Category Archives: All Label Mix

2024, All Label Mix, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Ear & Drum: Session 277 – Hard Fokuz

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Continuing on with the 25th anniversary celebration of Fokuz Recordings, this set focuses (excuse the pun) on the harder edged sound that most wouldn’t associate with the label. Just one look at the tracklist shows that these aren’t the usual suspects on the Fokuz roster. S.P.Y, dBridge, Bipolar and Akuratyde all bring the heat along with Tony Anthem (feat. Doktor) with the monstrous Gunmen & Specimen A remix of Tears Of Mine show that Fokuz can thrown down with the best of them when they want to.

Hard Fokuz – 1hr of Hard Edged Fokuz Recordings

Bipolar – State of Play
Macca & Loz Contreras – Against The Wall (FD Remix)
Macca & Melinki – Ok
Monika & Akuratyde – Amber
Grof & Macca – Like That
Sikey & Speedwagon – Conquer
Anthony Kasper – Departure (Technimatic Remix)
Humanature & Induktiv – Paroxysm
Air.K & Cephei – Desire (Break Remix)
Macca & Loz Contreras – Always Yours (S.P.Y. Remix)
T:Base – When I Fear (Who I Am)
Tony Anthem (feat. Doktor) – Tears Of Mine (Gunmen & Specimen A Remix)
Madcap – Real Love
Hobzee – Don’t Go
Monika & Akuratyde – We Breathe (feat. Oktae)
Facing Jinx & Peta Oneir – Meet You There (dBridge Remix)

2024, All Label Mix, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Ear & Drum: Session 276 – Soft Fokuz

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Ever since they came into play back in 1999, Fokuz Recordings has been a mecca for great Liquid D&B. I was already a big fan of sister labels Celsius and the harder edged Citrus Recordings, but Dreazz’ took it to a new level with Fokuz through an output most labels simply couldn’t to keep up with. Discogs counts 757 releases in the 25 years the label has been rolling and while that is a huge quantity, it’s the consistent quality and diversity that has kept me hooked on Fokuz down the years.

Having recently released their 25 year compilation In:Fokuz, I thought it was high time I took to the decks and put together my version of the ‘best of’ Fokuz tunes I’ve supported down the years. Looking at the tracklist you’ll see a who’s who of Liquid D&B including Seba, The Vanguard Project, BCee, Lenzman and Random Movement. But it’s the lesser know artists that Fokuz released that really shine and make the label so exciting. I’ve discovered so many new artists down the years thanks to the label and for that I am truly grateful.

Happy 25th Fokuz, and here’s to the next 25!

Just a heads up, this is part one of a two part series. I’ll follow this up with a mix of the harder edged releases a little later on.

Soft Fokuz – 2hrs of Liquid D&B on Fokuz Recordings

The Vanguard Project – Daredevil
Nelver – White Clouds
Macca & Loz Contreras – Against The Wall (FD Remix)
Surreal – Riding Out
WUFO – Call Back
Atlantic Connection – Fathom (feat. Faith)
Cnof – You The One
Leo Wood – Perfect Imperfection (Feat. Reflektor)
The Vanguard Project – Flying Away
Seba & JR Vallo – Second Path
Seba – Sweet Magnolia (feat. Jenna G)
Monument Banks – Tidy Mind
Smote & Blazil MC – I Can Show You
Joakulm – 8am Roller
The Vanguard Project & Pat Fulgoni – Still Together
Unknown Artist – Sweetest Taboo
Malaky – Belleve
Sub:liminal, Minos & Cardia- Future Lines
Low:r – Social Mania (feat. Sixar)
T:Base – Is It True
BCee – The Garden
Monument Banks – Loop Thinking
Satl – Forward Thinking (Calibre Remix)
Unknown Artist – This Summer
Hiraeth – Hold On To Me ft. Critical Event
Macca, Loz Contreras & Critical Event – Snow
Smote – Just Come Back
Switch & Icicle – Ur in My Head
Facing Jinx – Time
Emery, Mackadena & Dreazz – Too Fly
The Vanguard Project – Sundance
Random Movement – I Stayed Around (Lenzman Reinterpretation)
Phil Tangent – Giving Up The Ghost
Lenzman – Re-Thinkable
Impish – With You (Calibre
Lenzman – The Worst
Edlan – Lone Pine (Instrumental)
Operator Unknown & Leo Wood – Who

