Category Archives: Melodic

Call the Ambience 8: Anesthesia – Ear & Drum Session 112

Welcome to the eighth edition in the Call the Ambience series. Like those that came before, this is a more relaxed and ambient take on the D&B sound. Not quite float tank material, but if you think D&B is all bang and clang this will get you guessing again about your preconceptions.

In terms of artists featured, I recognise only a handful of the producers in here which is always exciting. New talent means a healthy music scene and hopefully there is a bunch of fresh talent for you to discover.

The flow of the mix is quite anesthetic as we start of with some solid, but laid back, D&B beats that give way to chilled out trip-hop type stuff combined with pure ambient soundscapes. And finally we slowly come back to consciousnesses by shifting into some deep minimal D&B towards the end.

This is perfect Sunday listening, so kick back, turn it up and drift off.

Call the Ambience 8: Anesthesia – 1hr of Ambient D&B

Marso & Gala – Promise
Electrosoul System – Traffic
Silence Groove – Cue
Fanu – Dreamer’s Union
DYL & Blanca – Aft
Asa & Culprate – Heartbeat (Steelan Remix)
Hidden Turn – Dream of Tron
Synkro – Contact
Everything but the Girl – Mirrorball (DJ Jazzy Jeff Sole Full Remix)
George Fitzgerald – About Time (feat. Boxed In)
Instra:Mental & dBridge – White Snares
Remeses B – Arise
Om Unit – Layers
Etherwood – Under the Surface (feat. Ginny Ferraro)
Sinker – Falling
Dan Stezo – Psychonaut (Redeyes 1999 Mix)
Ill K – Windspiel
Acid Lab – Drown
Broken Promise – Catapult (feat. Chet Matuto)

In Deep Water – Ear & Drum Session 111

Really enjoyed putting this mix together. I’m not sure if it was the fact I haven’t mixed for months, or just the selection of tunes, but it felt right.

Offworld Recordings wunderkind Silence Groove kicks us off and also features later on with Shine Through. Metalheadz is represented via Halogenix who’s All Blue EP harks back to the Blue Note days and gets three tracks dropped in this mix. And the final shout out is for ElectroSoul System, who’s new LP on Med School is everybit as good as I would expect it to be.

So get on it, give it a rinse and as always turn it up.

In Deep Water – 1hr of Deep Liquid D&B

Silence Groove – Cue
Eavesdrop – Past Life feat. MC Fava
Electrosoul System – Traffic
Aux Verba – The Hardest One To Find Is Ourselves
Instra:mental & dBridge – White Snares
Ehterwood – Souvenirs feat. Zara Kershaw (Ulterior Motive Remix)
Two Fingers – Saint Rhythm
Halogenix – All Blue feat. Cleveland Watkiss
A-Sides & Makoto – Night Flight
Silence Groove – Shine Through
Halogenix – Beyond The Bounds
Electrosoul System – Timetraveller
Nummix – Mirrors of Illusion
Liqutek – Aurora
Stray – Dizzy
Enea – Nightwalk
Halogenix – Paper Sword
Electrosoul System – One, Two… Madness

Rise Up – Ear & Drum Session 110

Everything just fell into place with this mix. I didn’t plan or over-think it (or think about it at all), I just loaded up a stack of tracks and had fun mashing my way through them. I hope some of that spontaneity comes across when you listen.

While there are a lot of the regular legendary liquid producers in here, there are more new faces than old. Eavesdrop, Northern Zone, Patience, Fraen, Bios Destruction, Vandera, Mediks, Eugenics Eight and Madface are all new to me and all slam down a mighty good tune. Madface’s ‘In Love’ deserves a particular mention for the lyrics alone, which are both catchy and hilarious in equal measure.

I hope you have as much fun listening as I did slinging this off-the-cuff liquid roller together.

