Category Archives: Ear & Drum Session

2021, Ambient, Ear & Drum Session

EAR & DRUM SESSION: 203 – Call the Ambience 16: Terminal

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This mix is dedicated to Dan ‘Mo’ Money’ Moore who tragically lost his battle against brain cancer earlier this year after a brave and tenacious 10 year battle.

I first started the Call the Ambience series when Mo’ first went into hospital as a way of giving him something calming yet D&B related to listen to while bed bound. Mo’ was a music lover, and one of my biggest supporters who stuck by me even when others turned against me on my return from the UK. His friendship and loyalty meant the world to me and defined what a great person he really was.

Mo’, you were one of the good ones. Even more so, you were one of the best friends a man could have. Thanks for all the good time and Rest In Peace.

Call the Ambience 16: Terminal – 1hr+ of Ambient D&B

Bop & Despot – Microfunk
Dharma Kaya – Flux
Zero T & Beta 2 – Misdemeanour
Goldie – The Ballad Celeste (Subjective Remix)
Biome – Ghost
Shinbu – Qa (VIP)
Blocks & Escher feat. Rhyming in Fives – Mr Parker’s Voice
Synkro – Driveway
Bop – Insight
Oddsoul – Lust
Eastern District – You
Bop – I’m Not a Human
Synkro – Piano / Voice
The Vanguard Project & Frev V feat. Riya – No Words (Chill Mix)
Paladion – Friday
Atlantic Connection – Threshold
dBridge – I Know
Etherwood – Souvenirs (Isolation Jam)

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Roller, Uncategorized

Ear & Drum Session: 202 – Squelch

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Another liquid mix in a rolling style with some absolute belters thrown in. Starting off with Need for Mirrors – Without U, others such as Terror & Espa – Loaded Gun (BCee Remix) and Severity & Whiney – Broken Hearted (Whiney Remix) will have you singing along.

Also keep and ear out for new tracks from Marky, Alix Perez & Workforce, Need for Mirrors and the killer Zero T re-rub of Goldie and José James’ – Truth.

Squelch – 1hr of Liquid Rollers

Need for Mirrors – Without U
DJ Marky – 1992 Track
Madcap – Hide
Nelver – Our Time
Physics – Looking Back
Terror & Espa – Loaded Gun (BCee Remix)
Rowpieces – Come On (Version 1)
Alix Perez & Workforce – Distant Figures
Goldie feat. Jose James – Truth (Zero T Remix)
Koherent – Bliss
BCee & Charlotte Haining feat. DRS – Love for the Fallen
DJ Marky – Hunny
Flaco & Glen E.Ston – What You Need
Severity & Whiney – Broken Hearted (Whiney Remix)
Need for Mirrors – Coco
Nu:Tone – Sweeter
Heron Flow – Compare Love

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B, Roller

Ear & Drum Session: 201 – Rollin’ Dirty

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We’re back to some contemporary beats after the 200th Anniversary sets with a mix of rollers from 2020-21. These tracks are almost a genre on their own with their tuff but rolling beats and dirty basslines. They feel a bit more accessible and floor friendly that the usual hardcore D&B tracks and give a bit of a nod to the older Jump Up sound of the early 2000s.

Artists like Buunshin, Mikal and Was a Be are definitely leading the pack along with players like Workforce and Breakage in this sound. This set features work from Mikal’s amazing Metalworks LP which was packed full of tuff rollers and definitely a highlight for Metalheadz late last year.

As hard as some of these tracks are, it is almost impossible not to nod your head and have a smile while you’re at it.

Rollin’ Dirty – 1hr of Dirty Rollers

Degs feat. Pola & Bryson – Sleepless (Bladerunner Version)
Buunshin – Descended
Kidsonic & Swift – Follow Me
Substance – Be Forgiven
Mikal – Resampled
Mikal – Doesn’t Matter
Mikal – Journey into the Reverb
Was A Be – The Walk (Radiax Remix)
Mikal – Turn it Around
Goldie feat. Natalie Williams – I Adore You (Total Science Remix)
Mikal – Strident
Breakage – Valhalla
Was A Be & Radiax – Beijing Banger (Was A Be Remix)
Soul Intent & Ms Tempz – 2 Bad
Breakage – As We Enter (Break Remix)
OAKK, Rider SHafique & Radiax – Growning (Radiax Remix)
Duoscience – Shallow
Kidsonic – Deeper Love
John B – up All Night (Data 3 Remix)

2021, Ear & Drum Session

Ear & Drum Session: 200 – Too Hungered Pt.3 & Pt.4

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Continuing on from the first part of my 200th Anniversary mix, this is look at D&B from the years of 2005-10. While not D&B’s finest era, there were some amazing tracks that did come out during this time and some stand out artists who kept the vibe alive.