2024, All Label Mix, Ambient, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session

Ear & Drum: Session 269 – Call the Ambience 19: The Chikara Ward

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I stumbled across The Chikara Project at the end of ’22, and fell down the rabbit hole in ’23. Pretty much every release of Mystic State’s has something to draw me in. As a production duo they are obviously talented, but as a label they incredible. Adding artists like HAIDA, Marenn Sukie, Deviant, Levrige and Brainwork to really up the ante.

There is something infectious in the The Chikara Project’s ability to be chill and ambient, but add enough grit to get you nodding your head and moving. The bass is warm but huge, the beats are tight and the vibe is there. There isn’t enough of this sound in D&B, but at least Mystic State are holding it down. Respect.

Call the Ambience 19: The Chikara Ward – 1hr of Chilled out D&B

Mystic State – One For You
Mystic State – Dreamscapes
Mystic State – Light Of Day feat. Marenn Sukle
Mystic State – Solva feat. Alicia Kiah
Mystic State & Marenn Sukie – This Time
Mystic State feat. Congi – Too Late (Captivate Remix)
HAIDA – Don’t Need A Title (Mystic State Remix)
Marenn Sukie – That Time
Mystic State & Marenn Sukie – Find Your Way
Mystic State – Retaliate
Deviant – Always
Marenn Sukie – Never Hurt U (Mystic State Remix)
Brainwork – Felt Your Touch
Mystic State – We Can Help Each Other
Mystic State – Right Here
Marenn Sukle – Never Hurt U
Brainwork & mriml – Grey
Mystic State – Expectations
Levrige & Mystic State – Undercurrent

2022, All Label Mix, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B, Tech Step

Ear & Drum: Session 236 – Reprint

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From 97-03 Stakka and Skynet’s Audio Blueprint label took the Tech Step sound of drum & bass and infused it with faster skittering drums, arcing b-lines and a little Techno magic to create what ended up being the blueprint for Neurofunk. While Nuero ended up becoming a formulaic dead-end in a lot of respects by the end of the 2000s, the pioneering sounds of Audio Blueprint at the time was fresh and exciting.

Audio Blueprint ended up with an enviable stable of producers such as Psion, Arcane, Kemal & Rob Data, Skinny & Lynx and the mighty Gridlock. Many of these went on to have long and respected careers in D&B, but it was Stakka & Skynet themselves who really blazed the trail for the sound. Audio Blueprint (and its sister label Underfire Records) were unique with a sound that is seeing a revival today as new artists look back to what truly ended up being an Audio Blueprint for tech-infused D&B.

Reprint – 1.5hrs of Audio Blueprint

Zerolux – Micro Burst
Stakka & Skynet – Logistics
Psion – Reverse Engineering
Stakka & K.Tee – Jagged Edge
Sublogics – U Know (Remix)
Stakka & Skynet – S4
Stakka & Skynet – Voyager
Psion – Rising Tides
Stakka & Skynet – Molecular
Stakka & Skynet – Nova Soils
Stakka & Skynet – Pathogen
Stakka & K.Tee – Territorial
Arcane – Implant
Kemal & Rob Data – Hybrid
Skinny & Lynx – Melting Pot
Sublogics – Void
Stakka & Skynet – Amorphia
Stakka & Skynet – Amorphia (Remix)
Stakka & Skynet – MK Ultra
Stakka & Skynet – Subterranean
Gridlock – The Search
Gridlock – Horizon

2018, All Label Mix, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Melodic

Call the Ambience 13: Mindfulness – Ear & Drum Session 152

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It’s been an absolute age since I’ve done a mix profiling a single label, but Dutch label Scientific is definitely deserving. All the tunes you’ll find here are from their exquisite compilation series ‘Chilling on the Couch’ which as you have probably guessed are full of Chilled out D&B of the highest quality.

