160bpm, 2026, Cross Genre

Ear & Drum: Session 303 – Time Flies

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Slipping in a crafty middle of the month mix of 160bpm stuff that I’ve been sitting on for awhile. Some of it recent like Atlantic Connection’s Unconventional and Space, Time from his killer Full Circle LP. And some are classics I’ve been trying to get into a mix for years, such as LTJ Bukem featuring DRS – Constellation which first popped up the seminal Earth LP.

Other bangers include Blank Space and Rolling Apache on Green Bay from Kid Lib’s incredible Jungle Mood LP. Bob Gnarly – The Mind and Trident – Pressure from the infamous Dubs on Acid Vol.3, Fracture’s very tasty What’s Gwarnin? (Rollers Mix) and a few Bounty Killaz remixes in the form of Do It Now! (LMajor Remix) and Tango Unreleased Dubplate Mix of the classic Silent Voices which you’ll find on the Creative Wax Bandcamp page.

Time Flies – 1hr of 160bpm Broken Beats

Atlantic Connection – Unconventional
Kid Lib – Blank Space
Sleepnet & Lumen – Surrender (Sleepnet Remix)
Atlantic Connection – Space, Time
Bounty Killaz – Do It Now! (LMajor Remix)
Aeon Four – Saturn Rising
LTJ Bukem featuring DRS – Constellation
Bob Gnarly – The Mind
Fracture feat. Mighty Moe – What’s Gwarnin? (Rollers Mix)
Heart Drive – It’s OK
Josh Abrahams – Marakesh
Sheba @ + Nectax – Asterix
Aeon Four – Mind Stretch
Trident – Pressure
Kid Lib – Rolling Apache
Bounty Killaz – Silent Voices (Tango Unreleased Dubplate Mix)
A.Fruit – Somnambulism
Tim Reaper – Mirage

2026, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

Ear & Drum: Session 302 – Febulous

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Even though February is a short month it hasn’t been short on great music with killah tracks from artists old and new. Calibre kicks us off with his remix of Chopin featuring Sun Ra Arkestra. Mineral dropped his Echoes Of Departure EP on Modern Convenience with the 8 minute plus epic The Quiet Beneath being a standout.

A lot of OG headz dropped new tracks in February including Kemal’s  return to D&B with Dom on the Dom and Friends EP and their nasty roller The Seed. Total Science joined forces with Kubla for Rack ’em Up on CIA and Breakage combined with Riko Dano to drop their jungle tinged banger CTRL on DIgital Soundboy.

It doesn’t get more classic than Cool Hand Flex’s rave staple Melody Madness and we’re treated to the lesser heard Outrage AWOL Remix and a fresh 2020s take by Bladerunner. And last but not least we dropped the tempo for some Dub love from DOA’s own Rollin who’s Wonky saw a reinterpretation by Duder in the form of the  Warm & Easy Remix off the exceptional Dubs on Acid – Volume Three. If you like Dub then you need this LP, not just because proceeds go to a good cause, but because the music is head noddingly great.

Febulous – 1hr of D&B from February 2026

Calibre feat. Sun Ra Arkestra – Chopin (Calibre Mix)
Mineral – The Quiet Beneath
Need For Mirrors – SIM
Ill Skillz & S.P.Y – This is Why
Thread – Stay Leave
A.T.5 – Witch Metal
Dom & Kemal – The Seed
Total Science & Kublai – Rack ’em Up
Breakage & Riko Dan – CTRL
Silent Dust & DRS – Refuse (Calibre Remix)
Cool Hand Flex – Melody Madness (feat MC GQ) (Outrage AWOL Remix)
Cool Hand Flex – Melody Madness (Bladerunner Remix)
Elementz Of Noize – Guided By Lights
Calibre – Eschaton feat MC DRS
Rufige Kru – People & Places (Submotive VIP)
Rollin – Wonky (Duder’s Warm & Easy Remix)
Alix Perez – Cape Reinga

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Ear & Drum: Session 301 – January’s Child

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First mix of 2026 and I figure new year, new format just to keep to keep things fresh. At the end of every month I’m planning to get all the tunes I’m feeling and mash them together into a single set. I’ll still do the odd genre specific mix when I can fit it in, but 2026 will be mainly about getting exposure to the new tunes while they are still relatively warm.

