Category Archives: Ear & Drum Session

2020, Ear & Drum Session, Jump Up, Jungle

Ear & Drum: Session 194 – Let’s Bounce

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Heading deep into the Jungle with this mix of old classics, sneaky remixes and new takes. Earl Grey & Dead Man’s Chest, Circa 96, Dwarde and Tim Reaper look after the new school tunes, while the older tracks are a veritable who’s who of Jungle with DJ Rap, Adam F, Foul Play, Nasty Habits and Aprodite. And that’s just for starters.

If you like your beats OG this mix will more than fit the bill.

Let’s Bounce – 1hr of Old & New School Jungle

DJ Monk – Dance Hall Style
ST Files – St Files Part 1.1 (Remix)
Aston – The Sign (Remix)
Earl Grey & Dead Man’s Chest – Fugitive Version
The Committee – Final Conflict (Tango Remix)
M.A.2. – Hearing is Believing (Remix)
DJ Rap – Rumble (Flapjack Remix)
Adam F – Lighter Style
Harmony – What a House
Foul Play – A.I. (The Last Ronin Remix)
Harmony – Just a Game
Nasty Habits – Technology
Lemon D – Jah Love (VIP Mix)
Aphrodite – Bass Lights (VIP Mix)
Dwarde & Time Reaper – So Strange
Harmony & Xtreme – Let Me In
Circa96 – Fantasy (Tim Reaper Remix)

2020, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Ear & Drum Session: 193 – Crazy Times

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We’re living in interesting times, and sometimes you need a little something to take your mind off things and just be.

That was the aim with this mix of soulful tunes full of catchy vocals and sweet melodies. It still rolls like a train, but it’s a smooth ride all the way to the station and easy to just stare out the window and enjoy the world passing by.

Crazy Times – 1hr of Smooth D&B

DRS, Dynamite MC & Etherwood
Villem & Leo Wood – We Had a Song
Redeyes – Changes.Illusions (Club Mix)
BCee & Charlotte Haining – The Hills
Duoscience – Lose the Touch
Low:r feat. Sixar – Social Mania
Duoscience – Attempts
PFM – Living Without You
BCee & Charlotte Haining feat. DRS – Love for the Fallen
DRS, Dynamite MC & DJ Marky – A Song for You
Artificial Intelligence feat. Satl – No Choice
Askel & Elere – Shy
Duoscience – Ironic
Patience – Ocean View
Redeyes feat [ K S R ] – A Thousand Times
Artificial Intelligence – Good Times
Phaction & Leo Wood – I Have You (Ill Truth Remix)
Duoscience – Sparta
Motiv – The Woman The Got Away
DRS, Dynamite MC & LSB – Adoration
Motiv – The Woman The Got Away (Tease)

2020, Ear & Drum Session

Ear & Drum Session: 192 – Bristol Cities

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The Bristol / Manchester sound is like nothing else in D&B. Full of ragga style vocals, dance hall style beats and vibes and yet quintessentially English. Sam Binga, Chimpo and to a lesser degree Om Unit exemplify the low-fi, down and dirty sound.

With its street style worn proudly on its sleeve, it one of those sounds that once you get into it you just want more.

Bristol Cities – A quick mix of Bristol Beats

Chimpo – 1996 (Illegal Remix)
Chimpo – Big Ed (Generation X Mix)
Sam Binga & Redders – Vandilero
Sam Binga & Rider Shafique feat. Tiffanie Malvo – Proud (Enei Remix)
Dub Phizix vs. Fixate – Babalugats
Chimpo – Good Love
DRS, Dynamic MC & DJ Zinc – Get Down
Dub Phizix & Strategy – Deh
Madcap – B-Boy
Sam Binga & Rider Shafique – Organic
Sam Binga & Halogenix – I’m an Adult
QZB feat. Rider Shafique – City On The Lock
Shy FX feat. Sinead Harnett – Too Shy (Breakage Remix)
Soul Intent & Ms Tempz – 2 Bad
Workforce – Your Moves

2020, Amen, Atmospheric, Ear & Drum Session, Melodic

Ear & Drum Session: 191 – Bring the Drums

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With Jungle being a hot property in D&B again, it’s easy to forget that Atmospheric D&B has been flying the Amen flag this whole time. With producers like Seba’s Secret Operations label and Eshaton’s Omni Music keeping the sound alive, Atmospheric D&B is better than ever. So much so we’re starting to see older producers like J Majik and ASC who moved away from the sound returning to their roots.

Backed up by established producers such as Bop, Duoscience and Greekboy the sound of rinsing Amens, lush pads and melodies and deep sub-bass is one that never seems to get tired.