Rise Up – 1.5hrs of Liquid D&B

Actraiser – Forest of Illusion
Eavesdrop – Past Life (feat. MC Fava)
Erick Trodly – Be Around
Northern Zone – Faint
Deskai – Art of Noise
Rowpieces – Seventh Heaven
Electrosoul System – Traffic
Actraiser – Soul Priestess
DFRNT – Dark Blue (Stunner Remix)
Studio Pressure – Presha XIII
Patience – Sunrise
Rowpieces – Life is Not A Game
Decon – Rareties (Flowrain Remix)
Fraen – Feel Free
Physics & Mr Joseph – Higher Than Beofre (feat. Jere Garcia)
Bios Destruction – Crystal
Marvel Cinema – Detroit Insiders
Vandera – Make Believe (feat. Alicia Romero)
Madcap – Real Love
Mediks – Solidarity
Simplification & Translate – Deep
Northern Zone – Abyss
Soul:Motion – Sentiment
DRS – The View (feat. LSB & Tyler Daley)
Eugenics Eight – Concentrate
Madface – In Love
Nelver – Origin Source

Signs of Intelligence – Ear & Drum Session 108

Ah the 90s – electronic music’s golden era and definitely D&B’s original hey-day. Around ’96 D&B was everywhere and everyone wanted a piece, from movie soundtracks to TV advertising to mainstream music labels, they all wanted what D&B had. And what D&B had was some of the planet’s hottest production talent exploring electronic musics most diverse musical genre.

Photek was in his prime, dropping must have tune after must have tune. LTJ Bukem and his label, Good Looking, were killing it with an incredible artist roster including legends such as Blame and PFM. And Jonny L was on the verge of greatness and flexing some seriously beautiful music.

It was a gentler time, when D&B didn’t feel like it had to be dark or underground and it was an era I still love coming back to so I can lay down sets like this.

Signs of Intelligence – 1.5hrs of 90s Intelligent D&B

Photek – Into the 90s
Madalay – Flowers Bloom (Secret Lovers Mix)
Therapy – Loose (Photek Remix)
Fallen Angels – Frequency (Tango Remix)
Big Youth – Jim Screechy (Smith & Mighty Remix)
Everything But The Girl – Before Today (Adam F Remix)
Lil Louis & The Party – Clap Your Hands (PFM Remix)
Arkatuba – Josimar (Fila Brazillia Remix)
JMJ & Ritchie – Universal Horn
Jonny L – This Time (Cool Dub)
LTJ Bukem – Music
Sneaker Pimps – 6 Underground (In The Jungle Mix)
Everything But The Girl – Before Today (Dave Wallace Remix)
Photek – The Rain
Blame – Overhead Projections
PFM – One & Only
Everything But The Girl – Blame (Fabio Remix)
Neil Trix & Danny Mills – Pearls
PFM – Western (Words 2 B Heard Vocal Mix)
Jonny L – Nightlife
LTJ Bukem – Horizons
Eugenix – Sunshine

Twilight’s Song – Ear & Drum Session 106

More of a vocal inspired than straight up D&B mix. Most of these are just great songs beautifully sung that happen to have a breakbeat behind them.

Calibre features heavily, as does Atlantic Connection, Intelligent Manners and Nelver. Plus a whole host of weird and wonderful who have been flying well below the radar.

If you are looking for something a little different, you have found it.

Twilight’s Song – 1hr of Vocal D&B

Nelver – Impressions
Spenda C vs Alison Wonderland – I Want You (Spenda C Remix)
Atlantic Connection – Without You feat. Rose Hart
Intelligent Manners – Numb
SpectraSoul feat. Terri Walker – Light In The Dark (Etherwood Remix)
Alix Perez feat. Peven Everette & SpectraSoul – Forsaken (Calibre Remix)
Mobility – Fully Interlocking
Al Pack – Come Correct (Kalum Remix)
DFRNT – Dark Blue (Stunna Remix)
Intelligent Manners – Everyday Is The Same
Furney – Missing Her Missing Me
Nelver & Steeotype – Spring Inspiration
Artificial Intelligence & dBridge – Better Days
Will Miles – Moon Rising
Hydro, Frank Carter III & Ivy Lab – Make It Clear
Atlantic Connection feat. Tunde Olaniran – Geppetto
Calibre – The Wash
BCee – Typical Description (Calibre Remix)

Liquid(n)ation – Ear & Drum Session 104

Liquid [lik-wid]
adjective
1. having the consistency of a liquid.
2. (of a sound) clear, pure, and flowing; harmonious.
noun
1. A subgenre of drum and bass. While it uses similar basslines and bar layouts to other styles, it contains fewer bar-oriented samples and more instrumental layers (both synthesized and natural), harmonies, melodies and ambiance, producing a sentimental atmosphere directed at home listeners as well as nightclub and rave audiences. Music genres such as jazz, soul and sometimes blues have a pivotal influence on liquid funk.

