I don’t often dip into the heavier side of D&B, but always enjoy it when I do. With old classics being remixed like Benny L’s remix of Dark Soldier and T>I’s Minimal VIP of Ray Kieth’s – Renegade, plus new drops from the likes of Adred on Metalheadz, A-Sides and Amon Tobin and Double Click’s – Two Fingers project there is plenty in here to be happy about.
Special shout out to Thermal for his Black Dog Remix of Heitor Leal Farnese – E näo foi à lápis. Remixes don’t come much more obscure, or tougher than this. Thanks for thinking of me.
Step in the 90s was all about rugged and raw beats and bass smashing through the speakers. But is also had it’s lesser know deeper and moodier sound that was being pushed by pioneers like Tonic, T-Power and to a lesser degree Ed Rush.
This was Tech Step with long, creeping b-lines and beats that had the odd high passed Amen threaded through it to give a more atmospheric take on the 2-step machine music.
Some of these tunes are my all time favourites from an era that was full of incredible Tech Step based D&B. From Tonic’s Renegade and Outcast, to B.L.I.M.’s Their Culture, to Purple Kola’s menacing The Thing — this is 90’s Tech Step done right.
Tonic – Renegade Doc Scott – Machines Genetic – Implants T-Power – 33rd Parallel Tonic – Outcast The Anger – Footlose Tonic – Renegade Phazed Ed Rush – Check Me Out B.L.I.M. – Their Culture Rescale – The Vision Urbanites – Transend Purple Kola – The Thing T-Power – Symbiosis DJ Nomad Vs. DaHeadbanger – Lord of the Rings
Back on the Liquid roller tip, this really is a genre that has come into its own. The groove and funk crafted into tunes by the likes of Furney, Workforce, Lenzman and their contemporaries is nothing short of amazing. And it is hard not smile and move when you here these tunes.
Special shout out to the classic combo of A Sides feat. MC Fats who tune Arctic could quite possibly be my pick for tune of the year.
Sunchase – Why We Are Here (I Wannabe Remix) Larigold – Half a Wonder Furney – Haze Senpai – Atlantis 2046 Seba – Lviv Calibre – Years Nu:Tone – The Moment feat. Lea Lea Bop & Unquote – Drifting Away Seba – Chebourashka Mako – Holding You Radical – Without a Word (I Wannabe Remix) Workforce – In the Throws Villem, McLeod & MC Fats – Perfect Solution (Black Barrel Remix) Altitude – Wounded A Sides feat. MC Fats – Arctic Calibre – Sense Soirée GLXY – Falling Miss Redflower – Conundrum Senpai – Hypersleep Lenzman & IAMDDB – In My Mind (Break Remix) mSdoS – Dissappointments
I have always been a huge fan of Teebee’s early works on Certificate 18 and later on his own Subtitles imprint. Teebee recently went on a remastering rampage on his entire back catalogue of early LPs, EPs and 12″s all of which can be found on his Subtitle’s Bandcamp – https://subtitlesmusic.bandcamp.com/
To say I was pleased is an understatement. I pretty much own most of these tracks on vinyl already, but was more than happy to pony up again for the digital remasters because there is just so much great music in this man’s back catalogue. From singalong R&B bootlegs to dark, brooding techstep monsters one thing Teebee’s early work has is serious funk.
If you are feeling any of the tunes you hear in this mix please do the right thing and purchase them for yourself. They are cheaper than ever and have never sounded so good.
Heading back out into deeper waters with this mix of moody and minimal sounds. D&B is all about setting a mood, so this seems fitting for the times.
The whole thing starts and finishes with Dom & Roland who’s latest album, Lost in the Moment, is a much deeper and pensive affair than his usual style. Other standouts are Dub Phizix & Strategy making a return with their signature sound on Deh, new comer Jolliffe with Time Please and Creep in the Dark and Breakbeat luminary Decline going back to his D&B roots with Crossover.
I’d like to send a thought and prayer out to all those currently in the war zone that is the USA. Stay safe, be the change you want to see and know things are always darkest just before the dawn. #blacklivesmatter
Dom & Roland – State of the Art Oliver York – Treasured Entire – Taura Moresounds – Flocon T>I – Foot Drop Dub Phizix & Strategy – Deh Atlantic Connection – Gravity Dom & Roland – Binary Star Jolliffe – Time Please (feat. Jake Blake) Contact Lost – Vector Jolliffe – Creep in the Dark (feat. Ad-Apt) Adred feat. Robert Manos – Flesh Wounds Fetus – Dirty Air Rockwell – Vent Decline – Crossover Adred – Sci-Fi Acid_Lab – Instinct Dom & Roland – A Broken Heart
Part two of a series focusing on classic 2-Step and Techstep tracks from back in the day. This time we’re heading into the late 90s early 00s sound with such luminaries as Boymerang, Reprezent, Nasty Habits, Ed Rush & Nico, Jonny L and more!
This really is a who’s who of the turn of the millennium 2-step sound. This mix is designed to keep you bouncing around the house until it’s safe to go outside again. Enjoy!
Boymerang – Soul Beat Runner Ink – Ice Age Outfit – New York Dillinja – Hard Noise The JB – Say What (The Blind Man) Reprezent – Share the Fall (Grooverider’s Jeep Style Mix) Phobia – Clean Break Scorpio – Trouble DJ Krust – Warhead Nasty Habits – Prototyped Ed Rush & Nico – The Force is Electric Ed Rush & Nico – What’s Up (Alternative Mix) Desired State – Invasion Jonny L – Moving Thru Air Future Forces Inc. – Point of Origin Technical Itch – The Dreamer (Future Forces Remix) Flatliner & DJ Freedom – Deeper Levels (Remix) Marcus Intalex & ST Files – How You Make Me Feel
I built this mix around The Vanguard Project’s self titled debut LP which has so many great tunes on it that I simply couldn’t resist. Spearhead label boss, BCee and Villem’s collaborative project has yielded a bunch of great music down the years and this LP with 12 new tracks and 14 older cuts is living proof just how fruitful the team up has been.
