Category Archives: Ear & Drum Session

2010, Amen, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Screwface – Ear & Drum Session 42

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Ruff and tuff D&B doesn’t hold a great deal of interest to me these days. Neuro has become very formulaic, new jump up isn’t a patch on the old jump up and skullstep is just, well skullstep (nuf said). However I do still manage to find the odd harder edged track which does appeal and in here are some of the best ones I could find for the final quarter of the year.

Nu:Tone and Logistics have combined their powers to create the fierce Nu:Logic sub-brand. Sundown is a proper amen boomer of the highest order and New Technique totally lives up to it’s name. Limewax is one of those guys you either love or hate, but for a skullstep-esq (is that a word?!?) producer he has some serious talent. B Key used to be one of my favourite producers, and his Guitar Track proves that he can still produce a smooth but tuff track when he puts his mind to it.

If you like your hard beats you’ll love this, but if you don’t I’d still recommend giving it a go as there is more to hard D&B then formula, skulls and air raid sirens and I think this mix proves that point.

Screwface – 1hr of tuff D&B from the end of 2010

Nu:Logic – Sundown
Limewax – One of Them
B Key – Guitar Track
Nu:Logic – New Technique
Subwave – Darkness Dub
Artificial Intelligence – Moment of Truth
Break & Silent Witness – Kontroller
Black Sun Empire – Deadhouse (feat. Jade)
Beta 2 – Release
Trei – Mindless
Audio – Genesis Device
Subwave – Road Rage
Theory – Jungle Soul
Gemini – Down
DJ Trace – Fantazia

Amen, Ear & Drum Session, Jungle

Jungle Survival: Lesson 3 – Ear & Drum Session 41

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It’s been a long time since I’ve hit up the Jungle Survival series so I though I’d dig deep and find a lot of my old VIP mixes and dub plates. We focus in on the harder edge of the junglistic spectrum in this edition, If you know DJ SS’ – Black (VIP Mix) then you should know what to expect.

Pretty hard to point to stand out in a mix like this, but if I had to choose I’d say DJ Scoobie – Wait for the Bass is an absolute monsters. It can mix into jungle like a dream, but also hold it’s own against today’s D&B. I don’t know what ever happened to Scoobie, but he will always have a place in my heart for putting together this mental piece of work.

So blaze one up, turn up the bass and get stuck into some serious Jungle Survival training.

Jungle Survival: Lesson 3 – 1hr of Rare & Classic Jungle

Uncle 22 – Your Love (Dub Plate)
International Rude Boyz – Paragon (VIP Remix)
Radical Sound – What is Love (Exclusive VIP Remix)
Dubwize – Jungle Techno (Exclusive VIP Remix)
Shades of Rhythm – Peace Sign (Ray Keith & Nookie Remix)
Black (DJ SS & Mental Power) – Black (VIP Mix)
Xclusive – Exclusive (Exclusive Dub Plate Remix)
Hackney Hardcore – Rudi (Dub Plate)
Uncle 22 – Six Million Ways to Die
DJ Scoobie – Wait for the Bass
Skool of Hard Knocks – Kan Ya Feel It
DJ Rap – Intelligent Woman
The 2 G’s – Energy (remix)
Omni Trio – Soul Prominade (Nookie Remix)
Ellis D – One For the Ladies

2010, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Minimal

Let Nature Feed Itself – Ear & Drum Session 40

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It’s been a ripe old year for the chilled out side of D&B. Minimal has had it’s wicked way with the scene, but outside of that there has also been a return to the deep and mellow sounds. Artists like Command Strange, ATP and Calibre are pumping out quality beats on a laid back tip whilst the new LP’s from Mutated Forms and Artificial Intelligence show that deeper tracks can still pack a serious punch.

Also a big nod to Mr José Gonzålez who’s cover of Kylie’s – Hand on Your Heart has been one of my guilty pleasures of 2010.

Let Nature Feed Itself – 1hr of Deep & Mellow D&B Beats

Stray – Saturday
Subwave – Gift
Command Strange – It’s All Over
Tyler Straub – Trusted Judgement
ATP – Soul Fly (feat. Jett)
June Miller – Poison the Well
Calibre – Even If
BCee & S.P.Y – Nothing to Declare
Theory – Weirdos
Bop – Song About My Dog (Subwave Remix)
Sam KDC – Detached
Mutated Forms – Last Time (feat. Jenna G)
Artificial Intelligence – Stand Alone
José Gonzålez – Hand on Your Heart

2010, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

Small Steps – Ear & Drum Sessions 39

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A quick 45 minute mix to catch everyone up with what’s sounding good in October.

But even though it is small in size it is big in tunes with tracks like Unquote – Hide Your Tears Because We Are In Heaven, Shapeshifter – Touch (Netsky Remix), Theory – Jungle Soul and Subwave – Road Rage being the standouts. There are some really interesting sounds around at the moment and it mixes together like a dream.

