2008, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Liquid D&B, Requested Archive

5am Again – Jungletrain Session 192

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ChaNinja was chasing this request, so this one is going out to him. Cha if you are reading this, I am slowly getting through the others you requested. You’ve even caused me to re-catalogue my entire mix collection.

This mix was originally done with a ‘back to mine’ vibe in mind. Calibre’s – Overflow LP and D-Bridges – Gemini Principle LP feature heavily, plus a swag of other great chillers. 

 

5am Again – 1hr of early morning beats.

Calibre – Overeaction
Calibre – Shine
Jonathan Baker – Cotton Candy
The Green Man – Hong Kong Niights
D-Bridge – Blush Response
D-Bridge – The Question
Clipse feat Pharrell – Mr Me Too (Atlantic Connection Mix)
Anakin – Sky Purple, Yellow & Red
Kabatko & TRG – Crazy Moments
Kahluah – Play It
Calibre – Into the Groove
London Elektricity – Southeastern Dream
Kanye West – Can’t Tell Me Nothing (Atlantic Connection Mix)
Anakin – Falling
Sil ID & Cybass – The Time We’ve Got Left

All Label Mix, Ear & Drum Session, Jump Up, Old Skool

Tru To Form – Ear & Drum Session 7

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One of the labels I have invested the most time & money into down the years is True Playaz. DJs Hype, Pascal & Zinc between them amassed a huge amount of THE best Jump Up tunes between 1995 to 2002. Whether united as the Ganja Kru, or producing under their separate identities, the Tru Playaz label always represented firing beats, funky riffs, hip-hop samples and always mashed together with a phat Jump Up bass line.

Their massive output over this time is amazing considering how high they kept the quality of the music. Albums like Still Smoking, Real Vibes and Playaz4Real offered great value because they always contained way more hits than misses on them, and the string of great EPs on True Playaz is too long to list here.

I think Jump Up today has lost it a bit. Making the as track loud and noisy as possible seems more important that making it funky, and the fun and the good vibe seems to be lacking. But during the golden age of Jump Up, this label really did live up to it’s name and was a True Playa.

 

2hrs of Jump Up classics from the True masters

DJ Zinc – The Source
DJ Hype – True Playa’z Anthem
DJ Zinc – Super Sharp Shooter (Short & Sharp Version)
DJ Zinc – Fugees or Not
Ganja Kru – Magic
Ganja Kru – Plague That Never Ends
Ganja Kru – Forbidden Fruit
DJ Nut Nut – The Finest
Ganja Kru – Science
DJ Hype – Closer To God
DJ Hype – Only One Life (Ganja Kru Remix)
DJ Hype – Musically Dope (Ganja Kru Remix)
Freestyles – Come Back
Pascal – P-Funk 2000
Freestyle – God Intendend
Ganja Kru – You Belong To Me
Pascal – Rollplay
DJ Red – Everything Has Changed (Remix)
Pascal – Keep It Real
Fellowship – Dark Flower Remedy
DJ Zinc – Casino Royal
DJ Hype – Help Me
DJ Hype – Dead A’s
DJ Zinc – Reach Out (Remix)
DJ Zinc – Ska
DJ Zinc – Pitcher
The Outfit – Cleancut
DJ Zinc – Freenote

2009, Cross Genre, Ear & Drum Session

Universal Joint – Ear & Drum Session 6

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Welcome to the first proper mix of new tracks from me for 2009. This has a bit of everything, and as per usual we start off smooth and progress thru to the ruff stuff by the end. Most the tracks in here are 2009 releases and judging by the quality of the releases so far, it looks like D&B is in good shape for another year.

A lot of the tracks I’ve rinsed here are either unreleased, digital exclusives, or currently on white label. Having said this, I do start of with a classic atmospheric T-Power number and finish off with A Guy Called Gerald monologue at the end. Everything in-between is fresh as a daisy.

Big ups especially to Calculon, Austin Speed and the Rufige Kru for their free tracks in this mix. They are not in the mix because they are free, they are in there because they rock. Thanks a lot.

2009 – bring it on.