On top of this we have some smashing remixes like Monrroe’s take on BCee’s – Little Bird, Bop’s twist on Come Together by Camo & Krooked and Pacific’s cheeky bootleg of Blinding Lights by The Weeknd. I also thought I’d throw in J Majik’s classic Love is Not a Game just for kicks.
BCee – Little Bird (Monrroe Remix) FX909 – Stay Focus The Vanguard Project – Stitches (feat. Jemimah Read) Level 2 – Conquest VIP The Weeknd – Blinding Lights (Pacific Remix) Camo & Krooked – Come Together (Bop Remix) Submorphics – Luminosity The Vanguard Project – All this Time Carlito & Addiction – Hellas Edlan, Djah & Smote – Heathen (Give Me More) The Vanguard Project – Driftwood Low:r – Social Mania (feat. Sixar) The Vanguard Project – All That I Need (feat. Pat Fulgoni) Villem, McLeod & MC Fats – Perfect Solution (Black Barrel Remix) Soul Connection – Smooth N Groove Jay Dubz – Lily Louisa The Vanguard Project – Everyday is Stolen (feat. DRS) The Vanguard Project – U MAKE ME FEEL Dexel & Charli Brix – Speechless J Majik – Love is Not a Game (Original Radio Edit)
Part three of my Flight 96 series where I pull out some rare and lesser heard tunes from D&B golden era of 1996. This time around we’re heading into pure D&B territory. In 96′ D&B was only just starting to come together as its own genre, with jungle and hardcore still being played at the same parties and raves.
In this mix we have some lesser heard remixes of classics like Goldie’s ‘Angel’ (also called Saint Angel) twisted by Peshay in his Back From Nam Remix or Skylab’s The Trip amazing rework by Roni Size!
We also have a heap of tunes that either didn’t get a full release or were very limited in release from some of the scenes biggest names like Omni Trio, T.Power and Source Direct. Plus a bunch of producers I’d never heard of like Vert, Paolo and Scissor Hands. This one is going to be quite the ride.
Vert – Hole Tone Java Hyper-On Experience – Disturbance (Tango Remix) Goldie – Angel (Peshay Back From Nam Remix) Boymerang – Blue Notes L Double & Younghead – New Style Paolo – Vinyl Frontier Roni Size & Represent – Natural Thing Plug – Snapping Fuss Skylab – The Trip (Roni Size Remix) Spring Heel Jack – Galapagos II MC Fats – Don’t Take the Shit Johnnie Blaze – Strumming Dubs (VIP Mix) Scissor Hands – Dirty Call Skycutter – Independence Day Source Direct – Call & Response Underground Beat Movement – Check Dis T.Power – Tama Trafalgar – Radio Macho (Adrenalin Dub) Omni Trio – Red Rain
Liquid D&B is on an absolute roll at the moment with beautiful tunes being dropped week aft6er week by some of the scenes most talented producers. This mix focuses around one of liquid’s brightest, Furney and his new Night Life LP on Soul Deep Exclusives. I first came across Furney back in 2008 when he was collaborating with Utah Jazz and he has gone on to produce an envious catalogue of music at a rate most producers can’t match.
Also in the mix is the sampler for GLXY’s much anticipated Research & Development LP, She Sings for Me with MC of the moment DRS. Plus new drops from Ear & Drum favourites Etherwood, Mitekiss and Nu:Tone.
GLXY – She Sings for Me feat. DRS Furney – Dreams & Wishes Furney – West Central Street The Upbeats & Shapeshifter – Aotea Toez – The World’s End Submorphics – Daydreaming feat. Big Brooklyn Red London Grammar – If You Wait (Long Enough You’ll Get the Calibre Remix) Furney – Alone Nu:Tone – The Moment feat. Lea Lea Levite – Free Bird DRS & Dynamite MC – Fix It All feat. London Elektricity Mitekiss – Something Real feat. Ruth Corey Rowpieces – New Crib (Rough Version) Soul Connection – Smooth & Groove Toez – Ecstasy Music BCee & Leo Wood – Sincerely Yours (Whiney Remix) Jay Dubs – Lily Lousia Etherwood – American Fruity GLXY – She Sings for Me feat. DRS (Tease)
Hard times call for hard tunes and this mix is full of new heavy hitters designed to make you pogo around your lounge room.
Shouts to Kings of the Rollers, Work Force and all the other producers keeping me sane during the lock down. Special shout out to Thermal and Boredome from DOA for the free tunes. keep up the great work.
Naibu – Use of Weapons (Fracture & Neptune Astrophonica Remix) Rene LeVive & Future Cut – Deeandbee L Plus – The Planet Boredome – Rush Hour Survey – Far Gone Seba & Jr Vallo – Wasabi DLR feat. M-zine & Scepticz – Still Alive Madcap – B-Boy Klute – Broadside Rene LeVive & Future Cut – Eyes Jaybee, Dave Owen & D-Lo – SXSW (VIP) Ed:it – Generally Speaking Hybrid Minds feat. Charlotte Haining – Higher Love (Particle Remix) Kings of the Rollers – You Got Me (S.P.Y. Remix) Acid_Lab – Life FD – Blue Sky Research Ed:it – the Limit Digital & Need for Mirrors – Deadline (Need for Mirrors Remix) Work Force – So Good