Small Steps – 45 Minutes of up to date D&B

Madmen & Poets – Its Not Right
Unquote – Hide Your Tears Because We Are In Heaven
Kharm – Charade
Soul Intent – A.I.
Shapeshidter – Touch (Netsky Remix)
Artificial Intelligence – Moment of Truth
Seathasky & Beatchemist – Learn To Fly
Unquote + Molecular Structures – Lubov Moya
Theory – Jungle Soul
Shapeshifter – Lifetime (Logistics Remix)
Subwave – Road Rage
Audio – Genesis

2010, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

The Switch – Ear & Drum Session 38

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This mix is all about the new tunes. 2010 has been very fruitful in terms of all genres producing some stand out tracks. Minimal of course has taken off, but the new jungle sound is catching up and the hospital style roller, liquid vocal tracks and heavy smashers will never go out of style.

I got all sorts of styles going on in this one, and it switches up all over the place. Stand outs for me would have to be Die & Interface’s new track ‘Bright Lights’ (which is a floor moving monster), X Nation’s remix of Spirit’s ‘All I Need’ (which brings back the stripped back jungle sound and Heist’s ‘Continental Drift’ (which brings minimal and atmospheric D&B together in an amazing blend).

The Switch – 1.5hrs of new tunes for 2010

Furi Anga – The Day My Unicorn Died
Kharm – Hiding Place
Heist – Continental Drift
Klute – Ashram
Spirit – All I Need (X-Nation Remix)
Naibu – Fireflies (Seba Remix)
Utah Jazz – Relaxation Interlude
Spectrasoul – Glimpse (feat. d.Bridge)
Circa – Kabal
Seba – Distance
Total Science feat. Conrad – Soul Patrol (Marky & S.P.Y. Remix)
Future Engineers – Ellipse
Alix Perez – Behind Time
Klute – Fool’s Love
Inside Man – Deeper Love
Underworld – Scribble feat. High Contrast
DJ Trace – Fantazia
Phil Tangent – Lunar
Utah Jazz – Angels Interlude
Lenzman & Treez – Stellar
Kodo – Transmission
Sabre – One Hundred Teeth (Enei Remix)
Serum & Bladerunner – Who Jah Bless
A-Sides – Rebel Rouser (feat. MC Fats)
Klute – Black Pony
Die & Interface feat. William Cartright – Bright Lights (Rockers Mix)

2010, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

A Saturday Night Sumting – Ear & Drum Session 37

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First the first time in 3 years (since my son was born) I was left alone on a Saturday night to just get my head down and mix for mixing sake. There are no themes or tricks to this mix, it’s just what I felt like playing at the time. I pull out some new stuff, some old stuff and some down right dirty stuff.

This is the sound of me letting lose on a Saturday night.

A Saturday Night Sumting – 1.5hrs of Rolling Beats

Fanu – The End of An Era
Alix Perez – Down The Line (Break Remix)
Fourward – Eyelash
Dom & Roland – Mind Feeders
Ed Rush & Optical – Rock Da House
Clive Concept – Out Of Control
Theory – Aurora Flash
Lenzman – Coincidence
S.P.Y. – Hurricane
D.Kay & Lee – Tuning (D.Kay VIP Mix)
DJ Kalm – Violet
SKC – Dream Come True
A-Sides – Rebel Rouser (feat. MC Fats)
Klute – Divinity
Trei & Dose – The Other Part of Me
Ian Brown – Illegal Attacks (Rufige Kru Remix)
Martsman – Halow
Bachelors of Science – The Rush
AK1200 – Junior’s tune (Digital Remix)
Sunchase – Remove Heaven
Kiko – Passport
DJ SS – Black (Bladerunner Remix)
Raiden – Aquarius
D.Kay & Lee – Extazzy

Amen, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Jungle, Melodic, Old Skool

A Gentleman’s Selection – Ear & Drum Session 36

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Ah Intelligent Jungle. If ever there was genre of D&B that melts my heart this is the one. Back in the day the MC would shout out, “This one’s for the ladies.” And you just knew that what would come next would be pure musical ecstasy.

There are some big names in this mix like Omni Trio, JMJ & Ritchie, DJ Pulse, T-Power and A-Sides, but I’ve tried to keep eclectic and slip in the sneaky remixes and the producers most people haven’t heard much of. Not much else to say about this one but let it roll baby.