As mentioned last time Marcus Inatlex and Calibre came into their own during the 2000s. But joining them in the later part of the decade were dons like dBridge, Rockwell, Sunchase and Naibu who gave us anthems that are still worth a rinse today.

I hope you enjoy the final part to this anniversary celebration and that I might have been able to shine a light on some gems from the turn of the century. Thanks for all the support down the years and as always, enjoy!

Too Hungered Pt.3 – 2hrs of melodic D&B from 2005-10

Bridge feat. Instramental – Blush Response
dBridge – The Question
Magnetic Man – Perfect Stranger (dBridge Remix)
Unquote – Hide Your Tears Because We Are In Heaven
Mutated Forms feat. Jenna G – Last Time
Ill SKillz & S.P.Y – This is Why
Dub FX – Flow (Ill SKillz Remix)
Shapeshifter – The Touch (Netsky Remix)
Logistics – Now More Than Ever
The Burbs – Organic
DJ Marky & S.P.Y – Mystic Sunset
Seb & Paradox feat. Kirsty Hawkshaw – The Light
Camo & Krooked – Turn Up (The Music)
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaur – Garden (Calibre Remix)
Alix Perez & Spectrasoul feat. Peven Everett – Forsaken
Spectrasoul feat. Tamara Blessa – Away With Me (Calibre Remix)
Templecloud – One Big Family (Dexell’s 7am Remix)
Calibre feat. Diane Charlemagne – Bullets
Doc Scott – Tokyo Dusk
Metric – Ocean Drive
Seba – Keep Me Waiting
Commix – Be True
Total Science feat. MC Conrad – Soul Patrol (Lenzman Deep In Your Soul Remix)
ST:Cal feat. Alison Crockett – Late Night Squeeze
Bungle – Aura
Rockwell – Underpass
Atlantic Connection – Retro
London Elekticity – Just One Second (Apex Remix)
Marcus Intalex feat. Calibre – Meltdown 2012

Too Hungered Pt.4 – 1.5hrs of hard hitting D&B from 2005-10

dBridge – Wonder Where
Ian Brown – Illegal Attacks (Rufige Kru Remix)
Klute – Divinity
Klute – Hell Hath No Fury
Sunchase – Remove Heaven
Dub Phizix & Sketical – Marka
D.Kay & Lee – Wax’d (D.Kay Remix)
D.Kay & Lee – Tuning (D.Kay VIP Remix)
Photek – Age of Empires
Spirit – Dial Up
Goldie – Inner City Life (dBridge’s Sonic Nostalgia Mix)
Martsman – Halow
Seba & Paradox feat. Kirsty Hawkshaw – The Light
AK1200 – Junior’s Tune (Digital Remix)
Lenzman feat. Jo-S – Coincidence
Naibu – Fireflies (Seba Remix)
Alix Perez – Down the Line (Break Remix)
Seba – Distance
J Majik & Wickaman – Old Heads
Rockwell – 4U

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Ear & Drum Session: 200 – Too Hungered Pt.1 & Pt.2

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10+ years on and 200 Ear & Drum Sessions later here we are.

It took me a long time to figure out what I was going to do for the 200th installment of the Ear & Drum Sessions. Finally I hit upon taking it back to the beginning of the Ear & Drum and look at the much maligned 2000-2010 era of D&B. Talk to most headz and they’ll tell you this decade was the low point in D&B history, but like all sweeping statements this isn’t necessarily true.

As someone who has loved D&B since the beginning and never taken a break in over 25 years, I have always found tunes that have that special something to make me smile. This stands true even for D&B from the turn of the century. Artists like DKay, Klute, Marcus Intalex and Calibre made their names during this era churning out hit after hit and keeping it mighty real.

What you’re about to hear are the first two parts of a four part series looking back at the tunes I was playing during the noughties. Parts one and two look at 2000-05, with Part 1 one being the more melodic side of D&B at the time and Part 2 being the heavy hitters of the time.

Thanks to all of you who have supported me down the years and let me inflict my music taste on you. I hope you like this anniversary celebration and stick around for the next 200 mixes. Enjoy!