Scientific pull in some big names such as Bungle, Mav and Nuage but they have an impressive roster of off the radar artists too such as Mobility, Seathasky, Oscallist, PLK and Physical Illusion. Between the first 3 ‘Chilling on the Couch’ compilations there is so much wonderfully laid back D&B that I heartily encourage anyone who enjoys this mix to seek them out as this really is just scratching the surface of what this amazing label has to offer.

Enjoy this float through the world of Scientific.

Call The Ambience 13: Mindfulness – 1hr+ of Ambient D&B

Halo – E X I T
Seathasky – Something More
Seathasky – Beauty Made In Small Pieces
Mobility – Sunrays Through Rain
Mobility – Fully Interlocking (fat. Dana)
Bungle – Lights
Kron – Microcosmos
N4m3 – Tomorrow
Mav – Skylines (Inertia Remix)
PLK – Her Side
Physical Illusion – Ascent into Orbit
Nuage – Inspire Me (feat. Veronique J)
Naibu – Fighting for Attention (Microfunk Crew Remix)
Oscillist – Sable
Readsense & FlashbackFM – Take Me Away
Bungle – Concession
May & Saigon Empire – From Here to Eternity

2017, All Artist Mix, All Label Mix, Ear & Drum Session, Jump Up, Jungle, Old Skool, Rave

Tru Jungle & Phat Playaz – Ear & Drum Sessions 131 & 132

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Welcome to the Ear & Drum’s first double post representing the influential and legendary sound of DJ Hype’s and his seminal label Tru Playaz.

Few labels, if any, have had as many anthems and hits as Tru Playaz. With a roster of incredible production talent like Zinc, Pascal, Swift and DJ Hype himself Playaz owned jungle and jump up through the 90s.

Tru Jungle looks at Hype and Playaz Jungle output from 92-96 and Phat Playaz continues on from 97-00 and is more of a Jump Up selection. These are straight up good times tunes made to get your head nodding and your feet moving and if you don’t recognise any of these tunes then you probably missed the 90s altogether.

6 Million Ways to Die, Rrroll the Beats, The Chopper, We Must Unite, Going Out for the Loot – DJ Hype was on fire during the early days of Jungle not just as a producer but as one of the scenes best DJs as well. Add to that his teaming up with Pascal & Zinc to form the Ganja Kru and you get jungle hit after hit.

Tru Jungle – 1hr of Tru Playaz Jungle Classics

DJ Hype – Weird Energy (Hells Bells Mix)
Uncle 22 – 6 Million Ways to Die (DJ Hype Remix)
DJ Hype – Dreams
Fallen Angels – Hello Lover (DJ Hype Remix)
DJ Hype – Mash Up the Place
DJ Hype – Dawn of the Fever
Hardware – Lix
Hardware – Dreamin’ of You
DJ Hype – Rrroll the Beats
DJ Hype – Rrroll the Beats Remix
DJ Hype – The Chopper (Jonny Jungle Remix)
Ganja Kru – Going Out for the Loot
DJ Hype – We Must Unite
Rude Boy Monty – Steppa’s Anthem (Linerz Mix)
Pascal – Tru Grit
Ganja Kru – Computerised Cops (Pascal’s Mix)
Hmp – Runin’s (Origin Unknown Remix)
P-Funk – Skinz
P-Funk – P-Funk Era
DJ Zinc – The Source

These days Jump Up is a dirty word to most D&B lovers, but back in the day it was THE premier dance floor filler and Tru Playaz were the kings of the dance. You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing tunes like Peace, Love and Unity, Super Sharp Shooter, Reach Out or the insanely catchy Fugees bootleg Fugees or Not.