Liquid(n)ation – 1hr+ of Liquid D&B
Calibre – Make Me Feel Alright
T Base – Digital Future
Silence Groove – Bass Police
Karma – Silhouettes
Billion feat. Maxine Ashley – Special (Nu:Tone Remix)
S.P.Y – Perth Sunset
CLS – Baltic Air
Nelver – Nightwalker VIP
Will Miles – Dream to Be
Unreal – Just One Night
Intelligent Manners – Everyday is the Same
dRamatic – Diamond in the Rough
Nelver – Black & White
Nelver & Camargo – Aurora
Calibre – Sagan
Soul Cube & Rowpieces – Wake Up
PLK – Her Side
Nelver – Nibiru
Cern – Those Left Behind feat. Hydro
Semi Sense – Fast Days
Silence Groove – Northern Groove
Neo – All the Love (Chris SU Remix)
Mindstorm – Think of the Future
ActRaiser – Full Moon
Nelver – Shadows
Parhelia – The End of the Introduction
Avizura – Blue Sky

Change of Atmosphere – Ear & Drum Session 101

Back in 1996 LTJ Bukem was king. His brand of atmospheric (some called it Intelligent) D&B was uplifting dance floors everywhere and his Logical Progression LP was on rotation in almost every pub, cafe and bar. The combination of rapid fire syncopated beats couples with melody and atmospheric pads was pure magic.

Fast forward to 2014 and the atmospheric sound is starting to have a resurgence. I’m not sure it’s a deliberate movement the way it was in 96′, as I’m not finding EPs or LPs dedicated to it, but single tracks are popping up everywhere in amongst the amen heavy drumfunk and melodic liquid on labels like Celsius, Subtle Audio and Offworld Recordings.

I’ve spent most of the year keeping a folder aside just for these types of tracks. Knowing that eventually I’ll have enough to throw down a decent set of uplifting beats and swelling rhythms. And that time is now.

Change of Atmosphere – 1hr+ of Atmospheric D&B

Nebula – Encounter (VIP)
Actraiser – Strange New World
S.P.Y & Total Science – Double Trouble
Will Miles – Falling
Tim Cant – Fusion Chillout
Calibre & Marcus Intalex Feat. Fox – Something Heavy
Tremah – Trouble Shooter
Dave Webber – Drifter
Enjoy – Safe for a Mistake
Parhelia – Moon Machine
Roygreen & Protone Feat. Monologue & Lameduza – Through The Alps (Survival Remix)
Airstrike & Blak – Karma
L-Side – Tomorrow Never Dies
Anile – Voidrants
Anile – To Live Without
Eveson – Tempest
Tim Cant – Ultra Generic
Blade – Universal Rhythm
Furney – Tear in the Rain
Jam Theives – Distant Lover

All’s Well That Ends Well – Ear & Drum Session 99

Last mix in the double figures for the Ear & Drum Sessions, and it’s a little ripper. Full of melodic gems from the Liquid end of D&B – perfect sunny day tunes to get you bouncing.

A special mention has to got Makoto for his bootleg of Pharrell Williams ‘Happy’. Easily one of the best commercial tracks of the year, it only gets better after Makoto has given it an atmospheric rework. And best of all it is yours to download for free right here.

Other notables are Technimatic with his new ‘Desire Paths’ LP on Shogun Audio which is well worth a listen. Plus the good people at Fokuz Recordings with their ‘Crossroads EP’. There are only three tracks on it, but all three were strong enough to be included into the mix and include emerging artists I’d never heard of.

Enjoy number 99 and get ready for a special number 100.

All’s Well That Ends Well – 1hr of Liquid D&B

Bop – Lucid Dreaming (feat. Elsa Esmeralda)
Logisitcs – As Sure as Sunrise (Feat. Hugh Hardie)
Actuaries – Homeward Bound
Pharrell Williams – Happy (Makoto 170 Edit)
Technimatic – Night Vision
Technimatic – Perseverance
Bungle – You & Me (Villem Remix)
Anth M – Inner Moment (Oddsoul Remix)
Technimatic – Music Is Music
Pablo Nouvelle – You Don’t Understand (Calibre Remix)
Element Down & Laura Wadley – Electricity (Rune & Kaiza Remix)
Fullmetal, Kaiza & Rune – Crossroads
Shapeshifter – The Touch (Netsky Remix)
Keeno – As One (feat. Pat Fulgoni)
Vortex Involute – Closing Doors (Nelver Remix)
SubSid – So Hold On
Vaptor – Lay Down Your Soul (Rune & Kaiza Remix)

White Rabbit – Ear & Drum Session 98

Perfect for the return of the warmer weather here in Australia, this is a summery little number full of Liquid rollers and tunes to sing along to.