With that being said, it’s a little tricky to mix diverse genres together so where I need a little help transitioning from one sound to another I’ll be drawing on some stone cold classics to help me out. Tracks such as Seba’s Distance which I kick things off with. If you see the odd track from a month or so before, you also know what is going on.

Akinsa as an artist was a revelation to me this month. Mysteriously billed as ‘an anonymous halftime producer from Brighton’ their self-titled Akinsa VIP EP is all killer no filler. Another super solid release was A-Sides Need (Trex Remix) and Arctic (VIP) with the much missed MC Fats on the ever reliable Sun & Bass label.

I finally got Blocks & Escher’s epic 12+ minute monster Charm (Part 1 & Part 2) into a mix. I know it came out in October, but it is worth playing all the same. Conrad Subs on 31 Recordings was always going to be a good time, and Outlier from his new Culture Vulture EP didn’t let me down.  DnB Allstars DRS and Turno bring the grimy goods with Grubby from the recent Open Road EP and Zé Ibarra brings a sunshine vibe with the Brazilian tinged summer time DJ Marky Remix of Segredo to close us out.

That’s it for January. If you like what you hear please support the artist by purchasing a tune or two, it keeps the scene healthy and the music flowing. Hope you like the new format and see you at the end of Feb.

January’s Child – 1hr of D&B from Jan 2026

Seba – Distance
Akinsa – Ecstasy (Akinsa VIP)
Akinsa – Sound Pressure (Akinsa VIP)
LaMeduza – Ventil-8 (VIP Mix)
Akinsa & Xila – Dark City (Akinsa VIP)
Camo & Krooked – Turn Up (The Music)
A-Sides – Need (Trex Remix)
Brooklyn Funk Essentials – Take The L Train (To 8 Ave.) (Calibre Remix)
Seba, T.R.A.C. & Sapele – Change
A-Sides feat. MC Fats – Arctic (VIP)
Unquote – Hide Your Tears Because We Are In Heaven
Fishy – Chimeras
Blocks & Escher – Charm (Part 1 & Part 2)
DLR – Tryna Get This Money (Got None VIP)
Marcus Intalex – Meltdown 2012 (feat. Calibre)
Conrad Subs – Outlier
DRS & Turno – Grubby
DRS – Misfits
Zé Ibarra & DJ Marky – Segredo (DJ Marky Remix)

 

2025, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

Ear & Drum: Session 300 – Three Hundred

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I kicked off The Ear & Drum in December 2008 with the intent of slinging up the odd mix and highlighting the artists I was feeling at any given moment. 17 years later almost to the day I’ve hit my 300th mix, and to celebrate I thought I’d throw down all the tunes over the past couple of years that I thought were extra special.

There is too many to go into, but know that this 2.5hrs is what you would get if you stuck me in front of a crowd and said, ‘Play whatever you want.’ There’s no given genres here, just a selection of absolute choons mixed within an inch of their lives.

To any and all who have supported the blog down the years, thank you so much and this one is for you.