 

Universal Joint – The first of the crop for 2009

T-Power – Inversion Boots
Eveson – Machines
Calibre – Model Way
Mutt – It’s Pouring Once Again
NotioN – Only You
The Black Ghosts – It’s Your Touch (Calculon & Austin Speed Bootleg)
Naibu – The Shrine
Naibu – Opium Lady
Mistabishi – The Light’s Really Bad
Naibu – Fireflies
Mistabishi – Heaven’s Sake
Incident – Vacate
Wenca – My Dreamgirl
Klute – Trust Me
Lenzman – Lose You
Klute – Ashram
P.B.K. – Microburst (Infuzoria Remix)
Ian Brown – Illegal Attacks (Rufige Kru Remix)
Sketch – Promises
A Guy Called Gerald – The Universe

All Label Mix, Hard D&B, Requested Archive, Tech Step

Underfire Storm – Jungletrain Session 133

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Recently reformed as a label and still sounding good Underfire have had a massive influence on the scene ever since the Infantry EP hit hard and heavy. Stakka, Skynet and K-Tee are still big in the game and whilst everybody knows about the Clockwork LP my favourite release from this label is still the Blazing album.

When Blazin’ arrived no one had heard THAT sound before, but the Z-plane filter soon became a D&B favourite. Akai samplers fell out of favour and everybody was breaking their necks to get themselves an E-MU.

Find out what all the fuss was, and still is, about with this review of Underfire classics.

Underfire Storm – 1hr of Underfire badnesssss

Kraken – Illusions
Spy – Z-Plane
Kraken – Side Effects
Kraken – Meatball
Stakka & K-Tee – Synthesis
Profound Noise – Luminous
Hard Evidence – Mindfield
Kraken – Analogue Spikes
Spy – Vapour
Profound Noise – Synthesis RMX
Skynet & Stakka – Nu Level RMX
Stakka & Skynet – Clockwork
Stakka & Skynet – Timelines
Stakka & Skynet feat Friction – Altitude
Stakka & Skynet – Clockwork RMX
Stakka & Skynet feat K-Tee – So Confused

All Label Mix, Chill Out, Deep D&B, Melodic, Requested Archive

Earthlings – Jungletrain Session 199

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Earth Records was Bukem’s off shoot label for rare-groove based music. Although a lot of the compilations that came out under the Earth banner didn’t have a lot of D&B on them, the D&B tracks they did have were amazing and sublime.

Bukem’s own Constellations with DRS on vocals sets the tone for the mix, but big back-in-the-day artists like Blame, Crystal, Addiction, Phunky Technicians & Doc Scott all make this a listening pleasure.

Don’t just stand there, chill out. 

Earthlings – 1hr of Earth Recordings

LTJ Bukem – Constellations
Pablo – Do What You Gotta Do
Appaloosa – Traveling
Blame – Revival
Intense – Flashback
Vincent – Scythe (Studio Mix)
DJ Crystal – Mind Games
DJ Addiction – Senses
PHD & The Funky Technicians – Above & Beyond
Words 2B Heard Meets Ad-Ill (Planet Invasion) – Con-Quest
Doc Scott – Tokyo Dawn

Hard D&B, Old Skool, Requested Archive, Tech Step

Step Off – Jungletrain Session 203

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So back in the day all my mates were going mad for Jonny L, Photek and Grooverider – the really stripped back Step sound. I was moping about lamenting the death of the Amen break and funk sounds and wondering whether D&B was turning into just pure machine music.

The labels who kept me faithful during this period were S.O.U.R., No U-turn and Emotiv. They had the Tech-Step sound but brought with it such a heavy funk, loads of hip-hop samples and some smashing Amen steppers that still get me excited today.

I recently put up another Tech-Step set and some of the dogs pointed out that that wasn’t their idea of Tech-Step, so I am hoping this one might cover the other side of the sound that they had in mind.

If you like this sound I suggest you step up or step off.

 

Step Off – 1hr of True Tech-Step Tuffness

Code of Practice – Can We Change The Future (Sounds Of Life Remix)
Ed Rush – Check Me Out
Doc Scott – Machines
Technical Itch – The Dreamer
Rollers Instinct – Haze
T-Power & MK Ultra – The Mutant Remix (Rollers Instinct Remix)
Goldie – Manslaughter (Rider Proto 96 Mix)
Hydro – Tha’ Bomb Shit
Shapeshifter – Communicate With the World
Skyscraper – The Difference
Shapeshifter – Talkin’ Mad Shit
Micro-Burst – Punkmutha
Skyscraper – Liberty One
TC Islam & Alien 3 – Let the Bass Boom

News

Review – Metalheadz Podcast

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So we all now Metalheadz are one of, if not, THE biggest label(s) in Drum & Bass, and we all know Goldie’s fearsome reputation for being a hard man and all round grumpy c**t. Well get ready to have that reputation torn in tatters as you listen to Metalheadz Podcast #2.

There is the usual top notch upfront music that you would expect, but what took me by complete surprise is the good time being had by Goldie, Heist, Nick and Chris post Swerve and obviously post a few lemon sherbets. I’ve heard a lot of radio shows and podcasts in my time, but none that have actually made me squirt redbull through my nose on the fit bird sitting next to me on the train.

