Time to take a minute and breath with some Ambient D&B to smooth the mind. First up Kid Drama’s take on the Autonomic sound Keys to Kill Time should be on everybody’s radar as it is a master work. In a similar vein Holgenix’ most recent LP Passions and Eschaton’s Ambient Artifacts II have some extremely nice Ambient takes on the D&B sound that are well worth checking out.
Other tracks to keep an ear out for include new work from Klute with the floaty and relaxing Solar Heat, Heron Flow’s ever-green Blame Game and Rainforest’s incredible Paths End. I can’t get enough of this sound, and the only issue I have with it is that it takes me soooo long to collect enough tracks to string together mixes like this.
Kid Drama – Sorrow Skyline Kid Drama – Top Down Kid Drama – Boarderline Sorse – Whimsical (Alegria Remix) Eschaton – Artifact 35: The Maze Synkro – Contact Heron Flow – Blame Game Kharm & Akuratyde – Artifacts (Stillhead Remix) Calibre – Living Without Your Love Halogenix – An End By Any Other Name Eschaton – Artifact 31: Unmanned Mission Klute – Solar Heat Eschaton – Artifact 26: Secret Biology Rainforest – Paths End Ink & Sin – You Are Coco Bryce – Hunning Away Towards Me Mystic State – Expectations Microfunk Crew – Aura Etherwood – Water In Your Veins Kublai – Back Home Halogenix – Keeping You Close
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.
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
Nils Frahm – Mussel Memory feat MC Det slowstyle rRoxymore – At Dawn (Original Mix) Harmonic 313 – Falling Away (wSteve Spacek) Lake Haze – Shores Of Eternal Life (Original Mix) Actress – Pluto ( a 2 ) (Original Mix) Actress – Game Over ( e 1 ) (Original Mix) Nocow – Temno feat. Fama87 Kobe JT – Gosh (Original Mix) Toby Ross – Sekkle (Original Mix) Synpal, the nice planet – License (Original Mix) LV – Turn Away (feat. Dandelion) (Original Mix) Congi – Travellin’ (Original Mix) Fikir Amlak, King Alpha – Kilombo Rafael Toral – Mixed States Uncoded (Original Mix) Lake Haze – Mind Clarity (Original Mix) Dwarde – One For Me (Original Mix) Coco Bryce – Nirwana (Original Mix) THiiiS – SIU (Original Mix) Alix Perez, GLXY – Green Lane (Original Mix) Clipz – Koffee – Toast (clipz Remix) – Mastered Mix Calibre – Breather Calibre – Heat Kelela – Enough For Love Aydn – Macchi (Original Mix) Calibre – The Game (Original Mix) Reza – Dew Drops (Original Mix) Calibre – No Stopping (Original Mix) Gurrumul – Wukun Nils Frahm – Sheep In Black And White feat MC Det Skibba D Sault – Never Feel Fear
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve pulled out an Ambient D&B mix, but this one is special. Ibunshi has been releasing some quality D&B over the last few of years, but his recent Deepest Secret album on Omni Music is a step away from his regular technical sound into what he describes as ‘synthwave inspired atmospheric beats’. Yes fucking please!
Anyone I’ve put this LP onto has either bought it straight away, or streamed the hell out of it as it is quite simply a lush, cohesive work on an atmospheric theme that massages the ears in all the right ways. Big ups Ink, Soul Connection, Ivy Lab and K3Bee for playing support, who’s tunes are in no way any lesser than Ibunshi’s master work on display here. Tune in, turn on and drift out.
Ibunshi – I Remember (We Played) Ibunshi – As the Ocean Ibunshi – Walking in the Storm Ink – Lost in Time Muffler – Water Piano Ambient Ibunshi – Burst in Fire Ibunshi – Her Eyes Carries Storms Ibunshi – Waiting for You Soul Connection – Longing Ivy Lab – Late Night Fit Ibunshi – A New Day Leodia – Badkat Sonics Soul Connection – Worlds Ibunshi – Deepest Secret K3Bee – Drained Ibunshi – Like Crystal Tears Ibunshi – Green Mirrors
For my debut mix here on the site I’ve put together a mixture of cosmic jungle, heavenly half-time & atmospheric liquid.
There’s new tunes alongside some older favourites in here, with labels including Modern Conveniences, Omni Music, Offworld, Fokuz, Metalheadz and Goldfat represented, amongst others. Most of the action takes place in the 166-172 territory.
Really hope you enjoy the mix – many thanks to Wozowski for inviting me over!
1st mix on Ear & Drum! Respect to Wozo for reaching out from the land of tall trees. Hope you enjoy this latest edition to my sonic wayfaring. I used to mix only dnb, but slowly and surely other styles have entered the fray.