Three Hundred – 2.5hrs of my favourite D&B

GLXY feat. DRS – She Sings For Me Workforce Remix)
DRS & Vangeliez – Hurts To Breathe
Mikal & Riot – Bamboo
Break – Overstayed
Scar – Erase It All
Seba & Paradox – Cypher
Break feat. MC Fats – Natural Way (Remix)
Alix Perez – Elastic Soul
Photek – The Forge
Unglued – JUNGLUED
Enei – Count To Ten 2024 feat. DRS
Modular Il – The Macready Tapes (Thing II)
Dunk – Danger
Soul Connection – Different State of Mind
The Sauce – What’s Going Down
Rockwell – Estranged (feat. LaMeduza) (Bredren Remix)
Sati & Artificial Intelligence feat. Gigi Daai – Stronger
Workforce – Falling Down (feat. Tyler Daley)
SCAR – Shadow & Light
Trakker – Cold Sweats
Workforce & Bobble Johnson – Deep Ones
Bruk Rogers – Get Low (Zero T Remix)
Dogger & Dub Phizix feat. Liam Bailey – Hard Times
Halogenix & Liam Bailey – Satisfy My Soul (Workforce & Leroy Horns Remix)
Anile & DRS – Save Love
Seba & Robert Manos – Easy
S.P.Y. & Grimm – You And Me (Radio Edit)
Acuna – Played with Me
Ruti – Lungs (Calibre Extended Remix)
Pablo Nouvelle – You Don’t Understand (Calibre Remix)
Calibre – Soul 80
Bungle – Invisible
Fox & Sl8r – Skull & Crosses
Creatures & DRS – Mayhem
London Elektricity feat. Conrad Subs & Genesis Elijah – All On Top
Goldie, Rufige Kru & Submotive – Goldikus (feat. Cleveland Watkiss)
MC Conrad – Lean Upwards
Fox & Sl8r – Love What I Do
Dogger & DRS – Let You Down
MC Conrad feat. Aquariid – к) Promised Land feat Aquariid (DJ Marky & Makoto Remix)
Badmarsh & Shri – Signs (Calibre Remix)
Technimatic – Inner Sanctuary
LSB – Potshot
Eijer – Between The Gap
Conrad Subs – Embers
DRS & Sl8r – On Us Lately
Fox & Lenzman – Golly

2025, Ear & Drum Session, Jungle

Ear & Drum: Session 299 – Jungle Path

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I don’t often jungle, but when I do I prefer to OG jungle over the newer stuff. Luckily remasters of remixes I never got my hands on back in the day are popping up with decent regularity, so I’ve something to play.

We’ve got beats from legends of the day like DJ Harmony, Acen, DJ Crystl and Dillinja. Some rarer remixes of D.R.S. classic Everyman, a Tango remix of Bounty Killaz haunting Silent Voices and even a jungle track from Tech-step dons Ed Rush & Nico.

I have slipped the odd new Jungle track in here if I deemed them worthy. Dwarde’s killa Get Away has the proper OG vibe, as does Nine Windows & Tim Reaper’s propa rinse out Transitions. And E&D favourite Atlantic Connection brings the class again with Ina Dem ’23 to close us out.

Jungle Path – 1hr of Jungle classics

Harmony – Beets
Dwarde – Get Away
D’Cruze – Hardstep
Acen – Champion
Krome & Time – Studio One Lik (VIP)
D.R.S – Everyman (Eternal Bass & Danny Styles Mix 1)
Harmony – Dream
DJ Crystl – The Dark Crystl VIP
Ed Rush & Nico – Selecta
Harmony – Only One
Krome & Time – The License (Krome & Time Remix)
Dillinia – The Angels Fell (2015 Remaster)
Dillinja – Majestic B Line (A1)
D.R.S – Everyman (Eternal Bass & Danny Styles Mix 2)
Harmony – Come Again
Nine Windows & Tim Reaper – Transitions
Bounty Killaz – Silent Voices (Tango Mix)
Atlas – Drifting Thru The Galaxy
Atlantic Connection – Ina Dem’23

2025, Bass Music, Cross Genre, Down Low Session, Melodic

The Down Low: Session 058

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It has been the longest time since I’ve dropped a Down Low, but it’s good to be back. These are lower BPM sets dedicated to tunes that aren’t D&B, but mainly produced by D&B artists. This time around we have some downbeat, house, techno, chill-out and even a bit of trip-hop.

On the D&B producers not producing D&B list we have Ivy Lab kicking us off with Lucy and Olo from the Infinite Falling Ground P.t 2 LP along with Naibu with Minato from his incredible San Soleil LP, both from last year.  Bristol duo Mystic State features heavily with My Only, Pt. 18. Il, Alocasia and Close 2 Me on the highly under-rated Chikara Project label’s Connections Vol. 2 compilation from back in ’23.

A percy of mine has always been the amazing trip-hop mix of D’Cruise’s Sega Rally from the bonkers ’96 Club Saturn compilation, as is the bass monster Closer by Photek released by Tectonic in ’11. Rounding us out for D&B artists is Rainforest’s Legacy from last year’s Ascended Warrior LP and Hyroglifics’s Hotwire from his ’23 I’ll Wait, I Guess LP.

