bells. While hugely different to the source material (sorry), Blawan's version is thoroughly in keeping with the spooky claustrophobia of the original.

Review: Fresh new Jungle imprint outta Rumbleton, Canada, Stand Firm Hi-Fi made all the right impressions with a debut transmission from unsung hero Equinox earlier this year and this second release brushes up quite nicely too. Texan Martian Man is behind the buttons this time with an original that shows off his mastery of drum programming backed with a killer remix. Up top "Keep Your Dread (Version One)" is little more than the sound of a live jungle drummer possessed and some deep and dubby vibes for over 10 minutes. On the remix, Rupture heavyweight and all around vibesman Double O turns in a more explicitly dark Junglist version with some speaker busting Amen fills. Stand tall Stand Firm!

Review: It's that time of the year! The Paradise EP sees Stray man Jonathan Fogel upholding his tradition of appearing on DBridge's Exit label on an annual basis. The EP sees Fogel stray (sorry) deeper into the sonic DNA of hip hop across six tracks, exploring a similar approach to the Since You've Been Gone mixtape he self-released last year. It's a mark of Stray's innate craftsmanship that the drop in tempo for the majority of the tracks doesn't mean a drop in quality; much the opposite indeed with Fogel seemingly liberated by working at this new speed. The rugged junglist badness of "Without U" will satisfy any Stray fans wanting something a bit closer to his more recognised sound. A deft hand at sampling meets a vivid production palette for a most refreshing new chapter in an ever rewarding musical journey from Stray.

Review: If you're not overjoyed by the release of new material from Break, you should have a quiet word with yourself. Yes, the man is a powerhouse and manages to share a seemingly endless supply of his own brand of break-laden tunes year after year; but that don't mean he burns out, it means he fires up. As the title suggests, Break Presents Symmetry Sessions 2 follows the inaugural edition from Symmetry that surfaced earlier this year and features surprising tunes like the foray into minimal desolation from Mako, and a fine collaboration between Break, NFM and HLZ in "Atlas Shrugged". The man himself lays down a killer lead track in the shape of the vicious jazz tech business of "Give It Up".

Review: Riya gets her own release. It's about freaking time. The soulful siren of the underground for ten years, there aren't many people who are better connected or more respected amongst the 'good guys' of UK, European and Brazilian drum and bass than this lady. She's a force to be reckoned with. Working with Dynamite MC, Villem, McLeod and Break on this stunner of a two-track, the beats drop hard and the bass rolls deep. But really, what did you expect? If you call yourself a drum and bass fan, pick this up as soon as your fingers stop tapping to the sample of "I Don't Need".

Review: Off the back of his remarkable second album, and a live show that features no laptops whatsoever, Icicle sits back and let's his equally talented peers do the hard work... Phace's remix of Icy's 2011 roller homage "Dreadnaught" has been discussed in hushed tones for years now, and the neuro don hasn't disappointed. Joe Ford turns into a suitably metallic, slippery twist on "Neutralize" while Dutch demons BSE give "The Edge" such a filth-over you need a hazmat suit to mix it. Finally Ulterior Motive get mucky on the already breath-taking vocal roller "Will You Be Mine". Four on-point remixes of an artist who can do no wrong right now. Essential.

Review: With Metalheadz, Spearhead, Hospital and CIA releases and appearances already in the bag for 2015, it's safe to say the flying Dutchman Nymfo is having a bit of a vintage right now. Returning to what many would believe to be his spiritual home, "Brain Feeder" is a four track EP that grunts and guffaws in every direction. The title track packs a neuro punch with its precision tuned bassline scuffing with Audio-level menace. "Shivers" takes us back to the late 90s 31 Records era - all minimal, bubbly and low on high-end. "Planetarium", meanwhile, is the complete opposite end of the spectrum; all spacey, cosmic and reminiscent of mid 90s Good Looking fair. "Shelter" brings us to a sweaty climax with thanks to BTK. All gritty and growling, it's pure neuro but without any of the unnecessary OTT technical flab. Nasty business; this is enough to feed a whole family of brains for at least a month.

Review: A king selector and respected label director first and foremost, Critical bossman Kasra doesn't dish out sonic sermons very often. But when he does, it's always worth paying attention. Especially when Russian demon Enei is on board, too. Five tracks in total, we range from the swampy half time sludge of "Inside The Box" to the early Metalheadz ice and depth plunge breaks of "Words" via the peaktime heads down stepper "Arcana". The real highlight, though, is "Overthinking". Haunted pianos, ghostly breakbeat flickers and paranoid poetry from everyone's favourite MC, DRS, this is up there with "Count To 10". Yeah, it's that good.