A Gentleman’s Selection – 1.5hrs of Intelligent Jungle from 1995

Universal Love – Killer Whale
The 2 G’s – Energy (Remix)
Omni Trio – Soul Promenade (Nookie Remix)
DJ Pulse – So Fine
SE9 Crew – So Sweet
T-Power – Mutant Jazz
Essence of Aura – Northern Lights
Pascal – P-Funk Era
Concept 3 – Rush (Remix)
Jodeci – Feelin’ (LTJ Bukem Remix)
Intel Inside – I’ve Got the Music
DJ Pulse – Let You In
Omni Trio – Renegade Snares (Foul Play VIP)
Urban Jungle – Volcano Style
JMJ & Ritchie – Free La Funk
Dub Selector – Champion Dub (Exclusive VIP Remix)
Drum + Bass – The Feeling
Matrix – The Message
A-Sides – Illusions (Exclusive Dub Plate Remix)
J & J – Midnight
Mental Power – Deep Soul

Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Decadance 2000: Part 2 – Ear & Drum Session 35

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The second part of Decadance focuses on the big smashers of 2000. RAM, BC Records and Renegade Hardware totally killed it and built their reputations as the BIG labels of the scene. Moving Shadow as always chipped in with the mighty Dom & Roland and Technical Itch delivering some huge tunes like the Thunder Remix and Can’t Punish Me. Surprisingly Metalheadz went almost a whole year without a release.

As MC Justiyc says in his colab track with John B – Double J, “This one is strictly for the drum and bass heads.”

Decadance 2000: Part 2 – 1hr of BIG tunes from 2000

Roni Size & Reprazent – Dirty Beats
Dieselboy – The Descent
Dom & Roland – Imagination
Bad Company – Breath
Dom & Roland – Thunder (Remix)
Technical Itch – The Extraction
Dom & Roland – Can’t Punish Me
John B & MC Justiyc – Double J (Club Mix)
J. Majik – Love Is Not A Game (Dillinja Remix)
Future Cut – Horns 2000
Usual Suspects – Shrapnel (Stakka & Skynet Remix)
Usual Suspects – Syndrome
Dylan – Spasm
Aquasky – I Can’t Wait No More
Konflict – Messiah

Ear & Drum Session, Melodic

Decadance 2000: Part 1 – Ear & Drum Session 34

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This is a new series of mixes I’m going to do from year to year that looks back at where D&B was at 10 years ago. This mix is part 1 of 2 that looks at the year 2000. I’ve concentrated on the more melodic stuff for this mix and the part 2 will look at the big smashers.

The new millennium seemed to fit D&B perfectly as it was always a forward looking music. D&B parties seemed to explode again after dying off a little in 98-99 and a new generation of producers and labels started to forge their own new sounds. Music technology was getting better and cheaper allowing more and more people who had always loved the music to finally start writing their own tunes. It seemed like everyone was trying to make D&B.

J. Majik had one of the biggest hits of the year with Love Is Not A Game and a little known label called Hospital was starting to show some serious promise. LTJ Bukem released his first solo album Journey Inwards to critical acclaim and Klute, Marcus Intalex & ST Files and Omni Trio continued to show how it was done when it came to melodic D&B.

Decadance 2000: Part 1 – 1hr of Melodic D&B from the year 2000

J. Majik – Love Is Not A Game (Original Radio Edit)
Fellowship – Coming On Strong
Klute – Three of Us
Real Time – Mine
Omni Trio – Secret Life
LTJ Bukem – Deserted Vaults (Instrumental)
Grand Unified Featuring Kadeem – Music Makes Me Feel This Way
London Elektricity – Superstructure (John B Remix)
London Elektricity – Wishing Well (Danny Byrd Remix)
London Elektricity – Round The Corner (Origin Unknown Remix)
Citizen & DJ Kalm – Venus
Marcus Intalex & ST Files – Moonwalk
Klute – Chicks
Bad Company – Colonies
Future Cut – Busted
Total Science – Let It Go
Big Bud – Millennium (Carlito Remix)

2010, Chill Out, Ear & Drum Session, Minimal

Vegetative – Ear & Drum Session 33

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Say what you like about the minimal trend in Drum & Bass it looks like it is here to stay. It might not ignite the dance floors but it is sweet on the ears and awesome to veg out to. This is a mix of the latest minimal tracks that are doing it for me.

Sunchase dominates with his new album Static Nitro, but s13 also puts in a good appearance with his Yourself EP. See else where on the blog for a free download of this killer EP from a fresh name. Lenzman, Rockwell and S.P.Y. get honourable mentions for always coming correct with their minimal sound.

You may notice there is a track not listed. For the life of me I can’t find it and if anyone out there knows what it is I’d be mightily pleased if you tell me what it is. Cheers.

Vegetative – 1hr 15mins of Minimal Lushness

Sunchase – Asphalt
dBridge – Love Hotel
Sunchase Violet
s13 – Earth Ulro
Sunchase – Keyring
Netsky – Storm Clouds
Rockwell – My War
Lenzman – More Than I Can Take
Blue Motion & The Square – I’m Dreaming
???
s13 – Immortal
Synthetic Pigments – Morning Glory
Anile – Never Together
Omar – Lay It Down (Triad Full Vocal Mix)
BCee – Mr. Bidigan (Total Science Remix)
Lenzman – Open Page (feat. Riya)
Furi Anga – Inside the Sun
Jose James – Warrior (Rockwell Remix)
Dephzac – We Are Together
S.P.Y. – Hurricane