The Down Low: Session 058 – 1hr of Downbeat, House, Techno, Chill-out and Trip-Hop

Ivy Lab – Lucy
Bonobo – Rosewood
My Digital Enemy – Change (Extended Mix)
Bicep – Apricots
Naibu – Minato
Mystic State &. Third Degree – My Only, Pt. 18. Il
Torom – Boomerang
D’Cruise – Sega Rally (Trip Hop Mix)
Ivy Lab – Olo
Jaydee – Mokum Groove
John Moss – Mystic (Ritmo Extended Dub)
Laurent Garnier – Multiple Tributes (to multiple people, for multiple reasons)
Mystic State & Howl – Alocasia
Rainforest – Legacy
Photek – Closer
EI-B & Burial – Prophecy
Hyroglifics – Teflar
David Kochs – Heart Transplant
DKMA – Visitors
Hyroglifics & Lyza Jane – Hotwire
Mullos – Argentine Dawn
Bonobo – Age of Phase
Mystic State – Close 2 Me

 

2025, Ear & Drum Session, Melodic, Soulful

Ear & Drum: Session 298 – Souled Property

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Hitting up the soulful side of the crate this time around and there was a lot to choose from. On the northern side of things we have the LSB Remix of Culture Shock & Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaur – Back In Time, Dogger &. Dub Phizix feat. Liam Bailey – Hard Times and Dogger & DRS banger Let You Down.

Redeyes is back killing it with Tsuutina, Blue Flower and Satya all from his mini LP / EP The Light. Rufige Kru’s unexpectedly soulful People and Places from the Alpha Omega LP gets a rinse, as does a new Shy FX joint feat. Children of Zeus – On My Way which is very much appreciated. And I had too much fun running a remastered version of Kosheen – Hide U (Decoder & Substance 12″ Remix) in a set once again.

This really is just scratching the surface of the souled gold that is currently out there. Dig in.

Souled Property – 1hr of Soulful D&B

Culture Shock & Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaur – Back In Time (LSB Remix)
GLXY & Salo – Love Lost
Duoscience feat. Marya – Elevation
Submorphics, Zar & aya dia – Another Level Of Love (Trail Remix)
Redeyes – Tsuutina
Shy FX feat. Children of Zeus – On My Way (feat. Children of Zeus)
DAS, Vangeliez & D:Sign – Times Of Value
Dub Phizix – Circling The Sun (Extended Mix)
Halogenix &. Liam Bailey – Satisfy My Soul (Workforce & Leroy Horns Remix)
Rufige Kru – People and Places
Dogger &. Dub Phizix feat. Liam Bailey – Hard Times
Kosheen – Hide U (Decoder & Substance 12″ Remix)
Dub Phizix – Paper Planes
Eljer – Strip Back
GLXY, Duskee & Eljé – Settle
Redeyes – Blue Flower
Pablo Nouvelle – You Don’t Understand (Calibre Remix)
Eljer – Seventh Star
Mitekiss & Verbz – Spenny Henny
Technimatic & Lucy Kitchen – Looking For Diversion (Lenzman & Duskee Remix)
Anile & Mindstate – SnB
Need For Mirrors – Shangri-La
Dogger & DRS – Let You Down
Feijai – Let You Know
Redeyes – Satya
Technimatic – The Golden Section

2025, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

Ear & Drum: Session 297 – Stoplight Loosejaw

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A stoplight loosejaw is a variety of fish found in the depths of the ocean where light doesn’t reach, not a guy crossing the road in Shoreditch at 3am. These tracks are all from the deeper end of the D&B spectrum where the drums are stripped back and the bass is way down there.

Kicking things of right we have the 88 Katanas – Overdrive from the very tasty Silver Walk EP blended with Bailey’s killah Letter From Detroit out on SunANDBass. Mikal & Rio’s – Bamboo on Metalheadz is a fluttery b-line roller I can’t stop playing, and the same goes for the J:Kenzo remix of Halogenix, dEridge & Steve Spacek’s – Take me Away.

Mayhem from Creatures & DRS should be well known by now, but you might not know that London Elektricity has broken away from the hands in the air liquid for a moody roller called All On Top (ft. Conrad Subs & Genesis Elijah) on Metalheadz no less. Closing things out is Bungle’s new piece on 31 Recordings from his Aline EP which gives me solid Marcus Intalex vibes.