Review: It's taken Birmingham-based duo Spectrasoul three years to make the follow-up to their promising debut album, Delay No More, but it seems to have been time well spent. The Mistress is a pleasingly varied set, rooted in their deeper, more melodious take on D&B, but blessed with a range of other influences. "Hot Head, Rock Bed", for example, sounds like vintage James Blake, while "More To Give" - featuring the soulful tones of vocalist Tamara - expertly blends half-step rhythms with luscious modern soul. They even go experimental and gnarly on the frankly quite odd "Kutchi". For all the twists and turns, they've not forgotten their roots, and The Mistress also contains a number of straight-up D&B rollers that should appease DJs and fans alike.

Review: Originally release as part of a five track digital EP, "Abandon" and "BBT" see the Dutchman (who was previously known as DJ Bicycle) get some cheeky vinyl justice. Both cuts are well deserving of wax; the former is all about the dense synths that provide an almost overwhelming feeling of weightlessness, even against the anchor-like drums. "BBT" is the real power punch, though; with its gritty distorted bassline and heads-down groove, it's criminal that this hasn't been released on vinyl before!

Review: D&B kosmonauts Kosmos Music unite a whole crew of native creators for this special Deep Structures EP. Ahead of his album release on Med School, Electrosoul System lays down a game-changing half-time/full-time growler with "Under Deep Sky". M25 & First Function follow with a really interesting roller that utilises vocal snippets and elements in a genuinely unique and funky way. Deeper again, Despot adds a great sense of epicness and star-gazing wonder to Bop's already immaculate "Skeptikos" while Dissident lays down a jittery, frenetic steppy funk on "Pseudo II" that sits somewhere between the sprightliness of Fracture and the experimentalism of ASC.

Review: LA hardcore roustabouts Romero & Mekano return to Samurai with two disturbing slices of future music. "Land Of The Lost" is all about the drums. Whether it's the subtle-but-plate-shaking snare shots on the breakdowns or the $100,000 firework display of live drums and breaks on the pay-offs, this has enough power to shave your whiskers from another room. "Tremor", meanwhile, is a lot more pensive where the drama is in the energy and noises that are being withheld. A lesson in restraint. More please.

Review: Bart van Dijk and Mark McCann have clearly learnt a thing or two since they first joined forces under the June Miller alias in 2007. There's a confident swagger about their long-promised debut album, Robots & Romans. They're at a point in their career when they can do whatever they like and, for the most part, pull it off. This freedom allows them to flit effortlessly between different D&B strands, from the punishing, tech-tinged madness of the opening exchanges, to the soulful bagginess of "We Are Not Human", via the wobble-step insanity of "Saus" and the electro-influenced Virus Synidcate hook-up "Stormtrooper". There's even some impeccable liquid deepness in the shape of "Further Seems Forever".

Review: In recent years we've seen UK drum and bass producer Lynx surface on labels like Samurai Red Seal, Warm Communications and RAM Records, and now he returns to Hospital following his label debut Where Are You? It provides Steve Nobes with his third studio album and he brings with it collaborations with Master X, Malibu, Zero One and Marcus Intalex. The latter helps provide an album highlight in "Ghost Rider" with cut up scat vocals sounding like they've been sampled from a Fat Boy Slim production, while the undulating throb and forward pulse of "Clap Trap" builds and drops for a full peak time experience. There's some gnarly rap, ragga and dubstep influences in "Drop That" while for something a little more liquid (and euphoric) check out "Chord Time" - a track which really captures the drum and bass vibe of Hospital.

Review: For those interested in the creative potential of drum & bass, Hospital offshoot Med School has long been of more interest than it's festival-friendly parent label. Designed to showcase experimental, off-kilter and lesser-known D&B producers, its' consistently offered up singles and albums that bristle with great ideas. Here the label offers up a full-length from Russian producer Electrosoul System, a man who has been impressing at the margins of the D&B sound for the best part of a decade. Accessible but always unusual, Flawless impressively blends elements of liquid D&B, jungle, half-step, hip-hop and more ragged rhythms to deliver something fresh, intoxicating and hugely enjoyable.

Review: DBridge and Jon Convex's Heart Drive project comes correct with two devilishly dark club cuts for Pleasure District. "Sindicate" is an ode to paranoia thanks to its deeply-buried pitched down vocals and rising, insistent hook that drives further and further upwards like a trip that's gone awry. "Vent" is a more carnal, tribal affair with its plump drums and squid bass wriggling and shaking without compromise. A must-have for fans of Ruffhouse. A must-have full-stop for that matter.