Too Hungered Pt.1 – 1.5hrs of melodic D&B from 2000-05

PFM – Cruising Detroit
Blame – Overhead Projections
Nasty Habits – Liquid Fingers
The Roots – You Got Me (Blu Mar Ten Remix)
D.Kay – Balearic Dream
Nu:Tone – Millie’s Theme
M.I.S.T., DJ Marky & XRS – Sunshine (Touch Me)
Calibre – It’s…
M.I.S.T. 7 High Contrast – 3am
DJ Marky & XRS – Closer
Everything But the Girl – Mirrorball (DJ Jazzy Jeff Sole Full Remix)
Jonny L – 2 of Us (Photek Remix)
Marcus Intalex & ST Flies – How You Make Me Feel
M.I.S.T. – Lover
Tomahawk – Until Dawn
4 Hero – 9 by 9 (M.I.S.T. Full Vocal Mix)
Klute – Part of Me
Logistics – Together

Too Hungered Pt.2 – 1hr+ of hard hitting D&B from 2000-05

Capone – Tudor Rose
Ed Rush & Optical – Rock Tha House
Jonny L – Trouble
Elementz of Noize – Guided by Lights
Photek – Baltimore
Influx UK – My Name is Universe
Sunchase – Next Rhythm
Seba & Paradox – Last Goodbye
DJ Kalm – Violet
Klute – Phone Call (Matrix Remix)
Amit – Roots
Teebee – The Force
Seba – Piemo for B
Influx UK – The Siren
Kiko – Passport

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B, Melodic

Ear & Drum Session: 199 – SUMMERY

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It might be cold up north, but here in the southern hemisphere we’re in the middle of Summer and so I’ve thrown together a mix of tunes perfect for warm nights and even hotter days.

From Tokyo Prose, Alix Perez and BCee through to Calibre, Redeyes and Duoscience this is a good representation of who’s hot in the Liquid D&B scene right now. Special shout to Netsky for his take on the classic Everybody Love the Sunshine.

Summery – 1.5hrs of Liquid D&B

Machinedrum feat. Jesse Boykins III – Wait 4 U
Hiraeth – Greatest Day
DRS & Kid Drama – So High
Rowpieces & Monaco GZA feat. La Yee – Don’t You Never Go Away (Has Tempo Recall)
Shodan – Just You & Me
Goldie feat. Jose James – Truth (Zero T Remix)
Tokyo Prose – Jacknife
Alix Perez & Workforce – Distant Figures
Atlantic Connection – Refix (Instrumental)
Tokyo Prose – Gossamer
Acid_Lab – Distant Lights
BCee & Charlotte Haining feat. DRS – Love for the Fallen
Redicall – Transform
Monumental Banks – Loop Thinking
Mystific – The Sun (Mystical Sound Remix)
Duoscience – Bethesda
Alix Perez – Wondering at Loss
Calibre – Falls to You VIP
Redeyes – Delicate (Club Mix)
Redeyes – Slow Pace (Club Mix)
Atlantic Connection – Threshold
Physics – Crucify
Oat – What We Could Be
Duoscience – Emmaus
Alix Perez feat. Liam Bailey – Lost & Proud
Netsky, Daddy Waku & Chantal Kashala – Everybody Love the Sunshine

2021, Ear & Drum Session, Jazz & Bass, Melodic, Old Skool

Ear & Drum Session: 198 – Four Stroke

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First mix of 2021 is is the final in my 2-Step / Tech Step series looking back at 90s D&B Steppers. This one focuses on Jazz Step from the mid to late 90s featuring some amazing tunes from the likes of T.Power, B.L.I.M. and of course Photek.

Jazz Step was an avant-garde take on the 2-step sound, featuring a lot of live instrument samples such as sax, percussion and double-bass. Starting with Alex Reece’s – Pulp Fiction and closing out with Roni Size’s – Brown Paper bag, the style didn’t really survive the turn of the millennium. But that didn’t stop Jazz Step from having some of the most forward thinking and innovative tunes of the 90s.

Four Stroke – 1hr of Classic Jazz Step

Flex Camp – Style Wars
T.Power – Police State (Native Bass Edit)
Unguided Lights – Deep Blue ‘C”
Minx – Take Me To Summer (N Jay Remix)
B.L.I.M. – Their Culture
Hydro – Tha’ Bomb Shit
Elizabeth Troy – Let Me Be (L Double Remix)
N-Jay – Enceptia
N-Jay – Jazz 163
T.Power – Refraction Edit
B.L.I.M. – Jeamland 96
Morf – Spell
Photek – The Rain (Photek Remix)
Hidden Agenda – Dispatches #1
Elementz of Noise – Astral

2020, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Ear & Drum: Session 197 – Dead Set

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The final in the silly season mixes is all about tough beats and booming b-lines. Rough D&B never really goes out of style, but it does eveolve and this year saw artists like Dom & Roland, Conrad Subs and Bungle bring back an original jungle vibe with a heaping serve of heaviness.