This isn’t music to sit back and stroke your beard to. These are leave your beer on the bar as you tear through the crowd to jump around on the floor like a mad fish tunes. Straight up pure fun and phat bouncing b-lines.

Phat Playaz – 1hr of Tru Playaz Jump Up Anthems

DJ Hype – True Playa’z Anthem
Yankee B – Mucho Dinero (Ganja Kru Remix)
Dope Skills – 6 Million Ways (Remix 1)
DJ Zinc – Toothbrush
DJ Hype – Peace, Love and Unity (feat MC Fats)
Freestyles – Musically Dope (Ganja Kru Remix)
Pascal – Favours
Ganja Kru – Magic
Ganja Kru feat. Rude Boy Monty – Gone are the Days
P-Funk – P-Funk Era (Zinc Remix)
Ganja Kru – Plague that Never Ends
DJ Hype – Only One Life (Ganja Kru Remix)
DJ Zinc feat. MC GQ – Bring the Dancer
DJ Hype – Closer to God
DJ Swift – 2nd Strike
DJ Zinc – Fugees or Not
DJ Zinc – Reach Out (Remix)
DJ Zinc – Super Sharp Shooter (Short & Sharp Mix)
Tribe of Issachar (feat. Peter Bouncer) – Junglist (DJ Zinc Remix)

2017, All Label Mix, Ear & Drum Session, Old Skool

Partisan Support – Ear & Drum Session 125

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Partisan Recordings are one of the forgotten heroes of D&B labels. Only exisiting between 1998-99, the quality of their output and exceptional artist roster put them right up there with Metalheadz and Moving Shadow.

Artists such as Foul Play, Future Engineers, Perfect Combination, Justice, Total Science and Underwolves released some of their best work on the label. Plus remixes by the likes of Matrix, Omni Trio, Dom & Roland and Flytronix (to name a few), meant that Partisan had some of the hottest D&B talent at the time.

It’s taken me decades to track down enough of their releases to put together this mix, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did piecing it together.

Partisan Support – 1hr of Partisan Recordings

Foul Play – Destiny (feat. Shereen)
K.M.C. – Space Echo
Future Engineers – Life Support
Banaczech – Ipcress File
Foul Play – Risk (feat. Shereen)
Future Engineers – Life Support (Neil Trix Remix)
Justice – Mauve Flow (Matrix Remix)
Jazz Cartel – Contact
Future Engineers – Simulations
Foul Play – Synthetic Bitch (Omni Tri Remix)
Future Engineers – Cerulean Seas
System 4 – Black Cell
Free4orm – D-Fusion Pt.3
Future Engineers – Closed Circuit
Underwolves – Redeemer

2016, All Label Mix

Headz Will Roll – Ear & Drum Session 116

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Metalheadz have done more to shape Drum & Bass than just about any other record label. Goldie’s label pretty much nailed it from their first release in 1995 and just kept on bringing the goods. The ability to maintain a unique Metalheadz sound whilst constantly innovating has seen them outlast just about all of their rivals from back in the day.

That innovation continues today with artists like Om Unit, Lenzman and Artificial Intelligence all releasing albums that pushing Drum & Bass in new directions whilst keeping the integrity of the Metalheadz sound intact.

This is a selection of newer Headz material that travels from the melodic and beautiful to the dark and intense future sound the label has always pushed. To Goldie and all those who have contributed to Metalheadz down the years, respect.