This whole thing is hilarious from start to finish and took me back to doing graveyard shifts on RTRfm mashed up with me mates in the 90’s. If you really want to hear what D&B is truly about, I suggest you subscribe to the Headz podcasts now while #2 is still available because it is THE best time you will hear on radio.

Big up the Metalheadz for not running a serious and dull podcasting session and for letting us in on one of their big nights out. I wasn’t at the final night of Swerve at the End, but when I listen to this I feel like I almost was. Respect.

Click here to download Metalheadz Podcasts

2008, Ear & Drum Session, Hard D&B

Boomish – Ear & Drum Session 5

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This is the last mix for the 2008 overviews.

Although I am not known for playing rinse out sets these day, I do still like a good bitch-slapper when I hear one. So this mix is mainly comprised of harder and heavier stuff I grabbed during 2008.

Metalheadz came back with a vengeance this year with some BIG albums. Samurai Music, Covert Operations and, as always, Renegade Hardware kept the pedal to the metal. The return to form for Seba and Dom & Roland, plus the continuing development of Martsman and Telemetric meant that 2008 had plenty of huge tracks with which to mash dem down.

The mix itself is a bit all over the place – starting out with some dub step inspired numbers and then dipping into the realms of drumfunk and amen. Then I take it back down in the deep again and when we resurface I pretty much do it to you in the ear hole.

 

Boomish – 2hrs of 2008’s heavy hitters

Panda – Epilogue
Logistics – Shanghai Skyline
Hive & Tech Itch – Detox
Martsman – Sir Gordon Jumpmeister III
ASC – Offworld Tides Pt II
B. Fuse – Big Space
Seba – Blaze & Fade Out
Seba – Forever
Theory – Aurora Flash
Seba & Krazy – Finola
Bachelors of Science – Immortal (Alaska Remix)
Apex – The Yearning VIP
Mandelayev – Utikiyy
Ian Brown – Illegal Attacks (Rufige Kru Remix)
D-Bridge – Desire Line
Goldie – Letting Go
Martsman – Halow
Dom & Roland – Electric Smile
Theory – Question Mark
Trei & Dose – The Other Part of Me
Klute – Divinity
Shy FX – Bambaata (Break Remix)
Loxy & Munk – Genocide
Break – Headz Up
Keaton & Hive – The Plague (Hive Remix)
D.Kay & Lee – Extazzy
D.Kay & Lee – Wax’d (D.Kay Remix)
Telemetric – The Bane
Panda – Leaving Amsterdam

Deep D&B, Hard D&B, Requested Archive

Rolling Deep – Jungletrain Session 175

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ChaNinja has been in touch and asked for a couple of sets to get him through the work day. The first one up is this set I put together in March 2008 for the mighty jungletrain.net

This one for the lovers of the deep rollers.

The dubbed out deep sounds of artists like Amit and Breakage has given D&B a breath of fresh air in the last couple of years. Characterised by stripped back beats and cavernous b-lines, the slow groove that these choons roll out gives them a momentum that is unlike any other genre in D&B.

 

Rolling Deep – 1hr of the Deep, Dark & Moody

Fanu – Dream Of Something Gone
Breakage – Clarendon
Camo & Krooked – Play It!
Amit – Immortal
Fanu – Two Drummers
Breakage – Losing Track
Sabaruko – Latency
Logistics – Shanghai Skyline
Amit – Roots
Logistics – Cold World
Fanu – From Afterlife She Speaks
D.Kay & Kasra – Spider
Amit – Swastika
Klute – 174 BPM
Amit – MK Ultra

2008, Cross Genre, Requested Archive

Sunday’s Child – Jungletrain Session 179

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I put this mix together in April 2008. It starts off chilled and deep with tracks from artists like Mutt & Naibu, and just keeps on building until it is at full force with tracks from Telemetric and Stakka & K-Tee.

This one is for ChaNinja. 🙂

 

Sunday’s Child – 1hr of pure build

Breakage – Cooper
Naibu – It Took a Long Time
Naibu – Pacific
Mutt – Kush Talk
Logistics – No Words
Gex – My Sadness (Club Mix)
Mistabishi – She Lied
Utah Saints – Something Good (High Contrast Remix)
Yousef & Carl Cox – I Want You [Forever] (Marky & A-Sides Remix)
Matrix & Futurebound – Womb
Theory – Aurora Flash
Overturn – Shinobi (Electrosoul System Remix)
Telemetrik – Cosmos
Stakka & Skynet – Altitude (Dom & Roland Remix)