Bring the Drums – 1hr of Atmospheric D&B

Blade – Unreleased
Anile – Earth & Mars
Seba – Nostalgia
Jrumhand – Intuition
ASC – Clear Skies
Rainforest – Villalongin
Bop – Memories
Seba – This is Our House
Circa96 – Cave Dweller
J Majik – Serenity
ASC – Moment of Truth
Eschaton & Future Engineers – Ascension
AwakenFM – Atlantis
Antony G – Getting Lost in Prague
Focus 2 – Nova Era (Alex DB Nu Old Skool Age Version)
Duoscience – Good to Be With (Recap)
Greekboy & Okee – Lands of the Unknown

2020, Chill Out, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Ear & Drum Session: 190 – Laid Back

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Chilled out Drum & Bass has hit another level in 2020 with artists like BCee, LSB, Redeyes and Etherwood blazing the trail. And vocal talents such as KSR, Charlotte Haining and Leo Wood backing them up in fine fashion. Even though these beats are laid back, they still manage to put a spring in your step and work the floor.

Laid Back – 1hr of Laid Back Beats

Redeyes feat. KSR – A Thousand Times
Askel & Elere – Shy
Hyroglifics – Best Of
Muffler – Snowflake VIP
Muffler – Black
Motiv – Overthinking
Mistrust feat. Leo Wood – Trickster
Scape – Spirit World (Soul Intents Spirit of Speed Remix)
Conrad Subs – Go It Alone
Reburf – Falling Apart
Mistrust – Only Ever You
The Upbeats & Shapeshifter – Uncharted (Workforce Remix)
T:Base – When I Fear (CSRV & TS Remix)
Charlotte Haining – Daydreamer (LSB Remix)
Emba, BCee & Philippa Hanna – Galaxy
BCee & Charlotte Haining – The Hills
BCee, Charlotte Haining & Etherwood – Little Bit Higher
Villem & Leo Wood – We Had a Song
Motiv – Reasons
Villem & Leo Wood – We Had a Song (Tease)

2020, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B, Tech Step

Ear & Drum Session: 189 – Out of Step

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Some of the first Tech Step tunes I got into were on compilations such as Sound of the Underground Record’s – Nu Skool Flava and Emotif Recordings’ – Tech Steppin. These were dark moody tunes full of Hip Hop samples and hard beats. While they weren’t the best tunes in terms of sound production, for raw energy and intent they still hold up today as some of the most upfront D&B tunes ever written.

This mix is dedication to SOUR, Emotif, Prototype and all the other labels who pushed the sounds of Elementz of Noize, Ed Rush, Trace, Ray Keith and all the other pioneers of the Tech Step sound that went on to influence D&B for decades afterwards.

Out of Step – 1.5hrs of classic Tech Step

DJ Trace – Mutant Revisited
Elementz of Noize – Hit The Deck
Dylan – Witchcraft
Shapeshifter – Talkin’ Mad Shit
Skyscraper – Liberty One
DJ Kane – The Way It Goes Down
Elementz of Noize – Mars Needs Women
DJ Trace – Jeamland ’96
Ray Keith – D4 Toxic Waste (Elementz of Noize Remix)
Skyscraper – The Difference
Click N’ Cycle – Trippin’ Tonic Remix (Tonic’s Re-Animated Mix)
TC Islam & The Alien 3 – Let The Bass Boom
T.Power – Amber (Shy FX Extended Version)
DJ Trace – Mid Town (Level II)
Ray Keith – D4 Toxic Waste
B.L.I.M. – Onza
Shapeshifter – Communicate With The World
Shapeshifter – Mass Hysteria
Freq Nasty -The Shadow
Microburst – Punkmutha

2020, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B

Ear & Drum Session: 187 & 188 – Sunshine One Day & Cloudy the Next

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These two mixes complimented each other when I made them so I’ve decided to put them up as a rare double post.

Sunshine One Day is an upbeat Liquid mix with a euphoric vibe. With tunes from Mitekiss, Bop and Duoscience it is just a straight up damn good time.

Cloudy the Next is another Liquid mix, but on a more subdued and chilled vibe featuring The Vanguard Project feat. DRS, Seba and Pacific. Still in the same territory as Sunshine, but definitely a little more introspective and laid back.

Sunshine One Day – 1hr of Upbeat Liquid D&B

Zero T – Jazz Tone
Keen – Fall Beneath You (feat. Etherwood)
Andy Skopes & Madcap – Part of Me
Alix Perez – Concrete
Mitekiss – Tonic
Style – Apology
Break & Kyo – The Edge of Time (Workforce Remix)
Adred & Jamal – Complicated (feat. Christina Tamayo)
QZB – Take it All (feat. Charli Brix)
Bop – Insight
Malaky – Believe
Radias – Whirlpool
Sili – In The Mood
Duoscience – Memorial
Jakart & KD – Atman
Smote – Without You (feat. T:Base)
Subdue – All Your Reason
Vice, Charlotte Haining & Etherwood – Little Bit Lighter

Cloudy the Next – 1hr of Laid Back Liquid D&B

The Vanguard Project feat. DRS – Everyday Is Stolen
Hiraeth – All This Time
Invaderhertz – Your Love
Mystific – Atlantic Desire
Whiney – No Good
Mistrust – Only Ever You
Hiraeth feat Critical Event – Hold On To Me
The Upbeats & Shapeshifter – Uncharted (Workforce Remix)
Reburf – We Could Be
A Sides feat. MC Fats – Arctic
Seba – Chebourashka
Pacific – Divinity
Get & Joshua – Sun Shining
Whiney – November
London Grammar – If You Wait (Long Enough You’ll Get the Calibre Remix)
Alix Perez – Concrete
Cyber Posix & Valiant Emcee feat. Trac – Never Too Late
Shy FX, Chronixx & Jvck James – Bye Bye Bye (S.P.Y. Remix)

2020, Atmospheric, Chill Out, Ear & Drum Session, Melodic

Ear & Drum Session: 186 – The Vibe

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Harking back to the days of proper Atmospheric D&B this mix is a combination of stone cold, but lesser known, classics and modern day takes on the sound from the likes of Acid_Lab and Scape.

