Review: Calibre's brand new drum & bass album Rudy comes in a minty-fresh contrapuntal breath, following hot on the heels of a new white label reissue of his earliest and most enduring works from the mid-to-late 1990s. The sudden time-warp back into the present day proves just how far he has come since then, yet also just how much he has retained what worked, too; Rudy begins in an orthodox liquid jungle fashion with the likes of 'Stunted', before breaking away into impressionistic vocal free-associations like 'The Game' (with Dominic Martin) and halftime reese-swellers like 'Heaven'. All the tracks originate from the same aetheric stratosphere - imagine if drum & bass had kicked off not on a terrestrial, but totally gaseous planet - yet Calibre still gleans enough variation from this potent condensate to either pack both more vacuumy punches ('Cousin') or more laid-back but cerebral inhalations ('Dumb Bum').
Review: Anyone who avidly follows Dominick Martin's output as Calibre knows the man is insanely prolific. When you get past the sheer volume of his released work, there's also the oceans of unreleased exclusives from his sets throughout a monumental career, which is where the Shelflife series comes in. As you can tell by the triple-vinyl heft of this eighth entry in the series, the man is sat on an incredible amount of heat. Running the gamut from soul-soaked uplifters to atmospheric dreamers and on to sharp-angled, techy monsters, this is Calibre quality through and through.
Review: Although he's released tons of albums and singles, it's Calibre's long running "Shelflife" series that tends to get fans going the most. That's mainly because each volume contains sought-after cuts from his personal stash of productions that feature only in his DJ sets. As you'd expect, there's tons of brilliant fare to be found on volume six, which drops two years after its sold-out predecessor landed in stores. Our current favourites include the deep, warm and soulful roller "Years", the serious sub-bass pressure of the more skittish "Guide You Through", the futurist, mind-altering bass and hazy vocal samples of "Troible" and the dub-influenced weightiness of bustling deep D&B gem "Puppet". That said, all eight tracks are of the highest quality (as you'd expect given Calibre's record and reputation).
Review: Calibre has always displayed an affinity for sounds beyond the confines of drum & bass, but he's never gone as far out as he does on his latest album, "Planet Hearth". Leaving the club behind altogether, he's brought piano-led composition front and centre, folded in an ample dose of ambient and struck upon a cosy Autumnal mood that feels perfect for the time of year. There are still beats to be heard here and there, but this is a personal expression first and foremost. There's a catchy pop tint to "Eratik" while the title track is more concerned with minimalist composition and cathedral reverbs - that's the kind of range he's exploring on this accomplished departure from his usual comfort zone.
Review: While Calibre's studio albums are invariably superb, his periodic Shelflife compilations of unreleased tracks and tried-and-tested dubplates are often even better. Predictably, this fifth volume in the series not only hits the spot, but also contains some genuinely grade-A material. Many will naturally gravitate towards high-class DRS hook-up "City Life" and the sought-after Marcus Intalex collaboration "Bluesday" (a typically warm, melodious and soulful affair), but there are plenty of other highlights amongst the 12 tracks on. These largely tend towards the more sun-kissed and breezy end of the D&B spectrum, though there are some tougher and darker workouts (see the low-slung sci-fi growl of "Jaboc") amongst Calibre's waves of dancefloor positivity.
Review: Under the Calibre alias, Dom Martin has never been afraid to supplement his main drum & bass work with tracks that explore different musical styles. He's gone one step further on this album for Craig Richards' label, the Nothing Special. Stripped of all jungle intent, Grow impressively shuffles between jazzy future garage, hazy post-dubstep soundscapes, warm, breakbeat-driven grooves (the early Blu Mar Ten style bliss of "Thunder Fog"), throbbing futurist dub (the brilliant "Over The Top"), and, perhaps most surprisingly for those keen on D&B, four-to-the-floor deep house (the clandestine "Mention"). The fact that it's all rather good confirms what many in D&B already knew: that Martin is a hugely talented producer.
Review: No other artist in the game could pull a stunt like this off: Such is his proliferation, Calibre's Shelflife series are his way of gathering ideas that he felt weren't right for single releases, or dubs that he just never got round to putting out. As with previous editions, the whole collection rolls like an album due to his consistent, spacious signature. Highlights: How about every track? You need specifics? The piano-slapping sunny-side opener "Latin Way", the big jazzy washes and lolloping rolls on "Model Way", the pushy, gritty breaks on "Spirit Catcher", the wriggling drums, stark minimalism and mid 2000s techno feel to the hook on "Underfire". We could go on and on. It's Calibre - you know what to do.
Review: Drum & bass's most unique gentleman Calibre plunders his vaults to compile a new collection of unreleased gems through the ages. As you'd expect, the end result is a timeless assault of lush grooves, soulful sonics and sweet skippy riddims. From the soft jazz insistency of "Honey Dew" to the hollowed harrowed bass tones of "Bellamee" via the harder, rave-referencing "Sagan" and the deep bass gurgles and DRS's reggae-style vocals on "Eschaton", the only issue here is the fact Calibre hasn't released them sooner. Unarguably incredible.
Review: Given his status as one of drum and bass's true heavyweights; you'd expect this eighth Calibre full-length to be one of the most hotly anticipated jungle sets of the year. Certainly, it's a fine effort, packed with emotion-rich atmospherics, fizzing rhythms and intricate, occasional beautiful, musical touches. He seems to be at his best when concentrating on musicality, as the delightful "Close To Me', soulful "Wilderness" and summery "Do Not Turn On" prove. There are, of course, rawer moments (see the tech-tinged "Simple Things" and dubstep flex of "Start Again"), but these don't hit nearly as hard as his effortlessly soulful compositions.
Review: Majestic album from Calibre, who has long been heralded as a genius in D&B circles. His sixth studio album does nothing to dispel this belief and signals a return to his early noughties heyday when he knocked out sublime and understated but fully formed musical gems for fun. "Condition" has a slightly sunnier disposition than his 2010 long player Even If, but still retains the beautifully melancholic touch that has become Calibre's trademark. Standout tracks "Who's Singing" and "Mirage" are both haunting lessons in liquid and the tougher edged "Garbage Man" and "Schlager" are built for maximum impact. A must have.
Review: "Shelf life" contains 21 unreleased classic tracks covering d&b, house, broken beat and dub productions (from 1997 to 2005). There aren't many artists that have a veritable vault of back dated and in demand tracks, but Calibre is an exception to the rule. None of the tracks on "Shelf Life" have ever been on CD format before and have only been played by a select few lucky enough to have been given them on plate.
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