Stoplight Loosejaw – 1hr of Deep D&B

88 Katanas – Overdrive
Bailey – Letter From Detroit
Mikal & Riot – Bamboo
Halogenix, dBridge & Steve Spacek – Take Me Away (Mantra & J:Kenzo Remix)
Technical Itch – Endless Stars
Data – The Brink
Photek – The Forge
Conrad Subs – Radius
Rozzer – Disruptorr
Akinsa – Rastafari (Offish Remix)
K-Chaos – Arrowhead
Workforce & Bobble Johnson – Deep Ones
Acid Lab – Listen
Sustance – Cycles
Monroe – Last Verse
Creatures & DRS – Mayhem
London Elektricity – All On Top (ft. Conrad Subs & Genesis Elijah)
Bredren – Conflicted
Philth – The Fear (Dispatched 2024 VIP)
Eijer – Between The Gap
Bungle – Ordinary

2025, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Ear & Drum: Session 296 – Outer Sanctuary

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Liquid gets a bit of a bashing these days due to it’s diversity. Ranging from Calibre style soulfulness all the way through to full-blown stadium style fromage, it’s a broad church in terms of genres. But, that doesn’t stop the euphoric goods from dropping week in and out.

Artists such as Soul Connection, Furney, Mitekiss, Technimatic and Need for Mirrors are forever perfecting their sound and keeping the quality high. Carlito’s About You was released as the 100th drop on Marky’s label and still has that 2000s Innerground running vibe. Spearhead are another label celebrating their 20th year anniversary with Technimatic’s brilliant From Within. Bop released the best Hospital drop in ages with his killer Hypnotics EP from which I selected Cravings as my pick of the bunch. And V Recordings are still keeping it real with Fox and Sl8r’s Skull & Crosses EP featuring the anthemic Love What I Do.

Outer Sanctuary – 1hr of Liquid D&B

Koherent & Charli Brix – Voices
Soul Connection – Push Me to the Limit
Furney – Swanko
Carlito – About You
Shapeshifter – Lightspeed
Seba & Paradox – Move On
ALB & LOATIAL – Forgiveness
Mitekiss – Never Felt So
Sustance & Salo – Out The Storm
Soul Intent – No One Else
Technimatic – From Within
Bop – Cravings
Nelver & nCamargo – Aurora
Impish – Truth Is (Vinyl Version)
Fox & Sl8r – Skull & Crosses
MC Conrad – Lean Upwards
Fox & Sl8r – Love What I Do
Soul Connection – With You
Walker – Late Night Track (Instrumental)
Command Strange & Intelligent Manners – When I Get Home
Break feat. Lorna King – Wait For You (The Sauce Remix)
Need For Mirrors – Whales & World Peace
Technimatic – Inner Sanctuary
Break feat. Charli Brix – Lost (Break Remix)

Chill Out, Cross Genre, Deep D&B, Liquid D&B

14th Way (Yang)

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I missed doing one of these in 2024, so the 13th and 14th Way I did together, recorded in summer 2025.

This Way – the 14th Way – is Yang…more vigorous!…good for running, repetitive tasks, getting ready for…

Alwayz WilL: 14th Way

Mk.Gee – Dream Police
Thabo Tonick – Joy Boy
Nelson Freitas – Nightcrawler
Atmos Blaq – Mfana Wase Dobsi (Citizen Deep Edit)
Bongeziwe Mabandla – Sisahleleleni (Henrik Schwarz remix)
DJ Timbawolf – CRUSADE
Vanco, Muneyi – Khumbaya
Moa Anbessa feat Prince David – His Foundation
Dennis Brown – Want to be no General
Synkro – Different Sound
Calibre – Jump Around
Calibre – Wrong
Ruti – Lungs (Calibre Extended remix)
Reel By Real – Surkit (Calibre remix)
Commix – Backchat
Walk:r – Close to You
Wagz – Zzap!
Tyler Daly – Been Trying (Workforce remix)
Harmony – NY Soul
ASC – Nightvision
Tim Reaper – Monsoon Season
Mk.Gee – Are You Looking Up
Bungle – Twilight
Workforce feat Tyler Daly – Falling Down
LSB – PCT
Fantasia – When I See You
Shabaka – Breathing