Here at dbe we pride ourselves on supplying
you with lineups that span every genre and every sound, whilst maintaining our
dance music edge. But it’s not just through powerful sound systems and talented
DJs that we can get access your musical cerebrals. We believe that music can be
just as an important personal experience than feeling the vibes with hundreds
of others. So combine those two statements together and you have us personally
sharing with you our favourite 10 releases out today so you can choose for
yourself which musical current you wish to wash your cares away.
Dark Sky – Confunktion (Tectonic)
Dbe favourites Dark Sky have been fairly quiet
of late but have come up trumps today with a fresh new 2tracker out on the
ever-sturdy Tectonic label. First track ‘Confunktion’ is fresh itself but it’s
the other side which catches our attention. Double U. Starting off minimalistic
in it’s template, water droplets intersperse spacious timp hits which grow in
frequency before taking over as the main hypnotic lead. The arrangement of
sounds absolutely astounds and every bar is completely different. As we move
further, what sounds like teddy bear sounds are introduced before a menacing
break. After we think it’s died down the arrangement takes on a whole new form
in what I can only refer to the YouTube comments as a ‘coco pop’ drop. I
haven’t heard such a mysterious yet what I hope will be universally lauded
record such as this since Mosca’s ‘Tilt Shift’, and a welcome return to near
140bpm tunes from these guys and other Bass artists might become a welcoming
surprise in the near future. Watch this space.
DJ Rashad – Rollin’ (Hyperdub)
Hyperdub snap up Rashad for a footwork come
RNB future thinking four-track workout just when everyone thinks that it was a
fad that came and went. Kode 9 obviously knows his stuff, and it’s no surprise
this is not just another footwork record. ‘Rollin’ continues Rashad’s fixation
with smooth vocals and synths yet his drum palette has clearly matured. ‘Let It
Go’ completely flips the script as he ventures into Jungle territory which to
me is completely bonkers considering where Footwork came from, but
understandable listening to how Machinedrum has recently utilized and edited it
within his sets. ‘Broken Hearted’ sounds more familiar as he teams up with
Spinn but it’s ‘Drums Please’ which gets our vote this time. Insane cut up drum
hits interspersed with Rashad’s and Manny’s persistent hi-hats and synth cuts
send us dizzy in a good way, but the record smooth’s out with a g-funk lead
which lets us groove on out until all the elements come together to lead us
out. Gangster.
Les Sins – Grind / Prelims (Jiaolong)
It says a lot about our weather when I say
as soon as I heard this I felt like it wasn’t snowing outside and sunshine was
beaming through my window. In truth it was the new sepia glow I had installed
on my mac, but for a moment the music took me sun-soaked beaches, filled with
surfers, ice cream vans and slow motion bikini babes waking past me. Les Sins
aka Toro Y Moi’s Chaz Bundwick has crafted possibly one of the most
smile-inducing tunes since last years ‘Inspector Norse’ which became a dbe
anthem of sorts. Although much more chill in comparison, who’s to say that this
wont became as big. After all we have journeyed from dark dubstep to deep house
within the past few years without too much drama! Anyway, sophistication is
abound within ‘Grind’, with pitched up and down smooth vocals, paired with a
bouncing bassline and a loose and funky synth line which switches and swirls
it’s way magically through the track’s duration. If this doesn’t put a smile on
your face then the weather really must be getting to you!
Martyn – Newspeak EP (Dolly Dubs)
NEW MARTYN EP! Surely that should be
enough!? But if you need some words to help you decide then so be it! ‘Oceania’
is a welcome return to his well-known breakbeat/steppers style that we grew up
on back in the day and title cut ‘Newspeak’ may be the pick for all you fans of
his darker housier stuff. But for us it’s ‘What Is Room 101’ which thrills us
from the start. Kicking off with a mysterious vocal that could take us
anywhere, the record builds and builds through our man’s genius use of those
increasing in volume pads. With a truly deep house template, the sound is also
rooted in the past with bleeps and bloops making us reminisce about ‘Pacific
State’ and ‘Can You Feel It’ all over again! We can’t wait for another album if
it’s gonna be this nice!
Calibre – Fabriclive 68 (Fabric)
Personally, being a drum and bass head back
in the day when I first started DJing, I was always drawn to the softer liquid
styles of Calibre rather than say the tear out styles of Hazard or Pleasure.