Big ups to Perth boy Greg Packer back on form with Danny Rhodes and his tune ‘Gone Away’. Another old favourite of mine who’s back producing the goods is Redeyes with his tracks ‘Reflections’ and the Lenzman colab ‘Thieves in the Night’.

Did someone say Lenzman? Really this mix belongs to him and his massive new LP out on Metalheadz. It’s a liquid lovers dream and easily in the top three D&B LPs to come out this year across any genre. Lenzman’s ear for a perfect melody and rolling b-line has always been spot on and it’s great to see him getting support from a label as big as Headz.

So that’s it. not much else to say other than turn it on, crank up the bass and enjoy some beautiful music.

White Rabbit – 1.5hr+ of Liquid Goodness

Greg Packer & Danny Rhodes – Prelude in G# Minor
Lenzman – Collapse
Greg Packer & Danny Rhodes – Gone Away
Lenzman & Redeyes – Theives In The Night (Technimatic Remix)
Break – Moving On
Sunny Crimea – Never Say Goodbye
Redeyes – Reflections
Actraiser – Twighlight Express
Contra – Espanola
Dose – Soul Food
Lenzman – Ever So Slightly (AI Remix)
Stereotype & Nelver – Evermore
Actraiser – Midnight Wanderers
Actraiser – Future Encounters
Eveson & MC Fats – Vignette
Lenzman – Starz (feat. Kevin King)
Lenzman – Paper Faces (feat. Martyna Baker)
Deeper Connection – So Deep
HLZ, DJ Chef & MC Fats – Souljah (HLZ Remix)
Lenzman – Always
Bipolar – Interlude
Lenzman – Just Can’t Take (feat. DRS)
Lenzman – Burner
Nelver – Full Sky
Phil Tangent – Remembrance
Technimatic & LSB – Rotary Motion (Calibre Remix)
Command Strange – Could Be Mine
Lenzman – It’s Yours (Interlude)
Utah Jazz – January Silence
CLS – One Month
Lenzman – Through My Eyes
S.P.Y – Dusty Fingers (feat. Diane Charlemagne)
Simplification & Nelver – My Love

The Chillin – Ear & Drum Session 97

This is a big ol’ liquid D&B mix chock full of deep rollers and warm fuzzy b-lines. Some say the genre has gotten formulaic, but personally I think the sound has just been nailed down and perfected. Certain producers are now they are flexing their skills into more and more melodic territories that works a wonderful magic on the ears.

Calibre, Seba, BCee, Bachelors of Science to name just a few are killing it and have been for quite a while. Labels like Fokuz, Influenza Media and Celsius rarely put out dud releases now, and I get excited every time I see something new from any of these labels.

This is one of those sets that could fill the floor if played at full volume or a bean bag if your sitting at home with your phones on. Put it on, slip onto your comfiest chair, relax and enjoy.

The Chillin – 1.5hrs of Liquid Goodness

Flashback FM – Take a Ride
Andy Sim & Kalum – Revitalise
Macca & Changing Faces – Clouds Cross Skies
Bachelors of Science – Beats Still Own The Rhythm
Chase & Status – Blk & Blu (Calibre Remix)
Zoe Phillips – Road Signs (Hugh Hardie Remix)
Bipolar – State of Play
Facing Jinx – time
Pluton, Skyer & Physical Illusion – Sunrise
BCee – Think Twice
Total Science – Another Time (Feat. Grimm)
Sektor – Back in the Days
Seba – Can’t Describe
Klute – My Black White feat. Close
Nitri & Level 2 feat. Grimm – Lies (Calibre Remix)
Furney & Locksmith – Dub A Dub
Tim Cant – Sacred Moments
BCee – The Falls
Maduk – Avalon (VIP)
Kalum – Zen
Break – They’re Wrong (Calibre Remix)
Break – They’re Wrong (Calibre Alternative Remix)
Tokalosh – My Way
Rowpieces – Eternal Peace
Oddsoul feat. Anastasia – Summer Lovin’ (Colossus Remix)
Tokyo Prose – Songbird
High Contrast – Twilight’s Last Gleaming VIP
Flashback FM – City at Night