Featuring a lot of the early D&B best Atmospheric production talent such as DJ Pulse, Tango, DJ Harmony and Source Direct, I’ve tried to dig out remixes and different cuts of their classic tunes.

A BIG shout out to Andy Odysee and his imprint Odysee Recordings for keeping this sound alive in 2020 and for all the excellent mixes Andy himself has put together of this kind of stuff. It’s great that it is still being put out there for future generations to discover. Respect.

The Vibe – 1.5hrs of Atmospheric D&B

Tango – Revelations (Essence of Aura Remix)
Nasty Habits – Chillin Out (Deleted Mix)
Jazz Juice – Detroit (DJ Lee ’97 Remix)
DJ Pulse – New York
Sub Sequence – Drummin’ Space
DJ Harmony – Let Me In (Adam F Remix)
Harmony – What A House
Harmony & Xtreme – Watch This (Remix)
Dub Technicians – Icognito (Rollers Mix)
Scape – Spirit World (Soul Intents Spirit of Speed Remix)
Acid_Lab – Guess Who’s Back
Source Direct – Different Groove
The Dominion – Blue (Chapter 2 Remix)
Universal Love – Together (Ryder’s Dream 132 Mix)
Acetate – Ray of Sun
Forme – New Element
Austin – High Speed (Deep Down Mix)
The Dominion – Fusion (Rhyder’s Dream 103 Remix)
Photek – The Rain (Photek Remix)

2020, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B

Ear & Drum Session: 185 – Rabbit Whole

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Heading back out to the depths with this mix of minimal and deep D&B. This style seems to be slowing down a little in terms of output, but the quality is still all there with artists like Anile, Shinbu and Mako still blazing a trail of stripped back beats and low sub-bass.

It’s also interesting to note that older producers know for completely different styles like Carl Cox and Dom & Roland are chipping in with their own unique take on the sound. Shouts once again to Thermal for his Black Dog Remix of Heitor Leal Farnese’s – E näo foi à lápis.

Rabbit Whole – 1hr of Deep & Minimal D&B

Hexa – Solitude
Anile – U No who U R
M-Zine – Skulk
Digital – Robber VIP
Enei feat. Charli Brix – Just One Look
Shinbu – Sleep Box VIP
Sedax – Subframe
Mako – Flip It
Particle – Camberwell
Melinki & Trex – Listen
Ray Keith – Renegade (T>I Minimal Remix)
Shinbu – Traitors VIP
OZB feat. Rider Shafique – City on the Look
Brain & Zerozero – Electronic Music
Spinline – Brighton
Russell Small – It Is What It Is (Bad Ass Disco) Carl Cox Remix
Ricky Force – What’s Up
Workforce – Your Moves
Rohaan & Tek Genesis – People of Eve
Dom & Roland – A Broken Heart
Heitor Leal Farnese – E näo foi à lápis (Thermal’s Black Dog Remix)

2020, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B

Ear & Drum Session: 184 – After Dark

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Liquid D&B has been so solid this year it really is a genre I can’t stop mixing. The warm but deep, solid b-lines, sublime melodies and vocal hooks have taken D&B by storm in 2020.

Producers who have had long term underground success with the sound like Alix Perez, Nelver and Rowpieces are now definitely getting some more mainstream recognition. Plus we are seeing other ‘big name’ producers like Shy FX, S.P.Y. and Breakage successfully switching their sound to a more liquid style.

This mix encompasses some of the best Liquid tunes from the first half of the year and rolls them into a solid hour.

After Dark – 1hr+ of Liquid Bangers from 2020

Alix Perez – Concrete
Monrroe feat. Sydney – As I Fall
Enei feat. Charlie Brix – Just One Look
Shy FX feat. Chronixx & Jvck James – Bye Bye Bye (Spy Remix)
Keeno – Equinox
Nelver & Aperio – Constellations
Pacific – Dust
London Grammar – If You Wait (Long Enough You’ll Get the Calibre Remix)
Bronski – Hype
A-Sides – Follower
Duoscience – SpaceX
Mollie Collins & Y-Zer – Try More
A-Sides feat. MC Fats – Arctic
Emba & DRS – Move Steady
Rowpieces – The Storm is Here
Phaction – The Fall
Nelver – Start Key
Resound – Bouge Bass
Shy FX feat Sinead Harnett – Too Shy (Breakage Remix)
Frederic Robinson – Skip
Koherent – Close to Me
The Outsiders feat. Ida – Run Away