Headz Will Roll – 1.5hrs of Metalheadz

Artificial Intelligence – Scrolls (feat. Dawn Wall)
Lenzman – Golden Age (feat. Steo)
Om Unit – The Hand
Grooverider – The Avenger
Mikal – When the Wind Changes
SB81 – Negatives
SCar – Free Fall (feat. Artificial Intelligence)
Artificial Intelligence – Pass the Buck (feat. DRS)
Lenzman – My Tearz (Ulterior Motive Remix)
Lenzman – Lazy Dub (Zero T Remix)
Lenzman – Move & Focus (Submorphics Remix)
Halogenix – All Blue (feat. Cleveland Watkiss)
Lenzman – Starz (LSB Remix)
Om Unit – Touching Down (feat. Cleveland Watkiss)
Om Unit – Grey Skies Over Chicago
Artificial Intelligence – Time Out
Goldie – Broken Man (Halogenix Remix)
Halogenix – Beyond the Bounds
Klute – Westernize
Mikal – At the Controls (feat. Xtrah)
Scar – Return to Swerve
Artificial Intelligence – What You Had (Lenzman Remix)
Artificial Intelligence – Justify (feat. Terri Walker)
Lenzman – Got My Mind Made Up
Lenzman – Just Can’t Take (dBridge Remix)
Scar – Runaway
Artificial Intelligence – Fallen (feat. Dawn Wall)
Mako – Te Gap (feat. Fields)
Om Unit – Layers
Digital & Spirit – Mosquito
Halogenix – Paper Sword
Lenzman – Golden Age (Full Vocal Mix)
Om Unit – Parallel

All Label Mix, Ear & Drum Session, Intelligent, Melodic

Shadow Wax 7: 1996 Chilled Intelligence Part 2 – Ear & Drum Session 84

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The next installment of the Shadow Wax series sees 1996 era EZ Rollers, Flytronix, JMJ & Ritchie, PFM, Omni Trio, Blame, Aquasky & Carlito all in a single mix. Quality tunes made by quality producers from D&B’s best quality era.

Shadow Wax 7: 1996 Chilled Intelligence – 1hr of Moving Shadow

EZ Rollers – Droppin’ Science Pt2 (EZ Remix)
Flytronix & JMJ – In Too Deep
Universal – Altitude
PFM – Language of Love
JMJ – Gravitational Pull
Omni Trio – The Elemental
JMJ & Ritchie – True Colours
Omni Trio – Trippin’ on Broken Beats (Carlito Mix)
Omni Trio – Soul of Darkness (Promenade 96 Rollout)
PFM – The Eleventh Hour
Omni Trio – Serpent Navigators
Blame – Neptune
Aquasky – Tranquility (Big Bud Remix)
Carlito – Cascade
Omni Trio – Who Are You? (Aquasky Remix)

2012, All Label Mix, Ear & Drum Session

Hyper Critical – Ear & Drum Session 83

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It’s been a long time since I’ve done an all label mix here on the the Ear & Drum, but I figured it was high time to give one of my favourite labels a spin. Ever since their original releases Critical Recordings has always been on of those labels you could rely on to put out interesting and well produced music. Brainchild of the ever present Kasra, the label’s exceptional quality control and cutting edge producer roster has seen it become one of D&B true modern day success stories. Even when vinyl labels were dropping like flies a few years back, Critical has managed to not only survive but grow stronger in the face of adversity.

Having seen such producers as Vectorburn, Mathematics, Ill Skillz, Calibre, Breakage, Chris SU, Bungle, Silent Witness, Icicle, Spectrasoul, Break, Rockwell, Stray, Sabre & Enei all put out quality tracks on the label, their stable list reads like a who’s who of modern D&B production. This mix covers the last 2 years of output from the label, but if your are interested in catching up on the back catalogue then I strongly suggest you look into purchasing their recently released Critical X compilation which celebrates the best releases from the past ten years.

Hyper Critical – 1hr of Critical Recordings

Rockwell – Underpass
Sabre, Stray & Halogenix – Oblique
Seba & Paradox – The Light
Bladerunner – Back to the Jungle
Enei & MC DRS – Obsession (Foreign Concept Remix)
Enei feat. Eastcolours – 2012
Enei feat. Kemo – Saligia
Kasra & Enei – So Real
Dub Phizix feat. Fox – Never Been
Calibre – Smooth Baby
Sabre & Riya – Injustice
Foreign Concept & Riya – Affliction
Enei & MC DRS – Obsession
Kasra & Jubei – the Rift
Lenzman – More Than I Can Take (Enei Remix)