Liminka – Where Are You Now? Kahil El’zabar – In The Spirit Grouper – Holding Calibre – Manchester Nights Youngsta, Nomine – 528 Fikir Amlak, King Alpha – Temperance Escapism Refuge – Missing Mark E – Fighter PFM – Danny’s Song Youngsta, Nomine – Foundations SAULT – Masterpiece LSB – Lose Yourself Alix Perez – Desanka Breakage – Clarandon Chase & Status – Over & Done Calibre – If you wait Remix Kelela – On the Run Damiano von Erckert – XTC Spirits Evolving to Higher Spheres Hanna Tuulikki & Tommy Perman – Serotine Recondite – Taum Interplanetary Criminal – In My Arms Floating Points – Problems Justin Hinds & the Dominoes – Sinners
A return to the infrequent Call the Ambience series, this mix features laid back beats from some the genres best. Some of the usual suspects are here such as Bop, Shenji and Synkro, with bits from his amazing Collected compilation. And then there are some surprises such as Noisia in their Muffler form with the beautiful Water Piano Ambient, and incredibly Scar on Metalheadz with a few piece from his deep The Road Loss Traveled EP.
It’s been a long while between drinks for the Call the Ambience series, but we’re back better and more chilled than ever. Even thought the releases of this kind of music seem to be slowing down a little, the quality is still high when it does drop.
Etherwood, dBridge and Atlantic Connection all contribute some wonderfully blissful music, as do 90s originators Alaska, Voyager and Bill Laswell. I’ve been trying to squeeze Laswell’s – El Hombre Invisible (for William S. Burroughs) into a set for years, and finally managed to pull it off here. This 15 minute journey is something else, and shows how formulaic modern day D&B has become.
Seathasky – For Love & Science Rowpieces – 1st Love (Downtempo Mix) Zero T & Beta 2 – Misdemeanour Mystic State feat. Congi – Too Late (Captivate Remix) Shebuzz – We Bring You the Future Alaska – Azarca (Synkro Remix) Muffler – November (Lo-Fi Hip-Hop Mix) Ky! – I See U (Made in Russia Remix) Voyager – Meraki Bill Laswell – El Hombre Invisible (for William S. Burroughs) The Vanguard Project & Fred V feat. Riya – No Words (Chill Mix) Shebuzz – 34th Street Atlantic Connection – Threshold dBridge – I Know Etherwood – Water in Your Veins Sultan & Shepard feat. The Cut – White Lies Etherwood – I Will Wave to You
Another lower tempo chillout mix for those who prefer things a little less hectic. Kicking things off with a tune I’ve listened to for over 20 years, 030’s – Midnight in Europe optimises all that is great about early 90s after hours style tunes.
There are some classics like Chicane’s – Offshore, Orbital’s – Attached and Sunscreen’s – Love U More in the form of the relaxed Slam Mix mixed in with some modern day melters such as Calibre’s – Sand Promise, Synkro’s amazing Empty Walls and Time, plus Joy Orbison’s – Born Slipping. And all wrapped up with one trances best tunes of all time Vapourspace’s early rave classic Gravitational Arch of 10.
Sending this out to Fortune Cookie and anyone else who like couch tunes with a bit of break beat mixed in.
030 – Midnight in Europe Trevino – Sorrow Grain – Ocean Calibre – Sand Promise Synkro – Empty Walls Chicane – Offshore Mark Ryder – Satellite Bonobo – Cirrus Joy Orbison – Born Slipping Clearlight & Owl – White Mountain Sunscreen – Love U More (Slam Mix) The Sunkings – Galapagos Brian Harden – Wizdom Synkro – Time Orbital – Attached Synthetix – The Tao of Dub Mulios – Argentine Dawn God Within – Raincry (Spiritual Thirst) Irresistible Force – Lotus Position Vapourspace – Gravitational Arch of 10
I’d been scratching my head about what to do to make the 50th Down Low Session special, and also have had a real hankering recently to listen to all the old chill out stuff that originally pulled me into electronic music. One massive CD buying spree later and here we are with a mix of some of the most laid back tunes of an era.
Covering everything from Trance, Techno, House, Acid Jazz and Dub there are some absolutely incredible music in this mix including from such luminaries as Moby, Orbital, Massive Attack, D’Cruise and of course LTJ Bukem. Happy 50th!
Alien Mutation & Cyberix – I Had a Hallucination Aphratec – Quebec W – Redheadedstepchild (Symbiosis Remix) Initial Research – System Procedure Massive Attack – Three Unlimited Dream Co. – Feel Like I’m Falling D’Cruise – Sega Rally (Trip Hop Mix) Juan Hansen – Hiding Sun LTJ Bukem – Moodswings Moby – Move (Volume Remix) The Sunkings – Galapagos Electronic Brain – The Future X-Pulsion – Ninety Two The Fluid – The Man With Three Heads Orbital – Attached (Tease) Black Noise – Black Noise Synthetix – The Tao of Dub LunaSol – Butterfly LTJ Bukem – Cosmic Interlude Mulios – Argentine Dream Erkka – Talk to the Hand Deep Space Network – Eleven Bars