Metalheadz had a stellar 2020 with so many great LPs dropping it felt like every month there was something worth dropping from Goldie’s stable of production talent. But they weren’t alone with Dom & Roland’s self titled label, Doc Scott’s 31 Recordings and a whole host of other bringing the absolute heat.

Dead Set – 1hr of Ruff and Rowdy Beats

Goldie – The Mirrored River (Grey Code Remix)
Goldie – Prism (Dom & Roland Remix)
Heitor Leal Farnese – E näo foi à lápis (Thermal’s Black Dog Remix)
T95 & DRS – On Site
Soul Intent & Acid Lab – Clash of Headz
High Contrast – If We Ever VIP
Conrad Sub – Bump & Grind
Conrad Subs – Love Me Tender
Goldie feat. José James – Truth (Zero T VIP)
Hyroglifics – God Given
Bungle – Runaway
Polaris – Eternal Conflicts
DJ Marky & Pola & Bryson – Run the Streets
Myth – Long Time
Muffler – Super Heavy
DJ Marky – Parlet
Total Science – Lightweight (Break Remix)
Goldie – I Think of You (Digital & Spirit Remix)

2020, Deep D&B, Ear & Drum Session, Minimal

Ear & Drum: Session 196 – Brutalism

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Part two of the holiday mixes focuses on the deeper side of D&B with new tunes from Fixate, T>I, Serum, Om Unit and Conrad Subs. While Minimal seems to have faded a little in 2020, a new more rolling take on the stripped back D&B sound has taken it place which I am totally there for.

Perfect for a late night couch session, this mix might go well with a drop of something stronger and a smoke.

Brutalism – 1.5hrs of Deep D&B

H20 – Dusted
Fixate – Focus
Oat – IntoTheSun
FX909 – Meltdown (Peyo Remix)
Degs feat. Pola & Bryson – Sleepless (Bladerunner Version)
Goldie – I Think of You (Digital & Spirit Remix)
H20 – Parasite
DJ Marky & Pola & Bryson – Run the Streets
Mistrust – Dreamer
T>I & Zombie Cats – Sidestep
Airglo & Stash the Groove Bug – Boom
Daniel Power – Upstream Colour
Hyroglifics – God Given
Russell Small – It Is What It Is (Bad Ass Disco) (Carl Cox DnB Remix)
Breakage – Valhalla
T95 & DRS – On Site
T>I & D*Minds – Pulling Teef
Serum & Kasra – Fade Out
Waeys – Ephemeral
Acuna – Back to the Brainstorm
Philip K Dick – Drips
Bop & Subway – Higher Dimension
Om Unit – Joyspark
Mystic State – Expectations
Shinbu – Sacrifice
Conrad Subs – Beyond This

2020, Ear & Drum Session, Liquid D&B

Ear & Drum: Session 195 – Looking Up

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This is the first of three mixes I’m dropping for a little holiday therapy. Whether you’re having a whale of a time with family and friends or spending the holidays isolating solo, the one thing that will always get you through is good music. So hopefully these mixes will go some ways to helping you have a good break and get you through to 2021.

To kick us of we have a Liquid mix that sums up what strong year it has been for melodic and vocal driven D&B. Artists such as Alix Perez, Tokyo Prose, The Vanguard Project have had a massive year pushing the smooth soulful sound of D&B to ever greater heights. Even older artists such as High Contrast and Netsky who left the liquid sound behind for other sounds are coming back in with tunes reflecting their original sounds.

2020 may have been a tough year for most, but for Liquid D&B it was smooth sailing.

Looking Up – 1hr of Fresh Liquid

Machinedrum feat. Sub Focus – 1000 Miles
Smote – Light of My Life
Netsky & Becky Hill – Hold On
Tokyo Prose – Dust
Nuvertal – The Earth Forgives
Substance & Charlie Brix – Break the Habit
Alix Perez – Someone Else
Goldie – The Mirrored River (Artificial Intelligence Remix)
Monumental Breaks – Tidy Mind
Champagne – Tangible Leads (Physics Remix)
T:Base – Universe
Impression & Markem – Mystic Times
High Contrast – Calling My Name
Acid_Lab – Mr. Evans
T:Base – Power
Cnof – Never Know VIP
The Vanguard Project & Fred V feat. Riya – No Words
Netsky – I Choose You