That may be down to the man’s interpretation of the genre in his own melodic
and one of a kind sound. His back catalogue is huge and nothing is below par.
I’m surprised it’s taken this long for him to get on a Fabric mix, but never
the less I will always have time to take in his stylistic take on one of the
defining genres of my youth. And he doesn’t disappoint. Blending in seamless
mix after mix of beautiful up tempo rhythms and blissful vocals and melodies,
Calibre has crafted a near-perfect example of his own style and by using 14 of
his own productions or remixes shows us the quality of his material. On hand on
the mix are drum and bass classics in my opinion, including DBridge’s amazing
‘Inner Disbelief’, the perfect remix of Zero T’s ‘Refusal’ and the newer
fantastic remix of TEED’s ‘Garden’. Rolling.
Krystal Klear – Addiction (Rinse)
Rinse have once again smashed it and
possibly created the next London anthem which should be blasting out of car
windows by this summer. Krystal Klear’s joyous DJ sets and productions have
vastly impressed us over the last year or so and every time we see him love it
puts a smile on our face. Here though we’re treated to something in between his
housier original productions and the 80s boogie funk he often plays out in his
sets. Re-creating the vibes of the 80s is no easy matter though, and through
the record we hear wonderful pastiches such as ringing bells, flange synths and
bouncy bass that encompassed the vibe back then. Along with a spectacular and
different vocal performance from Jenna G, this track ticks all the boxes for
the revival of the 80s which seems to be gathering pace as of late. Smooooooth.
Midland – Trace EP (AUS)
Well here we go. You should all know this
one by now. Dark, deep and nasty in the subtlest of ways. Our man of the moment
should be fresh in your mind after a stonking performance at last week’s dbe.
‘Trace’ is definitely one of the most strangest anthems we’ve encompassed to
date, but that’s what is happening thankfully nowadays, with wonder and craft
taking over straight forward song writing. FACT Mag said it best when they
described the track as ‘Isaac Hayes singing with a mouth full of bees’, but
it’s the other elements which create the tension, the pounding and insistent
bass, the skipping drum elements and the punching timps. Our producing
residents think this is impossible to recreate and I don’t disagree. Masterful.
Tessela – Hackney Parrot (Poly Kicks)
Well this is absolute madness. Looks like
breaks are back in fashion! From the start you have breakbeat/jungle hallmarks
all over this. The pounding drums, the cut up vocals, the dreamy pads. Then
without warning all hell breaks loose. Getting proper hardcore the vocal
becomes insistent, the breaks beef up and the bass runs riot over it all. This
is bound to cause mass body movement in the dance whenever anyone drops it, and
I mean everyone cause it has that universal appeal. My head went mad when I
first heard this and still does, and I mainly listen to Jazz, so lord helpa you
all!
Semedo – Love Illusion (Bodywork Music)
We’re looking at another dancefloor killa
here. Although the whole thing is worth checking, the Capracara Remix is the
one for us. With a jacking groove and a hardcore mentality, the bass is bound
to play havoc on a full dancefloor. The vocal reminds us strangely reminds of
‘Rhythm of The Night’ which it could possibly be, but that only lends to the
track’s mystical feel and subtle hints of the past. We could be in a warehouse
in Sheffield or in Ibiza so it’s universal appeal is clear. Worth a chance this
one!
Lockah – Only Built 4 Neon Nites (Donky
Pitch)
Okay, let’s have a little fun with this
last one. Lockah is a little unknown to us, but the label Donky Pitch isn’t.
Responsible for some of the most mental tunes of the past few years, they keep
it gangster through and through and have a certain ‘’don’t give a fuck’ air
about them which we love. The brilliantly titled ‘Only Built 4 Neon Nites’ reminds
us of the days that Kavsrave was massive for like a week and Rustie and Hud Mo
were still bubbling under. ‘Guards Red Carrarra’ takes this on and cements it
in the present with added footwork style beats. Our pick ‘Platinum Blonde’
sounds like we’re crusing through GTA 3 ready to pick up some broads armed with
only our baseball bat and a pack of explosives from 8-Ball, which is obviously
a great thing. Pure ridin’ material.
PEACE ;)
